The aim of this study was to evaluate an efficiency of clay minerals (kaolinite, illite, Na- and Ca-montmorillonite) in alleviating the water repellency of stearic acid sand during the course of long-term hot and dry spell. This spell was simulated by prolonged drying (incubation) of the samples in oven at 50°C. It was found that the kaolinite addition resulted in a drop in the persistence of water repellency of the stearic acid sand. On the contrary, the Ca-montmorillonite addition increased markedly the persistence of water repellency of the stearic acid sand. In most cases, the illite addition resulted in an increase in the persistence of water repellency, even though not so markedly as it was in the case of Ca-montmorillonite addition. In the case of Na-montmorillonite addition, the striking drop in the persistence of water repellency of the stearic acid sand was registered only after lowering the moisture below 5 %. An increase in the persistence of water repellency of the sand-clay mixture with an increase in the clay amount is another interesting finding, observed in case of kaolinite and Ca-montmorillonite. and Cieľom tejto štúdie bolo zhodnotenie efektívnosti ílových minerálov (kaolinitu, illitu, Na- a Camontmorillonitu) pri znižovaní stálosti vodoodpudivosti piesku pokrytého kyselinou stearovou počas dlhého suchého a teplého obdobia, simulovaného inkubáciou vzoriek pri teplote 50 °C. Zistili sme, že pridanie kaolinitu výrazne znížilo stálosť vodoodpudivosti piesku pokrytého kyselinou stearovou prakticky počas celého cyklu sušenia. Pridanie Ca-montmorillonitu naopak stálosť vodoodpudivosti piesku pokrytého kyselinou stearovou výrazne zvýšilo. Pridanie illitu vo väčšine prípadov zvýšilo stálosť vodoodpudivosti piesku pokrytého kyselinou stearovou, aj keď nie tak výrazne ako pridanie Ca-montmorillonitu. V prípade pridania Na-montmorillonitu sme výrazné zníženie vodoodpudivosti piesku pokrytého kyselinou stearovou zaznamenali až po poklese vlhkosti vzorky pod 5 %. Ďalším zaujímavým poznatkom je vzrast vodoodpudivosti so zvyšujúcim se obsahom ílu, ktorý sme zaregistrovali v prípade kaolinitu a Ca-montmorillonitu.
The present study was conducted to study the effect of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) on changes of plant growth, net photosynthetic rate, carbonic anhydrase (E.C. 4.2.1.1) and nitrate reductase (E.C.1.6.6.1) activities in the leaves of Raphanus sativus L. under the influence of cadmium (Cd) stress. Cd reduced plant growth, photosynthetic pigment levels, net photosynthetic rate and the activities of carbonic anhydrase and nitrate reductase. However seed application of EBL reduced the toxic effect of Cd on plant growth, pigment content, photosynthesis and enzyme activities. The studies clearly demonstrated the ameliorating effect of 24-epibrassinolide in mitigating the toxicity of Cd in plants. and S. Anuradha, S. Seeta Ram Rao.
Plants of Brassica juncea L. cv. T-59 were supplied with 50 or 100 µM nickel (Ni50, Ni100) at 10 d after sowing (DAS), and sprayed with 28-homobrassinolide (HBR) at 20 DAS. The plants treated with Ni alone exhibited reduced growth, net photosynthetic rate, content of chlorophyll, and the activities of nitrate reductase (E.C.1.6.6.1) and carbonic anhydrase (E.C. 4.2.1.1) at observed 40 DAS, whereas, the contents of peroxidase (PER), catalase (CAT), and proline were increased. However, the spray of HBR partially neutralized the toxic effect of Ni on most of the parameters. Moreover, the treatment of HBR in association with either of the Ni concentration boosted the contents of PER and CAT in leaves and that of proline both in leaves and roots. and M. Masidur Alam ... [et al.].
Breathing impairments, such as an alteration in breathing
pattern, dyspnoea, and sleep apnoea, are common health deficits
recognised in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The mechanism that
underlies these disturbances, however, remains unclear. We
investigated the effect of the unilateral damage to the rat
nigrostriatal pathway on the central ventilatory response to
hypercapnia, evoked by administering 6-hydroxydopamine
(6-OHDA) into the right medial forebrain bundle (MFB). The
respiratory experiments were carried out in conscious animals in
the plethysmography chamber. The ventilatory parameters were
studied in normocapnic and hyperoxic hypercapnia before and
14 days after the neurotoxin injection. Lesion with the 6-OHDA
produced an increased tidal volume during normoxia. The
magnified response of tidal volume and a decrease of breathing
frequency to hypercapnia were observed in comparison to the
pre-lesion and sham controls. Changes in both respiratory
parameters resulted in an increase of minute ventilation of the
response to CO2 by 28 % in comparison to the pre-lesion state
at 60 s. Our results demonstrate that rats with implemented
unilateral PD model presented an altered respiratory pattern
most often during a ventilatory response to hypercapnia.
Preserved noradrenaline and specific changes in dopamine and
serotonin characteristic for this model could be responsible for
the pattern of breathing observed during hypercapnia.
The role of brain derived nitric oxide in the physiology and behavior remains disputable. One of the reasons of the controversies might be systemic side effects of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors. Therefore, under nNOS inhibition by 7- nitroindazole (7-NI) we carried out recordings of blood gasses, blood pressure and spontaneous EEG in conscious adult rats. Locomotion and spontaneous behavior were assessed in an open field. In addition skilled walking and limb coordination were evaluated using a ladder rung walking test. The blood gas analysis revealed a significant increase in pCO2 180 min and 240 min after the application of 7-NI. The power and entropy decreased simultaneously with a shift of the mean frequency of the spontaneous EEG toward slow oscillations after 7-NI treatment. The thresholds of evoked potentials underwent a significant drop and a trend towards a slight increase in the I-O curve slope was observed. 7-NI significantly suppressed open field behavior expressed as distance moved, exploratory rearing and grooming. As for the ladder rung walking test the 7-NI treated animals had more errors in foot placement indicating impairment in limb coordination. Therefore our findings suggest that 7-NI increased cortical excitability and altered some physiological and behavioral parameters., C. Boržíčková, A. Mikulecká, J. Otáhal., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The effect of a short cold stress in combination with photoinhibition stress, similar to a low temperature and a high irradiance situation during early morning in the spring time, was examined on four maize cultivars common for Belgium, that differ in early vigour. After 1 h of 2 °C and 500 μmol(photon) m-2 s-1, quantum efficiency and maximum photosynthesis rate at saturating irradiance decreased on average by 11 and 8 %, respectively. For one cultivar, Magister, the decrease was the largest: by 23 and 10 %, respectively. For this cultivar it was combined with a decrease of the water vapour conductance after the stress. The decrease of Fv/F0 due to the cold/light stress was dependent on the cold tolerance (early vigour) of the cultivars. Fv/F0 changed with -45.5 and -40.2 % for the cultivars Ardiles and Banguy, respectively (cultivars with a less good early vigour) in comparison to -36.3 and -35.9 % for Fjord and Magister, which have a good early vigour. Also the ratio of total chlorophylls/total carotenoids changed in dependence on cold tolerance of the cultivars. For more cold tolerant cultivars, the relative amount of total carotenoids (x+c) was higher, indicating a higher protective state. Both the parameter Fv/F0 and the ratio of total chlorophylls to total carotenoids can be used to differentiate the cold tolerant cultivars from the cold non-tolerant ones. Fv/F0 has the advantage because its resolving power is larger and the measurement is less expensive than determination of the pigment ratio. and P. Lootens, J. van Waes, L. Carlier.
Diurnal fluctuations in the contents of malate in gametophores of Polytrichum commune Hedw. and Polytrichum piliferum Hedw. were small. In gametophores of Mnium undulatum Hedw. and leaves of Hieracium pilosella L. significant differences were found in the accumulation of malate between day and night. However, no significant diurnal differences were found in the contents of citrate. High irradiance, desiccation, and submergence by water resulted in increases in daily fluctuations of malate, particularly in the gametophores of P. piliferum and leaves of H. pilosella. Accumulation of malate during night may show the adaptation of the studied species to unfavourable conditions caused by stresses. The change in activity of NADP-malic enzyme may characterize a response to stress factors. and A. Rzepka, G. Rut, J. Krupa.
To determine the effectiveness of rehabilitation on improving ecosystem functions, we examined net photosynthetic rate (PN), tree species composition, soil enzyme activities, and the microclimate (air and soil temperature, relative humidity) of an area on Mt. Makiling that has been rehabilitated and protected from fire for over 12 years. After it was last burned extensively in 1991, restoration was initiated by planting Acacia mangium and Acacia auriculiformis. We selected three areas to study in 2003. Two areas were rehabilitated with A. mangium and A. auriculiformis, and one was still dominated by Imperata cylindrica and Saccharum spontaneum. PN of A. mangium and A. auriculiformis showed significantly lower values than those of I. cylindrica and S. spontaneum. The Acacia plantations had more naturally regenerated tree species than the grassland. Additionally, more tree species appeared in the A. mangium plantation than in the A. auriculiformis plantation. Ficus spetica was present in all of the study sites. Dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities were significantly higher in soil under the Acacia plantations than under grassland. Grassland showed higher air temperature, relative humidity, and soil temperature as well as a larger variation per hour in these parameters compared to the Acacia plantations. The highest air temperature, relative humidity, and soil temperature were measured in April during the dry season. From the regression analysis, soil temperature was significantly correlated with air temperature. Hence plantations, as a rehabilitation activity for grassland, promote natural regeneration and stabilize the microclimate. This stabilization of the microclimate affects establishment and growth of naturally occurring tree species. and Y. K. Lee ... [et al.].
We investigated the effects of in vivo treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) captopril and/or of in vitro administration of L-arginine on the metabolism and ischemia-reperfusion injury of the isolated perfused rat myocardium. Captopril (50 mg/l in drinking water, 4 weeks) raised the myocardial content of glycogen. After 25-min global ischemia, captopril treatment, compared with the controls, resulted in lower rates of lactate dehydrogenase release during reperfusion (8.58±1.12 vs. 13.39±1.88 U/heart/30 min, p<0.05), lower myocardial lactate contents (11.34±0.93 vs. 21.22±4.28 µmol/g d.w., p<0.05) and higher coronary flow recovery (by 25 %), and prevented the decrease of NO release into the perfusate during reperfusion. In control hearts L-arginine added to the perfusate (1 mmol/l) 10 min before ischemia had no effect on the parameters evaluated under our experimental conditions, presumably because of sufficient saturation of the myocardium with L-arginine. In the hearts of captopril-treated rats, L-arginine further increased NO production during reperfusion and the cGMP content before ischemia. Our results have shown that long-term captopril treatment increases the energy potential and has a beneficial effect on tolerance of the isolated heart to ischemia. L-arginine added into the perfusate potentiates the effect of captopril on the NO signaling pathway., J. Divišová, H. Vavřínková, M. Tutterová, L. Kazdová, E. Meschišvili., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Statins are powerful lipid-lowering drugs, widely used in patients with hyperlipidemia and coronary artery disease. It was found, however, that statins appear to have a pleiotropic effect beyond their lipid-lowering ability. They exert anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic and antioxidant effects, increase nitric oxide production and improve endothelial dysfunction. The aim of our study was to examine the effect of chronic and acute treatment with simvastatin on the contractile function of the isolated perfused rat heart after ischemia/reperfusion injury. Contractile function was measured on isolated rat hearts, perfused according to Langendorff under constant pressure. The hearts were subjected to 20 min of global ischemia, followed by 40 min of reperfusion. To investigate the acute effect, simvastatin at a concentration of 10 μmol/l was added to the perfusion solution during reperfusion. In chronic experiments the rats were fed simvastatin at a concentration of 10 mg/kg for two weeks before the measurement of the contractile function. Acute simvastatin administration significantly increased reparation of the peak of pressure development [(+dP/dt)max] (52.9±8.2 %) after global ischemia, as compared with the control group (28.8±5.2 %). Similar differences were also observed in the time course of the recovery of [(+dP/dt)max]. Chronic simvastatin was without any protective effect. Our results reveal that the acute administration of simvastatin during reperfusion, unlike the chronic treatment, significantly reduced contractile dysfunction induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury. This supports the idea of possible cardioprotective effect of statin administration in the first-line therapy of the acute coronary syndrome., O. Szárszoi, J. Malý, P. Ošťádal, I. Netuka, J. Bešík, F. Kolář, B. Ošťádal., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy