Spectroscopic identification of benign (follicular adenoma) and cancerous lesions (follicular thyroid carcinoma) in thyroid tissues.

Thyroid follicular nodules are quite common in the population, however only a small proportion is malignant. Thyroid cancer differs from adenoma by features of cellular atypia, angioinvasiveness and possibility of metastasis via blood vessels mainly in the lungs and bones. Pathomorphological examination of the postoperative material plays a significant role in the diagnosis of cystic thyroid lesions.

How to define obligatory anaerobiosis? An evolutionary view on the antioxidant response system and the early stages of the evolution of life on Earth.

One of the former definitions of "obligate anaerobiosis" was based on three main criteria: 1) it occurs in organisms, so-called obligate anaerobes, which live in environments without oxygen (O), 2) O-dependent (aerobic) respiration, and 3) antioxidant enzymes are absent in obligate anaerobes. In contrast, aerobes need O in order to grow and develop properly. Obligate (or strict) anaerobes belong to prokaryotic microorganisms from two domains, Bacteria and Archaea.

Influence of salicylic acid pretreatment on seeds germination and some defence mechanisms of Zea mays plants under copper stress.

The study was focused on the influence of salicylic acid (SA) on maize seeds germination and on some physiological and biochemical processes in maize plants growing in the hydroponic culture under copper (Cu) stress. A significant influence of SA pretreatment on the advanced induction of the maize seeds metabolic activity and the level of the endogenous SA in germinated seeds and developing roots have been stated. Although, the ability of maize seeds to uptake SA and accumulate it in the germinated roots was confirmed, the growth inhibition of Cu-stressed maize seedlings was not ameliorated by SA seeds pretreatment.