Faecal samples from 23 adult and 20 young captive Yemen chameleons, Chamaeleo calyptratus Duméril et Duméril, 1851, were examined for coccidian parasites. Two of the adult (8.7 %) and 16 (80.0 %) of the young chameleons were found to be passing oocysts of the Isospora species. Sporulated oocysts of Isospora jaracimrmani sp. n. are ellipsoidal or pyriform, 38.4 x 25.6 (35.2-42.8 x 23.8-27.0) pm, with smooth bilayered and colourless oocyst wall. A micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal to ovoid, 15.9 x 11.2 (14.8-17.0 x 10.4-12.0) pm, with dome-like Stieda and homogenous spherical substieda bodies. The posterior end of the sporocyst is draw out. Sporocyst residuum is present, consisting either of a compact mass or of scattered granules. Sporozoites, with faint transverse striations anteriorly, are vermiform, 13.1 x 3.4 (12.4-16.5 x 2.8-4.0) pm. Most oocysts are to sporulate when excreted; sporulation was completed within 12 to 24 h at 25 ± 2"C. Endogenous stages develop inside the nuclei of enterocytes in the small intestine. Prepatent period in experimentally infected young chameleon was 7 days. Comparison with other species of the genus Isospora found in chameleons indicates that it is a new species.
Skrjabinodon alcaraziensis sp. n. (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) is described from the cloaca of Algyroides marchi Vaiverde, 1958 (Sauria: Lacertidae) from the Alcaraz Mountains (SE Iberian Peninsula). This nematode is characterized by the presence of an unpaired postcloacal papilla in the males, the presence of cuticular spines in the tail of the female and the absence of polar plugs in the eggs.
The relationship between angiotensin II (ANG II) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) is known to be complex; both peptides can initiate and potentiate the gene expression of each other. This pilot study investigated the effects of the AT1 receptor blocker losartan or the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren on mean arterial pressure (MAP) and albuminuria and the renal ANG II and ET-1 levels. 3-month-old male Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR) were treated either with losartan (5 mg kg-1 day-1) or aliskiren (10 mg kg-1 day-1) for 10 weeks. At the end of the experiment, rats were decapitated and cortical and papillary parts of kidneys were separated. Plasma and tissue ANG II levels were measured by RIA and tissue ET-1 concentrations by ELISA. In all four groups of animals ET-1 levels were lowest in renal cortex and more than 100-fold higher in the papilla. Cortical and papillary ET-1 concentrations in untreated TGR significantly exceeded those of control HanSD rats and were significantly depressed by both drugs. In both strains, papillary ANG II concentrations were moderately but significantly higher than cortical ANG II, TGR exhibited higher ANG II levels both in cortex and papilla as compared to control HanSD rats. Aliskiren and losartan at the doses used depressed similarly the levels of ANG II in cortex and papilla and reduced ET-1 significantly in the renal cortex and papilla below control levels in HanSD rats. Albuminuria, which was more than twice as high in TGR as in HanSD rats, was normalized with aliskiren and reduced by 28 % with losartan, although MAP was reduced to a similar degree by both drugs. Despite similar reductions of MAP and renal ET-1 and ANG II levels aliskiren appears to be more effective than losartan, at the doses used, in reducing albuminuria in heterozygous hypertensive Ren-2 rats., Z. Vaňourková ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The article deals with geodynamical phenomena of marginal parts of sandstone plateaus. The area of interest consists of several partial areas in the Bohemian Paradise natural reserve. These areas rise above terrain as relics of a once uniform sandstone plateau. The current relief developed mainly in the Pleistocene, when the Jizera River carved present day wide valley and the underlying soft clay rocks were uncovered. Thus favorable conditions were created for slow destruction of sandstone plateaus. Here, the slope movements occur up to the present days in the form of landsliding and slow block movements and their epiphenomena. Due to this continuing activity of the slope movements, human settlements and cultural monuments are endangered. Research in this area helps us to clarify the relation between slope movements and other factors, such as the presence of a significant tectonic failure in the vicinity or the influence of the water regime., Ingrid Forczek., and Obsahuje bibliografii
This paper describes limestone body situated in the northern part of the Branná group near Vápenná village in Javorník area. The body is confined by two major tectonic zones of this area - Sudetic Marginal Fault on the east and Ramzová overthrust on the south. Detailed tectonic analysis has been performed in two big limestone quarries named quarry I and II. Strikes and dips of fault planes and joints were measured. In the quarry I just one important orientation of the fault planes was found - WE mostly vertical. In the quarry II two main fault plane orientations were observed - vertical NW-SE Sudetic and NE-SW Moravo-Silesian. The senses of movements in the fault planes were determined using the calcite steps mainly as the kinematic indicators. Presence of the kinematic indicators allowed performing of paleostress analysis. Several different tectonic phases were identified and discussed., Lucie Nováková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Recent observations suggest the presence of 20S proteasomes (20S) in the lung epithelial lining fluid. However, the physiological relevance of 20S in the alveolar space and possible contribution to disease processes are unknown. Thus, we evaluated whether extracellular proteasomes could have a pathophysiological role in the injured lung using a rat model of lung contusion (LC). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) were obtained at various time points for up to 168 h after LC or sham procedure. Enzyme activities, ELISA and Western blots indicated enzymatically active 20S, the 19S subunit Rpt5 and ubiquitin in BALF. 20S and ubiquitin increased significantl y after LC, peaked at 24 h and normalized within 168 h. Mg 2+ /ATP-dependent peptidase activities were detectable 6-24 h after LC. BALF after LC also contained ubiquitin-protein-ligase activity. Addition of Mg 2+ /ATP to BALF after LC led to significant proteolysis and could be prevented with epoxomicin and EDTA. These data suggest for the first time that the Mg 2+ /ATP-dependent 26S proteasome complex exists outside the cell, is released into the lung epithelial lining fluid after LC and contribute s to the proteolysis of the bulk of protein in the alveolar space of the injured lung. We infer that proteasome complexes may have a pathophysiological role during lung edema clearance., M. Majetschak, L. T. Sorell, T. Patricelli, D. H. Seitz, M. W. Knöferl., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Antiendothelial cell antibodies (AECA) have been detected by flow cytometry analysis in 23 out of 80 patients with connective tissue diseases. Ten out of 19 serum samples from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were positive. These antibodies were not detectable in healthy donors. We examined the capacity of serum samples to induce endothelial cell activation by modulating cell adhesion molecule expression on human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We found that sera from both AECA-positive and AECA-negative patient groups induced a significantly higher expression of E-selectin compared to healthy controls (P<0.05). There were no differences in the ICAM-1 on VCAM-1 expression. Our data suggest that increased E-selectin expression in activated endothelium in patients with various connective tissue disorders is not related to the production of AECA., M. Horváthová, E. Jahnová, Š. Nyulassy., and Obsahuje bibliografii
BACKGROUND: The goal of this prospective study was to determine the frequency of micrometastases in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx in whom elective neck dissection was indicated (cN0). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 12 patients (10 males and 2 females) were enrolled in the study. The age ranged 42-73 years (median 62 years). Elective neck dissection was performed in all patients (8 ipsilateral, 4 bilateral) and a total of 256 lymph nodes were removed and sent for microscopic examination. RESULTS: The presence of tumor cells in cervical lymph nodes was found in 5/12 (42%) patients. Micrometastases of SCC were found in two patients and isolated tumor cells (ITC) in two other patients. In the remaining one patient with oropharyngeal SCC, a micrometastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) was detected. Positive lymph nodes were localized in level II in three patients with SCC of larynx, hypopharynx and tongue base, respectively, in level I in one patient with SCC of oral tongue and in level III in one patient with PTC. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that SCC of head and neck has a high potential for creating micrometastases which frequency is higher compared to clinically detected macrometastases. Therefore, elective neck dissection or radiotherapy of the neck should be considered in patients with high risk of occult metastases or micrometastases. and P. Čelakovský, D. Kalfeřt, K. Smatanová, V. Chrobok, J. Laco
Based on the analysis performed in the Kura geomorphological sub-region of the Caspian coastal zone, it was determined that the sea level rise of 2.43 m in 1976-1996 caused an average annual rate of erosion processes about 75 times higher than accumulation processes. In 1996-2019, the stabilization and the following drop of the sea level of 1.39 m led to an average annual rate of accumulation processes up to 14 times higher than the average annual rate of erosion processes. This pattern is observed along the entire coastline of those periods. Erosion processes in the initial stage (1976-1996) increased the indentation and length of the coastline by almost 2 times, and in the next stage (1996-2019) the intensification of accumulation processes resulted in the smoothing and reduction of the coastline by 35 %. Statistical analysis of coastlines was carried out by processing Landsat satellite images for 1976-2019; each coastline was divided into 14 segments according to geomorphological zones and their morphostructures in the study area. The development forecast for the next 10 and 20 years is provided., Jeyhun Yashar oglu Gasimov., and Obsahuje bibliografii