Cytokine mRNA expression in porcine cell lines stimulated by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an extracellular bacterium that causes post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in piglets with different severity of clinical signs. The pathogenesis of ETEC is ascribed to the effect of enterotoxins. ETEC colonizes ileum and probably can penetrate the epithelium and stimulate macrophages. The aim of study was to examine whether there is any difference in cytokine response in vitro produced by two porcine cell lines, intestinal epithelial cell line (IPI-2I) and macrophage cell line (3D4/31) after stimulation with different serotypes of ETEC associated with different clinical course of PWD in piglets. Three serotypes, O149:K88 (F4), O147:F18 and O8:K88, were used. We observed that all the used serotypes were unable to induce IL-8 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in IPI-2I cell line as measured by the real-time RT-PCR. In 3D4/31 cell line, we detected differences in cytokine response among the used serotypes. The highest IL-8 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in 3D4/31 was detected after stimulation with serotype O149:K88 frequently associated with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.     

Study on the population of the warble fly, Oestromyia leporina (Pallas. 1778) (Diptera, Hypodermatidae) in Bohemia

A new population of the warble fly, Oestromyia leporina from Western Bohemia is described. The parasite was recorded on Microtus arvalis and M. agrestis. The infection of offspring in the den did not occur.     

Polyplax spinulosa infestation and antibody response in various strains of laboratory rats.

The degree and duration of Polyplax spinulosa Burm. infestation depend on the sex, age and genetic factors of the host. Various rat strains differ in the severity of lousiness. Host grooming is an important factor in the rat-louse relationship. After longlasting infestations rats become partially resistant. Serum antibody level depends mainly on the severity and the duration of the infestation, and follows the dynamics of louse population. Serum antibodies have no direct negative effect on lice.     

SCID mice as a tool for evaluation of heteroxenous life cycle pattern of Caryospora (Apicomplexa, Eimeriidae) species

Adult severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were inoculated with oocysts of 13 different Caryospora (Protozoa, Apicomplexa) species isolated from the faeces of 10 reptilian and three raptorial bird hosts in attempt to test heteroxenous life cycle pattern. Only three reptilian isolates originated from viperid snakes, namely from Calloselasma rhodostoma, Atheris nitschei and Vipera ursinii induced lethal dermal caryosporosis in SCID mice. Neither clinical signs nor developmental stages were observed in mice infected with further nine caryosporan isolates originated from other reptilian and raptorial bird hosts. Results of this study confirmed that SCID mice represent a useful tool for evaluation of heteroxenous life cycle pattern of caryosporan coccidia and that only the Caryospora species from viperid and crotalid snakes produce dermal caryosporosis in mice     

Does closure of traditionally managed open woodlands threaten epigeic invertebrates? Effects of coppicing and high deer densities

The demise of traditional woodland management techniques, such as coppicing or woodland pasture, is causing a gradual closure of formerly sparse lowland woods across Central Europe. It is established that these processes threaten such organisms as butterflies and higher plants. Effects on other groups, such as epigeic invertebrates, are little known, hindering rational conservation decisions. We investigated the effects of stand openness on three epigeic groups, carabids (Carabidae), arachnids (Araneae + Opiliones) and myriapods-isopods (Chilopoda + Diplopoda + Oniscidea), in a lowland deciduous wood in the Czech Republic. Situating some of the traps in an intensive deer park allowed a simultaneous assessment of effects of high vs. low ungulate densities. Carabids reached the highest species richness in either sparse stands with low game or dense stands, high game. More arachnids occurred under low game and in sparse stands than under high game density and in dense stands. The highest richness of myriapods-isopods was in sparse stands with low game. Ordinations revealed that species of conservation concern (‘relic species’ according to C. European authors) tended to be associated with sparse stands and low game. A considerable proportion of epigeic woodland invertebrates, including many species of conservation concern, depends on preserving highly heterogeneous sparse canopy conditions. Restoring such conditions in selected areas will benefit these sensitive open woodland specialists while causing minimum harm to specialists of dense stands, that likely prosper in commercially managed high forests.     

Crayfish in central and southern Ukraine with special focus on populations of indigenous crayfish Astacus pachypus (Rathke, 1837) and their conservation needs

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Fertilizing ability of gametes at different post‐activation times and the sperm–oocyte ratio in the artificial reproduction of pikeperch Sander lucioperca

The time period during which oocyte and spermatozoa retain their fertilizing ability after contacting with water was evaluated in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca). In addition, success of in vitro fertilization was examined regarding to the sperm‐to‐oocyte ratio (SOR). In the first trial, oocytes were placed in Petri dishes containing 5 ml of the hatchery water, to which freshly collected and pooled sperm were added to each sample at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 s post oocyte activation. The oocytes retained their fertility for at least 30 s after contacting with water. The second trial tested the maximum time period during which spermatozoa retained fertilizability after contacting with water. Milt (50 μl) was collected from each male and added to 5 ml of water in Petri dishes. Thereafter, oocytes were added at 0, 5, 15, 30, 60 and 75 s post‐sperm activation. Delays exceeding 10 s affected negatively the fertilization success. The third trial examined the optimum SOR; in which was found that 100 × 10³ spermatozoa per oocyte were the minimum ratio to ensure fertilization rates above 70%. Overall, the data clarified some biological interactions of gametes in the artificial propagation of pikeperch.     

Automatic assessing and monitoring of weaving density

Image restoration using the spectral approach is applied to the problem of automatic assessing of weaving density. A restored image of one set of yarns is obtained with the aid of two dimensional discrete Fourier transform. From the line profile of restored images Fisher’s test of periodicity find out the significant periodical components of specific frequency and defines model of time series. On the basis of frequency of model, the weaving density can be computed automatically. This method is then used for detection of defects associated with the change of weaving density, i.e. the weft direction defects. The detection is based on monitoring of weaving density in direction of length of fabric. Change of weaving density value against expected value indicates failure of regular structure. Control charts were used as a tool for judge the existence of failure or defects of regular structure.     

Tree water storage and its diurnal dynamics related to sap flow and changes in stem volume in old-growth Douglas-fir trees

Diurnal and seasonal tree water storage was studied in three large Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) trees at the Wind River Canopy Crane Research site. Changes in water storage were based on measurements of sap flow and changes in stem volume and tissue water content at different heights in the stem and branches. We measured sap flow by two variants of the heat balance method (with internal heating in stems and external heating in branches), stem volume with electronic dendrometers, and tissue water content gravimetrically. Water storage was calculated from the differences in diurnal courses of sap flow at different heights and their integration. Old-growth Douglas-fir trees contained large amounts of free water: stem sapwood was the most important storage site, followed by stem phloem, branch sapwood, branch phloem and needles. There were significant time shifts (minutes to hours) between sap flow measured at different positions within the transport system (i.e., stem base to shoot tip), suggesting a highly elastic transport system. On selected fine days between late July and early October, when daily transpiration ranged from 150 to 300 liters, the quantity of stored water used daily ranged from 25 to 55 liters, i.e., about 20% of daily total sap flow. The greatest amount of this stored water came from the lower stem; however, proportionally more water was removed from the upper parts of the tree relative to their water storage capacity. In addition to lags in sap flow from one point in the hydrolic pathway to another, the withdrawal and replacement of stored water was reflected in changes in stem volume. When point-to-point lags in sap flow (minutes to hours near the top and stem base, respectively) were considered, there was a strong linear relationship between stem volume changes and transpiration. Volume changes of the whole tree were small (equivalent to 14% of the total daily use of stored water) indicating that most stored water came from the stem and from its inelastic (sapwood) tissues. Whole tree transpiration can be maintained with stored water for about a week, but it can be maintained with stored water from the upper crown alone for no more than a few hours.     

Stress responses of carp pond fish stock upon hunting activities of the great cormorant(Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis L.)

In addition to direct predation, cormorants can affect carp pond fish stock through disturbance and wounding of the fish. Fish stress response was evaluated by catch per unit effort (CPUE) using lift‐net sampling. A significantly higher (P<0.001) CPUE was recorded in the littoral region of ponds affected by cormorant visits (43.6 ± 39.6) in comparison with a control pond (CP) without their occurrence (0.9 ± 1.1). Stress indices, spleen somatic index (SSI) and Fulton's condition coefficient (FCC) were evaluated for fish subject to two stress factors, hunting cormorants (HC) and pond harvesting (PH), and compared with levels in fish from the CP. Both SSI and FCC decreased significantly (P<0.05) in PH and HC fish in comparison with the control group, while non‐significant differences were observed in both SSI and FCC indices among the HC and PH groups. Plasma biochemical indices (cortisol, glucose and lactate concentrations) were significantly higher (P<0.01) in the PH group as compared with the HC and CP groups. Concentrations in the HC and CP groups did not differ significantly. Total plasma protein levels were significantly higher (P<0.01) in HC fish compared with CP fish, but did not differ significantly from PH fish.