The economic valuation of biological resources and ecosystem services in the Sea of Okhotsk

The total monetary value of the harvestable stocks of commercial aquatic species in the Sea of Okhotsk, based on the Forecast of the Total Allowable Catch for 2014 and world prices for seafood, is estimated at $23.5 × 10⁹ USD/year. The potential value of all the surveyed biological resources in the sea (including potential ones) in the case of their more complete economic use, $58.5 × 10⁹ USD/year, is determined using the databases on macrofauna in the pelagic and benthic zones of the Far Eastern seas. Taking the mean value of ecosystem services per unit area in some parts of the World Ocean into account, the total value of ecosystem services for the Sea of Okhotsk may constitute $294.4 × 10⁹ USD/year. The ecosystem services whose market values cannot be determined have a much higher cost than the traditionally exploited biological resources. The value of ecosystem services expressed in monetary terms can be considered as a tool to enhance the conservation importance of natural complexes in the course of the implementation of various industrial projects.     

Effects of cardiac glycosides on RNA content in cardio-regulating structures of the hindbrain]

In the experiments on 112 white mongrel male rats using cytophotometric investigation the authors showed that digoxin in doses 0.89 and 8.9 micrograms/g in single and repeated subcutaneous administration influences differently the level of RNA in cardio-regulating structures of the hindbrain.     

The use of biotin-streptavidin systems for enhancing the parameters of immunometric analysis

The possibility of improving analytical parameters of the immunometric assay with the use of biotinylated antibodies and biotin-streptavidin complexes in comparison with the commonly known approach of direct antibody modification with 125I has been studied. Experiments have been carried out with the use of low-affinity antibodies (Kass approximately 10(9) M-1) to ferritin. The signal-to-noise ratio in the immunometric increases 2.3 times when streptavidin labeled with horse-radish peroxidase is used and 4.3 times when the preformed streptavidin + biotin-peroxidase complex is used in comparison with assay systems based on 125I-labeled antibodies. The improvement of assay parameters of immunochemical systems by means of biotin-streptavidin complexes has been found to permit the use of low-affinity antibodies as assay reagents, thus ensuring analytical parameters attaining or close to those of immunoradiometric assay systems based on high-affinity 125I-labeled antibodies (Kass approximately 10(10) M-1). As shown in this study, the following factors ensure the signal enhancement in biotin-streptoavidin systems: (a) the biotin modification of several lysin residues per IgG molecule, the optimum extent of modification being 3-4 residues per molecule; (b) mild procedure for biotinylation. In contrast to oxidative iodination, the modification of NH2 groups with biotin esters does not significantly affect their antigen-binding properties.     

Expression patterns of the T antigen and the cryptic T antigen in rat fetuses: detection with the lectin amaranthin

The lectin amaranthin, purified from the seeds of Amaranthus caudatus, has been shown to react specifically with the Gal beta 1,3GalNAc-alpha and the NeuAc alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,3GalNAc-alpha sequence which represent the T antigen and the cryptic T antigen, respectively. We report here the development of labeling techniques that apply amaranthin to stain paraffin sections from rat fetuses. Amaranthin staining was inhibited by pre-incubation of lectin-gold complexes with 10 mM Gal beta 1,3GalNAc-alpha-O-benzyl (synthetic T antigen) or 10 mM Gal beta 1,3GalNAc-alpha-O-aminophenylethyl-human serum albumin (T antigen neoglycoprotein), asialoglycophorin, asialofetuin, and asialomucin. The beta-elimination reaction also abolished the lectin staining demonstrating specificity for O-glycosidically linked structures. A comparison with monoclonal anti-T antigen antibody immunostaining demonstrated that amaranthin detects the T antigen and its cryptic form in tissue sections. Application of the galactose oxidase-Schiff sequence abolished amaranthin (and anti-T antibody) binding to the T antigen but not to its cryptic form, and therefore permitted their differentiation in tissue sections. Histochemical evidence was obtained indicating that amaranthin is a more specific anti-T reagent than peanut lectin. Data are presented that show the differential expression of the T antigen and the cryptic T antigen in organs and cells of rat fetuses late in gestation. Therefore, amaranthin can be used for histochemical detection of the T antigen and the cryptic T antigen, and facilitates discrimination between them.     

Energy coupling sites in the electron transport chain of Zymomonas mobilis

Abstract Energy-coupling sites in the electron transport chain of the obligately fermentative aerotolerant bacterium Zymomonas mobilis were examined. The H⁺ /O stoichiometry of the electron transport chain in intact bacteria oxidizing ethanol was close to 3.3. Cytoplasmic membrane vesicles coupled NADH oxidation to ATP synthesis. With ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate they showed oxygen uptake which was sensitive to antimycin A, but no significant ATP synthesis could be detected. Cells with a defective coupling site I, prepared by cultivation on a sulfate-deficient medium, showed a decreased rotenone sensitivity of respiration, and they lacked almost all the respiration-driven proton translocation and ATP synthesis. We conclude that, despite the reported composition of the electron transport chain, only energy coupling site 1 was functional in Z. mobilis .     

A Survey Investigating the Infection of Fusarium langsethiae and Production of HT‐2 and T‐2 Mycotoxins in UK Oat Fields

Fusarium langsethiae is a toxigenic fungal species that has been reported in European small‐grain cereal crops such as oats, wheat and barley. Although its relative contribution to fusarium head blight (FHB) symptoms is not well understood, it is reported to contaminate these cereals with high levels of HT‐2 and T‐2 trichothecenes mycotoxins that are currently under consideration for legislation by the European Commission. Ten commercial oat fields in Shropshire and Staffordshire (two adjacent counties in the Midlands) in the UK were surveyed in the 2006/2007 growing season. Samples were taken from predetermined field locations at Zadoks growth stages 32/33, 69, 77‐85 and 90‐92 for F. langsethiae biomass and HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins quantification. The results from this study showed that oats can be heavily infected with F. langsethiae and have high concentrations of HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins with no apparent FHB symptoms. The regression of HT‐2 + T‐2 toxins on F. langsethiae DNA concentration was highly significant (P < 0.001, r² = 0.55). The results indicated that although F. langsethiae had no direct effect on crop yield, it may result in indirect economic losses where the grain can be rejected or downgraded as a result of intolerable levels of HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins, which are of human food and animal feed safety concern. The influence of cultural field practices on the infection and HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins accumulation in oats was not clear and warrants further studies to identify the sources of F. langsethiae inoculum and conditions favourable for infection and mycotoxin production.     

Mathematical modeling of the invagination of epithelial layers in embryogenesis

Biophysics - Invagination of epithelial sheets is an important type of morphogenetic deformation. Primary invagination during gastrulation in the sea urchin provides one of the simplest and...