High incidence of infertility along with low vitamin D levels was detected in otherwise healthy young men. The aim is to observe the effect of vitamin D supplementation on semen parameters as assessed by semen analysis in infertile men. In total, 45 men (mean age 36.6 years) in consecutive order were included, of whom 34 finished the study. Subjects were supplemented by vitamin D (cholecalciferol) 2500 IU/day. Vitamin D levels were assessed by HPLC. Semen analysis was performed strictly following 2010 WHO guidelines. Study periods were baseline and month 6. During follow-up, 20 %, 7.4 %, 22 % and 0.7 % increase in serum vitamin D levels, progressive sperm motility, sperm concentration and sperm morphology, respectively, were observed (all p<0.05). At follow-up end, 9 patients (26 %) reached normal sperm parameters of whom 2 fertilized their partner. There was no correlation between vitamin D and semen parameters observed. This study proves that vitamin D supplementation is possibly a modulator of sperm parameters in vitamin D deficient, otherwise healthy men. Although a direct relationship between vitamin D and sperm parameters was not observed obtaining adequate vitamin D levels could likely play a role in the male factor of infertility., Igor Bartl, Miroslava Ondrušová, Martin Kužma, Peter Jackuliak, Andrea Gažová, Ján Kyselovič, Juraj Payer., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its animal model adjuvant arthritis (AA) are inflammatory diseases characterized by chronic inflammation, systemic oxidative stress and disturbed mitochondrial bioenergetics of skeletal muscle. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of coenzyme Q10 - CoQ10 (100 mg/kg b.w.), omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids - ω-3-PUFA (400 mg/kg b.w.) and their combined treatment in AA on impaired skeletal muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics, inflammation and changes in levels CoQ9 and CoQ10 in plasma. Markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, monocytechemotactic protein-1), antioxidant capacity of plasma, respiratory chain parameters of skeletal muscle mitochondria and concentrations of CoQ9 and CoQ10 in plasma and in muscle tissue were estimated. Treatment of the arthritic rats with CoQ10, ω-3-PUFA alone and in combination partially reduced markers of inflammation and increased antioxidant capacity of plasma, significantly increased concentrations of coenzyme Q in mitochondria and improved mitochondrial function in the skeletal muscle. Combined treatment has similar effect on the mitochondrial function as monotherapies; however, it has affected inflammation and antioxidant status more intensively than monotherapies. Long-term supplementary administration of coenzyme Q10 and ω-3-PUFA and especially their combination is able to restore the impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics and antioxidant status in AA., Jarmila Kucharská, Silvester Poništ, Oľga Vančová, Anna Gvozdjáková, Oľga Uličná, Lukáš Slovák, Mohsen Taghdisiesfejir, Katarína Bauerová., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Twelve-day-old barley seedlings were supplied with 23 μM methyl jasmonate (MeJA) or 10 μM paraquat (Pq) via the transpiration stream and kept in the dark for 24 h. Then they were exposed to 100 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR and samples were taken 1, 2, 3, and 6 h after irradiation. Treatment of seedlings with MeJA alone resulted in decreased content of chlorophyll (Chl), and net photosynthetic (PN) and transpiration rates. Pq treatment led to a decrease in Chl content and to a very strong inhibition of PN, the effects were manifested by 1 h of irradiation. Pq treatment did not affect the activity of ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPC, EC 4.1.1.39) but increased the activity of the photorespiratory enzymes phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP, EC 3.1.3.18), glycolate oxidase (GO, EC 1.1.3.1), and catalase (EC 1.11.1.6). Pre-treatment of seedlings with MeJA before exposure to Pq fully blocked the inhibitory effect of Pq on photosynthesis and protected against subsequent Pq-induced oxidative damage. and V. A. Hristova, L. P. Popova.
Bats occupy a variety of natural and artificial diurnal roosts. These environments offer several advantages for bats, among which we highlight the relative climatic stability, darkness, and protection from predators. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the use of tree hollows as natural diurnal roosts by Molossops temminckii, Molossus rufus, Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira lilium in southeastern Brazil. In the first one, we sought to describe the physical characteristics of shelters. In the second objective, we determined the number of individuals in the colonies and, we described and classified the posture adopted by bats within cavities. In the
third objective, we seek to relate the physical characteristics of refuges with the foraging behavior and diet of bat species. Moreover, we also discussed the advantages and disadvantages that tree cavities may confer for bats, in the context of approximation of opportunistic predators. We found four colonies, one of each species, which roosted within tree trunk cavities. In general, the colonies were small, with less than 10 individuals of both sexes. Usually the molossids left the roost at dusk, while phyllostomids left later, around three hours after dusk. Individuals of the first three species were recaptured while foraging near the roosts. We believe (through observations) that the location in the landscape and the physical characteristics (dimensions of access to the cavities and height from the ground) of shelters used by bats, depend exclusively on the morphology, foraging behaviour and diet of each species of bat. Furthermore, this
study contributes to an increase of knowledge about the natural history of Neotropical bats, which can provide relevant information for conservation.
Climate change impacts on the regional water cycle represent a long-term ''system disturbance'' and belong to the most urgent issues of today’s hydrological research. Stronger research efforts are needed especially at the regional and local scale, where political and technical adaptation measures can be taken to avoid critical developments for the environment and society. Studies in the past indicate considerable regional vul-nerabilities against changes of both temperature and precipitation patterns. The present study describes a methodology, which allows to assess the influences of climate changes in a meso-scale region. Results of a high temporal and spatial resolution mod-elling approach are presented for the State of Brandenburg in Eastern Germany, which suffers from water deficit similar to many Mediterranean regions. The study indicates strong impacts on various water balance components under changed climatic condi-tions in the period 1996-2050 and possible water availability problems in the future. Basis for the impact study are trend analyses in Brandenburg, which indicate a signifi-cant decrease of percolation already in the observation period 1961-1998, especially for areas with a shallow groundwater table. and Dopady zmeny klímy na hydrologický cyklus v regionálnej mierke predstavujú dlhodobé ''narušenia systému'' a patria k najnaliehavejším otázkam súčasného hydrologického výskumu. Výraznejšiu pozornosť výskumu si vyžadujú najmä problémy v regionálnej a lokálnej mierke, kde môžu byť prijaté opatrenia, ktoré umožnia vyhnúť sa krízovému vývoju v životnom prostredí a spoločnosti. Minulé štúdie poukázali na veľkú regionálnu zraniteľnosť voči zmenám teploty a atmosférických zrážok. Tento príspevok opisuje metodológiu odhadu vplyvov zmeny klímy v regióne veľkosti mezomierky. Sú v ňom prezentované výsledky modelovania s vysokým časovým a priestorovým rozlíšením v krajine Brandenbursko vo východnej časti Nemecka. Štúdia poukazuje na významné dopady zmenených klimatických podmienok pre obdobie 1996-2050 na rôzne prvky hydrologickej bilancie a možné problémy so zdrojmi vody v budúcnosti. Základom impaktovej štúdie je trendová analýza, ktorá poukazuje na významný pokles perkolácie už v pozorovanom období 1961-1998, najmä v oblastiach s plytkou hladinou podzemnej vody.
The main aim of this work is to evaluate the development of rainfall-runoff regime in selected river basins of the Šumava Mountains (Bohemian Forest), the Jeseníky Mountains and the Krušné Mountains (Ore Mountains) in the last 50 years. Besides the identification of inhomogeneity in time series of mean discharges, rainfall amounts, temperature and snow cover data, the work deals with an analysis of trends using annual and monthly data. Different methodological tools for identification of changes and trends in hydro-climatic time series have been introduced in this study, especially different methods of statistic testing and an application of Mann-Kendall seasonal test. The results have been compared not only from the point of view of the methods applied here, but as well from the viewpoint of geographical difference of the mentioned areas. and Hlavním cílem předložené studie je zhodnotit vývoj srážko-odtokového režimu ve vybraných povodích v oblasti Šumavy, Jeseníků a Krušných hor za posledních 50 let. Vedle zjišťování nehomogenit v časových řadách průměrných průtokových, srážkových, ale i teplotních a sněhových dat se práce zabývá analýzou trendů na úrovni ročních hodnot a jednotlivých měsíců. V práci jsou představeny různé metodické nástroje ke sledování změn a trendů v hydroklimatologických řadách, zejména různé metody statistického testování a aplikace Mann-Kendallova sezónního testu. Výsledky jsou porovnány nejen z hlediska použitých metod, ale i geografické rozdílnosti sledovaných území.
Od počátku 90. let 20. století dochází k poměrně velkým změnám v reprodukčním chování obyvatel České republiky, mimo jiné výrazně narůstá podíl dětí narozených mimo manželství. Článek podrobně popisuje vývoj intenzity plodnosti nevdaných žen ve srovnání s ženami vdanými v letech 1989-2014 na základě dat běžné evidence. Pozornost je věnována třem hlavním vlivům působícím na podíl dětí narozených mimo manželství, nejvíce pochopitelně intenzitě mimomanželské a manželské plodnosti (podle věku a pořadí narozených dětí). Analýza ukazuje, že přestože dochází od počátku 21. století ke sbližování intenzity plodnosti vdaných a nevdaných žen, prokreační chování těchto žen se stále výrazně odlišuje (průměrný věk matky při narození (prvního) dítěte, struktura narozených dětí podle pořadí narození)., Since the beginning of the 1990´s there have been relatively large changes in the reproductive behaviour of the population of the Czech Republic, including a significant increase in the proportion of children born out of wedlock. The paper describes the development of fertility rates among unmarried and married women in the years 1989-2014 in detail. Attention is paid to three main influences which are responsible for the proportion of children born out of wedlock, and obviously above all to the rates of nonmarital and marital fertility (by age and by birth order). The analysis shows that although there has been a convergence of the rates of fertility of married and unmarried women since the beginning of the 21st century, the reproductive behaviour of these women is still significantly different (average age of mother at birth of (first) child, distribution of birth order)., Barbora Kuprová., and Obsahuje bibliografii