Molecular markers in the genetic diversity studies of representatives of the genus <i>Rubus</i> L. and prospects of their application in breeding

According to estimates of various taxonomists, the genus Rubus L. (Rosaceae Juss.) consists of 12-16 subgenera comprising ~750 species. The two largest subgenera are Idaeobatus (Focke) Focke, which includes raspberries, and the type subgenus Rubus (=Eubatus Focke), which contains blackberry species. Representatives of the genus Rubus have high nutritional and economic values, as well as medicinal properties. Breeding programs are aimed at broadening genetic diversity and creating new varieties of raspberries and blackberries that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stressors and have high fruit quality. Modern breeding and genetic programs increasingly use the achievements of molecular genetics and genomics. This paper reviews the literature data on the application of molecular markers in fundamental and applied research aimed at studying the genetic diversity of cultivated and wild species of the genus Rubus. The review describes the main types of molecular markers (RFLP, RAPD, SCoT, SSR, ISSR, AFLP, SCAR, SSCP) and their application for studying the species of the genus Rubus. The results of the work on the use of DNA markers for solving different tasks are presented, including: studying the phylogenetic relationships of species, clarifying controversial issues of taxonomy, analyzing interspecific and intraspecific diversity, genotyping and pedigree analysis of raspberry and blackberry varieties, studying somaclonal variation and others. The most important applied result is the development of molecular genetic maps for raspberry and blackberry species, on which numerous genes and QTLs conferring various valuable traits have been mapped. At the same time, the number of markers that are promising for effective molecular screening is still insufficient

Периоперационная динамика сывороточной концентрации глиального фибриллярного кислого протеина и замедленное когнитивное восстановление: экспериментальное обсервационное исследование

A number of studies have found an association between the increased concentration of glial fibrillar acid protein (GFAP) in blood serum in patients with various types of brain damage (ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative and neuro-oncological diseases), as well as with a rapid decline in cognitive functions in elderly people with initially normal cognitive abilities.The objective: to identify the relationship between delayed cognitive recovery and changes in serum GFAP concentration in the perioperative period in patients operated for various oncological diseases.Subjects and Methods. The study included 30 patients who underwent surgical treatment for prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer under combined general anesthesia.The inclusion criteria were the expected duration of the operation over 300 minutes and the age over 60 years. GFAP was determined in plasma by enzyme immunoassay before anesthesia, the next day after surgery and on the 4th–5th day. Neuropsychological testing was performed before surgery and on the 4th–5th postoperative day. Delayed cognitive recovery was defined as a decrease in the composite z-score of more than one standard deviation (SD) compared to the preoperative assessment.Correlation analysis was performed between changes in the composite z-score (in absolute values) and the difference in GFAP concentration between the outcome and the first postoperative day, the outcome and the 4th–5th postoperative day and the first and 4th–5th postoperative days.Results. In five cases (16.6%), a decrease in the composite z-score &gt; 1 SD was revealed indicating a delayed cognitive recovery. In the remaining 25 (83.4%) patients, changes in the composite z-score were less than one standard deviation. The median concentration of GFAP in patients with delayed cognitive recovery was 0.13 [0.1; 0.14] before surgery, 0.12 [0.09; 0.14] the day after surgery and 0.16 [0.05; 0.19] on the 4th–5th day after surgery. In patients without cognitive impairment, the concentration of GFAP was 0.15 [0.125; 0.184] before surgery, 0.15 [0.121; 0.163] 24 hours after surgery and 0.13 [0.079; 0.151] on the 4th–5th day after surgery. The correlation values between changes in the composite z-score and the difference in GFAP concentrations were: between the outcome and the first postoperative day – rs = 0.107, p = 0.37, outcome and the 4th–5th postoperative day – rs = 0.134, p = 0.37, the first and 4th‒5th postoperative days – rs = 0.21, p = 0.37.Discussion. There was no statistically significant difference in GFAP levels between patients with delayed cognitive recovery and patients without cognitive impairment. There was also no correlation between the difference in GFAP concentrations in plasma before surgery and 24 hours after, before surgery and on the 4th–5th day of the postoperative period and the composite z-score.Conclusions. The use of GFAP to predict cognitive decline associated with surgical treatment of colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer under general anesthesia is not yet possible.В ряде исследований была обнаружена связь между повышенной концентрацией глиального фибриллярного кислого протеина (GFAP) в сыворотке крови у пациентов с различными вариантами поражения головного мозга (ишемическим инсультом, травматическим повреждением головного мозга, нейродегенеративными и нейроонкологическими заболеваниями), а также с быстрым снижением когнитивных функций у пожилых людей c исходно нормальными когнитивными способностями.Цель: выявить взаимосвязь между замедленным когнитивным восстановлением и изменением концентрации GFAP сыворотки крови в периоперационном периоде у пациентов, оперированных по поводу различных онкологических заболеваний.Материал и методы. В исследование включено 30 пациентов, перенесших оперативное лечение по поводу рака предстательной железы, колоректального рака и рака поджелудочной железы в условиях комбинированной общей анестезии. Критериями включения были ожидаемая продолжительность операции более 300 мин и возраст более 60 лет. GFAP определяли в плазме иммуноферментным анализом до введения анестезии, на следующий день после операции и на 4‒5-е сут. Нейропсихологическое тестирование выполняли до операции и на 4‒5-й послеоперационный день. Замедленное когнитивное восстановление определяли как снижение композитного z-балла более одного стандартного (SD) отклонения по сравнению с предоперационной оценкой. Корреляционный анализ проводили между изменениями композитного z-балла (в абсолютных значениях) и разницей в концентрации GFAP между исходом и первым послеоперационным днем, исходом и 4‒5-м послеоперационным днем и первым и 4‒5-м послеоперационными днями.Результаты. В 5 (16,6%) случаях выявлено снижение композитного z-балла &gt; 1 SD, что указывало на замедленное когнитивное восстановление. У остальных 25 (83,4%) пациентов изменения композитного z-балла были менее одного стандартного отклонения. Медиана концентрации GFAP у пациентов с замедленным когнитивным восстановлением составила 0,13 [0,1; 0,14] до операции, 0,12 [0,09; 0,14] на следующий день после операции и 0,16 [0,05; 0,19] на 4‒5-е сут после операции. У пациентов без когнитивных нарушений концентрация GFAP составила 0,15 [0,125; 0,184] до операции, 0,15 [0,121; 0,163] через 24 после операции и 0,13 [0,079; 0,151] на 4‒5-е сут после операции. Значения корреляции между изменениями композитного z-балла и разницей концентраций GFAP составили: между исходом и первым послеоперационным днем – rs = 0,107, p = 0,37, исходом и 4‒5-м послеоперационным днем – rs = 0,134, p = 0,37, первым и 4‒5-м послеоперационными днями – rs = 0,21, p = 0,37.Обсуждение. Не выявлено статистически значимой разницы в уровнях GFAP между пациентами с замедленным когнитивным восстановлением и пациентами без когнитивных нарушений. Также не обнаружено корреляции между разницей концентраций GFAP в плазме до операции и через 24 ч после, до операции и на 4‒5-е сут послеоперационного периода и композитным z-счетом.Выводы. Использование GFAP для прогнозирования снижения когнитивных функций, связанного с оперативным лечением колоректального рака, рака предстательной железы и рака поджелудочной железы в условиях общей анестезии, пока не представляется возможным

Biochemical applications of surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy

An overview is presented on the application of surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy to biochemical problems. Use of SEIRA results in high surface sensitivity by enhancing the signal of the adsorbed molecule by approximately two orders of magnitude and has the potential to enable new studies, from fundamental aspects to applied sciences. This report surveys studies of DNA and nucleic acid adsorption to gold surfaces, development of immunoassays, electron transfer between metal electrodes and proteins, and protein–protein interactions. Because signal enhancement in SEIRA uses surface properties of the nano-structured metal, the biomaterial must be tethered to the metal without hampering its functionality. Because many biochemical reactions proceed vectorially, their functionality depends on proper orientation of the biomaterial. Thus, surface-modification techniques are addressed that enable control of the proper orientation of proteins on the metal surface. [Figure: see text

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Delafossite-Type Oxides

The syntheses of copper and silver delafossite-type oxides from their constituent binary metal oxides, oxide hydroxides and hydroxides, by low temperature (<210 °C) and low pressure (<20 atm) hydrothermal reactions are described. Particular emphasis is placed on how the acid-base character of a constituent oxide determines its solubility and therefore whether a particular delafossite-type oxide can be synthesized, a strategy utilized by geologists and mineralogists to understand the conditions necessary for the synthesis of various minerals. Thus, the geochemical and corrosion science literature are shown to be useful in understanding the reaction conditions required for the syntheses of delafossite-type oxides and the relationship between reactant metal oxide acid-base character, solubility, aqueous speciation, and product formation. Manipulation of the key parameters, temperature, pressure, pH, and reactant solubility, results in broad families of phase-pure delafossite-type oxides in moderate to high yields for copper, CuBO2 (B) Al, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ga, and Rh), and silver, AgBO2 (B ) Al, Sc, Fe, Co, Ni, Ga, Rh, In, and Tl)

ANALYSIS OF THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL VECTOR FAÇADE MODEL CREATED FROM PHOTOGRAMMETRIC DATA

The results of the accuracy assessment analysis for creation of a three-dimensional vector model of building façade are described. In the framework of the analysis, analytical comparison of three-dimensional vector façade models created by photogrammetric and terrestrial laser scanning data has been done. The three-dimensional model built from TLS point clouds was taken as the reference one. In the course of the experiment, the three-dimensional model to be analyzed was superimposed on the reference one, the coordinates were measured and deviations between the same model points were determined. The accuracy estimation of the three-dimensional model obtained by using non-metric digital camera images was carried out. Identified façade surface areas with the maximum deviations were revealed