Genetic and phenotypic differences between thistle populations in response to habitat and weed management practices

Rapid evolutionary change is increasingly being recognized as commonplace, but the evolutionary consequences for species and ecosystems under human‐induced selection regimes have not been explored in detail, although many species occur in such environments. In a common garden experiment and with amplified fragment length polymorphism markers, we examined whether genetic differentiation has taken place between spatially intermixed populations of creeping thistles Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae) collected from a natural habitat (maritime shores), a semi‐natural habitat (road verges) and arable fields under two management regimes: conventional and organic farming. Populations of C. arvense have altered genetically and locally adapted their growth patterns with changed land use. Although plants from different habitats showed similar total biomass production, shoot and root production was higher for maritime populations, suggesting selection for increased competitive ability. Competitive ability then declined in the order semi‐natural, conventional farms and organic farms. Thistles in arable fields may be more selected for tolerance against disturbances from herbicides and mechanical weed control. In addition, early shoot sprouting and genetic analysis showed differentiation between plants originating from conventional farms and farms that were converted to organic 9–30 years ago, suggesting some adaptation to altered crop cultivation practices. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99 , 797–807.     

Evaluation of the immunogenic and reactogenic properties of vaccine "Euvax B" in persons aged 16-18 years in different geographical zones of Russia

The comparative evaluation of the reactogenic and immunogenic properties of vaccine "Euvax B" in adolescents aged 16-18 years was carried out in factory housing estate Lvovsky, the Podolsk district, the Moscow region, and in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District (AD): in towns Salekhard, Noyabrsk, Muravlenko, in housing estate Tarko-Sale. The evaluation demonstrated that the use of this vaccine in a dose of 20 mg/ml produced no postvaccinal complications and the frequency of postvaccinal reactions was insignificant. Postvaccinal anti-HBs were detected, on the average, in protective concentrations in 98.4 +/- 1.8% of the vaccines (99.0 +/- 1.9% in the Moscow region, 97.7 +/- 3.2% in the Yamalo-Nenets AD). In most of the vaccinated adolescents high concentrations of postvacinal anti-HBs were detected: in 51.4 +/- 9.7% of the vaccinees in the Moscow region and in 89.7 +/- 6.4% in the Yamalo-Nenets AD they exceeded 1,000 I.U./lit. The conclusion was made that in the territories located in subarctic latitudes vaccinal prophylaxis against hepatitis B was safe and highly effective and have no limitations connected with the conditions of the Far North.     

The Age Composition and Postmetamorphic Growth Characteristics of the Moor Frog (Rana arvalis) from Habitats with a Short Activity Season

Biology Bulletin - The between-population and sexual differences in demographic and postmetamorphic growth characteristics were studied in Rana arvalis from several habitats of Khanty-Mansiiskii...     

Effects of intravascular laser irradiation of blood on growth and metastasis of lymphosarcoma in rats

The effect of intravenous blood radiation by low-intensity laser on tumour growth in Wistar rats with Pliss lymphosarcoma has been studied. As a result of single or double blood radiation by laser with wave-length of 510 and 633 nm both the tumour growth inhibition and metastases disappearance have been shown.     

Generator of locomotor activity as a probabilistic modulator of the afferent stream from thermoreptors of the dermal fields of flexor and extensor muscles

The reflex excitability of flexors and extensors of the upper and lower extremities during local thermostimulation of their receptor fields was investigated in observations on healthy subjects and patients with spastic hemiparesis by means of monosynaptic testing. In the healthy subjects, cooling led to a reduction in reflex excitability, while warming led to its elevation. On the contralateral side thermostimulation induced the reverse effect. A change in the directionality of the reactions was observed in ill subjects in the form of an increase in excitability in response to cooling. The data obtained show that the state of the thermoreceptive fields may influence the reflex excitability of motoneurons in a specific manner. The character of this influence in its turn probably depends on the initial state of the generator of locomotion.Institute of Physiology, Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences, Alma-Ata. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 598–604, September–October, 1992.     

The effect of low concentrations of adaptogen solutions on the functional activity of murine bone marrow cells in vitro]

Influence of water solutions of chemically pure adaptogens--a synthetic analog of Rhodiola rosea extract phenol combination (SAR) and Dibazol on the functional activity of mice hemopoietic cells in vitro was studied. A clear periodical character of drugs effects manifestation with a tendency to the stimulating activity domination was revealed. A reliable stimulation of clonogenic activity was in correlation with 4 x 10(-11) and 4 x 10(-15) adaptogens molecules in SAR and Dibazol solutions per 1 blood marrow cell. This phenomenon is suggested to be connected with the solvent (water) molecules changes and the formation of structures, keeping the information of adaptogenes with possible translation of the latter during the process of consistent dissolution of the solvent.