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Breath Alcohol Tester
Pagáč, Patrik ; Kolář, Radim (referee) ; Chmelař, Milan (advisor)
The theme of bachlor’s project is design of simply breath alkohol tester. A breath alcohol test determines how much alcohol is in your blood by measuring the amount of alcohol in the air you breathe out (exhale).My task is interpret the possibility of measuring the alcohol content in the body. Describe the different methods and compare their accuracy and useability for practical measurements and also used in law enforcement.
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Comparison and characterization of salivary proteins from Sergentomyia and Phlebotomus sand flies
Polanská, Nikola
Sand flies (Diptera, Phlebotominae) are small biting insects and vectors of Leishmania spp. which cause medically and veterinary important disease - leishmaniasis. During the piercing of the host skin, sand fly females inject saliva to facilitate the blood feeding. The sand fly saliva is composed of many bioactive molecules which were shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-haemostatic functions. The saliva affects host's immunity in the bite site and consequently enhances the survival and development of transmitted pathogens. Most of the studies focus on salivary proteins and enzymes of sand flies belonging to Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia genera, while salivary proteins from sand flies of the third genus Sergentomyia were neglected so far. In this thesis we focused on comparison of salivary proteins from two Phlebotomus species, namely Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus orientalis, and Sergentomyia schwetzi. These sand fly species differ not only by the ecology and geographical distribution but also by host preferences. Both Phlebotomus species prefer large or medium-size mammals as the bloodmeal source, particularly rabbits, hares and dogs for P. perniciosus and cattle, goats, sheep and humans for P. orientalis. Contrarily, Sergentomyia sand flies are known for preferred feeding on reptiles...
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The Effect of Teambuilding Outdoor Games on Salivary Cortisol Levels
Ludlová, Monika ; Šteffl, Michal (advisor) ; Psohlavec, Lukáš (referee)
Title: The Effect of Teambuilding Outdoor Games on Salivary Cortisol Levels Background: The present time is characterized by its great pressure on the psyche of the individual creating a stressful environment along with its negative effects. Stress has become a very important scientific topic worldwide. Physical activities in nature can be an effective way to reduce stress. Objectives: The aim of this master's thesis was to investigate the effect of team building outdoor games on salivary cortisol levels. Methods: The thesis was conducted as an experimental study with a crossover design. 10 participants completed three different experimental conditions - teambuilding outdoor games, indoor games, and passive rest. A saliva sample was collected before and immediately after the activities. The salivary cortisol levels were used as the main dependent variable. Comparative statistical methods and generalized linear regression models were used in the data analysis. Results: Salivary cortisol levels not significantly decreased after both types of games; however, increased significantly after the passive rest (p = 0.017). Generalized linear regression models revealed statistically significant effects of both team-building outdoor games as well as indoor games compared to passive rest. Conclusions:...
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Functional analysis of tick salivary serine and cysteine protease inhibitors
KOTÁL, Jan
The proposed thesis focuses on the characterization of two protease inhibitors present in tick saliva. More specifically, the thesis presents immunomodulatory properties, biochemical specificity and structure of a cysteine protease inhibitor named Iristatin. Another characterized protein, IRS-8, comes from a serpin family (serine protease inhibitors) and inhibits blood coagulation and complement system in the host. Furthermore, the thesis provides a literature overview and discussion of tick salivary molecules in the context of tick-host-pathogen interaction, vaccination potential and medicine potential. Two review manuscripts, which are part of this thesis summarize the effects of tick saliva and protease inhibitors on host immune mechanisms.
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Macrophages and nitric oxide in leishmania - sandfly - host interactions
Kratochvílová, Tereza ; Kolářová, Iva (advisor) ; Fialová, Anna (referee)
Leishmania reside fagolysosome of macrophages immediately after their entry to host where they multiply and consequently infect other macrophages or eventually other cells. A synthesis of a reactive reactant of oxygen and nitrogen is one of the mechanisms that some mammal cells are equipped with and that also contributes to eradication of leishmania. Nitric oxide rising during a metabolic change of L-arginine under the catalysis of NO synthase is of a large importance. Beyond cytotoxic function, nitric oxide is involved in signalling pathways for a neurotransmission (nNOS) and vasorelaxation (eNOS). Not all types of macrophages have ability to produce NO (iNOS). It is a heterogeneous group differing in immunological function and also in physiology. A group of classical activated macrophages represents an effective APC capable of efficient killing of intracellular pathogens. In addition to NO, they also secrete an inflammatory cytokines, which evolve an immune reaction towards to Th1. Contrary to this, a group of alternative activated macrophages is not capable of any efficient antigen presentation and nitric oxide production but produces L-ornithine, which is a precursor of polyamines, which leishmania utilizes for its own intracellular growth. For the mouse model, status of resistance and/or...
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Salivary glycoproteins of bloodsucking arthropods
Sumová, Petra ; Volf, Petr (advisor) ; Mikeš, Libor (referee)
During obtaining their blood meal, bloodsucking arthropods salivate into their host. Bloodsucking arthropods' saliva contains wide array of bioactive macromolecules. Host organism develops antibody response against many of these molecules. Due to interspecies variability in salivary protein composition, detection of antibody response may serve as a marker of the exposure to individual species of bloodsucking arthropods. Host antibody response is mostly elicited by proteins or glycoproteins. Glycoproteins contain one or more oligosaccharide chains attached to the protein. Glycoprotein's antigenicity could be caused by either both parts, or by only the protein, or the sugar part. This fact has to be taken into consideration for choice of the expression system for recombinant glycoprotein synthesis. This work summarizes current knowledge about structure, function and features of salivary glycoproteins in various species of bloodsucking arthropods.
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Macrophages in leishmania - sand fly - host interaction
Kratochvílová, Tereza ; Kolářová, Iva (advisor) ; Fialová, Anna (referee)
Sand flies (order Diptera) are vectors of Leishmania parasites (Trypanosomatida), which are inoculated into the host skin together with the vector saliva. Sand fly saliva plays the important role in the Leishmania transmission; in naive host it supresses the host immune response assisting Leishmania to establish the infection, while in repeatedly bitten host it elicits a protective immune response. The submitted thesis focuses on the effect of sand fly saliva on macrophages, the key cells in the infection control. In the first part of the thesis we established a laboratory model L. major - P. papatasi - Balb/c to describe the protective effect of saliva immunization on Leishmania infection development. Immunized mice were protected against Leishmania infection which was reflected in the ear lesion size, parasite load in the ear dermis and draining lymph nodes but also in cytokine production. On the contrary, produced lower amount of nitric oxide, while arginase activity was comparable with nonimmunized group. The IgG antibodies against saliva served as a marker of exposure to sandflies while IgG antibodies against Leishmania antigens served as a marker of infection severity. The experiments were aimed on the possibility of cross-protectivity in Balb/c mice against L. major between closely related...
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Salivary proteins of sand flies and the immune aspects of Leishmania transmission
Kindlová, Michaela
Sand flies serve as the vectors of leishmaniasis and their saliva was shown to affect the outcome of Leishmania infection by immunomodulation of the host. On the other hand, sand fly saliva contains a large scale of farmacologically active proteins that are strongly immunogenous for bitten hosts and specific anti-saliva immunity initiated by repeated sand fly feeding provides protection against Leishmania infection. Specific cell-mediated immunity was shown to be the core of the protectivity; however, our data suggests that the protective immunity has certain limitations. In mice bitten by sand flies for prolonged periods, we observed the desenzitization in term of abrogation of the protective immunity. Thus, we can speculate that the protective effect of immunity is linked solely with the short-term exposure. Nevertheless, our experiments showed that this aspect is also conditioned by the immediate infection after the protective short-term immunization. Taken together, it seems that these limitations may explain the circulation of leishmaniasis in endemic areas, even though humans and animals are frequently immunized by bites of uninfected sand flies. Repeated sand fly feeding on various hosts also promotes production of anti-saliva antibodies that reflect the intensity of exposure. We...
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Comparison and characterization of salivary proteins from Sergentomyia and Phlebotomus sand flies
Polanská, Nikola ; Volf, Petr (advisor) ; Martin-Martin, Ines (referee) ; Chmelař, Jindřich (referee)
Sand flies (Diptera, Phlebotominae) are small biting insects and vectors of Leishmania spp. which cause medically and veterinary important disease - leishmaniasis. During the piercing of the host skin, sand fly females inject saliva to facilitate the blood feeding. The sand fly saliva is composed of many bioactive molecules which were shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-haemostatic functions. The saliva affects host's immunity in the bite site and consequently enhances the survival and development of transmitted pathogens. Most of the studies focus on salivary proteins and enzymes of sand flies belonging to Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia genera, while salivary proteins from sand flies of the third genus Sergentomyia were neglected so far. In this thesis we focused on comparison of salivary proteins from two Phlebotomus species, namely Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus orientalis, and Sergentomyia schwetzi. These sand fly species differ not only by the ecology and geographical distribution but also by host preferences. Both Phlebotomus species prefer large or medium-size mammals as the bloodmeal source, particularly rabbits, hares and dogs for P. perniciosus and cattle, goats, sheep and humans for P. orientalis. Contrarily, Sergentomyia sand flies are known for preferred feeding on reptiles...
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Interactions of human immune system with saliva of bloodfeeding Nematocera
Jelínková, Kristýna ; Kolářová, Iva (advisor) ; Janda, Jozef (referee)
In humans, the bites of bloodfeeding insects from the suborder Nematocera induce an immune reaction, both humoral and cell-mediated. Some antigens presented in the saliva of some insect families - Psychodidae, Culicidae, Simuliidae and Ceratopogonidae - are studied more deeply to reveal their immunomodulatory and antigennic properties. Most studies are focused on mosquitos (Culicidae) and sand flies (Psychodidae). Mosquito saliva elicits primarily IgG and IgE antibodies. The level of antibodies in the sera of bitten individuals reflects the length and intensitity of previous exposure to insect bites. Anti-saliva IgE antibodies play an important role in response to the mosquito bites and are frequently associated with allergic reactions. On the other hand, sand fly saliva elicits primarily IgG antibodies. Cell-mediated human immune response to mosquito bites is a neglected research topic. It has been proven that the saliva of sand flies (genus Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia) stimulates proliferation of PBMC from repeatedly bitten humans. Cytokine production by human PBMC and expression of costimulatory molecules in human monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells are also influenced by the presence of sand fly saliva. So far as we know, there are only few studies on human immune response to black fly...
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