Toxicity of five anilines to crustaceans, protozoa and bacteria

Aromatic amines (anilines and related derivates) are an important class of environmental pollutants that can be released to the aquatic environment as industrial effluents or as breakdown products of pesticides and dyes. The toxicity of aniline, 2-chloroaniline, 3-chloroaniline, 4-chloroaniline and 3,5-dichloroaniline towards a multitrophic test battery comprised of bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri (formerly Vibrio fischeri), a ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila and two crustaceans (Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus) were investigated. Under the applied test conditions, the toxicity of the anilines notably varied among the test species. The bacteria and protozoa were much less sensitive towards the anilines than the crustaceans: EC50 values 13–403 mg L-1 versus 0.13–15.2 mg L-1. No general tendency between toxicity and the chemical structure of the anilines (the degree of chloro-substitution and the position of the chloro-substituents) was found in the case of all the tested aquatic species. The replacement of the artificial test medium (ATM) by the river water remarkably decreased the toxicity of anilines to crustaceans but not to protozoa. This research is part of the EU 6th Framework Integrated Project OSIRIS, in which ecotoxicogenomic studies of anilines (e.g., for Daphnia magna) will also be performed that may help to clarify the mechanisms of toxicity of different anilines

Voto electrónico en la Rusia moderna: debates, tecnologías, experimentos

We discussed the increasing interest in the use of technical means for voting in elections and referendums with a gradual transition to electronic voting. Our article deals with the peculiarities of the experiment on the organization and conduct of remote electronic voting in the elections of deputies of the Moscow City Duma of the seventh convocation, scheduled for September 8, 2019. In addition, the article analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of electronic voting, offers recommendations on eliminating some risks associated with the use of this type of electronic voting. The received results of the experiment will allow to define directions of the further work on perfection of legal regulation of introduction in selective process of modern digital technologies. In case of positive results, practical and technological solutions can be developed, which will ensure further development of the remote electronic voting system in Russia.Discutimos el creciente interés en el uso de medios técnicos para votar en elecciones y referéndums con una transición gradual al voto electrónico. Nuestro artículo aborda las peculiaridades del experimento sobre la organización y la realización de la votación electrónica remota en las elecciones de diputados de la Duma de la ciudad de Moscú de la séptima convocatoria, prevista para el 8 de septiembre de 2019. Además, el artículo analiza las ventajas y desventajas de votación electrónica, ofrece recomendaciones para eliminar algunos riesgos asociados con el uso de este tipo de votación electrónica. Los resultados recibidos del experimento permitirán definir las direcciones del trabajo posterior sobre la perfección de la regulación legal de la introducción en el proceso selectivo de las tecnologías digitales modernas. En caso de resultados positivos, se pueden desarrollar soluciones prácticas y tecnológicas que garanticen un mayor desarrollo del sistema de votación electrónica remota en Rusia

Conditions of adaptation in teaching environmental disciplines at the university

Students are a special social group united by approximately the same age and specific working and living conditions. The intensive and rather long-lasting learning process imposes strict requirements to the adaptive mechanisms of their organism. The article presents the results of a study of the pedagogical conditions for student adaptation to studying at the university. We examined 90 first-year students majoring in Pedagogy at the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Mari State University. Several groups were composed of the students who came to study from the former USSR countries. We determined a number of core indicators such as cardiac rate, the systolic and diastolic pressure value, the cardiovascular response to breath hold and psychoemotional stress. Also we studied the adaptation potential (AP) value, conducted the 'individual minute' test. We calculated some hemodynamic parameters according to the Baevsky formula. It has been established that differentiated and personality-centered education is an important factor of the effectiveness of student adaptation to the learning process. The study found that the implementation of specified conditions contributed to the effectiveness of student adaptation to the learning process at the university. A comparative analysis of the results showed that the indicators in the experimental group exceeded the similar indicators in the control group by the specified criteria

Vandalism in the system of statutory evaluation: a comparative analysis of the Russian and German legislation

The article presents an experience of comparing the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and of the Federal Republic of Germany (Strafgesetzbuch), aimed at protecting social interaction and public order from vandalism. The purpose of the given comparison was an attempt to form a holistic treatment of the phenomenon of vandalism from the point of view of statutory evaluation. To make the comparison, a comparative legal analysis of the relevant norms was selected as a tool. As a result, the authors have identified the similarities and differences in the structure of legal norms, in the terminology, the existence of related norms protecting against encroachment on public order – those similar to antivandal measures, the specificity of public relations, as well as personal property rights. The prospect of further research on the legal status of vandalism in different countries has been outlined

Features of Chronic Bronchitis in Different Age Groups

Background: Lung diseases are assuming greater relevance and importance today. Chronic bronchitis is a self-nosology, which may precede the development of COPD, the importance of which can hardly be overestimated. The main problem in this disease is caused by late diagnosis and treatment due to the delay by patients in seeking medical help. The aim of the work was to study the distribution and exposure to tobacco smoke, especially chronic bronchitis, depending on various factors, including age. Methods: We examined 1779 persons, including 855 men and 924 women. The mean age of the population was 35.83±8.3 years. We conducted surveys and spirometry. The outcome was assessed after a bronchodilation test was performed with salbutamol 400 mcg. We performed all statistical analysis using software package Statistica 10. Results: We identified chronic bronchitis in 9.2% of the cases in the group of younger individuals and in 14.9% of the cases in the group of older individuals, during the active detection of chronic bronchitis using questionnaires. The prevalence of cigarette smoking was slightly higher among the younger (39.5%) than the older persons (33.6%); the frequency of smoking in a group of chronic bronchitis was reliably higher. Also, in this group, the performance spirometry reliably decreased. Conclusions: Outpatient survey is an effective method of identifying chronic bronchitis. Smoking is a major risk factor in the group of young respondents and the prevalence of smoking is inversely related to the education level of the respondents, regardless of age. As the decline in the Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1 and FEV1/FVC) is the main criterion diagnosis of COPD, it revealed significant declines in the FEV1 of the younger smoking individuals, which may help to predict the development of COPD in the older age group

Toktrapport fra det norsk/russiske økotoktet i Barentshavet og nærliggende områder

The aim of the joint Norwegian/Russian ecosystem survey in the Barents Sea and adjacent waters, August-October (BESS) is to monitor the status and changes in the Barents Sea ecosystem and provide data to support stock advice and research. The survey has since 2004 been conducted annually in the autumn, as a collaboration between the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Norway and the Polar branch of the VNIRO (PINRO) in Russia. The general survey plan and tasks were agreed upon at the annual IMR-PINRO Meeting in March 2022. Ship routes and other technical details are agreed on by correspondence between the survey coordinators. BESS aims at covering the entire Barents Sea. Ecosystem stations are distributed in a 35×35 nautical mile regular grid, and the ship tracks follow this design. Exceptions are the area around Svalbard (Spitsbergen), some additional bottom trawl hauls for demersal fish survey indices estimation, and additional acoustic transects for the capelin stock size estimation. Survey start for the Russian vessel was significantly delayed, resulting in REEZ being covered two-three months later than NEEZ. This resulted in reduced area coverage, decrease in the numbers of trawl hauls, and lack of standard pelagic trawl sampling. In NEEZ, RV “Kronprins Haakon” was cancelled due to difficult economic situation, making it necessary to allocate one of the two remaining vessels to the area west and north of Svalbard (Spitsbergen). This resulted in low coverage in this area, and problems with synoptic coverage in north-east of Svalbard (Spitsbergen) and thus increased uncertainty in assessment of demersal fish (e.g. Greenland halibut) and capelin. The 19-th joint Barents Sea autumn Ecosystem Survey (BESS) was carried out in two periods. The Norwegian research vessels “G.O. Sars” and “Johan Hjort” covered NEEZ in the period 16-th August to 03-th October, providing data to stock assessment, 0-group fish abundance indices, and state and changes descriptions which is comparable with earlier survey years in NEEZ. The Russian research vessel “Vilnyus” covered REEZ in the periods 20-th to 30-th September and 22-th October to 3-rd December. Survey coordinators in 2022 were Dmitry Prozorkevich (PINRO) and Geir Odd Johansen (IMR). Exchange of Russian and Norwegian experts between each country’s respective vessels did not take place in 2022. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the crew and scientific personnel onboard RVs “Vilnyus”, “G.O. Sars” and “Johan Hjort” for their dedicated work, as well as all the people involved in planning and reporting of BESS 2022. This report is a summary of observations and status assessment based on the survey data. Even though the survey was not well completed, the data obtained are the main source of knowledge about the ecosystem of the Barents Sea.Survey report from the joint Norwegian/Russian Ecosystem Survey in the Barents Sea and the adjacent waters August- December 2022publishedVersio

Atomic layer deposition of titanium oxide films on As-synthesized magnetic Ni particles : Magnetic and safety properties

Spherical nickel particles with size in the range of 100-400 nm were synthesized by non-aqueous liquid phase benzyl alcohol method. Being developed for magnetically guided biomedical applications, the particles were coated by conformal and antimicrobial thin titanium oxide films by atomic layer deposition. The particles retained their size and crystal structure after the deposition of oxide films. The sensitivity of the coated particles to external magnetic fields was increased compared to that of the uncoated powder. Preliminary toxicological investigations on microbial cells and small aquatic crustaceans revealed non-toxic nature of the synthesized particles.Peer reviewe

Novel Plasticizers Are Emerging Contaminants

In recent years, plastic use and pollution have gained a lot of attention [...

On the discrete spectrum of the Dirac operator on bent chain quantum graph

We study Dirac operators on an infinite quantum graph of a bent chain form which consists of identical rings connected at the touching points by δ-couplings with a parameter α ∈ ℝ. We are interested in the discrete spectrum of the corresponding Hamiltonian. It can be non-empty due to a local (geometrical perturbation of the corresponding infinite chain of rings. The quantum graph of analogous geometry with the Schrodinger operator on the edges was considered by Duclos, Exner and Turek in 2008. They showed that the absence of δ-couplings at vertices (i.e. the Kirchhoff condition at the vertices) lead to the absence of eigenvalues. We consider the relativistic particle (the Dirac operator instead of the Schrodinger one) but the result is analogous. Quantum graphs of such type are suitable for description of grapheme-based nanostructures. It is established that the negativity of α is the necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of eigenvalues of the Dirac operator (i.e. the discrete spectrum of the Hamiltonian in this case is not empty). The continuous spectrum of the Hamiltonian for bent chain graph coincides with that for the corresponding straight infinite chain. Conditions for appearance of more than one eigenvalue are obtained. It is related to the bending angle. The investigation is based on the transfer-matrix approach. It allows one to reduce the problem to an algebraic task. δ-couplings was introduced by the operator extensions theory method