Restricted proliferation during neurogenesis contributes to regionalization of the amphioxus nervous system.

The central nervous system of the cephalochordate amphioxus consists of a dorsal neural tube with an anterior brain. Two decades of gene expression analyses in developing amphioxus embryos have shown that despite the lack of overt segmentation the amphioxus neural tube is highly regionalized at the molecular level. However, little is known about the mechanisms that generate such precise regionalization. Proliferation is a key driver of pattern formation and cell type diversification, but in amphioxus it has never been studied in detail nor in the specific context of neurogenesis. Here, we describe the dynamics of cell division during the formation of the central nervous system in amphioxus embryos and its contributions to the regionalization of the neural axis. We show that after gastrulation, proliferation pauses to become spatially restricted to the anterior and posterior ends of the neural tube at neurula stages. Only at the onset of larval life, proliferation resumes in the central part of the nervous system. By marking specific populations and inhibiting cell division during neurulation, we demonstrate that proliferation in the anterior cerebral vesicle is required to establish the full cell type repertoire of the frontal eye complex and the putative hypothalamic region of the amphioxus brain, while posterior proliferating progenitors, which were found here to derive from the dorsal lip of the blastopore, contribute to elongate the caudal floor plate. Between these proliferative domains, we find trunk nervous system differentiation is independent from cell division, which decreases during neurulation and resumes at the early larval stage. Taken together, our results highlight multiple roles for proliferation in shaping the amphioxus nervous system.

Difficulties in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and Susak syndrome

Retino-cochleo-cerebral angiopathy or Susac syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease that selectively affects the vessels of the retina, the inner ear and the central nervous system. Differentiation of Susac syndrome and multiple sclerosis presents difficulties due to the similarity of MRI semiotics of these two diseases. This article presents two clinical cases of patients with Susac syndrome who were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the onset of the disease. Based on the analysis of our own clinical observations and literature data, the issues of differential diagnosis of Susac syndrome and multiple sclerosis are highlighted. For the first time a variant of the MRI picture transformation in Susac syndrome is presented.

The Role of Ethnic Non-Material Property for Intercultural Communications in Digital Society

This paper is devoted to the intellectual property and spiritual (non-material and non-intellectual) property of ethnic minorities. The research is topical, because ethnic identity issues remain prevalent in the modern era, and questions of ethnic identity have become problematic and multifaceted due to the crisis of multiculturalism concepts and the ‘glocalization’ processes. Many languages of ethnic minorities are under the threat of disappearance. The main objective of this research is to define the role of Mother Language and ethnic non-material property for self-identification of different nationalities in digital society. The secondary objective is to consider what kind of non-material property is the most important in this context. Research methods to be used: methodology of system differentiation of Luhmann N. It is asserted in this work, that the main non-material property for ethnic minorities is intellectual property and spiritual (non-material and non-intellectual) property. Spiritual property is considered here from the non-religious point of view, mainly because of the author’s world-outlook. Another reason is that religious type of spiritual property is ideologically burdened in modern Russia. Non-religious spiritual property is of great importance for ethnic minorities, nevertheless it is under-estimated. Mother Language is a base for ethnic spiritual property. In contrast, religious spiritual property is conservative and backward similar to mental reservation (from the author’s point of view). Keywords: non-material property, intellectual property, ethnic minorities, intercultural communication, digital society

DIFFICULTIES IN BUILDING THE AUDITORY AND PRONUNCIATION SKILLS IN CHINESE STUDENTS WHILE TEACHING RUSSIAN

The introduction. The paper deals with a problem of Russian speech sound acquisition by Chinese students, examines the bilateral nature of this problem (sound perception and sound pronunciation), and identifies typical difficulties of the Chinese audience. Materials and methods. The paper analyzes the results of an empirical study aimed at identifying the most frequent difficulties encountered by Chinese students learning the Russian Language when mastering auditory and pronunciation skills. The study relies on the methods of experimental research, statistical data processing, and comparative analysis. Results. The findings show the correlation between the two types of mistakes (in perception and pronunciation of Russian sounds) made by Chinese students. This correlation made it possible to obtain the data on the extent to which the processes of sound unit perception and generation are interconnected and interdependent. The experimental study has identified the most typical difficulties of Chinese students and considered their causes. Conclusion. The study has shown that the number of sound perception mistakes significantly exceeds that of sound pronunciation ones. Therefore, focused work is required to develop auditory skills. Both types of mistakes result from the differences in sound systems of the Russian and Chinese languages, which should be fully taken into account when building audial and pronunciation skills of Chinese students. Keywords: the audial and pronunciation skills, sound system, differentiation of sounds, methods of teaching Russian as a foreign language.

Epigenetic Regulation Mediated by microRNAs in the Susceptibility and Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the regulation of the transcriptome and development of diseases including cancer and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Currently, a comprehensive map, illustrating how miRNAs regulate transcripts, pathways, immune system differentiation, and their interaction with terminal cells, such as T cells, fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), osteoblasts, and osteoclasts, is still missing. In this review, we provide a thorough summary of the roles of miRNAs in the susceptibility to pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and prognosis of RA. Numerous miRNAs are abnormally expressed in cells involved in RA, and regulate target genes and pathways including the NF-κB, Fas-FasL, JAK-STAT, IRE1-RIDD, and mTOR pathways. By regulating gene expression, miRNAs affect T cell differentiation to diverse cell types, including Th17 and T-reg cells, and thus constitute promising gene therapy targets to modulate the immune system in RA. We summarize the diagnostic and prognostic potential of blood-circulating and cell-free miRNAs, highlighting the novel opportunities to combine these with rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) to provide accurate diagnosis and prognosis, especially for seronegative patients. Furthermore, we outline how functional genetic variants of miR-499 and miR-146a partly explain the unmet susceptibility to RA. Additionally, we review the evidence implicating miRNAs as promising biomarkers of efficiency, response, and resistance to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMRDs) and immunotherapy. Finally, we discuss the autotherapeutic effect of miRNA intervention as a step toward the development of miRNA-based anti-RA drugs. Collectively, the current evidence supports miRNAs as interesting targets to better understand the pathogenetic mechanisms of RA and design more efficient therapeutic interventions.

A New Plagioclase-Liquid Hygrometer Specific to Trachytic Systems

We present a new empirical plagioclase-liquid hygrometer for estimating the amount of H2O dissolved in trachytic magmas. The hygrometer is based on the exchange reaction of anorthite between plagioclase and liquid, and is calibrated using crystallization experiments where the concentration of H2O in quenched glasses has been accurately determined based on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The multiple linear regression of plagioclase-liquid cation fractions and components from experimental data obtained at 150–202 MPa, 850–1020 °C, 1.17–7.57 wt. % H2O and ΔNNO + 2.5 buffer, yields to a highly accurate model with uncertainty of only ±0.29 wt. % H2O. The model reliability has been demonstrated using an independent test data set consisting of crystallization experiments from the literature and thermodynamically derived compositions. The fairly good convergence between our model calibration and the test data set excludes systematic H2O overestimates or underestimates caused by miscalibration and data overfitting. The plagioclase-liquid hygrometer from this study has been applied to trachyandesitic (latitic) and trachytic products erupted over the last 1000 years at the La Fossa cone of Vulcano Island (Aeolian Islands, Southern Italy). Results from calculations indicate that the concentration of H2O in the latitic and trachytic melts is comprised between ~2.5 and ~3.5 wt. %. These values are in good agreement with data from melt inclusions and, overall, testify to low-pressure, open-system differentiation of trachytic magmas under strong degassing conditions.

Spatial polarization of peripheral territories of Stavropol Krai on the level of social and economic development

The research of a condition of peripheral territories is of special interest within formation of a spatial paradigm of development of regional social and economic system. Differentiation of level of social and economic development of peripheral territories is natural process and is subject to complex studying for formation of adequate instruments of management within spatial social and economic policy. In article special attention is paid to formation of system and diagnostic approach for identification of level of social and economic development of territories on the basis of the composite indicator and also to justification and calculation of indicators of unevenness of development of peripheral territories.

Lineage-Specific Chiral Biases of Human Embryonic Stem Cells during Differentiation

Left-right symmetry breaking is a complex developmental process and an important part of embryonic axis development. As of yet, the biophysical mechanism behind LR asymmetry establishment remains elusive for the overall asymmetry of embryos as well as for the organ-specific asymmetry. Here, we demonstrate that inherent cellular chirality is observable in the cells of early embryonic stages using a 3D Matrigel bilayer system. Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to three lineages corresponding to heart, intestine, and neural tissues demonstrates phenotype-specific inherent chiral biases, complementing the current knowledge regarding organ development. The existence of inherent cellular chirality early in development and its correlation with organ asymmetry implicate cell chirality as a possible regulator in LR symmetry breaking.