Biologija

Title

2025-10-01T10:00:41+03:00

2025-10-01T10:06:40+03:00

Wheat performance is affected by the substitution of chemical fertilisers with animal manure under different soil moisture regimes

2025-10-01T11:14:39+03:00

The intensification of the effects of climate change and the necessity of using climate-resilient methods and improving nutritional conditions, replacing chemical fertilisers with organic fertilisers and saving water consumption should be heightened in semi-arid regions. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different doses of NPK chemical fertilisers (CH₀: no use of NPK fertiliser, CH₅₀: application of 50% of the recommended dose of NPK, CH₁₀₀: application of 100% of the recommended dose of NPK) and different levels of animal manure (0, 5, and 10 t ha^–1: FYM₀, FYM₅ and FYM₁₀) under different soil moisture conditions (full irrigation (FI) and rainfed with one supplementary irrigation at the spike stage (SI)) on winter wheat performance in Hamedan area. Under FI conditions, the lateral growth of the canopy increased strongly with the use of chemical fertilisers. However, the longitudinal growth and internode distances increased with the combined application of chemical and organic fertilisers. Under SI, the application of FYM₁₀ + CH₅₀ had a greater effect on yield components. Grain weight decreased under both irrigation regimes with the increase in the consumption of NPK fertilisers. The highest grain yield (4790 kg ha^–1) was obtained for plants grown under FI + FYM₁₀ + CH₁₀₀ and plants grown with FYM₁₀ + CH₅₀ (4425 ha^–1). Under the SI conditions, the highest yield was recorded with the utilization of FYM₁₀ + CH₅₀ (2644), and FYM₁₀ + CH₀ (2549), and the lowest yield was recorded under FYM₀. Taken together, the use of chemical fertilisers under FI conditions is inevitable to increase the grain yield, and the replacement of NPK fertiliser with the current applied amounts of animal fertilisers could not be adequate to improve the grain yield considerably.

Trace metal distribution in Tilapia zillii and Synodontis schall from the Siluko River, Edo State, Nigeria

2025-10-01T11:14:26+03:00

Metal pollution of aquatic ecosystems has raised concerns about their uptake by aquatic organisms and subsequent biomagnification along the aquatic food chain. This study determined trace metal distribution in Tilapia zillii and Synodontis schall from the Siluko River in Edo State, Nigeria. Fresh fish samples were harvested monthly from September 2021 to August 2022 with the assistance of artisanal fishermen. Trace metal contents in the gills, liver, and muscles were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The metal pollution index (MPI) was used to estimate the extent of metal bioaccumulation in the fishes. Results showed species variation in metal accumulation in various organs: T. zillii had a higher mean content of Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe in all the organs, while S. schall had a higher mean content of Ni, Cr, and Pb in all the organs. The MPI values ranged from 5.28 to 5.94 in the organs of T. zillii and S. schall. The order of MPI values in T. zillii was muscles > liver > gills; in S. schall, it was liver > gills > muscles. The results indicate trace metal contamination of fishes due to aquatic pollution. High MPI values is an indication of the degree of metal pollution of the Siluko River and the high susceptibility of these metals to bioaccumulation in the fishes. This predisposes the fishes to metal toxicity and portends health risk to fish consumers. The continuous monitoring of activities within the river watershed to mitigate heavy metal pollution is recommended.

Assessment of immunity to the measles virus through the detection of IgG antibodies

2025-10-01T11:14:13+03:00

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that can lead to severe complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate immunity of the target population against the measles virus by assessing the presence of IgG antibodies. A total of 176 individuals were tested using the ELISA method. Fourteen participants (7.95%) were found to be non-immune, primarily from the 1976–1981 and 1982–1987 birth cohorts. The highest proportion of seronegative individuals (17.4%) was observed among those with unknown vaccination status. No significant differences were found between sexes. Most participants were from Kaunas, which also accounted for the majority of seronegative cases.

Antioxidant effects of quercetin on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and their electroporation

2025-10-01T11:14:01+03:00

Electroporation is a phenomenon when a brief application of a strong electric field affects biological membranes, temporarily increasing their permeability to ions and molecules. As a result, transient pores are created in the plasma membrane. During this process, electrochemical reactions occur both at the electrode-solution interface and within the medium, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can impair cell viability. In this study, we investigated the effects of ROS induced by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and electroporation on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, as well as the potential antioxidant protection provided by quercetin. CHO cell suspensions were exposed to various concentrations of H₂O₂ and quercetin and electroporated using a single 2 ms duration electric field pulse of varying intensities (0.5–2.0 kV/cm). Cell viability was evaluated using a colony formation assay, and ROS levels were assessed via Amplex Red fluorescence. Quercetin showed no cytotoxicity up to 2 µM, but reduced cell viability at higher concentrations. It significantly improved survival in cells exposed to H₂O₂ across all tested concentrations, with the most notable effect observed at 10 µM H₂O₂, increasing viability. Similarly, quercetin enhanced post-electroporation viability by 11% and 17% at 0.5 and 1.0 kV/cm, respectively. However, at 2.0 kV/cm, its protective effect was no longer observed. These results suggest that quercetin mitigates oxidative stress induced by both chemical and physical stimuli and may be a useful cytoprotective agent in electroporation-based biomedical applications.

Abstracts of the BalTick25: The Baltic Tick Conference

2025-10-01T11:01:02+03:00