Dynamics of Cellular Factors of the Immune System of Arctic Foxes (Vulpes lagopus) on the Background of Mixtinvasion

The article presents data on the dynamics of cellular immune system factors of the arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) while being affected by mixtinvasion of protozoa (Isospora vulpina) and helminth (Toxascaris leonina). The changes in the blood cell composition, in particular those responsible for the body’s immunity and immune status, reflect the pathological effect of the endoparasites on the animal’s body. The development of the invasive process during mixtinvasions causes and is accompanied by a decrease in the level of nonspecific resistance of the host organism. In addition, a significant process of inhibition of the lysozyme complementary activity in the blood serum and the development of secondary immunodeficiencies is observed. The aim of our work was to study the development of the pathological process in arctic foxes, caused by previously detected mixtinvasion by eimeriidoses and helminthiases, as well as to identify dynamical patterns of the immune system cellular factors. Intravital diagnostics of parasitoses was carried out by means of coproscopic studies with the help of conventional flotation methods. 127 arctic foxes participated in the experiment. Among them individuals with double invasion, an invasion with both protozoa (placeI. vulpina) and helminth (T. leonina), were selected for the experiment. Healthy animals served as the control group. Arctic foxes which took part in the experiment were divided into three groups of 10 animals each. Groups were formed by the method of balanced analogous groups. Evaluation of the T-system of immunity was carried out by the method of spontaneous rosetting according to Jondal (1972). Isolation of lymphocytes by the method of A. Boyum (1968), B-lymphocytes were determined by the method of E. Mendes (1973), theophylline-resistant and theophylline-sensitive T-lymphocytes were determined using the method of S. Limatibul et.al. (1978). The immunoregulation index was calculated by the ratio of T-helpers to T-suppressors. During the experiment, it was found that in infected animals the total number of lymphocytes was significantly 10.2 % higher than in animals in the control group, however, there was a tendency to a sharp decrease in the total number of lymphocytes in patients with I. vulpina + T. leonina. The T-helper dynamics in infected foxes was 18.9 ± 0.9 (P≤0.05), which is 21.9 % less than in the control – 24.2 ± 0.6 (P≤0, 05). The dynamics of T-suppressors turned out to be directly opposite to the dynamics of the T-helpers. The dynamics of B-lymphocytes in the 2nd group turned out to be 1.76 times higher than in animals from the control. In the 3rd group same indicator was comparable with the control values of 2.9 ± 0.3, against 2.5 ± 0.4 in the control group. The study showed that mixtinvasion with placeI. vulpina + T. leonina leads to immunosuppression in the arctic foxes. Interestingly the specific therapy did not straighten the immune state of the animals, but on the contrary it became more pronounced, which suggests that antiparasitic drugs have an immunosuppressive nature on the body of arctic foxes as evidenced by violations of the parameters of the body’s natural resistance, the content of T-E-ROCK lymphocytes

Развитие системы государственных трудовых резервов в Нижнем Поволжье в послевоенные годы (1945-1952)

Two stages are revealed in the development of state labour reserves. The first period lasted from 1945 to 1948, and the second period - from 1949 to 1952. The distinctions of these two stages were determined. The author analyzes the dynamics of quantity and the structure of institutions in the system of state labour reserves in the Astrakhan, Saratov and Stalingrad regions in postwar years. The social and economical factors that had influence on this system were identified. The characters of principal patterns of SSLR's education institutions is provided, the common lines and singularities, significance changes were denoted. The share of young ones from the childish houses into the industrial, handicraft and railways schools in Low Volga River is exposed. The criteria of entering into the education institutions were determined. The interaction of SSLR with children houses was exhibited. The author highlights the status of stuff basis of SSLR in postwar years: shortage of educational buildings and student's homes, equipment's deficiency in industrial workshops and textbooks. The positive changes in staff-technical guarantee of educational institutions to the end of learning period are opening; their causes were analyzed. The author reveals the alterations in staff structure of SSLR and calculates the number of preparing workmen from factory and plant instruct schools; industrial, handicraft and railways schools for enterprises of the Lower Volga region in the fourth five-year plan. The article marks the significance of SSLR in the solution of economic and social problems in postwar society. The author distinguishes the common and the individual in the development of SSLR in the Lower Volga region and in Russia on whole. (author's abstract

The lichen genera Thelidium and Verrucaria in the Leningrad Region (Russia)

Lichens from the genera Thelidium and Verrucaria in the Leningrad Region (including Saint-Petersburg) are revised. Altogether five species of Thelidium and 31 of Verrucaria are confirmed for this region. Four species (Thelidium minimum, T. olivaceum, Verrucaria maculiformis and V. trabalis) are new to the Leningrad Region, and 17 species (Thelidium aphanes, T. fontigenum, Verrucaria christiansenii, V. elevata, V. epilithea, V. helsingiensis, V. illinoisensis, V. inaspecta, V. invenusta, V. ligni- cola, V. pilosoides, V. polystictoides, V. pseudovirescens, V. rejecta, V. tectorum, V. tornensis and V. transfugiens) are new to Russia. Dubious records for the Leningrad Region include Verrucaria acrotella, V. floerkeana, V. fusca, V. nigrescens, V. obnigrescens, V. umbrinula and V. viridula.

A multiscale approach to evaluate the structure of diversity of Collembola in boreo-nemoral forests of the Russian Plain

Collembola is a group of numerous ubiquitous small soil-dwelling arthropods decomposing the plant residues. The study analyses the diversity structure of this group in mesic conditions of coniferous, mixed, and broad-leaved forests. Sample plots were located in three Protected Areas in the Moscow Region (Losiny Ostrov National Park and the Valuyevsky Forest Park) and Smolensk Region (Smolenskoe Poozerye National Park). In total, 70 species of Collembola were registered in the forest litter. Two Collembola species were of Asian origin, namely Appendisotoma stebayevae (noted in Europe for the first time) and Vertagopus asiaticus (the second record of this species in the study area). The number of species was close to the number of genera, indicating the allochthonous character of the forest fauna of Collembola of the central Russian Plain. A multiscale approach was applied for sampling design. This allowed us to assess the diversity of Collembola at various spatial scales: from 1 m to hundreds of kilometres. The study scheme included two regions, four localities, 12 sample sites, and 36 plots; the latter was 1 m2 (the smallest area unit). The data analysis was based on the concept of alpha-beta diversity accompanied by the additive partitioning method. The region (the largest area unit) was the most important factor in forming the species diversity. The type of forest litter (coniferous vs. broad-leaved) was less significant; the habitat heterogeneity factor made even a less contribution. On average, 1 m2 of forest litter comprised about a quarter of the entire list of Collembola species in the studied forests. The species richness of Collembola in the broad-leaved forests was more variable in space and in time compared to coniferous forests and mixed forests; a transitional pattern was observed. The species composition of Collembola varied between the seasons of the year by about a quarter when considering the same sites of coniferous and mixed forests. In broad-leaved forests of various areas, seasonal changes in species composition varied highly, from very pronounced to insignificant. The new concept of plant litter traits is discussed as a factor for affecting the patterns of the structure and dynamics of the Collembola species diversity

MYOPATHY AS A DESTABILIZING FACTOR OF MEAT QUALITY FORMATION

This review paper is devoted to myopathy of slaughter animals and poultry, and examines a relationship between fast growth of muscle tissue in hybrid pigs, broiler chickens and turkey, and high frequency of detection of spontaneous or idiopathic myopathies. The development of myopathy reduces consumer and technological properties of meat, and leads to emergence of different pathological conditions (PSE or RSE meat, «destructured meat», «white» or «green» meat, punctate hemorrhage, «wooden breast» and others). Two types of myopathic conditions are examined: myopathies caused by stress in animals and nutritional myopathies, which contribution to meat quality deterioration seems to be determinative. It is shown that the basis of the mechanism of the myopathy development is the mechanism of the successive changes in muscle tissue: damage of cell membranes and release of mitochondrial calcium, which causes hypercontraction, dystrophic changes, atrophy and necrosis of muscle fibers. To alleviate the damaging effect of two types of myopathies, different substances-adaptogens (selenium, vitamin E, flavonoids and others) can be used. It is stated that the requirements of animals in adaptogens change with an increase in the indicators of their productivity.This review paper is devoted to myopathy of slaughter animals and poultry, and examines a relationship between fast growth of muscle tissue in hybrid pigs, broiler chickens and turkey, and high frequency of detection of spontaneous or idiopathic myopathies. The development of myopathy reduces consumer and technological properties of meat, and leads to emergence of different pathological conditions (PSE or RSE meat, «destructured meat», «white» or «green» meat, punctate hemorrhage, «wooden breast» and others). Two types of myopathic conditions are examined: myopathies caused by stress in animals and nutritional myopathies, which contribution to meat quality deterioration seems to be determinative. It is shown that the basis of the mechanism of the myopathy development is the mechanism of the successive changes in muscle tissue: damage of cell membranes and release of mitochondrial calcium, which causes hypercontraction, dystrophic changes, atrophy and necrosis of muscle fibers. To alleviate the damaging effect of two types of myopathies, different substances-adaptogens (selenium, vitamin E, flavonoids and others) can be used. It is stated that the requirements of animals in adaptogens change with an increase in the indicators of their productivity

Emergency management competence development: Concepts for education and exercises within emergency management in the maritime Arctic environment MARPART2-(MAN), Project Report 3

Thr report focuses mainly on education and training concepts for competence development for the key management personnel who can be involved in management of large scale events in the Arctic sea regions

Parameters of Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Protection in Men with Pathological Spermogram Variants

Background. Today infertile marriage is not only a serious medical, but also a socio-demographic and economic problem. Male factor contributes averagely to half of the cases of the disease in couples. Such factors as high levels of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress have been reported to compromise the process of spermatogenesis and sperm function in men. Oxidative stress is a significant risk factor for male infertility. A pro-oxidant testicular environment may alter the expression profile of functional sperm proteins and result in poor sperm quality.Aims. To study the characteristics of the intensity of the processes of lipoperoxidation and antioxidant status in the ejaculate of men with different variants of spermograms.Materials and methods. We examined 69 men with primary infertility and 155 fertile men. The content of lipid peroxidation components and antioxidant protection was determined by spectrophotometric method.Results. The results of the study in men with infertility and asthenozoospermia showed decreased total antioxidant activity of sperm by 50 % and α-tocopherol by 52 %, and in men with infertility and oligozoospermia, decreased total antioxidant activity of sperm by 47 % and α-tocopherol by 41 %.Conclusions. The analysis indicates a change in the parameters of the system of lipid peroxidation – antioxidant defense system and confirms the development of oxidative stress in them. Depending on the pathological state of the ejaculate in men of reproductive age, lipid peroxidation processes have their own characteristics. In men with oligozoospermia, peroxidation processes occur more intensively. Activation of lipid peroxidation – antioxidant defense system processes can be both a consequence and a cause of various metabolic changes in the human body

Combination Breeding and Marker-Assisted Selection to Develop Late Blight Resistant Potato Cultivars

(1) Background: Although resistance to pathogens and pests has been researched in many potato cultivars and breeding lines with DNA markers, there is scarce evidence as to the efficiency of the marker-assisted selection (MAS) for these traits when applied at the early stages of breeding. A goal of this study was to estimate the potential of affordable DNA markers to track resistance genes that are effective against the pathogen Phytophthora infestans (Rpi genes), as a practical breeding tool on a progeny of 68 clones derived from a cross between the cultivar Sudarynya and the hybrid 13/11-09. (2) Methods: this population was studied for four years to elucidate the distribution of late blight (LB) resistance and other agronomical desirable or simple to phenotype traits such as tuber and flower pigmentation, yield capacity and structure. LB resistance was phenotypically evaluated following natural and artificial infection and the presence/absence of nine Rpi genes was assessed with 11 sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. To validate this analysis, the profile of Rpi genes in the 13/11-09 parent was established using diagnostic resistance gene enrichment sequencing (dRenSeq) as a gold standard. (3) Results: at the early stages of a breeding program, when screening the segregation of F1 offspring, MAS can halve the workload and selected SCAR markers for Rpi genes provide useful tools