Association of polymorphisms of cardiovascular system genes with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss of Kazakh populations

The interrelation of polymorphic variants of coagulationand cardiovascular system geneswas studied: MTHFR (C677T, A1298C), MTR(А2756G), MTRR (A66G), F5 (А506G), F2 (G20210А),FGB (G455A), ITGB3 (Leu33Pro), PLANH1 (5G/4G); GPIa(C807T), AGTR1 (A1166C), ACE (I/D), eNOS (Glu298Asp)with development of idiopathic form of recurrent pregnancyloss (iRPL) in ethnically homogeneous populationof the Kazakhs. The results of independent replicativeTaqMan genotyping of 302 patients with iRPL and 300women with normal reproduction did not reveal an associationof studied polymorphisms with the developmentof iRPL in the Kazakh population

The MPIfR-MeerKAT Galactic Plane Survey II. The eccentric double neutron star system PSR J1208-5936 and a neutron star merger rate update

The MMGPS-L is the most sensitive pulsar survey in the Southern Hemisphere. We present a follow-up study of one of these new discoveries, PSR J1208-5936, a 28.71-ms recycled pulsar in a double neutron star system with an orbital period of Pb=0.632 days and an eccentricity of e=0.348. Through timing of almost one year of observations, we detected the relativistic advance of periastron (0.918(1) deg/yr), resulting in a total system mass of Mt=2.586(5) Mo. We also achieved low-significance constraints on the amplitude of the Einstein delay and Shapiro delay, in turn yielding constraints on the pulsar mass (Mp=1.26(+0.13/-0.25) Mo), the companion mass (Mc=1.32(+0.25/-0.13) Mo, and the inclination angle (i=57(2) degrees). This system is highly eccentric compared to other Galactic field double neutron stars with similar periods, possibly hinting at a larger-than-usual supernova kick during the formation of the second-born neutron star. The binary will merge within 7.2(2) Gyr due to the emission of gravitational waves. With the improved sensitivity of the MMGPS-L, we updated the Milky Way neutron star merger rate to be 25(+19/-9) Myr$^{-1}$ within 90% credible intervals, which is lower than previous studies based on known Galactic binaries owing to the lack of further detections despite the highly sensitive nature of the survey. This implies a local cosmic neutron star merger rate of 293(+222/-103} Gpc/yr, consistent with LIGO and Virgo O3 observations. With this, we predict the observation of 10(+8/-4) neutron star merger events during the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA O4 run. We predict the uncertainties on the component masses and the inclination angle will be reduced to 5x10$^{-3}$ Mo and 0.4 degrees after two decades of timing, and that in at least a decade from now the detection of the shift in Pb and the sky proper motion will serve to make an independent constraint of the distance to the system

Ancient genomic time transect from the Central Asian Steppe unravels the history of the Scythians

The Scythians were a multitude of horse-warrior nomad cultures dwelling in the Eurasian steppe during the first millennium BCE. Because of the lack of first-hand written records, little is known about the origins and relations among the different cultures. To address these questions, we produced genome-wide data for 111 ancient individuals retrieved from 39 archaeological sites from the first millennia BCE and CE across the Central Asian Steppe. We uncovered major admixture events in the Late Bronze Age forming the genetic substratum for two main Iron Age gene-pools emerging around the Altai and the Urals respectively. Their demise was mirrored by new genetic turnovers, linked to the spread of the eastern nomad empires in the first centuries CE. Compared to the high genetic heterogeneity of the past, the homogenization of the present-day Kazakhs gene pool is notable, likely a result of 400 years of strict exogamous social rules.Introduction Results - The IA transition in the Kazakh Steppe - Admixture modeling of IA steppe populations - Post-IA genetic turnovers in the Kazakh Steppe - Dating ancient admixture - Present-day Kazakhs Discussion Material and methods - Radiocarbon dating - DNA extraction, library preparations, and sequencing - Modern DNA genotyping and quality controls - Ancient DNA data processing -- Raw data -- Authentication and contamination estimate -- Genotyping -- Sex determination -- Genetic relatedness estimation - Uniparental haplogroup assignment - Population structure analyses - Individual labeling and population grouping criteria - F-statistics and ancestry modeling - Admixture dating - CHROMOPAINTER and fineSTRUCTURE analyse

Mycobacterium leprae diversity and population dynamics in medieval Europe from novel ancient genomes

Hansen’s disease (leprosy), widespread in medieval Europe, is today mainly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions with around 200,000 new cases reported annually. Despite its long history and appearance in historical records, its origins and past dissemination patterns are still widely unknown. Applying ancient DNA approaches to its major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, can significantly improve our understanding of the disease’s complex history. Previous studies have identified a high genetic continuity of the pathogen over the last 1500 years and the existence of at least four M. leprae lineages in some parts of Europe since the Early Medieval period

Numerical simulation of the influence of the orifice aperture on the flow around a teeth-shaped obstacle

The sound generated during the production of the sibilant [s] results from the impact of a turbulent jet on the incisors. Several geometric characteristics of the oral tract can affect the properties of the flow-induced noise so that the characterization of the influence of different geometric parameters on the acoustic sources properties allows determining control factors of the noise production. In this study, a simplified vocal tract/teeth geometric model is used to numerically investigate the flow around a teeth-shaped obstacle placed in a channel and to analyze the influence of the aperture at the teeth on the spectral properties of the fluctuating pressure force exerted on the surface of the obstacle, which is at the origin of the dipole sound source. The results obtained for Re = 4000 suggest that the aperture of the constriction formed by the teeth modifies the characteristics of the turbulent jet downstream of the teeth. Thus, the variations of the flow due to the modification of the constriction aperture lead to variations of the spectral properties of the sound source even if the levels predicted are lower than during the production of real sibilant fricative

Transcriptional Analysis of Lactobacillus brevis to N-Butanol and Ferulic Acid Stress Responses

The presence of anti-microbial phenolic compounds, such as the model compound ferulic acid, in biomass hydrolysates pose significant challenges to the widespread use of biomass in conjunction with whole cell biocatalysis or fermentation. Currently, these inhibitory compounds must be removed through additional downstream processing or sufficiently diluted to create environments suitable for most industrially important microbial strains. Simultaneously, product toxicity must also be overcome to allow for efficient production of next generation biofuels such as n-butanol, isopropanol, and others from these low cost feedstocks.This study explores the high ferulic acid and n-butanol tolerance in Lactobacillus brevis, a lactic acid bacterium often found in fermentation processes, by global transcriptional response analysis. The transcriptional profile of L. brevis reveals that the presence of ferulic acid triggers the expression of currently uncharacterized membrane proteins, possibly in an effort to counteract ferulic acid induced changes in membrane fluidity and ion leakage. In contrast to the ferulic acid stress response, n-butanol challenges to growing cultures primarily induce genes within the fatty acid synthesis pathway and reduced the proportion of 19:1 cyclopropane fatty acid within the L. brevis membrane. Both inhibitors also triggered generalized stress responses. Separate attempts to alter flux through the Escherichia coli fatty acid synthesis by overexpressing acetyl-CoA carboxylase subunits and deleting cyclopropane fatty acid synthase (cfa) both failed to improve n-butanol tolerance in E. coli, indicating that additional components of the stress response are required to confer n-butanol resistance.Several promising routes for understanding both ferulic acid and n-butanol tolerance have been identified from L. brevis gene expression data. These insights may be used to guide further engineering of model industrial organisms to better tolerate both classes of inhibitors to enable facile production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass

Palaeogenomics of Upper Palaeolithic to Neolithic European hunter-gatherers

Modern humans have populated Europe for more than 45,000 years1,2. Our knowledge of the genetic relatedness and structure of ancient hunter-gatherers is however limited, owing to the scarceness and poor molecular preservation of human remains from that period3. Here we analyse 356 ancient hunter-gatherer genomes, including new genomic data for 116 individuals from 14 countries in western and central Eurasia, spanning between 35,000 and 5,000 years ago. We identify a genetic ancestry profile in individuals associated with Upper Palaeolithic Gravettian assemblages from western Europe that is distinct from contemporaneous groups related to this archaeological culture in central and southern Europe4, but resembles that of preceding individuals associated with the Aurignacian culture. This ancestry profile survived during the Last Glacial Maximum (25,000 to 19,000 years ago) in human populations from southwestern Europe associated with the Solutrean culture, and with the following Magdalenian culture that re-expanded northeastward after the Last Glacial Maximum. Conversely, we reveal a genetic turnover in southern Europe suggesting a local replacement of human groups around the time of the Last Glacial Maximum, accompanied by a north-to-south dispersal of populations associated with the Epigravettian culture. From at least 14,000 years ago, an ancestry related to this culture spread from the south across the rest of Europe, largely replacing the Magdalenian-associated gene pool. After a period of limited admixture that spanned the beginning of the Mesolithic, we find genetic interactions between western and eastern European hunter-gatherers, who were also characterized by marked differences in phenotypically relevant variants

Perceptions of the appropriate response to norm violation in 57 societies

Norm enforcement may be important for resolving conflicts and promoting cooperation. However, little is known about how preferred responses to norm violations vary across cultures and across domains. In a preregistered study of 57 countries (using convenience samples of 22,863 students and non-students), we measured perceptions of the appropriateness of various responses to a violation of a cooperative norm and to atypical social behaviors. Our findings highlight both cultural universals and cultural variation. We find a universal negative relation between appropriateness ratings of norm violations and appropriateness ratings of responses in the form of confrontation, social ostracism and gossip. Moreover, we find the country variation in the appropriateness of sanctions to be consistent across different norm violations but not across different sanctions. Specifically, in those countries where use of physical confrontation and social ostracism is rated as less appropriate, gossip is rated as more appropriate.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

ДИНАМИКА ФИЗИЧЕСКОЙ РАБОТОСПОСОБНОСТИ И КАЧЕСТВА ЖИЗНИ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ ПОСЛЕ ТРАНСПЛАНТАЦИИ СЕРДЦА

Aim: to estimate physical capacity and quality of life (QoL) and defi ne factors which impact on their dynamic in recipients after heart transplantation (HTx).Materials and methods. From January 2010 to September 2016 we performed 76 HTx (mean age – 45,4 ± 1,6 yrs). Physical activity (PA) was evaluated by IPAQ questionnaire, QoL – by SF-36 (6 months and 1 yr after HTx). Patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise test (Oxycon Pro, Germany) before, 6 months (n = 32) and 1 yr (n = 31) after HTx.Results. In 6 months after HTx PC improved (VO2peak – 12,6 ± 0,5 and 17,3 ± 0,6 ml/min/kg, p < 0,001). One yr after HTx physically active recipients (n = 21) showed better results (VO2peak – 18,7 ± 0,9 vs. 16,7 ± 0,4 ml/min/kg, p < 0,05). Moreover, 6 months 59,4% (n = 19) and 1 yr after HTx 77,4% (n = 24) of all patients reached normal values, 20 of them were physically active. We did not fi nd any difference in results depending on heart failure severity, duration of illness and of time spent in HT waiting list. In 6 months after HTx physical health (PH) increased (32,2 ± 1,1 vs. 48,2 ± 1,6, p < 0,001), on the other hand, results of mental health (MH) were the same and remained stable in 1 yr after HTx. In addition, QoL was higher in physically active patients than in sedentary lifestyle ones. There was correlations between PH and PA duration (r = 0,4; p < 0,05), VO2peak (r = 0,3; p < 0,05), VO2 at AT (r = 0,4; p < 0,05) and VE/VCO2 (r = –0,5; p < 0,05).Conclusion. After heart transplantation physical capacity and physical health improved but physically active recipients showed better results. Factors affecting the increase in physical capacity were improvement in the functional state of the cardiovascular system and physical activity.Цель. Оценить уровень физической работоспособности (ФР) и качества жизни (КЖ) у реципиентов после трансплантации сердца (ТС) и выявить факторы, влияющие на динамику этих показателей.Материалы и методы. С января 2010-го по сентябрь 2016 г. было обследовано 76 реципиентов до и после ТС (средний возраст – 45,4 ± 1,6 года). Физическую активность (ФА) оценивали по результатам IPAQ-анкетирования (через 6 месяцев, 1 год после ТС). Уровень ФР определяли методом кардиореспираторного тестирования (Oxycon Pro, Germany) исходно, через 6 месяцев (n = 32) и 1 год (n = 31) после ТС; в эти же сроки оценивали КЖ (опросник SF-36).Результаты. Уровень ФР через 6 месяцев после ТС улучшился (VO2peak – 12,6 ± 0,5 и 17,3 ± 0,6 мл/мин/кг, p < 0,001) по сравнению с результатами до ТС. Через 1 год после ТС у физически активных реципиентов (n = 21) уровень ФР был выше, чем у пациентов, продолжавших вести сидячий образ жизни (VO2peak – 18,7 ± 0,9 и 16,7 ± 0,4 мл/мин/кг, p < 0,05). Через 6 месяцев 59,4% (n = 19) и 1 год после ТС 77,4% (n = 24) пациентов достигли нормальных значений VO2peak, характерных для данного пола и возраста (VO2peak ≥ 84% и/или 40–60% от VO2-АП), из них 20 реципиентов были физически активными. Различий в динамике ФР в зависимости от исходной тяжести хронической сердечной недостаточности, давности заболевания, длительности пребывания в листе ожидания ТС не было выявлено. Через 6 месяцев после ТС КЖ улучшилось в сфере физического благополучия (32,2 ± 1,1 и 48,2 ± 1,6, p < 0,001), не изменилось в сфере психологического благополучия и оставалось стабильным через 1 год после ТС. При этом КЖ у физически активных пациентов было выше, чем у тех, кто вел сидячий образ жизни. Выявлены корреляционные связи между показателем физического благополучия и длительностью ФА (r = 0,4; p < 0,05), VO2peak (r = 0,3; p < 0,05), VO2-АП (r = 0,4; p < 0,05), VE/VCO2 (r = –0,5; p < 0,5).Выводы. Уровни физической работоспособности и качества жизни в сфере физического благополучия у больных после трансплантации сердца улучшились, результаты были лучше у физически активных пациентов. Факторами, влияющими на прирост физической работоспособности, были улучшение функционального состояния сердечно-сосудистой системы и физическая активность

Review on catalytic cleavage of C-C inter-unit linkages in lignin model compounds: Towards lignin depolymerisation

Lignin depolymerisation has received considerable attention recently due to the pressing need to find sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel feedstock to produce chemicals and fuels. Two types of interunit linkages (C–C and C–O linkages) link several aromatic units in the structure of lignin. Between these two inter-unit linkages, the bond energies of C–C linkages are higher than that of C–O linkages, making them harder to break. However, for an efficient lignin depolymerisation, both types of inter-unit linkages have to be broken. This is more relevant because of the fact that many delignification processes tend to result in the formation of additional C–C inter-unit bonds. Here we review the strategies reported for the cleavage of C–C inter-unit linkages in lignin model compounds and lignin. Although a number of articles are available on the cleavage of C–O inter-unit linkages, reports on the selective cleavage of C–C inter-unit linkages are relatively less. Oxidative cleavage, hydrogenolysis, two-step redox-neutral process, microwave assisted cleavage, biocatalytic and photocatalytic methods have been reported for the breaking of C–C inter-unit linkages in lignin. Here we review all these methods in detail, focused only on the breaking of C–C linkages. The objective of this review is to motivate researchers to design new strategies to break this strong C–C inter-unit bonds to valorise lignins, technical lignins in particular