About 30-50% of the world human population are infected with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908). Latent toxoplasmosis has many specific behavioural and physiological effects on the human body and influences the course of pregnancy, including secondary sex ratio of children of infected mothers. It was suggested that an increased concentration of glucose could be the proximate cause of increased sex ratio. There are some indirect indications of possible association between toxoplasmosis and certain forms of diabetes. Here we searched for a possible link between latent toxoplasmosis and the level of glucose in the blood. In a cross-sectional study, we found that pregnant women with latent toxoplasmosis had significantly higher blood glucose levels during the oral glucose tolerance test (n = 191, p = 0.010; the level of fasting plasma glucose: mean = 5.04 mmol/l vs mean = 4.88 mmol/l; blood glucose level at 1 hour mean = 7.73 mmol/l vs mean = 6.89 mmol/l and blood glucose level at two hours mean = 6.43 mmol/l vs mean = 5.74 mmol/l) and higher prevalence (19.5 %) of gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 532, p = 0.033, odds ratio = 1.78) in the 24-28th gestational weeks than T. gondii-free women (12.0 %). Increased level of glucose and increased incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus could have considerable clinical impact as contributors to the development of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in T. gondii-infected women. Our results also brought the first empirical support for the hypothesis that the glucose concentration may play a role in T. gondii-associated offspring sex ratio shifts., Šárka Kaňková, Jaroslav Flegr, Pavel Calda., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The presence of common mode error (CME) in the coordinate displacement time series of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) affects geophysical studies using GNSS observations. In order to investigate the effect of CME on the time series in GNSS networks in Shanxi, this paper proposes an improved superposition filtering method by introducing single-day solution accuracy, correlation coefficient, and spherical distance between stations as weights. The filtering effect is evaluated using the GNSS data in Shanxi. By using the improved stacking filtering method, the root mean square (RMS) values for N, E, U are reduced by approximately 27.8%, 29.0%, and 46.0%, respectively. And compared to the traditional stacking filter, our improved method can achieve better results with CME extraction. We investigate the CME spatial-temporal characteristics and its relationship with environmental loading. The results show that the CME between stations decreases as the distance between stations increases. In addition, we analyze the effect of CME on the noise component and velocity estimates. Results show that removing the CME refines the velocity and leads to a significant reduction in the magnitude of noise, indicating that the CME is dominated by the flicker noise in Shanxi Province.
This paper deals with the identification of BIFs and associated sulphide mineralisation. An integrated approach, including the use of Landsat ETM-plus and Cartosat DEM data, GIS analysis, and geological data, is adopted for this purpose in the Nagavi area of Gadag Schist Belt (GSB), India. This integrated approach has enabled in identifying BIFs and structures. Band-7 of the ETM-plus sensor of Landsat-7 is used to identify BIFs and Band-5 for lineaments and shear zones. As a result of this study, the presence of gold mineralisation in sheared zones is noticed. BIFs are the economically prominent litho-units in the GSB hosting high-grade iron ore deposits along with sulphide mineralised shear zones. The strata bound ore is hosted primarily by BIF, consisting of chlorite, alternating chert and magnetite, sulphides and carbonate bands of a millimetre to centimetre scale.
Data mining animal of genomes has been used before to identify endoparasites, and may be a particularly useful tool to surpass some difficulties faced by studies in the marine environment. We detected a species of Sarcocystis Lankester, 1882, contamination in the sperm whale (Physeter catodon Linnaeus) reference genome available in the GenBank database. We identified and extracted multiple gene fragments and placed the sequences in a phylogenetic framework. Our results indicate that the sequences of Sarcocystis sp. found in the genome do not correspond to any currently described species, despite a few other similar sequences having been identified in fur seals (Pinnipedia) and another sperm whale. Including data from previous studies, we suggest there is enough evidence to support the occurrence of at least four species of Sarcocystis in marine mammals. We also demonstrate that the term "S. canis-like" has been used for samples not closely related to Sarcocystis canis Dubey et Speer, 1991.
During the last two decades, genotyping of African rodents has revealed important hidden diversity within morphologically cryptic genera, such as Rhabdomys. Although the distribution of Rhabdomys is known historically, its diversity has been revealed only recently, and information about the distribution range of its constituent taxa is limited. The present study contributes to clarifying the distribution of Rhabdomys taxa, primarily in southern Africa, and identifies gaps in our knowledge, by: 1) compiling the available information on its distribution; and 2) significantly increasing the number of geo-localised and genotyped specimens (n = 2428) as well as the localities (additional 48 localities) sampled. We present updated distribution maps, including the occurrence and composition of several contact zones. A long-term monitoring of three contact zones revealed their instability, and raises questions as to the role of demography, climate, and interspecific competition on species range limits. Finally, an analysis of external morphological traits suggests that tail length may be a reliable taxonomic trait to distinguish between mesic and arid taxa of Rhabdomys. Tail length variation in Rhabdomys and other rodents has been considered to be an adaptation to climatic (thermoregulation) and/or to habitat (climbing abilities) constraints, which has still to be confirmed in Rhabdomys.
The physical properties of tidal gravimetric instruments allow recording, not only tidal effects, but also waves generated by earthquakes. Three gravimetric stations with determined transfer functions and co-located seismic stations from the observatories in Western and Central Europe were selected for analysis. The observatories are equipped with almost all types of sensors available on the market, which allow for thorough analysis of earthquake recordings in the period range of 10–1000 s. In total, over 10,000 traces of worldwide earthquakes were investigated. The saturation levels of gravimeters as well as a correlation between the gravimetric and seismometric signals of an earthquake were carefully analysed. A simple processing scheme of gravimetric signal of earthquakes was adopted thanks to the probabilistic power spectral density analysis of continuous recordings. The detail analysis of transfer function of gravimeters allowed to define a period range when a sensitivity coefficient (calibration factor) and a time lag value only can be used to properly describe the properties of instruments. What’s more, it has been shown based on the calculated group-velocity dispersion curves of fundamental mode of Rayleigh waves, that the Earth’s mantle structure can be determined for greater depths from the recording of tidal gravimeters than from typical broad-band seismometers.
Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite and can infect warmblooded animals and humans all over the world. Development of effective vaccines is considered the only ideal way to control infection with T. gondii. However, only one live vaccine is commercially available for use in sheep and goats. Thus more effective antigenic proteins are searched for. In the present study we report a novel protein by secreted T. gondii termed Myc regulation 1 (MYR1). The physical and chemical characteristics, epitopes, hydrophilicity and functional sites of MYR1 were analysed by multiple bioinformatic approaches. The 3D models of MYR1 proteins were constructed and analysed. Furthermore, liner B-cell epitopes and T-cell epitopes of MYR1 protein and SAG1 were predicted. Compared to SAG1, MYR1 with good B-cell epitopes and T-cell epitopes had a potentiality to become a more successful vaccine against T. gondii. The bioinformatics analysis of MYR1 proteins could laid the foundation for further studies of its biological function experimentally and provide valuable information necessary for a better prevention and treatment of toxoplasmosis., Jian Zhou, Gang Lu, Shenyi He., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Recent molecular biology findings have shown that for the penetration of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus into host cells, a key role is played by protease serine 2, the activity of which is dependent on androgens. The important role of androgens is also evidenced by clinical observations that men in some age categories are infected by this novel coronavirus up to two times more frequently than women. In addition, men with androgenic alopecia tend to have more serious clinical courses, while men with androgen deprivation as a result of prostate cancer treatments tend to have milder courses. This is in line with the fact that preadolescent children are only rarely sickened with serious forms of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Even though these observations may be explained by other factors, many authors have hypothesized that lowered androgen levels and blocking their activity using anti-androgen medication may moderate the course of the viral infection in intermediately- to critically-affected cases. Clearly, it would be important for androgen deprivation to block not just gonadal androgens, but also adrenal androgens. On the other hand, low androgen levels are considered to be a risk factor for the course of SARS-CoV-2 infections, either because low androgen levels have a general effect on anaboliccatabolic equilibrium and energy metabolism, or because of the ability of testosterone to modify the immune system. It is not yet clear if infection with this novel coronavirus might induce hypogonadism, leading to undesirable side effects on male fertility.
Based on the World Health Organization statistics, cardiovascular diseases represent the major cause of death worldwide. Although a wide range of treatment approaches and pharmaceuticals is available, the therapy is often not effective enough and therefore health risks for the patient persist. Thus, it is still essential to test new drug candidates for the treatment of various pathophysiological conditions related to cardiovascular system. In vivo models represent indispensable part of preclinical testing of such substances. Anesthetized guinea pig as a whole-body model allows to evaluate complex reactions of cardiovascular system to tested substance. Moreover, action potential of guinea pig cardiomyocyte is quite comparable to that of human. Hence, the results from this model are then quite well translatable to clinical medicine. Aim of this paper was to summarize the methodology of this model, including its advantages and/or limitations and risks, based on the effects of two substances with adrenergic activity on the ECG parameters. The model of anesthetized guinea pig proved to be valuable and suitable for testing of drugs with cardiovascular effects.
An annotated checklist of the tribe Mirini (Miridae: Mirinae) recorded on the Korean peninsula is presented. A total of 113 species, including newly described and newly recorded species are recognized. Three new species, Apolygus hwasoonanus Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., A. seonheulensis Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n. and Stenotus penniseticola Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., are described. Eight species, Apolygus adustus (Jakovlev, 1876), Charagochilus (Charagochilus) longicornis Reuter, 1885, C. (C.) pallidicollis Zheng, 1990, Pinalitopsis rhodopotnia Yasunaga, Schwartz & Chérot, 2002, Philostephanus tibialis (Lu & Zheng, 1998), Rhabdomiris striatellus (Fabricius, 1794), Yamatolygus insulanus Yasunaga, 1992 and Y. pilosus Yasunaga, 1992 are reported for the first time from the Korean peninsula. Korean specimens previously identified as Eurystylus luteus Hsaio, 1941 are correctly recognized as E. sauteri Poppius, 1915. Three new synonyms are proposed: Apolygus atriclavus Kim & Jung, 2016 syn. n. of A. xanthomelas Yasunaga & Yasunaga, 2000, A. josifovi Kim & Jung, 2016 syn. n. of A. subpulchellus (Kerzhner, 1988) and Capsus koreanus Kim & Jung, 2015 syn. n. of C. wagneri Remane, 1950. Dorsal habitus photographs of the newly described or recorded species are presented along with figures of the genitalia of the new species. Keys to Korean genera and to species of Apolygus and Stenotus are provided. Zoogeography of the East Asian Mirini fauna is also discussed., Minsuk Oh, Tomohide Yasunaga, Ram Keshari Duwal, Seunghwan Lee., and Obsahuje bibliografii