Effect of copper ions on the associations of <i>Azospirillum</i> bacteria with wheat seedlings (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)

The physiological and biochemical activity of plant–microbial associations enables them to determine the mobility, bioavailability, and accumulation of heavy metals in plant tissues. These abilities are the basis for the use of plants and their associated microorganisms in the development of approaches that ensure both the prevention of the ingress of toxic metals into food crops and the extraction of pollutants from polluted soils by using phytoremediation technologies. Whether plant–microbial complexes are used successfully depends on the knowledge of how specific organisms interact with heavy metals. We evaluated the effect of copper ions on common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) inoculated with three plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) of the genus Azospirillum. We analyzed the growth variables of 14-day-old wheat seedlings, the content of photosynthesis pigments, the activity of plant oxidoreductases, and the accumulation of copper by plant tissues. All strains more or less compensated for copper toxicity to seedling development and increased metal accumulation in roots and shoots. Copper affected the photosynthetic apparatus of the inoculated plants, primarily by decreasing the content of chlorophyll b. An analysis of the activity of plant oxidoreductases (peroxidases and phenoloxidases), which are involved in the physiological responses of plants to pollutant stress, showed strain-specific dependence and a significant effect of copper on the inoculated plants. Overall, the obtained results clearly show that the effect of Azospirillum on the physiological and biochemical status of wheat is diverse. The compensatory effect of bacteria on copper toxicity and the simultaneous increase in metal accumulation in plant tissues can be considered as mutually exclusive crop-production aspects associated with the growing of food plants in heavy-metal-polluted areas

New limit on the mass of 9.4-keV solar axions emitted in an M1 transition in 83^{83}Kr nuclei

A search for resonant absorption of the solar axion by $^{83}\rm{Kr}$ nuclei was performed using the proportional counter installed inside the low-background setup at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory. The obtained model independent upper limit on the combination of isoscalar and isovector axion-nucleon couplings $|g_3-g_0|\leq 1.69\times 10^{-6}$ allowed us to set the new upper limit on the hadronic axion mass of $m_{A}\leq 130$ eV (95\% C.L.) with the generally accepted values $S$=0.5 and $z$=0.56.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of the 10th Patras Workshop on Axions, WIMPs and WISP 29 June - 4 July 2014, CERN, Geneva, Switzerlan

tPCS as a method for correcting cardiac arrhythmias after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stenting in patients with myocardial infarction

Objective: To study the effect of transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS) therapy on cardiac arrhythmias developed after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) with stenting in patients with myocardial infarction (MI).Material and methods: Characteristics of patient groups: the comparison group (n = 17) – with myocardial infarction, after PTCA with stenting, standard treatment; the main group (n = 21) – the same and tPCS therapy. Control points of the study: 1st day – Electrocardiography (ECG), Echocardiography (ECHO), Creatine phosphokinase (CPK), Creatine phosphokinase-MB (CPK-MB), Troponin-I, potassium, β-endorphin; 5th day – the same without ECHO; 10th day – the same and ECG with the determination of harmony and quantum of the electromagnetic flux of the cardiac cycle. PTCA was performed using drug-eluting stents. tPCS therapy was performed in pulsed bipolar mode, current strength 2 mA, current frequency 77.5 Hz, session duration 45 min.Results: In patients of the main group (against the background of tPCS therapy), the studied parameters of the cardiac cycle approached the optimal values. It was shown that intergroup differences in harmony (p = 0.002) and the size of the electromagnetic flux quantum of the cardiac cycle (p = 0.001) are statistically significant. Also, against the background of the tPCS therapy, the concentration of highly sensitive troponin-I is statistically significantly (p = 0.0042) lower by 109%. On the 5th and 10th days of the study, the serum concentration of β-endorphin in the main group was higher by 38.3 and 35.0% than in the comparison group (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: The results of the study clearly demonstrate the cardioprotective and antiarrhythmic potential of tPCS therapy in patients with myocardial infarction and cardiac arrhythmias after PTCA with stenting

Comparison of REMS, NEWS, qSOFA and SIRS criteria scales for sepsis prediction in patients with diagnosis “SARS-CoV-2, virus unidentified”: a retrospective observational study

Background. Despite ample research on the coronavirus infection sequence and therapy, the incidence of adverse outcomes remains very high. Sepsis stands among the major factors greatly complicating treatment and increasing the risk of death. A timely identification of highrisk sepsis patients is a cornerstone of effective sepsis prevention.Objectives. A comparative prognostic power assessment between the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) scale, National Early Warning Score (NEWS), Initial Prehospital Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) and the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria for sepsis detection in anaesthetic intensive care patients with a diagnosis: SARS-CoV-2, virus unidentified.Methods. A retrospective observational study included 166 patients over 18-year age with unconfirmed infection (ICD-10 code U07.2). The qSOFA, NEWS, REMS and SIRS point estimates were obtained from each patient. The patients were retrospectively divided in two cohorts by sepsis presence (Sepsis-3 criteria) to determine the express scales power in evaluating the risk of sepsis (estimated as area under ROC curve, AUROC).Results. Data on 102 patients were included in the final analysis. Fifty-eight (57%) patients were terminal, and 55 (54%) developed sepsis. The estimates are as follows: NEWS — AUROC 0.848 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.764–0.912], sensitivity 76.36% [95% CI 63.0–86.8], specificity 82.98% [95% CI 69.2–92.4], optimal cut-off threshold &gt;5 points; qSOFA — AUROC 0.700 [95% CI 0.602–0.787], sensitivity 76.36% [95% CI 63.0–86.8], specificity 61.70% [95% CI 46.4–75.5], optimal cut-off threshold &gt;0 points; REMS — AUROC 0.739 [95% CI 0.643–0.821], sensitivity 69.09% [95% CI 55.2–80.9], specificity 65.96% [95% CI 50.7–79.1], optimal cut-off threshold &gt;5 points; SIRS criteria — AUROC 0.723 [95% CI 0.626–0.807], sensitivity 98.18% [95% CI 90.3–100.0], specificity 31.91% [95% CI 19.1–47.1], optimal cut-off threshold &gt;0 points.Conclusion. The NEWS scale revealed a good prognostic power to estimate the risk of sepsis in patients with suspected COVID-19 disease. The qSOFA, REMS scales and SIRS criteria possess a good calibration capacity, albeit insufficient resolution, which limits their prognostic value

Influence of Electrolyte Temperature on the Formation of the Morphology of the Porous Structure of Anodic Aluminum Oxide

The results of research on anodizing thin aluminum films 100 nm thick on SiO2–Si plates at 30 V in a 0.3 M aqueous solution of oxalic acid are presented. The effect of the electrolyte temperature on the morphology of porous anodic aluminum oxide (PAAO) films is studied. The pore diameter and interpore distance are determined by the computer analysis of the SEM images of the morphology of the anode films using the ImageJ software. The data obtained show that the pore diameter does not depend on the temperature of the electrolyte and the time of the process, but is determined only by the anodizing voltage. In the electrolyte temperature range of 5 to 40°C, the pore diameter of the PAAO films is 20 ± 0.5 nm, and the interpore distance is 77.7 nm. The research results indicate that a change in the temperature of the electrolyte, in contrast to the anodizing voltage, affects only the growth rate of the anode film, and not its porous morphology

New experimental limits on the Pauli forbidden transitions in 12^{12}C nuclei obtained with 485 days Borexino data

The Pauli exclusion principle (PEP) has been tested for nucleons ($n,p$) in $^{12}C$ with the Borexino detector.The approach consists of a search for $\gamma$, $n$, $p$ and $\beta^\pm$ emitted in a non-Paulian transition of 1$P_{3/2}$- shell nucleons to the filled 1$S_{1/2}$ shell in nuclei. Due to the extremely low background and the large mass (278 t) of the Borexino detector, the following most stringent up-to-date experimental bounds on PEP violating transitions of nucleons have been established: $\tau({^{12}\rm{C}}\to{^{12}\widetilde{\rm{C}}}+\gamma) \geq 5.0\cdot10^{31}$ y, $\tau({^{12}\rm{C}}\to{^{11}\widetilde{\rm{B}}}+ p) \geq 8.9\cdot10^{29}$ y, $\tau({^{12}\rm{C}}\to{^{11}\widetilde{\rm{C}}}+ n) \geq 3.4 \cdot 10^{30}$ y, $\tau({^{12}\rm{C}}\to{^{12}\widetilde{\rm{N}}}+ e^- + \widetilde{\nu_e}) \geq 3.1\cdot 10^{30}$ y and $\tau({^{12}\rm{C}}\to{^{12}\widetilde{\rm{B}}}+ e^+ + \nu_e) \geq 2.1 \cdot 10^{30}$ y, all at 90% C.L. The corresponding upper limits on the relative strengths for the searched non-Paulian electromagnetic, strong and weak transitions have been estimated: $\delta^2_{\gamma} \leq 2.2\cdot10^{-57}$, $\delta^2_{N} \leq 4.1\cdot10^{-60}$ and $\delta^2_{\beta} \leq 2.1\cdot10^{-35}$.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Циркадные ритмы и некоторые морфометрические показатели меланомы B16

Introduction. Melanoma is one of the most malignant human tumors, originating from melanin-forming tissue. Currently, among the risk factors for the development of malignant neoplasms, including melanoma, light pollution is considered – exposure to light at night. In turn, the violation of circadian rhythm under conditions of light pollution often leads to the occurrence of desynchronosis, which is the cause of the development of a number of diseases, including malignant neoplasms. As a rule, light pollution is accompanied by a decrease in the production of epiphyseal melatonin, which has oncostatic, antitumor and antioxidant effects.The objective of study was to study the morphological features of transplanted B16 melanoma, to establish the micromorphometric indicators of tumor cells and circadian rhythms of some of them for further use as control indicators in the study of the effect of various light regimes and experimental therapy on the morphofunctional state of the body of animals with transplanted melanoma.Methods and materials. The study was conducted on male hybrid mice of the BDF1 line. The animals were divided into 2 equal groups of 25 individuals. The first group served as an intact control, the mice of the second group were transplanted with B16/F10 melanoma. On the 15th day after tumor inoculation, the animals were withdrawn from the experiment at 9.00, 15.00, 21.00 and 3. The mass and volume of the tumor were determined, microscopic, including micromorphometric studies of tumors were performed. Glucose levels were determined in blood plasma. The daily dynamics of the studied parameters was assessed, and for the statistical calculation of the amplitude and acrophase of circadian rhythms, a cosinor analysis was performed.Results. The study of the circadian rhythm of glucose made it possible to reveal its difference in animals with melanoma from that in the control. Changes in the daily rhythmicity of this metabolite, which comprehensively reflects the synchronization of many rhythms with each other, allows us to state a significant change in circadian rhythmostasis in animals with melanoma. As a result of the study, we have established micromorphometric indicators characteristic of B16 melanoma on the 14th day after transplantation. The circadian rhythm of the area of the nucleus and cells, the mitotic index and the absence of a clock for the NCR were established. The difference between the phase-amplitude features of the CR of the area of the nucleus of melanocyte cells from the normal ones was found.Conclusion. The obtained data indicate a change in rhythmostasis in mice with experimental B16 melanoma. The features of the organization of the rhythmicity of the tumor itself can be used in its targeted experimental therapy, taking into account chronobiological features. The results of the study can be used for further studies of the effect of various lighting modes on the morphofunctional state of the animal organism in the pathology under study.Введение. Меланома является одной из наиболее злокачественных опухолей человека, происходящей из меланинобразующей ткани. В настоящее среди факторов риска развития злокачественных новообразований, в том числе и меланомы, рассматривается световое загрязнение – воздействие света в ночное время. В свою очередь, нарушение циркадной ритмичности в условиях светового загрязнения нередко приводит к возникновению десинхронозов, которые могут быть причиной развития целого ряда заболеваний, в том числе и злокачественных новообразований. Как правило, световое загрязнение сопровождается снижением выработки эпифизарного мелатонина, обладающего онкостатическим, противоопухолевым и антиоксидантным эффектами.Цель – изучение морфологических особенностей перевиваемой меланомы B16, установление микроморфометрических параметров клеток опухоли и циркадных ритмов (ЦР) некоторых из них для дальнейшего использования в качестве контрольных показателей при исследовании влияния различных световых режимов и экспериментальной терапии на морфофункциональное состояние организма животных с перевитой меланомой.Методы и материалы. Исследование проведено на cамцах мышей-гибридов линии BDF1. Животные были разделены на две равные группы по 25 особей. Первая служила интактным контролем, мышам второй группы осуществляли трансплантацию меланомы В16/F10. На 15-е сутки после перевивки опухоли животные были выведены из опыта в 9.00, 15.00, 21.00 и 3.00. Определяли массу и объем опухоли, проводили микроскопические, в том числе и микроморфометрические, исследования опухолей. В плазме крови определяли уровень глюкозы. Оценивали суточную динамику изучаемых показателей, для статистического расчета амплитуды и акрофазы циркадных ритмов выполняли косинор-анализ.Результаты. Исследование циркадного ритма глюкозы позволило выявить его отличие у животных с меланомой от такового в контроле. Изменения суточной ритмичности этого метаболита, комплексно отражающего синхронизацию множества ритмов между собой, позволяют утверждать о значительном изменении циркадного ритмостаза у животных с меланомой. В результате проведенного исследования нами были установлены микроморфометрические показатели, характерные для меланомы B16, на 14-е сутки после перевивки. Установлен циркадный ритм площади ядра и клетки, митотического индекса и отсутствие тактового для ядерно-цитоплазматического отношения. Обнаружено отличие фазово-амплитудных особенностей ЦР площади ядра клеток меланоцитов опухоли от нормальных.Заключение. Полученные данные свидетельствуют об изменении ритмостаза у мышей с экспериментальной меланомой B16. Особенности организации ритмичности самой опухоли могут быть использованы при ее таргетной экспериментальной терапии с учетом хронобиологических особенностей. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы для дальнейших исследований влияния различных режимов освещения на морфофункциональное состояние организма животных при исследуемой патологии

Measurement of neutrino flux from the primary proton--proton fusion process in the Sun with Borexino detector

Neutrino produced in a chain of nuclear reactions in the Sun starting from the fusion of two protons, for the first time has been detected in a real-time detector in spectrometric mode. The unique properties of the Borexino detector provided an oppurtunity to disentangle pp-neutrino spectrum from the background components. A comparison of the total neutrino flux from the Sun with Solar luminosity in photons provides a test of the stability of the Sun on the 10$^{5}$ years time scale, and sets a strong limit on the power production in the unknown energy sources in the Sun of no more than 4\% of the total energy production at 90\% C.L.Comment: 15 pages, 2 tables, 3 figure