Summary BACKGROUND The intrinsic neural plexus of the mouse heart has not been adequately investigated despite the extensive use of this species in experimental cardiology. OBJECTIVE We determined the distribution of cholinergic, adrenergic and sensory neural components in whole-mount mouse heart preparations using double immunohistochemical labeling. METHODS AND RESULTS Intrinsic neurons were concentrated within 19±3 ganglia (n = 20 mice) of varying size, scattered on the medial side of the inferior caval (caudal) vein on the right atrium and close to the pulmonary veins on the left atrium. Of a total of 1082±160 neurons, most somata (83%) were choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive, while 4% were tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive; 14% of ganglionic cells were biphenotypic for ChAT and TH. The most intense ChAT staining was observed in axonal varicosities. ChAT was evident in nerve fibers interconnecting intrinsic ganglia. Both ChAT and TH immunoreactivity were abundant within the nerves accessing the heart. However, epicardial TH-immunoreactive nerve fibers were predominant on the dorsal and ventral left atrium, whereas most ChAT-positive axons proceeded on the heart base toward the large intrinsic ganglia and on the epicardium of the root of the right cranial vein. Substance P-positive and calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive nerve fibers were abundant on the epicardium and within ganglia adjacent to the heart hilum. Small intensely fluorescent cells were grouped into clusters of 3–8 and dispersed within large ganglia or separately on the atrial and ventricular walls. CONCLUSIONS While some nerves and neuronal bundles of the mouse epicardial plexus are mixed, most express either adrenergic or cholinergic markers. Therefore, selective stimulation and/or ablation of the functionally distinct intrinsic neural pathways should allow the study of specific effects on cardiac function.

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Despite a number of studies in the field of job satisfaction, there are still some problematic areas left. A question, which still lacks explanation, is whether specific sample may be evaluated using instruments which were primarily developed based on a different type of a sample than the one under research. With regard to the problematic area, we generated the purpose for our research.The purpose of the present study is to examine Job Satisfaction Survey's (JSS) relevance for estimation of job satisfaction in teacher population.Results of the standard Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the teachers' sample did not support the existence of 9 facets, suggesting that some of the JSS's scales do not reflect teachers' job satisfaction. The best model in the present study was determined to be a three facet model, including promotion, supervision and nature of work. The obtained research results, limitations and recommendations are discussed.

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