Efficiency of cultivation of variegated alfalfa and awnless brome in pure form and in mixed sowings

The development of technology elements for the cultivation of perennial alfalfa-brome mixtures contributes to the formation of highly productive agrocenoses and reduce the cost of fodder mass. In 2017-2022, in the conditions of the Penza region, there has been studied the effect of seeding rates of alfalfa variegated of Daria variety and awnless brome Udalets in pure and mixed sowings, the level of mineral nutrition and the time of harvesting green mass on the economic and energy efficiency of cultivation. Growing seasons of 2017-2021 were characterized by dry conditions (HTC = 0.4-0.8), of 2022 – by normal moisture (HTC = 1.0). The calculation of the cost of production showed the advantage of the seeding rate of alfalfa and brome 70+40 %, the introduction of N45P60K90 and harvesting in the early phase the cost of 1 ton of feed units amounted to 2.36 thousand rubles, in the variant without fertilizers at this seeding rate, the cost was 6.8 % higher – 2.52 thousand rubles. The level of profitability of alfalfa-brome mixtures when cultivated for green mass was at a high level and amounted to 161-238 % according to the variants. Higher rates were obtained in variants with a seeding rate of 70+40 %, the introduction of N45P60K90 during harvesting both in the budding phase and variable mowing – 235-238 %. Cost of 1 ton feed units at a seeding rate of 70+40 % was 1.51-1.96 GJ (depending on the mowing period), a decrease in the seeding rate of alfalfa to 40 % increased the cost of 1 ton of feed units up to 1.74-2.20 GJ. The use of mineral fertilizers increased the cost of 1 ton of feed units when applying P60K90 by 0.02-0.06 GJ, and when introducing N45P60K90 by 0.29-0.36 GJ. The early phase of harvesting was energetically favorable – the cost of 1 ton of feed units was lower than when harvesting in the flowering phase by 0.08-0.15 GJ. With a high seeding rate of alfalfa and a low seeding rate of brome (70+40 %), the maximum energy efficiency coefficient (EEC) was obtained – 5.2-7.1 (depending on the background of nutrition and the mowing period). With a decrease in the seeding rate of alfalfa from 70 to 40 %, a decrease in the EEC to 4.5-6.1 was noted. The application of mineral fertilizers significantly reduced the EEE indicators – from 5.8-7.1 to 5.5-6.7 with the application of P60K90 and to 4.3-5.3 with the application of N45P60K90. At an early harvesting time (budding phase), the EEC was slightly higher – 4.7-7.1, than at a late harvesting time (flowering phase) – 4.5-6.8

Vermipharyngiella Unica gen. et sp. n. (Plathelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola), a new planarian genus and species from lake Baikal with peculiar pharyngeal structure

An illustrated description of a new monotypical genus of endemic Baikal planarians, Vermipharyngiella gen. et sp. n., is provided. The representatives of the new genus differ from those of all other known freshwater planarian genera by a very unusual structure of the pharynx. There are three well-separated, compactly arranged muscular layers in the wall of the pharyngeal canal: subepithelial circular, medial longitudinal and inner circular. Such arrangement of the muscular layers has not been found in any of four freshwater triclad families known. The problem of the attribution of the new genus to one of these families is discussed

Microarchicotylus ochroleucus gen. et sp. n. (Plathelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola): A new genus and species of dwarf planarians in Lake Baikal

© 2016, Pleiades Publishing, Inc.This paper gives an illustrated description of a new genus and species of endemic Baikal planarians, Microarchicotylus ochroleucus gen. et sp. n. The morphological similarity in the structure of the pharynx, male copulative organs, and external features allowed the authors to include two more species, M. stringulatus (Korotneff 1912) and M. elegans (Porfiriev et Timoshkin 2009), formerly belonging to a poorly investigated genus Archicotylus, into the new genus. Microarchicotylus gen. et sp. n. planarians are attributed to dwarf forms, since their maximal body length does not exceed 5–6 mm. One more distinctive external feature of these Microarchicotylus species is a bright and uneven coloration of the dorsal part of the body, sometimes being dark brown, light brown, or ochreous with distinct white transverse strokes or without them. The anterior part of the body is bright orange or blackish, its color always being different from the remaining body, separated by a white transverse collar behind the pair of eyes. The pharynx is either short cylindrical barrelshaped (length-to-width ratio of ~1) or elongated cylindrical (ratio, 3: 1). The copulative organ is compact and resides behind the pharynx, with its apical part directed downwards. The seminal receptacle, its canal, and the male and common atriums are asymmetrically located relative to the medial longitudinal body axis and centrally located gonopore

A new species of the genus Archicotylus (Tricladida, Dendrocoelidae) from Lake Baikal

The Baikal turbellarian fauna is abundant and diverse. The planarians are one of the most interesting groups of this fauna. The genus Archicotylus Korotneff 1912 (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Paludicola) is endemic for Lake Baikal. An illustrated description of two species of the genus Archicotylus (Archicotylus stringulatus (Korotneff 1912) and Archicotylus elegans sp. n.) is given. Archicotylus elegans sp. n. is described as a new member of the Lake Baikal fauna. A detailed description of the reproductive system, pharynx, and musculo-cutaneous sac is provided

Cytokine status in posttraumatic synovitis on the background of systemic and intra-articular use of NSAID and ozone

Joint  damage  initiates aseptic  self-sustaining inflammation, which  contributes the  progression of post-traumatic destruction of tissues  not  only  in the  pathological focus,  but  also outside  it,  significantly expanding the zone of degenerative changes due to secondary alterations. One of the leading roles in pathogenesis of the inflammation belongs  to secreted  mediators-cytokines – that  impart to the cells the proinflammatory potential and  promote the  long-term inflammation. These  effects  lead  to  disorganization of extracellular matrix and progressive  disintegration of cartilage.  In this regard,  the development and implementation of new pathogenetic treatment methods of post-traumatic synovitis permits  to limit the area of secondary alterations and activate  reparative mechanisms in the lesion  from the early terms,  thus potentially improving the results of  rehabilitation treatment and  increasing efficiency  of  conventional therapy   in  post-traumatic synovitis. Numerous experimental and  clinical  studies  have proven  the  effectiveness and  safety of ozone  therapy, e.g., in degenerative joint  diseases.  Despite extensive  data  highlighting effectiveness of ozone  therapy  in articular pathology, the  study of cytokine profile  when  using this treatment of posttraumatic synovitis  was performed only in few works, thus emphasizing the prospects for further research in this direction. The study was aimed for investigation of cytokine status in the patients with posttraumatic synovitis subjected to intravenous and intraarticular ozone  therapy  in combination with intra-articular administration of xefocam.The  work is based  on  the  results  of examination and  treatment of 69 patients with  traumatic injuries  of the  knee  joint,  complicated by development of  post-traumatic synovitis.  Two  study  groups  were  formed, comparable in volume  and  type  of joint  injury.  The  patients from  group  I (35 cases)  received  conventional combined treatment. Among  the  mandatory measures, evacuation of a synovial-hemorrhagic punctate was performed from the cavity of damaged joint. Conservative therapy included NSAIDs, medications that improve microcirculation, at standard dosages, as well as physical therapy. In group II (34 patients), traditional therapy was supplemented with a 10-day  course of intravenous injectable ozone  therapy  with 200 ml of NaCl  solution at a concentration of 2.0 mg/l daily and intra-articular ozone injection at a concentration of 5 mg/l in a volume of 20 ml 5 times  in a day. During arthroscopy, lavage of the joint  cavity was performed with ozonated saline solution at a concentration of 2.0 mg/l.  The ozone  therapy  was combined with three  intra-articular injections of xefocam  at a dose of 8 mg, once  every 4 days. A patent for the  invention was obtained for this treatment technology (No.  2456988 of 27.07.12).  The cytokine profile was evaluated by the content of Pro-inflammatory (TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17), regulatory (IL-2), Il-1β receptor antagonist, and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10) cytokines by solid-phase enzyme  immunoassay with an indicator label in the  form  of peroxidase. Statistical analysis of the results was carried  out using the Student criterion. Combined therapy  of intravenous and intraarticular ozone therapy  in combination with intra-articular injections of xefocam  contributed to the inhibition of the  inflammatory response, which  is reflected in  the  dynamics of depression of the  studied  cytokines: simultaneous reduction of proinflammatory cytokines with the limitation of the growth of anti-inflammatory mediators. The final measurements showed a decrease in the content of proinflammatory cytokines: TNFα by 24.6% (p2   < 0.001);  IL-17, by 17.3% (p2   < 0.01);  IL-6, by 20.1% (p2   < 0.001);  IL-1β, by 19.1% (p2   < 0.001), with a decrease in regulatory IL-2  by 25.7% (p2   < 0.001) and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL–10, by 21.3% (p2  < 0.001); Il – 4, by 25.7% (p2  < 0.001); IL-1ra, by 24.4% (p2  < 0.001), when compared to the data obtained with conventional treatment. The  results  obtained allow us to evaluate  this method as highly effective  in the treatment of post-traumatic synovitis,  thus contributing to suppression of inflammatory response  and reduces the secondary alteration of joint tissue structures, preventing the progression of post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Remote in vivo stress assessment of aquatic animals with microencapsulated biomarkers for environmental monitoring

Remote in vivo scanning of physiological parameters is a major trend in the development of new tools for the fields of medicine and animal physiology. For this purpose, a variety of implantable optical micro- and nanosensors have been designed for potential medical applications. At the same time, the important area of environmental sciences has been neglected in the development of techniques for remote physiological measurements. In the field of environmental monitoring and related research, there is a constant demand for new effective and quick techniques for the stress assessment of aquatic animals, and the development of proper methods for remote physiological measurements in vivo may significantly increase the precision and throughput of analyses in this field. In the present study, we apply pH-sensitive microencapsulated biomarkers to remotely monitor the pH of haemolymph in vivo in endemic amphipods from Lake Baikal, and we compare the suitability of this technique for stress assessment with that of common biochemical methods. For the first time, we demonstrate the possibility of remotely detecting a change in a physiological parameter in an aquatic organism under ecologically relevant stressful conditions and show the applicability of techniques using microencapsulated biomarkers for remote physiological measurements in environmental monitoring

ВЛИЯНИЕ СТРУКТУРЫ ЛИГАТУРЫ AlSi20 НА МИКРОСТРУКТУРУ И ВЯЗКОСТЬ МОДЕЛЬНОГО СИЛУМИНА Al–6%Si В ТВЕРДОМ И ЖИДКОМ СОСТОЯНИЯХ

The effect of the structure of initial charging Al–20wt.%Si alloys on their structure after single remelting and crystallization at equal cooling rate of 20 °C/sec has been investigated. It is found that the structural information from initial charging alloys is steadily saved and transmitted in the «solid–liquid-solid» system. Viscosimetric study of the melts produced from large- and fine-crystalline charging alloys at heating to 1350 °С and subsequent cool-down has confirmed the conclusion that the melts are translators of the structural information. It is found that the temperature of viscosity polyterm branching (hysteresis) (th) at the conditions of heating and cool-down for the melt from coarse-crystalline charging alloy is 1100 °C and that from fine-crystalline charging alloy is 1000 °C. It is noted that in the second case and at cool-down lower than th the viscosity is characterized by elevated values and the polyterm branch has steeper climb. The obtained results testify in favor of using special procedures of charging metal processing for the purpose of embedding the positive structural information into them. Application of this approach is mostly expedient in producing aluminum based foundry alloys.Исследовано влияние структуры исходных шихтовых сплавов Al–20мас.%Si на их структуру после однократного переплава и кристаллизации с одинаковой скоростью охлаждения 20 °С/с. Установлено, что структурная информация от исходных шихтовых сплавов устойчиво сохраняется и транслируется в системе «твердое–жидкое–твердое». Вискозиметрическое изучение расплавов, полученных из крупно- и мелкокристаллических шихтовых сплавов в режиме нагрева до 1350 °С и последующего охлаждения, подтвердило вывод о том, то расплавы являются трансляторами структурной информации. Установлено, что температура ветвления (гистерезис) политерм вязкости (tг) в режимах нагрева и охлаждения для расплава из крупнокристаллического шихтового сплава составляет 1100 °С, а из мелкокристаллического шихтового сплава – 1000 °С. Отмечено, что во втором случае вязкость в режиме охлаждения ниже tг характеризуется повышенными значениями, а ветвь политермы имеет более крутое восхождение. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют в пользу использования специальных способов обработки шихтовых металлов с целью закладки в них положительной структурной информации. Применение данного подхода наиболее целесообразно при получении лигатур на основе алюминия.

Rapid ecological change in the coastal zone of Lake Baikal (East Siberia): Is the site of the world\u27s greatest freshwater biodiversity in danger?

Ecological degradation of the benthic littoral zone is an emerging, urgent problem at Lake Baikal (East Siberia), the most species-rich lake on Earth. Within the last five years, multiple changes have occurred in the nearshore benthos where most of the lake\u27s endemic species reside. These changes include proliferation of benthic algae, deaths of snails and endemic sponges, large coastal wash-ups of dead benthic algae and macrophytes, blooms of toxin-producing benthic cyanobacteria, and inputs of industrial contaminants into parts of the lake. Some changes, such as massive coastal accumulations of benthic algae, are currently shared with the Laurentian Great Lakes (LGLs); however, the drivers of these changes differ between Lake Baikal and the LGLs. Coastal eutrophication from inputs of untreated sewage is causing problems at multiple sites in Lake Baikal, whereas in the LGLs, invasive dreissenid mussels redirect pelagic nutrients to the littoral substrate. At other locations in Lake Baikal, ecological degradation may have different causes including water level fluctuations and the input of toxic industrial contaminants. Importantly, the recent deterioration of the benthic littoral zone in both Lake Baikal and the LGLs has occurred while little change has occurred offshore. This highlights the necessity of monitoring both the littoral and pelagic zones of large lakes for assessing ecosystem health, change and conservation