Microorganisms in Superficial Deposits on the Stone Monuments in Saint Petersburg.

The composition of superficial deposits in urban environment and their importance in the development of the lithobiotic community of microorganisms has been investigated. Polyols, organic acids, mono- and disaccharides, as well as some amino acids, are the predominant low molecular weight organic components in superficial deposits, although the conditions on the stone surface are undoubtedly oligotrophic. Superficial deposits accumulate heavy metals, including Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd, in surface sediments, among which the potentially toxic elements Zn, Cu, and Pb are accumulated in rather high concentrations.

Dark host specificity in two ectoparasite taxa: repeatability, parasite traits, and environmental effects.

We applied the concept of dark diversity (species that may potentially inhabit a locality but are absent) to the host spectrum of a parasite and defined it as dark host specificity (DHS). We studied the trait-associated and geographic patterns of dark host specificity in fleas and gamasid mites parasitic on small mammals, asking the following questions: (a) Is dark host specificity repeatable across populations of the same species? (b) Is it associated with morphological and/or ecological species traits? (c) What are the factors associated with geographical variation in the DHS among populations of the same species? The DHS was repeatable within species with a large proportion of variance among samples, accounted for by differences between species. The average DHS of fleas, but not mites, was affected by parasite traits, with the DHS being higher in fleas with larger geographic ranges, higher characteristic abundance levels, and summer reproduction peaks.

Temporal variation of metacommunity structure in arthropod ectoparasites harboured by small mammals: the effects of scale and climatic fluctuations.

We applied the elements of metacommunity structure (EMS) approach and studied the temporal dynamics of metacommunity structure in arthropod ectoparasites (fleas, gamasid mites and ixodid ticks) harboured by six small mammalian hosts sampled for three decades in the same locality in Western Siberia at three hierarchical scales (inframetacommunities, component metacommunities and a compound metacommunity). All metacommunities were positively coherent. Inframetacommunity structures varied across sampling periods in all host species.

Copper oxalate formation by lichens and fungi.

The present work focuses on the revealing the patterns of copper oxalates formation under the influence of lichens and fungi by combination of the results of field studies and model experiments. These findings create the scientific basis for the potential microbial technology applications (ore enrichment, monuments conservation, environment bioremediation, etc.).

Global implication of mesoproterozoic (~ 1.4 Ga) magmatism within the Sette-Daban Range (Southeast Siberia).

Mesoproterozoic period included several global tectonic events like break-up of Nuna and formation of Rodinia. However, although Siberia is a significant piece of both supercontinents, Mesoproterozoic time is marked by quiescence of magmatic and tectonic activity in it. We report here a mafic dyke (named Gornostakh dyke) in the southeastern Siberian Craton dated at 1419 ± 32 Ma by LA-ICPMS U-Pb geochronology of apatite.

Novel Ni-Doped Bismuth-Magnesium Tantalate Pyrochlores: Structural and Electrical Properties, Thermal Expansion, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectra.

The samples of Ni-doped bismuth magnesium tantalate pyrochlores with the general formula Bi(Mg Ni )TaO ( = 0.3, 0.5, 0.

The status and trends in radioactive contamination of groundwater at a LLW-ILW storage facility site near Sosnovy Bor (Leningrad region, Russia).

The article presents results of field studies at a site of radioactive waste storage and disposal facilities (the so-called LD RosRAO site, Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad region, Russia). The objective of the study is to overview the history and occurrence of groundwater contamination to answer the question whether the radioactive plume is historical (formed due to accidents, which happened at the beginning of the operations with the radioactive waste) or the release of radioactive solutions to groundwater is still occurring. The main method used to study the evolution of radioactive contamination is to analyze long-term observations of tritium, total alpha, and total beta activities in groundwater samples.

Opine biosynthesis in naturally transgenic plants: Genes and products.

The plant pathogen Agrobacterium transfers DNA into plant cells by a specific transfer mechanism. Expression of this transferred DNA or T-DNA leads to crown gall tumors or abnormal, hairy roots and the synthesis of specific compounds, called opines. Opines are produced from common plant metabolites like sugars, amino acids and α-keto acids, which are combined into different low molecular weight structures by T-DNA-encoded opine synthase enzymes.

Ultrafast Excited-State Dynamics of CuBr Complex Studied with Sub-20 fs Resolution.

Ultrafast excited-state dynamics of CuBr complex was studied in acetonitrile and dichloromethane solutions using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy with 18 fs temporal resolution and quantum-chemical DFT calculations. Upon 640 nm excitation, the CuBr complex is promoted to the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) state, which then shortly undergoes internal conversion into the vibrationally hot ligand field (LF) excited state with time constants of 30 and 40 fs in acetonitrile and dichloromethane, respectively. The LF state nonradiatively relaxes into the ground state in 2.

Expanding the Averievite Family, ()CuO(O) ( = P, V; = K, Rb, Cs, Cu; = Cl, Br): Synthesis and Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction Study.

Averievite-type compounds with the general formula ()[CuO(O)], where = alkali metal, = halogen and = P, V, have been synthesized by crystallization from gases and structurally characterized for six different compositions: ( = Cs; = Cl; = P), ( = Cs; = Cl; = V), ( = Rb; = Cl; = P), ( = K; = Br; = P), ( = K; = Cl; = P) and ( = Cu; = Cl; = V). The crystal structures of the compounds are based upon the same structural unit, the layer consisting of a kagome lattice of Cu ions and are composed from corner-sharing (OCu) anion-centered tetrahedra. Each tetrahedron shares common corners with three neighboring tetrahedra, forming hexagonal rings, linked into the two-dimensional [OCu] sheets parallel to (001).

Thermal Expansion, XPS Spectra, and Structural and Electrical Properties of a New BiNiTaO Pyrochlore.

A phase-pure nickel bismuth tantalate with pyrochlore structure was synthesized by a solid-phase synthesis method for the first time. The crystal structure of pyrochlore (refined formula BiNiTaO, sp. gr.

Spatial and temporal variation of compositional, functional, and phylogenetic diversity in ectoparasite infracommunities harboured by small mammals.

We studied patterns of compositional, functional, and phylogenetic α- and β-diversity in flea and gamasid mite infracommunities of small Siberian mammals, taking into account host-associated (species) and environmental (biome or sampling period) factors. We asked: (a) How do these factors and their interactions affect infracommunity diversity? (b) Does infracommunity composition, in terms of species, traits, and phylogenetic lineages, deviate from random? (c) Are species, traits, and phylogenetic lineages in infracommunities clustered or overdispersed?, and (d) Do patterns of diversity differ between the three diversity facets and/or the two ectoparasite taxa? We found that the α-diversity of infracommunities was strongly affected by host species, biome, and sampling period. The highest proportion of infracommunity diversity in both taxa was associated with the interaction between either host species and biome or host species and sampling period.

Accumulation of Elements in Biodeposits on the Stone Surface in Urban Environment. Case Studies from Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The pattern of elements accumulation in biodeposits formed by living organisms and extracellular products of their metabolism (biofouling, primary soils) on different bedrocks (of the monuments of Historical necropoleis in Saint Petersburg) were studied by a complex of biological and mineralogical methods (optical microscopy, SEM, EDX, XRD, ICP MS, XRFS). The content of 46 elements in biodeposits with various communities of microorganisms is determined. The model recreating the picture of the input and selective accumulation of elements in biodeposits on the stone surface in outdoor conditions is assumed.

The first bismuth borate oxyiodide, BiBOI: commensurate or incommensurate?

The first bismuth borate oxyiodide, BiBOI, has been prepared by solid-state reaction in evacuated silica ampoules. Its crystal structure [space group Immm(00γ)000] comprises litharge-related layers of edge-sharing OBi tetrahedra; the interlayer space is filled by I and [BO] anions. The wavevector, q = 0.

Understanding complex dynamics of behavioral, neurochemical and transcriptomic changes induced by prolonged chronic unpredictable stress in zebrafish.

Stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders are widespread, debilitating and often treatment-resistant illnesses that represent an urgent unmet biomedical problem. Animal models of these disorders are widely used to study stress pathogenesis. A more recent and historically less utilized model organism, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), is a valuable tool in stress neuroscience research.

Polyoxometalate clusters in minerals: review and complexity analysis.

Most research on polyoxometalates (POMs) has been devoted to synthetic compounds. However, recent mineralogical discoveries of POMs in mineral structures demonstrate their importance in geochemical systems. In total, 15 different types of POM nanoscale-size clusters in minerals are described herein, which occur in 42 different mineral species.

High-temperature Fe oxidation coupled with redistribution of framework cations in lobanovite, KNa(FeMgNa)Ti(SiO)O(OH) - the first titanosilicate case.

The high-temperature (HT) behaviour of lobanovite, KNa(FeMgNa)Ti(SiO)O(OH), was studied using in situ powder X-ray diffraction in the temperature range 25-1000°C and ex situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction of 17 crystals quenched from different temperatures. HT iron oxidation associated with dehydroxylation starts at 450°C, similar to other ferrous-hydroxy-rich heterophyllosilicates such as astrophyllite and bafertisite. A prominent feature of lobanovite HT crystal chemistry is the redistribution of Fe and Mg+Mn cations over the M(2), M(3), M(4) sites of the octahedral (O) layer that accompanies iron oxidation and dehydroxylation.

Implementing Office-Based Opioid Treatment Models in Primary Care.

Background: Primary care practices are ideal sites for integrating medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder, but little is known about how practices have achieved this. Our study aimed to describe the implementation experiences and treatment models of practices implementing MAT.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis of MAT integration at 26 practices across Virginia after the state implemented the Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) benefit in 2017.

Structure-Based Macrocyclization of Substrate Analogue NS2B-NS3 Protease Inhibitors of Zika, West Nile and Dengue viruses.

A series of cyclic active-site-directed inhibitors of the NS2B-NS3 proteases from Zika (ZIKV), West Nile (WNV), and dengue-4 (DENV4) viruses has been designed. The most potent compounds contain a reversely incorporated d-lysine residue in the P1 position. Its side chain is connected to the P2 backbone, its α-amino group is converted into a guanidine to interact with the conserved Asp129 side chain in the S1 pocket, and its C terminus is connected to the P3 residue via different linker segments.

Li(SeO)(HO)·CuCl, a salt-inclusion diselenite structurally based on tetranuclear Li complexes.

A new lithium copper diselenite chloride hydrate, LiSeO(HO)·CuCl, was prepared from aqueous solution. Its unique 2D structure can be interpreted as LiSeO(HO) layers with CuCl hosts embedded in the interlayer space, and be considered halfway between the salt-inclusion and host-guest structures. The CuOCl octahedra form chains similar to those in CuCl·2HO, yet water molecules are coordinated exclusively to Li while SeO and Cl bridge Li and Cu.

Luminescent organic dyes containing a phenanthro[9,10-D]imidazole core and [Ir(N^C)(N^N)] complexes based on the cyclometalating and diimine ligands of this type.

A family of diimine (N^N) and cyclometalating (N^C) ligands based on a phenanthro-imidazole aromatic system: 2-pyridyl-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole (N^N); 2-R-1-phenyl-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole, R = phenyl (N^C4), 3-iodophenyl (N^C5) and 4-nitrophenyl (N^C6) were prepared. It was found that N^C4 and N^C5 show π-π* fluorescence typical of aromatic systems of this sort, whereas the donor-acceptor architecture of N^C6 leads to strong emission solvatochromism and acidochromism, indicating the charge transfer character of the fluorescence observed. Six iridium(iii) complexes (1-6) [Ir(N^C#)2(N^N)]+, where # = 1-6 and N^C1 = 2-phenylpyridine, N^C2 = 2-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)pyridine, and N^C3 = methyl 2-phenylquinoline-4-carboxylate, were also synthesized and characterized.

The Fedorov-Groth law revisited: complexity analysis using mineralogical data.

The Fedorov-Groth law points out that, on average, chemical simplicity corresponds to higher symmetry, and chemically complex compounds usually have lower symmetry than chemically simple compounds. Using mineralogical data, it is demonstrated that the Fedorov-Groth law is valid and statistically meaningful, when chemical complexity is expressed as the amount of Shannon chemical information per atom and the degree of symmetry as the order of the point group of a mineral.

Patterns of zeta diversity in ectoparasite communities harboured by small mammals at three hierarchical scales: taxon-invariance and scale-dependence.

We studied compositional turnover in communities of fleas and mites harboured by small mammals using zeta diversity metric (similarity between multiple communities) and asked whether the patterns of zeta diversity decline with an increase in the number of communities differ between taxa and hierarchical scales [infracommunities (parasite assemblages on individual hosts), component communities (parasite assemblages harboured by host populations), and compound communities (all parasite species in a locality)]. The average number of shared species declined with an increasing number of communities (zeta order). It attained zero at higher orders in infracommunities of both taxa with the shape of the zeta decline being best fitted by the negative exponential function, and the retention rate curves being modal.

Tiny but Fatty: Lipids and Fatty Acids in the Daubed Shanny (), a Small Fish in Svalbard Waters.

The seasonal dynamic of lipids and their fatty acid constituents in the lipid sac and muscles of pelagic postlarval , an ecologically important fish species in the Arctic food nets, in Kongsfjord, Svalbard waters was studied. The determination of the qualitative and quantitative content of the total lipids (TLs), total phospholipids (PLs), triacylglycerols (TAGs), cholesterol (Chol), cholesterol esters (Chol esters) and wax esters was analyzed by TLC, the phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine (PC), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and sphingomyelin (SM) were determined by HPLC, and fatty acids of total lipids using GC. The lipid sac is a system of cavities filled with lipids, and it is not directly connected to organs of the digestive system.