Neutrophil extracellular traps formation and clearance is enhanced in fever and attenuated in hypothermia

Fever and hypothermia represent two opposite strategies for fighting systemic inflammation. Fever results in immune activation; hypothermia is associated with energy conservation. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) remains a significant cause of mortality worldwide. SIRS can lead to a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms but importantly, patients can develop fever or hypothermia. During infection, polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) such as neutrophils prevent pathogen dissemination through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that ensnare and kill bacteria. However, when dysregulated, NETs also promote host tissue damage. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that temperature modulates NETs homeostasis in response to infection and inflammation. NETs formation was studied in response to infectious (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus) and sterile (mitochondria) agents. When compared to body temperature (37°C), NETs formation increased at 40°C; interestingly, the response was stunted at 35°C and 42°C. While CD16+ CD49d+ PMNs represent a small proportion of the neutrophil population, they formed ~45-85% of NETs irrespective of temperature. Temperature increased formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) expression to a differential extent in CD16+ CD49d- vs. CD49d+ PMNSs, suggesting further complexity to neutrophil function in hypo/hyperthermic conditions. The capacity of NETs to induce Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9)-mediated NF-κB activation was found to be temperature independent. Interestingly, NET degradation was enhanced at higher temperatures, which corresponded with greater plasma DNase activity in response to temperature increase. Collectively, our observations indicate that NETs formation and clearance are enhanced at 40°C whilst temperatures of 35°C and 42°C attenuate this response. Targeting PMN-driven immunity may represent new venues for intervention in pathological inflammation

Genes of intestinal Escherichia coli and their relation to the inflammatory activity in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

Escherichia coli gene fimA was the most frequent gene that occurred in the intestine of all investigated groups. All subjects with fimA gene had significantly higher values of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and CRP than those with other E. coli genes. There was also a tendency to increased serum interleukin (IL)-6 levels in patients carrying the fimA gene; however, no relation was observed to serum IL-8 and IL-10. Patients with Crohn’s disease had significantly higher IL-6 than those with ulcerative colitis (UC) and controls. The highest levels of TNF-α were detected in the UC group. There were no significant differences in serum IL-8 and IL-10 between all three groups. The presence of E. coli gene fimA in the large bowel of patients with IBD is related to the immunological activity of the disease which may be important from the aspect of therapeutical strategy

THE IMPACT OF VERMICOMPOST APPLICATION ON YIELD PARAMETERS OF MAIZE

ABSTRACT The impact of vermicompost application on yield parameters of maize was assessed in a pot experiment carried out in vegetation cage located in area of SUA in Nitra. The experiment had 5 treatments. The first treatment was controlled, i.e., without the appliance of vermicompost. In treatment 2, vermicompost was applied in autumn and introduced a dose of 170 kg ha -1 N into the soil. In treatment 3 to 5, vermicompost was applied at twice dose in comparison to treatment 2 (340 kg ha -1 N). In treatment 3, the whole dose of vermicompost (340 kg ha -1 N) was applied at once, in autumn. In treatments 4 and 5, half of vermicompost (170 kg ha -1 N) was applied in autumn and half (170 kg ha -1 N) in spring, month before maize sowing. Not only was vermicompost applied in treatment 5, but also nitrogen fertilizer in form of LAD (ammonium nitrate with dolomite) at 60 kg ha -1 N dose. The obtained results suggest that impact of vermicompost application on thickness of stalk and plant height of maize depended on the vermicompost application dose and on time of application. A bigger dose had a more positive impact than a smaller dose. From aspect of thickness of stalk and plant height is more appropriate when a bigger dose of vermicompost is applied once in autumn than a dose divided into autumn and spring applications. From the aspect of yield, no difference has been observed between a single autumn application and an application divided into autumn-spring dates. Pre-sowing addition of industrial nitrogen into the soil fertilized with vermicompost in autumn and spring dates resulted in creation of thickest stalks of maize plants, highest plants, highest total chlorophyll content in leaves, longest spadix of maize, highest thousand kernel weight and in highest grain yield of maize

The impact of fresh sawdust and dry pig manure produced on sawdust bedding application on the nutrients mobility in soil and sugar beet yield

The objective of the pot trial carried out at the area of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra was to determine the impact of dry pig manure produced on the sawdust bedding and sawdust litter on the level of nutrients’ mobility in the soil and sugar beet yield. The achieved results showed that one month after the sawdust and manure application to the soil, the contents of mobile nutrients (Nan, P, K, Ca, Mg) in soil were lower than in the control unfertilized treatment. The sawdust litter immobilized nutrients more considerably than manure. Four months after the manure application into soil, its immobilization effect was not evident. On the contrary, the manure increased the mobile nutrients content in soil. In the second year of experiment the immobilization effect of sawdust litter was proved even four months after its application into soil. The application of manure increased considerably the beet root yield. The maximum root yield was determined in the treatment where the highest dose of manure was applied. The minimum root yield was detected in the treatment where the highest dose of sawdust litter was applied