[The value system of Polish drivers in the context of road safety - a research report]. / System wartosci polskich kierowców a bezpieczenstwo na drodze. Raport z badan.

BACKGROUND: The main objective of the research was to describe the hierarchy of values of drivers, with particular emphasis on the values relevant to road safety - personal safety, social security, humility and adaptation to rules, as well as the relationship between them and the number of accidents and collisions in which drivers participated. The additional goal was to determine the significance of variables (age, sex, seniority in driving, education, staying in a relationship, the number of children) for the hierarchy of drivers' values. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ) by Shalom Schwartz, in the Polish adaptation by Cieciuch, was applied. The research was conducted on a group of 704 drivers of both sexes (356 women and 348 men), aged: 18-77 years, of whom 303 people were asked about the number of accidents and collisions in which they had participated or which they had caused. RESULTS: The drivers that took part in the research valued kindness and safety to a large extent, but the need for self-determination, especially in men and young drivers, prevailed over the value of discipline. The number of accidents and collisions turned out to be important for the valuation of security in the social context, with the observed interdependence being bi-directional. Among the variables controlled for the hierarchy of values, drivers' age and gender of were of particular importance. CONCLUSIONS: The hierarchy of values of the examined drivers indicates the appreciation for kindness and safety, to a large extent, and the value of discipline (humility and respect for rules), but the need for self-determination (self-management), especially in men and young drivers, was found to prevail. The main limitation of this research was the data collection method based solely on self-reports, as a result of which the obtained results may be burdened with the need to gain social approval. Med Pr. 2020;71(2):137-52.

The effect of the release of exogenous nitric oxide on the responses of the pregnant human myometrium to oxytocin.

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Currently there is insufficient evidence to support the routine administration of nitric oxide donors in the treatment of threatened preterm labor. An understanding of the role that nitric oxide plays in the management of threatened preterm labor may lead to more effective treatment and prevention. The aim of our study was to examine the involvement of exogenous nitric oxide release in regulating responses of the human pregnant myometrium to oxytocin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Material and methods: Biopsies of human myometrial tissue during pregnancy were obtained from 8 pregnant women, aged 21-35 years. The responses of the specimens to oxytocin in the absence and presence of a DETA/NO were recorded under isometric conditions. Preincubation with exogenous nitric oxide significantly (p<0.001) attenuated the contractile response of the uterine strips to oxytocin in concentrations higher than 10-8 mol/L. RESULTS: Results: The inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis alone or in combination with DETA/NO incubation did not significantly change the oxytocin contractile effect in the concentration-response curve. Moreover, there was no significant variation in the mean value for log EC50 for oxytocin between the group with oxytocin alone and other groups. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: We present evidence in support of the hypothesis that continuous nitric oxide supply to the human pregnant myometrium environment attenuates its response to oxytocin but only when endogenous production of nitric oxide is not impaired.

The sources of calcium for noradrenaline-induced contraction in the human thoracic internal artery.

The aim of the present study was to examine the contribution of intracellular and extracellular calcium sources in contraction caused by noradrenaline (NA) of the human internal thoracic artery (ITA) in vitro. Distal segments of ITA were obtained from 20 patients (aged 38-73, at the time of routine coronary artery surgical revascularization (CABG)). Contractile responses to 10-6 mol/L NA in the physiological salt solution and in Ca2+-free solution without and after incubation with 10-6 mol/L thapsigargin (TSG) were recorded under isometric conditions. Responses of ITA rings to 1 µM NA without incubation with TSG accounted (% of reaction to 80 mM KCl) 224.70 ± 14.06% in PSS solution, 141.30 ± 8.66% in Ca2+-free solution, and 80.03 ± 1.71% after PSS restoration and were statistically significantly different (p < 0.0001, one-way ANOVA). Responses of ITA rings to 1 µM NA with 1 µM TSG accounted (% of reaction to 80 mM KCl) 114.50 ± 2.79% in Ca2+-free solution and 36.70 ± 2.38% after PSS restoration. Responses in Ca2+-free solution and after PSS restoration without and with TSG were statistically significantly different (p = 0.0257 and p < 0.0001, respectively-t test). ITA contraction is caused by calcium derived not only from the SR and the extracellular matrix. The delivery of calcium to the space surrounding tissue does not immediately deliver calcium to the myofilaments.

Altered uterine contractility in response to ß-adrenoceptor agonists in ovarian cancer.

We aimed to prospectively examine ß-adrenoceptor-mediated uterine contractility in women suffering from gynecological malignancies. Myometrial specimens were obtained from non-pregnant women undergoing hysterectomy for benign gynecological disorders, and ovarian, endometrial, synchronous ovarian-endometrial, and cervical cancer. Contractions of myometrial strips in an organ bath before and after cumulative dosages of ß2- and ß3-adrenoceptor agonists with preincubation of propranolol, SR 59230A, and butoxamine were studied. All agonists induced a dose-dependent attenuation for uterine contractility in endometrial or cervical cancer, similar to that observed in the reference group. Contradictory effects were observed for ovarian cancer alone or in combination with endometrial cancer. CL 316243 or ritodrine abolished the relaxation, whereas BRL 37344 increased the uterine contractility in ovarian cancer. Moreover, ß-adrenoceptor antagonists caused varied effects for ß2- or ß3-adrenoceptor agonists. Our experiments demonstrate that ovarian cancer, alone or as synchronous ovarian-endometrial cancer, substantially alters uterine contractility in response to ß-adrenoceptor agonists.

Cu(II) complexation does not affect oxytocin action on pregnant human myometrium in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: Copper may influence the in vivo and in vitro uterine activity. Recent evidence shows that cupric ions can easily form complexes with oligopeptides like oxytocin (OXT). The high complex stability in vitro suggests a possibility of complex formation in vivo. STUDY DESIGN: In vitro isometric contractions were recorded in uterine tissues from pregnant women undergoing caesarean sections and the effect of OXT and the Cu-OXT complex on isolated human pregnant myometrium was investigated. RESULTS: In the concentration range from 10(-14) to 10(-6)M of OXT alone, pre-formed Cu-OXT complex, and OXT following sample preincubation with Cu(II) salt, nosignificant differences were observed for the following parameters of pregnant uterine smooth muscle contraction: the area under the curve, frequency and amplitude of contraction. CONCLUSION: The binding of Cu(2+) ions does not abolish the ability of OXT to interact with oxytocin receptors and stimulate myometrial contraction in vitro.

Differences in the effects of beta2- and beta3-adrenoceptor agonists on spontaneous contractions of human nonpregnant myometrium.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the relaxant properties of BRL 37344 with p2-adrenoceptors agonist ritodrine on the contractility of human nonpregnant myometrium. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The activity of myometrial strips mounted in an organ bath was recorded under isometric conditions using force transducers with digital output. Contractility before and after cumulative additions of both uterorelaxants and with preincubation with beta-adrenoceptor antagonists bupranolol, propranolol, and butoxamine were studied. RESULTS: Both BRL 37344 (10(-10)-10(-4) mol/L) and ritodrine (10(-10)-10(-5) mol/L) decreased the area under curve, or AUC, value (log/C50 -6.45 +/- 0.18 and -8.71 +/- 0.35, respectively), and the degree of inhibition of spontaneous contractile activity was similar (< 30%). However BRL 37344 decreased the mean frequency of contractions, whereas ritodrine decreased the mean amplitude of contractions. The inhibition of contractions by BRL 37,344 was partially antagonized by bupranolol and propranolol, but not with butoxamine. The inhibition by ritodrine was counteracted by all these antagonists. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of BRL37344 and ritodrine on human nonpregnant myometrium are quantitatively similar in respect to the inhibition of spontaneous contractility yet are also distinct due to their substantially different influences on contraction parameters. Our data indicate that beta3-adrenoceptor activation is not the sole effect of BRL 37,344 on this tissue.

Effect of nitric oxide on responses of the human uterine arteries to vasopressin.

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to be an important relaxant of contractile activity in various muscles including the human uterine arteries. It has been suggested that NO plays a role in modulation of vascular action of arginin vasopressin (AVP), a strong vasoconstrictor of the human uterine arteries. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to investigate an involvement of endogenous NO in regulation of responses of the human intrauterine arteries to AVP and examine the effect of exogenous NO on contractions of the human intrauterine arteries evoked by AVP. Pretreatment of the artery rings with L-NA, an inhibitor of NO synthase significantly increased the resting force and enhanced the artery responses to AVP. The opposite effect has been observed after administration of 10(-6) mol/L sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Pretreatment of the artery rings with 10(-7) M CTX, a blocker of Ca(2+)-sensitive potassium channels with large conductance, did not change significantly their responses to AVP. Glibenclamide (1.5.10(-6) mol/L), a blocker of ATP-dependent potassium channels and apamin (10(-8) M), a specific blocker of Ca(2+)-sensitive potassium channels with small conductance strongly enhanced the maximum responses of the artery rings to AVP. Pretreatment with CTX significantly decreased the relaxation induced by SNP while apamin attenuated the sensitivity to SNP resulted in rightward shift of the concentration-response curve to SNP. In conclusion, this study indicates that: NO plays a role in regulation of both the vascular tone of the human intramyometrial arteries and their response to AVP. Ca(2+)-sensitive K(+) channels with small and large conductance are involved in the SNP-induced relaxation of these arteries. The pathways of this relaxation cannot be sufficiently explained at this moment and need further investigation.

The influence of methylene blue on the spontaneous contractity of the non-pregnant human myometrium and on the myometrial response to DEA/NO.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent inhibitor of spontaneous contractions of the human non-pregnant myometrium; however, the precise mechanism by which NO causes the myometrial smooth muscles to relax remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of methylene blue (MB) on myometrial contractions and the response of the myometrium to DEA/NO in vitro. Concentration-response curves to DEA/NO were constructed in the absence and presence of MB (5x10(-6), 10(-4) and 10(-2) mol/l) and 5x10(-3) mol/l cystamine. Cystamine did not counteract the DEA/NO-induced relaxation of the myometrial strips. MB itself, excluding the lowest concentration, caused noticeable changes in spontaneous activity. The changes involved a concentration-dependent increase in the frequency of contractions, and a decrease in their amplitude. In conclusion, our results confirm that NO relaxes the human myometrium via a cGMP-independent mechanism. The results obtained in the presence of MB may be misleading because of its complex influence on myometrial contractile activity.

Influence of low molecular weight heparin preparations on human internal thoracic artery contraction.

OBJECTIVE: Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) offer practical and potential pharmacological advantages over unfractionated heparin in multiple applications but have not been studied as vasoactive agents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two commercial preparations of LMWHs, enoxaparin sodium and nadroparin calcium, on vasoconstriction in the human internal thoracic artery (ITA) in vitro. METHODS: Samples of redundant ITA segments obtained from 36 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery were cut into 3mm wide rings and suspended in 20 ml organ bath. Activity of ITA rings precontracted with 80 mM KCl, 0.1 microM endothelin-1 (ET-1) and 1 microM norepinephrine (NE) after administration of enoxaparin and nadroparin in accumulative concentration ranging from 0.1 to 13.2 UI AXa/ml were recorded under isometric conditions by means of force transducers with digital output. The contraction after 80 mmol KCl, 0.1 microM ET-1 and 1 microM NE administration was treated as a control. RESULTS: Both studied LMWHs in concentration ranging from 0.12 to 13.2 UI AXa/ml did not change basal tonus and KCl precontracted ITA rings. When used in concentrations higher than 13.2 UI AXa/ml nadroparin but not enoxaparin significantly increased the tension in KCl precontracted arterial rings. In NE and ET-1 precontracted rings enoxaparin and nadroparin caused dose dependent relaxation without significant differences between both preparations. Incubation with nitric oxide blocker-Nomega-NITRO-L-ARGININE (L-NNA) in concentration 0.2 mM caused a significant attenuation of relaxant responses to both studied LMWHs in NE and ET-1 precontracted rings. CONCLUSION: LMWHs can have vasorelaxant effects on the receptor-mediated ITA vasoconstriction. The results suggest that LMWHs-induced relaxation in the human ITA is at least partially caused by nitric oxide release. Although the vasoactive effects are not the primary advantage of these drugs used as antithrombotics, such effects might have some clinical importance in the treatment and prophylaxis of graft spasm.

[Cadmium level in the human saphenous vein used in coronary artery bypass grafting]. / Ocena poziomu kadmu w ludzkiej zyle odpiszczelowej wielkiej uzytej w rewaskularyzacji miesnia sercowego.

The human saphenous vein is the main superficial vein of the lower limb. It begins on the foot, runs across among medial surface of shin and knee and frontal-medial surface of thigh. Saphenous vein remains the most widely used bypass conduit for the treatment of occlusive coronary and peripheral vascular disease. In vivo it exhibits rhythmic contractile activity. The cellular mechanisms controlling saphenous vein activity are poorly understood. It is likely that saphenous vein contraction is preceded by electrical activity followed by an increase in intracellular calcium. The conducted research has shown that environmental exposure to cadmium leads to an accumulation of these metals in the organism and the disturbance in the metabolism of such important elements as calcium. The objective of the present research was to describe the concentration of cadmium in human saphenous vein in vitro by atomic absorption spectrometry. An association between cigarette smoking and concentration of cadmium is reviewed.

The effect of a selective inhibition of potassium channels on the relaxation induced by nitric oxide in the human pregnant myometrium.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether apamin-sensitive K(+)channels play a role in the NO induced relaxation of the human pregnant myometrium. Concentration-response curves for sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (10(-9)-10(-4)M) were constructed in the absence and presence of 10(-8)M apamin and 10(-7)M charybdotoxin (CTX). Preincubation with apamin resulted in a significant attenuation of the relaxation caused by SNP, while pre-treatment with CTX insignificantly decreased the SNP induced relaxation. Our findings suggest that apamin-sensitive K(+)channels exist in the human pregnant myometrium and play a role in modulation of the myometrium response to NO donors

Apamin inhibits NO-induced relaxation of the spontaneous contractile activity of the myometrium from non-pregnant women.

There is now considerable evidence for the involvement of K+ channels in nitric oxide (NO) induced relaxation of smooth muscles including the myometrium. In order to assess whether apamin-sensitive K+ channels play a role in NO - induced relaxation of the human uterus, we have studied the effect of specific blockers of these channels on the relaxation of myometrium from non-pregnant women. In vitro isometric contractions were recorded in uterine tissues from non-pregnant premenopausal women who had undergone hysterectomy. Apamin (10 nM) and scyllatoxin (10 nM) did not alter spontaneous myometrial contractions. However, 15-min pretreatment of the myometrium strips with apamin completely inhibited relaxation caused by diethylamine-nitric oxide (DEA/NO). The pretreatment with scyllatoxin significantly reduced (about 2.6 times) maximum relaxation of the strips induced by DEA/NO (p < 0.05). These results strongly suggest that, beside Ca2+ and voltage dependent charybdotoxin-sensitive (CTX-sensitive) K+ channels, apamin-sensitive K+ channels are also present in the human non-pregnant myometrium. These channels offer an additional target in the development of new tocolytic agents.