Findings of Phreatalona protzi (Hartwig, 1900) (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae) in Russia

We discovered subfossil remains of Phreatalona protzi (Hartwig, 1900) (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae) in a short sediment core taken from a small tundra lake Pe-03 located in the Pechora River delta, North-East of European part of Russia. This species had been described previously only from Central and Northern Europe. The occurrence of P. protzi in the Russian Arctic suggests that this chydorid species must be much more widely distributed than previously reported, and in the near future we expect findings of this species in other regions of Russia

The efficacy of the combination of eribulin and trastuzumab in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer: the results of Russian observational study

The article presents the experience of 19 Russian medical institutions on the use of eribulin in combination with trastuzumab in various treatment lines of metastatic HER2+ breast cancer in routine clinical practice. Aim. The main objective of this retrospective observational study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of eribulin and trastuzumab combo in HER2+ breast cancer patients pretreated with anthracyclines and taxanes. The analysis included 60 patients who received at least 2 cycles of eribulin in combination with trastuzumab. 2 patients (3.3%) received treatment as the 1st line, as the 2nd 14 (23.3%), as the 3rd 16 (26.7%), and as the 4th and more 28 (46.7%). Materials and methods. Complete response was achieved in 2 (3.3%) patients, partial response in 9 (15%), stable disease in 33 (55%), stabilization for more than 6 months in 11 (18.3%), disease progression was detected in 16 (26.7%) patients. The objective response rate was 18.3% in the whole group, the clinical benefit rate 36.7%. Results. The objective response rate in the group of the luminal subtype (ER/PR+HER2+) was 26.9%, in HER2-overexpressed subtype (ER-PR-HER2+) 8.8% and 64.7%, respectively, disease progression was recorded 2.3 times more often 35.3% versus 15.5% in the luminal subtype group. The median progression-free survival in patients with HER2+ breast cancer was 4.95 months (95% confidence interval CI 3.048.29 months), in luminal subtype 6.38 months (95% CI 3.338.54 months), in non-luminal 4.44 months (95% CI 2.47.96 months); p=0.306. The treatment was well tolerated, the spectrum of adverse events corresponded to the eribulin toxicity profile. Conclusions. The uniqueness of this study lies in the fact that on a large clinical material from the standpoint of real clinical practice, a very promising treatment regimen that is not used routinely in a number of countries has been studied, its effectiveness and satisfactory tolerance have been confirmed

Subfossil Cladocera from a sediment core of small thermokarst Lake in Pechora Delta, Nenets Autonomous Region, northern Russia

Subfossil Cladocera remains were examined from small thermorkarst Lake 17-PE-03 (68.183967 N, 53.808247 E, Pechora Delta, Nenets Autonomous Region, Russia) from one core (48 cm-long). Results of the analysis are presented in date base. For the first time, the species Phreatalona protzi (Hartwig, 1900) (Crustacea: Cladocera) has been found in the Nenets Autonomous Region, Russia

Pollen and spore record of lake sediments, the southern part of the Yamal peninsula, Russia

Palynological data have been obtained from the lake sediments, the southern part of the Yamal peninsula. For the spore-pollen analysis we used a 30 cm core of bottom sediments from one of the water bodies of the Yerkuta river basin with the code name K1 (68°15.320' N, 69°07.675' E), collected during the expedition in 2014. The study object is a small lake with a surface area of 0.43 km2 and maximum depth of 6.5 m. The water temperature of the lake averaged 9.2°C. Based on the hydrogen index value (pH= 6.93), the lake water was characterized as close to neutral. Based on the palynological analysis of the lake sediments we received a preliminary information on climatic changes, as well as on changes in vegetation character in the area around the water body. Reconstruction of vegetation around the lake has identified the development of a brush-grass-moss tundra. Shrubs are represented by Betula, Alnaster, Salix, Ericaceae. Herbaceous taxa are composed mainly by Cyperaceae, Poaceae with a small admixture of forbs. Mosses are represented by Sphagnum, Lycopodiaceae. It has been found that the lower part of the core from 29 cm to 18 cm formed in a cold and humid climate. The middle part of the column from 18 to 8 cm laid under more favorable conditions - an increase in the total concentration of pollen in the sediments was noticeable. The top of the column from 8 to 0 cm points to cold and humid climate. The vegetation, which produced the pollen at this period, was same to the modern type

Diatoms of Holocene Sediments of Lake Bolshoy Kharbei (Bolshezemelskaya Tundra, Russia)

Арктические озера, не затронутые прямым антропогенным воздействием, являются прекрасными объектами для палеоклиматических реконструкций. Одним из источников информации о произошедших изменениях в экосистемах озер могут быть диатомовые водоросли. Изучение диатомовых водорослей в голоценовых осадках ледникового оз. Большой Харбей Большеземельской тундры позволило установить 122 видовых и внутривидовых таксона, относящихся к 2 классам, 5 порядкам, 18 семействам и 45 родам с преобладанием космополитных алкалифильных бентосных видов стояче-текучих вод, индифферентных к солености, обитающих в умеренных температурных условиях. Была выявлена тенденция формирования диатомовой флоры голоценовых осадков оз. Большой Харбей, проявляющаяся в изменении состава доминантов в связи с потеплением климата. В качестве реакции на рост палеотемператур происходит увеличение периода открытой воды в озере и водности, что способствует лучшему развитию планктонных центрических и мелких пенатных диатомей с последующим возрастанием доли их створок в донных осадкахArctic lakes, which are not affected by direct human impact, are excellent objects for paleoclimatic reconstructions. Diatoms can be a source of information about the changes that occurred in lakes. The recent Holocene sediments from deep glacial arctic Lake Bolshoy Kharbei of Bolshezemelskaya tundra were studied for diatoms. In total, 122 taxa of 2 classes, 5 orders, 18 families, 45 genus of cosmopolitan forms with a predominance of alkaliphilic benthic species of diatoms preferring a standing – flowing waters, indifferent to salinity and moderate temperature conditions were revealed. There is a trend in forming diatom flora of Holocene sediments of Lake Bolshoy Kharbei manifested in changes in the composition of dominants due to climate warming. As a response to increase of paleotemperature, the lengthening of the growing season and period of open water in the lake, the rise of the water level and the rate of water exchange took place, which contributed to the development of planktonic centric and small pennate diatoms with a consequent increasing of their valves share in the sediment

Diatoms from Modern Lake Sediments of Lake Lebedinoe (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, West Siberian Arctic, Russia)

Arctic reservoirs are excellent indicators of the ongoing increase in air temperature on the planet. The West Siberian Arctic, especially its northern part, is poorly studied algologically. The aim of this work was to study the taxonomic composition of diatoms in modern sediments of Lake Lebedinoe (YNAD, West Siberian Arctic, Russia). 18 sediment samples were processed in the range from 1 to 36 cm. As a result 60 taxa of diatoms were identified in modern bottom sediments of the Lake Lebedinoe

Cladoceran analysis of sediment core 17-Ya-01 from a anonymous lake in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Arctic Russia

Cladocerans are very promising for studying climate change risks owing to their inherently predictive nature. For paleoecological study, one sediment core (17-Ya-01) was sampled from lake in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Russia). Cladoceran analysis of the sediment core with a length of 51 cm collected from the studied lake is performed. A total of 30 taxa were registered in the subfossil cladoceran community of the lake. Most of the identified taxa belong to the Chydoridae family. Bosmina (Eubosmina) longispina was the dominant species. Of special interest is the finding of Ophryoxus gracilis and Rhynchotalona latens - rare species