Fortification of the suburb of the Great Moravian stronghold at Mikulčice-Valy

The aim of the paper is to present the fortification of the suburb of the early medieval central agglomeration of Mikulčice-Valy. Methodically seen, the work is based on three pillars: post-excavation analyses of old documentary materials from fieldwork (GIS, spatial analyses, stratigraphy), modern excavations focused on obtaining as many as possible exact data, and subsequent environmental analyses. Postexcavation analyses of fieldwork documentation from excavations of the fortification in 1960-1977 together with knowledge from the 2012 field research aim to answer three basic questions: original dating of the defensive wall (its origin and demise), description of relics of its functional elements and building reconstruction, and identification of events which induced the build-up and subsequent demise of this structure. The results of analyses performed provide a base for discussion about the hypotheses of chronology and construction of the defensive wall, which were published by Z. Klanica, J. Poulík and B. Kavánová in the second half of the 20th century. In the end the authors present an interpretational model of dating, construction and demise of the fortification in the suburb of the Mikulčice agglomeration

The Cortisol to Cortisone Ratio during Cardiac Catheterisation in Sows

A possible effect of mini-invasive heart intervention on a response of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal stress axis and conversion of cortisone to cortisol were studied. We have analysed two stress markers levels (cortisol, cortisone) and cortisol/cortisone ratio in 25 sows using minimally invasive heart catheterisation as the stress factor. The values of studied parameters were assessed in four periods of the experiment: (1) the baseline level on the day before intervention, (2) after the introduction of anaesthesia, (3) after conducting tissue stimulation or ablation, and (4) after the end of the catheterisation. For statistical analyses we used the non-parametric Friedman test for four dependent samples (including all four stages of the operation) or three dependent samples (influence of operation only, baseline level was excluded). Statistically significant differences in both Friedman tests were found for cortisol and for cortisone. We have found the highest level of cortisol/cortisone ratio in unstressed conditions, then it decreased to the minimal level at the end of the intervention. We have concluded that cortisol levels are blunted by the influence of anaesthesia after its administration, and therefore decrease back to the baseline at the end of the operation

Cortisol/cortisone Ratio in Sows during Heart Intervention The Cortisol to Cortisone Ratio during Cardiac Catheterisation in Sows

Abstract: A possible effect of mini-invasive heart intervention on a response of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal stress axis and conversion of cortisone to cortisol were studied. We have analysed two stress markers levels (cortisol, cortisone) and cortisol/cortisone ratio in 25 sows using minimally invasive heart catheterisation as the stress factor. The values of studied parameters were assessed in four periods of the experiment: (1) the baseline level on the day before intervention, (2) after the introduction of anaesthesia, (3) after conducting tissue stimulation or ablation, and (4) after the end of the catheterisation. For statistical analyses we used the nonparametric Friedman test for four dependent samples (including all four stages of the operation) or three dependent samples (influence of operation only, baseline level was excluded). Statistically significant differences in both Friedman tests were found for cortisol and for cortisone. We have found the highest level of cortisol/ cortisone ratio in unstressed conditions, then it decreased to the minimal level at http://d