Extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) has been suggested to influence the cognitive capability but this should be dynamically evaluated in a longitudinal study. Previous training can affect performance, but the influence under magnetic field is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the effects of previous training and ELF-MF exposure on learning and memory using the Morris water maze (MWM). Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to MWM training, ELF-MF exposure (50 Hz, 100 μT), or ELF-MF exposure combined with MWM training for 90 days. Normal rats were used as controls. The MWM was used to test. The data show that the rats exposed to training and ELF-MF with training performed better on spatial acquisition when re-tested. However, during the probe trial the rats showed no change between the training phase and the test phase. Compared with the control group, the ELF-MF group showed no significant differences. These results confirm that previous training can improve the learning and memory capabilities regarding spatial acquisition in the MWM and this effect can last for at least 90 days. However, this improvement in learning and memory capabilities was not observed during the probe trial. Furthermore, ELF-MF exposure did not interfere with the improvement in learning and memory capabilities., Y. Li, C. Zhang, T. Song., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The aim of the present paper is to examine certain philosophical issues which have set the tone of the philosophical reflection in eighteenth century France in relation to a specific case study: that of the "wild child" known as Victor of Aveyron. Found in 1800 in central France, Victor was later transferred to the Parisian Institute of the DeafMutes, where he became the object of educational activities of JeanMarc Itard, a medical expert known for his works on the problem of hearing loss. Through a brief critical examination of the most notorious philosophical texts dealing both with the question of wild children and deafness (namely by Rousseau, Diderot and Condillac), we attempt to show that the specificity of Itard’s educational method consists in an application of the sensualist approach towards the human individual (as it is exemplified especially in the work of Condillac) on a concrete human subject, considered as a tangible proof of the inexistence of innate ideas. On this basis, we sketch several broader questions concerning the status of anomaly in the eighteenth century philosophical thought (namely, wild children and deafness), as well as some hypotheses on education and its fantasmatic aspects in general., Josef Fulka., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The 24-hour urinary excretion of 6-β-hydroxycortisol (6β-OHC) and the urinary ratio of 6β-hydroxycortisol/cortisol (6β-OHC/UFC) have been proposed as noninvasive probes for human cytochrome P450 3A4 isoform (CYP3A4). In this study, we evaluated within- and between-day variability of 6β-OHC excretion and 6β-OHC/UFC ratio in nine Caucasian men with cardiac disease. Each study participant was asked to collect 24-hour urine specimens during four consecutive days in five standardized time intervals. Concentrations of UFC and 6β-OHC were determined by immunoassay and the high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method, respectively. The HPLC method was accurate and precise, as indicated by the recovery rate of 96.5-103.3 % and less than 5.2 % and 6.3 % of the coefficient of variation for within-run and between-run assay, respectively. In patients, diurnal variations in UFC and 6β-OHC excretion were parallel. Consequently, 6β-OHC/UFC ratio remained stable during the day. Both, 6β-OHC excretion and 6β-OHC/UFC ratio showed significant relationship between 24-hour value and values measured in corresponding collection periods with best correlations obtained from night interval (22.00-06.00, r = 0.86-0.91). These results indicated that urinary 6β-OHC excretion and 6β-OHC/UFC ratio measured in overnight/morning urine could precisely reflect 24-hour values even in severely ill patients. In addition, a simple and sensitive HPLC method was described for determination of 6β-OHC in urine., S. Mičuda, L. Šišpera, M. Hodač, P. Pařízek, L. Fuksa, E. Brčáková, J. Cerman, J. Cermanová, J. Martínková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Insect herbivores were collected from Castanopsis acuminatissima (Fagaceae) at Wau, Papua New Guinea, by beating the foliage of 15 trees during four one-month sampling periods, each representing different leaf-flush events. The association of leaf-chewing beetles with C. acuminatissima was verified with feeding trials. Of 59 species of leaf-chewing beetles that were collected, 36 species could be used in feeding trials. Only 9 of these species fed on C. acuminatissima. A further 27 beetle species were tested in feeding trials but did not feed. Of these, 7 were specialists feeding on other tree species within the surrounding vegetation. Most beetle species collected from C. acuminatissima foliage were probably transient species, dispersing from other tree species. Path analyses showed that herbivore abundance during a particular sampling period was significantly influenced by rainfall, leaf flush of other conspecific trees and air temperature, but not so by the species richness of surrounding vegetation, number of surrounding conspecific trees and size (DBH) of trees sampled. The species richness of leaf-chewing beetles collected on particular study trees depended on that of the surrounding vegetation, thus supporting the hypothesis that most beetle species collected were transient. The abundance of insect herbivores on particular C. acuminatissima trees probably depends on a balance between the leaf flush of conspecific trees and that of the particular tree sampled. The results also emphasize the need to remove transient species in analyses of insect faunas of tropical trees, at the risk of analyzing species richness patterns derived from loosely defined "assemblages" of species., Yves Basset, and Lit
In this study we report on the structural diversity of adipokinetic hormones (AKHs) in the evolutionarily oldest group of social insects, the termites (Isoptera). Using molecular methods combined with in silico bioinformatic analysis, we studied and compared the sequences coding for these neuropeptides in thirteen species of five families of Isoptera. There are three types of AKH octapeptides in termites: Empusa pennata adipokinetic hormone (Emppe-AKH; pQVNFTPNWamide), Microhodotermes viator corpus cardiacum peptide (Micvi-CC; pQINFTPNWamide) and Periplaneta americana cardioaccelerating hormone (Peram-CAH-I; pQVNFSPNWamide). Of these the Peram-CAH-I was the most frequently bioactive form detected in representatives of four out of the six families studied. The complete AKH preprohormones in the termites studied shared at least an 84% amino acid similarity. In agreement with current phylogenetic scenarios of termites as an internal monophyletic clade nested within cockroaches (Blattaria) in the proximity of the family Blattidae, our phylogenetic analysis of the AKH precursor sequences (in the absence of data for the Cryptocercidae) placed the Blattidae (Periplaneta americana) as a sister group of termites and the AKHs of other cockroach families (Blattellidae and Blaberidae) were more divergent from those of termites. Representatives of the basal termite families Mastotermitidae and Archotermopsidae (but also one rhinotermitid genus Prorhinotermes) occurred separately from the phylogenetically advanced lineage (Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae), and Neotermes (Kalotermitidae) was sister to all other termites included., Veronika Jedličková, Pavel Jedlička, Barbora Špuláková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The chotts in Algeria are temporary salt lakes recognized as important wintering sites of water birds but neglected in terms of the diversity of the insects living on their banks. Around a chott in the wetland complex in the high plains near Constantine (eastern Algeria), more than half of the species of plants are annuals that dry out in summer, a situation that prompted us to sample the vegetation in spring over a period of two years. Three zones were identified based on an analysis of the vegetation and measurements of the salt content of the soils. Surveys carried out at monthly intervals over the course of a year revealed temporal and spatial variations in biodiversity and abundance of grasshoppers. The inner zone is colonized by halophilic plants and only one grasshopper species (Dericorys millierei) occurs there throughout the year. Two polyphagous species of Calliptamus, which can feed on halophilic plants migrate from adjacent areas into the inner zone in August to feed on the plants growing there. The other species of grasshoppers remain in outer zones as they are unable to feed on halophilic plants. The greatest abundance of grasshoppers from August to winter was recorded in the inner zone and in spring and early summer in the outer zones. The dependence of D. millierei on bushes of Amaranthaceae and its moderate flight ability, features of the family Dericorytidae, limit this species ability to colonize neighbouring chotts., Sarah Mahloul, Abboud Harrat, Daniel Petit., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Tissue samples from wildlife from South Africa were opportunistically collected and screened for haemoprotozoan parasites using nonspecific PCR primers. Samples of 127 individuals were tested, comprising over 50 different species. Haemogregarines were the most commonly identified parasites, but sarcocystids and piroplasmids were also detected. Phylogenetic analyses estimated from the 18S rDNA marker highlighted the occurrence of several novel parasite forms and the detection of parasites in novel hosts. Phylogenetic relationships, which have been recently reviewed, appear to be much more complex than previously considered. Our study highlights the high diversity of parasites circulating in wildlife in this biodiverse region, and the need for further studies to resolve taxonomic issues., D. James Harris, Ali Halajian, Joana L. Santos, Lourens H. Swanepoel, Peter John Taylor, Raquel Xavier., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Trophic Cascade Theory has been used to explain the organization of herbivorous insect communities in tropical ecosystems. In addition, the insect community associated with a species of plant can also be determined by the geographical distribution and taxonomic isolation of the plant. In this study, the following predictions about the number of herbivores associated with particular host plants were tested: (i) plant species belonging to large taxonomic groups with broad geographical distributions have a higher number, (ii) the abundance of ants negatively affects herbivore insect diversity, (iii) local plant diversity positively affects chewing herbivore diversity and (iv) local abundance of a specific host plant positively affects the diversity of sucking herbivores. The samples of insect herbivores were collected from 32 plants (16 plants of Erythroxylum suberosum and 16 of Qualea parviflora) by beating. A total of 71 ants (13 species) and 158 herbivorous insects (90 species) were collected from these two species of plants. The richness and abundance of the insect herbivores collected from E. suberosum differed from those collected from Q. parviflora. The abundance of ants negatively affected the diversity of sucking insects associated with E. suberosum. In addition, the interaction between the variables total plant richness per plot and ant abundance affected the diversity of chewing insects associated with E. suberosum. The density of Q. parviflora per plot affected the diversity of associated sucking insects. In addition, the interaction of the variables abundance of ants and abundance of Q. parviflora influenced the diversity of chewing insects. Our results indicate that there is no predominance of bottom-up or top-down forces in the organization of herbivorous insect communities in this area of tropical savanna, but the roles of these forces on insect communities are guild-dependent., Juliana Kuchenbecker, Marcílio Fagundes., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Po delším neúspěšném diagnostickém procesu u pacientek, které si stěžují na symptomy dolních cest močových, chronickou pánevní bolest, dyspareunii nebo pocit tíhy v pochvě, se doporučuje zvážit diagnózu uretrálního divertiklu. Autoři článku hodnotí etiopatogenezi této patologie a nejrozšířenější klasifikační systém. Dále upozorňují na zásadní význam zobrazovacích vyšetření (perineální ultrazvukové vyšetření, zobrazovací vyšetření magnetickou rezonancí a cystoskopie) pro správnou identifikaci a diagnostiku uretrálního divertiklu. V neposlední řadě je prostor věnován technikám operační korekce uretrálního divertiklu popsaným v urologické literatuře a autoři rovněž prezentují vlastní techniku operační korekce. Operační léčba divertiklu močové trubice u žen je složitá a je spojena s řadou komplikací. Z tohoto důvodu autoři zdůrazňují, že tento typ operace je vhodné provádět pouze ve specializovaných centrech., After a long diagnostic process in women complaining lower urinary tract symptoms, chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia or feeling of vaginal weight, the diagnosis of urethral diverticulum is too strongly keep in mind. In this paper, we present the etiopathogenesis of this pathology and the classification system is mainly used. We also underline that diagnostic imaging is paramount to correctly identify and diagnose urethral diverticulum, we focus on perineal ultrasound, MR and cystoscopy. Finally we present the procedures for urethral diverticulum correction described in urological literature and explain our technique for urethral diverticulum correction. Urethral diverticulum surgery is complex and it is still affected by high degree of complications. For all these reasons we underline that this surgery should be performed in highly specialized and experienced centers in perineal female surgery., and Gurioli A., Marson F., Ammirati E., Marra G., Destefanis P., Frea B.
Divertikulární choroba tračníku je frekventní onemocnění s narůstající incidencí především v západních zemích. Zahrnuje široké spektrum symptomů a možných komplikací, pro které stále není k dispozici komplexní klasifikace. Léčba chronického či recidivujícího onemocnění není dořešena a kvalitní studie hodnotící prospektivně výsledky tradičních algoritmů chybí. Nové trendy v chirurgické léčbě se zaměřují na méně invazivní postupy, které mohou být pro pacienta přínosné. Ani zde však nejsou k dispozici kvalitní data, která by podpořila jejich zavedení do klinické praxe. Tato práce shrnuje některé nové trendy v léčbě divertikulární choroby tračníku podle principů medicíny založené na důkazech., Diverticular disease is a frequent bowel disease with an increasing incidence, especially in Western countries. It covers a wide spectrum of symptoms and possible complications for which there is still no comprehensive classification. The treatment of chronic or recurrent disease is not resolved and so far there are no high‑quality prospective studies evaluating the conventional algorithms. New trends in the surgical treatment focus on some less invasive procedures that may be beneficial for the patient. However, there is a lack of data supporting their introduction into clinical practice. This paper summarizes some of the new trends in the treatment of colonic diverticular disease on the basis of the principles of evidence‑based medicine., and Ryska O.