Yield and content of biologically active substances in blue honeysuckle fruit (Lonicera caerulea L.) grown in the Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Received: July 28th, 2022 ; Accepted: September 26th, 2022 ; Published: October 20th, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) is a relatively new crop in Ukraine, its industrial cultivation is only 100 hectares. The main constraints are the lack of varieties with high yield and nutritional value of berries. Therefore, a study of the yield and quality of introduced varieties is necessary and relevant, both for producers and breeders. With our research, we determined the potential of the early stage of blue honeysuckle berries under the conditions of their cultivation in the Forest Steppe of Ukraine and the weather conditions of the year of the specified region. We assessed how early we can get a crop and set what quality and what it will be. To clearly understand the quality of the grown fruits, their average weight, size and uniformity were studied. From nutritional indicators of fruit quality, the content of dry matter, soluble solids, sugars and titrated acids was studied, from biologically active substances, the content of vitamin C and total phenolic was determined. It was found that in the zone of the Forest Steppe of Ukraine from the studied group of varieties, the highest yield potential, 3.13 kg from a bush for the second year of fruiting and fruit mass 2.4 g, had a variety of Canadian breeding ‘Boreal Beauty’. The fruits of the cultivars ‘Duet’ (4.3) and ‘Boreal Blizzard’ (4.5) were distinguished by the balance of taste according to the sugar-acid index, and the maximum amount of total phenolics for the studied group of varieties was accumulated by the fruits of ‘Boreal Beast’ (1,000 mg 100 g-1 )

Serum paraoxonase activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, its relationship with the clinical course and cardiovascular compications

Nowadays low paraoxonase activity is generally recognized as an independent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases involved in pathologic remodeling of the heart and vessels as well as thrombosis in the general population. But the role of paraoxonase activity in RA patients is unknown. Based on the above, the aim of the work was to study serum paraoxonase activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, to evaluate its association with clinical course and structural and functional status of the cardiovascular system. 67 patients with RA, 18 males and 49 females were studied. The control group consisted of 25 apparently healthy individuals. Rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed according to international classification criteria ACR 2012. The indices of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and triglycerides (TG) in blood serum were determined by standard conventional methods. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) values were calculated by Friedwald formula. Serum paraoxonase activity was measured by spectrophotometric method. High resolution ultrasound and Doppler ultrasonography of the brachial artery were performed to study endothelium function. Sonographic B-mode scanning and pulsed Doppler ultrasound of heart and blood flow spectra were done on ultrasound scanner. Serum paraoxonase activity was found to be about 18.8% lower in the patients with RA than in the control group. Serum paraoxonase activity was shown to decrease proportionally to the increase of the age in RA patients. In the group of patients over 45, the level of the enzyme was 13.0% lower than in the patients over 30. The study established that the increase of systolic and diastolic arterial pressure is associated with decrease of serum paraoxonase activity in RA patients. The patients with RA combined with arterial hypertension had significantly (by 10.9%) lower activity of the studied enzyme than those with no arterial hypertension. However, no significant relationship between paraoxonase activity and duration of the disease, obesity and smoking was revealed. Paraoxonase activity in RA patients was demonstrated to be dependent on lipid levels. The lowest paraoxonase activity was recorded in individuals with the highest levels of TC, LDLC and the lowest HDLC indices. Paraoxonase activity in RA patients is associated not only with atherosclerotic vascular damage (IMT, decreased FMDBA) but also with structural and functional heart status (systolic and diastolic functions, left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy). Decreased serum paraoxonase level is suggested to be the predictor of early development of cardiovascular complications in RA patients

Porous silicon nanoneedles modulate endocytosis to deliver biological payloads

Owing to their ability to efficiently deliver biological cargo and sense the intracellular milieu, vertical arrays of high aspect ratio nanostructures, known as nanoneedles, are being developed as minimally invasive tools for cell manipulation. However, little is known of the mechanisms of cargo transfer across the cell membrane‐nanoneedle interface. In particular, the contributions of membrane piercing, modulation of membrane permeability and endocytosis to cargo transfer remain largely unexplored. Here, combining state‐of‐the‐art electron and scanning ion conductance microscopy with molecular biology techniques, it is shown that porous silicon nanoneedle arrays concurrently stimulate independent endocytic pathways which contribute to enhanced biomolecule delivery into human mesenchymal stem cells. Electron microscopy of the cell membrane at nanoneedle sites shows an intact lipid bilayer, accompanied by an accumulation of clathrin‐coated pits and caveolae. Nanoneedles enhance the internalization of biomolecular markers of endocytosis, highlighting the concurrent activation of caveolae‐ and clathrin‐mediated endocytosis, alongside macropinocytosis. These events contribute to the nanoneedle‐mediated delivery (nanoinjection) of nucleic acids into human stem cells, which distribute across the cytosol and the endolysosomal system. This data extends the understanding of how nanoneedles modulate biological processes to mediate interaction with the intracellular space, providing indications for the rational design of improved cell‐manipulation technologies

Spearhead Nanometric Field-Effect Transistor Sensors for Single-Cell Analysis.

Nanometric field-effect-transistor (FET) sensors are made on the tip of spear-shaped dual carbon nanoelectrodes derived from carbon deposition inside double-barrel nanopipettes. The easy fabrication route allows deposition of semiconductors or conducting polymers to comprise the transistor channel. A channel from electrodeposited poly pyrrole (PPy) exhibits high sensitivity toward pH changes. This property is exploited by immobilizing hexokinase on PPy nano-FETs to give rise to a selective ATP biosensor. Extracellular pH and ATP gradients are key biochemical constituents in the microenvironment of living cells; we monitor their real-time changes in relation to cancer cells and cardiomyocytes. The highly localized detection is possible because of the high aspect ratio and the spear-like design of the nano-FET probes. The accurately positioned nano-FET sensors can detect concentration gradients in three-dimensional space, identify biochemical properties of a single living cell, and after cell membrane penetration perform intracellular measurements

Overexpression of MRPS18-2 in cancer cell lines results in appearance of multinucleated cells

Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Human mitochondrial ribosomal protein MRPS18-2 (S18-2) is encoded by a cellular gene that is located on the human chromosome 6p21.3. We discovered that overexpression of the S18-2 protein led to immortalization and de-differentiation of primary rat embryonic fibroblasts. Cells showed anchorage-independent growth pattern. Moreover, pathways characteristic for rapidly proliferating cells were upregulated then. It is possible that the S18-2 overexpression induced disturbance in cell cycle regulation. We found that overexpression of S18-2 protein in human cancer cell lines led to an appearance of multinucleated cells in the selected clones.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Coherent x-ray radiation generated near the axis of the beam of relativistic electrons in an artificial periodic structure

A theory of the coherent X-ray radiation produced by a beam of relativistic electrons in an artificial periodic structure and propagating along the electron-beam axis is developed. Expressions describing the spectral-angular densities of parametric X-ray radiation in the direction close to the electron velocity vector (FPXR) and of transition radiation (TR) and their interference are obtained in the Bragg scattering geometry. An analysis based on the obtained expressions for the spectral-angular density shows possibilities of their use to determine the optimal parameters of the experiment recording the FPX

Common mechanisms of placental dysfunction in preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and COVID-19 in pregnant women

COVID-19 infection, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnancy cause similar changes in the placenta and influence development of the fetus between conception and birth in gestation. Proper uterine and placental vascularization is essential for normal fetal development. The transplacental exchange is regulated and maintained by the placental endothelium. During placental implantation, the trophoblast differentiates into two distinct layers, the inner cytotrophoblast and outer syncytiotrophoblast, which are key elements of the human placental barrier. Proinflammatory cytokines exacerbate ischemic events and create an upward spiral of an inflammatory reaction in the placenta. Placental pathology in gestational COVID-19 shows desquamation and damage of trophoblast and chronic histiocytic intervillositis. Similar lesions also occur in gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia. The systemic inflammatory response of the mother, the increased inflammation in the placenta and cytokine production by placental trophoblasts should be monitored throughout pregnancy. Placental angiogenesis can be evaluated by serum vascular endothelial growth factor, Annexin A2, placental growth factor or sclerostin. Tissue damage can be assessed by measuring levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase and myeloperoxidase. Blood flow can be monitored with three-dimensional Doppler and pathological changes can be documented with paraffin-embedded tissue sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and electron microscope images as well as immunohistochemistry tests for vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor, sclerostin and Annexin A2. The damage of maternal and fetal vascular perfusion (villitis and fibrin deposition) is a common mechanism of gestational diseases. The placenta lesions liberate anti-endothelial factors that lead to anti-angiogenic conditions and are the common mechanism of maternal placental vascular malperfusion in gestational diseases. Keywords: dysfunction, inflammation, pathology, placenta, pregnancy, vascularizatio

Prevalence and correlates of depressive disorders in people with Type 2 diabetes: results from the International Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes and Depression (INTERPRET‐DD) study, a collaborative study carried out in 14 countries

Aims To assess the prevalence and management of depressive disorders in people with Type 2 diabetes in different countries. Methods People with diabetes aged 18–65 years and treated in outpatient settings were recruited in 14 countries and underwent a psychiatric interview. Participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Problem Areas in Diabetes scale. Demographic and medical record data were collected. Results A total of 2783 people with Type 2 diabetes (45.3% men, mean duration of diabetes 8.8 years) participated. Overall, 10.6% were diagnosed with current major depressive disorder and 17.0% reported moderate to severe levels of depressive symptomatology (Patient Health Questionnaire scores >9). Multivariable analyses showed that, after controlling for country, current major depressive disorder was significantly associated with gender (women) (PPPPP<0.0001). The proportion of those with either current major depressive disorder or moderate to severe levels of depressive symptomatology who had a diagnosis or any treatment for their depression recorded in their medical records was extremely low and non-existent in many countries (0–29.6%). Conclusions Our international study, the largest of this type ever undertaken, shows that people with diabetes frequently have depressive disorders and also significant levels of depressive symptoms. Our findings indicate that the identification and appropriate care for psychological and psychiatric problems is not the norm and suggest a lack of the comprehensive approach to diabetes management that is needed to improve clinical outcomes

Digital receivers for low-frequency radio telescopes UTR-2, URAN, GURT

This paper describes digital radio astronomical receivers used for decameter and meter wavelength observations. This paper describes digital radio astronomical receivers used for decameter and meter wavelength observations. Since 1998, digital receivers performing on-the-fly dynamic spectrum calculations or waveform data recording without data loss have been used at the UTR-2 radio telescope, the URAN VLBI system, and the GURT new generation radio telescope. Here we detail these receivers developed for operation in the strong interference environment that prevails in the decameter wavelength range. Data collected with these receivers allowed us to discover numerous radio astronomical objects and phenomena at low frequencies, a summary of which is also presented.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figure