New lichen records from the Novgorod Region, Russia

Twenty lichen species are reported as new to the Novgorod Region (Russia) from Valdaysky National Park and Rdeysky Nature Reserve. Pyrenula chlorospila is recorded for the first time for European Russia outside Caucasus. Acrocordia cavata, Pertusaria coccodes, Rostania occultata and Scytinium subtile are recommended to be included in the Red Data Book of the Novgorod Region.

New method of spectral analysis of human hair

A new optimal method of preparing one of the human biosubstrates (hair) to an arc atomic emission spectral analysis is proposed on the basis of complex physical and chemical studies. A new method of determining the content of macro- and micro-elements is developed. Following the developed technique we performed analysis of hairs in group of patients in order to diagnose diseases additionally, assess the habitat, and restore the element balance in the body. Comparing the content of elements in the human hair with reference values, it is possible to assess the degree of element imbalance in the body. This technique has passed metrological certification. Obtained by this method results of analysis of hair were used to identify clinical and laboratory correlations, to determine the elemental human status, and to diagnose various diseases

New and rare lichens and allied fungi from the Novgorod Region, Russia

44 species of lichen-forming, lichenicolous and non-lichenized fungi are reported from the Novgorod Region, 34 of them are new to the region. Leptogium biatorinum is new to European Russia. Nephromopsis laureri is red-listed in Russian Federation and should be included in the Red Data Book of the Novgorod Region. Most noteworthy records are briefly discussed. Two species – Collema callopismum and Hertelidea botryosa – are excluded from the lichen list of the Novgorod Region

POSSIBILITIES OF POSITRON-EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMORS (Literature Review)

В диагностике новообразований на дооперационном и послеоперационном этапах позитронно-эмиссионная томография (ПЭТ) является самым информативным методом лучевой диагностики, основным преимуществом которого является определение не только структуры и локализации опухолей (как в случае МРТ – магнитно-резонансная томография и МСКТ – мультиспиральная компьютерная томография), но также и метаболических процессов в них, что дает возможность диагностировать опухолевый процесс на самых ранних сроках, а также разграничить продолженный рост опухоли от псевдопрогрессии на фоне постлучевых некрозов. В настоящее время существует достаточно широкий спектр радиофармпрепаратов, используемых для ПЭТ, при этом наибольшее клиническое значение находят 18F-ФДГ и 11С-МЕТ (18F-фтордиоксиглюкоза и 11С-метионин). В представленном обзоре описывается место позитронно-эмиссионной томографии в диагностике злокачественных опухолей головного мозга, а также указывается на чувствительность разных радиофармпрепаратов при разной патологии головного мозга, что имеет важное значение при все более широком внедрении данного метода диагностики в клиническую практику.In the diagnosis of neoplasms at the preoperative and postoperative stages, positron emission tomography (PET) is the most informative method of radiation diagnosis, the main advantage of which is the determination of not only the structure and localization of tumors (as in the case of MRI and MSCT), but also the metabolic processes in them, which makes it possible to diagnose the tumor process at the earliest possible time, and also to delimit the continued growth of the tumor from pseudo-progression against the background of post-radiation necrosis. Nowadays, there is a fairly wide range of radiopharmaceuticals used for PET, with 18F-FDG and 11C-MET (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose and 11C-methionine) being the most clinically important. This review describes the location of positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of malignant brain tumors, and also points out the sensitivity of various radiopharmaceuticals with different brain pathologies, which is important with the ever wider introduction of this diagnostic method into clinical practice

Voltammetric Study of the Total Activity of Antioxidants in the Blood Serum of Patients with Neurological Diseases

One of the main directions in the development of modern electroanalytical chemistry is the development of new effective methods for research and analysis of biological objects, particularly, human blood serum. The creation of new electrochemical sensors is a promising approach, which has determined several main directions in applied voltammetry in the field of chemical analytical control. In this work, the dynamics and parameters of total antioxidant activity of human serum blood of patients with chronic cerebral ischemia, during treatment with pharmaceutical drugs Mexidol, Cavinton Comfort, and Cytoflavin was tested by cathode voltammetry with a model process of oxygen electroreduction, using a new electrochemical sensor

Synthesis, Structure and Biological Activity of Dicarboxylate Phosphabetaines

New stable dicarboxylate phosphabetaines were synthesized by the phosphorylation of a series of unsaturated carboxylic acids. Interaction of 3-(diphenylphosphonio)propionic acid with unsaturated monocarboxylic acids leads to formation of stable dicarboxylate phosphabetaines. The structure of the isolated compounds was determined by IR and NMR spectroscopy, X-ray single crystal diffraction studies and elemental analysis. Their thermal stability was studied by simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. All of the synthesized compounds were tested for their antibacterial and anti-Candida activity

Insights into plant biomass conversion from the genome of the anaerobic thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii DSM 6725

Caldicellulosiruptor bescii DSM 6725 utilizes various polysaccharides and grows efficiently on untreated high-lignin grasses and hardwood at an optimum temperature of ∼80°C. It is a promising anaerobic bacterium for studying high-temperature biomass conversion. Its genome contains 2666 protein-coding sequences organized into 1209 operons. Expression of 2196 genes (83%) was confirmed experimentally. At least 322 genes appear to have been obtained by lateral gene transfer (LGT). Putative functions were assigned to 364 conserved/hypothetical protein (C/HP) genes. The genome contains 171 and 88 genes related to carbohydrate transport and utilization, respectively. Growth on cellulose led to the up-regulation of 32 carbohydrate-active (CAZy), 61 sugar transport, 25 transcription factor and 234 C/HP genes. Some C/HPs were overproduced on cellulose or xylan, suggesting their involvement in polysaccharide conversion. A unique feature of the genome is enrichment with genes encoding multi-modular, multi-functional CAZy proteins organized into one large cluster, the products of which are proposed to act synergistically on different components of plant cell walls and to aid the ability of C. bescii to convert plant biomass. The high duplication of CAZy domains coupled with the ability to acquire foreign genes by LGT may have allowed the bacterium to rapidly adapt to changing plant biomass-rich environments