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Copper interferes with numerous physiological processes and can be toxic at low concentrations. We examined the effect of a 2-week exposure to various concentrations of copper on the structure of the nucleus in maize root meristem cells by transmission electron microscopy. Copper uptake and distribution in the plants, as well as DNA synthesis were also investigated. Treatment with Cu induced alterations in the structure of the nucleus, resulting mainly in a greater density of chromatin. Morphometric analysis showed that the part of the condensed chromatin in the nucleus might be increased by Cu, an observation that was correlated with decreased DNA synthesis as measured by incorporation of ³H-thymidine. Copper may therefore play a role in chromatin structure and one of the manifestations of Cu toxicity is an alteration in the structure of the nucleus, leading to decreased DNA synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) is the etiological agent of porcine pleuropneumonia. The purpose of the study was to present a serological report on App prevalence among pigs in industrial farms in Bulgaria. Seventy-two pigs from four industrial farms in four districts of Bulgaria - Eastern Bulgaria (Razgrad and Yambol districts) and Western Bulgaria (Lovech and Sofia districts) were included. Animals were divided in two age groups: weaners and fattening pigs. A commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, INgezim APP MIX, Eurofins Ingenasa, Madrid, Spain) for the detection of antibodies against App parasuis in porcine serum was used. Microtitr? plate was coated with App antigen of the serovars 1, 2, 9 and 11. Positive results for anti-App antibodies were detected in 32 (44.4%) of all 72 tested sera. The overall seropositivity in weaners and fattening pigs was 22.2% (8/36), and 66.7% (24/36), respectively. The highest App seropositivity in pigs was found in Eastern Bulgaria ? 61.1% (22/36; P<0.001) in comparison to App seropositivity in Western Bulgaria - 27.8% (10/36; P=0.137). This study on anti-App prevalence among pigs in Bulgaria gives new insights on App epidemiology in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the healing and prophylactic effect of drying-off antibiotic therapy using the selective and non-selective approach of administration of the antibiotics. First experimental group at the start of the dry period were treated non-selectively (all halves) intracisternally with antibiotics. In the second group, we only treated those halves that were diagnosed with subclinical mastitis. The control group of 9 goats was not treated. The number of somatic cells in treated groups after birth decreased from 2586 x 10³/ mL to 560 x 10³/mL in the first group and from 1978 x 10³/mL to 526 x 10³/mL in the second. Post partum, 10% of the halves were found to have subclinical mastitis. A healing effect was achieved in 25% (n=5) milk halves. New intramammary infections developed during the dry period also occurred in 5% (n=1) of the milk halves. In the second post-partum study, subclinical mastitis was observed only in 5% (n=1). Healing was achieved in 30% (n = 6) and the new intramammary infections (NIMIs) were 10% (n=2). In the control group, healing was only observed in 5% (n=1) and NIMI were 27.78% (n=5). The application of both treatment approaches, results in reduction in prevalence and manifestation of mastitis, as well as reduction of somatic cells in milk after kidding. The selective treatment method may be preferred, in order to reduce the cost of medications in conducting treatment and prophylaxis programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work is devoted to the description of a software system that was developed using modern network and geoinformation technologies for analysis of geospatial data. The system includes a client web application, which provides access to mapping services and geoprocessing services published on the GIS server. The approach, which forms the basis of the presented system, allows researchers to access an extensive geodatabase for remote sensing and Earth sciences, as well as a set of tools for their comprehensive analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Koppel BS, Harden CL, Nikolov BG, Labar DR. An analysis of lifetime fractures in women with epilepsy.Acta Neurol Scand 2005: 111: 225–228.© Blackwell Munksgaard 2005.To clarify the relationship between fractures and antiepileptic drug (AED) use.Menopausal women with epilepsy were interviewed at two clinics regarding site, year and circumstances of any fracture, duration of AED use and menopause. Fracture sites were analyzed according to AED use.Twenty-nine fractures occurred in 20 of the 50 interviewed subjects (mean age 54). Nine occurred prior to AEDs; seven attributed to accident and two to clumsiness. Twenty occurred on AEDs; 10 attributed to clumsiness (most in the leg and foot), eight to seizure (most in the arm or hand) and two to accident. Duration of AED exposure was similar in both groups and in osteoporotic vs non-osteoporotic sites.Epilepsy therapy may contribute more to the lifetime occurrence of fracture than seizures themselves. More screening for osteoporosis is required. While adjusting doses to prevent seizures, ongoing screening for neurotoxicity must be maintained in order to avoid fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Zones of higher seismic hazard occupy about 20% of Russia's territory, and 5% are characterized by extremely high hazard. These latter are, in particular, regions of Caucasus and Crimea with an aggregate population of about 15 M people. In order to assess seismic hazard and to minimize the consequences of possible earthquakes in these regions, a special-purpose database has been created for these regions; this database and a multifunctional user interface for its operation are currently being developed. For the first time, one software environment has integrated the most complete results on recognizing zones of higher seismicity by independent methods and the initial data on which the recognition was based. Thus, the system allows integrated multi-criteria seismic hazard assessment in a given region. The use of a modern geographic informational system (GIS) has made the preparation, organization, and analysis of these data considerably easier. The GIS makes it possible on the basis of a comprehensive approach to seismic hazard assessment to group and visualize the respective data in an interactive map. The analytical and interactive query tools integrated in the GIS allow a user to assess the degree of risk in regions under consideration based on different criteria and methods. The seismic hazard assessment database and its user interface were achieved using ESRI ArcGIS software, which completely satisfies the scaling requirement in terms of both functionality and data volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mothers from the in vitro fertilization programme (IVF) are at a higher risk of developing pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). The aim of our study was to analyze the incidence of preeclampsia and eclampsia in mothers who conceived by IVF. Methods and patients: It was a 5-year study. Study subjects were 116 parturients from the IVF programme. The control group comprised of 27,551 mothers from the general population. We analyzed only mothers with singleton pregnancies. Results: There were 2.59% parturients from the IVF programme, and 0.45% from the control group, with diagnosis of preeclampsia. This lead to a statistically significant difference: χ2=7.22; p<0.01. Eclampsia occurred in 0.86% mothers who conceived with use of IVF, and 0.05% parturients from the control group, which failed to reach significance (χ2=3.04; p>0.05). Discussion: Mothers from the IVF programme have more risk factors for pregnancy-induced hypertension (over 34 years of age, multiple gestation, polyhydramnios. etc.). New approaches revealed that there are some aspects of the IVF such as ovulation induction, laboratory environment, etc., which might be involved in the etiopathogenesis of preeclampsia. Conclusion: Parturients from the IVF programme are at a higher risk for preeclampsia, but not eclampsia, when compared to mothers from the general population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]