Determination of water content in clay and organic soil using microwave oven

The article deals with the techniques of soil water content determination using microwave radiation. Its practical application would allow solving the problems of resource efficiency in geotechnical survey due to reduction of energy and resource intensity of laboratory analysis as well as its acceleration by means of decreasing labour intensity and, as a result, cost reduction. The article presents a detail analysis of approaches to soil water content determination and soil drying, considers its features and application. The study in soil of different composition, typical for Western Siberia including organic and organic-mineral ones, is a peculiarity of the given article, which makes it rather topical. The article compares and analyzes the results of the investigation into soil water content, which are obtained via conventional techniques and the original one developed by the authors, consisting in microwave drying. The authors also give recommendation on microwave technique application to dry soil

Investigation of interaction of carbon dioxide with aerogels nanopores

The absorption spectrum of 2 0 0 12 – 0 0 0 01 band of carbon dioxide, confined in 20 nm nanopores of silica aerogel, was measured with help of a Bruker IFS 125 HR Fourier transform spectrometer at room temperature and a spectral resolution of 0.01 cm-1. The obtained dependence of spectral line half-width values on rotational quantum numbers was studied and compared with data available in the literature. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only

Hantaviirusinfektsioonid Eestis

Hantaviirusnakkused on zoonootilised – viirused tsirkuleerivad looduses ilma inimese osaluseta, neid levib näriliste vahendusel. Tuntud on kaks kliiniliselt erinevat haigusvormi – neerusündroomiga hemorraagiline palavik (levinud Aasias ja Euroopas) ning hantaviiruse pulmonaalne sündroom (levinud Ameerikas). Sõltuvalt viirustüübist võib letaalsus haigestumuse korral ulatuda kuni 40%-ni. Eestis on isoleeritud Dobrava genotüüp viirus. Saaremaal püütud juttselg hiirtel on isoleeritud viirus osutunud aga omaette genotüüpi kuuluvaks ja on nimetatud saaremaa hantaviiruseks. Hantaviirusnakkus on levinud ka Eestis – aastal 2001 esines 12 seroloogiliselt kinnitatud haigusjuht

Characterization of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome Caused by Hantaviruses, Estonia

Thirty cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) due to Puumala virus (PUUV), Saaremaa virus (SAAV), and Dobrava virus infection were confirmed in Estonia. Except for the levels of serum creatinine, no remarkable differences were found in the clinical course of HFRS caused by PUUV and SAAV

Electrochemical Synthesis of Zirconium Pre-Catalysts for Homogeneous Ethylene Oligomerization

The catalytic activity of electrochemically synthesized zirconium carboxylates was studied in the process of ethylene oligomerization. Zirconium carboxylates were electrochemically synthesized directly from metallic zirconium and corresponding carboxylic acids (acetic, octanoic and lauric). A comprehensive study (element analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD)) of the synthesized zirconium carboxylates showed that these species contain bidentate carboxylate moieties. It was shown that obtained zirconium carboxylates, in combination with Et3Al2Cl3 (Al/Zr = 20), have a moderate activity of (7.6-9.9) × 103 molC2H4⋅molZr-1⋅h-1 in terms of ethylene oligomerization (at T = 80 ?C, p = 20 bar), leading to even-numbered C4-C10 linear alpha-olefins.1059-105

REACTIVITY OF RAT ERYTHROCYTES UNDER CONDITIONS OF PHYSICAL STRESS OF DIFFERENT INTENSITY

Цель. Изучить морфофункциональное состояние красной крови крыс в зависимости от физической нагрузки «до отказа».Материалы и методы. В исследовании использовали практически здоровых половозрелых крыс-самцов Wistar: контроль, нахождение в воде без движения, свободное плавание и плавание с грузом 2%, 6%, 8%, 10% и 15% от массы тела «до отказа» согласно протоколу по биоэтике утвержденному ИФ Коми НЦ УрО РАН. В крови определяли уровень гемоглобина, гематокрита, количество эритроцитов и ретикулоцитов. Измеряли диаметр 100 эритроцитов окрашенных по Романовскому-Гимза и бриллиантовым крезиловым синим. Статистическую значимость различий реакций исследованных животных оценивали с помощью непараметрического критерия Крускала-Уоллиса.Результаты. Физическая нагрузка «до отказа» характеризовалась повышением величины гематокрита, гемоглобина, количеством эритроцитов в крови крыс и физиологическим ретикулоцитозом, наряду со снижением концентрации гемоглобина в эритроците. Отмечено, что распределение ретикулоцитов по диаметру в пределах 6.4–6.7 мкм у плавающих крыс с грузом 8% от массы тела соответствует кривой Прайс-Джонса интактных животных.Заключение. У крыс в зависимости от характера и интенсивности физической нагрузки проявились разнонаправленные сдвиги в клеточном составе красной крови. Практическое использование только тестового плавания крыс с грузом 8 % от массы тела, судя по реакции эритроцитов, является физиологически обоснованным.Background. To study the morphofunctional state of red blood in rats depending on the physical load “to failure”.Materials and methods. The study used practically healthy adult male rats of the Wistar: control, staying in water without movement, free swimming and swimming with a load of 2%, 6%, 8%, 10% and 15% of body weight “to failure” according to the protocol on bioethics approved by the IPhys Komi SC UB RAS. In the blood, the level of hemoglobin, hematocrit, the number of erythrocytes and reticulocytes was determined. The diameter of 100 erythrocytes stained according to Romanovsky-Giemsa and diamond cresyl blue was measured. The statistical significance of the differences was assessed using the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis criterion.Results. The physical load «to failure» was characterized by an increase in hematocrit, hemoglobin, and the number of erythrocytes in the blood of rats and physiological reticulocytosis, along with a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin in the erythrocyte. It was noted that the distribution of reticulocytes of diameters within 6.4–6.7 μm in floating rats with a weight of 8% of body weight corresponds to the Price-Jones curve of intact animals.Conclusion. In rats, depending on the intensity of exercise, multidirectional shifts in the cellular composition of red blood appeared. Practical use only of the test swimming of rats with a weight of 8% of body weight, judging by the nature of the reaction of erythrocytes, is physiologically justified

S-layer protein 2 of 'Lactobacillus crispatus' 2029, its structural and immunomodulatory characteristics and roles in protective potential of the whole bacteria against foodborne pathogens

We have previously demonstrated that human vaginal Lactobacillus crispatus 2029 (LC2029) strain is highly adhesive to cervicovaginal epithelial cells, exhibits antagonistic activity against genitourinary pathogens and expresses surface-layer protein (Slp). The aims of the present study were elucidation of Slp structural and immunomodulatory characteristics and its roles in protective properties of the whole vaginal LC2029 bacteria against foodborne pathogens. Enteric Caco-2 and colon HT-29 cell lines were used as the in vitro models of the human intestinal epithelial layer. LC2029 strain has two homologous surface-layer (S-layer) genes, slp1 and slp2. Whilst we found no evidence for the expression of slp1 under the growth conditions used, a very high level of expression of the slp2 gene was detected. C-terminal part of the amino sequence of Slp2 protein was found to be highly similar to that of the conserved C-terminal region of SlpA protein of L. crispatus Zj001 isolated from pig intestines and CbsA protein of L. crispatus JCM5810 isolated from chicken intestines, and was substantially variable at the N-terminal and middle regions. The amino acid sequence identity between SlpA and CbsA was as high as 84%, whilst the identity levels of these sequences with that of Slp2 were only 49% and 50% (respectively). LC2029 strain was found to be both acid and bile tolerant. Survival in simulated gastric and intestinal juices of LC2029 cells unable to produce Slp2 was reduced by 2-3 logs. Vaginal L. crispatus 1385 (LC1385) strain not expressing Slp was also very sensitive to gastric and intestinal stresses. Slp2 was found to be non-covalently bound to the surface of the bacterium, acting as an adhesin and facilitating interaction of LC2029 lactobacilli with the host immature or fully differentiated Caco-2 cells, as well as HT-29 cells. No toxicity to or damage of Caco-2 or HT-29 epithelial cells were detected after 24 h of colonization by LC2029 lactobacilli. Both Slp2 protein and LC2029 cells induced NF-kB activation in Caco-2 and HT-29 cells, but did not induce expression of innate immunity mediators Il-8, Il-1β, and TNF-α. Slp2 and LC2029 inhibited Il-8 production in Caco-2 and HT-29 cells induced by MALP-2 and increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokine Il-6. Slp2 inhibited production of CXCL1 and RANTES by Caco-2 cells during differentiation and maturation process within 15 days. Culturing Caco-2 and HT-29 cells in the presence of Slp2 increased adhesion of bifidobacteria BLI-2780 to these enterocytes. Upon binding to Caco-2 and HT-29 cells, Slp2 protein and LC2029 lactobacilli were recognized by toll-like receptors (TLR) 2/6. It was shown that LC2029 strain is a strong co-aggregator of foodborne pathogens Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enteritidis, and Escherichia coli O157:H used in this study. The Slp2 was responsible for the ability of LC2029 to co-aggregate these enteropathogens. Slp2 and intact LC2029 lactobacilli inhibited foodborne pathogen-induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 as apoptotic biomarkers in Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. In addition, Slp2 and Slp2-positive LC2029 strain reduced adhesion of tested pathogenic bacteria to Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. Slp2-positive LC2029 strain but not Slp2 alone provided bactericidal effect on foodborne pathogens. These results suggest a range of mechanisms involved in inhibition of growth, viability, and cell adhesion properties of pathogenic Proteobacteria by the Slp2 producing LC2029, which may be useful in treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in newborns and foodborne infectious diseases in children and adults, increasing the colonization resistance and maintaining the intestinal homeostasis

'Limosilactobacillus fermentum' Strain 3872 : antibacterial and immunoregulatory properties and synergy with prebiotics against socially significant antibiotic-resistant infections of animals and humans

Limosilactobacillus fermentum strain 3872 (LF3872) was originally isolated from the breast milk of a healthy woman during lactation and the breastfeeding of a child. The high-quality genome sequencing of LF3872 was performed, and a gene encoding a unique bacteriocin was discovered. It was established that the bacteriocin produced by LF3872 (BLF3872) belongs to the family of cell-wall-degrading proteins that cause cell lysis. The antibacterial properties of LF3872 were studied using test cultures of antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Gram-positive pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus strain 8325-4 and S. aureus strain IIE CI-SA 1246) were highly sensitive to the bacteriolytic action of LF3872. Gram-negative pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella strains, and Campylobacter jejuni strains) were more resistant to the bacteriolytic action of LF3872 compared to Gram-positive pathogens. LF3872 is a strong co-aggregator of Gram-negative pathogens. The cell-free culture supernatant of LF3872 (CSLF3872) induced cell damage in the Gram-positive and Gram-negative test cultures and ATP leakage. In the in vitro experiments, it was found that LF3872 and Actigen prebiotic (Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY, USA) exhibited synergistic anti-adhesive activity against Gram-negative pathogens. LF3872 has immunoregulatory properties: it inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α in a monolayer of Caco-2 cells; inhibited the production of IL-12 and stimulated the production of IL-10 in immature human dendritic cells; and stimulated the production of TGF-β, IFN-γ, and IgA in the immunocompetent cells of intestinal Peyer’s patches (PPs) in mice. These results indicate the possibility of creating a synbiotic based on LF3872 and a prebiotic derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall components. Such innovative drugs and biologically active additives are necessary for the implementation of a strategy to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of socially significant animal and human infections

Educational transformation in transitional China and Russia : a comparative analysis of private schooling in Beijing and Moscow

This thesis is a comparative study of private schooling in Beijing and Moscow. It studies the educational transformation in transitional China and Russia. This innovative study goes beyond the comparative social, economic and cultural measurement of selected private schools and analyses the role of globalisation in education in these societies, which resulted in the development of the system of private schools