Pulsar: physical generalization of the galactic time-space

The article considers a complex of geometric representations of space-time, based on general dynamic theories of celestial mechanics in close connection with pulsar astrometry as the physical basis of coordinate-time transformations within the solar system and galactic space as a whole. The pulsar time scale is considered as a certain material system with continuous and stable motion, representing a certain measurable parameter – the rotation period P, which changes as a function of the independent time variable – its derivative. The physical pulsar scale is a sequence of measured daily increments of the initial radiation period within any duration. According to observations at the BSA radio telescope (Pushchino) of the pulsar B0950+08, the time scale was determined with an initial period of P0=0.2530653211840410 s on the date MJD0 = 58971 (02.05.2020; 21h.58m.07s). A measured daily increment ΔP = 1.4441·10E-11 s corresponds to the measured value of the derivative P = 1.6759949886E-16, which is determined by the observational timing data. Measured ΔP are defined in the 25th decimal place. Up to 14-15 digits, Δ P there is a pulsar time scale with femtosecond resolution. From 15-16 to 25 digits Δ P is presumably sequential fixation of discrete states of microparticles during quantum-mechanical interactions of matter and electromagnetic radiation of a pulsar. According to our hypothesis, the diversity of the material world and physical processes occurring in celestial and quantum mechanics are finite and it can be generalized. This implies the inseparable unity of physical laws in four-dimensional space of celestial and quantum mechanics, detectable on pulsar time scales under the same conditions.

Effect The impact of salt stress on the growth and photosynthetic pigments of Vicia faba (L).

Water used for crop irrigation is often of insufficient quality in the Mediterranean region, where sea water invades the porous karst matrix and salinizes Sources of soil and water. Measuring the productivity of horticultural crops under saline conditions helps decide if and when crops should be irrigated if water is saline, thus balancing crop water and salt stress. To examine the effects of saline irrigation water on (Vicia faba L.) biomass and yield parameters, a greenhouse pot experiment was set up.NaCl salinity was applied as follows: After 15 days from irrigation, plants were subjected to graded levels of salinity: 0, 50, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl, applied in stepwise daily increments to avoid induction of salt shock to the seedlings. Height of Plant (cm), The number of lateral branches , number of( leaves, pods, seeds) per plant, shoot weight (g), is correlated with an increase in stressed plant photosynthetic pigments. five weeks after salinity therapy, the weight of the pod (g) and the weight of the seed (g) were determined. Increased irrigation water salinity statistically significantly decreased the calculated parameters (P<0.05) relative to regulation , except for the number of branches and pods. Salinity is associated with an increase in photosynthetic pigments in stressed plants. The productivity of Vicia faba has decreased in proportion to the degree of salinity of irrigation water.

Challenges to Generating Reliable COVID Statistics: Domestic and International Experience

The article discusses specifc issues of the reliability of statistics on the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and the comparability of similar statistics across different countries. All countries faced challenges, regardless of the level of well-being and social system. However, the examples outlined in the article refer mainly to large economies, each of which for at least one year from 1980 to 2019 produced more than 1% of the global GDP. The organization of the health care system in these countries is different, and only the general requirements of WHO could provide information on the spread of the pandemic in comparable formats.The authors formulated the problems of identifying those infected with Covid-19 and mortality statistics, indicating the various impact of the pandemic on deaths. It has been shown that the formal application of the WHO recommendations to the identifcation of infected persons and differences in the practical use of these recommendations in different countries can give poorly comparable results. The example of Russian statistics illustrates that it is possible to compare the operational data on the mortality of those infected with the coronavirus with the data on the total mortality in the country. Attention is drawn to the example of statistics from Germany, demonstrating the possibility of practical overlapping of the excess mortality rate and the operational data on the mortality of those infected with Covid-19.Data on daily increments of infected, dead, and recovered per million people allows one to see the nature and prevalence rate of the pandemic in different countries in a comparable format. The largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases in some countries in 2020–2021 reached 2–3 thousand per 1 million population, while in others – it was less than 30. In most countries under review, daily deaths' peaks amounted to less than 40 cases, but there were other countries for which these peaks did not exceed 10 cases or less per 1 million population.In conclusion, the report identifes six all-cause mortality factors associated with the pandemic and social distancing demands formulated by the American Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. According to the authors, it would be interesting to learn the experts' assessment of how realistic and benefcial it is to know how to keep track of these factors. It would improve the quality of international comparative analysis of socio-demographic indicators.

Growth patterns of the lanternfish Ceratoscopelus maderensis in the western Mediterranean Sea

The age and growth patterns of the mesopelagic fish Ceratoscopelus maderensis (family Myctophidae) of the western Mediterranean Sea were described throughout its entire life cycle (from larvae to adult stages) using the sagittae otoliths of 59 individuals collected in December 2009. Three characteristic zones were identified along the cross-section of the sagittae (larval, metamorphic and juvenile-adult zones). Assuming growth rings as daily increments, the age of the analysed individuals (from 3.5 to 64 mm standard length [SL]) would range from 7 to 332 days. The relationship between the number of increments and the fish SL was fitted to a von Bertalanffy growth model (SL=70.5899Å~(1–exp(–0.0501(t+2.6705))). The growth pattern of C. maderensis in the western Mediterranean Sea was similar to that reported for this species in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Though from a body size of 40-45 mm SL, growth rates declined more slowly in individuals from the western Mediterranean Sea, growth differences between these individuals and those from the northeast Atlantic Ocean were not statistically significant. This study provides new insights into the age and growth patterns of one of the most abundant mesopelagic fish species in the Mediterranean Sea that have clear implications for the study and management of marine ecosystems.

Overview of the Use of Probiotics in Poultry Production

In recent years, probiotics have become more popular in the world of dietary supplements and feed additives within the poultry industry, acting as antibiotic substitutes. Above all, probiotics are universal feed additives that can be used in conjunction with other additives to promote improved performance and health. Their positive effects can be observed directly in the gastrointestinal tract and indirectly in immunomodulation of the poultry immune system. Nutritional effects seen in flocks given probiotics include increased laying and egg quality, increased daily increments, and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR). There has also been an improvement in the quality of meat. This suggests producers can improve production results through the use of probiotics. In addition to these production effects, bird immunity is improved by allowing the organism to better protect itself against pathogens and stress. The lack of accuracy in the formulation of non-European preparations needs to be further developed due to unknown interactions between probiotic bacteria strains as well as their metabolites. The versatility of probiotics and the fact that the bacteria used in their production are an integral part of animal digestive tracts make them a safe feed additives. Despite restrictions from the European Union, probiotics have potential to improve production and health within the poultry industry and beyond. The following article will review the use of probiotics in poultry production.

The effect of the biopreparation product "Tamir" on cattle health and productivity

The article presents materials on the results of the study of the effect of the Tamir biopreparation on the growth indicators of repair heifers, the subsequent dairy productivity of cows and animal health as a result of the use of the biopreparation Tamir with a loose technology of keeping cattle on a deep litter. The work analyzed the technology of maintenance of repair heifers and cows, studied the indicators of live weight and average daily increments of repair heifers in different growing periods, studied the composition and method of preparation of the biopreparation "Tamir", the technology of biopreparation application for processing organic manure, analyzed the indicators of disposal of repair young animals and cows dairy productivity of first-calf cows for 100 days of lactation and by age categories for two years before and three years after the use of the biopreparation, studied the results of laboratory tests for compost suitability for application to the soil. The research revealed an increase in milk productivity, average daily gains of repair heifers, live weight at the first insemination, decrease in the number of retired repair heifers and cows from the main herd due to limb diseases. According to the results of the research, expert recommendations were given to the farm.

Enzyme compositions in biological processes of animals to obtain environmentally friendly products

The urgency of the investigated problem is due to the fact that enzymatic compositions in the diets of agricultural mammals contribute to better digestion of nutrients, which allows increasing the rate of inexpensive raw materials ‘rich’ in anti-nutritional factors without compromising the health and productivity of the animal. The article is aimed at researching the digestibility of nutrients and the effect of enzyme compositions on the productivity of cows, and on the analysis of changes in live weight and average daily increments, slaughter and meat qualities of experimental young fattening pigs. The leading method of study is conducting scientific, economic and physiological experiments. Studies allow revealing the effects of enzyme compositions on the gastrointestinal tract microflora, which will directly affect the digestibility of nutrients and productive qualities. The digestibility ratios of feed nutrients were greater in the animals of the experimental groups receiving the enzyme compositions. In cows, milk production increased, and milk composition improved. In the experimental groups of pigs, there was an increase in live weight and average daily growth; a high yield of meat was obtained and the best ratio of meat to fat was observed. The results can be used to study metabolic processes in animals.

A Critical Analysis of Corona Related Data: What the More Reliable Data Can Imply for Western-Europe

We present a less common type of discussion about COVID-19 data, beginning with the observation that the number of people reported deceased following COVID-19 infection is currently the most reliable dataset to be used. When the available real-life data are visualized for a number of European countries, they reveal the commonly seen exponential increase, though with different absolute rates, and over time different periods. More interesting information is obtained upon inspection of the daily increments in deaths. These curves look very similar to those for China, and seem to indicate that in European countries that have imposed more strict human–human contact measures, in particular Italy and Spain, where we have seen a decrease in daily deaths since early April, it is to be expected it will take 40–50 days from the end of March until this number has fallen to negligible levels. Taking the initial increase in the number of deaths for Germany, and combining this with typical values for the mortality reported in the literature and the published number of daily contacts for the working population, we calculated an initial increase in infections of 20 per day by a single infected person with an average human–human contact number of 22, decreasing to 5.5 after the first 10 days. The high number at the outset is likely related to outbreaks in a high local concentration of people.

Economic evaluation alongside the Speed of Increasing milk Feeds Trial (SIFT)

ObjectiveTo evaluate the cost-effectiveness of two rates of enteral feed advancement (18 vs 30 mL/kg/day) in very preterm and very low birth weight infants.DesignWithin-trial economic evaluation alongside a multicentre, two-arm parallel group, randomised controlled trial (Speed of Increasing milk Feeds Trial).Setting55 UK neonatal units from May 2013 to June 2015.PatientsInfants born <32 weeks’ gestation or <1500 g, receiving less than 30 mL/kg/day of milk at trial enrolment. Infants with a known severe congenital anomaly, no realistic chance of survival, or unlikely to be traceable for follow-up, were ineligible.InterventionsWhen clinicians were ready to start advancing feed volumes, infants were randomised to receive daily increments in feed volume of 30 mL/kg (intervention) or 18 mL/kg (control).Main outcome measureCost per additional survivor without moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disability at 24 months of age corrected for prematurity.ResultsAverage costs per infant were slightly higher for faster feeds compared with slower feeds (mean difference £267, 95% CI −6928 to 8117). Fewer infants achieved the principal outcome of survival without moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disability at 24 months in the faster feeds arm (802/1224 vs 848/1246). The stochastic cost-effectiveness analysis showed a likelihood of worse outcomes for faster feeds compared with slower feeds.ConclusionsThe stochastic cost-effectiveness analysis shows faster feeds are broadly equivalent on cost grounds. However, in terms of outcomes at 24 months age (corrected for prematurity), faster feeds are harmful. Faster feeds should not be recommended on either cost or effectiveness grounds to achieve the primary outcome.

Hibernation Records on the Incisor Surface in the Turkish Hamster (Mesocricetus brandti) (Rodentia, Cricetidae)

The teeth of an adult female of the Turkish hamster (Mesocricetus brandti) after hibernation in semi-natural conditions were examined to reveal a relationship between the hibernation pattern on the incisor surface and the data of a temperature logger. The female spent the winter in a burrow prepared by herself inside a wintering cage from October 2018 till May 2019. A temperature logger was implanted to the animal intraperitoneally to record body temperature at 20-min intervals. Regular bouts of hypothermia started in mid-October. The longevity of each hypothermia bout increased whereas the minimum body temperature decreased and reached its lowest value in March. Later, the process proceeded backwards until the end of the heterothermia period. In the apical region of the incisor, daily increments were wide and well-distinguished which indicates that they had formed before the onset of the heterothermal period. In the basal region, closer to the growth zone, the increments were narrow and distinct, and their number corresponded in general to the number of normothermia episodes bouts. At the very base of the incisor as well as at its apical part, typical daily increments were revealed again. However, no correlation between the longevity of normothermia bouts and the width of increments was found. These data varied greatly from two other hamsters. In the Ciscaucasian hamster (Mesocricetus raddei) the number and character of increments comply with the number and duration of normothermia bouts, in the Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus), the “hibernation zone” was not recorded on the incisor surface. The Turkish hamster demonstrate an intermediate pattern, which we explain by quite different hibernation conditions of these species.