Areoana analysis of moss leaf cell structure of two Cyrtomnium species (Mniaceae, Bryophyta)

Two species of the moss genus Cyrtomnium were studied for the parameters of their leaf cells. The computer program AREOANA, specially designed for this kind of studies, allows involving large datasets in the analysis. In this study, it processed 81 leaves with altogether 140 000 cellsyesBelgorod State National Research Universit

Влияние Лазерного Облучения на Активность Бактерий Bacillus Subtilis и Pseudomonas Fluorescens

The paper discusses the problem of increasing the activity of phytopathogen-antagonistic bacteria under the effect of laser irradiation. It has been shown that short-term treatment of cells of Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens with coherent light can increase bacterial growth rate and improve their fungicidal activity. It ensures high efficiency of environmentally safe measures for biological monitoring of plant diseases, which is in line with the principles of organic farming.El artículo analiza el problema de aumentar la actividad de las bacterias antagonistas de fitopatógenos bajo el efecto de la irradiación con láser. Se ha demostrado que el tratamiento a corto plazo de las células de Bacillus subtilis y Pseudomonas fluorescens con luz coherente puede aumentar la tasa de crecimiento bacteriano y mejorar su actividad fungicida. Asegura una alta eficiencia de las medidas ambientalmente seguras para el monitoreo biológico de las enfermedades de las plantas, lo cual está en línea con los principios de la agricultura orgánica.Обсуждается проблема повышения активности бактерий-антагонистов фитопатогенов под действием лазерного облучения. Показано, что кратковременная обработка когерентным светом клеток Bacillus subtilis и Pseudomonas fluorescenсs способна повысить скорость размножения бактерий и усилить их фунгицидную активность. Это обеспечивает высокую эффективность экологически безопасных мероприятий по биоконтролю болезней растений, что соответствует принципам органического земледелия

Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy at low temperatures of the (110) surface of Te doped GaAs single crystals

We have performed voltage dependent imaging and spatially resolved spectroscopy on the (110) surface of Te doped GaAs single crystals with a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). A large fraction of the observed defects are identified as Te dopant atoms which can be observed down to the fifth subsurface layer. For negative sample voltages, the dopant atoms are surrounded by Friedel charge density oscillations. Spatially resolved spectroscopy above the dopant atoms and above defect free areas of the GaAs (110) surface reveals the presence of conductance peaks inside the semiconductor band gap. The appearance of the peaks can be linked to charges residing on states which are localized within the tunnel junction area. We show that these localized states can be present on the doped GaAs surface as well as at the STM tip apex.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in PR

On the leaf development in Oedipodium (Oedipodiales, Bryophyta)

Leaf development in Oedipodium griffithianum was studied based on herbarium and living material, using microscopic observations of plants at different stages of development and series of sections. It turned out that the apical cell may lose its bifacial structure, thus the leaves develop the bilaterally symmetric areolation pattern, similar to that seen in Oedipodium protonematayesBelgorod State National Research Universit

Development of the sphagnoid areolation pattern in leaves of Palaeozoic protosphagnalean mosses

Protosphagnalean mosses constitute the largest group of extinct mosses of still uncertain affinity. Having the general morphology of the Bryopsida, some have leaves with an areolation pattern characteristic of modern Sphagna. This study describes the structure and variation of these patterns in protosphagnalean mosses and provides a comparison with those of modern Sphagn

Basic principles of postgrowth annealing of CdTe:Cl ingot to obtain semi-insulating crystals

The process of annealing of a CdTe:Cl ingot during its cooling after growth was studied. The annealing was performed in two stages: a high-temperature stage, with an approximate equality of chlorine and cadmium vacancy concentrations established at the thermodynamic equilibrium between the crystal and vapors of volatile components, and a low-temperature stage, with charged defects interacting to form neutral associations. The chlorine concentrations necessary to obtain semi-insulating crystals were determined for various ingot cooling rates in the high temperature stage. The dependence of the chlorine concentration [Cl+Te] in the ingot on the temperature of annealing in the high-temperature stage was found. The carrier lifetimes and drift mobilities were obtained in relation to the temperature and cadmium vapor pressure in the postgrowth annealing of the ingot.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Results of a study on the stress-strain behavior of the cornea in polarized light under conditions of visual work

Background: Near visual work causes redistribution of internal stresses in the cornea, leading to a change in the shape and parameters of the interference patterns observed on the cornea in polarized light. Purpose: To assess the effect of various types of visual load on the extraocular muscles (EOM) in children and adolescents on the basis of characteristics of the interference patterns observed on the cornea in polarized light. Material and Methods: The interference patterns observed on the cornea in polarized light were studied in children and adolescents before and after they performed a visual load task which consisted in either working with texts printed on paper at different parameters of convenience for reading (97 individuals) or playing Tetris on a smartphone (58 adolescents). A symmetry coefficient K was calculated for the quantitative assessment of changes in interference pattern parameters induced by visual load. Results: Performing a visual load task which consisted in working with texts printed on paper resulted in a significant increase in asymmetry between the actions of the EOM in 60% to 73% of children; this was indicated by the values of a symmetry coefficient K which were twofold to six-fold higher than normal. Performing a visual load task which consisted in playing Tetris on a smartphone resulted in an increase in asymmetry between the actions of the EOM in 64% of adolescents. Conclusion: Our research confirmed that studies on the stress-strain behavior of the cornea in polarized light are promising for assessing the effect of various types of visual load on the function of EOM

Assessment of fire blight resistance in apple clonal rootstocks using molecular markers

Background. Clonal apple rootstocks are one of the main components of intensive gardening. The degree of rootstock damage by fire blight affects the resistance of the variety–rootstock combination. The paper presents a study on marking quantitative trait loci (QTL) of resistance to fire blight Erwinia amylovora in clonal apple rootstock.Materials and methods. A collection of 20 rootstock forms was analyzed. For the study, SCAR markers GE-8019, AE10-375 and microsatellite marker CH-F7-FB1 were used.Results. Polymorphism was observed for all three markers, and their various combinations in one genotype were revealed. It was previously noted that genotypes that carry all three markers were more resistant than those that lack them. The presence of all three markers was observed only in forms 62-396 (В10), 16-1 and 2-9-102. The other genotypes did not have the GE8019 marker. The AE10-375 marker was identified in eight clonal rootstocks. Microsatellite marker CH-F7-FB1 was present in all tested rootstocks. However, polymorphism was detected there. Most genotypes had a 174 bp fragment, but a 210 bp fragment was identified in two of the 20 forms. Clonal rootstock 70-20-21 proved heterozygous for this marker. The analyzed collection also included samples that had only the microsatellite marker: G16, Malysh Budagovskogo, Paradizka Budagovskogo (B9), 54-118 (В118), 57-491, 70-20-20 (В119), 70-20-21, 71-7-22, 76-3-6, 83-1-15, 87-7-12, and 2-12-10. The study of rootstock forms on the basis of resistance to metabolites of the fire blight pathogen was carried out under laboratory conditions using the E. amylovora culture filtrate in vitro on leaf explants. Most of the studied genotypes had different combinations of markers. However, the experiments showed that forms 62-396 and 14-1 with two out of three markers (AE10-375 and CH-F7-FB1) phenotypically manifested the trait of resistance to metabolites of E. amylovora

Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 reverses glaucomatous lesions in rabbits

Original article is published in: Frontiers in Bioscience, Landmark, 20, 892–901, January 1, 2015Glaucoma is the main cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. This disease is characterized by apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and visual field loss that seems to be related to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Several lines of evidences have implicated the crucial role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Increased mitochondrial oxidative stress in RGC may underlie or contribute to susceptibility of RGC to apoptosis. In our work we (i) designed a rabbit model of chronic, moderately elevated IOP for studying glaucoma and (ii) demonstrated efficacy of mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 as a tool to reverse several traits of experimental glaucoma induced by a series of injections of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) to the anterior chamber of the rabbit eye. It is shown that 6 months instillations of drops of 0.2.5–5 µM solution of SkQ1 normalize IOP and eye hydrodynamics and abolish an increase in lens thickness that accompanies glaucoma.Original article is published in: Frontiers in Bioscience, Landmark, 20, 892–901, January 1, 2015Glaucoma is the main cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. This disease is characterized by apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and visual field loss that seems to be related to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Several lines of evidences have implicated the crucial role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Increased mitochondrial oxidative stress in RGC may underlie or contribute to susceptibility of RGC to apoptosis. In our work we (i) designed a rabbit model of chronic, moderately elevated IOP for studying glaucoma and (ii) demonstrated efficacy of mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 as a tool to reverse several traits of experimental glaucoma induced by a series of injections of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) to the anterior chamber of the rabbit eye. It is shown that 6 months instillations of drops of 0.2.5–5 µM solution of SkQ1 normalize IOP and eye hydrodynamics and abolish an increase in lens thickness that accompanies glaucoma

Modification of the Structure and Properties of Maraging Steel when Irradiated by High Energy Ions

Авторы выражают благодарность В. В. Овчинникову и Н. В. Гущиной за помощь в проведении эксперимента и обсуждение полученных результатов.The work is devoted to studying the maraging steel 03Н18К3М3Т after treatment according to three schemes, including hardening, aging, and irradiation with Ar+ ions. It is shown that the most noticeable improvement in properties and structural changes is achieved by using irradiation at the final stage of steel processing after quenching and aging.Исследована мартенситно-стареющая сталь 03Н18К3М3Т после обработки по разным схемам, включающим закалку, старение и облучение ионами Ar+ с энергией 40 кэВ. Показано, что наиболее заметное улучшение свойств и изменение структуры достигается при использовании облучения на завершающем этапе обработки стали после закалки и старения