Molecular Beacon DNA Probes with Fluorescein Bifluorophore

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - An azido-derivative of a fluorescein bifluorophore was obtained and used for the synthesis of “molecular beacon”-type oligonucleotide...     

Formation of an internal transport barrier and magnetohydrodynamic activity in experiments with the controlled density of rational magnetic surfaces in the T-10 Tokamak

Results are presented from experiments on the formation of an internal electron transport barrier near the q = 1.5 rational surface in the T-10 tokamak. The experiments were carried out in the regime with off-axis electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating followed by a fast plasma current ramp-up. After suppressing sawtooth oscillations by off-axis ECR heating, an internal transport barrier began to form near the q = 1.5 rational surface. In the phase of the current ramp-up, the quality of the transport barrier improved; as a result, the plasma energy confinement time increased 2–2.5 times. The intentionally produced flattening of the profile of the safety factor q(r) insignificantly affected magnetohydrodynamic activity in the plasma column in spite of the theoretical possibility of formation of substantial m/n = 3/2 and 2/1 magnetic islands. Conditions are discussed under which the flattening of the profile of the safety factor q near low-order rational surfaces leads to the formation of either an internal transport barrier or the development of an island magnetic structure induced by tearing modes.     

Lipid and protein oxidation in hepatic homogenates and cell membranes exposed to bile acids

Cholestasis occurs in a variety of hepatic diseases and causes damage due to accumulation of bile acids in the liver. The aim was to investigate the effect of several bile acids, i.e. chenodeoxycholic, taurochenodeoxycholic, deoxycholic, taurodeoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, lithocholic and taurolithocholic (TLC), in inducing oxidative damage. Hepatic tissue of male Sprague-Dawley rats was incubated with or without 1 mM of each bile acid, with or without 0.1 mM FeCl₃ and 0.1 mM ascorbic acid for the purpose of generating free radicals. Several bile acids increased lipid and protein oxidation, with TLC being the most pro-oxidative (657% and 175% in homogenates and 350% and 311% in membranes, respectively). TLC also enhanced iron-induced oxidative stress to lipids (21% in homogenates and 29% in membranes) and to proteins (74% in membranes). This enhancement was dose- and time-dependent and was reduced by melatonin. These results suggest that bile acids differentially mediate hepatic oxidative stress and may be involved in the physiopathology of cholestasis.     

Study protocol to examine the effects of spaceflight and a spaceflight analog on neurocognitive performance: extent,longevity, and neural bases

Background

Long duration spaceflight (i.e., 22 days or longer) has been associated with changes in sensorimotor systems, resulting in difficulties that astronauts experience with posture control, locomotion, and manual control. The microgravity environment is an important causal factor for spaceflight induced sensorimotor changes. Whether spaceflight also affects other central nervous system functions such as cognition is yet largely unknown, but of importance in consideration of the health and performance of crewmembers both in- and post-flight. We are therefore conducting a controlled prospective longitudinal study to investigate the effects of spaceflight on the extent, longevity and neural bases of sensorimotor and cognitive performance changes. Here we present the protocol of our study.

Methods/design

This study includes three groups (astronauts, bed rest subjects, ground-based control subjects) for which each the design is single group with repeated measures. The effects of spaceflight on the brain will be investigated in astronauts who will be assessed at two time points pre-, at three time points during-, and at four time points following a spaceflight mission of six months. To parse out the effect of microgravity from the overall effects of spaceflight, we investigate the effects of seventy days head-down tilted bed rest. Bed rest subjects will be assessed at two time points before-, two time points during-, and three time points post-bed rest. A third group of ground based controls will be measured at four time points to assess reliability of our measures over time. For all participants and at all time points, except in flight, measures of neurocognitive performance, fine motor control, gait, balance, structural MRI (T1, DTI), task fMRI, and functional connectivity MRI will be obtained. In flight, astronauts will complete some of the tasks that they complete pre- and post flight, including tasks measuring spatial working memory, sensorimotor adaptation, and fine motor performance. Potential changes over time and associations between cognition, motor-behavior, and brain structure and function will be analyzed.

Discussion

This study explores how spaceflight induced brain changes impact functional performance. This understanding could aid in the design of targeted countermeasures to mitigate the negative effects of long-duration spaceflight.

     

The biogeographic history of Phoenicurus redstarts reveals an allopatric mode of speciation and an out-of-Himalayas colonization pattern

Montane areas host high levels of diversity and endemism, and these features are tied to habitat stratification along an elevational gradient. As such, montane areas are often thought of as model systems in which sympatric speciation can occur. To test this idea, we selected Phoenicurus redstarts, an avian genus with an extensive distribution across Eurasia, as well as Northwest Africa; nine of the 14 species in the genus have distributions which include the Himalayas. We used sequences of the mtDNA ND2 and cytochrome-b genes and intron 9 of the Z chromosome specific ACO1 gene to reconstruct a phylogeny of the genus. The resulting trees were used to reconstruct a biogeographic history of Phoenicurus, and to date diversification events. We also analysed the relationship between node age and sympatry to determine the geographic mode of speciation in the genus. Our data suggest a very late Miocene, Himalayan origin for Phoenicurus. Diversification and colonization of other parts of Eurasia, as well as Northwest Africa, continued through the Pleistocene, with a rapid pulse of speciation in the late Pliocene. Allopatric speciation was the dominant mode of speciation in Phoenicurus, despite extensive distributional overlaps in the Himalayas where ecological conditions are amenable to speciation in sympatry. Our results, along with several other studies, suggest an emerging pattern where the Himalayas served as a source area for montane specialist avian lineages that subsequently colonized other Palaearctic regions.     

Reagents For The Selective Immobilization Of Oligonucleotides On Solid Supports

New reagents (CPGs and phosphoramidites) for automatic solid phase synthesis of modified oligonucleotides were designed. Three oligonucleotides carrying fluorescent label at the 5′-terminus and an anchor group at the 3′-terminus were prepared and their immobilization in orthogonal conditions on solid supports was studied.     

Isolation by distance in saproxylic beetles may increase with niche specialization

Species confined to temporally stable habitats are usually susceptible to habitat fragmentation, as living in long-lasting habitats is predicted to constrain evolution of dispersal ability. In Europe, saproxylic invertebrates associated with tree hollows are currently threatened due to the severe fragmentation of their habitat, but data on the population genetic consequences of such habitat decline are still scarce. By employing AFLP markers, we compared the spatial genetic structure of two ecologically and taxonomically related beetle species, Osmoderma barnabita and Protaetia marmorata (Cetoniidae). Both species are exclusively associated with tree hollows, but O. barnabita has a more restricted host preferences compared to P. marmorata. Analyses of spatial autocorrelation showed, in line with the predicted low dispersal potential of these saproxylic beetles, that both species are characterized by a strong kinship structure, which was more pronounced in the specialist O. barnabita than in the generalist P. marmorata. Individuals of both species sampled within single trees showed high relatedness (≈0.50 in O. barnabita and ≈0.15 in P. marmorata). Interestingly, groups of pheromone-emitting O. barnabita males sampled on the same tree trunk were found to be full brothers. Whether this result can be explained by kin selection to increase attraction of conspecific females for mating or by severe inbreeding of beetles within individual tree hollows needs further study. Although our studied populations were significantly inbred, our results suggest that the dispersal ability of Osmoderma beetles may be one order of magnitude greater than suggested by previous dispersal studies and acceptable levels of habitat fragmentation for metapopulation survival may be bigger than previously thought.     

Mapping the Genes for Susceptibility and Response to Leishmania tropica in Mouse

Background

L. tropica can cause both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in humans. Although the L. tropica-induced cutaneous disease has been long known, its potential to visceralize in humans was recognized only recently. As nothing is known about the genetics of host responses to this infection and their clinical impact, we developed an informative animal model. We described previously that the recombinant congenic strain CcS-16 carrying 12.5% genes from the resistant parental strain STS/A and 87.5% genes from the susceptible strain BALB/c is more susceptible to L. tropica than BALB/c. We used these strains to map and functionally characterize the gene-loci regulating the immune responses and pathology.

Methods

We analyzed genetics of response to L. tropica in infected F₂ hybrids between BALB/c×CcS-16. CcS-16 strain carries STS-derived segments on nine chromosomes. We genotyped these segments in the F₂ hybrid mice and tested their linkage with pathological changes and systemic immune responses.

Principal Findings

We mapped 8 Ltr (Leishmania tropica response) loci. Four loci (Ltr2, Ltr3, Ltr6 and Ltr8) exhibit independent responses to L. tropica, while Ltr1, Ltr4, Ltr5 and Ltr7 were detected only in gene-gene interactions with other Ltr loci. Ltr3 exhibits the recently discovered phenomenon of transgenerational parental effect on parasite numbers in spleen. The most precise mapping (4.07 Mb) was achieved for Ltr1 (chr.2), which controls parasite numbers in lymph nodes. Five Ltr loci co-localize with loci controlling susceptibility to L. major, three are likely L. tropica specific. Individual Ltr loci affect different subsets of responses, exhibit organ specific effects and a separate control of parasite load and organ pathology.

Conclusion

We present the first identification of genetic loci controlling susceptibility to L. tropica. The different combinations of alleles controlling various symptoms of the disease likely co-determine different manifestations of disease induced by the same pathogen in individual mice.