Biological Stage Research Articles

Selective bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics in fetal rat brain and damage to myelin development

Micro(nano)plastic, as a new type of environmental pollutant, have become a potential threat to the life and health of various stages of biology. However, it is not yet clear whether they will affect brain development in the fetal stage. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential effects of nanoplastics on the development of fetal rat brains. To assess the allocation of NPs (25 nm and 50 nm) in various regions of the fetal brain, pregnant rats were exposed to concentrations (50, 10, 2.5, and 0.5 mg/kg) of PS-NPs. Our results provided evidence of the transplacental transfer of PS-NPs to the fetal brain, with a prominent presence observed in several cerebral regions, notably the cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex. This distribution bias might be linked to the developmental sequence of each brain region. Additionally, we explored the influence of prenatal exposure on the myelin development of the cerebellum, given its the highest PS-NP accumulation in offspring. Compared with control rats, PS-NPs exposure caused a significant reduction in myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) expression, a decrease in myelin thickness, an increase in cell apoptosis, and a decline in the oligodendrocyte population. These effects gave rise to motor deficits. In conclusion, our results identified the specific distribution of NPs in the fetal brain following prenatal exposure and revealed that prenatal exposure to PS-NPs can suppress myelin formation in the cerebellum of the fetus.

Imaging of adeno-associated viral capsids for purposes of gene editing using CEST NMR/MRI.

Gene therapy using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector-mediated gene delivery has undergone substantial growth in recent years with promising results in both preclinical and clinical studies, as well as emerging regulatory approval. However, the inability to quantify the efficacy of gene therapy from cellular delivery of gene-editing technology to specific functional outcomes is an obstacle for efficient development of gene therapy treatments. Building on prior works that used the CEST reporter gene lysine rich protein, we hypothesized that AAV viral capsids may generate endogenous CEST contrast from an abundance of surface lysine residues. NMR experiments were performed on isolated solutions of AAV serotypes 1-9 on a Bruker 800-MHz vertical scanner. In vitro experiments were performed for testing of CEST-NMR contrast of AAV2 capsids under varying pH, density, biological transduction stage, and across multiple serotypes and mixed biological media. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify virus concentration. Subsequent experiments at 7 T optimized CEST saturation schemes for AAV contrast detection and detected AAV2 particles encapsulated in a biocompatible hydrogel administered in the hind limb of mice. CEST-NMR experiments revealed CEST contrast up to 52% for AAV2 viral capsids between 0.6 and 0.8 ppm. CEST contrast generated by AAV2 demonstrated high levels of CEST contrast across a variety of chemical environments, concentrations, and saturation schemes. AAV2 CEST contrast displayed significant positive correlations with capsid density (R2 > 0.99, p < 0.001), pH (R2 = 0.97, p = 0.01), and viral titer per cell count (R2 = 0.92, p < 0.001). Transition to a preclinical field strength yielded up to 11.8% CEST contrast following optimization of saturation parameters. In vivo detection revealed statistically significant molecular contrast between viral and empty hydrogels using both mean values (4.67 ± 0.75% AAV2 vs. 3.47 ± 0.87% empty hydrogel, p = 0.02) and quantile analysis. AAV2 viral capsids exhibit strong capacity as an endogenous CEST contrast agent and can potentially be used for monitoring and evaluation of AAV vector-mediated gene therapy protocols.

Identity and Maturity of iPSC-Derived Oligodendrocytes in 2D and Organoid Systems

Oligodendrocytes originating in the brain and spinal cord as well as in the ventral and dorsal domains of the neural tube are transcriptomically and functionally distinct. These distinctions are also reflected in the ultrastructure of the produced myelin, and the susceptibility to myelin-related disorders, which highlights the significance of the choice of patterning protocols in the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into oligodendrocytes. Thus, our first goal was to survey the different approaches applied to the generation of iPSC-derived oligodendrocytes in 2D culture and in organoids, as well as reflect on how these approaches pertain to the regional and spatial fate of the generated oligodendrocyte progenitors and myelinating oligodendrocytes. This knowledge is increasingly important to disease modeling and future therapeutic strategies. Our second goal was to recap the recent advances in the development of oligodendrocyte-enriched organoids, as we explore their relevance to a regional specification alongside their duration, complexity, and maturation stages of oligodendrocytes and myelin biology. Finally, we discuss the shortcomings of the existing protocols and potential future explorations.

Evaluation of propylene oxide fumigation against Ephestia cautella (Walker, 1863) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in dried figs and hazelnuts

This study aims to investigate the potential use of propylene oxide (PPO) for rapid control of the fig moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker, 1863) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). To this end, the biological efficacy of PPO (10 µl/l) against all biological stages of the fig moth was evaluated for a short exposure period (4 hours) under three different conditions: PPO alone (normal pressure), PPO+vacuum (100 mm Hg low pressure), and PPO+CO2 (92% CO2 concentration) in the absence and presence of dried figs and hazelnuts. In the absence of commodities, the biological tests showed 100% mortality rates in all biological stages of E. cautella, except for the pupa stage, when using the PPO+vacuum treatment. However, the PPO alone and PPO+CO2 treatments did not achieve a 100% mortality rate for the biological stages of E. cautella. Conversely, in the presence of dried figs, the mortality rates for all biological stages of E. cautella ranged from 19.7% to 100% in the PPO+vacuum and PPO+CO2 treatments. As for the shelled hazelnuts, all PPO treatments resulted in low mortality rates ranging from 0.7% to 10.6% with PPO+vacuum and PPO+CO2 treatments. In conclusion, the study suggests that the PPO+vacuum treatment can have a viable potential for rapid insect control, particularly in dried figs, making it suitable for quarantine applications.

Microbiological treatment of post-industrial water: Example of efficient bioremediation of the heavily polluted Kalina pond, Poland

The Kalina pond has been well known as a severely degraded area in the Silesia region, Poland. The environmental deterioration results from high contamination of water and bottom sediments with recalcitrant and toxic organic compounds, mainly phenol. The study was aimed at developing a bioremediation-based approach suitable for this type of polluted areas, involving microbiological treatment of water as a key and integral part of other necessary actions: mechanical interventions and the use of physical methods. During the initial biological treatment stage, autochthonous microorganisms were isolated from contaminated samples of water, soil and sediment, then subjected to strong selective pressure by incubation with the pollutants, and finally, cultivated to form a specialised microbial consortium consisting of five extremophilic bacterial strains. Consortium propagation and its biodegradation activity were optimised under variant conditions enabling bacteria to proliferate and to obtain high biomass density at large volumes allowing for the in situ application. After installing aeration systems in the pond, the consortium was surface-sprinkled to launch bioremediation and then both bacterial frequency and the contaminant level was systematically monitored. The complex remediation strategy proved efficient and was implemented on an industrial scale enabling successful remedial of the affected site. Treatment with the specifically targeted and adapted microbial consortium allowed for removal of most organic pollutants within a four-month season of 2022: the chemical oxygen demand (COD) value decreased by 72%, polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) level by 97%, while the content of total phenols and other monoaromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) dropped below the detection thresholds.

Worse histopathology and prognosis in women with breast cancer diagnosed during the second trimester of pregnancy

Evidence suggests that women with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy (PrBC) and within 2 years of delivery (PPBC) have similar survival compared to women diagnosed not near pregnancy if adjusted for stage and subtype. To investigate whether this is true for all subtypes and for both pregnancy and post-delivery periods, we examined clinicopathologic features and survival in women with breast cancer by trimesters and 6-month post-delivery intervals. Women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during 1992-2018 at ages 18-44 years were identified in the Swedish Cancer Register, with information on childbirths from the Swedish Multi-Generation Register and clinical data from Breast Cancer Quality Registers. Each woman with PrBC or PPBC was matched 1 : 2 by age and year to comparators diagnosed with breast cancer not near pregnancy. Distributions of stage, grade, and surrogate subtypes were compared. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer mortality were estimated using Cox regression. We identified 1430 women with PrBC and PPBC (181 during pregnancy, 499 during the first and 750 during the second year after delivery). Compared to 2860 comparators, women with PrBC and PPBC in the first year after delivery had a significantly higher proportion of luminal human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive, HER2-positive and triple-negative tumours, and more advanced stage at diagnosis. After adjustment for age, year, parity, country of birth, hospital region, subtype, and stage, women diagnosed during the second trimester had a worse prognosis than matched comparators (HR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.2). Women diagnosed during pregnancy or within the first year after delivery have a worse prognosis than women diagnosed not near pregnancy due to adverse tumour biology and advanced stage at diagnosis. A worse prognosis for women diagnosed during the second trimester remained after multivariable adjustment, possibly reflecting difficulties to provide optimal treatment during ongoing pregnancy.

Disease staging of Alzheimer’s disease using a CSF-based biomarker model

Biological staging of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may improve diagnostic and prognostic workup of dementia in clinical practice and the design of clinical trials. In this study, we used the Subtype and Stage Inference (SuStaIn) algorithm to establish a robust biological staging model for AD using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Our analysis involved 426 participants from BioFINDER-2 and was validated in 222 participants from the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center cohort. SuStaIn identified a singular biomarker sequence and revealed that five CSF biomarkers effectively constituted a reliable staging model (ordered: Aβ42/40, pT217/T217, pT205/T205, MTBR-tau243 and non-phosphorylated mid-region tau). The CSF stages (0–5) demonstrated a correlation with increased abnormalities in other AD-related biomarkers, such as Aβ-PET and tau-PET, and aligned with longitudinal biomarker changes reflective of AD progression. Higher CSF stages at baseline were associated with an elevated hazard ratio of clinical decline. This study highlights a common molecular pathway underlying AD pathophysiology across all patients, suggesting that a single CSF collection can accurately indicate the presence of AD pathologies and characterize the stage of disease progression. The proposed staging model has implications for enhancing diagnostic and prognostic assessments in both clinical practice and the design of clinical trials.

Diffusion MRI relates to plasma Aβ42/40 in PET negative participants without dementia.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers are needed for indexing early biological stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as plasma amyloid-β (Aβ42/40) positivity in Aβ positron emission tomography (PET) negative individuals. Diffusion free-water (FW) MRI was acquired in individuals with normal cognition (NC) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with Aβ plasma-/PET- (NC=22, MCI=60), plasma+/PET- (NC=5, MCI=20), and plasma+/PET+ (AD dementia=21) biomarker status. Gray and white matter FW and fractional anisotropy (FAt) were compared cross-sectionally and the relationships between imaging, plasma and PET biomarkers were assessed. Plasma+/PET- demonstrated increased FW (24 regions) and decreased FAt (66 regions) compared to plasma-/PET-. FW (16 regions) and FAt (51 regions) were increased in plasma+/PET+ compared to plasma+/PET-. Composite brain FW correlated with plasma Aβ42/40 and p-tau181. FW imaging changes distinguish plasma Aβ42/40 positive and negative groups, independent of group differences in cognitive status, Aβ PET status, and other plasma biomarkers (i.e., t-tau, p-tau181, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilament light). Plasma Aβ42/40 positivity is associated with brain microstructure decline. Plasma+/PET- demonstrated increased FW in 24 total GM and WM regions. Plasma+/PET- demonstrated decreased FAt in 66 total GM and WM regions. Whole-brain FW correlated with plasma Aβ42/40 and p-tau181 measures. Plasma+/PET- demonstrated decreased cortical volume and thickness.

Clinical variables contributing to the identification of biologically defined subgroups within cognitively unimpaired and mild cognitive impairment individuals.

A lack of consensus exists in linking demographic, behavioral, and cognitive characteristics to biological stages of dementia, defined by the ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration) classification incorporating amyloid, tau, and neuronal injury biomarkers. Using a random forest classifier we investigated whether 27 demographic, behavioral, and cognitive characteristics allowed distinction between ATN-defined groups with the same cognitive profile. This was done separately for three cognitively unimpaired (CU) (112 A-T-N-; 46 A+T+N+/-; 65 A-T+/-N+/-) and three mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (128 A-T-N-; 223 A+T+N+/-; 94 A-T+/-N+/-) subgroups. Classification-balanced accuracy reached 39% for the CU and 52% for the MCI subgroups. Logical Delayed Recall (explaining 16% of the variance), followed by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale 13 (14%) and Everyday Cognition Informant (10%), were the most relevant characteristics for classification of the MCI subgroups. Race and ethnicity, marital status, and Everyday Cognition Patient were not relevant (0%). The demographic, behavioral, and cognitive measures used in our model were not informative in differentiating ATN-defined CU profiles. Measures of delayed memory, general cognition, and activities of daily living were the most informative in differentiating ATN-defined MCI profiles; however, these measures alone were not sufficient to reach high classification performance.

A Pathology Experience of Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder From One Tertiary Hospital: Pathology Concepts and Diagnostic Approach.

Solid organ transplantation and bone marrow/hematologic stem cell transplantation recipients face a heightened risk of developing malignancies or cancer as a result of immunosuppression. Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are a range of disorders from benign lymphoid growth to lymphoma found post-transplant. Risk factors for PTLD include high immunosuppressive use and oncogenic effects of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). There is a lack of comprehensive clinical and pathological documentation of PTLD cases among Saudi patients, and the available data are limited to a few case reports. As a result, a deeper understanding of this disease requires more clinicopathological information. In this review, we share our insights on cases diagnosed with PTLD at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, a prominent tertiary center in the western region of Saudi Arabia, from 2005-2023. We have diagnosed a total of 14 cases of PTLD in our department, with an age range spanning from 3 to 62 years. These diagnoses were made based on biopsies or tumor resection procedures. The survival rate of patients is believed to be influenced by multiple factors, including histology, tumorigenesis, disease biology, and clinical stage. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier curve analysis indicates that female patients tend to have a higher estimated survival rate compared to males. PTLD diagnosis and therapy have greatly improved in the past 20 years. PTLD is treated with reduced immunosuppression, rituximab, chemotherapy, adoptive therapy, surgery, antiviral therapy, and radiotherapy. In this study, we present our experience from a large tertiary center in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, we will go through etiology, clinical features, and pathologic morphology along with the corresponding genetics, prevention, and valid treatment options.

Table Olive Manufacturing Wastewater Treatment Using the Peroxymonosulfate/Fe(III) System

Wastewater generated in table olive manufacturing processes (WWTOMP) is a seasonal waste difficult to manage due to the high salinity content. The treatment of WWTOMP has been accomplished by including a precoagulation stage with aluminum sulfate, oxidation using the peroxymonosulfate/Fe(III) system, and a final aerobic biological stage. The optimum conditions of precoagulation led to a chemical oxygen demand removal rate of roughly 30–35% without the need for pH adjustment. The peroxymonosulfate(PMS)/Fe(III) system was thereafter applied to the effluent after coagulation. The addition of PMS lowered the initial pH to acidic conditions (pH = 1.5–2.0). Under these operating conditions, the initial PMS concentration and the initial Fe(III) dose showed optimum values. An excess of the oxidant and/or the catalyst partially inhibited the process efficiency, and pH exerted a significant influence. COD removal was substantially increased as the pH of the solution was moved toward circumneutral values in the interval 5–4. Moreover, at pH values of 5 and 7, PMS was capable of reducing COD without the need for Fe(III) presence. The direct oxidation of organics by PMS or the generation of chloride-based oxidants (Cl2 or HClO) is suggested to occur in parallel to the radical attack from PMS decomposition. An attempt to biologically reduce the final COD to discharge limits failed, mainly due to the high salinity content; however, the 1:2 dilution led to the reduction in COD from 6 to 2 g L−1. Acclimated sludges or saline content reduction should be first considered.

Practical Considerations When Choosing Chemoembolization versus Radioembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) are common liver-directed therapies (LDTs) for unresectable HCC. While both deliver intra-arterial treatment directly to the site of the tumor, they differ in mechanisms of action and side effects. Several studies have compared their side effect profile, time to progression, and overall survival data, but often these lack practical considerations when choosing which treatment modality to use. Many factors can impact operator's choice for treatment, and the choice depends on treatment availability, cost, insurance coverage, operator's comfort level, patient-specific factors, tumor location, tumor biology, and disease stage. This review discusses survival data, time to progression data, as well as more practical patient and tumor characteristics for personalized LDT with TACE or TARE.

Biological reclamation of post-technogenic landscapes of Yakutia: problems and prospects

In the context of intensive industrial development in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the issue of restoring technogenically disturbed areas is becoming increasingly relevant. Technogenic landscapes formed during the extraction of mineral deposits often have negative effects on the environment, and severe environmental conditions hinder the restoration of ecosystems affected by industrial activities. This study synthesized the long-term research results of scientists from the Research Institute of Applied Ecology of the North named after Prof., Dr. Savvinov (NEFU) on the study of succession and soil restoration processes in post-technogenic landscapes of placer deposits in the basins of the Anabar River and the Aldan River, as well as at the diamond and coal ore deposits in the Mirninsky, Aldansky and Neryungrinsky regions of Yakutia. Our study demonstrated that the effective restoration of technogenically disturbed landscapes is relevant to the use of seeds and planting materials from local flora in the biological stage of reclamation. On the dumps of ore deposits composed of rocks that are slowly weathered under hypergenesis conditions, effective restoration can be achieved only with the formation of technogenic soil. Due to the deficit of (decipher) PPP and (decipher)PSP, it is necessary to create a technology for the biological reclamation of disturbed lands with the use of alternative materials.

Integrating multi-modal remote sensing, deep learning, and attention mechanisms for yield prediction in plant breeding experiments.

In both plant breeding and crop management, interpretability plays a crucial role in instilling trust in AI-driven approaches and enabling the provision of actionable insights. The primary objective of this research is to explore and evaluate the potential contributions of deep learning network architectures that employ stacked LSTM for end-of-season maize grain yield prediction. A secondary aim is to expand the capabilities of these networks by adapting them to better accommodate and leverage the multi-modality properties of remote sensing data. In this study, a multi-modal deep learning architecture that assimilates inputs from heterogeneous data streams, including high-resolution hyperspectral imagery, LiDAR point clouds, and environmental data, is proposed to forecast maize crop yields. The architecture includes attention mechanisms that assign varying levels of importance to different modalities and temporal features that, reflect the dynamics of plant growth and environmental interactions. The interpretability of the attention weights is investigated in multi-modal networks that seek to both improve predictions and attribute crop yield outcomes to genetic and environmental variables. This approach also contributes to increased interpretability of the model's predictions. The temporal attention weight distributions highlighted relevant factors and critical growth stages that contribute to the predictions. The results of this study affirm that the attention weights are consistent with recognized biological growth stages, thereby substantiating the network's capability to learn biologically interpretable features. Accuracies of the model's predictions of yield ranged from 0.82-0.93 R2 ref in this genetics-focused study, further highlighting the potential of attention-based models. Further, this research facilitates understanding of how multi-modality remote sensing aligns with the physiological stages of maize. The proposed architecture shows promise in improving predictions and offering interpretable insights into the factors affecting maize crop yields, while demonstrating the impact of data collection by different modalities through the growing season. By identifying relevant factors and critical growth stages, the model's attention weights provide valuable information that can be used in both plant breeding and crop management. The consistency of attention weights with biological growth stages reinforces the potential of deep learning networks in agricultural applications, particularly in leveraging remote sensing data for yield prediction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the use of hyperspectral and LiDAR UAV time series data for explaining/interpreting plant growth stages within deep learning networks and forecasting plot-level maize grain yield using late fusion modalities with attention mechanisms.

Техногенная трансформация почв степей европейской части России в условиях углеводородного загрязнения

The object of the study is the soils of the Orenburg region, Buzuluk district, contaminated with pollutants. The aim of the study is to identify patterns of accumulation of heavy metals in southern chernozems that have been subjected to hydrogen pollution and the studied conglomerate by pollutants of the European part of the steppes of Russia. As well as the establishment of a set of factors and confirmation of their influence on the stability of landscapes in conditions of soil degradation and further formation of geochemical barriers formed by pollutants. The materials and methods of research are the literature of leading Russian specialists studying this issue, as well as regulatory and legal documentation: GOST standards, SanPiNs, Resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation. Cartographic and graphic materials have been built that display sampling points, the content and dependence of elements on pollutants. A field survey (reconnaissance of the area) was conducted in the conditions of eluvial formation of soil and soil-forming accumulation, against the background of changes in the processes of formation of geochemical chains. Soil samples were taken from the site, and a syntaxoid analysis was performed. The total value of the maximum permissible concentrations of pollutants in the soils of the studied area within the boundaries of the administrative region of three oil fields has been determined. According to the results of the study, a pattern of accumulation of heavy metals from the area of the geochemical barrier formed by pollution with petroleum products was revealed. The perspective of the development of the influence of accumulations of pollutants on the transformation of the natural landscape is visualized. In areas contaminated with pollutants, it is necessary to carry out reclamation works: technical and biological stages, in compliance with environmental protection.

Involvement of minors in the criminal process: procedural regulation according to the legislation of the Republic of Kosovo

This study explores the significance of juvenile personality in criminal proceedings within Kosovo’s legal framework, emphasising juveniles' unique psychological, social and biological development stages and their impact on criminal behaviour. Despite the global interest in juvenile justice, there is a notable gap in literature specific to Kosovo, particularly concerning the consideration of personality traits and cognitive maturity in legal processes. Through an analysis of the Code of Juvenile Justice and the Code of Criminal Procedure, along with case studies and interviews with police, prosecutors, judges and psychologists, the research addresses this gap. Key findings highlight that while Kosovo’s legal framework provides robust protections for juveniles, practical challenges include delayed identification, insufficient privacy enforcement and resource constraints. The study underscores the importance of psychologist involvement during interrogations and the need for age-appropriate communication. Additionally, it points out the limited number of specialised personnel and rehabilitation institutions as major obstacles. The research advocates for enhanced training, increased resources and a review of current sanctions to ensure the juvenile justice system prioritises rehabilitation over punishment. This study aims to improve the understanding of juvenile personality in legal proceedings, promoting fair and just treatment for young offenders. Keywords: Criminal Process; Juvenile Personality; Kosovo Juvenile Justice.

Эколого-географические предпосылки выбора технологических решений для проведения биологической рекультивации техногенно нарушенных территорий

More than half of Russia’s coal is extracted in the Kemerovo region. Unfortunately, coal mining causes significant environmental damage and is one of the most hazardous human activities. Coal dumps contribute to the degradation of vegetation, fauna, agricultural, and forest lands. Traditional reclamation methods have shown limited effectiveness and require improvement. Therefore, the aim of this article is to develop preliminary technological solutions for the biological reclamation of a coal mine dump in the Kemerovo region, located in the Prokopyevsky district, based on the area’s ecological and geographical parameters. For this purpose, aerial photography using a DJI Matrice 30 and laser scanning with a Slam scanner (robotslam lite) were conducted, and the climatic and botanical-geographical characteristics of the area were studied. As a result of the data analysis, it was determined that, overall, the natural and climatic conditions of the area are favorable and allow for reclamation work aimed at creating forest and grassy plantings for sanitary-protective, forestry, and agricultural purposes. In the first stage, it is necessary to create a favorable root zone using potentially fertile rocks and humus-rich materials from fertile soil layers. In the biological stage of reclamation, local tree and shrub species, as well as fruit and berry crops, are planned to be used to form the soil-plant layer.

X-Ray Crystallography for Macromolecular Complexes.

X-ray crystallography has for most of the last century been the standard technique to determine the high-resolution structure of biological macromolecules, including multi-subunit protein-protein and protein-nucleic acids as large as the ribosome and viruses. As such, the successful application of X-ray crystallography to many biological problems revolutionized biology and biomedicine by solving the structures of small molecules and vitamins, peptides and proteins, DNA and RNA molecules, and many complexes-affording a detailed knowledge of the structures that clarified biological and chemical mechanisms, conformational changes, interactions, catalysis and the biological processes underlying DNA replication, translation, and protein synthesis. Now reaching well into the first quarter of the twenty-first century, X-ray crystallography shares the structural biology stage with cryo-electron microscopy and other innovative structure determination methods, as relevant and central to our understanding of biological function and structure as ever. In this chapter, we provide an overview of modern X-ray crystallography and how it interfaces with other mainstream structural biology techniques, with an emphasis on macromolecular complexes.

The Investigation of Effect of Bacteria in Biological Control of Red Spider Mite (Tetranychus spp.) and Plant Yield Parameter in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

The purpose of this study was to assess the usability of two bacterial strains, namely Bacillus subtilis PA1 and Paenibacillus azotofixans PA2, for the biological control of red spider species, and their effects on plant quality and yield in cotton under field conditions. The experiments were conducted at three different locations with multiple replications. As a control, a commercial preparation containing Lambda-Cyhalothrin as the active ingredient was used. The obtained results from the study revealed that the application of the bioagent formulation led to a significant decrease in the density of Tetranychus spp. at different biological stages, ranging from 59.22% to 61.07%, when compared to the control group. Additionally, several important plant growth parameters showed remarkable improvements. The number of fruit branches increased by 130.20%, plant crown diameter by 88.16%, plant height by 40.15%, the number of flowers by 21.25%, the number of wood branches by 18.13%, the average number of cocoons by 126.53%, and cocoon weights by 54.65% significantly across all three trial parcels. The successful implementation of the bacterial application for pest control had a positive impact on cotton yield. Bulk cotton yield increased by 80.03%, and fiber yield increased by 82.17%. Consequently, the bacterial formulation containing these two bacteria demonstrated its potential as a biopesticide in cotton cultivation, effectively controlling pests while also playing a crucial role in enhancing productivity. Overall, the study suggests that using the bioagent formulation consisting of Bacillus subtilis PA1 and Paenibacillus azotofixans PA2 could be an effective and environmentally friendly approach for pest control in cotton farming, leading to increased productivity.

Восстановление нарушенных земель в горных экосистемах

Introduction. The growing volumes of extraction, processing and transportation of minerals in Russia and the world contribute to an increase in disturbed lands, which actualizes the development of new approaches and methods for reclamation work. However, a clear structure of methods for restoring disturbed lands has not yet been developed. Hence the purpose of the work: to explore the world experience in the implementation of traditional and innovative approaches to the reclamation of disturbed lands in order to identify the most promising trends for further research. Materials and methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study are the scientific works of Russian and foreign scientists in the field of earth sciences, geo-ecology, physical chemistry, geo-botany and microbiology. Methods of the work are general scientific methods, such as dialectical, historical, analysis, synthesis, comparison, grouping, as well as systematic and empirical approaches. Results and discussion. The study substantiates the identification of two approaches: traditional and innovative; the author’s structure of methods for biological stage of reclamation work has been developed. The traditional approach is characterized by standard, but less effective, labor-intensive, and therefore expensive, methods of reclamation by using a fertile soil layer and potentially fertile rocks with the sowing of perennial grasses, trees and shrubs. An innovative approach is on agenda today. It can significantly reduce the cost of reclamation procedures due to the use of modern technologies and materials for restoring soil fertility and decontaminating pollutants. The innovative approach includes basic methods: 1. Algae; 2. Washing; 3. Bioremediation; 4. Sorbent-oriented. The study offers to improve the term «disturbed lands» in the regulatory field of the Russian Federation in order to take into account, along with the anthropogenic and natural factors. The structure of the disturbed lands of Russia is revealed in the context of the extraction of various types of minerals. Conclusions and offers. The article presents the results of the analysis of the world methodological experience in biological stage of reclamation work. It has been established that both in Russia and abroad, work is underway to improve the biological stage of reclamation. Attention is focused on the method of bioremediation and its sub-method of phytoremediation with the sorbent-oriented method, the combination of which, according to the authors, is of the greatest practical interest. It is revealed that the tasks of using local types of raw materials for the creation of composite sorbents are topical. The authors consider the creation of composite sorbents based on peat, as the most common raw material in Russia, to be a promising direction.