Genetic variability of verbascum populations from metal polluted and unpolluted sites

Mullein (Verbascum) plants have extensive distribution and can grow in variable environmental conditions. Seed was collected from mullein plants grown at 4 locations, two metals contaminated and two metal uncontaminated areas. Genetic variability of progeny was examined. Populations collected from unpolluted areas were genetically more similar than those collected from polluted areas as revealed by RAPD and SSR markers and UPGMA analysis. The results indicate that there is genetic differentiation between examined populations and therefore they represent suitable material for further investigation of plant adaptation mechanisms to increased metal content

Copper tolerance of trichoderma species

Some Trichoderma strains can persist in ecosystems with high concentrations of heavy metals. The aim of this research was to examine the variability of Trichoderma strains isolated from different ecosystems, based on their morphological properties and restriction analysis of ITS fragments. The fungal growth was tested on potato dextrose agar, amended with Cu(II) concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 10 mmol/l, in order to identify copper-resistant strains. The results indicate that some isolated strains of Trichoderma sp. show tolerance to higher copper concentrations. Further research to examine the ability of copper bioaccumulation by tolerant Trichoderma strains is needed

Species composition of trichoderma communities in Hungarian soils used for vegetable cultivation

Species of the genus Trichoderma are commonly found free-living fungi in soil and rootecosystems. It is known that the rhizosphere of agricultural soils is an ideal source of beneficial Trichoderma strains with biocontrol potential, as some of the strains showed excellent antagonistic abilities against plant pathogenic fungi. Others are able to improve plant growth, root in particular, promoting drought resistance in some crops. Biodiversity of Trichoderma isolates from the rizosphere of different vegetables (pepper, tomato, carrot, salad, spinach, pumpkin, cabbage, kohlrabi, parsley, celery, potato and bean) in garden soil samples collected at different locations in Hungary (Szeged-Sziksóstó, Balástya, Hódmezővásárhely, Szentes, Veszprém, Ózd) was comparatively examined during this study. Trichoderma strains were isolated directly from the chopped roots of the examined vegetables on dichloran - Rose Bengal medium. DNA isolation and PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2) region have been used for the identification of the isolates and for the investigation of their biodiversity. Trichoderma isolates were identified based on their ITS sequences with the aid of the barcoding program TrichOKEY 2.0 available online at the home page of the International Subcommission on Trichoderma and Hypocrea Taxonomy (www.isth.info). Among the detected isolates, species known as promising biocontrol agents (T. harzianum, T. virens, T. atroviride, T. asperellum) could be identified. Data about the biodiversity of the genus Trichoderma in vegetable rhizosphere and surveying the in vitro antagonistic abilities of the isolated Trichoderma strains may reveal potential biocontrol agents against plant pathogenic fungi. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Hungary-Serbia IPA Crossborder Co-operation Programme (PHANETRI, HUSRB/1002/214/068)

Species composition of trichoderma communities in Hungarian soils used for vegetable cultivation

Species of the genus Trichoderma are commonly found free-living fungi in soil and rootecosystems. It is known that the rhizosphere of agricultural soils is an ideal source of beneficial Trichoderma strains with biocontrol potential, as some of the strains showed excellent antagonistic abilities against plant pathogenic fungi. Others are able to improve plant growth, root in particular, promoting drought resistance in some crops. Biodiversity of Trichoderma isolates from the rizosphere of different vegetables (pepper, tomato, carrot, salad, spinach, pumpkin, cabbage, kohlrabi, parsley, celery, potato and bean) in garden soil samples collected at different locations in Hungary (Szeged-Sziksóstó, Balástya, Hódmezővásárhely, Szentes, Veszprém, Ózd) was comparatively examined during this study. Trichoderma strains were isolated directly from the chopped roots of the examined vegetables on dichloran - Rose Bengal medium. DNA isolation and PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2) region have been used for the identification of the isolates and for the investigation of their biodiversity. Trichoderma isolates were identified based on their ITS sequences with the aid of the barcoding program TrichOKEY 2.0 available online at the home page of the International Subcommission on Trichoderma and Hypocrea Taxonomy (www.isth.info). Among the detected isolates, species known as promising biocontrol agents (T. harzianum, T. virens, T. atroviride, T. asperellum) could be identified. Data about the biodiversity of the genus Trichoderma in vegetable rhizosphere and surveying the in vitro antagonistic abilities of the isolated Trichoderma strains may reveal potential biocontrol agents against plant pathogenic fungi

Screening of trichoderma strains isolated from rhizosphere samples for laccase production

In this study we screened formerly isolated Trichoderma strains for laccase production on solid media supplemented with two different substrates, ABTS [2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate)] or guaiacol. We detected outstandingly strong colour changes in the case of three Trichoderma strains in this experiment. The strains were identified based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis as T. asperellum (SZMC 20786 and SZMC 20866) and T. atroviride (SZMC 20780). We also investigated the production of laccase enzymes in the case of these Trichoderma strains in two types of liquid media. The pH dependence of the secreted laccases was determined in cell free ferment broths at pH 3.5, 4, 5, 5.5, 6 and 6.5 adjusted with 25 mM succinate buffer. Laccase activities from liquid cultures were measured with ABTS as substrate. The results showed that the best laccase producer among the investigated Trichoderma strains was T. atroviride SZMC 20780 under these conditions. This strain shows the highest laccase enzyme activity on the second day of incubation in a rotary shaker at 25 °C

Optimization of Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer Quantulus 1220 for tritium determination in water samples after electrolytic enrichment

U radu je prikazana optimizacija uslova merenja na tečnom scintilacionom spektrometru Ultra Low Level Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer Quantulus 1220 u cilju određivanja tricijuma u uzorcima voda. Opisan je postupak određivanja efikasnosti, optimalnog odnosa zapremine uzorka i scintilacionog koktela i optimalno vreme merenja. Instrument je predviđen za merenje niskih aktivnosti tricijuma u uzorcima prirodnih voda. U tu svrhu uzorci površinskih voda i padavina su elektrolitički obogaćeni i kao takvi mereni na spektrometru. Rezultati pokazuju da su dobijene aktivnosti tricijuma u datim vodama ispod granica predvidjenih zakonskom regulativom.The paper presents the optimization of the measurement conditions for Ultra Low Level Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer Quantulus 1220 in order to determine the tritium activity in water samples after electrolytic enrichment. The procedure included determination of efficiency, background, minimal detectable activity, the optimal ratio of the sample volume and scintillation cocktail and the optimal measurement time. The instrument is designed to measure low activity of tritium in natural water samples. For this purpose, samples of surface waters and precipitation are electrolytically enriched and as such are measured on a spectrometer.Зборник радова : XXIX симпозијум ДЗЗСЦГ : Сребрно језеро, 27-29. септембар 2017. годин

Optimization of Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer Quantulus 1220 for tritium determination in water samples after electrolytic enrichment

U radu je prikazana optimizacija uslova merenja na tečnom scintilacionom spektrometru Ultra Low Level Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer Quantulus 1220 u cilju određivanja tricijuma u uzorcima voda. Opisan je postupak određivanja efikasnosti, optimalnog odnosa zapremine uzorka i scintilacionog koktela i optimalno vreme merenja. Instrument je predviđen za merenje niskih aktivnosti tricijuma u uzorcima prirodnih voda. U tu svrhu uzorci površinskih voda i padavina su elektrolitički obogaćeni i kao takvi mereni na spektrometru. Rezultati pokazuju da su dobijene aktivnosti tricijuma u datim vodama ispod granica predvidjenih zakonskom regulativom.The paper presents the optimization of the measurement conditions for Ultra Low Level Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer Quantulus 1220 in order to determine the tritium activity in water samples after electrolytic enrichment. The procedure included determination of efficiency, background, minimal detectable activity, the optimal ratio of the sample volume and scintillation cocktail and the optimal measurement time. The instrument is designed to measure low activity of tritium in natural water samples. For this purpose, samples of surface waters and precipitation are electrolytically enriched and as such are measured on a spectrometer.Зборник радова : XXIX симпозијум ДЗЗСЦГ : Сребрно језеро, 27-29. септембар 2017. годин

Lipodystrophy induced by combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS patients: A Belgrade cohort study

Background/Aim. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has led to dramatic reductions in mortality and morbidity of HIV/AIDS-patients. Lipodystrophy, a syndrome including peripheral fat wasting and central obesity, is well-documented side effect of HAART. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of lipodystrophy, and to determine its risk ratios in a HIV/AIDS cohort. Methods. This cross-sectional study included all antiretroviral-naive HIV/AIDS patients commencing HAART from October 1, 2001 to October 1, 2010, in the HIV/AIDS Center, Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Belgrade, Serbia. Univariate and stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the odds ratios (OR) with the confidence interval (CI) of 95%, in order to establish the relative risk for lipodystrophy. The Kaplan-Meier-method was used to determine the probability of development lipodystrophy over time. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software version using 0.05 as a p-treshold for the significance. Results. This study included 840 HIV/AIDS patients, 608 women and 232 men, followed for 5.6 ± 2.8 years. The prevalence of lipodystrophy was 69.2%. Univariate and stepwise multivariate regression analysis identified that the female gender, hepatitis C coinfection, AIDS diagnosis prior to HAART initiation, nucleoside-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitors and proteaseinhibitors based regimens had a high risk for developing lipodystrophy in HIV/AIDS-patients (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-3.49, p = 0.04; OR = 3.31, 95% CI = 1.4 - 3.8, p < 0.01; OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.7 - 6.1, p < 0.01; OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.7 - 3.3, p < 0.01; OR = 6.1, 95% CI = 4.1 - 9.7, p < 0.01, respectively). Conclusion. Despite much greater life expectancy of HIV/AIDSpatients, treatment-related toxicities still remain a major concern. Monitoring of lipodystrophy, as side effect of HAART, is particularly important. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175024 i “European AIDS Treatment Network” (NEAT): LSHPCT - 2006-037570 within the FP 6 program

Degradation of linuron in soil by two fungal strains

Two fungal strains were applied to soil polluted with herbicide in order to determine their degradation potential. Three experimental setups were used. In the first setup, the soil in pots was contaminated by linuron in final concentration of 1 ppm. Suspensions of Phanerocheate chrysosporium and Trichoderma asperellum were applied sepa­rately or in combination. Tomato plantlets were transplanted and chlorophyll content in their leaves was determined at two time points during plant growth. In the second setup in pots, the final concentration of linuron was lower, 0.45 ppm. In the third setup 0.1 ppm of linuron was applied in the field plot. Plantlets of lettuce were transplanted and chlorophyll content was measured as indicator of plant stress. The content of linuron in soil was determined by HPLC. The applied fungal strains significantly reduced toxic effect of 0.45 ppm linuron on plants, which was not the case for 1 ppm linuron. Both fungi, applied separately or in combination, were effective in decreasing the linuron content in the soil. However, in field conditions the combination of both fungi was the most effective. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III43010