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Changes in environmental conditions cause rapid accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which can generate oxidative stress in plants. Modulation of protein synthesis, degradation and assembly or disassembly of protein complexes represent primary mechanisms of plant responses to environmental stress. Our objective was to delineate early changes in protein abundances associated with the response of Arabidopsis to methyl viologen (MV)-induced oxidative stress using shot-gun proteomic analysis. Wild type (WT) plants have been compared with oxidative stress-hypersensitive fsd1-1 and fsd1-2 knockout mutants of IRON SUREOXIDE DISMUTASE ( FSD1). Proteins localized to chloroplast were the most affected in all lines treated with MV. The mutants showed remodeling of abundances of metabolic proteins and chloroplast chaperones as well as increased ratio of cytoplasmic, peroxisomal and mitochondrial proteins compared to WT plants. These mutants also showed different responses of proteins involved in PSII-LHC disassembly compared to WT plants. The abundance of PATELLIN 4, a phospholipid-binding protein, rapidly decreased in response to MV in WT plants, as shown by proteomic and microscopic analyses. Reverse genetic studies using patl4-1 and patl4-2 knockout mutants as well as patl4-1 complemented line showed that PATELLIN 4 affects response of Arabidopsis to MV-induced oxidative stress, likely by contributing to chloroplast positioning.

Screening of novel feedstuffs, that too for data-deficient (nutritionally) animals, is somewhat ambiguous or problematic. Through systematic meta-analyses, the present study formulated most up-to-date crayfish nutritional standards, against which a recyclable waste (biofloc biomass, BM) from intensive aquaculture systems was assessed as a novel protein source. Growth trajectory dependencies and thermal growth coefficient qualifying for good growth in crayfish (TGC 0.5–0.64 units) were benchmarked. Using these standards and a 7-week growth trial, BM's suitability as a novel protein source for red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii was evaluated through its graded inclusions in a commercial feed. Results suggest that BM can elevate growth at 33–66% inclusion in existing feed formulations. Beyond 66% inclusion, BM can deteriorate growth in crayfish due to high ash content (exceeding physiological limit > 14%), arginine deficiency (~ 14–20% lower than an optimum requirement), and insufficient non-protein energy: protein ratio (3.7 cal mg−1). Arginine is perhaps the most critical amino acid in dietary protein for crayfish, and deficient in BM. Although no critical bioaccumulation levels of heavy metals were breached by feeding 100% BM to crayfish, a mineral and heavy metal (Hg) stress seemed plausible. Crayfish raised solely on biofloc may not realize full growth potential.

Simple Summary It is important to consider the nutritional requirements and optimum feeding of hatchery-raised, conservation-priority rheophilic fishes meant for river stock enhancement. Properly selected diets for these nutritionally data-poor fish species are crucial to achieve optimum growth potential and physiology. It greatly reduces the time spent in captivity, and if properly trained, may produce fish that are better insured for facing hardships in the wild. Abstract Large-bodied, river-migrating, rheophilic fishes (cyprinids) such as barbel Barbus barbus, nase Chondrostoma nasus, asp Leuciscus aspius, and vimba bream Vimba vimba are threatened in major European drainages. This represents the subject of our present study. Their hatchery nutrition prior to river-release is mostly on a hit-and-trial or carp-based diet basis. The study demonstrates an alternative approach to decide optimum nutrition for these conservation-priority and nutritionally data-poor fishes. The study revealed barbel as a central representative species in terms of wild body composition among other native rheophilic cyprinids considered (asp, nase, vimba bream). Taking barbel as a model, the study shows that barbel or rheophilic cyprinids may have carnivorous-like metabolism and higher requirements of S-containing, aromatic, branched-chain amino acids (AAs) than carps. Besides, there are important interactions of AAs and fatty acids (FAs) biosynthesis to consider. Only proper feeding of nutritionally well-selected diets may contribute to river stocking mandates such as steepest growth trajectory (≈less time in captivity), ideal size-at-release, body fitness (≈blend-in with wild conspecifics, predator refuge), better gastrointestinal condition, maximized body reserves of functional nutrients, and retention efficiencies (≈uncompromised physiology). Considering important physiological functions and how AA–FA interactions shape them, hatchery-raised fishes on casually chosen diets may have high chances of physiological, morphological, and behavioral deficits (≈low post-stocking survivability). Based on the observations, optimum nutrient requirements of juvenile (0+ to 1+ age) barbels are suggested. Future efforts may consider barbels as a nutrition model for conservation aquaculture of threatened and data poor rheophilic cyprinids of the region.

The article deals with the use of pencil probes for blast pressure measurement. Specifically it is about the initial experience, methodological faults and key findings resulting from the first employment of the pencil probes during field tests in a military training area. It also briefly describes the basics of pressure wave propagation and general usage and main purpose of pencil probes for blast pressure measurement. It particularly focuses on measurement setup, results analysis and their comparison with numerical simulation. Moreover, it further discusses triggering options, which were used during the field experiments, and some improvements to be made for the next blast pressure measurement.

International audience; Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating condition shortening the lifespan of young men. DMD patients suffer from age-related dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) that leads to heart failure. Several molecular mechanisms leading to cardiomyocyte death in DMD have been described. However, the pathological progression of DMD-associated DCM remains unclear. In skeletal muscle, a dramatic decrease in stem cells, so-called satellite cells, has been shown in DMD patients. Whether similar dysfunction occurs with cardiac muscle cardiovascular progenitor cells (CVPCs) in DMD remains to be explored. We hypothesized that the number of CVPCs decreases in the dystrophin-deficient heart with age and disease state, contributing to DCM progression. We used the dystrophin-deficient mouse model (mdx) to investigate age-dependent CVPC properties. Using quantitative PCR, flow cytometry, speckle tracking echocardiography, and immunofluorescence, we revealed that young mdx mice exhibit elevated CVPCs. We observed a rapid age-related CVPC depletion, coinciding with the progressive onset of cardiac dysfunction. Moreover, mdx CVPCs displayed increased DNA damage, suggesting impaired cardiac muscle homeostasis. Overall, our results identify the early recruitment of CVPCs in dystrophic hearts and their fast depletion with ageing. This latter depletion may participate in the fibrosis development and the acceleration onset of the cardiomyopathy.

Introduction Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) have the ability to differentiate theoritically into any cell type. The development of organoid systems exhibiting the essential features of human organ such as liver and heart is of high interest. Optimizing the culture conditions to obtain the highest cardiac organoids efficacy is crucial. In fact, cardiac differentiation protocols have been established by essentially focusing on specific growth factors on hiPSC differentiation efficiency. However, the optimal environmental factors such as the optimal oxygen exposure to obtain cardiac myocytes in network are still unclear. The mesoderm germ layer differentiation is known to be enhanced by low oxygen exposure. Yet, the effect of low oxygen exposure on the molecular and functional maturity of the hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes remains unexplored. Aims We aimed here at comparing the molecular and functional consequences of low (5% O2 or LOE) and high oxygen exposure (21% O2 or HOE) on cardiac differentiation of hiPSCs in 2D monolayer and 3D organoids protocols. Methods hiPSC-CMs were differentiated through both the 2D (monolayer) and 3D (embryoid body) protocols using several lines. Cardiac marker expression and cell morphology were assessed using qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence. The mitochondrial localization and metabolic properties were evaluated by high-resolution respirometry and mitochondrial staining. The intracellular Ca2+ handling and contractile properties were also monitored using confocal fluorescent microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Results Our results indicated that the 2D cardiac monolayer can only be differentiated in HOE. The 3D cardiac organoids containing hiPSC-CMs in LOE exhibited higher cardiac markers expression such as troponin T (TnTc), RyR2, Serca2a, alpha and beta heavy myosin chains. Moreover, we found enhanced contractile force, hypertrophy and steadier SR Ca2+ release reflected by a more regular spontaneous Ca2+ transients associated with a higher maximal amplitude and lower spontaneous Ca2+ events revealing a better SR Ca2+ handling in LOE. Similar beat rate, preserved distribution of mitochondria and similar oxygen consumption by the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes were also observed. Conclusions Our results brought evidences that LOE is moderately beneficial for the 3D cardiac organoids with hPSC-CMs exhibiting further maturity. In contrast, the 2D cardiac monolayers strictly require HOE. Introduction Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) have the ability to differentiate theoritically into any cell type. The development of organoid systems exhibiting the essential features of human organ such as liver and heart is of high interest. Optimizing the culture conditions to obtain the highest cardiac organoids efficacy is crucial. In fact, cardiac differentiation protocols have been established by essentially focusing on specific growth factors on hiPSC differentiation efficiency. However, the optimal environmental factors such as the optimal oxygen exposure to obtain cardiac myocytes in network are still unclear. The mesoderm germ layer differentiation is known to be enhanced by low oxygen exposure. Yet, the effect of low oxygen exposure on the molecular and functional maturity of the hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes remains unexplored. Aims We aimed here at comparing the molecular and functional consequences of low (5% O2 or LOE) and high oxygen exposure (21% O2 or HOE) on cardiac differentiation of hiPSCs in 2D monolayer and 3D organoids protocols. Methods hiPSC-CMs were differentiated through both the 2D (monolayer) and 3D (embryoid body) protocols using several lines. Cardiac marker expression and cell morphology were assessed using qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence. The mitochondrial localization and metabolic properties were evaluated by high-resolution respirometry and mitochondrial staining. The intracellular Ca2+ handling and contractile properties were also monitored using confocal fluorescent microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Results Our results indicated that the 2D cardiac monolayer can only be differentiated in HOE. The 3D cardiac organoids containing hiPSC-CMs in LOE exhibited higher cardiac markers expression such as troponin T (TnTc), RyR2, Serca2a, alpha and beta heavy myosin chains. Moreover, we found enhanced contractile force, hypertrophy and steadier SR Ca2+ release reflected by a more regular spontaneous Ca2+ transients associated with a higher maximal amplitude and lower spontaneous Ca2+ events revealing a better SR Ca2+ handling in LOE. Similar beat rate, preserved distribution of mitochondria and similar oxygen consumption by the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes were also observed. Conclusions Our results brought evidences that LOE is moderately beneficial for the 3D cardiac organoids with hPSC-CMs exhibiting further maturity. In contrast, the 2D cardiac monolayers strictly require HOE.

Numerous protocols of cardiac differentiation have been established by essentially focusing on specific growth factors on human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation efficiency. However, the optimal environmental factors to obtain cardiac myocytes in network are still unclear. The mesoderm germ layer differentiation is known to be enhanced by low oxygen exposure. Here, we hypothesized that low oxygen exposure enhances the molecular and functional maturity of the cardiomyocytes. We aimed at comparing the molecular and functional consequences of low (5% O2 or LOE) and high oxygen exposure (21% O2 or HOE) on cardiac differentiation of hPSCs in 2D- and 3D-based protocols. hPSC-CMs were differentiated through both the 2D (monolayer) and 3D (embryoid body) protocols using several lines. Cardiac marker expression and cell morphology were assessed. The mitochondrial localization and metabolic properties were evaluated. The intracellular Ca2+ handling and contractile properties were also monitored. The 2D cardiac monolayer can only be differentiated in HOE. The 3D cardiac spheroids containing hPSC-CMs in LOE further exhibited cardiac markers, hypertrophy, steadier SR Ca2+ release properties revealing a better SR Ca2+ handling, and enhanced contractile force. Preserved distribution of mitochondria and similar oxygen consumption by the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes were also observed. Our results brought evidences that LOE is moderately beneficial for the 3D cardiac spheroids with hPSC-CMs exhibiting further maturity. In contrast, the 2D cardiac monolayers strictly require HOE.

The use of anabolic steroid hormones as growth promoters in feed for farm animals has been banned in the European Union since 1988 on the basis of Council Directive 96/22/EC. However, there is still ongoing monitoring and reporting of positive findings of these banned substances in EU countries. The aim of this work was to investigate the efficacy and discriminatory ability of metabolic fingerprinting after the administration of 17&beta, testosterone esters to pigs. Plasma and urine samples were chromatographically separated on a Hypersil Gold C18 column. High resolution mass spectrometry metabolomic fingerprints were analysed on a hybrid mass spectrometer Q-Exactive. Three independent multivariate statistical methods, namely principal component analysis, clustre analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis showed significant differences between the treated and control groups of pigs even 14 days after the administration of the hormonal drug. Plasma samples were also analysed by a conventional quantitative analysis using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and a pharmacokinetic curve was constructed based on the results. In this case, no testosterone residue was detected 14 days after the administration. The results clearly showed that a metabolomics approach can be a useful and effective tool for the detection and monitoring of banned anabolic steroids used illegally in pig fattening.

Abstract We describe the association of Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) derived heart failure with the impairment of tissue homeostasis and remodeling capabilities of the affected heart tissue. We report that BMD heart failure is associated with a significantly decreased number of cardiovascular progenitor cells, reduced cardiac fibroblast migration, and ex vivo survival. Background Becker muscular dystrophy belongs to a class of genetically inherited dystrophin deficiencies. It affects male patients and results in progressive skeletal muscle degeneration and dilated cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure. It is a relatively mild form of dystrophin deficiency, which allows patients to be on a heart transplant list. In this unique situation, the explanted heart is a rare opportunity to study the degenerative process of dystrophin-deficient cardiac tissue. Heart tissue was excised, dissociated, and analyzed. The fractional content of c-kit+/CD45− cardiovascular progenitor cells (CVPCs) and cardiac fibroblast migration were compared to control samples of atrial tissue. Control tissue was obtained from the hearts of healthy organ donor’s during heart transplantation procedures. Results We report significantly decreased CVPCs (c-kit+/CD45−) throughout the heart tissue of a BMD patient, and reduced numbers of phase-bright cells presenting c-kit positivity in the dystrophin-deficient cultured explants. In addition, ex vivo CVPCs survival and cardiac fibroblasts migration were significantly reduced, suggesting reduced homeostatic support and irreversible tissue remodeling. Conclusions Our findings associate genetically derived heart failure in a dystrophin-deficient patient with decreased c-kit+/CD45− CVPCs and their resilience, possibly hinting at a lack of cardioprotective capability and/or reduced homeostatic support. This also correlates with reduced plasticity of the explanted cardiac tissue, related to the process of irreversible remodeling in the BMD patient’s heart.

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) has been recognized as a potent waterborne hepatotoxin with an increasing environmental occurrence. However, CYN effects on the specific populations of hepatic cells involved in liver tissue development, renewal, and regeneration, have not been characterized yet. We used human embryonic stem cells to analyze the hepatic differentiation stage-specific effect of CYN. Our results strongly suggest that CYN might contribute to the development of chronic adverse outcomes by disrupting liver tissue homeostasis in terms of (1) cellular stress and damage induced in the mature differentiated hepatocytes, which was associated with a necrotic cell death and thus possibly also inflammatory responses; (2) selective elimination of HNF4α+ cells from populations of progenitor cells and immature hepatocytes during hepatic differentiation, which could possibly lead to an impaired liver renewal and regeneration; (3) impaired hepatic functions of immature hepatocytes, such as decreased albumin secretion or increased lipid accumulation, which could contribute to the development of liver steatosis; and (4) survival of the immature and AFP-expressing cells with the limited ability to further differentiate, which could represent a tumor-promoting condition.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) serve numerous regulatory functions in complex organisms, and their corresponding therapeutic potential is of growing interest to academics and industrial researchers alike. However, applications of these proteins are limited due to their low stability. Here we tackle this problem using a generalizable computer-assisted protein engineering strategy to create a unique modified FGF2 with nine mutations displaying unprecedented stability and uncompromised biological function. The data from the characterization of stabilized FGF2 showed a remarkable prediction potential of in silico methods and provided insight into the unfolding mechanism of the protein. The molecule holds a considerable promise for stem cell research and medical or pharmaceutical applications.

To evaluate the accuracy, efficiency, complication rate, technical features, and relations among followed parameters of CT-guided percutaneous biopsies of the pelvic lesions. 140 biopsies in 136 patients for tumors, sizes 17–160 mm in largest diameter, were carried out in patients with probable tumorous pelvic process within ten years period. The patients were women in 77 cases and men in 59 cases, aged 21 to 87 years. The lesions´ size varied from 17 mm to 160 mm in largest diameter. In 135 biopsies (96.4%) results were true positive or true negative; only 5 procedures (3.6%) were histologically false negative and had to be verified surgically. Metastatic affection was the most common diagnosis (26.4%). Lymphomas were diagnosed in 25%; serous adenocarcinoma of ovary or uterine tube was verified in 15.7% of cases. Totally 7 complications (5%) were confirmed, all were minor hemorrhages. A statistically significant relation between the complication rate and hypervascular character ( p = 0.00004), and between needle gauge and histological accuracy ( p = 0.00429) was revealed. Core needle biopsy using percutaneous approach and CT guidance had a high overall accuracy in determining the final histological diagnosis including subtyping. Concurrently, the complication incidence was low.

Mn–Zn ferrite nanoparticles of composition Mn0.61Zn0.42Fe1.97O4 and mean size of crystallites $d_{\mathrm {XRD}} = 11$ nm are synthesized under hydrothermal conditions as a single-phase product. Subsequently, two coated samples are prepared by encapsulation of the ferrite particles into silica and titania. Transmission electron microscopy confirms the core–shell structure of the products and shows that the cores are actually formed by small clusters of ferrite crystallites. Powder X-ray diffraction, combined with experimental hydrothermal treatment of the titania-coated product, demonstrates that the titania coating is amorphous but can easily be transformed into anatase. The colloidal stability of nanoparticles in water is evidenced by dynamic light scattering, and the respective hydrodynamic sizes are $d_{\mathrm {Z}} = 87$ and 157 nm for the silica-coated and titania-coated particles. The colloidal behavior is confirmed based on the measurements of zeta potential, whose negative values lead to strong Coulombic repulsion among coated particles. Magnetic measurements on bare and coated particles show high magnetization of Mn0.61Zn0.42Fe1.97O4 cores and superparamagnetic state at room temperature. The relaxometric study on aqueous suspensions in magnetic fields of 0.5 and 11.75 T reveals high transverse relaxivity of the samples and two distinct forms of its temperature dependence, which are analyzed with respect to the role of temperature-dependent parameters, that is, the diffusion of water and the magnetization of ferrite cores. Finally, careful evaluation of cytotoxicity of coated particles is carried out by using two different methods, namely, the determination of viability and proliferation of Jurkat cells and the real-time monitoring of attachment and proliferation of A549 cells. In the studied range of concentrations, the viability and proliferation of suspension cells are not affected, and only negligible effects are detected in the cell index of adherent cells.

New High Throughput Satellite (HTS) systems allow high throughput IP uplinks/contribution at Ka-band frequencies for relatively lower costs when compared to broadcasting satellite uplinks at Ku band. This technology offers an advantage for live video contribution from remote areas, where the terrestrial infrastructure may not be adequate. On the other hand, the Ka-band is more subject to impairments due to rain or bad weather. This paper addresses the target system specification and provides an optimized approach for the transmission of IP-based video flows through HTS commercial services operating at Ka-band frequencies. In particular, the focus of this study is on the service requirements and the propagation analysis that provide a reference architecture to improve the overall link availability. The approach proposed herein leads to the introduction of a new concept of live service contribution using pairs of small satellite antennas and cheap satellite terminals.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) require signaling provided by fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors. This can be initiated by the recombinant FGF2 ligand supplied exogenously, but hPSC further support their niche by secretion of endogenous FGF2. In this study, we describe a role of tyrosine kinase expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (TEC) kinase in this process. We show that TEC-mediated FGF2 secretion is essential for hPSC self-renewal, and its lack mediates specific differentiation. Following both short hairpin RNA- and small interfering RNA-mediated TEC knockdown, hPSC secretes less FGF2. This impairs hPSC proliferation that can be rescued by increasing amounts of recombinant FGF2. TEC downregulation further leads to a lower expression of the pluripotency markers, an improved priming towards neuroectodermal lineage, and a failure to develop cardiac mesoderm. Our data thus demonstrate that TEC is yet another regulator of FGF2-mediated hPSC pluripotency and differentiation.

In pulse shaping filters, parameters such as the roll-off factor and the symbol span, which determine the overall performance, are of great importance when implementing a real-time system due to limited hardware resources. In this paper, we experimentally investigate a multiband carrier-less amplitude and phase (m-CAP) visible light communications (VLC) system employing such filters and assess the link performance for a range of filter lengths and show the relationship between the system data rate (or spectral efficiency) and computational complexity. We show that lower order m-CAP can offer the same system performance as higher order systems while offering much lower computational complexity. By optimizing the filter parameters and the order m of an m-CAP VLC link, we achieve the largest improvement in the data rate and bandwidth efficiency of 9.69% and 40.43%, respectively, when compared with 2- and 8-CAP. We also show that the m-CAP VLC link with $ m\geq 6$ can be designed with the same filter parameters to demonstrate a link with both the highest data rate and spectral efficiency simultaneously in contrast to lower order systems.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe genetic disorder characterized by the lack of functional dystrophin. DMD is associated with progressive dilated cardiomyopathy, eventually leading to heart failure as the main cause of death in DMD patients. Although several molecular mechanisms leading to the DMD cardiomyocyte (DMD-CM) death were described, mostly in mouse model, no suitable human CM model was until recently available together with proper clarification of the DMD-CM phenotype and delay in cardiac symptoms manifestation. We obtained several independent dystrophin-deficient human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) lines from DMD patients and CRISPR/Cas9-generated DMD gene mutation. We differentiated DMD-hPSC into cardiac cells (CC) creating a human DMD-CC disease model. We observed that mutation-carrying cells were less prone to differentiate into CCs. DMD-CCs demonstrated an enhanced cell death rate in time. Furthermore, ion channel expression was altered in terms of potassium (Kir2.1 overexpression) and calcium handling (dihydropyridine receptor overexpression). DMD-CCs exhibited increased time of calcium transient rising compared to aged-matched control, suggesting mishandling of calcium release. We observed mechanical impairment (hypocontractility), bradycardia, increased heart rate variability, and blunted β-adrenergic response connected with remodeling of β-adrenergic receptors expression in DMD-CCs. Overall, these results indicated that our DMD-CC models are functionally affected by dystrophin-deficiency associated and recapitulate functional defects and cardiac wasting observed in the disease. It offers an accurate tool to study human cardiomyopathy progression and test therapies in vitro.

Background TPX2 (Targeting protein for Xklp2) is an evolutionary conserved microtubule-associated protein important for microtubule nucleation and proper mitotic spindle assembly. The protein was also described as an activator of the mitotic kinase Aurora A in humans and the Arabidopsis AURORA 1 (AUR1) kinase. In contrast to animal genomes that encode only one TPX2 gene in their genome, higher plants genomes encode a family with several TPX2-LIKE gene members (TPXL). Results Arabidopsis genome comprise of 21 TPXL genes. To better understand the functional divergence within the TPXL gene family in plants, we characterized eight genes most closely related to the canonical TPX2 Arabidopsis. TPXL genes of Arabidopsis can be divided into two groups. Group A proteins (TPXL2, 3, 4 and 8) contain Aurora binding and TPX2_importin domains, while group B proteins (TPXL1, 5, 6 and 7) harbor an Xklp2 domain. Canonical Arabidopsis TPX2 contains all above mentioned domains. We confirmed using in vitro kinase assays that the group A proteins contain a functional Aurora kinase binding domain and are able to at least double the activity of recombinant AUR1 kinase. Transient expression of GFP-tagged Arabidopsis TPX2-like proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed preferential localization to microtubules and nuclei, except TPXL7, which localized mainly to the nuclear envelope. Co-expression of AUR1 together with TPX2-like proteins changed the localization of AUR1, indicating that these proteins serve as targeting factors for Aurora kinases. Conclusion Taken together, we visualize the various localizations of the TPX2-LIKE family in Arabidopsis as proxy to their functional divergence and provide evidence of their role in the targeted regulation of AUR1 kinase activity.

The steel fibre reinforced concrete has been used as a building material in civil engineering frequently for several years. Also in military engineering, some protective structures are built from steel fibre reinforced concrete because of its suitable properties. In the past years non-destructive testing has come to the forefront of interest in the field of building diagnostics. A complete lack of approved methods and procedures dealing with the fibre reinforced concrete testing has led to many experiments with regular non-destructive methods with aim to assess their relevance to the testing of structural elements made from fibre reinforced concrete. The article describes an experiment where compression strengths, determined by a non-destructive method (hardness, ultrasound) and by a destructive method, are compared.

The article deals with the basic types of critical infrastructure (CI) objects that have been categorized and specified during the research on the project of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic “Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation of Critical Infrastructure Elements”. During the initial phase of the research, several factors were taken into account when classifying the CI objects: their size, their significance for the functioning of the state and the time. The introduction of the article is focused on a brief summary of CI protection from the different points of view: suitable building materials, different types of explosives and diagnostic methods and techniques applicable for the testing of CI structures before and after the explosion load.

Aims: To retrospectively evaluate the technical features, efficacy, accuracy, appropriate complications, and relationships among monitored parameters of computed tomography-guided biopsies of the retroperitoneum-located processes. Methods: From December 2008 to December 2018, 208 percutaneous biopsy procedures for tumors, sized 14 - 190 mm in diameter (median size 57.5 mm), were performed on patients with suspected retroperitoneal tumorous process on imaging examinations. The patients were men in 124 cases and women in 84 cases, aged 20 to 90 years (median age 63.2 years). Skin to lesion distance was variable; from 43 cm to 178 cm (median length 108.5 cm). Results: In 202 cases (97.1%) results were true positive or true negative; only 6 interventions (2.9%) were histologically false negative and had to be confirmed surgically. DLBCL and metastatic disease to the retroperitoneal lymphatic nodes were the most common diagnoses (23.1% each); lymphoma types were verified in 40.9% of cases. 7 complications in total were revealed, 6 of which were minor hemorrhages, and in one case ureteral injury was detected. A statistically significant relationship between the hypervascular process and complication incidence (P=0.00166) and needle gauge (P=0.01427) was identified. Conclusion: Percutaneous CT-guided biopsy performed in patients with a suspected retroperitoneal tumorous process had a high accuracy in establishing the correct diagnosis including histological subtyping. Simultaneously, the complication rate was low.

Maintenance of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with stable genome is important for their future use in cell replacement therapy and disease modeling. Our understanding of the mechanisms maintaining genomic stability of hESC and our ability to modulate them is essential in preventing unwanted mutation accumulation during their in vitro cultivation. In this study, we show the DNA damage response mechanism in hESCs is composed of known, yet unlikely components. Clustered oxidative base damage is converted into DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by base excision repair (BER) and then quickly repaired by ligase (Lig)3-mediated end-joining (EJ). If there is further induction of clustered oxidative base damage by irradiation, then BER-mediated DSBs become essential in triggering the checkpoint response in hESCs. hESCs limit the mutagenic potential of Lig3-mediated EJ by DNA break end protection involving p53 binding protein 1 (53BP1), which results in fast and error-free microhomology-mediated repair and a low mutant frequency in hESCs. DSBs in hESCs are also repaired via homologous recombination (HR); however, DSB overload, together with massive end protection by 53BP1, triggers competition between error-free HR and mutagenic nonhomologous EJ.-Kohutova, A., Raska, J., Kruta, M., Seneklova, M., Barta, T., Fojtik, P., Jurakova, T., Walter, C. A., Hampl, A., Dvorak, P., Rotrekl, V. Ligase 3-mediated end-joining maintains genome stability of human embryonic stem cells.