Male rats aged 45, 85, 145 and 270 days (daily body mass increments on ar, optimal diet containing casein were 6.73, 2.88, 0.53 and 0.31 g respectively) were fed 15 days ad libitum on a diet with a nutrient content physiological for their age, in which the protein source was milk casein (ratio of essential to nonessential amino acids E/N = 0.79, compensation coefficient K = 14) or wheat gluten (E/N = 0.30, K= -8). In the case of gluten, net protein utilization (NPU) fell markedly in rapidly growing animals aged 45 and 85 days (33 and 30 % more than with casein), indicating that without essential amino acid compensation, gluten is inadequate for animals of this age, whose organism requires fully ensured proteosynthesis for growth and development. In adolescence and adulthood (145 and 270 days), the utilization of proteins is not dependent on their quality (the decrease in NPU 13 and 12 % - is nonsignificant). That means that a smaller amount of essential amino acids, including the limiting amino acid in uncompensated protein, is sufficient for the maintenance and renewal of organs and tissues, i.e. for proteosynthesis. The activation of gluconeogenesis (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxvkinase activity in the liver) after the intake of plant protein confirms the effect of proteins on catabolic processes.
Age discrimination (or ageism) is a cross-sectional stereotyping phenomenon that affects thewhole of society particularly in respect of recent demographic changes, the evolution of legislation andrelevant case law. The ambivalence of this kind of discrimination is widespread due to the differing natureof ageism’s two subcategories – adultism and jeunism. The different manifestations of discriminationhave their impact primarily on two specific age groups which complicates an integrated analytical andmethodological approach. Prohibition of age discrimination is legally established in both Czech and Europeanlaw. This study provides a view of changes in the perception of ageism throughout the EU Courtof Justice’s rulings, develops a number of case studies regarding direct, indirect, positive and negativeforms of age discrimination and analyses the existing or potential private law consequences, such as nonpecuniarylosses caused by age discrimination, in the Czech legal system with special regard to the newCzech Civil Code.
Age-dependent changes of the caecal fermentation pattern were studied in female chickens using in vitro batch incubation technique. Chickens were sequentially killed at the age of 1, 2, 3 and 4 months, their caecal contents added to a broth with starch and incubated at 39 °C for 20 h. Net productions of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), succinate, ethanol, lactate, methane, hydrogen and ammonia were determined. Methanogenesis was absent in caeca of 1-month-old chickens. Production of methane started in the second month and doubled in the third month of age. The start of methanogenesis was accompanied by changes of the fermentation stoichiometry. The production of succinate ceased and that of ethanol decreased to less than one tenth. There were no major changes of the caecal fermentation pattern in the fourth month of age. The ammonia production increased in the second month, indicating increased deamination activity. No major shifts in SCFA molar composition dependent on age were found. Calculated hydrogen recoveries suggest a decrease of reductive acetogenesis until 3 months of age. It can thus be concluded that age and the onset of methane production affect the fermentation pattern in the caeca of chickens.
Postconditioning (PostC) is a re cently discovered phenomenon whereby brief repetitive cycles of ischaemia with intermittent reperfusion following prolonged is chaemia elicit cardioprotection. This study investigated whether the age, genetic characteristics or number of repetitive cycles influenced the protective effect of PostC in mice. C57BL/6 floxed or non-floxed STAT-3 mice aged between 14-16 weeks (young) or 18-20 weeks (older) were perfused on a Langendorff apparatus and subjected to 35 min global ischaemia and 45 min reperfusion. PostC was elicited by either 3 (PostC-3) or 6 cycles (PostC-6) of 10s ischaemia and 10 s reperfusion. PostC-3 and PostC-6 in both young and older non-floxed mice reduced the myocar dial infarct size. In contrast, only PostC-3 reduced myocardial infarct size in young floxed mice. Neither PostC-3 nor PostC-6 reduced the in farct in older floxed mice. Our data reveal that genetic characteristics, a minute difference in age or the nu mber of postconditioning cycles are critical factors to be consid ered for the successful effect of ischaemic postconditioning in a murine model. Moreover, these factors should be taken into consideration for future experimental research or clinical applications of this protective phenomenon., S. J. Somers ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Several aspects of growth and feeding of C. paludica have been assessed in two different environments: a lenitic and a lotic hydrosystem, Portil lagoon and Rivera de Cala river respectively. Growth patterns showed some differences with Iberian loach growing slower in the lagoon than in the river. Because of this, although individuals of both populations reach sexual maturity in their second year (year-class 1+), specimens of lagoon population mature at smaller sizes. The C. paludica population in the river showed a better somatic condition than in the lagoon. In both hydrosystems, their diet was mainly chironomid larvae and ostracods, although the Portil lagoon Iberian loach population showed a clear trophic segregation between young of the year (year-class 0+) and sexually matures individuals (year-class ≥ 1+).
Metaschistura cristata is a small nemacheilid loach species found at a few localities only in Turkmenistan and Iran. The present study reports, for the first time, data on its biology, based on 747 specimens collected from the River Zanglanlou in north-eastern Iran. Specimens were collected at monthly intervals over two reproductive seasons from February to June 2007 and 2008. Maximum age, based on opercula readings, was 4+ years for both sexes. Specimens ranged in size from 25 to 87 mm total length and weighed from 0.09 to 4.91 g. Length-weight relationships implied positive allometric growth for both sexes and the sex ratio was 1 : 1.2 in favour of females. The Gonadosomatic indicated that peak reproduction occurred during April and May, with highest average values of 1.473 ± 0.99 for males and 12.9 ± 7.14 for females in April. Oocyte diameter ranged from 0.53 to 1.46 mm, with a mean value of 0.943 mm. Absolute and relative fecundity ranged between 114-1246 eggs and 79.47-1285.71 eggs/g, respectively. Absolute fecundity and oocyte diameter to fish size (length and weight) were directly correlated, while the relationship between relative fecundity and fish size (length and weight) showed an inverse power function.
GABA exhibits depolarizing action in the immature neurons due to high intracellular activity of chloride ions. It is maintained by cation-chloride cotransporter NKCC1 which is present in immature brain. Bumetanide is a specific inhibitor of this cotransporter. We studied possible anticonvulsant activity of bumetanide in pentyl enetetrazol-induced seizures in three age groups of rat pups (7, 12, and 18 days old). Pretreatment with bumetanide (0.2-1 mg/kg i.p.) resulted in dose-dependent decrease of incidence of the tonic phase of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in 12-day-old rats only. No effect was observed in younger and older animals. Higher dose of bumetanide (2.5 mg/kg) did not affect tonic convulsions but, on the contrary, decreased latencies of generalized seizures in 12-day-old animals. Lack of marked anticonvulsant effect is probably due to relative maturity of neurons in the brainstem where the generator of generalized seizures is localized. Age- and dose-specific suppression of the tonic phase needs further analysis. and Obsahuje seznam literatury