Mass measurements near the rr-process path using the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer

The masses of 40 neutron-rich nuclides from Z = 51 to 64 were measured at an average precision of $\delta m/m= 10^{-7}$ using the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer at Argonne National Laboratory. The measurements, of fission fragments from a $^{252}$Cf spontaneous fission source in a helium gas catcher, approach the predicted path of the astrophysical $r$ process. Where overlap exists, this data set is largely consistent with previous measurements from Penning traps, storage rings, and reaction energetics, but large systematic deviations are apparent in $\beta$-endpoint measurements. Differences in mass excess from the 2003 Atomic Mass Evaluation of up to 400 keV are seen, as well as systematic disagreement with various mass models.Comment: 15 pages, 16 figures. v2 updated, published in Physical Review

Дослідження гіпоглікемічних властивостей сухого екстракту чорниці звичайної

The hypoglycemic effect and effective dose of dry extract of Vaccinium Myrtillus L. via oral glucose tolerance test on rats were presented in the paper. The most apparent hypoglycemic activity of dry extract of Vaccinium Myrtillus L. was observed in dose of 50 mg/kg. Such results can be applied in the further pharmacological studies for creating new medicine with hypoglycemic effect based on it.В статье приведены результаты исследования гипогликемического влияния и определения эффективной дозы сухого экстракта черники обыкновенной. Гипогликемическое действие изучали с помощью перорального глюкозотолерантного теста на крысах. Установлено, что после введения сухого экстракта черники обыкновенной наблюдается наиболее выраженный гипогликемический эффект в дозе 50 мг/кг. Это можно использовать в дальнейших фармакологических исследованиях с целью создания на его основании нового лекарственного средства с гипогликемическим действием.У статті наведено результати дослідження гіпоглікемічного впливу та визначення ефективної дози сухого екстракту чорниці звичайної. Гіпоглікемічну дію вивчали за допомогою перорального глюкозотолерантного тесту на щурах. Встановлено, що після введення сухого екстракту чорниці звичайної спостерігається найбільш виражений гіпоглікемічний ефект у дозі 50 мг/кг. Це можна використати в подальших фармакологічних дослідженнях для створення на його основі нового лікарського засобу з гіпоглікемічною дією

International burden of cancer deaths and years of life lost from cancer attributable to four major risk factors: a population-based study in Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and United States

Background: We provide a comprehensive view of the impact of alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, excess body weight, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection on cancer mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) in Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom (UK), and United States (US). Methods: We collected population attributable fractions of the four risk factors from global population-based studies and applied these to estimates of cancer deaths in 2020 to obtain potentially preventable cancer deaths and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Using life tables, we calculated the number and age-standardised rates of YLLs (ASYR). Findings: In Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the UK, and the US in 2020, an estimated 5.9 million (3.3 million–8.6 million) YLLs from cancer were attributable to alcohol consumption, 20.8 million (17.0 million–24.6 million) YLLs to tobacco smoking, 3.1 million (2.4 million–3.8 million) YLLs to excess body weight, and 4.0 million (3.9 million–4.2 million) YLLs to HPV infection. The ASYR from cancer due to alcohol consumption was highest in China (351.4 YLLs per 100,000 population [95% CI 194.5–519.2]) and lowest in the US (113.5 [69.6–157.1]) and India (115.4 [49.7–172.7). For tobacco smoking, China (1159.9 [950.6–1361.8]) had the highest ASYR followed by Russia (996.8 [831.0–1154.5). For excess body weight, Russia and the US had the highest ASYRs (385.1 [280.6–481.2] and 369.4 [299.6–433.6], respectively). The highest ASYR due to HPV infection was in South Africa (457.1 [453.3–462.6]). ASYRs for alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking were higher among men than women, whereas women had higher ASYRs for excess body weight and HPV infection. Interpretation: Our findings demonstrate the importance of cancer control efforts to reduce the burden of cancer death and YLLs due to modifiable cancer risk factors and promote the use of YLLs to summarise disease burden. Funding: Cancer Research UK

Wolbachia in the flesh: symbiont intensities in germ-line and somatic tissues challenge the conventional view of Wolbachia transmission routes

Symbionts can substantially affect the evolution and ecology of their hosts. The investigation of the tissue-specific distribution of symbionts (tissue tropism) can provide important insight into host-symbiont interactions. Among other things, it can help to discern the importance of specific transmission routes and potential phenotypic effects. The intracellular bacterial symbiont Wolbachia has been described as the greatest ever panzootic, due to the wide array of arthropods that it infects. Being primarily vertically transmitted, it is expected that the transmission of Wolbachia would be enhanced by focusing infection in the reproductive tissues. In social insect hosts, this tropism would logically extend to reproductive rather than sterile castes, since the latter constitute a dead-end for vertically transmission. Here, we show that Wolbachia are not focused on reproductive tissues of eusocial insects, and that non-reproductive tissues of queens and workers of the ant Acromyrmex echinatior, harbour substantial infections. In particular, the comparatively high intensities of Wolbachia in the haemolymph, fat body, and faeces, suggest potential for horizontal transmission via parasitoids and the faecal-oral route, or a role for Wolbachia modulating the immune response of this host. It may be that somatic tissues and castes are not the evolutionary dead-end for Wolbachia that is commonly thought

Differential Protein Expression in Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Larvae: Underlying Caste Differentiation

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) exhibits divisions in both morphology and reproduction. The queen is larger in size and fully developed sexually, while the worker bees are smaller in size and nearly infertile. To better understand the specific time and underlying molecular mechanisms of caste differentiation, the proteomic profiles of larvae intended to grow into queen and worker castes were compared at 72 and 120 hours using two dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), network, enrichment and quantitative PCR analysis. There were significant differences in protein expression between the two larvae castes at 72 and 120 hours, suggesting the queen and the worker larvae have already decided their fate before 72 hours. Specifically, at 72 hours, queen intended larvae over-expressed transketolase, aldehyde reductase, and enolase proteins which are involved in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production, imaginal disc growth factor 4 which is a developmental related protein, long-chain-fatty-acid CoA ligase and proteasome subunit alpha type 5 which metabolize fatty and amino acids, while worker intended larvae over-expressed ATP synthase beta subunit, aldehyde dehydrogenase, thioredoxin peroxidase 1 and peroxiredoxin 2540, lethal (2) 37 and 14-3-3 protein epsilon, fatty acid binding protein, and translational controlled tumor protein. This differential protein expression between the two caste intended larvae was more pronounced at 120 hours, with particular significant differences in proteins associated with carbohydrate metabolism and energy production. Functional enrichment analysis suggests that carbohydrate metabolism and energy production and anti-oxidation proteins play major roles in the formation of caste divergence. The constructed network and validated gene expression identified target proteins for further functional study. This new finding is in contrast to the existing notion that 72 hour old larvae has bipotential and can develop into either queen or worker based on epigenetics and can help us to gain new insight into the time of departure as well as caste trajectory influencing elements at the molecular level

The Transcription Factor Ultraspiracle Influences Honey Bee Social Behavior and Behavior-Related Gene Expression

Behavior is among the most dynamic animal phenotypes, modulated by a variety of internal and external stimuli. Behavioral differences are associated with large-scale changes in gene expression, but little is known about how these changes are regulated. Here we show how a transcription factor (TF), ultraspiracle (usp; the insect homolog of the Retinoid X Receptor), working in complex transcriptional networks, can regulate behavioral plasticity and associated changes in gene expression. We first show that RNAi knockdown of USP in honey bee abdominal fat bodies delayed the transition from working in the hive (primarily “nursing” brood) to foraging outside. We then demonstrate through transcriptomics experiments that USP induced many maturation-related transcriptional changes in the fat bodies by mediating transcriptional responses to juvenile hormone. These maturation-related transcriptional responses to USP occurred without changes in USP's genomic binding sites, as revealed by ChIP–chip. Instead, behaviorally related gene expression is likely determined by combinatorial interactions between USP and other TFs whose cis-regulatory motifs were enriched at USP's binding sites. Many modules of JH– and maturation-related genes were co-regulated in both the fat body and brain, predicting that usp and cofactors influence shared transcriptional networks in both of these maturation-related tissues. Our findings demonstrate how “single gene effects” on behavioral plasticity can involve complex transcriptional networks, in both brain and peripheral tissues

Основные достижения низкодозной компьютерной томографии в скрининге рака легкого

The objective of the study: to summarize current data on the use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening (LCS).Subjects and methods: Relevant articles published from 2016 to 2019 were searched for the following key words: lung cancer screening, low-dose computed tomography, ultra-low-dose computed tomography. The search was performed in the open databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, Elibrary. 23 Russian and 778 English publications were found. Among them, relevant publications with high citation indices were selected.Results. By 2019, there have been significant changes in the methodology of LDCT in LCS, and these changes can be considered as one of the priority state areas of modern health care. The article considers the main and potential additional goals of screening for lung cancer, the parameters of inclusion into lung cancer risk groups according to the data of various global studies. It describes data on the recommended maximum permissible doses of radiation exposure in different countries and the economic efficiency of screening. In addition, the technical requirements for a computed tomography scanner in LCS and methods for interpreting LDCT have been systematized.Цель исследования: обобщить актуальные данные об использовании низкодозной компьютерной томографии (НДКТ) для скрининга рака легкого (СРЛ).Материалы и методы: проведен поиск релевантных статей по ключевым словам «скрининг рака легкого», «низкодозная компьютерная томография», «ультранизкодозная компьютерная томография» по открытым базам данных PubMed, Google Scholar, Elibrary, опубликованных с 2016 по 2019 г. Найдено 23 русскоязычных и 778 англоязычных публикаций. Среди них отобраны релевантные публикации с высокими индексами цитирования.Результаты. К 2019 г. произошли значительные изменения методологии НДКТ в СРЛ, позволяющие рассматривать их как одно из приоритетных государственных направлений современного здравоохранения. Рассмотрены основные и возможные дополнительные цели СРЛ, параметры включения в группу риска рака легкого по данным разных мировых исследований. Приведены данные о рекомендуемых предельно допустимых дозах лучевой нагрузки в разных странах и об экономической эффективности скрининга. Кроме того, систематизированы технические требования к компьютерному томографу в СРЛ и методики интерпретации НДКТ

The Honey Bee Epigenomes: Differential Methylation of Brain DNA in Queens and Workers

Using genome-wide methylation profiles in honey bee queen and worker brains to understand how contrasting organismal outputs are generated from the same genotype

Diet and Cell Size Both Affect Queen-Worker Differentiation through DNA Methylation in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera, Apidae)

Young larvae of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) are totipotent; they can become either queens (reproductives) or workers (largely sterile helpers). DNA methylation has been shown to play an important role in this differentiation. In this study, we examine the contributions of diet and cell size to caste differentiation.We measured the activity and gene expression of one key enzyme involved in methylation, Dnmt3; the rates of methylation in the gene dynactin p62; as well as morphological characteristics of adult bees developed either from larvae fed with worker jelly or royal jelly; and larvae raised in either queen or worker cells. We show that both diet type and cell size contributed to the queen-worker differentiation, and that the two factors affected different methylation sites inside the same gene dynactin p62.We confirm previous findings that Dnmt3 plays a critical role in honey bee caste differentiation. Further, we show for the first time that cell size also plays a role in influencing larval development when diet is kept the same