The influence of mineralogical composition, electrical conductivity and pH on the rheological properties of Latvian illite clays has been investigated. Samples from two deposits have been studied. The average plasticity index of samples from both Laza deposits is 23-25, but from Apriki - around 20. Based on these results, 2 sample s with different plasticity indices from each borehole were chosen for further research. All suspensions exhibityield-pseudoplastic behavior. Samples with the highest amount of clay minerals have the highest plasticity index and apparent viscosity. From 3 samples with similar amount of clay minerals and plasticity index one sample has higher pH and electrical conductivity and therefore exhibits lower viscosity., Inga Dusenkova, Valentina Stepanova, Jana Vecstaudza, Vitalijs Lakevics, Juris Malers and Liga Berzina-Cimdina., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Despite the global distribution of the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) sensu lato (s.l.), limited information exists about their identity from the Arabian Peninsula. Ticks from free roaming urban dogs and dromedary camels in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were morphologically identified, confirmed with scanning electron microscopy and characterised at mitochondrial DNA (cox1, 12S rDNA and 16S rDNA). A total of 186 ticks were collected from 65 free roaming dogs (n = 73) and 84 dromedary camels (n = 113). Morphologically, 5.9% (11/186) were R. sanguineus s.l. and Hyalomma spp. (93.5%, 174/186). From within R. sanguineus s.l., the presence of Rhipicephalus cf. camicasi Morel, Mouchet et Rodhain, 1976 (1 dog, 2 camels) and Rhipicephalus turanicus Pomerantsev, 1936 (1 camel) is reported. The examined R. cf. camicasi form a sister group to R. sanguineus s.l. tropical lineage at all DNA markers. Dogs were parasitised by Hyalomma dromedarii Koch, 1844 (n = 59), Hyalomma impeltatum Schulze et Schlottke, 1930 (n = 1), Hyalomma excavatum Koch, 1844 (n = 2), Hyalomma turanicum Pomerantsev, 1946 (n = 1) and Hyalomma rufipes Koch,1844 (n = 1). DNA from dog blood (n = 53) from Riyadh confirmed a low prevalence of canine vector-borne pathogens that does not exceed 5.7% for Babesia spp., Mycoplasma spp., Anaplasma platys, Hepatozoon canis and Ehrlichia canis using multiplexed tandem PCR (MT-PCR) and diagnostic PCR. Low prevalence of R. sanguineus s.l. on dogs likely contributed to the low level of canine vector-borne pathogens in Saudi Arabia. We demonstrate that dogs in the central Arabian Peninsula are more commonly parasitised by Hyalomma spp. than R. sanguineus s.l., Shona Chandra, Karen Smith, Abdullah D. Alanazi, Mohamed S. Alyousif, David Emery, Jan Šlapeta., and Obsahuje bibliografii
This study investigated the effects of riboflavin on energy metabolism in hypoxic mice. Kunming mice were fed diets containing riboflavin at doses of 6, 12, 24 and 48 mg/kg, respectively for 2 weeks before exposure to a simulated altitude of 6000 m for 8 h. Changes of riboflavin status and energy metabolism were assessed biochemically. Simultaneously, a 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) based metabolomic technique was used to track the changes of plasma metabolic profiling. It was found that the content of hepatic riboflavin was decreased and erythrocyte glutathione activation coefficient was elevated significantly under hypoxic condition. Meanwhile, increased plasma pyruvate, lactate, β-hydroxybutyrate and urea, as well as decreased plasma carnitine were observed. Riboflavin supplementation improved riboflavin status remarkably in hypoxic mice and decreased plasma levels of pyruvate, free fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate significantly. Plasma carnitine was increased in response to riboflavin supplementation. Results obtained from 1H NMR analysis were basically in line with the data from biochemical assays and remarkable changes in plasma taurine, choline and some other metabolites were also indicated. It was concluded that riboflavin requirement was increased under acute hypoxic condition and riboflavin supplementation was effective in improving energy metabolism in hypoxic mice., Y. P. Wang, J. Y. Wei, J. J. Yang, W. N. Gao, J. Q. Wu, C. J. Guo., and Obsahuje bibliografii
During the growth cycle of micropropagated Juglans regia plantlets, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity was aiways higher than initial ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) activity. The ratio of PEPC/RuBPCO activities was higher during the first part of the exponential phase of growth and lower during the second part. The variations of PEPC activity were parallel to the soluble protein content and the variations of initial and total RuBPCO activities were parallel to the chlorophyll accumulation.
Two cultivars of bean, Tacarigua and VUL 73-401 were subjected to two levels of water stress followed by rewatering. During the water deficit period, water potential (Ψ№), osmotic potential (Ψ5) and relative water content (rwc) decreased with an associated decrease of ribulose-l,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity (RuBPC), protein and chlorophyll (Chi) contents. In cv. Tacarigua, the % decrease of RuBPC was less marked than that of protein content. There was a significant correlation among the components of leaf water status and the measured photosynthetic parameters. Groups of water stressed plants were rewatered, when reached -1.25 to -1.60 MPa. During the recovering period all components of leaf water status increased and reached the control values on the 6th day after rewatering. Chi content increased above the control values. Protein content and RuBPC activity also increased during the rewatering period, but the % increases in protein content and RuBPCase activity were not parallel.
In the field, supplemental application of N fertilizer to rice (Oryza sativa) shortly before the beginning of heading stage increases leaf N content and enhances photosynthesis during the grain-filling period. In search of varietal differences in leaf gas exchange in response to supplemental N application, we examined 13 rice varieties grown in the field during two successive years. The varieties included japonica and indica varieties, both of which are widely grown in Japan. The response to supplemental N application could not be separated clearly between variety groups; some of the japonica varieties, but none of the indica varieties, exhibited significant increase in stomatal conductance (gs) after supplemental N application. Supplemental N was more effective to increase stomatal aperture in the varieties with inherently lower gs. Varieties that showed greater response of g s to supplemental N application might be able to adjust their stomatal aperture with appropriate N control. Although the internal-to-ambient CO2 mole fraction ratio and the leaf carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) differed among varieties as a result of variations in stomatal aperture and the CO2 requirement of mesophyll, supplemental N application barely influenced these parameters, because it only moderately affected stomatal aperture. Since δ13C tended to increase with increasing number of days from transplantation to heading stage in japonica varieties, δ13C values were more sensitive to differences in growth rate between years than to N application., S. Shimoda, A. Maruyama., and Obsahuje bibliografii