A case of attachment and complete engorgement of a Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) nymph on a woman with severe pain shortly before nymphal drop-off is described. The pain continued for about 2 weeks after tick removal. Apparently, this is the first documented case of human adverse reaction developed at the very last stage of engorgement of nymphal R. sanguineus. The infestation most likely took place inside the enclosed household garden in the southern area of Jerusalem where the woman took care of the plants. The importance of immature R. sanguineus ticks in attacking humans is discussed.

• MeSH
• bolest etiologie   MeSH
• kousnutí a bodnutí komplikace   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nymfa MeSH
• Rhipicephalus sanguineus fyziologie   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH

Abiotic and biotic factors determine success or failure of individual organisms, populations and species. The early life stages are often the most vulnerable to heavy mortality due to environmental conditions. The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi Linnaeus, 1758) is an invasive insect ectoparasite of cervids that spends an important period of the life cycle outside host as immobile pupa. During winter, dark-coloured pupae drop off the host onto the snow, where they are exposed to environmental temperature variation and predation as long as the new snowfall provides shelter against these mortality factors. The other possible option is to passively sink into the snow, which is aided by morphology of pupae. Here, we experimentally studied passive snow sinking capacity of pupae of L. cervi. We show that pupae have a notable passive snow sinking capacity, which is the most likely explained by pupal morphology enabling solar energy absorption and pupal weight. The present results can be used when planning future studies and when evaluating possible predation risk and overall survival of this invasive ectoparasite species in changing environmental conditions.

• Klíčová slova
• kloš jelení, přezimování, hloubka,
• MeSH
• Diptera * růst a vývoj   MeSH
• fotoperioda MeSH
• kukla MeSH
• nízká teplota MeSH
• paraziti růst a vývoj   MeSH
• počasí MeSH
• ponoření MeSH
• sníh * parazitologie   MeSH
• stadia vývoje MeSH
• statistika jako téma MeSH
• vysoká zvěř parazitologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

OBJECTIVE: We measured and compared changes in the percentage of cells expressing CD80, CD86, CD40, HLA-DR and the expression of these molecules on B cells and monocytes of patients who underwent either on-pump, mini on-pump or off-pump cardiac surgery. METHODS: Blood samples from patients who underwent either on-pump, mini on-pump or off-pump cardiac surgery were collected before surgery, instantly after surgery and on the 1(st), 3(rd) and 7(th) days after surgery. Surface expression of CD80, CD86, CD40 and HLA-DR molecules was determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Our results show that all three surgical techniques altered the expression of these molecules, as well as the percentage relative number of specific cell populations. We identified statistically significant differences when comparing different surgical techniques. On-pump surgery revealed a more pronounced impact on the phenotype of immune system cells than the other techniques. Therefore, it is likely that the function of immune cells is changed the most by on-pump surgery. We found a lower decrease in the number of CD80(+) monocytes and a lower drop in the CD40 expression on monocytes in off-pump patients in comparison with on-pump patients. CONCLUSION: All the types of cardiac surgical techniques, off-pump, on-pump and modified mini-invasive on-pump, are associated with changes in CD80, CD86, CD40 and HLA-DR expression. We found several significant differences in the expression of the selected molecules when we compared all three groups of patients.

• MeSH
• antigeny CD40 analýza   MeSH
• antigeny CD80 analýza   MeSH
• antigeny CD86 analýza   MeSH
• B-lymfocyty imunologie   MeSH
• HLA-DR antigeny analýza   MeSH
• kardiochirurgické výkony * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monocyty imunologie   MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) can be challenging in some cases of multi vessel involvement. Our aim was to examine specific group of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), who did not have significant reversible ischaemia diagnosed on perfusion study itself, and asses additional value of functional parameters obtained from gated acquisition and added information from coronary artery calcium score (CACS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy eight patients with a history of DM, with summed difference score (SDS)≤1, were included in the study. All patients underwent gated acquisition with recording of functional parameters and CACS evaluation. During the follow-up, cardiac events (CE) were recorded. RESULTS: During the median follow-up of 20.3 months there were 23 CE encountered. Optimal cut-off value for CACS to predict CE was found at 1427, higher values were significantly related to CE (P<0.001). Low stress left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <45% and induced stress LVEF drop for 5% were also more frequent in CE group (P=0.001, P=0.008). Multivariable Cox analysis revealed low stress LVEF (P=0.001, HR=4.48, 95%CI 1.79-11.22), stress induced LVEF drop (P=0.017, HR 3.13, 95%CI 1.22-8.01) and high CACS (P<0.001, HR 10.52, 95%CI 4.32-25.63) as significant predictors of CE. CONCLUSION: Low stress LVEF under 45%, post-stress LVEF drop for more than 5% and CACS more than or equal to 1427 are significant predictors of CE in patients with DM, who did not have reversible ischemia detected on MPI single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

• MeSH
• diabetes mellitus * diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční MeSH
• jednofotonová emisní výpočetní tomografie metody   MeSH
• koronární cévy MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nemoci koronárních tepen * diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• srdeční komory MeSH
• tepový objem MeSH
• vápník MeSH
• zobrazování myokardiální perfuze * metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Mycophenolate Mofetil (MYC) is a transplant drug used to prevent rejection in heart and kidneys transplant patients. Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), an enzyme involved in de novo synthesis of guanosine nucleotides, was considered as a primary target for MYC. Recently, we described that MYC was activates aryl hydrocarbon receptor and it antagonizes glucocorticoid receptor. Here we describe an androgen receptor (AR) as another off-target for MYC. We found that MYC increased basal and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-inducible AR-dependent luciferase activity in AIZ-AR cells. In the same manner it induced or augmented mRNA level of KLK3 (prostate specific antigen; PSA) in 22Rv1 cells. Herein it displayed a hormetic effect on proliferation activity, since it significantly stimulated proliferation in lower concentrations but inhibited in higher (>1 µg/ml) concentrations in the presence of DHT. In contrast, MYC suppressed DHT-inducible KLK3 mRNA expression and cell proliferation in androgen-dependent LNCaP cells. MYC augmented DHT-inducible nuclear translocation of AR and increased the expression of MAPK8/9 (JNK46/54) resulting in the drop of their phosphorylation status. Moreover, MYC sensitized DHT-treated 22Rv1 cells to JNK-IN-8 mediated growth inhibition with the drop of IC50 from 1425 nM to 84 nM within 24 hrs. In conclusion, we suggest that, castrate-resistant prostate cancers progression might be retarded with the combination of MYC and chemical JNK inhibitors, involving AR-dependent mechanism.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Specialization is a central concept in ecology and one of the fundamental properties of parasitoids. Highly specialized parasitoids tend to be more efficient in host-use compared to generalized parasitoids, presumably owing to the trade-off between host range and host-use efficiency. However, it remains unknown how parasitoid host specificity and host-use depends on host traits related to susceptibility to parasitoid attack. To address this question, we used data from a 13-year survey of interactions among 142 aphid and 75 parasitoid species in nine European countries. We found that only aphid traits related to local resource characteristics seem to influence the trade-off between host-range and efficiency: more specialized parasitoids had an apparent advantage (higher abundance on shared hosts) on aphids with sparse colonies, ant-attendance and without concealment, and this was more evident when host relatedness was included in calculation of parasitoid specificity. More traits influenced average assemblage specialization, which was highest in aphids that are monophagous, monoecious, large, highly mobile (easily drop from a plant), without myrmecophily, habitat specialists, inhabit non-agricultural habitats and have sparse colonies. Differences in aphid wax production did not influence parasitoid host specificity and host-use. Our study is the first step in identifying host traits important for aphid parasitoid host specificity and host-use and improves our understanding of bottom-up effects of aphid traits on aphid-parasitoid food web structure.

• MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• hostitelská specificita MeSH
• Hymenoptera klasifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• interakce hostitele a parazita * MeSH
• kvantitativní znak dědičný * MeSH
• mšice klasifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• populační dynamika MeSH
• potravní řetězec MeSH
• rostliny parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

In light of previous research highlighting the prevalence of asymmetries in soccer players and possible links to injury risks, there is a crucial gap in the biomechanical understanding of complex relationships between lower extremity and trunk asymmetries in elite soccer players. The purpose of this study was to investigate the level, relationships, and differences among twelve different parameters of strength, morphological, and neuromuscular asymmetries in elite soccer players. Methods: Elite male soccer players (n = 25, age 21.7 ± 3.9 years) were tested in the following tests: bilateral fluid distribution, hip flexor range of motion, postural stability, isokinetic strength of knee extensors and flexors, isometric lateral trunk rotation strength, eccentric strength of knee flexors, isometric bilateral strength of hip adductors, and vertical ground reaction force in counter-movement jump-free arms, counter-movement jump, squat jump, and drop jump tests. One-way ANOVA, Pearson's coefficient (r), and partial eta squared (ηp2) were used for data analysis. Results: Significant differences in asymmetries were found in elite soccer players (F11,299 = 11.01, p < .01). The magnitude of asymmetry over 10% was in postural stability and drop jump parameters. The lowest magnitudes of asymmetries were in the fluid distribution of the lower limbs and the vertical ground reaction force during the take-off phase in squat jumps. The highest asymmetries between the dominant and non-dominant sides were found in postural stability and drop jump. A total of eleven significant correlations (p < 0.05, r = 0.41-0.63, R2 = 0.17-0.40) were detected between the analyzed asymmetries in elite soccer players. The lateral trunk rotation asymmetries were significantly correlated to vertical ground reaction force asymmetries and knee extensors. Conclusion: Long-term exposure in elite soccer leads to unilateral biomechanical loading that induces abnormal strength and morphological adaptations in favor of the dominant side while linking lower limb and trunk strength asymmetries. By unraveling these complex relationships, we strive to contribute novel methods that could inform targeted training regimens and injury prevention strategies in the elite soccer community. The data should encourage future researchers and coaches to monitor and develop trunk strength linked to lower body kinematics.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

This study describes a screening system for future brewing yeasts focusing on non-Saccharomyces yeasts. The aim was to find new yeast strains that can ferment beer wort into a respectable beer. Ten Torulaspora delbrueckii strains were put through the screening system, which included sugar utilization tests, hop resistance tests, ethanol resistance tests, polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting, propagation tests, amino acid catabolism and anabolism, phenolic off-flavour tests and trial fermentations. Trial fermentations were analysed for extract reduction, pH drop, yeast concentration in bulk fluid and fermentation by-products. All investigated strains were able to partly ferment wort sugars and showed high tolerance to hop compounds and ethanol. One of the investigated yeast strains fermented all the wort sugars and produced a respectable fruity flavour and a beer of average ethanol content with a high volatile flavour compound concentration. Two other strains could possibly be used for pre-fermentation as a bio-flavouring agent for beers that have been post-fermented by Saccharomyces strains as a consequence of their low sugar utilization but good flavour-forming properties.

• MeSH
• aminokyseliny analýza   MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• chuť MeSH
• DNA fingerprinting MeSH
• DNA fungální chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• fermentace MeSH
• koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
• kvantitativní polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• metabolismus sacharidů MeSH
• odoranty MeSH
• pivo analýza   mikrobiologie   normy   MeSH
• technika náhodné amplifikace polymorfní DNA MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• Torulaspora chemie   cytologie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The design of smart surfaces with externally triggerable water/oil wettability and adhesion represents one of the most up-to-date challenges in the field of material science. In this work, the intelligent surface with electrically triggerable wettability and water/oil adhesion is presented. As a basic material background exhibiting electric field (EF) sensitivity, the piezo-responsive polymethylmethacrylate/polyvinylidenefluoride polymer fibers were used. To expand the available range of water/oil contact angles (CAs) and adhesion, the fibers were grafted with hydrophilic or hydrophobic functional groups using diazonium chemistry. The fiber functionality was evaluated using the static CA and wettability hysteresis measurements (increasing/decreasing drop volume and tilting angles), drops adhesion/repellence and graphite self-cleaning test performed with and without the application of EF. It was found that the proposed method enables tuning the surface wettability in the superhydrophobic/superoleophobic-hydrophilic/oleophilic range and changing of surface properties from low adhesive to high adhesive for water and oil. More convincing results were achieved in the case of fiber surface modification by ADT-C8F17, which may result from a rearrangement of the grated -C6H4C8F17 functional group under the application of EF triggering. Moreover, the triggering which can be performed in the extremely fast way (the surface responds to the EF switching on/off in seconds) was found to be fully reversible. Finally, the additional tests indicate the satisfactory stability of created fiber-based coating against the mechanical treatment.

• MeSH
• adhezivita MeSH
• chytré materiály MeSH
• fluoridy MeSH
• hydrofobní a hydrofilní interakce MeSH
• polymethylmethakrylát MeSH
• smáčivost MeSH
• testování materiálů * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH