Dominating species of entomophilous ascomycetes anamorphs in West Siberia,Primorsky krai,and Kyrgyzstan

The paper studies mycobiota of the dead insects in West Siberia, Primorsky krai, and Kyrgyzstan. Ascomycetes anamorphs of 13 genera are revealed. In all regions Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. dominated comprising on average 68% of the total number of isolates. The fungus hosts list the insects of 7 orders and 32 families with Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Hemiptera dominating. The rarely found entomopathogens include Tolypocladium inflatum Gams (primarily on Lepidoptera), Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorokin (on Coleoptera). The mortality rate of the insects due to micromycetes is observed mainly on enzootic level. The study of the pathogenic properties of the dominating species (B. bassiana) show the absence of specificity of its environmental isolates for a number of representatives of Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of the radiative properties of matter at high energy densities and their application to the problems of inertial confinement fusion

The paper presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies of the radiative properties of plasmas produced by heating and compression of various materials to high energy densities. The specific features of the theoretical plasma model known as the ion model, which is used to calculate the radiative characteristics of plasmas of complex chemical composition, are discussed. The theoretical approach based on this model is applied to the plasma produced during the explosion of the X-pinch wires. The theoretical estimate of the radiation efficiency is compared with the experimental data on the total energy yield from an X-pinch made of two different wires (NiCr and Alloy 188). The radiative characteristics of (C12 H16 O8) and (C8 H12 O6) plasmas are calculated for the temperature diagnostics of plasmas produced from porous targets employed in inertial confinement fusion experiments with the use of laser radiation and heavy-ion beams.     

A rapid method for the purification of supercoiled PM2 DNA by affinity chromatography on H1 histone covalently coupled to agarose.

A simple and rapid method is described for the purification of supercoiled PM2 DNA by affinity chromatography on columns of H1 histone covalently coupled to agarose. The method does not require the use of intercalating agents or ultracentrifugation procedures. Under the conditions most appropriate for purification, elution is carried out in a single step with buffered 0.7 M NaCl after the sample has been loaded onto the column in buffered 0.2 M NaCl. The DNA eluted at the higher salt concentration consists of supercoiled closed circular DNA at greater than 90% purity independently of the ratio of supercoiled to nicked circular DNA in the input mixture.     

Directly observed 15N NMR spectra of uniformly enriched proteins

The proteins cytochrome c2, cytochrome c', and ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from Rhodospirillum rubrum were enriched in 15N by growth of the organism on 15NH4Cl. The proteins were purified to homogeneity and studied by 15N NMR. Longitudinal and transverse relaxation times as well as the nuclear Overhauser effects were determined for various groups of the proteins which vary in molecular weight from 13,000 to 114,000. The values of these parameters for the amide resonances or for groups thought to be rigid were consistent with the molecular weights of the proteins. Relaxation times of the amino-terminal alpha-amino groups and the side chain nitrogen atoms of arginine and lysine were consistent with much more rapid motion. Nitrogen atoms having bound protons were generally found to be decoupled from the protons by chemical exchange. Demonstrable 1H-15N coupling was taken as an indication that exchange was hindered, either by hydrogen bonding interactions or by inaccessibility of the group to solvent. Histidine side chain nitrogen atoms, which experience a large chemical shift upon protonation/deprotonation, were often found to be broadened beyond detectability by chemical exchange and tautomerization. Strategies for improving sensitivity and for obtaining specific peak assignments are also discussed.     

Short hairpin RNAs against eotaxin or interleukin‐5 decrease airway eosinophilia and hyper‐responsiveness in a murine model of asthma

Background

Eosinophilia plays the major role in the pathogenesis of asthma and correlates with the up‐regulation of eotaxin, which, together with interleukin (IL)‐5, is important for differentiation, chemo‐attraction, degranulation, and survival of eosinophils in local tissue. In a previous study, we found that administration of lentivirus‐delivered short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to suppress the expression of IL‐5 inhibited airway inflammation. The present study aimed to investigate the role of eotaxin shRNA and the synergistic effect of eotaxin and IL‐5 shRNAs on airway inflammation in an ovalbumin (OVA)‐induced murine model of asthma.

Methods

Lentivirus‐delivered shRNAs were used to suppress the expression of eotaxin and/or IL‐5 in local tissue in an OVA‐induced murine asthma model.

Results

Intra‐tracheal administration of lentivirus containing eotaxin shRNA expressing cassette (eoSEC3.3) efficiently moderated the characteristics of asthma, including airway hyper‐responsiveness, cellular infiltration of lung tissues, and eotaxin and IL‐5 levels in bronchio‐alveolar lavage fluid. Administration of lentiviruses expressing IL‐5 or eotaxin shRNAs (IL5SEC4 + eoSEC3.3) also moderated the symptoms of asthma in a mouse model.

Conclusions

Local delivery of lentiviruses expressing IL‐5 and eotaxin shRNAs provides a potential tool in moderating airway inflammation and also has the potential for developing clinical therapy based on the application of shRNAs of chemokines and cytokines involved in T helper 2 cell inflammation and eosinophilia. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface Erosion of Metals under the Effect of Plasma Flows Typical of Transient Processes in Tokamaks

Plasma Physics Reports - It is shown theoretically that under the effect of plasma flows typical of transient processes in tokamaks not only can Kelvin–Helmholtz instability develop and waves...     

Ecological description of ground beetle communities (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in northern taiga meadows of Arkhangelsk Region

Species composition and ecological structure of ground beetle population was studied in northern taiga meadows of the Arkhangelsk Region. Meadows in the northern forest zone proved to harbor 91 ground beetle species. Carabid complexes formed in the intrazonal biocenoses of the northern forest zone can be as rich as the family topical groups in the southern forest zone by the number of species and ecological diversity. Ecological properties of the fauna and ground beetle population proved similar in different parts of the forest zone. The proportion of stenobiotic meadow species proved to decrease while that of ecologically plastic ones increased from south to north. The proportion of the genus Harpalus decreased in the ground beetle population while the number of Amara species remained unaltered and their abundance increased. The changes in the species composition caused no transformation of the ecological structure of ground beetle population since they were limited to a single life form or guild.     

Antidiabetic and Anticoagulant Properties of Heparin–Glutamic Acid Complex

Natural heparin complexes proved to activate the anticoagulation system. The obtained experimental data convincingly confirm that glutamic acid alone, and particularly in a complex with heparin, has a considerable preventive potential and efficiently protects experimental animals with induced diabetes mellitus.     

Application of a photosystem II model for analysis of fluorescence induction curves in the 100 ns to 10 s time domain after excitation with a saturating light pulse

A mathematical model of photosystem II (PSII) events was used to analyze chlorophyll fluorescence transients in the time domain from 100 ns to 10 s after excitation with a saturating 10-ns flash, applied as a part of specialized illumination protocol, using preparations of a thermophilic strain of the unicellular green alga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick (using both intact and diuron-treated cells). Analysis of simulation results has proven that particular attention should be given to flash-induced recombination processes, including nonradiative recombination in PSII, while subsequent charge transfer along the electron transport chain of thylakoid membrane can be adequately described by a single reaction of quinone reoxidation. The PSII model was extended by taking inhibition by diuron of the electron transport in the acceptor side of PSII into account, which allowed simulation of fluorescence induction curves observed in the presence of this inhibitor. The model parameters were determined (stromal pH, rate constants of nonradiative recombination, and the initial reduction state of the quinone pool) which provided adequate simulation of experimentally observed ratios of the maximal and initial fluorescence levels (F _m/F ₀).