Radiolysis of NaCl at high and low temperatures: development of size distribution of bubbles and colloids

New experimental results are presented on low temperature irradiation (18 °C) of rock-salt samples which had been exposed to initial doses up to 320 GRad at 100 °C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) shows that the latent heat of melting (LHM) of sodium colloids decreases during subsequent low-temperature irradiation, whereas the stored energy (SE) increases slowly, indicating that the process of radiolysis continues. The decrease of the LHM is due to dissolution of large colloids, because the intensities of the melting peaks decrease during the second stage irradiation at low temperature. The model is formulated to describe the nucleation kinetics and the evolution of the size distribution of chlorine precipitates and sodium colloids in NaCl under high dose irradiation. It is shown that the mechanism of dissolution of large Na colloids during low temperature irradiation can be related to melting of sodium colloids.

Genome-wide association study reveals genetic variants associated with HIV-1C infection in a Botswana study population

Although there have been many studies of gene variant association with different stages of HIV/AIDS progression in United States and European cohorts, few gene-association studies have assessed genic determinants in sub-Saharan African populations, which have the highest density of HIV infections worldwide. We carried out genome-wide association studies on 766 study participants at risk for HIV-1 subtype C (HIV-1C) infection in Botswana. Three gene associations (AP3B1, PTPRA, and NEO1) were shown to have significant association with HIV-1C acquisition. Each gene association was replicated within Botswana or in the United States–African American or United States–European American AIDS cohorts or in both. Each associated gene has a prior reported influence on HIV/AIDS pathogenesis. Thirteen previously discovered AIDS restriction genes were further replicated in the Botswana cohorts, extending our confidence in these prior AIDS restriction gene reports. This work presents an early step toward the identification of genetic variants associated with and affecting HIV acquisition or AIDS progression in the understudied HIV-1C afflicted Botswana population

Микробиологическая индикация мелиорированных торфяных почв

In the North of the Ryazan region peat, boggy soils are common, forming part of the Ryazan Meschera. Since the late 1950-s, reclamation structures were built and drainage was carried out, after which the land was used for the cultivation of crops (mainly fodder crops). In former times, the drainage systems were supervised by economic managers, but after the economic transition in the country, control and maintenance ceased due to a lack of funding. Nowadays, soil-reclamation monitoring is carried out only at the Tinki-II site, which is located near the regional centre and is part of the ecological polygon system. The authors in the article showed the quantitative change of microorganisms of different groups in the peat soils of four reclamation sites in the Ryazan Meschera. Recently, on the region’s territory, climate change (dryness and warmth) has been established. A fundamental difference between the drainage systems was the presence of bilateral regulation of the soil water regime at the first site Tinki-II: sprinkler irrigation was in operation since the middle 1980-s, and by sluicing since the 1990-s. The authors carried out the microbiological indication of peat soils according to generally accepted methods. An indication was carried out in peat soils that had acquired signs of degradation (digestion of peat, reduction of the peat soil layer, etc.). The results indicated high microbiological activity in the soil at the Tinki-II site. Thus, there were more bacteria grown on MPA (meat-peptone agar) and SAA (starch-and-ammonia agar) than other groups, hence intensive mineralization of organic nitrogen compounds takes place. The presence of fungi of the genus Penicillium in soils indicates acidification. Azotobacter was detected in the soils, indicating an intensive nitrogen fixation process. The representatives of the Polyangium genus are dominated by cellulose-destroying bacteria, which feed on dead organic matter, cellulose. The presence of the above microorganisms groups indicated favourable development of microbiocenosis in the reclaimed peat soils.На севере Рязанской области распространены торфяные болотистые почвы, входящие в Рязанскую Мещеру. С конца 1950-х гг. были построены мелиоративные сооружения и проведено осушение, после чего земли стали использоваться для возделывания сельскохозяйственных культур (в основном кормовых). В прежние времена осушительные системы были под надзором хозяйственных руководителей, но после экономических преобразований в стране контроль за их работой и уход прекратились из-за недостатка финансирования. В настоящее время проводится почвенно-мелиоративный мониторинг только на объекте Тинки-II, расположенном вблизи областного центра и входящем в систему экополигона. Показано количественное изменение микроорганизмов разных групп в торфяных почвах четырех мелиоративных объектов на территории Рязанской Мещеры. Установлено изменение климата (сухость и тепло) в последние десятилетия на территории региона. Принципиальным отличием межу осушительными системами являлось наличие двустороннего регулирования водного режима почвы на первом объекте Тинки-II: с середины 1980-х гг. действовало орошение дождевальными установками, с 1990-х гг. – шлюзованием. По общепринятым методикам была проведена микробиологическая индикация торфяных почв, приобретших признаки деградации (сработка торфа, уменьшение торфяного слоя почвы и др.). Результаты показали большую микробиологическую активность в почве на объекте Тинки-II. Так, бактерий, выросших на МПА и КАА, было больше, чем других групп, следовательно, проходит интенсивная минерализация органических соединений азота. Выявление в почвах грибов рода Penicillium говорит о их подкислении. В почвах определен Azotobacter, что указывает на интенсивное протекание процесса азотфиксации. Из целлюлозоразрушающих бактерий доминировали представители рода Polyangium, питающиеся мертвой органикой, целлюлозой. Наличие вышеперечисленных групп микроорганизмов свидетельствовал о благоприятном развитии микробиоценоза в мелиорированных торфяных почва

Genome-wide sequence analyses of ethnic populations across Russia

The Russian Federation is the largest and one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, however no centralized reference database of genetic variation exists to date. Such data are crucial for medical genetics and essential for studying population history. The Genome Russia Project aims at filling this gap by performing whole genome sequencing and analysis of peoples of the Russian Federation. Here we report the characterization of genome-wide variation of 264 healthy adults, including 60 newly sequenced samples. People of Russia carry known and novel genetic variants of adaptive, clinical and functional consequence that in many cases show allele frequency divergence from neighboring populations. Population genetics analyses revealed six phylogeographic partitions among indigenous ethnicities corresponding to their geographic locales. This study presents a characterization of population-specific genomic variation in Russia with results important for medical genetics and for understanding the dynamic population history of the world's largest country

Connecting Peptide Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties by a Rational Prediction Model

The increasing rate in antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has become an imperative health issue. Thus, pharmaceutical industries have focussed their efforts to find new potent, non-toxic compounds to treat bacterial infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates in the fight against antibiotic-resistant pathogens due to their low toxicity, broad range of activity and unspecific mechanism of action. In this context, bioinformatics' strategies can inspire the design of new peptide leads with enhanced activity. Here, we describe an artificial neural network approach, based on the AMP's physicochemical characteristics, that is able not only to identify active peptides but also to assess its antimicrobial potency. The physicochemical properties considered are directly derived from the peptide sequence and comprise a complete set of parameters that accurately describe AMPs. Most interesting, the results obtained dovetail with a model for the AMP's mechanism of action that takes into account new concepts such as peptide aggregation. Moreover, this classification system displays high accuracy and is well correlated with the experimentally reported data. All together, these results suggest that the physicochemical properties of AMPs determine its action. In addition, we conclude that sequence derived parameters are enough to characterize antimicrobial peptides

Inhibition of autophagy, lysosome and VCP function impairs stress granule assembly

Stress granules (SGs) are mRNA-protein aggregates induced during stress, which accumulate in many neurodegenerative diseases. Previously, the autophagy-lysosome pathway and valosin-containing protein (VCP), key players of the protein quality control (PQC), were shown to regulate SG degradation. This is consistent with the idea that PQC may survey and/or assist SG dynamics. However, despite these observations, it is currently unknown whether the PQC actively participates in SG assembly. Here, we describe that inhibition of autophagy, lysosomes and VCP causes defective SG formation after induction. Silencing the VCP co-factors UFD1L and PLAA, which degrade defective ribosomal products (DRIPs) and 60S ribosomes, also impaired SG assembly. Intriguingly, DRIPs and 60S, which are released from disassembling polysomes and are normally excluded from SGs, were significantly retained within SGs in cells with impaired autophagy, lysosome or VCP function. Our results suggest that deregulated autophagy, lysosomal or VCP activities, which occur in several neurodegenerative (VCP-associated) diseases, may alter SG morphology and composition

SURGICAL TACTICS FOR LARGE AND GIANT ESOPHAGEAL HIATAL HERNIA

The  OBJECTIVE  is to improve  the  results of surgical  treatment of patients with large  and  giant  EHH. MATERIAL AND METHODS.  We  present our  experience of surgical  treatment of 25  patients with large  and  giant  EHH, who  underwent laparoscopic  interventions according to  the  original  technique, which  consisted in the  method of plasty  of esophageal hiatus:   the   mesh  implant   was   installed   and   fixed  in  the   posterior  mediastinum  above  the   diaphragm.  RESULTS. Intraoperative  bleeding  was   noted   in  2  (8  %)  patients,  which  did  not  require   conversion.  In  the  near   postoperative period,   no  complications  were  noted.   In  the  long-term   periods from  1  to  5  years, there   was  no  recurrence of  EHH and  complications associated  with the  use   of mesh implant.  CONCLUSION.  Videoendosurgical  interventions  are  the operations  of  choice  in  the  treatment  of  patients  with  large  and  giant  EHH.  The  most  effective  method  of  plasty for  large  and  giant  EHH  is  the  combined plasty  of  the  esophageal hiatus   by  a  mesh implant  in  combination  with  a posterior  cruroraphy,  with  the  installation   and   fixation  of  the  mesh implant  in  the  posterior mediastinum above  the cruses of diaphragm