University of Constantine the Philosopher

About: University of Constantine the Philosopher is a education organization based out in Nitra, Slovakia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Foreign language & Population. The organization has 685 authors who have published 1154 publications receiving 12918 citations.

The isoflavone daidzein directly affects porcine ovarian cell functions and modifies the effect of follicle-stimulating hormone.

Abstract: The key biological active molecule of soya is the isoflavone daidzein, which possesses phytoestrogenic activity. The direct effect of soya and daidzein on ovarian cell functions is not known. This study examined the effect of daidzein on basic porcine ovarian granulosa cell functions and the response to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). We studied the effects of daidzein (0, 1, 10 and 100 μm), FSH (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 IU/ml) and combinations of FSH (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 IU/ml) + daidzein (50 μm) on proliferation, apoptosis and hormone release from cultured porcine ovarian granulosa cells and ovarian follicles. The expression of a proliferation-related peptide (PCNA) and an apoptosis-related peptide (Bax) was analysed using immunocytochemistry. The release of progesterone (P4) and testosterone (T) was detected using EIA. Leptin output was analysed using RIA. Daidzein administration increased granulosa cell proliferation, apoptosis and T and leptin release but inhibited P4 output. Daidzein also increased T release and decreased P4 release from cultured ovarian follicles. Follicle-stimulating hormone stimulated granulosa cell proliferation, apoptosis and P4, T and leptin release. The addition of daidzein promoted FSH-stimulated apoptosis (but not proliferation) but suppressed FSH-stimulated P4, T and leptin release. Our observations of FSH action confirm previous data on the stimulatory effect of FSH on ovarian cell proliferation, apoptosis and steroidogenesis and demonstrate for the first time the involvement of FSH in the upregulation of ovarian leptin release. Our observations of daidzein effects demonstrated for the first time that this soya isoflavone affected basic ovarian cell functions (proliferation, apoptosis and hormones release) and modified the effects of FSH. Daidzein promoted FSH action on ovarian cell proliferation and apoptosis and suppressed, and even inverted, FSH action on hormone release. The direct action of daidzein on basic ovarian cell functions and the ability of these cells to respond to FSH indicate the potential influence of soya-containing diets on female reproductive processes via direct action on the ovary.

Holocene development of two calcareous spring fens at the Carpathian-Pannonian interface controlled by climate and human impact

Abstract: There is still not enough palaeoecological data from the southwestern part of the Western Carpathians, where mountain ridges steeply rise from the dry and warm Pannonian basin The reason is a low availability of sites with sediments harbouring fossil remains In the Považský Inovec Mts, two small protected calcareous wetlands occur in different geographical position and contain suitable sediments One represents a foothill site (initiated ca 13,000 cal BP) whereas the other a low-mountain site (initiated ca 7,400 cal BP) We investigated fossil pollen, spores, and macroscopic remains of plants and molluscs from their sediments We further reviewed archaeological data, constructed a macrophysical climate model (MCM) and confronted it with other palaeoclimatic proxies Temperate deciduous trees (Quercus, Corylus and Ulmus) occurred since the Allerod, but their expansion was blocked by a harsh climate in Younger Dryas, when Larix, Pinus and Betula nana still occurred The climate firstly moistened at ca 9,500 cal BP and more distinctly at ca 8,500 cal BP, which was reflected by a strong calcium carbonate precipitation and expansion of Tilia cordata t, Hedera helix, and Ustulina Although the MCM predicted a rather stable climate since 8,000 cal BP, certain changes in aquatic mollusc abundances may indicate hydrological fluctuations, as they are paralleled by changes in climate humidity indicated by other evidence from the Western Carpathians Younger hydrological fluctuations may be alternatively explained by human activities as they correspond with macro-charcoal abundance and indicators of wetland openness During their existence, both fens harboured only few fen plant and mollusc species specialized to low-productive sedge-moss fens In the Middle Holocene both sites were encroached by woody plants (Alnus, Picea and Salix), as most other spring fens in the Western Carpathians Contrary to some other spring fens with similar site conditions in the Western Carpathians, few fen specialists established in the study sites since deforestation, presumably because of severe disturbances caused by grazing and/or hemp retting instead of the usual mowing

Numerical Modelling with Spreadsheets as a Means to Promote STEM to High School Students

Abstract: Background:The article gives an account of an experiment in which sixty eight high school students of age 16 – 19 developed spreadsheet applications that simulated fall and projectile motion in the air.Materials and methods:The students applied the Euler method to solve the governing differential equations. The aim was to promote STEM to the students and motivate them to study STEM at universities. A questionnaire survey was carried out to find out if the participants' opinion of the lessons.Results:The result is that 97% of the students found the lessons interesting, 93% understood the algorithms and 85% would like to continue with a more complicated task.Conclusions:The result implies that developing spreadsheet applications that model real dynamic systems by using the Euler method of solving the governing differential equation has the potential to promote STEM to high school students. The method can make lessons interesting, benefits the learning of the topics and contributes to the scientific and technological knowledge of the students.

Proposal of the irrigation system using low-cost Arduino system as part of a smart home

Abstract: The users of modern buildings require more and more comfort and for fulfilling habitation requirements they expect more achievements. Air-conditioning, refrigeration, lighting system, security and camera system, telecommunication system and computer network have been added beside the traditional heating and ventilation. Concurrently with the requirements of the users, the demands of the operation economy of these kinds of objects with multifunctional technology grow, too. The paper describes a creation design of automated control and remote management of irrigation system by the use of low-cost device Arduino and operating system Android. The irrigation system consists of several modules which can be divided into three parts: control part, regulatory part and server part. The design brings comfort, automation and mostly energy savings for intelligent systems.