METAL PROCESSING ENTERPRISES AS THE MAIN THREAT TO ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN PANEVEŽYS

The purpose o f the article was to demonstrate the threat of metal processing to urban environmental quality and to reveal the peculiarities o f this kind o f pollution. Geochemical data o f topsoil mapping in Panevezys were used for this aim. There has been analysed the input of 16 enterprises involved in this activity to pollution o f Panevezys by Cu, Zn, Pb, Sn, Mo, Ni, Mn, Cr, Ag, Co, as well as Ba, Sr, As, P, U, B, Ga, Ti, V, Zr, Y, Sc. The content o f most elements was determined by DC Arc ES in topsoil fractio

EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN PANEVĖŽYS ACCORDING TO CONTAMINATION LEVEL OF DUG WELLS

Part of inhabitants of Panevezys, living in the city and near LiUdyne municipal waste landfill, still consumes water from dug wells. The aim was to investigate whether they are much polluted by toxic chemical elements and what is the main reason of their pollution. Geochemical monitoring data of dug wells in 3 industrial and 2 residential districts, as well as near LiUdyne municipal waste landfill were used. Water samples were analysed by AAS for V, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb, while sediment samples - by DC arc ES and XRF for total content of wider spectrum o f elements and by AAS for speciation o f the above mentioned 6 elements. Water quality was controlled in comparison with limit values of water for consuming, while the danger o f sediment pollution - according to recommended total contamination index levels for sediments and hygienic norms for mobile forms in soil. Sediments from dug wells can be effectively used as indirect inditator of their water pollution over longer period. Contamination from point sources in Panevezys is not the main reason of dug well pollution, the leading role belongs to local pollution in their sanitary zones. Therefore good care must be taken o f them

Identifying non-destructive growth and maturity indexes of Prickly pear (Opuntia albicarpa S. Var. Burrona) and evaluation of freeze-drying conditions

Around the world, prickly pear fruits are valued as a source of dietary functional compounds and ingredients for innovative foods. Growth and physicochemical changes of Opuntia albicarpa S. fruits were recorded from 0 to 132 days-after-flowering (DAF) to identify non-destructive maturity-indices. Optimum-ripened fruits were freeze-dried to study physicochemical and functional characteristics of dried and rehydrated pulp. Principal component analysis confirmed growth turned into fruit ripening in DAF 99, and it lasted until DAF 132. Changes in color parameters of the peel correlated with fruit texture and pulp sugar content and taste index (P < 0.01). During freeze-drying, plate temperature had more significant effects than the thickness (P < 0.05). At 30°C, color ΔE between dried and fresh slices augmented, but, texture Δ´s (medium force) between rehydrated and fresh pulp was lower. Color tests could be used to harvest commercially-ripened fruits. Freeze-drying at 30°C improves the rehydrated slices texture regarding thickness maintaining rehydration coefficients.Las tunas son apreciadas en todo el mundo como fuente de compuestos funcionales dietarios e ingredientes para alimentos innovadores. Para identificar índices de maduración no destructivos, se registraron cambios en el crecimiento y en los parámetros fisicoquímicos de frutos de Opuntia albicarpa S. entre los días después de la floración (DAF) 0 al 132. Frutos con maduración óptima fueron liofilizados para evaluar características fisicoquímicas y funcionales de pulpa seca y rehidratada. El análisis de componentes principales confirmo que el crecimiento dio lugar a la maduración en el DAF 99 y ésta prosiguió hasta el DAF 132. Los cambios en parámetros de color en cáscara correlacionaron con la textura del fruto, y en pulpa, con el contenido de azúcares y el índice de sabor (P< 0.01). Durante la liofilización, la temperatura de placa tiene más efectos significativos que el espesor (P≤ 0.05). A 30°C, el ΔE de color entre la pulpa seca y fresca aumentó, pero, el Δ de textura (fuerza media) fue menor entre la rehidratada y la fresca. Se pueden emplear evaluaciones de color para cosechar frutos en su madurez comercial, y liofilizar estos frutos a 30°C mejora la textura sin importar el espesor, manteniendo los coeficientes de rehidratación.This work was supported by the SIMORELOS program of CONACyT

Single-molecule visualization of DNA G-quadruplex formation in live cells.

Substantial evidence now exists to support that formation of DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) is coupled to altered gene expression. However, approaches that allow us to probe G4s in living cells without perturbing their folding dynamics are required to understand their biological roles in greater detail. Herein, we report a G4-specific fluorescent probe (SiR-PyPDS) that enables single-molecule and real-time detection of individual G4 structures in living cells. Live-cell single-molecule fluorescence imaging of G4s was carried out under conditions that use low concentrations of SiR-PyPDS (20 nM) to provide informative measurements representative of the population of G4s in living cells, without globally perturbing G4 formation and dynamics. Single-molecule fluorescence imaging and time-dependent chemical trapping of unfolded G4s in living cells reveal that G4s fluctuate between folded and unfolded states. We also demonstrate that G4 formation in live cells is cell-cycle-dependent and disrupted by chemical inhibition of transcription and replication. Our observations provide robust evidence in support of dynamic G4 formation in living cells.Supported by programme grant funding from Cancer Research UK (C9681/A18618, S.B.) core funding from Cancer Research UK (C14303/A17197, S.B.), a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UF120277 to S.F.L.), Research Professorship (RP150066 to D.K.), a EPSRC (EP/L027631/1 to D.K.) and a BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship (BB/R011605/1 to M.D.A

ECOLOGICAL-GEOCHEMICAL STATE OF TOPSOIL AND WATER SEDIMENTS IN ŠIAULIAI

Ecological-geochemical state of topsoil and water sediments in Šiauliai was evaluated taking into account total contents of 14 hazardous elements (Pb, Zn, Cu, Sn, Ag, Ni, Mo, Cr, Co, Mn, V, B, Sr, Ba) in a complex way – both according to their total contamination index and their standards (existing State standards and phytotoxic concentrations in soil used in European countries). The fraction 1 mm of samples was analysed by atomic emission spectrophotometry. Topsoil composite samples (110 in all) were taken approximately from each square kilometre and classified into 4 groups according to functional micro-zones. The number of samples from water sediments (Talša and Ginkūnai lakes, Kulpė and Violė rivers) was 13. Even 54.5% topsoil samples were characterised by unsatisfactory final ecological-geochemical state (30% of them had bad state). Topsoil of industrial functional micro-zones had the worst state. It was followed by topsoil of residential, then by topsoil from social-residential micro-zones. Topsoil from the territories of recreation or protected areas had the best quality. Ecological-geochemical state of water sediments in Ginkūnai and Talša lakes and in Kulpė or Violė rivers was very bad or bad

Upper Homerian (Silurian) high-resolution correlation using cyclostratigraphy: an example from western Lithuania

The Gėluva regional stage stratigraphically corresponds to the late Wenlock. This time interval witnessed significant graptolite extinctions and turnovers of conodont faunas, as well as a large positive Mulde carbon isotopic excursion. Thus, the development of a detailed stratigraphy is a necessary step in understanding the complex patterns of regional and global variations in the sediments accumulating during the time interval studied. Therefore, in this contribution we present a cyclostratigraphic analysis of gamma ray (GR) logs from four wells, which are located in the deep water facies belt of the Lithuanian part of the Silurian Baltic Basin of the Gėluva regional stage. The analysis was performed using REDFIT spectral estimation, continuous wavelet transform and signal filtering techniques. As a result two 4th order and five 5th order cycles were distinguished and named in all sections. The correlation of cycles between sections was calibrated with the graptolite biozones. The comparative analysis revealed that intra-basinal cyclostratigraphic correlation could achieve resolution of the order of several tens of thousands of years

Trace elements in the tanneries environment

Dwie garbarnie "Elnias" i "Stumbras", które funkcjonowały w Šiauliai (Litwa) od dziewiętnastego wieku, spowodowały anomalię metali ciężkich w środowisku: w powierzchniowym poziomie gleb, w jeziorze Talëa i w rzece KulpĹ. Celem badań było określenie zakresu wpływu garbarni na otaczające środowisko i zaobserwowanie zachodzących zmian w porównaniu do roku 1989. Powtórne opróbowanie gleb zostało wykonane w 2003 r. w tych samych 55 punktach obserwacyjnych (na obszarze garbarni oraz w ich najbliższym sąsiedztwie). Osady jeziora Talša zostały opróbowane w latach 1989, 1991 i w 2002. We wszystkich próbkach oznaczono zawartość Ag, B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, V i Zn. Akumulacja metali ciężkich w górnej warstwie glebowej na terenie garbarni w obu okresach badawczych obejmowała Cr>>Zn, Cu, Pb, Mo, Ni i Sn. Akumulacja w osadach jeziora Talša była podobna, jednakże oprócz wymienionych poprzednio pierwiastków obejmowała także Ag, Ba, Co i V. Zaobserwowano, że średni poziom zanieczyszczeń w glebach wzrósł w tym czasie na terenie garbarni "Stumbras" i w sąsiedztwie garbarni "Elnias". Odnotowano także wzrost zanieczyszczenia w osadach jeziora Talša; był on spowodowany głównie wzrostem zawartości Zn i Pb

The first microfossil record of ichthyofauna from the Naujoji Akmenė Formation (Lopingian), Karpėnai Quarry, northern Lithuania

The assemblage of rare fish microremains of chondrichthyans and actinopterygians from Upper Permian deposits in Karpénai Quarry in northern Lithuania is described in detail for the first time. The deposits are characterized as reflecting a rapid phase of deposition of the Zechstein Limestone, interpreted as on a shallow shelf above storm-wave base in a proximal part of the Polish-Lithuanian Zechstein Basin. The actinopterygian microremains are represented by various teeth and a few scales from mostly palaeonisciforms and pycnodontiforms. The chondrichthyans are represented by various eusela- chian-type scales and a tooth of ?Helodus sp. The low abundance and low species diversity of the fossil assemblages studied may be due to arid palaeoenvironments that caused locally restricted conditions at this palaeogeographical location