The content and composition of the essential oil in the course of Anthodium development in wild camomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.)

A study was made of the changes in the content of essential oil and its components (farnesene, (-)-α-bisabolol, (-)-α-bisabololoxide A, (-)-α-bisabololoxide B and spathulenol, α-bisabolonoxide A, chamazulene, cis en-in-dicycloether) and of the number of secretory canals in the receptacles during the beginning of flowering, full flowering and the termination of flowering of camomile anthodia. The total content of the essential oil was highest during the beginning of flowering and lowest during its termination. The proportion of the individual sesquiterpenes in the essential oil underwent changes mostly during the beginning and termination of flowering. The number of secretory canals in the basal and middle anthodial parts increased during the beginning of flowering and the full flowering.     

Generation of two modified mouse alleles of the Hic1 tumor suppressor gene

HIC1 (hypermethylated in cancer 1) is a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 17p13.3, a region frequently hypermethylated or deleted in human neoplasias. In mouse, Hic1 is essential for embryonic development and exerts an antitumor role in adult animals. Since Hic1-deficient mice die perinatally, we generated a conditional Hic1 null allele by flanking the Hic1-coding region by loxP sites. When crossed to animals expressing Cre recombinase in a cell-specific manner, the Hic1 conditional mice will provide new insights into the function of Hic1 in developing and mature tissues. Additionally, we used gene targeting to replace sequence-encoding amino acids 186-893 of Hic1 by citrine fluorescent protein cDNA. We demonstrate that the distribution of Hic1-citrine fusion polypeptide corresponds to the expression pattern of wild-type Hic1. Consequently, Hic1-citrine "reporter" mice can be used to monitor the activity of the Hic1 locus using citrine fluorescence.     

Seasonal dynamics of chironomids in the profundal zone of a mountain lake (L’adové pleso,the Tatra Mountains,Slovakia)

The profundal community of L’adové pleso (an oligotrophic high mountain seepage lake at an altitude of 2,057 m with a max. depth of 18 m and an ice-cover period from October–July) was studied from December 2000–October 2001. Chironomidae, the most significant part of the studied community, are represented by four taxa and dominated by Micropsectra radialis Goetghebuer, 1939 and Pseudodiamesa nivosa (Goethgebuer, 1928). These two species showed a 1-year life cycle. The total densities of chironomids varied from 0 to 5,927 ind. m^?2; no chironomids, or very low densities, were found during the winter/spring period, probably due to low oxygen concentrations in the medial part of the lake. These low oxygen concentrations probably caused the relocation of larvae from the medial part of the sedimentary area at the same time.     

Safety and efficacy of intravenous sodium valproate in the treatment of acute migraine

This multicenter study investigated the safety and efficacy of intravenous valproate in acute migraine attacks and the possible impact of prophylactic valproate pre-treatment. Thirty-six patients established on migraine prophylaxis were administered 500 mg sodium valproate intravenously against acute migraine attacks. Pain development was assessed by visual analogue scale up to a 24 hours follow up interview to detect e.g. possible relapse symptoms. A subgroup analysis examined whether prophylactic treatment with valproate affected its acute anti-migraine efficacy. A meaningful headache reduction within two hours was achieved in all 12 patients with and in 20 out of 24 patients without valproate prophylaxis. Headache-associated signs and symptoms were substantially reduced. No serious side-effects were reported. The results confirm the therapeutic value of intravenous valproate in acute migraine attacks described in literature and show a beneficial effect on all investigated efficacy parameters with a trend to even better response in patients receiving valproate prophylaxis.     

Benthic macroinvertebrates along the Czech part of the Labe and lower section of the Vltava rivers from 1996–2005, with a particular focus on rare and alien species

In the Czech part of the Labe River and the lower part of the Vltava River, we examined if the benthic macroinvertebrate composition changed from 1996 to 2005 due to expected improvements in water quality resulting from socioeconomic changes in the Czech Republic since the 1990s. Special attention was given to rare and alien species. The four biological metrics used (Number of taxa, BMWP, Number of sensitive taxa, and Number of EPT taxa) demonstrated that there was indeed an improvement in water quality as well as a slight improvement of the Labe microhabitats during the investigated period. An increasing Number of taxa over time was observed at most sites. Two main concurrent ecological processes are recently in progress in the Labe: a recovery of native species and an expansion of alien species, some of which are considered invasive. The caddisfly Setodes punctatus and the beetle Pomatinus substriatus, considered as regionally extinct in the Czech Republic until 2005, were rediscovered during our investigations. Findings of the crustacean Hemimysis anomala (invasive) and the chironomids Stenochironomus sp. and Lipiniella sp. were the first records of these taxa in the Czech Republic.     

Diversity of Trypanosomatids in Cockroaches and the Description of Herpetomonas tarakana sp. n.

In this study, we surveyed six species of cockroaches, two synanthropic (i.e. ecologically associated with humans) and four wild, for intestinal trypanosomatid infections. Only the wild cockroach species were found to be infected, with flagellates of the genus Herpetomonas. Two distinct genotypes were documented, one of which was described as a new species, Herpetomonas tarakana sp. n. We also propose a revision of the genus Herpetomonas and creation of a new subfamily, Phytomonadinae, to include Herpetomonas, Phytomonas, and a newly described genus Lafontella n. gen. (type species Lafontella mariadeanei comb. n.), which can be distinguished from others by morphological and molecular traits.     

Effects of Ferrofluid and Phytoalexin Spirobrassinin on Thioflavin-T-Based Fluorescence in Cerebrospinal Fluid of the Elderly and Multiple Sclerosis Patients

It is well known that misfolded peptides/proteins can play a role in processes of normal ageing and in the pathogenesis of many diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. Previously, we evaluated samples of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis by means of thioflavin-T-based fluorescence. We observed attenuated effects of magnetite nanoparticles operated via anti-aggregation actions on peptides/proteins from patients with Alzheimer’s disease but not from those with multiple sclerosis when compared to age-related controls. In this study, we have evaluated the in vitro effects of anti-aggregation operating ferrofluid and phytoalexin spirobrassinin in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. We have found significant differences in native fluorescence (λ excitation = 440 nm, λ emission = 485 nm) of samples among particular groups (young controls < multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease < old controls). Differences among groups were observed also in thioflavin-T-based fluorescence (young controls = multiple sclerosis < Alzheimer’s disease < old controls) and the most marked change from native to thioflavin-T-based fluorescence was found in young controls (28–40 years old people). Both ferrofluid and spirobrassinin evoked drops in thioflavin-T-based fluorescence; however, ferrofluid was more efficient in old controls (54–75 years old people) and spirobrassinin in multiple sclerosis patients, both compared to young controls. The results are discussed especially in relation to aggregated peptides/proteins and liposoluble fluorescent products of lipid peroxidation. Based on the significant effect of spirobrassinin in vitro, we suggest that spirobrassinin may be of therapeutic value in multiple sclerosis.     

Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli bacteria, including strains with genes encoding the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and QnrS, in waterbirds on the Baltic Sea Coast of Poland

Individual cloacal swabs of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and of herring gulls (Larus argentatus), as well as samples of waterbird feces obtained in 2008 and 2009, were cultivated for Escherichia coli. Isolates of E. coli were tested for susceptibilities to 12 antimicrobial agents by the disk diffusion method. Moreover, the samples were subcultivated on MacConkey agar (MCA) containing cefotaxime (2 mg liter(-1)) to detect E. coli with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and subsequently on MCA supplemented with ciprofloxacin (0.05 mg liter(-1)) and MCA with nalidixic acid (20 mg liter(-1)) to isolate fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli. PCR was used to detect specific antibiotic resistance genes. We found 9 E. coli isolates producing ESBL with bla genes: bla(CTX-M-1) (6 isolates), bla(CTX-M-9) plus bla(TEM-1b) (1 isolate), bla(CTX-M-15) plus bla(OXA-1) (1 isolate), and bla(SHV-12) (1 isolate). In the isolate with bla(CTX-M-15), the gene aac(6)-Ib-cr was also detected. The bla genes were harbored by transferable plasmids of the IncN and IncI1 groups. Nine quinolone-resistant E. coli isolates with qnrS genes were found and characterized. The gene qnrS was associated with a Tn3-like transposon on the IncX1 plasmid together with bla(TEM-1) in two isolates. The gene qnrS was also harbored by conjugative plasmids of the IncN and IncX2 groups. Even if populations of wild birds are not directly influenced by antibiotic practice, we have demonstrated that antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains, including strains with various ESBL and qnrS genes, are found in the feces of wild birds on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Poland.