Palaeolimnology and lakes with respect to pollution and climate change

The objectives of this INT AS programme between the Environmental Change Research Centre (ECRC), University College London; Institute of Global Climate and Ecology (IGCE) Moscow; Moscow State University (MSU) Department of Hydrobiology; and the Kola Science Centre (KSC) Apatity, are to introduce recently developed palaeolimnological methods to laboratories in the Former Soviet Union and to apply these techniques collaboratively to problems of environmental change and pollution. The focus of this work is centred on atmospheric pollution and potential climate change in the Kola Peninsula and the Lake Baikal region. In the contract year 1995-1996, young scientists from ECRC have visited IGCE and MSU to discuss ideas and the KSC to undertake fieldwork and laboratory analyses of sample material. Senior scientists from IGCE, MSU and KSC have visited ECRC to review the collaborative programme and young scientists from the three participating Russian laboratories have attended courses in numerical analysis and diatom taxonomy at the ECRC. Inevitably the parlous financial situation in Russian academic institutions has affected the progress of this project. The science programme in the Baikal region has been difficult to maintain and the emphasis in 1995-1996 has been placed on the Kola Peninsula. The logistics of fieldwork and laboratory back-up have been easier to arrange with the involvement of KSU, but even here economic difficulties have precluded certain analyses being undertaken. Additionally, as salaries for senior staff and financial support for young scientists have virtually ceased to exist it is inevitable that money for some of the equipment and consumable purchases designated in the original proposal, has been diverted to help maintain the position of key researchers involved with this project. As part of the palaeoecological reconstruction of recent environmental (acidification) and post Holocene climate history of the Kola Peninsula, surface sediments and water samples have been collected from 27 lakes located throughout the Kola Peninsula along the vegetation gradient. Two lakes were subsequently excluded from the training set due to disturbance in the catchments. The final training set thus contains 25 sites. The background to this study and the first results are presented in the scientific report below

表紙、目次、投稿規程、執筆要領、執筆者紹介

Currently a protein/peptide-mediated gene delivery has been considered a promising approach in non-viral gene transfer. The previous investigations have shown that histones and other nuclear proteins might be effective vectors for gene transfer into cells. Transfection of eukaryotic cells by nucleic acid and histone complexes (histonefection) effectively occurs with various histone proteins. The presence of DNA-binding domains and specific signal sequences of nuclear location allows to use histones (H1/H5, H2A, H2B, H3, H4) and other nuclear proteins (such as HMG family proteins and histonelike prokaryotic proteins) for recombinant genes transfer. The positive charge of histone protein molecules enables electrostatic interaction with negatively charged molecules of nucleic acids and charge neutralization that facilitates the complexes penetration through a negatively charged cell membrane. Thus, histonefection is a promising method for non-viral transfer of recombinant nucleic acids in gene therapy

A palaeolimnological investigation at Crazy Well Pool, Dartmoor

This report presents the results from a short sediment core taken at Crazy Well Pool, Dartmoor. In addition to physical sediment analysis (loss on ignition and dry weights), siliceous microfossils (diatoms) have been used in an attempt to reconstruct lake pH changes and other water quality parameters. The core has also been dated using a technique based on the concentration of spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs). The core showed a reliable chronology spanning in excess of 150 years and the diatoms were well persevered. A total of 65 species of diatom were recorded. A notable switch from benthic taxa at the base of the core to more planktonic species towards the core top was observed. Diatom pH reconstructions inferred that the lake has become slightly less acid over a post-industrial timescale, which is contrary to many other studies of UK lakes on base-poor geology. These results suggest that changes in catchment management have resulted in pH increases in the lake, despite evidence of acid deposition at the site. Information on diatom habitat requirements also suggests that lake levels have been lower in the past

Privatization by the people - who will take advantage?

Developing a crisis management plan for the current year, the Government solves the problem of closing the Federal budget deficit in 2016. Options for finding sources of funds may be several. The government intends to close the deficit partially by selling significant stakes in leading companies belonging to the state. Leading economists of the expert community does not consider the decision of the government and technology for the implementation of this project optimal for the Russian economy and social state of society.Разрабатывая антикризисный план на текущий год, Правительство РФ решает проблему закрытия дефицита федерального бюджета 2016 года. Вариантов нахождения источников средств может быть несколько. Правительство намерено закрыть дефицит, частично продав значительные пакеты акций ведущих предприятий, принадлежащие государству. Ведущие экономисты экспертного сообщества не считают решение правительства и технологию осуществления данного проекта оптимальными для российской экономики и социального состояния общества

The embryonic node functions as an instructive stem cell niche

In warm-blooded vertebrate embryos (mammals and birds), the body forms from a growth zone at the tail end. Hensen’s node, a region which induces and patterns the neural axis is located within this growth zone. The node also contains the precursors of neural, mesodermal and endodermal structures along the midline and has been suggested to contain a small population of resident stem cells. However, it is unknown whether the rest of the node constitutes an instructive stem cell niche, specifying stem cell behaviour. Here we combine transplantation of a single cell in vivo with single-cell mRNA sequencing in the chick and show that when made to enter the node, non-node-progenitor cells become resident and gain stem cell behaviour. These cells preferentially express G2/M phase cell-cycle related genes and are concentrated in posterior sub-regions of the node. The posterior part of the node therefore behaves as an instructive stem cell niche. These results demonstrate a new function for the vertebrate node during development

Palaeoecological evidence of changes in vegetation and climate during the Holocene in the pre-Polar Urals, northeast European Russia

This study investigated Holocene tree-line history and climatic change in the pre-Polar Urals, northeast European Russia. A sediment core from Mezhgornoe Lake situated at the present-day alpine tree-line was studied for pollen, plant macrofossils, Cladocera and diatoms. A peat section from Vangyr Mire in the nearby mixed mountain taiga zone was analysed for pollen. The results suggest that the study area experienced a climatic optimum in the early Holocene and that summer temperatures were at least 2°C warmer than today. Tree birch immigrated to the Mezhgornoe Lake area at the onset of the Holocene. Mixed spruce forests followed at ca. 9500-9000 14C yr BP. Climate was moist and the water level of Mezhgornoe Lake rose rapidly. The hypsithermal phase lasted until ca. 5500-4500 14C yr BP, after which the mixed forest withdrew from the Mezhgornoe catchment as a result of the climate cooling. The gradual altitudinal downward shift of vegetation zones resulted in the present situation, with larch forming the tree-line

Water-soluble hybrid materials based on {Mo₆X₈}⁴⁺ (X = Cl, Br, I) cluster complexes and sodium polystyrene sulfonate

Development of water-soluble forms of octahedral molybdenum clusters {Mo₆X₈}⁴⁺ (X = Cl, Br, I) is strongly motivated by the tremendous potential that these complexes have for biological applications, namely as agents for bioimaging and photodynamic therapy. In these work we report the first water-soluble hybrid materials, which represent sodium polystyrene sulfonate doped by molybdenum clusters, and evaluation of their photophysical and biological properties (dark and photoinduced cytotoxicity and cellular uptake) with the use of cervical cancer (HeLa) and human epidermoid larynx carcinoma (Hep-2) cell-lines as models