Syntaxonomy and ecological differentiation of the pioneer vegetation of Ukraine. 1. Classes: Cakiletea maritimae, Ammophiletea, Crithmo-Staticetea, Crypsietea aculeatae, Therosalicornietea

Pioneer plant communities grow on newly-formed ecotopes of coastal and partially continental areas, on patches that have dried after the surface water flooding. They are affected by sea tides, wind-induced effect, salinity, denudation, accumulation and sharp changes in soil humidity. To these factors are added chemical and biological pollution, as well as anthropogenic pressure. Due to these reasons, such plant communities have a specific floristic composition, structure, functional regime and resilience mechanisms, which are different from coenoses of more stable habitats. On the basis of the analysis of more than 600 phytosociological relevés using TWINSPAN modified algorithm the current state of littoral and halophytic classes of pioneer vegetation in Ukraine has been established and their syntaxonomic structure identified. It has been determined that the level of pioneer phytocoenoses diversity in Ukraine is similar to that of Central Europe. The Cakiletea maritimae class is presented by 1 order, 1 alliance, and 4 associations; Ammophiletea – by 1 order, 1 alliance, and 8 associations; Crithmo-Staticetea – by 1 order, 2 alliances, and 3 associations; Crypsietea aculeatae – by 1 order, 3 alliances, and 4 associations, Therosalicornietea – by 1 order, 2 alliances, and 10 associations. Synoptic tables of vegetation classes are given and nine alliances are briefly characterized. Using DCA-ordination analysis of syntaxa in the association-rank level we identified that the main factors of ecological differentiation are soil humidity and aeration as well as the nitrogen content. For the pioneer plant communities, other significant impact factors are the extremality of environmental conditions, their unevenness and non-equilibrium, in particular, the mechanical action of the sea waves, the dynamic processes of denudation and accumulation, salinity, as well as the variability of damping during the year. This research contributes to the identification of the place of the distinguished syntaxa of Ukrainian pioneer vegetation in the European system

Syntaxonomy and ecological differentiation of the pioneer vegetation of Ukraine. 2. Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae, Festucetea vaginatae, Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis classes

Pioneer psammophytic vegetation is usually developed on wind-drift sandy substrates such as arenas, spits, beaches, river terraces, and this vegetation occupies significant areas in all three natural zones of Ukraine. The Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis class was represented by 13 associations, 3 alliances and 1 order; Festucetea vaginatae class by 22 associations, 2 alliances and 1 order; Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae by 10 associations, 4 alliances and 1 order. The results of cluster analysis and synoptic tables of the classes are presented. 9 alliances are briefly described. Leading factors of territorial and ecological differentiation are identified. It was found that the territorial distribution of plant communities is influenced by the character of ecotope mesorelief, soil composition and humus horizon thickness, as well as the degree of eolian processes development. The main factors of their ecological differentiation are soil acidity, salt regime and ombroregime. Based on the results of DCA-ordination of syntaxa within certain vegetation classes, it was found that their distribution is influenced by factors that correlate with the environment-specific conditions. It has emerged that an ecological differentiation of syntaxa within Festucetea vaginatae is determined by the integrated effect of gradients, and soil salinity is leading among them. Temperature regime and climate continentality are leading factors in the distribution of syntaxa within the Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis class. The gradients of ombroregime and soil humidity have a significant impact. The distribution of communities of the Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae class in the ecological space is determined mainly by factors of variability of damping, ombroregime and climate continentality. The author’s syntaxonomic concept assumes the independence of the studied classes: Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis, Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae and Festucetea vaginatae, conside­ring that the leading factors of community differentiation of the Festucetea vaginatae and Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis classes are the origin (genesis) of sandy substrates, as well as soil acidity. Phytosociological analysis of a large number of relevés of coastal littoral vegetation also provides support for independence of the Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae and Ammophiletea classes diffe­rent floristically and ecologically. A review of the psammophytic vegetation of Ukraine will determine the place of the selected syntaxonomic units in the pan-European system

ФАКТОРИ, ЩО ВПЛИВАЮТЬ НА СТУДЕНТСЬКУ УСПІШНІСТЬ ВИВЧЕННЯ ТЕОРЕТИЧНОЇ ДИСЦИПЛІНИ

The aim of the work – to determine the factors that influence the success of medical students. The main body. Learning at a high school on the one hand is a necessity of the present, on the other – a difficult stage in the life of young people. The student of the first courses must adapt to the new conditions of existence, the dynamics of learning, change mode of living and work, their behavior. The large amount of new information, the physical and psychological difficulties faced by the student, lead to constant stress, anxiety and, as a result, chronic stress. The modern educational system is constantly changing, its entails the need for the student to constantly adapt to innovations. The student’s age is characterized by a variety of emotions, feelings and means of manifestation. Therefore, at the present stage, the study of the problem of stress in students’ educational activity remains relevant. The article presents data of anonymous survey of 163 students of 1–2-courses of the medical university regarding the reasons for unsatisfactory success in studying the theoretical discipline of Human Anatomy. Respondents were asked to independently determine the causes of inadequate mastery of material from discipline in practical classes and lectures. Conclusion. The obtained results testify to the state of chronic stress of students due to the imperfection of the educational system, the large amount of information, the exacerbation of chronic diseases, psychological problems.Мета роботи – визначити фактори, що впливають на успішність студентів-медиків. Основна частина. Навчання у вищому навчальному закладі, з одного боку, є необхідністю сучасності, з іншого – складним етапом життя молоді. Студенту перших курсів необхідно пристосуватися до нових умов існування, динаміки навчання, змінити спосіб життя та праці, свою поведінку. Великий об’єм нової інформації, фізичні та психологічні труднощі, з якими стикається студент, призводять до постійного напруження, відчуття тривоги та, як наслідок, стану хронічного стресу. Сучасна освітня система безперервно змінюється, що веде за собою необхідність з боку студента постійно адаптуватися до нововведень. Студентський вік характеризується різноманіттям емоцій, відчуттів та засобів їх прояву. Тому на сучасному етапі актуальним залишається вивчення проблеми стресу в навчальній діяльності студентів. У статті наведені дані анонімного опитування 163 студентів 1–2 курсів медичного університету щодо причин незадовільної успішності з вивчення теоретичної дисципліни “Анатомія людини”. Респондентам було запропоновано самостійно визначити причини неадекватного засвоєння матеріалу з дисципліни на практичних заняттях та лекціях. Висновок. Отримані результати свідчать про стан хронічного напруження студентів, перебування в стані навчального стресу за рахунок недосконалості навчальної системи, великого об’єму інформації, загострення хронічних захворювань, психологічних проблем у родині та колективі

Features of arterial pressure indicators in the postoperative period after surgical correction of aortic coarctation in children

Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital heart disease, which is characterized by a local narrowing of the vessel lumen. Such a congenital anomaly of the aorta requires surgical treatment. Manifestations of the disease can be diagnosed in the first day after birth as well as some patients can be asymptomatic. Clinical signs of aortic coarctation are heart failure, hypertension in the upper extremities, hypotension in the lower extremities, ischemic manifestations in the organs, hemodynamic disorders. Untimely treatment of aortic anomalies leads to complications or death of patient. The results of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring in children after surgical correction of aortic coarctation are presented in the article. Despite the successful surgical treatment of congenital aortic malformation, the long-term results of the operation are far from satisfactory. Almost 12–18 % of the patients having undergone surgery continue to be hypertensive with the vascular dysfunction development and without signs of recoarctation. Patients receive antihypertensive medications, sometimes their combinations, for a long time. Assessment of the daily blood pressure profile features in the postoperative period would help determine pathogenetic mechanisms of the hypertensive syndrome persistence and predict the pathological process course. The aim of the study was to assess the arterial pressure indices in children after successful surgical treatment of coarctation of the aorta. Materials and methods. The main group consisted of 24 children after surgical correction of aortic coarctation. The control group consisted of 20 practically healthy children. Results. A statistically significant decrease in the average diastolic blood pressure during a 24-hour period and daytime diastolic blood pressure and an increase in the daily systolic blood pressure index were determined in the main group children based on the results of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. Conclusions: The majority of children had low general well-being in the postoperative period. Indicators of systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured by Korotkov method (83.3 %) and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring parameters were typical for hypertension in majority of patients (66.7 %). Abnormalities of the circadian profile (“non-dipper”, “over-dipper”) were detected in 50.0 % of the main group children

Features of ecological differentiation of halophytic, steppe and petrophytic vegetation in the valley of the Liman Kuyalnik (Odesa Oblast)

Assessment of key environmental factors that influence vegetation distribution and formation of plant communities is one of the most important challenges in modern phytocenology. Nowadays, several bioindication systems are applied to determine ecological specificity of plant communities and to establish the leading factors for their environmental differentiation. The system most widely used in Europe, that of H. Ellenberg, contains a numerical score on 6 ecological factors. On the example of vegetation of the valley of the Liman Kuyalnik, Y. Didukh developed the synphytoindication method based on evaluation of phytocenoses with respect to 12 ecological factors: 7 edaphic factors and 5 climatic factors; the method determines a more accurate and complete presentation of the analysis. In the valley of the Liman Kuyalnik (Odesa Oblast) the largest area is covered with halophytic and steppe vegetation. Halophytic vegetation (Therosalicornietea, Festuco-Puccinellietea classes, Juncetea maritimi, Bolboschoenetea maritimi) predominated in the shoreline areas of the valley, whereas steppe (Festuco-Brometea) and petrophytic (Sedo-Scleranthetea) vegetation dominated on the slope sites. With the application of DCA-ordination and synphytoindication methods it was established that distribution of plant communities in the hyper-space of the environmental conditions was most strongly correlated with edaphic factors, whereas microclimatic (light intensity) and climatic (thermo-regime) conditions had somewhat less influence on their differentiation. Water regime and level of soil salinity served as key factors for syntaxa of halophytic vegetation; moisture variability and salt regime, as well as soil moisture and carbonate content were key factors for the steppe vegetation, and thermo-regime was the main factor for petrophytic-steppe and petrophytic vegetation. The "eco-spaces" of these groups largely overlap. Halophytic cenoses are characterized by quite wide ecological ranges by most ecological factors. Steppe communities show much less ecological diversity. In the valley of the liman, all the steppe communities were characterized by stenotopicity in relation to most ecological factors; these factors complexly determine the specificity and diversity of biotopes within the valley, which are unique and require protection and the taking of appropriate measures, depending on the changes in activity of one or another limiting factor. Nowadays, the valley of the Liman Kuyalnik is in a state of environmental disaster. The established relationships in ecological differentiation of plant communities will be applied to further monitoring of biodiversity state, preservation and possible restoration of vegetation types that were native for this unique territory

ОПТИМІЗАЦІЯ ПРОТИЕПІДЕМІЧНОГО ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ У ДИНАМІЦІ ПАНДЕМІЇ COVID-19

The new coronavirus SARS-Cov-2, which was discovered in Wuhan in December 2019, caused the COVID-19 pandemic. Anti-epidemic protection in different affected countries differs in the scope of regime-restrictive measures and response regulations. The most effective was a set of quarantine measures in combination with early detection of epidemic outbreaks and their blocking. The massive impact of the population in most countries of the world has led to the inefficiency of all three major medical units of the biological threats response system: clinical, epidemiological and laboratory – which are crucial in eliminating of pandemic. The lack of specific means of treatment and prevention requires constant monitoring of the epidemic situation and timely correction of measures to curb the negative trends in the epidemic situation. Medical facilities are at high risk of infecting both medical staff and all those seeking medical care, which requires the total introduction of specific infection control measures for COVID-19 at all levels of medical care, including the evacuation and sorting of patients. The rapid progression of the COVID-19 epidemic process on the planet at the background of data on low reproductive numbers indicates a lack of knowledge about the main manifestations and patterns of the epidemic process of this extremely dangerous infectious disease. It may be the main reason for ineffective countermeasures. The evolution of SARS-Cov-2 with the formation of three subtypes and five genotypes of the pathogen, especially the emergence of a variant of the D614G virus with increased contagiousness and virulence, requires effective virological monitoring to create of valid diagnostic test systems and assess the prospects for specific active immunoprevention against COVID-19. Lack of data on the infectious dose of SARS-Cov-2, taking into account the mechanisms of transmission of the pathogen, the presence of a high proportion of asymptomatic forms of the disease, limited data on “super source of infection” of the pathogen, large losses among medical personnel, differences in response systems to biological hazards and other circumstances complicate the possibility of an effective anti-epidemic response to COVID-19. Lack of control over compliance with the recommended number of countermeasures intensifies the development of the epidemic process during the introduction of adaptive quarantine.Новий коронавірус SARS-Cov-2, який виявили в м. Ухань у грудні 2019 р., спричинив пандемію COVID-19. Протиепідемічний захист у різних уражених країнах відрізняється за обсягами режимно-обмежувальних заходів і регламентами реагування. Найефективнішим виявився комплекс карантинних заходів у поєднанні з раннім виявленням епідемічних осередків та їх блокуванням. Масовість ураження населення в більшості країнах світу зумовила неефективність діяльності усіх трьох основних медичних ланок системи реагування на біологічні загрози: клінічної, епідеміологічної та лабораторної, – які є визначальними у ліквідації пандемії. Відсутність засобів лікування і профілактики вимагає постійного моніторингу епідемічної ситуації та своєчасної корекції заходів стримання її негативних тенденцій розвитку. Медичні заклади стали об’єктами високого ризику зараження як медичного персоналу, так і усіх, хто звертається за медичною допомогою, що вимагає тотального запровадження специфічних заходів інфекційного контролю щодо COVID-19 на всіх рівнях надання медичної допомоги, включно на етапах евакуації та сортування хворих. Швидке прогресування розвитку епідемічного процесу COVID-19 на планеті на фоні даних про низьке репродуктивне число свідчить про недостатність знань з основних проявів і закономірностей епідемічного процесу цього особливо небезпечного інфекційного захворювання, що може бути основною причиною неефективності протиепідемічних заходів. Еволюція SARS-Cov-2 з формуванням трьох підтипів і п’яти генотипів збудника, особливо поява варіанту вірусу D614G з підвищеною контагіозністю і вірулентністю, вимагає ефективного вірусологічного моніторингу для створення валідних діагностичних тест-систем і оцінювання перспективності застосування специфічної активної імунопрофілактики на момент появи вакцин проти COVID-19. Відсутність даних про інфікувальну дозу SARS-Cov-2 із врахуванням механізмів передачі збудника інфекції, наявність високої частки асимптомних форм хвороби, обмежені дані щодо «суперрозповсюджувачів» патогена, великі втрати серед медичного персоналу, відмінності в системах реагування на біологічні небезпеки на уражених територіях та низка інших обставин ускладнюють можливості ефективного протиепідемічного реагування на COVID-19. Відсутність контролю дотримання рекомендованого обсягу протиепідемічних заходів інтенсифікує розвиток епідемічного процесу в період запровадження адаптивного карантину

European Vegetation Archive (EVA): An integrated database of European vegetation plots

© 2016 International Association for Vegetation Science. The European Vegetation Archive (EVA) is a centralized database of European vegetation plots developed by the IAVS Working Group European Vegetation Survey. It has been in development since 2012 and first made available for use in research projects in 2014. It stores copies of national and regional vegetation- plot databases on a single software platform. Data storage in EVA does not affect on-going independent development of the contributing databases, which remain the property of the data contributors. EVA uses a prototype of the database management software TURBOVEG 3 developed for joint management of multiple databases that use different species lists. This is facilitated by the SynBioSys Taxon Database, a system of taxon names and concepts used in the individual European databases and their corresponding names on a unified list of European flora. TURBOVEG 3 also includes procedures for handling data requests, selections and provisions according to the approved EVA Data Property and Governance Rules. By 30 June 2015, 61 databases from all European regions have joined EVA, contributing in total 1 027 376 vegetation plots, 82% of them with geographic coordinates, from 57 countries. EVA provides a unique data source for large-scale analyses of European vegetation diversity both for fundamental research and nature conservation applications. Updated information on EVA is available online at http://euroveg.org/eva-database