Phylogenetic position of Ancyrocephalus (sensu lato) curtus Achmerov, 1952 (Monopisthocotylea, Dactylogyridae), a parasite of fish Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877(Gobiiformes: Odontobutidae).

The genus Ancyrocephalus sensu lato is a large assemblage of species of dactylogyrid monopisthocotyleans without clear taxonomic boundaries. Despite an urgent need for revision, only three representatives of this taxon have been molecularly characterised so far. We found specimens of Ancyrocephalus curtus, a previously non-genotyped species, in gills of Perccottus glenii caught in the River Syumnyur, Amur Basin, Russia. The aim of this study was to assess the phylogenetic position of this parasite using partial sequences of 28S rRNA gene. In the phylogenetic tree, A. curtus appeared as a sister taxon to the dactylogyrine genus Gobioecetes. The new molecular evidence supports the hypothesis about the non-monophyletic status of Ancyrocephalus sensu lato.

Helminths of three species of White Sea fishes.

Parasitic fauna of the White Sea cod, Gadus morhua marisalbi; the navaga, Eleginus nawaga; and the shorthorn sculpin, Myoxocephalus scorpius, in the White Sea was repeatedly studied, but no large-scale parasitological surveys have been made in the recent three decades. To fill this gap, we conducted a survey of the helminths of these three fish species at the White Sea Biological Station (Karelia, Russia) of the Lomonosov Moscow State University in August 2021. The navaga (50 specimens studied) was found to be infected with 13 species of helminths; the White Sea cod (50 specimens), with 12 species; and the shorthorn sculpin (21 specimens), with 13 species. Plerocercoids of Diphyllobothrium schistochilus and third-stage juveniles of Pseudoterranova bulbosa were recorded in the White Sea for the first time. The helminth infracommunities of the navaga and the White Sea cod were closer in structure to each other than to those of the shorthorn sculpin. In general, the levels of helminth infection of the White Sea cod, the navaga, and shorthorn sculpin have been consistently high over 85 years of observations in the White Sea, but long-term trends in the abundance of some helminth species were multidirectional.

Modelling of hemodynamics in bifurcation lesions of coronary arteries before and after myocardial revascularization.

Modelling of patient-specific hemodynamics for a clinical case of severe coronary artery disease with the bifurcation stenosis was carried out with allowance for standard angiographic data obtained before and after successfully performed myocardial revascularization by stenting of two arteries. Based on a non-Newtonian fluid model and an original algorithm for fluid dynamics computation operated with a limited amount of initial data, key characteristics of blood flow were determined to analyse the features of coronary disease and the consequences of its treatment. The results of hemodynamic modelling near bifurcation sites are presented with an emphasis on physical, physiological and clinical phenomena to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach. The main limitations and ways to minimize them are the subjects of discussion as well. This article is part of the theme issue 'Transport phenomena in complex systems (part 2)'.

Associations of prepubertal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations with pubertal onset among a longitudinal cohort of boys.

BACKGROUND: Although phthalate exposures have been associated with adverse effects on male reproductive health, few studies have explored longitudinal associations with male pubertal development. OBJECTIVES: We examined the association of prepubertal urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites with age at pubertal onset in a prospective cohort of Russian boys. METHODS: At enrollment at ages 8-9 years, medical history, dietary, and demographic information was collected. At entry and annually, physical examinations and pubertal staging [Genitalia (G), Pubarche (P), and testicular volume (TV, in ml)] were conducted and spot urines were collected. Prepubertal urine samples (defined as either TV = 1, 2 and G = 1, 2 or TV = 3 and G = 1) were pooled for each boy and phthalate metabolite concentrations were quantified using isotope dilution LC-MS/MS at Moscow State University. We measured 15 metabolites including those from anti-androgenic parent phthalates (AAPs) such as di (2-ethylhexyl) (DEHP) and di-isononyl (DiNP) phthalates as well as monobenzyl (MBzP), mono-n-butyl (MnBP), and mono-isobutyl (MiBP) metabolites. We calculated the molar sums of DEHP (∑DEHP), DiNP (∑DiNP), and AAP (∑AAP) metabolites. Separate interval-censored models were used to assess associations of quartiles of prepubertal phthalate metabolites with each pubertal onset indicator, G2+, P2+ and TV > 3 mL, adjusted for covariates and urine specific gravity. RESULTS: 304 boys had 752 prepubertal urine samples (median 2, range: 1-6) for pooling. In adjusted models, higher urinary AAPs were consistently associated with later pubertal onset (P2) with mean shifts ranging from 8.4 to 14.2 months for the highest versus lowest quartiles. Significantly later onset for G2 and TV > 3 mL was observed for higher versus lower quartiles of MiBP, MBzP, ∑DEHP and ∑DiNP. CONCLUSIONS: On average, boys with higher concentrations of prepubertal urinary AAPs had later pubertal onset by six months to over a year. The impact of AAPs on timing of male puberty may be attributable to disruption of androgen-dependent biological pathways.

Is Gymnophallus Odhner, 1900 (Trematoda: Gymnophallidae) polyphyletic? A new hypothesis based on phylogenetic position of Gymnophallus deliciosus (Olsson, 1893).

Gymnophallus deliciosus is a type species of the genus Gymnophallus. We collected this trematode species from gallbladder of Larus argentatus caught in the White Sea (Kandalaksha Bay, Chupa Inlet) and obtained the sequences of its nuclear 18S and 28S rDNA genes. Our recently obtained phylogenetic data support a sister group relationship of this species with G. choledochus. However, other species of the genus Gymnophallus-G. australis (KM246854) and G. minutus (KM268111)-do not branch with the group G. choledochus + G. deliciosus or with each other. Our study revealed that the genus Gynmnophallus is probably a polyphyletic taxon, and the genus affiliation of its representatives should be re-examined in future.

New record of Tylodelphys metacercariae (Diplostomidae) from Perccottus glenii (Odontobutidae) and their phylogenetic assessment.

Metacercariae of Tylodelphys sp. were found in the abdominal cavity of the Chinese sleeper (Perccottus glenii) collected in Liaoning Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The sequences of the mitochondrial cox1 gene and ribosomal ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 region were obtained and used for molecular identification and phylogenetic assessment of this parasite species. Results of phylogenetic analyses based on ITS and cox1 markers showed that the metacercariae of Tylodelphys sp. ex P. glenii from China were conspecific with specimens of Tylodelphys sp. collected by Sokolov et al. (2013) from the same fish-host species captured earlier in West Siberia, Russia. The examined Tylodelphys sp. ex. P. glenii is the only member of the genus whose metacercariae parasitise the abdominal cavity of fish in northern Eurasia. Tylodelphys sp. ex P. glenii clustered with T. darbyi, T. immer, T. podicipina, and Tylodelphys sp. of Soldánová et al., 2017 based on mitochondrial DNA markers, and with T. darbyi, T. immer, T. kuerepus, and T. schreuringi using nuclear DNA markers.

Description of a metacercaria of a zoogonid trematode Steganoderma cf. eamiqtrema Blend and Racz, 2020 (Microphalloidea: Zoogonidae), with notes on the phylogenetic position of the genus Steganoderma Stafford, 1904, and resurrection of the subfamily Lecithostaphylinae Odhner, 1911.

Metacercariae of the zoogonid trematode Steganoderma cf. eamiqtrema ex crab Chionoecetes bairdi caught in the Sea of Okhotsk were described using morphological and molecular-genetic (ITS2 region, 28S rRNA and nd1 genes) data. These are the first molecular-genetic data for the genus Steganoderma. The studied trematodes differed from S. eamiqtrema in having a much larger body size. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 28S rRNA gene supported neither the current taxonomic hypothesis that Steganoderma belongs to the subfamily Lepidophyllinae nor the earlier views that the Steganodermatinae and the Lecithostaphylinae are synonymous. The topology of the phylogenetic tree shows that the Steganodermatinae and the Lecithostaphylinae are independent subfamilies. However, morphological differences between them are obscure. Until morphological evidence for the Steganodermatinae is found, we propose to distinguish the subfamily Lepidophyllinae sensu stricto with the genera Lepidophyllus and Urinatrema, and the subfamily Lecithostaphylinae sensu lato uniting all the other former lepidophyllines. Thus, for now, we propose to consider the Steganodermatinae as a conditional synonym for Lecithostaphylinae sensu lato.

Oribatid mites (Acariformes, Sarcoptiformes: Oribatida) in the gills of Salmo spp. (Actinopterygii: Salmonidae) parr - Short communication.

Live oribatid mites of the family Malaconothridae were found on Salmo spp. parr caught in the rivers of Northwest Russia. The mites were localised in the gill filaments and enclosed in connective tissue capsules. The encapsulation was accompanied by hyperplasia and displacement of the respiratory epithelium. One mite specimen was an adult female, while all the other specimens were protonymphs. The adult female and one protonymph specimen were identified as Tyrphonothrus sp. Other protonymphs could be identified only at the family level. The obtained partial 18S rDNA sequence of one protonymph was 100% identical to that of Tyrphonothrus maior (NCBI accession No. KY922215). This is the first report of living malaconothrid mites encapsulated in fish gills, and the phenomenon may assume parasitic behaviour. However, the nature of the relationship between the mites and the fish requires further investigations.

Genetic diversity of Loma acerinae (Microsporidia: Glugeida) from different fish hosts and localities - Short communication.

Loma acerinae is a xenoma-forming fish microsporidium described from common ruffe Gymnocephalus cernua (Perciformes: Percidae) and also found in Ponto-Caspian gobies (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae). This casts doubt on the strict host specificity of this parasite. The largest subunit RNA polymerase II (rpb1) was used as a genetic marker of the parasite isolated from six host species of Perciformes (G. cernua from the Baltic Sea), Atheriniformes (Atherina boyeri from the Azov Sea) and Gobiiformes (Neogobius spp. and Zosterisessor ophiocephalus from the Black Sea and Ponticola kessleri from the Caspian Sea basin). Two major rpb1 haplogroups were found with 98.5% identity between the groups. Notably, Haplogroup I was associated with Neogobius spp. samples (n = 6) only, whereas Haplogroup II included the samples from other host species (n = 7). These findings confirm the broad distribution and host range of L. acerinae, but also indicate that certain patterns of host-driven intraspecific polymorphism may exist. Furthermore, the study revealed low similarity between the ribosomal RNA gene sequences of L. acerinae and the type species, Loma morhua (as well as other species of the genus). This suggests loose genetic association within the genus, and may raise the need for the taxonomic revision of L. acerinae.

Phylogenetic position of deep-sea opecoelid digenean Tellervotrema beringi (Mamaev, 1965) (Trematoda: Opecoelidae) based on novel genetic data.

Adult opecoelid digeneans consistent with Tellervotrema beringi (Mamaev, 1965) were found in the intestine of the deep-water fish Antimora microlepis Bean collected off the northern Kuril Islands (Russia). Earlier, T. beringi was recorded only in macrourid fish. This is the first record of a species of Tellervotrema Gibson & Bray, 1982 from fishes of the family Moridae (Gadiformes). A partial 28S rRNA gene sequence was obtained for this species and was compared with the available sequences on GenBank from other opecoelids. The phylogenetic analysis did not support the current taxonomic hypothesis that the genus Tellervotrema belongs to the subfamily Podocotylinae Dollfus, 1959. Our results demonstrated that species of this genus formed a clade with those of the genera Mesobathylebouria Martin, Huston, Cutmore & Cribb, 2019 and Abyssopedunculus Martin, Huston, Cutmore & Cribb, 2019. The morphological synapomorphies of the Tellervotrema + (Mesobathylebouria + Abyssopedunculus) clade are currently unclear, and this group does not have an adequate subfamilial classification.

Amended diagnosis, validity and relationships of the genus Acrolichanus Ward, 1917 (Digenea: Allocreadiidae) based on the 28S rRNA gene, and observations on its lineage diversity.

Adult specimens of the allocreadiid trematode Acrolichanus auriculatus (Wedl, 1858) were collected from Acipenser schrenckii Brandt from the River Amur and Amur Estuary, Acipenser ruthenus L. from the Rivers Irtysh and Oka (Asian and European parts of Russia, respectively), and Acipenser fulvescens Rafinesque from Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA, and used for phylogenetic analyses based on 28S rDNA sequence data. The results supported the monophyly of Acrolichanus populations from both continents and a clear separation of A. auriculatus from other allocreadiid taxa, thus supporting the validity of the genus Acrolichanus Ward, 1917. This study formally reestablishes the genus Acrolichanus. Species of this genus differ from other allocreadiids by the following combination of morphological features: triangular mouth opening with rounded posterior corners, simple ventral, dorsolateral and dorsomedian muscular lobes on the oral sucker, stout cirrus-sac, pars prostatica with dorsal pocket, and massive cirrus with conspicuous triradiate lumen when invaginated. Specimens of the trematode from North America and the Rivers Irtysh and Oka were more closely related to each other than to the specimens from River Amur and Amur Estuary. This reflects the evolutionary divergence among sturgeons into Pacific and Atlantic clades. The phylogenetic analyses also confirmed the paraphyly of the genus Crepidostomum Braun, 1900.

Phylogenetic analysis of the superfamily Hemiuroidea (Platyhelminthes, Neodermata: Trematoda) based on partial 28S rDNA sequences.

In the present paper, the phylogenetic relationships between genera, subfamilies and families of the Hemiuroidea are explored. Twelve new sequences of 28 rDNA and data taken from GenBank (NSBI) on 43 species affiliated to 34 genera were included in the analysis. Most of the hemiuroidean trematodes form two highly supported clades (A and B), which are sister groups to each other. Hemipera manteri joined with Gonocerca spp. with moderate statistical support. This clade is basal relative to the clades A and B. Сlade A is polytomic and contains representatives of the families Accacoeliidae, Syncoeliidae, Didymozoidae, Hirudinellidae and Sclerodistomidae, and derogenid subfamilies Derogeninae and Halipeginae. At the same time, the Syncoeliidae, Hirudinellidae and Accacoeliidae form a well-supported monophyletic group. The phylogenetic relationship between Derogeninae and Halipeginae is poorly resolved. Сlade B unites the isoparorchiid, bunocotylid, lecithasterid and hemiurid trematodes. Our data re-establishes the family Bunocotylidae, which consists of two subfamilies, Opisthadeninae and Bunocotylinae, and the Machidatrema chilostoma + Hysterolecithoides frontilatus group. The Bunocotylidae is the sister group to the Hemiuridae + Lecithasteridae group and the Isoparorchiidae is a basal relative to the representatives of these three hemiuroid families.

Ferrogels Ultrasonography for Biomedical Applications.

Ferrogels (FG) are magnetic composites that are widely used in the area of biomedical engineering and biosensing. In this work, ferrogels with different concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized by the radical polymerization of acrylamide in stabilized aqueous ferrofluid. FG samples were prepared in various shapes that are suitable for different characterization techniques. Thin cylindrical samples were used to simulate the case of targeted drug delivery test through blood vessels. Samples of larger size that were in the shape of cylindrical plates were used for the evaluation of the FG applicability as substitutes for damaged structures, such as bone or cartilage tissues. Regardless of the shape of the samples and the conditions of their location, the boundaries of FG were confidently visualized over the entire range of concentrations of MNPs while using medical ultrasound. The amplitude of the reflected echo signal was higher for the higher concentration of MNPs in the gel. This result was not related to the influence of the MNPs on the intensity of the reflected echo signal directly, since the wavelength of the ultrasonic effect used is much larger than the particle size. Qualitative theoretical model for the understanding of the experimental results was proposed while taking into account the concept that at the acoustic oscillations of the hydrogel, the macromolecular net, and water in the gel porous structure experience the viscous Stocks-like interaction.

Nephrocystidium pickii Weissenberg, 1921 belongs to Myxozoa (Cnidaria) but is not conspecific with Myxidium lieberkuehni Bütschli, 1882 (Myxozoa: Bivalvulida: Variisporina: Myxidiidae): molecular-genetic evidence.

We isolated and re-investigated Nephrocystidium pickii Weißenberg, 1921 (Myxozoa: Bivalvulida: Variisporina) using light microscopy and phylogenetic analysis of the small-subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene. This species is a parasite of the northern pike Esox lucius L. (Actinopterygii: Esocidae) which localizes in the endothelial cells of the glomerular capillary. The results of the phylogenetic analysis including this species clarify its taxonomic status and show that although it is the closest relative to Myxidium lieberkuehni Bütschli, 1882, the two organisms are not conspecific, contrary to the earlier hypotheses. The data obtained highlight the necessity of a profound taxonomic revision of the Myxozoa and the need to clarify species affiliation of extrasporogonic developmental stages of these organisms that occur in different organs of fish.

Cobalt Oxide Materials for Oxygen Evolution Catalysis via Single-Source Precursor Chemistry.

The utilization of metal alkoxides as single-source precursors for (mixed-)oxide materials offers remarkable benefits, such as the possibility to precisely control the metal ratio in the resulting material, highly homogeneous distribution of the elements in the film, and the low temperatures required for film processing. Herein we report on the isolation and characterization of the bimetallic Co-Mo alkoxide [Co3 Mo4 O10 (OCH3 )10 (dmf)4 ] (Co3 Mo4 ; dmf=N,N-dimethylformamide), which was prepared by the anion metathesis reaction of the corresponding metal chlorides. The Co-Mo alkoxide was explored as a well-defined precursor of cobalt oxide catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte MOH. The catalysts demonstrated excellent activity in the OER, manifested in low onset potentials and Tafel slopes and superb stability under the operating conditions both in alkaline and nearly neutral media. It was observed that the nature of the metal cation of the alkaline electrolyte MOH (M+ =Li+ , Na+ , K+ , Cs+ ) greatly affected the catalytic performance of the material. We propose that the positive effect of larger metal cations on the film activity in the OER could be explained by the higher hydration enthalpies of larger ions and enhanced mass transport within a larger interlayer space between the [CoO2 ]δ-∞ sheets of the in situ formed binary oxides. It may be deduced that this trend is universal and may be extended to other types of metal oxides forming layered structures during the OER.

Mechanical, Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Ferrogels with Embedded Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Obtained by Laser Target Evaporation: Focus on Multifunctional Biosensor Applications.

Hydrogels are biomimetic materials widely used in the area of biomedical engineering and biosensing. Ferrogels (FG) are magnetic composites capable of functioning as magnetic field sensitive transformers and field assisted drug deliverers. FG can be prepared by incorporating magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) into chemically crosslinked hydrogels. The properties of biomimetic ferrogels for multifunctional biosensor applications can be set up by synthesis. The properties of these biomimetic ferrogels can be thoroughly controlled in a physical experiment environment which is much less demanding than biotests. Two series of ferrogels (soft and dense) based on polyacrylamide (PAAm) with different chemical network densities were synthesized by free-radical polymerization in aqueous solution with N,N'-methylene-diacrylamide as a cross-linker and maghemite Fe2O3 MNPs fabricated by laser target evaporation as a filler. Their mechanical, electrical and magnetic properties were comparatively analyzed. We developed a giant magnetoimpedance (MI) sensor prototype with multilayered FeNi-based sensitive elements deposited onto glass or polymer substrates adapted for FG studies. The MI measurements in the initial state and in the presence of FG with different concentrations of MNPs at a frequency range of 1-300 MHz allowed a precise characterization of the stray fields of the MNPs present in the FG. We proposed an electrodynamic model to describe the MI in multilayered film with a FG layer based on the solution of linearized Maxwell equations for the electromagnetic fields coupled with the Landau-Lifshitz equation for the magnetization dynamics.

Myxidium shedkoae Sokolov, 2013 (Myxozoa: Myxidiidae), a parasite of the gallbladder of Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877 (Actinoptrygii: Odontobutidae): Supplementary data on morphology and phylogenetic position based on 18s rDNA sequence analysis.

This paper is the first report on the molecular characterisation of myxozoan parasites from the odontobutid fish Chinese (Amur) sleeper (Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877). The authors determined the partial 18S rDNA sequence of Myxidium shedkoae Sokolov, 2013 from the gallbladder of the fish. Phylogenies reconstructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analysis revealed that M. shedkoae belongs to the hepatic biliary group of myxozoans (after Kristmundsson and Freeman, 2013) as a member of the clade consisting of Zschokkella sp. KLT-2014, Myxidium truttae and Zschokkella nova. Some new morphological features of the parasite are also presented.

ZrO2 -Based Alternatives to Conventional Propane Dehydrogenation Catalysts: Active Sites, Design, and Performance.

Non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propene is an established large-scale process that, however, faces challenges, particularly in catalyst development; these are the toxicity of chromium compounds, high cost of platinum, and catalyst durability. Herein, we describe the design of unconventional catalysts based on bulk materials with a certain defect structure, for example, ZrO2 promoted with other metal oxides. Comprehensive characterization supports the hypothesis that coordinatively unsaturated Zr cations are the active sites for propane dehydrogenation. Their concentration can be adjusted by varying the kind of ZrO2 promoter and/or supporting tiny amounts of hydrogenation-active metal. Accordingly designed Cu(0.05 wt %)/ZrO2 -La2 O3 showed industrially relevant activity and durability over ca. 240 h on stream in a series of 60 dehydrogenation and oxidative regeneration cycles between 550 and 625 °C.

Efficacy of a new class III drug niferidil in cardioversion of persistent atrial fibrillation and flutter.

AIMS: To study the efficacy and safety of the new class III antiarrhythmic agent niferidil for pharmacological cardioversion in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFl). METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred thirty-four adults (aged 57.8 ± 11 years, 90 males) were included with median AF duration of 3 (1.5-6) months. All patients received a total of 10-30 µg/kg, niferidil, intravenously, in 1-3 (if needed) consecutive boluses at 15-minute intervals. Holter electrocardiogram monitoring was started before infusion and was continued for 24 hours. The criterion for an antiarrhythmic effect was sinus rhythm restoration within 24 hours of the initial bolus. Niferidil converted AF to sinus rhythm in 47.7% of cases after bolus 1, in 62% of cases after bolus 2, and in 84.6% of cases bolus 3. Niferidil induced a 100% recovery rate in patients with AFl and a 91.8% recovery rate in patients with AF of duration from 8 days to 3 months. Nonsustained torsade de pointes occurred in 1 patient (0.7%), and nonsustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia was observed in 5 patients (3.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The new intravenous class III drug niferidil demonstrated high conversion rates of 84.6% in patients with persistent AF and 100% in patients with persistent AFl. Niferidil may be used as a possible alternative to electrical cardioversion for pharmacological cardioversion of persistent AF/AFl.

Parasites of Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877 (Actinopterygii: Odontobutidae) in the native and the introduced host range: Abundance-occupancy and abundance-variance relationships.

The Chinese sleeper Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877 is an invasive fish species rapidly expanding in Siberia and Europe. Its native range encompasses the Far East region of Russia, northeastern China and northern North Korea. We studied species composition, prevalence, mean abundance and variance of mean abundance of macroparasites of the Chinese sleeper in the native and the introduced range. The species composition of the parasite component communities differed considerably in the native and the introduced range. The frequency distributions of prevalence, mean abundance and variance of mean abundance of the parasites did not demonstrate any significant differentiation between the two parts of the host range. However, an analysis of the abundance-occupancy and the abundance-variance relationships revealed that the parasite component communities in the two parts of the host range were quite distinct. In the native range, prevalence increased faster and variance increased more slowly with the increasing abundance of the parasites than in the introduced range. These features are mostly associated with considerably increased prevalence, abundance and aggregation of the host-specific cestode Nippotaenia mogurndae in recipient water bodies as compared with the native habitats.