Memory Effects and Scaling Laws in Slowly Driven Systems

This article deals with dynamical systems depending on a slowly varying parameter. We present several physical examples illustrating memory effects, such as metastability and hysteresis, which frequently appear in these systems. A mathematical theory is outlined, which allows to show existence of hysteresis cycles, and determine related scaling laws.Comment: 28 pages (AMS-LaTeX), 18 PS figure

On Es-spread effects in the ionosphere connected to earthquakes

International audienceIn the present work, phenomena in the ionosphere are studied, which are connected with earthquakes (16 events) having a depth of less than 50 km and a magnitude M larger than 4. Analysed are night-time Es-spread effects using data of the vertical sounding station Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (f=53.0°, ?=158.7°) from May 2004 until August 2004 registered every 15 min. It is found that the maximum distance of the earthquake from the sounding station, where pre-seismic phenomena are yet observable, depends on the magnitude of the earthquake. Further it is shown that 1–2 days before the earthquakes, in the pre-midnight hours, the appearance of Es-spread increases. With a probability of more than 0.95, this increase of Es-spread observations before midnight is not casual

Paucity and preferential suppression of transgenes in late replication domains of the D. melanogaster genome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Eukaryotic genomes are organized in extended domains with distinct features intimately linking genome structure, replication pattern and chromatin state. Recently we identified a set of long late replicating euchromatic regions that are underreplicated in salivary gland polytene chromosomes of <it>D. melanogaster</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we demonstrate that these underreplicated regions (URs) have a low density of <it>P</it>-<it>element </it>and <it>piggyBac </it>insertions compared to the genome average or neighboring regions. In contrast, <it>Minos</it>-based transposons show no paucity in URs but have a strong bias to testis-specific genes. We estimated the suppression level in 2,852 stocks carrying a single <it>P</it>-<it>element </it>by analysis of eye color determined by the mini-<it>white </it>marker gene and demonstrate that the proportion of suppressed transgenes in URs is more than three times higher than in the flanking regions or the genomic average. The suppressed transgenes reside in intergenic, genic or promoter regions of the annotated genes. We speculate that the low insertion frequency of <it>P-elemen</it>ts and <it>piggyBac</it>s in URs partially results from suppression of transgenes that potentially could prevent identification of transgenes due to complete suppression of the marker gene. In a similar manner, the proportion of suppressed transgenes is higher in loci replicating late or very late in Kc cells and these loci have a lower density of <it>P-elements </it>and <it>piggyBac </it>insertions. In transgenes with two marker genes suppression of mini-<it>white </it>gene in eye coincides with suppression of <it>yellow </it>gene in bristles.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that the late replication domains have a high inactivation potential apparently linked to the silenced or closed chromatin state in these regions, and that such inactivation potential is largely maintained in different tissues.</p

Pharmacological sequestration of mitochondrial calcium uptake protects against dementia and β-amyloid neurotoxicity

All forms of dementia including Alzheimer's disease are currently incurable. Mitochondrial dysfunction and calcium alterations are shown to be involved in the mechanism of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Previously we have described the ability of compound Tg-2112x to protect neurons via sequestration of mitochondrial calcium uptake and we suggest that it can also be protective against neurodegeneration and development of dementia. Using primary co-culture neurons and astrocytes we studied the effect of Tg-2112x and its derivative Tg-2113x on β-amyloid-induced changes in calcium signal, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial calcium, and cell death. We have found that both compounds had no effect on β-amyloid or acetylcholine-induced calcium changes in the cytosol although Tg2113x, but not Tg2112x reduced glutamate-induced calcium signal. Both compounds were able to reduce mitochondrial calcium uptake and protected cells against β-amyloid-induced mitochondrial depolarization and cell death. Behavioral effects of Tg-2113x on learning and memory in fear conditioning were also studied in 3 mouse models of neurodegeneration: aged (16-month-old) C57Bl/6j mice, scopolamine-induced amnesia (3-month-old mice), and 9-month-old 5xFAD mice. It was found that Tg-2113x prevented age-, scopolamine- and cerebral amyloidosis-induced decrease in fear conditioning. In addition, Tg-2113x restored fear extinction of aged mice. Thus, reduction of the mitochondrial calcium uptake protects neurons and astrocytes against β-amyloid-induced cell death and contributes to protection against dementia of different ethology. These compounds could be used as background for the developing of a novel generation of disease-modifying neuroprotective agents

On Es-spread effects in the ionosphere connected to earthquakes

International audience(Décision de la Commission du 25 juillet 2012 concernant la mesure SA.23324, Finlande Finavia, Airpro et Ryanair - Aéroport de Tampere-Pirkkala, JOUE n° L 309 du 19 nov. 2013, p. 27 ; Décision de la Commission du 3 octobre 2012 concernant l'aide d'État SA.23600, Allemagne - Financement du terminal n° 2 de l'aéroport de Munich, JOUE n° L 319 du 29 nov. 2013, p. 8

РОССИЙСКОЕ РЕСПИРАТОРНОЕ ОБЩЕСТВО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЕ КЛИНИЧЕСКИЕ РЕКОМЕНДАЦИИ ПО ДИАГНОСТИКЕ И ЛЕЧЕНИЮ БРОНХИАЛЬНОЙ АСТМЫ

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease with bronchial hyperresponsivenes causing recurrent episodes of wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness and cough which typically occur at nighttime or early in the morning. These episodes are due to generalized airway obstruction which is commonly reversible spontaneously or with treatment. Asthma is mainly diagnosed clinically and should be based on the patient's symptoms and signs, lung function testing with investigations of bronchial obstruction reversibility, allergy testing and after exclusion of other diseases. The aim of asthma therapy is achievement and maintenance of asthma control that is maximal resolution of clinical symptoms of the disease.Бронхиальная астма (БА) – хроническое воспалительное заболевание дыхательных путей с развитием бронхиальной гиперреактивности, которая обусловливает повторяющиеся эпизоды свистящих хрипов, одышки, чувства заложенности в груди и кашля, в особенности по ночам или ранним утром. Эти эпизоды связаны с распространенной обструкцией дыхательных путей, которая часто бывает обратимой спонтанно или под влиянием лечения. Диагноз БА является клиническим и устанавливается на основании жалоб и анамнеза пациента, клинико-функционального обследования с оценкой обратимости бронхиальной обструкции, специфического аллергологического обследования и при исключении других заболеваний. Целью лечения стабильной БА является достижение и поддержание контроля над симптомами БА, другими словами, максимальное устранение клинических проявлений заболевания

Protestant women in the late Soviet era: gender, authority, and dissent

At the peak of the anti-religious campaigns under Nikita Khrushchev, communist propaganda depicted women believers as either naïve dupes, tricked by the clergy, or as depraved fanatics; the Protestant “sektantka” (female sectarian) was a particularly prominent folk-devil. In fact, as this article shows, women’s position within Protestant communities was far more complex than either of these mythical figures would have one believe. The authors explore four important, but contested, female roles: women as leaders of worship, particularly in remote congregations where female believers vastly outnumbered their male counterparts; women as unofficial prophetesses, primarily within Pentecostal groups; women as mothers, replenishing congregations through high birth rates and commitment to their children’s religious upbringing; and women as political actors in the defence of religious rights. Using a wide range of sources, which include reports written by state officials, articles in the church journal, letters from church members to their ecclesiastical leaders in Moscow, samizdat texts, and oral history accounts, the authors probe women’s relationship with authority, in terms of both the authority of the (male) ministry within the church, and the authority of the Soviet state

Erratum to : Analysis of the mitochondrial maxicircle of Trypanosoma lewisi, a neglected human pathogen

BACKGROUND The haemoflagellate Trypanosoma lewisi is a kinetoplastid parasite which, as it has been recently reported to cause human disease, deserves increased attention. Characteristic features of all kinetoplastid flagellates are a uniquely structured mitochondrial DNA or kinetoplast, comprised of a network of catenated DNA circles, and RNA editing of mitochondrial transcripts. The aim of this study was to describe the kinetoplast DNA of T. lewisi. METHODS/RESULTS In this study, purified kinetoplast DNA from T. lewisi was sequenced using high-throughput sequencing in combination with sequencing of PCR amplicons. This allowed the assembly of the T. lewisi kinetoplast maxicircle DNA, which is a homologue of the mitochondrial genome in other eukaryotes. The assembly of 23,745 bp comprises the non-coding and coding regions. Comparative analysis of the maxicircle sequence of T. lewisi with Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma rangeli, Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania tarentolae revealed that it shares 78 %, 77 %, 74 % and 66 % sequence identity with these parasites, respectively. The high GC content in at least 9 maxicircle genes of T. lewisi (ATPase6; NADH dehydrogenase subunits ND3, ND7, ND8 and ND9; G-rich regions GR3 and GR4; cytochrome oxidase subunit COIII and ribosomal protein RPS12) implies that their products may be extensively edited. A detailed analysis of the non-coding region revealed that it contains numerous repeat motifs and palindromes. CONCLUSIONS We have sequenced and comprehensively annotated the kinetoplast maxicircle of T. lewisi. Our analysis reveals that T. lewisi is closely related to T. cruzi and T. brucei, and may share similar RNA editing patterns with them rather than with L. tarentolae. These findings provide novel insight into the biological features of this emerging human pathogen

Генетическая характеристика больных муковисцидозом в Российской Федерации по данным Национального регистра (2014)

The aim of this study was to investigate genetic features of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) according to the National Register findings in Russia. Methods. The study involved 2,131 CF patients living in 74 regions of Russia who were included in the National Register of CF patients in 2014. Results. Genetic testing was performed in 89% of patients. The total mutant allele frequency was 81.2%. One hundred and twenty two mutations were found which comprised 173 genotypes; «mild» mutations took 23%. The most common mutant allele frequencies in the descending order were as follows: F508del, 51.53%; СFTRdele2,3, 5.93%; E92K, 2.62%; 3849+10kbC&gt;T, 2.14%; 2184insA, 1.80%; W1282X, 1.80%; 2143delT, 1.69 %; N1303K, 1.43%; G542X, 1.16%; 1677delTA, 0.98%; L138ins, 0.95%; R334W, 0.85%; 394delTT, 0.85%; 3821delT, 0.42%; 2789+5G&gt;A, 0.37%; S466X, 0.37%; S1196X, 0.37%; 3272-16T&gt;A, 0.34%; W1282R, 0.29%; 3944delGT, 0.21%. Typical features of CFTR mutation distribution in Russian CF patients were lower frequency of mutations which are predominant worldwide, such as F508del, G542X, N1303K, and scarce G551D, 1717-1G&gt;A, 2183AA&gt;G mutations. On contrary, СFTRdele2,3, E92K, 2184insA, 2143delT, 1677delTA, L138ins mutations which are quite rare in Western Europe were encountered more often in Russia. «Mild» mutations were more common in Russian population of CF patients compared to European countries and have being increasing last years. Conclusion. Genetic features of Russian CF patients could be provided by Slavic, Turkic and Finno-Ugric genetic influence on Russian population.Генетическому разнообразию больных муковисцидозом (МВ) в России посвящены единичные работы на ограниченной выборке больных. Цель. Выявление особенностей генетического профиля больных МВ в России по данным Национального регистра (2014). Материалы и методы. Данные пациентов с МВ (n = 2 131) из 74 регионов России, включенные в Национальный регистр больных МВ (2014). Результаты. Генетическое обследование проведено у 89,0 % больных, суммарная аллельная частота выявленных мутаций составила 81,2 %. Выявлено 122 мутации, которые сформировали 173 различных генотипа, среди которых доля «мягких» генотипов составила 23,0 %. Аллельная частота самых распространенных мутаций представлена в порядке убывания: F508del – 51,53 %, СFTRdele2,3 – 5,93 %, E92K – 2,62 %, 3849+10kbC&gt;T – 2,14 %, 2184insA – 1,80 %, W1282X – 1,80 %, 2143delT – 1,69 %, N1303K – 1,43 %, G542X – 1,16 %, 1677delTA – 0,98 %, L138ins – 0,95 %, R334W – 0,85 %, 394delTT – 0,85 %, 3821delT – 0,42 %, 2789+5G&gt;A – 0,37 %, S466X – 0,37 %, S1196X – 0,37 %, 3272-16T&gt;A – 0,34 %, W1282R – 0,29 %, 3944delGT – 0,21 %. Выявлено, что особенностями распределения мутаций. CFTRсреди российских больных МВ являются меньшая частота доминирующих в мире мутаций, таких как F508del, G542X, N1303K, единичная встречаемость мутаций G551D, 1717-1G&gt;A, 2183AA&gt;G и наоборот – более высокая частота мутаций, являющихся относительно редкими в западноевропейских странах: СFTRdele2,3, E92K, 2184insA, 2143delT, 1677delTA, L138ins. Другой особенностью является более высокая встречаемость «мягких» мутаций в России по сравнению со странами Европы. Выявлено, что доля «мягких» мутаций в популяции больных МВ на протяжении последних лет увеличивается. Заключение. При формировании населения России особенности генетического профиля российских больных МВ определяются славянскими, тюркскими и финно-угорскими влияниями