Recent studies have demonstrated that some microRNAs (miRNAs) inhibit bone formation by inhibiting the translation of specific genes. Several in vitro studies have suggested that miR - 23a inhibits osteogenic differentiation by suppressing the translation of Runx2, a transcription factor essential for osteoblastogenesis, and of Sa tb2, a member of the special AT-rich binding protein family. In the pr esent study, we used a gain -of-function approach to determine the roles of miR -23a in bone formation and homeostasis in vivo . The miR -23a transgenic (Tg) mice grew normally and their body size and weight were similar to those of wild -type (WT) littermates. Bone structure and morphology were similar in Tg and WT mice. Furthermore, the numbers of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, as well as their activities in bone were similar between Tg and WT mice. Our results indicate that miR -23 has limited roles in bone form ation and maintenance in vivo in mice., J. Park, S. Wada, T. Ushida, T. Akimoto., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Exposed Riverine Sediments (ERS) are often characterised by a high diversity of microhabitats due to strong lateral gradients in temperature, humidity, inundation frequency and availability of aquatic food resources and to variations in the degree of vegetation cover, sediment size and sorting. This variation, potentially in combination with interspecific competitive interactions, is thought to drive the microspatial distribution of ERS invertebrates. This research investigated the microspatial distribution of six ERS specialist beetles across three discreet patches of ERS. In particular it examined the temporal stability of species distributions, and their spatial association with environmental variability and other species. The research used a grid of 204 modified dry pitfall traps over six sampling periods in which weather conditions and water levels were stable, and used the Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE) method to test the significance of spatial distributions and associations. Strong and significant microspatial zonation was observed for all species, and with few exceptions these distributions were remarkably stable across the study period. This zonation was mainly associated with elevation and proximity to the water, and several species were consistently spatially associated or disassociated with one another. This suggests that laterally more extensive patches of ERS support more species. Operations that reduce the size of ERS patches, such as channelisation, aggregate extraction and regulation are therefore likely to reduce ERS invertebrate diversity.
A mineralogical study of the weathering crusts rich in P and Mn from the locality Hodušín - Božetice at Milevsko is presented. The locality belongs to the central part of the variegated group of Sušice and Votice in the Moldanubian Unit. From the analytical methods used, the IR-spectroscopy yielded satisfactory results. The main crust components subjected to weathering are apatite (of a CarHap B - dahllite type) and Mn-minerals (massive black psilomelane, the needle-aggregates probably comprise a poorly recrystallized psilomelane). Disintegrated rocks consist of a mixture of clay minerals, calcite and relicts of primary minerals (quartz, K-feldspars, albite, pyroxene and rutile). The origin and the source material of these crusts rich in P and Mn can not be unambiguously determined. Apatites without CL-effects indicate that the weathering crusts have originated in a strongly oxidative environment. Well documented neighbouring occurrences of phosphate minerals in the variegated group of Sušice and Votice are associated with graphitic rocks. Optical and quantitative chemical analyses of the rocks suggest that the source of apatite could possible be calc-silicate rocks (erlans) close to the graphitic rocks. Hypothetically, the metaphosphorite layers in the variegated Moldanubian Unit can also be considered a possible source of phosphorus., M. Brož, M. Kovářová, Z. Losos, M. Linhartová and V. Vávra., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella is a widespread pest of stored products and a classical object in experimental biology. In the present study, we determined its complete mitochondrial genome sequence. The genome is circular, consists of 15,327 bp and comprises 13 protein-coding, 2 rRNA- and 22 tRNA-coding genes in an order typical for the Ditrysia clade of the order Lepidoptera. A phylogenetic study of the Lepidoptera based on complete mitochondrial genomes places E. kuehniella correctly in the family Pyralidae and supports major lepidopteran taxa as phylogenetic clades. The W chromosome of E. kuehniella is an exceptionally rich reservoir of originally mitochondrial sequences (numts). Around 0.7% of the W DNA was found to be of mitochondrial origin, 83% of the mitogenome sequence was represented between 1-11 × in the W chromosome. Phylogenetic analysis further revealed that these numts are an evolutionary recent acquisition of the W chromosome., Katrin Lämmermann, Heiko Vogel, Walther Traut., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Synechococcus is one of the most abundant photoautotrophic picoplankton in the marine ecosystem. However, it is not clear how Synechococcus assemblages respond to light intensity variation in a genus group. Here, enriched Synechococcus assemblages from in situ coastal seawater were subjected to light intensity simulation experiments in a range of 9-243 μmol(photon) m-2 s-1. Characteristics concerning physiology, genomics, and metatranscriptomics were analyzed. Physiologically, the fitting model predicted photosynthesis indications and pigment contents increased with different trends following the light intensity. Genomic sequencing demonstrated that both the phylogenetic and phenotypic compositions of Synechococcus assemblage exhibited population succession. Especially, the proportion of Synechococcus pigment type 2 was changed significantly. In metatranscriptomics, most genes were downregulated in the high-light intensity group, while photosynthesis-related genes were entirely upregulated. The high upregulation of photosynthesis-related genes, such as psbO, psbA, apcB, and cpcB, corresponded to the succession of Synechococcus genotype and was responsible for the physiological shift in response to light intensity.
This paper is aimed at differences in designs of spiral case and impeller of mixed flow pump with regard to suppression of Y-Q characteristic curves instability, pressure pulsations and especially to achieving necessary delivery head. The differences between new and old conception will be explained. The reasons of these differences with regard to flow in pump interior, hydraulic losses, static pressures and velocities will be explained as well.
Companion animals can be infested by various species of parasitic insects. Cat flea Ctenocephalides felis (C. felis felis) (Bouché, 1835) and dog flea Ctenocephalides canis (Curtis, 1826) belong to multihost external parasites of mammals, which most frequently occur on domestic cats Felis catus Linnaeus and dogs Canis familiaris Linnaeus. The main aim of this study was to investigate the presence of pathogens, such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum (syn. Ehrlichia phagocytophila) and Rickettsia spp., in adult C. felis and C. canis fleas. Flea sampling has been realised from January 2013 to April 2017 in veterinary clinics, animal shelters and pet grooming salons. Fleas were collected from domestic cats and dogs, directly from the pet skin or hair. Then, the DNA was isolated from a single flea by using the alkaline hydrolysis and samples were screened for the presence of pathogens using PCR method. Anaplasma phagocytophilum has occurred in 29% of examined C. felis and 16% of C. canis individuals. In turn, the prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in cat fleas population was only 3%, and the dog fleas 7%. The present study showed the presence of pathogenic agents in cat and dog fleas, which indicates the potential role of these insects in circulation of A. phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp. in the natural habitat. Furthermore, exposition to these flea species, whose hosts are domestic cats and dogs, can pose a potential risk of infection for humans.
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is most frequently caused by LDLR or APOB mutations. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the genetic background of Slovak patients suspected of FH. Patients with clinical suspicion of FH (235 unrelated probands and 124 family relatives) were recruited throughout Slovakia during the years 2011-2015. The order of DNA analyses in probands was as follows: 1. APOB mutation p.Arg3527Gln by real-time PCR method, 2. direct sequencing of the LDLR gene 3. MLPA analysis of the LDLR gene. We have identified 14 probands and 2 relatives with an APOB mutation p.Arg3527Gln, and 89 probands and 75 relatives with 54 different LDLR mutations. Nine of LDLR mutations were novel (i.e. p .Asp90Glu, c.314-2A>G, p.Asp136Tyr, p.Ser177Pro, p.Lys225_Glu228delinsCysLys, p.Gly478Glu, p.Gly675Trpfs*42, p.Leu680Pro, p.Thr832Argfs*3). This is the first study on molecular genetics of FH in Slovakia encompassing the analysis of whole LDLR gene. Geneti c etiology of FH was confirmed in 103 probands (43.8 %). Out of them, 86.4 % of probands carried the LDLR gene mutation and remaining 13.6 % probands carried the p.Arg3527Gln APOB mutation., D. Gabčová, B. Vohnout, D. Staníková, M. Hučkova, M. Kadurová, M. Debreová, M. Kozárová, Ľ. Fábryová, Slovak FH Study Group, J. Staník, I. Klimeš, K. Rašlová, D. Gašperiková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Skeletal muscle atrophy is associated with a loss of muscle protein which may result from both increased proteolysis and decreased protein synthesis. Investigations on cell signaling pathways that regulate muscle atrophy have promoted our understanding of this complicated process. Emerging evidence implicates that calpains play key roles in dysregulation of proteolysis seen in muscle atrophy. Moreover, studies have also shown that abnormally activated calpain
results muscle atrophy via its downstream effects on ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP) and Akt phosphorylation. This review will discuss the role of calpains in regulation of skeletal muscle atrophy mainly focusing on its collaboration with either UPP or Akt in atrophy
conditions in hope to stimulate the interest in development of novel therapeutic interventions for skeletal muscle atrophy.