DNA markers in oat breeding for crown rust resistance (a review)

Crown rust is the most harmful disease of oat (Avena sativa L.) around the world. The purpose of this review is to analyze and generalize the available information about DNA markers developed for oat breeding for resistance to crown rust. The review reveals the mechanisms of the A. sativa resistance to the fungus Puccinia coronata Corda f. sp. avenae Erikss. which causes crown rust disease. Special attention is paid to the race-specific resistance caused by the action of Pc genes and the nonspecific resistance controlled mainly by the loci of quantitative traits. Strategies for creating resistant genotypes and the role of molecular markers in oat breeding for crown rust resistance are discussed. Currently, research is focused mainly on the search for and development of molecular markers related to the oat race-specific resistance to P. coronata.The article presents the technological advantages and disadvantages of the existing DNA markers. KASP, TaqMan and HRM markers are currently the most promising technologies for identifying crown rust resistance genes. The validated SCAR and STS markers for the Pc39, Pc68, Pc91, Pc94 genes are recommended as the most available for implementation in practical oat breeding. The results of recent studies on identifying loci of nonspecific resistance to P. coronata are also presented. In general, the use of DNA markers has significant potential for creating oat genotypes resistant to crown rust under present-day conditions. DNA markers of various types are recommended for practical use, in particular for pyramiding genes and increasing the resistance period of new cultivars. Introduction of DNA markers into oat breeding will increase with the growth of molecular genetic data and the improvement of technologies for identifying genes and loci associated with both race-specific and nonspecific resistance of oat to P. coronata

Локальная церебральная гипоперфузия как причина развития симптомов и прогрессирования рассеянного склероза

Background. Neurodegenerative processes play an important role in the development of clinical features of multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as in the progression of the disease. At the same time, neurodegenerative mechanisms of MS are not completely clear, which makes researchers pay special attention to pathogenetic aspects of the disease that have not been studied before. Previously it was shown that MS patients can have alterations in the local cerebral blood flow, however, the meaning of the detected abnormalities is still not clear.The aim of our work is to evaluate the perfusion character in the demyelinating lesions and normalappearing brain structures, and to determine their relation to clinical features of MS.Material and methods. 49 patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive MS with clinical and MRI remission were included in the study. The patients underwent contrast-enhanced MR perfusion of the brain on the 3 Tesla MR-tomograph, as well as the Functional System Score, Expanded Disability Status Score and Fatigue Status Score evaluation. The data analysis included automatic construction of perfusion maps of the cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and mean transit time (MTT) values in the normal-appearing brain structures and in the demyelinating lesions and statistical analysis.Results. The received results allow to presume that variation of CBV values in MS lesions can indicate heterogeneity of processes in these lesions – from reactivation of inflammation to remyelination.Significant reduction of perfusion in nucleus lenticularis was revealed. This reduction did not depend on the severity of the disease and correlated negatively with the fatigue score. This allows to suppose that the therapy focused on brain perfusion improvement can be used as symptomatic therapy of MS. Considering the fact that regional hypoperfusion precedes the development of brain structure atrophy, it is hypothesized that the improvement of perfusion may prevent neurodegeneration in MS. The obtained findings need further investigation. Введение. Нейродегенеративные процессы играют важную роль в развитии клинических проявленийрассеянного склероза (РС), а также в прогрессировании заболевания. В то же время механизмынейродегенерации при РС не вполне ясны, что заставляет исследователей обращать внимание наранее не изученные патогенетические аспекты заболевания. Было показано, что у больных РС могут наблюдаться изменения локального кровотока в головном мозге, однако значение выявленныхнарушений изучено недостаточно.Целью нашей работы являлись оценка особенностей перфузии в очагах демиелинизации и внешненеизменeнных структурах головного мозга и определение их взаимосвязи с клиническими проявлениями РС.Материалы и методы. В исследовании приняли участие 49 пациентов с ремиттирующим и вторич-но-прогрессирующим РС в стадии ремиссии (клинической и по данным магнитно-резонансной томографии (МРТ)), которым проводились МР-перфузия головного мозга с контрастным усилениемна томографе с индукцией магнитного поля 3 Тл, а также оценка по шкале функциональных систем(FS), расширенной шкале нетрудоспособности (EDSS), шкале утомляемости (FSS). Анализ данныхвключал в себя автоматическое построение перфузионных карт для показателям: объем мозговогокровотока CBV, объемная скорость кровотока CBF и среднее время циркуляции MTT в очагах демиелинизации и внешне неизмененных структурах головного мозга.Результаты. Большой разброс показателей CBV в очагах может свидетельствовать о гетерогенностипроисходящих в них процессов – от реактивации воспаления до ремиелинизации. Выявленное намизначимое снижение перфузии в лентикулярных ядрах вне зависимости от тяжести заболевания, которое отрицательно коррелировало с выраженностью утомляемости, позволяет предположить, чтотерапия, направленная на улучшение перфузии головного мозга, может использоваться в качествесимптоматической терапии РС. Учитывая то, что регионарная гипоперфузия опережает развитиеатрофии, мы считаем, что лечение, направленное на улучшение перфузии, способно предотвращатьразвитие нейродегенеративных изменений при РС, что требует дальнейших исследований

CLIPPERS. Обзор литературы и собственные наблюдения

CLIPPERS (Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids) is a rare inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, during which the pons of the brain is damaged. This disease was described for the first time in 2010 by S.J. Pittock et.al. At present, there have been around 50 described cases of the disease. Up to the present moment, there are difficulties diagnosing this disease. In the article, a literature review and three clinical cases are presented. Furthermore, the necessity of further research is shown for improving the accuracy and specificity of the diagnostic criteria, as well as for defining biomarkers and developing algorithms of effective therapy.CLIPPERS (Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive tosteroids) – хроническое лимфоцитарное воспаление с поражением моста, контрастным усилениемпериваскулярных пространств, отвечающее на терапию глюкокортикостероидными препаратами,представляет собой редкое воспалительное заболевание центральной нервной системы, вовлекающеепреимущественно мост головного мозга. Впервые заболевание было описано в 2010 г. S.J. Pittock исоавт. В настоящее время в литературе описано около 50 случаев. Заболевание до настоящего временивызывает диагностические проблемы. В статье приведен краткий обзор литературы и собственныенаблюдения трех клинических случаев. Показана необходимость дальнейших исследований дляповышения точности и специфичности диагностических критериев, определения биомаркеров иразработки алгоритмов эффективной терапии

Regional cerebral hypoperfusion as a cause of symptoms and progression of multiple sclerosis

Background. Neurodegenerative processes play an important role in the development of clinical features of multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as in the progression of the disease. At the same time, neurodegenerative mechanisms of MS are not completely clear, which makes researchers pay special attention to pathogenetic aspects of the disease that have not been studied before. Previously it was shown that MS patients can have alterations in the local cerebral blood flow, however, the meaning of the detected abnormalities is still not clear.The aim of our work is to evaluate the perfusion character in the demyelinating lesions and normalappearing brain structures, and to determine their relation to clinical features of MS.Material and methods. 49 patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive MS with clinical and MRI remission were included in the study. The patients underwent contrast-enhanced MR perfusion of the brain on the 3 Tesla MR-tomograph, as well as the Functional System Score, Expanded Disability Status Score and Fatigue Status Score evaluation. The data analysis included automatic construction of perfusion maps of the cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and mean transit time (MTT) values in the normal-appearing brain structures and in the demyelinating lesions and statistical analysis.Results. The received results allow to presume that variation of CBV values in MS lesions can indicate heterogeneity of processes in these lesions – from reactivation of inflammation to remyelination.Significant reduction of perfusion in nucleus lenticularis was revealed. This reduction did not depend on the severity of the disease and correlated negatively with the fatigue score. This allows to suppose that the therapy focused on brain perfusion improvement can be used as symptomatic therapy of MS. Considering the fact that regional hypoperfusion precedes the development of brain structure atrophy, it is hypothesized that the improvement of perfusion may prevent neurodegeneration in MS. The obtained findings need further investigation

CLIPPERS. Three clinical cases and review

CLIPPERS (Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids) is a rare inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, during which the pons of the brain is damaged. This disease was described for the first time in 2010 by S.J. Pittock et.al. At present, there have been around 50 described cases of the disease. Up to the present moment, there are difficulties diagnosing this disease. In the article, a literature review and three clinical cases are presented. Furthermore, the necessity of further research is shown for improving the accuracy and specificity of the diagnostic criteria, as well as for defining biomarkers and developing algorithms of effective therapy

Copper-substituted tricalcium phosphates

© 2016, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.Copper-substituted tricalcium phosphates (CuTCP) with different copper contents were developed using precipitation of copper-containing amorphous calcium phosphates (ACP) from salt solutions followed by heat treatment. Porous CuTCP ceramic was obtained using negative replicas. Using a set of investigation methods (powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, ESR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy), all copper-substituted tricalcium phosphates were found to have the whitlockite structure with copper incorporated in TCP in the 2+ oxidation state. The resulting material is promising for the use in regenerative medicine owing to higher solubility in body fluids compared with TCP and combination of bactericidal properties and the lack of cytotoxicity

PVP-stabilized tungsten oxide nanoparticles: pH sensitive anti-cancer platform with high cytotoxicity

Photochromic tungsten oxide (WO3) nanoparticles stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were synthesized to evaluate their potential for biomedical applications. PVP-stabilized tungsten oxide nanoparticles demonstrated a highly selective cytotoxic effect on normal and cancer cells in vitro. WO3 nanoparticles were found to induce substantial cell death in osteosarcoma cells (MNNG/HOS cell line) with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 5 mg/mL, while producing no, or only minor, toxicity in healthy human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSc). WO3 nanoparticles induced intracellular oxidative stress, which led to apoptosis type cell death. The selective anti-cancer effects of WO3 nanoparticles are due to the pH sensitivity of tungsten oxide and its capability of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which is expressed in the modulation of genes involved in reactive oxygen species metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis

Copper-substituted tricalcium phosphates

© 2016, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.Copper-substituted tricalcium phosphates (CuTCP) with different copper contents were developed using precipitation of copper-containing amorphous calcium phosphates (ACP) from salt solutions followed by heat treatment. Porous CuTCP ceramic was obtained using negative replicas. Using a set of investigation methods (powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, ESR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy), all copper-substituted tricalcium phosphates were found to have the whitlockite structure with copper incorporated in TCP in the 2+ oxidation state. The resulting material is promising for the use in regenerative medicine owing to higher solubility in body fluids compared with TCP and combination of bactericidal properties and the lack of cytotoxicity

EFFECT OF NEURODEGENERATIVE CHANGES IN THE BRAIN ON THE FORMATION OF THE DISEASE CLINICAL PICTURE IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship of global and regional cerebral atrophy and volume of demyelination lesions in the brain with a clinical picture in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study involved 55 patients with MS. Control group included 22 healthy volunteers. Patients were divided into groups according to the severity of disability, the type and duration of disease. Assessment of general and regional atrophy was performed by post-process volumetric segmentation of MRI data, which was acquired at 3T Philips Achieva scanner. The post-processing was done with the FreeSurfer software. It is shown that in MS patients brain atrophy develops both by means of gray matter (including the cortex and subcortical structures), and white matter, along with demyelination. Global and regional atrophy is associated with the severity of disability of patients according to EDSS scale, but not with the duration and type of the disease. Neurodegenerative changes of brain structures evolve with different rates, have different intensity and determine the set of symptoms of neurological impairment and severity of disability, which indicates the presence of certain patterns of the process of atrophy in the brain, forming the clinical picture of the disease