Allelic polymorphism of FMR1 gene CGG-repeat region in patients with impairment of natural and stimulated ovulation

The frequency of heterozygote carriers of (risk zone, alleles of FMR1 gene (40-47 CGG-repeats) was significantly higher in group of patients with ovarian dysfunction than in control group I. The tendency for higher frequency of those alleles was observed in patients with "poor response" to superovulation induction in IVF cycles. The average number of oocytes and follicles, which was obtained after stimulation of superovulation, was significantly decreased in FMR1 gene "risk zone" alleles carriers compared to patients with normal alleles of FMR1 gene. The average general dosage of exogenous gonadotrophin, necessary for superovulation induction was significantly higher in heterozygote carriers of FMR1 gene "risk zone" alleles than in patients with normal genotype. Thereby, the FMR1 gene "risk zone" alleles can be one of the hereditary susceptibility factors of impairment nature and stimulated ovulation.     

Kinetics of Semax penetration into the brain and blood of rats after its intranasal administration

The radioactive peptide analogue Semax corresponding to the ACTH(4-10) sequence (Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro) with a molar radioactivity of 56 Ci/mmol labeled with tritium at the C-terminal Pro was prepared. The labeled peptide was used for studying the kinetics of Semax penetration into rat brain and blood after its intranasal administration (50 microg/kg, 20 microl of solution) to nonbred white rats of body mass 200-250 g. It was demonstrated that 0.093% of the total introduced radioactivity per gram can be found in the rat brain 2 min after the administration, 80% of this radioactivity belonged to Semax, and the rest, to its metabolites. The peptide undergoes rapid enzymatic degradation, with the tripeptide Pro-Gly-Pro prevailing in biological samples relative to the total content of Semax and its metabolites.     

Color categorization and the structure of perceptive color

This paper is an attempt to develop a coherent framework for understanding, simulating, and predicting color categories. The process of color categorization can be understood as a structuring of preceding color experience on the basis of statistical distribution of light in observers environment. A proposed computational model of color categorization includes: 1) distribution of R, G, B pixel values representing a sample of 630 color images of natural scenes (analogue of physical light experience); 2) transformation of the R, G, B pixel values into L*u*v* coordinates of the CIELUV color space (analogue of the process of color perception); 3) distribution of the L*u*v* coordinates representing the sample of the color images (analogue of perceived color experience); 4) k-means clustering algorithm of the L*u*v* coordinates representing the sample of the color images (analogue of the process of color categorization); 5) location and order of color clusters (analogue of location and order of color categories). The proposed computational model enables us to predict the location and order of color categories, being consistent with psycholinguistic data.     

含连翘的青贮饲料对肉鹅饲喂效果研究

为研究含连翘的青贮饲料对肉鹅的生长力、发病率和成活率的影响,提高鹅群的整体健康水平,将乳酸菌、宇佐美曲霉菌悬液按比例接入含连翘组分的青贮饲料中自然发酵60 d后用于肉鹅饲喂试验,28日龄肉鹅随机分为3组,饲喂42 d,在青贮饲料中添加不同比例的连翘枝条,观察含连翘的青贮饲料对肉鹅生产性能的影响。结果显示,含5%和10%连翘枝条的青贮饲料中功能成分连翘苷与连翘脂苷A的含量差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）;含连翘的青贮饲料能够使肉鹅成活率提高4.38%～4.63%,日增重提高3.07%～4.33%,显著降低料肉比（P<0.05）。乳酸菌与宇佐美曲霉菌发酵含连翘青贮饲料能够有效改善连翘枝条的适口性,应用于肉鹅饲喂后,可以提高肉鹅的健康水平。利用废弃中药原料开展饲料添加剂的应用研究,可为降低生产成本、预防与治疗禽类疾病提供新的思路。     

The mechanism of acetate assimilation in purple nonsulfur bacteria lacking the glyoxylate pathway: acetate assimilation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides cells

The mechanism of acetate assimilation in the purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, which lacks the glyoxylate pathway, is studied. It is found that the growth of this bacterium in batch and continuous cultures and the assimilation of acetate in cell suspensions are not stimulated by bicarbonate. The consumption of acetate is accompanied by the excretion of glyoxylate and pyruvate into the medium, stimulated by glyoxylate and pyruvate, and inhibited by citramalate. The respiration of cells in the presence of acetate is stimulated by glyoxylate, pyruvate, citramalate, and mesaconate. These data suggest that the citramalate cycle may function in Rba. sphaeroides in the form of an anaplerotic pathway instead of the glyoxylate pathway. At the same time, the low ratio of fixation rates for bicarbonate and acetate exhibited by the Rba. sphaeroides cells (approximately 0.1), as well as the absence of the stimulatory effect of acetate on the fixation of bicarbonate in the presence of the Calvin cycle inhibitor iodoacetate, suggests that pyruvate synthase is not involved in acetate assimilation in the bacterium Rba. sphaeroides.     

Effect of initial (spontaneous) arterial pressure on systemic hemodynamic orthostatic responses

In anesthetized rats, a reverse linear correlation of arterial pressure (AP) shifts was found within the range of initial AP over 95 mm Hg under the head-up tilts at 30 and 45 degrees. Within the range beneath 95 mm Hg this correlation was transformed into the direct one. Under 60 degrees tilt such correlation only occurred within the range beneath 95 mm Hg. The direction and degree of the arterial system responsiveness seems to depend on the tilt value as well as on the range of the initial AP.     

Role of secondary phosphoinositide messengers in storage of Ca2+ ions in retinal rod microsomes

The influence of guanosine-5'-triphosphate and secondary messengers forming in rod outer segment membranes during light-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphoinositides on the ATP-dependent Ca(2+)-uptake in microsomes of the retinal rod inner segment was studied. The water-soluble cytoplasmic components of the retinal rod outer segment were shown to be capable of stimulating the Ca(2+)-pump of endoplasmic reticulum after light illumination. This process is likely to proceed with the participation of 1,2-diacylglycerol localized in microsome membrane.     

Use of basidiomycetes in industrial waste processing and utilization technologies: fundamental and applied aspects (review)

This review provides an analysis of recent data on the mechanisms of degradation of lignocellulosic materials and xenobiotics by basidiomycetes. Special attention is given to the analysis of the current state of research of ligninolytic enzymes and their involvement in the degradation ofxenobiotics. Data on the practical use of basidiomycetes for bioconversion of industrial wastes are systematized. The most promising areas of bioconversion technologies are considered, such as contaminated water purification (including wastewater), cleanup of soils contaminated with heavy metals and xenobiotics, and degradation of difficult-to-degrade substrates (lignin and lignocellulose wastes, low-energy coal, and synthetic polymers).