Study on Antioxidant Components in Rosé Wine Originating from the Wine Growing Region of Moravia,Czech Republic

The estimation of antioxidants in fruit, vegetables, beverages, and foodstuffs has been discussed in a great number of scientific studies, but until now, problems concerning the analysis of antioxidant components of rosé wine has not been adequately investigated. This paper presented results of a study on antioxidant components contained in some samples of rosé wine originating from the Moravian wine growing region. The experiments involved altogether 48 samples of rosé wine made of grapes of the varieties ‘Blaufränkisch’, ‘Blauer Portugieser’, ‘Pinot Noir’, ‘Sankt Laurent’, and ‘Zweigeltrebe’. Grapes were harvested in 2013. Spectrophotometry was used to estimated antioxidant activity (53–73?mg?L^?1 GAE), content of total polyphenols (152–369?mg?L^?1), hydrocinnamic acid (52–148?mg?L^?1), flavonols (25–294?mg?L^?1) and anthocyanins (88–1754?mg?L^?1). The HPLC method was used for the detection of some important antioxidants, i.?e. catechin, epicatechin, malvidin-3-glucoside, cis- and trans-resveratrol, ferrulic acid, coumaric acid and caftaric acid. This study enabled to determine basic profiles of the most important antioxidant components of the most popular Moravian red grapevine varieties. The studied wines were analyzed from several different aspects, which is not standard.     

Phenotypic and Bioactive Diversity on Medlar Fruits (Mespilus germanica L.)

Mespilus germanica, known as the medlar, is a large shrub or small tree. The fruit has been cultivated since Roman times, and is unusual in being available in winter, and in being eaten when bletted.  In this study twelve medlar (Mespilus germanica L.) genotypes were harvested at commercial maturity stage (skin brownish, pulp white, fruit hard) from Rize provinces located eastern black sea region and were analyzed for their some important fruit phenotypic (fruit mass, shape index, fruit firmness, ostiole diameter and fruit flesh ratio) and bioactive characteristics (total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity, vitamin C and phenolic compounds). A wide variation among genotypes on most of the searched parameters was found. Fruit mass and flesh ratio varied from 12.3 g (KRD-1) to 23.6 g (KRD-8) and 83.6?% (KRD-2) to 93.0?% (KRD-4) indicating high variability among genotypes. The total phenolic contents of twelve medlar genotypes varied from 157 to 227 mg gallic acid equivalent in 100 g fresh weight basis. Chlorogenic acid, rutin and p-coumaric acid were dominant in medlar fruits.     

Spatial patterns and temporal changes of heavy metal distributions in river sediments in a region with multiple pollution sources

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate temporal and regional variability of contamination by heavy metals (HMs) in river sediments using their enrichment factors (EFs) and benchmarking according to sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). The Zlin region in the Czech Republic (Morava and Drevnice River basins) represents a model area where several regionally specific ecological risk assessment studies have recently been conducted with a focus on organic pollution, eco-toxicity, geological, and geochemical characteristics.

Materials and methods

Four consecutive sediment sampling campaigns were undertaken in spring and autumn 2005–2006. Aqua-regia leachable content of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, V, and Zn in surface sediments from 14 sites was analyzed using ICP-MS, and Hg content was analyzed using AMA-254 analyzer. EFs were calculated to identify the human impact on pollution in the area. Comparisons to SGQs were conducted to identify the areas and HMs of greatest risk.

Results and discussion

Calculation of EFs contributed to the effective clustering of HMs. Median EFs of Co, Ni, and V ranged from 0.9 to 1.4 at all sites indicating concentrations very close to natural geological background levels. There was greater enrichment at locally polluted sites, the highest in the cases of Cd, Sb, Hg, and Cr. Widespread influence of diffuse HM sources (traffic, agriculture, and urban wastes) was apparent from elevated concentrations of Pb, Cu, and Zn at all sites. EF values also helped to identify the greatest temporal changes and shifts in HMs contamination between adjacent sites caused by 50-year recurrence interval floods in early spring 2006. The impact was most apparent in downstream sites; namely directly below the confluence of the two major rivers.

Conclusions

The overall contamination of HMs in the region was classified as low-to-moderate with significantly contaminated sub-areas. The study showed relatively stable spatial distributions of HMs, indicating potential sources of pollution. Cu was identified as the HM of greatest risk. The study emphasizes the necessity of considering both environmental circumstances and background HM occurrence to prevent misinterpretation of the pollution situation. The use of EFs which include grain size proxy normalization and HM background levels, along with the comparison of the detected concentrations to SQGs, proved an efficient way to identify hazardous contamination from anthropogenic sources.     

Land use effects on carbon quality and soil biological properties in Eutric Cambisol

Abstract

The choice of prospective type of farming requires knowledge about the specific relationships that exist between farm management practices and base environmental conditions. Nowadays the protection of soil organic carbon is one of the main tasks, because organic carbon in addition to soil fertility can act in elimination of soil contamination and carbon sequestration. Field experiments were focused on the effect of intensive farming without organic inputs versus grassland on organic carbon content. Organic carbon content (C_ox) and humic substance fractions (C-humic acids and fulvic acid fractions), hot water extractable carbon and selected microbial characteristics in Eutric Cambisol were monitored during the period 1999–2010. A priming effect of soil cultivation was detected immediately after tillage. Arable soil with ‘intensive’ crop sequences (exclusively cash crops, cereals, oil plants) and with an optimal level of chemical inputs (mineral fertilizers, pesticides), but without organic farmyard manure had lower content of all carbon forms compared with grassland. ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and thermal analysis (TGA) were applied to characterize humic acid (HA) structure and stability. More carbon, less oxygen and more aromatic compounds were detected in grassland HA. Slight differences were found in HA thermo-oxidative stability and degradability, which was probably caused by changes in elemental composition and structure. Even the land use had no significant effect on basic microbiological characteristics (basal respiration, microbial biomass and qCO₂); the physiology of the microbial community of grassland was altered by a higher ability to utilize L- and D-glutamic acid. The L/D ratio of glutamic acid mineralization indicated no occurrence of stress in soil for both types of farming. It has been demonstrated that although losses of carbon as a result of land-use conversions are generally more rapid, gains of carbon in grassland followed by changes in management practices can also occur.     

Comparative serologic study of equine piroplasmosis, with card and complement-fixation tests.

An agglutinating antigen and a rapid card test (CT) for equine piroplasmosis was developed. The antigen for the CT was prepared from lyophilized Babesia caballi complement-fixation (CF) antigen. Serum and plasma samples for testing were obtained from known B caballi-infected horses and clinically normal horses maintained at the laboratory. Serum samples also were obtained from horses outside the continental United States, in areas where piroplasmosis is endemic. Comparative CT and CF tests were done on all samples. The CT correctly identified 85% of 192 plasma samples from known infected and normal horses and 92% of 188 serum samples from these same horses. The CT results agreed closely with CF results. There was good agreement between CT and CF results. There was good agreement between CT and CF results on serum samples from horses outside the United States. Of 19 CF-positive samples, 90% were also CT-positive and 92% of 177 CF-negative samples were also CT-negative.     

不同基因型欧洲梨离体繁殖研究

试验用12个基因型欧洲梨茎尖作外植体,以MS作基本培养基进行高体繁殖试验。结果表明,不同基因型外植体增殖和形态分化显著不同。其中Koporeka仅经过28d便获得了5.6倍的增殖。生根培养14d后,生根率达88.65%,每植株生根2.86条。Vila连续培养60d,仅有少量的外植体形成了愈伤组织,无芽和根分化。参试的12个基因型,只有5个类型可以进行规模离体繁殖。     

The impact of climate change on the yield and quality of Saaz hops in the Czech Republic

The impact of climate change on the production and quality of hops Humulus lupulus will depend on future weather conditions in the growing season. Our simulations suggest that hops will be particularly vulnerable to a change in climate. Even with the modest warming so far experienced yields have stagnated and quality declined. Recorded observations show an increase in air temperature which is associated with an earlier onset of hop phenological phases and a shortening of the vegetation period. Simulations using future climate predict a decline in both yields, of up to 7–10%, and α-acid content, of up to 13–32%, the latter a major determinant of quality. The concentration of hop cultivation in a comparatively small region in the Czech Republic makes it more vulnerable than if the crop were grown in more areas with different climates. Thus climate change may gradually lead to changes in the regionalization of hop production. Policy assistance may be necessary for the adaptation of the Czech hop growing industry to changed climatic conditions.