Diabetic nephropathy (DN), the most serious complication of Type 1 diabetes (DM1), has a strong genetic component. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an in ducible enzyme by a number of stimuli, has been implicated in pathophysiology of cardiovascular and renal disease, including DN. The allele -765C, of the -765G>C polymorphism (rs20417) in the COX-2 promoter has lower promoter activity compared with the -765G allele and protective effects in cardiovascular disease. This polymorphism was not investigated in patients with DM1 and nephropathy. The study was conducted in 779 Caucasian patients with DM1 and compared to a representative sample of healthy Czech population. The patients demonstr ated lower frequencies of the CC genotype (P=0.005). From th e DM1 cohort, 153 patients met the criteria for low risk of the development of DN (LRDN, duration of DM1>10 years, normoalbuminuria, normotension) and 139 patients had manifest DN. There were no differences in -765G>C polymorphisms between LRDN and DN patients. Moreover, the C/G allele frequenc ies did not also differ between the groups. In conclusion, patients with DM1 display lower freqencies of the protective CC genotype as compared to healthy subjects. However, the study did not reveal associations of -765G>C polymorphism with the risk of DN., J. A. Hubáček ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
PAM (pulse amplitude modulation) fluorometers can be used to estimate the electron transport rate (ETR) [μmol(e-) m-2 s-1] from photosynthetic yield determinations, provided the absorptance (Abtλ) of the photoorganism is known. The standard assumed value used for absorptance is 0.84 (leaf absorptance factor, AbtF). We described a reflectance-absorptancetransmittance (RAT) meter for routine experimental measurements of the actual absorptance of leaves. The RAT uses a red-green-blue (RGB) LED diode light source to measure absorptances at wavelengths suitable for use with PAM fluorometers and infrared gas analysers. Results using the RAT were compared to Abtλ spectra using a Taylor integrating sphere on bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus), banana, Doryanthes excelsa, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, and sugarcane. Parallel venation had no significant effect upon Abt465 in banana, Doryanthes, a Dendrobium orchid, pineapple, and sugarcane, but there was a slight difference in the case of the fern A. nidus. The average Abt465 (approximately 0.96) and Abt625 (approximately 0.89) were approximately 14% and 6% higher than the standard value (AbtF = 0.84). The PAR-range Abt400-700 was only approximately 5% higher than the standard value (approximately 0.88) based on averaged absorptance from the blue, green, and red light data and from where the RGB-diode was used as a ‘white’ light source. In some species, absorptances at blue and red wavelengths are quite different (e.g. water lily). Reflectance measurements of leaves using the RAT would also be useful for remote sensing studies., R. J. Ritchie, J. W. Runcie., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Chronic sojourn in hypoxic environment results in the structural remodeling of peripheral pulmonary arteries and pulmonary hypertension. We hypothesize that the pathogenesis of changes in pulmonary vascular structure is related to the increase of radical production induced by lung tissue hypoxia. Hypoxia primes alveolar macrophages to produce more hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, the increased release of oxygen radicals by other hypoxic lung cells cannot be excluded. Several recent reports demonstrate the oxidant damage of lungs exposed to chronic hypoxia. The production of nitric oxide is high in animals with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and the serum concentration of nitrotyrosine (radical product of nitric oxide and superoxide interaction) is also increased in chronically hypoxic rats. Antioxidants were shown to be effective in the prevention of hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension. We suppose that the mechanism by which the radicals stimulate of the vascular remodeling is due to their effect on the metabolism of vascular wall matrix proteins. Non-enzymatic protein alterations and/or activation of collagenolytic matrix metalloproteinases may also participate. The presence of low-molecular weight cleavage products of matrix proteins stimulates the mesenchymal proliferation in the wall of distal pulmonary arteries. Thickened and less compliant peripheral pulmonary vasculature is then more resistant to the blood flow and the hypoxic pulmonary hypertension is developed., J. Herget, J. Wilhelm, J. Novotná, A. Eckhardt, R. Vytášek, L. Mrázková, M. Ošťádal., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Tzv. teorie optimality patří к nejnovějším směrům současného lingvistického bádání. Nejdříve nalezla uplatnění ve fonologii, později v syntaxi a nejnověji i v sémantice. Naše stať naznačuje možnosti a meze uplatnění tohoto pohledu na oblast aktuálního členění věty.
The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of the T-786C endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism on changes in renal hemodynamics and blood pressure due to Na+ loading. Twenty-eight older (63±1 years), moderately obese (39±2 % fat) hypertensives had th eir glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF), blood pressure (BP) and plasma nitric oxide (NOx) levels determined after eight days of low (20 mEq) and high (200 mEq) Na+ diets. The two Na+ diets were separated by a 1-week washout period. Subjects were genotyped for the eNOS-786 site and were grouped on whether they were homozygous or heterozygous for the C allele (TC+CC, n=13) or only homozygous for the T allele (TT, n=15). The TC+CC genotype group had a significantly greater increase in diastolic (P=0.021) and mean arterial (P=0.018) BP and a significant decline in both RPF (P=0.007) and GFR (P=0.029) compared to the TT genotype group with Na+ loading. Furthermore, Na+ loading resulted in a significant (P=0.036) increase in plasma NOx in the TT, but not in the TC+CC genotype group as well as a trend (P=0.051) for an increase in urine NOx in TC+CC, but not in the TT genotype group. The increase in BP during Na+ loading in older hypertensives was associated with the eNOS genotype and may be related to changes in renal hemodynamics due to changes in NO metabolism., D. R. Dengel, M. D. Brown, R. E. Ferrell, T. H. Reynolds, M. A. Supiano., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Ve svém článku se zabýváme srovnáním sémantického pole příbuzenských vztahů ve francouzštině, španělštině a Češtině na základě pěti binárních sémantických opozic. Na základě tohoto srovnání docházíme к závěru, že francouzské termíny vytvářející sémantické pole příbuzenských vztahů jsou sémanticky mnohem vágnější a jejich význam závisí mnohem více na kontextu, než je tomu v případě jejich českých ekvivalentů. Sémantické pole příbuzenských vztahů ve španělštině je založeno na velmi propracovaném systému pojmů označujících příbuzné v linii přímé a na velkém významu protikladu mezi pokrevními a nepokrevními příbuznými. Pro sémantické pole příbuzenských vztahů v češtině je naopak typické mnohem výraznější zastoupení lexikální substituce a menší počet lexikálních jednotek vzniklých derivací a kompozicí. K šémům vytvářejícím pole příbuzenských vztahů ve francouzštině je potřeba připojit v češtině a španělštině sém "předchozí nebo další manželství" pro rozlišení vlastních a nevlastních příbuzných.
Bacciger israelensis Fischthal, 1980 (Trematoda: Fellodistomidae) was recorded from Boops boops (Perciformes: Sparidae) in Bulgarian Black Sea coastal waters for the first time. Re-examination of the morphology of B. israelensis showed some new details: Laurer’s canal opens dorsally a short distance anterior to the excretory pore; seminal receptacle situated posterior to ventral sucker and ventral to ovary; ovary composed of three nearly spherical but not separated lobes forming apexes of isosceles triangle; tegumental spines covering body including entire surface of ventral sucker and distal half of upper part of oral sucker.
A redescription of the adult male and praniza of Gnathia africana Barnard, 1914 is provided from material collected at three localities along the South African coast and from syntypes and other material deposited by the original author. This redescription is based on light and scanning electron microscopy.
A redescription of the adult male of Caecognathia cryptopais (Barnard, 1925) is provided from syntypes and other material deposited in the South African Museum. The generic status of Caecognathia cryptopais is also revised. This redescriplion is based on light and scanning electron microscopy.