The effect of COVID-19 on labour migration in the CIS

This study responds to the need for measures to mitigate the effects of national actions to slow the spread of COVID-19. National responses are dynamic processes and thus an elusive, albeit important, object of study. The governments of most CIS countries acted promptly and decisively in countering the pandemic. The comprehensive measures have had a serious impact on citizens’ mobility and employment situation. Among the affected are millions of migrants working in the CIS. This article offers a comparative analysis, followed by synthesis, of the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as seen through the prism of employment and the situation of migrant workers in the CIS. Another focus is the restriction and support measures and how they have affected migrants. A range of qualitative and quantitative data was collated on the situation of migrant workers during COVID-19 restriction in the Russian Federation and across the CIS. The findings suggest that the lack of international coordination in tackling COVID-19 has complicated the situation of migrant workers, who suffer from the closure of borders and the absence of adequate social support. The article explores problems faced by migrant workers in the current crisis and proposes measures to alleviate them

Computer Analysis of Glioma Transcriptome Profiling: Alternative Splicing Events

Here we present the analysis of alternative splicing events on an example of glioblastoma cell culture samples using a set of computer tools in combination with database integration. The gene expression profiles of glioblastoma were obtained from cell culture samples of primary glioblastoma which were isolated and processed for RNA extraction. Transcriptome profiling of normal brain samples and glioblastoma were done by Illumina sequencing. The significant differentially expressed exon-level probes and their corresponding genes were identified using a combination of the splicing index method. Previous studies indicated that tumor-specific alternative splicing is important in the regulation of gene expression and corresponding protein functions during cancer development. Multiple alternative splicing transcripts have been identified as progression markers, including generalized splicing abnormalities and tumor- and stage-specific events. We used a set of computer tools which were recently applied to analysis of gene expression in laboratory animals to study differential splicing events. We found 69 transcripts that are differentially alternatively spliced. Three cancer-associated genes were considered in detail, in particular: APP (amyloid beta precursor protein), CASC4 (cancer susceptibility candidate 4) and TP53. Such alternative splicing opens new perspectives for cancer research

Genome-Wide Transcriptome Profiling Provides Insight on Cholesterol and Lithocholate Degradation Mechanisms in Nocardioides simplex VKM Ac-2033D

Steroid microbial degradation plays a significant ecological role for biomass decomposition and removal/detoxification of steroid pollutants. In this study, the initial steps of cholesterol degradation and lithocholate bioconversion by a strain with enhanced 3-ketosteroid dehydrogenase (3-KSD) activity, Nocardioides simplex VKM Ac-2033D, were studied. Biochemical, transcriptomic, and bioinformatic approaches were used. Among the intermediates of sterol sidechain oxidation cholest-5-en-26-oic acid and 3-oxo-cholesta-1,4-dien-26-oic acid were identified as those that have not been earlier reported for N. simplex and related species. The transcriptomic approach revealed candidate genes of cholesterol and lithocholic acid (LCA) catabolism by the strain. A separate set of genes combined in cluster and additional 3-ketosteroid Δ1-dehydrogenase and 3-ketosteroid 9α-hydroxylases that might be involved in LCA catabolism were predicted. Bioinformatic calculations based on transcriptomic data showed the existence of a previously unknown transcription factor, which regulates cholate catabolism gene orthologs. The results contribute to the knowledge on diversity of steroid catabolism regulation in actinobacteria and might be used at the engineering of microbial catalysts for ecological and industrial biotechnology

Visualization and Analysis of a Cardio Vascular Diseaseand MUPP1-related Biological Network combining Text Mining and Data Warehouse Approaches

Detailed investigation of socially important diseases with modern experimental methods has resulted in the generation of large volume of valuable data. However, analysis and interpretation of this data needs application of efficient computational techniques and systems biology approaches. In particular, the techniques allowing the reconstruction of associative networks of various biological objects and events can be useful. In this publication, the combination of different techniques to create such a network associated with an abstract cell environment is discussed in order to gain insights into the functional as well as spatial interrelationships. It is shown that experimentally gained knowledge enriched with data warehouse content and text mining data can be used for the reconstruction and localization of a cardiovascular disease developing network beginning with MUPP1/MPDZ (multi-PDZ domain protein)

Test Results of the CLIC Damping Wiggler Prototype

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) will require ultralow emittance electron and positron beams. Such emittance will be achieved by radiative damping in the CLIC damping rings that will be realized by a use of high-field short-period superconducting damping wigglers. In the course of the CLIC technical feasibility studies, a full-scale damping wiggler prototype was fabricated in BINP. Main parameters of the wiggler are 51 mm of period, 3 T of magnetic field, 1.8 m of magnetic length, 18 mm of the pole gap, and indirect cooling by LHe. Four cryocoolers were used in the wiggler design, which allow its ordinary operation without LHe consumption. Above the magnetic requirements, the main design challenges for this prototype are scalability, particularly of the cooling concept, modularity, and the capability of sustaining a high radiative heat load. The wiggler powering tests and performance of the cryogenic system are described in this paper

Test Results of the CLIC Damping Wiggler Prototype

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) will require ultralow emittance electron and positron beams. Such emittance will be achieved by radiative damping in the CLIC damping rings that will be realized by a use of high-field short-period superconducting damping wigglers. In the course of the CLIC technical feasibility studies, a full-scale damping wiggler prototype was fabricated in BINP. Main parameters of the wiggler are 51 mm of period, 3 T of magnetic field, 1.8 m of magnetic length, 18 mm of the pole gap, and indirect cooling by LHe. Four cryocoolers were used in the wiggler design, which allow its ordinary operation without LHe consumption. Above the magnetic requirements, the main design challenges for this prototype are scalability, particularly of the cooling concept, modularity, and the capability of sustaining a high radiative heat load. The wiggler powering tests and performance of the cryogenic system are described in this paper