Synthesis of new olean-18(19)-ene derivatives from allobetulin

New olean-18(19)-ene triterpenoids were effectively synthesized by the interaction of allobetulin or its acetate with phosphorous oxychloride in refluxing pyridine. The structures of the synthesized 17-chloromethyloleane-18(19)-enes were confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis.     

Association between Allelic Variants of the Genes Involved in Glucocorticoids Metabolism and Asthma

Russian Journal of Genetics - Bronchial asthma (BA) is a common severe and disabling multifactorial disease. Up to 50–60% of differences in sensitivity to therapy in patients with BA is due...     

A new pentanucleotide STR-marker, located in the intron of the ING1 tumor suppressor gene and its allelic polymorphism

DNA samples of unrelated subjects from the Volga-Ural region of Russia were examined to study allele polymorphism of the pentanucleotide repeat (TTGTG)8 localized to an intron of the tumor suppressor gene ING1. STR marker was registered in the EMBL database with the accession number AJ277387. In a sample of 119 individuals, three pentanucleotide alleles consisting of seven, eight, and nine repeated monomers were revealed. The allele frequencies were 0.24, 0.74, and 0.02, respectively. Heterozygosity was 0.45. On the basis of these data, the repeat can be regarded as a polymorphic STR marker for the ING1 gene and used in population and clinical studies.     

Analysis of polymorphism of the glutathione S-transferase gene in populations of the Volga-Ural region

The frequency of the GSTM1 gene deletion homozygotes in eight populations of the Volga-Ural region belonging according to linguistic classification to Turkic (Bashkirs, Tatars, and Chuvashs), Finno-Ugric (Maris, Komis, Mordovians, and Udmurts), and Eastern-Slavic (Russians) ethnic groups, was examined by means of PCR technique. The frequency of the deletion homozygotes varied from 41.4% in Bashkirs to 61.3% in Mordovians. The mean deletion frequency comprised 50.1%, which was consistent with the data for European populations (chi 2 = 0.009).     

Polymorphism of the dopamine transporter gene in populations of the Volga-Ural region

Polymorphism at the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) in populations of the Volga-Ural region was examined by means of polymerase chain reaction. Statistically significant differences in the dopamine transporter gene allele and genotype frequency distribution were revealed both between the populations belonging to one ethnic group and between the populations from different linguistic families.     

Disuniting uniformity: a pied cladistic canvas of mtDNA haplogroup H in Eurasia

It has been often stated that the overall pattern of human maternal lineages in Europe is largely uniform. Yet this uniformity may also result from an insufficient depth and width of the phylogenetic analysis, in particular of the predominant western Eurasian haplogroup (Hg) H that comprises nearly a half of the European mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) pool. Making use of the coding sequence information from 267 mtDNA Hg H sequences, we have analyzed 830 mtDNA genomes, from 11 European, Near and Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and Altaian populations. In addition to the seven previously specified subhaplogroups, we define fifteen novel subclades of Hg H present in the extant human populations of western Eurasia. The refinement of the phylogenetic resolution has allowed us to resolve a large number of homoplasies in phylogenetic trees of Hg H based on the first hypervariable segment (HVS-I) of mtDNA. As many as 50 out of 125 polymorphic positions in HVS-I were found to be mutated in more than one subcluster of Hg H. The phylogeographic analysis revealed that sub-Hgs H1*, H1b, H1f, H2a, H3, H6a, H6b, and H8 demonstrate distinct phylogeographic patterns. The monophyletic subhaplogroups of Hg H provide means for further progress in the understanding of the (pre)historic movements of women in Eurasia and for the understanding of the present-day genetic diversity of western Eurasians in general.     

Effect of dry immersion in combination with stimulation of foot support zones upon muscle force-velocity characteristics

The complex of motor disturbances arising under conditions of real and simulated microgravity that include decrease of contractile characteristics of postural muscles is likely to be a result of withdrawal of support stimuli. Artificial stimulation of support zones of feet is shown to diminish partially or prevent completely the negative effects of microgravity on the motor system. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the changes of contractile properties of extensors and flexors of knee joint measured in isokinetic and isotonic regimes under conditions of simulated microgravity (7 days dry immersion).