Biological treatment of plant waste water

The article presents research on creation and implementation of a utility model for wastewater treatment plant (bunded filtration fields) in order to reduce the content of pollutants in water coming from the wastewater of a dairy processing plant. After analysing data on actual concentrations of pollutants in the wastewater treatment plant (bunded filtration fields), flow rates, and species composition of riparian vegetation, it was proposed to develop and implement a biological method for wastewater post-treatment using higher aquatic vegetation. For this purpose a utility model prototype of a floating bio-platform was produced, the size and number of structures were determined. The design of the wastewater treatment utility model includes two units: a structural unit and a vegetation unit. The constructive block included: a frame frame, composite masonry mesh, Equality Mark vapour barrier, and polyamide (braided) cord. The plant block is an artificially created phytocoenosis consisting of grass and turf and additionally higher aquatic plants. The design of the floating bioplata model was placed along the mirror of the reservoir in a line behind each other. When ready, several bioplats were connected together and transported through the water to their installation sites. For the conditions of the forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Ural region the assortment of aboriginal plants was selected and the method of their fixation and cultivation on the water surface was developed. The necessary area of covering of a water body by a bioplate for a decrease in the content of polluting substances in the future is calculated. The developed technology can be applied in any climatic zone with an assortment of higher aquatic vegetation characteristic of the area

Strategy for the Development of the Russian Arctic. Results and Prospects

On March 5, 2020, the President of the Russian Federation approved a new edition of the Basics of State Policy in the Arctic for the period until 2035. The document defined the goals and objectives of the development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation for the next 15 years. The main tool for imple-menting state policy in this high-latitude region should be a new strategy for the development of the Rus-sian Arctic zone. Summarizing and analyzing the results of the current Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and ensuring national security for the period up to 2020 (Strategy) will allow us to concentrate the efforts of the state on the most significant problems of the macroregion. The article is devoted to reviewing the results of the implementation of the Strategy, the adoption of which, in 2013, among other things, stimulated the processes of separating the macroregion into an independent object of state administration. The authors analyze the goals, objectives, and results achieved at each stage of the Strategy. Their impact on the socio-economic development of the region as a whole is evaluated

Synthetic prions generated in vitro are similar to a newly identified subpopulation of PrPSc from sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

In recent studies, the amyloid form of recombinant prion protein (PrP) encompassing residues 89–230 (rPrP 89-230) produced in vitro induced transmissible prion disease in mice. These studies showed that unlike “classical” PrPSc produced in vivo, the amyloid fibrils generated in vitro were more proteinase-K sensitive. Here we demonstrate that the amyloid form contains a proteinase K-resistant core composed only of residues 152/153–230 and 162–230. The PK-resistant fragments of the amyloid form are similar to those observed upon PK digestion of a minor subpopulation of PrPSc recently identified in patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Remarkably, this core is sufficient for self-propagating activity in vitro and preserves a β-sheet-rich fibrillar structure. Full-length recombinant PrP 23-230, however, generates two subpopulations of amyloid in vitro: One is similar to the minor subpopulation of PrPSc, and the other to classical PrPSc. Since no cellular factors or templates were used for generation of the amyloid fibrils in vitro, we speculate that formation of the subpopulation of PrPSc with a short PK-resistant C-terminal region reflects an intrinsic property of PrP rather than the influence of cellular environments and/or cofactors. Our work significantly increases our understanding of the biochemical nature of prion infectious agents and provides a fundamental insight into the mechanisms of prions biogenesis

Особые режимы хозяйственной деятельности: перспективы применения в Арктической зоне Российской Федерации

Purpose: investigation of the possibility of applying special regimes of economic activity on the territory of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.Methods: the research methodology is based on methods of generalization, analogy, comparative and system analysis; the rules for assessing the effectiveness of the operation of special economic zones were used.Results: the expediency of applying special regimes of economic activity in the Arctic zone of Russia is considered. Mechanisms for establishing and operating such special economic regimes as special economic zones, territorial development zones, territories for outpacing socio-economic development, industrial parks, technoparks and clusters have been studied. The possibility of linking the supposed support zones of development in the Arctic with special modes of economic activity is considered.Conclusions and Relevance: the current trends in the social and economic development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, the need to diversify the region's economy and attract investment determine the appropriateness of using such economic regimes that will contribute to the achievement of the objectives of state policy in the Arctic, taking into account specific conditions for managing the macroregion.The study allows us to conclude that at present there is no clear separation between the indicated regimes. Their effectiveness and effectiveness is not directly dependent on the number of benefits provided.At the present time, any of the existing special regimes in our country can be established on the territory of the Arctic zone of Russia. The adoption of such a decision should be based on a strategic vision for the development of the whole circumpolar region and its individual territories, and also be accompanied by an assessment of the falling incomes, planned tax revenues and the volume of benefits provided within a particular regime of economic activity., Moscow, Russian FederationЦель: Исследование возможности применения особых режимов хозяйственной деятельности на территории Арктической зоны Российской Федерации.Методология проведения работы: Методология исследования базируется на методах обобщения, аналогии, сравнительного и системного анализа; использованы правила оценки эффективности функционирования особых экономических зон.Результаты работы: Рассмотрена целесообразность применения особых режимов хозяйственной деятельности в Арктической зоне России. Изучены механизмы установления и функционирования таких особых режимов хозяйствования как: особые экономические зоны, зоны территориального развития, территории опережающего социально-экономического развития, индустриальные и промышленные парки, технопарки и кластеры.Выводы: Сложившиеся тенденции социально-экономического развития Арктической зоны РФ, необходимость диверсификации экономики региона и привлечения инвестиций определяют целесообразность использования таких режимов хозяйственной деятельности, которые будут способствовать достижению целей государственной политики в Арктике, учитывая при этом специфические условия хозяйствования макрорегиона.Исследование позволяет сделать вывод, что в настоящее время четкого разделения между указанными режимами не прослеживается. Их эффективность и результативность не имеет прямой зависимости от количества предоставляемых льгот.В настоящее время на территории Арктической зоны России может быть установлен любой из существующих в нашей стране особых режимов. Принятие такого решения должно базироваться на стратегическом видении развития всего циркумполярного региона и его отдельных территорий, а также сопровождаться оценкой выпадающих доходов, планируемых налоговых поступлений и объемом предоставляемых льгот в рамках того или иного особого режима хозяйственной деятельности

Genes of the Glutamatergic System and Tardive Dyskinesia in Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an extrapyramidal side effect of the long-term use of antipsychotics. In the present study, the role of glutamatergic system genes in the pathogenesis of total TD, as well as two phenotypic forms, orofacial TD and limb-truncal TD, was studied. Methods: A set of 46 SNPs of the glutamatergic system genes (GRIN2A, GRIN2B, GRIK4, GRM3, GRM7, GRM8, SLC1A2, SLC1A3, SLC17A7) was studied in a population of 704 Caucasian patients with schizophrenia. Genotyping was performed using the MassARRAY Analyzer 4 (Agena Bioscience™). Logistic regression analysis was performed to test for the association of TD with the SNPs while adjusting for confounders. Results: No statistically significant associations between the SNPs and TD were found after adjusting for multiple testing. Since three SNPs of the SLC1A2 gene demonstrated nominally significant associations, we carried out a haplotype analysis for these SNPs. This analysis identified a risk haplotype for TD comprising CAT alleles of the SLC1A2 gene SNPs rs1042113, rs10768121, and rs12361171. Nominally significant associations were identified for SLC1A3 rs2229894 and orofacial TD, as well as for GRIN2A rs7192557 and limb-truncal TD. Conclusions: Genes encoding for mGlu3, EAAT2, and EAAT1 may be involved in the development of TD in schizophrenia patients

Search for Possible Associations of FTO Gene Polymorphic Variants with Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity and Body Mass Index in Schizophrenia Patients

PURPOSE: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by abdominal obesity, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. FTO gene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity, but the available scientific data concerning their relationship to antipsychotic drug-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome is still incomplete and inconsistent, which indicates that continuing the investigation of this gene’s role is necessary. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present study, 517 patients with schizophrenia underwent antipsychotic drug treatment, and two groups were identified: patients with MetS and without MetS. Genotyping of 6 SNPs in the FTO gene was performed, and the results analyzed using R-programme. RESULTS: We performed a statistical analysis to identify possible associations of the frequencies of genotypes and alleles of the studied polymorphisms with the presence of metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia patients, with the presence of abdominal obesity, and with an increased body mass index. The rs7185735 polymorphism did not meet the Hardy-Weinberg criterion and was excluded. After correcting for differences in age, gender and duration of illnesses, none of the variants was shown to be related to metabolic syndrome or abdominal obesity, but rs9939609, rs1421085, rs3751812 and rs8050136 were associated with body mass index. CONCLUSION: The present study provides additional support for these SNP’s roles as a pharmacogenetic biomarker that may become useful in the framework of the personalized medicine approach

Genetic Polymorphisms of 5-HT Receptors and Antipsychotic-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction in Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: Antipsychotic-induced metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial disease with a genetic predisposition. Serotonin and its receptors are involved in antipsychotic-drug-induced metabolic disorders. The present study investigated the association of nine polymorphisms in the four 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor (HTR) genes HTR1A, HTR2A, HTR3A, and HTR2C and the gene encoding for the serotonin transporter SLC6A4 with MetS in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: A set of nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms of genes of the serotonergic system was investigated in a population of 475 patients from several Siberian regions (Russia) with a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia. Genotyping was performed and the results were analyzed using chi-square tests. Results: Polymorphic variant rs521018 (HTR2C) was associated with higher body mass index in patients receiving long-term antipsychotic therapy, but not with drug-induced metabolic syndrome. Rs1150226 (HTR3A) was also associated but did not meet Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Conclusions: Our results indicate that allelic variants of HTR2C genes may have consequences on metabolic parameters. MetS may have too complex a mechanistic background to be studied without dissecting the syndrome into its individual (causal) components

Recombinant prion protein induces a new transmissible prion disease in wild-type animals

Prion disease is a neurodegenerative malady, which is believed to be transmitted via a prion protein in its abnormal conformation (PrPSc). Previous studies have failed to demonstrate that prion disease could be induced in wild-type animals using recombinant prion protein (rPrP) produced in Escherichia coli. Here, we report that prion infectivity was generated in Syrian hamsters after inoculating full-length rPrP that had been converted into the cross-β-sheet amyloid form and subjected to annealing. Serial transmission gave rise to a disease phenotype with highly unique clinical and neuropathological features. Among them were the deposition of large PrPSc plaques in subpial and subependymal areas in brain and spinal cord, very minor lesioning of the hippocampus and cerebellum, and a very slow progression of disease after onset of clinical signs despite the accumulation of large amounts of PrPSc in the brain. The length of the clinical duration is more typical of human and large animal prion diseases, than those of rodents. Our studies establish that transmissible prion disease can be induced in wild-type animals by inoculation of rPrP and introduce a valuable new model of prion diseases

The Gender-Specific Association of DRD2 Polymorphism with Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is widespread in patients with schizophrenia receiving long-term antipsychotic therapy. Dopamine D2 receptors play an important role in mediating both the therapeutic actions of antipsychotics and their side effects. The present study examined the association of two polymorphisms of the DRD2 gene with metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: We examined 517 patients from several regions of Siberia (Russia) with a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia. Genotyping of two single nucleotide polymorphisms rs1799732 and rs4436578 of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) was performed in a population of 471 patients. The results were analyzed using chi-square tests. RESULTS: Functional polymorphism rs1799732 of the DRD2 gene is associated with drug-induced metabolic syndrome in women with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the DRD2 gene may be involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders in patients with schizophrenia. Further analysis of possible genetic markers will allow for personalized treatment with minimal side effects and optimal efficacy. This which seems relevant in light of the recent focus on improving the quality of life and ensuring a high level of social adaptation of patients with schizophrenia