The potential to encode sex, age, and individual identity in the alarm calls of three species of Marmotinae

In addition to encoding referential information and information about the sender’s motivation, mammalian alarm calls may encode information about other attributes of the sender, providing the potential for recognition among kin, mates, and neighbors. Here, we examined 96 speckled ground squirrels (Spermophilus suslicus), 100 yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus) and 85 yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) to determine whether their alarm calls differed between species in their ability to encode information about the caller’s sex, age, and identity. Alarm calls were elicited by approaching individually identified animals in live-traps. We assume this experimental design modeled a naturally occurring predatory event, when receivers should acquire information about attributes of a caller from a single bout of alarm calls. In each species, variation that allows identification of the caller’s identity was greater than variation allowing identification of age or sex. We discuss these results in relation to each species’ biology and sociality

Role of religious and cultural values in human capital

El estudio tiene como objetivo investigar el papel de los valores religiosos y culturales en el capital humano. La investigación se basa en el método de investigación sociológica. Como resultado, la cohesión real y percibida de la materia de los vecinos. La cohesión real parece ser más importante para que los jóvenes participen en actividades extracurriculares. En conclusión, la calidad de la familia, la fuerte relación de amistad en el vecindario y el aumento del nivel social de las familias con niños en edad escolar forman el potencial oculto para el rápido desarrollo del capital humano.The study aims to investigate the role of religious and cultural values in human capital. The research is based on the sociological research method. As a result, the actual and perceived cohesion of the neighbors' matter. The actual cohesion seems to be more important for the youth to participate in extracurricular activities. In conclusion, the quality of the family, strong friendly relationship in the neighborhood and the increase in the social level of families with schoolchildren form the hidden potential for the rapid development of human capital

Higher Education in Post-truth, postmodernism and the problem of moral devaluation

Of the goal of this study is to Educate the abstract concept as : Post-truth and Post modernism.  Post-truth as a social phenomenon has put scientific discourse into polemic discussions in connection with an acute public request for the restoration of the Truth. Postmodernism, the previous era that gave rise to the problems of moral devaluation, is regarded as a cynical environment that produced these problems. Postmodernism has softened up the ground for radical openness of the public to the requests for the Truth, which can no longer be ignored in the last decade. The research considers modern sources of the formation of socio-ethical phenomena, which are the main life criteria in developed countries. Politics, media and culture are the core of any state and the entire global space. It is in the time of globalization, interstate interdependence, information wars and global warming that these aspects have attracted increased public interest. We provide a comparative argumentation of postmodernism and post-truth proving that the request for the Truth has become a new reality factor due to the mass public demand. The morality and ethics of the Truth have regained their classical forms and escaped from mass manipulation. Consequently, the issues of morality and values have become relevant. Ideologically, the world community demonstrates a genuine desire to restore the socio-ethical mission of the Truth. This statement is proved in our research

Targeting Cancer Cell Tight Junctions Enhances PLGA-Based Photothermal Sensitizers’ Performance In Vitro and In Vivo

The development of non-invasive photothermal therapy (PTT) methods utilizing nanoparticles as sensitizers is one of the most promising directions in modern oncology. Nanoparticles loaded with photothermal dyes are capable of delivering a sufficient amount of a therapeutic substance and releasing it with the desired kinetics in vivo. However, the effectiveness of oncotherapy methods, including PTT, is often limited due to poor penetration of sensitizers into the tumor, especially into solid tumors of epithelial origin characterized by tight cellular junctions. In this work, we synthesized 200 nm nanoparticles from the biocompatible copolymer of lactic and glycolic acid, PLGA, loaded with magnesium phthalocyanine, PLGA/Pht-Mg. The PLGA/Pht-Mg particles under the irradiation with NIR light (808 nm), heat the surrounding solution by 40 °C. The effectiveness of using such particles for cancer cells elimination was demonstrated in 2D culture in vitro and in our original 3D model with multicellular spheroids possessing tight cell contacts. It was shown that the mean inhibitory concentration of such nanoparticles upon light irradiation for 15 min worsens by more than an order of magnitude: IC50 increases from 3 µg/mL for 2D culture vs. 117 µg/mL for 3D culture. However, when using the JO-4 intercellular junction opener protein, which causes a short epithelial–mesenchymal transition and transiently opens intercellular junctions in epithelial cells, the efficiency of nanoparticles in 3D culture was comparable or even outperforming that for 2D (IC50 = 1.9 µg/mL with JO-4). Synergy in the co-administration of PTT nanosensitizers and JO-4 protein was found to retain in vivo using orthotopic tumors of BALB/c mice: we demonstrated that the efficiency in the delivery of such nanoparticles to the tumor is 2.5 times increased when PLGA/Pht-Mg nanoparticles are administered together with JO-4. Thus the targeting the tumor cell junctions can significantly increase the performance of PTT nanosensitizers

In preeclampsia, endogenous cardiotonic steroids induce vascular fibrosis and impair relaxation of umbilical arteries

Background: Marinobufagenin (MBG), a bufadienolide cardiotonic steroid, induces cardiovascular fibrosis. Because levels of MBG in preeclampsia are increased, and anti-MBG monoclonal antibody reduces blood pressure (BP) in a rat model of preeclampsia, we hypothesized that in preeclampsia, elevated MBG levels would be associated with the development of fibrosis in feto-placental circulation and with impairment of vascular relaxation. Method: We studied 16 patients with preeclampsia (systolic BP150 +/- 4 mmHg; 28+/-2 years, 37+/-1 weeks gestational age) and 14 gestational age-matched normal pregnant women (systolic BP 112+/-2 mmHg). Results: Preeclampsia was associated with a rise in plasma and placental levels of MBG. In preeclamptic umbilical arteries, the expression of Fli-1, a transcription factor and a negative regulator of fibrosis, was significantly reduced (P\u3c0.001), whereas procollagen-1 expression was increased (P\u3c0.01). As compared to control vessels, isolated rings of umbilical arteries from patients with preeclampsia demonstrated unaltered responsiveness to endothelin-1 (EC50=2.2 and 3.2 nmol/l, respectively), but exhibited an impaired response to the relaxant effect of sodium nitroprusside (EC50=1.5 vs. 32.4 nmol/l, P\u3c.001) following endothelin-1-induced constriction. Ex-vivo treatment of normal umbilical arteries explants with 1 and 10 nmol/l MBG for 24 h mimicked the effects of preeclampsia, specifically suppressed Fli-1 and increased collagen-1 expression while impairing vasorelaxation. Conclusion: Our results indicate that in preeclampsia, elevated levels of MBG induce vascular fibrosis via a Fli-1-dependent mechanism which leads to an impairment of vasorelaxation, and suggest that MBG represents a potential target for therapy of this syndrome

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF SYSTEMIC-ONSET JUVENILE ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATIC MASKS OF ONCOHEMATOLOGICAL DISEASES: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Background. Patients with malignant oncohematological diseases (OHD) may have such symptoms as fever, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly,  joint pain, arthritis, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive  protein (CRP) concentration, anemia that require differentiation from clinical implications of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA).Objective.  Our aim was to determine diagnostic criteria that can differentiate  rheumatic masks of OHD from sJIA.Methods.  The retrospective  study included 86 children with sJIA and 21 children with OHD who had rheumatic masks and were hospitalized in rheumatological departments with an initial diagnosis of sJIA. OHD were represented  by acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 17), neuroblastoma (n = 1), and lymphomas (n = 3).Results. Blast cells in the peripheral blood test were detected in 9/17 (53%) patients with acute leukemia at different times from the appearance of complaints and hospitalization. Diagnostic criteria for differentiating OHD from sJIA were the number of active joints  3 (diagnostic odds ratio, OR, 4.4, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.5–13.2), CRP concentration < 15 mg/L (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.7–18.4), platelets     307   109/L (OR 22.9, 95% CI 4.9–107.0), white blood cells     8.9   109/L (OR 50.2, 95% CI 6.3–401.3), albumin > 43.3% (OR 28.8, 95% CI 5.6–149.2),  absence of exanthema (OR 39.8, 95% CI 8.4–188.5).  The most frequent symptoms with the greatest specificity were night pain (sensitivity 0.57, specificity 1.0), bone pain (sensitivity 0.95, specificity 1.0), pathological fractures (sensitivity 0.14, specificity 1.0).Conclusion. The identified diagnostic criteria can be used for differential diagnosis of OHD with rheumatic masks and sJIA

Genome instability in MCF-7 cells exposed to gDNA^OX at final concentration 50 ng/mL for 24 hours.

<div><p>A – multiple micronuclei [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>], chromatin bridges [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B2" target="_blank">2</a>], M-phase chromatin decondensation [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B3" target="_blank">3</a>], non-treated control cells [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B4" target="_blank">4</a>] (x100). </p> <p>B – proportions of cells with micronuclei in non-treated control cells, cells exposed to gDNA, cells exposed to gDNA<b>^OX</b>. Grey columns: non-confluent, actively proliferating MCF-7 culture. Black columns: MCF-7 cells at high confluency. *p < 0.05 against control group of cells, non-parametric U-test.</p> <p>С - Exposure to gDNA<b>^OX</b> (50 ng/mL, 2 hours) induces formation of 8-oxodG-containing micronuclei (x100). </p></div

The exposure to gDNA^OX leads to an increase in the production of ROS.

<p>А – Microscopy-based evaluation of MCF-7 cells sequentially treated with DNA (50 ng/mL) and H2DCFH-DA (control, gDNA, gDNA^ox [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>]) and incubated for 30 minutes (x100). Alternatively, MCF-7 cells were incubated with DNA (50 ng/mL) for 1 hour followed by addition of H2DCFH-DA and photography 30 minutes later (gDNA^ox [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B2" target="_blank">2</a>]). B - MCF-7 cells exposed to gDNA^ox (0.5h; 50ng/mL), were sequentially treated with Mito-tracker TMRM (15 min) and H2DCFH-DA (15 min) (x200). C - Co-detection of labeled probe gDNA^red (50 ng/mL) and DCF after 30 minutes of incubation. D - The results of the quantification of fluorescence using plate reader [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>]. The time kinetics of fluorescence outputs in cells sequentially treated with H2DCFH-DA and, three minutes later, a DNA sample at final concentration of 5 or 50 ng/mL [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B2" target="_blank">2</a>]. The same for cells pretreated with DNA (final concentration 5 ng/mL) for one hour, with subsequent addition of H2DCFH-DA. *) p < 0.05 against control group of cells, non-parametric U-test.</p

The exposure to gDNA^OX (50 ng/mL) leads to a transient increase in expression cytoplasmic DNA sensor AIM2, while not changing expression levels of TLR9.

<div><p>A - intracellular localization of AIM2 (FITC-conjugated antibodies) and labeled probe gDNA<b>^red-ox</b> (x40). B – the ratio of the levels of AIM1 [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>] and TLR9 [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B2" target="_blank">2</a>] – encoding RNAs to the levels TBP-encoding reference mRNA in cells exposed to gDNA or gDNA^OX for 2 hrs (grey columns) and 48 hrs (black columns).</p> <p>C and D – Flow cytometry detection of AIM2 (C) and TLR9 (D) expression in MCF-7. Cells were stained with AIM2 (C) or TLR9 (D) antibody (secondary PE-conjugated antibodies). Panels D [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>] and E [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>] – control cells plots: FL2 versus SSC. R: gated area. Panels C [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B2" target="_blank">2</a>] and D [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B2" target="_blank">2</a>]: median signal intensity of FL2 (R) in MCF-7 cells (mean value for three independent experiments). Panels C [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B3" target="_blank">3</a>] and D [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B3" target="_blank">3</a>]: relative proportions of AIM2- or TLR9-positive cells in R gates [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>]. Background fluorescence was quantified using PE-conjugated secondary antibodies. </p> <p>*p < 0.05 against control group of cells, non-parametric U-test.</p></div

Increase in activity of transcriptional factor Nf-kB in MCF-7 cells exposed to gDNA^OX at final concentrations of 50 ng/mL for 2 hours.

<div><p>A Fluorescent microscopy of cells stained with anti-p65 (FITC) antibodies (x40). B Graph of the proportion of cells with nuclear staining for Nf-kB in three studied types of MCF-7 cultures.</p> <p>C, D (FACS) - the average signal intensity of FL1 (p65) in cells stained with anti-p65 (C) and Ser529-phosphorylated р65 (D) antibodies [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B1" target="_blank">1</a>]. - distribution of fluorescence intensities of the cells stained with Ser529-phosphorylated р65 antibodies (FITC) (green color) или FITC-conjugated secondary antibodies (grey color) [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B2" target="_blank">2</a>]. - proportion of Ser529-phosphorylated р65 -positive cells in total cell population [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0077469#B3" target="_blank">3</a>]. - the average of the median signal intensities of FL1 (Ser529-phosphorylated р65 +). Cells were cultivated either in absence (dark grey columns) or in presence of 0.15 mM NAC (light grey columns). </p></div