Early Postfire Vegetation Dynamics of Shrub-steppe Communities (On the example of Burtinskaya Shrub-steppe of Orenburg Nature Reserve)

The intensification of fire regime in the shrub-steppe determined the need for research aimed at identifying the regularities of the effect exerted by wildfires on shrub-steppe ecosystems and one of their most dynamic components referred to as plant cover. A present study was carried out on the territory of Burtinskaya Steppe of the Orenburg Reserve and in its protected area in 2015–2016, following the fire that occurred in August 2014. It was found out that in the first year following a fire event, the total plant cover of steppe ecosystems affected by a wildfire is almost halved. The plant cover dominated by bunchgrasses, especially of the genus Stipa, significantly decreases, and the abundance and diversity of ephemeroids increase. The floristic alteration manifesting itself in the form of an invasive role of certain species (most often ephemeroids and biennials) during one vegetative stage is endemic to the areas exposed to overgrazing in the past. The outburning of plant cover can bring about a change in dominant and codominant plant species within a shrub-steppe assemblage

Red Data Updates for Orenburg Oblast

One of the ways to study and protect flora is keeping and publishing regional Red Data Books. A floristic study resulted in a series of data on the flora of Orenburg Oblast, which made it possible to make a set of criteria for updating the list of regional species for conservation. In early 2018, the authors proposed 6 species of vascular plants to be registered in the Red Data Book of Orenburg Oblast including Stipa zalesskii Wilensky, Iris aphylla L., Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw., Pedicularis palustris L., Saxifraga sibirica L., Salvia glutinosa L. The registration of some of them in the Red Data Book was recommended in view of an increased anthropogenic adverse impact on their habitats and a growing threat of extinction. On September 2018, the proposed Red Data updates for Orenburg Oblast outlined in this article were adopted and approved by the Government of the Orenburg Oblast

High level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) in patients with COVID-19 is a marker of the severity of the infection but not an indicator of previous diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: Less than a year has passed since the start of the new coronavirus infection COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. First published research results demonstrate a frequent increase in glycemia in patients without previously diagnosed carbohydrate metabolism disorders. A possible relationship between the carbohydrate metabolism state and the course of COVID-19 is considered.AIM: To identify the incidence of known and newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and evaluate the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), inflammation markers and infectious disease severity.METHODS: A single-center, cross-sectional, retrospective study included 155 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and bi- lateral polysegmental viral pneumonia hospitalized in the Endocrinology Research Centre, Russian Federation. Diagnosis of carbohydrate metabolism disorders was based on the HbA1c level, blood glucose level at admission (BGA) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Patients were divided into 2 groups: without the previously diagnosed DM (n=129, 83.3%) and with known history of DM (n=26, 16,7%). Patients without previously diagnosed DM were divided into subgroups according to HbA1c levels: ≤6,0% (Group A), >6,0% HbA1c, <6.5% (Group B), ≥6,5% (Group C). Additionally, insulin, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and D-dimer levels were measured in all patients. Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) was measured by pulsoximetry, computerized tomography of lungs with calculation of lung parenchyma damage percentage.RESULTS: Type 2 DM was previously established in 16.7% of all included patients. Among patients without DM history, DM was revealed in 8 patients (5.2%), based on HbA1c, FPG and BGA. In 66 patients (42.6%) we observed no changes in carbohydrate metabolism. In 55 patients, the interpretation of carbohydrate metabolism state was difficult due to inconsistency of HbA1c level with FPG and BGA: in particular, the level of HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (which corresponds to the diagnostic threshold of the DM) was detected in 19 patients (12,2%) with normal FPG and BGA. No true stress hyperglycemia on admission and according to FPG was reported. Despite the presence of confirmed DM, HbA1c levels positively correlated with inflammatory markers (erythro- cyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, IL-6) and SpO2. Patients with a HbA1c ≥6.5% without DM history had the most severe course of the disease: longest duration of hospitalization, largest damage of the pulmonary tissue, and high lethality.CONCLUSION: The incidence of DM among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was 21.9% (16.7% had previous diagnosis of DM, 5.2% — newly diagnosed), which is 1.5 times higher than in general population in a comparable age category. It is difficult to assess the carbohydrate metabolism disorders in patients in acute infectious period. An increased level of HbA1c (≥6.5%), first detected in the acute period of infection, in combination with normal FPG and BGA parameters, cannot be a diagnostic criterion and requires dynamic monitoring. HbA1c level can be considered as a predictive factor of COVID-19 severity, independent of DM

Hyperglycemia and possible mechanisms of β-cell damage in patients with COVID-19

Progressive decrease in the weight and functional reserve of β-cells is one of the main pathogenetic mechanisms of development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The rate of progression of these processes is strictly individual, which largely determines the course of DM2 and the effectiveness of the therapy. As a rule, apoptosis and necrosis are the main mechanisms of β-cell damage and death in CD2. At the same time, recent studies allow us to consider the destruction and death of β-cells as the outcome of other types of programmed cell death (PCG), the role of innate immunity in the Genesis of CD2 IS actively discussed. This article provides an overview of the data of domestic and foreign literature of recent years regarding the molecular, intracellular characteristics of different types of β-cell PCG in CD2. The results of studies aimed at studying the possible factors and processes leading to their launch are presented

Влияние инокуляции клубней картофеля бактериями рода Bacillus на популяцию ризосферных микроорганизмов

Estimation of the effectiveness and potential mechanism of action of biological agents on various soil profiles and crops allows more accurate recommendations for their application, and ultimately leads to an increase in crop yields. In the article is researched the composition and structure of the soil microbial community during pre-planting inoculation of potato tubers of the Tuleevsky variety with strains of the g. Bacillus: B. thuringiensis ssp. morrisoni; B. thuringiensis sp. dacota; B. subtilis; B. liheniformis during 2019-2020 in the Novosibirsk region, Novosibirsk, Educational and Production Facility «Sad Michurintsev» of the Novosibirsk State Agrarian University. The most effective strain was B. thuringiensis vs. dacota, which has a multilateral positive effect on soil microflora. The strongest effect on ammonifying bacteria was shown by B. thuringiensis vs. morrisoni. All bacterial strains inhibited the development of Fusarium and Penicillium fungi. Bacteria those assimilate the mineral nitrogen developed most actively during application of B. thuringiensis vs. dacota in 2019, and B. thuringiensis vs. morrisoni in 2020. Most of the strains had a positive effect on the group of cellulose-destroying and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, but B. thuringiensis vs. dacota showed the highest stimulation of bacterial growth, while B. subtilis oppressed this group. Bacillus liheniformis strain showed antagonistic features against phytopatogens, which also represents a great potential interest for its use in crop production.Понимание эффективности и потенциального механизма действия биологических агентов на различных почвенных профилях и культурах позволяет дать более точные рекомендации по их применению и в конечном итоге приводит к увеличению урожайности сельскохозяйственных культур. В работе исследованы состав и структура микробного сообщества почвы при предпосадочной инокуляции клубней картофеля сорта Тулеевский штаммами рода Bacillus: B. thuringiensis ssp. morrisoni, B. thuringiensis ssp. dacota, B. subtilis, B. liheniformis в 2019–2020 гг. в Новосибирской области, УПХ «Сад мичуринцев» Новосибирского ГАУ. Наиболее эффективным штаммом оказался B. thuringiensis vs. dacota, оказывающий многостороннее положительное влияние на почвенную микрофлору. Наиболее сильный эффект на бактерии-аммонификаторы оказал штамм B. thuringiensis vs. morrisoni. Все бактериальные штаммы угнетали развитие грибов родов Fusarium и Penicillium. Бактерии, усваивающие минеральный азот, развивались активнее всего при применении B. thuringiensis vs. dacota в 2019 г., а B. thuringiensis vs. morrisoni – в 2020 г. На группу целлюлозоразрушающих и азотфиксирующих бактерий большинство штаммов оказали положительное действие, но самую высокую стимуляцию роста бактерий показал B. thuringiensis vs. dacota, а B. subtilis угнетал данную группу. Штамм Bacillus liheniformis проявил антагонистические свойства в отношении фитопатогенов, что также представляет большой потенциальный интерес для его использования в растениеводстве

Особенности микроэлементного статуса у детей с острой крапивницей

Background: The increase in the occurrence of allergic dermatoses, especially in young children, is one of the urgent problems of pediatrics. The development of allergic reactions may be caused by changes in microelements balance of the body. Objective: Our aim was to study the features of the microelement status in children with acute urticaria.Methods: A comparative study included patients with acute urticaria of varying severity and healthy children (I and IIA groups of health). Study of microelement was carried out in hair samples by X-ray analysis.Results: The study revealed lower content of zinc in hair in patients with urticaria (n = 40) (48 compared to 146 mcg/g in 23 children of control group, p < 0.001). It also revealed lower content of calcium (447 and 2428 mcg/g respectively; p = 0.001) as well as higher content of sulfur (33860 and 26447 mcg/g respectively; p = 0.001) and potassium (537 and 312 mcg/g respectively; p = 0.001). Differences in the iron, nickel, copper, and chlorine content in hair in comparable groups were not detected. There was no association of microelements content with a burdened hereditary allergologic anamnesis.Conclusion: Children with urticaria have dismicroelemntosis, characterized by a decrease in zinc and calcium content, and an increase in the concentration of sulfur and potassium.Увеличение частоты встречаемости аллергических дерматозов, особенно у детей раннего возраста, является одной из актуальных проблем педиатрии. Развитие аллергических реакций может быть следствием изменения баланса микроэлементов в организме.Цель исследования: изучить особенности микроэлементного статуса у детей с острой крапивницей.Методы: в сравнительное исследование включали больных с острой крапивницей различной степени тяжести и здоровых детей (I и IIA группы здоровья). Изучение микроэлементного статуса осуществляли в пробах волос методом рентгенофлуоресцентного анализа.Результаты: у пациентов с крапивницей (n = 40) установлено более низкое содержание в волосах цинка (48 в сравнении со 146 мкг/г у 23 детей контрольной группы; р < 0,001) и кальция (447 и 2428 мкг/г, соответственно; р = 0,001), а также более высокое содержание серы (33 860 и 26 447 мкг/г, соответственно; р = 0,001) и калия (537 и 312 мкг/г, соответственно; р = 0,001). Различий в сравниваемых группах по содержанию в волосах железа, никеля, меди и хлора не обнаружено. Исключена и связь содержания микроэлементов с отягощенным наследственным аллергологическим анамнезом.Заключение: у детей с крапивницей установлено наличие дисмикроэлементоза, характеризующегося снижением содержания цинка и кальция, повышением концентрации серы и калия

Interchromosomal Duplications on the Bactrocera oleae Y Chromosome Imply a Distinct Evolutionary Origin of the Sex Chromosomes Compared to Drosophila

BACKGROUND: Diptera have an extraordinary variety of sex determination mechanisms, and Drosophila melanogaster is the paradigm for this group. However, the Drosophila sex determination pathway is only partially conserved and the family Tephritidae affords an interesting example. The tephritid Y chromosome is postulated to be necessary to determine male development. Characterization of Y sequences, apart from elucidating the nature of the male determining factor, is also important to understand the evolutionary history of sex chromosomes within the Tephritidae. We studied the Y sequences from the olive fly, Bactrocera oleae. Its Y chromosome is minute and highly heterochromatic, and displays high heteromorphism with the X chromosome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A combined Representational Difference Analysis (RDA) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) approach was used to investigate the Y chromosome to derive information on its sequence content. The Y chromosome is strewn with repetitive DNA sequences, the majority of which are also interdispersed in the pericentromeric regions of the autosomes. The Y chromosome appears to have accumulated small and large repetitive interchromosomal duplications. The large interchromosomal duplications harbour an importin-4-like gene fragment. Apart from these importin-4-like sequences, the other Y repetitive sequences are not shared with the X chromosome, suggesting molecular differentiation of these two chromosomes. Moreover, as the identified Y sequences were not detected on the Y chromosomes of closely related tephritids, we can infer divergence in the repetitive nature of their sequence contents. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The identification of Y-linked sequences may tell us much about the repetitive nature, the origin and the evolution of Y chromosomes. We hypothesize how these repetitive sequences accumulated and were maintained on the Y chromosome during its evolutionary history. Our data reinforce the idea that the sex chromosomes of the Tephritidae may have distinct evolutionary origins with respect to those of the Drosophilidae and other Dipteran families

Comparative genomics of small RNA regulatory pathway components in vector mosquitoes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Small RNA regulatory pathways (SRRPs) control key aspects of development and anti-viral defense in metazoans. Members of the Argonaute family of catalytic enzymes degrade target RNAs in each of these pathways. SRRPs include the microRNA, small interfering RNA (siRNA) and PIWI-type gene silencing pathways. Mosquitoes generate viral siRNAs when infected with RNA arboviruses. However, in some mosquitoes, arboviruses survive antiviral RNA interference (RNAi) and are transmitted via mosquito bite to a subsequent host. Increased knowledge of these pathways and functional components should increase understanding of the limitations of anti-viral defense in vector mosquitoes. To do this, we compared the genomic structure of SRRP components across three mosquito species and three major small RNA pathways.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>Ae. aegypti, An. gambiae </it>and <it>Cx. pipiens </it>genomes encode putative orthologs for all major components of the miRNA, siRNA, and piRNA pathways. <it>Ae. aegypti </it>and <it>Cx. pipiens </it>have undergone expansion of Argonaute and PIWI subfamily genes. Phylogenetic analyses were performed for these protein families. In addition, sequence pattern recognition algorithms MEME, MDScan and Weeder were used to identify upstream regulatory motifs for all SRRP components. Statistical analyses confirmed enrichment of species-specific and pathway-specific cis-elements over the rest of the genome.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Analysis of Argonaute and PIWI subfamily genes suggests that the small regulatory RNA pathways of the major arbovirus vectors, <it>Ae. aegypti and Cx. pipiens</it>, are evolving faster than those of the malaria vector <it>An. gambiae </it>and <it>D. melanogaster</it>. Further, protein and genomic features suggest functional differences between subclasses of PIWI proteins and provide a basis for future analyses. Common UCR elements among SRRP components indicate that 1) key components from the miRNA, siRNA, and piRNA pathways contain NF-kappaB-related and Broad complex transcription factor binding sites, 2) purifying selection has occurred to maintain common pathway-specific elements across mosquito species and 3) species-specific differences in upstream elements suggest that there may be differences in regulatory control among mosquito species. Implications for arbovirus vector competence in mosquitoes are discussed.</p

Specific features of epilepsy in children with brain tumors

Objective: to study the specific features of epilepsy in children and adolescents with brain tumors and to define the optimal tactics of management and antiepileptic therapy after surgical treatment. Patients and methods. Sixty-one patients aged 5 months to 15 years were examined. All the patients were diagnosed as having a brain tumor found in the presence of symptomatic epilepsy. They were all followed up for 5 years postsurgery or during their lifetime (in case of death). Comprehensive examination encompassing the assessment of history data and concomitant complaints, brain magnetic resonance imaging, video-EEC monitoring, and the neurological status (the presence of cognitive impairments and eye ground changes) was done in all the cases. The probability of epileptic seizures in the clinical presentation of the disease, their semiology, and frequency were studied. Results and discussion. Epileptic seizures were the major complaint in all the patients at the first visit to their doctor. The disease occurred with status epilepticus in 9% of the patients. Different types of generalized seizures were more common (53%; p≥0.05). The tumor was located above the tentorium of the cerebellum in most examinees (77%) and beneath it in the others (23%; p≤0.05). The significant clinical sign of a brain tumor in the epileptic children is focal neurological symptoms (72% of the cases). MRI was performed in children who had no focal neurological symptoms in the late periods. There was cerebrospinal fluid hypertension in 51% of the patients (p≥0.05) and cognitive impairments in 33% (p&lt;0.05). The maximum number (74%) of children with psycho-speech disorders and cognitive impairments were registered in the age group of 7–15 years. Eye ground changes characteristic of intracranial hypertension were identified in 19 epileptic children; they occurred in 27 patients more than 1 year after the onset of seizures. The late (few months-to-14 years) diagnosis of a brain tumor was stated in children with epileptic seizures. The diagnosis was established in patients with a tumor in the cerebral hemispheres in the later periods. The leading symptom in these children was epileptic seizures and EEG changes. The changes detectable by video-EEG monitoring with sleep inclusion were shown to be of diagnostic value