Resistance of Probiotic Bacteria Immobilized on PVP Nanofilaments in Gastrointestinal Juice

The article discusses the stability of various types of immobilized forms of probiotic bacteria in the analogue of gastric juice. Immobilization was carried out in an innovative way: bacterial cells are first fixed to the carrier in the form of PVP nanofilaments, after which the nanofilaments dissolve in the culture medium, and the bacteria, fixing on each other, form biofilms

Population genomics of post-glacial western Eurasia.

Western Eurasia witnessed several large-scale human migrations during the Holocene <sup>1-5</sup> . Here, to investigate the cross-continental effects of these migrations, we shotgun-sequenced 317 genomes-mainly from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods-from across northern and western Eurasia. These were imputed alongside published data to obtain diploid genotypes from more than 1,600 ancient humans. Our analyses revealed a 'great divide' genomic boundary extending from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Mesolithic hunter-gatherers were highly genetically differentiated east and west of this zone, and the effect of the neolithization was equally disparate. Large-scale ancestry shifts occurred in the west as farming was introduced, including near-total replacement of hunter-gatherers in many areas, whereas no substantial ancestry shifts happened east of the zone during the same period. Similarly, relatedness decreased in the west from the Neolithic transition onwards, whereas, east of the Urals, relatedness remained high until around 4,000 BP, consistent with the persistence of localized groups of hunter-gatherers. The boundary dissolved when Yamnaya-related ancestry spread across western Eurasia around 5,000 BP, resulting in a second major turnover that reached most parts of Europe within a 1,000-year span. The genetic origin and fate of the Yamnaya have remained elusive, but we show that hunter-gatherers from the Middle Don region contributed ancestry to them. Yamnaya groups later admixed with individuals associated with the Globular Amphora culture before expanding into Europe. Similar turnovers occurred in western Siberia, where we report new genomic data from a 'Neolithic steppe' cline spanning the Siberian forest steppe to Lake Baikal. These prehistoric migrations had profound and lasting effects on the genetic diversity of Eurasian populations

The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes

Analysis of 273 ancient horse genomes reveals that modern domestic horses originated in the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region.Domestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare(1). However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling(2-4) at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 bc(3). Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia(5) and Anatolia(6), have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 bc, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association(7) between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 bc(8,9) driving the spread of Indo-European languages(10). This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium bc Sintashta culture(11,12).Descriptive and Comparative Linguistic

The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes

Domestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare. However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 bc. Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia and Anatolia, have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 bc, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 bc driving the spread of Indo-European languages. This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium bc Sintashta culture

Expansion of the North American amphipod Gammarus tigrinus Sexton, 1939 to the Neva Estuary (Easternmost Baltic Sea)

The North American gammaridean amphipod, Gammarus tigrinus, was found in the easternmost part of the Baltic Sea (Neva Estuary) near a new oil terminal. This species may well have been transported to the Neva Estuary with ballast waters from the Finnish area of the Gulf of Finland, where it was recorded recently. In 2005, the mid-summer density of G. tigrinus was 27 indiv. m−2. By 2006 this species had spread 100 km to the east from the first site, colonizing the northern coastal zone of the estuary. Its density reached 99–126 indiv. m−2. Fecund females and juveniles contributed about 50% to the entire population density, which testifies to the successful reproduction and establishment of G. tigrinus in the Neva Estuary. There is a high risk of further expansions of G. tigrinus from the new area to the various lakes of Eastern Europe via inland canal-river systems, which may lead to unforeseeable changes in aquatic communities

Features of technological characteristics of cereal and pseudocereal flour

Carbohydrate-amylase complex of barley, rice, buckwheat and millet flours was studied. The cereal and pseudocereal flour is stated to be thermostable. Its gelatinization and liquefaction takes a long period. Addition of medium rye flour as an available and cheap source of amylolytic enzymes accelerates and increases the liquefaction of the gelatinized mass. The features of the starch component of the cereal and pseudocereal flour were found to require an increase of the pregelatinized flour preparation time. Mono- and disaccharides of the pregelatinized cereal and pseudocereal flour are mainly represented by glucose. Pregelatinized cereal and pseudocereal flours (except rice flour) contain excessive amount of amino nitrogen in comparison with traditional for-bread-baking pregelatinized rye flour. Pregelatinized cereal and pseudocereal flours can be used in native or dry form. The shelf life of dry pregelatinized cereal and pseudocereal flour is 3 months

Resistance of Probiotic Bacteria Immobilized on PVP Nanofilaments in Gastrointestinal Juice

The article discusses the stability of various types of immobilized forms of probiotic bacteria in the analogue of gastric juice. Immobilization was carried out in an innovative way: bacterial cells are first fixed to the carrier in the form of PVP nanofilaments, after which the nanofilaments dissolve in the culture medium, and the bacteria, fixing on each other, form biofilms