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The honey bee is one of the insects that is significantly endangered by the application of pesticides in the cultivation of crops. Not only is acute toxicity dangerous, but the importance of chronic poisoning by low doses of pesticides in hives is growing. The behavior of bees can be affected not only by insecticide residues but also by herbicide and fungicide residues. In 2016-2018, samples of bee bread were analysed for pesticide content at 25 different localities from intensive agricultural production areas of the Czech Republic. Substances were extracted by QuEChERS and determined by liquid chromatography, together with mass spectrometric detection. We detected up to 18 pesticides in one sample. In total, during 2016-2018, we identified 53 active substances. Fifteen substances (31%) were herbicidal, 23 substances (47%) of fungicidal nature and 6 substances (12%) of insecticidal nature. The coefficient of variation showed large differences in the frequency of revealed pesticides between years. For substances sprayed outside period attractive for pollinators (mainly herbicides and some fungicides), the usual methodology cannot reliably determine the degree of contamination, and thus the actual contamination with these substances may be even higher than demonstrated in this study.

Strigolactones (SLs) are a comparatively novel class of phytohormones that are involved in the maintenance of plant architecture with key regulation of lateral branching. They are also reported to play an important role in regulating plant responses to various abiotic stresses. The potential of SLs to improve crop resilience and productivity needs to be effectively translated into agriculture. Therefore, both the endogenous biosynthesis of SLs and their exogenous application need to be thoroughly investigated to understand and exploit the mechanism underlying the alleviation of abiotic stress responses. Although several reviews have emphasised the biosynthesis of SLs in plants under abiotic stress, the mechanism underlying the alleviation of stress responses upon exogenous application has been less explored. Accordingly, in this review, although we have briefly discussed the beneficial effects of endogenous production of SLs in different sections, our main focus is to summarise the influence of exogenous SLs on the growth and development of different plant species grown under various abiotic stresses, including drought, nutrient, heavy metal, and salinity stress. Apart from providing an overview of the transcriptomic studies conducted to observe the alleviating effects of SLs on abiotic stress responses, the research gaps in this field were briefly discussed. The review provides insight for researchers to conduct further research on SLs and fill the gap so that they can be effectively used for sustainable agriculture.

Control and supervision activities in the field of forest management are a type of activity of state authorities to detect, prevent forest violations. The purpose of this study is to analyse the dynamics and nature of violations in the forest sector on the example and in comparison of such regions of Russia as the Krasnodar territory and the Republic of Bashkortostan. The research methodology is selected taking into account the characteristics of the object under study. With the assistance of employees of the environmental inspectorate, search operations were organized in the areas where the greatest amount of forest damage occurs in the studied regions. The authors concluded that one of the reasons for the existing problems is the lack of interest of the state in the development of this sector of economy. The paper focuses on specific types of forest violations and the problems of their prevention. The authors believe that illegal logging belongs to the most common and socially dangerous forest violations. The article concludes that when adopting new regulations for control and supervisory activities in the field of forest management, the legislator must take into account requirements of administrative reform, regulatory guillotine, and risk-based approach.

The jandaíra bee (Melipona subnitida) is a species native to northeastern Brazil that produces geopropolis, a mixture of clay and propolis, used in folk medicine. Geopropolis has traditionally been used in folk medicine because of its potential therapeutic properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects. Recent studies have highlighted the rich composition of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, contributing to their pharmacological potential. Despite these findings, the gastroprotective properties of geopropolis and the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored and warrant further investigation. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective effects of a hydroethanolic extract of geopropolis (HEG) produced by M. subnitida in Wistar rats, focusing on its antioxidant activity and the role of its bioactive compounds in preventing gastric mucosal damage. The gastroprotective potential was evaluated in Wistar rats pre-treated with HEG (250, 500, and 1 000 mg/kg, orally) for seven days and subjected to acute gastric lesions with ethanol (0.2 ml/animal, orally). One group of rats that received only distilled water served as the negative control, whereas the other group that received only ethanol served as the positive control. The stomachs were evaluated to determine the following parameters: evidence of macroscopic and histological changes, volume of mucus-containing mucin, stomach pH, and index of ulcerative lesions. Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene tests were performed, followed by the Tukey test, with values considered significant at P < 0.05. HEG reduced the severity of the ulcerative lesions at all doses tested. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the pH values of gastric secretions, mucus volume, and mucin content in the stomachs of animals pretreated with HEG compared to the negative control group. These results indicate that HEG has gastroprotective activity, which may be related to the presence of phenolic compounds and its high antioxidant activity.

This study evaluates the efficiency of various facial recognition camera systems used to control access in agri-food production environments, focusing on their ability to identify individuals based on biometric facial traits. It is also important to prevent the movement of unwanted persons into the production premises in the agri-food complex. The main goal was to assess how these factors influence the recognition performance and to determine the most reliable system for preventing unauthorised entry. The results show notable performance disparities between the devices tested. It can be concluded in this research that there are statistically significant differences between the maternal, professional and semi-professional systems. The device that is most suited is the HIKVISION iDS-2CD8426G0/F-I, achieving the best average performance score. This is based on usual recognition times. These tests indicate that the HIKVISION DS-2DE7232IW-AE(S5), which obtained an average rating of 2.216789, is the second-best acceptable device. With a score of 2.842113, HIKVISION DS-2CD2H45FWD-IZS (2.8–12 mm) (B) received, without a doubt, the lowest ranking. Given the outcomes, systems with superior recognition capabilities like the iDS-2CD8426G0/F-I are best to use for critical access control applications and to also minimise the use of facial coverings in sensitive areas to ensure reliable identification and higher levels of security of agri-food complexes.

Monitoring the genetic diversity in livestock is a critical component for sustainable management of small and endangered breeds. In this paper we follow up the two most often used metrics of genetic diversity, the average inbreeding coefficients (F) and the effective population (N_e) size in 16 sheep breeds from four countries. The analysis was based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, with about 35 to 49 thousand SNPs and 19 to 98 individuals after quality control. The runs of homozygosity (ROH) method with the cgaTOH software was used to estimate F_ROH, for three different time points in the past (3, 6 and 12 generations before present). Three methods were implemented to estimate N_e, using the NeEstimator v2, GONE and CurrentNe software for different time spans in the past. The average F_ROH ranged between 0.001 and 0.035 for 3 generations, 0.003 and 0.059 for 6 generations, 0.005 and 0.074 for 12 generations in the past. The wide range of inbreeding coefficients might be a consequence of different population sizes and breed management strategies in the respective countries. The results for N_e ranged from 7 to 352 for NeEstimator, 25 to 303 for GONE, and 15 to 542 for CurrentNe. Overall, the software showed comparable results for 10 out of 16 breeds, and significantly different results for at least one software for at least one of the methods for 6 out of 16 breeds. These differences show a degree of uncertainty in N_e estimations for certain breeds. Overall, we suggest the continued monitoring of sheep breeds, ideally by routine genotyping in all populations. This monitoring is especially important for small breeds with a greater decline in genetic diversity.

Contract farming is regarded as an effective strategy for smallholder farmers in developing countries to enhance their agricultural competitiveness. However, limited research exists on its potential to promote green, sustainable development. This paper investigates the impact of contract farming participation on farmers' green technology efficiency using data from a sample of 627 vegetable growers in Shandong, China and employs the propensity score matching method. Our findings are as follows: i) Under the counterfactual assumption, participation in contract farming increases green technology efficiency from 0.560 to 0.614. The efficiency of contract production bases, ranked from highest to lowest, is as follows: self-owned base, stock-sharing base, and contractual base. ii) The provision of productive services serves as a significant mediating factor in enhancing green technology efficiency, with a more substantial impact than issuing planned instructions. iii) Increasing purchase prices, as an effective means of providing motivational incentives, significantly amplifies the effect of contract farming on green technology efficiency in self-owned and stock-sharing bases. As organisational models evolve toward greater integration, the enhancing effect of price incentives on green technology efficiency strengthens. This study concludes with several public policy and agricultural management recommendations.

Analyses of mercury concentrations in the muscle, liver and kidneys of cattle were conducted in the Czech Republic during the period from 2014 to 2023. The average mercury content in muscles, livers, and kidneys of calves was 0.000 5 ± 0.000 0 mg.kg^–1, 0.002 7 ± 0.000 5 mg.kg^–1, and 0.004 1 ± 0.000 8 mg.kg^–1, respectively. In fattening cattle, the average mercury content in muscles, livers and kidneys was 0.000 5 ± 0.000 0 mg.kg^–1, 0.002 1 ± 0.000 2 mg.kg^–1 and 0.004 9 ± 0.000 3 mg.kg^–1, respectively. In cows, the average mercury content in muscles, livers and kidneys was 0.000 5 ± 0.000 0 mg.kg^–1, 0.002 3 ± 0.000 1 mg.kg^–1 and 0.006 9 ± 0.000 3 mg.kg^–1, respectively. The maximum residual limit for human consumption was exceeded in 10 kidney samples (3 calves, 6 cows, 1 fattening cattle) and 1 liver sample (calf). In all age categories, the highest mercury concentrations were found in the kidneys, lower in the livers, and the lowest in the muscles. When comparing the age groups, significantly higher mercury concentrations were observed in the kidneys of cows than in calves and fattening cattle. It can be concluded that there is still a need for further monitoring of mercury concentrations in cattle tissues in the Czech Republic.

This study investigates the effect of varying concentrations of potato fibre (PF) (1, 2, and 3%) on wheat flour (WF) dough rheological properties and the resultant pan bread quality. Chemical analysis, physical characteristics (weight, loaf volume, and specific volume), and colour attributes were estimated to assess bread quality. The impact of PF on bread sensory evaluation was estimated. The addition of PF significantly affected the properties of the dough. Moreover, the data indicated a substantial increase in water absorption (P ≤ 0.05) from 57.2% for the control to 65.5, 73.3, and 77.6% with the addition of 1, 2, and 3% PF to WF, respectively. Protein, crude fibre, and ash levels significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) with higher PF ratios. Moisture and carbohydrate contents were markedly reduced (P ≤ 0.05). The specific volume considerably decreased from 3.15 cm³·g^–1 in the control to 2.9, 2.74, and 2.53 cm³·g^–1 with the addition of 1, 2, and 3% PF to WF, respectively. All replacement samples exhibited no significant alterations (P ≤ 0.05) in L* values and substantially (P ≤ 0.05) increased values of yellowness (b*) in all fortified samples relative to the control. Sensory assessments revealed that PF can be incorporated into WF at concentrations of 1% and 2% without compromising the overall acceptability of bread compared to the control.

To better understand the influence of altitude on fruit characteristics of bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.), here we investigated the adaptation of its fruit morphological and chemical traits to the environment at six growing positions along an altitudinal gradient (706, 957, 1 226, 1 315, 2 000 and 2 190 m) on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, China. Fruit longitudinal diameter, fruit transverse diameter and fruit weight decreased significantly with increasing altitude. Vitamin B1 content reached its highest at 2 190 m, while both vitamin B2 and vitamin C contents reached their highest and lowest at 1 226 and 706 m, respectively. Anthocyanin content and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging ability initially decreased and then improved with increasing altitude. We observed a highly significant (P < 0.001) negative correlation between external fruit quality traits (fruit length, diameter and weight) and internal fruit quality traits (vitamins B1, B2, C and anthocyanin), and found that environmental factors significantly influenced fruit characteristics. Taken together, we concluded that on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, bog bilberry fruits were larger at low altitudes, fruits at mid altitudes contained higher vitamins B2 and C, while high altitude (especially at 2 190 m) was beneficial for vitamin B1, anthocyanin, and DPPH free radical scavenging ability.

Establishing a core collection that represents the genetic diversity of the entire collection with a minimum loss of its original diversity and minimal redundancies is an important problem for gene bank curators and crop breeders. In this paper, we assess the representativeness of the original genetic diversity in core collections consisting of one-tenth of the entire collection obtained according to 23 sampling strategies. The study was performed using the Polish orchardgrass Dactylis glomerata L. germplasm collection as a model. The representativeness of the core collections was validated by the difference of means (MD%) and difference of mean squared Euclidean distance (d‒D%) for the studied traits in the core subsets and the entire collection. In this way, we compared the efficiency of a simple random and 22 (20 cluster-based and 2 direct cluster-based) stratified sampling strategies. Each cluster-based stratified sampling strategy is a combination of 2 clusterings, 5 allocations and 2 methods of sampling in a group. We used the accession genotypic predicted values for 8 quantitative traits tested in field trials. A sampling strategy is considered more effective for establishing core collections if the means of the traits in a core are maintained at the same level as the means in the entire collection (i.e., the mean of MD% in the simulated samples is close to zero) and, simultaneously, when the overall variation in a core collection is greater than in the entire collection (i.e., the mean of d‒D% in the simulated samples is greater than that obtained for the simple random sampling strategy). Both cluster analyses (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean UPGMA and Ward) were similarly useful in constructing those sampling strategies capable of establishing representative core collections. Among the allocation methods that are relatively most useful for constructing efficient samplings were proportional and D2 (including variation). Within the Ward clusters, the random sampling was better than the cluster-based sampling, but not within the UPGMA clusters.

The efficiency of embryo recovery in a superovulatory treatment was studied by perfusing the oviduct or the uterine horn in 3.5 and 7 days after sponge withdrawal, respectively. Eighty-four and seventy ewes of Aragonesa breed were used as embryo donors and receptors, respectively. The donors were distributed in 3 replications. The oestrus was synchronized with the insertion of FGA intravaginal sponges (30 mg) for 13 days. Six intramuscular injections of 18 mg pFSH were applied in decreasing doses at 12 hour intervals starting 48 hours after sponge withdrawal. The recovery rate (RR) (83.2 vs. 75.8%), the viability rate (VR) (73.5 vs. 47.2%) and the number of viable embryos (VE) per donor ewe (5.9 ± 0.79 vs. 3.0 ± 0.37) were higher (P < 0.01) in ewes whose perfusion was done directly in oviducts. The interval from sponge withdrawal to oestrus had no influence on RR in any groups; however it had an effect on the VR in 3.5 and 7 days old embryos. Embryos from ewes showing the oestrus within 20 hours after sponge withdrawal had a higher viability. On the other hand, using morphologic criteria, 26.5% and 52.7% of 3.5 and 7 days old embryos, respectively, were discarded before transfer. The percentage of ewes in each group that became pregnant was similar in both groups. We conclude that in superovulated ewes the embryo recovery rate, viability and number of viable embryos are higher in embryos recovered from the oviduct compared to those recovered from the uterus, without decreasing the conception rate and the viability rate is higher in ewes that show the oestrus 20 hours before sponge withdrawal.

ISA Brown hens were fed diets supplemented with the synthetic carotenoids Carophyll Red and Carophyll Yellow at 20 and 15 mg/kg, respectively, lutein at 250 mg/kg, and the algae Chlorella at 12.5 g/kg. The synthetic carotenoids, lutein, and Chlorella significantly increased egg weight (P < 0.001), shell weight (P < 0.001), and thickness (P = 0.017) and decreased the yolk/albumen ratio (P = 0.035) of the eggs. Lutein but not the Carophylls or Chlorella significantly increased the shell breaking strength (P = 0.032). Furthermore, the carotenoids and Chlorella significantly (P < 0.001) increased yolk colour, and the yolk redness increased significantly (P < 0.001) in the following order: control < Chlorella < Carophyll < lutein. Lutein and Chlorella increased the yellowness of the yolks, and boiling the eggs for 5 min increased the redness of the yolks, while boiling them for 10 min increased the lightness and reduced the colour of the yolks. Supplementation of feed with lutein and Chlorella significantly (P < 0.001) increased the concentration of lutein (from 12.8 to 133.9 and 49.0 mg/kg dry matter) and zeaxanthin (from 9.2 to 123.9 and 40.1 mg/kg dry matter) in the yolks, and all carotenoids and Chlorella significantly (P < 0.001) increased the oxidative stability of the lipids of fresh eggs and eggs that had been stored at 18°C for 28 days.

The relation between high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits and bread-making quality could enable selection for improved bread-making quality in early stages of breeding process. The composition of HMW glutenin subunits was investigated in F₂ and F₇ progenies derived from the cross between winter wheat varieties Sulamit and Clever. The presence of Glu-A1 (AxNull and Ax1), Glu-B1 (Bx6+By8 and Bx 17+By18) and Glu-D1 alleles (x 5+Dy10 and Dx 2+Dy12) was monitored using a PCR based assay. Segregation of alleles corresponded with the theoretically assumed 1:2:1 Mendelian ratio in F₂ generation, however, the values of χ²-test in F₇ generation indicated a strong affection of allelic frequencies by the breeding process. Significant variation was also observed in Glu-1 score frequency between F₂ and F₇ generation. These changes were probably caused by deliberate phenotypic selection for important agronomical traits. SDS and Zeleny sedimentation tests, mixographic parameter breakdown and HMW glutenin composition were analyzed in F₇ to reveal the effects of different combinations of HMW glutenin alleles on the bread-making quality characters. The results showed statistically significant differences in the contribution of HMW glutenin alleles. In general, the alleles Ax1, Bx17+By18 and Dx5+Dy 10 can be considered as markers of good baking quality. The data presented in this paper suggest that heterozygous constitution may also have a positive effect on bread-making quality.

The effect of the application of compost and cow manure on nectarine (Prunus persica L.) root growth and survivorship was investigated in a commercial orchard during the growing seasons 2003, 2004 and 2005. Our main objective was to determine whether compost affects root dynamics differently than cow manure. The experiment was a complete randomized block design with four replicates of two treatments: cow manure and compost applied at planting in 2001 at 10 t dry weight (DW)/ha and from 2004 at the rate of 5 t DW/ha. The compost fertilization represented a yearly rate of 120 kg N/ha, while cow manure was approximately 80 kg N/ha/year. Both root growth and survival were evaluated at 20-day intervals during the growing season by the minirhizotron technique. Cow manure increased the production of new roots compared with compost (P ≤ 0.001). Roots were mainly produced at a depth of 21-40 cm for compost and 61-80 cm for cow manure. The root lifespan was longer in compost than in cow manure treated trees (P ≤ 0.05) and was strongly affected by depth. No differences were observed in root length and diameter.

Beechnuts from three Fagus sylvatica lots were dried at 20°C to 5-6% or 8-9% (fresh weight basis) moisture content and stored at -7°C or -22°C for 3.5 or 4.5 years in sealed polyethylene bags containing air and routinely used for the long-term storage of beechnuts or vacuumed (de-aerated) polyethylene bags with air removed before sealing. The germination and viability (tetrazolium test) of beechnuts were determined according to the Czech Technical Rules (1997) once a year during storage. The results were subjected to factorial ANOVA and the means were compared using the Scheffe test at P > 0.05. Compared to beechnuts dried to an 8-9% moisture content a significant decrease in both germination and viability occurred in beechnuts dried to a 5-6% moisture content regardless of how long the beechnuts were stored. However, the effects of the other treatments (type of storage bag, storage temperature) were not significant.

Pistachios from Italy and Turkey were stored at different temperatures (10, 20, and 30°C) and the moisture of the pistachios, the free fatty acids (FFA) content, the peroxide value, and triacylglycerols (TGs) composition of the extracted oils were evaluated. The content of FFA decreased during storage at 10°C and increased at 20 and 30°C. No differences between the peroxide values were found during storage at 10°C. A significant increase in the peroxide values was observed after 20 days at 20°C and 5 days at 30°C in both the Italian and Turkish samples. The main TGs found in the pistachio oil of both origins were OLO, OLL, OLP, LLL, LLP, OOP, OLLn, and OOO; these accounted for approximately 85% of the total TGs content. A decrease was observed in the amounts of TGs esterified with polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as LLP, OLP, LLL and OLL, and an increase of the relative amounts of TGs with monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids, such as OOO and OOP, with the increasing storage time and temperatures in both samples.

Soil clay content (SCC) plays an essential role in the processes of infiltration, seal and crust formation, runoff, and soil erosion. The role played by SCC in water erosion has received much attention in recent years. Hence, in order to investigate these effects on a small scale, a simulation experiment was conducted. Soil lacking clay content was combined with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% of clay soil, respectively. The experimental setup consisted of rectangular metal plots (1.5 × 1 m) comprising soil with selected combinations of clay content, placed at a 9% slope. Six treatments, three replicates each (totally 18 plots), were exposed to simulated rainfall at an intensity of 70 mm/h for 30 min. The results were compared by means of statistical tests. General trends in runoff volume were similar for different SCCs and decreasing and increasing trends were achieved for sediment and runoff, respectively. The results showed significant differences in the hydrological and erosional responses of these soils based on their clay contents. The soils with intermediate clay content were more resistant to erosion and had lower values of the runoff. Finally, time had significant (P < 0.00) effects on both runoff and sediment production during the rainfall.

A combination of drugs may be preferred over the use of a single agent to induce deep sedation. A synergistic interaction between the drugs reduces the dose requirements of the drugs thereby minimising the unwanted side effects associated with each drug and improving recovery. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the suitability of dexmedetomidine and dexmedetomidine in combination with midazolam-fentanyl or midazolam-fentanyl-ketamine for different levels of sedation, analgesia and anaesthesia in dogs. In a prospective, blinded, randomised clinical trial, 12 mixed breed dogs were divided into three groups. Animals of Group I were injected with dexmedetomidine 20 μg/kg. Animals of Group II received 20 μg/kg dexmedetomidine + 0.2 mg/kg midazolam + 4 μg/kg fentanyl and animals of Group III were administered with 20 μg/kg dexmedetomidine + 0.2 mg/kg midazolam + 4 μg/kg fentanyl + 10 mg/kgketamine. All the drugs were given simultaneously via the intramuscular route. Jaw relaxation, palpebral reflex, pedal reflex and response to intubation were recorded and graded on a numerical scale. Values of heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature and mean arterial pressure were recorded at baseline and then at predetermined intervals up to 120 min. Onset of sedation time, onset of recumbency time, time to return of righting reflex, standing recovery time and complete recovery time were recorded. Maximal muscle relaxation, sedation and analgesia were observed in animals of Group III, which was followed in decreasing order by Groups II and I. Heart rate decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after administration of drugs in Groups I and II but a significant (P < 0.05) increase was recorded in Group III. Respiratory rate decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in all the groups. Rectal temperature decreased non-significantly in all the groups. Mean arterial pressure initially increased significantly (P < 0.01) in Groups I and III followed by a decrease in Group I, but in Group III it remained above the base line. In Group II, MAP decreased throughout the study period. Onset of sedation time and onset of recumbency time were significantly (P < 0.05) shorter in Group III as compared to Group I. Time to return of righting reflex, standing recovery time and complete recovery time did not differ significantly between the groups. It is concluded that dexmedetomidine provides a reliable moderate sedation and analgesia. Addition of midazolam and fentanyl enhances sedation, analgesia and muscle relaxation induced by dexmedetomidine. Addition of ketamine produced deep sedation and complete anaesthesia with lesser cardiopulmonary depression. Thus, dexmedetomidine can be used safely in combination with midazolam, fentanyl and ketamine for different levels of sedation, analgesia and anaesthesia in dogs.

The study was performed to investigate the effect of combinations of feed additives consisting of either a combination of a probiotic and a prebiotic (synbiotic), or a combination of a probiotic and xylanase on ileal nutrient digestibility, ileal microbial metabolite concentrations, and microbial composition in ileal digesta of weaned piglets. In total, 12 six-week old barrows with an average initial body weight of 7.5 kg, fitted with an ileal T-cannula, were assigned to 3 dietary treatments. The basal diet was supplemented with a combination of 1 g probiotics (Pediococcus acidilactici, Bactocell^®)and 20 g prebiotics (oligofructose) (Pro/Pre) or 1 g probiotics (Pediococcus acidilactici, Bactocell^®) and 0.5 g xylanase (Pro/Xyl) per kg diet. The supplementation of Pro/Xyl increased ileal digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) by 41.6% (P < 0.05). The microbial metabolite concentrations, pH of ileal digesta as well as ileal lactobacilli populations were not affected (P > 0.05) by any of the treatments. Enterobacteriaceae were reduced (P < 0.05) upon supplementation of Pro/Pre, resulting in an increased (P < 0.05) ileal lactobacilli to Enterobacteriaceae ratio compared with piglets fed the control diet. In conclusion, NDF digestibility was increased following xylanase supplementation, while microbial activity and composition in the ileum were not affected. The synbiotic approach was effective in reducing ileal Enterobacteriaceae numbers.

The paper contains strength tests results of joints soldered using lead and leadless soft solders. For tests lead solders types Sn63Pb37, Sn60Pb40, Pb60Sn40 and Pb48Sn32Bi and leadless soft solders types Sn96Ag4, Sn99Cu1, Sn70Zn30 and Sn96Ag3Cu1 were used. As basic joint material steel sheet of 1.0 mm thickness and zinc-coated steel sheet of 1.0 mm thickness were used. The size of test specimen was 100 × 20 mm. Two sheets were always cleaned and jointed together. For heating the propane-butane plus air flame was used. The tested assemblies were loaded using the universal tensile-strength testing machine until their failure. At the tests the force needed for assemblies' failure and failure type (in the soldered joint, in the basic material) was recorded and the solder strength was calculated from the measured data. The test results show that for soldering of steel sheets as well of zinc-coated steel sheets of 1.0 mm thickness the joints soldered using the lead soft solder type Sn63Pb37 and the leadless soft solder type Sn96Ag4 were of the highest strength.

The field study in a mountain forest at Bílý Kříž provides a comparison of element fluxes for two adjacent forest spruce stands of the same age (29 years in 2005) but with different stem densities. During five years (2001-2005), bulk and throughfall precipitation was sampled and analysed. Total deposition, dry deposition and canopy exchange fluxes were evaluated on the basis of the Canopy Budget Model. Highly significant differences in base cations, dissolved organic carbon, SO₄^2-, F^-, and Cl^- throughfall concentrations were found between the sparser and denser spruce stands. Throughfall, dry deposition and canopy exchange fluxes were also influenced by stand density. Annual throughfall fluxes of inorganic nitrogen were within 11.9-17.8 kg N.ha^-1.yr^-1 on the sparser plot and within 15.4-20.6 kg N.ha^-1.yr^-1 on the denser plot; annual throughfall fluxes of sulphur were within 15.3-20.3 kg S.ha^-1.yr^-1 on the sparser plot and within 20.7-27.7 kg S.ha^-1.yr^-1on the denser plot. The critical load for nitrogen (11.2 kg N.ha^-1.yr^-1) was exceeded on both plots in all evaluated years 2002-2005. Total annual inorganic nitrogen deposition was higher by up to 37.5% (in 2002) on the denser plot than on the sparser one.

The analysis was carried out of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) formation during the baking of shortbreads. The investigation was done on three types of shortbread in which sucrose, glucose, or fructose were used as sweeteners. In all the samples the concentration of sugar was 20% (w/w). The cookies were baked in a laboratory oven at temperatures of 200, 215, 230, and 245°C. The samples for the HMF determination were taken at intervals from 5 to 18 min depending on the baking temperature. It was found that HMF formation can be described by exponential equation. The HMF formation was correlated with the colour changes of the cakes determined according to CIELab system. Different parameters of colour were investigated, however, only in the case of brightness difference may the correlation be treated as statistically important.

Since 1994, the nutritional status and the air pollution load have been evaluated on 20 research plots, located in young Norway spruce stands in the ridge area of the Krušné hory Mts. The most recent acute damage to the spruce stands, in the winter of 1995/96, was connected with a long-lasting inversion situation in the eastern area of the Krušné hory Mts. Today, the health status of the spruce stands, expressed in terms of the crown defoliation, has recovered and is comparable to that found in other regions of the Czech Republic. The sulphur and fluorine content of the needles has decreased significantly. The long-term negative effect of acid deposition that contributes to the degradation of forest soils remains an important part of stressors acting on forest ecosystems in the region. In recent years, nitrogen and sulphur concentrations in the needles have increased slightly again. A long-term tendency towards a decrease in the phosphorus, calcium and potassium content of the needles was detected.

The purpose of the pilot project Senotín (1993-2000) was to prove the methods of revitalization of sub-mountain headwater area (0.38 km²) in the Novobystřická Vysočina Highland (610-725 m a. s. l.) in the Czech Republic. This area was tile-drained and ploughed in 1985. Seven underground clay shields newly constructed in 1995 stopped the function of the tile drainage. Four balks prevented the surface and subsurface runoff. These adaptations improved water retention capacity of the whole catchment, which is demonstrated using an example of runoff formation in the revitalized area. A typical storm rain (total 15 mm, duration 5.6 h, max. intensity 4 mm/20 min) and the consequent runoff was analysed, including the role of the soil in the runoff retardation and water retention. The runoff started in two hours since the rain beginning. The retention reached 98% of the rain total. The runoff lasted for 85 h. The concave-upward shape of the falling hydrograph limb indicates that the maximum retention capacity of the studied catchment is high.

Experimental device was created to model stable atmosphere. The device consists of the glass vessel filled with air. Volume of the vessel is 30 litres. The ammonia concentration is similar to stable air. Amount of ozone in 2.4 mg was added and subsequently weight loss of ammonia was measured. Measurements were performed at different temperatures (20°C, 45°C) and different air humidity. The observed ratio of reacting ozone and ammonia is 5.2:1. It was also found, that this ratio is practically independent of temperature and relative humidity that occur in a stable environment. The results are the basis for the design of ozone air purification technology.

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and heritability of elbow dysplasia in the Estrela mountain dog breed, to investigate genetic trends over the last 20 years (1990-2009) and to evaluate the association of individual records with breeding values. The elbows of 351 Estrela mountain dogs were examined using the flexed mediolateral radiographic view and evaluated using the International Elbow Working Group scoring system. Heritability and breeding values were estimated using a linear model. Elbow Dysplasia was found in 16.5% (59/351) of the dogs; males (27%, 34/127) were more affected than females (11%, 24/224) (P < 0.05). The heritability was very low (0.065) and the genetic trend showed a slight positive slope with an improvement in 2004 and 2005. The mean breeding values in elbow dysplasia grades were different but the overlap among grades was very pronounced. The prevalence and heritability of elbow dysplasia in the breed are thus low. Mass selection using individual phenotypes may not be effective. Elbow dysplasia genetic trends are similar to trends for hip dysplasia and passive hip laxity, so the use of selection against hip dysplasia may also result in genetic progress for elbow dysplasia.

Tanniferous forages may have bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal effect on different rumen microbial populations. We investigated the influence of the tropical tanniferous plants Styzolobium aterrimum (STA), Styzolobium deeringianum (STD), Leucaena leucocephala (LEU), and Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia (MIC) containing 20, 64, 56, and 105 g condensed tannis (CT)/kg dry matter (DM) and Cynodon spp. cv. Tifton 85 (CYN) as control on Fibrobacter succinogenes and methanogenic microbes in rumen liquor from sheep using the in vitro gas production technique (Hohenheim gas test). The relative gene expression of F. succinogenes at t_1/2 (time point when 50% of the maximal gas production has been reached) analyzed by quantitative PCR was 0.20- and 0.28- fold lower than the control when LEU and STA was applied and 0.91- and 0.85-fold lower with MIC and STD. Methanogenic population was 0.29- and 0.58- fold reduced with STA and LEU compared to the control, but 5.50- and 1.43- fold higher with MIC and STD. At 24 h, F. succinogenes was reduced for all legumes as well as methanogenic bacteria, except for MIC which increased 4.15-fold. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the methanogenic community resulted in different band patterns: CYN presented some strong bands, which became weaker in the analyzed treatments. Some bands appeared weaker, especially in MIC and STD, but not in STA and LEU. MIC seemed to increase the total number of weak bands. Overall, the tannin-rich plants negatively affected the F. succinogenes population and caused changes in the structure of the methanogenic community.

The experiments were conducted to study the effects of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water, zinc and organic matter on the mobilization of arsenic in an Aeric Endoaquept in relation to rice (cv. IET 4786). The results show that the amount of extractable arsenic increased with the progress of submergence decreased with zinc application. The magnitude of such decrease varied with the Zn amount, being greater (0.70 to 1.08 mg/kg) in the treatment where zinc was applied at the rate of 20 mg/kg. With regards to organic matter application, the arsenic content in soil markedly decreased, especially with farmyard manure application. The results of the greenhouse experiment with exposure of graded doses of arsenic to rice suggest that the upper toxic limit of arsenic in soil was 10 mg/kg for rice. The results of the field experiment show that the grain yield of continuous flooding (4.84 t/ha) and intermittent flooding up to 40 days after transplanting followed by continuous flooding (4.83 t/ha) with the application of ZnSO₄ at the rate of 25 kg/ha did not vary significantly. The lowest grain yield (3.65 t/ha) was recorded in the treatment where the intermittent flooding was maintained throughout the growth period without the application of zinc. The amount of arsenic was, however, much lower in the treatment where intermittent flooding was maintained throughout the growing period combined with zinc sulphate application.

During the summer of 2007 in a private garden in Smržice (district Prostějov, Czech Republic) symptoms of powdery mildew on Caragana arborescens were recorded. Until now at least two powdery mildew species (Microsphaera trifolii var. trifolii and M. palczewskii), both differing in some basic morphological features, have been recorded for the genus Caragana. Comparison of our measurements with previous descriptions of powdery mildew samples found in the Czech Republic on Caragana arborescens identified our species as Microsphaera palczewskii (newly Erysiphe palczewskii). This is probably the first detailed record of this species on C. arborescens in the Czech Republic. Fungus from Czech Republic was compared with the material collected in 2007 in Vienna (Austria). The aim of this paper was to provide a detailed comparative morphological characterisation of E. palczewskii anamorph and teleomorph found in the Czech Republic and in Austria. Serious reduction of the anamorph, caused by hyperparasitic fungus Ampelomyces quisqualis, was recorded on the sample from Austria.