Biogeochemical features of fallow lands in the steppe zone

Fallow lands in ancient agricultural areas of Northwestern Crimea which had experienced repeated phases of agricultural activity at different time periods (the Late Bronze Age, antiquity, and the last 150−200 years) have been studied. The most informative and evolutionarily significant biogeochemical indicators of relict agricultural loads and duration of fallow periods are specifie

Magnetic surveys locate Late Bronze Age corrals

A new type of livestock enclosure from the Late Bronze Age has been discovered. Stone walls outline a pair of circular or oval areas that may be up to 50 m in diameter. The stone walls are invisible at the surface; they were discovered in north-western Crimea and only with the aid of remote sensing and geophysical survey

MOBILIZATION OF VEGETABLE PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES TO THE VIR COLLECTION FROM THE TERRITORY OF ARMENIA (BASED ON THE DATA OF VIR'S INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITION TO ARMENIA IN 2017)

Background. Plant genetic resources (PGR) mobilization, their preservation in collections (ex situ) and in plant communities (in  situ/on farm), their studying as well as systematization of the  related information in databases are not just relevant and topical  issues; they are vital to ensure food, environmental and bioresource  security of Russia. In view of this, the number of VIR's expeditions to various regions of Russia and neighboring countries to collect food,  fodder and industrial crops and their wild relatives is growing every  year. Armenia is one of the richest territories in genetic resources.  The richness and diversity of PGR in general and vegetable crops in  particular is determined by several factors, including geographical  features, soil and climate, the origin of cultivated plants, the  traditions of their cultivation and consumption, and others.Methodology. Surveys of the planned territories were carried out  along the routes from Yerevan in different directions, and lasted from one to three days. The collecting method complied with the  Guidelines for collecting plant resources to replenish the collection of VIR.Results. During the period from August 06 to 20, 2017, 191  collection sites were explored, and various accessions were  collected: 225 seed samples for the VIR collection, and 53 herbarium specimens of wild lettuce for VIR's Herbarium, 48 of which belonged  to Lactuca L. spp., and 5 to the species of close genera (Cicerbita  Wallr., Cephalorinhus Boiss.). The length of the route was 2,863 km

The Use of Remote Sensing Methods for Studying of the Ancient Greek Land Division System of Tauric Chersonesos on the Mayachnyy Peninsula of the Crimea Peninsula

A detailed analysis of the 1940s archival aerial photographs and a 1966 satellite image, has shown that the earliest land division of the ancient Tauric Chersonesos affected the Sredinnyy Peninsula of the Crimean Peninsula, as well as the territory to the southeast of the fortification on the isthmus of Mayachnyy, which is on the outside the Mayachnyy Peninsul

Morphological features of the inflorescence in jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) accessions from the VIR collection

Background. Jerusalem artichoke (Heliánthus tuberósus L.) is a valuable crop grown for feed, food, industrial and medicinal purposes. Studying biological, geographic, environmental, taxonomic and other features of this species is a vital task, whose solution will help, first of all, to disclose the variability of its traits, develop its intraspecific system, and work out methods for researching into the morphology of Jerusalem artichoke. Analyzing morphological features of its inflorescence and flower is one of the basic components of such a study. Materials and methods. The material for the research was the collection of Jerusalem artichoke maintained in a live condition at Maikop Experiment Station. The inflorescences of 58 accessions were analyzed to investigate eleven traits. Statistical analysis was carried out using StatSoft’s Statistica 13.0 software package. Results and conclusion. The greatest differences among the groups, formed according to geographic origin, were observed in the number of inflorescences per plant and the number of false ligulate florets in the inflorescence. The length of tubular florets was constant within the species, being 1.4 cm; as the most stable trait, this descriptor probably may be used as a diagnostic tool for this species. The accession ‘Sakhalinsky Krasny 4’ (Sakhalin population of Japanese origin) was the most distinctive, as regards the set of its characteristics

Genome sequence and analysis of methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha DL1

Ravin NV, Eldarov MA, Kadnikov VV, et al. Genome sequence and analysis of methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha DL1. BMC Genomics. 2013;14(1): 837.Background: Hansenula polymorpha DL1 is a methylotrophic yeast, widely used in fundamental studies of methanol metabolism, peroxisome biogenesis and function, and also as a microbial cell factory for production of recombinant proteins and metabolic engineering towards the goal of high temperature ethanol production. Results: We have sequenced the 9 Mbp H. polymorpha DL1 genome and performed whole genome analysis for the H. polymorpha transcriptome obtained from both methanol- and glucose-grown cells. RNA-seq analysis revealed the complex and dynamic character of the H. polymorpha transcriptome under the two studied conditions, identified abundant and highly unregulated expression of 40% of the genome in methanol grown cells, and revealed alternative splicing events. We have identified subtelomerically biased protein families in H. polymorpha, clusters of LTR elements at G + C-poor chromosomal loci in the middle of each of the seven H. polymorpha chromosomes, and established the evolutionary position of H. polymorpha DL1 within a separate yeast clade together with the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris and the non-methylotrophic yeast Dekkera bruxellensis. Intergenome comparisons uncovered extensive gene order reshuffling between the three yeast genomes. Phylogenetic analyses enabled us to reveal patterns of evolution of methylotrophy in yeasts and filamentous fungi. Conclusions: Our results open new opportunities for in-depth understanding of many aspects of H. polymorpha life cycle, physiology and metabolism as well as genome evolution in methylotrophic yeasts and may lead to novel improvements toward the application of H. polymorpha DL-1 as a microbial cell factory

Specific features of telomerase RNA from Hansenula polymorpha.

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein, is responsible for the maintenance of eukaryotic genome integrity by replicating the ends of chromosomes. The core enzyme comprises the conserved protein TERT and an RNA subunit (TER) that, in contrast, displays large variations in size and structure. Here, we report the identification of the telomerase RNA from thermotolerant yeast Hansenula polymorpha (HpTER) and describe its structural features. We show further that the H. polymorpha telomerase reverse transcribes the template beyond the predicted boundary and adds a nontelomeric dT in vitro. Sequencing of the chromosomal ends revealed that this nucleotide is specifically present as a terminal nucleotide at the 3' end of telomeres. Mutational analysis of HpTER confirmed that the incorporation of dT functions to limit telomere length in this species

Epidemiology, practice of ventilation and outcome for patients at increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications

BACKGROUND Limited information exists about the epidemiology and outcome of surgical patients at increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), and how intraoperative ventilation was managed in these patients. OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of surgical patients at increased risk of PPCs, and to compare the intraoperative ventilation management and postoperative outcomes with patients at low risk of PPCs. DESIGN This was a prospective international 1-week observational study using the ‘Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia risk score’ (ARISCAT score) for PPC for risk stratification. PATIENTS AND SETTING Adult patients requiring intraoperative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals across 29 countries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the incidence of patients at increased risk of PPCs based on the ARISCAT score. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative ventilatory management and clinical outcomes. RESULTS A total of 9864 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The incidence of patients at increased risk was 28.4%. The most frequently chosen tidal volume (VT) size was 500 ml, or 7 to 9 ml kg1 predicted body weight, slightly lower in patients at increased risk of PPCs. Levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) were slightly higher in patients at increased risk of PPCs, with 14.3% receiving more than 5 cmH2O PEEP compared with 7.6% in patients at low risk of PPCs (P < 0.001). Patients with a predicted preoperative increased risk of PPCs developed PPCs more frequently: 19 versus 7%, relative risk (RR) 3.16 (95% confidence interval 2.76 to 3.61), P < 0.001) and had longer hospital stays. The only ventilatory factor associated with the occurrence of PPCs was the peak pressure. CONCLUSION The incidence of patients with a predicted increased risk of PPCs is high. A large proportion of patients receive high VT and low PEEP levels. PPCs occur frequently in patients at increased risk, with worse clinical outcome