Succession of Microbial Decomposers Is Determined by Litter Type, but Site Conditions Drive Decomposition Rates.

Soil microorganisms are diverse, although they share functions during the decomposition of organic matter. Thus, preferences for soil conditions and litter quality were explored to understand their niche partitioning. A 1-year-long litterbag transplant experiment evaluated how soil physicochemical traits of contrasting sites combined with chemically distinct litters of sedge (S), milkvetch (M) from a grassland, and beech (B) from forest site decomposition. Litter was assessed by mass loss; C, N, and P contents; and low-molecular-weight compounds. Decomposition was described by the succession of fungi, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Firmicutes; bacterial diversity; and extracellular enzyme activities. The M litter decomposed faster at the nutrient-poor forest site, where the extracellular enzymes were more active, but microbial decomposers were not more abundant. Actinobacteria abundance was affected by site, while Firmicutes and fungi by litter type and Alphaproteobacteria by both factors. Actinobacteria were characterized as late-stage substrate generalists, while fungi were recognized as substrate specialists and site generalists, particularly in the grassland. Overall, soil conditions determined the decomposition rates in the grassland and forest, but successional patterns of the main decomposers (fungi and Actinobacteria) were determined by litter type. These results suggest that shifts in vegetation mostly affect microbial decomposer community composition.IMPORTANCE Anthropogenic disturbance may cause shifts in vegetation and alter the litter input. We studied the decomposition of different litter types under soil conditions of a nutrient-rich grassland and nutrient-poor forest to identify factors responsible for changes in the community structure and succession of microbial decomposers. This will help to predict the consequences of induced changes on the abundance and activity of microbial decomposers and recognize if the decomposition process and resulting quality and quantity of soil organic matter will be affected at various sites.

Litter traits and rainfall reduction alter microbial litter decomposers: the evidence from three Mediterranean forests.

The objective of the study was to evaluate changes in microbial communities with the predicted arrival of new species to Mediterranean forests under projected intensification of water stress conditions. For that, litter from three Mediterranean forests dominated respectively by Quercus pubescens Willd., Quercus ilex L. and Pinus halepensis Mill. were collected, and placed to their 'home' forest but also to the two other forests under natural and amplified drought conditions (i.e. rainfall reduction of 30%). Quantitative PCR showed that overall, actinobacteria and total bacteria were more abundant in Q. pubescens and Q. ilex than in P. halepensis litter. However, the abundance of both groups was dependent on the forest sites: placement of allochthonous litter to Q. pubescens and P. halepensis forests (i.e. P. halepensis and Q. pubescens, respectively) increased bacterial and fungal abundances, while no effect was observed in Q. ilex forest. P. halepensis litter in Q. pubescens and Q. ilex forests significantly reduced actinobacteria (A/F) and total bacteria (B/F) to fungi ratios. The reduction of rainfall did not influence actinobacteria and bacteria but caused an increase of fungi. As a result, a reduction of A/F ratio is expected with the plant community change towards the dominance of spreading P. halepensis under amplified drought conditions.

Very low sensitivity of Wistar:Han female rats to chemocarcinogens in mammary carcinogenesis induction.

Recently a great variability of various mouse and rat strains in the sensitivity for mammary tumors induction by means of physical (ionizing radiation) or chemical (mostly 7,12-dimethylbenz/a/anthracene, DMBA and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, NMU) initiating agents was noted. The categorization into four groups was recommended in rats; the first group with high sensitivity (the incidence of tumors practically 100%, the frequency of tumors per entire treated group 2.0), the second with average type of sensitivity (incidence below 100%, frequency between 1.0-2.0), the third with low sensitivity (frequency 0.3-.4) and the fourth with zero sensitivity as the response to single standard dose of DMBA. After initial observations we decided to analyze the sensitivity to mammary carcinogenesis in the female rats of Wistar:Han strain, used frequently in central European region. Twenty mg of DMBA by gavage as single dose, or three-times 10 mg by gavage as repeated consecutive doses in three-day intervals, or 30 mg/kg b.w. of NMU intraperitoneally were administered, always between 50-55 postnatal days (single doses) or between 50-60 days (repeated doses of DMBA). The average incidence of mammary tumors did not exceed 10% and the entire group tumor frequency was about 0.1 for both carcinogens used. The data allowed us to indicate the female Wistar:Han rats as animals with "very low" sensitivity for the initiation of mammary tumors by single dose of DMBA or NMU; being in this way very close to the insensitive strains. The fact of "sensitivity" improvement to higher range after repeated doses of DMBA indicated a non-genetic background of the changed sensitivity. Our results support the need to use more then one rat strain for initiation of mammary carcinogenesis, and for assessing the bright range of the biological response. In this situation the concept of "multi-strain" assay seems to be the optimal.

[Effectiveness of clonazepam in depressive disorders]. / Ucinnost clonazepamu v indikaci depresívní poruchy.

Clonazepam was administered to 55 patients with depressive disorder (DSM-III-R) in average minimal and maximal doses of 2.40 and 6.54 mg/day for 21-28 days. Complete remission was achieved in 60% patients (Serejskij AB, drop of global HAMD and FKD score by more than 50%), in particular in case of concurrent anxiety. A marked antidepressive effectiveness of clonazepam was suggested also by a drop of the total HAMD and FKD score already after the first week of treatment. All items of the HAMD and FKD scale were significantly positively influenced with the exception of agitation, somatic anxiety, insight, paranoidity, obsession respectively hypochondriasis and paranoidity. No correlation was found between the effect of clonazepam and sex, the patients' age, duration of the depressive disorder, period of the index episode and severity of depression. As to undesirable effects, the authors recorded fatigue and sleepiness (40%) and hypotension (20% of the patients), in particular at the onset of treatment and after larger daily doses. In 3/10 bipolar patients a switch to hypomania was observed.

Czechoslovakia 1991: abortion and contraception.

PIP: In January 1958 the 1st abortion law was passed in Czechoslovakia. At that time it was a progressive law. However, as time went on and other European countries developed their own abortion policies, the law become more outdated. The main failing was that women were not in charge of the final abortion decision, it had to be made by a commission. As a result, a new law went into effect in January 1987 that was more liberal. This new law allowed abortion twice a year for free unless the woman was more than 8 weeks pregnant. Between 8 and 12 weeks there was a fee of 500 crowns. For women under 16 parental permission is required and for women 16-18 parents are notified after the procedure. After the law was passed there was an increase in reported numbers of abortions, but the figures are not very accurate because of unusual recording methods. Abortion (42-55 days) is contrasted with menstrual regulation (42 days) and the figure of 157,912 also includes extrauterine pregnancies. After the democratic reforms of November 1989, strong anti-choice groups began a campaign to end abortion. To date this has resulted in a Advisory Commission that is charged with the responsibility of looking at the abortion issue with the Federal Deputy Prime minister. The commission's recommendations were: 1) the situation is considered critical (that abortion is still allowed and government funded), 2) absolute prohibition of abortion is not recommended, 3) the majority of citizens should be able to adopt any legal measures, 4) abortion should not be government supported except to save the woman's life or in cases of sexual crimes, 5) the law should also serve an educational function, 6) artificial interruption of pregnancy should be renamed to artificial termination of pregnancy. Finally the commission recommended that longterm preventive measures should focus on education. Public opinion indicates that 61% of citizens recognize a woman's right to abortion, while only 4% favor absolute prohibition. Among women 18-39 93% support abortion rights.^ieng

Sex education in Czechoslovakia.

PIP: The Czechoslovak FPA (SPRVR) established in 1979 as a separate agency intends to maintain contact with the Ministry of Education in order to strengthen the position of parenthood education and influence the preparation of guidelines. The compulsory school system includes 6 to 15 year olds. After 1948, the head of the school determined the role of sex education and had the option of inviting a guest lecturer. In 1956, the Ministry of Education ruled that 1 sex education lecture was required for 14 year olds. In 1972, Government decision N137 required family life education at all school levels: pre-school stage, basic grades, secondary and higher education, and universities in preparation for harmonious, stable family life, parentship, and parenthood. In 1987, the new Minister of Education changed the prior policy of a separate secondary school subject to integration in other subjects. Due to this policy, there is great variation among schools, regions and teachers. Some emphasize the negative consequences of sex; personal experience and shame are also involved. Textbooks and materials are not uniform, and SPRVR is attempting to develop the resources to prepare sex materials and train unknowledgeable teachers. The Institute of Sexology since 1921 with its small staff has prepared texts and lecture notes and has a teaching staff but cannot meet the needs of the entire school population. New trends in sex education has emphasized the positive side of sex, behavior, and health, but have been met with parent and teacher apprehension and disagreement because of the mortality or the promotion of sex and a liberal attitude toward abortion. SPRVR holds scientific meetings on parenthood education with an interdisciplinary approach. There has been little consensus or uniformity of action, and inadequate sexual knowledge of teachers attitudes. The parenthood program also faces the influence of the Catholic Church which would like to abolish sex education.^ieng

[Citalopram (Seropram) in tablet and infusion forms in the treatment of major depression]. / Citalopram (seropram) v tabletové a infuzní forme v lécbe velkých depresí.

Citalopram i.v. and oral had a reliable antidepressive and anxiolytic effect in 101 hospitalized patients, as apparent from the achievement of complete remission in cca 60% of the patients with major depression after four weeks follow-up. Treatment with citalopram by the intravenous or oral route was most successful in anxious or inhibitory depressions, while atypical forms with hypochondriac or obsedant features responded better to infusions. The global score of HAMD and FKD scales and typical symptoms of depression such as a pathic decreased mood, anhedonia, feelings of guilt, lack of interest, anxiety and suicidal thoughts were positively reduced. The following were not affected: loss of appetite, loss of weight, anosognosia, paranoidity, and hallucinations. The clinical onset of the therapeutic effect was on average apparent on the 10th-12th day of therapy, significantly sooner when the intravenous route was used. The authors did not find significant differences in the therapeutic results in patients under and above 60 years and in those with a mild or severe depression. As regards subjective preference and preference by relatives, infusions were unequivically preferred as they had, no doubt, also a psychological effect. As to the incidence of undesirable effects, the authors did not detect a difference between the two routes of administration of citalopram, which was well tolerated and 50% of the patients did not report any side-effects and the rare ones recorded were not more frequent than in 20% of patients.