The parasite communities of predatory fish can be species rich and diverse, making them effective models for studying the factors influencing temporal and spatial variation in these communities. Over a ten-year period an initial study was done on the metazoan parasite communities of Scomberomorus sierra (Jordan et Starks) from four locations on the south-central Pacific coast of Mexico. Twenty-four metazoan parasite taxa were identified from 674 S. sierra specimens: three species of Monogenea, eight Digenea, one Cestoda, one Acanthocephala, four Nematoda, five Copepoda, and two Isopoda. The parasite communities were characterised by high ectoparasite species richness, with monogeneans and some didymozoid species being numerically dominant. Community structure and species composition varied between locations, seasons and sampling years. Similarity between the component parasite communities was generally low, despite the occurrence of a distinctive set of host-specialist parasites. Interannual or local variations in some biotic and abiotic environmental factors are possible causes of the observed variations in the structure and species composition of the parasite community of S. sierra. Ecological factors were therefore considered to have more influence than phylogenetic aspects (host phylogeny) on parasite community structure.
This study tested whether cell cycle inhibitor mitomycin C (MMC) prevents arthrogenic contracture progression during remobilization by inhibiting fibroblast proliferation and fibrosis in the joint capsule. Rat knees were immobilized in a flexed position to generate flexion contracture. After three weeks, the fixation device was removed and rat knees were allowed to freely move for one week. Immediately after and three days after fixator removal, rats received intra-articular injections of MMC or saline. The passive extension range of motion (ROM) was measured before and after myotomy of the knee flexors to distinguish myogenic and arthrogenic contractures. In addition, both cellularity and fibrosis in the posterior joint capsule were assessed histologically. Joint immobilization significantly decreased ROMs both before and after myotomy compared with untreated controls. In saline-injected knees, remobilization increased ROM before myotomy, but further decreased that after myotomy compared with that of knees immediately after three weeks of immobilization. Histological analysis revealed that hypercellularity, mainly due to fibroblast proliferation, and fibrosis characterized by increases in collagen density and joint capsule thickness occurred after remobilization in saline-injected knees. Conversely, MMC injections were able to prevent the remobilization-enhanced reduction of ROM after myotomy by inhibiting both hypercellularity and joint capsule fibrosis. Our results suggest that joint capsule fibrosis accompanied by fibroblast proliferation is a potential cause of arthrogenic contracture progression during remobilization, and that inhibiting fibroblast proliferation may constitute an effective remedy.
Morphometric data from spores of ten myxosporean species were statistically analysed to explore myxosporean intraspecific variation in measurements when obtained from a sample from: (1) the same plasmodium, (2) different plasmodia from the same host and (3) different host individuals and localities. In some cases, significant differences in spore dimensions were found between samples from the same plasmodium, highlighting the difficulty of obtaining representative measurements of myxosporean spore. In addition, significant differences in spore dimensions were found when plasmodia from the same site of infection were compared, suggesting that measurements of spores should come from several different plasmodia of the sampling to increase the reliability of the morphology data. Moreover, significant differences in spore dimensions were observed for most spore dimensions when data were compared between localities. In all cases, there was clear overlap in ranges of dimensions even when means differed significantly. The present statistical analysis shows that intraspecific morphometric variation of myxosporean species commonly occurs, highlighting the importance of reporting ranges of measurements for a species, not just the mean dimensions, and taking into account all evidence when assigning or describing myxosporean species., Yanhua Zhai, Christopher M. Whipps, Zemao Gu, Qingxiang Guo, Zizhen Wu, Hongmei Wang, Yang Liu., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Tato studie je pilotáží nové metody pro měření náchylnosti k prožívání viny a hanby, Inventáře tendence k vině a hanbě (ITVAH). ITVAH je metoda založená na použití scénářů, která rozlišuje afektivní a behaviorální složky těchto dispozic a zároveň zohledňuje soukromé, resp. veřejné prožívání viny a hanby. Pro každý z 16 scénářů byly vytvořeny dvě položky – afektivní a behaviorální reakce, čímž vzniklo celkem 32 položek. Byl předpokládán čtyřfaktorový model měření – Negativní hodnocení chování (NHCh), Náprava, Negativní hodnocení self (NHS) a Únik. Dále byla předpokládána negativní souvislost NHS a Úniku se sebehodnocením a tendencí k sebeodpuštění a pozitivní souvislost NHCh a Nápravy s tendencí k sebeodpuštění. Pilotní studie proběhla na vzorku 249 česky mluvících dospělých (67 % žen, věk 18–75, Md = 22). Na základě ordinální konfirmační faktorové analýzy se zohledněním reziduálních kovariancí mezi položkami vztahujících se ke stejnému scénáři jsme zjistili akceptovatelnou shodu předpokládaného modelu s daty. Pro předpokládané souvislosti se sebehodnocením a tendencí k sebeodpuštění jsme však získali pouze částečnou oporu, v rozporu s teoretickým očekáváním jsme zjistili středně silný negativní vztah mezi tendencí k sebeodpuštění a afektivní složkou viny. Pro širší používání této metody v československém prostředí je důležité dále ověřit konstruktovou validitu metody společně s ověřením souběžné validity s The Test Of Self-Conscious Affect-3 (TOSCA-3). and This paper constitutes a pilot study of a novel measure for assessing proneness to guilt and proneness to shame, Inventář tendence k vině a hanbě (ITVAH, Inventory of Proneness to Guilt and Shame). ITVAH is a scenario-based method distinguishing affective and behavioural components of guilt and shame and also considering the private or public experience of guilt and shame, respectively. Two items (affective and behavioural reaction) were created for each of the 16 scenarios, resulting in total of 32 items. A four-factor measurement model was assumed – Negative behaviour evaluation (NBE), Reparation, Negative self-evaluation (NSE), Withdrawal. Next, we assumed negative correlations of NSE and Withdrawal with self-esteem and self-forgiveness and positive correlations of NBE and Reparation with self-forgiveness. The pilot study was carried out on 249 Czech-speaking adults (67 % women, aged 18–75, Md = 22). An ordinal confirmatory factor analysis with residual covariances between items connected to the same scenarios was conducted. The hypothesized four-factor model was found acceptable. However, we found limited evidence for the hypothesized relationships with self-esteem and self-forgiveness – in contrast to theoretical expectations we found a medium-strong negative relationship between self-forgiveness and affective component of guilt. For further use of the measure in the Czech and Slovak environment it is necessary to assess additional evidence of construct validity and concurrent validity with The Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3 (TOSCA-3).
The use of livestock guarding dogs (LGDs) has been widely advocated as a responsible tool for reducing livestock predation and conserving wildlife. However, their hidden ecological costs have rarely been investigated. We analysed scats (n = 183) from six LGDs and visited Global Positioning System (GPS) location clusters (n = 352) from nine GPS-collared LGDs to reconstruct their diet and assess impacts on wildlife and livestock in Namaqualand, South Africa. Wild mammals, including 10 native species, and small-livestock were the main secondary foods (i.e. besides dog food pellets). A total of 90% of scats and one third of GPS clusters investigated had associated animal remains. When accompanied by a human attendant, fewer LGD scats contained animal matter (39.9%; of which 32.3% wild mammals and 4.6% livestock), in contrast to scats of LGDs on their own (93.2%; 14.4% wild mammals, 75.4% livestock). Similarly, few clusters of accompanied LGDs included animal remains (5.7%; of which 43.8% wild mammals and 31.3% livestock), whereas unaccompanied dogs clustered frequently at carcasses (92.4%; 16% wild mammals, 74% livestock). While sample sizes were relatively small and some dogs might have scavenged, we emphasize the importance of rigorous training and intensive monitoring of LGDs to correct unwanted predation behaviour and to maximize their ecological and protective benefits.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent metalloendopeptidases that degrades extracellular matrix (ECM) components. MMPs are associated with venous wall remodelling, proliferation, migration, phenotypic and functional transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells and ECM organization under the physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We investigated possible association of genetic promoter polymorphisms of MMP2 (rs243866), MMP8 (rs11225395), MMP9 (rs3918242) and TIMP2 (rs8179090) to varicose veins development in the Slovak population. Genomic DNA from 276 Slovak individuals (138 cases, 138 controls) was genotyped for selected SNPs (rs243866, rs11225395, rs3918242 and rs8179090) using the PCR-RFLP analysis. The data were analysed by chi-squared (χ2 ) test, logistic regression, and Mann-Whitney test. The risk of varicose veins development was evaluated in dominant, codominant and recessive genetic models. The statistical evaluation of selected polymorphisms in patients in all three genetic models has not shown a significant risk of varicose veins development. Our study has not shown the association between selected polymorphisms and increased risk of varicose veins development in Slovak population. More evidence with broaden sample size is needed.
Avian haemosporidians are common vector-borne blood parasites that have been reported in birds all over the world. Investigations of avian haemosporidian parasites are conducted mainly on passerine birds. However, studies that focus on non-passerine avian hosts are important for our understanding of the true diversity, host specificity and genetic variability among these widespread parasites. In the present study, blood samples from a total of 22 raptor birds belonging to two orders, two families and six species from the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey were investigated for three genera of avian haemosporidians (Plasmodium Marchiafava et Celli, 1885, Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 and Leucocytozoon Sambon, 1908) using a combination of microscopic examination of blood films and nested PCR targeting the parasite mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt-b). In total, six individual raptor birds identified positive for species of Plasmodium or Leucocytozoon and one individual was found co-infected with all three haemosporidian genera. We identified five parasite cyt-b haplotypes, three of which were reported for the first time. Among these, one Plasmodium haplotype is linked to a corresponding morphospecies (P-TURDUS1, Plasmodium circumflexum Kikuth, 1931). All haplotypes were clearly distinguishable in phylogenetic analyses. As one of the first studies to investigate blood parasites from non-passerine birds in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, this study provides important new information on the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites from raptor birds. We discuss these findings in the context of avian haemosporidian host-parasite relationships and we draw attention to the need for microscopy to detect parasite sexual development stages in surveys of avian haemosporidians., Arif Ciloglu, Alparslan Yildirim, Onder Duzlu, Zuhal Onder, Zafer Dogan, Abdullah Inci., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Iodine is essential in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones that affect metabolic processes in the organism from the prenatal state to the elderly. The immediate indicator of iodine intake is the concentration of iodine in urine, but the indicator of iodine intake in the longer term of several months is thyroglobulin (Tg). Tg negatively correlated with increasing intake of iodine in population that do not suffer from thyroid disease, while a more than adequate to excessive iodine intake leads to an increase in Tg. The dependence of Tg on iodine can be described by a U-shaped curve. Thyroglobulin in serum is elevated in thyroid disease mainly in hyperthyroidism (diagnosis E05 of WHO ICD-10 codes) and in goiter (diagnosis E04 of WHO ICD-10 codes). Tg values decrease below 20 µg/l after effective treatment of patients with thyroid disease. Thyroglobulin may thus be an indicator of thyroid stabilization and the success of the thyroid gland treatment., Radovan Bílek, Marcela Dvořáková, Tereza Grimmichová, Jan Jiskra., and Obsahuje bibliografii