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Studying the changes in extreme river runoff induced by climate change is of utmost importance, as the variability of floods directly affects life and human activities. This study examines the fluctuations and persistence of winter floods in 14 catchments in the Rika River Basin (Ukraine) and ten catchments in the Steyr River Basin (Austria). The catchments represent typical hydrological regimes in the Danube River region. The fluctuations and persistence of floods are analyzed by the hydro-genetic method and a seasonality analysis for the period 1951–2015. The results show a much more pronounced fluctuation pattern in the upper Rika catchments than in the upper Steyr catchments. This pattern indicates an increase in winter flood magnitudes between the mid-1960s and the 1990s, followed by a decrease until recently. The flood seasonality shows a large inter-annual variability in both regions. The most significant winter floods tend to occur in November and December. The winter flood fluctuations are compared with changes in associated climate characteristics, i.e., seven-day maximum precipitation, a melt index, and annual maximum snow depth. The seasonality of these characteristics has a strong inter-annual variability and only partly explains the winter flood fluctuations.

Associations between scale-worms and giant mussels are common constituents of hydrothermal vent and cold seep ecosystems, but very little is known about their nature and ecology. Here, we analyze the ecological characteristics of the associations between Branchipolynoe seepensis, an obligate symbiotic polychaete, and their host mytilid mussels Bathymodiolus puteoserpentis and B. azoricus inhabiting hydrothermal vent fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Infested mussels generally harbored a single symbiont (<4% had two to six worms). Infestation rate varied from 7.2% to 76.5%, increasing with mussel size, and was significantly lower for B. puteoserpentis. Symbiont density at Lucky Strike ranged between 1071 and 1191 individuals m−2. Female symbiont size was always positively correlated with host size, while only males and juveniles from small mussels showed the same trend. This suggested a relatively long-lasting host/symbiont association for females and short-lasting association with successive reproductive migrations for adult males. The sex ratio of symbionts was always biased in favor of females. Males were smaller and more slender than females and had one mode in their size distributions, whereas females typically had three or more modes, suggestive of a longer life span in females. Between 59.1% and 72.2% of mussels had damaged soft tissues with substantially higher incidence of trauma in infested ones, suggesting that symbionts may cause trauma. The symbionts also induce tunnel-like structures among the ctenidia, indicating fidelity to a particular location inside the host. Based on our data, together with the fact that infested mussels became relatively wider than non-infested ones, this association is considered parasitic (likely kleptoparasitic). Our data, together with those from previous studies, allowed us to define the main life-history traits of B. seepensis: (i) the relationship with their host is parasitic, (ii) the association begins at the smallest mytilid size classes, (iii) there is sexual dimorphism in body size, (iv) sex ratio deviates from 1:1 in favor of females, (v) fertilization occurs through temporal pairing and pseudocopulation, (vi) sperm are stored by females, (vii) eggs are large (likely lecithotrophic or with direct development), (viii) females have a longer life span than males, (ix) adult males may be semalparous, undertaking reproductive migrations followed by a short period of pairing and then death, and (x) females have a semi-continuous iteroparous reproductive cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the changes in extreme river runoff induced by climate change is of utmost importance, as the variability of floods directly affects life and human activities. This study examines the fluctuations and persistence of winter floods in 14 catchments in the Rika River Basin (Ukraine) and ten catchments in the Steyr River Basin (Austria). The catchments represent typical hydrological regimes in the Danube River region. The fluctuations and persistence of floods are analyzed by the hydro-genetic method and a seasonality analysis for the period 1951–2015. The results show a much more pronounced fluctuation pattern in the upper Rika catchments than in the upper Steyr catchments. This pattern indicates an increase in winter flood magnitudes between the mid-1960s and the 1990s, followed by a decrease until recently. The flood seasonality shows a large inter-annual variability in both regions. The most significant winter floods tend to occur in November and December. The winter flood fluctuations are compared with changes in associated climate characteristics, i.e., seven-day maximum precipitation, a melt index, and annual maximum snow depth. The seasonality of these characteristics has a strong inter-annual variability and only partly explains the winter flood fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of toxicologo-hygienic examinations, which were conducted within the framework of integrated medical and biological assessment of genetically modified rootworm Diabrotica spp.-protected maize event MIR604, are presented. Analysis of morphological, hematological, biochemical parameters and system (sensitive) biomarkers has not confirmed any toxic effect of maize event MIR604.

The results of toxicologo-hygienic examinations, which were conducted within the framework of integrated medical and biological assessment of genetically modified rootworm Diabrotica spp.--protected and glyphosate tolerant maize event MON 88017, are presented. Analysis of morphological, hematological, biochemical parameters and system (sensitive) biomarkers has not confirmed any toxic effect of maize event MON 88017.

The aim of present study was an investigation of effective of product from ceolites which is suggested as biologically active food additive. The high-calorie, high-fat, high-cholesterol diet was developed. The rats (female and male) were fed with the biologically active food additive during 1 month at dose 70 mg per kg of body weight. Their blood and liver were investigated to measure total lipids, total cholesterols, phospholipid, triglycerides. Morphologic parameters of liver was studied. Cholesterol lowering effect of biologically active food additive in rat (female) has been shown.

Chemical analysis of genetically modified corns MON 810 resistance to European corn borer and GA 21 tolerance to glyphosphate was performed. Results of these studies showed that there is no difference between genetically modified and conventional corn products.

The aim of present study was an investigations of safety of product "Bioton-1" which is suggested as biologically active food additive. Long-term intake the product "Bioton-1" by the rats Wistar during 6 month at doses of 0.75 ml per kg of body weight hadn't an unfavorable effects on integral, biochemical, hemotologic and morphologic parameters of animals. It was shown on two generations of rats that "Bioton-1" hadn't an embryotoxic, gonadotoxic and teratogenic effects and also hadn't negative effect on growth and development of posterity of rats. Including into the diet of rats product "Bioton-1" at dose of 0.25 per kg of body weight during the whole life hadn't an effect on animals life duration.

The data on safety investigation of product "Rialam", which is proposed as biologically active food supplement are presented. Chronic experiment and single generation experiment were made on Wistar rats. It is shown that diet "Rialam" in dose 100 mg/kg of body weight didn't influence negatively on growth and development of rats blood parameters, immune status, internal organs morphology, metabolism, hadn't embryotoxic, gonadotoxic and teratogenic action.

Different methodological approaches were elaborated to evaluate quality and safety of genetically modified food products. The new engineering is proposed to rate medical, biological, genetic and technological advantage of these products. Using the same engineering, a complete analysis of the genetically modified soybean 40-3-2 ("Monsanto Co", USA) has been performed.

The results of toxicological evaluation of 'concentrate bardjanoj liquid' (CBL) a new fodder additive are presented. It was shown on one generation of rats that CBL at dose of 1 g and 10 g per 1 kg of body mass had no an embryotoxic, gonadotoxic and teratogenic effects. However long-term intake of CBL during 5 month with diet of rats caused the changes in rat body. It was found increasing of relative weights of kidney, spleen and heart, decreasing of contents of total lipids, phospholipids and cholesterol in rat liver. Also the desquamative enteritis in some cases with ulcers was found. These data did not allow to recommend CBL as fodder additive in studied doses.

The contents of protein, fats, carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose, dietary cellulose), some vitamin (ascorbic acid, riboflavin, beta-carotene, vitamin E), polyphenolic compounds, organic acids, pectin, glycosides, macro- and microelements in red bilberry are presented. Antimicrobial effect and other effect of red bilberry and its use in traditional medicine and dietetics are also outlined.

The aim of present study was an investigations of embryotoxic, teratogenic and gonadotoxic effects of zeolites of Pashensky and Chongurinsky (chongurin) deposits. Zeolites are suggested as feed additives in stock-breeding animal and poultry-keeping. In long-term experiments it was shown that zeolites included in animal diet as much as 5% of diet mass had no unfavourable effect on animals. Negative effect on growth and development of generation, hematologic parameters of blood and activity of some enzymes were also not observed.

It has been established that haprin included into the ration of adult rats induces changes in the activity of some enzymes of cellular organelles in the liver, kidneys and blood serum. These changes are dose-dependent and most manifest when haprin comprised 50% of the total protein content in the ration.

In the yolk of the eggs of hens receiving traditional feeding hydrocarbon mixtures contained in trace amounts therein were analyzed by a specially elaborated method. For identification and quantification the data of the gas liquid chromatography, chromato-mass-spectrometry and ultraviolet spectrophometry were used. In a complex hydrocarbon mixture chromato-mass-spectrometry helped identify the alkanes of the normal and isoprenoid structure, cycloalkanes, of terpene and sterene types. The alkanes and cycloalkanes fraction content was found to comprise 15-30 per 1 mg of the raw mass of the yolk, of the p-alkanes--1-3 mg, squalene--15-17 mg and of monocyclic arenes--about 1 mg.

To examine the safety of foods (meat and milk) obtained from animals whose feeds were preserved with allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), the authors investigated the status and development of animals, some aspects of protein, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, some enzymes, hemopoiesis and reproduction function of Wistar rats fed diets containing the above products (55 g dry milk or 50 g boiled meat per 100 g diet). To measure the residual quantity of allylamine (AA), the main metabolite of AITC, a chromato-fluorometric method with the use of dansyl chloride was devised, permitting the detection of 2 ng AA in the spot. The relative standard deviation was 0.14-17. The degree of AA extraction amounted to 96%. The method made it possible to detect the residual quantity of AA in the kidneys (up to 12.2 +/- 2.0 micrograms/kg) and in the liver (up to 83.1 +/- 12.4 micrograms/kg). The data obtained evidence that AA cannot be used as conservant for manufacturing feeds for agricultural animals.

A method for analyzing hydrocarbons in animal organs and tissues has been developed. This is made up of the following stages: decomposition of the biological material through alkaline hydrolysis; extraction of non-saponifiable lipids fraction; separation by using preparative thin-layer chromatography of the alkanes and cycloalkanes, monocylic arenes and squalene from the non-saponifiable lipids fractions; determining the content of the alkanes and cycloakanes fraction and also ascertaining the alkanes of normal and isoprenoid structure, by means of gas-liquid chromatography, and, finally, quantification of monocyclic arenes, based on the UV spectra findings. The statistical characteristics obtained through a mathematical processing of the analyses results bear evidence to a sufficient accuracy and good reproducibility of the method stages.

The optimal conditions have been developed for garlic preservation by its treatment with a mixture of food paraffin and monoglyceride in the ratio of 95:5 at 80 degrees C, followed by the storage at 0-1 degrees C, and relative humidity 65-75%. When garlic is treated with plasticized paraffin, the main hydrocarbon components of paraffin - n-alkanes C20-C31 are accumulated in its pulp. Monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are practically absent in food paraffin and paraffined garlic. The quantitative parameters of the paraffined garlic characterizing high technological and economic effectiveness of the method, as well as insignificant increase in the p-alkanes content (1%) in the daily ration for humans, that contains paraffined garlic, have permitted the authors to recommend this method of garlic storage for using under industrial conditions, the technological regulations should be strictly kept to.