Insertion-deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene and its relationship to serum levels of free amino acids in the patients with connective tissue dysplasias

An association between insertion/deletion polymorphism (IDP) of the Alu repeat in intron 16 of the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and the serum free amino acid levels in the patients with connective tissue dysplasias was examined. Genotyping of 102 patients (25 II, 51 ID, and 26 DD) was performed using PCR. Serum free amino acids levels in these patients were determined by use of HPLC technique. A statistically significant increase of the leucine-isoleucine (P < 0.05) and phenylalanine (P < 0.01) levels in deletion homozygous patients (DD) relative insertion homozygous (II) patients was observed. The differences in respect of other amino acids were not detected. These findings point to the importance of registration of IDP in the ACE gene at dietary therapy of such patients, as well as in the individual choice of medical preparations containing the amino acids mentioned.     

The principles of radiological quality assessment of water resources

In the paper the main approaches to radiation safety of water objects have been analyzed. It is shown that radiation safety requirements for drinking water, fixed in the Rules and Regulations on radiation safety, do not ensure radiation safety of water objects used for the complex national economy needs. Application of the conservatism principle (choosing of the worst variant) for radiation safety ensuring is considered and proved. On the base of this principle the model is developed comparing the anthropocentric (sanitary--hygienic) with ecological (biota) principles for ensuring safety of water objects. It is proved, that the application of the Water Radiation Safety Rules currently in force, based on the norms of dose quotas, reserved for regulation of nuclear power plants and industry impact, ensures safety of the water ecological systems.     

Variability of microsatellites BM224 and Bcal7 in populations of green toads (Bufo viridis complex) differing by nuclear DNA content and ploidy

The variability of microsatellites BM224 and Bcal7 was studied for the first time in three species of the diploid-polyploid complex of Bufo viridis (B. viridis, B. oblongus, and B. pewzowi). The locus Bcal7 was established to be monomorphic in all samples studied. In microsatellite BM224, three allele variants were found. Among tetraploid toads, the western Asiatic species B. oblongus was characterized by one allele only, the eastern B. pewzowi, by the two other alleles. A similar distribution was also revealed in triploid individuals on the borders of range between tetraploid and diploid species. Among the diploid species B. viridis samples, all three allele variants of microsatellite BM224 were observed. Their distribution in the area proved to be geographically determined. In diploid toads, a similarity was revealed between the distribution of microsatellite BM224 alleles and variability of the nuclear DNA content.     

Generation and anisotropy of neutron emission from a condensed Z-pinch

The paper presents results of measurements of neutron emission generated in the constriction of a fast Z-pinch at the S-300 facility (2 MA, 100 ns). An increased energy concentration was achieved by using a combined load the central part of which was a microporous deuterated polyethylene neck with a mass density of 100 mg/cm³ and diameter of 1–1.5 mm. The neck was placed between two 5-mm-diameter agar-agar cylinders. The characteristics of neutron emission in two axial and two radial directions were measured by the time-of-flight method. The neutron spectrum was recovered from the measured neutron signals by the Monte Carlo method. In all experiments, the spatiotemporal characteristics of plasma in the Z-pinch constriction were measured by means of the diagnostic complex of the S-300 facility, which includes frame photography in the optical, VUV, and soft X-ray (SXR) spectral regions; optical streak imaging; SXR detection; and time-integrated SXR photography. The formation of hot dense plasma in the Z-pinch constriction was accompanied by the generation of hard X-ray (with photon energies E > 30 keV), SXR (with photon energies E > 1 keV and duration of 2–4 ns), and neutron emission. Anisotropy of the neutron energy distribution in the axial direction was revealed. The mean neutron energies measured in four directions at angles of 0° (above the anode), 90°, 180° (under the cathode), and 270° with respect to the load axis were found to be of 2.1 ± 0.1, 2.5 ± 0.1, 2.6 ± 0.2, and 2.4 ± 0.1 MeV, respectively. For a 1-mm-diameter neck, the maximum integral neutron yield was 6 × 10⁹ neutrons. The anisotropy of neutron emission for a Z-pinch with a power-law distribution of high-energy ions is calculated.     

Synthesis, structure, and pharmacological activity of (7R,8S)-epoxy-(13R,17R)-trioxolane abietic acid

The synthesis of (7R,8S)-epoxy-(13R,17R)-trioxolane abietic acid was carried out and its structure was established by X-ray diffraction. The antineoplastic activity and the ability to induce apoptosis that were predicted by a PASS computer system, correlate well with the experimentally found cytotoxic activity towards the MeWo malignant cell line. The results of tests on animals showed that abietic acid and its (7R,8S)-epoxy-(13R,17R)-trioxolane derivative have anti-inflammatory and antiulcer activities in the absence of side effects.     

The structure of ALU-like DNA repeats in echinodermata]

By polymerase chain reaction (PCR), structures similar to Alu-repeats were shown in the genome of Echinodermata. The evolutionary significance of the described structures has been supposed.