Nomenclature adjustments and new syntaxa of the arctic, alpine and oro-Mediterranean vegetation

Proposte sintassonomiche e nomenclaturali per la vegetazione della Tundra alpina. Il capitolo riguardante l'alta quota appenninica è il più corposo e propone il nuovo syntaxon Leontopodio-Elynion a livello di alleanza. La grande novità sta nel fatto che questa alleanza è da considerarsi anfi-Adriatica e unsice Appennino e balcani, differenziandosi dall'alleanza già definita da altri per le Alpi. i Pirenei e i Carpazi.During preparation of the European checklist of vegetation units (EuroVegChecklist), it became clear that some earlier described syntaxa need to be typified in order to stabilize nomenclature and some new syntaxa need to be described. Here we propose nomenclature adjustments and formal description of four new alliances for the Arctic, alpine and oro-Mediterranean vegetation of Europe, Greenland and Anatolia. First, we typify the class Juncetea trifidi. Second, we describe four new alliances, such as the Puccinellion nuttallianae (Low-Arctic salt steppes of Greenland; class Saxifrago tricuspidatae-Calamagrostietea purpurascentis), Dryado octopetalae- Caricion arctisibiricae (Arctic tundra vegetation of north-eastern European Russia; class Carici rupestris-Kobresietea bellardii), Leontopodio nivalis-Elynion myosuroidis (southern European alpine tundra vegetation; class Carici rupestris-Kobresietea bellardii) and Lagotido uralensis-Caricion ensifoliae (alpine tundra vegetation of the Southern Ural Mountains; class Juncetea trifidi). Two new associations are described within the first two of these alliances. Finally, we present an interpretation of the alliance Muscario-Scillion nivalis

Mass spectrometry imaging of glucosinolates in arabidopsis flowers and siliques

Glucosinolates are multi-functional plant secondary metabolites which play a vital role in plant defence and are, as dietary compounds, important to human health and livestock well-being. Knowledge of the tissue-specific regulation of their biosynthesis and accumulation is essential for plant breeding programs. Here, we report that in Arabidopsis thaliana, glucosinolates are accumulated differentially in specific cells of reproductive organs. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), distribution patterns of three selected compounds, 4-methylsulfinylbutyl (glucoraphanin), indol-3-ylmethyl (glucobrassicin), and 4-benzoyloxybutyl glucosinolates, were mapped in the tissues of whole flower buds, sepals and siliques. The results show that tissue localization patterns of aliphatic glucosinolate glucoraphanin and 4-benzoyloxybutyl glucosinolate were similar, but indole glucosinolate glucobrassicin had different localisation, indicating a possible difference in function. The high resolution images obtained by a complementary approach, cryo-SEM Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (cryo-SEM-EDX), confirmed increased concentration of sulphur in areas with elevated amounts of glucosinolates, and allowed identifying the cell types implicated in accumulation of glucosinolates. High concentration of sulphur was found in S-cells adjacent to the phloem in pedicels and siliques, indicating the presence of glucosinolates. Moreover, both MALDI MSI and cryo-SEM-EDX analyses indicated accumulation of glucosinolates in cells on the outer surface of the sepals, suggesting that a layer of glucosinolate-accumulating epidermal cells protects the whole of the developing flower, in addition to the S-cells, which protect the phloem. This research demonstrates the high potential of MALDI MSI for understanding the cell-specific compartmentation of plant metabolites and its regulation

POSSIBILITIES OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PRIMARY PULMONARY VASCULITIS

Objective: to study the main computed tomography (CT) signs of primary pulmonary vasculitis at different stages of disease development. Material and methods. Eighty-nine patients, including those with Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) (n = 60), Churg–Strauss syndrome (CSS) (n = 24), or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) (n = 5), were examined. Vasculitis was diagnosed on the basis of comprehensive clinical, X-ray, and morphological examination. CT study was performed in 40 (85.1%) patients over time. Radiography encompassed chest X-ray and computed tomography. Results. The CT signs of WG were as follows: parenchymal infiltrates in 41 (68.3%) patients, vast zones of ground glass and consolidation in 16 (21.6%), and bronchial wall thickening in 27 (46.7%). The infiltrates showed aseptic decay cavities in 26 (63.4%) cases. In CSS, the CT changes included ground glass symptom (100%), consolidation symptom (54.2%), bronchial wall thickening concurrent with bronchial dilatation (87.5%), and increased peripheral pulmonary vessel diameter (45.8%). CSS was typified by migratory infiltrates. The pulmonary manifestations of MPA were characterized by the regions of alveolar infiltration of varying intensity and extent. Conclusion. The use of CT in pulmonary vasculitis makes it possible to reliably detect and differentiate pathological changes in the lung, to estimate their extent and monitor the efficiency of treatment

Problems and prospects of development of ecological tourism in Ireland

The paper presents the research on the development of ecological tourism in Ireland. The basic directions and problems of development of ecotourism. Income from ecotourism in the country was analyzed in the article, as well as the model for the attraction of tourists to Irelan

Фармакоэпидемиологическая и клинико-лабораторная характеристика лекарственно-индуцированного поражения печени при туберкулезе

Objective: improving the efficiency of pharmacotherapy of drug-induced liver injury in tuberculosis by clarifying pharmaco-epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of primary medical records of 250 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, patients «Volgograd Regional Clinical TB Dispensary № 1». We evaluated the dynamics of biochemical parameters characterizing the development of hepatic cytolytic syndrome, examined the impact of gender and age on the incidence of liver damage, we investigated the relationship of clinical tuberculosis and chemotherapy regimen with the incidence of drug-induced liver injury, examined the clinical manifestations of liver disease.Results: Drug-induced liver injury as a complication of a specific anti-TB treatment was diagnosed in 67 patients (26,8%). In 170 patients (68,0%) showed increase in alanine aminotransferase and asparaginaminotrasferazy. Hepatotoxicity significantly more common in patients with disseminated tuberculosis with the collapse of the lung tissue, smear, and a high degree of disease severity. Risk factors for drug liver damage were female gender and age older than 50 years. Women develop liver disease at an earlier date, and displays it harder than men. The earliest and most informative routine biochemical tests, reflecting the state of the liver in the dynamics are ALT and AST. It was found that the mode of the standard anti-TB treatment determines the type of liver injury: the first, 2a and 3rd modes prevails cytolytic hepatocellular type, with 2b mode – combined (mixed) type 4th – type of cholestatic liver damage. It was found that repeated, after the development of hepatotoxic reactions, the appointment of anti-TB drugs without gepatoprotektsii in 94% of patients leads to repeated drug-induced liver damage. Cancel specific therapy against the background of cytolytic syndrome promotes the formation of drug-resistant forms of mycobacteria, and reduces the effectiveness of treatment for tuberculosis.Цель исследования: повышение эффективности фармакотерапии лекарственно-индуцированного поражения печени у больных, получающих специфическую противотуберкулезную химиотерапию, за счет уточнения фармакоэпидемиологических и клинико-лабораторных особенностей заболевания.Материалы и методы: проведен ретроспективный анализ первичной медицинской документации 250 больных туберкулёзом лёгких, пациентов ГКУЗ «Волгоградский областной клинический противотуберкулезный диспансер №1». Дана оценка динамики биохимических показателей, характеризующих развитие печеночного цитолитического синдрома, проведена оценка влияния пола и возраста на частоту повреждения печени, изучена взаимосвязь клинических форм туберкулеза и режима химиотерапии с частотой развития лекарственно-индуцированного поражения печени, изучены клинические проявления поражения печени.Результаты: лекарственно-индуцированное поражение печени как осложнение специфической противотуберкулезной терапии диагностировано у 67 пациентов (26,8%), у 170 больных (68,0%) выявлено повышение уровня аланинаминотрансферазы и аспарагинамино-трасферазы. Гепатотоксические реакции статистически значимо чаще наблюдались у больных с диссеминированной формой туберкулеза с распадом легочной ткани, бактериовыделением и высокой степенью тяжести заболевания. Факторами риска лекарственного поражения печени являлись женский пол и возраст старше 50 лет. У женщин поражение печени развивается в более ранние сроки, и проявления его интенсивнее, чем у мужчин. Самыми ранними и наиболее информативными рутинными биохимическими тестами, отражающими состояние печени в динамике, являются АлАТ и АсАТ. Выявлено, что режим стандартной противотуберкулезной химиотерапии определяет тип поражения печени: при 1, 2а и 3 режимах преобладает цитолитический гепатоцеллюлярный тип, при 2б режиме – комбинированный (смешанный) тип, при 4 режиме – холестатический тип повреждения печени. Выявлено, что повторное, после развития гепатотоксических реакций, назначение противотуберкулезных препаратов без гепатопротекции у 94% пациентов приводит к повторному лекарственно-индуцированному поражению печени. Отмена специфической терапии на фоне цитолитического синдрома способствует формированию лекарственно-устойчивых форм микобактерий и снижает эффективность лечения туберкулеза

Investigation of the structure and microhardness of Mo-Fe-C coatings obtained by the electron beam injected in the atmosphere

In this work 'Mo-Fe-C' coatings fabricated on medium carbon steel by non-vacuum electron beam cladding were investigated. The structure of coatings and transition zones were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that an increase of Fe percentage in the cladding mixture led to a decrease of the eutectic volume fraction in the coating and was accompanied by the formation of the gradient structure between the coating and a substrate material. Measurements of microhardness in the cross section of samples revealed that the cladding of a 'Mo-C powder mixture contributed to a 4.5-fold increase of microhardness

Fast electrochemical membrane actuator:Design, fabrication and preliminary testing

An actuator based on water electrolysis with a fast change of voltage polarity is presented. It demonstrates a new actuation principle allowing significant increase the operation frequency of the device due to fast termination of the produced gas. The actuator consists of a working chamber with metallic electrodes and supplying channels filled with an electrolyte. The chamber is formed in a layer of SU-8 and covered by a flexible polydimethylsiloxane membrane, which deforms as the pressure in the chamber increases. Design, fabrication procedure, and first tests of the actuator are described