The collection of potato varieties as a reserve of source material for breeding for high yield, earliness, and resistance to diseases and pests

Background. Information is provided about the results obtained by screening the VIR collection of improved potato varieties for main commercial traits: earliness, high yield, high starch content, and resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary), viruses, and pests, such as cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis Woll. (Ro1)), and Colorado beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say).Materials and methods. Potato accessions representing domestic and foreign varieties from the VIR collection served as the material for this research. The screening was performed according to the techniques developed at the Potato Genetic Resources Department of VIR.Results and conclusion. Potato varieties with valuable commercial traits were identified as breeding sources promising for earliness: ‘Bashkirskiy’ (k-25338), ‘Charoit’ (k-25221), ‘Colleen’ (k-25224), ‘Lagun’ (k-25294), etc.; for high yield: ‘Ametist’ (k-25336), ‘Banba’ (k-25222), ‘Bastion’ (k-25198), ‘Nur-Alem’ (k-25253), ‘Senim’ (k-25306), etc.; for high starch content: ‘Charaўnik’ (k-25139), ‘Darnitsa’ (k-25179), ‘Lad’ (k-25180), ‘Maksimum’ (k-25136), etc.; for resistance to late blight: local variety (Georgia) (k-25298, k-25326), ‘Sunkar’ (k-25258), ‘Udovitskiy’ (k-25260), ‘Vektor’ (k-25200), ‘Zvezdochka’ (k-25209); for resistance to viruses: ‘Azart’ (k-25196), Gala (k-25270), ‘Nadezhda’ (k-25213), Utro (k-25219), ‘Volat’ (k-25263), etc. Varieties combining resistance to gold potato cyst nematode with other valuable commercial traits were selected. Varieties with relative resistance to Colorado potato beetle were isolated under favorable conditions for the pest’s development. As a result of the research, new source material was identified, with a potential to improve major commercial traits of potato: earliness, high yield, high starch content, resistance to late blight, viruses, and pests (cyst nematode and Colorado beetle)

Resistance of potato cultivars and hybrid clones from the VIR collection to the northwestern population of <i>Phytophthora infestans</i>

Background. Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary is a well-known pathogen affecting potato plants. Due to the changes in the pathogen population, the late blight disease caused by P. infestans is still difficult to manage. Economic losses are caused by the susceptibility of potato foliage or tubers to late blight, and both expressions of susceptibility are often not interconnected. Potato cultivars resistant to P. infestans are still too few to ensure reduction of harvest losses.   Material and methods. In total, 682 potato cultivars and 20 hybrid clones from the VIR collection were screened in field and laboratory tests. They were assessed by conventional techniques. A score scale of 1–9 points was used both in the field and the laboratory, with 9 corresponding to disease resistance.   Results. The results showed high infection pressure in the field during all four growing seasons of the experiment. The degrees of damage on the foliage varied from 1 to 8 points. The percentage of cultivars with strongly damaged foliage ranged from 55 % in 2020 to 66 % in 2023. From 17 % to 23 % of cultivars were assessed as moderately susceptible. The fact that many cultivars of various origin manifested compatibility with the local population of P. infestans during four growing seasons confirms its high and stable pathogenicity. Cultivars with high (points 7–8) or moderate (point 6) resistance were identified across the four years of testing. The part of the cultivars recognized as resistant earlier in 2017–2019 appeared to be moderately resistant or moderately susceptible in 2020–2023. Laboratory tests succeeded to identify genotypes with tuber resistance to late blight

Harlequinade Grotesque in the Wor ks of Isak Dinesen (Based on the Novellas «The Poet» and «Carnival»)

Статья поступила в редакцию 04.04.2024 г.Статья посвящена исследованию арлекинадного гротеска в новеллах датской писательницы Исак Динесен (Карен Бликсен) «Поэт» и «Карнавал». Актуальность работы обусловлена двумя факторами: 1) возрождением в настоящее время в зарубежном литературоведении интереса к эстетике комедии дель арте, а также той роли, которую она играла в искусстве XX в.; 2) ростом интереса к творчеству Динесен в отечественном литературоведении. Впервые освещено наличие арлекинадного гротеска в творчестве Динесен и его своеобразие. Показано, как увлечение Динесен итальянской народной комедией и арлекинадой, характерное для скандинавской литературы ее эпохи, выросло в особое мировоззрение и писательский стиль, синтезирующий трагическое и комическое. Раскрыты особенности арлекинадного гротеска в творчестве Динесен. Ведущим в исследовании является метод интертекстуального анализа: анализируются персонажи и сюжеты новелл на предмет их сходства с классическими образами (Арлекин, Панталоне, Коломбина и пр.) и коллизиями арлекинады (бегством влюбленных от деспотичных стариков). Выявлены особенности репрезентации сюжета арлекинады и вырастающие из них функции арлекинадного гротеска. Представленные результаты позволяют говорить о том, что арлекинадный гротеск в творчестве Динесен был реализован на персонажном и сюжетном уровне, став средством передачи мировоззрения писательницы, транслировал ее эстетические принципы и моральные установки. Также наличие арлекинадного гротеска в прозе Динесен позволяет предполагать наличие сходного приема в творчестве других скандинавских писателей и утверждает статус этой разновидности гротеска как общеевропейской.The article is devoted to the study of the harlequinade grotesque in the novellas by the Danish writer Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) «The Poet» and «Carnival». The study proves relevant due to the following factors: 1) the current revival in foreign literary criticism of interest in the aesthetics of commedia dell’arte, as well as the role it played in the art of the 20th century; 2) growing interest in Dinesen’s work in Russian literary criticism. This article is the first to highlight both the presence of the harlequinade grotesque in Dinesen’s work and its originality. The authors of the article show how Dinesen’s passion for Italian popular comedy and harlequinade, typical of Scandinavian literature of her era, grew into a special worldview and writing style that synthesized the tragic and the comic. The article aims at revealing the features of the harlequinade grotesque in Dinesen’s work. The leading method in the study is the method of intertextual analysis: the characters and plots of the short stories are analyzed for their similarity with classical images (Harlequin, Pantaloon, Columbine, etc.) and collisions of the harlequinade (the flight of lovers from oppressive old men). The article reveals the features of the representation of the harlequinade plot and the functions of the harlequinade grotesque that evolve from them. The results presented in the article allow us to say that the harlequinade grotesque in Dinesen’s work was realized at the character and plot level, being the mouthpiece of the writer’s worldview, transmitting her aesthetic principles and moral principles. Also, the presence of the harlequinade grotesque in Dinesen’s prose suggests the presence of a similar technique in the work of other Scandinavian writers and confirms the status of this type of grotesque as a pan-European one

Screening of powdery mildew resistant barley accessions from Ethiopia for tolerance to abiotic stressors

Background. Analyzing the adaptive potential of cultivated barley with the aim of using new genotypes selected and developed in the process of work is a priority trend in scientific research. The Ethiopian barleys adapted to a variety of soil and climate conditions are characterized by many valuable biological and agronomic traits. Of particular value are genotypes that combine resistance to harmful organisms and environmental stressors.Materials and methods. The collection accessions of Ethiopian barley possessing powdery mildew resistance were studied for tolerance to adverse edaphic factors (chloride salinity and high content of toxic aluminum ions in the soil). Resistance to abiotic stressors was assessed in laboratory experiments. In the study of salt tolerance, a ‘roll-based’ assessment technique was used, which takes into account the inhibition of root growth under salt (NaCl) stress conditions, compared with the reference conditions without salinization. Aluminum sensitivity of barley accessions was diagnosed in the early stages of plant development using the root test.Results and conclusions. A polymorphism of Ethiopian barleys for resistance to adverse edaphic factors was revealed. Twentyone new sources of barley resistance to toxic aluminum ions were identified, of which accessions k-8552 and k-22933 were classified as highly resistant. Accessions k-17554, k-19975, k-20029, k-20048, k-22752, k-23450 and k-25009 proved resistant to soil salinization. Barley accessions k-17554, k-22752 and k-25009 were characterized by complex resistance to powdery mildew, toxic aluminum ions, and chloride soil salinity

Possibilities of using branched-chain amino acids for the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia in elderly and old patients (literature review)

Due to the high prevalence of sarcopenia among elderly and old patients, early prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and its complications are relevant. Protein supplements can be used to maintain muscle strength and mass during aging. The possibility of using branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia in geriatric patients is of scientific interest. BCAAs promote the synthesis and inhibit the degradation of muscle tissue proteins, are involved in the regulation of tissue sensitivity to insulin, ammonia utilization, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, etc.Search strategy. The search for scientific articles for literature review was carried out in the PubMed and PubMed Central databases. The selection criterion was scientific articles published up to December 2022. We used the following search keywords: “branched-chain amino acids”, “BCAA”, “body composition”, “sarcopenia”, “aging”. The 2019 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2) Consensus was included in the list of articles.Conclusions. The possibility of using BCAAs in elderly and old patients for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia is a relevant topic that continues to be actively studied. The effectiveness of BCAA supplementation in the diet is debatable as long as sufficient protein is consumed daily. On the other hand, BCAA supplementation may be justified in cases where it is not possible to consume enough high-quality protein in the diet. More research is needed on this topic

Third and fifth harmonics generation by tightly focused femtosecond pulses at 2.2 {\mu}m wavelength in air

We report experiments on the generation of third and fifth harmonics of millijoule-level, tightly focused, femtosecond laser pulses at 2.2 {\mu}m wavelength in air. The measured ratio of yields of the third and fifth harmonics in our setup is about 2 \cdot 10-4. This result contradicts the recent suggestion that the Kerr effect in air saturates and changes sign in ultra-intense optical fields.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figure

ORGANIZATION OF ANTI-EPIDEMIC MEASURES DURING THE ANTHRAX OUTBREAK IN THE YAMALO-NENETS AUTONOMOUS DISTRICT IN 2016

The organizational peculiarities of anti-epidemic measures during the anthrax outbreak in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District in 2016 are presented. Complex of these measures provided for anthrax patients active identification and hospitalization, preventive immunization and emergency antibiotic prophylaxis of risk groups, vaccination of reindeer, utilization of fallen animals. Disinfection, deratization and desinsection measures were performed. Native residents were evacuated from infection focus and sensitization campaign among the population was carried out. Organized were sanitary inspection stations and temporary accommodation points. Due to operational implementation of anti-epidemic measures in the interagency format the anthrax focus was localized within one incubation period

Experimental substantiation of the new method of immunological diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy

The current study was perfomed to investigate the representativeness of the basic and antigen induced levels of specific (IFN-γ) and non-specific (IL-6) biomarkers for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion. Ninety-three samples of pleural fluid from patient with tuberculosis (TP) and non-tuberculosis (Non-TP) pleurisy were examined. Induction of the synthesis IFN-gamma by immunocompetent cells in pleural exudate was carried out by the recombinant protein CFP10-ESAT6 contained in the diagnosticum «DIASKINTEST» by our method (Patent RF, № 2664427; 2017). Serum and pleural fluid IFN-γ and IL-6 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique (enzyme-amplified sensitivity immunoassay kits, Vector-Best reagent kit (Russia). Our results suggested that introduction of M. tuberculosis antigens into the pleural fluids samples of TP group caused a significant increase of the IFN-γ levels compared to basic level, which were not observed in the Non-TP group. Detection of IFN-gamma antigen-induced level in pleural fluid is a promising method for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. We found no significant differences in the basic and antigen-induced levels of IL-6 in patients with TP and Non-TP pleurisy.На основании исследования 93 образцов плевральной жидкости больных туберкулезным и нетуберкулезным плевритом оценена репрезентативность базового и стимулированного уровней специфических (ИФН-γ) и неспецифических (ИЛ-6) биомаркеров в подтверждении туберкулезной этиологии воспаления. Синтез ИФН-γ в образцах плеврального выпота и периферической крови индуцировали рекомбинантным белком CFP10-ESAT6 в составе отечественного диагностикума «ДИАСКИНТЕСТ» по разработанной нами методике (патент РФ № 2664427). концентрации ИФН-γ и ИЛ-6 определяли методом иммуноферментного анализа с использованием набора реагентов компании «Вектор-Бест» (Россия). Показано, что специфическая антигенная стимуляция клеток плеврального экссудата у больных туберкулезным плевритом, в отличие от выпота другой этиологии, сопровождается значительным и статистически высокозначимым ростом уровня ИФН-γ, что определяет перспективы ее применения в диагностике туберкулезной этиологии плевральных выпотов. Значимых различий базового и стимулированного уровней ИЛ-6 у пациентов с плевритом туберкулезной и нетуберкулезной этиологии не выявлено

УРОВЕНЬ АДИПОНЕКТИНА И ВЫРАЖЕННОСТЬ ФИБРОЗА ПЕЧЕНИ У БОЛЬНЫХ ХРОНИЧЕСКИМ ГЕПАТИТОМ С С МЕТАБОЛИЧЕСКИМ СИНДРОМОМ

The purpose of the research is to determine the value of adiponectin levels in patients chronic hepatitis C with metabolic syndrome depending on the severity of fibrosis and  histological activity in the liver.Materials and methods. The research included 72 patients chronic  hepatitis C with metabolic syndrome. All patients underwent  calculation of body mass index, determination of adiponectin level in  serum. The stage of liver fibrosis and degree of histological activity  was determined according to METAVIR scale based on histological  research of biopsy specimens obtained at liver biopsy. The average  age in the research group amounted to 40,73±6,3 years. Prevailed patients with a body mass index of 26–30 kg/m² – 61,1%. All  patients had abdominal obesity, the gender differences in the  prevalence of abdominal obesity was not found. In 73.6% of cases, it  was patients with moderate or severe liver fibrosis; 44,4% –  moderate-severe and severe degree of histological activity. The  mean value of adiponectin is made up 9,36±3,28 microgram /ml.  Was an inverse relationship between body weight and adiponectin  level. The patients chronic hepatitis C with metabolic syndrome  found a significant reduction in levels of adiponectin, compared with healthy people. In women were observed significantly lower adiponectin levels compared to men (p&lt;0,05). Feedback was installed between the body weight and level of adiponectin. Level of serum adiponectin in patients with chronic  hepatitis c with metabolic syndrome decreased with the progression of fibrosis and severity of pathological process activity in the liver.Цель исследования – определить значение уровня адипонектина у больных хроническим  гепатитом С с метаболическим синдромом в зависимости от выраженности фиброза и  гистологической активности в печени.Материалы и методы. В исследование были включены 72 больных хроническим гепатитом С с метаболическим синдромом. Всем пациентам проводили вычисление индекса массы тела, определение уровня адипонектина в сыворотке крови. Стадию фиброза печени и степень  гистологической активности определяли по шкале METAVIR на основании гистологического  исследования биоптатов, полученных при пункционной биопсии печени. Средний возраст в  исследуемой группе составил 40,73±6,3лет. Преобладали пациенты с индексом массы тела  26–30 кг/м² – 61,1%. У всех пациентов имелось абдоминальное ожирение, гендерных  различий в частоте выявления абдоминального ожирения не найдено. В 73,6% случаях это  были пациенты с умеренно выраженным или выраженным фиброзом печени; в 44,4% – с  умеренно выраженной и выраженной степенью гистологической активности. Среднее  значение адипонектина составило 9,36±3,28 мкг/мл. У больных ХГС с метаболическим  синдромом выявлено достоверное снижение уровня адипонектина по сравнению со  здоровыми лицами. У женщин регистрировался более низкий уровень адипонектина по  сравнению с мужчинами (p&lt;0,05). Была установлена обратная связь между массой тела и  уровнем адипонектина. Уровень адипонектина в сыворотке крови у больных хроническим  гепатитом С с метаболическим синдромом снижался по мере прогрессирования стадии  фиброза и выраженности степени активности патологического процесса в печени