Enterocin M-Producing Enterococcus faecium CCM 8558 Demonstrating Probiotic Properties in Horses

The effects of non-authochtonous Enterococcus faecium AL41 = CCM 8558, enterocin M-producing and probiotic strain were tested on the microbiota, phagocytic activity, hydrolytic enzymes, biochemical parameters and dry matter in horses based on its previous benefits demonstrated in other animals. E. faecium CCM 8558 sufficiently colonized the digestive tract of horses. At day 14, its counts reached 2.35 ± 0.70 CFU/g (log 10) on average. The identity of CCM 8558 was confirmed by means of PCR after its re-isolation from horse faeces. The inhibition activity of CCM 8558 was demonstrated against Gram-negative aeromonads, counts of which were significantly reduced (P < 0.001). After 14 days application of CCM 8558, a tendency towards increased phagocytic activity (PA) was measured; PA value was 73.13% ± 8.55 on average at day 0/1; at day 14, it was 75.11 ± 8.66%. Cellulolytic, xylanolytic and pectinolytic activity in horse faeces was significantly increased (P < 0.001) at day 14 (after CCM 8558 application) and amylolytic activity as well (P < 0.01) compared to day 0/1. Inulolytic activity increased with mathematical difference 1.378. Dry matter value reached 20.81 ± 2.29% on average at day 0/1; at day 14, it was 20.77 ± 2.59% (P = 0.9725). Biochemical parameters were influenced mostly in the physiological range. These results achieved after application of CCM 8558 in horses are original, giving us further opportunity to continue these studies, to measure additional parameters and to show the benefits of CCM 8558 application in horses.

     

Effect of medium composition,genotype and age of explant on the regeneration of hexaploid plants from endosperm culture of tetraploid kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta)

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) - Endosperm, an ephemeral and storage tissue, serves as a source of nutrition and protection during embryo development and germination. It can be used...     

The Tetrapod Ichnogenus Protochirotherium Fichter and Kunz 2004, a Characteristic Early Triassic Morphotype of Central Pangea

Early Triassic chirotherian footprint assemblages from Poland, Germany, and Morocco are important for understanding archosaur evolution in the aftermath of the Permian-Triassic crisis. However, their ichnotaxonomy is confusing because various authors have interpreted their diversity differently. After an analysis and ichnotaxonomic re-assessment, the presence of the ichnogenera Brachychirotherium, Isochirotherium, and Chirotherium in these assemblages is not supported. Distant similarities with these ichnotaxa are functions of extra morphological variation and substrate-related factors. Instead, Early Triassic chirotherian footprints described under these names are assigned here to the ichnogenus Protochirotherium and to a more slender morphotype identified as Synaptichnium. In particular, Protochirotherium appears to be more widely distributed in central Pangea as a characteristic morphotype reflecting a distinct stage in archosaur evolution. Trackmakers were nonarchosaurian archosauriforms or, alternatively, stem-group crocodylians. Morphologically and temporally these footprints match the hypothetical ancestor of the Chirotherium barthii trackmaker. Chirotherium barthii appears by the beginning of the Middle Triassic. Because of its restricted stratigraphic range, and its wider distribution in central Pangea, Protochirotherium also has biostratigraphic significance for this region and can be considered as an indicator of Early Triassic-aged strata.     

A Supposed Eupelycosaur Body Impression from the Early Permian of the Intra-Sudetic Basin,Poland

We describe a new specimen of a supposed Paleozoic tetrapod body impression from the Lower Permian S?upiec Formation in the Intra-Sudetic Basin, Poland. The size, integument morphology of belly and part of tail imprints, and the morphology of a well-preserved pes track diagnose the specimen and readily distinguish it from other described specimens of body impressions of Paleozoic tetrapods. The eupelycosaur identity of this new specimen is based on the identification of the footprint Dimetropus leisnerianus (Geinitz, 1863 Geinitz, H. B. 1863. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der organischen Überreste in der Dyas (oder permischen Formation zum Theil) und über den Namen Dyas. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie, : 385–398.  [Google Scholar]), which is connected with the inferred body imprint. The morphology of integument impressions indicates the presence of the various-sized square or rectangular-shaped scales on the bottom part of the belly and tail of this eupelycosaurid trackmaker.     

Indices of oxidative stress in pregnancy with fetal growth restriction

Intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR), the main cause of premature delivery and fetal mortality, has been suggested to involve oxidative stress. We found elevated values of indices of oxidative stress in the blood serum of pregnant women with IUGR: increased levels of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenals, decreased activity of α-1-antitrypsin and decreased total antioxidant capacity of the serum, with respect to healthy pregnancy. Twenty day treatment with 3 g of l-arginine and 75 mg of acetylsalicylic acid daily resulted in a decrease of the level of lipid peroxidation products and augmentation of α-1-antitrypsin activity. This study confirms the occurrence of oxidative stress in IUGR and demonstrates the beneficial effect of arginine/acetylsalicylic acid therapy in reducing oxidative stress in IUGR.     

Noncanonical Role of the 9-1-1 Clamp in the Error-Free DNA Damage Tolerance Pathway

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Highlights? 9-1-1 and Exo1 are components of the error-free RAD6 pathway ? 9-1-1 promotes postreplicative template switching ? Polyubiquitylated PCNA and 9-1-1 cooperate in the error-free RAD6 pathway ? 9-1-1’s role in the error-free RAD6 pathway is uncoupled from checkpoint functions     

Measurement verification of dose distributions in pulsed-dose rate brachytherapy in breast cancer

Aim

The aim of the study was to verify the dose distribution optimisation method in pulsed brachytherapy.

Background

The pulsed-dose rate brachytherapy is a very important method of breast tumour treatment using a standard brachytheraphy equipment. The appropriate dose distribution round an implant is an important issue in treatment planning. Advanced computer systems of treatment planning are equipped with algorithms optimising dose distribution.

Materials and methods

The wax-paraffin phantom was constructed and seven applicators were placed within it. Two treatment plans (non-optimised, optimised) were prepared. The reference points were located at a distance of 5 mm from the applicators’ axis. Thermoluminescent detectors were placed in the phantom at suitable 35 chosen reference points.

Results

The dosimetry verification was carried out in 35 reference points for the plans before and after optimisation. Percentage difference for the plan without optimisation ranged from −8.5% to 1.4% and after optimisation from −8.3% to 0.01%. In 16 reference points, the calculated percentage difference was negative (from −8.5% to 1.3% for the plan without optimisation and from −8.3% to 0.8% for the optimised plan). In the remaining 19 points percentage difference was from 9.1% to 1.4% for the plan without optimisation and from 7.5% to 0.01% for the optimised plan.No statistically significant differences were found between calculated doses and doses measured at reference points in both dose distribution non-optimised treatment plans and optimised treatment plans.

Conclusions

No statistically significant differences were found in dose values at reference points between doses calculated by the treatment planning system and those measured by TLDs. This proves the consistency between the measurements and the calculations.     

LigandRNA: computational predictor of RNA–ligand interactions

RNA molecules have recently become attractive as potential drug targets due to the increased awareness of their importance in key biological processes. The increase of the number of experimentally determined RNA 3D structures enabled structure-based searches for small molecules that can specifically bind to defined sites in RNA molecules, thereby blocking or otherwise modulating their function. However, as of yet, computational methods for structure-based docking of small molecule ligands to RNA molecules are not as well established as analogous methods for protein-ligand docking. This motivated us to create LigandRNA, a scoring function for the prediction of RNA–small molecule interactions. Our method employs a grid-based algorithm and a knowledge-based potential derived from ligand-binding sites in the experimentally solved RNA–ligand complexes. As an input, LigandRNA takes an RNA receptor file and a file with ligand poses. As an output, it returns a ranking of the poses according to their score. The predictive power of LigandRNA favorably compares to five other publicly available methods. We found that the combination of LigandRNA and Dock6 into a “meta-predictor” leads to further improvement in the identification of near-native ligand poses. The LigandRNA program is available free of charge as a web server at http://ligandrna.genesilico.pl.     

Tissue banking training courses: Polish experience

Personnel directly involved in the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells should be appropriately qualified and provided with timely and relevant training according to EU directives. In the time of new tissue and cells regulations implementation such a training system existed in Poland only at a local level. The first training programme outlines for various groups of health professionals engaged in tissue banking practice was created in co-operation with the Institute for LifeLong Learning at University of Barcelona in 2006. This initial training courses were financially supported by EU Transition Facility Programme 2004. Then, starting from 2006, based on previous experience, system of advanced training courses was created. This training programme was financially supported by the National Programme for the Development of Transplantation Medicine 2006–2009—POLGRAFT financed by Polish Ministry of Health. During 2006 and 2007 first set of tissue banking initial training courses were provided according to TF 2004 project. Over 200 pathologists, forensic medicine specialists and other medical doctors responsible for donor screening and classification, medical directors of tissue establishments, technical staff; tissue graft users: orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, cardiosurgeons and ophthalmologists were trained. Between 2006 and 2009 there were organized 8 advanced tissue banking training courses according to POLGRAFT programme. There were organized both theoretical and practical courses on various aspects of tissue for over 350 persons. We present our experience in organisation of international and national tissue banking training courses.