Influence of the substrate-induced strain and irradiation disorder on the Peierls transition in TTF-TCNQ microdomains

The influence of the combined effects of substrate-induced strain, finite size and electron irradiation-induced defects have been studied on individual micron-sized domains of the organic charge transfer compound tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF-TCNQ) by temperature-dependent conductivity and current-voltage measurements. The individual domains have been isolated by focused ion beam etching and electrically contacted by focused ion and electron beam induced deposition of metallic contacts. The temperature-dependent conductivity follows a variable range hopping behavior which shows a crossover of the exponent as the Peierls transition is approached. The low temperature behavior is analyzed within the segmented rod model of Fogler, Teber and Shklowskii, as originally developed for a charge-ordered quasi one-dimensional electron crystal. The results are compared with data obtained on as-grown and electron irradiated epitaxial TTF-TCNQ thin films of the two-domain type

Complex biochemical characteristics of <i>Coriandrum sativum</i> L.

Background.  Coriandrum sativum L. is a valuable vegetable crop with early maturity and high nutritional benefits. Green biomass of coriander is rich in vitamins, especially ascorbic acid and carotene. The feasibility of using coriander as a natural food additive is due to its high antioxidant activity. The aim of this research was to study the biochemical composition of the green biomass in the accessions of C. sativum from the VIR global collection and identify promising accessions for use in breeding for quality.Materials and methods. The green biomass of  67 coriander accessions from different countries maintained in the VIR collection served as the research material. The study was carried out according to the guidelines developed by VIR.Results. As a result of the study, the feasibility of using C. sativum as a source of bioactive compounds was theoretically justified and experimentally confirmed, thus attesting to the prospects of coriander accessions from the VIR collection for quality-targeted breeding programs. New data were obtained on the biochemical composition of coriander green biomass. A factor determining such biochemical composition is the genotypic features of coriander associated with its origin. Biochemical parameters in coriander varied significantly depending on the origin of an accession. The highest variability was observed in the content of carotenes (CV 41%). The effect of an accession’s precocity was not confirmed. Sources for individual quality indicators were highlighted.Conclusion. Accessions with an optimal component composition for a balanced human diet were identified and recommended for quality-oriented breeding, including the development of cultivars for health-friendly, curative and preventive nutrition. The selected accessions are of interest as source material for breeding programs and practical utilization

SOURCES OF HIGH PROTEIN CONTENT IN COMMON BEAN SEEDS (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS) FROM THE VIR COLLECTION

Background. An important trend in modern breeding of common beans is to improve the quality of grain. High protein content in seeds is one of the most important indicators of the nutritional value of beans. Searching for high-protein accessions, identifying sources of high protein content, and using them in the breeding process, while developing new cultivars, still remain relevant. The aims of our research included the identification of variability patterns for protein content in accessions of different origin, characterization of cultivars, and description of their morphological and economic traits.Materials and methods. Presented here are the results of biochemical screening of 166 common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) accessions of various ecogeographic origin, added to the VIR collection in 2005–2016. Field study of economically valuable traits was carried out according to VIR’s techniques. The protein content in seeds was measured in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department at VIR using Kjeldahl method. Mathematical data processing (correlation analysis and single-factor analysis of variance) was performed using Statistica 7.0 software (StatSoft, Inc., USA).Results and conclusions. As a result of the assessment, 12 sources of high protein content in seeds (&gt; 28% annually) were identified and described. The average value of the trait differed depending on the country of origin, genotype and year of study. The correlation analysis failed to find general regularities (strong stable interrelations) between the protein content in seeds and morphological, economically valuable traits. The values of correlation coefficients were unstable over the years of study. Weak links between the protein content and the genotype (r = 0.25) or the year of reproduction (r = 0.24) were identified. Significant relationships between protein content, morphological and economically valuable traits were not found. Seed protein content, according to the results of the single-factor analysis of variance, largely depended on the genetic properties of plants (effect size is 70.1%), and, to a smaller extent, on the year of reproduction (14.5%) and origin (17.5%)

Сomparative analysis of wild and cultivated Lathyrus L. spp. according to their primary and secondary metabolite contents

Species of the genus  Lathyrus L. are known as forage and medicinal plants, widely used in traditional medicine  and homeopathy. The content of protein,  essential  amino  acids and  carotene in their green  biomass  is higher  than  in other  annual  leguminous plants  traditionally  cultivated  in Russia. Until now, the requirements for the crop’s quality were reduced to a high content of protein  and dry matter in seeds  and herbage. In-depth biochemical  analysis of accessions  from the collection of plant genetic resources  will significantly improve  selection  of source materials  for breeding. Such tasks can be solved  using  gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in plant  diversity studies. In view of the above,  our goal was to analyze organic  acids, free amino  acids and secondary metabolites in green biomass  of Lathyrus to facilitate comprehensive assessment of its forage  and  pharmacological value. We analyzed 32 accessions  of Lathyrus sativus L., L. tuberosus L., L. sylvestris L., L. vernus (L.) Bernh., L. latifolius L. and  L. linifolius (Reichard) Bassler from the collection of the Vavilov Institute (VIR). The studied Lathyrus accessions had significant interspecific and intraspecific variability both in the composition (presence)  and number of the identified compounds. The analysis of plants across different years confirmed that biochemical parameters depended on weather conditions. The colder and drier conditions of 2012 contributed to the accumulation of organic acids (mean: 890 mg/100 g), free amino acids (mean: 201.59 mg/100 g), and secondary metabolites (mean: 84.14 mg/100 g). The range of variability for organic acids ranged from 140 to 2140, for free amino acids from 11.8 to 610, and for secondary metabolites from 4.4 to 224.6 mg/100  g. Grass pea accessions  with high organic acid, free amino acid and secondary metabolite contents were identified: k-900 (Colombia) for organic acids (2140, 610 and 178 mg/100  g); k-51 (Georgia) and k-959 (Afghanistan) for free amino acids (401.29 and 540.63 mg/100 g); k-893 (Eritrea) for secondary metabolites (199.39 mg/100 g), etc. They can serve as source material for the development of cultivars for different uses (forage and medicinal)

Comparative analysis of wild and cultivated Lathyrus L. species to assess their content of sugars, polyols, free fatty acids, and phytosterols

Under climate change, the need for crops resistant to abiotic and biotic stresses increases. Lathyrus spp. Are characterized by a high nutritional value of their green biomass. The grass pea is one of the most resistant to drought, aterlogging, cold, salinity, diseases and pests among cultivated legumes, and it is grown at minimal cost. The development of new Lathyrus cultivars with an improved composition of nutrients will make it possible to produce high-quality animal feed in areas with extremely unstable weather conditions. With this in view, the patterns of variability in the parameters of the carbohydrate complex (sugars, their lactone and methyl forms), polyols (including phenol-containing alcohols), phytosterols, free fatty acids (FFA) and acylglycerols were studied in the green biomass of 32 accessions representing Lathyrus sativus L., L. tuberosus L., L. sylvestris L., L. vernus (L.) Bernh., L. latifolius L. and L. linifolius (Reichard) Bassler. from the VIR collection, reproduced in Leningrad oblast under contrasting conditions of 2012 and 2013. The content of identified compounds varied depending on the genotype, species, and weather. High temperatures and high precipitation in 2013 contributed to the accumulation of monosaccharides, and the colder and drier conditions of 2012 to an increase in oligosaccharides, most polyols, and FFA. The cultivated species (L. sativus) was distinguished by its high sugar content, and the wild species as follows: L. latifolius by FFA; L. linifolius by ononitol, myo-inositol, and glycerol 3-phosphate; L. vernus by MAG and methylpentofuranoside. The resulting data showed that the Lathyrus accessions studied are promising for breeding stress-resistant cultivars of high nutritional quality

A new charge-transfer complex in UHV co-deposited tetramethoxypyrene and tetracyanoquinodimethane

UHV-deposited films of the mixed phase of tetramethoxypyrene and tetracyanoquinodimethane (TMP1-TCNQ1) on gold have been studied using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), X-ray-diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy and scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS). The formation of an intermolecular charge-transfer (CT) compound is evident from the appearance of new reflexes in XRD (d1= 0.894 nm, d2= 0.677 nm). A softening of the CN stretching vibration (red-shift by 7 cm-1) of TCNQ is visible in the IR spectra, being indicative of a CT of the order of 0.3e from TMP to TCNQ in the complex. Characteristic shifts of the electronic level positions occur in UPS and STS that are in reasonable agreement with the prediction of from DFT calculations (Gaussian03 with hybrid functional B3LYP). STS reveals a HOMO-LUMO gap of the CT complex of about 1.25 eV being much smaller than the gaps (>3.0 eV) of the pure moieties. The electron-injection and hole-injection barriers are 0.3 eV and 0.5 eV, respectively. Systematic differences in the positions of the HOMOs determined by UPS and STS are discussed in terms of the different information content of the two methods.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

Metabolomic approach to investigate <i>Dactylis glomerata</i> L. from the VIR collection

The perennial grass cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) is a valuable early highly nutritious crop used as green fodder in agricultural production. The species is widespread across the Eurasian continent; it is characterized by plasticity and high ecological and geographical variability. The article considers the metabolic profiles of 15 accessions of the cocksfoot from the collection of the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR). The material is represented by varieties and wild forms of various origin: the European part of the Russian Federation, Norway and Finland. The study was carried out using gas-liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The study and comparison of groups of metabolites of cocksfoot accessions of various ecological and geographical origin was carried out. Statistical processing included the calculation of the main parameters of variability, factor analysis of the correlation system (Qand R-technique), cluster analysis by Ward’s method and discriminant analysis. The variability of the quantitative and qualitative composition of the substances identified was revealed. Based on statistical processing of the results obtained, five groups of cocksfoot accessions were identified, differing in the profile of metabolites. One of the groups with a similar composition of metabolites consisted of accessions from one ecological and geographical region; another, of accessions of different origin. Significant differences were noted in the metabolomic profiles of a late-maturing wild cocksfoot accession from the Republic of Karelia at the booting stage from earlyand mid-maturing accessions at the heading stage; it contained the largest number of free amino acids and the smallest number of identified primary and secondary metabolites. Wild-growing accession k-44020 from Norway surpassed other wild-growing accessions in the content of free amino acids, sugars and phosphates at the heading stage. Wildgrowing accessions differed from breeding varieties with a high content of proline and threonine, indicators of high resistance to lack of moisture and high air temperature

Treatment for mixed cognitive impairments and emotional disorders in young and middle-aged patients

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of Tanakan® (EGB761®) used in young and middle-aged patients with mixed cognitive impairments (CI) and emotional diseases.Patients and methods. An open-label observational study of the efficacy of Tanakan® was conducted in 54 patients aged 18–4 years with CI and psychoemotional disorders. Tanakan® was administered at a daily dose of 120 mg (40 mg t.i.d) for 3 months.Results. Tanakan® therapy resulted in health improvement, as shown by the HAM (Health, Activity, Mood) questionnaire; the mean score of the latter increased from 3.86 at baseline to 4.84 after 3 months of treatment. There were improvements in three HAM questionnaire items: the mean score of the item «Health» increased from 3.69 to 4.79; that of the item «Activity» from 3.65 to 4.58, and that the item «Mood» from 4.25 to 5.14 after the completion of the investigation.Tanakan® therapy also demonstrated improvements in memory (the mean number of correctly repeated words increased from 5.7 to 6.7 at the beginning of a visit and from 4.2 to 5.8 at its end) and in attention (the mean symbol-digit coding test score increased from 48.1 to 55.7%. There were no clinically relevant differences between patients with higher and secondary education in the efficacy of Tanakan®.Conclusion. Tanakan® had a very good safety profile; no adverse drug events were recorded during the investigation. Almost all the 53 (98.1%) of the 54 patients were satisfied with Tanakan® therapy results after 3 months of treatment

Prof. Alexey V. Konarev (celebrating the 75th birthday)

On January 16, 2023 we celebrated the 75th birthday of Professor Alexey V. Konarev, Doctor of Biological Sciences, a renowned scientist in the sphere of plant biochemistry and molecular biology, one of the eldest staff members of VIR

Влияние мексидола на состав и перекисное окисление липидов миокарда в постреанимационном периоде

An experimental model of clinical death followed by reperfusion was used to study the postresuscitative effects of the anti-hypoxant mexidole on lipid composition and peroxidation rates in the rat myocardium. The use of mexidole in early reperfusion was shown to lead to the altered phospholipid composition of cardiomyocytes, the normalization of the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, the lower levels of malonic dialdehyde on postresuscitative day 30. Modifications of the myocardium lipid spectrum appeared as the elevated levels of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine that maintained intracellular ionic homeostasis and myocardial performance, as well as decreases in lysophosphatidylcholine having proarrhythmic activity and in sphingomyelin and phosphatidic acids.На экспериментальной модели клинической смерти с последующей реперфузией исследовано влияние антигипок-санта метаболического типа — мексидола на липидный состав и активность перекисного окисления липидов ткани сердца крыс в отдаленном постреанимационном периоде. Показано, что применение мексидола в раннем реперфу-зионном периоде приводило к изменению фосфолипидного состава кардиомиоцитов, нормализации активности су-пероксиддисмутазы и каталазы, снижению содержания малонового диальдегида на 30-е сутки постреанимационного периода. Модификации спектра липидов ткани сердца проявлялись увеличением содержания фосфатидилсерина, фосфатидилэтаноламина, обеспечивающих поддержание внутриклеточного ионного гомеостаза и деятельности сердечной мышцы, уменьшением лизофосфатидилхолина, обладающего аритмогенным действием, сфингомиелина и фосфатидных кислот