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Copyright of Nosileftiki is the property of Hellenic Nurses' Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The development of organic farming in Bulgaria is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Foods which works to maintain the trend of increasing the number of organic farmers, the amount of organically cultivated lands and the diversity of organically grown crops and animals. The positive effects of organic products and foods for human health, protecting the environment and preserving natural resources have been greatly popularized lately. This is also due to the fact that bigger groups and communities, both in the European Union and in Bulgaria, are interested in healthy eating and sustainable use of natural resources. This leads to the necessity of highly motivated farmers and obtaining good economic results from the introduction of organic production approaches in modern ecologically-oriented farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general patterns of the effect of cuttings on the habitat structure, abundance, territorial distribution, and specific ecological features of 11 small mammalian species are analyzed based on long-term studies (1958-2013) covering the overall area of eastern Fennoscandia. The responses to concentrated cuttings common for most of the examined species include a decrease in total population size, transition to an- arrhythmic population dynamics with drastic short-term rises and deep long depressions, formation of unstable mosaic spatial distribution, disturbances of the reproduction rates, and a decrease in reproduction intensity.

The article is devoted to hygienic monitoring ofrecreational areas of Fergana Valley. The aim is a hygienic evaluation of the Fergana Valley's (FV) mountain green areas on the basis of studies of heavy metals content in soil and indices of the anthropogenic load. The main contribution to the overall rate of chemical contamination of soils of the study areas was made by As, Zn, Cu and Ni, the average values of which exceed their respective PAC phytoaccumulation by 1.5-12 times. Out of studied 10 regions the one was classified as most permissible with the total allowable ratio of pollution in 13 relative units, the one--as dangerous (33 rel. units.) and eight regions were considered as moderately hazardous (18.2-27.2 rel. units). According to the degree of anthropogenic load seven studied FV areas were oppressed and three territories were classified as relatively prosperous.

Succession on five fallows of Tuva has been studied. It has been shown that the fallow succession proceeds regularly and synchronously. Under the arid conditions of Tuva, weeds are developed at the initial stage of the succession (0-4 years). The first intermediate stage (4-7 years) on all fallows is characterized by the absolute predominance of weeds and the appearance of dominants typical for specific steppes. At the second intermediate stage (7-11 years), the species of aboriginal steppes dominate on all fallows. At the late stage (11-17 years), terminal communities with the combinations of species typical for each steppe, including predominant species, are developed.

The occurrence of ophiostomatoid fungi, associates of xylophagous insects, was established to be an indicator of the state of coniferous plantations under different anthropogenic influences and adverse ecological conditions at the coenotic level. The sizes of necroses developed on a tree inoculated with blue-stain fungus isolates were recorded to be indicators of the state of the tree at the physiological level.

The extinction of large northern herbivores is a puzzle for many biologists. It is long debated whether climate change or human activity was the main factor of the extinction. The survival of the weak trophic competitors should reject the climatic hypothesis. Extant species of Pleistocene communities allow testing this explicitly. Up to date, reindeer and musk ox coexist in the Arctic territory. Their island populations provide a unique natural experiment to assess the role of competition. On Wrangel Island, their population sizes show the opposite trends and the same situation recurs on other Arctic islands--the reindeer population size decreases with the muskoxen population increasing. We have shown that the trends are defined by food-web structure. Niche overlap between species is found to .be considerable and cannot be facilitated by habitat partitioning. The number of plant species in the muskoxen diet was higher than in the reindeer. The exclusive part of the muskoxen diet was higher as well. Food webs in all of the habitat types showed the same relation. However, the changes in herbivores distribution during the Pleistocene demonstrate the opposite pattern. Therefore, the competitive advantage could not save the Palaearctic musk ox, and the extinction seems to be a result of selective overkill. Conclusively, the human activity may be considered as the main factor of the Late Pleistocene herbivore extinctions, and the musk ox reintroducing should be coupled with extensive conservational measures.

Landscape genomics is the modern version of landscape genetics, a discipline that arose approximately 10 years ago as a combination of population genetics, landscape ecology, and spatial statistics. It studies the effects of environmental variables on gene flow and other microevolutionary processes that determine genetic connectivity and variations in populations. In contrast to population genetics, it operates at the level of individual specimens rather than at the level of population samples. Another important difference between landscape genetics and genomics and population genetics is that, in the former, the analysis of gene flow and local adaptations takes quantitative account of landforms and features of the matrix, i.e., hostile spaces that separate species habitats. Landscape genomics is a part of population ecogenomics, which, along with community genomics, is a major part of ecological genomics. One of the principal purposes of landscape genomics is the identification and differentiation of various genome-wide and locus-specific effects. The approaches and computation tools developed for combined analysis of genomic and landscape variables make it possible to detect adaptation-related genome fragments, which facilitates the planning of conservation efforts and the prediction of species' fate in response to expected changes in the environment.

Species composition of epiphytic communities within different formations of Phú Quôc Island (Southern Vietnam) is studied. The dependence of species composition and structural complexity of epiphytic communities on formation quality is demonstrated. Representatives of different families differ notably in their sensitivity to disturbances. Most vulnerable are Orchidaceae which represent the dominant group in epiphytic community of rain forest and which drop out almost completely under anthropogenic impacts. In less disturbed forests, epiphyte species diversity increases mainly at the expense of "lower" synusias and directly depends on the formation layering. Diminishing of layering numbers leads to dropping out of species belonging to "lower" synusias. Among epiphytes, the indicators of disturbed communities can be detected, namely species of ruderal strategy (explerents). In primal rain forest, they are absent or barely noticeable. An index is proposed for estimation of epiphytic communitiy complexity.

The possibility of using modern systems of remote sensing in the optical range from high spatial resolution satellites for detection of marine mammals and traces of their activity is investigated. An image obtained by the GeoEye satellite within the FEAC project was used for the analysis. The image covers Herald Island and adjacent waters, which are a part of the Wrangel Island Reserve, during the seasonal thaw (June 2009). It is shown that marine mammals (polar bears, walruses, and whales) can be identified on such images. The absence of synchronous ground truth observations reduces the reliability of the results.

This study was carried out during the period 1989-2011. The following areas were included: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Climax tropical forest and anthropogenically transformed ecosystems, including those damaged by the chemical warfare program of the United States in Vietnam, were investigated. Some regularities in the structure dynamics and functioning of forests ecosystems under a tropical monsoon climate have been revealed. The principles of classification of tropical forests have been elaborated. The major results of investigation of the tropical monsoon forests in Vietnam are given.

A review is presented of publications dealing with analysis of species richness of island biological communities and habitat islands based on the equilibrium theory of insular biogeography by MacArthur and Wilson (1963). Principal points of the theory are considered along with its shortcomings, problems and results of its testing. Also, possibilities are appraised for using recommendations elaborated on the base of the theory in nature conservation practice. The results of island and habitat island biota studies indicate that in many cases data corroborate the equilibrium theory while in many other cases they do not. In particular, for cenoses fragmented 50-250 years ago, especially for the ones formed by long living species, there have been no conspicuous effects of species relaxation detected. At that, the theory prediction of substantial reduction in species richness of fragmented communities in the long run is hardly disputed. The results of studies conducted in the field of insular biogeography are taken as a basis for recommendations on the long-term conservation of isolated communities integrity, although mostly they are of qualitative nature.

The paper considers legislative acts for organizing human water use in the transboundary areas and for ensuring hygienic requirements for choosing water sources to the conditions of economic activity in the drainage area of boundary subjects, for organizing a monitoring of the quality of water from centralized, household, and community water sources. Prompt interaction of the water users and supervisory bodies of adjoining areas must be a mandatory element of hydroeconomic activities in the border areas. Recommendations are given to improve water sanitary legislations.

The role of ground fires in transformation of organic substances in the ground cover of larch stands in the permafrost zone of Central Siberia was studied, as was the postfire restoration dynamics of organic substances. Ground fires lead to a considerable decrease in concentrations and resources of organic carbon and its individual fractions in the ground cover, and restoration takes many decades.

To supply the population with qualitative potable water is a priority problem in the provision of sanitary-and-epidemiologic well-being and in the prevention of disease in the Vologda Region. The monitoring of the results of laboratory control over the quality of drinking-water and the assessment of health risk enabled a package of measures to be proposed to optimize the conditions of drinking water supply in the Vologda Region. The risk assessment technology used by a state agency for sanitary-and-epidemiological surveillance makes it possible to substantiate a system of actions to organize household water use and to include scientifically grounded proposals into the developed regional and local programs.

The results of comprehensive long-term investigations of therapeutic factors of Lake Tagarskoye, Krasnoyarsk krai (territory) are presented. It is shown that, in addition to favourable climatic conditions, the area of interest has a variety of therapeutic hydromineral resources the structure and quality of which are subject to marked seasonal and annual variations. The thorough analysis made it possible to elucidate dynamics of these changes and monitor qualitative characteristics of the resources; also, it promoted the search for methods of their more extensive exploitation and the development of the rationale for designation of Lake Tagarskoye and the surrounding locations as a strictly protected natural area.

The paper reports on an intensive reforestation of Pallas pine (Pinus pallasiana D. Don) in post-fire sites in the native Mountainous Crimean populations and around the previously planted seed-producing trees in ore-mining dumps of the Krivoy Rog region. Self-sown progeny growing in the dump is characterized by a better growth and comes to the reproductive development phase earlier compared to that one growing in post-fire forest. Allele variability at 20 allozyme loci is less in self-sown progeny than in the native populations whereas its heterozygosity level is similar. Genetic distance (D(N)) among self-sown progenies in post-fire sites and ore-mining dump is comparable to that of the natural populations.

Hydrolytic ability of laboratory enzyme preparations from fungus of the Penicillium genus was investigated using kraft pulp from nonbleached softwood and bleached hardwood cellulose as substrates. The enzyme preparations were shown to efficiently hydrolyze both softwood and hardwood cellulose. The yields of glucose and reducing sugars were 24-36 g/l and 27-37 g/l from 100 g/l of dry substrate in 48 h, respectively, and depended on the number of substrate grinding cycles.

Analysis of the design features of radioactive waste (RAW) storages of large-size hole type, geological and hydrogeological conditions of their location, a multi-barrier system for environmental protection, and the reliability of a computer-aided geomonitoring system allows one assess these facilities as meeting the current International Atomic Energy Agency recommendations for RAW storages.

The changes of arboreous coenoses composition resulting from natural and anthropogenic impacts are considered. The mathematical model is proposed and verified that describes arboreous cenoses transition from one succession state into another by analogy with phase transition in statistical physics. It is demonstrated that the model is concordant with the data of full-scale observations. The model allows to explain the trend of succession processes and determine the stage of forestation process at which succession transitions should be expected. The analysis of full-scale observations data by means of the proposed approach makes it possible to calculate, for given regions and forest types, the critical values of planting phytomass that, upon being attained, initiate the succession transition. Those values are important to be known for middle- and long-term forecasting of forest cover dynamics.

The objective of this study was to develop a scientifically sound basis for obtaining composite materials for sanatorium-resort therapy by combining muds of different structure and composition with mineral waters from deposits of the Altai-Sayan tourist and recreational region. Numerous experiments with muds of the desired biochemical composition and mineral waters containing various biologically active substances yielded preparations that can be used for multiple purposes, such as activation metabolism of polymer phenolic compounds, energy metabolism, and self-cleaning processes. Mud and mineral water-based composites may contain other inorganic components, besides clays, accounting for their curative properties and capable of directed action, e.g. organic selenium compounds, glycosides, phenolic and carboxylic functional groups. The proposed technique provides a solid basis for designing materials the composition of which can be optimized as required for the treatment of concrete pathologies.

The dynamics of phenolic compounds, flavonols, catechines, tannins, and soluble sugars in the leaves of the silver birch Betula pendula Roth after strong (75%) and total (100%) artificial defoliation was studied. It was shown that the flavonol content in the leaves did not change after strong and total defoliation, while the amount of tannins did not change during the first 15 days but increased later on 1 and 2 years after 75% and 100% defoliation. The catechine content did not change during the first 15 days and increased later on 1 year after strong and total defoliation; however, it returned to the level of control plants 2 years after both types of defoliations. The amount of soluble sugars in the leaves increased 2 days after 75% defoliation; however, their content conformed to that in control plants after 10 days and it persisted later 1 and 2 years after the damage. The amount of soluble sugars in the leaves also did not change 1 year after 100% defoliation.

Comparative analysis of genetic variability of three relic populations and six forest stands of different age grown in Kremenets Hills and Maloye Polesye has been carried out at 19 allozyme loci. All populations and four forest stands were characterized by a low level of heterozygosity (Ho = 0.245-0.300). In two other stands it was significantly higher (H0 = 0.245-0.300). Allelic and genotypic variability of the natural populations are reproduced in the studied stands. However, genetic distance among man-made stands and populations (D(Ncp) = 0.014) is considerably higher than that among three populations (D(Ncp) = 0.003).

Biomorphology, quantitative characters and seed germination of 17 pioneer plant species friable materials of volcanic eruptions (Kamchatka Peninsula) were studied. Adaptive trends in survival stress conditions are discussed. To evaluate a possibility of the cryogenic seed storage, their response to ultra low temperatures (-196 degrees C) was determine.

It is shown that the structure of the ground-nesting bird fauna in Transvolga steppes has changed during the 20th century. The complex of lark species characteristic of true and dry steppe has disappeared because of climate change and impact of economic activity (the establishment of windbreak and roadside forest strips), which has provided for a sharp increase in the abundance of corvid birds.

The seasonal dynamics of biomass and size structure of nanophytoplankton in the Central Murman (off the southern coast of the Barents Sea) are described according to the results of six-year continuous observations. The pattern of the annual successional cycle indicates that the nanophytoplankton community as a structural unit of coastal pelagic algocenoses represents a specific integrated ecological group of primary producers. The issue of a major contribution of nanoalgae to the total biomass and production of the autotrophic component of coastal ecosystems in Arctic seas is discussed.

The data on the cytogenetic monitoring of the Usmansky and Khrenovskoy autochthonic pine stands (Voronezh Region) allow their status to be rated satisfactory. The indices of the mitotic and nucleolar activity as well as of abnormal mitosis were within the normal variation range for Scotch pine. However, the occurrence of micronuclei (less than 1%) points to pathological processes starting in the stands, which necessitates urgent measures for the conservation of the Usmansky and Khrenovskoy Forests as valuable gene sources.

The present knowledge of flora of Siberia is quite insufficient, which is a considerable obstacle to the detection of its biodiversity for conserving the gene pool. Planning conservation measures should be focused not only on species, but also on intraspecific taxa and their phylogenetic uniqueness. In the absence of genetic data, available morphological and geographical methods should be used, so that, when it is impossible to establish the actual origin and relationship of taxa, the existing morphological diverstity is at least represented, as far as it is known to be based on genetic diversity. Phenetic maps can be of much use in the study of intraspecific morphological diversity. The estimation of geographic variability and morphological diversity, as well as the evaluation of territories, can be based on such maps. To represent adequately the biodiversity existing within poorly studied, presumably hybrid plant groups, until actual origin and relationship are known, they should probably be forcedly and provisionally considered as a special type of hybrid complexes, representing the unclear present day taxonomic situation. Such complexes could include populations and individuals with morphological characters of two or more different species, until the systematic position of such populations and individuals is further explored. Until the actual taxonomic status and relationship of the components are established, they could be regarded as subspecies permitted by the Code, or as certain recorded morphological deviations from the type, without assigning any taxonomic status to them--depending on the available data on variability and distribution. In the future, the resulting provisional information on morphological diversity would help to concentrate the efforts of biologists, in possession of the newest methods, on the most important objects, and serve as the scientific base for effective measures aimed at the conservation and management of the vast gene pool of the Siberian flora.

Recycled water can be brought up to the potable grade by adding minimal quantities of three soluble concentrates with the maximal content of inorganic salts. The authors present results of 3-year storage of potable water mineralized with makeup concentrates and analysis of potable water prepared with the use of the salt concentrates stored over this period of time. A water mineralization unit has been designed based on the principle of cyclic duty to produce physiologically healthy potable water with a preset salt content.

Long-term data on aquatic vegetation production in the mesotrophic Arakhlei Lake was comparatively analyzed. The results demonstrated that the production dynamics of aquatic vegetation communities depend on the water-level conditions of the lake. The data on the succession of dominant vegetation communities are given: Chara sp. and Ceratophyllum demersum --> C. demersum and Lemna trisulca. At the same time, the increased proportion of C. demersum and L. trisulca pointed to an increased anthropogenic stress on the lake.

A survey in the basin of the Khilok River (a right tributary of the Selenga River) in 1999-2002 allowed us to reveal and describe the consortia of cyanobacteria Stratonostoc linckia f. linckia and Stratonostoc verrucosum, green alga Cladophora aegagropila, stonewort Nitella opaca, water moss Fontinalis sp., and duckweed Lemna trisulca. The relationship between the consort organisms and edificator plants can become the limiting factor in these communities. The long-term studies of the benthic communities of the Arakhlei Lake demonstrate the significance of the consortium approach in the long-term prediction of changes in the lake ecosystem.

Classification of plant genepool collections are presented, the principal tasks worked on by collections are examined. Databases on genepool collections of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of Syberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia) and the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine are described. Principles of formation of genepool collections, their existing problems, the methods of maintenance of their viability and genetical authenticity are discussed. Necessary amount of collection accessions, differences and specificity of their reproduction and multiplication aims and tasks are proved. Gradations of the permissible changes of accessions in connection with the type and the purpose of collections are proposed. The necessity of specialized periodical edition on genepool collecting is emphasized.

The investigation of microbiological succession and changes in the enzymatic activity, temperature, pH, and phytotoxicity of lignin during its composting showed that the addition of a starter culture (a specially developed association of microorganisms) affects degradational succession in the compost pile. The process of composting can be monitored either microbiologically or biochemically, by measuring the activity of some enzymes. The compost is ready for use when the activity of oxidoreductases (particularly polyphenol oxidases) falls and the activity of invertase stabilizes at a certain level.

The authors designed a set of instructions and methodic documents and universal methodology for sanitary and hygienic follow-up in establishments running chemical weapons demolishment. Those instructions and methodology are aimed to safety of workers and general population.

The main direction in the study of human ecology in Russia today is to provide evidence for how to maintain environmental balance in the biosphere of the Earth, though the above factor also exerts a constantly growing negative impact on the health and life quality of the population. During the years of the reforms in the country, all the principal medical and demographic indices have undergone negative changes. To overcome the medicodemographic crisis should be now a priority problem to be solved in human ecology in Russia. The crisis was mainly caused by the "shock" strategy of the reforms. To eliminate the negative medicodemographic consequences, a strong working motivation should be firstly created for the population, that is to create such conditions that allow people to earn well-deserved living by honest work. All this requires the development of small business, democratization of private property forms of private property, and changes in the Government's policy concerning work payment. Medical scientists should clarify how biological mechanisms, that is negative social, economic and psychological factors, cause a drastic increase in mortality, particularly in the able-bodied population. This process is likely to involve three regulation levels; the central nervous system (dynamic stereotype break, as called by I. P. Pavlov), the neuroendocrine system (great stress, as described by G. Selye), molecular-cellular free radical processes (phenoptosis, as outlined by V. P. Skulachev). Five factors that most negatively affect human health and demographic processes were identified.

Comparative studies of the structure and diversity of model biotic communities (grass cover, soil macrofauna, xylotrophic fungi and xylophilous coleopterans) were carried out in oak forests of the core and buffer zones of the Voronezh biosphere reserve. The functional structure of the communities in the buffer zone had clearly expressed nemorose features characteristic of the broad-leaved zonal forests, while that in the core zone demonstrated more xerophilous patterns with a wide participation of meadow-steppe elements. The restricted anthropogenic activity in the buffer zone enhances the mesophytization of the oak forest habitats. Complete elimination of anthropogenic pressure in the core zone for two last decades results in the formation of a peculiar, dynamic pattern of forest ecosystems, which corresponds to the zonal climatic conditions.

Chemical weapons elimination on Russian Federation territory positions some problems that should be solved to prevent harm for public health and environment in Russia. The author specified corresponding methodic recommendations.