Volume 11 (2006)
Articles
ON THE DYNAMICS OF THE REDOX CHARACTER OF A VITICULTURAL PLANTATION’S SOIL
CRISTINEL V. ZĂNOAGĂ, CRISTINA PĂUN, GHEORGHE ODĂGERIU
The organism belonging to a biocenosis may be considered – no matter which is the function they perform in the ecosystem – as either autotrophic (primary producers) or heterotrophic (consumers and decomposers) ones. The organisms known as developing direct relations with the environment – i.e., plants, fungi, microorganisms, protozoa and metazoa in the larvar stage – are influenced and, equally, do influence the environment in a redox way. More exactly, the autotrophic organisms are stimulated by the oxidating media and inhibited by the reducing ones, while the heterotrophes, on the contrary, are stimulated by the reducing media and inhibited by the oxidating ones. By their activity, the autotrophes impart to the medium a reducing character, while the heterotrophes – an oxidating one. It gres without saying that, under such circumstances, the two categories of organisms could not coexist in the absence of an alternative taking over of the biocenosis’ “hegemony”. In this respect, Figure 1 plots graphically, for each category, the position of the optimum and, respectively, the inhibition zone.
ON THE ACTIVITY OF β-AMYLASE IN GERMINATED CARYOPSES OF PANICUM MILIACEUM AND SETARIA PUMILA
ELENA CIORNEA, VLAD ARTENIE, GABRIELA VASILE
The metabolism of substances and the energy constitutes an astonishing characteristic of the living world, which differentiates in a clear - cut manner the living organisms from the inanimate ones. The totality of reactions and transformations making up the two parts of metabolism (catabolism and anabolism) does not occur randomly, instead they manifest themselves in a permanent correlation with the environment, responding in a coordinate manner to cell's momentary necessities. This fact is possible as such transformations occur under the action of the enzymatic equipment of each cell, which means that a complex mechanism of self - regulation and control is in action each moment. Seeds' germination represents an extremely complex biochemical and physiological process, in which the reserve substances are mobilized, at incredible speed, for assuring to the embryo the energy and the metabolic precursors necessary for the biosynthetic process (BURZO et al., 1999). To a certain extent, the biochemical transformations occurring during germination represent the reverse of the processes developed during seeds' ripening (and, respectively, bulbs' and tubercles' formation, etc.). Consequently, in the maturation stages, the main biochemical processes developed inside the vegetal organisms are actually biosynthetic processes, leading to the formation of more or less significant amounts - as depending on the species- of glucides, lipids and reserve proteins. Further on, these amounts are transported to the reproduction organs (seeds, bulbs, tubercles, etc.), where they are accumulated (EVANS et al., 1997). The amylases, enzymes belonging to the class of hydrolases, are involved in the hydrolysis of starch. β-Amylase (α-1, 4 - D- glucan-maltohydrolase) catalyzes the hydrolysis of the α - 1, 4, - glycosidic links from the polysaccharides, by successive removal of the maltose rests from the non-reductive ends (COJOCARU, 1997).
EVALUATION OF PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL MODIFICATIONS OF THE CULTURE STOR STURGEON MEAT (ACIPENSER STELLATUS PALLAS) UNDER REFRIGERATION
ELPIDA PALTENEA, MARILENA TALPEŞ, AURELIA IONESCU, MARGARETA ZARA, AIDA VASILE
The fish belongs to the category of slightly perishable food products which makes it to be consumed or preserved immediately after catch. If the fish is not preserved by means of one of the methods of preservation, such as: chilling, keeping in the ice, freezing, etc., the nutritive value of the meat decreases gradually so that, in state of advanced decomposition the fish meat becomes toxic. The main cause that makes fish get deteriorated is the activity of contaminant micro-organisms to which the autolysis processes are added. Avoidance of fish meat degradation is achieved by using appropriate methods of preservation. Sturgeons are known and appreciated by consumers for the quality of their meat and especially of the caviar. The fish meat, including the sturgeon is appreciated for its dietary value derived from the content of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids which go into the composition of cell membranes and play an important role in the preservation of cardiovascular diseases. As the last decade has registered an increased use of the technologies of sturgeon breeding based on intensive system, the sturgeon meat derived from fish farms represents a new offer on the international and EU markets. The commercial significance of the sturgeons and their economic value have determined excessive catch of these species in our country. Thus, the culture of sturgeons based on intensive and recycled system, and in fish ponds has been imposed as an alternative to the dramatic decrease of the populations of anadromous sturgeons in the river Danube. A disadvantage of the culture sturgeon breeding is represented by the influence of the aquatic environment and fodder on the taste of the meat. The environmental changes affect the endocrine balance modifying the physiology of the fish and the quality of its meat. The nutritional quality of the sturgeon meat is influenced by the method of preservation. As part of our study, by the meat of the culture stor sturgeons under chilling preservation conditions.
COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE ACTIVITY OF MUSCULAR CATALASE IN SOME CULTURE CYPRINIDES
GABRIELA VASILE, ELENA CIORNEA
Considering that fish represents a nutrient possessing a high dietetic and nutritive value, the studies devoted to some of its biochemical and physiological parameters have aroused on increasing interest from the specialists' part. Under conditions of artificial feeding of the fish grown in ponds, lakes and accumulation dams, substitution of the natural food with artificial products may cause more or less beneficial modifications on the substances' metabolism. The intensity of such modifications may be evidenced by the evaluation of the different biochemical parameters from blood, muscle, digestive tube, liver etc. (VASILE et al., 2005 b). Catalase (H2O2: H2O2 - oxidoreductase), a bicomponent enzyme belonging to the class of oxidoreductase, with hemine or ferriporphyrine IX as a prosthetic group, is largely occurring in almost all cells of the animals tissues, in both invertebrates and vertebrates (COJOCARU, 1997). The studies devoted to catalase, an adaptation enzyme in fish, showed that its activity varies as a function of temperature, high density of the batches, quality of the administrated food, age of the individuals and organ taken into analysis (BATTES et al., 1974 - 1975; ARTENIE, 1990; VASILE et al., 2005 a). The researches developed on catalase, as well as on other breathing and digestive enzymes playing an important part in metabolism, may provide some precious indications, permitting an as exact as possible evaluation of fish' physiological condition, as well as the application of the most efficient methods of intensive growth, for a rational and complex turning to good account of the existing accumulation dams through aquaculture.
BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN HANDBALL PLAYERS DURING A SPECIFIC HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING PROGRAM
ALEXANDRU ACSINTE, EFTENE ALEXANDRU
At the high performance handball training level the smallest details observation of the specific activity is realised now by compare some of the values of pulse, lactic acid concentration, heart rate or other physiological parameters wich could show us the specific training area in wich our handball players are acting (1, 2, 32, 34). A physiological and biochemical approach of the specific handball effort is necesary because high performance in team handball means much more than a perfect technique or a perfect colaboration between players during technical–tactical combinations in the official competitions (5, 7, 8). A depper understanding of the biochemical processes wich are happened in the handball player body it could be a benefit for the future training structures conception, a corect evaluation of the individual resources for a handball player in critical moments of a competititon or specific training structures addaptation, according to the permanent player demandings (24, 25, 26, 28). Dynamic changing values of the pCO2 in relation with blood pH and LA blood concentration values is a much more significant marker than LA blood concentration itself for performance; relation between SBC and HCO3- indicates metabolic desorders wich take place during specific effort in handball, ABE values makes possible calculation of the LA blood concentration and shows the relation with other physiological parameters, others than VO2max or breathing threshold as they are analized before (6, 11, 33) .
HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF SOME ANTOCYANIC VEGETAL EXTRACTS
ION NEACŞU, CRISTINEL V. ZĂNOAGĂ, MARIUS NECULAUA
As known, the various maladies of the liver, alongwith the action of some toxic agents manifested at the level of this organ, determine a series of characteristic modifications in the morphophysiological parameters of the hepatic cells [5, 6, 8, 11]. A series of previous studies have been devoted to the characteristic modifications observed in alcoholic hepatopathy, expressed by immunulogical perturbations, perturbance of some enzymes’ activity [2, 6, 8, 10], modification of hepatocytes’ membrane potential and of the redox potential [6]. Another observation referred to the fact that the action of the allylic alcohol induces a series of specific modifications at the level of liver’s cells, similar to those produced in certain hepatic affections, and expressed through irreversible membranary depolarizations, modifications of the redox potential and perturbations of the ionic ratios etc. [7, 8]. Nevertheless, treatments with some acetylated polyollic products reduced such types of peturbations to a considerable extent [8]. Other investigations showed that certain polyphenolic vegetal extracts have a positive action at cellular level [4, 5, 9, 11], re-establishing the normal electrical charge of the muscular and hepatic cells membrane modified under the action of certain toxic agents [7, 8], as well as important cytostatic and antitumoral properties [10]. The present study presuming the previous investigations, follows the action of a vegetal extract of antocyanic nature on the liver of some laboratory animals intoxicated with allylic alcohol, for putting into evidence some possible hepatoprotecting effects, on considering antocyans’ polyphenolic chemical structure [1, 3].
RESEARCH REGARDING THE ROLE OF INHERITANCE IN ALCOHOLISM
MIRELA M. CÎMPEANU, CRISTIAN TUDOSE, CRISTIAN S. CÎMPEANU, CĂLIN L. MANIU, LUCIAN HRIŢCU
In the past, drinking alcohol in high amounts and alcoholism were regarded as a moral decline or a vice. At the beginning of the 19th century the “drinking problem” was identified, from the medical point of view, with a disease. Complete recognition of alcohol addiction was achieved only in the 20th century, but there were still voices that described it as a “behavioral deviation” or “bad habit”. Nowadays pathologists are fighting against such conceptions with the following evidence: the concept “illness” as applied to alcoholism is in perfect accordance with the most recent model of disease: the bio-psycho-social concept. One may also state that alcoholism involves medical therapy as any other disease does, but such theories can induce some “taboo” misconceptions in ordinary people. Two main research directions can be identified in what concerns the inheritance of alcoholism (Tudose et al, 2000): - identification of candidate genes which predispose to alcoholism for humans and comparison with various animal models; - the study of variability regarding alcohol induced behavior in human populations and families. Humans are very different in what concerns the drinking motivations and the inherited predisposition to alcoholism. The genetic factors of this variability are certainly different in comparison to the genetic factors which generate the variability of species (Quian, 2005). There are many studies that prove the existence of a strong correlation between inheritance and alcoholism. There are, also, many studies that identified candidate genes for alcoholism, but it is obvious that classical mendelian rules cannot be applied to this complex, multifactorial trait (Dick et al., 2006; Kim et al., 2005).
INHERITED FACTORS INVOLVED IN DIABETES MELLITUS DETERMINISM
CRISTIAN TUDOSE, MIRELA M. CÎMPEANU, CRISTIAN S. CÎMPEANU, CĂLIN L. MANIU, LUCIAN HRIŢCU
In the last years, huge progresses were made in the understanding of diabetes mellitus multifactorial determinism; candidate genes were proposed for both I and II types of diabetes and the polygenic transmission pathway of genetic predisposition was described (Hattersley and Pearson, 2006). Still, diabetes remain a disease which surprises us by its high morbidity rates and its complications; despite the permanent progress of its treatment diabetes is a social disease, an important problem of public health and a permanent problem for the clinician and geneticist (Patraº et al., 2003).
QUANTITATIVE REPRESENTATIVITY OF DIFFERENT ECOLOGIC GROUPS OF MICROORGANISMS, IN SOIL OF SECALE CEREALE PLANTS, ARTIFICIAL INFECTED WITH DIFFERENT STRAINS OF CLAVICEPS PURPUREA
CRAIŢA – MARIA ROŞU, ŞTEFAN COMĂNESCU, ŞTEFANIA SURDU, ZENOVIA OLTEANU, MARIA – MAGDALENA ZAMFIRACHE, DUMITRA RĂDUCANU
The distribution of the different ecologic micro organism groups in the soil, for the cultivated terrains, depends on the different types of fertilisers (mineral or organic) but, in great measure, also on the species of cultivated plants. In the measure that the composition of the micro flora in the soil has a considerable influence on growth and development of the plants (contributing at fertilizing the soil) in the same measure the plants also constitute an especially important factor in the life of micro organisms, influencing their quantitative and qualitative composition. Their role manifests visible in the course of their life (through the radicular system), as well as after harvesting the plants. Taking account of the major influence that the composition of the radicular excreta could have on the micro organism distribution in the soil, the current research studied the spectre modification of some ecophysiologycal micro organism groups involved in the nitrogen and carbon circulation in nature (ammonifying, denitrifying, nitrifying micro organism, free fixators, aerobes and type N anaerobes and cellulosolytic aerobes) in the soil of a Secale cereale culture infected with strains that belong to another type of alkaloids different from Claviceps purpurea. The proposed research is justified from the point of view of the anterior results that demonstrated the metabolism altering of the infected plants, considering this aspect as having influence on the radicular exudate composition and implicitly on the micro organism distribution in the soil belonging to different ecophysiologycal groups.
SENSORIAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY EVALUATION OF POST-MORTEM STELLATA STURGEON
MARGARETA ZARA, AURELIA IONESCU, ELPIDA PALTENEA, AIDA VASILE, ELENA JECU
Presently, the stellate sturgeon population in the Caspic and Black seas has drastically diminished, in the Danube river, the last important river for stellate sturgeon roe deposits, the species is considered close to extinction (Khodorevskaya P. R. et al.,1997) (Bacalbasa-Dobrovici N., 1997). Reestablishing the natural stock of stellate sturgeon is attempted by artificial reproduction in hope of reinforcing the structure of the population and the genetic diversity of this sturgeon. The research was conducted on specimens bred at the Station for sturgeon growth belonging to ICDEAPA Galati. The specimens were processed and analyzed in both the fresh stage and while they were kept in refrigerated conditions at a temperature of 40C. The evaluation of the sensorial and microbiological modifications was done until the appearance of the sensorial indicators showing the degradation of the sturgeon’s meat, knowing that the main cause which produces the alteration of the fish is the activity of contamination microorganisms followed by autolithic processes. Avoiding the degradation of the meat is done by applying the adequate conservation methods.