Impairment of microcirculation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis - studies by nailfold videocapillaroscopy and correlation with serum levels of sICAM and VEGF.

Impairment of vascular endothelium plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases including juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that structural abnormalities of the smallest blood vessels (capillaries) might exist and reflect endothelial dysfunction in children with JIA. Microcirculation was studied, by means of nailfold videocapillaroscopy with computer-associated image analysis, in 43 patients with JIA and compared with 20 healthy children. Moreover, capillaroscopic findings were correlated with the activity of the disease and the levels of serum biomarkers of endothelial injury, namely soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We found that in JIA patients capillaries were significantly wider and longer than in healthy controls. Moreover, irregular capillaries and dilated subpapillary venous plexus were found significantly more frequently in JIA in comparison with the control group. Serum levels of sICAM and VEGF were significantly higher in JIA patients with capillary abnormalities than in JIA patients with normal capillaroscopy. Our study indicates that there are structural changes in the microcirculation of patients with JIA and that these changes might reflect endothelial injury. Whether capillaroscopy might have a role in early identification of JIA patients being at higher risk of atherosclerosis requires further studies

Meat and bone meal as nitrogen and phosphorus supplier to cereals and oilseed rape

Peer reviewe

Environmental Application of Ash from Incinerated Biomass

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ash from combustion of plant biomass of energy willow and Pennsylvania fanpetals on yields of willow grown as an energy crop and on soil properties. A three-year pot experiment was carried out on substrates with a loamy sand texture. Ash application rates were based on the potassium fertilisation demand. An incubation experiment was carried out to determine the effect of biomass-based ash on soil properties. Three soils with textural categories were incubated for 3 months with the ashes, the doses of which were determined on the basis of the hydrolytic acidity of soils (¼; ½ and 1.0 Hh). It was found that ashes generated from burning willow or Pennsylvania fanpetals can be applied instead of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium fertilisers in the cultivation of energy willow. The plant uptake of P, K and Mg from the ashes did not diverge from their absorption by plants when supplied with mineral salts. The application of these alkaline ashes will increase the soil content of phytoavailable forms of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. The examined ashes enriched the soil with micronutrients

Impairment of microcirculation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis - studies by nailfold videocapillaroscopy and correlation with serum levels of sICAM and VEGF.

Impairment of vascular endothelium plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases including juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that structural abnormalities of the smallest blood vessels (capillaries) might exist and reflect endothelial dysfunction in children with JIA. Microcirculation was studied, by means of nailfold videocapillaroscopy with computer-associated image analysis, in 43 patients with JIA and compared with 20 healthy children. Moreover, capillaroscopic findings were correlated with the activity of the disease and the levels of serum biomarkers of endothelial injury, namely soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We found that in JIA patients capillaries were significantly wider and longer than in healthy controls. Moreover, irregular capillaries and dilated subpapillary venous plexus were found significantly more frequently in JIA in comparison with the control group. Serum levels of sICAM and VEGF were significantly higher in JIA patients with capillary abnormalities than in JIA patients with normal capillaroscopy. Our study indicates that there are structural changes in the microcirculation of patients with JIA and that these changes might reflect endothelial injury. Whether capillaroscopy might have a role in early identification of JIA patients being at higher risk of atherosclerosis requires further studies

The linear regression between weight of 1000 seeds and seed coat for analysed genotypes <i>Lupinus angustifolius</i>.

<p>The linear regression between weight of 1000 seeds and seed coat for analysed genotypes <i>Lupinus angustifolius</i>.</p

Mean squares from variance analysis for 1000-seed weight and seed coat percentage.

<p>*significance at the level of α = 0.05.</p><p>**significance at the level of α = 0.01.</p

Nucleotide sequence and annealing temperatures of primers generating polymorphic ISSR products in the analysed genotypes.

<p>*R purine, Y pyrimidine; N any nucleotide; B indicates C, G or T; D as A, G, or T; H as A, C, or T; and V as A, C, or G.</p

<i>Lupinus angustifolius</i> seed sculpture in the mutant lines PL-41H (A, A′), PL-44H (B, B′), PL-53H (C, C′), PL-‘Emir’ (D, D′), PL-‘Sonet’ (E, E′).

<p>SEM images of seed surface (A′, B′, C′, D′, E′ – general view of seeds in inserts) and cross-section of the seed coat (A, B, C, D, E). C – cuticle; MS – macrosclereids layer; OS – osteosclereids layer; PA – parenchymal cells.</p

Weight of 1000 seed and seed coat percentage in analysed genotypes of <i>Lupinus angustifolius</i> L.

<p>Means for each year based of three replications ± standard errors.</p><p>A,B,C …-uniform groups based on the Duncan test.</p><p>AU-originated from Australia.</p><p>PL-originated from Poland.</p><p>BY - originated from Belarus.</p><p>SEM – standard error of the means.</p

Genetic identity (Is - below the diagram) and genetic distance (Ds - above the diagonal) statistics for the analysed genotypes of <i>L. angustifolius</i>.

<p>Genetic identity (Is - below the diagram) and genetic distance (Ds - above the diagonal) statistics for the analysed genotypes of <i>L. angustifolius</i>.</p