Interclonal variability in the photoperiodic responses of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum and intraclonal differences between wingless viviparous females (=apterae) and winged viviparous females (=alatae) were studied. In 7 clones collected from peas near St.Petersburg the effect of constant diel photoperiods (from 0L : 24D to 24L : 0D at 20°C) on sexual morph determination and dynamics of morph production were recorded. Apterae of 5 clones and apterae and alatae of 2 clones were studied. The mean and age-dependent fecundity of apterae and alatae were compared. The clones studied in detail can be divided in two groups. The first includes clones that produced winged males and had critical photoperiods for female morph determination around 12L : 12D. The second includes clones with critical photoperiods for female morph determination around 17L : 7D; these clones produced wingless males, and one clone produced only oviparae. The intraclonal differences in the photoperiodic limits for ovipara and male production depended on the clone-specific abundance of males. The shapes of the photoperiodic curves for male production also depended on the clone-specific abundance of males. In short-day conditions alatae produced more oviparae and fewer males, and the range of photoperiods that induced ovipara production in alatae was nearly twice as wide as that in apterae. The photoperiodic limits for ovipara and male production differed for apterae and alatae. The fecundity of alatae was lower, although they reproduced for longer and lived longer than apterae. Both apterae and alatae reproduced more intensively over the first 2 weeks. Apterae and alatae began to produce males at the same age. Because of their late onset of larviposition, the reproductive pause that divides female and male production was obscured in alatae. Both apterae and alatae tended to produce initially and finally batches of viviparous offspring, possibly reflecting age-dependent endogenous changes in the hormonal titres in the parents.
Catalase is an antioxidant enzyme the activity of which is crucial for the protection against damage caused by reactive oxygen species. The –262C>T polymorphism in the promoter region of catalase gene was found to be associated with altered catalase levels. In this study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells catalase activity was measured after H2 O2-induced oxidative stress. C/T and T/T genotypes were associated with the decrease of catalase levels in contrast to C/C donors who had elevated catalase activity in the presence of 0.4 and 0.7 mM H2 O2. Genotypedependent response of catalase activity to oxidative stress might be related to the predisposition of catalase mutant allele carriers to disorders mediated by oxidative stress., A. V. Komina, ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Osteoprotegerin (OPG) plays an important inhibitory role in osteoclastogenesis. Polymorphisms in the OPG gene recently have been associated with various bone phenotypes including fractures. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between three informative OPG polymorphisms and quantitative ultrasound variables of the heel. In a cohort of 165 perimenopausal women polymorphisms in the OPG promoter (A163G, T245G) and in exon 1 (G1181C) were assessed by PCR-RFLP analysis. The distribution of the investigated genotypes was similar to other Caucasian women (A163G-AA 68 %, AG 30 %, GG 2 %, T245G-TT 84.4 %, TG 15 %, GG 0.6 %, G1181C-GG 22 %, CG 55 %, CC 23 %). After adjustment for body mass index and years since menopause, in a subgroup of 87 postmenopausal subjects, calcaneal velocity of sound (VOS, m/s) was significantly associated with A163G polymorphism (p=0.0102, ANCOVA). Women with the presence of G allele (AG+GG genotypes) had significantly lower VOS than women with AA genotype. Neither T245G nor G1181C were associated with calcaneal ultrasound indices. In conclusion, A163G polymorphism was significantly associated with VOS at the heel in a limited cohort of postmenopausal women. The present study replicated in part the previous findings about OPG gene variations and peripheral bone mass in Caucasian women., K. Zajíčková, A. Zemanová, M. Hill, I. Žofková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Ceratophysella sigillata uses protrusible vesicles on its antennae and posterior end as sticky landing devices to avoid tumbling upon landing. This technique facilitates its orientated movement during winter migration. It allows the animal to use directional jumps without rebounding even when climbing tree trunks. The antennal vesicles are present only in the surface active morphs of C. sigillata, and only these individuals jump readily. The vesicles are everted only when the animal has time to prepare the jump. In an escape leap, they are not protruded and therefore the animal tumbles upon landing.
The aim of our study was to evaluate possible effect of ABCB1, and OPRM1 polymorphisms on the efficacy and safety of remifentanil in women undergoing elective cesarean section under general anesthesia. Women received remifentanil (1 μg/kg i.v.) 30 s prior to the induction to standardized general anesthesia. The ABCB1 (rs2032582, rs1045642) and OPRM1 (rs1799971) polymorphisms were analyzed from maternal peripheral blood. The basal hemodynamic and demographic parameters in the study population (n=54) were similar in all the subgroups. The median ± SD increase of systolic blood pressure at 5 min from the baseline was practically completely abolished in homozygous carriers of ABCB1 variants in comparison with wildtype subjects -2.67±25.0 vs. 16.57±15.7 mm Hg, p<0.05 for rs2032582, and 2.00±23.9 vs. 22.13±16.8 mm Hg, p<0.05, for rs1045642, respectively. While no neonate belonging to ABCB1 wild-type homozygous or OPRM1 variant carrying mothers needed any resuscitative measure, 10.5 % of the neonates belonging to OPRM1 wild-type homozygous mothers received resuscitative support similarly as 11.1 %, and 12.5 % of neonates of mothers carrying variants of rs2032582, and rs1045642, respectively. Decreased stabilizing effects of remifentanil on maternal hemodynamics has been observed in ABCB1 wild type mothers, while the adaptation of the neonates was clinically worse in OPRM1 wild type, and ABCB1 variant allele carriers., H. Bakhouche, P. Noskova, S. Svetlik, O. Bartosova, J. Ulrichova, J. Kubatova, P. Marusicova, A. Parizek, J. Blaha, O. Slanar., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Dimorphism in wing length is well known in many insect species. It is generally believed that a trade-off between dispersal and reproduction exists, with the long-winged (LW) morph being a better disperser due to its superior flight capability. The short-winged (SW) morph is less mobile and it is hypothesised that females of this morph invest more of their energy reserves in producing offspring. We determined the variation in body and wing size in the pygmy grasshopper Tetrix subulata (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae). The results of the morphological study support the occurrence of two clearly distinct wing morphs in both sexes. SW individuals, especially males, were smaller and in accord with proposed developmental instability showed greater variability in body size than LW individuals. Using data for 700 wild-caught individuals from 10 populations, we demonstrate a variable frequency in the percentage of LW individuals, ranging from all-LW to all-SW populations, even if the LW morph is by far the most common morph in an area. The male-biased percentage of LW individuals recorded in intermediate populations supports a difference in the dispersal reproduction trade-off between the sexes., Anja Steenman, Arne W. Lehmann, Gerlind U. Lehmann., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Insects produce pigment and structural colours mainly for camouflage, signaling, physical protection or temperature regulation, and colour patterns can provide information about individual quality. Although the evolutionary function and nature of the variability in colouration are well known for many invertebrate taxa, there is little information on this topic for ants. We studied individual variation in the melanin-based colour traits of workers of the red wood ant, Formica rufa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from 20 colonies in Southern Finland and revealed the type of colouration in this species. First, using the threshold approach we distinguished between continuous and discrete variations. Furthermore, the analyses affirmed nine discrete morphs in terms of the colouration on the head and eight on the pronotum, while only continuous variation were found on the other body parts. Measuring the size of a particular colour pattern, the intensity of colour expression (degree of melanization) and statistical analyses allowed an assessment of the intra-individual variation in both discrete and continuous patterns. The results revealed substantial modularity in the above mentioned colouration traits. In workers of F. rufa there were individuals with a dark head and light coloured thorax and vice a versa. Size of the dark pigment colour patterns exhibited less modularity than the degree of melanization. Finally, the interrelation between colouration traits and individual body size revealed their size-dependent origin. Small individuals had relatively larger areas of colour on the head and thorax than big individuals. These results are likely to facilitate further taxonomical and ecological studies on red wood ants, as they show it is possible to assess colouration traits in ants. However, more studies are needed on the function of polymorphism and modular colouration in this group of ants., Oksana Skaldina, Jouni Sorvari., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Genetic factors may contribute to the differential response to opioids. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between polymorphisms of μ1-opioid receptor gene OPRM1 (rs1799971), and P-glycoprotein transporter gene ABCB1 (rs1045642, rs2032582), and piritramide efficacy under postoperative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). In 51 patients, OPRM1 variant was associated with decreased efficacy in early postoperative period evidenced by sum of pain intensity difference in the 0-6 h postoperative period (SPID0-6), (F=3.27, p=0.029). Mean (SD) SPID0-6 was observed in the 118AA genotype 22.9 (6.1) mm, which was significantly higher from the 118GG genotype 10.0 (4.4) mm, p=0.006. The lowest cumulative dose was recorded in 118AA genotype 19.1 (9.8) mg, which was significantly less than in the 118GG genotype group 36.6 (6.1) mg, p=0.017. Opioid-induced adverse effects were observed in 11, 30, and 100 % of patients in 118AA, 118AG, and 118GG genotype groups, respectively (p<0.05). Piritramide efficacy and safety was not significantly affected by ABCB1 (rs1045642, rs2032582) polymorphisms. Variant OPRM1 118G allele is associated with decreased acute postoperative pain relief after piritramide. Decreased efficacy leads to higher drug consumption under PCA settings, which however, does not fully compensate insufficient pain relief, but increases incidence of adverse effects., O. Bartošová, O. Polanecký, F. Perlík, S. Adámek, O. Slanař., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Pojem polymorfismus, resp. polymorfie (z řeckého: polys = mnohý, morf = tvar) použil poprvé Mitscherlich [1] v roce 1822. Všiml si, že u některých arzeničnanů a fosforečnanů může jedna sloučenina určitého chemického složení vykrystalovat ve více krystalových tvarech. Dnes polymorfismus definujeme jako možnost molekuly krystalovat ve více krystalových strukturách neboli polymorfech. Pokud se do struktury při krystalizaci zabudují i molekuly solventu (nejčastěji vody), hovoříme o solvátech (hydrátech). Solváty se také označují jako pseudopolymorfy nebo solvatomorfy, ale tyto pojmy se příliš nepoužívají. Pevná forma určité molekuly může být též amorfní a je snahou rozlišovat i mezi několika amorfními formami jedné molekuly - tzv. polyamorfismus [2]. Rozeznáváme dva základní typy polymorfismu: pakovací a konformační. Pakovací polymorfismus znamená, že molekula je rigidní a polymorfy se liší pouze jejím pakováním v krystalové struktuře. Konformační polymorfismus vzniká tehdy, když je molekula flexibilní a tvoří konfomery, které odlišně krystalují. V praxi se setkáváme jak s čistým pakovacím nebo konformačním polymorfismem, tak se smíšenými typy (obr. 1, 2)., Bohumil Kratochvíl., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
We have determined the genotypes of two common polymorphisms in the lipoprotein lipase (S447X) and hepatic lipase (-480C/T) genes in a cohort of 285 representative selected Czech probands (131 male and 154 female), examined in 1988 and reinvestigated in 1996. The genotype distributions of both polymorphisms were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and did not differ between male and female subjects. The rare allele frequency of the lipoprotein lipase polymorphism did not differ significantly from the other European populations. Compared to the German populations, the frequency of the hepatic lipase -480T allele was significantly higher in the Czech group (20 % vs. 36 %, p<0.0001). There were no significant associations between the lipoprotein lipase gene variants and lipid parameters measured either in 1988, or in 1996 or with changes of lipid parameters over the 8-year period. The carriers of the T-480 allele of the hepatic lipase polymorphism were found to have higher HDL cholesterol levels (p=0.02). However, this difference was confined to female subjects only. The male carriers of the -480T allele had higher concentrations of total cholesterol (p=0.03) as compared to CC-480 subjects. Both associations were observed in 1996 only. In the Slavic Czech population, a common polymorphism in the hepatic lipase gene (-480C/T), but not in the lipoprotein lipase gene (S447X), is a significant determinant of plasma HDL cholesterol in females and plasma total cholesterol in males and indicates the importance of gender-associated effects in the genetic determinations of plasma lipids., J.A. Hubáček, D.M. Waterworth, J. Piťha, S.E. Humphries, P.J. Talmud, R. Poledne., and Obsahuje bibliografii