Pipe thread wear-resistant ultrasonic hardening unit

Pipe thread hardening unit had being developed, produced and trialed with usage of intensive radial ultrasonic vibrations. Microhardness trials had being held. As a result, it had been announced that microhardness was increased 2-3 times in comparison with unhardened base layer

The Genome-Wide Analysis of Carcinoembryonic Antigen Signaling by Colorectal Cancer Cells Using RNA Sequencing

Сarcinoembryonic antigen (CEA, CEACAM5, CD66) is a promoter of metastasis in epithelial cancers that is widely used as a prognostic clinical marker of metastasis. The aim of this study is to identify the network of genes that are associated with CEA-induced colorectal cancer liver metastasis. We compared the genome-wide transcriptomic profiles of CEA positive (MIP101 clone 8) and CEA negative (MIP 101) colorectal cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential in vivo. The CEA-producing cells displayed quantitative changes in the level of expression for 100 genes (over-expressed or down-regulated). They were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. The KEGG pathway analysis identified 4 significantly enriched pathways: cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, MAPK signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway and pyrimidine metabolism. Our results suggest that CEA production by colorectal cancer cells triggers colorectal cancer progression by inducing the epithelial- mesenchymal transition, increasing tumor cell invasiveness into the surrounding tissues and suppressing stress and apoptotic signaling. The novel gene expression distinctions establish the relationships between the existing cancer markers and implicate new potential biomarkers for colorectal cancer hepatic metastasis

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

Analytical “Bake-Off” of Whole Genome Sequencing Quality for the Genome Russia Project Using a Small Cohort for Autoimmune Hepatitis

A comparative analysis of whole genome sequencing (WGS) and genotype calling was initiated for ten human genome samples sequenced by St. Petersburg State University Peterhof Sequencing Center and by three commercial sequencing centers outside of Russia. The sequence quality, efficiency of DNA variant and genotype calling were compared with each other and with DNA microarrays for each of ten study subjects. We assessed calling of SNPs, indels, copy number variation, and the speed of WGS throughput promised. Twenty separate QC analyses showed high similarities among the sequence quality and called genotypes. The ten genomes tested by the centers included eight American patients afflicted with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), plus one case’s unaffected parents, in a prelude to discovering genetic influences in this rare disease of unknown etiology. The detailed internal replication and parallel analyses allowed the observation of two of eight AIH cases carrying a rare allele genotype for a previously described AIH-associated gene (FTCD), plus multiple occurrences of known HLA-DRB1 alleles associated with AIH (HLA-DRB1-03:01:01, 13:01:01 and 7:01:01). We also list putative SNVs in other genes as suggestive in AIH influence

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

A new millipede genus and species of the tribe Pachyiulini from the Caucasus (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae)

A new genus and species of the millipede tribe Pachyiulini, Bellatoiulus golovatchi gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lesser Caucasus, Azerbaijan. Cybertypes of the new species are created from the physical holotype male and from a paratype female. The distribution and ecological features of the new species, and the position of the new genus within Pachyiulini are discussed

p130 And pRb in the Maintenance of Transient Quiescence of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

An effective regulation of quiescence plays a key role in the differentiation, plasticity, and prevention of stem cells from becoming malignant. The state of quiescence is being controlled by the pRb family proteins which show overlapping functions in cell cycle regulation; however, their roles in controlling the proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) remain to be understood. This study investigated the regulation of transient quiescence using growth curves, proliferation assay, the cytometric evaluation of cell cycle, Western blotting, and the electromobility gel shift assay (EMSA) on synchronized MSCs of the C3H10Т1/2 and control cells with different statuses of pRb proteins. It has been found that functional steady-state level of p130 but not pRb plays a critical role for entering, exiting, and maintenance of transient quiescence in multipotent mesenchymal stem cells

Micropachyiulus corylorum Verhoeff 1908

<i>Micropachyiulus corylorum</i> Verhoeff, 1908 <p>Fig. 2</p> <p> <i>Micropachyiulus corylorum</i> Verhoeff, 1908 (in Verhoeff 1907 (for 1908)): 459–460, figs 21, 22</p> <p> <i>Hylopachyiulus corylorum</i>: Attems (1926a: 258); Attems (1926b: 245); Antić <i>et al.</i> (2018: 227–231, figs 1–3, 8A, B) <i>Hylopachyiulus likanus</i> Attems, 1926 (in Attems 1926b): 244–245, figs 339–341 (synonymized by Antić <i>et al.</i> 2018)</p> <p> <i>Hylopachyiulus pygmaeus</i>: Strasser (1966: 44) (synonymization)</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀ (SMNG), Croatia, Rijeka, Velika Kapela Mts, Delnice, Mrkopalj Valley, W of Sunger, 45.3321°N, 14.8110°E, 780 m a.s.l., <i>Corylus - Acer</i> stand, in litter, 15.X.2010, H. Reip leg.; 1 ♂ (SMNG), same locality, 45.3324°N, 14.8107°E, 790 m a.s.l., young <i>Picea</i> forest, in litter, same date and collector; 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀, 1 juv. (IBER), Croatia, Rijeka, Velika Kapela Mts, Lič, Rudine locality, 45.2631°N, 14.7572°E, 750 m a.s.l., open grassy area with small bushes of <i>Juniperus</i> and <i>Corylus</i>, among <i>Corylus</i> litter, sifting, 14.X.2010, H. Reip leg.; 2 ♂♂ (SMNG), Slovenia, Ilirska Bistrica, Snežnik, Sviščaki mountain area, 45.5677°N, 14.3735°E, 1300 m a.s.l., at the edge of a forested ravine, mostly <i>Fagus</i>, in litter, 11.X.2010, H. Reip leg.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> A species of <i>Micropachyiulus</i> without ommatidia. Very similar to <i>Micropachyiulus ocellatus</i> <b>comb. nov.</b>, <i>Micropachyiulus paucioculatus</i> and <i>Micropachyiulus pygmaeus</i> in terms of gonopod conformation, and especially in the shape of the solenomere which ends up with a minute, transversely oriented apical projection.Differs from all these species by the presence of an opisthomeral rod-like process just behind the solenomere. Differs further from <i>M. pygmaeus</i> by a stouter (vs. slender) epiproct bent ventrad (vs. straight) and by the solenomere considerably overreaching tip of mesomeral process, vs. the solenomere being subequal to tip of mesomeral process; from <i>M. paucioculatus</i> by a much shorter solenomere and by the apical outgrowth of the mesomeral process deviating anteriad rather than running parallel to the main axis of the opisthomere; and from <i>M. ocellatus</i> <b>comb. nov.</b> by a much longer epiproct.</p> <p> <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Legs 1 in males each with a verrucose hump baso-mesally on the distal podomere.</p> <p> Gonopods (Fig. 2): Promere (Fig. 2D, <i>P</i> in Fig. 2A) somewhat higher than opisthomere, relatively elongate, with nearly straight or gently sigmoid mesal margin and an abruptly sigmoid lateral one, the two joining in a nearly right-angled meso-apical corner; mesal (<i>mr</i>) and lateral (<i>lr</i>) ridges short but well-pronounced, distal ridge (<i>dr</i>) long but rather weakly protruding, with just a few minute spines at proximal part; median groove (<i>mg</i>) relatively broad and not too deep. Opisthomere (Fig. 2B, C, E, F and <i>O</i> in 2A) slender, very gently sigmoid in mesal and lateral views (distally bent slightly anteriad); mesomeral process (<i>m</i>) relatively well-pronounced, lamellar, completely undivided from the opisthomere, except for a small, tapering outgrowth (<i>mp</i>) bent more or less posteriad; posterior lamella (<i>l</i>) moderately pronounced, slightly wrinkled, apically forming a fimbriate margin (<i>fr</i>) protruding behind the solenomere; without setiform filaments on mesal surface; solenomere (<i>s</i>) very slender, rod-like, with a T-shaped tip, i.e. with a small apical projection (<i>sp</i>) set transversely to the main axis of solenomere; an additional rod-like process (<i>r</i>) present just behind the solenomere, being slightly shorter than the latter.</p> <p> The examined males from Croatia (also taking in consideration the gonopod figures in Antić <i>et al.</i> 2018, based on material from the same country) and Slovenia show some moderate, most likely intraspecific differences: Outgrowth of mesomeral process more gradually bent posteriad and apically smooth in the Croatian specimens, vs. same being abruptly bent posteriad and apically shortly branched in the Slovenian ones; and promere more slender, markedly sigmoid in anterior and posterior views, narrowing all the way to the apex in the Croatian specimens, vs. same being stouter, with mostly straight and parallel side margins in the Slovenian ones.</p> <p> <b>Distribution</b> (Fig. 14, ochre circles). <b>Slovenia:</b> Jesenice (type locality), near Ribnica (Antić <i>et al.</i> 2018), Snežnik (Antić <i>et al.</i> 2018, present study); <b>Italy:</b> Friuli –Venezia Giulia: near Ragogna (Antić <i>et al.</i> 2018); <b>Croatia:</b> Velebit Mtn: Štirovača (type locality of <i>Hylopachyiulus likanus</i>); other localities in Velebit Mtn (Antić <i>et al.</i> 2018); Velika Kapela Mts (present study).</p>Published as part of <i>Vagalinski, Boyan, Evsyukov, Aleksandr P., Chumachenko, Yuri A. & Zabiyaka, Igor Y., 2023, A review of the genus Micropachyiulus Verhoeff, 1899 and description of the related Armeniopachyiulus gen. nov. (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae: Pachyiulini), pp. 221-246 in Zootaxa 5239 (2)</i> on pages 225-227, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5239.2.3, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7624205">http://zenodo.org/record/7624205</a&gt

Armeniopachyiulus Vagalinski & Evsyukov & Chumachenko & Zabiyaka 2023, gen. nov.

<i>Armeniopachyiulus</i> gen. nov. <p> <b>Type species.</b> <i>Armeniopachyiulus pokr</i> <b>gen.</b> <i>et</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> <b>, by present designation</b></p> Included species. <p>The new genus is monospecific.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> A genus of the tribe Pachyiulini being most similar to <i>Micropachyiulus</i> in both external and gonopod morphology: Body very small (L typically less than 13 mm, H less than 0.8 mm); with vertigial and metazonal setae; pre-anal ring with an epiproct; mandibular stipites in males not expanded; promere with a rather short mesal ridge and an elongated, microdentate/spinulate, distal ridge; opisthomere with a well-developed posterior lamella and a rather weakly differentiated mesomeral process. Differs from <i>Micropachyiulus</i> mainly by the structure of the opisthomere which lacks a distinct solenomeral process, but possesses an apical fovea, while it possesses a slender solenomeral process apically, but lacks apical fovea in the latter genus.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> Derived from Armenia, the <i>terra typica</i>, and <i>Pachyiulus</i>, the type genus of the tribe Pachyiulini. Masculine.</p>Published as part of <i>Vagalinski, Boyan, Evsyukov, Aleksandr P., Chumachenko, Yuri A. & Zabiyaka, Igor Y., 2023, A review of the genus Micropachyiulus Verhoeff, 1899 and description of the related Armeniopachyiulus gen. nov. (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae: Pachyiulini), pp. 221-246 in Zootaxa 5239 (2)</i> on pages 239-240, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5239.2.3, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7624205">http://zenodo.org/record/7624205</a&gt

Micropachyiulus paucioculatus

<i>Micropachyiulus paucioculatus</i> (Verhoeff, 1899) <p>Figs 1A, 3, 4</p> <p> <i>Pachyiulus (Micropachyiulus) paucioculatus</i> Verhoeff, 1899: 184–185, figs 1–4</p> <p> <i>Pachyiulus (Micropachyiulus) paucioculatus</i>: Verhoeff (1900: 211)</p> <p> <i>Pachyiulus paucioculatus</i>: Verhoeff (1900: 220)</p> <p> <i>Micropachyiulus paucioculatus</i>: Verhoeff (1907: 460); Attems (1926a: 259); Kime & Enghoff (2017: 133); Giurginca (2021: 200–201, fig. 156)</p> <p> <i>Micropachyiulus pauciocalatus</i> (sic!): Verhoeff (1907: 461)</p> <p> <i>Micropachyiulus pauciocellatus</i> (sic!): Kime & Enghoff (2017: 270)</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> <b>Syntypes</b> (MNB): <i>Pachyiulus paucioculatus</i> Verhoeff, Valea Corbului, slide preparations 1138–1140: antennae, legs, gonopods, mouthparts, flanges of male pleurotergum 7. <b>Other material</b>: 3 ♂♂, 3 (supposedly) adult ♀♀, 1 frontal part of an (supposedly) adult ♀, 1 (supposedly) subadult ♀ (IBER), Romania, Oltenia, Motru Sec, Cloşani, slope at roadside, 45.0809°N, 22.8014°E, 400 m a.s.l., mostly <i>Fagus</i>, in and under leaf litter in a mixture of soil and fine gravel, 30.X.2021, H. Reip, K. Voigtländer, D. Antić, D. Stojanović, and B. Vagalinski leg.; 2 ♂♂, 2 (supposedly) adult ♀♀ (NHMW MY 10327), same collecting data.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> A species of <i>Micropachyiulus</i> with ommatidia, being very similar to <i>Micropachyiulus corylorum</i>, <i>Micropachyiulus ocellatus</i> <b>comb. nov.</b> and <i>Micropachyiulus pygmaeus</i> in terms of gonopod conformation, and especially in the shape of the solenomere which ends up with a minute, transversely oriented apical projection. Differs from all these species by a much longer solenomere (considerably overreaching the apical part of the posterior lamella, vs. being subequal to it) and an apically smooth rather than serrate or fimbriate posterior lamella. Differs further from <i>M. corylorum</i> by the absence of an opisthomeral rod-like process just behind the solenomere; from <i>M. ocellatus</i> <b>comb. nov.</b> by a more slender apical outgrowth of the mesomeral process, running mostly parallel to the main axis of the opisthomere rather than deviating anteriad; and from <i>M. pygmaeus</i> by a long and pointed (vs. very short and blunt) epiproct and a more slender promere.</p> <p> Also resembles <i>M. caucasicus</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> and <i>M. filiformis</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> by the very long solenomere, but differs clearly from both of them by the solenomere lacking an apical bulge or projection and by the well-developed, slender (vs. minute, spike-like) outgrowth of the mesomeral process.</p> <p> <b>Redescription.</b> Measurements: ♂♂ with BRF 31–39 + 3 + T, L = 6–8.2 mm, H = 0.41–0.50 mm; ♀♀ with BRF 34–43 + 2–3 + T, L = 8.3–9.7 mm, H = 0.53–0.69 mm.</p> <p>Colouration (Fig. 1A): light beige to brownish, living specimens with purple tinges, gut and the reddish repugnatorial glands partly visible by transparency.</p> <p>Head (Fig. 3A): With 1–4 pigmented ommatidia arranged in one or two rows on each side. Vertigial, supralabral and labral setae: 2, 4 and 13–14, respectively. Antennae 1.4–1.55 times as long as head in males and 1.2–1.3 times in females; antennomere 5 ≥ 2 ≥ 3 = 4> 6; 5 1.5–1.6 times as long as broad and ca 1.7 times as broad as 2; 5 and 6 with a row of several sensilla basiconica dorsally and laterally at distal margins, those on 5 of slightly larger than the four apical sensilla, those on 6 considerably smaller. Mandibular stipites in males not expanded. Labrum tridentate. Gnathochilarium with 3 long distal setae and a short medial one on each stipes, stipital palps relatively small, each bearing several minute apical sensilla; promentum medium-sized, separating lamellae linguales in ca their proximal 2/5, the latter each bearing three more or less equally spaced setae in a row.</p> <p>Trunk and legs: Collum completely smooth. Body rings slightly to moderately vaulted. Prozonae mostly smooth, with some very short and shallow striae next to suture. Metazonae with shallow and rather sparse parallel striae, mostly crossing entire length of metazona; metazonal margins with a rather dense whorl of erect to slightly slanting setae, those on anterior and mid-body rings ca 0.25 times as long as H in males, ca 0.18 in females, those on posterior rings ca 0.33 and 0.23 times in males and females, respectively. Ozopores set tightly behind pro-metazonal suture in most rings, and slightly further back (up to 1.5x their diameter) in posterior-most rings. Walking legs relatively short: ML 0.65–0.7 times as long as H in males and 0.55–0.65 times in females. Tarsus of ML ca 1.8 times as long as tibia and ca 2.6 times as long as apical claw. Male legs 2 (Fig. 4B) with a short accessory claw, next pairs without; a similarly developed accessory claw in female legs 1 and 2, next pairs without.</p> <p>Telson: Pre-anal ring evenly and rather densely covered with long setae. Epiproct rather long (reaching level of tip of longest paraproctal setae), proximally straight, wedge-like, distally extending in a very slender, pointed, hyaline tip directed more or less ventrad. Hypoproct small, broadly rounded, tightly adhering under paraprocts in both sexes; ventrally with a pair of submarginal setae. Paraprocts moderately densely setose, without distinct row of shorter setae along posterior margins.</p> <p> Male sexual characters: Leg-pair 1 (Figs 3B, 4A) 3-segmented hooks oriented (almost) completely mesad, and (sometimes) very slightly anteriad; tibial outgrowth rather slender and tapering, tarsal remnant usually present as a minute spike; the distal podomere baso-mesally with a verrucose hump (<i>h</i>). Leg-pair 2 (Fig. 4B) visibly longer and ticker than following legs. Ventral adhesive pads altogether absent. Flanges of pleurotergum 7 (Fig. 4C) ventrally forming broad, rounded lobes originating at the border zone between pro- and metazona, directed mostly mesad.</p> <p> Gonopods (Figs 3C–E, 4D) <i>in situ</i> mostly concealed in gonopodal sinus, only tips of promeres visible on the outside, pro- and opisthomere (with tip of solenomere) subequal in height. Promere (Fig. 3C and <i>P</i> in Fig. 4D) slender, sigmoid in mesal and lateral views, gradually narrowing towards a broadly rounded or flattened apex; posterior surface with a short and weakly pronounced mesal ridge (<i>mr</i>), a similarly developed lateral ridge (<i>lr</i>), and a rather small, oblique, distal ridge (<i>dr</i>) bearing about a dozen small denticles, with some being present also basally to the ridge; a very deep and narrow median groove (<i>mg</i>) between mesal and lateral ridges. Opisthomere (Fig. 3D, E and <i>O</i> in Fig. 4D) relatively slender, gently sigmoid in mesal and lateral views (distally bent anteriad); mesomeral process (<i>m</i>) weakly pronounced, lamellar, ending with a small blunt outgrowth (<i>mp</i>) directed distad; posterior lamella (<i>l</i>) well-developed, expanding into a mesal crest apically forming a minute tapering outgrowth; mesal surface with numerous setiform filaments (<i>sf</i>) between posterior lamella and sperm channel (<i>sc</i>); solenomere (<i>s</i>) in the shape of a long and thin rod with a small apical projection (<i>sp</i>) set transversely to main axis of solenomere.</p> <p> Female sexual characters: Leg-pairs 1 and 2 slightly ticker and shorter than following pairs. Vulva (Fig. 4E) subconical, stout, somewhat compressed on sides; median cleft positioned sub-apically, surrounded by a small and shallow median field; operculum (<i>op</i>) significantly higher than bursa, apically strongly concave, ending up with a large, rounded hyaline protrusion on each side; two smaller and tapering protrusions present apically on bursa; each bursal valve bearing two setae, operculum non-setose. RS composed of a rather long digitiform central tube (<i>ct</i>), only slightly widening towards bottom rather than forming a distinct ampulla; and a long and narrow, folded, posterior tube (<i>pt</i>) ending in an ovoid posterior ampulla (<i>pa</i>).</p> <p> <b>Distribution</b> (Fig. 14, green circles). <b>Romania:</b> South Carpathians: Mehedinți Mts: CloȘani karst area (Giurginca 2021, present study); Şureanu Mts: near Bolii Cave, Corbului Valley near Pui (original localities).</p> <p> <b>Remark.</b> This species is probably a troglophile, as it shows preference for limestone areas where it has been found in both caves and external habitats (Kime & Enghoff 2017).</p>Published as part of <i>Vagalinski, Boyan, Evsyukov, Aleksandr P., Chumachenko, Yuri A. & Zabiyaka, Igor Y., 2023, A review of the genus Micropachyiulus Verhoeff, 1899 and description of the related Armeniopachyiulus gen. nov. (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae: Pachyiulini), pp. 221-246 in Zootaxa 5239 (2)</i> on pages 228-231, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5239.2.3, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7624205">http://zenodo.org/record/7624205</a&gt