Uznapredovala liberalizacija tržišta sve je veći izazov sustavima upravljanja kakvi se primjenjuju u javnim poduzećima. Javlja se potreba za organizacijskim i procesnim preustrojem u tri područja: ...strukture grupe, sustavi upravljanja i organizacija za upravljanje/financijsku analizu i praćenje. Za tvrtke u ovom sektoru bitno je da sustavno podižu razinu svojih sustava upravljanja te da usvoje najviše međunarodne standarde. No jednako je važna temeljito upravljanje promjenama kako bi se osigurala puna provedba izrađenih strategija. U ovom se članku istražuje što se može učiniti u tri spomenuta područja kako bi se osiguralo da se javnim poduzećima upravlja u skladu s najnovijim dostignućima. Teorija se potom konkretizira primjenom jednog stvarnog slučaja – riječ je o novijem projektu što ga tvrtka Roland Berger vodi za jedno srednjoeuropsko javno poduzeće.
Evolution has resulted in profound differences between males and females that extend to non-reproductive organs and are reflected in the susceptibility and progression of diseases. However, the ...cellular and molecular basis for these differences remains largely unknown. Here we report that adrenal gland tissue renewal is highly active and sexually dimorphic, with female mice showing a 3-fold higher turnover than males. Moreover, in males, homeostasis relies on proliferation of cells within the steroidogenic zone, but females employ an additional stem and/or progenitor compartment situated in the adrenal capsule. Using lineage tracing, sex reversal models, gonadectomy, and dihydrotestosterone treatments, we further show that sex-specific stem cell activity is driven by male hormones that repress recruitment of Gli1+ stem cells from the capsule and cell proliferation. Taken together, our findings provide a molecular and cellular basis for adrenal sex dimorphism that may contribute to the increased incidence of adrenal diseases in females.
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•The adult adrenal cortex is subject to extensive cell renewal•Tissue turnover of the adrenal cortex in females is 3 times higher than in males•Capsular stem cells contribute to adult cortex replenishment in females only•Dihydrotestosterone treatment in females abolishes capsular stem cell recruitment
Evidence in both mice and humans indicates significant differences in the adrenal cortex biology of the opposite sex. Using genetic tools combined with hormonal treatments, Grabek et al. demonstrate that cell proliferation and cell recruitment from a capsular stem cell compartment are active in females but suppressed by androgens in male mice.
The evolution of thermogenesis in mammals Grabek, Katharine R.; Sprenger, Ryan J.
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
06/2024, Volume:
384, Issue:
6700
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Comparative genomics elucidates the steps enabling heat production in fat tissue
Many organisms have the capacity to generate heat (thermogenesis) to regulate the temperature of the whole body ...(endothermy) or of some body regions. Maintaining tissue temperature confers evolutionary advantages, including ensuring optimal metabolism and promoting the ability to inhabit a wider range of environments ( 1 ). In mammals, one important pathway for heat production is through nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) in brown adipose tissue (BAT), which involves the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). But how this capacity evolved in these animals remains unclear. On page 1111 of this issue, Keipert et al. ( 2 ) used comparative genomics and ancient protein reconstructions to study the evolutionary history of UCP1, revealing the steps leading to its ability to mediate thermogenesis in mammalian adipose tissue.
Honey variety is commonly defined by beekeepers based on nectar flow availability and the only laboratory method to provide verification is the melissopalynological analysis. Therefore, a quick and ...simple method for accurate assessment of honey variety is still being researched. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of honey as an indicator of variety through the use of multivariate statistical analysis. Materials for the study consisted of 90 samples of varietal Polish honeys (rape-12, tilia-10, goldenrod-11, dandelion-5, buckwheat-6, multifloral-17, nectar-honeydew-8 and coniferous honeydew-16 and leafy honeydew-5) obtained directly from apiaries. Honeys were investigated in aspect of antioxidant capacity by photochemiluminescence (PCL) methods using standard ACW and ACL kits. As the reference FRAP and DPPH methods were used. The total phenolics content (TPC) was determined through the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The strongest antioxidant activity was found for buckwheat, while the weakest was found for rape honeys regardless of the used method. Results of the used methods were positively correlated (r = 0.42 to 0.94). Analysis conducted by PCL method confirmed that the minor fraction of honey antioxidants exhibits hydrophobic properties. Clear separation of honey varieties using PCA and Clustering method indicate that antioxidant activity can be a useful parameter for determining the botanical origin of honey.
Real signals are usually contaminated with various types of noise. This phenomenon has a negative impact on the operation of systems that rely on signals processing. In this paper, we propose a ...tensor-based method for speckle noise reduction in the side-scan sonar images. The method is based on the Tucker decomposition with automatically determined ranks of factoring tensors. As verified experimentally, the proposed method shows very good results, outperforming other types of speckle-noise filters.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in verifying the floral origin of unifloral honeys, as a very interesting natural remedy. Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is more and more ...frequently used in honey identification and their quality control. The aim of this study was to develop procedures allowing for authentication of rape (Brassica) honey by chemometrics and spectroscopy. The FTIR-ATR spectrum of rape pollen was used as a reference to determine the rape pollen content within the investigate rape honey samples. The higher percentage of rape pollen contained the rape honey, the more similarities were observed between the respective spectra of these two samples, while the spectra of other honey types differed significantly. Discriminant analysis demonstrated, that the absorbance values at 1540 cm−1, 1650 cm−1, 1740 cm−1 were the parameters unambiguously identifying rape honey. According to the Classification Tree Analysis, peaks at 1000–1200 cm−1, 1650 cm−1, 1740 cm−1 wavenumbers were significant with threshold absorbance values 0.70787, 0.11467 and 0.3605, respectively. The FTIR-ATR spectroscopy technique supplemented by chemometrics allow for quick identification of rape honey.
•The most of the honeys declared as rape contained from 68% to 96% of rape pollen.•FTIR spectra of rape pollen and rape honeys were the most similar.•Chemometrics procedure was developed allowing proper classification of rape honey.•This procedure was satisfactory validated for other types of honey.
L., walnut, is a large, long-living tree, cultivated in temperate climates around the world. It is highly appreciated for its nutritional kernels and high-quality timber. Its barks, leaves, and husk ...are used as dyes and in folk medicine as herbal remedies for several diseases. From a biological and chemical standpoint, relatively little is known about the male flowers of the tree. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the phenolic profile as well as in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activity of male
L. flowers. Phenolic content was determined by UPLC/PDA/MS/MS analyses; antioxidant activity was assessed by five different methods; antimicrobial activity was evaluated against the six most common pathogenic strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and antiproliferative properties were assessed against six cell lines. Most of the analyses carried out in this study were performed for the first time for this raw material.
flower extract was characterized by a strong ability to scavenge DPPH˙ free radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and chelating metal ions. Among the examined bacterial strains and neoplastic lines, the strongest antimicrobial activity was shown against
,
, and
, and cytotoxic activity against breast cancer, glioblastoma, and astrocytoma cells. Male
flowers have also been found to be a rich source of phenolic compounds. The content of polyphenols in the extract was 4369.73 mg/100 g d.w., and 24 compounds from the group of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and juglunosides were identified. Additionally, a strong correlation between the content of polyphenols and the antioxidant capacity and cytotoxic activity was observed. This is why the tested
flowers are an excellent source of effective natural antioxidant, antibacterial, and chemopreventive compounds that have potential to be used in the pharmaceutical or food industries.
Streptococcus mutans is considered the main pathogen responsible for dental caries, one of the major infectious diseases, affecting more than 4 billion people worldwide. Honey is a natural product ...with well-known antibacterial potential against several human pathogens. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of Polish honey against S. mutans and analyze the role of some bioactive substances on its antibacterial action. The antibacterial potential of different honey varieties (goldenrod, buckwheat, honeydew, and lime) was analyzed using a microdilution assay. Manuka and artificial honey were used as controls. The content of GOX, hydrogen peroxide, total polyphenols, and antioxidant potential was assayed in honey. The influence of catalase and proteinase K on antibacterial activity as well as antibiofilm action was also determined. The strongest antibacterial activity was observed for buckwheat, honeydew, and manuka honey, which were also characterized by the highest antioxidant activity and polyphenols content. Catalase treatment decreases the antibacterial activity of honey, while proteinase K treatment influences the antibacterial potential of honey slightly less. Obtained results suggest that honey can be a good natural product against S. mutans, and hydrogen peroxide was identified as a crucial contributor to its antimicrobial action.
Honey originating from different floral sources exhibits the broad spectrum of antibacterial activity as a result of the presence of hydrogen peroxide as well as nonperoxide bioactive compounds. The ...mechanisms of antibacterial activity of Polish melilot honey were investigated for the first time. Polish melilot honey samples (Melilotus albus biennial = 3 and annual = 5, Melilotus officinalis = 1) were collected directly from beekeepers and analysed for pollen profile, basic physicochemical parameters, antioxidant capacity, radical scavenging activity, total phenolic contents as well as antibacterial properties against pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella spp. The physicochemical properties of melilot honey were specific for light‐coloured unifloral honey samples and were not dependent on its botanical and geographical origin (P > 0·05). All tested honey samples exhibited inhibitory activity (above 90%) against Gram‐positive bacteria at the concentration of 12·5–25%. Above 30–50% of antibacterial activity of melilot honey was connected with glucose oxidase enzyme action and was destroyed in the presence of catalase. Hydrogen peroxide‐dependent antibacterial activity of honey was inversely correlated with its radical scavenging activity (r = −0·67) and phenolic compounds (r = −0·61). Antibacterial action of melilot honey depends not only on hydrogen peroxide produced by glucose oxidase, but also on other nonperoxide bioactive components of honey.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Melilot honey is used in traditional medicine as an anticoagulant agent due to the possibility of the presence of the coumarin compounds which are specific for Melilotus plant. Melilotus albus is rarely used to produce honey, and antibacterial properties of this variety of honey had not been studied yet. Nine samples of melilot honey produced in different regions of Poland were analysed according to their antibacterial activity which was correlated with physiochemical parameters and antioxidant activity. It was shown that antibacterial activity of melilot honey is created by hydrogen peroxide and other bioactive compounds.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Melilot honey is used in traditional medicine as an anticoagulant agent due to the possibility of the presence of the coumarin compounds which are specific for Melilotus plant. Melilotus albus is rarely used to produce honey, and antibacterial properties of this variety of honey had not been studied yet. Nine samples of melilot honey produced in different regions of Poland were analysed according to their antibacterial activity which was correlated with physiochemical parameters and antioxidant activity. It was shown that antibacterial activity of melilot honey is created by hydrogen peroxide and other bioactive compounds.
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