Amaranth nutritional properties assessment based on potassium and nitrate concentration in tissues

The chemical composition of plants of amaranth belonging to various species is determined genetically to a great extent. The concentration of mineral nutrients in amaranth tissues may influence the quality of food and fodder raw stuff. We studied the potassium and nitrate concentration in the tissues of the plants of four amaranth species grown in Western Siberia in similar rainfed conditions. We suggest using the ratio "potassium concentration/nitrate concentration" in the biomass of the plants under study as an additional indicator of their nutritional properties. The content of potassium in A. Hypochondriacus and A. tricolor dry weight was about 900 mEq/kg, in the tissues of A. Retroflexus-600 mEq/kg, in the tissues of A. Cruentus-455 mEq/kg. The maximal value of the mean nitrate content in dry matter for A. Cruentus was 105.9 mEq/kg. The content of nitrates in A. tricolor tissues was 80 mEq/kg, and in A. Retroflexus tissues-40 mEq/kg. The minimal content of nitrates was registered in the sample of the dry matter of the plants of A. Hypochondriacus-about 24 mEq/kg. The ratio "potassium concentration/nitrate concentration" in the plants of A. Hypochondriacus ran up to a multiple of 45, in A. Retroflexsus-16.4, in A. tricolor-10.8, and in A. Cruentus-4.5. A. Hypochondriacus has the highest feeding value compared to other amaranth species, with soil conditions being similar, without watering and fertilizers. The indicator "potassium/nitrate" can be used for express assessment of amaranth nutritional properties

Physicochemical aspects of recycling tree leaf litter in the south of Western Siberia by the Eisenia fetida (Savigny) vermiculture

The utility of the compost worm Eisenia fetida (Savigny) for recycling mixed leaf litter of the tree species characteristic of the forests in the south of Western Siberia and used in the landscaping in the city of Tomsk has been demonstrated. The tree species that are the major contributors to the leaf litter in the examined area include the genera Populus, Salix, and Betula. Two-fraction substrates for leaf litter vermicomposting and conventional composting (decomposition with and without earthworms) were prepared of the harvested and dried leaf litter. The feeding fraction consisted of leaf litter moistened with distilled water and the absorbing fraction, of alluvial river sand. The physicochemical properties of the studied leaf litter were weakly acidic pH of aqueous extracts, a very low content of nitrate nitrogen, and a relatively low K + concentration. The prevalent cation in the assayed leaf litter was Ca 2+ . The leaf litter was partially decomposed on the surface of sand substrates during 35-day incubation under humid conditions; accumulation of inorganic ions in the sand was one of the signs indicating this decomposition. Ca 2+ was also prevalent among these ions

Comparative analysis of natural antibodies to neurotransmitters in the conditions of changes in physical activity on the human body

We performed a comparative evaluation of natural antibodies (e-At) to glutamate and GABA, the bioregulators of, respectively, excitatory and inhibitory systems in the people who differ in physical activity and its duration. The study included those athletes who are intensely engaged in Greco-Roman wrestling (22 cases), ice hockey (42 cases). The control group consisted of volunteers performing a complex of fitness exercises (42 persons). The relative contents of natural neurotransmitter antibodies in blood serum was determined by the solid-phase ELISA technique, using a synthetic conjugated glutamate and GABA antigens for sorption on the analytic plates. With increasing physical activity determined by the coaching schedule, a significant increase in the level of GABA and glutamate antibodies was found in the groups subjected to strenuous exercise, compared to the controls. For wrestling athletes, a consequent measurement of glutamate and GABA antibodies was performed, with an interval of 14 days for each period. The zero point of the first stage was characterized by the absence of physical activity, being increased at later terms. We have established experimentally an interrelation between changes in immunological parameters and physical loads at different time periods of Greco-Roman wrestling. There was a gradual increase in antibodies to these neurotransmitters after the first stage of sport exercises. However, a statistically significant change in their level was observed only by the end of the third training period. In hockey players, a comparative ELISA testing of natural antibodies to glutamate and GABA showed a significant change in the level of antibodies to neurotransmitters compared with appropriate parameters of control group. We have also noted distinct features of the antibody content in hockey players if compared with Greco-Roman fighters. The content of GABA and glutamate antibodies for the group of hockey players examined was initially significantly higher than in control group, and remained on these levels throughout the entire training process. These results may indicate a different functional state of the body before exercise. Statistical evaluation of the data obtained has revealed some individual patterns of serum antibody contents in athletes. At initial terms, most hockey players, either at rest and under physical load, showed a scatter in the contents of GABA antibodies. After enhanced physical loads, the number of athletes with higher levels of glutamate antibodies was increased. The data obtained may indicate to a degree of GABA-and glutamate-dependent regulatory systems involvement into various stages of physical training

Immunological indexes in evaluation of chronic pain syndrome”, Medical Immunology (Russia)

Chronic pain in humans remains a challenge for diagnosis.  It manifests itself as multicomponent symptoms and leads to dysregulation of many  biochemical systems.  The approaches based on measuring the neurohumoral factors  regulating transmission of a pain  signal,  are promising for the  pain  evaluation. These include  immunological parameters, such  as natural antibodies (e-At), which  can  specifically  interact with endogenous bioregulators of pain  impulse  (EB), especially, with  serotonin, dopamine, and  modulate the process of pain development. Antibody metabolism is characterized by longer circulation in the bloodstream as compared to EB. Therefore, the content of e-At to EB reflects long-term changes in the body upon development of chronic pain.  Detection of relationships between  their  level and  the  course  of treatment will allow us to establish the prognostic role of immunological parameters in objective assessment of pain status of patients.The study included 136 patients (70 women  and 66 men)  with chronic pain syndrome. The patients were subjected to assays of e-At to dopamine, serotonin, and a survey using a visual analogue scale, in order to assess the intensity of pain. The indexes were measured in the course of treatment (1st, 10th  , and 21st  days).As a result,  a significant  decrease in pain intensity was found  in 63% of women  and in 71% of males. E-At levels in patients admitted for treatment were initially mostly elevated  and high. The dynamics of e-At change was multidirectional. On the day 21, an increase  in the occurrence of normal levels of e-At  to serotonin was detected in 52% of women  and in 59% of men.  The content of e-At to dopamine in this period  was recorded at a normal level in 56% of women, however, being increased in men (50% of cases), with high levels in 17% of males.Thus,  examination of patients with CHD showed  that,  against  the  background of ongoing  therapy, pain intensity decreases, and antibodies to pain mediators may continue to circulate at elevated  concentrations. It is likely that the body maintains pathologically elevated levels of e-At to EB, reflecting the content of EB itself, contributes to prolongation of CHD. Monitoring individual profile of the immunological parameters of e-Ab to EB in patients may have prognostic value for choosing an effective,  personalized treatment program

THERAPEUTIC EQUIVALENCE OF ORIGINAL CLOPIDOGREL (PLAVIX) AND ITS GENERIC (EGITROMB). RESULTS OF COMPARATIVE RANDOMIZED CROSS-OVER BLIND STUDY

Aim. To study therapeutic equivalence (efficacy, safety and tolerability) of original clopidogrel (Plavix) and its generic (Egitromb) in patients of high cardiovascular risk. Material and methods. Thirty one patients with coronary heart disease and indications for clopidogrel therapy were involved into the randomized cross-over blind study. Half of the patients received original clopidogrel (75 mg daily) during the first 2 weeks and then they received generic clopidogrel in the same dose during next 2 weeks. Another half of the patients received the drugs in reverse order. Antiplatelet activity of Plavix and Egitromb was estimated by effects on ADP-induced platelet aggregation initially and after 2 weeks of treatment with each drug. Study blinding was provided by the following approach: doctors of cardiology clinic performed clinical monitoring and drug distribution; coded blood samples for platelet aggregation assessment were studied in independent laboratory of thrombosis; statistical data analysis was performed by biostatistics expert in other research center. Results. 2-week therapy with each drug led to a significant decrease of ADP-induced platelet aggregation which remained low after switching from original drug to generic and vice versa. Aggregation dynamics did not depend on the first administered drug. There were no significant differences between aggregation changes as a result of treatment with original or generic drug. No one adverse event was observed in association with both drugs therapy. Conclusion. Generic drug Egitromb (Egis, Hungary) and original clopidogrel Plavix (Sanofi-Aventis, France) have equivalent antiplatelet effect

Study of humoral immunity indices for assessing physical exhaustion in sports

Studies of real opportunities for physical skills of athletes sufficiently depend on their adaptive potential for increasing physical loads. Extreme physical and psychoemotional loads may lead to overwork and decreased physical ability in professional sportsmen. These adaptation processes are regulated by the main biochemical systems of the body. A special role belongs to the factors of humoral immunity, i.e., natural antibodies, which are a component of innate immunity. They circulate in blood of healthy persons in absence of obvious antigenic stimulation. Analytical techniques for measuring the level of natural antibodies that reflect the state of the system of endogenous bioregulators involved into the molecular mechanisms of adaptation process have been developed. An important role among them is played by the regulators of the opioid system β-endorphin and orphanin. The biochemical and immunological parameters were determined in 10 athletes active in figure skating (Master of Sports), whose average age was 16±0.4 years, and sport experience of 9±1 years. The duration of the study was divided into 5 stages and was 62 days. During the dynamic observations in the course of intensive training, no clear shifts in biochemical parameters were revealed towards adaptation stress and delayed recovery. The level of natural antibodies to orphanin and beta-endorphin was measured in the athletes blood serum by ELISA techique. It is found that each athlete is characterized by individual immune profile. At the initial stage of the examination, the level of antibodies to beta-endorphin was within normal ranges, except for its decrease in one athlete. The level of antibodies to orphanin in majority of cases was higher than normal, probably, due to inhibitory control of the pain signal. Further study in time dynamics revealed that the immunological parameters, natural antibodies to opioid peptides, change in accordance with the state of adaptation resources in the athletes. These indexes reflect psycho-emotional potential and pain tolerance threshold for athletes from the start of training and throughout the entire period. Therefore, from a prognostic point of view, it is important to monitor the content of natural antibodies to beta-endorphin and orphanin in athletes in the course of training. Such individual monitoring of the athlete’s immunological indices allows us to select a more effective, personal training program

Seasonal bleaching and partial mortality of Pocillopora verrucosa corals of the coast of central Vietnam

IntroductionCoral reefs are one of the most productive yet vulnerable ecosystems on Earth. An important step in understanding the functioning of coral communities is studying the environmental impact on the state of reefs. The present study aimed to assess the impacts of the water temperature, precipitation, wave action, and population density on the seasonal bleaching, partial and complete mortality of shallow-water branching corals of Pocillopora verrucosa species complex. Materials and methodsThe present study was conducted at the Dam Bay research station (Nha Trang Bay) from 26 April 2020 to 2 April 2021. The environmental data was collected from the Dam Bay weather station and using a temperature logger planted on the nursery, coral bleaching and mortality were assessed visually using photos taken underwater. ResultsThroughout the study, the percentage of bleached coral colonies varied from 1 to 41.5% with two peaks, in autumn (October) and spring (April). Rates of the development of partial mortality varied from 0 to 10%, with a pronounced peak in December. At the end of the experiment, the percentage of coral colonies suffering from partial mortality reached 47%. Only 4,5% of experimental colonies died to the end of the study. Analysis revealed that water temperature and partial mortality are the drivers of bleaching, while wave action, temperature and bleaching are the factors with a significant impact on partial mortality.DiscussionThus, both bleaching and patrial mortality are interlinked and the effect of partial mortality on bleaching is stronger than the opposite. Both phenomena have pronounced seasonal variation, but their maximum manifestation does not coincide in time allowing corals to avoid their synergetic effect. Moreover, it was found that the impact of individual stress on mortality prevailed over the impact of seasonal bleaching and partial mortality events. The main cause of coral death was the development of algal fouling at the sites of colony lesions, which gradually spread over the entire surface of the colony

A new species of cosmocercoides (Nematoda; cosmocercidae) and other helminths in leptodactylus latrans (anura; leptodactylidae) from Argentina

Cosmocercoides latrans n. sp. (Cosmocercidae) from the small intestine of Leptodactylus latrans (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Northeastern Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina is described. The new species can be distinguished from their congeners by a combination of the characters, among which stands out the number of rosette papillae, the lack of gubernaculum and the presence of lateral alae in both sexes. There are over 20 species in the genus Cosmocercoides, and Cosmocercoides latrans n. sp. represents the third species from the Neotropical realm and the second for Argentina. Additionally, seven previously known taxa are reported; Pseudoacanthocephalus cf. lutzi, Catadiscus uruguayensis, Rauschiella palmipedis, Aplectana hylambatis, Cosmocerca parva, Schrankiana sp. and Rhabdias elegans; providing literature records and information on distribution and host-parasite relationships.Fil: Draghi, Regina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Drago, Fabiana Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Lunaschi, Lía Inés. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología Invertebrados; Argentin

Molecular Phylogeny of the Acanthocephala (Class Palaeacanthocephala) with a Paraphyletic Assemblage of the Orders Polymorphida and Echinorhynchida

Acanthocephalans are attractive candidates as model organisms for studying the ecology and co-evolutionary history of parasitic life cycles in the marine ecosystem. Adding to earlier molecular analyses of this taxon, a total of 36 acanthocephalans belonging to the classes Archiacanthocephala (3 species), Eoacanthocephala (3 species), Palaeacanthocephala (29 species), Polyacanthocephala (1 species) and Rotifera as outgroup (3 species) were analyzed by using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses of nuclear 18S rDNA sequence. This data set included three re-collected and six newly collected taxa, Bolbosoma vasculosum from Lepturacanthus savala, Filisoma rizalinum from Scatophagus argus, Rhadinorhynchus pristis from Gempylus serpens, R. lintoni from Selar crumenophthalmus, Serrasentis sagittifer from Johnius coitor, and Southwellina hispida from Epinephelus coioides, representing 5 new host and 3 new locality records. The resulting trees suggest a paraphyletic arrangement of the Echinorhynchida and Polymorphida inside the Palaeacanthocephala. This questions the placement of the genera Serrasentis and Gorgorhynchoides within the Echinorhynchida and not the Polymorphida, necessitating further insights into the systematic position of these taxa based on morphology