Valuable agronomic traits of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) accessions from the VIR collection: methods of preparing nodules for long-term storage

Background. Chufa is one of the most promising rare oilseed crops. The issues of preserving and obtaining highquality seed material are very important. The development of long-term genebank storage techniques for chufa nodules is a pressing task.Materials and methods. We studied 18 chufa germplasm accessions of various origin. The field study was conducted in 2010–2012 under the environmental conditions of Krasnodar Territory, Russia. Protein and oil content was analyzed according to the guidelines on the methods of quality control and safety of bioactive food additives (R 4.1.1672-03…, 2004); vitamin E according to the guidelines on the methods of analyzing the quality and safety of food products (Skurikhin, Tutelyan, 1987); fatty acid composition in line with IUPAC (1979) and GOST R 512677-2006, using an IIRGCS chromatograph.Results and conclusions. The study of valuable agronomic characters in chufa accessions showed that the height of plants varied from 49 to 69 cm; the number of nodules per plant from 80 to 110 pcs; the weight of nodules per plant from 18 to 49 g; the weight of nodules per plot (1 m2 ) from 101 to 393 g. Their oil content varied from 13.1 to 21.06 g/100 g, and protein content from 6 to 10%. Chufa accessions contained large amount of vitamin E: 19.23 to 35.23 mg/100 g. The content of saturated fatty acids in chufa oil was 17.75 to 20.99%, monounsaturated fatty acids from 68.21 to 71.55%, and polyunsaturated fatty acids from 9.94 to 12.17%. A technique of preparing chufa nodules for long-term storage was developed. The optimal time to assess germination energy is four days, with 11 days for germination percentage. Storage of chufa nodules for three years at a temperature of +20°C causes a decrease in their germination by 15–16%. When stored under low positive (+4°C) or negative temperatures (–18°C and –196°C), their germination percentage remained unchanged

The Russian Brassicaceae collection – from N.I. Vavilov and E.N. Sinskaya till nowadays

This article  presents the  history  of the  formation  of the  Russian state  Brassicaceae  collection  maintained at  the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR). Nowadays this one of the world’s richest collections encompasses more than 10,750 accessions of different status from 32 species and 11 genera: vegetable, fodder, oilseed, spicy, ornamental crops and continues to grow through collecting missions and exchange of material. The first intraspecific botanical  and agrobiological ecologo-geographical divisions of many crops – cole, turnip, radish, small radish, Swede – were performed by E.N. Sinskaya and T.V. Lizgunova over years of research. These unique works have been continued by M.A. Shebalina and L.V. Sazonova: the cultivar types of Chinese cabbage and pakchoi have been determined; the development of the classifications of white cabbage, broccoli, small radish, turnip is being  continued. The objective laws of variability of valuable biochemical  traits are presented; a comparative analysis of nutritive and biologically active substances, primarily secondary metabolites, allowed us to determine specific biochemical  compounds: those common for the related  species Brassica oleracea and B. rapa but occurring in them at different frequencies and those unique for species, subspecies and separate cultivar types; this is the beginning of taxonomic studies. With phytopathological studies, the common diseases of Brassicas in the northwestern part of Russia were determined, and the level of their distribution and development depending on the crop was shown. Genetic studies of the Brassicaceae collections at VIR include DNA analysis to search for duplicates in the collections, to compare original seeds  and the seeds  after reproduction and to assess the authenticity of saved accessions, to assess biodiversity, including that of new material from collecting missions, to develop phylogenetic studies. Chromosome loci controlling flowering time, morphological and biochemical  traits were determined by QTL analysis and association mapping, the molecular  markers found  are used for screening the collection and breeding material. The sources and donors of traits valuable for modern breeding directions have been found for use in various breeding programs

Polyphenols of <i>Perilla frutescens</i> of the family Lamiaceae identified by tandem mass spectrometry

Perilla frutescens is mainly cultivated as an oilseed crop. Perilla seeds contain 40–53 % of oil, 28 % of protein. The growing season is 100–150 days. In Russia, perilla is grown in the Far East, where the yield is 0.8–1.2 t/ha. Perilla of different geographical origin has its own special, sharply different features that characterize two geographical groups: Japanese and Korean-Chinese. These groups differ from each other in the length of the growing season, the height of plants, the color of the stem, the surface and the size of the leaves, the shape of the bush, the shape and size of the inflorescences, the size of the cups, the size and color of the seeds. P. frutescens contains a large number of polyphenolic compounds that are biologically active components. The purpose of this research was a metabolomic study of extracts from leaves of P. frutescens obtained from the collection of Federal Research Center the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, grown on the fields of the Far East Experiment Station – Branch of Federal Research Center (Primorsky Krai, Russia). To identify target analytes in extracts, HPLC was used in combination with an ion trap. Preliminary results showed the presence of 23 biologically active compounds corresponding to P. frutescens. In addition to the reported metabolites, a number of metabolites were newly annotated in P. frutescens. There were hydroxycoumarin Umbelliferone; triterpene Squalene; omega-3 fatty acid Stearidonic [Moroctic] acid; higher-molecular-weight carboxylic acid: Tetracosenoic acid and Salvianic acid C; lignan Syringaresinol and cyclobutane lignan Sagerinic acid, etc. A wide range of biologically active compounds opens up rich opportunities for the creation of new drugs and dietary supplements based on extracts of perilla of the family Lamiaceae, subfamily Lamioideae, tribe Satureji and subtribe Perillinae

Effects of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium base fertilizers on growth and yield of <i>Taraxacum kok-saghyz</i> Rodin

Taraxacum kok-saghyz (TKS) is a promising natural rubber plant. In the current study we investigated effects of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium base fertilizers on growth and yield of TKS through the field experiments. We found that appropriate application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium base fertilizers can significantly increase root, rubber and total sugar yield of TKS. The TKS rubber yield enhanced significantly when the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus, potassium increased accordingly to 107.2, 10.5 and 35.3 g m–2. Maximum accumulation of rubber in the TSK roots is caused by application of potassium fertilizer.According to the obtained results the recommended amount of base fertilizers under conditions of Harbin Experimental Station (N45.592729°, E126.581668°) is 107.2 g m–2 of urea, 43.4 g m–2 of calcium superphosphate, 10.5 g m–2 of potassium chloride

Identification and analysis of CRISPR/Cas systems structures in the genomes of antibiotic-resistant strains of <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>

Background. Klebsiella pneumoniae belongs to a group of opportunistic bacteria that can form multiple resistance to antibiotics and transmit it to various types of bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. These studies examine the structural and functional diversity of CRISPR/Cas systems that protect bacteria from foreign DNA. Their analysis using the example of antibiotic-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae will demonstrate their resistance to certain bacteriophages, which will make it possible to develop approaches to the treatment of complex infectious diseases caused by these microorganisms by creating targeted phage therapy.The aim. To perform a bioinformatics analysis of the identified structural components of CRISPR/Cas systems for screening bacteriophages through CRISPR cassette spacers using the example of antibiotic-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae.Materials and methods. The article analyzed 29 full-genome sequences of Klebsiella pneumoniae, in the genome of which the structures of CRISPR/Cas systems and  antibiotic resistance genes were determined (according to NCBI). To achieve this  goal, using software modeling methods, a search was made for Cas genes and CRISPR cassettes, and their structural and functional characteristics were given.Results. Using bioinformatic search algorithms in the genome of antibiotic-resistant strains, functionally active CRISPR/Cas systems with the presence of one or two CRISPR cassettes and belonging to Type  I Subtype  IE were identified. Groups of resistant strains with identical spacer composition of CRISPR cassettes have been identified. A phylogenetic analysis was carried out confirming their common origin. By analyzing the spacer sequences of CRISPR cassettes, the spectrum of diversity of phages of bacteria of the genus Klebsiella, Salmonella, belonging to the same family Enterobacteriaceae, was determined. Thus, information was obtained about the bacteriophages that are targeted by the action of CRISPR systems of Klebsiella pneumoniae strains that have antibiotic resistance.Conclusions. Analysis of the functional and structural features of the CRISPR/Cas systems of antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains made it possible to obtain information about their evolutionary history and about the bacteriophages against which their action is directed, that is, about their phage resistance. The approach used in this study may further serve as the basis for the creation of personalized phage therap

Клинический опыт ведения кризов у больных миастенией в Амурской области

Background. Management of the myasthenic crisis remains one of the issues in clinical neurology.Objective. Analysis of the timeframes of the myasthenic exacerbation since the disease onset, sex distribution, age predominance, specific clinical features, precipitating factors in order to investigate the efficacy of the management algorithm of the myasthenic crisis.Materials and methods. Medical histories of 33 female and 19 male patients with myasthenia for the period of 2000 to 2003 were analyzed.Results. In comparison with the literature data the number of mysthenic crisis in myasthenic patients was lower and did not exceed 25 %. Sex distribution 1,2 (male): 1 (female). In 70 % worsening of myasthenia appeared in the first two years of the disease: in 6 patients (46.2 %) at the age of 22–35 y. o.; in 5 patients (38.5 %) – at the age of 36–60 y. o. All patients suffered from generalized myasthenia, in three of them ocular and bulbar muscle weakness predominated. In 46.2 % of patients with crisis, thymus abnormalities were present (thymoma / hyperplasia). The most common precipitating factors were: infection (36.9 %), stress (26.3 %), misuse of the anticholinesterase drugs (15.8 %). In 5.2 % the worsening of myasthenia followed the delivery. The crisis triggering factor was not identified in 15.8 % of cases.Conclusion. In order to prevent the exacerbation of myasthenia, generalized forms of myasthenia with poor response to anticholinesterase drugs require special attention towards patients in their first two years of the disease, including patient’s educational program on appropriate mode of drug administration and avoiding initiating factors, as well as thymectomy.Введение. Ведение кризовых состояний у больных миастенией является одной из насущных проблем клинической неврологии.Цель работы – уточнение сроков развития кризов от дебюта заболевания, соотношения полов, возрастного распределения, особенностей эволюции симптоматики и провоцирующих факторов в рамках исследования эффективности алгоритма ведения криза.Материалы и методы. Были проанализированы истории болезней 52 пациентов с миастенией (33 женщин и 19 мужчин) в пе риод с 2000 по 2013 г.Результаты. Доля кризового течения составила 25 %, что относительно ниже, чем по данным других исследований. Соотношение мужчин и женщин 1,2:1,0. В 70 % случаев кризовые состояния возникали в первые 2 года заболевания: у 6 (46,2 %) больных в возрасте 22–35 лет, у 5 (38,5 %) – 36–60 лет. Все больные с кризовым течением имели генерализованную форму миастении, у 3 пациентов преобладал краниобульбарный паттерн распределения мышечной слабости. У 46,2 % больных с кризовым течением выявлены изменения вилочковой железы (тимома/гиперплазия). Чаще всего кризовые состояния развивались на фоне острых инфекционных заболеваний (36,9 %), стрессовых ситуаций (26,3 %), а также вследствие нарушения режима приема антихолинэстеразных препаратов (15,8 %). В 5,2 % случаев криз развился после родов. У 15,8 % пациентов выявить провоцирующий фактор развития криза не представлялось возможным.Заключение. Профилактические мероприятия по предотвращению миастенических кризов у больных с генерализованной формой и недостаточной реакцией на антихолинэстеразные препараты должны проводиться с особенной тщательностью в первые 2 года заболевания и включать разъяснительную работу с пациентами по режиму дозирования препаратов и избеганию провоцирующих факторов, своевременное оперативное лечение при соответствующих изменениях вилочковой железы

Temperature Dependent Characteristics of Activated Carbons from Walnut Shells for Improved Supercapacitor Performance

Activated carbons (ACs) have been prepared from chemical treatment of walnut shells (WS) precursor at various temperatures (400‒800 °C) by using phosphoric acid (H3PO4) as activating agent. Influence of activation temperature on the porosity development and capacitive properties of resulting carbons was investigated. Thermal post-treatment of carbons previously activated at moderate temperature, e.g. 400 °C allowed further structural and porosity modification. Then, these carbons were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electrochemical techniques and low temperature nitrogen adsorption exhibiting high BET specific surface area of approximately 2100 m2 g-1 and a total pore volume up to 1.3 cm3 g-1. Carbon material obtained through activation by H3PO4 at 400 °C and post-treated at 800 °C was used to make electrodes which were implemented to realize AC/AC capacitor using 1 mol L-1 Li2SO4. The electrochemical capacitor demonstrated high capacitance of 123 F g-1 per mass of one electrode, reduced cell resistance and stable capacitance for 5000 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles at 1.0 A g-1

КАВИТАЦИОННАЯ ОБРАБОТКА ДИЗЕЛЬНОЙ ФРАКЦИИ НЕФТИ

The results of investigation on the effect of mechanochemical treatment of the diesel fraction on its physicochemical characteristics are presented. Mechanochemical treatment of the diesel fraction was achieved by creating a cavitation effect in the hydrodynamic regime. The studies were carried out in the range of pressure gradients up to 50 MPa, the number of treatment cycles varied from 1 to 5, the temperature of raw material at the apparatus inlet was 0 0С. It is shown that the effect of cavitation is manifested not only in the processing of high-boiling hydrocarbons, but also in a middle distillate directions. So, as a result of the cavitation effect, the density of the diesel fraction and its pour point decrease, and the fractional composition changes. It is suggested that these changes are associated with hydrocarbon degradation. The collapse of gas bubbles leads to a local increase in the temperature of the medium to 800 0C, which, in turn, leads to the destruction of hydrocarbons. Increasing the pressure gradient of the hydrodynamic flow enhances the noted effect. Increasing the number of treatment cycles reduces the effect achieved. A possible reason is the destruction of hydrocarbons formed in the first stage of processing and the formation of polycyclic and aromatic structures. The results presented in the article extend ideas about cavitation regularities in the hydrocarbon environmentПредставлены результаты исследований влияния механохимической обработки дизельной фракции нефти на её физико-химические характеристики. Механохимическая обработка дизельной фракции достигалась созданием в гидродинамическом режимекавитационного эффекта. Исследования проводились в диапазоне градиентов давлений до 50 МПа, число циклов обработки варьировалось от 1 до 5, температура сырья на входе в аппарат - 0 0С. Показано, что эффект от кавитационного воздействия проявляется не только при обработке высококипящих углеводородов, но и на среднедистиллятных фракциях. Так, в результате кавитационного воздействия снижается плотность дизельной фракции, температура её застывания, происходит изменение фракционного состава. Высказано предположение о том, что эти изменения связаны с деструкцией углеводородов. Схлопывание пузырьков газа приводит к локальному повышению температуры среды до 800 0С, что, в свою очередь, и приводит к деструкции углеводородов. Повышение градиента давлений гидродинамического потока усиливает отмеченный эффект. При увеличении числа циклов обработки отмечено снижение достигнутого эффекта. Возможная причина заключается в деструкции углеводородов, образовавшихся на первом этапе обработки и образовании полициклических и ароматических структур. Представленные в статье результаты расширяют представления о закономерностях протекания кавитации в среде углеводородов

Клинико-эпидемиологические аспекты инфекционных пора жений центральной нервной системы у ВИЧ-позитивных пациентов

В работе представлена клинико-эпидемиологическая характеристика инфекционных поражений центральной нервной системы у пациентов с заболеванием, вызванным вирусом иммунодефицита человека (ВИЧ). Под наблюдением находилось 100 больных на различных стадиях ВИЧ-инфекции. Методом простой рандомизации была сформирована изучаемая группа, в которую вошли 55 больных в возрасте от 25 до 47 лет (средний возраст составил 32,4±0,81), мужчин – 38 (69%), женщин – 17 (31%). Неврологическая симптоматика при оппортунистических инфекциях у больных на стадии ВИЧ-инфекции IVB и IVБ была выявлена у 40% больных. Основной причиной тяжелой неврологической патологии у больных на поздних стадиях ВИЧ-инфекции являлся церебральный токсоплазмоз (58,2%), криптококковые менингиты (14,5%), туберкулезный менингоэнцефалит (11%) как проявление гематогенно-диссеминированного туберкулеза с поражением легких, цитомегаловирусный мелкоочаговый энцефалит (3,6%). Поражение ЦНС ожидаемо при низком иммунном статусе (CD4 менее 200 клеток в 1 мкл). Этиологическая верификация поражения головного мозга определяет необходимость применения современных молекулярно-биологических методов диагностики. Определение в ликворе ДНКM. tuberculosis, Cr. neoformans, T. gondii, ЦМВ (с обязательной количественной характеристикой) является не только специфическим, но и наиболее чувствительным маркером соответствующей патологии ЦНС