Teaching the basic principles of electrocardiography experimentally.

Electrocardiography (ECG) is one of the most widely used methods in clinical diagnosis. Here we describe an experimental approach that offers hands-on learning of its basic principles. An experimental model that consists of a rubber foil with a low electrical conductivity and a DC power unit is used to simulate the body and the electric dipole of the heart.

Cell Volume Changes and Membrane Ruptures Induced by Hypotonic Electrolyte and Sugar Solutions.

The cell volume changes induced by hypotonic electrolyte and sucrose solutions were studied in Chinese-hamster-ovary epithelial cells. The effects in the solutions with osmolarities between 32 and 315 mosM/L and distilled water were analyzed using bright-field and fluorescence confocal microscopy. The changes of the cell volume, accompanied by the detachment of cells, the formation of blebs, and the occurrence of almost spherical vesicle-like cells ("cell-vesicles"), showed significant differences in the long-time responses of the cells in the electrolyte solutions compared with the sucrose-containing solutions.

The pore-forming action of polyenes: From model membranes to living organisms.

The incidence of resistant fungal pathogens has been increasing, especially in immuno-compromised people. As such, considerable research has been focused on discovering anti-fungal agents with new mechanisms of action and on optimizing the use of existing agents. In this context, interest in the polyene group of anti-fungals has recently been renewed, since they are known to be effective against a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens that only rarely develop a resistance to them.

Osmotic Effects Induced by Pore-Forming Agent Nystatin: From Lipid Vesicles to the Cell.

The responses of Chinese hamster ovary epithelial cells, caused by the pore-forming agent nystatin, were investigated using brightfield and fluorescence microscopy. Different phenomena, i.e.

The influence of very low illumination on the postural sway of young and elderly adults.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the influence of very low ambient illumination and complete darkness on the postural sway of young and elderly adults. Eighteen healthy young participants aged 23.8 ± 1.