Adaptation of the quantitative PCR method for the detection of the main representatives of cereal grain mycobiota

The content of fungal DNA and mycotoxins in cereal crops (31 varieties of wheat, oats, and barley) was quantitatively determined and used for comparative characterization of grains. The quantitative PCR has been adapted for the analysis of the target DNA of Alternaria spp., Bipolaris sorokiniana (B. sorokiniana), Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum), F. culmorum, and F. sporotrichioides fungi, which are often present in mycobiota of small grain cereals. The content of DNA of aggressive pathogen B. sorokiniana was determined using quantitative PCR for the first time. The DNA of Alternaria fungi was found abundantly in all grain samples, but its content in the oat was significantly higher compared to barley and wheat (5 and 9 times higher, respectively). In barley grain, the content of B. sorokiniana DNA was on average significantly higher than in the grains of oats and wheat. The presence of F. graminearum DNA was established in all the analyzed grain samples while the F. culmorum DNA was found in 70% of the oat’s samples and in all samples of barley and wheat. Mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by these fungi was detected in all analyzed cereal grains in a range from 77 to 4133 μg/kg. The DNA of F. sporotrichioides was detected in 70% of oats and 50% of barley samples but was not found in wheat. The T-2 toxin produced by this fungus was detected in 45% of all samples within the range from 2 to 89 μg/kg. The statistically significant positive correlation with the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) equal to 0.49 (p<0.05) was observed between the amount of F. graminearum DNA and DON in the grain samples. Another significant positive correlation (r = 0.72, p<0.01) was found between DNA contents of Alternaria fungi and F. sporotrichioides in the grain samples. This leads to the suggestion that conditions for growth of these fungi in grain substrates are similar.The content of fungal DNA and mycotoxins in cereal crops (31 varieties of wheat, oats, and barley) was quantitatively determined and used for comparative characterization of grains. The quantitative PCR has been adapted for the analysis of the target DNA of Alternaria spp., Bipolaris sorokiniana (B. sorokiniana), Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum), F. culmorum, and F. sporotrichioides fungi, which are often present in mycobiota of small grain cereals. The content of DNA of aggressive pathogen B. sorokiniana was determined using quantitative PCR for the first time. The DNA of Alternaria fungi was found abundantly in all grain samples, but its content in the oat was significantly higher compared to barley and wheat (5 and 9 times higher, respectively). In barley grain, the content of B. sorokiniana DNA was on average significantly higher than in the grains of oats and wheat. The presence of F. graminearum DNA was established in all the analyzed grain samples while the F. culmorum DNA was found in 70% of the oat’s samples and in all samples of barley and wheat. Mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by these fungi was detected in all analyzed cereal grains in a range from 77 to 4133 μg/kg. The DNA of F. sporotrichioides was detected in 70% of oats and 50% of barley samples but was not found in wheat. The T-2 toxin produced by this fungus was detected in 45% of all samples within the range from 2 to 89 μg/kg. The statistically significant positive correlation with the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) equal to 0.49 (p<0.05) was observed between the amount of F. graminearum DNA and DON in the grain samples. Another significant positive correlation (r = 0.72, p<0.01) was found between DNA contents of Alternaria fungi and F. sporotrichioides in the grain samples. This leads to the suggestion that conditions for growth of these fungi in grain substrates are similar

Change in the carbon footprint of Iranians’ food consumption from 1961 to 2019: A decomposition analysis of drivers

Received: December 1st, 2022 ; Accepted: April 1st, 2023 ; Published: April 18th, 2023 ; Correspondence: [email protected] study investigates the role of three drivers: population, energy intake per capita, and dietary change on the carbon footprint of food consumption in Iran from 1961 to 2019. Iran was chosen for this analysis because the country has experienced a noteworthy population increase in the past century, and the imposed international sanctions have changed the economic welfare of the nation. Logarithmic Mean Division Index, along with data of FAOSTAT Food balance sheets and carbon footprint per item, were utilized to decompose the impacts of the drivers. The results demonstrated that the carbon footprint of food consumption in Iran increased by 1.6 during this period. We also found that population increase, and energy intake per capita were the main drivers of the carbon footprint of food consumption in Iran while diet change contributed negatively

FEATURES OF LIPID PEROXIDATION PROCESS IN NORMAL CONDITIONS AND IN VARIOUS PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN CHILDREN (REVIEW OF LITERATURE)

The article presents literature data on the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense system (LPO-AOD) under normal conditions. Lipid peroxidation is a physiological process which is constantly occurring in cell membranes and has a chain, free-radical mechanism. Free-radical reactions are involved in the repair of cell membranes, in the processes of phagocytosis and destruction of microorganisms, in conducting nerve impulses, in metabolism of various xenobiotics by liver and in biosynthesis of certain biologically active substances such as prostaglandins. Antioxidant defense neutralizes all kinds of radicals before they cause damage effect in a body. The imbalance in the LPO-AOD system causes oxidative stress. Nowadays research of this process in children of different age is very topical. Thus, reduction of the AOD intensity was proved in case of diseases such as arterial hypertension, chronic gastroduodenitis, influenza, cholelithiasis, pyelonephritis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus type 1. The conclusion on the necessity of inclusion of drugs with antioxidant action in the complex therapy of various pathological conditions along with the medical methods of treatment is made. Thus, the efficiency of the treatment of various diseases largely depends on the protection of the structure and function of cell membranes, and as a result the inclusion of drugs with antioxidant action in the treatment of almost any pathology in childhood is justified

Evaluation of selected lactic acid bacteria as starter cultures for gluten-free sourdough bread production

Received: January 30th, 2021 ; Accepted: April 8th, 2021 ; Published: May 19th, 2021 ; Correspondence: [email protected] is one of the most promising technologies for gluten-free bread. The selection of appropriate starter cultures for the production of gluten-free sourdoughs is of a great importance, since not all microorganisms can adapt equally to the same raw material. The aim was to create a new starter microbial composition for gluten-free sourdough preparation, allowing improving the quality and the microbiological safety of gluten-free bread. Screening was conducted on 8 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and 5 strains of yeast previously isolated from spontaneously fermenting rice and buckwheat sourdoughs. The strain S. cerevisiae Y205 had the highest fermentative activity and alcohols content. The lactic acid bacteria L. brevis E139 and L. plantarum Е138 were also experimentally selected for new gluten-free sourdoughs on the basis of acidity and volatile acids production and antagonistic activity. Two types of microbial composition were created and its influence on sourdough biotechnological indicators was studied. Sourdough with L. plantarum Е138 had in 1.2 times lower titratable acidity, in 3.4 times lower volatile acids content compared to sourdough with L. brevis E139. Alcohol content was the same in both sourdoughs similarly to yeast cells amount. Sourdough dough proofing time increased in 1.2–1.3 times compared to the control. Sourdough did not affect the specific volume, porosity and compressibility of gluten-free bread, but its sensory characteristics were improved. Bread made with sourdoughs had more pronounced taste and flavor, brighter crust color and better texture compared bread without sourdough. The microbiological safety of sourdough gluten-free bread was also increased, especially when L. brevis E139 was used

ON REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF DISTANT HYBRIDS IN THE GROSSULARIACEAE FAMILY

Pollen morphology and pollen quality in distant hybrids of the genus Ribes L. were studied in the Russian North-West. A rather high fertility level was found in the studied hybrids, except for the triploid ‘Dlinnokistnaya CGL’. A connection between anomalous morphological features of the pollen wall structure and the pollen fertility level has been found in the studied samples

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of sunflower pollen (<i>Helianthus</i> L.) and it’s use in breeding work

Background. In breeding work, it is necessary to take into account such an important feature as male sterility of the hybrids obtained. If a plant has visually visible anthers and pollen, the quality of the pollen grains themselves may be low. It is necessary to carry out not only a visual analysis, but also a cytological study of pollen in order to properly assess the reproductive potential of plants.Materials and methods. Wild species, some cultivars, lines and hybrids of sunflower from the collection of the N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources were taken as objects of research. The plants were grown on the fields of Kuban Experiment Station. Pollen was collected from preinsulated inflorescences, fixed in FAA solution and stained with acetocarmine. The ratio of fertile pollen grains to the total number of pollen grains (in %) was calculated, the diameter of the pollen grains was measured, and variability curves were drawn.Results. Mature pollen grains in sunflower are rounded, tricolpate-poral, threecelled; the average pollen diameter in cultivated sunflower is 28–32 μm; in wild species, the range is from 20– 22 μm to 32–34 μm. All accessions were divided into three groups. Fertile: high level of fertility (75–99%) and low morphological heterogeneity of pollen; the variation curve for the average diameter was characterized by one distinct peak. Most of the studied accessions were included here: cultivars, most of the lines and some of the wild species. Semi-fertile: the number of well-stained pollen grains is below 75%; there are differences in the degree of staining and size of the pollen; the variation curve had additional peaks. This group included some of the lines, hybrids and wild species. The greatest morphological heterogeneity was observed in the group of perennial interspecific hybrids. Sterile: pollen grains were absent or were observed very sporadically.Conclusion. To assess the fertility of plants, it is important not only to determine the degree of staining in pollen grains, but also to rank them by diameter and construct variation curves to reveal morphological heterogeneity of pollen

Assessment of entrepreneurial territorial attractiveness by the ranking method

The relevance of the researched problem is caused by existence of differentiation in development of separate regional units (urban districts and municipalities) within the region. The aim of this article is to offer a method, which determines the level of differentiation in development of various components of the region, and also in producing a set of recommendations for local government administration to achieve higher level in development of their territories. The leading approach to the research of this problem is the ranking method of regional units according to cumulative socioeconomic potential and integral risk. The results of the research are: the estimation procedure for entrepreneurial territorial attractiveness is offered and tried out, with the use of municipal formations of the Samara region as an example; the advantages and “bottlenecks” in development of the concrete urban district are educed; specific measures for realization of advantages and (or) elimination of “bottlenecks” are offered. The materials of the research can be useful for developing strategy for improvement of the region by regional public authorities, for leveling-off of social and economic differentiation of separate regional units, and also for developing of scientifically based municipal programs of support and development of entrepreneurship. © 2016 Karpova et al

Potential of CLSM in studying some modern and fossil palynological objects

© 2017 Royal Microscopical Society. We have tested possibilities and limitations of confocal laser scanning microscopy to study the morphology of pollen and spores and inner structure of sporoderms. As test objects, we used pollen grains of the modern angiosperm Ribes niveum (Grossulariaceae) and Datura metel (Solanaceae), fossil angiosperm pollen grains of Pseudointegricorpus clarireticulatum and Wodehouseia spinata dated to the Late Cretaceous, fossil gymnosperm pollen grains of Cycadopites-type dated to the Middle Jurassic, and fossil megaspores Maexisporites rugulaeferus, M. grosstriletus, and Trileites sp. dated to the Early Triassic. For comparative purpose, we studied the same objects with application of conventional light, scanning electron (to entire pollen grains and spores or to semithin sections of their walls), or transmission electron microscopy. The resolution of confocal microscope is much lower than that of electron microscopes, as are its abilities to reconstruct the surface patterns and inner structure. On the other hand, it can provide information that is unreachable by other microscopical methods. Thus, the structure of endoapertures in angiosperm pollen grains can be directly observed. It is also helpful in studies of asymmetrical pollen and pollen grains bearing various appendages and having complicated exine structure, because rotation of 3-D reconstructions allows one to examine all sides and structures of the pollen grain. The exact location of all visible and concealed structures in the sporoderm can be detected; this information helps to describe the morphology and inner structure of pollen grains and to choose necessary directions of further ultrathin sectioning for a transmission electron microscopical study. In studies of fossil pollen grains that are preserved in clumps and stuck to cuticles, confocal microscope is useful in determining the number of apertures in individual pollen grains. This can be done by means of virtual sections through 3-D reconstructions of pollen grains. Fossil megaspores are too large and too thick-walled objects for a confocal study; however, confocal microscope was able to reveal a degree of compression of fossil megaspores, the presence of a cavity between the outer and inner sporoderm layers, and to get some information about sporoderm inner structure