Miscellaneous notes on the genus Forsstroemia in Russia (Neckeraceae, Bryophyta)

Molecular phylogenetic analysis supports the position on the species known as Neckera konoi in the genus Forsstroemia, therefore it is transferred to this genus with a new combination, F. konoi (Broth.) Enroth, Fedosov & Ignatov. Molecular data also confirm the position of F. stricta Laz. described from the Russian Far East in F. producta, a pantropical species. Forstroemia neckeroides is reported from Russia, Primorsky Territory, for the first time.Peer reviewe

The Use of Social Networks to Train the Intercultural Dimension of Foreign Languages at Higher Educational Institutions

The paper aims to identify how social networks contribute to training the intercultural dimension of foreign languages at higher educational institutions. We attempted to answer the questions of what effect the use of social networks has on foreign language training, fostering intercultural and occupational skills, and how both students and teachers perceive the intervention. To achieve research goals, we used quantitative tools, such as (1) checklists, (2) assessment records on English for Specific Purposes, (3) the cultural intelligence scale, (4) the multidimensional emotional empathy scale, and (5) the questionnaire for reflective thinking. Qualitative data were drawn from the observations and interviews. The research findings confirmed that the use of social networks provided students with a true-to-life (authentic) environment and context to gain cultural experience and train a foreign language. This strategy boosts English for Specific Purposes learning and teaching experiences using a distance-learning component. A longitudinal research design enhances transformations in students in terms of emotional empathy and reflective thinking

In situ probing of Pt/TiO2_{2} activity in low-temperature ammonia oxidation

The improvement of the low-temperature activity of the supported platinum catalysts in selective ammonia oxidation to nitrogen is still a challenging task. The recent developments in in situ/operando characterization techniques allows to bring new insight into the properties of the systems in correlation with their catalytic activity. In this work, near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques were applied to study Pt/TiO$_{2}$ catalysts in ammonia oxidation (NH$_{3}$ + O$_{2}$ reaction). Several synthesis methods were used to obtain samples with different size of Pt particles, oxidation state of Pt, and morphology of the support. Metal platinum particles on titania prepared by pulsed laser ablation in liquids exhibited the highest activity at lower temperatures with the temperature of 50% conversion of NH$_{3}$ being 150 °C. The low-temperature activity of the catalysts synthesized by impregnation can be improved by the reductive pretreatment. NAP-XPS and operando XANES data do not show formation of PtO$_{x}$ surface layers or PtO/PtO$_{2}$ oxides during NH$_{3}$ + O$_{2}$ reaction. Despite the differences in the oxidation state of platinum in the as-prepared catalysts, their treatment in the reaction mixture results in the formation of metallic platinum particles, which can serve as centers for stabilization of the adsorbed oxygen species. Stabilization of the bulk platinum oxide structures in the Pt/TiO$_{2}$ catalysts seems to be less favorable due to the metal–support interaction

Pegvisomant and current approaches to the medical treatment of acromegaly (literature review and case report)

This review provides the main results of clinical trials and the literature on the experience of using pegvisomant, the first drug from the class of growth hormone receptor antagonists. The mechanism of action of the drug, its effectiveness with respect to disease control and its effect on complications, information on adverse events, and brief information on the experience of use during pregnancy are discussed in detail. In conclusion, a clinical observation of successful use of pegvisomant in resistant to standart treatment acromegaly is given. A discussion of the available literature data, the results of clinical studies and practical experience allows us to conclude that the drug is highly effective in terms of achieving biochemical remission of acromegaly, and also has a number of additional valuable properties: it is capable of improvement of patients’ glucose metabolism and quality of life and has a minimal amount of adverse events. Pegvisomant is currently registered in the Russian Federation only for use in monotherapy; the possibility of combination therapy with somatostatin analogues will additionally allow to reliably control the growth of the pituitary adenoma and significantly cut treatment costs by reducing the dose of pegvisomant. These features of the drug make it very relevant when discussing issues related to drug therapy of acromegaly, and suggest a good prospect for use in clinical practice

Genome-wide association studies targeting the yield of extraembryonic fluid and production traits in Russian White chickens

Background: The Russian White is a gene pool breed, registered in 1953 after crossing White Leghorns with local populations and, for 50 years, selected for cold tolerance and high egg production (EL). The breed has great potential in meeting demands of local food producers, commercial farmers and biotechnology sector of specific pathogen-free (SPF) eggs, the former valuing the breed for its egg weight (EW), EL, age at first egg (AFE), body weight (BW), and the latter for its yield of extraembryonic fluid (YEF) in 12.5-day embryos, ratio of extraembryonic fluid to egg weight, and embryo mass. Moreover, its cold tolerance has been presumably associated with day-old chick down colour (DOCDC) white rather than yellow, the genetic basis of these traits being however poorly understood. Results: We undertook genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for eight performance traits using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping of 146 birds and an Illumina 60KBeadChip. Several suggestive associations (p <5.16*10(-5)) were found for YEF, AFE, BW and EW. Moreover, on chromosome 2, an association with the white DOCDC was found where there is an linkage disequilibrium block of SNPs including genes that are responsible not for colour, but for immune resistance. Conclusions: The obtained GWAS data can be used to explore the genetics of immunity and carry out selection for increasing YEF for SPF eggs production.Peer reviewe

Stress plays provoking role in hypertension-related stroke: Injuries of blood-brain barrier function

Chronic hypertension itself does not cause stroke but significantly decreases the resistant to stroke induced by stress due to exhausting of adaptive capacity of cerebral endothelium and decrease resistance of blood-brain barrier to stress

SDHx mutations are associated with the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in vagal paragangliomas

Background: Vagal paraganglioma (VPGL) is a very rare neuroendocrine tumor arising from the paraganglion associated with the vagus nerve. VPGL is mainly characterized by an asymptomatic course and slow growth. However, up to 19% of tumors can metastasize. Due to the rarity of this tumor, information about VPGL is limited to single cases and small sample sets; the data on molecular genetic features is extremely scarce. Methods: For the first time we have analyzed the enrichment of biological pathways associated with mutations in the SDHx genes in VPGLs. Bioinformatics analysis was performed based on the results of high-throughput transcriptome sequencing on an Illumina platform for 33 tumor tissues obtained from patients with vagal paragangliomas. Results: Eight pathways of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database with gene overrepresentation (top-40 mode) have been identified. Significant changes were shown for the cancer-associated PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and interconnected pathways of focal adhesion and interaction of receptors with the extracellular matrix enriched by overexpressed genes. Conclusion: Our result indicates the association of SDHx mutations with changes in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in vagal paraganglioma. The potential mechanism of deregulation in this pathway could be linked with a state of pseudohypoxia induced by the dysfunction of succinate dehydrogenase due to mutations in the SDHx genes

Unveiling comparative genomic trajectories of selection and key candidate genes in egg-type Russian White and meat-type White Cornish chickens

Simple Summary: The search for genomic regions of putative selective signaling is instrumental in obtaining information about selection history in various species and populations. Domestic animals are subject to long-term artificial selection that leaves certain footprints in their genomes one can explore using genome-wide SNP screen. We examined here genomes of two contrasting chicken breeds, the native egg-type Russian White and meat-type White Cornish. Using three statistics, we identified genomic regions under putative selection, both breed-specific and shared between two breeds, that harbor key candidate genes for economically important traits. Our findings will be useful in further understanding selection history and genomic diversity in domestic chickens that would be pivotal in their productive breeding. Abstract: Comparison of genomic footprints in chicken breeds with different selection history is a powerful tool in elucidating genomic regions that have been targeted by recent and more ancient selection. In the present work, we aimed at examining and comparing the trajectories of artificial selection in the genomes of the native egg-type Russian White (RW) and meat-type White Cornish (WC) breeds. Combining three different statistics (top 0.1% SNP by FST value at pairwise breed comparison, hapFLK analysis, and identification of ROH island shared by more than 50% of individuals), we detected 45 genomic regions under putative selection including 11 selective sweep regions, which were detected by at least two different methods. Four of such regions were breed-specific for each of RW breed (on GGA1, GGA5, GGA8, and GGA9) and WC breed (on GGA1, GGA5, GGA8, and GGA28), while three remaining regions on GGA2 (two sweeps) and GGA3 were common for both breeds. Most of identified genomic regions overlapped with known QTLs and/or candidate genes including those for body temperatures, egg productivity, and feed intake in RW chickens and those for growth, meat and carcass traits, and feed efficiency in WC chickens. These findings were concordant with the breed origin and history of their artificial selection. We determined a set of 188 prioritized candidate genes retrieved from the 11 overlapped regions of putative selection and reviewed their functions relative to phenotypic traits of interest in the two breeds. One of the RW-specific sweep regions harbored the known domestication gene, TSHR. Gene ontology and functional annotation analysis provided additional insight into a functional coherence of genes in the sweep regions. We also showed a greater candidate gene richness on microchromosomes relative to macrochromosomes in these genomic areas. Our results on the selection history of RW and WC chickens and their key candidate genes under selection serve as a profound information for further conservation of their genomic diversity and efficient breeding

Genetic variability of indels in the prolactin and dopamine receptor D2 genes and their association with the yield of allanto-amniotic fluid in Russian White laying hens

Currently, there is virtually no information on genetic factors affecting the yield of allanto amniotic fluid, which is the raw material for the production of human and animal vaccines. Association studies including this trait are beneficial for increasing productivity of a biotechnological line of chickens used for the production of ‘Clean Eggs’. We examined here a population of the Russian White breed for the effects of indels in the prolactin (PRL) and dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) genes on the yield of extraembryonic fluid (YEF) and embryo weight at 12.5 days of development. A 24-bp insertion in the 5' flanking region of the PRL gene significantly (P<0.01) increases YEF in the embryos. The heterozygous embryos contained the highest YEF (9.6 mL) than that of the homozygous insertion (9.4 mL) and deletion embryos (8.4 mL). We also found a significant association (P<0.001) between the PRL genotypes and egg weight (EW). The results of the present study suggest a significant association between the PRL gene variation and quantitative traits in the Russian White chickens, contributing to a long-term programme on the effective use of the genetic potential of Russian gene pool breeds and populations of chickens

Persistent post-traumatic headache: A migrainous loop or not? The clinical evidence

Background: Headache is a common complication of traumatic brain injury. The International Headache Society defines post-traumatic headache as a secondary headache attributed to trauma or injury to the head that develops within seven days following trauma. Acute post-traumatic headache resolves after 3 months, but persistent post-traumatic headache usually lasts much longer and accounts for 4% of all secondary headache disorders. Main body: The clinical features of post-traumatic headache after traumatic brain injury resemble various types of primary headaches and the most frequent are migraine-like or tension-type-like phenotypes. The neuroimaging studies that have compared persistent post-traumatic headache and migraine found different structural and functional brain changes, although migraine and post-traumatic headache may be clinically similar. Therapy of various clinical phenotypes of post-traumatic headache almost entirely mirrors the therapy of the corresponding primary headache and are currently based on expert opinion rather than scientific evidence. Pharmacologic therapies include both abortive and prophylactic agents with prophylaxis targeting comorbidities, especially impaired sleep and post-traumatic disorder. There are also effective options for non-pharmacologic therapy of post-traumatic headache, including cognitive-behavioral approaches, onabotulinum toxin injections, life-style considerations, etc. Conclusion: Notwithstanding some phenotypic similarities, persistent post-traumatic headache after traumatic brain injury, is considered a separate phenomenon from migraine but available data is inconclusive. High-quality studies are further required to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of this secondary headache, in order to identify new targets for treatment and to prevent disability