Changes In Biochemical Properties Research Articles

Detection and identification of leukemic and normal cells using Raman spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis

Raman spectroscopy technique was successfully employed to study the difference between leukemic cells (Jurkat cell line) and normal human bone marrow mononuclear cells using near-infrared laser (785 nm) excitation in this study. Significant differences in Raman spectra from two kinds of cell lines showed special changes in the percentage of biochemical constituents in different cells. The obtained spectral data were used to develop diagnostic algorithms by multivariate statistical analysis, including principal component analysis combined with linear discriminate analysis. The multivariate statistical analysis method for classification between cancer and normal cells has achieved good differentiation with high diagnostic sensitivity (100%), specificity (100%), and accuracy (100%), respectively. These results showed that Raman spectroscopy is a novel, nondestructive method, that provided interesting information about the changes in biochemical properties of cells. Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate statistical analysis can serve as a potential clinical diagnosis method of leukemia.

The Effect of Multistage Refinement on the Bio-Physico-Chemical Properties and Gel-Forming Ability of Fish Protein Isolates from Mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta).

The objective of this research was to improve the protein extraction processes of Rastrelliger kanagurta (Indian mackerel) to generate protein isolate with enhanced bio-physico-chemical properties and gel-forming ability. To achieve this, two novel approaches were designed that utilized an additional alkaline separation step and were compared to a conventional process: acid solubilization → alkaline solubilization → pI and acid solubilization → pI → alkaline solubilization. The novel extraction designs resulted in a lower lipid content, lipid oxidation, and TCA-soluble peptides, as well as improving the color and sensory features of the refined proteins, which corresponded to the lowest total heme pigments (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the protein isolate recovered with the modified processes showed significant changes in biochemical properties (decreases in Ca2+-ATPase activity/reactive sulfhydryl content and an increase in surface hydrophobicity) and dynamic rheological behavior. As a result, by altering the extraction procedure it was possible to obtain improved gel characteristics such as gel strength, color, expelled moisture, and improved gel microstructure. Moreover, this study demonstrated that the gel network was partly stabilized by disulfide bonds, according to SDS-PAGE. Overall, this study demonstrates that by optimizing protein extraction procedures a considerable improvement in quality can be achieved and that an additional alkaline extraction after isoelectric point precipitation results in the optimized gel-forming ability of mackerel proteins.

Effect of super-chilling storage on maintenance of quality and freshness of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

AbstractThe quality changes of shelled Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) were examined in relation to the effects of superchilling storage at −1 °C for 28 d by measuring changes in biochemical properties (microbial analysis, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-related compounds, pH, free amino acids) and sensory evaluations in this study. The results indicated that microorganism growth was significantly inhibited during superchilling storage. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) accumulated while ATP rapidly decreased in the adductor muscle. ATP and ADP were the primary components in the other 3 tissues including mantle, gill, and body trunk of oysters, and they remained ­relatively stable over time. The pH and adenylate energy charge in the adductor muscle could be utilized as freshness indicators for shelled oysters. However, there were no significant differences (P&amp;gt;0.05) among the free amino acids during whole storage. According to the sensory evaluations, oysters could be alive and tolerated up to 21 d at −1 °C storage. The study demonstrated that superchilling storage at −1 °C could better maintain the eating quality of shelled oysters and the shelf life was extended to 21 d.

Optical diffraction tomography and image reconstruction to measure host cell alterations caused by divergent Plasmodium species

Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Understanding the biological features of various parasite forms is important for the optical diagnosis and defining pathological states, which are often constrained by the lack of ambient visualization approaches. Here, we employ a label-free tomographic technique to visualize the host red blood cell (RBC) remodeling process and quantify changes in biochemical properties arising from parasitization. Through this, we provide a quantitative body of information pertaining to the influence of host cell environment on growth, survival, and replication of P. falciparum and P. vivax in their respective host cells: mature erythrocytes and young reticulocytes. These exquisite three-dimensional measurements of infected red cells demonstrats the potential of evolving 3D imaging to advance our understanding of Plasmodium biology and host-parasite interactions.

Rice Growth Performance, Nutrient Use Efficiency and Changes in Soil Properties Influenced by Biochar under Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation

Water-saving irrigation occasionally causes an inconsequential yield loss in rice; thereby, biochar incorporation in this context has great scope due to its properties, including the release of nutrients and improving soil physicochemical properties. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of biochar combined with fertilizer on physiological response, water and nutrient efficiency of rice and changes in biochemical properties of soil under AWD (alternate wetting and drying) irrigation system. Two types of irrigation practice, such as AWD and CF (continuous flooding), and four types of fertilizer combination, namely T1: 25% Rice husk biochar (RHB) + 75% of recommended fertilizer dose (RFD); T2: 25% oil palm empty fruit bunch biochar (EFBB) + 75% of RFD; T3: 100% RFD; and T0: 0% biochar and fertilizer, were assigned to assess their impacts. The AWD irrigation produced a sharply reduced grain yield (210.58 g pot−1) compared to CF irrigation (218.04 g pot−1), whereas the biochar combination treatments T1 and T2 produced greater yields (260.27 and 252.12 g pot−1, respectively), which were up to 12.5% higher than RFD. Within AWD, irrigation water usage by T1 and T2 (98.50 and 102.37 g L−1, respectively) was profoundly reduced by up to 28.8%, with improved water use efficiency (WUE). The main effect of biochar treatment T1 and T2 also increased photosynthesis rate during vegetative and maturing stage (up to 17.6 and 24.4%, respectively), in addition to boosting agronomic efficiency of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) compared to RFD (T3). Nevertheless, T1 and T2 significantly enhanced the total carbon and nitrogen; dehydrogenase and urease enzyme activities also increased in both irrigation regimes. The results reveal that the integrated application of RHB and EFBB with fertilizer in the AWD regime significantly reduces irrigation water usage and improves nutrient use efficiency, WUE and soil biochemical properties with a minimum yield penalty for rice.

Comparative proteomics reveals biochemical changes in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge during sweating processing

Ethnopharmacological relevanceSalvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a bulk medicinal material used in traditional Chinese medicine, that can cure cardiovascular diseases, neurasthenia, and other conditions. Sweating is a frequently used method of processing S. miltiorrhiza for medical applications. We previously demonstrated changes to the metabolic profile of linoleic acid, glyoxylate, and dicarboxylate after Sweating. However, this alteration has not been explained at the molecular level. Materials and methodsFresh roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge were treated by the Sweating processing, and then the tandem mass tag technique was used to compare the proteome difference between Sweating S. miltiorrhiza and non-Sweating S. miltiorrhiza. ResultsWe identified a total of 850 differentially expressed proteins after Sweating treatment in S. miltiorrhiza, including 529 upregulated proteins and 321 downregulated proteins. GO enrichment analysis indicated that these differentially expressed proteins are involved in external encapsulating structure, cell wall, oxidoreductase activity, ligase activity, and others. Further analysis showed that CYP450, the pathogenesis-related protein Bet v 1 family, and the peroxidase domain were the major protein domains. KEGG enrichment identified 18 pathways, of which phenylpropanoid biosynthesis is the most important one related to the metabolite profile and is the principal chemical component of S. miltiorrhiza. ConclusionThis study addressed potential molecular mechanisms in S. miltiorrhiza after Sweating, and the findings provide reasons for the changes in biochemical properties and metabolites changes which might cause pharmacological variation at the proteome level.

Changes in Biochemical Properties and Activity of Trypsin-like Protease (Litopenaeus vannamei) Treated by Atmospheric Cold Plasma (ACP).

The changes in the functional properties of trypsin from shrimps (Litopenaeus vannamei) after, Atmospheric Cold Plasma (ACP) treatments, have been evaluated in terms of enzyme inactivation, surface hydrophobicity, secondary structure, fluorescence intensity, and particle size distribution. Different exposure voltages of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 kV at various treatment times (1, 2, 3, and 4 min) have been employed, in a separate assay. The results showed that trypsin-like protease activity decreased (by about 50%), and the kinetic constants Km value increased, while the kcat value decreased. Surface hydrophobicity and fluorescence intensity revealed a significant increase compared to the control sample. A high degree of protein degradation has been noticed by SDS-PAGE analysis. In addition, circular dichroism indicated that random coil and α-helix contents declined while β-turn and β-sheet contents have raised. A sharp drop in the particle size was observed with increasing the treatment voltage from 0 to 40 kV for 4 min, and the corresponding peak reached the minimum of 531.2 nm. Summing up the results, it can be concluded that the ACP technique effectively affects the activity of trypsin-like protease, which in terms enhances the quality of dietary protein.

Changes in biochemical properties and pectin nanostructures of juice sacs during the granulation process of pomelo fruit (Citrus grandis)

Postharvest granulation is a severe physiological disorder in citrus fruit that may be related to pectin metabolism. This study was designed to analyze the changes in fruit quality and pectin metabolism of pomelo fruit during granulation from expansion, gelation to lignification. Fruit quality showed a decrease starting from the gelation stage. Contents of water-soluble pectin, chelate-soluble pectin, sodium carbonate-soluble pectin and calcium, and activity of pectin methylesterase increased, while polygalacturonase activity decreased upon granulation. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed that both length and width of those three types of pectin molecules increased during granulation, accompanied by the decrease of linear structure molecules of pectin and the increase of pectin polymers, and multi-branched pectin tending to form cross-linked structure. Complex network of pectin might be remodeled during granulation process that immobilized the free water in juice sacs and induced the gelation occurrence, further promoted the granulation process.

Rhizosphere-Associated Microbiomes of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Under the Effect of Increased Nitrogen Fertilization.

Crops assemble and rely on rhizosphere-associated microbiomes for plant nutrition, which is crucial to their productivity. Historically, excessive nitrogen fertilization did not result in continuously increasing yields but rather caused environmental issues. A comprehensive understanding should be developed regarding the ways in which crops shape rhizosphere-associated microbiomes under conditions of increased nitrogen fertilization. In this study, we applied 16S and 18S ribosomal RNA gene profiling to characterize bacterial and fungal communities in bulk and rhizosphere soil of rice subjected to three levels of nitrogen fertilization for 5 years. Soil biochemical properties were characterized, and carbon-, nitrogen-, and phosphorus-related soil enzyme activities were investigated, by assays. Increasing nitrogen fertilization led to a decreasing trend in the variation of microbial community structures and demonstrated a more definite influence on fungal rather than bacterial community compositions and functions. Changes in the level of nitrogen fertilization significantly affected chemical properties such as soil pH, nutrient content, and microbial biomass levels in both rhizosphere and bulk soil. Soil enzyme activity levels varied substantially across nitrogen fertilization intensities and correlated more with the fungal than with the bacterial community. Our results indicated that increased nitrogen input drives alterations in the structures and functions of microbial communities, properties of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as enzyme activities. These results provide novel insights into the associations among increased nitrogen input, changes in biochemical properties, and shifts in microbial communities in the rhizosphere of agriculturally intensive ecosystems.

Resurrection of Ancestral Malate Dehydrogenases Reveals the Evolutionary History of Halobacterial Proteins: Deciphering Gene Trajectories and Changes in Biochemical Properties.

Extreme halophilic Archaea thrive in high salt, where, through proteomic adaptation, they cope with the strong osmolarity and extreme ionic conditions of their environment. In spite of wide fundamental interest, however, studies providing insights into this adaptation are scarce, because of practical difficulties inherent to the purification and characterization of halophilic enzymes. In this work, we describe the evolutionary history of malate dehydrogenases (MalDH) within Halobacteria (a class of the Euryarchaeota phylum). We resurrected nine ancestors along the inferred halobacterial MalDH phylogeny, including the Last Common Ancestral MalDH of Halobacteria (LCAHa) and compared their biochemical properties with those of five modern halobacterial MalDHs. We monitored the stability of these various MalDHs, their oligomeric states and enzymatic properties, as a function of concentration for different salts in the solvent. We found that a variety of evolutionary processes, such as amino acid replacement, gene duplication, loss of MalDH gene and replacement owing to horizontal transfer resulted in significant differences in solubility, stability and catalytic properties between these enzymes in the three Halobacteriales, Haloferacales, and Natrialbales orders since the LCAHa MalDH. We also showed how a stability trade-off might favor the emergence of new properties during adaptation to diverse environmental conditions. Altogether, our results suggest a new view of halophilic protein adaptation in Archaea.

Fermentation of Tapai and Alcohol Content Released From Tapai

Tapai is a well-known dessert with slight alcoholic flavour and a sweet sour aroma. Normally, glutinous rice and cassava roots are always used to make Tapa. Both of them are almost similar in taste. However, Tapai needs to be consumed immediately because it is a perishable product. So we need to preserve Tapai by using either natural or synthetic preservatives. In this study, we will review turmeric essential oil as natural preservative to preserve Tapai. If we let it to be fermented for too long, its alcohol content might increase and it may turns the Tapai becomes too alcoholic. So, this review study is conducted to study how to detect alcohol released from Tapai. Different research studies have been done on detecting alcohol released from Tapai by using different kind of methods such as specific-gravity method, refractive index and GC-MS methods. But this review article is focusing more on alcohol biosensor. Other than that, we will observe the changes in biochemical properties of Tapai such as pH and total lactic acid

Changes in biochemical properties of tomato (cv.240) affected by combination of blue/red optical spectra and Calfomyth spray (Ca and P)

The levels of antioxidant activity and vitamins can change with varying ratios of different wavelengths. This study was conducted as a pot experiment under soilless culture conditions in order to investigate the interactive effects of light supplementation and nutrition (calfomyth solution) on some qualitative traits of tomato fruit. The research was carried out as a split-plot experiment based on a completely randomized design with three light treatments including without supplementary light (control), 60% red light+40% blue light and 90% red light+10% blue light. There were two nutritional treatments including no spraying with calfomyth as commercial fertilizer and foliar application with a concentration of 2 mg/L in three replicates. According to the results, the amounts of vitamin C (16.1 mg/g FW fruit), soluble solids (12.33 mg/g FW fruit), and lycopene (2.95 mg/g FW fruit) were all uppermost by the effect of a higher percentage of red light treatment. Higher percentage of the blue light resulted in the highest leaf chlorophyll content (38.4 mg/g FW leaf), but supplementary light treatments had no significant effects on the titratable acidity. Nutrition (calfomyth foliar application) showed positive impacts on all treatment traits compared to control. Beta-carotene content was affected by none of the treatments with no significant differences. According to this research, it can be expected that the use of complementary light treatments and calfomyth foliar spray may have positive effects on most of the qualitative traits in tomato fruit (cv. 240). Keywords: biochemical properties, tomato, optical spectra, calfomyth, antioxidant, lycopene, phytochrome DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20201305.5797 Citation: Ajdanian L, Aroiee H, Azizi M, Babaei M. Changes in biochemical properties of tomato (cv.240) affected by combination of blue/red optical spectra and Calfomyth spray (Ca and P). Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(5): 79–84.

Biochemical changes of coconut inflorescence sap on storage in different varieties

Aims: To study biochemical changes of coconut inflorescence sap on storage for one week in different varieties. Methods and Results: The experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, Padannakkad and Nileswaram farm, RARS Pilicode under irrigated condition during 2014-2016. Four varieties were selected for evaluation. Palms with similar age and morphological characters were selected as experiment units. The varieties tried were Malayan Yellow Dwarf, Kerasree, West Coast Tall and Keraganga. Fully emerged unopened bunches were selected for tapping and samples were collected. The sap collected from each variety was stored at refrigerated condition for one week and biochemical properties viz., pH, electrolyte concentration, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total sugars, alcohol, phenol and vitamin C were assessed on 1st (D1), 3rd (D2) and 7th (D3) days of storage. The results are revealed that without any differentiation between the varieties there was a significant reduction in the pH, total sugar, reducing sugars and non reducing sugar while there was an increase in alcohol, vitamin C and phenol content. Conclusions: The changes in CIS during storage for 1 week indicated that without any differentiation between varieties there was a decrease in pH, total sugar, reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar while there was an increase in alcohol and vitamin C content. Significance and Impact of the study: To know the changes in biochemical properties of coconut inflorescence sap of different varieties on storage whereas there is no variation among the varieties with respect to biochemical properties of coconut inflorescence sap on storage.

Changes in biochemical properties of tomato (cv.240) affected by combination of blue/red optical spectra and Calfomyth spray (Ca and P)

The levels of antioxidant activity and vitamins can change with varying ratios of different wavelengths. This study was conducted as a pot experiment under soilless culture conditions in order to investigate the interactive effects of light supplementation and nutrition (calfomyth solution) on some qualitative traits of tomato fruit. The research was carried out as a split-plot experiment based on a completely randomized design with three light treatments including without supplementary light (control), 60% red light+40% blue light and 90% red light+10% blue light. There were two nutritional treatments including no spraying with calfomyth as commercial fertilizer and foliar application with a concentration of 2 mg/L in three replicates. According to the results, the amounts of vitamin C (16.1 mg/g FW fruit), soluble solids (12.33 mg/g FW fruit), and lycopene (2.95 mg/g FW fruit) were all uppermost by the effect of a higher percentage of red light treatment. Higher percentage of the blue light resulted in the highest leaf chlorophyll content (38.4 mg/g FW leaf), but supplementary light treatments had no significant effects on the titratable acidity. Nutrition (calfomyth foliar application) showed positive impacts on all treatment traits compared to control. Beta-carotene content was affected by none of the treatments with no significant differences. According to this research, it can be expected that the use of complementary light treatments and calfomyth foliar spray may have positive effects on most of the qualitative traits in tomato fruit (cv. 240). Keywords: biochemical properties, tomato, optical spectra, calfomyth, antioxidant, lycopene, phytochrome DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20201305.5797 Citation: Ajdanian L, Aroiee H, Azizi M, Babaei M. Changes in biochemical properties of tomato (cv.240) affected by combination of blue/red optical spectra and Calfomyth spray (Ca and P). Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(5): 79–84.

Changes in protein function underlie the disease spectrum in patients with CHIP mutations

Monogenetic disorders that cause cerebellar ataxia are characterized by defects in gait and atrophy of the cerebellum; however, patients often suffer from a spectrum of disease, complicating treatment options. Spinocerebellar ataxia autosomal recessive 16 (SCAR16) is caused by coding mutations in STUB1, a gene that encodes the multifunctional enzyme CHIP (C terminus of HSC70-interacting protein). The disease spectrum of SCAR16 includes a varying age of disease onset, cognitive dysfunction, increased tendon reflex, and hypogonadism. Although SCAR16 mutations span the multiple functional domains of CHIP, it is unclear whether the location of the mutation and the change in the biochemical properties of CHIP contributes to the clinical spectrum of SCAR16. In this study, we examined relationships between the clinical phenotypes of SCAR16 patients and the changes in biophysical, biochemical, and functional properties of the corresponding mutated protein. We found that the severity of ataxia did not correlate with age of onset; however, cognitive dysfunction, increased tendon reflex, and ancestry were able to predict 54% of the variation in ataxia severity. We further identified domain-specific relationships between biochemical changes in CHIP and clinical phenotypes and specific biochemical activities that associate selectively with either increased tendon reflex or cognitive dysfunction, suggesting that specific changes to CHIP–HSC70 dynamics contribute to the clinical spectrum of SCAR16. Finally, linear models of SCAR16 as a function of the biochemical properties of CHIP support the concept that further inhibiting mutant CHIP activity lessens disease severity and may be useful in the design of patient-specific targeted approaches to treat SCAR16.

Utilizing the Potential of Microorganisms for Managing Arsenic Contamination: A Feasible and Sustainable Approach

Arsenic (As) contamination is a serious issue throughout the world. The scale of problem is being realized to be even greater with the discovery of new As contaminated regions with time. Rice is a staple crop across the world with approximately half of the world population dependent on rice for their daily dietary intake especially in Southeast Asian countries. It is not only the consumption of rice grains but also food products based on rice, which contribute towards As exposure to humans. Plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) constitute a diverse group of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and microalgae. These are associated with the rhizospheric zone of plants. They improve plant growth through different mechanisms like increase of nutrients level in plants, improved soil quality, siderophore and hormone production, changes in biochemical properties of plants etc. Another important assistance imparted by PGPMs is the altered speciation of As in the soil through methylation and subsequent change in the bioavailability of As to the plants. Further, a change in As speciation also affects As uptake and transport in plants. The purpose of this review is to discuss importance of PGPM association in As toxicity amelioration in plants along with favourably reducing As concentrations in crop plants or increasing As accumulation in phytoremediator plants. This review also presents mechanisms of action of PGPMs and describes both laboratory- and field-studies on the application of PGPMs for tackling As-contamination. The future prospects of successful utilization of PGPMs are also discussed.

Effects of Storage Temperatures on different Biochemical Characteristics of 1-Methylcyclopropene Treated Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Variety Khirshapat

As a part of our present investigation to find out the effective strategy for enhancing the shelf life of mango fruits, we observed the changes in biochemical parameters of a local mango variety namely Khirshapat at the concentration of 1 & 2ppm of 1-MCP during storage at 12-13 °C and 30-32 °C. Green mature mangoes were directly collected from mango garden and hot water treatment was given for 10 minutes and then air-dried. After that the mangoes were carefully stored in a specialized store (Time lagging cooling system) at 12-13°C for 24 h and treated with ethylene inhibitors 1-MCP at the concentration of 1 & 2 ppm and incubated at same storage condition. Untreated mangoes at room temperature were considered as control. In case of control and mangoes treated with 1-MCP at the concentration of 1 & 2ppm under normal temperature the total soluble solid, pH, total sugar, amylase activity and invertase activity were increased whereas titratable acidity, vitamin-c and starch content decreased significantly but all these attributes were remained unchanged when the mangoes were treated with 1-MCP at 2ppm concentration under storage temperature (12-13 °C). The experimental variety Khirshapat showed increased pulp pH, total sugar content, starch content and invertase activity at all the storage duration. The results explored that some biochemical properties and enzyme activities along with shelf life drastically decreased from untreated mangoes as well as treated mangoes under normal temperature. Between the concentrations of 1-MCP the 2ppm concentration treatment showed better results in delaying the changes in biochemical properties and extended shelf life.

Shifts in microbial communities with increasing soil fertility across a chronosequence of paddy cultivation in subtropical China

An understanding of microbial community assembly and succession are keys to uncovering mechanisms underlying soil fertility development. The dynamics of microbial communities during a paddy soil chronosequence were investigated by phospholipid fatty acid profiling and amplicon high throughput sequencing. The upper 20cm were sampled from soils after 5, 15, 30 and 100 years of paddy use and from adjacent barren land. Enzyme activities and contents of soil organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus of paddy fields strongly increased compared to barren land, and continued to increase at least up to 100 years of paddy cultivation. The increasing soil trophic status favored bacteria over fungi, and fast-growing copiotrophic bacteria gradually replaced slow-growing oligotrophic bacteria. The genus Ignavibacterium with versatile metabolism was identified as an indicator of the bacterial community in year 30 and 100. The variations of bacterial α-diversity tended to stabilize, but species richness continued to increase after 30 years of paddy use. The β-diversity indicated that bacterial community structure in paddy fields differed from that in barren land. The soils of 5 and 15 years of paddy cultivation clustered into one group separated from the group formed from the year 30 and 100. Redundancy analysis indicated that two stoichiometric ratios: C/N and C/P were the major factors affecting microbial community succession. We conclude that long-term paddy cultivation resulted in changes in biochemical properties and variations in trophic pattern of microbial communities, corresponding to increasing soil fertility.

Assessing Alternative Organic Amendments as Horticultural Substrates for Growing Trees in Containers1

AbstractConventional substrates for nursery plant production typically are soilless media that are comprised of low bulk density material with either organic or synthetic components. These mixes aim to provide a lightweight medium that provides acceptable water holding capacity and nutrient retention and create a suitable environment for root proliferation and biomass growth. In an effort to identify alternatives to traditional container substrates, a comparative amendment study was conducted to observe changes in media qualities and plant growth response of Aronia melanocarpa ‘Viking' and Acer saccharum over a period of 16 months. Materials used to amend traditional medium included composted green waste, biosolids and wood chips, biochar, aerated compost tea and vermicompost. The results of this study found that all amendments performed equally as well as control (NULL) treatments for root, shoot and total biomass production for both Aronia melanocarpa ‘Viking' and Acer saccharum. After a period of 16 months, significant changes in biochemical properties had occurred in mediums amended with biochar, wood chips, composts and biosolids. This study provides data on a variety of alternative materials that can be used as substitutes for traditional greenhouse medium in production of nursery tree stock.Index words: aerated compost tea, biochar, biosolids, carbon to nitrogen ratio, compost, dissolved organic carbon, electrical conductivity, fertilizer, microbial biomass carbon, control, active carbon, microbial respiration, leaf fluorescence, soil water tension, total nitrogen, total organic carbon, volumetric water content, wood chips, water holding capacity.Species used in this study: ‘Viking' black chokeberry [Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott]; sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall).

Changes in Biochemical Properties of the Blood in Winter Swimmers

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of winter swimming on biochemical indicators of the blood. The subjects - winter swimmers - belonged to the Krakow Walrus Club "Kaloryfer" - "The Heater". The study group consisted of 11 men, aged 30-50 years, 'walrusing' throughout the whole season from November to March. Statistically significant changes throughout the 'walrusing' season were observed for the following biochemical parameters: a decrease in sodium (mmol/1), chloride (mmol/1), alpha-2 globulin(g/1), gamma globulin (g/1), IgG (g/1), and an increase in albumin (g/1), indicator A/G, IgA (g/l ), Herpes simplex virus IgM. Seasonal effort of winter swimmers has a positive influence on biochemical blood parameters.