Detection of Potyviral Nuclear Inclusion b Proteins by Monoclonal Antibodies Raised to Synthetic Peptides

Potyviral nuclear inclusion b protein (NIb), the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, contains three highly conserved regions. Peptides corresponding to these regions were synthesised and used for immunisation. A panel of monoclonal antibodies was obtained. Most of the MAbs reacted with the peptides and a recombinant NIb of PVY in PTA-ELISA. Two of them specifically detected native NIb of potato A, potato V, potato Y, plum pox and turnip mosaic potyviruses in extracts of infected plants in Western blots. Time course experiments revealed that NIb protein can be first detected on the fifth day after infection.     

Influence of organophosphorus pesticides on peroxidase and chlorination activity of human myeloperoxidase

Inhibitory effects of five organophosphorus pesticides (diazinon, malathion, chlorpyrifos, azinphos-methyl and phorate) and their oxo-analogs on human myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were investigated. While inspecting separately peroxidase and chlorination activity, it was observed that investigated OPs affect peroxidase activity, but not chlorination activity. Among investigated pesticides, malathion and malaoxon have showed the highest power to inhibit MPO peroxidase activity with IC₅₀ values of the order of 3 × 10⁻⁷ and 5 × 10⁻⁹ M, respectively. It was proposed that inhibition trend is rendered by molecular structure which invokes steric hindrance for OPs interaction with MPO active center responsible for peroxidase activity. In addition, it was concluded that physiological function of MPO is not affected by any of the investigated OPs.     

A Qualitative Multi-Attribute Model for The Multifunctional Assessment of ��Streuobst Stands�� in NE Slovenia

Streuobst stands, i.e., tall fruit trees on vigorous rootstock on traditional grassland, represent an important source of raw material for the processing industry and for traditional fruit processing on family-run farms. Apart from production aspects, the high-stem orchards also play a role in the conservation of the traditional landscape, and indirectly in maintenance of the viability of rural areas. In this paper, a qualitative multi-attribute model for the assessment of Streuobst stands with respect to their multifunctional characteristics is presented. The assessment is based on four groups of attributes: (1) production criteria (percentage of missing trees), (2) biodiversity (fruit species and varieties, artificial human intervention), (3) landscape diversity (visual appearance, eco-diversity and erosion protection), and (4) function of the stand (row or individual trees, countryside appearance). The assessment is based on the aggregation of input attribute values to an overall assessment through user-defined decision rules. The model was applied to 85 sample stands in NE Slovenia. The assessment shows that most of the stands (48) were rated as ??very poor?? or ??poor??, mainly as a result of poor cultivation and lack of maintenance.     

Nitrogen efficiency of canola genotypes varies between vegetative stage and grain maturity

There is no information on whether N efficiency in canola at maturity can be reliably determined by screening germplasm in the vegetative stage. Twelve canola genotypes identified in preliminary screening study as having either high or low N efficiency indices were tested for consistency in N efficiency between the vegetative stage and maturity. Plants were grown in a glasshouse under low or adequate N supply and N efficiency was assessed using the following criteria: dry weight at deficient N supply, relative yield at low vs. adequate N supply, and N utilisation efficiency. None of the 12 tested genotypes was classified as efficient or inefficient under all three criteria. One genotype (46C74) was classified as efficient under two criteria, and one genotype (Surpass 300 TT) was inefficient under two criteria. At maturity, three additional efficiency criteria were used: harvest index, N harvest index, and oil and protein concentration in seed. Two genotypes (Wesway and 46C74) (ranked as efficient at vegetative stage) remained efficient at maturity under most of the efficiency criteria used. On the other hand, genotype Surpass 603 CL ranked inefficient during the vegetative stage was ranked as efficient at maturity under two criteria. Overall, there was little consistency in the N efficiency ranking between vegetative stage and maturity in 12 tested genotypes. Screening canola germplasm for N efficiency for breeding purposes would therefore require an assessment at maturity.     

Comparing the interactive effects of water and nitrogen on durum wheat and barley grown in a Mediterranean environment

The understanding of the interactive effect of water and N availability, associated with the ability of crops to efficiently use these resources, is a crucial issue for stabilizing cereal production in Mediterranean areas. A 3-year side by side experiment on durum wheat and barley, under different water regimes and nitrogen levels, was carried out in a typical Mediterranean environment of Southern Italy, to identify the outstanding features of these species that contribute to enhanced grain yield and improved water and nitrogen use efficiency.     

Differentiation and developmental potential of rat post-implantation embryo without extra-embryonic membranes cultured in vitro or grafted in vivo

Different experimental systems are used to study developmental processes in mammals. In this study, three experimental models were analysed and correlated: (1) cultivation of rat embryos in vitro; (2) cultivation in vitro and then transplantation in vivo; (3) direct transplantation in vivo. When embryos were cultivated in vitro and then transplanted in vivo, after the initial in vitro restriction, developmental potential was recovered. The in vitro restriction depended on medium used and duration of culture. Pre-cultivation in serum-free medium for 7 days restricted developmental potential for nervous tissue, and for 14 days restricted developmental potential for skeletal muscles, adipose tissue and glandular epithelia. Transferrin addition improved in vitro differentiation of neuroblasts, cartilage and columnar epithelium. In the combined in vitro and in vivo method, transferrin preserved developmental potential in comparable extent to the addition of the serum. Even in serum-free conditions in vitro, the subsequent in vivo wide expression of developmental potential was possible. Therefore, the combination of in vitro and in vivo methods turned to be advantageous than the isolated approaches (in vitro or in vivo only), and enabled testing in more detail the influence of a single substance on developmental course and potential.     

Short-term evolution of hydration effects on soil organic matter properties and resulting implications for sorption of naphthalene-2-ol

Purpose

Sorption of xenobiotics in soils and especially to soil organic matter (SOM) determines their mobility and bioavailability in ecosystems. However, SOM as the major sorbent may be altered in its physicochemical properties upon changes in boundary conditions such as hydration. Hence, the goal of this study was to determine the influence of soil hydration on physicochemical properties of SOM and the resulting effects on sorption of xenobiotics.

Materials and methods

Samples of a Histosol with 51?% SOM were adjusted to five water contents from 10 to 75?% (w/w based on dry soil mass) and aged for water contact times of 0?weeks to 3?years. The hydrated samples were characterized with respect to thermal properties of SOM and of the incorporated water via differential scanning calorimetry and with respect to hydration-induced swelling via ¹H-NMR relaxometry, and the sessile drop method was applied to determine their soil?Cwater contact angle. Sorption kinetics and isotherms of naphthalene-2-ol in the pre-treated peat samples were determined in batch experiments.

Results and discussion

SOM matrix rigidity varied with the water content and increased with water contact time. An initial minimum in SOM rigidity at ~30?% water content became maximum after ~20?weeks, also resulting in the strongest resistance towards water infiltration. We argue that the anomalies at 30?% water content are related to the critical water content for the formation of freezable water w _crit in the peat samples, which was 26.2?±?0.3?%. Conditions for water-assisted molecular bridging were assumably optimal at 30?% water content. Whereas parameters of naphthalene-2-ol sorption reflecting the sorbed amount were mainly altered by the wetting properties of SOM, sorption linearity and hysteresis were influenced by the anomalies in peat matrix properties at a water content around 30?%.

Conclusions

The study revealed that the interplay of SOM and water led to highly variable and complex changes in SOM physicochemical properties. These properties may serve as a predictor for sorption of xenobiotics in soil at varying hydration conditions enabling a more precise assessment of the environmental fate of xenobiotics.