Evaluation of protamines 1 and 2 transcript contents in spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic men.

During mammalian spermatogenesis, the chromatin structure undergoes substantial condensation. The key role in this process is played by protamines 1 and 2 (PRM1, PRM2). We attempted to compare the levels of PRM1 and PRM2 transcripts in mature spermatozoa of normospermic and asthenozoospermic men. Human ejaculates from normozoospermic (n=70) and asthenozoospermic (n=100) donors were purified by centrifugation through discontinuous Percoll density gradient. RNA was isolated from spermatozoa according to the ChomczyĂąski and Sacchi method, treated with DNase I, and reverse-transcribed into cDNA. Using reverse transcription and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, we found a reduction in the levels of PRM1 and PRM2 transcripts in spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic men, as compared to controls (

Glucocorticoid receptor beta splice variant expression in patients with high and low activity of systemic lupus erythematosus.

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) occurs mainly in two alternative splice variants encoding GRalpha and GRbeta. The GRbeta variant does not contain a GC binding domain and cannot mediate anti-inflammatory GC effects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from venous whole blood of twelve patients with SLE. Ten of the SLE patients exhibited low disease activity while two patients displayed highly active stage of the disease. The quantitative analysis of GRalpha and GRbeta transcripts in PBMC was performed by reverse transcription and real-time quantitative PCR SYBR Green I system. The protein level of GRalpha and GRbeta isoforms in PBMCs was determined by western blotting analysis. We found that the two SLE patients with high disease activity exhibited significantly elevated GRbeta transcript levels and corresponding protein levels in PBMCs. These preliminary findings suggest that increased expression of GRbeta isoform may be associated with relatively more severe clinical presentation of SLE syndrome

Analysis of communication in the educational process by means of e-learning

Purpose: The aim of the research is to analyse communication in the educational process by means of e-learning. Approach/Methodology/Design: An analysis of relevant foreign literature was conducted. A communication model and a comparative analysis of synchronous communication tools based on established criteria were indicated. For the comparative analysis normal distribution, descriptive analysis methodology and chi-quadrate distribution with T-student distribution were used. Findings: The analysis of the presented research results shows that most respondents prefer to solve tasks at a distance in any form. Students are satisfied with the adopted solutions, as well as with the offered methods of communication. The introduction of e-learning positively influences the acquisition and dysfunction of knowledge by students. Practical Implications: Distance communication is a very popular means of communication in the 21st century. The use of various tools does not create a barrier and is evidence of high technological progress. Originality/Value: An original literary approach from the most recent international positions was presented and authorial research was carried out on a representative group of respondents. It is shown that the transfer and acquisition of knowledge by means of information and communication technologies has contributed to changes at universities.peer-reviewe

Call centre interaction: A case of sanctioned face attack?

In this paper, we investigate a sub-corpus of call centre interactions building on and extending the work of Jagodziński (2013) and Archer (2008, 2011a,b). Our aim is to show (i) how the institution's tacit acceptance of impoliteness and verbal aggression, on the part of callers, can lead to a form of institutional sanctioning, (ii) how the sting of impoliteness/verbal aggression is neutralised for some agents, in the course of conflictive customer service interactions – but not all, and (iii) possible reasons for this (non)-neutralisation. Our goal is to provide real-life evidence of: how impoliteness and/or verbal aggression are performed in the call centre, the extent to which they are mutually related, and how they link with the notion of instrumentality. In this way we present our own understanding of concepts which, although they have been used in im/politeness research for some time, are still relatively under-researched in real-world contexts such as the call centre

Evaluation of protamines 1 and 2 transcript contents in spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic men.

During mammalian spermatogenesis, the chromatin structure undergoes substantial condensation. The key role in this process is played by protamines 1 and 2 (PRM1, PRM2). We attempted to compare the levels of PRM1 and PRM2 transcripts in mature spermatozoa of normospermic and asthenozoospermic men. Human ejaculates from normozoospermic (n=70) and asthenozoospermic (n=100) donors were purified by centrifugation through discontinuous Percoll density gradient. RNA was isolated from spermatozoa according to the ChomczyĂąski and Sacchi method, treated with DNase I, and reverse-transcribed into cDNA. Using reverse transcription and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, we found a reduction in the levels of PRM1 and PRM2 transcripts in spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic men, as compared to controls (P<0.001). Our findings indicate that a reduction in contents of PRM1 and PRM2 transcripts in spermatozoa may be linked with asthenozoospermia

Glucocorticoid receptor beta splice variant expression in patients with high and low activity of systemic lupus erythematosus.

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) occurs mainly in two alternative splice variants encoding GRalpha and GRbeta. The GRbeta variant does not contain a GC binding domain and cannot mediate anti-inflammatory GC effects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from venous whole blood of twelve patients with SLE. Ten of the SLE patients exhibited low disease activity while two patients displayed highly active stage of the disease. The quantitative analysis of GRalpha and GRbeta transcripts in PBMC was performed by reverse transcription and real-time quantitative PCR SYBR Green I system. The protein level of GRalpha and GRbeta isoforms in PBMCs was determined by western blotting analysis. We found that the two SLE patients with high disease activity exhibited significantly elevated GRbeta transcript levels and corresponding protein levels in PBMCs. These preliminary findings suggest that increased expression of GRbeta isoform may be associated with relatively more severe clinical presentation of SLE syndrome

Responses of leaf structure and photosynthetic properties to intra-canopy light gradients : a common garden test with four broadleaf deciduous angiosperm and seven evergreen conifer tree species

Spectra of leaf traits in northern temperate forest canopies reflect major differences in leaf longevity between evergreen conifers and deciduous broadleaf angiosperms, as well as plastic modifications caused by within-crown shading. We investigated (1) whether long-lived conifer leaves exhibit similar intra-canopy plasticity as short-lived broadleaves, and (2) whether global interspecific relationships between photosynthesis, nitrogen, and leaf structure identified for sun leaves adequately describe leaves differentiated in response to light gradients. We studied structural and photosynthetic properties of intra-tree sun and shade foliage in adult trees of seven conifer and four broadleaf angiosperm species in a common garden in Poland. Shade leaves exhibited lower leaf mass-per-area (LMA) than sun leaves; however, the relative difference was smaller in conifers than in broadleaves. In broadleaves, LMA was correlated with lamina thickness and tissue density, while in conifers, it was correlated with thickness but not density. In broadleaves, but not in conifers, reduction of lamina thickness was correlated with a thinner palisade layer. The more conservative adjustment of conifer leaves could result from a combination of phylogenetic constraints, contrasting leaf anatomies and shoot geometries, but also from functional requirements of long-lived foliage. Mass-based nitrogen concentration (Nmass) was similar between sun and shade leaves, and was lower in conifers than in deciduous broadleaved species. Given this, the smaller LMA in shade corresponded with a lower area-based N concentration (Narea). In evergreen conifers, LMA and Narea were less powerful predictors of area-based photosynthetic rate (Amax(area)) in comparison with deciduous broadleaved angiosperms. Multiple regression for sun and shade leaves showed that, in each group, Amax(mass) was related to Nmass but not to LMA, whereas LMA became a significant codeterminant of Amax(mass) in analysis combining both groups. Thus, a fundamental mass-based relationship between photosynthesis, nitrogen, and leaf structure reported previously also exists in a dataset combining within-crown and across-functional type variation

Soil modification by different tree species influences the extent of seedling ectomycorrhizal infection

Established vegetation can facilitate the ectomycorrhizal infection of seedlings, but it is not known whether this interaction is limited by the phylogenetic relatedness of trees and seedlings. We use a series of bioassay experiments to test whether soil modification by different ectomycorrhizal tree species causes different levels of seedling infection, whether the extent of seedling infection is a function of the relatedness of tree and seedling, and whether the effect of trees on seedlings is mediated by biotic or abiotic soil factors. We found that soils from under different tree species do vary in their mycorrhizal infectiveness. However, this variation is not related to the genetic relatedness of trees and seedlings but instead, appears to be an attribute of the overstory species, irrespective of seedling species, mediated through a suite of humus- and base-cation-related abiotic effects on soils. Modification of abiotic soil properties by overstory trees should be considered as an important factor in the effect of different overstory trees on the extent of seedling mycorrhizal infection