An efficient system of micropropagation via somatic embryogenesis from root-derived callus was established in

Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.). Twenty-six callus lines were induced on MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962)

medium supplemented with combinations of NAA (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L) plus BA (0, 1 and 2 mg/L), or 2,4-D

(0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L) plus TDZ (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). Subsequently, two types of somatic embryos were obtained

from callus cultures and named S-type and I-type embryos. The S-type embryos were obtained from an 18-monthold

callus line which was induced and maintained at 2 mg/L TDZ and 0.1 mg/L 2,4-D near the end of each period

of the subculture. These embryos have a developmental barrier, which did not pass through the torpedo stage

and could be overcome by a supplement of 2 or 5 mg/L BA. The I-type embryos were induced from 3-month-old

callus when transferred onto induction media, i.e., MS supplemented with TDZ (2 and 5 mg/L) plus 2,4-D (0 and

0.1 mg/L). The significantly highest response, i.e., 13.3 embryos per callus clump was obtained at 2 mg/L TDZ.

In this study, the results reveal that TDZ has a crucial effect on embryogenic callus induction, proliferation and

subsequent somatic embryogenesis.

I n t r o d u c t i o n: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a congenital heart anomaly that is diagnosed prenatally or postnatally. The prenatal diagnosis leads to limiting the rate of systemic complications in the preoperative period due to optimization of the early therapeutic management.

O b j e c t i v e: The objective of the study is to determine the effect of prenatal diagnostic management of HLHS on the condition of newborns and the frequency of antibiotherapy employment prior to the first stage of surgical treatment.

Me t h o d o l o g y: The study included 95 children with HLHS operated on in the years 2014–2016. The cohort was divided into two groups: newborns with a prenatally diagnosed heart defect (50 children — 52.6%) and neonates with the defect diagnosed after birth (45 children — 47.4%). The data of the patients were analyzed based on their medical records.

R e s u l t s: The mean age of the children upon admission was 3.86 days in the group of patients with the prenatally diagnosed heart defect (PreHLHS) and 7.41 days in the group of newborns without the prenatal diagnosis (PostHLHS) (p = 0.001). In 60% of the PreHLHS group patients (30/50), at least one antibiotic was administered, while in the PostHLHS group, antibiotherapy was employed in 93.3% (42/45) cases (p = 0.001). Bacteriological tests demonstrated pathogen growth in 33 children (36% and 33.3%, respectively), what accounted for 34.7% of the entire cohort. On the average, the first antibiotic was introduced on the 6.55th day of life in the PreHLHS group and on the 2.73th day in the PostHLHS group (p = 0.005). Th e most profound differences in antibiotic employment involved aminoglycosides. The aforementioned type of antibiotic medications was administered to 6% of the children with the prenatal diagnosis and to 17.8% of the children diagnosed postnatally (p = 0.042).

C o n c l u s i o n s: Preoperative antibiotherapy in children with HLHS was employed more frequently than it would be indicated by microbiology tests results. Antibiotics were observed to be introduced more commonly and earlier in the newborns with the postnatally diagnosed congenital heart defect.

In this study, we examined whether and to what extent oxidative stress is induced in seedlings of two winter triticale (Triticosecale Wittm.) varieties (susceptible Tornado and resistant Witon) in response to infestation by the cereal grain aphid (Sitobion avenae L.) and bird-cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.). We compared the level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation products as well as markers of protein damage (protein-bound thiol and carbonyl groups). The studied parameters were measured at 6, 24, 48 and 96 h post-initial aphid infestation compared to the non-infested control seedlings. Our studies indicated that the cereal aphid feeding evoked oxidative stress in the triticale seedlings. Cereal aphid feeding increased the H2O2 level in triticale tissues, with maximum levels observed at 24 and 48 h post-infestation. Triticale infestation with aphids also increased lipid peroxidation products in triticale seedlings, with the maximal levels at 48 or 96 h post-infestation. Further, there was a reduction in protein thiol content and an increase in protein carbonyl content in the triticale seedlings after infestation with female aphids. Stronger triticale macromolecule damages were evoked by the oligophagous aphid R. padi. There was a more substantial protein thiol content reduction in the resistant Witon cultivar and higher accumulation of protein-bound carbonyls in the tissues of the susceptible Tornado cultivar. The changes were proportional to the aphid population and the time of aphid attack. These findings indicate that the defensive strategies against cereal aphid (S. avenae and R. padi) infestation were stimulated in triticale Tornado and Witon seedlings. Our results explain some aspects and broaden the current knowledge of regulatory mechanisms in plant-aphid interactions.

This paper presents preliminary data on the population structure of two Antarctic crustaceans Eudorella splendida and Nototanais antarcticus, commonly occurring in Admiralty Bay (South Shetland Islands). From analysis of the material studied it can be concluded that N. antarcticus is a progynous hermaphrodite with a life cycle lasting at least two years. The life cycle of E. splendida lasts probably 3-4 years. It is a semelparous species, but some females after brooding moult and revert into the intermediate stage.