CONTENTS
1. Human endothelial cell culture: a useful tool for endothelial research
V Paunescu, Ioana Raluca Siska, Erica Suciu, Gabriela Tănasie, Daniela Crîsnic, Carmen Bunu
2. Identification of several transitional cell phenotypes in a case of hairy cell leukaemia (HCL)V Dumitraşcu, CA Tatu, V Păunescu, Diana N Szilagyi, Daniela Grecu, Hortensia Ioniţă, FrSchneider
3. Comparative immunophenotyping of malignant T cells from a lymph node biopsy and periphralblood of a patient with cutaneous lymphoma: A possible HTLV-1 etiology
V Dumitraşcu, V Păunescu, CA Tatu, Daniela Grecu, Diana Szilagyi, Adelina Tudor, Hortensia
Ionita, Fr Schneider
4. Venous lactate as parameter of efficiency of exercise training in patients after cardiosurgery
Simona Drăgan, Silvia Mancaş, E Melcescu, Ioana Siska, Şt I Drăgulescu
5. The effect of low temperatures on in vitro reactivity of isolated human bronchi
Gabriela Tănasie, Ioana-Raluca Siska, Georgeta Mihalaş, Alexandru Nicodim, Francisc Schneider
6. Effects of some vasodilators on KCl-induced cardiac arrhythmias. Experiments carried out byintrathecal administration in anesthetized ratAlina Cuprian, B Cuparencu, Vl Şandor
7. Dyslipidemia: an early risk factor for atherogenesis in type 2 diabetes mellitus
O Fira-Mladinescu, Doina Marcus, Danina Muntean, Simona Talpeş, Corneluţa Fira-Mladinescu.
8. Book review: Introduction In Clinical Physiology
Virgil Paunescu

1. HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL CELL CULTURE: A USEFUL TOOL FOR ENDOTHELIALRESEARCH
V Paunescu, Ioana-Raluca Siska, Erica Suciu, Gabriela Tănasie, Daniela Crîsnic, Carmen Bunu
Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babeş" Timişoara
Address for correspondence: Dept. of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", P-ta E. Murgu
no.2, RO-1900 Timisoara, Romania

ABSTRACT
Endothelium plays a major role in cardiovascular homeostasis. Endothelial cells are involved in
vascular smooth muscle tone regulation, hemostasis and fibrinolysis control, participation to immune
surveillance, inflammation, atheroma formation, as well as in metastasis development. Endothelial
cell culture allows the study of all these processes, and also the investigation of endothelial
heterogeneity, which is probably a significant factor in some pathological conditions. This article
reviews human endothelial cells types available for research, the protocol for isolation and culture ofhuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (normal endothelial cells, easily available), as well as humanendothelial cells derived from hematopoietic stem cells. Finally, aspects concerning endothelial
seeding of vascular grafts, and circulating endothelial cells are detailed.
Key words: human endothelial cells, culture, stem cells, endotheliazation of vascular grafts

2. IDENTIFICATION OF SEVERAL TRANSITIONAL CELL PHENOTYPES IN A CASEOF HAIRY CELL LEUKAEMIA (HCL)V Dumitrascu1, CA Tatu2, V Paunescu2, Diana N Szilagyi3, Daniela Grecu3, Hortensia Ionita4, FSchneider5
1
Department of Pharmacology;2
Department of Immunology;
4
Department of Hematology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş” Timisoara,
3
Clinic Laboratories, County Hospital Timisoara,
5
Department of Physiology, Western University “Vasile Goldiş”, Arad

Address for correspondence: Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş”, P-ta
E. Murgu no.2, RO1900 Timisoara, Romania

ABSTRACTWe describe in our study a case of hairy cell leukemia, the phenotype of the malignant cells being
characterized by flow-cytometry. The hairy cells seem to be a heterogeneous population, withvariable size, granularity and a gradient expression of CD5 on their surface. The significance for thisvariability is not known, however, it is possible that a genetic lesion in the pluripotent stem cell isresponsible for it, whose consequences are variably modulated by the complex intercellularinteractions during B cell development.
Key words: hairy cell leukemia, B lymphocyte, CD5, flow-cytometry3. COMPARATIVE IMMUNOPHENOTYPING OF MALIGNANT T CELLS FROM A
LYMPH NODE BIOPSY AND PERIPHRAL BLOOD OF A PATIENT WITH CUTANEOUS
LYMPHOMA: A POSSIBLE HTLV-1 ETIOLOGY
V Dumitrascu1, V Paunescu2, CA Tatu2, Daniela Grecu3, Diana Szilagyi3, Adelina Tudor1,Hortensia Ionita4, F Schneider5
1
Department of Pharmacology;2
Department of Immunology;
4
Department of Hematology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş” Timişoara3
Clinical Laboratory, County Hospital Timişoara5
Department of Physiology, Western University “Vasile Goldiş”, AradAddress for correspondence: Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş”, P-taE. Murgu no.2, Timişoara, Romania

ABSTRACT
A case of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma is described in our study. HTLV-1 infection is rare inRomania, only a few cases being identified so far. The malignant T cells have distinct phenotype,with a lower expression of CD3 and a higher expression of CD5 and also presenting the CD25marker. The clinical course of the leukemia was aggressive, the patient eventually deceasing fromthe complications of the disease.
Key words: T-cell leukemia. HTLV infection

4. VENOUS LACTATE AS PARAMETER OF EFFICIENCY OF EXERCISE TRAINING IN
PATIENTS AFTER CARDIOSURGERY
Simona Drăgan, Silvia Mancaş, E Melcescu, Ioana Siska, Şt I DrăgulescuUniversity Of Medicine and Pharmacy „Victor Babeş” Timişoara, Romania
Address for correspondence: University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, P-ta E.Murgu. no.2, RO1900
Timisoara, Romania

ABSTRACT
Deconditioning is common in coronary patients after CABG. Rehabilitation programs differ
considerably. The present study is designed to compare the efficiency of fractioned versus
continuous training related to a control group without training in rehabilitation after cardiosurgery
according to the evolution of venous lactate as metabolic parameter.
The study was carried out on 55 coronary patients 3 weeks after surgery in stable condition.
Inclusion criteria were the absence of angina pectoris or ischemia induced by stress and EF>40%.

The patients were randomized into two groups: group A (training) comprised 35 patients, divided
into group 1 (n=20) on fractioned training and group 2 (n=15) continuous training. 20 patients ingroup B served as controls and were not randomized to any training group.
The study demonstrates that the maximum benefit for patients is obtained by fractionate compared tocontinuous training or to lack of training.
Key words: venous lactate, exercise training, cardiosurgery

5. THE EFFECT OF LOW TEMPERATURES ON IN VITRO REACTIVITY OF ISOLATEDHUMAN BRONCHI
Gabriela Tănasie, Ioana-Raluca Siska, Georgeta Mihalaş, Alexandru Nicodim1, Francisc
Schneider
Department of Physiology,
1
Department of Thoracic Surgery,
University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş” Timişoara
Address for correspondence: Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş”, P-ta E.
Murgu no.2, RO1900 Timişoara, Romania

ABSTRACT
Ventilation with cold air can result in enhanced bronchonstriction. The effects of temperature havebeen studied on a variety of animal tissues, but there are only a few studies concerning theresponsiveness of human airways. The aim of our study was to investigate the contractile response ofhuman isolated small bronchi maintained at different levels of temperatures. We studied thebronchial reactivity on 37°C, 20°C and 10°C. Acetylcholine and histamine were used as contractileagents. We also performed a parallel set of experiments using isolated bronchial segments withoutepithelium. Our results concurred with other studies on isolated airways and showed increasingsmooth muscle reactivity at low temperatures. Epithelial removal supplementary enhanced thisresponse.
Key words: human bronchi, in vitro experiments, temperature, bronchial epithelium

6. EFFECTS OF SOME VASODILATORS ON KCL-INDUCED CARDIAC
ARRHYTHMIAS.
EXPERIMENTS
CARRIEDOUTBYINTRATHECALADMINISTRATION IN ANESTHETIZED RAT
Alina Cuprian1, B Cuparencu2, Vl Şandor3
1
Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, UK
2
Department of Pharmacology, University of Oradea, Romania
3
Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj -Napoca, Romania.
ABSTRACTThe aim of our research was to analyze the effects of several vasodilators (vinpocetine,dipyridamole, papaverine) on the spinal - originated cardiac arrhythmias. KCl induced a significant
bradycardia and reproducible cardiac arrhythmias (sinus arrests, sinus arrhythmias, atrioventricular
blocks, ventricular extrasystoles). Vinpocetine itself caused a nonsignificant transient bradycardia
and induced a nonsignificant decrease of the bradycardic effect of KCl, but had a marked influence
upon the arrhythmogenity of KC (arrhythmogenic index = 0). Dipyridamole caused approximately
the same changes, as did vinpocetine. Papaverine had in some extent a different behaviour: medium
doses produced transient tachycardia, whereas higher doses evoked transient bradycardia. The
medium and the highest dose had a slight arrhytmogenic activity, the AI decreasing to 0 just in caseof the lowest concentration.
Key words: cardiac arrhythmias, vasodilators, arrhythmogenic index

7. DYSLIPIDEMIA: AN EARLY RISK FACTOR FOR ATHEROGENESIS IN TYPE 2
DIABETES MELLITUS
O Fira-Mladinescu1, Doina Marcus2, Danina Muntean1, Simona Talpeş2, Corneluţa FiraMladinescu1
1“Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara
2
Western University “Vasile Goldis”, AradAddress for correspondence: Department of Pathophysiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Pta Eftimie Murgu nr. 2, RO-1900, Timisoara, ROMANIA. E-mail: ofira@posta.umft.roABSTRACT
Introduction. Traditional coronary artery disease risk factors account for only 20-50% of theincrease in the aterosclerotic risk, so other less well identified abnormalities that exist in patientswith diabetes are clearly important. Hyperglycemia is a very late stage in the sequence of events that
leads from insulin resistance to diabetes, but dyslipidemia could have an earlier important
contribution to the increased risk of macroangiopathy.
Materials and methods. The parameters analyzed at 50 patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetus
mellitus (NIDDM) were: triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), fibrinogen, thedilute clot lysing time.
Results and conclusions. (1) In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus the plasma lipids arecharacterised by hypertriglyceridemia, triglycerides > 150 mg% (1.7 mmol/l), and borderline
hypercholesterolemia, total cholesterol 200-250 mg% (5.2-6.4 mmol/l). In the most frequent
association in practice, NIDDM - obesity, triglycerides values were further elevated above 200 mg%(2.3 mmol/l), which induced both HDL-cholesterol levels below 40 mg% (1.03 mmol/l) and theappearance of small, dense LDL (conditions that define atherogenic dyslipidemia). (2) Elevatedserum values of lipoprotein (a) above the critical level of 30 mg% are characteristic only for pacientswith a history of diabetes for at least 10 years, whilst no correlation was found between dyslipidemia
and the duration of diabetes. (3) There is a strong positive correlation between the plasma levels oftriglycerides and of lipoprotein (a) and hypofibrinolytic status of NIDDM.
Key words: diabetes mellitus type 2, atherosclerosis, dyslipidemia, hypofibrinolitic status

8. BOOK REVIEW: INTRODUCTION IN CLINICAL PHYSIOLOGYFrancisc Schneider“Viaţa Medicală Românească” Publishing House – Bucureşti, 2002,142 pages, ISBN: 973-8437-02-4
The issue of the book “Introduction in Clinical Physiology” represents a special achievement by thenecessity of actualization in a field in which many novelties were brought.
At this time, when the functions of various tissues and organs are interpreted from the biochemical
and ultrastructural points of views, Physiology, one of the fundamental disciplines of the medical
sciences benefits from the many acquisitions of biochemistry, histochemistry, cellular biology andother disciplines.
In this second edition of “Introduction in Clinical Physiology” (after 25 years from the first edition),
the author makes new reconsiderations about essentials of cellular physiology, receptors physiology,
neuronal physiology, muscle physiology, and regulation of body functions. The book has anexcellent presentation, is structured in 12 chapters, contains 142 pages, fully illustrated withsuggestive images, and reaches many aspects of the human physiology, presenting the author's pointsof view in this field. The figures show a suggestive illustration of the action and regulation
mechanisms discussed in the text.
In the beginning of the book, the author underlines the fact that physiology studies are closely related
to the development of science and technology. Therefore, modern medicine reflects all newachievements of physiology due to evolution of technology, achievements to be applied in the study

of human body. For this reason, the term of clinical physiology can be considered the mostappropriate one.
After this inspired introductory remark, an overview of morphological and functional cellularorganization follows. Classical and new data concerning cell metabolism, energogenesis, and theimportance of oxygen reactive species are briefly presented. The most important features of cell
membrane and receptors physiology are also detailed. An interesting chapter is devoted to cellautomatism, in which differentiated cell functions, functional status, cell functional capacity, andalso cell ontogenesis are described.
Chapters devoted to the neuronal and muscular fiber physiology are generous but synthetic, endowedwith useful and logical images and tables.
The essential and necessary links between human body and environment are presented in a separate
chapter.
In the last chapter of the book the author presents the complexity of the physiological mechanisms
involved in the regulation of body functions, including the nervous and hormonal regulation.
The volume is the result of a great theoretical study, reflects the large experience in this fieldaccumulated by the author through the 40 years of research in the field of physiology, which isreflected in the bibliography.
The present book is useful not only to researchers in this domain but also to doctors and is a useful
guide to the students, having plenty of examples describing the action mechanisms involved in themain biological functions.
Considering its scientific and didactic value, and also its actuality, the “Introduction in ClinicalPhysiology” is an important book in this field.
Virgil Păunescu