Effects of Acute Ethanol Intoxication on Local Field Potentials in the Rat Lateral Septum

Neurophysiology - The lateral septum (LS) is an important part of the limbic and reward brain systems; its activity has been associated with the development of different aspects of addiction. Using...     

Genetic monitoring of progeny derived from natural spawning of Acipenser ruthenus Linnaeus, 1758 and Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771 as well as their hybrids in the Lower Volga river during the period 2017 to 2019

The state of natural spawning of sturgeons in the Lower Volga River was investigated through genetic monitoring of juveniles (larvae, fingerlings, subadults) captured at seven traditionally used monitoring locations. Sampling was performed during the period 2017–2019. In total, 460 individuals were caught and genotyped using a set of six microsatellite loci (Afug41, Afug51, Afug135, An20, AoxD161, AoxD165) and mtDNA control region sequencing. The observed species-specific microsatellite alleles revealed the presence of juvenile sturgeons originating from natural spawning also included some hybrids between Acipenser stellatus and A. ruthenus. Thus, the majority of sterlet breeding takes place in natural spawning grounds but also sterlet hybridizes with a small number of stellate sturgeons. Juveniles of other sturgeon species were not identified, and it is concluded that natural spawning activities of Russian sturgeon, beluga and ship sturgeon were insignificant or even absent in the Lower Volga during the observation period.     

Risk of cerebrovascular disease incidence in the cohort of Mayak production association workers first employed during 1948-1958

Incidence of cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) has been studied in a cohort of 12210 workers first employed at one of the main plants (reactors, radiochemical or plutonium) of the Mayak nuclear facility during 1948-1958 and followed up to the end of 2000. Information on external gamma doses is available for virtually all (99.9%) of these workers; the mean (+/- one standard deviation) total gamma dose was 0.91 +/- 0.95 Gy (99% percentile 3.9 Gy) for men and 0.65 +/- 0.75 Gy (99% percentile 2.99 Gy) for women. Plutonium body burden was measured only for 30.0% of workers. Amongst those monitored, the mean (+/- standard deviation) cumulative liver dose from plutonium alpha exposure was 0.40 +/- 1.15 Gy (99% percentile 5.88 Gy) for men and 0.81 +/- 4.60 Gy (99% percentile 15.95 Gy) for women 4418 cases (first diagnosis) of CVD were identified in the studied cohort. A statistically significant increasing trend in CVD incidence with total external gamma dose was revealed after adjustment for non-radiation factors and internal exposure from incorporated plutonium-239. Excess relative risk per Gy was 0.464 (95% confidence interval 0.360-0.567). Incidence of CVD was statistically significantly higher for the workers chronically exposed to external gamma rays at a dose above 1.0 Gy A statistically significant increasing trend in CVD incidence with internal liver dose from plutonium alpha exposure was observed after adjustment for non-radiation factors and external exposure. ERR per Gy was 0.155 (95% confidence interval 0.075-0.235). CVD incidence was statistically significantly higher among workers with a plutonium liver dose above 0.1 Gy, although the trend estimates differed between workers at different plants. The incidence risk estimates for external radiation are generally compatible with estimates from the study of Chernobyl clean-up workers, although the incidence data point to higher risk estimates compared to those from the Japanese A-bomb survivors.     

Features of the genetic structure of the earthworms <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aporrectodea</Emphasis> (Superspecies) <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caliginosa</Emphasis> (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) complex in Ukraine

An investigation of the genetic structure of the Aporrectodea caliginosa-A. trapezoids diploidpolyploid complex of earthworms found in the Ukraine is performed by means of biochemical genetic marking with respect to six loci (Aat, Es-1,-2,-3, and-4, and Mdh) and karyotyping. All 646 individuals from 21 samples are analyzed at the biochemical gene level and karyotype samples are obtained from 70 specimens. As a result, diploid amphimictic A. caliginosa individuals (2n = 36), which form panmictic populations, and triploid (2n = 54) A. trapezoides individuals, represented by 19 hypothetical clones discovered in the course of an analysis of 157 specimens, are clearly differentiated. A clear trend towards dominance of the triploid forms in the steppe zone of Ukraine is discovered. Here they represent roughly 70% as against 12% of all A. (superspecies) caliginosa individuals in the northern forest regions. Based on the stated nature of the heterozygosity of the loci studied and the behavior of the chromosomes in meiosis, it may be claimed that the cloned forms are allotriploids, formed as a result of hybridization of a series of related forms, which, judging from the allelic pools, does not include amphimictic species that now inhabit the territory of Ukraine. That is, either the apomictic clones of A. trapezoides lack a local origin and their appearance among the fauna of Ukraine is a consequence of settlement in arid steppe regions that are unfavorable for earthworms or, on the other hand, amphimictic A. caliginosa is an invasive species.     

Spectrophotometric analysis of amphotericin B in technological objects

The same samples of the fermentation broth and mycelium of the amphotericin B-producing organism, (S. nodosus, strain 258) were assayed with the agar diffusion method and spectrophotometrically. The comparison of the results showed that the spectrophotometric findings did not depent on the wave lengths and the equation type. However, the values of the spectrophotometric assay were higher than those of the biological assay. This was partially due to the presence of a biologically inactive admixture of the heptaenic nature in the semiproducts of amphotericin B. At the same time when the strain, nutrient medium and biosynthetic conditions were stable, the results of the biological and spectrophotometric assays had a linear dependence. This allowed one to suggest equations for spectrophotometric determinations providing results correlating with those of the biological assay.     

Phenomenon of Trunk Twist during the Growth of Woody Plants (Using the Example of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea obovata</Emphasis> Ldb.)

The phenomenon of trunk twisting in Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea obovata Ldb. during a vegetation period has been revealed and described by direct measurements. The frequency of this phenomenon, magnitude, and direction of twists and their 2-year dynamics have been studied on five sample plots located in different forest-growing conditions. The average rotation angle is 0.2°–0.5°, while its maximum values reach 1.3°–1.7°. These characteristics depend on forest type and weather conditions. Next year more, than half of the trees change their twisting direction to the opposite one, whereas 8–19% of pine trees keep it unchanged. Based on an analysis of our results and the data of other authors, a qualitative model of morphogenetic processes has been proposed to explain the mechanism of this phenomenon.     

Methodological aspects of assessing chitin utilization by soil microorganisms

A computational method for estimating specific activity of chitin decomposition by microorganisms is proposed. Spectrophotometric and gas chromatographic methods have been used to determine the rates of chitinase production, biomass accumulation, and carbon dioxide emission by pure cultures of microorganisms grown on a chitin-containing medium. Among dominants of the chitinolytic community of chernozem (Trichoderma viride, Stretomyces albolongus, Alcaligenes, and Arthrobacter), the highest chitinolytic activity is characteristic of prokaryotes. In brown desert-steppe soil, the main destructor prokaryotes are actinomycetes (S. roseolilacinus). The biomass of the fungus T. viride growth on the chitin-containing medium markedly exceeds that of prokaryotes, but the specific activity of respiration and chitinase production in actinomycetes S. roseolilacinus and S. albolongus is an order of magnitude higher than in T. viride.