Population and molecular genetics of root-knot nematodes

This thesis describes studies of root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne spp. - an economically important pest in agriculture - using population and molecular genetics. Variability in virulence to Mi bearing tomato genotypes is shown for Meloidogyne spp . isolates and their impact of implementation of proper management systems is discussed. Genetic polymorphisms in Meloidogyne spp. were assessed using molecular techniques that reveal nuclear and mitochondrial DNA divergence on different hierarchical levels. cDNA library constructed from the pre-parasitic second stage juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita was screened by single pass 5'-end sequencing to investigate genes expressed at the onset of parasitism. One expressed sequence tag homologous to an endoxylanase was used to identify a novel cell wall degrading enzyme - xylanase. Several lines of evidence support the endogenous origin of the nematode xylanase. The amino acid sequence revealed a high similarity with bacterial xylanases indicating that nematode xylanase may have been acquired from bacteria by horizontal gene transfer.</p

Conformal Modulus of the Exterior of Two Rectilinear Slits

We study moduli of planar ring domains whose complements are linear segments and establish formulas for their moduli in terms of the Weierstrass elliptic functions. Numerical tests are carried out to illustrate our results

Calcium phosphate particles stimulate interleukin-1β release from human vascular smooth muscle cells: A role for spleen tyrosine kinase and exosome release

Aims: Calcium phosphate (CaP) particle deposits are found in several inflammatory diseases including atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis. CaP, and other forms of crystals and particles, can promote inflammasome formation in macrophages leading to caspase-1 activation and secretion of mature interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Given the close association of small CaP particles with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in atherosclerotic fibrous caps, we aimed to determine if CaP particles affected pro-inflammatory signalling in human VSMCs. Methods and results: Using ELISA to measure IL-1β release from VSMCs, we demonstrated that CaP particles stimulated IL-1β release from proliferating and senescent human VSMCs, but with substantially greater IL-1β release from senescent cells; this required caspase-1 activity but not LPS-priming of cells. Potential inflammasome agonists including ATP, nigericin and monosodium urate crystals did not stimulate IL-1β release from VSMCs. Western blot analysis demonstrated that CaP particles induced rapid activation of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) (increased phospho-Y525/526). The SYK inhibitor R406 reduced IL-1β release and caspase-1 activation in CaP particle-treated VSMCs, indicating that SYK activation occurs upstream of and is required for caspase-1 activation. In addition, IL-1β and caspase-1 colocalised in intracellular endosome-like vesicles and we detected IL-1β in exosomes isolated from VSMC media. Furthermore, CaP particle treatment stimulated exosome secretion by VSMCs in a SYK-dependent manner, while the exosome-release inhibitor spiroepoxide reduced IL-1β release. Conclusions: CaP particles stimulate SYK and caspase-1 activation in VSMCs, leading to the release of IL-1β, at least in part via exosomes. These novel findings in human VSMCs highlight the pro-inflammatory and procalcific potential of microcalcification

Mimicking graphene physics with a plane hexagonal wire mesh

This is the final version of the article. Available from AIP Publishing via the DOI in this record.A hexagonal metallic-wire mesh is fabricated and experimentally characterized to demonstrate graphene-physics in an electromagnetic analogue. In contrast to previous studies, our structure has a smaller ratio of out-of-plane to in-plane dimensions, more akin to real graphene. This allows for the development of a simple analytical treatment using equivalent electric circuit theory, and we demonstrate that the predicted dispersion curves of the supported eigenmodes agree well with those obtained from experimental measurements.The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the United Kingdom, via the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Metamaterials (Grant No. EP/L015331/1) and from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)

Структура вірусних діарей у дітей на Сумщині

Гострі кишкові інфекції (ГКІ) стійко посідають одне з провідних місць серед усіх інфекційних захворювань, характеризуються широкою поширеністю, високою частотою розвитку тяжких форм і ускладнень. Прогрес у галузі лабораторних методів діагностики дозволив істотно розширити уявлення про етіологічні чинники хвороби: у країнах, що розвиваються, домінують діарейні інфекції бактерійної етіології, а в економічно розвинених країнах - вірусної. При цитуванні документа, використовуйте посилання http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3228

Atrial arrhythmogenicity in aged Scn5a+/∆KPQ mice modeling long QT type 3 syndrome and its relationship to Na+ channel expression and cardiac conduction

Recent studies have reported that human mutations in Nav1.5 predispose to early age onset atrial arrhythmia. The present experiments accordingly assess atrial arrhythmogenicity in aging Scn5a+/∆KPQ mice modeling long QT3 syndrome in relationship to cardiac Na+ channel, Nav1.5, expression. Atrial electrophysiological properties in isolated Langendorff-perfused hearts from 3- and 12-month-old wild type (WT), and Scn5a+/∆KPQ mice were assessed using programmed electrical stimulation and their Nav1.5 expression assessed by Western blot. Cardiac conduction properties were assessed electrocardiographically in intact anesthetized animals. Monophasic action potential recordings demonstrated increased atrial arrhythmogenicity specifically in aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ hearts. These showed greater action potential duration/refractory period ratios but lower atrial Nav1.5 expression levels than aged WT mice. Atrial Nav1.5 levels were higher in young Scn5a+/ΔKPQ than young WT. These levels increased with age in WT but not Scn5a+/ΔKPQ. Both young and aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ mice showed lower heart rates and longer PR intervals than their WT counterparts. Young Scn5a+/ΔKPQ mice showed longer QT and QTc intervals than young WT. Aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ showed longer QRS durations than aged WT. PR intervals were prolonged and QT intervals were shortened in young relative to aged WT. In contrast, ECG parameters were similar between young and aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ. Aged murine Scn5a+/ΔKPQ hearts thus exhibit an increased atrial arrhythmogenicity. The differing Nav1.5 expression and electrocardiographic indicators of slowed cardiac conduction between Scn5a+/ΔKPQ and WT, which show further variations associated with aging, may contribute toward atrial arrhythmia in aged Scn5a+/ΔKPQ hearts

THE ROLE OF PARALINGUISTIC UNITS IN SPEECH (ON THE MATERIALS OF ENGLISH AND UZBEK LANGUAGES)

The current article focuses on paralinguistic units of English and Uzbek languages, their functions and purposes. Examples from literature of both languages are given as evidence, and some ideas from other valuable sources related to the topic are also discussed and analyzed