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- Author or Editor: B. Krstic x
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Received: 17 April, 2001; accepted: 31 July, 2001 A study was conducted on the seed of eight commercial pepper varieties developed at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. The analysis of anatomical parameters observed on dissected seeds indicated the presence of significant quantitative differences between the varieties. Significant differences also existed in the dynamics of germination. The analysed seeds did not differ in the contents of nitrogen, phosphorus and sodium, but variability was recorded for the potassium and calcium contents. The variety Atina had the highest contents of macroelements and total ash. The oil content in the seed ranged from 10.78% to 21.00% (in Vranjska and Matica, respectively). The quantities of fatty acids varied from one variety to the other, but there were no qualitative differences. Pepper seeds had high average contents of unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic and oleic (61.00% and 12.8%, respectively).
One of the most important characteristics that determines the quality of forages is their digestibility. Certain structural characteristics of the vegetative organs, such as a high percentage of cells with lignified walls, might limit digestibility. Leaf and stem histological characteristics related to digestibility were examined for nine wild Lathyrus species closely related to cultivated species. The recommended characteristics for plants that could be used as forage on their own are: a small number of stem vascular bundles, a relatively small proportion of stem sclerenchyma and sclerenchymatous parenchyma tissue, thin leaflet cuticle, a small number of leaf vascular bundles, and large mesophyll and epidermal cells. According to the results of the analyses, species with favourable histological characteristics were L. palustris, L. sphaericus and L. aphaca, while the species with the highest proportion of thick-walled cells, unsuitable for use as forage, were L. pratensis, L. niger and L. tuberosus.
Influence of folic acid on the CNS is still unclear. Folate has a neuroprotective effect, while on the other hand excess folate can exacerbate seizures in epileptics. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of subchronic administration of folic acid on behavioural and electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics of DL homocysteine thiolactone induced seizures in adult rats. The activity of Na+/K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase in different brain regions was investigated. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into groups: 1. Controls (C, 0.9% NaCl); 2. DL homocysteine-thiolactone 8.0 mmol/kg (H); 3. Subchronic supplementation with folic acid 5 mg/kg for 7 days (F) and 4. Subchronic supplementation with F + single dose of H (FH). Seizure behaviour was assessed by incidence, latency, number and intensity of seizure episodes. Seizure severity was described by a descriptive scale with grades 0–4. For EEG recordings, three gold-plated recording electrodes were implanted into the skull. Subchronic supplementation with folic acid did not affect seizure incidence, median number of seizure episodes and severity in FH, comparison with H (p > 0.05). The majority of seizure episodes in all groups were of grade 2. There were no significant differences in lethal outcomes at 24 h upon H injection in the FH vs. H group. The activity of Na+/K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase was significantly increased in almost all examined structures in the FH vs. H group. Subchronic folic acid administration did not exacerbate H induced seizures and completely recovered the activity of ATPases.
