Antioxidant and prooxidant actions of prenylated and nonprenylated chalcones and flavanones in vitro

Prenylated flavonoids found in hops and beer, i.e., prenylchalcones and prenylflavanones, were examined for their ability to inhibit in vitro oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The oxidation of LDL was assessed by the formation of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and the loss of tryptophan fluorescence. At concentrations of 5 and 25 microM, all of the prenylchalcones tested inhibited the oxidation of LDL (50 microg protein/ml) induced by 2 microM copper sulfate. The prenylflavanones showed less antioxidant activity than the prenylchalcones, both at 5 and 25 microM. At 25 microM, the nonprenylated chalcone, chalconaringenin (CN), and the nonprenylated flavanone, naringenin (NG), exerted prooxidant effects on LDL oxidation, based on TBARS formation. Xanthohumol (XN), the major prenylchalcone in hops and beer, showed high antioxidant activity in inhibiting LDL oxidation, higher than alpha-tocopherol and the isoflavone genistein but lower than the flavonol quercetin. When combined, XN and alpha-tocopherol completely inhibited copper-mediated LDL oxidation. These findings suggest that prenylchalcones and prenylflavanones found in hops and beer protect human LDL from oxidation and that prenylation antagonizes the prooxidant effects of the chalcone, CN, and the flavanone, NG.     

The phenylurea cytokinin 4PU-30 protects maize plants against glyphosate action

The effects of the phenylurea cytokinin 4PU-30 and the herbicide glyphosate, applied alone and in combination on young maize plants were investigated. The influence of the compounds on the changes of growth, chlorophyll content, levels of hydrogen peroxide, and some stress markers, the activities of peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase, as well as glutathione amount were measured 3, 6, and 10 days after the treatment. The application of glyphosate increased the levels of lipid peroxidation, glutathione, and free proline content, ion fluxes, and the activity of catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase, i.e., along with the inhibition of its target enzyme the herbicide induced also an oxidative stress. We found that the phenylurea cytokinin 4PU-30 alleviated in some extent the detrimental effects due to the glyphosate action. Moreover, we speculated that the cytokinin renders its protective action by induction of “hardiness” in the antioxidant defense systems in maize plants similarly to the effects observed after the application of some herbicide safeners.     

Treatment of broiler litter with organic acids

Experiments for treatment of contaminated broiler litter with citric, tartaric and salicylic acids were performed. At days 2 and 6 after the treatment, pH values (using a pH-meter), the ammonia concentrations (titration with 0.1 N HCl) and the microbial cells counts were determined in both experimental and control specimens of litter. The cost of acidification of litter was also determined. Our studies showed that the treatment of the contaminated litter with 5 per cent citric acid, 4 per cent tartaric acid and 1.5 per cent salicylic acid created an acid medium with pH under 5.0 and thus reduced the microbial counts to 2.2 x 10(3)colony forming units per gram manure litter. The treatment reduced the content of ammonia in the litter and in the air under the hygienic limits, i.e. 25-50 ppm. The cost of acidification of litter with these organic acids amounted to 0.1 $ per bird and 1.5 $ per 15 birds on one square metre in a growth period of 50 days.     

Martian meteorite launch: high-speed ejecta from small craters

We performed high-resolution computer simulations of impacts into homogeneous and layered martian terrain analogs to try to account for the ages and characteristics of the martian meteorite collection found on Earth. We found that craters as small as approximately 3 kilometers can eject approximately 10(7) decimeter-sized fragments from Mars, which is enough to expect those fragments to appear in the terrestrial collection. This minimum crater diameter is at least four times smaller than previous estimates and depends on the physical composition of the target material. Terrain covered by a weak layer such as an impact-generated regolith requires larger, therefore rarer, impacts to eject meteorites. Because older terrain is more likely to be mantled with such material, we estimate that the martian meteorites will be biased toward younger ages, which is consistent with the meteorite collection.     

Esterase spectra and adaptive plasticity in rice varieties

Analysis of the esterase spectra was performed on 27 rice varieties which differ in the duration of the vegetation period (early, medium-, and late-ripening varieties) and in the roots, stem, and leaf blades. Organ-and variety-specific differences were found in 5 esterase loci. Late-ripening rice varieties were characterized by lower resistance to salinization and thickening of crops, but not to higher temperatures. A definite correlation was revealed between these differences and those observed in the tissue-specific esterase spectra. Typical for early and medium-ripening varieties were genotypes with nonzero activity by esterase locus 1 (isoferment with the highest electrophoretic mobility), as well as its expression in various tissues simultaneously.     

Monitoring data on ameliorative status of agrolandscape

Long-term monitoring data on the ameliorative status of soils in the agrolandscape of a terminal moraine ridge are given. The effect of agroclimatic factors and specific features of the agrolandscape of the experimental station on groundwater level and moisture content in soil horizons are shown. The differentiation of agroameliorative measures for optimizing water–physical soil properties in different parts of the agrolandscape is substantiated.     

Peculiar properties of the composition of the organic matter of the original forest Phaeozems soils of the northeast of Kostroma oblast

The composition of the organic matter of the forest Phaeozem soil of Kostroma oblast, which is unusual in its genesis, was investigated by the method of physical fractionation. The Phaeozems were formed in an automorphic position on loamy sediments of Triasic age. The carbon distribution in fractions of organic substance (OS) is the evidence of the hydromorphic nature of the OS origin. A hypothesis about the cause of the formation of the modern organic profile of the soil during evolution is discussed.