The effects of foliar spray of putrescine (Put; 8 mM) on chlorophyll (Chl) metabolism and xanthophyll cycle in cucumber seedlings were investigated under saline conditions of 75 mM NaCl. Exogenous Put promoted the conversion of uroporhyrinogen III to protoporphyrin IX and alleviated decreases in Chl contents and in a size of the xanthophyll cycle pool under salt stress. Moreover, the Put treatment reduced the activities of uroporphyrinogen III synthase, chlorophyllase, and Mg-dechelatase and downregulated the transcriptional levels of glutamyl-tRNA reductase, 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase, uroporphyrinogen III synthase, uroporphyrinogen III decarboxylase, and chlorophyllide a oxygenase, but significantly increased the expression levels of non-yellow coloring 1-like, pheide a oxygenase, red chlorophyll catabolite reductase, and violaxanthin de-epoxidase. Taken together, these results suggest that Put might improve Chl metabolism and xanthophyll cycle by regulating enzyme activities and mRNA transcription levels in a way that improved the salt tolerance of cucumber plants., R. N. Yuan, S. Shu, S. R. Guo, J. Sun, J. Q. Wu., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The paper presents a method for measuring relative displacements of rock blocks on the basis of recorded images of prototype plate targets measurement. The developed measuring targets, after deposition on the surveyed object (for example rock blocks) act as control points, which represent the behavior of the object over time. Two types of targets ware constructed: passive (appropriately chosen figure) and active (respectively arranged fiber targets). The paper presents preliminary results of work in the laboratory using a calibrated semi-metric camera (Canon D5 Mark II - SLR camera with a CMOS 21 million pixels sensor), two passive targets, geodetic engineering tripod, micrometric simulator of shifts and Leica TC1800 total station. During the experimental work one of the targets was set on a tripod, and the other placed on the total station telescope set on the observation pillar. While taking a series of images the first target was fixed, while the other was moved and rotated. The displacements were made with a micrometric table in two mutually perpendicular directions XY in the horizontal plane, and by simulated rotation of the horizontal wheel and vertical wheel of the total station (rotation of the instrument by the adjusting screws). Using the principles of close-range mono-photogra mmetry from automatic measurement of the recorded images of both plate targets, the values of displacements and rotations were compared with the references., Piotr Gołuch, Kazimierz Ćmielewski, Janusz Kuchmistera and Krzysztof Kowalski., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The problem of interpretation of the so-called Central Void /CV/ in the Jagiellonian Field /JF/ is consldered. The galaxies in JF are inclined to group around CV into a pallium-like configuration. The popular suggestion that CV may reflects a really existlng and genuinely empty volume of the inter-multicluster space has been verified. So far any interstellar cloud was nover regarded as a possiblo explanation because of: 1. the cosecant-type laws descrlbing interstellar extlnctlon in the Milky Way, whlch made the galactlc extlnction at b=72” improbable, 2. the claims of the Zwicky´s School that JF was free of the extlnction, 3. the traditlonal view that multlclustering was not caused by absorptive dusty clouds, i.e. that the extended galaxy structures were not only apparent. The results of our work concem the conceptual foundatlons of the researoh programme oontained in early works of Splawa-Neyman /superclustors of galaxies called "clouds"/ and recent searches of Batuski and Burns on a poasible 300 Mpc filament of clusters of galaxies in Perseus-Pegasus. In the paper It ia proved that a local dusty cloud Is projected just onto the region of the Central Void.
We explored the effect of chronically elevated circulating levels of growth hormone (GH)/insulin -like -growth- factor-1 (IGF-1) on mRNA expression of GH/IGF-1/insulin axis components and p85alpha subunit of phosphoinositide -3-kinase (p85alpha) in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) of patients with active acromegaly and compared these findings with healthy control subjects in order to find its possible relationships with insulin resistance and body composition changes. Acromegaly group had significantly decreased percenta ge of truncal and whole body fat and increased homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA -IR). In SCAT, patients with acromegaly had significantly increased IGF-1 and IGF -binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) expression that both positively correlated wit h serum GH. P85alpha expression in SCAT did not differ from control group. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 expression in SCAT were not independently associated with percentage of truncal and whole body fat or with HOMA -IR while IGFBP -3 expression in SCAT was an independ ent predictor of insulin receptor as well as of p85alpha expression in SCAT. Our data suggest that GH overproduction in acromegaly group increases IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 expression in SCAT while it does not affect SCAT p85alpha expression. Increased IGF-1 or IGFBP-3 in SCAT of acromegaly group do not appear to contribute to systemic differences in insulin sensitivity but may have local regulatory effects in SCAT of patients with acromegaly., V. Touskova, J. Klouckova, V. Durovcova, Z. Lacinova, P. Kavalkova, P. Trachta, M. Kosak, M. Mraz, D. Haluzikova, V. Hana, J. Marek, M. Krsek, M. Haluzik., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Let $h,k$ be fixed positive integers, and let $A$ be any set of positive integers. Let $hA:=\{a_1+a_2+\cdots +a_r\colon a_i \in A, r \le h\}$ denote the set of all integers representable as a sum of no more than $h$ elements of $A$, and let $n(h,A)$ denote the largest integer $n$ such that $\{1,2,\ldots ,n\} \subseteq hA$. Let $n(h,k):=\max _A\colon n(h,A)$, where the maximum is taken over all sets $A$ with $k$ elements. We determine $n(h,A)$ when the elements of $A$ are in geometric progression. In particular, this results in the evaluation of $n(h,2)$ and yields surprisingly sharp lower bounds for $n(h,k)$, particularly for $k=3$.
The objective of the present report was to clarify the postoperative stress response of some inflammatory markers, namely of proinflammatory cytokines and leptin levels during uncomplicated postoperative periods. The results were compared with the dynamics of these parameters during intraabdominal sepsis. We followed 20 patients after a planned resection of colorectal cancer in stage Ib-IV with uncomplicated healing and 13 obese men after laparoscopic non-
adjustable gastric banding. These were compared to 12 patients with proven postoperative sepsis. The control group consisted of 18 healthy men. The observed parameters included serum levels of cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNFα), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-6, IL-8, soluble receptor of interleukin-2 (sIL-2R) and leptin. It was found that during the first 24 h after resection there was a significant increase in the serum concentration of IL-6 up to 1125±240 ng/l, which declined within the next 48-72 h. Serum concentration of TNF α was
highest 18-24 h after resection (205±22 ng/l) and after banding (184±77 ng/l). IL-1β had a stable serum concentration without significant elevation. Serum concentration of IL-8 after resection rose to 520±200 ng/l after 36-48 h. Maximal cytokine levels after gastric banding were quantitatively lower (IL-6 414±240 ng/l, TNFα 184±77 ng/l) than after resection. We found significant elevation of plasma leptin concentration (32±10 ng/ml) 24 h after banding compared with preoperative values (18±5 ng/ml, p<0.05). Leptin levels 48 and 72 h after banding rapidly returned to the level before operation. During abdominal surgery leptin shows to be an acute phase reactant. Proinflammatory cytokines can be main regulatory factors of leptin during this period. Significant correlation between leptin and TNFα (similarly
demonstrated by other authors in models of bacterial inflammation) indicates that TNFα can be the crucial regulator of leptin generation in the early postoperative period. On the basis of our results we recommend to observe IL-6 and IL-8 at 24-72 h after the surgery in patients with a high risk of early postoperative septic complications.
Development of a new dug is a very lengthy and highly expensive process since only preclinical, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicological studies include a multiple of in silico, in vitro, in vivo experimentations that traditionally last several years. In the present review, we briefly report some examples that demonstrate the power of the computer-assisted drug discovery process with some examples that are published and revealing the successful applications of artificial intelligence (AI) technology on this vivid area. Besides, we address the situation of drug repositioning (repurposing) in clinical applications. Yet few success stories in this regard that provide us with a clear evidence that AI will reveal its great potential in accelerating effective new drug finding. AI accelerates drug repurposing and AI approaches are altogether necessary and inevitable tools in new medicine development. In spite of the fact that AI in drug development is still in its infancy, the advancements in AI and machine-learning (ML) algorithms have an unprecedented potential. The AI/ML solutions driven by pharmaceutical scientists, computer scientists, statisticians, physicians and others are increasingly working together in the processes of drug development and are adopting AI-based technologies for the rapid discovery of medicines. AI approaches, coupled with big data, are expected to substantially improve the effectiveness of drug repurposing and finding new drugs for various complex human diseases.
Slugs are important pests of many agricultural crops, especially oilseed rape. The carabid beetles Pterostichus melanarius Illiger and Poecilus cupreus L. are among the most abundant large carabid beetles of European arable land and were therefore explored as potential slug antagonists. Damage to oilseed rape caused by the slugs Deroceras reticulatum Müller and D. laeve Müller in the presence or absence of P. melanarius and P. cupreus was observed in the laboratory. Whereas P. cupreus failed to reduce damage to oilseed rape by D. reticulatum, P. melanarius significantly reduced slug damage. However, P. melanarius was unable to protect oilseed rape from damage by D. laeve. This can be explained by the fact that D. laeve caused damage to oilseed rape below ground, where P. melanarius did not encounter the slugs. According to our laboratory experiments P. melanarius has the potential to reduce slug damage to oilseed rape by D. reticulatum.
Physiological traits, which are positively associated with yield under salt-stress conditions, can be useful selection criteria in screening for salt tolerance. We examined whether chlorophyll (Chl) content can be used as screening criterion in wheat. Our study involved 5 wheat genotypes under both saline and nonsaline field conditions as well as in a sand-culture experiment. Salt stress reduced significantly biomass, grain yield, total Chl and both Chl a and b in all genotypes. In the sand-culture experiment, Chl accumulation was higher in PF70354/BOW, Ghods, and H499.71A/JUP genotypes at nonsaline control, moderate, and high salt concentrations, respectively. In the field experiment, genotype H499.71A/JUP belonged to those with the highest Chl density. The SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development) meter readings were linearly related to Chl content both in the sand-culture and in the field experiment. However, salt stress affected the calibration of SPAD meter. Therefore, separate Chl-SPAD equations were suggested for saline and nonsaline conditions. The correlation coefficients between the grain yield and SPAD were positive and significant both in the sand culture and in the field experiment. These findings suggested that SPAD readings could be used as a tool for rapid assessment of relative Chl content in wheat genotypes. It could be used for the indirect selection of high-yielding genotypes of wheat under saline condition in sand-culture and field experiments., A. Kiani-Pouya, F. Rasouli., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Forkhead box O (FoxO) transcription factors, including FoxO1, FoxO3a, and FoxO4, have been implicated in the regulation of several biological processes, including stress resistance, metabolism, and apoptosis. In the present study, FoxO1 and FoxO3a patterns and their role in the regulation of the insulin signalling and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were analyzed after starvation in the fat body cells of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. FoxO1 and FoxO3a are localized to the nuclei. It was found that the levels of the insulin receptor and phosphoryated kinase Akt (p-Akt) increased when the animals ceased feeding. Starvation conditions caused a decrease in extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, and an increase in c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 (MAP kinase) phosphorylation. This implies that the FoxO transcription factors are activated by starvation and that starvation leads to changes in the insulin signalling and MAPK pathways in B. mori. These results strongly suggest that the FoxO transcription factor may be involved in the regulation of the insulin signalling and MAPK pathways in B. mori. As such, the findings provide molecular entomologists with valuable information on the molecular mechanism of the signalling pathways in postembryonic development ofthe silkworm., Jin Hee Kim ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury