Plasma corticosterone (CORT) measures are a common procedure to detect stress responses in rodents. However, the procedure is invasive and can influence CORT levels, making it less than ideal for monitoring CORT circadian rhythms. In the current paper, we examined the applicability of a non-invasive fecal CORT metabolite measure to assess the circadian rhythm. We compared fecal CORT metabolite levels to circulating CORT levels, and analyzed change in the fecal circadian rhythm following an acute stressor (i.e. blood sampling by tail veil catheter). Fecal and blood samples were collected from male adolescent rats and analyzed for CORT metabolites and circulating CORT respectively. Fecal samples were collected hourly for 24 h before and after blood draw. On average, peak fecal CORT metabolite values occurred 7-9 h after the plasma CORT peak and time-matched fecal CORT values were well correlated with plasma CORT. As a result of the rapid blood draw, fecal production and CORT levels were altered the next day. These results indicate fecal CORT metabolite measures can be used to assess conditions that disrupt the circadian CORT rhythm, and provide a method to measure long-term changes in CORT production. This can benefit research that requires long-term glucocorticoid assessment (e.g. stress mechanisms underlying health)., P. K. Thanos ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Let G be a group. If every nontrivial subgroup of G has a proper supplement, then G is called an aS-group. We study some properties of aS-groups. For instance, it is shown that a nilpotent group G is an aS-group if and only if G is a subdirect product of cyclic groups of prime orders. We prove that if G is an aS-group which satisfies the descending chain condition on subgroups, then G is finite. Among other results, we characterize all abelian groups for which every nontrivial quotient group is an aS-group. Finally, it is shown that if G is an aS-group and |G| ≠ pq, p, where p and q are primes, then G has a triple factorization., Reza Nikandish, Babak Miraftab., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
We show that there is a model structure in the sense of Quillen on an arbitrary Frobenius category F such that the homotopy category of this model structure is equivalent to the stable category F as triangulated categories. This seems to be well-accepted by experts but we were unable to find a complete proof for it in the literature. When F is a weakly idempotent complete (i.e., every split monomorphism is an inflation) Frobenius category, the model structure we constructed is an exact (closed) model structure in the sense of Gillespie (2011)., Zhi-Wei Li., and Seznam literatury
We prove that a rank ≥3 Dowling geometry of a group H is partition representable if and only if H is a Frobenius complement. This implies that Dowling group geometries are secret-sharing if and only if they are multilinearly representable., František Matúš and Aner Ben-Efraim., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
A graph X, with a group G of automorphisms of X, is said to be (G, s)-transitive, for some s\geq 1, if G is transitive on s-arcs but not on (s + 1)-arcs. Let X be a connected (G, s)-transitive graph of prime valency s\geq 5, and Gv the vertex stabilizer of a vertex v \in V (X). Suppose that Gv is solvable. Weiss (1974) proved that |Gv | p(p−1)^{2}. In this paper, we prove that Gv\cong (\mathbb{Z}_{p}\rtimes \mathbb{Z}_{m})× \mathbb{Z}_{n} for some positive integers m and n such that n | m and m | p − 1., Song-Tao Guo, Hailong Hou, Yong Xu., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Let (G) and i(G) be the domination number and the independent domination number of G, respectively. Rad and Volkmann posted a conjecture that i(G)/ (G) 6 (G)/2 for any graph G, where (G) is its maximum degree (see N. J.Rad, L.Volkmann (2013)). In this work, we verify the conjecture for bipartite graphs. Several graph classes attaining the extremal bound and graphs containing odd cycles with the ratio larger than (G)/2 are provided as well., Shaohui Wang, Bing Wei., and Seznam literatury
Let a \subseteq \mathbb{C} [x1, ..., xn] be a monomial ideal andJ(a^{c}) the multiplier ideal of a with coefficient c. Then J(a^{c}) is also a monomial ideal of \mathbb{C} [x1, ..., xn], and the equality J(a^{c}) = a implies that 0 < c < n + 1. We mainly discuss the problem when J (a) = a or J({a^{n = 1 - \varepsilon }}) = a for all 0 < ε < 1. It is proved that if J (a) = a then a is principal, and if J({a^{n = 1 - \varepsilon }}) = a holds for all 0 < ε < 1 then a = (x1, ..., xn). One global result is also obtained. Let ã be the ideal sheaf on \mathbb{P}^{n-1} associated with a. Then it is proved that the equality J (ã) = ã implies that ã is principal., Cheng Gong, Zhongming Tang., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The aim of the present work was to study the effect of 3- mercapto-5H-1,2,4-triazino[5,6-b]indole-5-acetic acid (CMTI), an efficient aldose reductase inhibitor, on sorbitol accumulation in selected organs of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats in vivo . In addition, the effect of CMTI on aldose reductase back reaction and on sorbitol dehydrogenase was determined. The model of experimental diabetes in male Wistar rats induced by streptozotocin was used. Experimental diabetes was induced by triple intraperitoneal doses of streptozotocin on three consecutive days. In diabetic rats, significant elevation of sorbitol concentration in the sciatic nerve and eye lenses was recorded. CMTI administered intragastrically (50 mg/kg/day) for five consecutive days significantly inhibited sorbitol accumulation in the sciatic nerve, yet it was without effect in eye lenses of diabetic animals. For aldose reductase back reaction, the substrate affinity of glycerol to aldose reductase was one order lower than that of glyceraldehyde in forward reaction. In addition, the back reaction was much slower, characterized by Vmax value of about 30 times lower than that of the forward reaction. Inhibition of aldose reductase by CMTI was characterized by closely related IC50 values in submicromolar range for both forward and back reactions. No significant inhibition of the second enzyme of the polyol pathway, sorbitol dehydrogenase, by 100 μM CMTI was recorded (I=0.9±2.7 %, n=3). To conclude, the presented results showed the ability of CMTI to affect the polyol pathway in diabetic rats in vivo and represent thus a further step in a complex preclinical evaluation of CMTI as a potential agent for treatment of chronic diabetic complications., M. Soltesova Prnova, J. Ballekova, A. Gajdosikova, A. Gajdosik, M. Stefek., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Here we describe the new trypanosomatid, Phytomonas borealis sp. n., from the midgut of the spiked shieldbugs, Picromerus bidens (Linnaeus), collected in two locations, Novgorod and Pskov Oblasts of Russia. The phylogenetic analyses, based on the 18S rRNA gene, demonstrated that this flagellate is a sister species to the secondary monoxenous Phytomonas nordicus Frolov et Malysheva, 1993, which was concurrently documented in the same host species in Pskov Oblast. Unlike P. nordicus, which can complete its development (including exit to haemolymph and penetration into salivary glands) in Picromerus bidens, the new species did not form any extraintestinal stages in the host. It also did not produce endomastigotes, indispensable for transmission in other Phytomonas spp. These observations, along with the fact that P. bidens overwinters at the egg stage, led us to the conclusion that the examined infections with P. borealis were non-specific. Strikingly, the flagellates from the Novgorod population contained prokaryotic endosymbionts, whereas the parasites from the second locality were endosymbiont-free. This is a first case documenting presence of intracellular symbiotic bacteria in Phytomonas spp. We suggest that this novel endosymbiotic association arose very recently and did not become obligate yet. Further investigation of P. borealis and its intracellular bacteria may shed light on the origin and early evolution of endosymbiosis in trypanosomatids., Anna I. Ganyukova, Alexander O. Frolov, Marina N. Malysheva, Viktoria V. Spodareva, Vyacheslav Yurchenko and Alexei Yu. Kostygov., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The development of smartphones, specifically their cameras, and imaging technologies has enabled their use as sensors/measurement tools. Here we aimed to evaluate the applicability of a fast and noninvasive method for the estimation of total chlorophyll (Chl), Chl a, Chl b, and carotenoids (Car) content of soybean plants using a smartphone camera. Single leaf disc images were obtained using a smartphone camera. Subsequently, for the same leaf discs, a Chl meter was used to obtain the relative index of Chl and the photosynthetic pigments were then determined using a classic method. The RGB, HSB and CIELab color models were extracted from the smartphone images and correlated to Chl values obtained using a Chl meter and by a standard laboratory protocol. The smartphone camera was sensitive enough to capture successfully a broad range of Chl and Car contents seen in soybean leaves. Although there was a variation between color models, some of the proposed regressions (e.g., the S and b index from HSB and Lab color models and NRI [RGB model]) were very close to the Chl meter values. Based on our findings, smartphones can be used for rapid and accurate estimation of soybean and Car contents in soybean leaves., J. P. G. Rigon, S. Capuani, D. M. Fernandes, T. M. Guimarães., and Obsahuje bibliografii