Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) zabensis sp. n. (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) is described from Capoeta damascina (Valenciennes, 1842) (type host) and Capoeta trutta (Heckel, 1843) in the Greater and Lesser Zab Rivers, northern Iraq. The new species is unique among all other species of the genus by its characteristic paired para-vaginal muscular appendage and fragmented giant nuclei in the lemnisci. Eleven of the other 88 valid species of Neoechinorhynchus and N. zabensis have middle and posterior hooks of equal length. However, N. zabensis is distinguished from the others by size of trunk, proboscis, proboscis hooks and lemnisci, number of giant nuclei, position of female gonopore, and geographical and host distribution. It is also distinguished from six other species of Neoechinorhynchus previously reported from Iraq. Other distinguishing features are also included.
To test the hypothesis that neonatal GLP-1 exposure may program myosin heavy chain (MyHC) composition in adult skeletal muscle, two-day-old rats were transfected intramuscularly with vacant vector plasmid (VP), or recombinant plasmid expressing secretory GLP-1 at the doses of 60 μg (LG) and 120 μg (HG), respectively. Expression of GLP-1 mRNA was detected in muscles of both LG and HG rats 7 days after transfection, with more abundant GLP-1 transcript seen in LG rats. In accordance with the GLP-1 expression, LG rats demonstrated more significant responses to neonatal GLP-1 exposure. Small yet significant growth retardation was observed in LG rats, which is accompanied with significantly reduced serum insulin concentration at 8 weeks of age compared to VP rats. The responses of skeletal muscle were dependent on muscle type. Significant increase of PGC-1α and GLUT4 mRNA expression was detected in soleus of LG rats, whereas a MyHC type switch from ⅡB to Ⅰ was seen in gastrocnemius. These results indicate that neonatal exposure of healthy pups to ectopic GLP-1 causes growth retardation with decreased serum insulin as well as muscle type-dependent modifications in MyHC type composition and metabolic gene expression in adult rats., L. Wang ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Although there are abundant data on ischemic postconditioning (IPoC) in the adult myocardium, this phenomenon has not yet been investigated in neonatal hearts. To examine possible protective effects of IPoC, rat hearts isolated on days 1, 4, 7 and 10 of po stnatal life were perfused according to Langendorff. Developed force (DF) of contraction was measured by an isometric force transducer. Hearts were exposed to 40 or 60 min of global ischemia followed by reperfusion up to the maximum recovery of DF. IPoC wa s induced by three cycles of 10, 30 or 60 s periods of global ischemia/reperfusion. To further determine the extent of ischemic injury, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was measured in the coronary effluent. Tolerance to ischemia did not change from day 1 to day 4 but decreased to days 7 and 10. None of the postconditioning protocols tested led to significant protection on the day 10. Prolonging the period of sustained ischemia to 60 min on day 10 did not lead to better protection. The 3x30 s protocol wa s then evaluated on days 1, 4 and 7 without any significant effects. There were no significant differences in LDH release between postconditioned and control groups. It can be concluded that neonatal hearts cannot be protected by ischemic postconditioning during first 10 days of postnatal life. and J. Doul, Z. Charvátová, I. Ošťádalová, M. Kohutiar, H. Maxová, B. Ošťádal.
Neopolystoma liewi sp. n. is described from the conjunctival cavity of the Malayan box turtle Cuora amboinensis (Daudin, 1802), in Peninsular Malaysia, This is the first record of Neopolystoma in Malaysia and the fourth polystomatid species described from C. amboinensis. Of the 27 Malayan box turtles examined, 8 were found to be infected. A maximum of 2 parasites per eye and 4 individuals per host was recorded. N. liewi sp. n. differs from all other members of the genus by possessing few and short genital spines and small marginal hooks. The oncomiracidium has 64 ciliated cells arranged symmetrically about the sagittal axis.
Neoskrjabinolepis (Neoskrjabinolepidoides) merkushevae sp. n. is described from the shrew Sorex minutus L. (type host) from Belarus. The new species is characterised by rostellar hooks 35-37 µm long, provided with small epiphyseal thickening of the handle; short (35-40 µm) cirrus consisting of a basal part with claw-shaped spines, a parabasal part with thin needleshaped spines and an unarmed distal part; cirrus-sac slightly passing into median field; and 12-16 eggs per gravid uterus. In addition to the type host and the type locality, the host range of the new species includes Sorex araneus L. and there are geographical records from Bulgaria, Lithuania and North-East Altay (Russia).
a1_A water-tube tiltmeter system composed of two perpendicular tubes was installed in the underground galleries of the Geodynamic Laboratory in the Książ Castle, Central Sudetes, in 2003. The partially filled water tubes are several tens of metres in length and have high-precision interferometric recording gauges at their ends. The recording gauges continuously measure water level changes in the tubes with single-nanometer accuracy which corresponds to 0.005 milliseconds of arc of plumb line variations. The tiltmeter has recorded several events of water level variations, with a magnitude of a few hundred micrometers and a duration of tens of days. The strongest water level variations were one order greater than variations caused by tidal phenomena and occurred in different months of a year, and hence are expected to have no seasonal origin. Because of the extremely large magnitude of the phenomenon and because time of duration of signals showed no seasonal characteristics, all external sources outside the bedrock space occupied by the instrument can also readily be precluded. Each of the recorded strong signals of water level variations consists of a symmetrical and an asymmetrical component. Because of the proportion of the water system to the large-scale geodynamic sources producing water level changes, all the external geodynamic reasons can generate only symmetrical signals in the tubes. The evidence indicates episodic tilting of the instrument itself or vertical displacements of any part of the tubes, which supports the notion of active bedrock deformation. The combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical signals implies that their source is within the bedrock space in which the instrument is embedded. The events of large water level variations can be explained by non-flat relative vertical displacement of the opposite ends of the tiltmeter tubes., a2_Asymmetrical signals are particularly pronounced in the tube named 03-04, and their magnitude suggests vertical displacement of part of the tube of the order of hundreds of micrometres. The repeatability, temporal irregularity, considerable duration time and high magnitude of the strong signals lead us to attribute them to the tilting of tiltmeter bedrock due to contemporary tectonic movements of the Książ Massif. The Książ Massif consists of a rigid rock mass of Famennian−Tournaisian conglomerates cut by several large and small faults. Rock compaction can be precluded. The massif is a prominent bedrock spur carved by a deeply incised river, and its geomorphic development seems to be related to major faults. Preliminary geological study has recognized strike-slip faults, thrusts and extensional fracture zones, some with an indication of recent activity. A few minor faults cross the bedrock under the tiltmeter geodynamic system. The tiltmeter is thus likely to be recording local signals of neotectonic activity., Marek Kaczorowski and Jurand Wojewoda., and Obsahuje bibliografii
a1_For estimation of recent dynamics of morphology of the Sudetes, satellite radar images of 90-meter resolution have been used. Basing on the Digital Elevation Model, trend surfaces and deviation maps of the morphology were made. The analyzed are a ranges over 23000 sq. km and is bordered by the following coordinates: N51°05’32", N49°56’26", E15°02’42" an d E17°37’57". The 8th-order trend surface records four distinct regional morphological domains. These are two elevations with their centres located at N50°46’24" - E15°29’24" and N50°07’24" - E17°13’07", as well as two depressions with centers located at N 50°05’41" - E15°46’58" and at N50°29’39”- E17°28’30", respectively. The elevations and depressions extend both over the crystalline massifs and sediment ary basins and are highly lithologically differentiated. On the deviation map, the elevations display the highest positive values which suggests a local disequilibrium of morphogenic processes during the formation of recent topography. Today’s landscape have been being shaped since the beginning of the Neogene. As the climatic and hydrological conditions have been rather uniform for the whole area, a tectonic uplift must be accounted for the reason of the indicated anomalies occurrence. There is only one unique profile across the elevations and depressions that reflects the smallest amplitude of relative height (black-white dashed-line). It is parallel to the dominant "Sudetic strike", i.e. 115°, and it follows the Intrasudetic Shear Zone (ISZ) that played an important role in the post-Variscan evolution of the Sudetes. Along and inside the ISZ small, mostly pull-apart basins occur (the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin (KPB), the Nachod Basin (NB), the Upper Nysa Kłodzka Trough (UNKT) - the South Sudetic Basins Suite (SSBS) - which are filled with Permian, Triassic and Neogene-to-Recent sediments., a2_The author postulates right lateral regional displacement along and beneath the ISZ as an important factor controlling long time evolution of topography in the analyzed area., Jurand Wojewoda., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy