New records of spiders and insects for NE Fennoscandia (Murmansk Region, Russia)

-

A social portrait of the Russian trainer

The purposes of this paper are to survey Russian trainers to create a social portrait of the professional group and to identify features, which could be arranged as a foothold for transforming this group to a new level given the demands of the modern economy. This study integrates the use of quantitative and qualitative social research strategies to obtain, aggregate, and analyze data characterizing the professional group of trainers in the Russian vocational education and training (VET) system. The basic research was provided by questionnaires in all federal districts (as recognized by international law) of the Russian Federation. The quantitative poll of trainers was conducted by representative two-level sampling. A number of tables and charts provide a social portrait of the Russian trainer. The statistical data reveal the current level of trainers’ education as well as their length of service, distribution of vocations, and other significant features. The overall conclusion from these findings indicates that a typical representative of this professional group is a woman of average or slightly advanced age with a family, who has a VET or higher education, has served as a training officer for not less than 10 years, and who has either been recruited as a highly skilled worker or as a specialist. A typical representative feels the need to change something in the life and teaching of the young people that she knows. The research into trainers as a professional group was conducted first because of their uniformity, and secondly, their typicality as a pedagogical group. In many respects, the main characteristics of the social portrait are similar to characteristics of other professional groups in the Russian education system, such as secondary and post-secondary school teachers, and VET teachers. The study is based on one country. It is the first and only survey of its type in the Russian Federation. The paper provides a unique analysis of the situation with trainers in the VET system of the Russian Federation. © 2016 Kopnov et al

The collection of oat genetic resources held by VIR as a source of information on the history of cultivation and taxonomy of the genus, and breeding trends (a review)

Oat is one of the leading cereals cultivated in the world and in Russia; it has an important fodder and nutritional value. To preserve the entire crop agrobiodiversity worldwide, there is a network of genebanks that hold more than 200,000 oat accessions. International and national genebanks are located in all the world’s countries, but one of the largest oat collections is located in Russia.The global collection of the genus Avena L. (Oats) at the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) is one of the largest worldwide and consists of over 13,000 accessions. The collection preserves and maintains live accessions of all cultivated oat species: A. sativa L., A. byzantina K. Koch, A. strigosa Schreb. and A. abyssinica Hochst., landraces, breeding lines, spring and winter forms, covered and naked genotypes, and all geographic diversity of 22 wild Avena spp. from 50 countries. This review provides historical background of the collection of cultivated and wild oat species, and who were the main donors of these holdings. The taxonomic system of the genus is briefly presented, which is used as a tool for efficient work and guaranteed safe preservation of accessions. Most of the cultivars developed in Russia have in their pedigree accessions obtained from the global collection of VIR. The passport database contains detailed information about all accessions of the collection, which makes it possible to improve the work with the oat collection, including safe preservation of accessions and their effective evaluation and use as source material for breeding in the leading breeding centers of Russia.Thus, the global oat collection at VIR has factual and potential value for the sustainable development of environmentally friendly agriculture, efficient processing of agricultural products, and production of safe and high-quality food products, including functional foods

Determination of carotenoids of tomato fruits of different colors

A method for the determination of the composition of carotenoids of tomato fruits of different colors is proposed using a combination of spectrophotometry and chromatography. An explanation of the elution order of mono-cis-isomers of lycopene under the conditions of reversed-phase chromatography on traditional “monomeric” reversed C18-phases is proposed for the first time. It was found that, for prolycopene, (7Z, 9Z, 7'Z, 9'Z)-lycopene, which is responsible for the orange color of fruits, there is an almost imperceptible transition in normal examination in the vibronic structure of the electronic absorption spectrum with the lowest energy, λmax(1) = 486.2 n

Aluminum tolerance and micronutrient content in the grain of oat cultivars with different levels of breeding improvement from the VIR collection

Background. Soil toxicity of Al is associated with severe changes in plant root morphology that limit the uptake of water and mineral nutrients. Long-term exposure to Al results in deficiencies in some important nutrients, such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Thus, the joint study of plant resistance to the effects of Al and the accumulation of micronutrients in the oat grain is relevant.Materials and methods. Thirty oat accessions of Russian and French origin from the VIR collection served as the research material. They were represented by cultivars with different levels of breeding improvement: landraces (early 1920s), cultivars developed by primitive breeding (1920–1930s), and modern improved cultivars.Results. Oat cultivars with different breeding improvement levels demonstrated significant differences in the content of micronutrients and aluminum tolerance. Among the studied accessions, landraces and modern improved cultivars showed a tendency towards medium or high Al tolerance, the group of primitive cultivars from Russia had the lowest Al tolerance, while primitive cultivars from France demonstrated the highest average resistance (0.5–1.9).Conclusion. The content of Fe and Zn was influenced by the geographic origin of genotypes. The concentrations of different micronutrients positively correlated with each other. Strong correlations were recorded between the contents of Zn and Fe (r = 0.81), and between Zn and Mg (r = 0.75). There was a positive correlation between the content of micronutrients and the resistance to crown rust (0.38 to 0.50). High content of the studied set of micronutrients was registered in such improved cultivars from France as the naked ‘Avoine Nue Renne’, ‘Chantilly’, ‘Negrita’ and ‘Noire de Michamps’, plus the Russian improved naked cultivar ‘Gavrosh’. Among them, ‘Chantilly’ was distinguished for its yield, and the naked ‘Gavrosh ‘for its high tolerance to aluminum

Diversity of photoperiodic responses in oats

The article presents the results of an evaluation of the earliness and photoperiodic response (PPR) in the long-day oat accessions  of various geographic origin. The material for this study were 139 oat accessions  from the global collection of plant genetic resources  maintained by the Vavilov Institute (VIR), which included  landraces, breeding cultivars, and lines. In addition,  the donors  of low sensitivity to photoperiod developed at VIR were tested. A preliminary field study of the oat collection for early maturity and growing plants in the vegetation experiment was carried out according to the VIR Guidelines. The early accessions from VIR’s oat collection identified in the field showed a great diversity of their photoperiodic responses during the vegetation experiment in a photoperiod facility. By origin, most of the accessions described in the vegetation experiment as earliness  and weakly responsive to photoperiod were from Brazil (66 %); others from the USA, Portugal, Turkey, Colombia and Australia. Most of the Russian cultivars studied (77 %) were sensitive to a short  photoperiod. Among donors  with different  photoperiodic responses, Skorospely 1 and  Skorospely 2 were weakly responsive to photoperiod, while Srednespely 1 and  Srednespely 2 showed medium  responses. Many years of field studies  and vegetation experiments with the  oat genetic diversity from the VIR global collection  have resulted in identifying genotypes characterized by earliness and weak photoperiodic responses. These accessions  are of special value for breeders and currently being used to develop new early and productive oat cultivars

The metabolomic approach to the comparative analysis of wild and cultivated species of oats (Avena L.)

Seed metabolomic profiles have been investigated in wild and cultivated forms (cultivars) of oat (Avena L.). Seed accessions from the VIR oat collection were used for the research. Metabolomic analysis employed gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GLC- MS) using an Agilent 6850 chromatographer (USA). The analysis covered the composition and content of organic and fatty acids, amino acids, polyatomic spirits and sugars. The content fluctuation range for the studied groups of compounds was found to be narrower (significantly in some cases) in cultivars than in the wild species. Along with a sharp increase in oleic acid content, cultivars demonstrated a decrease in that of linoleic acid. The general conclusions from the comparison of seed metabolomic profiles in wild species and cultivars are presented below. A number of wild species can be recommended as a potential source of biochemical quality traits for breeding purposes. A series of metabolites (compounds), the content of which changes during domestication or which differentiate wild oat species from cultivars has been identified was found. Along with such well-known healthy food chemical factors as oleic acid, glucose and fructose, etc., differences concerning monoacylglycerol compounds (MAG 16 : 0 and MAG-2 18 : 2, etc.) have been found. The latter have been proposed to be related to the formation of adaptive traits, in particular, resistance to diseases and pests, and to environmental abiotic stresses

Statistical data on pediatric congenital musculoskeletal anomalies (malformations) in St. Petersburg

Introduction A scientifically-based knowledge on the incidence, dynamics of detection and structure of congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system (CMMS) has both practical and scientific significance. For many years, the Turner Institute has close scientific and practical ties with the state public health institution "Diagnostic Medical and Genetic Center" of St. Petersburg which carries out a regional monitoring of congenital disorders in St.Petersburg. Our objective was to present regional statistical data on the CMMS detection and structure in newborns and children of the first and second years of life, morbidity and disability in children aged 0-17 years in connection with congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system, to study the proportion of CMMS patients in the orthopedic clinic and their need for surgical, including high-tech, treatment, and dispensary follow-ups in outpatient orthopaedic settings. Material and methods Regional statistics of St. Petersburg on prevalence, dynamics and structure of congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system in children born in St. Petersburg in 2001–2015 were analyzed. The statistical data on the prevalence of congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system in children aged 0–17 years in St. Petersburg were studied. Based on the studies conducted at the Turner Institute in 2014–2016, the proportion of patients treated for congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system was revealed as well as their need for surgical treatment. Peculiarities of dispensary follow-ups of CMMS patients at orthopedic consultations of children's clinics of St. Petersburg were analyzed. Results and discussion The prevalence and structure of congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system in 783,000 children born in St. Petersburg in the period of 2001–2015 are presented in accordance with blocks Q65–Q79 of ICD-10. Diagnostic results of congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system in newborns (2.70 ‰) and in children of the same group until they reached three years of age (4.21 ‰) were studied in dynamics. Infacnts and children up to 17 years old with congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system are under regular supervision of orthopedic surgeons. Disability due to congenital anomalies and malformations takes the third place among all the diseases detected in patients aged 0-17 years, established by pediatric medical and social expert boards of St. Petersburg. At the clinic of the Turner Institute, the proportion of patients with CMMS among all admitted patients was 38.6 %. Among them, 78 % of patients with CMMS received surgical treatment, of which 80 % of operations were performed using high technologies. Conclusions Statistics on congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system in newborns and children under 3 years old and a high level of their disability shows the need in a specialized care for these children, including high-tech surgical treatment