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Methods of molecular genetic analysis are widely used to study the air microbiota. These methods make it possible to study all groups of microorganisms without the need for their cultivation. The purpose of the study was to analyze the microbiota of the poultry house air environment by the qPCR method and identify the presence of representatives of the normophlora, opportunistic and pathogenic microflora. The research plan included sampling of the air microbiota from a three-tier cage battery for poultry rearing for 42 days. The data obtained revealed an increase in the presence of microorganisms during the entire experiment, the largest number of them was detected on the 42nd day of cultivation on the lower tier. The results of the study emphasize the importance of timely detection and assessment of the microbiota of the air to prevent the spread of diseases and their impact on the health and productivity of birds.

The results of the study on speciation and mobility of uranium in the ore processing residues in the Centralny Yar tailings (CY, former uranium processing site - Pridneprovsky Chemical Plant in Ukraine) are presented. Due to poor neutralization sludge material was dumped into the tailings body in acidic state. Several incidents with breakage in the pipeline transporting complex radiochemical solutions caused radioactive material spillover onto the tailings surface. Two features of radiological concern were identified - secondary contamination of the tailings surface amid elevated gamma dose rates, and excessive migration of radionuclides of U/Th decay series in strong acidic conditions within the tailings body. The monitoring data collected during 2005-2017 showed fast migration of uranium from the tailings body into the groundwater with specific activity varied in the range from 1 to 20 Bq/L. To support this finding the experimental studies aimed to obtain physical and chemical speciation of uranium in the tailings materials in existing and simulated conditions were undertaken. This was conducted by application of modified BCR sequential extraction methods followed by assessment of uranium speciation in equilibrium conditions, using the geochemical modeling tool MEDUSA coupled with the HYDRA database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the work was to compare the taxonomic composition of the rumen procariotic community in young and adult individuals of Nenets breed reindeer (Rangifer tarandus ) from the central part of the Yamal region by using the NGS method (next generation sequencing) and compare the microbiome composition of reindeer with the microbiome of their initial vegetation food material. The obtained data showed that the dominant position in microbial communities, like that of other ruminants, was occupied by representatives of phylum Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, whose total share between observed groups did not differ significantly. The composition of the microbiome of the rumen of the investigated group of animals was completely different from the microbiome structure of the initial vegetation cover. Digestion of vegetation by reindeers resulted in complex transformation in the initial plant microbiome and an increase of biological diversity which was expressed in operational taxonomic unit (OTU) numbers increasing and changes in indexes of alpha-diversity parameters. According to the results of alpha- and beta- diversity of the rumen microbial communities, the greatest uniqueness was revealed for the microbiomes of the adults in comparison with calves and young. The presence of changes in the biodiversity indexes of the rumen microbiota in the reindeer, examined by us, confirm the opinion of the researchers that the microbial community may also reflect the physiological state of the animals. It has also been demonstrated that the presence of the phylum Verrucomicrobia, and the genera Stenotrophomonas, Pseudomonas, etc., may be specific to Nenets breed reindeer and have a pattern with their presence on various plants and lichens that are part of the reindeer diet. This is partially confirmed by data on plants microbiome taxonomy.

Results are presented of the characterization of radioactivity inventory of Zapadnoe uranium mill tailings impoundment situated at Pridneprovsky Chemical Plant (PChP; Dneprodzerginsk, Ukraine). Analyses of radioactivity data set based on analytical studies of core material from 15 characterization boreholes allowed significantly refining waste volume and radioactivity inventory estimates. Geostatistical analyses using variogram function have established that radioactivity distribution in Zapadnoe tailings is characterized by regular spatial correlation patterns. Ordinary kriging method was applied to assess distribution of radioactivity in 3D. Results of statistical analyses suggest significant redistribution of uranium in the dissolved form in the residues (presumably due to water infiltration process). The developed structural model for radioactivity distribution is used for further risk assessment analyses. Derived radioactivity correlation scales can be used for optimization of sample collection when characterizing the PChP Site and similar contaminated sites elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of long-term observations on 137Cs and 90Sr concentration in water mass of the ChNPP Cooling Pond are presented. Drastic transformation of the intrinsic trend in changes with time of averaged radionuclides content in water is clearly demonstrated alongside with the spatial heterogeneity of radioactive contamination of water body. The cycling character of seasonal changes of 137Cs activity concentration in water is being linked to hydrochemical, temperature and oxygen regimes of the Cooling Pond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with conditions for the existence of solutions of the equations considered in the whole space ℝn, n ≥ 2. The functions A i ( x, u, ξ), i = 1,..., n, A 0( x, u), and f( x) can arbitrarily grow as | x| → ∞. These functions satisfy generalized conditions of the monotone operator theory in the arguments u ∈ ℝ and ξ ∈ ℝn. We prove the existence theorem for a solution u ∈ W (ℝn) under the condition p > n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of new sources of by-pass protein in the cow diets to optimize milk production and herd reproduction performance indicators in modern economic conditions is relevant. The article presents data on the use of a protein concentrate containing plant and animal components and its effect on the quality of the milk obtained, the state of the rumen bacterial community and reproduction indicators. The use of protein concentrate of both 1.0 kg and 1.5 kg/head/day contributed to improving the quality and increasing the yield of dry matter of cow's milk by 0.17-0.43 %. During the days in milk, with the use of protein concentrate it was observed that increase the content of Selenomonas by 1.7 % and 4.1%, which cleave the urea, indicates a more efficient use of nitrogen in the diet. The inclusion of protein concentrate in the composition of daily diets helps to improve reproduction indicators, reduce the duration of the service period and the number of semen doses spent.