Multilocus Molecular Phylogeny of the Umbilicaria aprina Group (Umbilicariaceae, Lichenized Ascomycota) Supports Species Level and Neo-Endemic Status of Umbilicaria krascheninnikovii

The Northeast Asian endemic species of lichen-forming fungus Umbilicaria krascheninnikovii is herein discussed in the global context of biogeography and phylogeny of the U. aprina group. The name U. krascheninnikovii has been erroneously used by lichenologists for Umbilicaria spp. from high latitudes or altitudes worldwide, as there are omphalodisc apothecia and rough "crystals" of a necral layer on the upper surface. To test the monophyly and phylogenetic relationships within the U. aprina group, four independent DNA regions (nrITS/5.8S, RPB2, mtLSU, and mtSSU) were used for six rare species, including a dozen specimens of U. krascheninnikovii from its locus classicus in Kamchatka. The study is based on the phylograms obtained using maximum likelihood and a Bayesian phylogenetic inference framework. As a result of phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses, it was shown that U. krascheninnikovii is a neo-endemic of the areas of modern volcanism in Kamchatka, Japan, as well as in the Kurile Islands, where this species was recorded for the first time. The morphology of U. krascheninnikovii is herein described and illustrated. Increasing the role of the sexual process and reducing asexual thalloconidiogenesis are shown to be apomorphic traits in the U. aprina group. The combination of sexual and asexual reproduction provides adaptive advantages in changing environmental conditions.

Whole genome non-invasive prenatal testing in prenatal screening algorithm: clinical experience from 12,700 pregnancies

BACKGROUND

A fast adoption of a non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in clinical practice is a global tendency last years. Firstly, in Russia according a new regulation it was possible to perform a widescale testing of pregnant women in chromosomal abnormality risk. The aim of the study-to assess efficiency of using NIPT as a second-line first trimester screening test in Moscow.

METHODS

Based on the first trimester combined prenatal screening results 12,700 pregnant women were classified as a high-risk (cut-off ≥ 1:100) and an intermediate-risk (cut-off 1:101 - 1:2500) groups followed by whole genome NIPT. Women from high-risk group and those who had positive NIPT results from intermediate-risk group were considered for invasive prenatal diagnostic.

RESULTS

258 (2.0%) samples with positive NIPT results were detected including 126 cases of trisomy 21 (T21), 40 cases of T18, 12 cases of T13, 41 cases of sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) and 39 cases of rare autosomal aneuploidies (RAAs) and significant copy number variations (CNVs). Statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) were revealed for fetal fraction (FF) and both for some patient's (body mass index and weight) and fetus's (sex and high risk of aneuploidies) characteristics. NIPT showed as a high sensitivity as specificity for common trisomies and SCAs with an overall false positive rate 0.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

NIPT demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity. As a second-line screening test it has shown a high efficiency in detecting fetus chromosomal anomalies as well as it could potentially lower the number of invasive procedures in pregnant women.

Adoption of a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) in prenatal screening in Moscow: first results

The objective — To assess the effectiveness of including NIPT in the structure of prenatal diagnostics in Moscow. Material and Methods — Totally 5,181 pregnancies undergoing screening for fetal trisomy using NIPT during the period from 01.04.2020 to 30.09.2020 in Russia. According to the results of biochemical blood test, the patients were divided into two groups: group of high risk (cut-off ≥1:100) (n=208) and group of intermediate risk (cut-off 1:101 – 1:2500) (n=4,973). Patients at high-risk cell-free DNA (cfDNA) were offered an invasive procedure, followed by genetic analysis (cytogenetic or molecular karyotyping). Results — Among the analysed samples, 117 (2.3%) had a high risk of the following common fetal chromosome abnormalities by NIPT: trisomy 21 in 50 cases, trisomy 18 in 17 cases, trisomy 13 in 5 cases, and sex chromosome aneuploidy (SCA) in 22 cases. Additionally, rare autosomal trisomies and/or subchromosomal arrangements were revealed in 23 cases. We found associations between cfDNA concentration and high risk of aneuploidies (particularly trisomy 21) and fetal sex and between low fetal fraction (FF) and body mass index (BMI) as well as maternal weight. Additionally, a high risk of trisomy 21 was associated with the term gestation. Conclusion — The effectiveness of technological resources that are based on cfDNA testing for detecting abnormal fetal chromosome numbers and other chromosomal anomalies is high and reduce rates of false positive results. Therefore, NIPT should be more widely used as a first-line screening method.

[Abnormal expression of genes that regulate retinoid metabolism and signaling in non-small-cell lung cancer]

Retinoids are signaling molecules that control a wide variety of cellular processes and possess antitumor activity. This work presents a comprehensive description of changes in the expression of 23 genes that regulate retinoid metabolism and signaling in non-small-cell lung cancer tumors compared to adjacent normal tissues obtained using RT-PCR. Even at early stages of malignant transformation, a significant decrease in ADH1B, ADH3, RDHL, and RALDH1 mRNA levels was observed in 82, 79, 73, and 64% of tumor specimens, respectively, and a considerable increase in AKR1B10 mRNA content was observed in 80% of tumors. Dramatic changes in the levels of these mRNAs can impair the synthesis of all-trans retinoic acid, a key natural regulatory retinoid. Apart from that, it was found that mRNA levels of nuclear retinoid receptor genes RXRγ, RARα, RXRα, and gene RDH11 were significantly decreased in 80, 67, 57, and 66% of tumor specimens, respectively. Thus, neoplastic transformation of lung tissue cells is accompanied with deregulated expression of key genes of retinoid metabolism and function.

Biosynthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) copolymers by Azotobacter chroococcum 7B: A precursor feeding strategy

A precursor feeding strategy for effective biopolymer producer strain Azotobacter chroococcum 7B was used to synthesize various poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) copolymers. We performed experiments on biosynthesis of PHB copolymers by A. chroococcum 7B using various precursors: sucrose as the primary carbon source, various carboxylic acids and ethylene glycol (EG) derivatives [diethylene glycol (DEG), triethylene glycol (TEG), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) 300, PEG 400, PEG 1000] as additional carbon sources. We analyzed strain growth parameters including biomass and polymer yields as well as molecular weight and monomer composition of produced copolymers. We demonstrated that A. chroococcum 7B was able to synthesize copolymers using carboxylic acids with the length less than linear 6C, including poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxy-4-methylvalerate) (PHB-4MHV) using Y-shaped 6C 3-methylvaleric acid as precursor as well as EG-containing copolymers: PHB-DEG, PHB-TEG, PHB-PEG, and PHB-HV-PEG copolymers using short-chain PEGs (with n ≤ 9) as precursors. It was shown that use of the additional carbon sources caused inhibition of cell growth, decrease in polymer yields, fall in polymer molecular weight, decrease in 3-hydroxyvalerate content in produced PHB-HV-PEG copolymer, and change in bacterial cells morphology that were depended on the nature of the precursors (carboxylic acids or EG derivatives) and the timing of its addition to the growth medium.

[MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric identification of novel intercellular space peptides]

We performed the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation, time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) analysis of the peptides entering into the composition of not yet explored bioregulators derived from the extracellular matrix of the tissues of the various organs of the mammals, and also plants and fungi. The study included 15 different mammalian tissues, 13 species of plants, and 2 species of fungi. Exploring the bioregulators derived from eye tissues, we demonstrated that their composition includes peptide components with the same values of the molecular weight. The composition of the bioregulators derived from the tissues of various organs of mammals or different species of plants and fungi includes the peptides with different values of molecular weight. Obtained data indicate the growing evidence of the assumptions about the major function of the bioregulators of this group--their involvement in the regulation of tissue-organ homeostasis in the biological systems.

[Electric impulse therapy of hypertensive patients]

Patients with mild arterial hypertension and hypersympathicotonia treated with electroimpulse therapy improved their clinicofunctional state, blood pressure (especially systolic pressure), its variability, sympathic activity, central regulation of cardiac rhythm, capillary reserves.

[Clinical polymorphism of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome of type 1. Role of molecular genetic diagnosis]

Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is a rare monogenous disease with autosomal-recessive inheritance. The gene responsible for the development of this disease is designated as the gene AIRE and encodes for the protein autoimmune regulator whose function is unknown. The disease more frequently manifests itself in childhood. Its typical manifestations are chronic cutaneous and mucous candidiasis, hypoparathyroidism, and chronic adrenal insufficiency. The presence of 2 of these signs gives ground to establish its clinical diagnosis. However, the clinical manifestations of this disease are highly polymorphic. Thirty-nine patients with the established diagnosis of APS-1 were followed up. There was a high frequency of R2S7X mutation in the gene AIRE. Its clinical picture is untypical in 26% of cases despite the presence of the identical R257X mutation. The molecular genetic diagnosis permits diagnosis of untypical cases of APS-1.

[Clinical variants of McCune-Albright-Braitsev syndrome in girls]

The authors analyze published data on clinical variants and hormonal parameters in patients with this syndrome and present their own observations of children with this condition. Besides early sexual maturation, they describe the clinical picture of Cushing's syndrome, thyroid nodular hyperplasia. The said disorders do not depend on the tropic effect of the hypothalamohypophyseal system. A hypothesis is put forward about primary activation of adenylate cyclase system in the origin of the disease.

[The enzyme activity and cationic proteins in the blood cells in the modelling of tourniquet shock in rats]

The activity of red cell enzymes and the cationic protein content in the granulocytes were studied in different periods of tourniquet shock. The activity of lactic dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase reduced 3-6 hours after removal of the tourniquet; the activity of glutathione reductase did not change. The value of the lysosomal-cationic test diminished 6 hours after application of the tourniquet and increased 2 hours after its removal. The results of the study allow the lysosomal-cationic test to be recommended for determining the unspecific resistance in shock.

[Corticosteroid and ACTH levels in relation to the age and sex of children with congenital adrenocortical dysfunction]

The authors studied adrenal and corticotropic functions of the pituitary in 98 children with congenital adrenal dysfunction and in 41 normal children. The children's age ranged from 2 to 16 years. The bone age of the sick children ranged within 6 to 16 years. The content of hydrocortisone and ACTH in the sick children was shown to be within the age norm. This attests to the preservation in these children of the functional potentialities of the adrenals and pituitary. It was emphasized that high content of 11-deoxycortisol in untreated patients decreased in the course of treatment. Therefore, the level of 11-deoxycortisol may serve as criterion of the adequacy of the hormonal therapy received by the patients.

[Use of glucocorticoid preparations in congenital adrenocortical dysfunction]

Circadian changes in the corticosteroid, testosterone, and ACTH content in the blood plasma were examined to monitor the suppressant effect of glucocorticoids on adrenocortical and hypophyseal functions during administering glucocorticoid drugs to patients with congenital adrenocortical dysfunction. The daily dose of glucocorticoids was given in two intakes according to the two schemes: scheme 1 included the drug intake in the morning and in the afternoon, scheme 2 in the morning and in the evening. The effect of glucocorticoid therapy on the pattern of the circadian rhythm and the absolute corticosteroid and testosterone content was shown to depend on the time of the drug intake. The treatment according to scheme 2 is preferable: the absolute testosterone content was reducing to normal during the whole day. Meanwhile the normal circadian rhythm of the adrenal cortex and hypophysis was preserved.

[Relationship between the modulus of elasticity in the surface of a membrane and the magnitude of its deformity]

The elasticity modulus E parallel in the membrane plane is frequency-independent in the range of 5--10 c.p.s. At room temperature E parallel 6-10(8) dn/cm2, at 4 degrees C E parallel depends strongly upon the degree of deformation-relative membrane surface change delta S/S, E parallel falls from 2-10(9) dn/cm2 if delta S/S = 0.1% down to 6-10(8) dn/cm2 if delta S/S = 1%. This property of E parallel explains the ability of mechanoreceptor membranes to produce a reaction if small stimulii are applied and to oppose the destruction if the latter are large.