The contamination of Fabaceae plants with fungi and mycotoxins

This study aimed to assess the contamination of Fabaceae plants with fungi and mycotoxins, which have a negative effect on the health of consumers of plant products. Quantitative PCR was used to analyse the DNA of Alternaria, Cladosporium and Fusarium fungi in 69 plant samples harvested from four Russian regions in 2015. Additionally, mycotoxins were analysed using ELISA. Cladosporium fungi DNA was found in all the analysed samples; the occurrence of Alternaria and Fusarium DNA was 84% and 51%, respectively. Mycotoxin alternariol was detected in 100% and emodin in 90% of the samples. The occurrence of deoxynivalenol, diacetoxyscirpenol and T-2/HT-2 mycotoxins was 32%, 42% and 41%, respectively. Plant species had no significant effect on the Alternaria, Cladosporium and Fusarium DNA content of the samples; however, the alternariol, emodin, deoxynivalenol and diacetoxyscirpenol contents differed significantly between plant species. The geographical origin had a statistically significant effect on the Alternaria and Fusarium DNA contents, likely due to differences in weather conditions

Anisotropic Exchange in LiCu2O2{\bf LiCu_2O_2}

We investigate the magnetic properties of the multiferroic quantum-spin system LiCu$_2$O$_2$ by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements at $X$- and $Q$-band frequencies in a wide temperature range $(T_{\rm N1} \leq T \leq 300$\,K). The observed anisotropies of the $g$ tensor and the ESR linewidth in untwinned single crystals result from the crystal-electric field and from local exchange geometries acting on the magnetic Cu$^{2+}$ ions in the zigzag-ladder like structure of LiCu$_2$O$_2$. Supported by a microscopic analysis of the exchange paths involved, we show that both the symmetric anisotropic exchange interaction and the antisymmetric Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction provide the dominant spin-spin relaxation channels in this material.Comment: 10 pages, 10 Figure

Comparative assessment of physicians’ and senior medical students’ basic knowledge in treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common pathologies of the respira-tory system. This disease ranks third in the group of the main causes of death in the world. The effective treatment of COPD has been developed by today. However, a significant part of physicians has an insufficient amount of education in this matter

Flux crystal growth and the electronic structure of BaFe12O19 hexaferrite

The barium hexaferrite, BaFe12O19, microcrystals were obtained by the flux crystal growth method and were characterized by XRD, SEM, and TEM methods. XPS measurements were carried out on a powder sample. The binding energy differences between the O 1s and cation core levels, ΔBa = BE(O 1s) – BE(Ba 3d5/2) and ΔFe = BE(O 1s) – BE(Fe 2p3/2), were used to characterize the valence electron transfer on the formation of Ba–O and Fe–O bonds. The chemical bonding effects were considered on the basis of our XPS results measured for BaFe12O19 and the earlier published structural and XPS data for other Ba- or Fe-containing oxide compounds. The band structure of BaFe12O19 was calculated by spin-polarized DFT methods and compared to the valence band spectrum measured by the XPS method

Flux crystal growth and the electronic structure of BaFe12O19 hexaferrite

The barium hexaferrite, BaFe12O19, microcrystals were obtained by the flux crystal growth method and were characterized by XRD, SEM, and TEM methods. XPS measurements were carried out on a powder sample. The binding energy differences between the O 1s and cation core levels, ΔBa = BE(O 1s) – BE(Ba 3d5/2) and ΔFe = BE(O 1s) – BE(Fe 2p3/2), were used to characterize the valence electron transfer on the formation of Ba–O and Fe–O bonds. The chemical bonding effects were considered on the basis of our XPS results measured for BaFe12O19 and the earlier published structural and XPS data for other Ba- or Fe-containing oxide compounds. The band structure of BaFe12O19 was calculated by spin-polarized DFT methods and compared to the valence band spectrum measured by the XPS method

Synthesis, Structural, Thermal, and Electronic Properties of Palmierite-Related Double Molybdate α‑Cs2Pb(MoO4)2

Krystaly Cs2Pb (MoO4) 2 byly připraveny krystalizací ze své vlastní taveniny a struktura krystalů byla podrobně studována. Při 296 K molybdenát krystalizuje v a-formě s nízkou teplotou a má monoklinickou nadstavbu příbuznou palmititu (prostorová skupina C2 / m, a = 2,13755 (13) nm, b = 1,23123 (8) nm, c = 1,68024 ) Nm, P = 115,037 (2) °, Z = 16)Cs2Pb (MoO4)2 crystals were prepared by crystallization from their own melt, and the crystal structure has been studied in detail. At 296 K, the molybdate crystallizes in the low temperature α-form and has a monoclinic palmierite-related superstructure (space group C2/m, a = 2.13755(13) nm, b = 1.23123(8) nm, c = 1.68024(10) nm, β = 115.037(2)°, Z = 16

Re-Emergence of Circulation of Seasonal Influenza during COVID-19 Pandemic in Russia and Receptor Specificity of New and Dominant Clade 3C.2a1b.2a.2 A(H3N2) Viruses in 2021–2022

The circulation of seasonal influenza in 2020–2021 around the world was drastically reduced after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of mitigation strategies. The influenza virus circulation reemerged in 2021–2022 with the global spread of the new genetic clade 3C.2a1b.2a.2 of A(H3N2) viruses. The purpose of this study was to characterize influenza viruses in the 2021–2022 season in Russia and to analyze the receptor specificity properties of the 3C.2a1b.2a.2 A(H3N2) viruses. Clinical influenza samples were collected at the local Sanitary-and-Epidemiological Centers of Rospotrebnadzor. Whole genome sequencing was performed using NGS. The receptor specificity of hemagglutinin was evaluated using molecular modeling and bio-layer interferometry. Clinical samples from 854 cases of influenza A and B were studied; A(H3N2) viruses were in the majority of the samples. All genetically studied A(H3N2) viruses belonged to the new genetic clade 3C.2a1b.2a.2. Molecular modeling analysis suggested a higher affinity of hemagglutinin of 3C.2a1b.2a.2. A(H3N2) viruses to the α2,6 human receptor. In vitro analysis using a trisaccharide 6’-Sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine receptor analog did not resolve the differences in the receptor specificity of 3C.2a1b.2a.2 clade viruses from viruses belonging to the 3C.2a1b.2a.1 clade. Further investigation of the A(H3N2) viruses is required for the evaluation of their possible adaptive advantages. Constant monitoring and characterization of influenza are critical for epidemiological analysis

Synthesis, Structural, Thermal, and Electronic Properties of Palmierite-Related Double Molybdate α‑Cs₂Pb(MoO₄)₂

Cs₂Pb­(MoO₄)₂ crystals were prepared by crystallization from their own melt, and the crystal structure has been studied in detail. At 296 K, the molybdate crystallizes in the low-temperature α-form and has a monoclinic palmierite-related superstructure (space group <i>C</i>2/<i>m</i>, <i>a</i> = 2.13755(13) nm, <i>b</i> = 1.23123(8) nm, <i>c</i> = 1.68024(10) nm, β = 115.037(2)°, <i>Z</i> = 16) possessing the largest unit cell volume, 4.0066(4) nm³, among lead-containing palmierites. The compound undergoes a distortive phase transition at 635 K and incongruently melts at 943 K. The electronic structure of α-Cs₂Pb­(MoO₄)₂ was explored by using X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. For α-Cs₂Pb­(MoO₄)₂, the photoelectron core-level and valence-band spectra and the XES band representing the energy distribution of Mo 4d and O 2p states were recorded. Our results allow one to conclude that the Mo 4d and O 2p states contribute mainly to the central part and at the top of the valence band, respectively, with also significant contributions throughout the whole valence-band region of the molybdate under consideration

"Flora of Russia" on iNaturalist: a dataset

The "Flora of Russia" project on iNaturalist brought together professional scientists and amateur naturalists from all over the country. Over 10,000 people are involved in the data collection.Within 20 months the participants accumulated over 750,000 photo observations of 6,853 species of the Russian flora. This constitutes the largest dataset of open spatial data on the country’s biodiversity and a leading source of data on the current state of the national flora. About 85% of all project data are available under free licenses (CC0, CC-BY, CC-BY-NC) and can be freely used in scientific, educational and environmental activities