Chemical Characterization of Rain and Fog Water in the Cervenohorske Sedlo (Hruby Jesenik Mountains, Czech Republic)

Field study at the Cervenohorske sedlo (1,013 m a.s.l.) (Hruby Jesenik Mountains, the Czech Republic, Central Europe) during 1999–2002 has been conducted in order to analyse the chemistry of rain/snow water using bulk and throughfall collector and fog/cloud water using modified passive Grunow collector. Fog water input to coniferous forest (Picea abies) was quantified using canopy balance method. For all samples pH, and the concentrations of $ {\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}} $ , Ca²⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, Cl^?, $ {\text{NO}}^{{\text{ - }}}_{{\text{3}}} $ , and $ {\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}} $ were measured. The volume-weighted mean pH value varied from 4.92 to 5.43 in open bulk precipitation, from 4.30 to 4.71 in throughfall and from 4.66 to 5.23 in fog water. The fog droplets generally contain higher ion concentrations than rainwater. The related enrichment factors lie between 1.1 and 10.7 for the relevant species. The fog samples exhibit higher concentrations of $ {\text{NO}}^{{\text{ - }}}_{{\text{3}}} $ and $ {\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}} $ as compared to the bulk samples during 2000–2002. $ {\text{NO}}^{{\text{ - }}}_{{\text{3}}} $ are 5.7–10.7 times more concentrated in fog water and $ {\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}} $ are 3.4–7.2 times more concentrated in fog water. These differences may result from the height and characteristics of formation of the droplets. Based on canopy balance method, the annual fog water inputs were estimated to be 22 and 19% of rain and snow annual amounts in 1999 and 2000, respectively. For $ {\text{NO}}^{{\text{ - }}}_{{\text{3}}} $ , $ {\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}} $ , and $ {\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}} $ , the contribution of fog deposition in total (bulk + fog) deposition is estimated as 54, 47, and 42%, respectively.     

Endogenous development of Hemolivia mauritanica (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Haemogregarinidae) in the marginated tortoise Testudo marginata (Reptilia: Testudinidae): evidence from experimental infection

Six young tortoises Testudo marginata Schoepff, 1792 were experimentally infected with Hemolivia mauritanica (Sergent et Sergent, 1904). The prepatent period ranged from 6 to 8 weeks. Young, smaller, club-like forms (6-9 x 3-6 Am) of gametocytes appeared in the peripheral blood first, whereas mature, elongated, cylindrical forms (9-12 x 5-7 Am) were detected after 1-2 weeks and predominated during later patency. Three of the infected tortoises were euthanized and dissected to study the endogenous stages. Meronts occurred in the cells of the reticulo-endothelial system and in the erythrocytes; these were observed mostly in parenchymatous organs. Mature forms measured 14.2 x 9.3 microm and contained 7-12 merozoites. Cysts with two (exceptionally one) cystozoites were also found predominantly in parenchymatous organs and measured 14.8 x 7.9 microm. Pathological changes attributable to Hemolivia were mild and limited to liver and kidneys. The role of individual developmental stages of haemogregarines is discussed with respect to evolution of heteroxenous life cycle and long-term persistence of parasites in their intermediate hosts.     

Peptidases of Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae) and its molluscan host Radix peregra S. Lat. (Lymnaeidae): construction and screening of cDNA library from intramolluscan stages of the parasite

Trichobilharzia regenti is a neurotropic bird schistosome,causing cercarial dermatitis in humans. In this study, ZAP cDNA expression library from Radix peregra s. lat. hepatopancreases containing intramolluscan stages of T. regenti was constructed and screened using PCR with specific and degenerate primers, designed according to previously described serine and cysteine peptidases of other parasite species. Full-length sequences of cathepsins B1 and L, and two serine peptidases, named RpSP1 and RpSP2, were obtained.The protein-protein BLAST analysis and parallel control reactions with template from hepatopancreases of T. regenti non-infected snails revealed that only cathepsin B1 was of parasite origin. The remaining sequences were derived from the snail intermediate host, which implies that the initial source of parasite mRNA was contaminated by snail tissue.Regardless of this contamination, the cDNA library remains an excellent molecular tool for detection and identification of bioactive molecules in T. regenti cercariae.     

The impact of initial concentration of selected pharmaceuticals on their early stage of dissipation in soils

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Dissipation of pharmaceutical compounds entered into the natural environment is an important process minimizing the adverse effects on the living organisms. The aim...     

Evaluation of isoflavone aglycon and glycoside distribution in soy plants and soybeans by fast column high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode-array detector

An ultrafast HPLC/UV-vis DAD method working at 254 nm was applied for the determination of isoflavone aglycons and glycosides (genistin, genistein, daidzein, daidzin, glycitin, glycitein, ononin, formononetin, sissotrin, and biochanin A) in roots, stems, leaves, and soy pods of soy plants and in soybeans of five varieties (Korada, Quito, Rita, OAC Erin, and OAC Vison). An Atlantis dC18 ultrafast RP chromatographic column (20 mm x 2.1 mm, 3 microm particle size) was applied for separation of the isoflavone aglycons and glycosides. A flow rate of the mobile phase (0.1% (v/v) acetic acid, pH 3.75-solvent A and methanol-solvent B) was 0.35 mL min(-1), and the column temperature was 36 degrees C. A linear gradient profile from 13 up to 22% B (v/v) from zero to 2.5 min, up to 30% B to 3.21 min, up to 35% B to 4 min, up to 40% B to 4.5 min, up to 50% B to 5.14 min, and followed by negative gradient up to 13% B to 7.71 min was used. The absolute limits of detection per sample injection (5 microL) were the highest for biochanin A (166.2 fmol) and the lowest for genistin (17.0 fmol), respectively. An accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) in combination with sonication was applied for isolation of biologically active compounds. A solid-phase extraction procedure was used to purify the extracts in the case of analysis of soy plants parts. The recoveries of 96-106% were obtained for the different concentrations of the isoflavone aglycons and glycosides and the different matrixes (overall RSDs 2-9%). The highest isoflavone concentrations were found in roots (12.5 microg g(-1) dry weight), while the amounts were about 3-1100 microg g(-1) fresh weight in different varieties of soybeans.     

Impacts of population growth, economic development, and technical change on global food production and consumption

Over the next decades mankind will demand more food from fewer land and water resources. This study quantifies the food production impacts of four alternative development scenarios from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Special Report on Emission Scenarios. Partially and jointly considered are land and water supply impacts from population growth, and technical change, as well as forest and agricultural commodity demand shifts from population growth and economic development. The income impacts on food demand are computed with dynamic elasticities. Simulations with a global, partial equilibrium model of the agricultural and forest sectors show that per capita food levels increase in all examined development scenarios with minor impacts on food prices. Global agricultural land increases by up to 14% between 2010 and 2030. Deforestation restrictions strongly impact the price of land and water resources but have little consequences for the global level of food production and food prices. While projected income changes have the highest partial impact on per capita food consumption levels, population growth leads to the highest increase in total food production. The impact of technical change is amplified or mitigated by adaptations of land management intensities.     

The V-antigen of Yersinia forms a distinct structure at the tip of injectisome needles

Many pathogenic bacteria use injectisomes to deliver effector proteins into host cells through type III secretion. Injectisomes consist of a basal body embedded in the bacterial membranes and a needle. In Yersinia, translocation of effectors requires the YopB and YopD proteins, which form a pore in the target cell membrane, and the LcrV protein, which assists the assembly of the pore. Here we report that LcrV forms a distinct structure at the tip of the needle, the tip complex. This unique localization of LcrV may explain its crucial role in the translocation process and its efficacy as the main protective antigen against plague.     

The needle length of bacterial injectisomes is determined by a molecular ruler

Size determination represents a fundamental requirement for multicomponent biological structures. Some pathogenic bacteria possess a weapon derived from the flagellum. Like the flagellum, this type-III secretion apparatus, called the injectisome, has a transmembrane basal body, but the external component is a needle-like structure instead of a hook and a filament. Here, we provide evidence that the length of this needle is determined by the size of a protein, YscP, acting as a molecular ruler.     

Transgenic RNAi reveals essential function for CTCF in H19 gene imprinting

The imprinted regulation of H19 and Insulin-like growth factor 2 expression involves binding of the vertebrate insulator protein, CCCTC binding factor (CTCF), to the maternally hypomethylated differentially methylated domain (DMD). How this hypomethylated state is maintained during oogenesis and the role of CTCF, if any, in this process are not understood. With the use of a transgenic RNA interference (RNAi)-based approach to generate oocytes with reduced amounts of CTCF protein, we found increased methylation of the H19 DMD and decreased developmental competence of CTCF-deficient oocytes. Our results suggest that CTCF protects the H19 DMD from de novo methylation during oocyte growth and is required for normal preimplantation development.