Report of a collecting mission to the Georgian SSR 1983 for the study of indigenous material of cultivated plants

Summary In the summer 1983 the joint activities for the collection of autochthonous material of cultivated plants have been continued in the outermost western regions of Georgia (Abkhazia, Megrelia). Altogether 434 accessions could be obtained, more than one third of them being grain legumes, and one fourth vegetables and spice plants, resp. The remaining part includes mainly maize. Gene-erosion is very advanced especially for cereals and some grain legumes besidesPhaseolus vulgaris for which an astonishing genetic variability could be confirmed within the local material. Some details of the accessions regarding botanical interest and breeding value have been outlined. The collecting work should be continued.

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Bericht über eine Reise in die Georgische SSR 1983 zur Sammlung indigenen Materials von Kulturpflanzen

Zusammenfassung Im Sommer 1983 wurde eine weitere gemeinsame Reise zur Sammlung autochthonen Kulturpflanzenmaterials unternommen, die in die westlichen Teile von West-Georgien (Abchasien, Megrelien) führte. Es konnten insgesamt 434 Proben gesammelt werden, von denen mehr als ein Drittel Körnerleguminosen und je etwa ein Viertel Gemüse- und Gewürzpflanzen waren. Getreide war fast ausschließlich durch Mais vertreten. Die Gen-Erosion ist bei Getreide und einigen Körnerleguminosen bereits sehr weit fortgeschritten, während beiPhaseolus vulgaris wiederum eine erstaunliche Vielfalt an Formen festgestellt werden konnte. Besonders interessantes Material von Knoblauch, Blattkohlformen und einigen Spinatgemüsen wird kurz vorgestellt. Die Sammeltätigkeit sollte fortgesetzt werden.

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1983 .

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Wirkung des Mikroreliefs auf die räumliche Variabilität des Kohlenstoffgehaltes eines Podzoluvisols in einem Dauerdüngungsversuch

Effect of microrelief on the spatial variability of carbon content of a Podzoluvisol in a long term field trial The relationship between microrelief and spatial distribution and variability of the soil C_t-content was investigated in a long term field experiment with different fertilizer and herbicide treatments near Moscow. Only 20% of the C_t-variability were related to agricultural factors. In order to analyse the influence of the microrelief on soil C_t-content the relief was formalized. This formalization included the calculation of the local inclination, local water gathering area and local relative intensity of the temporary water streams, while distinguishing between convex and concave relief forms. Relief forms of different order were identified by kriging with different distances between the block centers. The parameters of the formalized relief were compared with the C_t-content of the soil by means of semivariograms and correlations. Through combination of relief parameters, it was possible to divide the field into different elements characterized by different correlations and effect types. The water gathering relief forms with maximal values of the relative intensity of the water streams and the arched forms with increasing intensity reduced soil C_t-content. C_t-accumulation occurred at transit positions between the convex and concave relief forms with medium intensity.     

Manual Rupture Versus Transvaginal Ultrasound-guided Aspiration of Allanto-amniotic Fluid in Multiple Pregnancies: A Clinical Approach to Embryo Reduction in Dairy Cattle

To avoid the problems associated with twinning in dairy cattle, one of the embryos may be eliminated. This study compares the effect on pregnancy maintenance of two embryo reduction techniques, manual rupture (MR) and transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration (TUGA) of allanto-amniotic fluid, in Holstein-Friesian cows with multiple pregnancies. In the first experiment, 61 lactating cows bearing unilateral twins (n=27), bilateral twins (n=30) or triplets/quadruplets (n=4) were subjected to MR (n=45) or TUGA using a 17-G neddle (n=16) on day 28-34 of gestation. In 21 and 10 cows undergoing MR and TUGA embryo reduction, respectively, pregnancy loss occurred before day 90 (46.7 vs. 62.5%, P= 0.28). Through binary logistic regression, the type of pregnancy was identified as the only variable significantly affecting pregnancy maintenance (P=0.03). Based on the odds ratio, the risk of pregnancy loss was 4.1 times higher for unilateral twins than for bilateral twins (70.4 vs. 36.7%, respectively, P=0.01). No effect was detected on pregnancy maintenance of the technique used (P=0.17) or of the interaction technique by type of pregnancy (P=0.22). In the second experiment, a 22-G needle was used to perform TUGA on 22 lactating cows. The pregnancy loss rates were 44.4% (4/9), 18.2% (2/11) and 50% (1/2) for cows bearing unilateral twins, bilateral twins and triplets, respectively. The total pregnancy loss rate following TUGA using the 22-G needle tended to be lower than that using the 17-G needle (31.8 vs. 62.5%; P=0.06). Our results suggest that TUGA using a 22-G needle could be the method of choice to perform embryo reduction in cows carrying multiple pregnancies.     

Eight New Peptaibols from Sponge-Associated Trichoderma atroviride

Eight new and four known peptaibols were isolated from a strain of the fungus, Trichoderma atroviride (NF16), which was cultured from an Axinellid sponge collected from the East Mediterranean coast of Israel. The structures of the pure compounds were determined using HRMS, MS/MS and one- and two-dimensional NMR measurements. The isolated compounds belong to the trichorzianines, a family of 19-residue linear hydrophobic peptides containing a high proportion of α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib), an acetylated N-terminus and a C-terminal amino alcohol. These new peptaibols exhibited antimicrobial activity against environmental bacteria isolated from the Mediterranean coast of Israel.     

A Five-Day Progesterone Plus eCG-Based Fixed-Time AI Protocol Improves Fertility Over Spontaneous Estrus in High-Producing Dairy Cows Under Heat Stress

This study compared the efficiency of a five-day or standard (nine-day) progesterone-based regimen combined with equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) in a fixed-time AI (FTAI) protocol for dairy cows. The data examined were derived from 3577 inseminations conducted in three dairy herds. Animals with no estrus signs detected over 21 days were randomly assigned to a PRID-9 or PRID-5 group. Cows in each group received a progesterone intravaginal device (PRID) for 9 or 5 days, respectively, PGF_2α and eCG on PRID removal, and GnRH 48 h later. Fixed-time AI was performed 12 h after the GnRH dose. Cows artificially inseminated following spontaneous estrus during the study period were considered as controls. Based on the odds ratio, the likelihoods of animals in PRID-9 in the warm (conception rate [CR] of 22.3%) and cool (32% CR) periods, and control animals in the warm period (26.6% CR) becoming pregnant were reduced (by factors of 0.6, 0.3 and 0.4, respectively) compared with the control animals in the cool period (CR of 43.7%). The risk of a twin pregnancy was higher (51.4%) for cystic PRID-9 cows (by a factor of 3.6) and lower (9.9%) for cyclic PRID-5 animals (by a factor of 0.4) compared with the PRID-9 cyclic cows. These findings indicate that the proposed protocol achieves similar results during the cool or warm season to those obtained when AI is conducted at spontaneous estrus during the cool season. In addition, PRID-5 reduced twin pregnancy compared with PRID-9.     

Metapodials of ancient bison (Bison priscus) of northeast Russia: “stress markers,” sex and withers height

A total of 175 metapodials (MP) of Pleistocene and early Holocene bison (Bison priscus Boj.) from the vast area of northeast Russia were studied. MP were attributed to males and females both visually and statistically. Data on the withers height of bison from northeast Russia are provided. Stress markers were recorded, including so‐called “buttresses.” With rare exceptions, stress markers were not of a pathological nature. The origin and development of the buttresses are age‐related; their prevalence in bison females can be considered as the response to an increased load during pregnancy. Changes in the periosteum, found in males, are related to their greater activity. Buttresses are also well developed on metatarsals of the red deer and the elk; they are less developed in reindeer and not found in giant deer. A relationship among stress markers, locomotion and the environment is established. Possible peculiarities of the Rauchua River bison locomotion are discussed.     

Variation in sugar levels and invertase activity in mature fruit representing a broad spectrum of Cucumis melo genotypes

Sugar accumulation is a very important physiological process that determines dessert-melon fruit quality. Considerable variation in the sugar content and composition in the mature flesh of Cucumis melo L. fruits was observed among 56 genotypes which represent the wide range of morphological and horticultural types found in this species. Sucrose accumulation was observed not only among 'dessert melons' of the inodorus and cantalupensis types, but also in representatives of other subgroups of C. melo, including some of the accessions from agrestis and conomon groups. Among the genotypes that accumulate sucrose, the levels of this sugar, and not of the hexoses, were correlated with the total sugar concentration. Hexose levels were correlated with total sugar levels only among low-sugar genotypes that did not accumulate sucrose. Activities of the sucrose hydrolyzing enzymes acid invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) and alkaline invertase (EC 3.2.1.27) were measured in the mature fruit flesh and the results of this survey support the hypothesis that low acid invertase activity is a prerequisite for sucrose accumulation. The sucrose accumulating, high sugar genotypes had less-acidic flesh pH values (pH> 6) than the low-sugar genotypes. The latter were characterized by a broader range of pH values, including acidic (pH< 5.5) fruit flesh.     

Changes in fatty acids profile,monosaccharide profile and protein content during batch growth of Isochrysis galbana (T.iso)

To investigate the nutritional value of the marine micro‐alga Isochrysis galbana Tahitian Isochrysis strain (T.iso) as an alternative feed for aquaculture during culture age, its biochemical composition was studied under autotrophic and controlled culture conditions at different growth stages: exponential phase, early and late stationary phases and decay phase. Analysis showed that C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:4 (n‐3) and C22:6 (n‐3) were the most abundant fatty acids in this alga at different growth stages. The highest values of monounsaturated fatty acids were recorded at the late stationary and the decay phases. However, the highest levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed at the early stationary phase. At all growth stages, I. galbana (T.iso) contained arabinose, xylose, mannose, galactose and glucose. Glucose represented the main sugar, and its content per dry alga biomass weight increased with increasing age of the culture and reached about fourfold in the decay phase. The maximum protein content was also observed during this last phase.     

A Novel C1q Domain-Containing Protein Isolated from the Mollusk Modiolus kurilensis Recognizing Glycans Enriched with Acidic Galactans and Mannans

C1q domain-containing (C1qDC) proteins are a group of biopolymers involved in immune response as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in a lectin-like manner. A new protein MkC1qDC from the hemolymph plasma of Modiolus kurilensis bivalve mollusk widespread in the Northwest Pacific was purified. The isolation procedure included ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by affinity chromatography on pectin-Sepharose. The full-length MkC1qDC sequence was assembled using de novo mass-spectrometry peptide sequencing complemented with N-terminal Edman’s degradation, and included 176 amino acid residues with molecular mass of 19 kDa displaying high homology to bivalve C1qDC proteins. MkC1qDC demonstrated antibacterial properties against Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains. MkC1qDC binds to a number of saccharides in Ca²⁺-dependent manner which characterized by structural meta-similarity in acidic group enrichment of galactose and mannose derivatives incorporated in diversified molecular species of glycans. Alginate, κ-carrageenan, fucoidan, and pectin were found to be highly effective inhibitors of MkC1qDC activity. Yeast mannan, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and mucin showed an inhibitory effect at concentrations three orders of magnitude greater than for the most effective saccharides. MkC1qDC localized to the mussel hemal system and interstitial compartment. Intriguingly, MkC1qDC was found to suppress proliferation of human adenocarcinoma HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner, indicating to the biomedical potential of MkC1qDC protein.     

Use of fish embryo biomarkers for the evaluation of mazut toxicity in marine environment

The risk of oil contamination, either through produced water discharges, accidents, or non-point-sources, has increased, and it is attributed with the negative impact on the Black Sea ecosystem, and especially in coastal waters. Coastal marine waters are known as the areas of fish and invertebrates spawning sites, including commercial species, which early developmental stages are highly sensitive to crude oil and its derivates. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of mazut at concentrations of 0.00001, 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 ml l−1 on the biomarker response in the developmental embryos (stages IV and V) of tubenose goby Proterorhinus marmoratus. We used the biomarkers of antioxidant enzyme activities, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (PER) and glutathione reductase (GR). The non-uniform response on mazut impact at tested concentrations on fish embryos was shown. The best biomarker was peroxidase activity, which was highly sensitive to oil pollution and reflected the response of the organism on stressful environment. The imbalance between tested antioxidant enzyme activities was clearer at low and high levels of mazut, and it was less in the case of medium values. The obtained results can be applied for the development of oil toxicity tests for monitoring management and for perspectives of conservation ecology.