Exercise-related changes in the anabolic index (testosterone to cortisol ratio) and serum amyloid A concentration in endurance and racehorses at different fitness levels

Increased training loads in both human and equine athletes are generally implemented to improve their physical performance. These loads are tolerated only within appropriate training periodization with regard to recovery time. Otherwise, training overload causes failure in the systemic adaptation, which at first leads to overreaching, and progressively to overtraining syndrome (OTS). Exercise endocrinology, and anabolic/catabolic balance as an indicator of athlete performance status and OTS has continued to attract attention. In human medicine, changes in testosterone and cortisol levels, as well as the testosterone to cortisol ratio (T/C; anabolic index), are suggested to be sensitive stress markers. However, there is a lack of research investigating these parameters for use in equine sports medicine. The aim of the study was to investigate the differences in testosterone, cortisol, and T/C in response to a single training session in two types of equine sports: endurance and race, together with serum amyloid A (SAA), the main acute phase response indicator of physical effort, and the overall health status in horses. Two groups of horses were enrolled in the study: endurance (n = 12) and racehorses (n = 32) of different fitness level. Blood samples were obtained before and after the exercise. On average, T increased 2.5 times after the race training in experienced racehorses and dropped in endurance horses regardless the fitness level (p < 0.05). In endurance horses, a decrease in T/C occurred after training in inexperienced horses (p < 0.05). In racehorses, a T/C decrease occurred in the inexperienced group (p < 0.05) and an increase in the experienced (p < 0.01). In conclusion, T/C ratio was found to be a potentially reliable indicator of fitness status especially in racing horses. These findings provide insight into the physiological response of the horses to different types of exercise and the potential use of hormone levels as markers of performance and adaptation

Trans-ancestry meta-analyses identify rare and common variants associated with blood pressure and hypertension

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature death. However, there is limited knowledge on specific causal genes and pathways. To better understand the genetics of blood pressure, we genotyped 242,296 rare, low-frequency and common genetic variants in up to ~192,000 individuals, and used ~155,063 samples for independent replication. We identified 31 novel blood pressure or hypertension associated genetic regions in the general population, including three rare missense variants in RBM47, COL21A1 and RRAS with larger effects (>1.5mmHg/allele) than common variants. Multiple rare, nonsense and missense variant associations were found in A2ML1 and a low-frequency nonsense variant in ENPEP was identified. Our data extend the spectrum of allelic variation underlying blood pressure traits and hypertension, provide new insights into the pathophysiology of hypertension and indicate new targets for clinical intervention

GWAS meta-analysis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy implicates multiple hepatic genes and regulatory elements

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a pregnancy-specific liver disorder affecting 0.5–2% of pregnancies. The majority of cases present in the third trimester with pruritus, elevated serum bile acids and abnormal serum liver tests. ICP is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes, including spontaneous preterm birth and stillbirth. Whilst rare mutations affecting hepatobiliary transporters contribute to the aetiology of ICP, the role of common genetic variation in ICP has not been systematically characterised to date. Here, we perform genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses for ICP across three studies including 1138 cases and 153,642 controls. Eleven loci achieve genome-wide significance and have been further investigated and fine-mapped using functional genomics approaches. Our results pinpoint common sequence variation in liver-enriched genes and liver-specific cis-regulatory elements as contributing mechanisms to ICP susceptibility

Supportive witness of the development as the type of pedagogical influence

Niniejsza praca licencjacka powstała w Instytucie Pedagogiki Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego na kierunku „Pedagogika Społeczno-Opiekuńcza” na seminarium prof. Katarzyny Wrońskiej i nosi tytuł: Wspierający świadek rozwoju jako typ oddziaływań pedagogicznych”. Praca składa się ze Wstępu, trzech Rozdziałów oraz Zakończenia i wykazu bibliografii wykorzystanej w tekście. Wszystkie rozdziały mają osobne wprowadzenie w swoją tematykę, a także podsumowanie. Rozdział I przedstawia ustalenia wstępne dotyczące pedagogiki towarzyszenia i świadka rozwoju i składa się z następujących podrozdziałów: Ukierunkowania pedagogiki towarzyszenia; Właściwości pedagogiki towarzyszenia w tradycji ignacjańskiej; Świadek rozwoju – kwestie definicyjne postawy towarzyszenia.Rozdział II analizuje typy oddziaływań i sposoby realizacji zadań świadka rozwoju, wykorzystując zwłaszcza pojęcie „służenia z radością” na podstawie opowieści autobiograficznej Biskupa Antoniego Długosza. Stanowi to ilustrację zaangażowania we wspieranie rozwoju samodzielności i odpowiedzialności wychowanka w sytuacji opartej na wierze.Rozdział III ma za przedmiot rozważań sytuację wychowanka jako adresata postawy towarzyszenia rozwoju. Podejmuję kwestie wagi troski o człowieczeństwo w ujęciu Hannah Arendt, a także uwypuklona jest idea pracy nad sobą w ramach „pedagogiki towarzyszenia”. W szczególności przywołany jest motyw towarzyszenia, widziany w procesie dramatu spotkania, dzięki inspiracjom przywołanym z perspektywy Józefa Tischnera.Zakończenie pracy podsumowuje w kilku punktach najważniejsze cechy zarysowanej perspektywy pedagogicznej, która dopiero uzyskuje szersze opisy w literaturze pedagogicznej.Bibliografia obejmuje prace cytowane przeze mnie bezpośrednio jak i przywołane w cytatach, które w moich rozważaniach zostały wykorzystane.This BA thesis was written at the Institute of Pedagogy of the Jagiellonian University in the field of "Social and Welfare Pedagogy" at the seminar of prof. Katarzyna Wrońska and is entitled: „Supporting witness of the development as a type of pedagogical influence”. The work consists of the Introduction, three Chapters and the End and the list of bibliography used in the text. All chapters have a separate introduction to their topics and a summary.The first chapter presents the introductory arrangements concerning the pedagogy of accompaniment and witness of the development and consists of the following sub-chapters: Orientation of the pedagogy of accompaniment; Properties of accompaniment pedagogy in the Ignatian tradition; A witness of the development - definition issues of the accompaniment attitude.Second chapter analyzes the types of interactions and the ways of carrying out the tasks of the witness of the development, using in particular the concept of "serving with joy" on the basis of the autobiographical story of Bishop Antoni Długosz. This is an illustration of the commitment to supporting the development of the foster's independence and responsibility in a situation based on faith.The third chapter considers the situation of the charge as the addressee of the attitude of accompanying development. I take up the issue of the importance of caring for humanity as defined by Hannah Arendt, and the idea of ​​working on oneself as part of the "pedagogy of accompaniment" is emphasized. In particular, the theme of accompaniment is invoked, seen in the process of the drama of the meeting, thanks to the inspirations evoked from the perspective of Józef Tischner.The end of the thesis summarizes in several points the most important features of the outlined pedagogical perspective, which only receives more extensive descriptions in the pedagogical literature.The bibliography includes works quoted by me directly as well as those quoted in the quotations that have been used in my considerations

Anti-Inflammatory State in Arabian Horses Introduced to the Endurance Training

Development of an anti-inflammatory state during physical training has been postulated in both human and equine athletes, but it is not completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether endurance training changes pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles within a 20-week training season in young inexperienced endurance horses. Nine Arabian horses were examined in this prospective 20-week follow-up study. Blood samples were analysed 5 times monthly, at rest and after training sessions. Routine haematological examinations were performed. Cytokine patterns including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10 mRNA expression using Real Time-PCR, and serum concentrations of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17, INFγ, TNF-α, and IL-10 by ELISA test were determined. During endurance training, the most significant decrease in post-exercise cytokine type 1 levels (TNFα and IL-β) occurred within 20 weeks, beginning from the 3rd month of training. IL-6 serum level decreased after the 4th month. The results suggest that endurance training can induce advanced overall anti-inflammatory response as an adaptation to increasing workload

C-Reactive Protein as a Diagnostic Marker in Dogs: A Review

Acute phase response is a nonspecific reaction to disturbances in homeostasis during which the production of some Acute Phase Proteins (APPs) is stimulated; they are sensitive but nonspecific markers of systemic inflammatory processes. The major positive APP in dogs is the C-reactive protein (CRP). The dynamic of its concentration changes fast, rising and decreasing rapidly with the onset and removal of the inflammatory stimulus. It increases within the first 4–24 h after the stimulus and reaches up to a 50–100-fold increase of the baseline level. It has been documented that this APP’s concentration is elevated during several diseases, such as pyometra, panniculitis, acute pancreatitis, polyarthritis, sepsis, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, and neoplasia in dogs. In clinical practice, canine CRP is mostly measured to detect and monitor systemic inflammatory activity and the efficacy of treatments, because it is a more sensitive marker than shifts in leukocyte counts. Blood serum CRP concentration is becoming a part of routine biochemistry panels in many countries. In this article, changes in CRP concentration and its clinical application in healthy and diseased dogs are discussed

Immunological Response during Pregnancy in Humans and Mares

The immunology of pregnancy deals with the immune responses of a mother and her fetus to each other. More knowledge has been acquired over the last decade to give insight into the complicated immunological processes that help the developing fetus to survive in most circumstances. During this unusual state, the mother’s immune system must remain tolerant to paternal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens while retaining normal immunological competence for pathogen defense, which is a difficult act. In the last decade, numerous processes have been revealed that may explain why the mother does not reject the foreign fetus. To understand how these processes work, the need to look at both fetal and maternal aspects, including trophoblast cell characteristics, local maternal factors, and changed MHC class I expression, is required. Horses, because of their unique anatomy and physiology, are a very useful animal model in pregnancy immunology research. In pregnant mares, chorionic girdle cells generate cytotoxic antibodies to paternal MHC class I antigens, enabling a more in-depth study of these invasive trophoblasts and their effect on the mother’s immune system. Therefore, this review will concentrate on the immune response during pregnancy in both humans and horses

The Relationship between Canine Behavioral Disorders and Gut Microbiome and Future Therapeutic Perspectives

Canine behavioral disorders have become one of the most common concerns and challenging issues among dog owners. Thus, there is a great demand for knowledge about various factors affecting dogs’ emotions and well-being. Among them, the gut–brain axis seems to be particularly interesting, especially since in many instances the standard treatment or behavioral therapies insufficiently improve animal behavior. Therefore, to face this challenge, the search for novel therapeutic methods is highly required. Existing data show that mammals’ gut microbiome, immune system, and nervous system are in continuous communication and influence animal physiology and behavior. This review aimed to summarize and discuss the most important scientific evidence on the relationship between mental disorders and gut microbiota in dogs, simultaneously presenting comparable outcomes in humans and rodent models. A comprehensive overview of crucial mechanisms of the gut–brain axis is included. This refers especially to the neurotransmitters crucial for animal behavior, which are regulated by the gut microbiome, and to the main microbial metabolites—short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This review presents summarized data on gut dysbiosis in relation to the inflammation process within the organism, as well as the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. All of the above mechanisms are presented in this review in strict correlation with brain and/or behavioral changes in the animal. Additionally, according to human and laboratory animal studies, the gut microbiome appears to be altered in individuals with mental disorders; thus, various strategies to manipulate the gut microbiota are implemented. This refers also to the fecal microbiome transplantation (FMT) method, based on transferring the fecal matter from a donor into the gastrointestinal tract of a recipient in order to modulate the gut microbiota. In this review, the possible effects of the FMT procedure on animal behavioral disorders are discussed

The most common damage to the foundations of poles of extra high voltage power lines and the methods of their repair

The paper consists of the discussion of issues related to the durability of foundations of extra high voltage (EHV) power line poles and possibilities of their renovation. The research part is the diagnostics of selected foundations of the EHV line poles (400 kV) Wielopole–Noszowice. During the on-site inspection, it was found that there are chipping and small surface defects, and in some cases losses of the reinforcement cover without visible pits. Based on the degree of damage, the scope of non-structural repairs and anti-corrosive protection was determined, presenting the next stages of their implementation

Wpływ warunków pielęgnacji betonu na jego właściwości mechaniczne

This paper aims to present the results of compressive strength tests of concrete specimens, prepared according to two recipes, after 2, 7 and 28 days of maturing in four different environments. The concrete specimens had the same w/c ratio, the same amount of aggregate of particular fractions, the addition of a superplasticizer, but they differed in the cement type. In one recipe, the Portland cement CEM I 32.5R was used, in the other – pozzolanic ash cement CEM IV/B(V) 32.5R-LH/NA. Concrete specimens with dimensions of 100 x 100 x 100 mm made according to both recipes were placed in individual ripening environments: in cuvettes with water, soaked and wrapped with construction foil, left in room conditions in the laboratory, placed outside the laboratory and being exposed to the atmospheric conditions. The obtained compressive strength results confirmed that the best way of curing concrete is the wet cure (in cuvettes with water). It has been proven that the choice of proper curing method is key in terms of compressive strength.W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań wytrzymałości na ściskanie próbek betonowych, wykonanych według dwóch receptur, po 2, 7 i 28 dniach dojrzewania w czterech różnych środowiskach. Betony miały jednakowy wskaźnik W/C, taką samą ilość kruszywa poszczególnych frakcji, dodatek superplasyfikatora, ale różniły się rodzajem cementu. W jednej recepturze użyto cementu portlandzkiego CEM I 32,5R w drugiej cementu pucolanowego popiołowego CEM IV/B (V) 32,5R – LH/NA. Próbki  o wymiarach 100x100x100mm betonu wykonanego wg obu receptur umieszczono w poszczególnych środowiskach dojrzewania: w kuwetach z wodą, zmoczono i owinięto folią budowlaną, pozostawiono w warunkach pokojowych w laboratorium, umieszczono na zewnątrz laboratorium pozostawiając pod działaniem warunków atmosferycznych. Uzyskane wyniki wytrzymałości na ściskanie potwierdziły, że najlepszym sposobem pielęgnacji betonu jest pielęgnacja mokra.  Udowodniono, że w odniesieniu do wytrzymałości na ściskanie – kluczowy jest sposób pielęgnacji