Diatoms from surface sediments of Amurskiy Bay,Sea of Japan

The results of a study of diatoms from surface sediments (0–1 cm) of Amurskiy Bay are presented for the first time. The specific composition (221 species and intraspecific taxa) and ecological structure of the diatom flora were determined. The diatom species composition of phytoplankton, periphyton, and surface sediments is compared.     

Resistance of a line of Djungarian hamster cells to 6-mercaptopurine]

A cell line resistant to 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) is isolated from Djungarian hamster embryonic fibroblasts transformed with SV-40, 6-MP resistance is due to the absence or complete inhibition of GGPRT activity. Initial and resistant cell cultures are similar in the growth rate and in the inoculation efficiency. Caryological analysis (differential chromosome staining--S-bands) revealed considerable caryotype rearrangements in both resistant and sensitive lines as compared with Djungarian hamster normal chromosome set, and also the appearance of specific chromosome markers.     

Model of mammalian cell reproductive death I. Basic assumptions and general equations

A systemic model describing the major radiobiological effects of various types of radiation is proposed. The model base lines were substantiated, and general mathematical equations for cell survival developed. The model takes into consideration such physical and biological factors as linear energy transfer, ion track structure, and structural and functional organization of interphase chromatin. This paper presents the basic assumptions made and general equations for the cell killing.     

Characterization and Functional Properties of Lactobacilli Isolated from Kefir Grains

Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology - As a natural, symbiotic consortium of bacteria and yeasts, kefir grains provide a unique source of new probiotic microorganisms. In this work, three new...     

Variability and dynamics of micronuclei rate in participants of transatlantic march of the VIIth Ukranian Antarctic expedition

The estimation of individual variability and group dynamics of micronuclei rate in buccal cells of participants of transatlantic march of the VIIth Ukrainian Antarctic expedition (Sevastopol--UAS "Akademik Vernadsky"--Sevastopol) was carried out. The general average rate of micronuclei was 2.20 per thousand. Individual values of micronuclei frequencies varied in wide limits. The maximum value of CV was 92.4% and the minimal one was 48.4%. Individual averages of micronuclei rates varied from 1.70 to 2.78 per thousand. Dependence of individual and group dynamics of micronuclei rates on environmental factors (temperature, atmospheric pressure and storm activity) was tested. No significant correlation of these parameters was found.     

EFFECTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES ON STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF WOODY SPECIES OF THE NOKREK BIOSPHERE RESERVE OF MEGHALAYA,NORTHEAST INDIA

Aims Our study was conducted in the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve (NBR) in the Garo hills districts of Meghalaya, Northeast India. Our aim was to assess the effects of human activities on plant diversity,population structure and regeneration.Methods We selected a representative 1.2 hm2 stand in both the core and buffer zones of NBR. Structure and composition were determined by randomly sampling square quadrats, population structure was assessed by determining age structure, and regeneration was assessed by measuring densities of seedling, sapling and adult trees.Important findings More woody species were recorded from the core zone than the buffer zone (87 vs. 81 species), and there were a large number of tropical, temperate, and Sino-Himalayan, Burma-Malaysian and Malayan elements, primitive families and primitive genera. The trees were distributed in three distinct strata,canopy, subcanopy and sapling. Subcanopy and sapling layers had the highest species richness (81％ -88％ ). Lauraceae and Euphorbiaceae were the dominant families in terms of the number of species, and a large number of families were represented by single species. Most woody species (57 ％ - 79 ％ ) were contagiously distributed and had low frequency ( ＜ 20％ ). Although stand density was high in the buffer zone, its basal area was low compared to the stand in the core zone. Low similarity and high β-diversity indicate marked differences in species composition of the stands. Shannon diversity index was high in both the stands, while Simpson dominance index was low. The diameter-class distribution for dominant species revealed that the most had a large number of young individuals in their populations. Preponderance of tree seedlings, followed by a steep decline in population density of saplings and adult trees, indicated that the seedling to sapling stage was the most critical in the life cycle of the tree populations. Most species (42 ％ - 48 ％ ) had no regeneration,25 ％ - 35 ％ had good/fair regeneration, and the rest had poor regeneration or reoccurred as immigrants.     

The cellular environment in computer simulations of radiation-induced damage to DNA

Radiation-induced DNA single- and double-strand breaks were modeled for 660 keV photon radiation and scavenger capacity mimicking the cellular environment. Atomistic representation of DNA in B form with a first hydration shell was utilized to model direct and indirect damage. Monte Carlo generated electron tracks were used to model energy deposition in matter and to derive initial spatial distributions of species which appear in the medium following radiolysis. Diffusion of species was followed with time, and their reactions with DNA and each other were modeled in an encounter-controlled manner. Three methods to account for hydroxyl radical diffusion in a cellular environment were tested: assumed exponential survival, time-limited modeling and modeling of reactions between hydroxyl radicals and scavengers in an encounter-controlled manner. Although the method based on modeling scavenging in an encounter-controlled manner is more precise, it requires substantially more computer resources than either the exponential or time-limiting method. Scavenger concentrations of 0.5 and 0.15 M were considered using exponential and encounter-controlled methods with reaction rate set at 3×10⁹ dm³ mol^–1 s^–1. Diffusion length and strand break yields, predicted by these two methods for the same scavenger molarity, were different by 20%–30%. The method based on limiting time of chemistry follow-up to 10^–9 s leads to DNA damage and radical diffusion estimates similar to 0.5 M scavenger concentration in the other two methods. The difference observed in predictions made by the methods considered could be tolerated in computer simulations of DNA damage. Received: 3 June 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 16 July 1998