Kalmyk traditional medicine: a historical and cultural analysis

The article discusses the features of traditional Kalmyk medicine. The relevance of the research topic matches the growing interest in traditional medicine, and in the spiritual heritage of the Buddhist East. Kalmyk folk medicine is known to have its historical roots going back to the ancient traditions of the nomads of Central Asia. The ancestors of the Kalmyks, the Oirats, had centuries-old traditions of traditional nomadic medicine. In the 17 century, Tibetan medicine, alongside with Buddhist culture, began to reach the Kalmyks. The famous figure of Oriental Enlightenment, Zaya-pandita Namka Jamtso (1599–1662), translated from Tibetan into Oirat language the medical treatise “Gyushi”, which is considered the main source of Tibetan medicine. However, the mass spread of Tibetan medicine over the territory of Kalmykia began only in the 18th century, along with the opening of the first medical khurul. As a result, Kalmyk traditional medicine moved towards a kind of synthesis of Kalmyk folk medicine, on the one hand, and of Tibetan medicine, on the other. Kalmyk doctors (Emchi) were familiar with both traditions and used them in their medical practice. They could diagnose and treat a fairly considerable number of types of diseases. At the same time, phytotherapy was the most common form of treatment. An important place was occupied by various natural minerals. During the treatment of the patient, fermented milk products (koumiss and chigyan) and a therapeutic diet were widely used. Non-drug treatment included bone-cutting, massage, gymnastics, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, bloodletting, and cauterization. The tragic events of the first half of the twentieth century, including Russian Civil War and World War II, repressions against the clergy and the deportation of Kalmyks led to the decline of traditional Kalmyk medicine. Currently, in Kalmykia, as well as in other regions of Russia, centers of Tibetan medicine are being opened. It is thus especially important to develop a state policy and put in place control mechanisms to control the revival and practice of traditional medicine in Kalmykia, as well as to set up an information database of resource in traditional medicine, including its intellectual and natural resources, to conduct research and integrate traditional medicine into the public healthcare

Blinatumomab in pediatric relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: RIALTO expanded access study final analysis

The safety and efficacy of blinatumomab, a CD3/CD19-directed bispecific molecule, were examined in an open-label, single-arm, expanded access study (RIALTO). Children (>28 days and <18 years) with CD19+ relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL) received up to 5 cycles of blinatumomab by continuous infusion (cycle: 4 weeks on/2 weeks off). The primary end point was incidence of adverse events. Secondary end points included complete response (CR) and measurable residual disease (MRD) response within the first 2 cycles and relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) after treatment. At final data cutoff (10 January 2020), 110 patients were enrolled (median age, 8.5 years; 88% had ≥5% baseline blasts). A low incidence of grade 3 or 4 cytokine release syndrome (n = 2; 1.8%) and neurologic events (n = 4; 3.6%) was reported; no blinatumomab-related fatal adverse events were recorded. The probability of response was not affected by the presence of cytogenetic/molecular abnormalities. Median OS was 14.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.0-not estimable) and was significantly better for MRD responders vs MRD nonresponders (not estimable vs 9.3; hazard ratio, 0.18; 95% CI: 0.08-0.39). Of patients achieving CR after 2 cycles, 73.5% (95% CI: 61.4%-83.5%) proceeded to alloHSCT. One-year OS probability was higher for patients who received alloHSCT vs without alloHSCT after blinatumomab (87% vs 29%). These findings support the use of blinatumomab as a safe and efficacious treatment of pediatric R/R B-ALL. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02187354

A Rice Plastidial Nucleotide Sugar Epimerase Is Involved in Galactolipid Biosynthesis and Improves Photosynthetic Efficiency

Photosynthesis is the final determinator for crop yield. To gain insight into genes controlling photosynthetic capacity, we selected from our large T-DNA mutant population a rice stunted growth mutant with decreased carbon assimilate and yield production named photoassimilate defective1 (phd1). Molecular and biochemical analyses revealed that PHD1 encodes a novel chloroplast-localized UDP-glucose epimerase (UGE), which is conserved in the plant kingdom. The chloroplast localization of PHD1 was confirmed by immunoblots, immunocytochemistry, and UGE activity in isolated chloroplasts, which was approximately 50% lower in the phd1-1 mutant than in the wild type. In addition, the amounts of UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose substrates in chloroplasts were significantly higher and lower, respectively, indicating that PHD1 was responsible for a major part of UGE activity in plastids. The relative amount of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), a major chloroplast membrane galactolipid, was decreased in the mutant, while the digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) amount was not significantly altered, suggesting that PHD1 participates mainly in UDP-galactose supply for MGDG biosynthesis in chloroplasts. The phd1 mutant showed decreased chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity, and altered chloroplast ultrastructure, suggesting that a correct amount of galactoglycerolipids and the ratio of glycolipids versus phospholipids are necessary for proper chloroplast function. Downregulated expression of starch biosynthesis genes and upregulated expression of sucrose cleavage genes might be a result of reduced photosynthetic activity and account for the decreased starch and sucrose levels seen in phd1 leaves. PHD1 overexpression increased photosynthetic efficiency, biomass, and grain production, suggesting that PHD1 plays an important role in supplying sufficient galactolipids to thylakoid membranes for proper chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthetic activity. These findings will be useful for improving crop yields and for bioenergy crop engineering

Association between Variants of the Leptin Receptor Gene (LEPR) and Overweight: A Systematic Review and an Analysis of the CoLaus Study

BACKGROUND: Three non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (Q223R, K109R and K656N) of the leptin receptor gene (LEPR) have been tested for association with obesity-related outcomes in multiple studies, showing inconclusive results. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association of the three LEPR variants with BMI. In addition, we analysed 15 SNPs within the LEPR gene in the CoLaus study, assessing the interaction of the variants with sex. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We searched electronic databases, including population-based studies that investigated the association between LEPR variants Q223R, K109R and K656N and obesity- related phenotypes in healthy, unrelated subjects. We furthermore performed meta-analyses of the genotype and allele frequencies in case-control studies. Results were stratified by SNP and by potential effect modifiers. CoLaus data were analysed by logistic and linear regressions and tested for interaction with sex. The meta-analysis of published data did not show an overall association between any of the tested LEPR variants and overweight. However, the choice of a BMI cut-off value to distinguish cases from controls was crucial to explain heterogeneity in Q223R. Differences in allele frequencies across ethnic groups are compatible with natural selection of derived alleles in Q223R and K109R and of the ancient allele in K656N in Asians. In CoLaus, the rs10128072, rs3790438 and rs3790437 variants showed interaction with sex for their association with overweight, waist circumference and fat mass in linear regressions. CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review and analysis of primary data from the CoLaus study did not show an overall association between LEPR SNPs and overweight. Most studies were underpowered to detect small effect sizes. A potential effect modification by sex, population stratification, as well as the role of natural selection should be addressed in future genetic association studies

Swift heavy ion induced modifications in nano-crystalline microwave dielectric BaTi4O9 ceramics

The pellets of BaTi4O9 were synthesized via a polymerized complex method and irradiated with 50 MeV Li3+ ions for two different fluences. The dielectric constant (epsilon(r)), and dielectric loss (tan delta) as a function of frequency (1 kHz-2 MHz) and temperature (40-200 degrees C) were measured for unirradiated and irradiated samples. The values of epsilon(r) for unirradiated and irradiated samples decreased with frequency at room temperature which is explained by Koops' model. The increase in dielectric constant after the irradiation shows that the damage occurs during irradiation and produces defects due to electronic processes and/or inelastic collisions. Micro-structural properties revealed that the size of pores/holes and their number increased with irradiation fluence giving rise to volume expansion porous defects