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Abstract: Verticillium dahliae Kleb., the causal agent of Verticillium wilts, is a devastating plant disease affecting many plant species. Fungus V. dahliae was detected in a partially artificially established Acer pseudoplatanus L. forest stand in central Slovenia. This finding incited further study about the risk of different sources of V. dahliae isolates for maples in forests and the pathogenicity of three V. dahliae isolates of different origins was tested on saplings of A. pseudoplatanus, A. platanoides L., and A. campestre L. The inoculated saplings exhibited disease symptoms, i.e., leaf necrosis and wilting. At the end of the pathogenicity test, typical xylem browning was visible on the cross-sections, and the pathogen was successfully re-isolated. The isolates showed significant differences in their pathogenicity to specific maple hosts, with the agricultural isolate (originated from bell pepper) being the most aggressive on all three maple species. The disease severity index (DSI) and relative area under the disease progress curve (rAUDPC), as well as the success of re-isolation, indicate that A. platanoides is the most susceptible to inoculation with V. dahliae. In addition, significant differences in sapling biomass were observed between treated and control plants. These results suggest that maples in forest stands are threatened by V. dahliae, and biosecurity measures should be considered and implemented in forest management to reduce the transmission and potential spread of the pathogen.
Keywords: Verticillium wilt, Acer spp., pathogenicity test, Disease severity index, DSI, Area under the disease progress curve, AUDPC, biosecurity
Published in DiRROS: 07.02.2024; Views: 165; Downloads: 74
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Abstract: One of the key steps of the molecular identification of bark beetles is obtaining a sufficient quantity of high-quality DNA extract. In this study, we investigated the influence of different storage procedures for Ips typographus (L.) specimens and various DNA extraction protocols on the quantity and quality of DNA intended for use in molecular diagnostics. Adult beetles were frozen at -20 °C, either dry or in ethanol. We tested four different protocols for DNA extraction. We compared the quantity of extracted DNA and assessed its quality with PCR and Sanger sequencing. Different storage protocols had no significant effect on the quantity of DNA extracted. However, freezing specimens in ethanol provided higher-quality DNA for molecular applications. Only two of the extraction protocols produced sequenceable amplicons, and the difference in the amount of extracted DNA between them was not significant. We propose the optimal combination of storing specimens in ethanol at -20°C and using the Nucleospin Insect DNA extraction kit from Macherey Nagel, enabling a timeefficient identification process.
Keywords: early detection, specimen storage, total DNA extraction, PCR, polymerase chain reaction, Sanger sequencing, molecular diagnostics
Published in DiRROS: 02.02.2024; Views: 410; Downloads: 123
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Keywords: Co-Cr alloys, microstructure analysis, hardness, wear resistance
Published in DiRROS: 01.02.2024; Views: 173; Downloads: 111
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Abstract: Alkali activated foams (AAFs) were produced using electric arc furnace steel slag (EAF) and ladle furnace basic slag (LS), obtained from two metallurgical companies in Slovenia. They were activated with a mixture of sodium water glass (Na2SiO3) and solid NaOH and foamed with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Pores were stabilized with the addition of Triton as a surfactant. Four types of fibres were added to the studied mixture (polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA), basalt (B), and glass wool (GW)) in five different quantities: 0.5, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0 vol % in order to additionally stabilize the structure and thus improve its mechanical properties. The results of mechanical properties showed, that compressive strength was increased in all 20 specimens, partially due to the increased density as well as to the fibre addition. Flexural strength on the other hand was the most improved in the samples where PP and PVA fibres were added. The samples with the addition of B and GW fibres on the other hand showed only small or no improvement in flexural strength in comparison to the referenced sample. Additionally, the microstructure of used fibres and selected foams was also investigated by the means of SEM analysis.
Keywords: fibers, alkali activated foams, properties
Published in DiRROS: 31.01.2024; Views: 145; Downloads: 56
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Abstract: How to destroy cancer cells without damaging the normal cells? How to make conventional methods of systemic cancer treatment that predominantly comprise cytotoxic drugs more selective and prevent the development of drug resistance?There is an abundance of such guestions that do not have simple answers. If, a few years ago, unselective cytotoxic drugs were the method of choice for the treatment of cancer, in the last 25 years we are witnessing therapid transition of immunotherapy from the laboratories to the clinics. Among the most attractive and promising immunotherapies for cancer, a special place is reserved for tumor vaccines. Exploiting the latest knowledge in immunology, tumor physiology, as well as in molecular biology, many outstanding approaches for the creation of tumor vaccines have been developed.With no intention to be comprehensive, in the present article some of those approaches are reviewed.
Published in DiRROS: 31.01.2024; Views: 147; Downloads: 32
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