Dvodomna kopriva (Urtica dioica L.) je u novije vrijeme nepravedno zapostavljena biljna vrsta, posebice kao prehrambena namirnica. Zbog dokazanih nutritivnih i ljekovitih svojstva, svrstava se u ...kategoriju funkcionalnih namirnica. U fazi intenzivnog porasta ima velike potrebe za dušičnim gnojivima što može umanjiti kvalitetu finalnog proizvoda, pa se istražuju preprati dozvoljeni i u ekološkom uzgoju. Biostimulatori su proizvodi prirodnog porijekla koji imaju efikasnu primjenu kod biljaka u stresnim uvjetima ublažavajući nepovoljne čimbenike tijekom uzgoja. U ovome radu istražene su potencijalne koristi od primjene biostimulatora na morfološke pokazatelje i osnovni kemijski sastav koprive. Monofaktorijalni poljski pokus postavljen je na dvogodišnjem usjevu koprive po metodi slučajnog bloknog rasporeda u tri repeticije. Nasad je tretiran s četiri različita biostimulatora (Humistar, Phylgreen, Aminovital, Delphan Plus) u usporedbi s kontrolnom varijantom. Biostimulatori nisu imali opravdani utjecaj na morfološke pokazatelje niti na ukupni prinos, no imali su različit utjecaj na razinu minerala i specijaliziranih metabolita u biljci, pri čemu se mogu se izdvojiti proizvodi na bazi aminokiselina (Delphan Plus) i huminskih kiselina (Humistar).
Mikotoksini su sekundarni metaboliti toksigenih plijesni široko rasprostranjenih u usjevima. Biljke, životinje, bakterije i plijesni posjeduju sposobnost modifikacije mikotoksina, a do nje može doći ...i tijekom obrade hrane, što rezultira nastankomvelikog broja „maskiranih” oblika mikotoksina. Tako modificirani oblici mikotoksina često ostaju nevidljivi pri različitim analitičkim tehnikama, što utječe i na točnu procjenu rizika jer se nakon konzumacije kontaminiranih namirnica modificirani oblici mikotoksina u probavnom sustavu vraćaju u izvorni oblik. To je dovelo do potrebe za analitičkim tehnikama kojima se mogu detektirati i kvantificirati modificirani oblici mikotoksina. Sprega tekućinske kromatografije i spektrometrije masa (LC-MS/MS) analitička je tehnika detekcije koja najviše obećava, a za otkrivanje novih modificiranih spojeva uglavnom se primjenjuju spektrometri masa visoke rezolucije. Unatoč tome, toksični utjecaj modificiranih oblika mikotoksina još nije do kraja razjašnjen.
Considering that research of adverse effects of mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) and monobutyl phthalate (MBP), two key metabolites of the most common phthalates used as plasticisers in various ...daily-life products, has been scattered and limited, the aim of our study was to provide a more comprehensive analysis by focusing on major organ systems, including blood, liver, kidney, and pancreas in 66 male pubertal rats randomised into eleven groups of six. The animals were receiving either metabolite at doses of 25, 50, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg bw a day by gavage for 28 days. The control group was receiving corn oil. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for biochemical, haematological, and immunological analyses. Samples of kidney, liver, and pancreas were dissected for histopathological analyses. Exposure to either compound resulted in increased liver and decreased pancreas weight, especially at the highest doses. Exposed rats had increased ALT, AST, glucose, and triglyceride levels and decreased total protein and albumin levels. Both compounds increased MCV and decreased haemoglobin levels compared to control. Although they also lowered the insulin level, exposed rats had negative islet cell and insulin antibodies, same as control. Treatment-related histopathological changes included sinusoidal degeneration in the liver, glomerular degeneration in the kidney, and degeneration of pancreatic islets. Our findings document toxic outcomes of MEHP and MBP on endocrine organs in male pubertal rats but also suggest the need for additional studies to better understand the mechanisms behind adverse effects in chronic exposure.
Frangula rupestris and F. alnus are the only two species of the genus Frangula in the flora of the Balkan Peninsula. Frangula alnus is well-known for anthranoid content, and its stem bark and fruits ...are widely used as laxatives. Data on anatomy, plant metabolites, and potential use of F. rupestris are scarce. In this work we analysed anatomy of the stem and leaves and performed phytochemical screening of the bark and leaves of F. rupestris. Specific anatomical characteristics of the stem include the presence of large mucilage cavities in the bark and pith, as well as numerous parenchyma cells containing solitary or cluster crystals of calcium oxalate. The majority of leaf epidermal cells are filled with mucilage. In the main leaf vein there is parenchyma with numerous mucilage cavities and solitary or cluster crystals of calcium oxalate. The levels of flavonoids, total phenolics, and tannins in bark and leaves of plants from two localities were determined by spectrophotometric methods, and the results were compared with those obtained for bark of F. alnus. Bark and leaves of F. rupestris contained 2.68-3.03% and 2.22-3.77% total phenolics, 1.70-2.10% and 0.57-1.54% tannins, and 0.12-0.36% and 0.57-0.99% flavonoids, respectively. The conducted HPLC and LC-MS analyses of hydromethanol extracts of bark and leaves of F. rupestris revealed the presence of flavonols. The dominant compound in all extracts was hyperoside and its content, determined by HPLC, ranged from 30.40 to 82.03 mg/g. Swelling indices determined for 0.5 g of plant material of F. rupestris bark and leaves (5.8-11.4 and 5.8-13.8) were higher than that of the bark of F. alnus (4.4) and greater than those of the mucilaginous drugs Althaeae folium and Althaeae radix (4.7-4.8). The high swelling indices of F. rupestris bark and (especially) leaves suggest their potential use as bulk-forming laxatives. In addition, differences in the content of metabolites were observed in plants from different localities.
V okviru “Nacionalnega programa genske banke kulturnih rastlin” smo v Kartuziji Pleterje zasadili sadovnjak, kjer zbiramo različne stare sorte jablan in hrušk. Z zasajanjem sadovnjaka smo začeli leta ...1994, trenutno raste v sadovnjaku 119 različnih sort jablan ter 44 različnih sort hrušk. Drevesa so cepljena na ustrezne podlage in pri vsaki sorti je posajenih pet dreves skupaj. Varstvo pred boleznimi in škodljivci poteka v zadnjih letih po programu biološkega varstva rastlin, tako da je mogoče zelo hitro oceniti občutljivost posameznih sort za okužbo z različnimi boleznimi in škodljivci. V članku smo zbrali podatke za 100 različnih sort jablan. Vsebnost sladkorjev v jabolkih je tesno povezana s časom zorenja jablan. V zgodnjih sortah jablan smo tako izmerili največ fruktoze, 64 g/kg plodu, vsebnost ostalih sladkorjev je bila precej manjša. Pri srednje zgodnjih sortah se je vsebnost saharoze povečala iz 24,6 g/kg, kolikor je znašala pri zgodnjih sortah, na 38,5 g/kg ter srednje poznih sortah na 37,6 g/kg. Pri poznih sortah pa je spet prevladovala fruktoza s 70,3 g/kg plodov. Od kislin je v plodovih ne glede na čas obiranja prevladovala jabolčna kislina. Največ, 4 g/kg plodov, smo je izmerili v plodovih zgodaj zorečih sort jablan, 3 g/kg pa v pozno zorečih sortah. V plodovoh srednje zgodaj zorečih ter srednje pozno zorečih sort smo namerili manj kot 3 g jabolčne kisline/kg plodov.
The control of groundwater and surface water quality in relation to the presence of pesticides and their metabolites is a rather complicated task. National and local authorities with the ...responsibility to guarantee an adequate quality of water cannot rely on international guidelines for monitoring activities. In a national project, forty-three pesticides and pesticide metabolites were selected on the basis of sale, monitoring and physical-chemical data, and investigated from some of the main Italian agricultural areas, susceptible to pesticide contamination. Twelve compounds were found in the tested water samples at levels exceeding the 0.1 µg/L European Union (EU) limit for drinking water (European Directive 98/83/EC). Maximum levels up to 0.62 were determined. Several water samples were characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of pesticides and their metabolites (up to ten). In some samples, the total concentration of pesticides and their metabolites was higher than the EU limit of 0.5 µg/L. Total triazine concentrations up to 1.02 µg/L were found. In all the cases the highest concentrations were well below the respective guideline values defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water quality.
Stone cultural heritage materials are at risk of bio-deterioration caused by diverse populations of microorganisms living in biofilms. The microbial metabolites of these biofilms are responsible for ...the deterioration of the underlying substratum and may lead to physical weakening and discoloration of stone 1,18. Fungal ability in producing pigments and organic acids have a crucial role in the discoloration and degradation of different types of stone in cultural heritage objects. Additionally, stone objects may support the communities of microorganisms that are active in the biodeterioration process. This investigation focuses on the mycological analyses of microbial biofilm from the Bhimkichak temple, in Malhar of Bilaspur District of Chhattisgarh state which is made of sandstone, and is heavily colonized by fungi. Eight fungal species on the sandstone were isolated. Aspergillus sp. was observed, a common species in the stone structure of this monument. The identified micro fungi cause discoloration as well as mechanical exfoliation of the building stone material which was analyzed through mechanical hyphae penetration and production of dark pigments and organic acids.
V neporušenih talnih kolonah smo preučevali vpliv dodanega komposta iz lubja tlem na usodo herbicida atrazina. Ugotovili smo, da je kompost značilno vplival na hitrost razgradnje atrazina v tleh. ...Tri mesece po uporabi atrazina je v tleh z dodanim kompostom atrazin predstavljal 52 % vseh analiziranih substanc pesticida, medtem ko je bil njegov delež v kontrolnih tleh še 80 %. Deetilatrazin je bil glavni razgradni produkt v obeh obravnavanjih, le da je bil njegov delež v tleh z dodanim kompostom značilno večji. Nasprotno je bila zastopanost hidroksiatrazina večja v tleh brez dodatka atrazina. Razlik med obravnavanjema v prenosu atrazina skozi talni profil nismo ugotovili. Večino atrazina in metabolitov smo določili v zgornji 15 cm plasti tal, prenos v spodnje plasti t.j. do globine 45 cm je znašal manj kot 3 % skupne vsebnosti analitsko določenih ostankov herbicida v talnih in vodnih vzorcih. Izpiranje atrazina in metabolitov iz talnega profila je bilo zanemarljivo majhno (po 0,1 %), brez značilnih razlik med obravnavanjema.
Seventy two Landrace x Large White barrows were divided into three groups and fed different diets: a control traditional diet based on cereals (C) and two with 15 or 30% dried sugar beet pulp (BP15 ...and BP30, respectively). Animals weighed 106 kg at start and 167 kg at the end of the experiment. Feeding was restricted (2.5 kg DM/head, on average).
The aim of the present experiment was to investigate the influence of high levels of beet pulp in the diet of fattening heavy pigs on some endocrine/metabolic traits, on the slaughter dressing percentage and on some parameters related to meat quality, composition and on the ham quality, after 14 months of seasoning.
During the experimental period, jugular vein blood samples were collected from C and BP30-fed pigs and plasma was analysed for several metabolic traits. BP30 diet initially increased the plasma glucose level and decreased free amino acids (P<0.05), but this difference disappeared at the end of the experimental period, when insulin level was decreased (P=0.06) by beet pulp administration. During the entire period, 30% beet pulp diet increased total protein and albumin levels (P<0.001) and decreased urea (P<0.05) without affecting plasma leptin.
At slaughter, pigs fed BP30 diet were lighter (P<0.001) and with a lower dressing percentage (P<0.001) in comparison with the other two treatments. Pigs fed BP30 diet also had lower ham and loin weights (P<0.05) (but similar ham and loin percentages) and higher liver weight (P<0.05), liver/carcass ratio (P<0.001), gastrointestinal-tract weight (P<0.001) and gastrointestinal-tract/carcass ratio (P<0.001). Pigs fed C diet had a higher dressing percentage in comparison with pigs fed BP15 diet (P<0.01), but no other significant difference was found between pigs fed diets C and BP15.
At slaughter, liver samples were taken from C and BP30-fed pigs in order to evaluate the effect of the diet on liver composition. BP30 diet increased dry liver weight (P<0.05) and liver fat content (P<0.01).
The iodine value and the fatty acid composition of the backfat revealed no significant difference between pigs fed the control diet and those fed the high fibre diets.
Finally, considering the economic importance of ham production, the characteristics of the seasoned hams were evaluated. No difference was observed on ham quality.
In conclusion, feeding a diet with a high percentage of dried sugar beet pulp alters protein and energy metabolism and slaughter parameters, without affecting the quality of the seasoned ham.
Budući da su ograničene spoznaje o štetnim učincima mono(2-etilheksil) ftalata i monobutil ftalata, dvaju ključnih metabolita najčešćih ftalata koji se rabe u izradi plastike u različitim proizvodima ...za svakodnevnu primjenu, cilj je našeg istraživanja bio dobiti potpuniju sliku o njima s obzirom na organske sustave, uključujući krv, jetru, bubreg i gušteraču u 66 mužjaka štakora u pubertetu, nasumce raspoređenih u jedanaest skupina po 6 životinja, od kojih su neke gavažom primale jedan od tih dvaju metabolita 28 dana u dozama od 25, 50, 100, 200 ili 400 mg/kg tjelesne mase na dan. Kontrolna je skupina primala samo kukuruzno ulje, koje je u drugim skupinama služilo kao otapalo za metabolite. Na kraju pokusa prikupljeni su uzorci krvi za biokemijske, hematološke i imunološke pretrage. Uzorci bubrega, jetre I gušterače uzeti su disekcijom za histopatološku analizu. Izloženost bilo kojemu od tih dvaju metabolita dovela je do povećanja mase jetre i smanjenja mase gušterače, posebice pri najvišim dozama. Izloženi štakori imali su povišene vrijednosti ALT, AST, glukoze i triglicerida te snižene vrijednosti ukupnih proteina i albumina u krvi. Oba su metabolita dovela do povećanja prosječnog volumena eritrocita (MCV) i pada hemoglobina u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom. Premda su doveli i do pada razina inzulina u krvi, nalazi na antitijela na stanice Langerhansovih otočića i inzulin u izloženih štakora bili su negativni, baš kao i u kontrolnoj skupini. Histopatološke promjene povezane s izloženosti obuhvaćale su sinusoidnu degeneraciju u jetri, glomerulsku degeneraciju u bubregu te degeneraciju otočića gušterače. Naši rezultati potvrđuju toksično djelovanje MEHP-a i MBP-a na endokrine organe mužjaka štakora u pubertetu, ali isto tako upućuju na potrebu za daljnjim istraživanjima ne bi li se bolje razumjeli mehanizmi koji stoje iza štetnih događaja, naročito pri kroničnoj izloženosti ftalatima.
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