Fungal diversity in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves and fruits in Russia

Sequencing of cloned PCR-amplified species-specific rDNA fragments and isolation of axenic cultures from tomato fruits was carried out to study the mycobiota of tomato leaves and fruits in European part of Russia. DNA was extracted from the leaves, and library of ITS region fragments was constructed in E. coli by cloning of PCR products. This survey revealed fourteen species associated with disease-affected leaves: Septoria lycopersici, Fulvia fulva (=Cladosporium fulvum), Didymella glomerata (=Phoma glomerata), Cladosporium herbarum, Podosphaera fusca, Neocamarosporium goegapense (=Phoma betae), Rhizoctonia solani, Candida albicans, Dioszegia hungarica, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Didymella lycopersici, Alternaria infectoria, Alternaria alternata, Cryptococcus tephrensis. In the leaves from healthy plants without any visible symptoms DNA of three species was found: Aspergillus versicolor, Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans. Analysis of axenic cultures isolated from green diseased tomato fruits revealed fungal species: Alternaria alternata, Alternaria solani,Phomopsis phaseoli, Fusarium equiseti, Chaetomium cochliodes, Clonostachys sp., Irpex lacteus, Colletotrichum coccodes. This research provides new information on the mycobiota of tomato in Southern Russia, the main tomato producing region of the country

Survivin as a therapeutic target in Sonic hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is a highly malignant brain tumor that occurs primarily in children. Although surgery, radiation and high-dose chemotherapy have led to increased survival, many MB patients still die from their disease, and patients who survive suffer severe long-term side effects as a consequence of treatment. Thus, more effective and less toxic therapies for MB are critically important. Development of such therapies depends in part on identification of genes that are necessary for growth and survival of tumor cells. Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein that regulates cell cycle progression and resistance to apoptosis, is frequently expressed in human MB and when expressed at high levels predicts poor clinical outcome. Therefore, we hypothesized that Survivin may have a critical role in growth and survival of MB cells and that targeting it may enhance MB therapy. Here we show that Survivin is overexpressed in tumors from patched (Ptch) mutant mice, a model of Sonic hedgehog (SHH)-driven MB. Genetic deletion of survivin in Ptch mutant tumor cells significantly inhibits proliferation and causes cell cycle arrest. Treatment with small-molecule antagonists of Survivin impairs proliferation and survival of both murine and human MB cells. Finally, Survivin antagonists impede growth of MB cells in vivo. These studies highlight the importance of Survivin in SHH-driven MB, and suggest that it may represent a novel therapeutic target in patients with this disease

Status And Computer Simulations For The Front End Of The Proton Injector For FAIR

FAIR - the international facility for antiproton and ionresearch – located at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany is oneof the largest research projects worldwide. It will providean antiproton production rate of 7·1010 cooled pbars perhour, which is equivalent to a primary proton beamcurrent of 2·1016 protons per hour. A high intensity protonlinac (p-linac) will be built, with an operating rffrequencyof 325 MHz to accelerate a 70 mA proton beamup to 70 MeV, using conducting crossed-bar H-cavities.The repetition rate is 4 Hz with an ion beam pulse lengthof 36 μs [1]. Developed within a joint French-Germancollaboration - GSI/CEA-SACLAY/IAP – the compactproton linac will be injected by a microwave ion sourceand a low energy beam transport (LEBT). The 2.45 GHzion source allows high brightness ion beams at an energyof 95 keV and will deliver a proton beam current of 100mA at the entrance of the RFQ (Radio FrequencyQuadrupole) within an emittance of 0.3π mm mrad (rms).To check on these parameters computer simulations withTraceWin, IGUN and IBSIMU of the ion extraction andLEBT (Low Energy Beam Transport) are performed