Guidelines for the Integrated Management of Mountain Ecosystems

The United Nations Conference of Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro (1992), the Earth Summit, appropriately recognized the mountains as one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. Recent research has shown that this threat may increase significantly in the future as a result of the greenhouse effect. At Rio the nations of the world agreed to a mountain agenda for the 21st century. But although the principles are clear enough there are very few practical guides on how actually to implement Agenda 21 especially at the grass roots. This small publication is a first attempt to spell out the first steps in doing something about the crisis in the mountains. What follows is derived from a joint project in the 1980s involving UNEP, the USSR State Committee for Environmental Protection, Centre for International Projects, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, Academy of Agriculture, the Poushkarov Institute of Soil Science and Agroecology, and the Georgian Agricultural Academy of Sciences. The objectives of the project were to create an international network of experts, both distinguished scientists and representatives of the leading international organizations who would direct field experiments and consider alternative methods for the complex integrated management of mountain ecosystems. The experimental plots were in the Caucasus, the Rhodopes, and Balkan mountains, including a range of mountain situations -- mediterranean, subtropical, high mountains, etc. To these sites were brought students mainly from developing countries, to learn at first hand the practical details of environmental protection in the mountains. From these courses guidelines were produced which form the basis for this publication. There were many other by-products of great use -- films, advisory missions to the Himalayas and Africa, classifications of soils and productivity, technical reports on a range of topics including landslides, mechanization, and agroecology. The project was evaluated as a success story and most appreciated by the students who greatly enjoyed the summer journeys into the idyllic Georgian and Bulgarian mountains. Whatever happens to the project in these more wintry times, the networks forged in those remote valleys will endure. Indeed the project brought together from such regions as the Andes experts and students who never met at home but who now cooperate actively

New materials for implants of the human hip joint and technology of their machining with the achievement of high precision and quality of spherical surfaces

В зв’язку з тим, що головки ендопротеза тазостегнового суглоба людини експлуатуються в екстремальних умовах відносно навантаження, підбір відповідного матеріалу, а також підвищення точності і якості обробки сферичних поверхонь є досить актуальним завданням. У поданій роботі розглянуто проблеми, пов'язані з визначенням ступеня впливу орієнтації кристала сапфіра на його оброблюваність при алмазному шліфуванні торцем круга і з розробкою перспективної, оригінальної схеми формоутворення неповної сферичної поверхні, зокрема, сапфірової головки ендопротеза тазостегнового суглоба людини.In view of the fact that the endo-prosthesis heads of human hip-joint are operated in extreme conditions, in respect of load, the selection of corresponding material and also increase of precision and quality of machining of spherical surfaces is rather topical task. In the submitted work are reviewed the problems connected with the definition of the influence degree of orientation of the sapphire crystal on its workability during the diamond grinding with the ring end. For conduct of investigations of workability of the sapphire crystal the method of low temperature precision grinding (LPG) was chosen elaborated at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Georgian Technical University as a version of progressive methods for grinding of hard and brittle non-metallic materials. On the basis of analysis of the existing kinematic schemes and technological processes of obtaining spherical surfaces the new more effective scheme has been suggested that provides the increase of precision of spherical surfaces. The essence of the scheme is in the selection of optimal ranges of the ratio of rotational speeds of the article and tool and in equal distribution of the article pressing to the grinding ring by the analog of the LPG method that is the pledge of exclusion of unequal wear of the abrasive tool, achievement and support of high precision of the work surface and by that the machining precision of the surface of incomplete surface.В виду того, что головки эндопротеза тазобедренного сустава человека эксплуатируются в экстремальных условиях, в отношении нагрузки, подбор соответствующего материала, а также повышение точности и качества обработки сферических поверхностей является весьма актуальной задачей. В представленной работе рассмотрены проблемы связанные с определением степени влияния ориентации кристалла сапфира на его обрабатываемость при алмазном шлифовании торцом круга и с разработкой перспективной, оригинальной схемы формообразования неполной сферической поверхности, в частности, сапфировой головки эндопротеза тазобедренного сустава человека

Green tea, red wine and lemon extracts reduce experimental tumor growth and cancer drug toxicity

Aim: To evaluate antitumor effect of plant polyphenol extracts from green tea, red wine lees and/or lemon peel alone and in combination with antitumor drugs on the growth of different transplanted tumors in experimental animals. Materials and Methods: Green tea extract (GTE) was prepared from green tea infusion. GTE-based composites of red wine (GTRW), lemon peel (GTRWL) and/or NanoGTE as well as corresponding nanocomposites were prepared. The total polyphenolics of the different GTE-based extracts ranged from 18.0% to 21.3%. The effects of GTE-based extracts were studied in sarcoma 180, Ehrlich carcinoma, B16 melanoma, Ca755 mammary carcinoma, P388 leukemia, L1210 leukemia, and Guerin carcinoma (original, cisplatin-resistant and doxorubicin-resistant variants). The extracts were administered as 0.1% solution in drinking water (0.6–1.0 mg by total polyphenolics per mouse per day and 4.0–6.3 mg per rat per day). Results: Tumor growth inhibition (TGI) in mice treated with NanoGTE, cisplatin or cisplatin + NanoGTE was 27%, 55% and 78%, respectively, in Sarcoma 180%, 21%, 45% and 59%, respectively, in Ehrlich carcinoma; and 8%, 13% and 38%, respectively in B16 melanoma. Composites of NanoGTE, red wine, and lemon peel (NanoGTRWL) enhanced the antitumor effects of cyclophosphamide in mice with Ca755 mammary carcinoma. The treatment with combination of NanoGTE and inhibitors of polyamines (PA) synthesis (DFMO + MGBG) resulted in significant TGI of P388 leukemia (up to 71%) and L1210 leukemia. In rats transplanted with Guerin carcinoma (parental strain), treatment with GTRW or GTE alone resulted in 25–28% TGI vs. 55–68% TGI in cisplatin-treated animals. The inhibition observed in the case of combination of GTE or GTRW with cisplatin was additive giving 81–88% TGI. Similar effects were observed when combinations of the cytostatics with GTE (or ­NanoGTE) were tested against cisplatin- or doxorubicin-resistant Guerin carcinoma. Moreover, the plant extracts lowered side toxicity of the drugs. Treatment with GTE, NanoGTE, and NanoGTRW decreased the levels of malondialdehyde in heart, kidney and liver tissue of experimental animals, as well as the levels of urea and creatinine in blood serum, increased erythrocyte and platelet counts, hemoglobin content, and decreased leucocyte counts. Conclusion: The obtained data indicate the prospects for further deve­lopment of GTE and corresponding nanocomposites as auxiliary agents in cancer chemotherapy. Key Words: polyphenolic plant extracts, antitumor effect, cancer therapy

АЛМАЗНОЕ ШЛИФОВАНИЕ СВЕРХТВЕРДЫХ НЕМЕТАЛЛИЧЕСКИХ МАТЕРИАЛОВ ЭФФЕКТИВНЫМ СПОСОБОМ

 The paper considers problems related to machinability of hard and brittle hard-to-machine non-metallic materials during grinding with diamond wheel involving advanced method, and effect of sapphire monocrystal orientation on machining output parameters.  Были рассмотрены проблемы, связанные с обрабатываемостью твердых и хрупких, труднообрабатываемых неметаллических материалов во время шлифования алмазным кругом прогрессивным методом и влияния ориентации сапфирного монокристалла на выходные параметры обработки

Критерии оценки засух по данным гидрометеорологических наблюдений

სტატიაში მოცემულია გვალვის როგორც კომპლექსური მოვლენის შეფასება, რომელშიც გარდა ატმოსფერული მახასიათებლებისა, გათვალისწინებულია ნიადაგისა და მცენარის ფიზიკური და ბიოლოგიური მახასიათებლები. ჩვენს მიერ შემუშავებულ იქნა გვალვის ინტენსივობის მახასიათებლები: 1. მოდიფიცირებული ჰიდროთერმული კოეფიციენტი და 2. ნიადაგის პროდუქტიული ტენის მარაგის შეფასება ფარდობითი მახასიათებლებით – პროცენტებში ზღვრული ტენტევადობიდან. შემოთავაზებული მეთოდი საშუალებას იძლევა რაოდენობრივად შევაფასოთ გვალვის გავლენა სასოფლო–სამეურნეო წარმოებაზე. კერძოდ, მოსავლის დანაკარგებზე.Assessment of the drought is given as a complex phenomenon, where along with atmospheric, the physical and biological characteristics of soil and plant are considered. A technical for the an estimation of Intensity of drought by means of:: 1. Modified hydrothermal coefficient and. 2. A stock of a productive influence by the comparative characteristics – in percentage of limiting field moisture-capacity. The method, offered by us, enables the quantitative estimation of negative influence of drought on agricultural, in particular, on losses of a crop.В статье представлена оценка и засухи как комплексного явления , где кроме атмосферных параметров, учтены физические и биологические характеристики почв и растении. Разработана методика оценки интенсивности засух путём оценки: 1. Модифицированного гидротермического коэффициента ; 2. Запаса продуктивной влаги по сравнительным характеристикам – в процентах от предельной полевой влагоёмкости. Предложенный метод даёт возможность количественной оценки негативного воздействия засухи на сельскохозяйственные культуры, в частности, влияния засухи на потери урожая

GREEN TEA, RED WINE AND LEMON EXTRACTS REDUCE EXPERIMENTAL TUMOR GROWTH AND CANCER DRUG TOXICITY

Aim: To evaluate antitumor effect of plant polyphenol extracts from green tea, red wine lees and/or lemon peel alone and in combination with antitumor drugs on the growth of different transplanted tumors in experimental animals. Materials and Methods: Green tea extract (GTE) was prepared from green tea infusion. GTE-based composites of red wine (GTRW), lemon peel (GTRWL) and/or NanoGTE as well as corresponding nanocomposites were prepared. The total polyphenolics of the different GTE-based extracts ranged from 18.0% to 21.3%. The effects of GTE-based extracts were studied in sarcoma 180, Ehrlich carcinoma, B16 melanoma, Ca755 mammary carcinoma, P388 leukemia, L1210 leukemia, and Guerin carcinoma (original, cisplatin-resistant and doxorubicin-resistant variants). The extracts were administered as 0.1% solution in drinking water (0.6–1.0 mg by total polyphenolics per mouse per day and 4.0–6.3 mg per rat per day). Results: Tumor growth inhibition (TGI) in mice treated with NanoGTE, cisplatin or cisplatin + NanoGTE was 27%, 55% and 78%, respectively, in Sarcoma 180%, 21%, 45% and 59%, respectively, in Ehrlich carcinoma; and 8%, 13% and 38%, respectively in B16 melanoma. Composites of NanoGTE, red wine, and lemon peel (NanoGTRWL) enhanced the antitumor effects of cyclophosphamide in mice with Ca755 mammary carcinoma. The treatment with combination of NanoGTE and inhibitors of polyamines (PA) synthesis (DFMO + MGBG) resulted in significant TGI of P388 leukemia (up to 71%) and L1210 leukemia. In rats transplanted with Guerin carcinoma (parental strain), treatment with GTRW or GTE alone resulted in 25–28% TGI vs. 55–68% TGI in cisplatin-treated animals. The inhibition observed in the case of combination of GTE or GTRW with cisplatin was additive giving 81–88% TGI. Similar effects were observed when combinations of the cytostatics with GTE (or ­NanoGTE) were tested against cisplatin- or doxorubicin-resistant Guerin carcinoma. Moreover, the plant extracts lowered side toxicity of the drugs. Treatment with GTE, NanoGTE, and NanoGTRW decreased the levels of malondialdehyde in heart, kidney and liver tissue of experimental animals, as well as the levels of urea and creatinine in blood serum, increased erythrocyte and platelet counts, hemoglobin content, and decreased leucocyte counts. Conclusion: The obtained data indicate the prospects for further deve­lopment of GTE and corresponding nanocomposites as auxiliary agents in cancer chemotherapy. Key Words: polyphenolic plant extracts, antitumor effect, cancer therapy