Background/Aim. Ultrastructural analysis of tumours has shown many common characteristics of certain neoplasms, as well as their specificities. Primary renal epithelial tumours with granular ...oncocytic cytoplasm is a very heterogeneous group in their histological origin and biological behaviour, which results in a difference in treatment and prognosis of the disease, making accurate morphological diagnosis necessary. The aim of this study was to determine ultrastructural similarities and differences among primary renal epithelial tumours with granular oncocytic cytoplasm. Methods. The analysis of archival and routine material in the archives of the Department of Pathology, University Hospital in Plzen, Czech Republic, as well as archival and routine material in the Centre for Pathology and Histology, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, discovered 346 primary renal epithelial tumours with granular oncocytic cytoplasm and divided them into 5 groups: 1) renal oncocytoma (RO) (234 tumours), 2) oncocytic papillary renal cell carcinoma (OPRCC) (12 tumours), 3. sporadic renal hybrid oncocytic/ chromophobe tumour (HOCT) without evidence of Birt Hogg Dub? syndrome (BHD) (14 tumours), 4) chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) (21 tumours) and 5) granular renal cell carcinoma (RCC) 64 tumours + 1 clear cell RCC (CRCC) with hyaline globules. Ultrastructural analysis of tumour cells at the subcellular level was done using electron microscope (Philips electron microscope TEM 208) at the Department of Pathology, University Hospital in Plzen, Czech Republic. Cellular organelles and pigments were evaluated in 5 tumours from each group according to the simple random sample principle with a total of 30 analysed tumours. Results. In all analysed primary renal epithelial tumours with granular oncocytic, cytoplasm dominant organelles were mitochondria. Specific ultrastructural characteristics of RO were round mitochondria with lamellar cristae, whereas ChRCC had numerous typical cytoplasmic microvesicles 100?700 nm large and mitochondria with tubulovesicular, lamellar and circular cristae. Ultrastructural specificity of hybrid tumours were rare microvesicles and numerous mitochondria of O-PRCC mitochondria with lamellar cristae and small intracytoplasmic vesicles, 100?200 nm large, and of granular RCC, in addition to mitochondria, also glassy hyaline globules (GHG). Conclusion. Ultrastructural analysis indicates mitochondria as the dominant organelle in the analysed tumours. Electron microscopy showed specificities, i.e., differences in appearance of cristae, presence and size of vesicles as well as deposition of pigment in and out of cytoplasm and glassy hyaline globules.
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In this study, the objective was to investigate an exponential feeding strategy for fed-batch production of thermostable α-amylase (E.C. 3.2.1.1.) from the
Bacillus caldolyticus (DSM405). The ...parameters for establishing compositions of feed media and feeding rate were obtained by statistical analysis of batch and continuous shake flask experiments. These parameters were casitone to starch ratio of 2.67
g
casitone
g
starch
−1, maintenance coefficient 0.174
g
casitone
g
DW
−1
h
−1, cell yield 0.62
g
DW
g
casitone
−1 and
μ
opt
=
0.2
h
−1. The exponentially fed fermentation resulted in yield of 120
U
ml
−1 α-amylase that was thermostable up to 105
°C. Results of the exponentially fed fermentation have been discussed in the light of a feed-back controlled fed-batch fermentation reported earlier by the authors. A comparison of the temperature and pH effects on amylase produced by
B. caldolyticus and on several other commercially available amylases has also been presented.
The oxidative stress and antioxidant systems in soybean leaves and roots infected with plant pathogen Aspergillus niger were studied following treatment with different concentrations of cholic acid. ...Several oxidative stress parameters were analyzed: production of superoxide (O2 ·−) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH), lipid peroxidation (LP), and superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1) activity, as well as the content of reduced glutathione (GSH). Results showed that inoculation with A. niger led to the increase of O2 ·− production and GSH quantities in leaves and ·OH in roots. The highest activity of SOD occured in infected plants treated with cholic acid in concentrations of 40 and 60 mg L−1 which ultimately led to a decrease in O2 ·− production. Inoculation with Aspergillus in combination with elevated cholic acid concentrations also increased ·OH production which is correlated with increased LP. These results may support the idea of using cholic acid as an elicitor to trigger hypersensitive response in plant cells. Use of cholic acid may also actively contribute to soybean plants defense response against pathogen attack.
The study analyses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on work models and explores managerial perspectives on remote work compared to stationary work. A survey was conducted among companies, ...resulting in a sample of respondents. An additional research methodology used to validate the hypotheses was a market basket analysis. The findings indicate a significant change in work models, with a majority of companies adopting fully remote work or hybrid models with remote work as the predominant mode. Managers generally perceive remote work as having a significantly worse outcome compared to stationary work. Concerns about remote work include difficulties in supervising remote workers, maintaining effective communication with the team, and potential negative effects on employee motivation and well-being due to limited interaction. Preferences for work models varied, with a notable proportion favoring fully remote work or hybrid models. Reasons for considering a long-term change to stationary or remote work include coordination needs, control and supervision requirements, physical presence demands, and impacts on organizational culture and atmosphere. Benefits of remote work include employee flexibility, talent attraction, and alignment with employee demands and the labor market. This study provides insights into the evolving work landscape and informs strategies for effectively managing remote work environments.
Some events in world history have affected global social and economic processes significantly. One such event was undoubtedly the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic. Being in lockdown with access ...to the Internet and tools that enable remote working enabled and, in fact, forced a change in the form of work to be fully remote, which was previously difficult to imagine in many organisations. As part of this study of the above phenomenon, research was conducted on employees of the IT sector in Poland. An analysis of survey data showed the impact of individual work modes on productivity ratings and collaboration with other team members; additionally, the findings may indicate behaviour changes among employees caused by employer enforcement of changes in work mode, and the importance of the work mode for employees when taking up employment. Although the end of the COVID-19 pandemic has been officially announced in Poland, its impact on the labour market has been significant. The present study shows the popularisation of remote working and a change in attitude towards this form of performing professional duties.
Changes in antioxidant systems in soybean and associated weeds (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Chenopodium album L., Convolvulus arvensis L and Sinapis arvensis L.) were studied in relation to treatment ...with herbicides linuron and dimethenamid in the field experiment. Differences in the total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (Cat) activities were observed in plants after application of herbicide formulation. Quantities of superoxide (O2.-) and hydroxyl (·OH) radicals and malonyldialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and total polyphenols content were also determined. In addition to this, potential antioxidant activity of the plant ethanolic extracts were assessed based on the scavenging activity of stable DPPH free radicals. Results obtained suggest that plants investigated 1) expressed different antioxidant systems in response to herbicide treatment; 2) enzymatic and non-enzymatic protective mechanisms were complementary; 3) some weed species showed distinctive and combined activity of several biochemical parameters, such as Ambrosia artemisiifolia.
The contents and antioxidant ability of various classes of phenolic compounds present in the seeds of twenty soybean hybrids were evaluated. Total phenolics, tannins and proanthocyanidins were ...determined spectrophotometrically, after extraction of seeds with 70% aqueous acetone. In addition, the flavonoid contents were determined. The antioxidant activity of aqueous acetone extracts was evaluated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity assay. The highest contents of total phenolics were found in Serbian cultivar 1511 and Chinese cultivar LN92-7369, which also displayed the highest total antioxidant activity. Conversely, genotypes poor in phenolics also showed low levels of DPPH-radical scavenging activity. The results suggested that besides protein and oil contents, the phenolic contents should be also considered as an important characteristic feature of soybean seeds, and as a potential selection criterion for antioxidant activity in soybean.
Vascular endothelium is a key regulator of homeostasis. In physiological conditions it mediates vascular dilatation, prevents platelet adhesion, and inhibits thrombin generation. However, endothelial ...dysfunction caused by physical injury of the vascular wall, for example during balloon angioplasty, acute or chronic inflammation, such as in atherothrombosis, creates a proinflammatory environment which supports leukocyte transmigration toward inflammatory sites. At the same time, the dysfunction promotes thrombin generation, fibrin deposition, and coagulation. The serine protease thrombin plays a pivotal role in the coagulation cascade. However, thrombin is not only the key effector of coagulation cascade; it also plays a significant role in inflammatory diseases. It shows an array of effects on endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, monocytes, and platelets, all of which participate in the vascular pathophysiology such as atherothrombosis. Therefore, thrombin can be considered as an important modulatory molecule of vascular homeostasis. This review summarizes the existing evidence on the role of thrombin in vascular inflammation.
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