Effect of cerium dioxide nanoparticles on certain indication of synthetic activity Rhodotorula glutinis

Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NP) have significant catalytic and antioxidant properties due to their ability to inhibit the development of free-radical reactions due to a combination of superoxidedismutase and catalase mimetic activities. This nanopreparation has a significant antibacterial effect, but is low-toxic to unicellular yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Therefore, it is relevant and appropriate to study the effect of this compound on other groups of yeast, in particular members of the genus Rhodotorula spp., which are characterized by high growth rate, unpretentiousness to the component composition of the culture medium, the ability to form a variety of valuable biologically active compounds, as well as the ability to synthesize proteins, lipids, carotenoids and exopolysaccharides in the complex. The report that microorganisms of this genus have been identified as part of the normal fish microbiota (Abramis brama, Rutilus rutilus, Perca fluviatilis, Oreochromis niloticus) expands the range of their use, either as probiotics in general or their individual cellular and extracellular components as prebiotics. In this work, the effect of different concentrations of CeO2 NP nanopreparation on the production parameters of Rhodotorula glutinis was studied, as well as their antagonistic properties after saturation of nanocerium were tested. To detect the optimal concentration of nanopreparation of cerium dioxide, R. glutinis was cultured for 120 h at 28 0C and aerated at 160 rpm on Saburo medium with the addition of citrate-stabilized CeO2 NP with a particle size of 1-2 nm in the following concentrations: 100 mM, 10 mM, 1 mM, 0,1 mM, 0,01 mM. The control was R. glutinis grown on Saburo medium, experimental controls were represented by microorganisms in the culture medium of which citrate and full-size cerium (CeCl3) were added. It was found that most of the studied concentrations of CeO2 NP (except for the highest) are not toxic to these carotenogenic yeasts. The presence of 10 mM CeO2 NP stimulates the growth of the culture, while the increase in biomass is increased by fourfold compared to the control. There was also an increase in the content of basic metabolites – protein by 1,2 times, lipids by 2,5 times and valuable biologically active compounds - carotenoids by 20% and exopolysaccharides by 2,2 times. However, under these conditions, no significant changes in catalase and superoxidase activities were registered. Examination of the antagonistic properties of the CeO2 NP-enriched culture of R. glutinis by delayed antagonism by the method of perpendicular strokes against gram-positive B. subtilis and gram-negative P. syringae bacteria showed the presence of lysis zones up to 17 and 25 mm, respectively, in contrast to their complete or complete absence (2 mm), noted in the study of control samples. A study of the resistance of CeO2 NP-enriched culture of R. glutinis to natural inhibitors of the digestive tract showed resistance of microorganisms to gastric juice (the amount of CFU is 1,4 times higher than control values) and bile (recorded a 5-fold increase in survival of microorganisms). The obtained results testify to the prospects of using nanocerium for mobilization of growth, enzymatic, antagonistic activities of R. glutinis culture.

Polymorphism of the СоІІ gene of honey bees in the western regions of Ukraine

Due to active human intervention in natural genetic and population processes, survival and distribution areas of honey bees have been negatively affected. Preservation of the gene pool of aboriginal bees that are well adapted to local environmental conditions is an urgent problem that cannot be solved without the use of molecular methods to monitor the genetic composition of local populations. This type of research requires the use of state-of-the-art approaches based on application of molecular markers. In the molecular taxonomy of insects, mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase genes are widely used to identify closely related forms. The peculiarity of mtDNA is that it is maternally inherited, and the mitochondrial molecular markers are not separated by recombination. The СоІІ gene encoding the second subunit of cytochrome oxidase is widely used to descriminate the subspecies of honey bee. Therefore, to assess the distribution of different subspecies / breeds of Apis mellifera in Ukraine, the 5′-region of the СоІІ gene was sequenced and compared for bees from different geographical regions. In the CoII gene, base substitutions were found, which makes it possible to distinguish between honey bees of the Carpathian and Ukrainian steppe breeds, which are widespread in Ukraine. It has been revealed that the distribution of these breeds does not always correspond to the official zoning. The widespread practice in Ukraine of transporting the genetic material of Apis mellifera from different regions leads to uncontrolled hybridization and poses a threat to the preservation of aboriginal breeds of honey bees.

Biomorphological structure of the flora of the ancient settlements of the Lower Dnipro

The biomorphological analysis of the flora of eighteen ancient settlements of the Lower Dnipro as a potential "islands" of steppe biodiversity has been introducing. Based on the most commonly used linear systems of life forms by K. Ranquier and by V.M Golubev there have been presented the results of the analysis of biomorphs. In addition to the main biomorph, the following characteristics were taken into account: multiplicity of fruiting, main types of vegetation, type of underground shoots, type of aboveground shoots, type of root system. Domination in the general spectrum of life forms of the studied flora of herbaceous plants was determined (455 species or 86.8 % of the total number), among which perennials made up the majority (259 species or 49.4 %). The second and third groups are occupied by annuals (148 species or 28.2 % of the total) and biannuals (48 species or 9.2 % of the total), respectively. According to the multiplicity of fruiting, the participation of polycarpics (328 species; 62.6 %) is significant. However, it should be noted, that the high share of herbaceous monocarpics (196 species; 37.4 %) can be explained by the invasion of adventitious species from neighboring agricultural fields and existing settlements. By type of vegetation, summer-green species represent almost half of the total list of flora (231 species), while that of the group of summer and winter green plants was represented by 168 species or 32 %. By type of aboveground shoots, the predominance is given to semi-rosette species (276 species; 52.7 %), and by type of underground shoots - to caudex (201 species; 38.4 %) and plants without rhizomes (196; 37.4 %). Our study confirmed that biomorphological structure of the flora of ancient settlements are quite typical for the flora of the steppe zone and the flora of the Holarctic in general, as evidenced by the predominance in the respective spectra of perennial grasses, hemicryptophytes, polycarpics, plants with caudex type of underground shoots and rod type. Transformation of the zonal spectrum as a result of anthropogenic impact is manifested in a significant percentage of trees, annuals, monocarpics and species of rhizome structure.

The content of nitric oxide and S-nitrosothiols in rats’ liver cells under the different supplementation of macronutrient

This paper presents studies of nitric oxide and low-molecular S-nitrosothiols in the mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions of the rats' liver under the conditions of, alimentary protein deprivation, consumption of excess sucrose content and combined action of two adverse factors. In order to model the low-protein diet of the animal for 28 days received an isocaloric diet containing 4.7% protein, 10% fat, 81,3% carbohydrates (starch – 37%, sucrose – 30%, cellulose – 5%) and was calculated in accordance with the recommendations of the American Institute of Nutrition. The high-sugar diet consisted of 14% protein, 10% fat, 72% carbohydrates (starch – 37%, sucrose – 30%, cellulose – 5%). The mitochondrial and cytosolic fraction of rat liver cells were obtained by the method of differential centrifugation. Nitrogen oxide content was assessed by a unified method by determining the NO2- content, which is a stable metabolite of nitric oxide. Since NO is inactivated into an oxidase reaction with the conversion into nitrite or nitrate that is quickly metabolized, the nitrogen oxide content was assessed by the change in NO2-. The concentration of S-nitrosothiols was recorded, respectively, by determining the concentration of nitrite anion before and after the addition of Hg2+ ions, which by modifying the S – N bonds catalyzes the release of S-nitrosyl thiols of nitric oxide. An increase in NO content in both hepatic subcellular fractions of the rats’ experimental groups compared to control values was found. However, a lack of protein in the diet (protein deficiency in the diet leads to an increase in nitric oxide levels in 3-4 times) can be considered as a key factor in the recorded changes in the mitochondria of the animals’ liver, while in the cytosol - excessive consumption of sucrose (3-5 times increase). Regarding the level of S-nitrosothiols, in the studied fractions, multidirectional changes in their concentration were found. Thus, an increase in the content of nitrosyl derivatives in the mitochondria of rat’s liver cells with a simultaneous decrease in their level in the cytosol indicates dysmetabolic disorders in the transport system and deposition of nitric oxide, which can lead to the development of nitrosative stress under the experimental conditions.

The influence of low-frequency laser emission on phyto- and zooplankton productivity properties

We studied the possibility of using low frequency laser emission to improve production properties of feed hydrobionts, in particular microalgae Desmodesmus armatus and Daphnia magna, which are highly applied in aquaculture. It was shown that low-frequency laser emission with the wavelength 650 nm has a positive influence on production properties of both phyto- and zooplankton. In 24 hours the biomass of irradiated D. armatus was 25% larger than non-irradiated one. Meanwhile, application λ 420 and 530 nm did not show credible accumulation of microalgae biomass. If it comes to daphnia, positive dynamic in population density enlarging was observed only since 5-7th day of cultivation, depending on emission exposition. Differences in low-frequency laser emission with λ 420 and 530 efficacy on D. magna production properties were observed while using different exposition. Thus, maximal culture density was observed when λ 420 nm for 90 s and λ 650 nm for 60 s were applied. Longer irradiation with red laser did not have positive effect. It was established that in daphnia tissues, which were influenced by λ 420 nm laser emission, TBA-active products were accumulating more. Meanwhile, for daphnias, which were irradiated with red laser, TBA amount was not different from the control group one. Catalase activity increased while applying λ 650 nm laser emission. On the other hand, λ 420 nm did not cause credible increasing of catalase activity in comparison with control group. Taking received results about photobiological effects of low-frequency laser emission on D. armatus and D. magna into consideration, both biomasses enlargement during co-cultivation can be obtained if wavelength 650 nm is used.

Floristic diversity of the Park-monument of landscape art of local value «Park-square» (Chernivtsi, Soborna Square)

The results of floristic diversity research of the park-monument of landscape art of local value «Park-square» (Chernivtsi, Soborna Square) are presented. Taxonomic composition of natural (18 species, 15 genera) and cultivated (23 species, 22 genera) park’s dendroflora is established. Predominance of introduced woody plants in «Park-square’s» dendroflora, most of which originate from Circumboreal floristic region, was revealed. Less represented regions are East-Asian (20%) and Atlantic-North-American (17%). The North American plants Acer negundo L and Robinia pseudoacacia L are invasive and belong to the group of highly active species. The park’s lawns belong to the alliance Polygono-Coronopodion Sissingh 1969 of the class Polygono-Poеtea annuae Rivas-Mart. 1975. According to the synphytoindicational analysis, these communities are mesophytic, hemihydrocontrastphilic, hemiaerophobic, subacidophilous, semieutrophic, acarbonphilic, nitrophilous. Park’s edaphic conditions are favourable for the distribution of 17 species of alien plants xenophytes, 12 of which are invasive in the region. In the group of alien plants, kenophytes are predominant according to the time of entry, epecophytes – according to the degree of naturalization, American species - according to the origin, terrophytes prevail in the spectrum of biomorphs, and Asteraceae family ranks first according to taxonomic identification – 7 species, 6 genera. These species are found as single ones, and therefore have no negative impact on the composition and structure of park’s phytocenosis cultures, except for a quarantine allergic species Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., that causes human respiratory disease. Hence, the inventories of the variety of region’s nature reserves and popularization of knowledge about dangerous introduced and alien plants is the priority task of scientists and law enforcement officers.

The Orchid family (Orchidaceae Juss.) on the territory of Chernivtsi: horological and phytocoenotical features

The article reports about chorology, phytocenotic, biotopical features of 24 orchid species (Orchidaceae Juss.) on the territory of Chernivtsi. The history of studying orchids in the city is described. The authors give the cadastre of locations of orchids based on studies of material at the herbariums (CHER, KW, LE, LW, МНА), literary sources and own collecting expeditions. There found 24 species of orchids in Chernivtsi. 6 of them (Anacamptis coriophora (L.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon et M.W. Chase s.l., A. palustris (Jacq.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon et M.W. Chase, Corallorhiza trífida Châtel., Dactylorhiza cordigera (Fries) Soó, Orchis purpurea Huds. та О. signifera Vest.) are not been confirmed by modern collecting expeditions, 3 of them (Anacamptis palustris, Orchis purpurea, О. signifera) were listed from herbarium and literary sources of the second half of ХІХ century. At the moment these species and their habitats are suspected to have been lost due to urban transformation. 17 species (70,8%) of orchids have been found in 1-5 habitats, and 7 species (29,2%) – in 6-20 habitats. Orchids are the part of 4 alliance 4 orders and 2 classes of natural vegetation Carpino-Fagetea sylvaticae Jakucs ex Passarge 1968 and Molinio-Arrhenatheretea Tx. 1937 and 5 types of habitats (4 of them are natural and 1 – synanthropic) on the territory of Chernivtsi. Natural plant communities with orchids belong to 4 habitats from Annex I of the Council Directive – 9130, 9170, 6510, 6440 and 4 biotopes listed in Resolution №4 of the Bern Convention – G1.6, G1.A1, E2.2, Е3.4. Remnants of natural forest biotopes having orchids were survived by the designation of landscape sanctuary – «Tsetsino» (430 ha) the object of national significance and «Haryachyy Urban» (108 ha) the object of regional significance. There are 11 and 2 species of orchids on the territory of «Tsetsinо» and «Haryachyy Urban» respectively. Cultivated coenosis of the biggest Park Architecture Monument of regional significance «Zhovtnevyy» (63,5 ha) have 3 speсies of orchids. 4 species are not protected. These results are important for follow-up monitoring measures on rare species of plants in Chernivtsi.

Сhrysaspis patens and Сh. patens × Сh. campestre (Fabaceae) іn the flora of Ukraine

Data about distribution of Сhrysaspis patens (Schreb.) Holub (Trifolium patens Schreb.) and Сh. patens × Сh. campestre (Schreb.) Holub (T. patens × T. campestre Schreb.) (Fabaceae Lindl.) in the Ukrainian flora are analyzed. For the first time, according to LE and KW Herbarium materials, in 1990 and 1996, the species, Сh. patens, was noted by Yu. Roskov from the territory of Transcarpathian Region (Zakarpats’ka Oblast’): in the vicinity of the village of Malyi Bereznyi of Velykyi Bereznyі District (1954), and village Lazy (1958) of Uzhgorod Distr., later – between villages Nevytske and Kamianytsa (1970, 1972) of these district of the Region. One specimens from the Malyi Bereznyi (LE) was determined by Yu. Roskov as hybrid: Сh. patens × Сh. campestre. Before 2019 in Checklist and regional flora’s these taxa was not mentioned. Traditionally, the species is considered as part of the sect. Сhrysaspis of genus Chrysaspis Desv. or sect. Chronosemium Seringe subgen. Chronosemium (Seringe) Hossain of the genus Trifolium L. Taxonomically, the species is close to Сh. campestris. The main distinguishing features between these species are: morphological characteristics of vegetative and generative organs, mainly size and form of leaves and parts of flower. Taxonomic citations, morphological characteristics, primary and secondary areas, ecological and coenotic peculiarities of Ch. patens are given. The general area of the species is including Middle Europe, Mediterraneum and Asia minor; at the last years species was noted from the territory of Azerbaijan, Finland and New Zealand. The species grows on meadow, among shrubs, in wet and rocky places, on pastures, along roadsides and railway tracks, etc. In the South European country Ch. patens is a characteristic species of cl. Molinio-Arrhenatheretea Tuxen 1957. The florogenetic status of the species is discussed, in particular in the Transcarpathia region, as well as in the neighboring Hungary and Slovakia Ch. patens is considered as element of native fraction of the flora. At the northern parts of species distribution range, e.g. in Poland, Germany, etc. the species is a kenophyte. A schematic map of the distribution of the species in the Transcarpathia region is given.

Biochemical indicators of renal functional state under the conditions of bisphenol A administration and low-level laser irradiation

Nowadays, due to the mass production of plastic products, the question of the negative impact of bisphenol A on the functioning of organs and systems is acute. However, the question of the effect of this xenobiotic on the functional state of the kidneys remains open. Currently, laser irradiation of various powers is intensively used to correct pathologies. However, its biochemical feathers of the impact on biological objects require detailed research. The work is aimed at the study of nephrotoxic effects of bisphenol A under the conditions of irradiation of animals with a diode laser. ВРА was administered per os daily for 3 days at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight, which corresponded with LOAEL dose. Irradiation was performed for 2 min with a low-diode laser λ = 650 nm (50 mW, 1.5 J/cm2 and 12.5 mW/cm2). The functional state of the kidneys was performed based on the determination of urea and creatinine content in urine and serum. The content of primary and secondary products of the LP was determined in the kidneys. It is shown, that the administration of bisphenol A is accompanied by a decrease in urea in serum and urine, an increase in serum creatinine and a decrease in this metabolite in urine, which may indicate impaired renal and hepatic function due to the damage of this organ by contaminants due to induction lipid oxidation. This is expressed by an increase in the content of conjugated diene and TBA-active compounds in the kidneys. At the same time, under the irradiation of animals, the concentration of urea and creatinine in the serum decreases compared with the BPA group, and in the urine, these indicators increase. Such results may indicate the normalization of kidney function due to the corrective action of the laser. Thus, the introduction of BPA is accompanied by the induction of LPS processes, which leads to renal dysfunction, and irradiation of animals has a corrective effect of nephrotoxic effects of BPA.

Diagnosis of eluvial-illuvial profile differentiation processes in Pre-Carpathian soils

Elementary soil processes, as components of the soil-forming process, play an important role in the formation of morphological and genetic features of soils and are used for their genetic diagnosis. Eluvial-illuvial differentiation of the background profile for Precarpathian soils is due to the passage of processes from the group of eluvial, in particular podzolization, silting and gley-eluvial. The diagnostic criteria for these processes remain controversial and need further development. The article provides some justifications for their objectivity and reliability in identifying individual processes of soil formation and the results of establishing the genetic consequences of their passage. The formation of clay cutanes in the illuvion is considered to be an important sign of lessivage, but the presence of one and a half oxides may also indicate the passage of the processes of podzolization and in-soil clay forming According to another criterion - the presence of "optically oriented clays" in the illuvion is difficult to establish their migration path and the intensity of the lessivage process. Increasing the value of the ratio of silt content to the content of physical clay in the illuvial horizons compared to the eluvial horizons does not allow to distinguish the processes of podzolization and lessivage, and the same ratio in the illuvial horizon compared to the parent rock - lessivage and clay forming. Changes within the profile of the mineral part of the soil, which are reflected by the molecular ratios of SiO2:Al2O3 and eluvial-accumulative coefficients of aluminum, the values of silt and aluminum losses, also the profile distribution of montmorillonite are important criteria for the separation of loess and podzolization and indicate the decisive role of the latter in the formation of the profile differentiation of the soils of Precarpathians. Important criteria for gley-eluvial processes are higher losses from the upper podzolic illuminated of Fe2O3 layer than Al2O3, an increase in the molecular ratio of Al2O3:Fe2O3, the ratio of losses of Fe2O3 and Al2O3, also increase the criterion SiO2:Fe2O3/SiO2. Complementing the national system of parameters for the diagnosis and classification of soils with criteria that are characteristic of the substantive-genetic approach according to the WRB requires further study.