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The competitiveness of Bradyrhizobium japonicum inoculation strain against indigenous rhizobia was examined in a soil pot experiment. The effect of inoculation strain was evaluated under different soil conditions: with or without previously grown soybean and applied commercial inoculant. Molecular identification of inoculation strain and investigated rhizobial isolates, obtained from nodules representing inoculated treatments, was performed based on 16S rDNA and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) sequencing. Inoculation strain showed a significant effect on the investigated parameters in both soils. Higher nodule occupancy (45% vs. 18%), nodule number (111% vs. 5%), nodule dry weight (49% vs. 9%), shoot length (15% vs. 7%), root length (31% vs. 13%), shoot dry weight (34% vs. 11%), shoot nitrogen content (27% vs. 2%), and nodule nitrogen content (9% vs. 5%) was detected in soil without previously grown soybean and applied commercial inoculant. Soil had a significant effect on the shoot, root and nodule nitrogen content, while interaction of experimental factors significantly altered dry weight and nitrogen content of shoots, roots and nodules, as well as number of nodules. Nodulation parameters were significantly related with shoot dry weight, shoot and nodule nitrogen content. Symbiotic performance of inoculation strains in the field could be improved through co-selection for their competitiveness and effectiveness.

The forest sector development in Uruguay has been based on planted forest areas, mainly with eucalyptus and pine. The Parliament passed the Forestry Law in 1987 and since then the sector has been growing rapidly. The objective of the study is to analyse the contribution of the forest sector in the Uruguayan economy, its evolution between 1997 and 2018 and its distribution in recent years. The research used information from the new National Accounts released by the Central Bank of Uruguay, and, in this framework, the forest sector is studied for the main macroeconomic variables and production. The results show that in the period 1997-2018, while the Uruguayan economy grew 2.6% in constant terms, on average, the forest sector grew 7.6% on average, with peaks in 2007-2008 and 2013-2015. In 2016, the forest production was allocated to exports (46.76%), which surpassed intermediate use (43.05%) after initial operations of the second pulp mill in the country. Furthermore, forest exports represented 10.5% of the country's total exports of goods and services, showing an exporter profile.

This study was conducted to evaluate the sufficiency of food safety practices in a catering company. The presence of some pathogenic and indicator bacteria was monitored in the samples collected from raw materials, food, food contact surfaces and workers' hands and various steps of the tas kebab (a Turkish meat stew) and salad processing lines. Bacillus cereus was found in ready-to-eat (RTE) tas kebab and RTE salad, while Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from RTE salad. Furthermore, it was observed that RTE salad contained coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus without staphylococcal enterotoxin production. The swab samples obtained from cutting board surfaces, knives and workers' hands contained high counts of total aerobic bacteria and some samples were contaminated with coliforms and coagulase-positive/negative staphylococci. The presence of B. cereus and L. monocytogenes in RTE foods is a serious threat to public health, especially in the catering business. Preventing the presence of toxin-producing bacteria in RTE food is a fundamental action. Also, the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in RTE salad and B. cereus in RTE tas kebab/salad samples showed insufficient cleaning/disinfection practices. As a result, hygiene practices and regular monitoring in the catering business are necessary for food safety.

Current efforts are focused on the search for efficient methods of pathogen management that will not result in damage to the environment or cause an imbalance in the existing biota. One of the strategies for this is the use of nanoparticles in agriculture for disease management. This review presents a summative view on the various applications of nanoparticles in conferring disease resistance to crops and the possibility of using nanoparticles as carriers of genetic material for the generation of disease resistant crops. Nanoparticles are directly being used for the control of pathogens. Nanoparticles have been used as antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial agents. The nano-encapsulation of pesticides in controlled release matrices is one of the most promising research areas for the future. Nano-encapsulation has been shown to increase the efficiency of pesticides, reduce their volatilisation and decrease the toxicity and environmental contamination in crops. Nano-encapsulated agrochemicals or biomolecules can be engineered to be released in a controlled manner and in a target-specific location. Nanoparticles also have great scope in the field of transgenics vis-à-vis pathogen resistance. The field of agriculture can be revolutionised by the use of nanoparticles for imparting disease resistance in crops. The field is so versatile that the possibilities are endless.

Previous studies indicated that the antioxidant and water balance capacity played important roles in improving the vase life of cut flowers. As a trace element, selenium (Se) has been proven to play an important role in extending the vase life of lily cut flowers. However, there is still no report on the effects of Se on the vase life of other cut flowers. In this study, we explored the role of inorganic selenium, named sodium selenite (Na2SeO3), in improving the vase life of Eustoma grandiflorum cut flowers. Compared with the control (distilled water) and the other Na2SeO3 concentrations, 4.0 mg/L Na2SeO3 significantly increased the superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase activities, and decreased the malondialdehyde content and the electrolyte leakage. Meanwhile, compared with the control and the other of Na2SeO3 concentrations, 4.0 mg/L Na2SeO3 significantly increased the soluble sugar, proline and soluble protein contents, relative water content, average fresh weight change rate and average water balance value. The above results imply that Na2SeO3 showed an important role in strengthening the antioxidant capacity and maintaining the water balance. Besides, 4.0 mg/L Na2SeO3 significantly increased the flower diameter and the vase life. The above findings suggested that Na2SeO3 extended the vase life and the ornamental value of E. grandiflorum cut flowers by enhancing the antioxidant capacity and water balance, which provides new knowledge for the application of Na2SeO3 in improving the fresh keeping of E. grandiflorum cut flowers.

Technology has made it possible to achieve the very efficient use of water resources in agriculture. However, there are a set of practices that could increase both the availability and quality of the water resources, but which are not yet widely used. In view of the scarcity situation mainly produced by the consequences of climate change, the objective of this work is to analyse the adoption of sustainable irrigation management practices in agriculture. To this end, the aim is to identify and evaluate the variables involved in adopting sustainable practices in agriculture through the use of different qualitative research tools in successive phases (literature review, in-depth interviews, Delphi method and workshop). The results indicate that the sustainable practices to be adopted to improve water management in the study area are rainwater harvesting (RWH) and pond covering (PC). The main barriers are the costs, some farm characteristics and lack of research, while the facilitators include easy access to technology and the existence of farmer-to-farmer networks. Furthermore, the most influential stakeholders for these practices are the farmers, policymakers and researchers. Proposals for the adoption of sustainable water use practices have also been made consensually with all the involved agents.

Cortisol, which is produced in the adrenal glands, is an endogenous glucocorticoid hormone that delivers its hormonal message to cells by acting on glucocorticoid receptors. It is one of the main stress hormones responsible for stress responses in animals and humans, and its overproduction is characteristic of certain diseases. While acute stress disorder can be evaluated by means of measuring the cortisol concentration in blood and urine, chronic stress disorder can be detected by monitoring the cortisol concentration in fur or hair. Hair collection is simple, inexpensive and non-invasive, and can be performed easily and rapidly; thus, it appears to be a suitable method for determining the level of stress in dogs from shelters, abused dogs or dogs involved in different types of animal interactions. Since it is a relatively new method, monitoring cortisol in hair or fur requires further research in order to definitively prove its efficacy, and possibly to determine reference range values for different breeds of dogs.

The objective was to expand and update the knowledge on the presence and genotype diversity of porcine circoviruses 2 and 3 (PCV2 and PCV3) in the wild boar populations from the hunting grounds in northeastern Serbia. The presence of PCV3 was not determined, and PCV2 was confirmed in 40.32% of the organ samples from 124 wild boars hunted from 2018 to 2019, indicating their significance in virus circulation since traditional pig farms with irregular PCV2 vaccination strategies are widespread in this region. The most prevalent genotype was PCV2d, followed by PCV2b and PCV2a in 55.6%, 38.9%, and 5.5% of the examined samples, respectively. Nucleotide sequences of the detected strains were homogenous within the genotype and clustered within the subgroups PCV2d-2, PCV2b-1A/B, and PCV2a-2D with high identity to European, Chinese, and Serbian domestic pig sequences suggesting their origin. Wild boars presented with no clinical or pathological signs of infection, implying that these animals might be less susceptible to disease, particularly since the cofactors present in pig farming systems that support the disease development are absent in the wild. The high PCV2 detection frequency demonstrates the importance of wildlife monitoring to track virus population dynamics, especially in regions with free-range pig farming in order to plan adequate disease control strategies.

The case study aims to describe the nephrotic syndrome (NS) in a castrated 3-year-old male Cocker Spaniel dog. The patient arrived at the hospital with a loss of appetite and weakness. Skin oedema with ascites was observed along with hypoalbuminaemia, hypoproteinaemia, hyperlipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, and proteinuria (urine protein to creatinine ratio = 22.4). Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with NS, although a renal biopsy was not conducted. Prednisolone (1 mg/kg, p.o. q12 h) and mycophenolate mofetil (10 mg/kg, p.o. q12 h) were prescribed as the immunosuppressive drugs, and previously cryopreserved allogeneic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (2 × 10⁷ cells/kg) were injected intravenously. After several weeks of treatment, the patient recovered from NS. This is the first case report on immunosuppressive drugs and allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells being used to treat a dog with NS.

Producing high-quality daughter plants of the June-bearing strawberry is very important for fruit production around the year. This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of different substrates on the runner production of the June-bearing strawberry cultivar 'Senga Sengana'. In April 2019, strawberry mother plants were planted while the daughter plants were examined November 2019. The nursery trial field was separated into four substrate treatments, each included ten strawberry mother plants, approximately homogeneous. The place where the mother plants were planted was with the same substrate (PTS substrate "Pindstrup") and separated from the field for the rooting of the daughter plants. In the field for the rooting of the daughter plants, four types of substrates were used: The first substrate treatment (S1) (soil 50% - decomposed manure 50%); the second substrate treatment (S2) (PTS substrate "Pindstrup" with modules (pots) with a volume of 200 mL/daughter plant); the third substrate treatment S3 (river sand 50% - soil 50%); lastly, substrate treatment four S4 (sawdust 100%). During the research, several parameters were determined for the mother plants: the crown diameter, number of flowers, number of runners per plant, number of daughter plants per runner and number of daughter plants per plant. The examination of some of the qualitative parameters was also performed on the daughter plants: the crown diameter, root length and number of roots. Based on these parameters, the daughter plants were categorised according to the standards: A++, A+, A, A-, OS (out of the standard). From the examined results, it was concluded that S3 formed the largest number of daughter plants at 123 (A++ 19.1, A+ 45.1, A 28.7, A- 17.8, OS 12.3 plants); S2 formed 69.4 daughter plants, but with the highest standards (A++ 34.7, A+ 33.6, A- 1.1 plants); S4 formed 74.8 daughter plants (A++ 26.2, A+ 30.4, A 14 OS 4.2 plants), while S1 formed 62 daughter plants and showed the worst results for both the number of plants and the standard (A+ 7, A 3.8, A- 0.8, OS 50.4 plants).

Extreme differences in agricultural holding size, existing not only among the countries within the EU as a whole but also within the farm structures of the individual countries, create a considerable uncertainty for establishing the optimal political and economic instruments to support sustainable rural development. The study explores the determinants influencing the spatial volatility of agricultural holding size at both the EU scale and the national scale of the Czech Republic, the latter of which has the largest mean agricultural holding size in the EU. While some factors are identical for both the EU and the Czech Republic, other effects can only be evaluated at the European or international scale, and still others can be evaluated only at the national scale. The only factor found in this study to be significantly associated with the agricultural holding size on the European scale was the wheat production. On the Czech national scale, land consolidation, unemployment rate, and soil fertility were significantly associated with the agricultural holding size. The study found that in the Czech Republic, the number of farms was increasing, while at the same time the agricultural holding sizes were decreasing. This is an opposite trend in comparison to the EU as a whole, where the number of farms is diminishing and the sizes increasing.

Soil degradation caused by water erosion in sloping hop gardens is definitely a serious issue because the space in inter-rows is without plant residues for most of the year in traditional cultivation. Cover crops in inter-rows of hop gardens and their efficiency in soil conservation are assessed in this article. There is only little research available in this area, and our data bring unique information on water erosion in hop gardens. Technologies with different types of cover crops were always compared with the conventional cultivation. The research was conducted within the years 2016-2020. A field rainfall simulator was used to determine the soil conservation effectiveness of selected technologies. The simulated rainfall was performed in two stages of cover crops growth with the main aim to measure the overall soil loss. The outcomes from the measurements confirmed that cover crops in inter-rows of hop gardens protect the soil surface from falling raindrops and significantly (P-value < 0.05) reduce soil loss. It can be concluded that this technology had a soil conservation effect already one month after sowing, and it is a basis for sustainable agricultural management on sloping hop gardens.

This study aims to explore the effect of phosphorus (P) application on the economic yield, quality, P accumulation, and P utilisation efficiency of purple-fleshed sweetpotato and to provide a basis for the P efficient utilisation and high crop yield. Field experiments were conducted in 2018-2019, and five P application rates (0, 10.9, 21.8, 32.7, and 43.6 kg P/ha, expressed as P0, P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively) were set. The results showed that P application significantly increased the yield and commodity potato yield of purple-fleshed sweetpotato, and that of P3 treatment was the highest, followed by P2 treatment. P application also increased the starch content in the storage root and increased the reducing sugar and soluble sugar (except for P2 treatment). P fertiliser supply significantly increased P accumulation and dry matter production of purple-fleshed sweetpotato during the growth period of 90 to 120 days. When the P application rate was over 21.8 kg/ha, the fertiliser investment rate, apparent P utilisation efficiency and P agronomic efficiency decreased with the increase of the application rate. Considering all the indexes, the supply of 21.8 kg/ha P fertiliser can meet the demand for high economic yield and P efficient utilisation in purple-fleshed type sweetpotato under the condition of this experiment.

Central Tire Inflation Systems (CTIS) have been introduced to forestry transportation in the last 30 years to the point the forest industry is one of the biggest users of the technology (Pletts 2006). The benefits of operating with this CTIS technology mentioned in the literature include: (i) reduced road surfacing and/or base course requirements, (ii) reduced road maintenance, (iii) reduced driver fatigue and medical complaints, (iv) lower vehicle operation costs, (v) increased vehicle mobility, (vi) extended haul seasons (Bradley 1995). This paper presents a literature review of previous international studies on the impacts of CTIS. This document can assist the forest industry and research users to gain basic information on this transportation technology.

This study aimed to develop a bamboo culm flour (BCF) to be used in the formulation of cookies, replacing 15% and 30% of wheat flour (WF). The parameters analysed for bamboo flour and cookies were moisture, ash, protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrates. For the flour, the water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI) were also determined. BCF is a good source of protein, with a low lipid content and high fibre content, presenting the potential to be used in several food products. For the cookies produced, hardness, sensory analysis and purchase intent were analysed. In the sensory analysis of acceptability, the samples that showed better acceptance were the control formulation and the 15% BCF cookie; in the same sample, crude fibre increased from 5.92 g (100 g)^-1 to 11.64 g (100 g)^-1 compared to the control, and the intention to purchase the 15% sample was worse than for the control but still good: the majority of tasters said they certainly or maybe would buy. Thus, it is possible to conclude that the use of BCF is considered an excellent option to enrich cookies while keeping them acceptable nutritionally.

Invertebrate seed predation is a potential ecosystem service that substantially reduces weed seeds in crop fields, decreasing the seedling emergence and, thus, limiting the weed competition next season. It may, thus, be considered as a natural component of the long-term weed management toolbox. This study aimed to measure the post-dispersal invertebrate seed predation levels of the following relevant weed species in Hungarian maize fields: Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Datura stramonium, Chenopodium album, and Echinochloa crus-galli, and to compare the predation levels among them. We hypothesised that invertebrate seed predators will predate weed seeds, but the predation levels may vary with the weed species. Two sampling rounds were performed, in November 2019 and October 2020, in Gödöllő, Hungary. A total of 100 seed cards/round were placed on the soil surface inside a maize field prior to harvest, 10 m from the field's edge, along 25 transects, with four cards/transect. A distance of 10 m was set between the transects and 1 m between the cards. Twenty seeds of each weed species were glued onto sandpaper (25 × 10 cm, P-60), and a wire mesh was used to exclude vertebrate predators. The seed removal was calculated every 24 h, for seven days in 2019 and for five days in 2020, and then the seed predation was measured using the number of removed seeds on each card. The results showed high seed predation levels on all the seed cards, with an overall average of 85.9 ± 13.7%. Besides, there was a decrease in the % of remaining seeds on the cards starting from the first day after exposure due to seed predation in both years. The optimum exposure period for measuring the seed predation was found to be three to four days, though the number of predated seeds on days 3 and 4 significantly differed between years (P < 0.001), with higher predation rates in 2020 than in 2019. However, no differences were detected in the predation rates among the weed species (P = 0.962, 0.079). These findings indicate the potential contribution of seed predation by invertebrates to weed management in Hungarian maize fields.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether milk consumption (MC) could be used as a simple farmer-friendly indicator for providing advanced treatment to limited fed diarrhoeic neonatal calves. Complementarily, it was evaluated whether the standard indications for veterinary care (severe dehydration and/or acidosis-septicaemia) are associated with different patterns in MC. The MC and health records of 103 calves with diarrhoeathat were fed a milk replacer at the volume of 10% of their body weight were used in the study. The MC reduction rate (MCRR) was calculated after each feeding (MC_t) during the diarrhoea course, based on the MC prior to the diarrhoea onset for each calf (MC₀) using the formula MCRR = 100 × (MC₀ - MC_t)/MC₀. The calves were assigned into the ST group (n = 58) if they only received the standard treatment (oral rehydration solutions between milk feedings) until recovery, and into the advanced treatment (VT) group (n = 45) if they needed advanced treatment (i.v. fluids ± antibiotics) directly or after the standard treatment. The calves in the VT group that only had dehydration, were further assigned into the DH subgroup (n = 22) and those with signs of acidosis-septicaemia with or without dehydration were assigned into the ASD subgroup (n = 23). The MC was practically stable in the ST group throughout the diarrhoea course. In the VT group, the MC was significantly reduced during the last 36 hours prior to the advanced treatment administration. This reduction was significantly higher in the ASD subgroup than the DH subgroup. The MCRR on the last meal prior to treatment administration was proven to be a very reliable indicator for the detection of diarrhoeic calves needing advanced treatment (cut-off: ≥ 24.5%; sensitivity: 95.6%; specificity: 98.7%) and of those with acidosis-septicaemia (cut-off: ≥ 29.6%; sensitivity: 91.7%; specificity: 99.1%). The results of the study show thatfarmers employing this feeding regimen should seek veterinary assistance when the milk consumption of calves is reduced by ≥ 24.5%.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the changes in the motility and kinetic patterns of canine spermatozoa, capacitated and decapacitated, after the addition of seminal plasma protein fractions with different molecular weight. It has been proposed that proteins in seminal plasma support the survival of the spermatozoa and exert a dual effect: capacitation and decapacitation. The seminal plasma from fresh ejaculates was subjected to chromatographic separation and four protein fractions were obtained. Computer-assisted sperm analysis was used to determine the sperm subpopulations with specific motion and kinetic characteristics after incubation with each of the four protein fractions. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of the fractions that exhibit a significant effect on the capacitation and decapacitation was performed. By sperm class analyser, capacitation changes were observed in the sperm subpopulation with a high curvilinear velocity and amplitude of lateral head displacement incubated with the seminal plasma protein fraction with a high molecular weight, which was also reflected in the decreased linearity, straightness, and progressive motility. The sperm subpopulation incubated with the seminal plasma protein fraction with a low molecular weight seemed to undergo a process of decapacitation (decreasing of the curvilinear velocity, increasing of the linearity, straightness and showing progressive motility). Despite their ample panorama of actions, the role of seminal plasma proteins regarding capacitation and decapacitation is still undetermined.

The war in Ukraine has shown that the worldwide food security can be easily shaken. This article focuses on an evaluation of European Union (EU) wheat producers on the world market. Would EU producers maintain their competitive position without direct payments? What changes need to be introduced to improve the position of EU producers on the world market? To answer these questions, a data envelopment analysis has been applied. It is indicated that the competitive position of EU wheat producers is still strongly dependent on direct payments and that mechanisation costs are a key area for improved efficiency in wheat production in Europe.

A field experiment was undertaken in a vineyard in southern Romania to evaluate the insect species abundance in this temperate climate area, over a period of 24 consecutive weeks, starting from April 2^nd to September 27^th, 2019. A total number of 19 303 insects were collected. After their morphological analysis, 89 species of insects were identified (nine orders and 28 families), of which 52 came from beneficial fauna (six orders and 14 families, 1 316 individuals) and 37 came from pest fauna (six orders and 26 families, 17 987 individuals). The beneficial species richness of the Coleoptera and Hymenoptera orders were the best represented. The pest insects of the Coleoptera and Hemiptera orders registered a high number of families, while the Thripidae family had the highest number of individuals. The highest diversity of insect species was found in the middle of April, and the lowest was found in the middle of August. The Bray-Curtis analysis revealed the stability of the insect community in the studied grapevine growing area. Grouping insects based on their similarities revealed the highest similarity (91.05-97%) in the warmest periods (June-August) and the lowest similarity (33%) in the spring (April).

Agricultural land represents a country's natural heritage. Therefore, land protection is an issue that is the subject of various legislative measures, also including those that affect land fragmentation. Land fragmentation is a problem that hinders the effective use of land. In 1995, Slovak lawmakers adopted Law 180/1995 Coll., which prevents the fragmentation of land under a minimum size. The aim of this paper was to determine whether Slovak legislation concerning land fragmentation is effective and prevents this phenomenon. We compare the Slovak legislation with the legislations of other countries, and, further, we describe the existing situation with respect to land fragmentation in the individual regions of the country according to the requirements of Slovak legal regulations. The results include proposals for the potential amendment of the legal regulation to ensure the effective prevention of land fragmentation.

A digestibility experiment using six ileally cannulated growing gilts (initial BW 31.6 kg) was carried out to study the effect of microbial phytase and diet form on apparent ileal and total tract digestibilities of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and energy and on apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids. The basal P-deficient diet was fed either dry or mixed with water (feed:water ratio 1:2.5) and fermented in a laboratory setup. The enzyme was added to the dry diet at four levels (0, 1 000, 1 500 and 3 000 U/kg) and to the liquid fermented diet at two levels (0 and 1 000 U/kg) using a 6 × 6 Latin square design. The supplementation of microbial phytase to the basal diets significantly (P < 0.05) improved ileal and total tract digestibility of P and tended to improve the digestibility of Ca. Phytase supplementation at 3 000 U/kg to the dry diet improved ileal and total tract P digestibility by approximately 30 and 60%, respectively. A similar effect was found in the liquid fermented diet supplemented with phytase at 1 000 U/kg. As a result of improved P digestibility, faecal P excretion was reduced by 20-40%. There was no significant effect of phytase addition or diet fermentation on the digestibility of DM, N, energy or amino acids. The response in amino acid digestibility to phytase calculated with acid insoluble ash as a marker was slightly higher than that calculated with Cr₂O₃.

Formation and degradation of Amadori products (APs) originating from the early Maillard reaction during maturation of three different commercial cheeses, namely Cheddar, Emmentaler and Gouda, was investigated. APs were analysed as the corresponding N-(furoylmethyl) amino acids formed after acid hydrolysis. The contents of furosine, which is a hallmark for Amadori products resulting from derivatisation of lysine at the ε-amino group (ε-APs), ranged from 4 to 20 mg/100 g protein, corresponding to 33 to 159 μmol of lysine Amadori product per 100 g protein in the cheese samples at the start of the ripening period. Furosine contents declined during ripening in all investigated cheeses, in which cheese type and the stage of ripening influenced the rate of furosine decline. In contrast to this, all detectable N-terminal APs (α-AP) decreased at similar rates. The mean total content of these substances ranged from 12 to 48 μmol/100 g protein. The ratio between ε-APs and α-APs can be used as an indicator for the cheese ripening.

We used time-intensity studies in this work for evaluating the perception of sweet taste of sucralose, aspartame, and saccharose over time. In second part of this study the mixture of sweeteners and zinc sulphate, which modifies sweet taste perception, was used. We determined the following parameters from the assessor's charts of time profile: maximum intensity of sweet taste and the time which was needed to get to its maximum, the time period of perception of sweet taste and the area under the curve. For evaluation each assessor received 20 ml of a water solution with the sweetener followed by the mixture of the same sweetener with zinc sulphate. The intensity of sweet taste was measured before and after spitting out the solution. Then it was measured at intervals of 5 s for 70 seconds. It can be seen from the charts that sucralose has a more gentle sweet taste perception in time than the other sweeteners and that the zinc sulphate modifies the sweet taste but it does not inhibit it absolutely.

This study was designed to evaluate the quantification of the nutrient content of aboveground biomass of teak plantation in a tropical dry deciduous forest of Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. The nutrient contents in the total biomass of teak in the plantation were 165.47 kg/ha N, 20.96 kg/ha P, 35.06 kg/ha K, 49.29 kg/ha Ca, 31.52 kg/ha Mg, 4.27 kg/ha Na, 4.06 kg/ha S and 3.21 kg/ha Cl. In total, 42.93% of the dry matter accounted for crown biomass (leaves, branches, twigs and reproductive parts), which in turn accounts for 60.93% N, 58.63% P, 54.30% K, 51.40% Ca, 62.5% Mg, 53.62% Na, 59.85% S and 60.74% Cl of the aboveground biomass, whereas 57.07% of the dry matter account for trunk biomass (bole bark and bole wood), which in turn accounts for 39.07% N, 41.37% P, 45.70% K, 48.6% Ca, 37.5% Mg, 46.38% Na, 40.15% S and 39.26% Cl.

Enterococci are bacteria commonly found in humans. However, these bacteria can cause severe infections in susceptible individuals. The strains of Enterococcus faecium have demonstrated an increasing resistance to antibiotics, which is considered an important virulence factor. The contribution of E. faecium to the infection-related illnesses has recently increased, which involves most of the isolated Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) strains. Enterococci are common contaminants of human milk processed in milk banks, and the consumption of contaminated milk can cause severe infection-related complications if the control mechanisms fail to detect the contamination. Extensive data are available on the growth curves of E. faecium in broth at pH values between 6 and 7, at temperatures of 5°C to 20°C, and for water activity values a_w of 0.97 to 0.997. These growth curves were replaced with non-linear Gompertz curves for microorganism growth, the parameters of which were correlated with the temperature and pH values. A mathematical relationship to water activity could not be established since only two water activity levels have been experimentally tested and the resulting model would be highly inaccurate. The issue of water activity was resolved by the development of two separate models, one for each of the water activity values. The models correspond very well with the experimental growth curve data from which they were developed. The model for the water activity level of 0.997 was used to predict the growth of E. faecium in cow and human milks (these two fluids have practically identical water activity), and the prediction was compared to the experimental data. A good agreement between the predicted and experimental data was achieved for cow milk. With human milk, the model usually predicted a more rapid growth rate than that seen experimentally. The model was thus on the conservative side in all cases. The inhibitory agents naturally present in human milk might be responsible for the slower growth rates.

The diet based on gluten free products is characterised by a low content of some nutritional components such as proteins and mineral components, as well as non-nutritional but physiologically important components like dietary fibre. Buckwheat grains are a rich source of proteins, which have a high biological value due to the well-balanced amino-acids composition, although its digestibility is relatively low. The aim of the present research was to investigate the influence of buckwheat flour addition on gluten free bread quality and their antioxidant capacity. In this study, own gluten free bread formula, composed of corn starch, potato starch, salt, yeast, pectin, sugar and sunflower oil was investigated. The buckwheat flour substituted corn starch at final amount of 10, 20, 30, 40% w/w of total ingredients in gluten free bread formula. The breads were baked in electric oven at 200°C for 25 min. The bread samples were freeze-dried, ground and sieved. The sensory quality of buckwheat enhanced gluten free breads was analysed using sensory profiling (QDA) and hedonic tests. The measurement of macroelements content in the crumb was carried out using the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method (SORAL-SMIETANA et al. 2001). The antioxidant capacity (AC) of the breads was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) method and free radical scavenging activities of 67% methanol extracts against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl radical (DPPH.) as DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity (DPPH RSA). All breads were analysed for their total phenolics content. The buckwheat enhancing gluten free breads were in accordance to the requirements of Polish Standards (PN-A-74123) for gluten-free bread. The sensory profiles of gluten-free breads were dependant on the amount of buckwheat flour added. The overall quality of breads was the highest for bread with 40% buckwheat flour addition. The positive correlation between macroelements content and increasing amount of buckwheat flour was observed in breads. The antioxidant capacity of buckwheat enhanced gluten free breads determined by CV and DPPH RSA was related to the amount of added buckwheat flour. The total phenolics content was positively correlated with antioxidant capacity of the breads. In summary, buckwheat flour as a natural source of minerals and antioxidant activity, and also as a structure-forming factor improving the sensory quality, can be used for preparation of new buckwheat enhanced gluten free breads.

The aim of this study was to test and analyse the antimicrobial susceptibility of Enterococcus isolates from Lithuanian poultry farms. Investigations were carried out during the years 2008-2009. The sampling sites, located all over the country, included eight poultry farms of large capacity. All samples were collected from broilers. Enterococcus spp. were isolated from intestines immediately after slaughtering. A total of 160 samples were collected, 20 samples from each farm. The MICs (Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations) of eleven antimicrobial agents were determined for each of the isolates using the broth microdilution method with specific microtitre plate panels (Trek Diagnostic Systems, Inc.). Susceptibility according to clinical breakpoints of chloramphenicol, linezolid, erythromycin, penicillin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, tetracycline, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin was evaluated. One hundred and forty seven samples (92%) from a total of 160 tested samples were positive for Enterococcus spp., however, only 74 strains were selected as non-duplicate isolates. The most predominant species were identified as E. faecium (38%), E. faecalis (17.5%), E. gallinarum (12%) and E. casseliflavus (12%). The most frequent resistance properties were resistances to tetracycline (75.6%), erythromycin (56.8%) and ciprofloxacin (41.9%). No strains resistant to vancomycin and linezolid were found. High percentages of susceptibility to chloramphenicol (82.4%) and penicillin (71.6%) were also observed. A high MIC of tigecycline (≥ 1 mg/l) to 12.2% of enterococci was determined during this study. 44.6% of tested strains had a high MIC (≥ 64 mg/l) to tylosin. There was no significant correlation found between resistances of different species to different antimicrobial agents in vitro.

Caragana microphylla Lam., an indigenous leguminous shrub, was the dominant plant species to be used to control desertification in semi-arid Horqin Sandy Land. To elucidate the cover effect of Caragana microphylla planted for 25 years on spatial distribution of soil nutrients including C, N, P and K, soil samples were taken from four soil depths (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-40 cm) and three slope positions (windward slope, top slope, and leeward slope). Soil nutrients under shrubs (US) and between shrubs (BS) were compared to investigate the enrichment effect of plantation. The results showed that soil nutrients except total K were significantly higher in surface soil (0-5 cm) than in deeper layer soil (P < 0.01). Significant differences were found in the contents of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total K at different slopes. The contents of total organic carbon and total nitrogen were higher in US than in BS (P < 0.05), but pH was lower (P < 0.01). Our results indicated that the establishment of Caragana microphylla increased the accumulation of soil nutrients, and played an important role in restoring sand dune ecosystems.

A field production study was conducted for a manual harvesting system using a chainsaw in a Caspian hardwood forest site. A selective cut was performed on a 42-hectare tract with an average slope of 30 percent. Felling time per tree was most affected by diameter at breast height and by the distance among harvested trees. The gross and net production rate was 20.6 m³ and 26.1 m³ per hour/one person, respectively. The unit cost considering the gross and net production rate was 1.05 USD/m³ and 0.81 USD/m³, respectively. The significant variables included diameter at breast height (D) and distance among harvested trees (L) for the time expenditure model. This regression function is statistically significant at α = 0.01.