Mechanism of insulin-like effect of chromium(III) ions on glucose uptake in C2C12 mouse myotubes involves ROS formation.

Chromium is considered a trace element which improves glucose tolerance, but mechanism accounting for this insulin-like action is not recognized. The main purpose of this study was to examine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in chromium and insulin stimulated glucose transport using antioxidants. Effect of chromium ions on phosphatases, enzymes involved in inhibition of insulin signaling was also investigated.

Crotalarieae and Genisteae of the South African Great Escarpment are nodulated by novel Bradyrhizobium species with unique and diverse symbiotic loci.

The genus Bradyrhizobium contains predominantly nitrogen-fixing legume symbionts. Phylogenetic analysis of the genes responsible for their symbiotic abilities (i.e.

Physiological and biochemical characterisation of watered and drought-stressed barley mutants in the HvDWARF gene encoding C6-oxidase involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis.

Brassinosteroids (BR) are plant steroid hormones that were discovered more than thirty years ago, but their physiological function has yet to be fully explained. The aim of the study was to answer the question of whether/how disturbances in the production of BR in barley affects the plant's metabolism and development under conditions of optimal watering and drought. Mutants with an impaired production of BR are one of the best tools in research aimed at understanding the mechanisms of action of these hormones.

Quantitative Determination of Secoiridoids and Phenylpropanoids in Different Extracts of Ligustrum Vulgare L. Leaves by a Validated HPTLC-Photodensitometry Method.

Introduction: The genus Ligustrum (Oleaceae) is distributed in Europe and Asia (south China and Korea), where it is used to prevent hypertension, sore throats, inflammation and diabetes. The main groups of compounds in extracts of Ligustrum vulgare are biologically active secoiridoids and phenylpropanoids.

Objectives: The aim of the study was primarily the development and validation of a HPTLC-photodensitometry method for separation and determination of secoiridoids (oleacein, oleuropein) and phenylpropanoids (echinacoside) in different extracts prepared from leaves of L.

Photosynthetic proton and electron transport in wheat leaves under prolonged moderate drought stress.

In conditions of long-lasting moderate drought stress, we have studied the photoprotective responses in leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Katya) related to the photosynthetic electron and proton transport.

Reduced glutamine synthetase activity plays a role in control of photosynthetic responses to high light in barley leaves.

The chloroplastic glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.

The viability of the genetically diverse C. jejuni and C. coli strains in the macrophage J774 cell line.

The intracellular survival of Campylobacter has been described within epithelial cells as well as in macrophages in vitro. The goal of this study was to estimate the viability of the genetically diverse C. jejuni and C.

Expression analysis of somatic embryogenesis-related SERK, LEC1, VP1 and NiR ortologues in rye (Secale cereale L.).

The genetic basis of the regeneration process in cultured immature embryos of rye (Secale cereale L.) was analyzed. The experiments were designed to reveal differences between the in vitro culture responses of two inbred lines: L318 (a high regeneration ability) and L9 (a low potential for regeneration).

Strategies of constructing recombinant vaccines.

Vaccines are the most effective prophylactic tool in veterinary medicine. Despite the great success of many vaccines used currently, there is still a constant need for their improvement. An ideal vaccine should contain a variety of immunogens, be safe and efficacious and induce broad humoral and cell-mediated immunity with one or, at most, two administrations given orally rather than by injection, and should be inexpensive.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 involvement in breast cancer progression: a mini-review.

Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is an enzyme that degrades components of the extracellular matrix and thus plays a pivotal role in cell migration during physiological and pathological processes (e.g. gastric, pancrcreatic, prostate, and breast cancer).

Influence of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from polluted and non-polluted areas on some atherosclerosis indices in rats fed cholesterol.

The influence of diets supplemented with mussels, from polluted (MPoll) and non-polluted (MNPoll) areas, on some atherosclerosis indices in rats fed cholesterol (Chol) were studied. According to the results of our investigation in vitro, mussels from polluted areas had higher contents of proteins, metals and antioxidant compounds, mostly phenolics and higher antioxidant capacities. 28 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups of 7 and named Control, Chol, Chol/MPoll and Chol/MNPoll.

Minute kinetics of proapoptotic proteins: BAX and Smac/DIABLO in living tumor cells revealed by homeostatic confocal microscopy.

Traditional methods of visualization and analysis based on fixed cell populations treated with the drug for a different time give the limited possibility of time-sequence analysis. In time-lapse microscopy where the whole cell is observed regardless to intracellular structure, precise localization of events and differentiation between colocalization and overlapping of the fluorescence is impossible. Furthermore prolonged experiments with living cells increased the influence of improper environmental conditions.

Azithromycin in the treatment of a dog infected with Giardia intestinalis.

Giardia intestinalis infection is a common cause of diarrhoea in humans and other mammalian species throughout the world. This report describes a case of a dog suffering from diarrhoea, infected with G. intestinalis, effectively treated with azithromycin.

Agreement between ELISA and complement fixation test used for diagnosing of paratuberculosis in goats.

An ELISA with a lipoarabinomannan as an antigen, developed for diagnosis of bovine paratuberculosis, has been adapted for use in goats, and compared with complement fixation test. Kappa value of 0.62 indicated good agreement between CFT and the adapted ELISA and proved that the investigated ELISA may be helpful in diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp.

Assessment of the usefulness of the fenestration method in cases of disc extrusion in the cervical and thoraco-lumbar spine in chondrodystrophic dogs.

The aim of this paper was to assess the effectiveness of treatment of Type I (according to Hansen) intervertebral disc extrusion using the fenestration method. The evaluated clinical material included 37 chondrodystrophic dogs in which multiple fenestration (from 2 to 6 intervertebral spaces) was performed. Dachshunds comprised 86.

Functional analysis of the Campylobacter jejuni cj0183 and cj0588 genes.

The cj0183 and cj0588 genes identified in the Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 genome encode proteins with amino acid sequences predicted to be homologous to other bacterial hemolysins. The Cj0183 protein exhibits homology to Brachyspira hyodysenteriae TlyC protein, whereas the cj0588 gene product is homologous to TlyA proteins Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, Helicobacter pylori, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which play a crucial role in bacterial virulence. The aim of our work was to examine the hemolytic activity and determine the role of cj0183- and cj0588-encoded proteins on the adherence of chosen C.

Prevalence of Babesia canis, Borrelia afzelii, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in hard ticks removed from dogs in Warsaw (central Poland).

The purposes of this study were to specify the occurrence and prevalence of Babesia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ticks removed from dogs in Warsaw, and to determine the Borrelia species occurring in Ixodes ricinus ticks. Among 590 collected ticks, 209 were identified as I. ricinus, and 381 as Dermacentor reticulatus.

Bronislawa and Mieczyslaw Konopacki - pioneers of the application of histochemistry to embryology in Poland.

In this paper, we review the life and work of Mieczyslaw Konopacki and his wife Bronislawa Konopacka. These Polish scientists introduced histochemical methods to embryological studies at the beginning of the XXth century; they were pioneers in this regard in Poland and among the first in the world to implement such methods in this way.

Improving Distributed Runoff Prediction in Urbanized Catchments with Remote Sensing based Estimates of Impervious Surface Cover.

The amount and intensity of runoff on catchment scale are strongly determinedby the presence of impervious land-cover types, which are the predominant cover types inurbanized areas. This paper examines the impact of different methods for estimatingimpervious surface cover on the prediction of peak discharges, as determined by a fullydistributed rainfall-runoff model (WetSpa), for the upper part of the Woluwe Rivercatchment in the southeastern part of Brussels. The study shows that detailed informationon the spatial distribution of impervious surfaces, as obtained from remotely sensed data,produces substantially different estimates of peak discharges than traditional approachesbased on expert judgment of average imperviousness for different types of urban land use.

Biochemical abnormalities observed in serum of dogs infected with large Babesia in Warsaw (Poland).

Biochemical abnormalities observed in canine babesiosis are related to the severity of the disease. The primary biochemical abnormalities found in affected dogs are: increase of the serum activity of transaminases and alkaline phosphatase, azotemia, and hypoglycemia. The purposes of this study were: 1) to estimate biochemical abnormalities in dogs infected with large Babesia in Warsaw and 2) to evaluate statistically changes observed during canine babesiosis in dogs from Warsaw.

Echocardiographic evaluation of diastolic parameters in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Echocardiography is a valuable tool for the evaluation of systolic and diastolic cardiac function. A high correlation between measurements of diastolic mitral inflow parameters analyzed with Doppler echocardiography and invasive methods makes the former valuable. The aim of this study was to ascertain if significant differences occur in diastolic myocardial parameters between dogs with no heart disease and dogs with subclinical or clinical dilated cardiomyopathy.

Influence of hydrocolloidal silver nanoparticles on gastrointestinal microflora and morphology of enterocytes of quails.

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of hydrocolloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag-nano) on microbial profile of caecum and morphology of enterocytes in duodenum of Japanese quail, as a model animal for poultry. Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) (10 d old) were randomly divided into four groups (15 quails each) and located into four cages for 12 days. Quails were fed with granulated diets given ad libitum and had free access to drinking water.

Sodium butyrate-dependent sensitization of human colon adenocarcinoma COLO 205 cells to TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis.

COLO 205 colon adenocarcinoma cells are highly resistant to extrinsic apoptosis induced by immunomodulatory cytokines. One of the antiapoptotic mechanisms is the expression of cFLIP protein, which inhibits TNF-alpha-induced cell death. The use of metabolic inhibitors, such as sodium butyrate (NaBt), the potent repressor of histone deacetylase, sensitizes tumor cells to TNF-alpha-mediated apoptosis.

The effect of supplementing sow with bioactive substances on neonatal small intestinal epithelium.

Development of the small intestinal epithelium in early postnatal period has a significant influence on pig's survival rate and further productivity. The aim of this research was to verify whether the diet supplementation of pregnant and lactating sow with a blend of bioactive substances (flax seed, rapeseed, linden inflorescence, taurine, L-carnitine and tocopherol acetate) had an effect on the development of intestinal epithelium in their offspring. The doses of bioactive substances were calculated to meet the demands for optimal supply of the pig fetuses and newborns.

Molecular mechanism of programmed cell death in the gut epithelium of neonatal piglets.

In the intestinal mucosa of pig, calf and rat neonates, we observed the cells die in the packets which suggests involvement of some paracrine factors. The death signal was transferred via tissue continuum as well as across the gut lumen, and the involvement of TGF-beta1 and TNFalpha was demonstrated. Present study aimed to clarify the molecular mechanisms of programmed cell death in the mucosa of the small intestine of pig neonates.