Factors Influencing the Perceived Economic Benefits of Innovative Agri-Environmental Contracts.

Continued innovation in contract design may enhance the delivery of agri-environmental climate public goods (AECPG), but barriers to adoption arise in terms of how farmers perceive the economic benefits. Therefore, this paper examines survey data from Ireland and the Netherlands to analyse whether land managers agree that results-based, collective action, value chain and land tenure contracts for the delivery of AECPG are understandable, applicable to their farm and economically beneficial. Using Probit models, we also identify groups of land managers who perceive the different contract types as being economically beneficial, and these findings can inform policymakers of farmer groups who need adequate consideration during the design of agri-environmental contracts. For example, greater incentives could encourage older farmers to enrol in results-based contracts in Ireland and value chain contracts in the Netherlands. We also find a link between contract duration and the perceived economic benefits of collective action contracts in both countries, with land managers in Ireland desiring a longer duration. We highlight that policymakers and land managers in Ireland could apply lessons from the design of agri-environmental contracts in the Netherlands, where they are more common and varied. Greater knowledge exchange between users and non-users of such contracts would also help bridge the gap between theory and practice in both countries.

Effect of Anti-Norepinephrine Antibodies on the Development of Neuropathic Pain.

The study focuses on induction of autoantibodies directed against neurotransmitter norepinephrine during neuropathic pain syndrome and on the effect of immunization with norepinephrine-protein conjugated antigen on the development of this syndrome. The formation of anti-norepinephrine antibodies aggravated and prolonged neuropathic pain.

Analgesic Effect of Xenon in Rat Model of Inflammatory Pain.

The analgesic effects of inert gas xenon were examined on rats. The formalin model of inflammatory pain, tail-flick test, and hot-plate test revealed the antinociceptive effects of subanesthetizing doses of inhalation anesthetic xenon. Inhalation of 50/50 xenon/oxygen mixture moderated the nociceptive responses during acute and tonic phases of inflammatory pain.

Aligning agri-environmental-climate public good supply and desire in a sustainable Dutch agricultural sector.

European agricultural policies increasingly incorporate mechanisms for delivery of public goods. Sustainable public good delivery requires alignment between societal demand and landscape supply. However, the variation of demands or desires regarding future public good delivery among society is hardly known. We inventoried the desires for public goods across Dutch society, and projections of agricultural supply. A multi-method approach was used to find agreement levels between desired and expected change in good delivery. Most stakeholders expressed a desire for biodiversity and climate regulation from agriculture, whilst desire for natural heritage and recreation was less common. The utility of a public good to a stakeholder appears to influence its desire. Scenarios for agriculture focus on extensification, sustainable intensification, regionalization, or meadow bird conservation. Regionalized scenarios showed the highest agreement between public good supply and desire. Maximizing alignment between desire and supply thus requires a challenging transition towards region-specific agricultural sustainability strategies.

[Change in the content of salicylic acid and activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and catalase in wheat seedling roots under the influence of Azospirilium lectins].

The time course of changes in the endogenous content of salicylic acid, the ratio between the acid's free and bound forms, and changes in the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and catalase in wheat seedling roots under the effect of lectins of two strains of the associative nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azospirillum (A. brasilense Sp7 and its mutant defective in lectin activity, A. brasilense Sp7.2.3) is investigated. Differences in plant response to the action of the lectins from these two strains are established. On the basis of the obtained data, a model is proposed for lectin-assisted induction of resistance, according to which the lectin effect on the roots of seedlings results in the accumulation of free salicylic acid, which inhibits catalase activity, ultimately leading to accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and formation of induced resistance.

[The characteristic of biocenosis of urogenital tract in women].

The article deals with the study of characteristics of biocenosis of urogenital tract in women of reproductive age with using of "Femoflor" test. The scrapings of posterolateral wall of vagina were analyzed using the technique of real-time polymerase chain reaction using the reagents "Femoflor". The complex evaluation of urogenital biota identified three main types of biocenosis of vagina: type I--normocenosis (n = 50 or 11.5%): type II--mild dysbiosis (n = 88 or 21%); type III--marked dysbiosis (n = 133 or 30.6%). In the structure of alterations of biocenosis of urogenital tract the main role play the anaerobic bacteria with involvement of candida, ureoplasma and mcoplasma.

[Vasovagal syncope or epilepsy: how to avoid errors in diagnosis].

Transitory loss of consciousness might have multiple mechanisms of development among which vasovagal syncope and epilepsy have the greatest significance. It is thought that in every forth patient the initial diagnosis is erroneous because of similarity of clinical picture and even well prepared specialists are not secured against mistakes. Aim of this review is to stress key points of diagnosis from the point of view of a cardiologist and epileptologist.

[Heart rate variability in the prognosis of tilt-testing results].

Study aim was assessment of dynamics of spectral parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) during the Westminster and Italian protocols of tilt-test (TT). We included in this study 114 patients with recurrent vasovagal syncope (VVS). Basing on TT results we distinguished 4 groups of patients: with positive result of the Westminster protocol (WPTT) (group 1, n=30); with negative result of WPTT (group 2, n=23); with positive result of the Italian protocol (IPTT) (group 3, n=44); with negative result of IPTT (group 4, n=11). Control group comprised 14 healthy persons without history of syncope. Spectral parameters of HRV were analyzed in 3 five minutes intervals (before TT in horizontal position, during first and last 5 minutes of orthostasis). Structure of vasovagal responses was similar for all TT protocols used. In lying position in patients of groups 1-3 lower values of LF1 and LF1/HF1 were registered, as well as high values of HF1 compared with the control group and patients with negative results of IPTT. Initial stage of TT in patients with positive result of WPTT (group 1) was characterized by almost twofold increase of LF values (n.u.) and decrease of HF parameters (n.u.) compared with other patients. In the group 1 during the second period.

[Analgesic effects of cannabinoids on central pain syndrome].

It was shown that cannabinoids anandamide, HU210 and WIN 55,212-2 inhibit both spontaneous episodes of pain and mechanical allodynia in rats with central pain syndrome caused by disturbance of inhibitory processes in the dorsal horns of lumbar spinal cord. The analgesic effect is most pronounced in the intrathecal route of administration. The intensity of analgesic actions of cannabinoids on the central pain syndrome in rats, depending on the drug is as follows: HU210 > WIN 55,212-2 > anandamide.

[The implementation of polymerase chain reaction technique: the real time to reveal and differentiate the viruses of human papilloma of high carcinogenic risk].

The polymerase chain reaction technique was applied in "real time" format to evaluate the occurrence rate and infection ratio of various genotypes of human papilloma of high carcinogenic risk in virus-positive women and contact persons. The examination sampling consisted of 738 women aged of 17-50 years. The examination results permitted to establish high percentage of infection of 546 patients (74%) by carcinogenic papilloma viruses. The analysis of detection rate of various genotypes of human papilloma of high carcinogenic risk established that the 56th and 16th types of high carcinogenic risk are revealed more often than others--in 33% and 15.4% correspondingly. In males, first place in occurrence rate is for those types of virus of human papilloma: the 56th n = 10 (33.3%), 16th n = 3 (10%), 45th n = 3 (10%), 51th n = 3 (10%). The rest of genotypes are detected in 3-7% cases.

[One-port video-assisted thoracic surgery for pneumothorax using mini loop retractor].

We successfully performed 1-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for primary spontaneous pneumothorax using Mini Loop Retractor II in 137 (39%) of 351 patients from March 2005 to May 2009 at Tokyo Teishin Hospital. This retractor is accessible to the thoracic cavity by simple skin puncture. It can hold and retract the lung freely like forceps. We made a 2 cm incision and inserted a 5 mm thoracoscope. We held the affected lung by the retractor and performed wedge resection by endoscopic staplers through skin incision. The operation time was 34.8 +/- 10.9 minutes and the blood loss was trace level in all cases. The duration of chest drainage was 1.2 +/- 0.8 days and the postoperative hospital stay was 2.8 +/- 1.2 days. There was no major complications. The recurrence of pneumothorax was noted in 17 (12.4%) cases. One-port VATS for pneumothorax using Mini Loop Retractor II can be applied easily and safely to selected patients.

[Effect of lectins from Azospirillum brasilense to peroxidase and oxalate oxidase activity regulation in wheat roots].

Lectins were extracted from the surface of nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and from its mutant A. brasilense Sp7.2.3 defective in lectin activity. The ability oflectins to stimulate the rapid formation of hydrogen peroxide related to increase of oxalate oxidase and peroxidase activity in the roots of wheat seedlings has been demonstrated. The most rapid induced pathway of hydrogen peroxide formation in the roots of wheat seedlings was the oxalic acid oxidation by oxalate oxidase which is the effect oflectin in under 10 min in a concentration of 10 microg/ml. The obtained results show that lectins from Azospirillum are capable of inducing the adaptation processes in the roots of wheat seedlings.

[Stabilizing effect of Azospirillum lectins on beta-glucosidase activity].

Lectins from the surface of Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and Azospirillumn brasilense Sp7.2.3 (a mutant with impaired lectin activity) were shown to induce a stabilizing effect on the activity of almond beta-glucosidase under conditions of thermoinactivation and proteolytic enzyme treatment. Differences were revealed in the influence of lectins with various antigenic properties. Our results indicate that the effects of lectins on the catalytic activity of the enzyme are mainly associated with conformational changes in lectin molecules during mutagenesis, but not with carbohydrate specificity (general property). These data should be taken into account in evaluating the role of lectins in the formation of nitrogen-fixing associations.

[Use of probiothic subalin for correction of endogenous intoxication syndrome in children with chronic hepatitis].

The authors conducted the study on efficiency of Subalin medication for treatment children with chronic virus hepatitis. The use of improved curative complex including Subalin medication enables the regression of clinical signs of the disease, allows decreasing the signs of intoxication which alleviates the state of the children. Treatment with Subalin normalizes biochemical parameters of blood serum of the children: increase in content of whole protein, decreasing -thymol test index.

[Extracellular proteolytic enzymes of Azospirillum brasilensis strain Sp7 and regulation of their activity by a homologous lectin].

It was found that Azospirillum brasilensis strain Sp7 is able to produce extracellular proteolytic enzymes. The enzymes were active within a broad range of pH values, with two peaks of activity being located in the acid and alkaline pH areas; required calcium ions; and exhibited substrate specificity with respect to azogelatin. Zymography allowed at least four proteolytic enzymes with molecular weights of 32, 45, 52, and 174 kDa to be detected in A. brasilense Sp7 culture liquid. It was shown that the lectin from A. brasilense Sp7 can inhibit proteolytic enzymes.

[Effect of Azospirillum lectins on the Activity of Proteolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors in Wheat Seedling Roots].

The lectins of associative nitrogen-fixing strains Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and Sp245 were shown to exerte a multidirectional effect on the activity of acidic (pH 3.5), neutral (6.8), and alkaline (pH 7.8) proteinases. The lectin of the epiphytic A. brasilense Sp7 decreased proteolytic activity at all pH values, whereas the lectin of the endophytic A. brasilense Sp245 activated neutral and alkaline proteinases, while not affecting the alkaline ones. Experiments with protease inhibitors made it possible to conclude that the lectins of the studied A. brasilense strains alter the ratio between the activities of different protease types in germinating seeds. The activity of trypsin inhibitors in wheat seedling roots was found to increase in the presence of the lectins. Our results indicate a broader spectrum of effects of azospirilla lectins on the host plant organism.

Terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate in Ryukyu Islands, subtropical region of Japan.

In order to explain the distribution of natural radiation level in the Asia, in situ measurements of dose rate in air due to terrestrial gamma radiation have been conducted in a total of 21 islands that belong to Ryukyu Islands (Ryukyu Archipelago), subtropical rejoin of southwest Japan. Car-borne surveys have also been carried out in Okinawa-jima, the biggest island of the archipelago. Based on the results for these measurements, arithmetic mean, the maximum and the minimum of the dose rates at 1 m in height from the unpaved soil ground in the archipelago were estimated to be 47, 165 and 8 nGy h(-1), respectively. A comparative study of car-borne data obtained prior to and subsequent to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, as for Okinawa-jima, indicated that the nuclear accident has no impact on the environmental radiation at the present time.

[Fatty acids from the sponge Halichondria panicea from the Sea of Japan]. / Zhirnye kisloty gubki Halichondria panicea iz Iaponskogo moria.

The fatty acid (FA) composition of total lipids isolated from the marine sponge Halichondria panicea inhabiting Peter the Great Bay of Sea of Japan was studied. GC and GC-MS techniques helped identify 63 FAs, with the main attention being paid to FAs with 14-22 carbon atoms. 4, 8, 12-Trimethyl-13:0 FA was for the first time identified as the main saturated FA along with the branched FAs br-25:1, br-27:1, and br-27:2. The contents of arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and the major demospongic acids [26:3(5, 9, 19), 26:3(5, 9, 17), 27:3(5, 9, 20), and 28:3(5, 9, 21)] considerably differed from those previously found for H. panicea, which may be due to seasonal changes in the species composition of organisms consumed by the sponge.

[Modification of the mutagenicity of drugs by their immobilization. Effect of immobilization of analgin in starch in mice]. / Modifikatsiia mutagennosti lekarstvennykh preparatov putem ikh immobilizatsii. Effekt immobilizatsii anal'gina v krakhmale u myshei.

The mutagenic effect of analgin was studied in germ and somatic cells of male mice Mus musculus. It was found that injection of analgin (20 and 40 mg per mouse) significantly increased the frequency of sperm head anomalies and chromosome aberrations in bone marrow cells. Immobilization of analgin in starch led to decrease in the drug immobilization.

[Immunologic aspects of pathologic pain]. / Immunologicheskie aspekty patologicheskoi boli.

The scientific review is devoted to an analysis of neuro-immune aspects of the pathological pain and to the role of disregulation between the central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system in triggering the mechanisms of such pain. The importance of anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukins, and tumor necrosis factor) as well as of autoantibodies to neuro-mediators in the pathogenesis of different forms of hyperalgetic conditions is evaluated. New data are discussed, which are related with the possibility of modulating the antibodies to neuro-transmitters (serotonin and catecholamines) of experimental neuropathic pain syndromes.