The Petrogenetic significance of Plagioclase megacrysts in Archean rocks

The petrogenetic significance of plagioclase megacryst-bearing Archean rocks was considered. It was suggested that these developed in mid-to upper-crustal magma chambers that were repeatedly replenished. Crystallization of megacrysts from a primitive liquid that evolves to an Fe-rich tholeiite (with LREE enrichment) is nearly isothermal and is an equilibrium process. Cumulates probably form near the margins of the chambers and liquids with megacrysts are periodically extracted and can appear as volcanics. Some flows and intrusives are found in arc-like settings in greenstone belts. Megacrystic dikes represent large volumes of melt and dike swarms such as the Metachawan swarm of Ontario suggest multiple sources of similar compositions. A complex series of melt ponding and migration are probable and involve large amounts of liquid

Tectonic implications of Archean anorthosite occurrences

The occurrences of megacrystic anorthosite and basalt in a variety of geologic settings were reviewed and it was found that these rock types occur in a variety of tectonic settings. Anorthosites and megacrystic basalts are petrogenetically related and are found in oceanic volcanic crust, cratons, and shelf environments. Although megacrystic basalts are most common in Archean terranes, similar occurrences are observed in rocks of early Proterozoic age, and even in young terranes such as the Galapagos hotspot. Based on inferences from experimental petrology, all of the occurrences are apparently associated with similar parental melts that are relatively Fe-rich tholeiites. The megacrystic rocks exhibit a two- (or more)-stage development of plagioclase, with the megacrysts having relatively uniform composition produced under nearly isothermal and isochemical conditions over substantial periods of time. The anorthosites appear to have intruded various crustal levels from very deep to very shallow. The petrogenetic indicators, however, suggest that conditions of formation of the Precambrian examples were different from Phanerozoic occurrences

New design of a lentiviral shRNA vector with inducible co-expression of ARGONAUTE 2 for enhancing gene silencing efficiency

Background: RNA interference (RNAi) is a robust tool for inhibiting specific gene expression, but it is limited by the uncertain efficiency of siRNA or shRNA constructs. It has been shown that the overexpression of ARGONAUTE 2 (AGO2) protein increases silencing efficiency. However, the key elements required for AGO2-mediated enhancement of gene silencing in lentiviral vector has not been well studied.Results: To explore the application of AGO2-based shRNA system in mammalian cells, we designed shRNA vectors targeting the EGFP reporter gene and evaluated the effects of various factors on silencing efficiency including stem length, loop sequence, antisense location as well as the ratio between AGO2 and shRNA. We found that 19 ~ 21-bp stem and 6- or 9-nt loop structure in the sense-loop-antisense (S-L-AS) orientation was an optimal design in the AGO2-shRNA system. Then, we constructed a single lentiviral vector co-expressing shRNA and AGO2 and demonstrated that the simultaneous expression of shRNA and AGO2 can achieve robust silencing of exogenous DsRed2 and endogenous ID1 and P65 genes. However, the titers of packaged lentivirus from constitutive expression of AGO2 vector were extremely low, severely limiting its broad application. For the first time, we demonstrated that the problem can be significantly improved by using the inducible expression of AGO2 lentiviral system.Conclusions: We reported a novel lentiviral vector with an optimal design of shRNA and inducible AGO2 overexpression which provides a new tool for RNAi research.Peer reviewedPhysiological Science

The assessment of the physical fitness of cadets from the Cracow State Fire Service Fire College – comparative study

Wysoki poziom sprawności fizycznej jest w wielu przypadkach warunkiem koniecznym do pełnienia określonej roli zawodowej. Strażacy wykonują działania w sytuacjach wymagających przytomności umysłu i rozwagi, szybkiej reakcji oraz dużej wytrzymałości psychofizycznej. Dlatego też poziom sprawności przyszłych funkcjonariuszy Państwowej Straży Pożarnej (PSP) jest istotnym problemem badawczym rzutującym na przyszłe perspektywy zawodowe tej grupy zawodowej. Celem artykułu było porównanie sprawności fizycznej pomiędzy słuchaczami Szkoły Aspirantów Państwowej Straży Pożarnej w Krakowie (SA PSP) kształcącymi się w trzech kolejnych rocznikach. Badaniem objęto 272 mężczyzn kształcących się w dwuletniej SA PSP. Ocenę zdolności motorycznej dokonano za pomocą testu Pilicza. Jako drugiego narzędzia badawczego użyto testu oceniającego sprawność fizyczną kandydatów do służby w PSP. Zastosowano następujące próby motoryczne: podciąganie na drążku, bieg po kopercie, skok w dal z miejsca, rzut dwukilogramową piłką lekarską, ćwiczenie wytrzymałościowe „Delfin”. Analizy statystyczne przeprowadzono przy użyciu programu Microsoft Excel pakietu Office firmy Microsoft oraz programu STATISTICA 8.0 firmy StatSoft. Oceny istotności różnic dokonano przy pomocy testu t-Studenta dla danych niezależnych. Statystyczną istotność różnic rozpatrywano na poziomie istotności dla p<0,05. Analiza wyników wykazała różnice w poziomie sprawności fizycznej pomiędzy badanymi kadetami, kształcącymi się w różnych latach. W podciąganiu na drążku najlepszy średni wynik uzyskali kadeci z grupy II (19 powtórzeń), natomiast w biegu po kopercie z grupy III, osiągając średni czas wynoszący 23,4 s. Grupa I uzyskała najwyższą średnią arytmetyczną próbach w skoku w dal z miejsca i rzucie piłką lekarską oburącz zza głowy oraz ćwiczeniu wytrzymałościowym Delfin. W badanych grupach, na podstawie wyników prób: podciągania na drążku, biegu po kopercie i skoku w dal z miejsca nie stwierdzono istotnych statystycznie różnic sprawności fizycznej. W pozostałych próbach odnotowano różnice istotne statystycznie. Ponadto zaobserwowano tendencję malejącą wyników w kolejnych rocznikach w próbach skoku w dal z miejsca, rzutu piłką lekarską oraz ćwiczeniu Delfin. Poziom sprawności fizycznej jest zróżnicowany zależnie od rocznika, zwłaszcza w próbie siły eksplozywnej kończyn górnych i ćwiczeniu wytrzymałościowym Delfin. Zaobserwowane różnice w poziomie sprawności fizycznej pomiędzy ocenianymi rocznikami mogą świadczyć o specyfice szkolenia pożarniczego. Należy systematycznie kontrolować u kandydatów, a następnie strażaków poziom sprawność fizycznej, która zapewnia wykonywanie zadań służbowych.A high level of physical fitness is in many cases a necessary condition to perform a particular job role. Firefighters often carry out the rescue operations in situations requiring the high consciousness, deliberation, fast reaction and big psychophysical reliability. Therefore, the level of efficiency of future officers of the fire department is an important research problem impinging their future career prospects. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the physical fitness of three generations of the Fire College in Cracow and to show the direction of the trend of changes in physical fitness of this group of young people. The study included 272 men trained in a two-year Fire College of the State Fire Service(SFS) in Cracow. Motor skills were assessed using the Pilicz test. As the second research tool, the test evaluating the physical fitness necessary for candidates to serve in the SFS,was used.. To assess the motor efficiency ,the following tests were used: the pull-ups on a bar, the Zig-Zag test, the standing broad jump, the medicine ball throw, the Dolphin exercise. Statistical analysis were conducted using the Microsoft Office Excel and the STATISTICA 9.0 program made by the StatSoft. In turn, the significance of differences was evaluated with the application of the Student’s test for independent variables. The statistical significance was considered at p<0,05. The analysis of the results showed differences in the level of physical fitness between the cadets studied in different years. In the pull – up exercise, the best result was achieved in the group 2 (19 repetitions), while in the beep test the best results were in the group 3, reaching an average time of 23.4 seconds. Group 1 got the highest arithmetic mean of the long jump attempts and shot the ball with both hands behind the head and the “Dolphin” endurance exercise. In the tested groups, based on the results of the following tests: the pull ups ,the beep test, and the jump from the place, no statistically significant differences in physical fitness were observed.. In other trials the statistically significant differences were reported . In addition, the declining results in the subsequent years in the attempts in the standing broad jump, throw a medicine ball and the “Dolphin” exercise were observed. Conclusion. The fitness level is diversified depending on the generation especially in the attempt of explosive strength of upper limbs and the Dolphin endurance exercise. Observed differences in the level of the physical fitness between the tested cadets show how the specific fire training is. There must be systematical control of the level of physical efficiency of firefighters, which enables them to fulfill their duties in the SFS and carry out the rescue actions in the best way

Embedding siRNA sequences targeting Apolipoprotein B100 in shRNA and miRNA scaffolds results in differential processing and in vivo efficacy

Cellular mechanisms in basic and clinical gastroenterology and hepatolog