Experimental gestational hypothyroidism evokes hypertension in adult offspring rats

Gestational hypothyroidism is a prevalent disorder in pregnant women. We aimed to investigate the impact of experimental gestational hypothyroidism (EGH) on cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems (ANS) in the offspring of rats. EGH was induced with methimazole (MMI) 0.02% in drinking water from day 9 of gestation until birth. Sixty day old offspring from MMI-treated dams (OMTD, n = 13) or water-treated dams (OWTD, n = 13) had femoral arteries surgically assessed for the measurements of heart rate (HR), mean (MAP), systolic (SAP) and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). To investigate the balance of ANS, we established the high (HF) and low frequency (LF) bands of pulse interval (PI) and LF band of SAP spectrum. OMTD had increased MAP (130.2 +/- 2.0 vs 108.8 +/- 3.0 mm Hg, p<0.001), SAP (157.3 +/- 2.9 vs 135.7 +/- 4.5 mm Hg, p<0.001) and DAP (109.7 +/- 1.9 vs 88.4 +/- 2.6 mm Hg, p<0.001) when compared to OWED, and had lower HR (355.1 +/- 8.9 vs 386.8 +/- 9.2 bpm, p<0.05). After spectral analysis of PI and SAP, only LF band of SAP spectrum was higher (7.2 +/- 0.8 vs 4.0 +/- 0.6 mm Hg-2, p<0.01) in OMTD under spontaneous condition. Despite bradycardia, EGH promotes spontaneous hypertension in 60 day old offspring, probably due to increased sympathetic modulation of vessels, which is suggested by the higher LF of SAP. These findings suggest a critical role of maternal THs in the development of fetal cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laser locking to the Hg-199 S-1(0)-P-3(0) clock transition with 5.4x10(-15)/root tau fractional frequency instability

With Hg-199 atoms confined in an optical lattice trap in the Lamb-Dicke regime, we obtain a spectral line at 265.6 nm for which the FWHM is similar to 15 Hz. Here we lock an ultrastable laser to this ultranarrow S-1(0) - P-3(0) clock transition and achieve a fractional frequency instability of 5.4 x 10(-15) / root tau for tau <= 400 s. The highly stable laser light used for the atom probing is derived from a 1062.6 nm fiber laser locked to an ultrastable optical cavity that exhibits a mean drift rate of -6.0 x 10(-17) s-(1) (-16.9 mHzs(-1) at 282 THz) over a six month period. A comparison between two such lasers locked to independent optical cavities shows a flicker noise limited fractional frequency instability of 4 x 10(-16) per cavity. (c) 2012 Optical Society of America

Use of Hg-Electroplated-Pt Ultramicroelectrode for Determining Elemental Sulphur in Naphtha Samples

This paper describes the applicability of a Hg-electroplated-Pt ultramicroelectrode in the quantification of elemental sulphur in naphtha samples by square-wave voltammetry. A reproducible deposition methodology was studied and is reported in this paper. This methodology is innovative and relies on the quality of the mercury stock solution to obtain reproducible surfaces required for the analytical methodology. All analyses were performed using a Hg-electroplated-Pt ultramicroelectrode (Hg-Pt UME) due to the low sensibility of such devices to ohmic drops in resistive solutions. The responses of the peak areas in voltammetric experiments were linear in all of the range studied. The method developed here is accurate and reproducible, with a detection limit of 0.010 mg L-1 and a good recovery range for both standard solutions of elemental sulphur (85 to 99%) and real naphtha sample (79%). These results attest to the potential for the application of this electroanalytical methodology in determining elemental sulphur in naphtha samples containing mercaptans and disulphides.

Atorvastatin Prevents the Downregulation of Aquaporin-2 Receptor After Bilateral Ureteral Obstruction and Protects Renal Function in a Rat Model

OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of atorvastatin (ATORV) on renal function after bilateral ureteral obstruction (BUO), measuring inulin clearance and its effect on renal hemodynamic, filtration, and inflammatory response, as well as the expression of Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) in response to BUO and after the release of BUO. METHODS Adult Munich-Wistar male rats were subjected to BUO for 24 hours and monitored during the following 48 hours. Rats were divided into 5 groups: sham operated (n = 6); sham + ATORV (n = 6); BUO (n = 6); BUO + ATORV (10 mg/kg in drinking water started 2 days before BUO [n = 5]; and BUO + ATORV (10 mg/kg in drinking water started on the day of the release of BUO [n = 5]). We measured blood pressure (BP, mm Hg); inulin clearance (glomerular filtration rate [GFR]; mL/min/100 g); and renal blood flow (RBF, mL/min, by transient-time flowmeter). Inflammatory response was evaluated by histologic analysis of the interstitial area. AQP2 expression was evaluated by electrophoresis and immunoblotting. RESULTS Renal function was preserved by ATORV treatment, even if initiated on the day of obstruction release, as expressed by GFR, measured by inulin clearance. Relative interstitial area was decreased in both BUO + ATORV groups. Urine osmolality was improved in the ATORV-treated groups. AQP2 protein expression decreased in BUO animals and was reverted by ATORV treatment. CONCLUSION ATORV administration significantly prevented and restored impairment in GFR and renal vascular resistance. Furthermore, ATORV also improved urinary concentration by reversing the BUO-induced downregulation of AQP2. These findings have significant clinical implication in treating obstructive nephropathy. UROLOGY 80: 485.e15-485.e20, 2012. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc.