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This study aimed to investigate the effects of selenium (Se) on the selenoproteins synthesis and antioxidant parameters of bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). The experiment was conducted as a single factor completely randomized design to explore the effect of different levels of Se supplementation (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 nmol/l) on selenoproteins synthesis and antioxidant parameters of BMECs, and to screen the appropriate dose of Se supplementation ensuring a better antioxidant function. Se supplementation increased cell proliferation, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity and seleoprotein P (SelP) content, and decreased reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels in a dose-dependent manner. Se supplementation of 50-100 nmol/l had a better effect. Se supplementation also increased thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) activity in a dose-dependent manner, and Se supplementation of 20-50 nmol/l had a better promoting effect. The dose-dependent response between Se supplementation and mRNA and protein expression of GPx1 and TrxR1, as well as SelP mRNA expression was also observed in this experiment. The mRNA and protein expression of GPx1 was up-regulated with the addition of 50-100 nmol/l Se, and the mRNA expression of TrxR1 and SelP was up-regulated with the addition of 20-100 nmol/l Se. Results indicated that Se supplementation of 50 nmol/l had a better promoting effect on the selenoproteins synthesis and antioxidant parameters of BMECs.

In the Czech Republic, mountain watersheds are mostly forested with dominant Norway spruce (Picea abies) plantations. The aim of this paper is to analyse changes in radial growth and xylem anatomy of Norway spruce trees in the upper plain of the Jizera Mountains, related to changes in climate (air temperature, precipitation), air pollution and acid atmospheric deposition. Data of two neighbouring climate stations were used to detect trends in air temperatures and precipitation. At elevations of 745-1060 m a.s.l., the ring-width growth was significantly affected by mean annual temperature, while impacts of elevation and precipitation were not significant. In the period 1975-1995, the detected drop in tree radial growth (ca 60% of the normal period, prior to the peak of acid atmospheric deposition) corresponded to the increase in atmospheric SO₂ concentrations and acid atmospheric deposition. The number of cells in tree rings decreased by ca 30-40% in comparison with the normal period, but the mean size of cells did not change significantly. In the last 20 years, increasing radial growth has been detected simultaneously with rising air temperature, and density of cells decreased by 30% in early wood, and by 10% in late wood, increasing the total number of cells in tree rings by ca 10% in comparison with the normal period. Integrated effects of climate and non-climate variables on the variation of tree radial growth in the Jizera Mountains reflected the legacy of acid atmospheric deposition in the forest ecosystem.

Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa Mill. is an introduced species in the Czech Republic. It is recorded roughly from 300 localities. To the end of 2002, the occurrence of chestnut was verified at about 140 macrolocalities. The most northern locality recorded so far was Choustníkovo Hradiště in the region of Hradec Králové. Chestnuts occur generally to an altitude of 500 m (80% of all examined localities), at higher altitudes they suffer from climatic extremes particularly late frosts. The occurrence of chestnut was recorded at 27 localities (ca. 20% localities under investigation) where altitudes exceed 500 m. The highest location of chestnut is locality Nejdek, Karlovy Vary District where chestnut trees thrive at an altitude of 678 m. At altitudes over 600 m, two other localities were recorded. The health condition of chestnut is relatively good. At some localities, however, crown drying occurs as a result of not quite ideal climatic conditions. Within our research, quarantine Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr. was determined for the first time in the Czech Republic at the only examined locality.

The study was carried out in the experiment with 16 provenances of common ash (Fraxinus excelsior Linnaeus) and 2 provenances of narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl) at a series of 5 parallel trial plots established in a gradient from lowland riverine to upland ravine sites. The role of the site, ash species and the provenance of common ash proved to have significant effects on the intensity of ash dieback (ADB) associated with the infection by Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (T. Kowalski) Baral, Queloz & Hosoya at the age of 20 years. Narrow-leaved ash was healthier, surviving and growing better than common ash on the trials situated inside as well as beyond its natural range. The ADB intensity was lower in the medium altitude and more easterly located trial plots with a more continental climate. The provenance of forest reproductive material proved to have a significant effect on the ADB damage and survival rate as well as the growth of ash across the trial plots of the experiment.

A novel drying method based on vacuum-microwave dehydration was developed to investigate the effects of different microwave gap ratios (MGR), microwave times, power densities and degrees of vacuum after osmotic pre-treatment on tilapia fillets. The results showed that the moisture value of fillets was decreased with the increased drying time, power density and vacuum degree. The shrinkage ratio, rehydration ratio and total colour change increased with elevated microwave time and power density. A high degree of vacuum was beneficial to the qualities of fillets. In conclusion, tilapia fillets retained their original quality properties after osmotically dehydrated vacuum-microwave drying (OD-VMD); optimum process parameters were MGR = 2, microwave time = 10 min, power density = 20 W/g, and vacuum degree = 0.08 MPa.

The aim of this study was to determine the basic reproductive parameters, i.e., litter size, gestation length, neonatal mortality rate and the type of delivery in Yorkshire terrier dogs, one of the most popular breeds in Poland. We have verified a hypothesis put forward by breeders that larger females have fewer whelping difficulties and produce larger litters and that pregnancies of females having one or two pups last longer. The focus of investigation was reproductive data from 66 Yorkshire terrier females registered in the Lublin Branch of the Polish Kennel Club, an FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale) member, which whelped 124 litters comprising in total 508 pups from 37 fathers. The data were collected between August 2009 and December 2014. The significance of differences was verified using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H-tests. The relationships between the recorded dogs' reproduction traits were estimated by calculation of Spearman's correlation coefficients with the use of the statistical programmes Statistica and SPSS 20. The investigations have confirmed the hypothesis concerning the larger litter size produced by larger females and the lower incidence of postpartum dystocia; however, the hypothesis of the impact of body weight on the length of pregnancy was rejected. The differences between the body weights of stud females and males reached 125%. The Yorkshire terrier appears to be a good reproductive breed with normal reproductive functions and good reproductive parameters.

The ileal digestibility of amino acids and fatty acids in young chickens fed control diet or experimental diets supplemented with freeze-dried pasture herbage at 20 or 40 g/kg was studied. Control diet contained wheat, maize, and soybean meal. Predominant species in the pasture herbage harvested in May were Lolium perenne, Festuca pratensis, and Trifolium pratense. Freeze-dried pasture herbage contained less protein (169 g/kg) and fat (24 g/kg) and more neutral detergent and acid detergent fibre (340 and 210 g/kg) and tannins (12.38 g/kg) than control diet. Concentrations of amino acids, except phenylalanine and threonine, were lower in pasture herbage than in control feed. In both the control feed and freeze-dried pasture herbage, unsaturated fatty acids occurred in higher proportions than saturated fatty acids. In freeze-dried pasture herbage linolenic acid was the main fatty acid. In chickens fed freeze-dried pasture herbage the ileal digestibility of amino acids and fatty acids decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Freeze-dried pasture herbage at 4% in diet had negative effect (P < 0.05) on the digestibility of amino acids and fatty acids in comparison with control diet. But there was no significant effect of 2% freeze-dried pasture herbage in diet on amino acids digestibility. This suggests that pasture herbage contains anti-nutritional factors that inhibit proteolysis and lipolysis. The effect of pasture herbage on digestibility was variable. In chickens fed diets containing 4% freeze-dried pasture herbage, apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids varied from 0.39 (cysteine) to 0.91 (methionine). Variability in the ileal digestibility of fatty acids was less pronounced (from 0.65 to 0.89).

The concentration and distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were studied in sierozem-meadow soils around a buried obsolete chemicals stock in Mirzaabad district of Syrdarya region of Uzbekistan. 23 soil samples were collected from the topsoil (0-30 cm of soil depth) and 15 samples were collected from three soil profiles (down to 125 cm of soil depth) located in nearby vicinity of the stock. They were extracted using an automated Soxhlet extractor and analyses were done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The detected OCPs were DDTs, HCHs, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, chlorpyrifos, and endosulfans. The concentration of HCH was detected only as α-HCH in the range of 0-3.159 μg/kg. Only two isomers of DDT: p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDD were found to be dominant, with the range of their values of 0.068-4.941 and 0-13.63 μg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of aldrin, dieldrin, endrin and chlorpyrifos in the samples collected around the source were in the range of 0-0.504, 0-1.117, 2.414-20.87 μg/kg and 0-3.819 μg/kg. β-endosulfan varied from a non-detectable amount to 74.56 μg/kg. According to results, the sum of DDTs was observed to be higher in the upper horizons, especially at depths of 0-10 and 10-50 cm, with the values 543.15 and 212.22 μg/kg, respectively, which can be a cause of concern. Due to their ability to migrate in the environment, accumulate in the food chain and be harmful to human health, monitoring the level of residues of organochlorine pesticides in soil is of vital importance.

The stabilisation treatments of rice bran were performed using microwave heating (100% power, 1-2 min) and dry heating (120°C, 10-20 min), respectively, and then protein was prepared by alkaline extraction (pH 9.5) and acid precipitation (pH 4.5). Stabilisation treatments resulted in a decrease in the protein yield, but an increase in the pro­tein purity. Heat-stabilisation was effective in inhibiting the rancidity of rice bran, and microwave heating was more effective than dry heating. The functional properties of proteins such as the emulsifying properties and oil holding capacity were improved with the stabilised rice bran, while the foaming properties, water holding capacity and nitrogen solubility of protein were slightly impaired. By comparison, dry heating treatment at 120°C for 20 min was effective and suitable for the stabilisation of rice bran for long term storage, as well as improving some functional properties of rice bran proteins. These results could provide basic information for industrial preparation of rice bran protein and its application in various food formulas.

In the scientific literature, there is not reliable information about the vitamin E content of commercially prepared fried foods. Therefore, tocochromanols were determined in 44 samples of french fries and 33 samples of potato chips and similar fried snacks. The total tocochromanol content of the french fries varied in the range of 1.7-96.9 mg/kg, α-tocopherol 0.3-76.1 mg/kg, and vitamin E (expressed in α-tocopherol equivalents) 0.6-76.4 mg/kg. The total content of tocochromanols in the fried snack products varied in the range of 39.9-204.6 mg/kg, α-tocopherol 20.4-133.7 mg kg, and vitamin E 29.8-134.6 mg α-tocopherol equivalent/kg. After a comparison of fat content, and taking into account the reference intake of fat and vitamin E, the french fries were generally a worse source of vitamin E than fat. The fried snack products were usually a better source of vitamin E than fat. In the both types of fried foods, the total content of tocochromanols was most influenced by the total content of fat. The content of α-tocopherol and the vitamin E content were mainly affected by the kind of fat (oil) used for frying.

Gonad development in fish is generally assumed to be negatively influenced by interspecific hybridization, resulting in sterility or sub-sterility. However, this is not the case in sturgeons (Acipenseridae), in which fertile hybrids are common. In the present study, we investigated gonad development in several sturgeon interspecific hybrids and purebred species. Six interspecific hybrid groups and three purebred groups were analyzed including 20 hybrid specimens with even ploidy, 40 specimens having odd ploidy levels, and 30 purebred specimens. Hybrids of species with the same ploidy (even ploidy - 2n, 4n) exhibited normally developed gonads similar to those seen in purebred specimens. In contrast, hybrids of species differing in ploidy (odd ploidy - 3n) did not display fully developed gonads. Ovaries were composed of oocytes or nests of differentiating oocytes that ceased development in early stages of meiosis (pachytene to zygotene) with a higher content of adipose and apoptotic tissue. Testes contained single spermatogonia along with Sertoli cells and spaces lacking germ cells. The obtained results showed that gonad development was influenced by genetic origin and ploidy of the sturgeon hybrids and were consistent with full fertility of hybrids with even ploidy. Sterility of females, but possibly limited fertility of males, is suggested for hybrids with odd ploidy.

After harvesting, soybean seed must be thermally treated because of the increased moisture content. The most common thermal treatment of soybean is roasting, with three indicators that are critical for the process itself: seed moisture content, roasting period and process temperature. Following the above-mentioned, the aim of this paper was to determine nutritional and energy changes in three soybean varieties ('Gordana', 'Sivka' and 'Slavonka'). After collecting the samples, the nutrient structure of the core and energy components of seed hull for each variety were determined before and after the heat treatment by roasting. The roasted soybean seeds of the specified varieties were dried by exposure to temperatures of 125°C and 135°C in the duration of 10, 20 and 30 minutes. The results show that significant changes occurred in nutritional properties of soybean seed core in relation to temperature and time of roasting, as well as to assortment. There are also significant differences in elements, which affects the energy properties of soy seed hulls depending on temperature and duration of the procedure.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious cereal disease in the CzechRepublic. The most important pathogen associated with FBH is Fusarium graminearum, which can produce trichothecenes, mainly deoxynivalenol (DON) and its derivates. A set of 103 F. graminearum isolates were isolated from naturally infected wheat ears collected from 20 localities (25 ears from one locality) within the Czech Republic, in the year 2004. The ears were evaluated for DON content by ELISA. Maximum detected value was 30.7 mg/kg. A group of PCR assays targeting the segments of the Tri7, Tri13 and Tri3 genes were used to determine the chemotypes of F. graminearum isolates. All the isolates belonged to DON producing chemotype. Further discrimination revealed that almost all (99.03%) isolates belonged to 15-ADON chemotype, and only one (0.97%) isolate belonged to 3-ADON chemotype. The genetic variability of the isolates was assessed from their AFLP fingerprints. The populations were highly heterogeneous both within and between locations, and no clear evidence for the association between AFLP profile and geographic origin was found out.

Soil microbial properties are varied by growing different crops, ultimately reflecting the growth and reproduction of crops. In this study, two types of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. ZS11 and ZY821) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ZM9023) were planted in the Jianghan plain of China. Rhizosphere soil samples were collected three months after sowing. Soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities and microbial diversity were determined. The results showed that soil available phosphorus significantly increased from 25.57 mg/kg (ZM9023) to 33.20 mg/kg (ZS11) and 35.72 mg/kg (ZY821), respectively. Invertase activity of ZS821 (0.86 mg glucose/g) was significantly lower than in ZS11 (1.04 mg glucose/g). Acid phosphatase activity under planting rapes was significantly higher than that under wheat. Urease activities significantly increased from 40.88 mg NH₄⁺-N/g soil/24 h (NFP) to 49.04 mg NH₄⁺-N/g soil/24 h (FNP) and 51.28 mg NH₄⁺-N/g soil/24 h (ZM9023), 51.60 mg NH₄⁺-N/g soil/24 h (ZY821) and 52.28 mg NH₄⁺-N/g soil/24 h (ZS11), respectively. The ACE (abundance based coverage estimator) and Chao1 indexes of bacteria of ZS11 were lower than ZY821, which were similar to ZM9023. Fertilization increased soil bacterial ACE and Chao1 indexes. However, ACE and Chao1, Shannon and Simpson indexes of soil fungi for ZS11 were significantly higher than in ZY821, which were similar to ZM9023 (except for the Shannon index).

The paper presents the results from three different experimental plots in mountain areas in Slovakia. Annual interception losses varied in mature forest stand in Poľana Mts. (850 m a.s.l.) in mixtured (spruce, fir, beech) from 10.6 to 23.5%, in spruce from 20.5 to 35.5% and in beech forest from 8.8 to 26.9%. Horizontal precipitation reduces long-term average of interception loss by 3.2% (mixtured and spruce) and 2.9% for beech forest. Decline process in supramontane spruce forest has significant influence on interception process in climax spruce stand in Červenec. Mean biweekly interception loss in the central crown zone near the stem during growing seasons was 76.9% in living and 69.2% in dead forest. In the gap canopy interception loss was observed 11.7% in living and 17.9% in dead forest, in the dripping zone under the crown periphery 11.1% in living and 25.7% in dead forest. Results from the experimental catchment Lomnistá dolina showed that forest ecosystems increase the variability of rainfall amounts infiltrated to the soil environment in mountain watersheds, interception loss varied in a wide range: from 42 up to -10% due to altitudinal influence, tree species composition, stand age, and horizontal precipitation occurence.

The population genetic evaluation of the Hungarian Hucul horse population was performed based on pedigree records. Herd book data of registered Hucul horses available up to 2016 were analysed using ENDOG (Gutierrez and Goyache 2005) and POPREP (Groeneveld et al. 2009) on the whole population (WP) as well as on the reference stock (RS) (breeding stock registered in 2016). Inbreeding coefficients were 5.57% (WP) and 7.18% (RS). Average relatedness was 10.39% in WP and higher in RS (12.67%). Effective population size was 52.32. Generation interval was 13.01 years for WP and 10.99 years for RS. The values for equivalent complete generations were 6.07 and 8.75, for the maximum number of generations 14.11 and 19.16, and for the number of full generations traced 3.77 and 5.50 for WP and RS, respectively. The effective number of founders (f_e) was 23 both for WP and RS. The effective number of ancestors (f_a) was 20 in WP and lower in RS (16). The f_a/f_e ratio was 0.869 in WP and 0.696 in RS. Founder genome equivalent (f_g) was 9.618 in WP and 5.790 in RS. The f_g/f_e ratio was 0.481 in WP and 0.361 in RS. The study revealed that both the inbreeding coefficient and the average relatedness were high. The above mentioned ratios indicated loss of genetic diversity in the Hungarian Hucul population.

Information provided in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) portal database of the European Commission on "crustaceans and products thereof" for Bangladesh during 2000-2012 was investigated to analyse the trends of occurrences. A total of 159 (10.56%) notifications (alert - 40; border rejection - 47; information - 72) were recorded for Bangladesh against a worldwide 1505 notifications. During the period 120 (20.27%) notifications were identified for residue of veterinary medicinal products against 592 notifications recorded in the portal. Forty-eight consignments were re-despatched to Bangladesh while 11 consignments were destroyed at the European border as a consequence of the notifications by the European countries.

Early diagnosis and treatment of sepsis in patients are crucial for their survival and can help reduce mortality rates. Novel biomarkers, such as thrombomodulin and pentraxin-3, have been used as diagnostic, prognostic and mortality indicators in patients with sepsis. Plasma thrombomodulin is a vascular endothelial membrane-bound glycoprotein and pentraxin-3 is an acute-phase protein. In the present study, thrombomodulin and pentraxin-3 levels were determined in calves with sepsis, to determine their diagnostic values as well as usefulness as indicators of health status. To this end, 20 neonatal calves with sepsis (G1) and ten healthy neonatal calves (G2) were used. Additionally, group G1 was also divided into two groups consisting of surviving (G1-S; n = 9) and non-surviving calves (G1-NS; n = 11). A single blood sample was collected from all the calves and the prepared serum samples were used to measure thrombomodulin and pentraxin-3 levels using bovine-specific ELISA kits. The serum concentrations of thrombomodulin and pentraxin-3 were found to be significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the G1 group than in G2. Thrombomodulin and pentraxin-3 levels were also found to be higher in the G1-NS group than in G1-S but the difference was not significant. We conclude that thrombomodulin and pentraxin-3 may have some diagnostic value in calves with sepsis. Furthermore, these findings may also help in understanding the pathogenesis of sepsis in neonatal calves. Further studies are required to determine the importance of thrombomodulin and pentraxin-3 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in calves with sepsis and to evaluate the concentrations of these biomarkers also in other disease states.

Seeds of weeds buried by tillage may germinate at depths from which seedlings cannot establish. In barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) we investigated how fatal germination was influenced by the depth and time of seed burial. The proportion of germinated seeds decreased with burial depth to 0-20% at ≥ 0.1 m depth which is fatal for seedling establishment. The percentage of fatal germination was greater for the seeds buried during the spring season than during autumn. Germination was influenced by seed pre-treatment, after ripening or stratification. Spring ploughing of non-dormant seeds below 0.1 m depth induces fatal germination, decreasing in this way seed bank of barnyardgrass.

Soil carbon transformation was observed in long-term stationary field experiments (longer than 20 years) at two sites with different soil-climatic conditions (Luvisol, Chernozem). The following crops were rotated within the trial: row crops (potatoes or maize)-winter wheat-spring barley. All three crops were grown each year. Four different fertilization treatments were used: (a) no fertilizer (control); (b) sewage sludge (9.383 t dry matter/ha/3 years); (c) farmyard manure (15.818 t dry matter/ha/3 years); (d) mineral NPK fertilization (330 kg N, 90 kg P, 300 kg K/ha/3 years). At the Luvisol site, the control treatment showed a tendency to decrease organic carbon (C_org) in topsoil. At organic fertilization treatments the content of C_org increased: sewage sludge - +15.0% (Luvisol) and +21.8% (Chernozem), farmyard manure - +19.0% (Luvisol) and +15.9% (Chernozem). At the NPK fertilization, the increase was +4.8% (Luvisol) and +4.7% (Chernozem). The increased C_org content was also associated with an increase of microbial biomass carbon (C_mic) and extractable organic carbon (0.01 mol/L CaCl₂ and hot water extraction). The ratio of C_mic in C_org was within the range 0.93-1.37%.

Aquaporins (AQPs) play important role in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion and AQP1 and AQP4 are localized in the choroid plexus (CP), which is the main place of CSF production. In ewes, seasonally breeding animals, the turnover rate (TOR) of CSF is photoperiodically modulated and melatonin, a biochemical signal about changing photoperiod, is used to advance the onset of the breeding season by mimicking the stimulatory effect of short days (SD). This study evaluates the effect of melatonin implantation during long days (LD) on AQPs expression in the ovine CP. Studies were performed on ovariectomized, estradiol implanted ewes treated with placebo (n = 6) or with melatonin (n = 6) during LD. Ewes were sacrificed 40 days after melatonin/placebo implantation and CPs from the lateral/third brain ventricles were collected for Real-time and Western blot analyses. Additionally, for immunohistochemical analysis, CP samples were collected from ewes (n = 3) sacrificed during LD. We demonstrated an apical membrane localization of AQP1 and a diffused distribution of AQP4 in the epithelial cells of CP. The mRNA expression of AQP1 was 20 times higher than the expression of all AQP4 isoforms, and among them AQP4 isoforms containing exon 2 constituted approximately 38%. The melatonin implantation significantly (P < 0.05) increased the mRNA expression of AQP1 and AQP4 and the protein level of AQP4 isoforms (33 and 28 kDa). For AQP1 we observed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease of glycosylated (33 kDa) and a significant (P < 0.05) increase of unglycosylated (23 kDa) predominant protein form. Therefore it can be suggested that at least AQP1, which is involved in CSF production and has been demonstrated to be modulated by melatonin implantation, is linked with the photoperiodic modulation of the CSF production in ewes.

Sorghum as a C₄ crop has been shown to be both drought tolerant and photosynthetically productive. In this study, we demonstrated that sorghum SbSnRK1βγ2 (SbSNF4-2), the γ subunit of the sucrose non-fermenting 1 (SNF1)/SNF1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) heterotrimeric complex, increased the plant height and biomass in Setaria viridis, a C4 relative of sorghum, but not in rice, a C3 relative, when overexpressed driven by the maize ubiquitin promoter. However, the overexpression did not increase the tiller number in S. viridis, although it caused modest increases in the tiller number in both sorghum and rice. In addition, SbSnRK1βγ2 did not affect the panicle weight in sorghum, but its overexpression doubled the panicle weight in S. viridis in all four evaluated transgenic lines. Overall, the overexpression of SbSnRK1βγ2 tripled the biomass production in S. viridis, indicating SbSnRK1βγ2’s potential in any future cellulosic biofuel production and S. viridis’ utility as an alternative genetic vehicle to functionally characterise sorghum genes.

The disulfide bonds and sulfhydryl in gluten were evaluated to investigate the effects of structural characteristics on the quality of white noodles. The free sulfhydryl concentration increased significantly, but disulphide bonds decreased initially, and then became stable with increasing sodium sulfite concentration. With a decrease in disulfide bond concentration from 56.78 μmol/g to 20.01 μmol/g in gluten added to noodles, microstructural graphs verified that the cross-section and surface of noodles became rougher and looser with more holes generated; optimal cooking time decreased from 4.4 min to 3.3 min for fresh noodles and from 10.11 min to 9.19 min for dried samples; water absorption and cooking loss increased from 159% to 203% and from 5.26% to 9.06%, respectively. A decreasing trend and marked differences were observed for hardness, springiness, chewiness as well as resilience of fresh and cooked noodles, but the cohesiveness of fresh noodles exhibited no significant changes (P < 0.05).

Combined retrograde tracing and double labelling immunohistochemistry were applied to study the distribution and chemical coding of autonomic neurons projecting to the ovine hip joint capsule. As revealed by retrograde tracing, fast blue-positive autonomic neurons supplying the lateral side of the hip joint capsule and the medial side of the hip joint capsule were located within the lumbar and sacral of the ipsilateral sympathetic chain ganglia and within the caudal mesenteric ganglion. Immunohistochemistry revealed that nearly all (sympathetic chain ganglia: 96% and caudal mesenteric ganglion: 98.8%) the neurons were adrenergic in nature (positive for dopamine β-hydroxylase). Many retrogradely labelled neurons also displayed immunoreactivity to neuropeptide Y (approximately 34% of fast blue-positive neurons within caudal mesenteric ganglion and sympathetic chain ganglia). Populations of Met-Enk⁺ (20%) and Leu-Enk⁺ (6%) neurons were present only in the sympathetic chain ganglia while within caudal mesenteric ganglion no enkephalinergic-labelled neurons were noted. Only a small population (2.2%) of hip joint capsule-projecting neurons were Gal-IR and they were observed only within the caudal mesenteric ganglion. No cholinergic neurons involved in the innervation of the hip joint capsule were found. However, fast blue-positive nerve cell bodies were surrounded by numerous cholinergic nerve fibres often forming basket-like formations. Single Gal⁺ nerve fibres were found in the intraganglionic connective tissue. Substance P-positive or calcitonin gene-related peptide-positive intraganglionic nerve terminals were very numerous and formed "baskets" surrounding fast blue-positive perikarya within sympathetic chain ganglias and caudal mesenteric ganglion.

Benzodiazepines exert hypnotic/sedative effects through their inhibitory actions on the γ-aminobutyric acid receptor type A. Since flumazenil antagonises these effects through competitive inhibition of the receptor, it has been used to reverse the effect of benzodiazepines. The goal of this study was to characterise the antagonistic effect of flumazenil on anaesthesia induced by tiletamine-zolazepam in dogs. Nine healthy Beagle dogs (four males, five females) were used in this study. The dogs were administered 20 mg/kg of tiletamine-zolazepam intravenously and were then intravenously treated with saline solution (2 ml; control) or flumazenil twenty minutes after tiletamine-zolazepam administration at doses of 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 or 0.16 mg/kg. Recovery times after the anaesthesia and cardiorespiratory variation were recorded for each dog. The results of this study indicate that the duration of reversal produced by doses of 0.04 and 0.06 mg/kg flumazenil was more effective than that produced by any of the other doses. In addition, sedation was rapidly reversible at 0.04 and 0.06 mg/kg without resedation. However, at doses of 0.08 and 0.16 mg/kg adverse effects such as shivering, rigidity and opisthotonos were observed. Thus, treatment with flumazenil at doses of 0.04 and 0.06 mg/kg could successfully reverse the anaesthetic effects induced by tiletamine-zolazepam.

Destroying of forest lands and landuse changes have caused undesirable effects in the watershed hydrologic conditions. Landuse and vegetation are important factors in soil erosion and runoff generation. This research has been done using a runoff-rainfall model, sediment-erosion model, Geographical Information System and remote sensing to determine the hydrologic effects of deforestation on Kasilian watershed (north of Iran). A runoff-rainfall model has been presented using GIS (HEC-GeoHMS extension) and hydrologic model (HEC-HMS). The SCS method has been used for presenting the hydrologic model. It is to note that the optimized model is evaluated by other six events of floods. Then, the optimized model has been validated. Erosion potential method model has been applied in GIS environment to simulate soil erosion and sediment rate. According to the obtained results, the runoff and sediment generation potential have been increased in the Kasilian watershed due to deforestation during the last forty years.

The tolerance, accumulation and subcellular distribution characteristics of cadmium (Cd) in ramie (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud.) were investigated using a 2-year field experiment. The results indicated that ramie has a certain extent of tolerance to soil Cd (≤ 20 mg/kg) contamination with no significant decrease in shoot biomass and fibre yield relative to control conditions. Although ramie did not hyperaccumulate Cd, it accumulated considerable amount of Cd in the aboveground parts (approximately 0.19 to 1.09 kg/ha annually). The Cd contents retained in ramie tissues were found in order of roots > stems > leaves. Further, regarding the subcellular distribution of Cd in ramie tissues, 80% of the total Cd was bound to the cell walls of the roots and stems, whereas in leaves the proportion of Cd stored in the cell wall fraction was around 60% and a lesser amount of Cd was stored in the soluble fraction (24.1-25.5%). Our collective results indicated that ramie adapts to Cd stress via the store of a large amount of Cd in cell walls, and suggested potential usefulness of ramie in the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated farmlands.

The paper presents the results of a conceptual study of lightweight wooden construction hall building with polygonal ground plan, suitable for agriculture. It comprises evaluation of chosen technical and functional characteristics and possibilities for animal production. The results of the study confirm advantages (mainly lower material and costs demandingness, environmentally friendliness, light-weight construction, fast assembly operations) and disadvantages (mainly larger range of groundwork, higher demandingness on roof structure, foundation of slab constructions and anchoring of vertical bearing constructions). Values of radial tensile stress at an interval of 9.0 to 21.0 MPa and tangential tensile stress at an interval of 1.4 to 16.0 MPa were calculated on vertical load 100 kN at the top of the construction). The construction makes possible to achieve a span as far as 60 m with effective canvas strain at large radius curvature from 80 m to 100 m.

We investigated the growth parameters of 20-year-old plantations of Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold and Picea abies (Linnaeus) H. Karsten and their impact on understory woody plants and we compared them with a natural stand in above-timberline mountain areas. 30 sample plots (each of 400 m2 in area) were systematically established on each site. Tree height, DBH, collar diameter, crown diameter and crown length of all trees were measured in each sample plot. The results of the diameter growth analysis of both species covered by this study showed higher numerical values in P. nigra than in P. abies. On the contrary, what was observed for data concerning height growth, showed higher numerical values in P. abies than in P. nigra. These conclusions showed that P. nigra has a lower slenderness ratio than the other species and is therefore more resistant to the adverse weather. Considering the effects on biodiversity, the planting of P. nigra showed a significant increase in density and species richness of woody plants while it decreased the diversity and evenness compared to the natural stands and plantations of P. abies.

Four sequential extraction procedures (Sposito, Tessier, Silveira and Bureau Communautaire de Reference (BCR)) were used to evaluate the distribution of some metals (Fe, Cu, Cd and Zn) in a contaminated soil around a mining area. The results showed that Fe and Zn were mainly recovered in the recalcitrant soil fractions, while Cd was primarily localized in the exchangeable fraction. Soil Cu was highly associated with organic matter fraction. The amorphous Fe fraction in Silveira could be recognized as part of the Fe-Mn oxide fraction in Tessier and BCR procedures, while the crystalline Fe oxide fraction was classified into the residual fraction in Sposito, BCR and Tessier schemes. Although the same reagent was used to extract target fraction, less carbonate-bound Cu, Cu and Zn were extracted in Tessier procedure as compared to Silveira method, while Tessier scheme yielded a higher proportion of Fe, Cu and Zn in the Fe-Mn oxide fraction than BCR method. Due to the lack of uniformity of experimental conditions and the differences in extraction reagents, the extraction efficiency of metal species varied with the sequential extraction schemes. Therefore, care should be taken when comparing the results obtained by different sequential extraction procedures.