Geoecological approach to the design of recreational areas in large cities

Life in big cities exacerbates a person's desire to be more often in the bosom of nature, enjoy the peace and beauty of landscapes. The administration of megacities is concerned about the problems of preserving the natural environment and creating within the city limits a network of recreational areas where recreational activities can be organized. In each region, this type of recreation is organized in accordance with the laws adopted in the state. According to geoecologists, the share of recreational areas should be at least 15% of the total area of the city. So for example the total area of such territories in St. Petersburg is only 6 004.4 hectares (which is 4.17% of the total area of the city). Comparison of the urban map of landscapes and located areas for recreation within the city allows concluding about the unequal representation of each landscape. This should be taken into account when designing new protected areas within the city. In the research, an attempt to generalize the theoretical material in the field of environmental and recreational resource studies is done. Also, a detailed description of recreational opportunities for the rational use of individual components of the city's natural environment is presented. The authors conducted a geoecological analysis of the allocation of recreational areas in large cities. Features of nature that should be taken into account when designing recreational areas in large cities, on an example of St. Petersburg, are noted

Effects of high and low level 1265 nm laser irradiation on HCT116 cancer cells

The mechanism responsible for the oxidative stress due to photobiomodulation induced by 1265 nm laser is still unclear. Mitochondria are assumed to be the most probable acceptors of the 1265 nm laser irradiation. We study oxidative stress, mitochondrial potential, GSH, cell viability, DNA damage. We demonstrated that narrowband (highcoherent) and wideband lasers employed at the doses of 9.45 and 66.6-400 J/cm2, respectively, induce a dose-dependent cell death, increase ROS level, disturb mitochondrial functioning and can damage DNA. Thus, the 1265 nm lasers can affect the HCT116 cells through mitochondrial damage. Energy density increase contributes to cell damaging without heating effects

The light-oxygen effect in biological cells enhanced by highly localized surface plasmon-polaritons

Here at the first time we suggested that the surface plasmon-polariton phenomenon which it is well described in metallic nanostructures could also be used for explanation of the unexpectedly strong oxidative effects of the low-intensity laser irradiation in living matters (cells, tissues, organism). We demonstrated that the narrow-band laser emitting at 1265 nm could generate significant amount of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both HCT116 and CHO-K1 cell cultures. Such cellular ROS effects could be explained through the generation of highly localized plasmon-polaritons on the surface of mitochondrial crista. Our experimental conditions, the low-intensity irradiation, the narrow spectrum band (<4 nm) of the laser and comparably small size bio-structures (~10 μm) were shown to be sufficient for the plasmon-polariton generation and strong laser field confinement enabling the oxidative stress observed

The photobiomodulation of vital parameters of the cancer cell culture by low dose of near-IR laser irradiation

The mechanisms underlining the cell adaptive and/or activating oxidative stress, called low level light or photobiomodulation therapies (PBMT), still remain unclear for the near-infrared spectrum range (750-3000 nm), especially for the 1265-1270 nm range (highest absorption by molecular oxygen). It is most probable that the mitochondria may also appear to be the main target for these wavelengths. It is known that mitochondria can generate ROS under visible and 800-1060 nm spectrum range irradiation, which in turn control voltage-dependent anion channels (VDAC). Here we investigated cellular damage regarding VDAC activity, level of oxidative stress, malondialdehyde content, cell viability, mitochondrial potential and mass, GSH level, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA damage in the cancer cell culture exposed to low-level laser irradiation at 1265 nm. We used a continuous wave laser with output power 4 mW; the energy densities employed were 0.3-9.45 J/cm 2. We observed that the laser radiation at 1265 nm can induce the oxidative stress, enhance apoptosis, and disturb mitochondrial functioning at the energy density of 9.54 J/cm 2. In addition, inhibition of VDAC enhances the observed effects. It has been shown that the laser irradiation at 1265 nm damages mitochondrial DNA but does not affect the nuclear DNA. The performed experiments bring us to the conclusion that the laser irradiation at 1265 nm can affect cells through mitochondrial damage and the inhibition of VDAC enhances effects of PBMT

Assessment of Indoor Air Pollution in Homes with Infants

Infants spend most of their indoor time at home; however, residential air quality is poorly understood. We investigated the air quality of infants’ homes in the New England area of the U.S. Participants (N = 53) were parents of infants (0–6 months) who completed telephone surveys to identify potential pollutant sources in their residence. Carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤0.5 µm (PM0.5), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) were measured in 10 homes over 4–7 days, and levels were compared with health-based guidelines. Pollutant levels varied substantially across homes and within homes with overall levels for some homes up to 20 times higher than for other homes. Average levels were 0.85 ppm, 663.2 ppm, 18.7 µg/m3, and 1626 µg/m3 for CO, CO2, PM0.5, and TVOCs, respectively. CO2, TVOCs, and PM0.5 levels exceeded health-based indoor air quality guidelines. Survey results suggest that nursery renovations and related potential pollutant sources may be associated with differences in urbanicity, income, and presence of older children with respiratory ailments, which could potentially confound health studies. While there are no standards for indoor residential air quality, our findings suggest that additional research is needed to assess indoor pollution exposure for infants, which may be a vulnerable population

Obesity and associated risk factors in adolescents in rural areas of Buryatia, Russia

Background: According to WHO forecasts, childhood obesity can soon become equally dangerous to public health as malnutrition and infectious diseases. Elimination of modifiable risk factors is important for the disease and disease-associated complications prevention. At the same time it is shown that the risk factors can vary widely not only from country to country but also from area to area within one country. Aim: To establish risk factors associated with obesity in adolescents in rural areas of Buryatia, Russia. Materials and methods: The cross-sectional study included 11&ndash;17 year old adolescents with normal weight (BMI 25&ndash;75 percentile) and obesity (BMI &ge; 95 percentile). We assessed anthropometric measures of adolescents and their parents, sociodemographic characteristics, early-life exposures, eating and lifestyle patterns. Results: The study included 128 adolescents with normal weight and 72 adolescents with obesity. Both groups were comparable by sex, age and ethnicity. Factors, associated with obesity in rural adolescents, were: parents&rsquo; obesity (odds ratio (OR) 3.63 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.92&ndash;6.87); the mother&rsquo;s body mass index (OR 1.17 (95% CI 1.1&ndash;1.25)); duration of breast-feeding less than 4 months (OR 2.42 (95% CI 1.14&ndash;5.13)); disturbed dietary pattern (OR 2.54 (95% CI 1.1&ndash;5.88)). Factors showing protective effect were total breast-feeding duration (OR 0.94 (95% CI 0.89&ndash;0.99)) and mother&rsquo;s employment as a skilled worker (OR 0.51 (95% CI 0.27&ndash;0.96)). Conclusions: Characteristics of family (obesity in parents, mother&rsquo;s BMI), breast-feeding less than 4 months and the disturbed dietary pattern are the risk factors associated with obesity in adolescents living in rural areas of Buryatia which are worth considering when local obesity prevention programs are being developed

Reprint of: Benthic and planktic community changes at the North Siberian margin in response to Atlantic water mass variability since last deglacial times

The eastward penetration of Atlantic-derived water (ADW) into the Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean was investigated at the western Laptev Sea continental margin for the time since c. 17.6 ka. Using a high-resolution investigation of the lithology, geochemistry, planktic and benthic foraminifers, and ostracods on a sediment core from 270 m water depth major steps in the environmental evolution of the region are recognized. In general, ADW was continuously present in the study area. Between 17.6 and 15.4 ka ADW manifested itself through open-water polynyas and associated upwelling events. Comparison between the Laptev Sea and northern Svalbard shelf using Cassidulina neoteretis allows assuming an unmodified subsurface inflow of ADW within its northern branch between 15.4 and 13.2, which was strongest after 14.7-ka and in line with the overall climate amelioration. A local freshwater event at 13 ka followed by shelf flooding and the establishment of a freshened shelf water mass resulted in an off-shelf displacement of ADW from the studied site as suggested by the disappearance of C neoteretis between 12 and 7 ka. As evidenced by an abundance peak in Nonion labradoricum, the sea-ice marginal zone was located at the site around 12-11 ka but then shifted northward during the early Holocene warming. Enhanced ADW inflow since 7 ka correlated with climate cooling and southward retreat of the seasonal drift-ice margin. The inflow of ADW during mid-late Holocene differed from deglacial times because of the combined influence of northern and eastern ADW branche

Novel mutation in the gene causes early-onset but slow-progressive Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease in a Russian family: a case report

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) is a genetically heterogeneous group of peripheral neuropathies most of which are associated with mutations in four genes including peripheral myelin protein-22 ( PMP22) , myelin protein zero ( MPZ ), gap junction protein beta1 ( GJB1 ) and mitofusin2 ( MFN2 ). This current case report describes the clinical and genetic characteristics of a 6-year-old male proband. A physical examination revealed muscular hypotonia. He started walking on his own at 18 months. A nerve conduction study with needle electromyography revealed conduction block. A novel MPZ mutation (c.398C > T, p.Pro133Leu) was revealed in the proband. This mutation was also found in the 32-year-old father of the proband. The father had had deformity of the feet and distal muscle weakness since childhood. The novel p.Pro133Leu pathogenic mutation was responsible for early onset but slowly progressive CMT1B. We assume that this site is an intolerant to change region in the MPZ gene. This variant in the MPZ gene is an important contributor to hereditary neuropathy with reduced nerve conduction velocity in the Russian population. This case highlights the importance of whole exome sequencing for a proper clinical diagnosis of CMT associated with a mutation in the MPZ gene

Interval Hypoxic Training in Rehabilitation Program for Adolescents with Overweight / Obesity and Comorbid Arterial Hypertension: Open-Label Randomized Study

Background. Searching for new strategies for the rehabilitation of adolescents with obesity and comorbid arterial hypertension (AHT) before significant pathological changes development in the cardiovascular system remains the urgent challenge. Objective. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of interval hypoxic training (IHT) on blood pressure (BP) levels in adolescents with overweight / obesity and comorbid AHT. Methods. Adolescents aged 14-17 years with body mass index SDS ≥ 1 and grade I AHT (mean level of systolic and/or diastolic BP ≥ 95th percentile for population of corresponding age, sex and height) have been randomized to the group «aerobic training» (treadmill walking) and “aerobic training + IHT” (usage of hypoxicator in intermittent operation cycles). All patients were on subcaloric diet (10% reduction in caloric intake for given age). Primary outcome measure was the difference between groups on systolic/diastolic BP levels according to 24-hour BP monitoring after completion of training program (10 classes each). The effects of IHT on body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis), heart rate variability and psychoemotional state (Spielberger scale, assessment of health, activity and mood) were further estimated. Results. 43 patients were assigned to the index group, and 42 — to the control group. 67 patients have completed the research program. 5 patients (12%) from the IHT group and 13 patients (31%; p = 0.029) from the control group prematurely discontinued participation in the trial due to poor exercise tolerance. The groups were comparable in baseline systolic and diastolic BP. Decrease in BP occurred in both groups after 10 workouts. There were no differences in decrease value: mean difference for SBP was 2.4 mm Hg (95% CI -6.6 ... 1.8), for DBP — 0.2 mm Hg (-3.6 ... 4.0). However, the incidence of reaching the targeted SBP (&lt; 95th percentile for the corresponding age and sex) after completion of the treatment was recorded in 66% patients in the experimental group and in 42% patients in the control group (p = 0,047). Positive dynamics in several indicators of heart rate variability and psychoemotional state were mentioned in the IHT group. Conclusion. The IHT implementation in the complex of rehabilitation program for adolescents with overweight / obesity and AHT has no additional positive effect on BP levels. However, the incidence of reaching the targeted SBP (&lt; 95th percentile for the corresponding age and sex) after completion of the treatment was recorded in 66% patients in the experimental group and in 42% patients in the control group (p = 0,054)