Hengzongshu/ArticleAgent huggingface dataset:
Bioelectrical signals generated by ion channels play crucial roles in many cellular processes in both excitable and nonexcitable cells. Some ion channels are directly implemented in chemical signaling pathways, the others are involved in regulation of cytoplasmic or vesicular ion concentrations, pH, cell volume, and membrane potentials. Together with ion transporters and gap junction complexes, ion channels form steady-state voltage gradients across the cell membranes in nonexcitable cells. These membrane potentials are involved in regulation of such processes as migration guidance, cell proliferation, and body axis patterning during development and regeneration. While the importance of membrane potential in stem cell maintenance, proliferation, and differentiation is evident, the mechanisms of this bioelectric control of stem cell activity are still not well understood, and the role of specific ion channels in these processes remains unclear.

Here we introduce the flatworm Macrostomum lignano as a versatile model organism for addressing these topics. We discuss biological and experimental properties of M. lignano , provide an overview of the recently developed experimental tools for this animal model,

and demonstrate how manipulation of membrane potential influences regeneration in M. lignano .
Microalgae, as a source of numerous biologically active substances, are promising candidates for the development of novel biologically active supplements. An important aspect determining the possibility of using microalgae involves the absence of adverse effects on the organs and systems of the human and animal body. At the development stage, special attention should be paid to the safety of microalgae for biomedical use in terms of the absence of significant negative effects on the haematopoiesis and the functional status of immune cells. In this regard, the present study investigates the effect of oil extracts obtained from five microalgae species on haematopoietic parameters, the number and functional activity of spleen and thymus cells, as well as on immunoglobulin levels in the blood serum of laboratory animals. According to the obtained results, Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) and Cylindrotheca closterium (C. closterium) extracts decrease the number of leukocytes in the peripheral blood. Coelastrella sp., C. closterium, and Porphyridium purpureum (P. purpureum) increase the proportion of neutrophils. P. purpureum was found to initiate an increase in the proportion of eosinophils. Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis (A. platensis) and C. closterium produce a decrease in the proportion of monocytes. C. closterium and P. purpureum induce a reduction in the proportion of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of laboratory mice. All microalgae extracts had no effect on erythropoiesis and haemoglobin. In addition, all microalgae extracts were found to reduce splenocyte proliferation, while their effect on thymocyte proliferation depended on the microalgae type. In the mice serum, Coelastrella sp. microalgae extract increases IgG levels, while P. purpureum and C. vulgaris decrease IgM and IgA levels, respectively.
BACKGROUND: The Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) is the largest-bodied giraffe and the world's tallest terrestrial animal. With its extreme size and height, the giraffe's unique anatomical and physiological adaptations have long been of interest to diverse research fields. Giraffes are also critical to ecosystems of sub-Saharan Africa, with their long neck serving as a conduit to food sources not shared by other herbivores. Although the genome of a Masai giraffe has been sequenced, the assembly was highly fragmented and suboptimal for genome analysis. Herein we report an improved giraffe genome assembly to facilitate evolutionary analysis of the giraffe and other ruminant genomes. FINDINGS: Using SOAPdenovo2 and 170 Gbp of Illumina paired-end and mate-pair reads, we generated a 2.6-Gbp male Masai giraffe genome assembly, with a scaffold N50 of 3 Mbp. The incorporation of 114.6 Gbp of Chicago library sequencing data resulted in a HiRise SOAPdenovo + Chicago assembly with an N50 of 48 Mbp and containing 95% of expected genes according to BUSCO analysis. Using the Reference-Assisted Chromosome Assembly tool, we were able to order and orient scaffolds into 42 predicted chromosome fragments (PCFs). Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we placed 153 cattle bacterial artificial chromosomes onto giraffe metaphase spreads to assess and assign the PCFs on 14 giraffe autosomes and the X chromosome resulting in the final assembly with an N50 of 177.94 Mbp. In this assembly, 21,621 protein-coding genes were identified using both de novo and homology-based predictions. CONCLUSIONS: We have produced the first chromosome-scale genome assembly for a Giraffidae species. This assembly provides a valuable resource for the study of artiodactyl evolution and for understanding the molecular basis of the unique adaptive traits of giraffes. In addition, the assembly will provide a powerful resource to assist conservation efforts of Masai giraffe, whose population size has declined by 52% in recent years.
Edoxaban is a direct-acting oral anticoagulant, being a highly selective, direct and reversible factor Xa inhibitor. Edoxaban is used to treat and prevent blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The dried spot technic, including dried blood spots and dried plasma spots, is used in many fields, from newborn screening to monitoring of therapeutic drugs in toxicology. In this case, equipment with a highly sensitive detector, such as a mass spectrometer, is required, as well as conditions for a high degree of drug recovery from the dried spot.

The organic extraction method was selected for evaluation as the most suitable for LC-MS analysis. Several parameters were investigated to find the best combination for extracting edoxaban from DPS for further LC-MS analysis: percent organic solvent, presence or absence of 0.1% formic acid (FA), extraction time, volume, and temperature.

The results showed that the extraction was influenced by the composition and volume of the solvent, but not temperature and time. Pure acetonitrile is the worst solvent for extracting edoxaban from DPS. The most optimal parameters are MeOH: 0.1% FA in H2O (70:30, v:v) solvent with an extraction temperature of 40 °C, an extraction time of 15 minutes and a solvent volume of 50 μl. Several solvents suitable for LC-MS analysis can be used to recover edoxaban from DPS.
Аннотация.Актуальность и цели.Ландшафтная неоднородность речных долин весьма интересна с точки зрения оценки распределения почвенных беспозвоночных.В ранних исследованиях фауны дождевых червей (Lumbricidae) Сибири было показано, что наибольшее разнообразие люмбрицид приурочено, главным образом, именно к этим биотопам.Цель настоящей работы -поиск закономерностей биотопического распределения дождевых червей в малых речных долинах лесостепного Приобья.Материал и методы.Полевые работы проведены в шести речных долинах лесостепного Приобья в летне-осенние сезоны 2015-2017 гг.В долинах рек выделены три типа местообитаний: нижняя терраса, склон и верхняя пойма.Учеты дождевых червей выполнены стандартными почвенно-зоологическими методами: послойная раскопка и ручной разбор почвенных проб.Определен видовой состав дождевых червей, оценена демографическая структура популяций доминирующих видов.Выделение биотопической приуроченности дождевых червей проведено методом кластерного анализа
Design of materials for solid oxide fuel cells cathodes and oxygen separation membranes and studying their oxygen transport characteristics are important problems of modern hydrogen energy.

In the current work, fundamentals of such materials design based on characterization of their oxygen mobility by oxygen isotope exchange with C 18 O 2 and 18 O 2 in flow and closed reactors for samples of Ruddlesden – Popper-type oxides Ln 2-x Ca x NiO 4+δ , perovskite-fluorite nanocomposites PrNi 0.5 Co 0.5 O 3-δ – Ce 0.9 Y 0.1 O 2-δ , etc. are presented.

Fast oxygen transport was demonstrated for PNC – YDC ( DO ~10 -8 cm 2 /s at 700°C) nanocomposites due to domination of the fast diffusion channel involving oxygen of the fluorite phase with incorporated Pr cations and developed perovskite-fluorite interfaces. For LnCNO materials a high oxygen mobility ( DO ~10 -7 cm 2 /s at 700°C) provided by the cooperative mechanism of its migration was demonstrated. Depending on Ca dopant content and Ln cation nature, in some cases 1–2 additional channels of the slow diffusion appear due to decreasing the interstitial oxygen content and increasing the energy barrier for oxygen jumps due to cationic size effect. Optimized by the chemical composition and nanodomain structure materials of these types demonstrated a high performance as SOFC cathodes and functional layers in asymmetric supported oxygen separation membranes.
Changes in the environment force populations of organisms to adapt to new conditions, either through phenotypic plasticity or through genetic or epigenetic changes. Signatures of selection, such as specific changes in the frequency of alleles and haplotypes, as well as the reduction or increase in genetic diversity, help to identify changes in the cattle genome in response to natural and artificial selection, as well as loci and genetic variants directly affecting adaptive and economically important traits.

Advances in genetics and biotechnology enable a rapid transfer of unique genetic variants that have originated in local cattle breeds in the process of adaptation to local environments into the genomes of cosmopolitan high-performance breeds, in order to preserve their outstanding performance in new environments. It is also possible to use genomic selection approach to increase the frequency of already present adaptive alleles in cosmopolitan breeds. The review examines recent work on the origin and evolution of Turano-Mongolian cattle breeds, adaptation of Turano-Mongolian cattle to extreme environments, and summarizes available information on potential candidate genes for climate adaptation of Turano-Mongolian breeds, including cold resistance genes, immune response genes, and high-altitude adaptation genes.

The authors conclude that the current literature data do not provide preference to one of the two possible scenarios of Turano-Mongolian breed origins: as a result of the domestication of a wild aurochs at East Asia or as a result of the migration of taurine proto-population from the Middle East. Turano-Mongolian breeds show a high degree of adaptation to extreme climatic conditions (cold, heat, lack of oxygen in the highlands) and parasites (mosquitoes, ticks, bacterial and viral infections). As a result of high-density genotyping and sequencing of genomes and transcriptomes, prospective candidate genes and genetic variants involved in adaptation to environmental factors have recently been identified.
We in vitro examined the existing prognoses of the dissociation constant, KD, between ТАТА- Binding Protein (TBP) and ТАТА box with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with human diseases.

Five SNPs of the genes for cytochrome P450 2A6 (associated with lung cancer), β-globin (associated with β-thalassemia), mannose binding lectin (associated with variable immunodeficiency), superoxide dismutase 1 (associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and triosephosphate isomerase (associated with anemia) fell within the range of –ln(KD;M/KD;WT) between –1.5 and –1 (here KD;WT and KD;M denote the normal ТАТА box and with SNP). The measurements using EMSA demonstrated that: 1) all the predictions stating that the affinity between ТВР and ТАТА boxes with SNPs would be reduced were correct; 2) the departures of three predictions from the measurements fell within the confidence interval; 3) all the predictions consistently underestimated actual mutational damage caused to ТАТА boxes with SNPs (a < 0.05; binomial law) and two of these predictions did so significantly (a < 0.05, Student’s t-test).

This consistent underestimation seems to be associated with the damage to the context that modulates ТВP/ТАТА affinity, for example, the contact between the nucleosomal histone H3-Н4 dimer and the core promoter immediately near ТАТА boxes.
In the present article we consider the problem of underwater avalanches propagating over moderate slopes.

Moreover, we derive from the first principles a depth-averaged model. Then, we assume that sediments are uniformly distributed along the slope. In this case, they can be entrained into the flow head and a self-sustained regime can be established.

The main goal of our work is to investigate the avalanche front velocity selection mechanism when it propagates downwards. In particular, we show that the front velocity does not depend univocally on the mass of sediments. This phenomenon is investigated and explained in our study. One of the main findings of our study is that the avalanche front velocity is not unique due to a hysteresis phenomenon. We attempt to explain this phenomenon using dynamical systems considerations.
We present schemes for geometric phase compensation in an adiabatic passage which can be used for the implementation of quantum logic gates with atomic ensembles consisting of an arbitrary number of strongly interacting atoms.

Protocols using double sequences of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) or adiabatic rapid passage (ARP) pulses are analyzed. Switching the sign of the detuning between two STIRAP sequences, or inverting the phase between two ARP pulses, provides state transfer with well-defined amplitude and phase independent of atom number in the Rydberg blockade regime.

Using these pulse sequences we present protocols for universal single-qubit and two-qubit operations in atomic ensembles containing an unknown number of atoms.
Tetranuclear lanthanide aqua hydroxo complexes with two structural types of core – {Ln 4 (μ 3 ‐OH) 4 (μ 2 ‐OH) 4 } 4+ [Ln = Pr ( 1 ), Nd ( 2 ), Eu ( 3 ), Gd ( 4 ), Tb ( 5 )] and {Ln 4 (μ 3 ‐OH) 4 (μ 2 ‐OH) 2 } 6+ [Ln = Er ( 6 ), Yb ( 7 )] – were prepared by heating (130 °C) of aqueous solutions of lanthanide(III) chlorides, cucurbit[6]uril (C 36 H 36 N 24 O 12 , CB[6]), and 4‐cyanopyridine. The formation of Ln 4 complexes results from the combined influence of the tetradentate coordination of the polycation by the portals of the macrocyclic ligand CB[6] and the chelating effect of the carboxylate ligands of isonicotinic acid generated as a result of hydrolysis of 4‐cyanopyridine. X‐ray diffraction analysis of 1 – 7 revealed the sandwich structure with the tetranuclear lanthanide complex situated between two macrocyclic molecules. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. Luminescence spectra of 3 and 5 and magnetic properties of 4 were also studied.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Objective A recent large-scale study in multiple sclerosis (MS) using the ImmunoChip platform reported on 11 loci that showed suggestive genetic association with MS. Additional data in sufficiently sized and independent data sets are needed to assess whether these loci represent genuine MS risk factors. Methods The lead SNPs of all 11 loci were genotyped in 10 796 MS cases and 10 793 controls from Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Russia, that were independent from the previously reported cohorts. Association analyses were performed using logistic regression based on an additive model. Summary effect size estimates were calculated using fixed-effect meta-analysis. Results Seven of the 11 tested SNPs showed significant association with MS susceptibility in the 21 589 individuals analysed here. Meta-analysis across our and previously published MS case-control data (total sample size n=101 683) revealed novel genome-wide significant association with MS susceptibility (p<5×10−8) for all seven variants. This included SNPs in or near LOC100506457 (rs1534422, p=4.03×10−12), CD28 (rs6435203, p=1.35×10−9), LPP (rs4686953, p=3.35×10−8), ETS1 (rs3809006, p=7.74×10−9), DLEU1 (rs806349, p=8.14×10−12), LPIN3 (rs6072343, p=7.16×10−12) and IFNGR2 (rs9808753, p=4.40×10−10). Cis expression quantitative locus effects were observed in silico for rs6435203 on CD28 and for rs9808753 on several immunologically relevant genes in the IFNGR2 locus. Conclusions This study adds seven loci to the list of genuine MS genetic risk factors and further extends the list of established loci shared across autoimmune diseases.
Aim . To study the association of single nucleotide polymorphism rs556621 (G> T) with development of stroke in patients of the East Siberian population with cardiovascular pathology and risk factors. Material and methods . The study involved 260 patients (157 men and 103 women) with stroke (mean age 57.0 [51.0-62.0]) and 272 patients (170 men and 102 women) of the control group (mean age 55.0 [51.0-62.0]). The examination of the main group included: collection of complaints, anamnesis, clinical examination, computed tomography of the brain, electrocardiography, echocardioscopy, ultrasound duplex scanning of extracranial brachiocephalic arteries, daily blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, analysis of the blood coagulation system. The patients of the main group have arterial hypertension, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis of the brachiocephalic arteries, disorders of the hemostatic system. The control group was studied in the framework of the HAPIEE international project. Molecular genetic research was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results . There were no statistically significant differences in the frequencies of genotypes and single nucleotide polymorphism rs556621 alleles (G>T) in the subgroup of patients with stroke and those in the control group. The frequency of the rare TT genotype among patients with stroke was 13.3%±4.16, among healthy individuals – 8.8±3.37% (p=0.1). Gender differences when comparing the frequencies of genotypes and alleles were also not detected (p>0.05). The frequencies of the TT genotype were approximately the same in the subgroup of patients with arterial hypertension (13.1%±4.22) and in the control group (7.4±5.25%; p>0.05). No significant differences were observed in the frequencies of the rare genotype of the studied polymorphism in the subgroup of patients with supraventricular tachycardias (20.0±14.37%), hypercoagulability (15.9±7.64%) and the control group (8.8±3.37%), p>0.05. A statistically significant relationship was found between the rare genotype TT of single nucleotide polymorphism rs556621 (G>T) and the development of stroke in patients with dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary arteries (p=0.041; odds ratio 1.86, 95% confidence interval 1.02-3.41). Conclusion . The genotype of TTs of single nucleotide polymorphism rs556621 (G> T) increases the risk of developing stroke in patients with dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis of the brachiocephalic arteries compared with carriers of the GG and GT genotypes. The obtained data are recommended to be considered when prescribing lipid-lowering and antithrombotic therapy.
GPU implementation of the collisional Particle-In-Cell plasma model is proposed. The goal of this model is the simulation of Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) reactors with glow discharge plasma and also for simulation of fusion plasma with sufficient role of collisions.

Vlasov equation is being solved by the Particle-In-Cell (PIC) method. Collision are simulated with the null collision technique. The important difference from the collisionless approach is that major time is taken by collision evaluation and not by particle push. GPU performance is increased by storing the particles in cells and also by the exclusion of synchronization of threads at the stage of current and density evaluation. Electromagnetic field is given by either the Maxwell equations or be the Poisson equation for electrostatic case. The Maxwell equations are solved by the FDTD method. The Poisson equation is solved by the hybrid method.

Performance obtained at the moment is 0.5 TFLOPS for particle push with the Nvidia Tesla V100, and the parallels efficiency is 92% for a cluster with 250 nodes with 2 GPUs each resulting in 500 GPUs.
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects 2–3% of children. Numerous hypotheses on etiologic/causal factors of AIS were investigated, but all failed to identify therapeutic targets and hence failed to offer a cure. Therefore, currently there are only two options to minimize morbidity of the patients suffering AIS: bracing and spinal surgery. From the beginning of 1960th, spinal surgery, both fusion and rod placement, became the standard of management for progressive adolescent idiopathic spine deformity. However, spinal surgery is often associated with complications. These circumstances motivate AIS scientific community to continue the search for new etiologic and causal factors of AIS. While the role of the genetic factors in AIS pathogenesis was investigated intensively and universally recognized, these studies failed to nominate mutation of a particular gene or genes combination responsible for AIS development. More recently epigenetic factors were suggested to play causal role in AIS pathogenesis. Sharing this new approach, we investigated scoliotic vertebral growth plates removed during vertebral fusion (anterior surgery) for AIS correction. In recent publications we showed that cells from the convex side of human scoliotic deformities undergo normal chondrogenic/osteogenic differentiation, while cells from the concave side acquire a neuronal phenotype. Based on these facts we hypothesized that altered neural crest cell migration in early embryogenesis can be the etiological factor of AIS. In particular, we suggested that neural crest cells failed to migrate through the anterior half of somites and became deposited in sclerotome, which in turn produced chondrogenic/osteogenic-insufficient vertebral growth plates. To test this hypothesis we conducted experiments on chicken embryos with arrest neural crest cell migration by inhibiting expression of Paired-box 3 (Pax3) gene, a known enhancer and promoter of neural crest cells migration and differentiation. The results showed that chicken embryos treated with Pax3 siRNA (microinjection into the neural tube, 44 h post-fertilization) progressively developed scoliotic deformity during maturation. Therefore, this analysis suggests that although adolescent idiopathic scoliosis manifests in children around puberty, the real onset of the disease is of epigenetic nature and takes place in early embryogenesis and involves altered neural crest cells migration. If these results confirmed and further elaborated, the hypothesis may shed new light on the etiology and pathogenesis of AIS.
It is shown that S N H approach opens new possibilities in the synthesis of polyfunctional nitronyl and imino nitroxides.It is found that the interaction of 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1Himidazol-3-oxide-1-oxyl lithium salt Li1 with 3,6-diaryl-1,2,4-triazines leads to formation of the corresponding triazines bearing nitronyl nitroxide or imino nitroxide substituent at position 5 of the heterocycle.The reaction of Li1 with pyridazine-N-oxide gives rise to nitroxide with buten-3-ynyl substituent 5. Spin-labeled 5 could be readily transformed by the use of 1,3-dipolar and nucleophilic addition reactions, as well as oxidative coupling, that gives a large group of new paramagnets: 2-(1H-pyrazol-5-yl)vinyl-, 2-ethynylcyclopropyl-, 2-(3-(ethoxycarbonyl) isoxazol-5-yl)vinyl-, 1-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)but-3-ynyl-substituted nitronyl nitroxide and a diradical -2,2′-((1E,7E)-octa-1,7-dien-3,5-diyne-1,8-diyl)bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-3oxide-1-oxyl).The new nitroxides were characterized by X-ray single crystal data, ESR and static magnetic susceptibility measurements.