In the present study PCR was applied to detect leptospires in human urine. Several approaches for sample processing were evaluated to optimize the detection of leptospires in urine mixed with this bacterium. Furthermore, some changes in the composition of the reaction mix were studied. No amplification was observed in acidic urine, therefore neutralization of the sample immediately after collec...

The Mediterranean Region is one of the world's biodiversity hot-spots, which is also characterized by high level of endemism. Approximately 2100 species of leaf beetle (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae) are known from this area, a number that increases year after year and represents 5/6% of the known species. These features, associated with the urgent need to develop a DNA-based species identification...

The effect of cement dust on the growth parameters of brinjal (Solanum melongena) was studied. The cement dust (2 g/plant) exhibited both inhibitory and promotory effects on different growth parameters of the S. melongena. The decrease in the number of leaves (37.19 and 62.28%), leaf area (57.93 and 57.26%), root length (48.21 and 56.75%), shoot length (27.27 and 38.98%), plant circumference (3...

A highly sensitive, solid-phase, enzyme-amplified immunoassay for the plant growth regulator (+)-abscisic acid (ABA) was developed. The assay sensitivity (0.2-10 fmol) was sufficient for analyzing free ABA in homogeneous tissue samples dissected from Vicia faba L. leaves. Eight hours after detached leaves had been desiccated to 10% loss of fresh weight, the bulk leaf ABA content increased from ...

Cotton leaf, bract, fibre from opened bolls, and soil samples were collected weekly during two growing seasons (1984, 1985). Total and Gram negative bacterial populations were determined for each sample. Representative bacterial isolates were identified and endotoxin concentrations determined. For both years total and Gram negative bacterial populations on all sample types remained relatively s...

We investigated the impact of administration and inquiry skills on Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 1974, 1991, 1993) protocols collected for the Italian adult nonpatient reference sample. The same research team collected CS protocols on two occasions. The initial reference sample (N = 212; Lis, Rossi, & Priha, 1998) was collected under the supervision of experienced psychologists who...

Triamidefon is a triazole derivative, which have both fungicidal and plant growth regulator (PGR) properties, and also protect plants from several types of abiotic stresses. The influential mechanism of Triamidefon on plants is not much studied. In this study effect of this compound on the drought stressed in tomato plants was investigated. The plants were subjected to 5 day interval drought st...