The effects of oviposition-deterring larval tracks of four aphidophagous coccinellids and two chrysopids were investigated on females of four coccinellid species in choice tests. Aphidophagous coccinellids Cycloneda limbifer Casey, Semiadalia undecimnotata (Schneider) and Coccinella septempunctata L. laid significantly fewer eggs on sites with tracks of unfed conspecific first instar larvae than on clean sites, but Leis dimidiata (F.) laid similar numbers of eggs on both sites.
In some but not all species, tracks of heterospecific predators also deterred coccinellid females. Interspecific effects were stronger between some allopatric species than between the sympatric coccinellids C. septempunctata and S. undecimnotata. C. limbifer laid relatively few eggs on sites previously exposed to larvae of S. undecimnotata and L. dimidiata. S. undecimnotata avoided sites with tracks of L. dimidiata larvae. The two smaller species, C. limbifer and S. undecimnotata, laid considerably fewer eggs per batch than the larger coccinellids, C. septempunctata and L. dimidiata. C. limbifer and S. undecimnotata oviposited similar numbers of eggs on clean sites and sites with tracks of chrysopid larvae of the species Chrysopa oculata and Chrysopa perla. Females of C. septempunctata laid fewer eggs on sites previously exposed to larvae of C. oculata but not C. perla.
Densities of faecal spots of coccinellid females on clean substrates and substrates with tracks of predatory larvae differed significantly in only one choice test (C. limbifer females exposed to tracks of S. undecimnotata larvae). This indicates that the presence of larval tracks affects where females lay eggs more than where they search.
The capacity of the green lacewing Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) to modify its oviposition strategy in response to extraguild prey availability in an oviposition site was studied. Gravid females were placed in presence and absence of aphids. Fecundity, fertility, dispersion and hatching synchrony were compared. Results indicate a statistical difference in the hatching synchrony of eggs. However, no statistical differences were observed in the proportion of infertile eggs and in egg dispersion. We suggest that C. rufilabris can alter hatching synchrony of eggs in condition of food scarcity in order to favour intra-clutch egg cannibalism by newly hatched larvae and thus increase its overall reproductive success.
Precocious activity of parasitoids is a key factor for cereal aphid control. We investigated the oviposition, flight and walking capacities at low temperature of four aphid parasitoids (Aphidius rhopalosiphi, A. ervi, Praon volucre, P. gallicum) on one of their aphid hosts (Sitobion avenae). Oviposition behaviour was tested at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 and 20°C, under a photoperiod of 12 h light. Some females of A. rhopalosiphi oviposited at 6°C while the percentage of parasitization below 10°C remained low for the other species. The proportion of males decreased with temperature for A. ervi, P. volucre and P. gallicum but not for A. rhopalosiphi. For all species, flight and walking activities increased with temperature, Aphidius species being active at lower temperature than Praon species. Field captures showed that the activity threshold for A. rhopalosiphi is 12°C, 15°C for A. ervi and P. volucre, and 19.5°C for P. gallicum. These results are discussed regarding the potential of these four species for aphid control.
The oviposition deterring effects of fresh larval tracks of Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Ceratomegilla undecimnotata (Schneider), Cycloneda limbifer Casey, and Harmonia dimidiata (F.) on C. sexmaculata females were compared in standard laboratory choice tests. Moreover, the persistence of intraspecific effects of C. sexmaculata larval tracks were investigated. Fresh tracks of C. sexmaculata, C. limbifer and C. undecimnotata larvae effectively deterred C. sexmaculata females from ovipositing. The effect of fresh larval tracks of H. dimidiata was not statistically significant. The oviposition-deterring effects of 10 d-old conspecific larval tracks were considerably lower than those of fresh tracks, but remained significant. Clutch sizes were smaller in the blank test without larval tracks than in choice tests with fresh tracks of conspecific, C. limbifer, C. undecimnotata, H. dimidiata larvae and with 10 d-old tracks of conspecific larvae. The study indicates that semiochemicals in the tracks of conspecific and heterospecific coccinellid larvae can contribute considerably to the spacing of C. sexmaculata offspring among prey resources of differing quality and that conspecific as well as heterospecific larval tracks can influence clutch size.
Spinální svalová atrofie (SMA) I. a II. typu (Werdnigova-Hoffmannova choroba) je závažné autozomálně recesivně dědičné nervosvalové onemocnění dětského věku. Kauzální gen SMN (survival motor neuron) je duplikován v telomerické (SMN1) a centromerické (SMN2) kopii. Inhibitory histonových deacetyláz fenylbutyrát (PBA) a kyselina valproová (VPA) mohou modifikovat sestřihový vzorec genu SMN2 u SMA pacientů zvýšením hladiny transkripčního produktu genu SMN2 o plné délce, a tím zvýšit i množství SMN proteinu. Cílem naší pilotní studie bylo otestovat vztah mezi počtem kopií genu SMN2, změnami exprese mRNA genu SMN2 a klinickými výsledky u malého souboru pacientů se SMA I. a II. typu na medikaci PBA (N = 6) nebo VPA (N = 11). Klinický efekt byl hodnocen pomocí Hammersmith funkční motorické škály před zahájením a po 8 týdnech medikace. 2 pacienti ze 4 ve skupině medikované PBA a 5 pacientů z 11 ve skupině s VPA vykazovalo zvýšení o 3 nebo 4 body Hammersmith škály. U 4 pacientů došlo ke zvýšení o 4 body Hammersmith škály, ale jen u 2 z nich k významnějšímu nárůstu hladiny mRNA genu SMN2 o plné délce. Dosažené výsledky prokázaly opodstatněnost budoucích rozsáhlejších intervenčních klinických studií s inhibitory histonových deacetyláz., Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type I and II (Werdnig-Hoffmann disease) is a serious autosomal recessive neuromuscular disease in children. The SMA causing gene – survival motor neuron gene (SMN) is duplicated, with telomeric copy (SMN1) and centromeric copy (SMN2). Histone deacetylase inhibitors phenylbutyrate (PBA) and valproic acid (VPA) can modify the pattern of SMN2 splicing in SMA patients towards increase of full-length SMN2 mRNA and amount of the SMN protein. The aim of our study was to correlate SMN2 gene copy numbers and changes in expression of full length mRNA with clinical outcomes in small groups of SMA type I and II patients treated with PBA (N = 6) or VPA (N = 11). The Hammersmith functional motor scale was evaluated at baseline and after 8 weeks of medication. 2 patients out of 4 in the PBA group and 5 patients out of 11 in the VPA group showed an increase of 3 or 4 points in the Hammersmith scale. 4 patients showed the increase of 4 points in the Hammersmith scale but only 2 had significantly increased levels of full-length SMN2 mRNA. The results obtained during therapy justify future interventional trials with histone deacetylase inhibitors., Petr Vondráček, E. Zapletalová, L. Mlčáková, and Lit. 20
Cíl studie: Sledovat vliv opakovaných krevních odběrů a diety obohacené o železo na kostní metabolismus u samců potkanů kmene Wistar. Typ studie: Základní výzkum. Název a sídlo pracoviště: Vivárium a radioizotopové laboratoře, LF UK Hradec Králové, Ústav klinické biochemie a diagnostiky, Fakultní nemocnice Hradec Králové. Materiál a metody: Potkani byli po dobu 8 týdnů krmeni standardní laboratorní dietou (SLD, 27 mg Fe/kg diety) nebo dietou obohacenou o železo (FE, 400 mg Fe/kg diety). Týdně byl proveden odběr (w) 0,5 ml krve/100 g tělesné hmotnosti, celkem 8krát. Skupiny: 1. kontrolní skupina SLD; 2. kontrolní skupina FE; 3. SLD-w; 4. FE-w. V krvi byl stanoven krevní obraz, respiratorní vzplanutí (RB), v séru koncentrace prohepcidinu a železa, v játrech koncentrace železa. Z kostních ukazatelů jsme stanovili: osteokalcin (OC), N-terminální propeptid prokolagenu typu I (PINP), C-terminální telopeptid kolagenu typu I (CTx) a tartát-rezistentní kyselou fosfatázu (TRACP). Byla změřena kostní minerální hustota (BMD). Výsledky: U skupin s krevními odběry bylo vyšší spontánní RB a železo v séru, naopak došlo k poklesu sérového prohepcidinu, hemoglobinu i železa v játrech ve srovnání s SLD a FE, u FE-w bylo také vyšší stimulované RB. Hodnoty PINP (p < 0,05), CTx (p < 0,05) a TRAP (p < 0,05) vzrostly u SLD-w ve 3. týdnu a u FE-w v 1. týdnu, hodnoty OC (p < 0,05) vzrostly pouze u FE-w v 1. týdnu, poté všechny hodnoty poklesly na hodnoty SLD a FE. BMD vzrostla po odběrech v bederní a ocasní oblasti (p < 0,01). Závěr: Opakované krevní odběry a dieta obohacená o železo vedly k vyšší reaktivitě buněk makrofágového systému, k vyšší aktivitě osteoklastů, ke stimulaci osteoblastů s následným pozitivním vlivem na kvalitu kostní tkáně. Klíčová slova: odběr krve, železo, osteokalcin, N-terminální propeptid prokolagenu typu I, C-terminální telopeptid kolagenu typu I., Objective: We studied the infl uence of repeated blood withdrawals and iron enriched diet on biochemical markers of bone metabolism in male Wistar rats. Design: Basic research. Settings: Radioisotope Laboratories and Vivarium, Charles University, Medical Faculty, Hradec Kralove, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital, Hradec Kralove. Material and Methods: Rats were fed for 8 weeks with standard laboratory diet (SLD, 27mg Fe/kg diet) or iron enriched diet (FE, 400 mg Fe/kg diet) and had blood withdrawals (w) 0.5 ml/100 g body weight, 8 times. Animals were divided into 4 groups: 1. Control group SLD; 2. Control group FE; 3. SLD-w; 4. FE-w. The following items were assessed in blood; haemoglobin concentration and respiratory burst (RB), iron stores in liver tissue. In serum were evaluated prohepcidin, iron and bone metabolism markers: osteocalcin (OC), N-terminal propeptid of procollagen I (PINP), C-terminal telopeptide of collagen I (CTx) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured. Results: Spontaneous RB and iron in serum increased in animals with repeated blood withdrawals, but serum prohepcidin, haemoglobin concentration and iron in liver decreased vs. SLD and FE, but in FE-w animals increased stimulated RB, too. Values of PINP (p < 0.05), CTx (p < 0.05) and TRAP (p < 0.05) increased by SLD-w in 1st week and by FE-w in 3rd week, values of OC (p < 0.05) increased only by FE-w, but then all these values decreased to values of SLD and FE. BMD increased by blood withdrawals in femur (p < 0.01) and lumbar part (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Repeated blood withdrawals and iron enriched diet contributed to stimulation reactivity of scavenger cells, elevation activity of osteoclast, stimulation of osteoblast with subsequent positive effect on quality of bone tissue. Key words: blood withdrawal, iron, osteocalcin, N-terminal propeptide of procollagen I, C-terminal telopeptide of collagen I., Švejkovská K., Doubková K., Živná H., Živný P., Palička V., and Lit.: 19
Cíl studie: Zhodnotit regeneraci jater po částečné hepatektomii (PH) u potkanů se steatózou navozenou podáním diety obohacené o cholesterol a zhodnotit roli inzulinu a leptinu v procesu regenerace. Materiál a metody: V experimentu byli užiti standardní laboratorní potkani kmene Wistar (W) a potkani PHHC (Pražský hereditární hypercholesterolemický potkan). Potkani byli rozděleni do 4 skupin a živeni dietami 29 dní ad libitum. standardní laboratorní dietou (SLD) a dietou SLD obohacenou o 4 % cholesterolu. Částečná hepatektomie (PH) (68 %) byla provedena 28. den. Jaterní syntéza DNA po částečné hepatektomii (specifická aktivita DNA) byla stanovena na Beckman Coulter analyzer LS 6000 LL, USA. Stanovení koncentrace leptinu a inzulinu bylo provedeno s využitím kitů DRG, Marburg, Germany (Rat Leptin and Insulin RIA kit). Koncentrace sérové glukózy (mmol/l) byly stanoveny systémem Modular Roche, Basel, Švýcarsko. Výsledky byly statisticky zpracovány softwarem SigmaStat 3.1, Jandel Scientific, San Rafael, CA, USA. Výsledky a závěr: Podávání diety obohacené o cholesterol vedlo k supresi jaterní regenerace v porovnání s kontrolní skupinou, která dostávala standardní laboratorní dietu. Změny v koncentraci leptinu a inzulinu v séru u potkanů živených dietou obohacenou o cholesterol vedly ke změnám v metabolismu a k ovlivnění jaterní regenerace., Objective: Aim of our study was to show how different diets changed liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). Methods: Male Wistar (W) and Prague Hereditary Hypercholesterolemic rats (PHHC) were divided into groups and fed by different diets ad libitum for 29 days: standard laboratory diet and diet with addition of 4% cholesterol. Two third partial hepatectomy (PH) was then performed. Liver DNA synthesis was estimated by Beckman Coulter analyzer (Beckman, USA). Serum glucose (mmol/l, Modular Roche), leptin and insulin (ng/l, EIA, DRG, Marburg, Germany) were estimated before and after PH. Statistics: t-test (mean ± SEM) was performed using SigmaStat software (Jandel Scientific, USA). Results and Conclusions: There was missing interplay between leptin and insulin with adequate activation of glucose and lipids metabolisms to initiation of liver regeneration in rats with CHOL diet., Lenka Pavlíková, Pavel Živný, Helena Živná, Petra Mocková, Vladimír Palička, and Lit.: 5
V krátkém sdělení dokumentujeme u pacienta s gliomem postihujícím precentrální gyrus relativitu výsledku zobrazení pyramidové dráhy pomocí DW traktografie a diskutujeme o faktorech, které mohou ovlivnit zobrazení dráhy. Dle našeho názoru se v dostupné literatuře nevěnuje dostatečná pozornost volbě oblasti zájmu trasování, přičemž právě ta je klíčovým determinantem výsledku., In our short report, we show the relative nature of pyramidal tract representation using Diffusion Tensor Imaging in a patient with a precentral gyrus glioma and we discuss the factors that may affect tract reconstruction. We believe that, so far, inadequate attention has been paid in the published literature to the region of interest selection even though this is the key determinant of the imaging outcome. Key words: glioma – navigation – tractography – electric cortical stimulation The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE “uniform requirements” for biomedical papers., and R. Bartoš, A. Malucelli, P. Bartoš, D. Adámek, J. Zárubová, M. Sameš
V první polovině 90. let 20. stol. byl podroben analýze rostlinných makrozbytků soubor vzorků z raně novověké odpadní jímky. Početné rostlinné diaspory (30 000) potvrdily ve shodě s archeologickými nálezy artefaktů, že jímka byla zaplněna na poč. 17. stol. především odpadem z hradčanského špitálu, na jehož dvoře se nacházela. Z celkového počtu zaznamenaných taxonů (175–185) připadala více než polovina na užitkové rostliny, až sto taxonů vykazuje vlastnosti drogy. Mezi četnými druhy ovoce, kořeninových a léčivých rostlin byly zachyceny mj. druhy z archeologických objektů v ČR neudávané (Nicotiana rustica – semeno, Buxus sempervirens – listy). Nálezy zbytků introdukovaných druhů mají význam především z hlediska historie rostlin v českých zemích. and In the first half of the 1990’s a set of samples from a post-Medieval cesspit was submitted to an analysis of vegetal macroremains. Numerous vegetal diasporas (as much as 30 000) confirmed, in compliance with archaeological finds of artefacts, that the cesspit was filled in the first half of the 17th century mainly with the waste coming from the hospital in whose yard it was situated (Prague-Hradčany). More than a half from the total number of recorded taxa (175–185) was determined as utility plants. As much as one hundred of the taxa show the properties of a drug. Among the numerous species of fruit, spices and medicinal plants also the species not occurring in the archaeological objects within the Czech Republic (Nicotiana rustica – seed, Buxus sempervirens – leaves) were determined. The finds of the remains of introduced species are important especially from the point of view of the history of the plants cultivated within the Czech Lands.