Assessment of genetic polymorphism in sea buckthorn (Hippophae L.) of different environmentally-geographical origin by ISSR-markers

Sea buckthorn, despite of high popularity at the moment, is not a common object of genetic researches. Some efforts of foreign scientists in this field are concerned with only big systematic groups like species and subspecies. At the same time genetic researches inside of subspecies mongolica growing in Siberia till recently have not been started. There are too many so called ecotypes of sea buckthorn belonging to Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. mongolica growing in different environmentally-geographical areas. That is why the task of deep genetic research of that subspecies is very important. The absence of an approved procedure of genome definition for Siberian sea buckthorn makes the above task quite complicated. That is why the main aim of the current investigation was developing a procedure of ISSR-analysis for sea buckthorn growing in Siberia, as well as preliminary estimation of genetic polymorphism of sea buckthorn varieties belonging to different environmentally-geographical areas by methods of molecular markers. As a result, the procedure of ISSR-analysis for sea buckthorn growing in Siberia has been developed. From 32 estimated ISSR-markers only 6 have been educed as effective for ISSR-locus polymorphism evaluation of sea buckthorn. The annealing temperature for each primer has been found. Analyses of ISSR-markers polymorphism as well as genetic diversity of 17 sea buckthorn varieties have been done. ISSR-spectrum analyses of sea buckthorn plants have educed 56 amplified DNA fragments, 36 of them were polymorphic. According to obtained data a dendrogram of genetic affinity of evaluated varieties has been built, where one variety generates one cluster. In general, it conforms to the idea that one species is divided into subspecies and one subspecies is divided into different ecotypes. As a result of cluster analyses all investigated varieties were divided into two big groups. The first includes varieties belonging to H. rhamnoides ssp. mongolica, H. rhamnoides ssp. rhamnoides, H. rhamnoides ssp. caucasica; the second includes Danube and Yutlandian ecotypes belonging to H. rhamnoides ssp. carpatica. The occurrence of H. rhamnoides ssp. rhamnoides and H. rhamnoides ssp. caucasica inside the first group allows us to make an assumption about their closer genetic relationship with H. rhamnoides ssp. mongolica, which is consistent with their similar morphological features. Revealed ISSR-locus polymorphism as well as the results of clusters analyses allows ISSR-analyses to be recommended for sea buckthorn variability evaluation as well as for genotyping varieties

Identification and characterization of antibacterial compound(s) of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana)

Infectious diseases remain a significant threat to human health, contributing to more than 17 million deaths, annually. With the worsening trends of drug resistance, there is a need for newer and more powerful antimicrobial agents. We hypothesized that animals living in polluted environments are potential source of antimicrobials. Under polluted milieus, organisms such as cockroaches encounter different types of microbes, including superbugs. Such creatures survive the onslaught of superbugs and are able to ward off disease by producing antimicrobial substances. Here, we characterized antibacterial properties in extracts of various body organs of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) and showed potent antibacterial activity in crude brain extract against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and neuropathogenic E. coli K1. The size-exclusion spin columns revealed that the active compound(s) are less than 10 kDa in molecular mass. Using cytotoxicity assays, it was observed that pre-treatment of bacteria with lysates inhibited bacteria-mediated host cell cytotoxicity. Using spectra obtained with LC-MS on Agilent 1290 infinity liquid chromatograph, coupled with an Agilent 6460 triple quadruple mass spectrometer, tissues lysates were analyzed. Among hundreds of compounds, only a few homologous compounds were identified that contained isoquinoline group, chromene derivatives, thiazine groups, imidazoles, pyrrole containing analogs, sulfonamides, furanones, flavanones, and known to possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties, and possess anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, and analgesic properties. Further identification, characterization and functional studies using individual compounds can act as a breakthrough in developing novel therapeutics against various pathogens including superbugs

A novel crystal form of metacetamol: the first example of a hydrated form

We report the crystal structure and crystallization conditions of a first hydrated form of metacetamol (a hemihydrate), C8H9NO2·0.5H2O. It crystallizes from metacetamol-saturated 1:1 (v/v) water-ethanol solutions in a monoclinic structure (space group P2/n) and contains eight metacetamol and four water molecules per unit cell. The conformations of the molecules are the same as in polymorph II of metacetamol, which ensures the formation of hydrogen-bonded dimers and R22(16) ring motifs in its crystal structure similar to those in polymorph II. Unlike in form II, however, these dimers in the hemihydrate are connected through water molecules into infinite hydrogen-bonded molecular chains. Different chains are linked to each other by metacetamol-water and metacetamol-metacetamol hydrogen bonds, the latter type being also present in polymorph I. The overall noncovalent network of the hemihydrate is well developed and several types of hydrogen bonds are responsible for its formation

Conditions for Production of Composite Material Based on Aluminum and Carbon Nanofibers and Its Physic-Mechanical Properties

Aluminum-based metallic matrix composites reinforced by carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are important precursors for development of new light and ultralight materials with enhanced properties and high specific characteristics. In the present work, powder metallurgy technique was applied for production of composites based on reinforcement of aluminum matrices by CNFs of different concentrations (0~2.5 wt%). CNFs were produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and mechanical activation. We determined that in situ synthesis of carbon nanostructures with subsequent mechanic activation provides satisfactory distribution of nanofibers and homogeneous composite microstructure. Introduction of 1 vol% of flux (0.25 NaCl + 0.25 KCl + 0.5 CaF2) during mechanic activation helps to reduce the strength of the contacts between the particles. Additionally, better reinforcement of alumina particles and strengthening the bond between CNFs and aluminum are observed due to alumina film removal. Introduction of pure aluminum into mechanically alloyed powder provides the possibility to control composite durability, plasticity and thermal conductivity

SUBPOPULATIONAL FEATURES OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD CELLS IN THE PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE MYOCARDITIS: CLINICAL AND PATHOGENETIC ASPECTS

<strong>Abstract. </strong>The goal of our research was comparative study of the most important parameters of subset cytoarchitectonics in the patients with the different courses of myocarditis and evaluation of their pathogenetic and clinical value in the practice of the physician. We have investigated 99 patients with myocarditis and 40 healthy donors. In patients with malignant course of disease we revealed increased activation index of T/B-cells; increased expression of the activation markers on the both lines of differentiation; disproportion in the immunoregulatory subsets with increased role of dendric cells; decreased intensity of the autoreactive T-cells apoptosis. in the patient with the In patients with nonmalignant course of disease expressed signs of immunopathology were not found. Thus, study of activation markers on the cells of the peripheral blood is more informative and noninvasive method of diagnostics of myocarditis

Long-term controlled antihypertensive therapy in Chernobyl liquidators, its effectiveness and benefits

Aim. To compare effectiveness of controlled antihypertenive therapy (AHT) and standard outpatient care among Chernobyl male liquidators (ML) with mild to moderate arterial hypertension (AH). Material and methods. This 12-month, open, comparative randomized study included 81 ML aged 37-70, with mild to moderate AH. The main group consisted of 42 patients, the control group – of 39; mean age 52.2±1.3 and 51.5±1.1 years, mean AH duration 10±1 and 9.6±1 years, respectively. In main group, patients received an ACE inhibitor spirapril, combined with hypothiazide (12.5-25 mg/d), and atenolol (12.5-100 mg/d), if necessary. In control group, AHT and its correction were performed by outpatient physicians. Medical history collection, physical examination, anthropometry, blood pressure (BP) measurement (three times), and electrocardiograpy were performed. Results. During one-year controlled AHT, comparing to standard outpatient care, more effective decrease in systolic and diastolic BP was achieved. Antihypertensive effect was registered in 78.6% and 38.0% of the main and control group patients, respectively. At the end of the study, most participants from the main group ((78.6%) received combined therapy (2 or more drugs); in control group, this number was only 17.2%. Conclusion. The results of the study demonstrated high effectiveness and benefits of long-term controlled AHT, comparing to standard outpatient care

Prospects of Application of Ultramicroelectrode Ensembles for Voltammetric Determination of Compounds with Close Standard Electrode Potentials and Different Diffusion Coefficients

The spherical diffusion that occurs when using ultramicroelectrodes (i.e., electrodes with a characteristic size of 1–10 µm) contributes to a higher mass transfer rate. This leads to equalization of the depletion rates of the near-electrode layer due to the electrochemical reaction and to the supply of the product from the solution depth. This is the reason why, for ultramicroelectrodes, a limiting size of the spherical layer exists in which the concentration gradient is localized (diffusion layer). Thus, a stationary mass transfer mode is achieved, which is expressed in the sigmoidal CV curve’s shape. In ultramicroelectrode arrays, when the diffusion hemispheres are separated, a steady-state diffusion is realized. However, with a decrease in the interelectrode distance, which leads to the diffusion spheres intersection, a mixed regime arises, which is not fully time-independent. The resulting voltammogram’s shape change can serve as an analytical signal in the study of substances with differing diffusion coefficients, since the diffusion layer growth rate and, consequently, the area of intersection of neighboring spheres, depends on it. This work shows the applicability of voltammetry using ensembles of ultramicroelectrodes operating in the transient mode for the analysis of mixtures of electrochemically active compounds with close electrode reaction parameters, such as exchange currents and electrode potential. Ferrocenemethanol esters are used as an example. The applicability of cyclic voltammetry on the UME array for analysis of mixtures was illustrated by means of finite element modelling. The reliability of the modelling results was experimentally proved for ferrocenemethanol esters with glycine and triglycine