Laboratory Conditions Research Articles

Detoxification of contaminated soils from hydrocarbon rocket fuel used in «Soyuz» launch vehicles using the bioremediation method

Rocket and space activities are developing worldwide, but environmental concerns are overlooked in pursuing new technologies. The Republic of Kazakhstan's "Baikonur" Cosmodrome routinely launches rockets in emergencies, causing toxic fuel to spill onto and contaminate the soil. This study examines the effect of T-1 kerosene, a hydrocarbon rocket fuel of toxic hazard class 4, on the soil microbial community from the aeration zone in laboratory conditions. In three different soil samples, 15 g/kg, 30 g/kg, and 50 g/kg of T-1 kerosene were tested according to their utilization by microbes throughout three, ten, and thirty days.Based on scientific research, several strains of microorganisms were able to utilize T-1 kerosene rocket fuel, such as Acinetobacter calcoaceticum-18, Bacillus sp.-20, Micrococcus roseus-25, and Candida sp.-12/5, purifying it from 70 to 90 %. According to a study conducted after 30 days of microbiological detoxification of calcisols (loamic) (site 196) and dystric arenosols (site 31), with an initial load of 50 g/kg of T-1 kerosene, the concentration was determined. Microorganisms that produce 5 + 20 (99.83 %) and 18+20+25+12/5 (99.80 %) oil products are well utilized. During decontamination of soils contaminated with hydrocarbons was found to be present in the soil after 60 days when microorganism № 20 was used at 9.3 mg/kg, and the association of microorganism 5 + 25 at 8.88 mg/kg. The article describes the developed technology for soil detoxification using the microbiological method.

Methanogenic patterns in the gut microbiome are associated with survival in a population of feral horses

Gut microbiomes are widely hypothesised to influence host fitness and have been experimentally shown to affect host health and phenotypes under laboratory conditions. However, the extent to which they do so in free-living animal populations and the proximate mechanisms involved remain open questions. In this study, using long-term, individual-based life history and shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing data (2394 fecal samples from 794 individuals collected between 2013–2019), we quantify relationships between gut microbiome variation and survival in a feral population of horses under natural food limitation (Sable Island, Canada), and test metagenome-derived predictions using short-chain fatty acid data. We report detailed evidence that variation in the gut microbiome is associated with a host fitness proxy in nature and outline hypotheses of pathogenesis and methanogenesis as key causal mechanisms which may underlie such patterns in feral horses, and perhaps, wild herbivores more generally.

Exploring Natural Solutions: Botanical Approaches for Controlling Early Blight in Tomato Plants under Laboratory Conditions

Around the world, Alternaria solani is the culprit behind the deadly and devastating early blight of tomatoes. To control the mycelial growth of A. solani in this investigation, a concentration of 10% for each plant extract was examined using the poison food technique. In comparison to the control, the pathogen mycelial growth was greatly suppressed by all examined extracts. With a 90.54% inhibition at 10% concentration, garlic clove extract proved to be the most successful of the extracts. Other extracts that showed promise were neem leaf extract (87.83%), ginger (83.78%), eucalyptus (75.67%), bael (71.67%), onion bulb extract (68.67%), and ashwagandha (63.51%). On the other hand, with a mycelial growth of 35 mm and 52.70% inhibition, lantana proved to be the least successful. After seven days of incubation at 24°C, the chemical fungicide mancozeb proved to be the most effective overall, offering a 93.24% inhibition at a 0.25% dose. Chemicals pose health dangers even though farmers use them extensively to control tomato rot. This study provides useful information for farmers by highlighting appropriate plant extracts as less risky substitutes for treating tomato early blight.

Biochar as an Alternative Litter Additive to Mitigate Gaseous Emissions from Broiler Housing and Subsequent Storage

Broiler farming is a significant source of gaseous emissions. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of different litter additives on the emission of NH3, N2O, CO2, and CH4 during broiler housing and subsequent manure storage. The gaseous emissions from the housing facilities were evaluated during one fattening cycle in environmentally controlled rooms with three different additives applied to the litter material (10% w/w aluminum sulphate or biochar and 2.50 mg m−2 urease inhibitor), as well as a control. A storage experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions for 90 days to evaluate the influence of these three additives on gaseous losses. During broiler housing, the results indicated that NH3 emissions were reduced significantly (40–60%) by litter additives, while global warming potential (GWP) emissions were reduced significantly (31%) by Alum. The addition of Biochar (a 58% reduction) had the same significant effect as Alum (a 60% reduction) to mitigate these losses. The re-application of Urease (a 41% reduction) may be required to reach an equal or higher reduction. During storage, NH3 and GWP emissions were not significantly affected by the litter additives. During broiler housing and subsequent manure storage, NH3 emissions were reduced significantly (22–41%) by litter additives, whereas GWP emissions did not decrease significantly. Globally, it can be concluded that Biochar appears to be a good alternative to Alum due to its equal effectiveness in mitigating NH3 losses, without increasing the GWP potential in the housing and avoiding pollution swapping.

Emission Spectra of Ammonia Laminar Flames in Spherically Propagating Flames and a Modified McKenna Burner

ABSTRACT Ammonia (NH3) has received significant attention recently as a promising carbon-free, low-cost, and safe candidate as a chemical energy storage element and/or fuel alternative. As for any new fuel, fundamental aspects of the combustion process, such as the detailed chemical kinetic pathways of NH3 oxidation, flame propagation and stability, and emissions, are to be understood to predict its combustion behavior in practical systems. One aspect of improving our understanding of the combustion behavior of NH3 is to explore the emission spectra of spherically expanding and/or Bunsen-type flames under controlled laboratory conditions. In this study, flame spectra from NH3-containing mixtures were obtained utilizing two different experimental flame configurations, namely a spherically propagating flame and a modified Mckenna burner flame. Two different fuel mixtures were investigated. The first was an oxy-ammonia mixture consisting of NH3 + (25% O2 +75% N2) with the goal of studying neat ammonia. The second mixture consisted of H2:NH3:N2 with a ratio of 45:40:15 by volume. Several excited-state species within the UV-visible spectral region were identified. For instance, NO* emission features were found between 220 and 280 nm. In addition, OH* emission was detected around 310 nm, and an NH* feature was seen around 337 nm. Moreover, a broadband intensity was reported over the visible range (400 ~ 800 nm), where several NH2* features were also detected. The effect of the mixture on the flame spectra was investigated by examining the two different mixtures utilizing the same experimental apparatus (spherical flame in this case), and it was shown that the mixture has an effect on the presence of NH2* features, which was also backed by chemical kinetics predictions for the NH2* mole fraction profiles. It was shown (from kinetics) that the oxy-ammonia mixture produced more NH2* than the H2:NH3:N2 mixture by up to 113%. Additionally, the effects of the flame configuration were also investigated by studying the same mixture (the H2:NH3:N2 mixture in this case), and it was revealed that the spectra produced using the modified Mckenna burner had less noise, and all features were easily identified. Lastly, laminar flame speeds of the oxy-ammonia mixture were measured using the spherical flame apparatus. The laminar flame speed followed the expected pattern, peaking near a 1.1 equivalence ratio with a measured flame speed of 22.7 cm/s.

Assessing grazing of Rugulopteryx okamurae (Ochrophyta) by the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata): a prospect for the biocontrol of the alien species?

ABSTRACT Rugulopteryx okamurae is an invasive non-indigenous species (NIS) of marine alga present in the benthic communities of the Strait of Gibraltar, where it has colonized most of the coast triggering ecological, economic and social consequences. The purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus is a generalist herbivore with potential to provide resistance to this NIS. Two experiments were carried out to determine if (i) P. lividus consumes R. okamurae under laboratory conditions, (ii) to assess its grazing preferences when this NIS is offered together with the native Ulva sp. and (iii) to find biochemical tissue markers related to R. okamurae ingestion. In the first experiment, sea urchins fed with R. okamurae, Ulva sp. or both diets were evaluated in groups for two months. Ingestion, food preference, growth and survival were assessed. In the second one, the same specimens from the R. okamurae and mixed diets were used to analyse their individual preferences, ingestion rates, growth and fatty acid profiles during another two months. Ingestion rates showed that sea urchins accepted the NIS R. okamurae as food under laboratory conditions, increasing its intake after a long exposure period. The electivity values for R. okamurae also increased when P. lividus was exposed to this alga for a long time. Regarding the fatty acids profile of tissues, the results showed that intestinal arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6) clearly differentiates sea urchins fed with R. okamurae from those fed with the mixed diet. ARA also appeared to be related to the feeding preferences, highlighting this fatty acid as a reliable marker of R. okamurae ingestion. Further research is needed in order to determine P. lividus feeding behaviour and its role as a biocontrol species in the areas invaded by R. okamurae.

Enhancing practicality of deep learning for crop disease identification under field conditions: insights from model evaluation and crop-specific approaches.

Crop diseases can lead to significant yield losses and food shortages if not promptly identified and managed by farmers. With the advancements in convolutional neural networks (CNN) and the widespread availability of smartphones, automated and accurate identification of crop diseases has become feasible. However, although previous studies have achieved high accuracy (>95%) under laboratory conditions (Lab) using mixed data sets of multiple crops, these models often falter when deployed under field conditions (Field). In this study, we aimed to evaluate disease identification accuracy under Lab, Field, and Mixed (Lab and Field) conditions using an assembled data set encompassing 14 diseases of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). In addition, we investigated the impact of model architectures, parameter sizes, and crop-specific models (CSMs) on accuracy, using DenseNets, ResNets, MobileNetV3, EfficientNet, and VGG Nets. Our results revealed a decrease in accuracy across all models from Lab (98.22%) to Mixed (91.76%) to Field (71.55%) conditions. Interestingly, disease classification accuracy showed minimal variation across model architectures and parameter sizes: Lab (97.61-98.76%), Mixed (90.76-92.31%), and Field (68.56-73.81%). Although CSMs were found to reduce inter-crop disease misclassifications, they also led to a slight increase in intra-crop misclassifications. Our findings underscore the importance of enriching data representation and volumes over employing new model architectures. Furthermore, the need for more field-specific images was highlighted. Ultimately, these insights contribute to the advancement of crop disease identification applications, facilitating their practical implementation in farmer's fields. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Successful gall induction on wild roses by gall wasps under lab conditions

Successful gall induction on wild roses by gall wasps under lab conditions

Food selection of tree seeds under three-week laboratory conditions in the bank vole and yellow-necked mouse

Food selection of tree seeds under three-week laboratory conditions in the bank vole and yellow-necked mouse

Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Serratia control Meloidogyne incognita (Rhabditida: Meloidogynidae) and promote the growth of tomato plants

Plant-parasitic nematodes cause significant losses in agriculture worldwide. Among these parasites, the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) stands out. Consequently, control methods are being developed to combat this pest. Among these methods is biological control, the main agents of which are bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of 102 bacterial isolates on the mortality of Meloidogyne incognita J2 juveniles, hypothesizing that certain isolates could effectively control the nematode and promote tomato plant growth. Five experiments were conducted to test this hypothesis. First, the effect of the 102 bacterial isolates on J2 mortality was assessed under laboratory conditions. Second, five isolates (Bacillus cereus IBCBb130, Bacillus cereus IBCBb116, Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBCBb122, Bacillus proteolyticus IBCBb136, and Serratia sp. IBCBb118), which showed >68% J2 mortality, were evaluated over 72 h. Third, these isolates were tested at seven different concentrations. Fourth, their efficacy in controlling M. incognita on tomato plants was assessed in a greenhouse setting. Fifth, their potential to promote tomato plant growth without nematode inoculation was evaluated. The results revealed that the 102 bacterial isolates caused mortality ranging from 2 to 79.57% for M. incognita J2. At a 10% dilution, five isolates (B. cereus IBCBb130, P. aeruginosa IBCBb122, B. cereus IBCBb116, B. proteolyticus IBCBb136, and Serratia sp. IBCBb118) maintained mortality rates above 68%. Among these strains, B. cereus IBCBb130 and P. aeruginosa IBCBb122 were particularly effective, with B. cereus IBCBb130 showing high mortality rates under laboratory conditions and P. aeruginosa IBCBb122 significantly reducing nematode populations in greenhouse pots. Additionally, Serratia sp. IBCBb118 demonstrated notable potential for promoting tomato plant growth. In conclusion, specific bacterial isolates exhibit strong potential for the biocontrol of M. incognita and enhancement of tomato plant growth, suggesting a viable alternative to chemical nematicides. These findings provide insight into the development of sustainable agricultural practices through targeted manipulation of the soil microbiota. Future research should explore the underlying mechanisms of these interactions and their long-term effects on crop yield and soil health.

Host Plants and Fertilization Mediated Life History of American Serpentine Leaf Miner, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) (Diptera: Agromyzidae).

Herbivorous insects depend on the host plant to optimize their overall reproductive success, and balanced fertilization may alter the plant's quality against herbivory. Life history traits of the Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) were determined under laboratory conditions using either unfertilized and fertilized plants of bean [Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabaceae)], chrysanthemum [Chrysanthemum × morifolium (Asteraceae)], potato [Solanum tuberosum (Solanaceae)], bell pepper [Capsicum annuum (Solanaceae)], and tomato [Solanum lycopersicum (Solanaceae)]. Results indicated that L. trifolii completed development on all studied unfertilized and fertilized plants. Nevertheless, a higher performance of the leaf miner was observed on bean and bell pepper plants compared to the other plants. Furthermore, there was an interaction of the host plant and fertilization with Calcium Aria or Sitam negatively affecting the fitness-related traits of the leaf miner. Application of these fertilizers resulted in delayed immature development of L. trifolii, decreased survival rate, and reduced adult longevity and fecundity. The activity of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzymes, as well as phenolic, flavonoid, and lignin content were higher in Calcium Aria + Sitam fertilized plants, intermediate in Calcium Aria and Sitam treated plants, and the lower in unfertilized plants. The development and survival of L. trifolii on different host plants, considering fertilization options, become important for deploying cultural control practices against this important pest species.

Role of Freshwater Mussels Lamellidens marginalis (Lamarck, 1819) in Pond Water Quality Maintenance

Freshwater mussels are recognized as ecosystem engineers because they perform water filtration through filter feeding. This study aimed to quantify the changes that occurred in pond water after filtration by freshwater mussels Lamellidens marginalis. Specimens of L. marginalis were gathered from a small pond near Palghar in January. Mussels are hand-picked and stored in buckets of water. Twenty-five individuals of this species were used to assess the changes in various water parameters, including Biological oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity, hardness, and pH. Before the estimation, the mussels were acclimatized to laboratory conditions for approximately 7 days to ensure they adapted to the pond water parameters before filtration evaluation. The water parameters were examined before filtration while acclimatization was occurring. After the acclimatization period, the mussels were housed in a fish tank with about 4 liters of pond water for 2 days. The water parameters were then examined again, which revealed a difference. The BOD was nearly half of its initial value, dropping from 2.4mg/l to 1.2mg/l, and the turbidity fell by 8 NTU. However, the hardness of the water was 16mg/l lower than the starting value, and the pH was dropped from 7.46 to 7.16. This suggests that mussels play a significant part in freshwater filtration to preserve good water quality.

Chemical Diversity of Aspergillus alliaceus Phenotypes: Discovery of brominated bianthrones with activity against triple-negative breast cancer cell lines.

Marine-derived fungi have emerged as a source for novel metabolites with a broad range of bioactivities. However, accessing the full potential of fungi under standard laboratory conditions remains challenging. LC-MS-based metabolomics in combination with varied culture conditions is a fast and powerful tool to detect new metabolites. Here, three developmental forms of the marine-derived fungusAspergillus alliaceuswere analyzed and 14 fungal metabolites, including new brominated polyketides (11-14) were isolated.Structure elucidation relied mainly on 1D and 2D NMR techniques and was supported by low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry and DFT-based computations. We sequenced theA. alliaceusgenome, identified the bianthrone-producing biosynthetic gene cluster, and conducted expression analysis on genes involved in sexual development and biosynthesis. TheNCI-60 cell line panel revealed selectivein vitroactivity against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) for the halogenated allianthrones and their full anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects were evaluated in fiveTNBCcell lines.

Biological effects of culture medium on Tetraselmis chuii and Dunaliella tertiolecta: Implications for emerging pollutants degradation

In this study, laboratory-scale cultivation of T. chuii and D. tertiolecta was conducted using Conway, F/2, and TMRL media to evaluate their biochemical composition and economic costs. The highest cell density (30.36 × 106 cells/mL) and dry weight (0.65 g/L) for T. chuii were achieved with Conway medium. This medium also produced biomass with maximum lipid content (25.65%), proteins (27.84%), and total carbohydrates (8.45%) compared with F/2 and TMRL media. D. tertiolecta reached a maximum cell density of 17.50 × 106 cells/mL in F/2 medium, which was notably lower than that of T. chuii. Furthermore, the media cost varied from US$0.23 to US$0.74 for each 1 L of media, primarily due to the addition of Na3PO4, KNO3, and cyanocobalamin. Thus, biomass production rates varied between US$38.81 and US$128.80 per kg on a dry weight basis. These findings comprehensively compare laboratory conditions and the costs associated with biomass production in different media. Additionally, this study explored the potential of T. chuii and D. tertiolecta strains, as well as their consortia with bacteria, for the degradation of various emerging pollutants (EPs), including caffeine, salicylic acid, DEET, imidacloprid, MBT, cimetidine, venlafaxine, methylparaben, thiabendazole, and paracetamol. Both microalgal strains demonstrated effective degradation of EPs, with enhanced degradation observed in microalgae-bacterial consortia. These results suggest that the symbiotic relationship between microalgae and bacteria can be harnessed for the bioremediation of EPs, thereby offering valuable insights into the environmental applications of microalgal cultivation.

PROPAGATION AND CALLUS REGENERATION OF POTATO (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM L.) CULTIVAR ‘DESIREE’ UNDER SALT STRESS CONDITIONS

Under laboratory conditions, segments of potato with single nodes were exposed to varying doses of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) (0 mM, 20 mM, 40 mM, 60 mM, 80 mM and 100 mM), using the Murashige and Skoog growth medium to assess how NaCl salt stress affects micropropagation, callus formation, and regeneration in the ‘Desiree’ potato plant cultivar, and also seeks to determine the ability of this cultivar to thrive in salt stress conditions. The data were collected after a six-week period for each salt treatment. Remarkably, a significant increase in the mass of green and dry stems and roots was observed specifically under the 40 mM NaCl treatment. Conversely, the length of shoots and branches experienced a reduction as the NaCl concentration increased. The overall impact of the NaCl treatments strongly influenced root weight. Concerning the formation (development) and revitalization of callus, segments of potato microtubers were exposed to the above-mentioned NaCl concentrations, resulting in an intermediate level of salt stress that significantly reduced callus weights as NaCl concentration increased. Furthermore, a gradual decrease in the regeneration rate was noted with increasing concentrations of the plant growth regulator BA (1 to 4 mg/l). The most profound relative regeneration rate occurred at 1 mg/l BA. Notably, the counteractive effect of salt was more apparent with higher NaCl concentrations, with exceptions at 20 mM and 40 mM. These findings propose that the ‘Desiree’ potato cultivar exhibits moderate tolerance to salt stress and indicates a capacity to endure salinity. Moreover, this valuable variety could potentially be harnessed through genetic manipulation to enhance its salt resilience.

Wearable and Portable Devices in Sport Biomechanics and Training Science

Sport biomechanics and training have traditionally been tested under laboratory conditions, requiring specific settings and expensive equipment [...]

Allelopathy and Allelochemicals in Chamaecyparis obtusa Leaves for the Development of Sustainable Agriculture

Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold et Zucc.) Endl. is cultivated in the temperate region of East Asia for its high-quality and profitable timber. The timber-processing industry produces a large amount of waste, such as tree bark, branches, and leaves, and finding ways to minimize such waste is economically and environmentally efficient. In the present study, the allelopathic activity and allelochemicals of the C. obtusa leaves were investigated to develop potential application methods. C. obtusa leaves were phytotoxic and associated leaf extracts significantly suppressed the growth of the weeds; Echinochloa crus-galli, Phleum pratense and Lolium multiflorum under laboratory conditions. The leaf powder applied onto the soil surface also suppressed the germination of E. crus-galli and P. pratense under greenhouse conditions. Hinokiic acid and (+)-dihydrosesamin were isolated from the leaves and structurally identified. Both compounds suppressed the growth of cress and P. pratense in a concentration dependent manner. When the leaves of C. obtua were applied as a soil additive, hinokiic acid and (+)-dihydrosesamin in the leaves potentially cause the growth inhibitory activity by leaching into the soil. These experiments showed that the leaves and the leaf extracts of C. obtusa are phytotoxic. These experiments also demonstrated that the leaves and the leaf extracts of C. obtusa have growth inhibitory potential against several plant species, and the leaves produce allelochemicals. Therefore, the leaves and leaf extracts of C. obtusa may be useful for weed suppression purposes. The leaf biomass of C. obtusa is frequently large and the timber processing industry produces significant leaf waste. The development of weed control products using waste leaves may be a solution to minimize the timber processing waste to reduce environmental impact and provide economic value. However, leaf material should be evaluated for weed suppression and herbicidal activity as a soil additive and also possible as a foliar spray under field conditions.

Technological aspects and requirements to raw materials for increasing the nutritional value of glaze

Glaze, giving confectionery products an aesthetically attractive appearance, provides the possibility of prolonging their shelf life. The main raw components of the glaze are sugar and fat, which determines its high caloric content. Modern trends dictate the need to create confectionery products enriched with essential nutrients found in vegetables, berries and fruits. The introduction of finely ground additives in the form of fruit and vegetable powder into the glaze formulation may entail changes in the rheological and crystallization properties of the glaze. The aim of the research is to develop technological methods of fruit and vegetable confectionery glaze production with increased content of dietary fibers and reduced amount of added sugar, as well as to establish requirements for fruit and vegetable powders as raw materials used in the production of confectionery glaze. The objects of the research were industrial samples of fruit and vegetable powders from raspberry, apple, carrot and beet, as well as samples of confectionery glaze produced in laboratory conditions. Common and special research methods were used in the work. The technological acceptability of using fruit and vegetable powders in the production of confectionery glaze according to their physical and chemical parameters has been determined. The yield stress of the glaze increased as the content of fruit and vegetable powder increased from 3 to 15% to varying degrees depending on its fat-absorbing capacity. The crystallization characteristic of the glaze changed: the solidification temperature decreased by 1-2 °C, the crystallization duration increased by 27-40% compared to the control sample. The nomenclature is substantiated and numerical values of quality criteria of fruit and vegetable powders to ensure technological properties of glaze are given. The influence of step-by-step introduction of surfactants on the value of yield stress of confectionery glazes with fruit and vegetable powders is shown. The technology of fruit and vegetable confectionery glaze with a high content of dietary fiber (9 g/100 g) and with a reduced amount of added sugar has been developed.

The density of the inner cell mass is a new indicator of the quality of a human blastocyst: a valid supplement to the Gardner scoring system.

Can the density of the inner cell mass (ICM) be a new indicator of the quality of the human blastocyst? The densification index (DI) developed in this study can quantify ICM density and provide positive guidance for ploidy, pregnancy, and live birth. In evaluating the quality of ICM, reproductive care clinics still use size indicators without further evaluation. The main disadvantage of this current method is that the evaluation of blastocyst ICM is relatively rough and cannot meet the needs of clinical embryologists, especially when multiple blastocysts have the same ICM score, which makes them difficult to evaluate further. This observational study included data from 2272 blastocysts in 1991 frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles between January 2018 to November 2021 and 1105 blastocysts in 430 preimplantation genetic testing cycles between January 2019 and February 2023. FET, ICSI, blastocyst culture, trophectoderm biopsy, time-lapse (TL) monitoring, and next-generation sequencing were performed. After preliminary sample size selection, the 11 focal plane images captured by the TL system were normalized and the spatial frequency was used to construct the DI of the ICM. This study successfully constructed a quantitative indicator DI that can reflect the degree of ICM density in terms of fusion and texture features. The higher the DI value, the better the density of the blastocyst ICM, and the higher the chances that the blastocyst was euploid (P < 0.001) and that pregnancy (P < 0.001) and live birth (P = 0.005) were reached. In blastocysts with ICM graded B and blastocysts graded 4BB, DI was also positively associated with ploidy, pregnancy, and live birth (P < 0.05). ROC analysis showed that combining the Gardner scoring system with DI can more effectively predict pregnancy and live births, when compared to using the Gardner scoring system alone. Accurate calculation of the DI value places high demands on image quality, requiring manual selection of the clearest focal plane and exposure control. Images with the ICM not completely within the field of view cannot be used. The association between the density of ICM and chromosomal mosaicism was not evaluated. The associations between the density of ICM and different assisted reproductive technologies and different culture conditions in embryo laboratories were also not evaluated. Prospective studies are needed to further investigate the impact of ICM density on clinical outcomes. ICM density assessment is a new direction in blastocyst assessment. This study explores new ways of assessing blastocyst ICM density and develops quantitative indicators and a corresponding qualitative evaluation scheme for ICM density. The DI of the blastocyst ICM developed in this study is easy to calculate and requires only TL equipment and image processing, providing positive guidance for clinical outcomes. The qualitative evaluation scheme of ICM density can assist embryologists without TL equipment to manually evaluate ICM density. ICM density is a simple indicator that can be used in practice and is a good complement to the blastocyst scoring systems currently used in most centers. This work was supported by the National Key Research & Development Program of China (2021YFC2700603). The authors report no financial or commercial conflicts of interest. N/A.

Behavioral strategy of adaptation of &lt;i&gt;Polypterus senegalus&lt;/i&gt;(Polypteridae) with an increase in ambient temperature

This paper investigates the effect of temperature increase on the behaviour of Polypterus under laboratory experimental conditions. To investigate the effect of a change in temperature regime, analysis of video recordings of animal behaviour over eight hours under acclimation conditions and under a constant temperature increase is used. The temperature increase occurred at a rate of 1,125°C/hour. The movement trajectories of the animals under normal conditions and under a sudden increase in ambient temperature are described. The paper presents results on the speed and activity of the fish movements and the number of acts of air entrapment by polypterus from the water surface. The studies show that the increase in temperature leads to an increase in the variability of the animals’ movement trajectories. A steady increase in temperature leads to an increase in the speed and activity of the animals’ movements. As the temperature regime changes, there is an increase in the number of acts of air capture from the water surface. The largest jump in activity change is observed in the second and third hours of temperature increase. The obtained material can serve as a basis for the development of ideas about the behavioural adaptation of bony fishes to the increase in ambient temperature. The observed regularities in the responses to temperature changes will make it possible to improve the technology of polypterus cultivation.