The culturable leaf mycobiome of Viscum album subsp. austriacum

In Poland's pine forests, mistletoe (Viscum album subsp. austriacum) abundance has increased over the past 20 years. This mistletoe infestation has decreased the growth and vigour of Scots pine trees. In this study, we surveyed the culturable fungi from healthy and diseased V. album subsp. austriacum leaves from two stands in Poland. In total, 63 distinct species were identified, 99.8% of which belonged to the phylum Ascomycota. The community compositions of fungi in mistletoe leaves were similar in healthy and diseased leaves as Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans, Botryosphaeria visci, Fusarium paeoniae and Microsphaeropsis olivacea were consistently found in leaves of all symptom types. The most frequently isolated fungus from asymptomatic leaves was M. olivacea, followed by A. alternata, A. pullulans and Hypoxylon rubiginosum. In comparison, the most frequently isolated fungi from leaves with rusty-brown necrotic spots were (in decreasing order) M. olivacea, B. visci, F. paeoniae and A. alternata, while the most frequently isolated fungi from leaves with black or dark brown spots were M. olivacea, A. alternata, A. pullulans, Epicoccum layuense and F. paeoniae. This study was the first comprehensive report showing that certain fungal species may be pathogens of V. album subsp. austriacum in Poland. This study was also the first report of F. paeoniae, F. juglandicola, Diaporthe vacuae and Heterotruncatella spartii from V. album, and the first report of D. vacuae and H. spartii in Poland.     

Apoptotic cell death in the porcine endometrium during the oestrous cycle

It has been reported that apoptosis plays an essential role in controlling the physiological cell kinetics in the human and rodent endometrium but this type of death has never been studied in the porcine endometrium. The aim of this study was to investigate the apoptotic cell death in the porcine endometrium during the middle (Days 9-11) and late (Day 13) luteal phase, during the luteolysis (Day 15) and early follicular phase (Days 17-19) of the oestrous cycle. Apoptotic cells were identified by in situ DNA 3'-end labelling method. It was revealed that the greatest number of apoptotic cells in the luminal and glandular epithelium was found on Days 17-19 and on Day 15 of the oestrous cycle, respectively. In the stroma, the greatest number of these cells was found on Days 9-11. Our data have shown that in the porcine endometrium, both epithelial and stromal cells undergo apoptosis and that the number of apoptotic cells varies depending on the phase of the oestrous cycle.     

Erythrocyte osmotic fragility test as the measure of defence against free radicals in rabbits of different age

Peroxidation of the unsaturated bonds of membrane lipids increases fragility and cellular lysis of red blood cells. Erythrocyte susceptibility to the free radicals (peroxyl radicals) generated in vitro by 2,2'-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH) was evaluated and expressed as 50% maximal haemolysis time (HT50) in 3 groups of rabbits of different age. Erythrocytes of 1.5-month-old rabbits were more sensitive to free radicals than those of 3.5- and 6-month-old ones. In the three groups, significant negative correlation (r = -0.8 to -0.98) between the lipid peroxidation rate (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; TBARS concentration) in blood plasma and the erythrocyte resistance to free radicals was found. This result suggests that the plasma antioxidant defence system is interrelated with that of the red blood cells and that the erythrocytes can be a good model for studies of oxidative stress. The simple haemolysis test reflecting the free radical defence can be useful for evaluating the antioxidant properties of various compounds.     

Cono- and seminiphagous insects of Abies alba Mill. in the Gorce National Park in Poland during 1996?–?1998

A study was conducted on the insects infesting seeds and cones of Abies alba Mill. in the Gorce National Park, in southern Poland during 1996–1998. A total of 856 cones were collected from 66 trees growing at 11 sites located in partially or strictly protected forest reserves. Of this sample, 217 cones with 54,958 seeds were dissected. This study yielded 5,816 specimens of insects, namely: seminiphagous Resseliella piceae Seitn., Megastigmus suspectus Borr. as well as conophagous Earomyia impossibile Morge, Barbara herrichiana Obr. and Dioryctria abietella (Den. et Schiff.). The most abundant species was R. piceae with 4,186 individuals. The index of cone infestation was calculated. It showed great variability between forest reserves and study-years. The numbers of insect individuals, numbers of viable and infertile seeds, and seeds damaged by M. suspectus and R. piceae, in both strict and partial reserves in the consecutive years were compared statistically. The test of significant differences between two frequencies at 0.05 level was used in statistical analysis. In both strict and partial reserves, statistically significant differences were found between studied variables.     

Studies on insects and mites causing galls on the leaves of purple willow Salix purpurea L. in the Ojców National Park in Poland

Analytical studies were conducted on the species composition of galls occurring on the leaves of Salix purpurea L. in the Ojców National Park in 1999–2000. The species composition of galls was identical in two consecutive years. Galls were caused by 5species (a total of 480galls). The most numerous species in both years was Pontania viminalis (L.). Index of occurrence frequency and Agrell's index of species co-existence have been calculated. This index reached the highest values in case of Pontania dolichura (Thoms.) and P. viminalis (L.) in 1999 as well as Phyllocolpa leucaspis (Tischb.) and P. viminalis (L.) in 2000.     

Polymorphism of 5'-region of the bovine growth hormone receptor gene

Genes coding for growth hormone (GH) and GH receptor (GHR) are candidates for quantitative trait markers in farm animals. This work describes a search for nucleotide sequence polymorphisms within the 5′‐region of the bovine GHR gene. Two new single nucleotide polymorphisms were found: restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) at a Fnu4HI/TseI site (C/T transition at position ?1104), and at a Sau96I site (C/T transition at position ?262). The Fnu4HI/TseI polymorphic site is located within the 1.2‐kbp LINE‐1 retrotransposon upstream of the P1 promoter, while the Sau96I RFLP locates in the P1 promoter for exon 1A. The appearance of the Sau96I RFLP was studied in representatives of two bovine species, Bos taurus and Bos indicus. An absolute correlation was observed between Sau96I genotype and the insertion/deletion of LINE‐1.     

The Effect of Lecithin Supplementation on the Biochemical Profile and Morphological Changes in the Liver of Rats Fed Different Animal Fats

Sixty-four Wistar rats were divided into 8 equal groups and kept for 36 days in individual boxes. Three of the groups were given full synthetic diets containing various animal fats: beef tallow, pork fat or fish oil. A control group was fed the diets without the fat. The other four groups were fed the same diets with lecithin supplementation. At the end of experiment, sections taken from the liver were stained with haematoxylin–eosin and Sudan III to indicate fat infiltration. Liver enzyme levels, total bilirubin, albumin and two products of lipd metabolism were measured in serum from all the animals. The addition of lecithin to the diets did not influence the level of enzymes in the serum except in rats fed the diet containing beef tallow. A relationship between the type of diet, lecithin supplementation and the total cholesterol concentration in serum was observed. The concentration of HDL-cholesterol was only influenced by lecithin supplementation and that of triglycerides by the type of fat in the diet. The addition of lecithin to the diet was associated with proliferation of Kupffer cells, and an increased number of binuclear cells. Fatty degeneration of hepatocytes was less pronounced in all groups following lecithin supplementation. Lecithin supplementation of the diet did not elicit any pathological lesions and may be considered as a hepatocyte protector. This favourable effect of lecithin was most marked in the group of rats fed the fish oil.     

Role of the antioxidants in the protection against oxidative stress in cattle--nonenzymatic mechanisms (Part 2)

Antioxidative status consists of two mechanisms: nonenzymatic and enzymatic mechanisms. Nonenzymatic mechanisms are composed of antioxidants, scavengers of free radicals, transition metal ions, sequester transition metal ions, albumins, ceruloplasmin, and metallothioneins. On the other hand, enzymatic mechanisms are composed of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase, catalase and reductase. In cattle, characteristics of these mechanisms depend on the nutritional status of anti-oxidant minerals, especially copper, zinc, iron, selenium, silicon, and manganese. The nutritional status of the cattle in different regions of the world and in Poland is often characterised by the lack of these minerals; therefore, there is a great potential for changes in the activity of defence mechanisms against free radicals.     

Relationships among ecology, demography and diseases of European bison (Bison bonasus)

The bison population in the Bialowieza Forest in Poland has now grown to approximately 300, while the herds in the Belarusian part of the forest total about 240 bison. The first signs of a health problem in these herds appeared in 1980, when two cases of balanoposthitis were detected in two bulls (2 and 5 years of age). Since 1980 research has been conducted to explain the cause of diseases, particularly balanoposthitis, and to monitor the health of bison in Bialowieza Forest. A total number of 614 bison (294 male and 320 female) of different ages was eliminated between 1980 and 2000. Not all the culled bison were examined (postmortem analysis, histopathological, bacteriological, virological and toxicological examinations, serological tests, molecular research). Based on the increase in numbers, reproduction in this population for the past 21 years is generally considered successful. Among 182 male bison eliminated during 1990-2000, only 85, or 47%, of the animals had balanoposthitis. Thus, the percentage of balanoposthitis cases went from 100% during the 1980s down to 47% in the past decade. It appears that the culling process has been a major factor leading to this decrease. It can be assumed that a set of factors is involved in the appearance of the disease (Corynebacterium spp., Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Ureoplasma spp, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Streptoccocus spp., Staphyloccocus spp.) while opportunistic infections including nematodes (Onchocerca spp.) are responsible for the occurrence of secondary lesions.