Cardiotoxicity ranks among the most serious adverse effects of some cytostatics. The cardiac effects of repeated i.v. administration of a new antineoplastic agent, dimethoxybenfluron (once a week, 10 administrations), were investigated in rabbits with respect to cardiac function and the release of cardiac troponin T (cTnT). Different doses of dimethoxybenfluron were administered to two groups of animals (12 mg/kg; n = 7 and 24 mg/kg; n = 6) and compared with either a control group (saline 1 ml/kg; n = 6) or a group with experimentally induced cardiomyopathy (daunorubicin 50 mg/m2; n = 13). In daunorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy, cTnT levels in animals with premature deaths were significantly higher (0.31±0.11 mg/l) in comparison with the surviving animals (0.04±0.03 mg/l). However, cardiac TnT levels after the administration of dimethoxybenfluron in both doses were within the physiological range (lower than 0.1 mg/l) during the whole experiment as it was in the control group. The lack of cardiotoxicity of this new antineoplastic drug was supported by the absence of alterations in PEP:LVET ratio, left ventricle dP/dtmax or histological heart examination as well as by the fact that no premature death of animals occurred following repeated administration of dimethoxybenfluron. It is possible to conclude that no signs of cardiotoxicity were observed following repeated i.v. administration of dimethoxybenfluron., J. Macháčková, M. Adamcová, Y. Mazurová, R. Hrdina, M. Nobilis., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Industrial chicory, Cichorium intybus L., has rather poor early vigour under the typical early spring morning conditions of low temperatures and high light intensity. Screening tools are being developed to assess the cold tolerance/sensitivity of young industrial chicory plants under these conditions. Refinement of such tools requires better understanding of the plants' physiological responses. In this paper we discuss the effects of growth temperature (GT), measurement temperature (MT), and measuring light intensity (ML) on the relaxation of the Kautsky curve. We chose the chicory variety 'Hera', as it is known to possess a good average early vigour. Young plants of the variety 'Hera' were grown at three temperatures (GT): 16°C (reference), 8°C (intermediate), and 4°C (cold stress). The dark relaxation kinetics were analyzed at different light intensities (ML) in combination with different measurement temperatures (MT). The three components of the nonphotochemical quenching process (NPQE, NPQT, and NPQI) were determined. NPQE was not affected by GT but was significantly affected by MT and ML. NPQT and NPQI were affected by all factors and their interactions. An acclimation effect for plants grown at low GT was detected. Acclimation resulted in lower NPQT and NPQI values. The halftime of the inhibition depending on NPQ (NPQI) was not affected by any of the factors investigated. Based on the data generated, we conclude that NPQI is a valuable parameter for screening the cold sensitivity of young industrial chicory plants. and P. Lootens ... [et al.].
Industrial chicory, Cichorium intybus L., is cultivated for the production of inulin. Most varieties of industrial chicory exhibit rather poor early growth, which limits further yield improvements in their European cultivation area. The poor early growth could be due to suboptimum adaptation of the gene pool to growth at low temperatures, sometimes in combination with high light intensities, which is typical of early-spring mornings. We have used chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence to evaluate the response of young plants of the cultivar 'Hera' to low temperatures and high light intensities. Plants were grown at three temperatures: 16°C (reference), 8°C (intermediate), and 4°C (cold stress). Light-response measurements were carried out at different light intensities in combination with different measurement temperatures. Parameters that quantify the photosystem II (PSII) operating efficiency (including PSII maximum efficiency and PSII efficiency factor) and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) are important to evaluate the stress in terms of severity, the photosynthetics processes affected, and acclimation to lower growth temperatures. The results clearly demonstrate that in young industrial chicory plants the photosynthetic system adapts to lower growth temperatures. However, to fully understand the plant response to the stresses studied and to evaluate the long-term effect of the stress applied on the growth dynamics, the subsequent dark relaxation dynamics should also be investigated. and S. Devacht ... [et al.].
The aim of this study was to analyze the ECG time intervals in the course of the development of chronic anthracycline cardiomyopathy in rabbits. Furthermore, this approach was employed to study the effects of a model cardioprotective drug (dexrazoxane) and two novel iron chelating compounds - salicylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (SIH) and pyridoxal 2-chlorobenzoyl hydrazone (o-108). Repeated daunorubicin administration induced a significant and progressive prolongation of the QRS complex commencing with the 8th week of administration. At the end of the study, we identified a significant correlation between QRS duration and the contractility index dP/dtmax (r=-0.81; P<0.001) as well as with the plasma concentrations of cardiac troponin T (r=0.78; P<0.001). In contrast, no alterations in ECG time intervals were revealed in the groups co-treated with either dexrazoxane or both novel cardioprotective drugs (SIH, o-108). Hence, in this study, the QRS duration is for the first time shown as a parameter suitable for the non-invasive evaluation of the anthracycline cardiotoxicity and cardioprotective effects of both well established and investigated drugs. Moreover, our results strongly suggest that novel iron chelators (SIH and o-108) merit further study as promising cardioprotective drugs against anthracycline cardiotoxicity., A. Potáčová, M. Adamcová, H. Čajnáková, L. Hrbatová, M. Štěrba, O. Popelová, T. Šimůnek, P. Poňka, V. Geršl., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Endothelium-protective properties of pharmacological agents may be assessed by using different experimental models of endothelial dysfunction or injury. The model of endothelial dysfunction induced by vessel perfusion with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was used for evaluation of pentoxifylline (PTX) effects on vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline (NA) in the rabbit renal artery. Addition of PMN into the perfusion solution significantly increased the responses to NA at all doses. PTX administration (10-5 mol.l1) significantly diminished the constrictor responses to NA in vessels perfused with PMN+PTX when compared to the responses in PMN-perfused vessels (at dose 0.1 m g: 32.25 vs. 14.25, at dose 1 m g: 51 vs. 27.75 (p<0.01), at dose 10 m g 74.25 vs. 39.75 (p<0.05), all values expressed as median of perfusion pressure in mm Hg). The model of endothelial damage induced by repeated NA administration in 5 doses (10-50 m g of NA) was used for evaluation of the endothelium-protective effect of sulodexide (SLX). It was found that SLX (120 U/l) significantly decreased the number of desquamated endothelial cells (EC) compared to the control group (controls: 131.4± 20.1 EC, +SLX: 83.3± 13.8 EC, p<0.01). These results confirmed the favorable endothelium-protective effects of pentoxifylline and sulodexide in the two experimental models., V. Kristová, M. Kriška, P. Babál, M. N. Djibril, J. Slámová, A. Kurtanský., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Formulas for full seismic moment tensor composition are present, i.e. moment tensor is express as a function of ISO, CLVD, DC, strike, dip, rake, where ISO is amount of isotropic part, CLVD is amount of compensated liner-vector dipole and DC is amount of pure double couple. Two forms of final formulas are given: i, two matrixes multiplication, ii, extension of "classical" formulas for 6 independent moment tensor elements., Petr Kolář., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The paper presents the results of experimental examination of the weathering grade of granite rock mass in the medieval Jeroným Mine (Czech Republic). This mine is declared as a cultural heritage site of the Czech Republic therefore, non-destructive methods for determination of the Schmidt hammer rebound value and the ultrasonic pulse velocity were used to minimize negative impact on the historical workings during in situ exploration. Weathering grade of selected parts of the rockmass in underground spaces was classified visually according to the assumed classification (Hencher and Martin, 1982 in Vahed et al., 2009) and the above mentioned measurements were performed in these parts. Results show that the rebound value and the ultrasonic pulse velocity are decreasing with increasing weathering grade for all investigated parts. Therefore this result is possible to use as a supplementary method for evaluation of weathering grade of rock massif in this mine., Markéta Lednická and Zdeněk Kaláb., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
About 75% of water for irrigation in Bangladesh comes from groundwater. As the crop yield is directly related to quality of water used for irrigation, an assessment of groundwater suitability for irrigation is essential for the growth of food production and poverty eradication. An attempt has been made in this paper to study the suitability of groundwater for irrigation in Bangladesh. Geographic information system (GIS) is used for the processing of groundwater quality data collected from 113 locations sporadically distributed over the country and the preparation of groundwater quality maps. The result shows that groundwater of the southwestern part of Bangladesh, which comprises 22.5% area of the country, is highly affected by salinity and sodium hazards. Groundwater in 10.54% area of the country is also contaminated by Arsenic above the permissible level recommended for irrigation. and Okolo 75 % vody pre závlahy v Bangladeši pochádza z podzemných vôd. Pretože úroda priamo závisí od kvality závlahovej vody, posúdenie vhodnosti vody pre závlahy je podstatné pre produkciu potravín a odstránenie chudoby. V štúdii je prezentovaný pokus o zhodnotenie vhodnosti podzemnej vody pre závlahy v Bangladeši. Na spracovanie údajov o kvalite podzemnej vody zo 113 lokalít rozmiestnených sporadicky po krajine a na prípravu máp kvality podzemnej vody sa použil geografický informačný systém (GIS). Výsledky naznačujú, že podzemná voda v juhozápadnej časti krajiny zaberajúcej 22,5 % jej plochy je silne ohrozená zasolenosťou a obsahom sodíka. Podzemná voda na ploche 10,54 % krajiny je tiež kontaminovaná obsahom arzénu nad prípustnú hranicu pre závlahovú vodu.
The development of an elevation frame requires a movement model of the Earth's crust. Currently, regardless of the existence of ASG-EUPOS, it seems that the most reasonable approach is to use the model developed from the levelling data. In Poland three maps of vertical crustal movements were developed on the basis of levelling data. The most recent version was published in 2006. In the above mentioned elaborations, the vertical crustal movements were calculated from two subsequent first order levelling campaigns. The results of all four levelling campaigns in Poland were accumulated and digitalized to include more data. The colocation method was used to develop the model. The graphical representation was made with triangulation and linear interpolation. One unified database was developed on the basis of collected and unified data set of unadjusted observations. The first trials of common use of the three first order levelling campaigns were performed in 2008. However the available levelling data was not complete. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness of the data from the last three campaigns of precise levelling for the development of vertical movement model in Poland., Kamil Kowalczyk and Jacek Rapinski., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Ten light-harvesting complex (Lhc) proteins were investigated to determine which was the most appropriate protein marker of senescence in detached rice leaves. The levels of Lhc proteins were monitored by immunoblot analysis, which was conducted using commercially available antibodies raised against each Lhc protein. Among the Lhc proteins evaluated in this study, Lhca1, Lhcb1, Lhcb2, Lhcb3, and Lhcb5 were not appropriate to be used as senescence markers while others can be used after optimization of the procedure. and K. Kang ... [et al.].