The effect of phagocytosis of living bacteria on apoptotic DNA changes was examined in pig leukocytes in relation to immune system maturation. Blood samples of pigs (aged 6, 12 and 18 weeks) were cultivated with a suspension of bacterial cells Salmonella typhimurium LB 5000 at 37 °C. In the experimental groups, killed bacteria and microspheric particles were used to detect the influence of the phagocytic process. Phagocytic activity and index were determined in each sample by means of microspheric particles. The ability to kill engulfed microbes (bactericidal capacity) was estimated from the decrease in bacterial colony-forming units (CFU). Samples of cultured cells were taken for DNA analysis at given intervals. DNA ladder assay was used for qualitative apoptotic DNA break detection and the TUNEL AP test was employed for quantification of apoptosis. In 18-week-old animals, spontaneous DNA degradation was observed in the control group without phagocytosis after 8 h. In contrast, cells cultivated with microspheric particles or killed bacteria became apoptotic after 4 h. The rate of apoptotic DNA degradation was decreased in the group exposed to living bacteria. This prolonged survival of phagocytes was also detected in 12-week-old animals, but not at 6 weeks of age. These findings were supported by the ability of phagocytes in 6-week-old animals to engulf microbes, but their killing (bactericidal) ability was significantly decreased in comparison with other stages of immune system maturation. These results suggest that the process of phagocytosis itself is accompanied by activation of the apoptotic program in phagocytic cells of the pig immune system, but the presence of phagocyted living bacteria can delay this activation. The prolonged survival of short-lived cells was only observed in later phases of immune system maturation., E. Matalová, A. Španová, F. Kovářů., and Obsahuje bibliografii
We address the specific, leftist dissent in socialist Yugoslavia that was centred around the Praxis intellectual school. Our aim is to show the divergent paths that strongly marked the legacy of the group’s Serbian wing. Tracing the intellectual engagement of two prominent figures that ended on completely opposite ends of the political spectrum – Mihailo Marković and Miladin Životić – we want to show that the inception of Yugoslavia’s bloody dissolution can be traced back to the very core of what could be called orthodox left dissent. We analyse the “truly leftist” politics of Mihailo Marković during the 1968 protests, which devolved into support for the police and apologia for war and nationalism in the 1990s. We compare his central intellectual role in instituting a nationalist brand of socialism in Serbia to the public engagement of Miladin Životić, whose marginalization stands as reminder of those who dared to oppose the dominant nationalist narratives and offered a vision of life together.
Apostasioideae jsou nejmenší, vývojově nejpůvodnější a současně nejméně prozkoumanou podčeledí vstavačovitých (Orchidaceae). Vyskytují se ve dvou rodech a 17 druzích v podrostu tropických lesů v jihovýchodní Asii. Od ostatních orchidejí se liší mj. specifickou květní morfologii a pylovými zrny nespojenými v brylky. Studium jaderného genomu ukázalo, že Apostasioideae mají jedny z nejmenších genomů mezi orchidejemi a jejich DNA je velice bohatá na adenin a thymin. Skupina je mimo svoji domovinu prakticky nepěstovatelná a chybí proto i ve velkých specializovaných sbírkách., Apostasioideae is the smallest, least specialized orchid subfamily, which is still largely unexplored. It encompasses 17 terrestrial species in two genera native to tropical rain forests of SE Asia. They differ from other orchids in their unique floral morphology and pollen shed in monads. Our flow cytometric analyses showed that apostasioids possess very small genomes with a considerable proportion of adenine and thymine. The lack of information stems at least partly from their extremely difficult cultivation outside native areas., and Jana Jersáková, Jan Ponert, Pavel Trávníček, Jan Suda.
Miconia albicans, a common evergreen cerrado species, was studied under field conditions. Leaf gas exchange and pre-dawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) were determined during wet and dry seasons. The potential photosynthetic capacity (PNpmax) and the apparent carboxylation efficiency (ε) dropped in the dry season to 28.0 and 0.7 %, respectively, of the maximum values in the wet season. The relative mesophyll (Lm) and stomatal (Ls) limitations of photosynthesis increased, respectively, from 24 and 44 % in the wet season to 79 and 57 % at the peak of the dry season when mean Ψpd reached -5.2 MPa. After first rains, the PNpmax, ε, and Lm recovered reaching the wet season values, but Ls was maintained high (63 %). The shallow root system growing on stonemason limited by lateral concrete wall to a depth of 0.33 m explained why extreme Ψpd was brought about. Thus M. albicans is able to overcome quickly the strains imposed by severe water stress. and J. A. F. Monteiro, C. H. B. A. Prado.
Pot experiments were conducted with Hordeum distichon L. (mutant of the cultivar Plena) and Hordeum vulgare L. ssp. hexastichon (cv. Certina). At two stages of development (5 and 20 d after the end of flowering), the assimilate demand of the sink organs (ears) was increased by daikening them for 5 d. The influence of this treatment on the apparent CO2 assimilation (P^), the *'*C02 incorporation of source leaves (flag leaves) and the suhsequent distrihution in the plants were investigated using a combination of gas exchange measurements by IRGA and exposure of the plants to ^'^002. Darkening of the ear 5 d after the end of flowering produced no change in incorporation of the source (flag leáf), or subsequent distrihution to the individual organ fractions in either of the cultivars. Darkening of the ear of cv. Certina 20 d after the end of flowering caused an increased orientation of the translocation to the ear, while of the flag leaf was not significantly influenced. In the Plena cultivar, the loss of ear photosynthesis caused by the darkening could not be compensated by the increased translocation, which was already very high in the control plants; of the flag leaf was enhanced. In the course of grain filling (5 d -> 20 d after the end of flowering), the absolute P^, and protein and chlorophyll contents of the flag leaves strongly decreased in both cultivars. Darkening pf the ear delayed this process in cv. Plena and partly also in cv. Certina. In the čase of an increased assimilate demand of the sink (ear), the CO2 assimilation of the source leaves was reduced only if the saccharide reserves of the plant were depleted. Differences in source-sink interactions observed between cultivars and developmental stages could be explained by this result.
The characteristics of evapotranspiration estimated by the complementary relationship actual evapotranspiration (CRAE), the advection-aridity (AA), and the modified advection-aridity (MAA) models were investigated in six pairs of rural and urban areas of Japan in order to evaluate the applicability of the three models the urban area. The main results are as follows: 1) The MAA model could apply to estimating the actual evapotranspiration in the urban area. 2) The actual evapotranspirations estimated by the three models were much less in the urban area than in the rural. 3) The difference among the estimated values of evapotranspiration in the urban areas was significant, depending on each model, while the difference among the values in the rural areas was relatively small. 4) All three models underestimated the actual evapotranspiration in the urban areas from humid surfaces where water and green spaces exist. 5) Each model could take the effect of urbanization into account.
Hydrological models often require input data on soil-water retention (SWR), but obtaining such data is laborious
and costly so that SWR in many places remains unknown. To fill the gap, a prediction of SWR using a pedotransfer
function (PTF) is one of the alternatives. This study aims to select the most suitable existing PTFs in order to predict
SWR for the case of the upper Bengawan Solo (UBS) catchment on Java, Indonesia. Ten point PTFs and two continuous
PTFs, which were developed from tropical soils elsewhere, have been applied directly and recalibrated based on a small
soil sample set in UBS. Scatter plots and statistical indices of mean error (ME), root mean square error (RMSE), model
efficiency (EF) and Pearson’s correlation (r) showed that recalibration using the Shuffled Complex Evolution-University
of Arizona (SCE-UA) algorithm can help to improve the prediction of PTFs significantly compared to direct application
of PTFs. This study is the first showing that improving SWR-PTFs by recalibration for a new catchment based on around
50 soil samples provides an effective parsimonious alternative to developing a SWR-PTF from specifically collected soil
datasets, which typically needs around 100 soil samples or more.