A syntaxonomical synthesis of calcicolous forests dominated by Fagus sylvatica (Cephalanthero-Fagenion suballiance) in the Czech Republic was carried out using the Braun-Blanquet approach. Relevés included in the analyses were selected following formalized approach by using an expert-delimited group of 38 calcicolous and/or xerothermophilous species. Only one association Cephalanthero-Fagetum was distinguished, which usually occurs on limestone, calcareous sandstone and calcareous sandy marlite; however, can be found also on base-rich siliceous bedrock (e.g. basalt, phonolite). Based on TWINSPAN analysis, three subassociations were recognized within the Cephalanthero-Fagetum: (i) Cephalanthero-Fagetum seslerietosum caeruleae on shallow rocky soils with frequent dominance of Sesleria caerulea and presence of petrophytes, (ii) Cephalanthero-Fagetum typicum on dry, shallow soils with a significant presence of light-demanding, thermophilous, and calcicolous species, and (iii) Cephalanthero-Fagetum actaeetosum spicatae on deeper, sufficiently moist soils with an abundance of mesophilous, nitrophilous and acidophilous species. The name Cephalanthero-Fagetum actaeetosum spicatae is a new nomenclatural combination. The relationships between Cephalanthero-Fagetum and similar forest vegetation types containing xerothermophilous and/or calcicolous species in the Czech Republic are discussed. The main gradients in species composition of Cephalanthero-Fagetum subassociations were revealed by gradient analysis. The Ellenberg indicator values, altitude, slope, and ‘southness’ were used to interpret these gradients. Using unconstrained ordination analysis (DCA) the syntaxonomical interpretation indicated three relatively distinct groups. Moreover, further DCA analysis revealed the well-defined position of Cephalanthero-Fagetum within Czech beech forests. The results of the above delimitation of Cephalanthero-Fagetum were compared with the results based on Cocktail-defined species groups improved by similarity-based assignment of relevés (using frequency-positive fidelity index). When the Cocktail-based formulas for beech forests were applied to the relevés selected by our 38-species diagnostic group, the correspondence between these two approaches was only 36%. However, at the lower subassociation level, the highest correspondence occurred for Cephalanthero-Fagetum seslerietosum (84%). The reason for this high correspondence is that the species composition includes many specialists (i.e. good diagnostic species) and it occurs at the end of an ecological gradient. To sum up, it is possible to define vegetation units accurately using strict formulas, as opposed to the less rigorous ‘soft’ traditional approach. However, both approaches fail when defining central units.
We investigated the detrimental effects of diabetes on myocardium of pregestational streptozo-tocin (STZ)-diabetic mother rats and their neonates via evaluations of oxidative redox, inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, also aiming to characterize whether calcitriol and/or pomegranate peel extract confer myocardial protection in hyperglycaemic dams and their foetuses via modulation of the Raf/MEK/ERK cascade. Sixty Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomized into five groups (N = 12): control, diabetic, diabetic treated with calcitriol and/or pomegranate peel extract (PPE), and mated with non-diabetic healthy males. After confirmation of pregnancy, treatments were kept until gestational day (E-18). Serum and cardiac tissues of mothers and foetuses were collected and processed for bio-chemical, histopathological, and molecular assess-ments., We observed that, compared to the control, diabetic mothers showed dramatically increased hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia associated with decreased myocardial functions and disrupted maternal performance. Also, diabetic mothers and their neonates exhibited elevated levels of myocardial injury (troponin I, endothelin 1, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase), with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 1, interleukin 1β, transforming growth factor β) and oxidative redox. Concurrently, the MAPK pathway was significantly down-regulated with increased myocardial apoptotic activity. Furthermore, mRNA expression of angio-genic and fibrotic markers was significantly increased. Paradoxically, calcitriol and/or pomegranate peel extract alleviated these diabetic myocardial insults and normalized the aforementioned assayed parameters. Our findings hypothesized that calcitriol and/or pomegranate peel extract exerted cardioameliorative impacts due to their unique anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, and thus may be a promising treatment that directly targets the secondary myocardial complications of diabetes in dams and their offspring., and Corresponding author: Ahmed Elmansi
Uni-quantal endplate currents (EPC) were recorded at mouse diaphragm neuromuscular synapse by extracellular microelectrode during motor nerve stimulation. The probability of release expressed as quantal content mo, and variability of synaptic latencies expressed as P90
were estimated in the presence of extracellular calcium ([Ca2+]o)
varying between 0.2 and 0.6 mM in the bathing solution. At 0.2 mM [Ca2+]o, mo was low (0.10) and many of long-latency EPCs were present during the late phase of the release (P90 = 2.44 ms). No change in mo was found when [Ca2+]o was 0.3 mM, but P90
decreased by 39 %. For latency shortening, saturating concentration of [Ca2+]o was 0.4 mM, when P90 was 1.49 ms and latencies did not further change at 0.5 and 0.6 mM [Ca2+]o. In the latter concentrations, however, an increase of mo was still observed. It can be concluded that the early phase of the secretion did not significantly change when [Ca2+]o was raised and that only the late phase of the release depends on extracellular
calcium up to 0.4 mM.
Exocytotic machinery in neuronal and endocrine tissues is sensitive to changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Endocrine cell models, that are most frequently used to study the mechanisms of regulated exocytosis, are pancreatic beta cells, adrenal chromaffin cells and pituitary cells. To reliably study the Ca2+ sensitivity in endocrine cells, accurate and fast determination of Ca2+ dependence in each tested cell is required. With slow photo-release it is possible to induce ramp-like increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) that leads to a robust exocytotic activity. Slow increases in the [Ca2+] i revealed exocytotic phases with different Ca2+ sensitivities that have been largely masked in step-like flash photo-release experiments. Strikingly, in the cells of the three described model endocrine tissues (beta, chromaffin and melanotroph cells), distinct Ca2+ sensitivity ‘classes’ of secretory vesicles have been observed: a highly Ca2+ -sensitive, a medium Ca2+ -sensitive and a low Ca2+ - sensitive kinetic phase of secretory vesicle exocytosis. We discuss that a physiological modulation of a cellular activity, e.g. by activating cAMP/PKA transduction pathway, can switch the secretory vesicles between Ca2+ sensitivity classes. This significantly alters late steps in the secretory release of hormones even without utilization of an additional Ca2+ sensor protein., J. Dolenšek, M. Skelin, M. S. Rupnik., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that calcium intake is inversely related to weight gain. Calcium of dairy origin has been shown to be more effective in promoting weight loss. However, clinical studies yielded controversial results concerning the role of calcium intake in weight change. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the addition of calcium can affect the outcome of 3-week weight management (WM) with a hypocaloric diet characterized by a decreased calcium intake. Overweight/obese women (n=67; BMI 32.2±4.1 kg/m2; age 49.1±12.1 years) underwent a 4-week comprehensive WM program. WM included a 7 MJ/day diet resulting in a stable weight during the first week and a 4.5 MJ/day diet with mean daily calcium intake 350 mg during the second to fourth week. Participants were divided into three age- and BMI-matched groups who received placebo or calcium (500 mg/day). Calcium was administered either as carbonate or calcium of dairy origin (Lactoval). There was no significant difference in weight loss in response to WM between the placebo-treated and calcium-treated groups. However, addition of calcium to the diet resulted in a lower hunger score in the Eating Inventory as well as a decrease in plasma resistin levels. Body composition measured by bioimpedance demonstrated that added calcium leads to preservation of fat-free mass. Nevertheless, a greater loss of fat-free mass in the placebo group might be partly due to a greater loss of water., K. Kabrnová-Hlavatá, V. Hainer, M. Gojová, P. Hlavatý, V. Kopský, J. Nedvídková, M. Kunešová, J. Pařízková, M. Wagenknecht, M. Hill, J. Drbohlav., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Previous data concerning the action of calcium (Ca) on gastric acid secretion (GAS) indicated that calcium ions increase GAS elicited by gastrin released through a vagal mechanism, and also by a direct effect on parietal cells. Our research showed that the stimulating effect of calcium on gastric acid secretion can be antagonized by verapamil administration, which reduces gastric acid secretion . In the present study we followed the effect induced by administration of calcium and Ca-chelating agents (disodium EDTA) on gastric acid secretion and on carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity. We selected two groups of healthy volunteers: Group I (n=21) received a single i.v. dose of CaCl2 (15 mg/kg b.w.), whereas Group II (n=22) received a single i.v. dose of disodium EDTA (5 mg/kg b.w.). We determined blood calcium before and after treatment, gastric acid secretion at 2 hours, erythrocyte CA II activity, and CA IV activity in membrane parietal cells, which were isolated from gastric mucosa obtained by endoscopic biopsy. Assessment of carbonic anhydrase activity was achieved by the stopped-flow method. In Group I calcium administration increased blood calcium, HCl output, CA II and CA IV activity as compared to initial values. In Group II, disodium EDTA reduced blood calcium, HCl output, CA II and CA IV activity as compared to initial values. The results demonstrated that increased blood calcium and GAS values after calcium administration correlated with the increase of erythrocyte CA II and parietal cell CA IV activity, while disodium EDTA induced a reversed process. Our results also show that cytosolic CA II and membrane CA IV values are sensitive to calcium changes and they directly depend on these levels. Our data suggest that intra- and extracellular pH changes induced by carbonic anhydrase might account for the modulation of the physiological and pathological secretory processes in the organism., I. Puscas, M. Coltau, M. Baican, G. Domuta, A. Hecht., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The rationale for the topical application of capsaicin and other vanilloids in the treatment of pain is that such compounds selectively excite and subsequently desensitize nociceptive neurons. This desensitization is triggered by the activation of vanilloid receptors (TRPV1), which leads to an elevation in intracellular free Ca2+ levels. Depending on the vanilloid concentration and duration of exposure, the Ca2+ influx via TRPV1 desensitizes the channels themselves, which may represent not only a feedback mechanism protecting the cell from toxic Ca2+ overload, but also likely contributes to the analgesic effects of capsaicin. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge concerning the mechanisms that underlie the acute capsaicin-induced Ca2+-dependent desensitization of TRPV1 channels and explores to what extent they may contribute to capsaicin-induced analgesia. In view of the polymodal nature of TRPV1, we illustrate how the channels behave in their desensitized state when activated by other stimuli such as noxious heat or depolarizing voltages. We also show that the desensitized channel can be strongly reactivated by capsaicin at concentrations higher than those previously used to desensitize it. We provide a possible explanation for a high incidence of adverse effects of topical capsaicin and point to a need for more accurate clinical criteria for employing it as a reliable remedy., L. Vyklický, K. Nováková-Toušová, J. Benedikt, A. Samad, F. Touška, V. Vlachová., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
We assessed the concentration of calcium, magnesium and creatinine in 2715 samples of the first morning urine. The investigation comprised the following age groups: children one, two, four, six, ten and thirteen years old, and groups of adults aged 18-35, 36-49, 50-65, 66-75, 76-85 and 86-93 years. The choice was made by random selection of participants of both sexes from diverse regions of the Czech Republic. We found the age to have a marked influence on the value of calcium, magnesium and creatinine, including urinary concentration ratios of calcium/creatinine and magnesium/crcatinine. The urinary calcium concentration was low both in the early and advanced age groups, while it reached peak values in subjects 18-35 years old. The urinary magnesium concentration was also age-dependent, with a maximum in children aged 4 years, and a subsequent decline with advancing age. The value of the ratio urinary calcium/creatinine and urinary magnesium/creatinine was highest in the youngest age group (1-4 years).
It is a classical problem in algebraic number theory to decide if a number field is monogeneous, that is if it admits power integral bases. It is especially interesting to consider this question in an infinite parametric family of number fields. In this paper we consider the infinite parametric family of simplest quartic fields $K$ generated by a root $\xi $ of the polynomial $P_t(x)=x^4-tx^3-6x^2+tx+1$, assuming that $t>0$, $t\neq 3$ and $t^2+16$ has no odd square factors. In addition to generators of power integral bases we also calculate the minimal index and all elements of minimal index in all fields in this family.
The article presents the method of the calculation of natural frequencies and mode shapes of the linear undamped rotationally periodic systems. The method is applied in the calculation of the natural vibration characteristics of the steam turbine bladed disks., Obsahuje seznam literatury, and Součástí článku je Appendix A - Solution of matrix difference equations
(str. 93-97)