Some Diptera families from beer traps in the Volga region (Russia)

We have studied the material of some Diptera families collected with beer traps from middle part of the Volga River region (central part of European Russia: Nizhny Novgorod and Ulyanovsk regions, and southeastern part of European Russia: Saratov Region). Thirty species from 10 Diptera families are reported: Culicidae (2 spp.), Dryomyzidae (2 spp.), Lauxaniidae (7 spp.), Limoniidae (3 spp.), Pallopteridae (4 spp.), Periscelididae (1 sp.), Platystomatidae (2 spp.), Sciomyzidae (2 spp.), Tabanidae (1 sp.), Ulidiidae (6 spp.). Two species, Peplomyza intermedia Remm, 1979 (Lauxaniidae) and Periscelis annulipes Loew, 1858 (Periscelididae) are recorded from Russia for the first tim

Малые и средние предприятия сферы услуг в условиях Индустрии 4.0 и Общества 4.0: опыт Юго-Западной Чехии

В статье представлены результаты изучения адаптации малых и средних предприятий (МСП) сферы услуг к технологическим, экономическим, социальным и экологическим условиям Индустрии 4.0 и Общества 4.0. Цель исследования - анализ текущего состояния, мотивации и потребностей предприятий в сфере наукоемких услуг, а также оценка возможности своевременного и эффективного внедрения методов и инструментов Индустрии 4.0 на Юго-Западе Чехии. Совмещение методов позволило сочетать различные качественные и количественные подходы, такие как кабинетное исследование, методы объяснения и интерпретации, анкетный опрос, полуструктурированное интервью и оценка данных. Полученные результаты демонстрируют высокую потребность в повышении знаний и инновационного потенциала МСП, изменении организации и содержания труда, формировании новых компетенций сотрудников в условиях роботизации, автоматизации и цифровизации деловых процессов. Выявлены препятствия для доступа к необходимым внутренним и внешним финансовым ресурсам. Показано, что МСП заинтересованы в сотрудничестве как с академическим сектором, так и с региональными органами власти для разработки методологических инструментов адаптации к новым социальным условиям в интересах устойчивого развития этих предприятий. Цель дальнейших исследований -создание методологии адаптации малых и средних предприятий к условиям Индустрии 4.0 и Общества 4.0.The contribution presents results of the research focused on the adaptation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the service sector to technological, economic, social and environmental conditions of Industry and Society 4.0. The main goals of the research were the analysis and evaluation of the current state, preparedness, motivation and needs of SMEs in the sector of knowledge-intensive services for the timely, purposeful and effective implementation of Industry 4.0 methods and tools in the South-West region of the Czech Republic. The methodological approach is based on a mixed research strategy. Qualitative and quantitative methods such as desk research, explanatory and interpretation methods, questionnaire survey, semi-structured interview and evaluation of data and information were used to achieve the research goals. The results document the high current and future need to increase the knowledge and innovation potential of SMEs, the need for changes in the organisation and content of work, the need for changes in the competencies of employees in the context of robotisation, automation and digitisation of business processes. The results demonstrate barriers to access to sufficient internal and external financial resources, as well as a strong interest of SMEs in cooperation with the academic sector and regional authorities in the development of methodological tools for adaptation to new societal conditions and in the interest of the sustainable existence of these enterprises. The direction of future research is oriented towards the creation of a methodology for the adaptation of SMEs to the conditions of Industry and Society 4.0.Статья подготовлена при поддержке программы ÉTA programme Технологического агентства Чешской Республики TL02000136 «Адаптация наукоемких услуг к условиям Общества 4.0», и проекта факультета экономики SGS-2020-026 «Экономическая и финансовая трансформация в условиях цифрового общества».The article has been prepared with the support of the ÉTA programme of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic TL02000136 “Adaptation of the knowledge-intensive services to the conditions of Society 4.0”, and the Faculty of Economics internal project SGS-2020-026 «Economic and financial transformation in the context of digital society”

Proficiency and Interlaboratory Variability in the Determination of Phthalate and DINCH Biomarkers in Human Urine: Results from the HBM4EU Project

A quality assurance/quality control program was implemented in the framework of the EU project HBM4EU to assess and improve the comparability of biomarker analysis and to build a network of competent laboratories. Four rounds of proficiency tests were organized for 15 phthalate and two DINCH urinary biomarkers (0.2-138 ng/mL) over a period of 18 months, with the involvement of 28 laboratories. A substantial improvement in performance was observed after the first round in particular, and by the end of the program, an average satisfactory performance rate of 90% was achieved. The interlaboratory reproducibility as derived from the participants' results varied for the various biomarkers and rounds, with an average of 24% for the biomarkers of eight single-isomer phthalates (e.g., DnBP and DEHP) and 43% for the more challenging biomarkers of the mixed-isomer phthalates (DiNP, DiDP) and DINCH. When the reproducibility was based only on the laboratories that consistently achieved a satisfactory performance, this improved to 17% and 26%, respectively, clearly demonstrating the success of the QA/QC efforts. The program thus aided in building capacity and the establishment of a network of competent laboratories able to generate comparable and accurate HBM data for phthalate and DINCH biomarkers in 14 EU countries. In addition, global comparability was ensured by including external expert laboratories.This study was part of the HBM4EU project receiving funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 733032. Co-funding was received from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (project KB 37-002-014-001/002).S

Diagnosis of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2 disease): Expert recommendations for early detection and laboratory diagnosis

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lysosomal storage disorders. NCLs include the rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) disease, caused by mutations in the tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (TPP1)/CLN2 gene and the resulting TPP1 enzyme deficiency. CLN2 disease most commonly presents with seizures and/or ataxia in the late-infantile period (ages 2-4), often in combination with a history of language delay, followed by progressive childhood dementia, motor and visual deterioration, and early death. Atypical phenotypes are characterized by later onset and, in some instances, longer life expectancies. Early diagnosis is important to optimize clinical care and improve outcomes; however, currently, delays in diagnosis are common due to low disease awareness, nonspecific clinical presentation, and limited access to diagnostic testing in some regions. In May 2015, international experts met to recommend best laboratory practices for early diagnosis of CLN2 disease. When clinical signs suggest an NCL, TPP1 enzyme activity should be among the first tests performed (together with the palmitoyl-protein thioesterase enzyme activity assay to rule out CLN1 disease). However, reaching an initial suspicion of an NCL or CLN2 disease can be challenging; thus, use of an epilepsy gene panel for investigation of unexplained seizures in the late-infantile/childhood ages is encouraged. To confirm clinical suspicion of CLN2 disease, the recommended gold standard for laboratory diagnosis is demonstration of deficient TPP1 enzyme activity (in leukocytes, fibroblasts, or dried blood spots) and the identification of causative mutations in each allele of the TPP1/CLN2 gene. When it is not possible to perform both analyses, either demonstration of a) deficient TPP1 enzyme activity in leukocytes or fibroblasts, or b) detection of two pathogenic mutations in trans is diagnostic for CLN2 disease

Global Analysis of Proline-Rich Tandem Repeat Proteins Reveals Broad Phylogenetic Diversity in Plant Secretomes

Cell walls, constructed by precisely choreographed changes in the plant secretome, play critical roles in plant cell physiology and development. Along with structural polysaccharides, secreted proline-rich Tandem Repeat Proteins (TRPs) are important for cell wall function, yet the evolutionary diversity of these structural TRPs remains virtually unexplored. Using a systems-level computational approach to analyze taxonomically diverse plant sequence data, we identified 31 distinct Pro-rich TRP classes targeted for secretion. This analysis expands upon the known phylogenetic diversity of extensins, the most widely studied class of wall structural proteins, and demonstrates that extensins evolved before plant vascularization. Our results also show that most Pro-rich TRP classes have unexpectedly restricted evolutionary distributions, revealing considerable differences in plant secretome signatures that define unexplored diversity

Ultramafic vegetation and soils in the circumboreal region of the Northern Hemisphere

The paper summarizes literature on climate, soil chemistry, vegetation and metal accumulation by plants found on ultramafic substrata in the circumboreal zone (sensu Takhtajan, Floristic regions of the world, 1986) of the Northern Hemisphere. We present a list of 50 endemic species and 18 ecotypes obligate to ultramafic soils from the circumboreal region of Holarctic, as well as 30 and 2 species of Ni and Zn hyperaccumulators, respectively. The number of both endemics and hyperaccumulators are markedly lower compared to that of the Mediterranean and tropical regions. The diversity of plant communities on ultramafics soils of the circumboral region is also described. The underlying causes for the differences of ultramafic flora between arctic, cold, cool temperate and Mediterranean and tropical regions are also discussed. © 2018, The Ecological Society of Japan