Comparative analysis of toxic responses of organic extracts from diesel and selected alternative fuels engine emissions in human lung BEAS-2B cells

This study used toxicogenomics to identify the complex biological response of human lung BEAS-2B cells treated with organic components of particulate matter in the exhaust of a diesel engine. First, we characterized particles from standard diesel (B0), biodiesel (methylesters of rapeseed oil) in its neat form (B100) and 30% by volume blend with diesel fuel (B30), and neat hydrotreated vegetable oil (NEXBTL100). The concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives in organic extracts was the lowest for NEXBTL100 and higher for biodiesel. We further analyzed global gene expression changes in BEAS-2B cells following 4 h and 24 h treatment with extracts. The concentrations of 50 mu g extract/mL induced a similar molecular response. The common processes induced after 4 h treatment included antioxidant defense, metabolism of xenobiotics and lipids, suppression of pro-apoptotic stimuli, or induction of plasminogen activating cascade; 24 h treatment affected fewer processes, particularly those involved in detoxification of xenobiotics, including PAHs. The majority of distinctively deregulated genes detected after both 4 h and 24 h treatment were induced by NEXBTL100; the deregulated genes included, e.g., those involved in antioxidant defense and cell cycle regulation and proliferation. B100 extract, with the highest PAH concentrations, additionally affected several cell cycle regulatory genes and p38 signaling.Web of Science1711art. no. 183

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor prevents dendritic retraction of adult mouse retinal ganglion cells

We used cultured adult mouse retinae as a model system to follow and quantify the retraction of dendrites using diolistic labelling of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) following explantation. Cell death was monitored in parallel by nuclear staining as ‘labelling’ with RGC and apoptotic markers was inconsistent and exceedingly difficult to quantify reliably. Nuclear staining allowed us to delineate a lengthy time window during which dendrite retraction can be monitored in the absence of RGC death. The addition of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) produced a marked reduction in dendritic degeneration, even when application was delayed for 3 days after retinal explantation. These results suggest that the delayed addition of trophic factors may be functionally beneficial before the loss of cell bodies in the course of conditions such as glaucoma

Creation of a relational database for the collection and storage of data from tests of samples of bulk materials for the company Sklenář s.r.o

Diplomová práce se zabývá vytvořením relační databáze pro sběr a uchování dat ze zkoušek vzorků sypkých materiálů. V rámci této diplomové práce je popsána problematika teorie databázových systémů. V praktické části je vytvořena relační databáze, která slouží pro sběr a uchování dat ze zkoušek vzorků sypkých materiálů.The thesis deals with the creation of a relational database for collecting and storing data from tests of samples of bulk material. Within this thesis the issues of database systems theory are described. In the practical part, a relational database is created to collect and store data from bulk material sample tests

The Challenges of Promoting Instructional Improvement: Teaching Behaviors and Teaching Cultures at Liberal Arts Institutions in the Associated Colleges of the South

One goal of faculty development is to improve instructional practice (McKee, Johnson, Ritchie, and Tew, 2013; Ouellett 2010; Sorcinelli, Austin, Eddy, and Beach, 2006). This goal accords with the design of the Associated Colleges of the South Teaching and Learning Workshop, a faculty development workshop begun in 1992 for 16 residential, liberal arts institutions that comprise the ACS consortium. We surveyed ACS faculty members and observed that they are most likely to engage independently rather than collaboratively to improve their instructional practice, despite stated desires for collaborative opportunities for such work. We recommend that faculty development programs and institutions promote ways for faculty members to engage in collective examinations of instructional improvement that are mindful of specific institutional expectations and cultures, and that they invite discussion around the barriers and facilitators to collaborative work

Judging by the Rules? The emergence of evaluation practices

How does evaluation work differently, and how do evaluation practices emerge, in different contexts? Drawing on a mixed-methods study of evaluation in figure skating and classical music, I discuss the divergent evaluative cultures in these settings, especially in terms of how formal and standardized they are, to consider how and why evaluation practices change over time and why different settings use different evaluation practices. I emphasize the importance of organizational structure, including context, competition structure, degree of centralization, and governance structure. My findings suggest that highly centralized settings governed by more powerful organizations and where competitions build on each other tend to use more formal and standardized evaluation practices compared to other settings with fewer constraints. Understanding how evaluation practices develop and what they look like in different contexts is important because in addition to influencing the objects of evaluation and perceived fairness and legitimacy, these practices often affect outcomes, which have significant consequences for participants

Sports massage and the recovery of athletes

Masaža je manipulacija tjelesnih tkiva pomoću tehnika kao što su glađenje, trljanje, valjanje i lupkanje u svrhu održavanja zdravlja. To je jedna od najstarijih i najprirodnijih ljekovitih primjena u ljudskoj povijesti. Povijest masaže seže u davna vremena. Najranije pisano znanje o masaži, koja je jedan od najstarijih postupaka liječenja čovječanstva, može se naći u kineskim resursima. Kinezi su najranije započeli koristiti masažu za liječenje bolesti i održavanje zdravlja prije otprilike 5000 godina. Gotovo da ne postoji razlika između klasične medicinske i sportske masaže; imaju gotovo identično fiziološko djelovanje, ali energičnost sportske masaže ima bolji utjecaj na jake i hipertrofične mišiće sportaša. Masaža je osmišljena tako da se omekšavaju i zagrijavaju tkiva, te poravnavaju mišićna vlakna, što omogućava brže izbacivanje mliječne kiseline iz mišića. Sportska masaža koristi se u tretmanu posebnih mišićnih skupina koje su aktivne u pojedinom sportu. Npr.kod biciklista, masaža prije treninga potiče bolje zagrijavanje mišića nogu, koji služe kao glavni pokretači tijekom vožnje. Sportska masaža je sveprisutna u elitnom sportu i sve je češća u dobnim skupinama i na amaterskoj razini, stvarajući industriju profesionalnih terapeuta i uređaja za masažu vrijednu više milijuna funti. Kao najveće prednosti sportske masaže smatraju se poboljšani oporavak, izvedba i prevencija ozljeda. Kod vrhunskih sportaša, brza i učinkovita regeneracija je glavni predmet svih trenažnih procesa, a masaža je postala neizostavni dio terapije svakog sportaša. Zanimanje za sportsku masažu u posljednje je vrijeme u stalnom porastu, osobito u zemljama u razvoju. Određene studije su pokazale da liječnici opće prakse imaju minimalno ili nimalo znanja o terapiji sportskom masažom. Primarni cilj ovog rada je utvrditi na koji način sportska masaža utječe na oporavak sportaša. Sekundarni cilj je prezentirati najnovije spoznaje iz područja primjene sportske masaže u oporavku sportaša zainteresiranoj javnosti.Massage is the manipulation of body tissues using techniques such as effleurage, friction, rolling and tapping for the purpose of maintaining health. It is one of the oldest and most natural medicinal applications in human history. The history of massage goes back to ancient times. The earliest written knowledge of massage, which is one of humanity's oldest treatment procedures, can be found in Chinese resources. The Chinese at the earliest began using massage to treat diseases and maintain health about 5,000 years ago. There is almost no difference between classical medical and sports massage; they have almost identical physiological action, but the hustle of sports massage has a better effect on the strong and hypertrophic muscles of athletes. Massage is designed to soften and warm tissues, and align muscle fibers, which allows faster expulsion of lactic acid from the muscles. Sports massage is used in the treatment of special muscle groups that are active in a particular sport. For example, in cyclists, pre-workout massage promotes better warm-up of the leg muscles, which serve as the main drivers while riding. Sports massage is ubiquitous in elite sport and is increasingly common in age groups and at the amateur level, creating an industry of professional therapists and massage devices worth millions of pounds. The greatest benefits of sports massage are improved recovery, performance and injury prevention. In top athletes, fast and effective regeneration is the main subject of all training processes, and massage has become an indispensable part of the therapy of every athlete. Interest in sports massage has been steadily increasing lately, especially in developing countries. Certain studies have shown that GPs have minimal or no knowledge of sports massage therapy. The primary goal of this paper is to determine how sports massage affects the recovery of athletes. The secondary goal is to present the latest findings in the field of sports massage in the recovery of athletes to the interested public

Acute maternal infection and risk of pre-eclampsia: a population-based case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Infection in pregnancy may be involved in the aetiology of pre-eclampsia. However, a clear association between acute maternal infection and pre-eclampsia has not been established. We assessed whether acute urinary tract infection, respiratory tract infection, and antibiotic drug prescriptions in pregnancy (a likely proxy for maternal infection) are associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used a matched nested case-control design and data from the UK General Practice Research Database to examine the association between maternal infection and pre-eclampsia. Primiparous women aged at least 13 years and registered with a participating practice between January 1987 and October 2007 were eligible for inclusion. We selected all cases of pre-eclampsia and a random sample of primiparous women without pre-eclampsia (controls). Cases (n=1533) were individually matched with up to ten controls (n=14236) on practice and year of delivery. We calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for pre-eclampsia comparing women exposed and unexposed to infection using multivariable conditional logistic regression. After adjusting for maternal age, pre-gestational hypertension, diabetes, renal disease and multifetal gestation, the odds of pre-eclampsia were increased in women prescribed antibiotic drugs (adjusted odds ratio 1.28;1.14-1.44) and in women with urinary tract infection (adjusted odds ratio 1.22;1.03-1.45). We found no association with maternal respiratory tract infection (adjusted odds ratio 0.91;0.72-1.16). Further adjustment for maternal smoking and pre-pregnancy body mass index made no difference to our findings. CONCLUSIONS: Women who acquire a urinary infection during pregnancy, but not those who have a respiratory infection, are at an increased risk of pre-eclampsia. Maternal antibiotic prescriptions are also associated with an increased risk. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanism of this association and to determine whether, among women who acquire infections in pregnancy, prompt treatment or prophylaxis against infection might reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia