Assessment of genetic diversity of some Siberian and Far Eastern species of the genus Spiraea (Rosaceae) by newly developed multiplex panels of nuclear SSR loci

Taxonomic and population genetic studies of the genus Spiraea (Rosaceae) species require new informative genetic markers. We screened 37 previously published heterologous oligonucleotide primer pairs for nuclear microsatellite loci and selected eight polymorphic and most reproducible of them for PCR multiplexing which substantially increases performance of routine mass genotyping. Three multiplex sets of 3, 3 and 2 loci, respectively, were developed and tested for ability to estimate the parameters of genetic variability and  population  structure in closely related species Spiraea ussuriensis, S. f lexuosa, S. chamaedryfolia representing seven natural populations of the Russian Far East and Siberia. Allele number ranged among loci from twelve (Spth20) to three. Among 41 alleles found, 7 were unique in some species/populations. Analysis of parameters of genetic variability in Spiraea spp. showed similar values of allele number per locus and observed heterozygosity among populations and slightly greater estimates of expected hete rozygosity in the samples of S. f lexuosa (NA = 2.387; HO = 0.387 ± ± 0.052; HE = 0.540 ± 0.055) as compared to S. ussuriensis (NA = = 2.781; HO = 0.385 ± 0.079; HE = 0.453 ± 0.072) and S. chamaedryfolia (NA = 2.875; HO = 0.331 ± 0.071; HE = 0.505 ± 0.069). The observed values of genetic polymorphism parameters indicate the average level of genetic diversity of the studied species typical to previous studies in Spiraea. About 19 % of the observed variability occurred among populations (FST = 0.191) while 81 % of the total genetic variation concentrated within the populations. The loci VS11, VS12, VS2, and VS6 contributed most to the observed differentiation. Nei genetic distances  between populations ranged from 0.049 to 0.585. Genetic differentiation patterns among studied populations based on allele frequencies of nuclear microsatellite loci correspond with their geographical location. Genetic composition of some samples contradicted with their provisional species identification

Gravitational intraction on quantum level and consequences thereof

The notion of gravitational emission as an emission of the same level with electromagnetic emission is based on the proven fact of existence of electrons stationary states in its own gravitational field, characterized by gravitational constantComment: 22 pages, 9 figure

Cyber Threats Optimization for e-government Services

A discrete model of e-government (e-gov) services, encompassing: n different components – state bodies (e.g. ministries, agencies etc., engaged after the legal basis regulations), working during m time intervals are used. One of the key measures that assure the model reliable work is the prevention from cyber attacks that will block the available e-gov services. In order to achieve business continuity of these services, a certain amount of funding has to be invested. The correct spending of these funds will assure external interventions block or repairing after passed cyber attacks

The Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo) population genetic structure in Russia

The Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo Linneaus, 1758) is a widespread crane species of Eurasia distributed in the steppe and semi-desert zones from southeast Ukraine eastward to Northern China. The Demoiselle crane uses two wintering grounds in Africa and India corresponding to the European and Asian breeding parts of the range subdivided into several spatially separated breeding flocks. The first estimates of the genetic diversity and differentiation have been obtained from five of them: 1) Azov & Black Sea, 2) Caspian, 3) Volga & Ural, 4) South Siberian and 5) Eastern Asian sampled across the total breeding range in Russia using data from 10 microsatellite loci and the 1 003-bp control region of mitochondrial DNA. In total, the Demoiselle crane demonstrates high level of observed (HO = 0.638 ± 0.032) and expected (HE = 0.657 ± 0.023) hete-rozygosity and haplotype diversity (h = 0.960). Genetic dif­ferentiation among populations has shown to be weak for both the microsatellite loci (Wright’s FST = 0.052 or AMOVA estimate 0.016) and mtDNA (FST = 0.040). No evidence of significant population structuring of the Demoiselle crane has been found using the STRUCTURE analysis of multilo­cus microsatellite genotypes and the NETWORK grouping of control region haplotypes. Despite the haplotype diversity was high, the nucleotide diversity of the species was low (0.0033 ± 0.0003). Negative but non-significant Tajima’s and Fu’s tests did not suggest the recent population expansion in the Demoiselle crane evolutionary history which contrasts to other cranes of the Palearctic (the Eurasian crane Grus grus, and the Hooded crane G. monacha). These data indicate more stable conditions for the Demoiselle crane breeding groups in the steppe zone in Pleistocene as compared to boreal and subarctic breeding grounds of other crane species

StopCOVID cohort : An observational study of 3,480 patients admitted to the Sechenov University hospital network in Moscow city for suspected COVID-19 infection

© 2020 Oxford University Press. This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Clinical Infectious Diseases following peer review. The version of record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1535.BACKGROUND: The epidemiology, clinical course, and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in the Russian population are unknown. Information on the differences between laboratory-confirmed and clinically-diagnosed COVID-19 in real-life settings is lacking. METHODS: We extracted data from the medical records of adult patients who were consecutively admitted for suspected COVID-19 infection in Moscow, between April 8 and May 28, 2020. RESULTS: Of the 4261 patients hospitalised for suspected COVID-19, outcomes were available for 3480 patients (median age 56 years (interquartile range 45-66). The commonest comorbidities were hypertension, obesity, chronic cardiac disease and diabetes. Half of the patients (n=1728) had a positive RT-PCR while 1748 were negative on RT-PCR but had clinical symptoms and characteristic CT signs suggestive of COVID-19 infection.No significant differences in frequency of symptoms, laboratory test results and risk factors for in-hospital mortality were found between those exclusively clinically diagnosed or with positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR.In a multivariable logistic regression model the following were associated with in-hospital mortality; older age (per 1 year increase) odds ratio [OR] 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03 - 1.06); male sex (OR 1.71, 1.24 - 2.37); chronic kidney disease (OR 2.99, 1.89 - 4.64); diabetes (OR 2.1, 1.46 - 2.99); chronic cardiac disease (OR 1.78, 1.24 - 2.57) and dementia (OR 2.73, 1.34 - 5.47). CONCLUSIONS: Age, male sex, and chronic comorbidities were risk factors for in-hospital mortality. The combination of clinical features were sufficient to diagnoseCOVID-19 infection indicating that laboratory testing is not critical in real-life clinical practice.Peer reviewe

Contrasting patterns of spatial genetic differentiation in two east asian five-needle pine species, Pinus koraiensis and P. armandii

Two species of East Asian five-needle pines of the section Strobus, Korean pine, Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. and Armand's pine, Pinus armandii Franch are traditionally placed in two different subsections, Cembrae and Strobi, respectively.However, data on similarity of these pines in needle anatomy and pollen structure are reported. By means of starch gel electrophoresis we studied allozyme variation within populations of these species and between the two species. Among 30 studied loci we selected 17 polymorphic loci with reliable interpretation of allele correspondencebetween species. Allozyme patterns were similar in both species with respect to number of loci and predominant alleles at most loci. Intra-specific differentiation among 12 populations of Pinus koraiensis from Russia, Northeast China and South Korea was low, FST (proportion of among population variation in total variation) was as low as 0.019, DN (Nei's genetic distance) varied between 0.001 and 0.006. This genetic uniformity can be explained by a common gene pool of this species within virtually continuous range under similar ecological conditions. Common vectors of selection, natural gene flow through pollen and seed dispersal as well as mixing of genetic material between regions by humans (at least in Russian forestry practice) are putative factors responsible for low differentiation in Korean stone pine. We estimated the same parameters in Pinus armandii from continental China (Guizhou, Shaanxi, Shenyan) where its range is highly fragmented, and found differentiation in this species to be much more pronounced (FST = 0.067, DN = 0.011-0.029). By adding a sample from Taiwan both FST (0.338) and DN (up to 0.232) were substantially higher indicating high level of differences between continental and Taiwanese P. armandii, putatively due to longer isolation time. Maximal contribution was fromloci Adh-1, Got-3, Mdh-1, 6-Pgd-3, Pgm-2 and Skdh-2. Differences were mainly caused by allelic frequencies but not by presence/absence of particular alleles, therefore observed allozyme patterns are not evidence for full species' status of Taiwan variety. In the two species, P.koraiensis and P. armandii, electrophoresis showed the same number of activity zones. In a combined set of P. koraiensis and P. armandiisamples, the level of interspecific differences was high (FST =0.477, DN =0.407÷0.457). Species had no common alleles or very little overlapping in allelic profiles at loci Adh-1, Got-2, and Pgm-1. Out of 61 alleles 35 were shared between species and 26 were found in only one of them. Cluster (UPGMA) and multivariate (PCA) analyses of allozyme variation showed good differentiation within P.armandii, and poor differentiation within P. koraiensis

Cytological, Molecular-Genetic and Silvicultural-Selection Research of Polyploid Poplars

The results of cytological, silvicultural and selection research and DNA analysis of polyploid poplars are discussed in the article. Poplar clones were studied for productivity, the number of chromosomes, selection and testing of microsatellite loci for genetic certification of planting material. The study showed a high diagnostic performance of species, of individual genotypes and clones within species and hybrids on the basis of gene markers of polymorphism of microsatellite DNA