Concentrations and risks of organic and metal contaminants in Eurasian caviar.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Batterman, Stuart; Chernyak, Sergei; Nriagu, Jerome

2008-09-01

Caviar (fish roe of sturgeon) may contain high levels of contaminants. Concentrations of organic contaminants, including DDT, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)), and 23 metals were measured in three species of caviar (Acipenser Huso huso, Acipenser gueldenstaedti, and Acipenser stellatus) imported from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Iran, and Russia just prior to the 2006 export ban. PCB concentrations averaged 15.4+/-25.8 ng/g wet weight basis (wwt), DDT averaged 79+/-139 ng/g wwt, arsenic (As) averaged 960+/-486 ng/g, and PBDEs were detected in all samples. Cluster analyses grouped most of the Huso huso samples together, while most of the remaining clusters were grouped by origin. Trends of contaminant concentrations, estimated by incorporating data from earlier studies, show that PCB and DDT levels have been declining since 1978, and HCH levels since 2000. The maximum allowable daily consumption rate of caviar is limited by PCBs, DDTs and As. While the health risks are uncertain since consumption rates are unknown, declining concentrations and low consumption rates suggest that health advisories for caviar are unwarranted.

Retraction of articles by Dr M. Aramli.

PubMed

2018-06-01

The below articles published online on Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) have been retracted by agreement between the submitting author, Mohammad Sadegh Aramli (2015, 2015a, 2015b), the Editor-in-Chief, Michel Goldberg, and Blackwell Verlag GmbH. After a thorough investigation, there is strong evidence to indicate that the peer review of these papers was compromised. The identities of the reviewers were unable to be verified, and it is believed that these papers were accepted based on recommendations from reviewers not suitably qualified. REFERENCE Aramli, M. S. (2015). Study of enzyme activities and protein content of beluga (Huso huso) semen before and after cryopreservation. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 99, 13-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.12199 Aramli, M. S., Habibi, E., Aramli, S., & Nouri, H. A. (2015b). Determination of some blood and seminal plasma ions in the beluga, Huso huso (Linnaeus, 1758). Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 99, 17-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.12225 Aramli, M. S., Kalbassi, M. R., & Gharibi, M. R. (2015a). Effects of multiple collections on spermatozoa quality of Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus: Motility, density and seminal plasma composition. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 99, 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.12212. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Bioaccumulation of Cd, Pb and Zn in the edible and inedible tissues of three sturgeon species in the Iranian coastline of the Caspian Sea.

PubMed

Mashroofeh, Abdulreza; Bakhtiari, Alireza Riyahi; Pourkazemi, Mohammad; Rasouli, Sana

2013-01-01

The accumulations of Cd, Pb and Zn were determined in edible and inedible tissues of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus; n=27), stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus; n=5) and beluga (Huso huso; n=4) collected from coastal waters of the South Caspian Sea from March to April 2011. Concentrations of metals evaluated in the caviar, muscle, liver, kidney, gills, ovary and heart of the three species of sturgeons have been assessed using the flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd in the edible and inedible tissues were apparently different among the three species of sturgeons. Especially, beluga heart showed the highest concentrations of Zn and Pb and Cd in Persian sturgeon liver. The analyzed metals were found in the caviar and muscle samples of Persian sturgeon and likewise muscle samples two other sturgeon species at mean concentrations under the permissible limits proposed by MAFF (2000). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal bioaccumulation and risk assessment for wild and farmed beluga sturgeon caviar.

PubMed

Hosseini, Seyed Vali; Hosseini, Seyed Mehdi; Monsef Rad, Seyede Fatemeh; Mobinifar, Mohammad; Regenstein, Joe M

2013-12-01

Because of over-exploitation of sturgeon for caviar production, they have been listed worldwide in annex II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species regulations; so caviar production using aquaculture is increasingly seen as a feasible way to reduce overfishing. The accumulation of the nonessential metals As, Ba, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Sn was determined in the caviar of farmed and wild Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso). The levels of As in both and Cd in wild samples were less than 0.01 mg kg(-1) wet weight, and the comparison for all of the metals studied did not show large fluctuations in metal concentrations between farmed and wild caviar samples. The average for each toxic metal was below the permissible limits proposed by the UK's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods (2000). The maximum allowable daily consumption rate of caviar was calculated; however, the health risks from caviar consumption are uncertain because the amount of caviar consumed by heavy users is not known.

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis infection in Bester sturgeon, a cultured hybrid of Huso huso × Acipenser ruthenus, in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Ming-Hui; Hung, Shao-Wen; Shyu, Ching-Lin; Lin, Cheng-Chung; Liu, Pan-Chen; Chang, Chen-Hsuan; Shia, Wei-Yau; Cheng, Ching-Fu; Lin, Shiun-Long; Tu, Ching-Yu; Lin, Yu-Hsing; Wang, Way-Shyan

2012-10-01

Approximately 5300 hybrid sturgeons with an average body weight of 600-800 g were farmed in 3 round tankers measuring 3m in diameter each containing 28,000 L of aerated groundwater. According to the owner's description, the diseased fish had anorexia, pale body color, and reddish spots on the abdomen. The morbidity and lethality rates in this outbreak were about 70% (3706/5300) and 100% (3706/3706), respectively. The clinical examination revealed enteritis, enlarged abdomen, and rapid respiration rate. The gross findings revealed a volume of about 4 mL of ascites. The histopathological examination showed multiple massive, hemorrhagic or coagulative necrotic foci in the liver and spleen. Furthermore, there was diffuse infiltration of glycogen in hepatic cells, and a few polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leucocytes were observed surrounding the spleen. Some bacterial clumps were noted around the necrotic foci. We also observed that there was moderate to severe, acute, multifocal, coagulative necrosis in the renal parenchyma, with some necrotic foci present beneath the margin of the kidney. Additionally, multifocal, coagulative necrosis was found in the pancreas. Results of microbiologic examinations, including biochemical characteristics, PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene, sequencing and comparison, and phylogenetic analysis, revealed the pathogen of this infection was Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, and based on the results of an antimicrobial agent sensitivity test the bacterium was only sensitive to ampicillin and florfenicol. Additionally, results of in vivo experimental infections in hybrid tilapia showed that 1×10(8) and 1×10(9) CFU/mL of our isolate caused death in all fish and LD(50) values ranged from 10(2) to 10(5) CFU/mL. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis infection in hybrid sturgeon. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical and biochemical composition of caviar from different sturgeon species and origins.

PubMed

Wirth, M; Kirschbaum, F; Gessner, J; Krüger, A; Patriche, N; Billard, R

2000-08-01

The chemical and biochemical composition of caviar in 22 specimens of wild caught and of 2 farmed animals were measured. The results include grain size, protein and fat content, fatty acid composition of triglycerides and phospholipids, as well as the concentrations of relevant heavy metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons. The average protein content varied between 26.2 and 31.1% (wet weight) and fat from 10.9 to 19.4% (wet weight) with lowest values for caviar from farmed sturgeon. The triglycerides and phospholipids contained more n-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid than n-6 fatty acids. The copper and zinc concentrations varied between 1.20 and 1.69 and 10.3 and 12.4 mg/kg (wet weight), respectively. These values reflect the elevated requirement of sturgeons for these components. Lead content varied between 0.06 and 0.15 mg/kg (wet weight). The cadmium concentrations were less than 5 micrograms/kg (wet weight) leading to the conclusion that no accumulation took place in the eggs. The concentrations of sigma DDT and sigma PCB were extremely high in caviar from Huso huso compared to the samples of the other species thus reflecting the different food habits leading to increased bio-accumulation.

Cancer research results of the consortial radiation team of the NSBRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dicello, J. F.; Chang, P. Y.; Huso, D. L.; Kennedy, A. R.

During the last eight years through a cooperative agreement with NASA, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) has been investigating biological risks for personnel in Space, biologic mechanisms and environmental factors responsible for those risks, and countermeasures that could reduce the consequences. The NSBRI uses a programmatic approach where each major risk is investigated by a team through a consortium of individual peer-reviewed research grants. In its initial structuring, NSBRI recognized radiation as one of the major risks in Space, and the Radiation Team has been investigating radiation-induced excess cancer incidences, damage to the central nervous system, and other non-malignant diseases. This presentation reports cancer results and underlying mechanisms. The team is completing the first comprehensive measurement of cancers induced by protons or energetic heavy ions (HZEs) in rodent models (J. Dicello). The results for breast cancer suggest that the biological effectiveness of particles such as iron ions may be less than that frequently assumed. The Team has further demonstrated that exposures to such particles at levels comparable to those in space might be mitigated through pharmaceutical intervention even after exposures have occurred (D. Huso). Dr. Huso's group was able to identify through genetic marking with quantitative immunohistochemistry and microarray analysis that resistant, poorly differentiated breast cancers appear to arise from epithelial cells with a unique gene expression profile. In a parallel NIH grant, Dr. D. Huso developed a new transgenic mouse model for NSBRI studies that better parallels specific genetic pathways associated with hematopoietic malignancies. Dr. A. Kennedy's group at the University of Pennsylvania has shown that non-toxic nutritional supplements can decrease the cytotoxicity levels of oxidative stress and yields of malignantly transformed cells induced by the types of radiation encountered

Migration and habitats of diadromous Danube River sturgeons in Romania: 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kynard, B.; Suciu, R.; Horgan, M.

2002-01-01

Upstream migrant adults of stellate sturgeon, Acipenser stellatus (10 in 1998, 43 in 1999) and Russian sturgeon, A. gueldenstaedtii (three in 1999) were captured at river km (rkm) 58-137, mostly in the spring, and tagged with acoustic tags offering a reward for return. The overharvest was revealed by tag returns (38% in 1998, 28% in 1999) and by harvest within 26 days (and before reaching spawning grounds) of the six stellate sturgeon tracked upstream. A drop-back of > 50% of the tagged sturgeon, some to the Black Sea, shows a high sensitivity to interruption of migration and capture/handling/holding. Harvesting and dropback prevented tracking of sturgeon to spawning sites. Gillnetting and tracking of stellate sturgeon showed that the autumn migration ended in early October (river temperature 16??C) and identified a likely wintering area at river km (rkm) 75-76 (St George Branch). Thus, fishery harvesting after early October captures wintering fish, not migrants. Rare shoreline cliffs in the lower river likely create the only rocky habitat for sturgeon spawning. A survey for potential spawning habitats found five sites with rocky substrate and moderate water velocity, all ???rkm 258. Drift netting caught early life-stages of 17 fish species and one sturgeon, a beluga, Huso huso, larva likely spawned at ???rkm 258. All diadromous Danube sturgeons likely spawn at ???rkm 258.

Management and recovery options for Ural river beluga sturgeon.

PubMed

Doukakis, Phaedra; Babcock, Elizabeth A; Pikitch, Ellen K; Sharov, Alexei R; Baimukhanov, Mirgaly; Erbulekov, Sagiden; Bokova, Yelena; Nimatov, Akhat

2010-06-01

Management of declining fisheries of anadromous species sometimes relies heavily on supplementation of populations with captive breeding, despite evidence that captive breeding can have negative consequences and may not address the root cause of decline. The beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), a species threatened by the market for black caviar and reductions in habitat quality, is managed through harvest control and hatchery supplementation, with an emphasis on the latter. We used yield per recruit and elasticity analyses to evaluate the population status and current levels of fishing and to identify the life-history stages that are the best targets for conservation of beluga of the Ural River. Harvest rates in recent years were four to five times higher than rates that would sustain population abundance. Sustainable rates of fishing mortality are similar to those for other long-lived marine species such as sharks and mammals. Yield per recruit, which is maximized if fish are first harvested at age 31 years, would be greatly enhanced by raising minimum size limits or reducing illegal take of subadults. Improving the survival of subadult and adult females would increase population productivity by 10 times that achieved by improving fecundity and survival from egg to age 1 year (i.e., hatchery supplementation). These results suggest that reducing mortality of subadults and adult wild fish is a more effective conservation strategy than hatchery supplementation. Because genetics is not factored into hatchery management practices, supplementation may even reduce the viability of the beluga sturgeon.

[Specific features of nesting bird populations in forest-meadow-field landscapes of Meshchovsk Opolye reflect the diversity of their biotope connections].

PubMed

Kut'in, S D; Konstantinov, V M

2008-01-01

Studies on specific features of nesting bird populations in patchy landscapes were performed in Meshchovsk Opolye, Kaluga Region, from 1981 to 1990. Indices of similarity between the avifaunas of agricultural fields, lowland bogs, and small-leaved forests markedly differed from parameters of their population density in rank and value. In the series of biotopes differing in the relative amount of woodland, from central areas of small-leaved forests to forest margins and then to forest islands gradually decreasing in size, the birds segregated into two distinct groups, one characteristic of forest margins and large forest islands and the other characteristic of small and very small forest islands. Specific features of bird density distribution in forest-meadow-field landscapes of Meshchovsk Opolye reflected heterogeneity of their populations manifested in diverse connections with nesting biotopes.

[Assessment of cyto- and genotoxicity of natural waters in the vicinity of radioactive waste storage facility using Allium-test].

PubMed

Udalova, A A; Geras'kin, S A; Dikarev, V G; Dikareva, N S

2014-01-01

Efficacy of bioassays of "aberrant cells frequency" and "proliferative activity" in root meristem of Allium cepa L. is studied in the present work for a cyto- and genotoxicity assessment of natural waters contaminated with 90Sr and heavy metals in the vicinity of the radioactive waste storage facility in Obninsk, Kaluga region. The Allium-test is shown to be applicable for the diagnostics of environmental media at their combined pollution with chemical and radioactive substances. The analysis of aberration spectrum shows an important role of chemical toxicants in the mutagenic potential of waters collected in the vicinity of the radioactive waste storage facility. Biological effects are not always possible to explain from the knowledge on water contamination levels, which shows limitations of physical-chemical monitoring in providing the adequate risk assessment for human and biota from multicomponent environmental impacts.

Imported malaria in an area in southern Madrid, 2005-2008

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In Spain, malaria cases are mostly due to migrants and travellers returning from endemic areas. The objective of this work was to describe the malaria cases diagnosed at the Severo Ochoa University Hospital (HUSO) in Leganés in the south of the Madrid Region from 2005 to 2008. Methods Descriptive retrospective study performed at HUSO. Data sources are registries from the Microbiology Department and malaria cases notified to the Preventive Medicine Department. Analysed parameters were: administrative, demographical, related to the stay at the endemic country, clinical, microbiological diagnosis method, pregnancy, treatment and prophylaxis, co-infections, and days of hospital stay. Results Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with malaria were studied. Case distribution per year was 13 in 2005, 15 in 2006, 15 in 2007 and 14 in 2008. Thirty-three patients were female (57.9%) and 24 male (42.1%). Mean age was 27.8 years. Most of the malaria cases were acquired in Nigeria (49.1%) and Equatorial Guinea (32.7%). 29.1% of the patients were immigrants who had arrived recently, and 61.8% acquired malaria when travelling to their countries of origin to visit friends and relatives (VFR). Majority of cases were diagnosed between June and September. Microscopy was positive in 39 cases (68.4%) immunochromatography in 42 (73.7%) and PCR in the 55 cases where performed. Plasmodium falciparum was responsible for 94.7% of the cases. The more frequent symptoms were fever (77.2%), followed by headache and gastrointestinal symptoms (33.3%). Nine cases needed hospital admittance, a pregnant woman, three children, four VFR and an African tourist, but all evolved favourably. Chemoprophylaxis data was known from 55 patients. It was taken correctly in one case (1.8%), in five (9.1%) the prophylaxis was improper while the others 49 (89.1%) cases had not followed any anti-malarial prophylaxis. Conclusions Children, pregnant women and the VFR have the highest risk to present severe

Imported malaria in an area in southern Madrid, 2005-2008.

PubMed

Rey, Sonia; Zuza, Inés; Martínez-Mondéjar, Belén; Rubio, José M; Merino, Francisco J

2010-10-20

In Spain, malaria cases are mostly due to migrants and travellers returning from endemic areas. The objective of this work was to describe the malaria cases diagnosed at the Severo Ochoa University Hospital (HUSO) in Leganés in the south of the Madrid Region from 2005 to 2008. Descriptive retrospective study performed at HUSO. Data sources are registries from the Microbiology Department and malaria cases notified to the Preventive Medicine Department. Analysed parameters were: administrative, demographical, related to the stay at the endemic country, clinical, microbiological diagnosis method, pregnancy, treatment and prophylaxis, co-infections, and days of hospital stay. Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with malaria were studied. Case distribution per year was 13 in 2005, 15 in 2006, 15 in 2007 and 14 in 2008. Thirty-three patients were female (57.9%) and 24 male (42.1%). Mean age was 27.8 years. Most of the malaria cases were acquired in Nigeria (49.1%) and Equatorial Guinea (32.7%). 29.1% of the patients were immigrants who had arrived recently, and 61.8% acquired malaria when travelling to their countries of origin to visit friends and relatives (VFR). Majority of cases were diagnosed between June and September. Microscopy was positive in 39 cases (68.4%) immunochromatography in 42 (73.7%) and PCR in the 55 cases where performed. Plasmodium falciparum was responsible for 94.7% of the cases. The more frequent symptoms were fever (77.2%), followed by headache and gastrointestinal symptoms (33.3%). Nine cases needed hospital admittance, a pregnant woman, three children, four VFR and an African tourist, but all evolved favourably. Chemoprophylaxis data was known from 55 patients. It was taken correctly in one case (1.8%), in five (9.1%) the prophylaxis was improper while the others 49 (89.1%) cases had not followed any anti-malarial prophylaxis. Children, pregnant women and the VFR have the highest risk to present severe malaria and to need hospital admittance

Oceanic Impact: Mechanisms and Environmental Perturbations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gersonde, Rainer (Editor); Deutsch, Alex (Editor); Ivanov, Boris A. (Editor); Kyte, Frank T. (Editor)

2002-01-01

The contents include the following: Oceanic impacts-a growing field of fundamental geoscience. Shock metamorphism on the ocean floor (numerical simulations). Numerical modeling of impact-induced modifications of the deep-sea floor. Computer modelling of the water resurge at a marine impact: the Lockne crater, Sweden. Experimental investigation of the role of water in impact vaporization chemistry. Calcareous plankton stratigraphy around the Pliocene Eltanin asteroid impact area (SE Pacific): documentation and application for geological and paleoceanographic reconstruction. Composition of impact melt debris from the Eltanin impact strewn field, Bellingshausen Sea. Iridium concentrations and abundances of meteoritic ejecta from the Eltanin impact in sediment cores from Polarstern expedition ANT XII/4. Unmelted meteoritic debris collected from Eltanin ejecta in Polarstern cores from expedition ANT XII/4. Impact tsunami-Eltanin. Ancient impact structures on modern continental shelves: The Chesapeake Bay, Montagnais, and Toms Canyon craters, Atlantic margin of North America. The Mjolnir marine impact crater porosity anomaly. Kardla (Hiiu-maa Island, Estonia) - the buried and well-preserved Ordovician marine impact structure. Long-term effect of the Kardla crater (Hiiu-maa, Estonia) on Late Ordovician carbonate sedimentation. The middle Devonian Kaluga impact crater (Russia): new interpretation of marine setting.

Pioneering Russian wind tunnels and first experimental investigations, 1871-1915

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorbushin, A. R.

2017-11-01

A review of foreign and Russian sources is given mentioning the pioneering wind tunnels built in Russia at the turn of 19th and 20th centuries. The first wind tunnel in Russia was constructed by V.A. Pashkevich at the Mikhailovsky Artillery Academy in St. Petersburg in 1871. In total from 1871 through 1915, 18 wind tunnels were constructed in Russia: 11 in Moscow, 5 in St. Petersburg and 2 in Kaluga. An overview of the pioneering Russian wind tunnels built by V.A. Pashkevich, K.E. Tsiolkovsky, prof. N.E. Zhukovsky, D.P. Ryabushinsky and prof. K.P. Boklevsky is given. Schemes, photographs, formulas, description of the research and test results taken from the original papers published by the wind tunnel designers are given. Photographs from the N.E. Zhukovsky Scientific and Memorial Museum and the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences are used in the article. Methods of flow visualization and results of their application are presented. The Russian scientists and researchers' contribution to the development of techniques and methods of aerodynamic experiment is shown, including one of the most important aspects - the wall interference problem.

Plague cycles in two rodent species from China: Dry years might provide context for epizootics in wet years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eads, David A.; Biggins, Dean E.; Xu, Lei; Liu, Qiyong

2016-01-01

Plague, a rodent-associated, flea-borne zoonosis, is one of the most notorious diseases in history. Rates of plague transmission can increase when fleas are abundant. Fleas commonly desiccate and die when reared under dry conditions in laboratories, suggesting fleas will be suppressed during droughts in the wild, thus reducing the rate at which plague spreads among hosts. In contrast, fleas might increase in abundance when precipitation is plentiful, producing epizootic outbreaks during wet years. We tested these hypotheses using a 27-yr data set from two rodents in Inner Mongolia, China: Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) and Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus). For both species of rodents, fleas were most abundant during years preceded by dry growing seasons. For gerbils, the prevalence of plague increased during wet years preceded by dry growing seasons. If precipitation is scarce during the primary growing season, succulent plants decline in abundance and, consequently, herbivorous rodents can suffer declines in body condition. Fleas produce more offspring and better survive when parasitizing food-limited hosts, because starving animals tend to exhibit inefficient behavioral and immunological defenses against fleas. Further, rodent burrows might buffer fleas from xeric conditions aboveground during dry years. After a dry year, fleas might be abundant due to the preceding drought, and if precipitation and succulent plants become more plentiful, rodents could increase in density, thereby creating connectivity that facilitates the spread of plague. Moreover, in wet years, mild temperatures might increase the efficiency at which fleas transmit the plague bacterium, while also helping fleas to survive as they quest among hosts. In this way, dry years could provide context for epizootics of plague in wet years.

New complex fertilizer 'Suprodit' to obtain safe agricultural productions on contaminated lands.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolaevich Ratnikov, Alexander; Sergeevich Anisimov, Vyacheslav; Nikoaevna Anisimova, Lidiya; Georgievich Sviridenko, Dmitry; Jurievna Balanova, Olesya

2015-04-01

One of the reclamation techniques to reduce the accumulation of radionuclides and heavy metals in the crop is the use of natural sorbents, industrial deposits of which are located in the contaminated areas or at distances that allows one to organize cheap their delivery to the application site. More promising reclamation technique is the use of new types of complex fertilizers, the main components of which are special sorbents of natural or artificial origin. New complex fertilizer of prolonged action - "SUPRODIT", containing in addition to nutrients highly efficient mineral and organic sorbents, was developed by specialists of the RIRAE. The feedstock for mineral sorbent was Tripoli (finely porous siliceous mineral) from local field (Kaluga region), organic sorbent - peat. The "SUPRODIT"composition: N - 8-11%; P2O5 - 11-13 %; K2O - 11-17%, organic matter and 30-40%, respectively. The effect of a single application of complex fertilizer will be maintained for two or more growing seasons. Received RF patent for the invention "Method of production of complex fertilizer of prolonged action". In a series of field experiments on sod-podzolic sandy loam soil it was shown that the application of "SUPRODIT" at dose of 800 kg/ha to soil contaminated with dehydrated sewage sludge (DSS), significantly reduces heavy metals (Cd, Ni, Pb) content in a crop of oats and barley due to the sorption properties of this fertilizers. Thus, Cd accumulation in the oats grain decreased 1.3 times, barley grain - 1.5 times, Ni - 1.5 times for barley and oats; Pb - 1.8 and 1.7 times respectively opposite to variant where the DSS was applied only. "SUPRODIT" reduces the negative effects of HM on the growth and development of plants, and limits the accumulation of 137Cs and HM in biomass. The 137Cs content in the biomass of barley in the variant of jointly added to soil of 137Cs and "SUPRODIT" decreased by 8.9 times in comparison with control and 4.4 times compared with standard fertilizers (NPK

Proteomic analysis reveals the distinct energy and protein metabolism characteristics involved in myofiber type conversion and resistance of atrophy in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of hibernating Daurian ground squirrels.

PubMed

Chang, Hui; Jiang, Shanfeng; Ma, Xiufeng; Peng, Xin; Zhang, Jie; Wang, Zhe; Xu, Shenhui; Wang, Huiping; Gao, Yunfang

2018-06-01

Previous hibernation studies demonstrated that such a natural model of skeletal muscle disuse causes limited muscle atrophy and a significant fast-to-slow fiber type shift. However, the underlying mechanism as defined in a large-scale analysis remains unclarified. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) based quantitative analysis were used to examine proteomic changes in the fast extensor digitorum longus muscles (EDL) of Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus). Although the wet weights and fiber cross-sectional area of the EDL muscle showed no significant decrease, the percentage of slow type fiber was 61% greater (P < 0.01) in the hibernation group. Proteomics analysis identified 264 proteins that were significantly changed (ratio < 0.83 or >1.2-fold and P < 0.05) in the hibernation group, of which 23 proteins were categorized into energy production and conversion and translation and 22 proteins were categorized into ribosomal structure and biogenesis. Along with the validation by western blot, MAPKAP kinase 2, ATP5D, ACADSB, calcineurin, CSTB and EIF2S were up-regulated in the hibernation group, whereas PDK4, COX II and EIF3C were down-regulated in the hibernation group. MAPKAP kinase 2 and PDK4 were associated with glycolysis, COX II and ATP5D were associated with oxidative phosphorylation, ACADSB was associated with fatty acid metabolism, calcineurin and CSTB were associated with catabolism, and EIF2S and EIF3C were associated with anabolism. Moreover, the total proteolysis rate of EDL in the hibernation group was significantly inhibited compared with that in the pre-hibernation group. These distinct energy and protein metabolism characteristics may be involved in myofiber type conversion and resistance to atrophy in the EDL of hibernating Daurian ground squirrels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxic aluminium and heavy metals in groundwater of middle Russia: health risk assessment.

PubMed

Momot, Olga; Synzynys, Boris

2005-08-01

Two approaches are distinguished in modern ecological monitoring. The first one is physicochemical analysis of environmental objects with respect to maximum allowable concentrations (MACs) of chemical substances, which is performed by standards methods in accordance with state regulations. The second approach (biological monitoring) is based on the methodology of biotesting and bio indication. The task of this work is to create biotests for estimation of Al and other metals toxicity in ground water and to compare these results with physicochemical analysis dates. Risk assessment for heavy metals contaminated groundwater was also performed. Risk assessment was performed accordingly EPA US recommendation and gave results about 90 per 100000 citizens for Al and 402 per 100000 for mixture of different heavy metals. For comparison: risk for earth background radiation for Middle Russia is (Individual dose 1 millisivert per year) consist 5 per 100000 people. It was shown that groundwater consist HCO3- ions (360 mg/l), sometimes Al compounds 0.21-0.65 mg/l (MAC for Al is 0.5 mg/l for Russia). Other groundwater contain Hg - 0.004 mg/l (MAC - 0.0005 mg/l); Cr - 0.072 mg/l (MAC - 0.05 mg/l); As - less than 0.03 mg/l (MAC - 0.05 mg/l). We developed plant biotest for estimation of groundwater quality with barley roots, tradescatia and others. Some biotests parameters correlate with HCO3-, Cl-, SO(4)2- and metal ions content positively, for another biotest this correlation is strongly negative. The quality of groundwater near Obninsk and in Kaluga Region is very different but hasnit been changed since the year 1998.

Fatigue test results of the rotating steel blades of steam turbine K-25-0.6 GEO with ion-plasma coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kachalin, G. V.; Mednikov, A. F.; Tkhabisimov, A. B.; Arkad'ev, D. A.; Temkin, S. G.; Senina, N. A.

2016-12-01

Fatigue test results of the rotating steel blades of the fourth stage of the K-25-0.6 low pressure cylinder Geo steam turbine manufactured in the Kaluga Turbine Plant (hereinafter, KTP) with the ion-plasma coating were presented. Coating formation was carried out at the National Research University (MPEI) on the Gefest vacuum pilot plant by the magnetron sputtering method. Characteristics of the obtained coating were analyzed with the use of the scientific-research equipment of the National Research University (MPEI). Fatigue tests of the rotating blades and determination of the fatigue strength of the material with the ion-plasma coating were carried out on the electrodynamic vibration machines VEDS-400A in the KTP structural laboratory. The following characteristics were obtained after tests: Ti-TiN composition, 10-11 μm thickness, 1200 HV 0.05 microhardness. Fatigue tests showed that destruction, regardless of availability or nonavailability of the coating, took place by cross-section in the root zone both on the leading and trailing edges of the blade, i.e., in the most stressed zones. It was found out that the maximum stresses during tests were revealed in the root section along the trailing edge on the blade pressure side, and the less stresses were on the leading edge. Fatigue strength of the working blades after coating formation increased by 12% minimum. Results of the fatigue tests prove the previously obtained data concerning 10-12% increase of the fatigue strength of the blade steel with the ion-plasma coating and allow claiming that the process of their formation exerts the positive influence on the fatigue characteristics of the blade materials.

Living different lives: Early social differentiation identified through linking mortuary and isotopic variability in Late Neolithic/ Early Chalcolithic north-central Spain

PubMed Central

Schulting, Rick J.

2017-01-01

Variation in burial location and treatment is often observed in the prehistoric archaeological record, but its interpretation is usually highly ambiguous. Biomolecular approaches provide the means of addressing this variability in a way not previously possible, linking the lives of individuals to their funerary treatment. Here, we undertake stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses on a substantial sample of 166 individuals from a series of broadly contemporary Late Neolithic/ Early Chalcolithic (3500 to 2900 cal BC) mortuary monuments (El Sotillo, Alto de la Huesera, Chabola de la Hechicera and Longar) and caves (Las Yurdinas II, Los Husos I and Peña Larga) within a very spatially restricted area of north-central Spain, with sites separated by no more than 10 km on average. This spatial and temporal proximity allows us to focus on the question at the appropriate scale of analysis, avoiding confounding variables such as environmental change, diachronic trends in the subsistence economy, etc. The results demonstrate a statistically significant difference in human δ13C values between those interred in caves and those placed in monuments. The difference appears to be correlated with fine-grained environmental factors (elevation/ temperature/ precipitation), suggesting that use of the landscape was being divided at a very local scale. The reasons for this partitioning may involve differential social status (e.g. those interred in caves may be of lower standing with more restricted access to the valley’s arable resources) or economic specialization (e.g. upland herding vs. valley farming) within the same community or, alternatively, different populations performing different funerary practices and following distinct subsistence economies in some respect. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the development of social differentiation and community specialisation on the scale of the immediate lived landscape. PMID:28953890

Specific features of determination of the net production of nitrous oxide by soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananyeva, N. D.; Ivashchenko, K. V.; Stolnikova, E. V.; Stepanov, A. L.; Kudeyarov, V. N.

2015-06-01

The rate of the net nitrous oxide (N2O) production, the content of microbial biomass carbon (Cmic), and its portion in the total soil organic carbon (Corg) were determined in the samples from podzol, soddy-podzolic soils, gray forest soils, chernozems, burozems, and carbolithozems of natural, arable, and fallow ecosystems in Kostroma, Vladimir, Moscow, Kaluga, Voronezh oblasts, and Krasnodar region. The most sustainable N2O production was found in the soils enriched with glucose or its mixture with ammonium sulfate at 22°C upon the preliminary incubation of the soil samples (7 days, 60% of water holding capacity). In the profiles of forest soils, a direct correlation was found between the N2O production and the Cmic content ( r = 0.74, p ≤ 0.05, n = 18). In the upper mineral layers (0-10 cm) of soddy-podzolic soils of the cropland, fallow, young, secondary and native forests, the inverse relationship between the N2O production and the Cmic content ( r = -0.75, p ≤ 0.05, n = 6) was observed. In a series of the fallowed, cultivated, and forest soils, the net N2O production decreased (239, 69, and 38 ng N2O-N × 10-3/g per h), and the Cmic content and Cmic: Corg ratio increased (181, 569, and 1020 μg C/g; 1.4, 2.6, and 3.0%, respectively) attesting to the increasing N2O flux in the anthropogenically transformed ecosystems. The application of cycloheximide (20-50 mg/g) to the soil lowered the N2O production by 69-99%, which pointed to a significant contribution of fungi to this process. An approach to separate nitrification and denitrification in the soil using low concentrations of acetylene (1.8 Pa) was proposed. The conditions of preparation of the soil samples for sustainable detection of N2O production were specified. It was shown that this process is tightly related to the soil microbial biomass and its fungal component.

Reviving Erathostenes. (Breton Title: Revivendo Eratóstenes.) Reviviendo a Eratóstenes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Paulo Cesar R.

2006-12-01

problemas. Como parte de las conmemoraciones del Año Internacional de la Física y con el objetivo principal de introducir a los estudiantes secundarios al método científico, la Fundación Planetario Rio de Janeiro, en conjunto con diversas instituciones de Brasil y de Europa, coordinó la actividad denominada "Reviviendo a Eratóstenes" cuyo objetivo consistió en la determinación de la cincunferencia de la Tierra. Para esto se utilizó un procedimiento semejante al empleado por Eratóstenes hace más de 2.000 años, con algunas adaptaciones. Este trabajo expone y analiza el método empleado, con la intención de aplicarlo en las escuelas. La posibilidad de trabajar en lugares situados en diferentes meridianos permite una mejor comprensión de los conceptos más abstractos, tales como coordenadas y husos horarios. La precisión de los resultados resultó razonable, mejorando para aquellas ciudades mas apartadas. Finalmente, una de las conclusiones más importantes es la de la percepción, por parte de los estudiantes, de la importancia de la colaboración (en este caso internacional) para resolver problemas.

Soil cover patterns and SOC dynamics impacts on the soil processes, land management and ecosystem services in Central Region of Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasenev, Ivan; Chernikov, Vladimir; Yashin, Ivan; Geraskin, Mikhail; Morev, Dmitriy

2014-05-01

In the Central Region of Russia (CRR) the soil cover patterns usually play the very important role in the soil forming and degradation processes (SFP & SDP) potential and current rates, soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and pools, greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and soluble SOC fluxes that we need take into attention for better assessment of the natural and especially man-changed ecosystems' services and for best land-use practices development. Central Region of Russia is the biggest one in RF according to its population and role in the economy. CRR is characterized by high spatial variability of soil cover due to as original landscape heterogeneity as complicated history of land-use practices during last 700 years. Our long-term researches include the wide zonal-provincial set of representative ecosystems and soil cover patterns with different types and history of land-use (forest, meadow-steppe and agricultural ones) from middle-taiga to steppe zones with different level of continentality. The carried out more than 30-years region- and local-scale researches of representative natural and rural landscapes in Tver', Yaroslavl', Kaluga, Moscow, Vladimir, Saransk (Mordovia), Kursk, Orel, Tambov, Voronezh and Saratov oblasts give us the interregional multi-factorial matrix of elementary soil cover patterns (ESCP) with different soil forming and degradation processes rates and soil organic carbon dynamics due to regionally specific soil-geomorphologic features, environmental and dominated microclimate conditions, land-use current practices and history. The validation and ranging of the limiting factors of SFP and SDP develop¬ment, soil carbon dynamics and sequestration potential, ecosystem (agroecosystem) principal services, land functional qualities and agroecological state have been done for dominating and most dynamical components of ESCP regional-typological forms - with application of SOC structure analysis, regional and local GIS, soil spatial patterns detail

Soil cover patterns influence on the land environmental functions, agroecological quality, land-use and monitoring efficiency in the Central Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasenev, Ivan; Yashin, Ivan; Lukin, Sergey; Valentini, Riccardo

2015-04-01

current practice versions. Well-elaborated monitoring collaboration with the principal natural reserves in south-taiga and forest-steppe zones provides process-based interaction with long-term data on zonal climatic, landscape and soil features necessary to test the process, functional and evaluation models in the specific conditions of each bioclimatic zone. The dominated erosion and dehumification trends have been essentially activated for last 3-4 decades due to hu¬mus negative balance around 0.6-0.7 t ha-1year-1 and connected disaggregation with annual rate between 1 and 25 g/kg for aggregates 10-0.25 mm. "Standard" monitoring objects and regionally generalized data showed characteristic for Chernozems 2-2.5 % humus drop during this period and active processes of CO2 emission and humus eluvial-illuvial profile redistribution too. Forest-steppe Chernozems are usually characterized by higher stability than steppe ones. The ratio between erosive and biological losses in humus stock can be ten¬tatively estimated as fifty-fifty with essential variability within slope landscape. Both these processes have essential impacts on different sets of soil environmental and agroecological functions (including atmospheric air, surface and ground water quality, biodiversity and profitability) that we need to understand and predict. A drop of humus content below threshold values (for different soils between 1.5 and 6%) considerably reduces not only soil environmental regulation functions but also effectiveness of used fertilizers, crop yield quality and possibility of sustainable agricultural land-use. The carried out long-term researches of representative natural, rural and urban landscapes in Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Moscow, Kaluga, Kursk, Belgorod, Tambov, Voronezh and Saratov regions give us validation and ranging of the limiting factors of the elementary soil cover patterns current features and transformation processes, environmental functions and agroecological quality

The Understanding of Astronomy Concepts by Students from Basic Education of a Public School. (Spanish Title: El Entendimiento de Conceptos de Aastronmía Por Los Alumnos de Educación Básica en Una Escuela Pública.) O Entendimento de Conceitos de Astronomia Por Alunos da Educação Básica: O Caso de Uma Escola Pública Brasileira

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iria Machado, Daniel; dos Santos, Carlos

2011-07-01

We present the results obtained in a research on the comprehension of basic astronomical concepts, in which 561 students from fifth grade middle school to third grade high school of a public school of the city of Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) took part. A test with 20 multiple-choice questions was applied to indentify the most common conceptions expressed by the students. This test was elaborated based on the literature about misconceptions and covered the following topics: the day-night cycle; the time zones; the seasons of the year; the phases of the Moon; the movement of the Moon; the apparent movement of the Sun in the celestial sphere; the eclipses; the dimensions and distances in the Universe; the brightness of the stars and its observation from Earth. Though a small progress was verified in the proportion of scientifically acceptable answers when comparing the eighth grade of middle school to the fifth, and the third grade of high school to the first, there was an overall predominance of alternative conceptions regarding most of the explored subjects, which persisted up to the last year of secondary school. The comparison to data found in this research made in other socio-cultural contexts revealed, in many aspects, similar notions and difficulties revealed by the students. Se presentan los resultados de una investigación sobre la comprensión de conceptos astronómicos básicos, en la cual participaron 561 estudiantes que cursaban entre el quinto grado de la enseñanza primaria y el tercer año de la enseñanza secundaria de una escuela pública de la ciudad de Foz do Iguaçu (Brasil). Se utilizó un test de 20 preguntas de opción múltiple para identificar las concepciones más comunes expresadas por los estudiantes. Este instrumento de recolección de datos se desarrolló en base a la literatura sobre las concepciones alternativas y trató los siguientes temas: el ciclo día-noche, los husos horarios, las estaciones del año, las fases de la Luna, el