Cattle on pastures do align along the North-South axis, but the alignment depends on herd density.

Alignment is a spontaneous behavioral preference of particular body orientation that may be seen in various vertebrate or invertebrate taxa. Animals often optimize their positions according to diverse directional environmental factors such as wind, stream, slope, sun radiation, etc. Magnetic alignment represents the simplest directional response to the geomagnetic field and a growing body of evidence of animals aligning their body positions according to geomagnetic lines whether at rest or during feedings is accumulating. Recently, with the aid of Google Earth application, evidence of prevailing North-South (N-S) body orientation of cattle on pastures was published (Begall et al. PNAS 105:13451-13455, 2008; Burda et al. PNAS 106:5708-5713, 2009). Nonetheless, a subsequent study from a different laboratory did not confirm this phenomenon (Hert et al. J Comp Physiol A 197:677-682, 2011). The aim of our study was to enlarge the pool of independently gained data on this remarkable animal behavior. By satellite snapshots analysis and using blinded protocol we scored positions of 2,235 individuals in 74 herds. Our results are in line with the original findings of prevailing N-S orientation of grazing cattle. In addition, we found that mutual distances between individual animals within herds (herd density) affect their N-S preference-a new phenomenon giving some insight into biological significance of alignment.

International Staging System required standardization of biochemical laboratory testing in multiple myeloma.

The standardization of biochemical measurement procedures in multiple myeloma is necessary for reliable prognostic stratification of patients in multicentric trials. The new prognostic index International Staging System for multiple myeloma uses only two laboratory markers, albumin and beta-2 microglobulin. Our study compared results of albumin, beta-2 microglobulin and monoclonal immunoglobulin measurements from six centers which provide treatment for multiple myeloma in the Czech Republic and attempted to standardize the analytic procedures. We have found that the measurement of albumin is well standardized and the results from all laboratories were comparable. The measurement of beta-2 microglobulin achieved comparability only after a partial unification of analytical methods. The determination of monoclonal immunoglobulin concentration provided comparable results for concentrations higher than 20 g/l with higher variability for lower values.

Longitudinal study of serum cholesterol, apolipoproteins and sex hormones during puberty.

In order to determine the age and sex dependency of some of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease during the period of sexual maturation a five-year longitudinal study was carried out on 105 boys and 133 girls living in Plzen, Czechoslovakia. Serum cholesterol was significantly elevated in 13-year-old girls (p less than 0.01), while no statistically significant sex-related differences in total and lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein B levels were found in other age groups during the period of follow-up. In boys the total cholesterol showed a constant and statistically significant decrease (p less than 0.01) between the ages 11 to 13 years, but tended to rise during the last two years of study. In girls, serum cholesterol decreased significantly between the ages 11 to 15 years (p less than 0.05). A statistically significant decrease in pre-beta cholesterol was found in girls during puberty (p less than 0.05). The changes in beta lipoprotein cholesterol were similar to those for total cholesterol. The apolipoprotein A-I concentration decreased significantly between 11 and 15 years in boys (p less than 0.05), while it underwent no substantial change in girls. The apolipoprotein B level decreased permanently and significantly (p less than 0.05) during the 5-year period in girls. In boys, the concentration of this protein decreased between 11 and 14 years and increased during the 15th year when a value significantly higher than that for girls was attained (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The pattern of major serum apolipoproteins during the early neonatal period.

Serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, lipoproteins and apolipoprotein A-I, B and C-III were investigated in 24 normal newborns at birth (umbilical cord blood) and again 4 days after birth (venous blood). Blood samples from 95 fasted normolipidemic male and female subjects aged between 20 to 60 years were also analysed. Immunochemical studies of serum from umbilical cord blood have shown that all investigated apolipoproteins were present although at lower levels than found in adults. The concentration of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoprotein B and C-III in the serum from blood collected 4 days after birth did not practically differ from that of adult.

The nosocomial and occupational hepatitis type B infection in a chest disease hospital. A prospective study.

The results of a prospective study of hepatitis B infections among the patients of a Chest Disease Hospital are reported. A thousand and sixteen patients admitted during the twelve months study period were screened for the Hepatitis B(Surface)-Antigen(HBsAg) on admission and during the stay and were kept under epidemiological surveillance for six months following the discharge. The HBsAg prevalence was 3.54% on admission and the cumulative infection rate during the follow up period was 12.64 per 100 patients. The HBsAg prevalence on admission was significantly higher in males than in females, the susceptibility to infection found in the course of the study was in both sexes similar. The majority of infections was inapparent with the ratio of 8.6:1 of inapparent to clinically manifested forms. The incidence of viral hepatitis among the personnel was comparable to the incidence among the personnel of other hospital departments.