Cretaceous (Aptian/Albian-?Cenomanian) age of "black flysch" and adjacent deposits of the Grajcarek thrust-sheets in the Małe Pieniny Mts. (Pieniny Klippen Belt, Polish Outer Carpathians)

Several sections record the relation between the "black flysch" and Upper Cretaceous red shales in the Grajcarek thrust-sheets. In all the sections studied the "black flysch" appears in the core of imbricated folds or thrust-sheets, whereas the limbs are composed of Upper Cretaceous deposits. The transitional beds between the "black flysch" and the Upper Cretaceous red shales are composed of green and black bituminous shales, green and red radiolarites and cherty limestones. Biostratigraphical investigations have revealed a similar type and sequence of microfauna assemblages in all the sections studied and significant redeposition of Jurassic calcareous benthic foraminifera, calcareous nannoplankton, molluscs, sponge spicules and crinoid elements. The Cretaceous age (Aptian/Albian-Cenomanian) of the "black flysch" is shown by the presence of agglutinated foraminifera and microfacies data. These deposits are underlain by a Kimmeridgian-Aptian radiolarite/limestone condensed succession and overlain by Turonian-Campanian hemipelagic red shales and Maastrichtian/Lower Paleocene conglomerates and thick-bedded silicilastic turbidites of the Jarmuta Formation. Such a sequence of deposits is typical of the Outer Carpathian basins and records the global Mid/Late Cretaceous phenomena in the world ocean, followed by the Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds

Rolle von Syndecan-4 bei der Chondrozytendifferenzierung

Syndecan-4 gehört zu den Heparansulfat-Proteoglykanen und kann während der embryonalen Knochenentwicklung auch in der Wachstumsfuge beobachtet werden. Bei an Osteoarthrose erkrankten Patienten wird dieses Proteoglykan im Gelenkknorpel verstärkt exprimiert. In dieser Arbeit wurde der Einfluss von Syndecan-4 auf die Chondrozytendifferenzierung untersucht. Die Stimulation von Syndecan-4-Knockout- und Wildtyp-Maus-Knorpelzellen und Tibien mit Insulin, IGF-I und Thyroxin führte zu der Erkenntnis, dass Syndecan-4-Knockout-Maus-Chondrozyten unter dem Einfluss in vitro stärker proliferieren. Die Annahme, dass die Thyroxin-induzierte hypertrophe Differenzierung (Synthese von Kollagen Typ X) in Syndecan-4-defizienten Chondrozyten gegenüber Wildtyp-Chondrozyten verzögert ist, konnte nicht bestätigt werden. Das Fehlen von Syndecan-4 wird von anderen Komponenten der extrazellulären Matrix zum Teil kompensiert. Unter dem Einfluss von Thyroxin und FKS ist die Kompensation beeinträchtigt

Minimal vertex Ramsey graphs and minimal forbidden subgraphs

AbstractLet P be a property of graphs. A graph G is vertex (P,k)-colourable if the vertex set V(G) of G can be partitioned into k sets V1,V2,…,Vk such that the subgraph G[Vi] of G belongs to P, i=1,2,…,k. If P is a hereditary property, then the set of minimal forbidden subgraphs of P is defined as follows: F(P)={G:G∉PbuteachpropersubgraphHofGbelongstoP}. In this paper we investigate the property On: each component of G has at most n+1 vertices. We construct minimal forbidden subgraphs for the property (Onk) “to be (On,k)-colourable”.We write G→v(H)k, k⩾2, if for each k-colouring V1,V2,…,Vk of a graph G there exists i, 1⩽i⩽k, such that the graph induced by the set Vi contains H as a subgraph. A graph G is called (H)k-vertex Ramsey minimal if G→v(H)k, but G′↛v(H)k for any proper subgraph G′ of G. The class of (P3)k-vertex Ramsey minimal graphs is investigated

Resistance of human leukocytes to vesicular stomatitis virus infection as one of the innate antiviral immune activities; participation of cell subpopulations.

Among reactions of innate immunity, resistance of human peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) to viral infection seems important. The purpose of our study was to find, which of the subpopulations of PBL is the most responsible for the innate antiviral immunity of these cells. The innate immunity was measured by using the direct method of infection of leukocytes with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The lack of VSV replication by infected leukocytes (0-1 log TCID50) was taken as an indicator for complete immunity; a low level of VSV (2-3 log) for partial immunity; and high VSV titer (more than 4 log) for no immunity. The resistance/innate immunity of whole PBL and subpopulations such as: adherent cells, fractions enriched in lymphocytes T, and lymphocytes B (separated on column with nylon wool), NK(+) and NK(-) (separated by microbeads activated cell sorting MACS) differ from each other. All fractions express higher resistance/innate immunity than the whole PBL. NK(+) cells were found the most resistant fraction of PBL to VSV infection. The results indicate that among the leukocytes in PBL the regulation mechanisms of innate immunity exist. The study on the mechanism of innate immunity regulation as well as the role of NK in innate immunity of PBL must be continued

Preliminary remarks on enigmatic "white casing limestone" from Saqqara archaelogical site in Egipt

Saqqara is one of the famous archaeological sites in the world. There is the oldest stone pyramid built by pharaoh Djoser from the Third Dynasty (around 4600 yrs BP). The components of his funerary complex were constructed of a characteristic creamish-white limestone of relatively great solidity, connected in archaeological literature with the white casing limestone from Saqqara. A source of this stone has remained so far a mystery. An extensive geological survey and other research has failed to identify any outcrops of such limestone in the vicinity of Saqqara. Preliminary results of examination of fossils from relevant rock samples of the white Saqqara limestone are presented, supplemented with discussion of current opinions concerning its origin and probable stratigraphic setting

Clinical assessment of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of oral lichen planus

The study objective was clinical assessment of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP). There were 23 patients aged 31–82 included in the study with oral lichen planus diagnosed clinically and histopathologically. In all patients photodynamic therapy was performed with the use of chlorin e6 (Photolon(®)), containing 20 % chlorin e6 and 10 % dimethyl sulfoxide as a photosensitizer. PDT was performed using a semiconductor laser, with power up to 300 mW and a wavelength of 660 nm. A series of illumination sessions was conducted with the use of superficial light energy density of 90 J/cm(2). Changes of lesion size were monitored at one, two, five, and ten PDT appointments from the series of ten according to the authors' own method. The sizes of clinical OLP lesions exposed to PDT were reduced significantly (on average by 55 %). The best effects were observed for the lesions on the lining mucosa (57.6 %). The therapy was statistically significantly less effective when masticatory mucosa was affected (reduction, 30.0 %). Due to substantial efficacy and noninvasiveness, PDT can be useful in the treatment of OLP lesions

Cytology of nasal mucosa, olfactometry and rhinomanometry in patients after CO2 laser mucotomy in inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

To evaluate the cytology of nasal mucosa and sense of smell and nasal patency in patients underwent carbon dioxide laser turbinoplasty (CO2 laser mucotomy) due to chronic nasal hypertrophy. 46 patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy underwent complete laryngological examination, anterior rhinomanometry, olfactory measurements and cytology of nasal mucous which were performed before and 3 months after CO2 laser mucotomy. Laser mucotomy was performed under local anesthesia. Cytograms revealed significant changes in cell proportion before and after the surgery. Goblet cells predominated in nasal smears before the laser mucotomy. An average percentage of eosinophils in evaluated cytograms before the surgery was 2.1%. Three months after laser mucotomy we observed decrease in goblet cells proportion (the mean range of goblet cells was 16.4%) in nasal cytology. We have also observed improvement in olfactory function, however only in 7 patients (20.6%). The mean value of total nasal airway resistance (NAR) before treatment was 0.98+/-0.24 Pa/cm3/s at 75 Pa. Rhinomanometry after 3 months showed a reduction in mean total resistance from the pretreatment level to 0.77 Pa/cm3/s. We believe that CO2 laser mucotomy is an efficacious, minimally invasive and easy to use treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy which is performed under local anesthesia with little discomfort for the patient and does not require hospitalization

Tarcza zegarowa z pierwszej połowy XVII wieku z Muzeum Warmii i Mazur w Olsztynie – zagadnienia historyczno-stylistyczne oraz technologiczno-konserwatorskie.

Specjalistyczne badania, przeprowadzone na XVII-wiecznej, dwustronnej tarczy zegarowej, ze zbiorów Muzeum Warmii i Mazur w Olsztynie, pozwoliły nie tylko na identyfikację pigmentów zastosowanych to wykonania oryginalnej polichromii oraz materiałów warstw wtórnych, ale także na rozpoznanie typów i określenie zakresu występowania produktów chemicznej degradacji warstw barwnych. Dzięki analizie historycznej i stylistycznej, możliwe było również ulokowanie badanego obiektu w kontekście dziejów sztuki zegarmistrzowskiej, a także odtworzenie jego losów od poł. XX wieku to czasów obecnych. Zgromadzony materiał stał się podstawą do stworzenia szczegółowej dokumentacji na temat stanu zachowania obiektu, a także odegrał kluczową rolę w trakcie podejmowania kolejnych decyzji w trakcie prowadzonych prac konserwatorskich

Cytogenetic and molecular analyses of de novo translocation dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) in an infertile male

BACKGROUND: Whole arm t(9;13)(p11;p12) translocations are rare and have been described only a few times; all of the previously reported cases were familial. RESULTS: We present here an infertile male carrier with a whole-arm reciprocal translocation dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) revealed by GTG-, C-, and NOR-banding karyotypes with no mature sperm cells in his ejaculate. FISH and genome-wide 400 K CGH microarray (Agilent) analyses demonstrated a balanced chromosome complement and further characterised the abnormality as a dicentric chromosome (9;13): dic(9;13)(pter→p11.2::p12→qter),neo(9)(pter→p12→neo→p11.2). An analysis of the patient’s ejaculated cells identified immature germ cells at different phases of spermatogenesis but no mature spermatozoa. Most (82.5%) of the germ cells were recognised as spermatocytes at stage I, and the cell nuclei were most frequently found in pachytene I (41.8%). We have also undertaken FISH analysis and documented an increased rate of aneuploidy of chromosomes 15, 18, X and Y in the peripheral blood leukocytes of our patient. To study the aneuploidy risk in leukocytes, we have additionally included 9 patients with non-obstructive azoospermia with normal karyotypes. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the azoospermia observed in the patient with the dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) translocation was most likely a consequence of a very high proportion (90%) of association between XY bivalents and quadrivalent formations in prophase I