It is expected that environmental conditions impact the distribution of galls on host plants. Moreover, insects may induce their galls randomly or choose certain parts of a host to induce such growths. This study aimed to determine whether or not the gall midge, Hartigiola annulipes (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), which induces galls on leaves of the European beech (Fagus sylvatica), prefers leaves facing a particular cardinal direction. In addition, we wanted to ascertain whether the galls are evenly spread across three leaf zones: proximal, median and distal, distinguished by dividing leaf area along the midrib. The results show that H. annulipes chose leaves facing various directions in different studied locations, and leaf choice is not restricted to the specific leaf area, a parameter that accurately reflects the light conditions of leaf growth. Moreover, the medial leaf zone was preferred, while the distal zone was avoided. The choice of the leaf zone modified the distance between the mid-rib and a gall. Gall distribution in the crown of trees is probably random, while at the leaf level, it is determined by leaf morphology., Sebastian Pilichowski, Marian J. Giertych., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Large, ball rolling dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are competitively dominant and can strongly influence community succession in dung pads. Ball production by Scarabaeus sacer Linnaeus was recorded in the Kizilirmak Delta on the Black Sea coast of Turkey by using artificial dung pads from 125 g to 2,000 g. Utilisation of pads across the 16-fold range of pad sizes demonstrated behavioural variation that may reduce intraspecies competition. Ball production was highly concentrated, with 66 balls (61%) produced from 8 pads of the 3 largest pad sizes, which may be related to chemical attraction between males and females. Ball size increased with increasing pad size (P < 0.05) but the number of balls produced per 100 g of dung decreased with increasing pad size (P < 0.01). Pad size for maximum ball production and ball size were 1,371 g and 1,260 g, respectively. The highest and lowest percentage of dung used for ball production was 43% of 125 g pads and 13% of 2,000 g pads, respectively. Ball production and time of day were significantly related (P < 0.01); S. sacer was almost exclusively nocturnal, with 59% of all balls produced between 21.00 and 22.00. This optimum period for ball production early in the night may be a compromise between reduced risk of predation and the increased energy costs of ball production as the temperature falls., Gregory T. Sullivan, Sebahat K. Ozman-Sullivan, Jean-Pierre Lumaret, Myron P. Zalucki, Greg Baxter., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Methamphetamine (MA) is one of the most abused psychostimulants in the Czech Republic and worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated the adverse effects of maternal drug abuse. However, the father's contribution as a parent and donor of the half genetic information is unclear. The present study aimed to examine the effect of paternal MA exposure on behavioral development and locomotor activity in rat offspring. MA was administrated subcutaneously for 30 days at a dose of 5 mg/kg to adult male rats. The impact of paternal MA exposure on rat pups was investigated using behavioral tests during development and locomotor activity tests in adulthood. Prior to testing, adult offspring were exposed to an acute challenge dose of MA (1 mg/kg) to examine the possible sensitizing effect of the paternal treatment. Our results found no significant differences in behavioral development or locomotor activity in adulthood of offspring linked to paternal MA application. These results differ from the effects induced by maternal MA application. Further, our results demonstrated a significant increase in locomotor activity on the Laboras test after acute MA application. When comparing sex differences, females showed more activity than males in adulthood, whereas males were more active during development.
Recently, based on a limited morphological characterisation and partial 18S rRNA gene sequence, Jiang et al. (2019) described Trypanosoma micropteri Jiang, Lu, Du, Wang, Hu, Su et Li, 2019 as a new pathogen of farmed fish. Here we provide evidence based on the expanded sequence dataset, morphology and experimental infections that this trypanosome does not warrant the establishment as a new species, because it is conspecific with the long-term known Trypanosoma carassii Mitrophanow, 1883, a common haemoflagellate parasite of freshwater fish. The former taxon thus becomes a new junior synonym of T. carassii.
The article deals with the loss of chance doctrine and its application in the medical malpractice disputes, focusing primarily on the current Czech case law. The aim is to describe the case law leading to the adoption or rejection of the doctrine in Czech legal order in the light of the approach taken in foreign and similar legal systems (Austria, Germany). The aim of the article is also to comment on a solution that would be systemically appropriate for solving cases involving an element of causal uncertainty, whether or not in the form of acceptance of the loss of chance doctrine. and Článek se soustředí na doktrínu ztráty šance a její využití v rámci medicínskoprávních sporů se zaměřením na aktuální judikaturu vrcholných soudů České republiky. Cílem je nastínit argumentaci soudní praxe směřující k adopci nebo naopak odmítnutí aplikace doktríny ztráty šance v českém právu, a to ve světle přístupu zastávaného v zahraničních a nám blízkých právních řádech (Rakousku, Německu) a vyjádřit se k řešení, které by bylo systémově vhodné pro překlenutí případů zahrnujících prvek kauzální nejistoty, ať už v podobě přijetí teorie ztráty šance nebo nikoliv. Postupováno je tzv. od obecného ke konkrétnímu, nejprve je obecně rozebrána problematika doktríny ztráty šance a následně aktuální rozhodnutí českých vrcholných soudů.
The aim of this review is to summarize main aspects of the book Euthanasia and Decision at the End of Life: Legal aspects. and Tento příspěvek je recenzí publikace Eutanazie a rozhodnutí na konci života: právní aspekty, která vyšla v roce 2017.
Objectives. People with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) show a number of executive function deficits which are related, among other things, to difficulties in perceiving time. Deficiencies in time perception have been demonstrated in children and adults with ADHD. Perception of time is usually measured by quantitative methods at very short time intervals, which are not related to application in everyday life.Methods. The presented mix-methods study therefore focuses on the perception of time in short and long intervals in the context of the actual real life of the subjects. The study presents the results of an analysis of interviews with 20 adults with varying levels of ADHD symptoms, which included 1) a life line technique and a follow-up narrative interview about significant life events and perceptions of their time sequence, and 2) a short stress management interview and subjective efficiency of coping strategies. The respondents were chosen based on their results in the ASRS questionnaire which measures the severity of ADHD symptomatology. The results of the qualitative part were compared with the findings from the quantitative analysis of the development of the scenario of a situation containing a motivational conflict (N = 1518). Results. The results showed that people with ADHD, compared to the control group, more often choose less adaptive solutions in the field of time-related life situations. Nevertheless, in their own lives, most of them were able to state specific procedures that work for them while coping with the burden of ADHD. However, there was a difference in the extent of ADHD symptomatology compensation. External structuring of stress activities (through graphic visualization, e.g.) was most often cited as the best practice. and Problém. Osoby s ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) vykazují řadu deficitů v oblasti exekutivních funkcí, které souvisí mimo jiné i s obtížemi ve vnímání času. Nedostatky v časové percepci byly prokázány u dětí i dospělých s ADHD. Vnímání času je obvykle měřeno kvantitativními metodami na velmi krátkých časových intervalech, které nesouvisí s uplatněním v každodenním životě. Metoda. Prezentovaná studie se smíšeným designem se proto zaměřuje na vnímání času v krátkých i dlouhých časových intervalech v kontextu vlastního reálného života zkoumaných osob. Studie prezentuje výsledky analýzy rozhovorů s 20 dospělými osobami s různou úrovní ADHD symptomů, které zahrnovaly 1) techniku čáry života a na ni navazující narativní rozhovor o významných událostech života a vnímání jejich časové souslednosti a 2) rozhovor o zvládání krátké zátěže s důrazem na subjektivní efektivitu copingových strategií. Tito respondenti byli vybráni na základě výsledků dotazníku ASRS měřící míru ADHD symptomatologie. Výsledky kvalitativní části byly srovnávány se zjištěními z kvantitativní analýzy vývoje scénáře situace obsahující motivační konflikt (N = 1518). Výsledky. Výsledky ukázaly, že osoby s projevy ADHD ve srovnání s kontrolní skupinou v oblasti řešení životních situací souvisejících s časem volí častěji méně adaptivní řešení. Přesto ve vlastním životě byla většina z osob schopna uvést konkrétní copingové postupy, které se jim při zvládání zátěže osvědčují. Odlišnost však existovala s ohledem na míru kompenzovaných projevů ADHD. Jako osvědčený postup byla nejčastěji uváděna externí strukturace zátěžových aktivit (např. za pomocí grafické vizualizace).
RNA interference (RNAi) technology uses dsRNAs to silence specific targeted genes by downregulating their expression. It has become a potent tool for functional and regulatory studies of insect genes and has potential to be applied for insect control. Though it has been challenging to generate effective RNAi in lepidopteran insects, in the current study this technology was applied to develop specific RNAi-based molecular tools that could be used to negatively impact the invasive lepidopteran forest pest, gypsy moth (GM). GM midgut-specific genes were selected for dsRNA design from larval transcriptome profiles. Two methods were used to produce specific dsRNAs, bacterial expression and in vitro synthesis, which were then fed per os to GM larvae. Depletion of uncharacterized gene targets known as locus 365 and locus 28365, or their stacked combination, depleted target transcripts in a sequence specific manner and resulted in 60% reduction in body mass. Treated GM females that were able to moult to the adult stage displayed an approximately two-fold reduction in egg masses. These have potential to be developed as molecular biopesticides for GM., Saikat Kumar B. Ghosh, Dawn E. Gundersen-Rindal., and Obsahuje bibliografii
We report that decreased expression of miR-30c in tumor compared to adjacent tissue is sex-dependent in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. High expression of miR-30c was associated with better survival in the whole cohort. When the cohort was split into male and female subcohorts, decreased miR-30c expression in tumor compared to adjacent tissue was observed only in males. Expression of miR-30c was decreased in CRC tumor tissue in male patients with nodes involvement compared to those without metastases in nodes and this difference was not observe in females. Next dependency of miR-30c expression on oestrogen receptor β (ERβ) mRNA levels in tumor was tested. In males with low expression of ERβ, we observed a significant decrease in miR-30c levels in patients with nodes involvement compared to those without nodes involvement. This difference was not observed in males with high ERβ mRNA levels and in females. Accordingly, males with low expression of ERβ and high expression of miR-30c showed a better survival that those with low expression ERβ and low expression of miR-30c. It is possible to conclude that whole cohort survival dependence on miR-30c is mostly generated by a subcohort of males with low expression of ERβ mRNA in tumor tissue.