Structural effect of oxazolone derivatives on the initiating abilities of dye-borate photoredox systems in radical polymerization under visible light.

Three photoinitiating systems based on new oxazolone derivatives have been developed and their performance in initiation of radical polymerization of acrylate monomers has been tested by differential scanning calorimetry. The absorption characteristics of the oxazol-5(4H)-ones is compatible with the emission characteristics of different light sources like diode pulse solid state lasers. Thus, the dyes were used as sensitizers which are photoreduced during a photochemical reaction in the presence of phenyltriethylborate salt. Results showed that the increase in the dimensionality of the molecule extends the range of light absorption and increases the efficiency of the photoinitiation process. The photoreduction of the oxazolone-borate complex was studied using steady-state and nanosecond laser flash photolysis. The dye singlet and triplet were found to be quenched by the electron donor via an electron transfer process. Rate constants for the quenching of the excited states were high and were found to depend on the dye structure.

Genome-wide profiles indicate wolf population connectivity within the eastern Carpathian Mountains.

The Carpathian Mountains provide critical wildlife habitat in central Europe, and previous genome-wide studies have found western Carpathian Mountain wolves (Canis lupus) to be a separate population. Whereas differentiation to the north may be explained by a lowland-mountain transition and habitat fragmentation, the eastern Carpathian Mountains extending through Romania appear to offer continuous wildlife habitat southward. Our objective was to assess gene flow patterns and population connectivity among wolves in Romania, western Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova. We sought to determine if the Carpathian Mountain region is best described by a north-south gradient in genetic profiles, or whether Romanian wolves show population structure with northern individuals clustering with western Ukraine. We genotyped 48 individuals with 170 000 single nucleotide polymorphism markers, and successful profiles from Romania (n = 27) and Moldova (n = 2) were merged with existing data from western Ukraine (n = 10). Expected heterozygosity was 0.234 (SE 0.001) for Romania and 0.229 (SE 0.001) for western Ukraine, whereas observed heterozygosity values were 0.230 (SE 0.001) versus 0.231 (SE 0.001). Population structure analyses with a maximum likelihood method supported K = 1 population, followed by K = 2 where Romania formed one cluster, and western Ukraine and Moldova formed another. Principal component analysis results were broadly consistent with K = 2. Pairwise FST between western Ukraine and Romania was 0.042 (p = 0.001). Our findings indicated weak population differentiation, and future research may clarify whether the spatial distribution of genetic diversity in the region is associated with environmental and ecological factors such as terrain ruggedness and the distribution of prey species.

Erratum: Phylogeography of the Tyrrhenian red deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus) resolved using ancient DNA of radiocarbon-dated subfossils.

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Phylogeography of the Tyrrhenian red deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus) resolved using ancient DNA of radiocarbon-dated subfossils.

We present ancient mitochondrial DNA analyses of 31 complete cytochrome b gene sequences from subfossil red deer remains from the Tyrrhenian islands (Corsica and Sardinia) and mainland Italy in a European-wide phylogeographic framework. Tyrrhenian and North African red deer, both going back to human introductions, were previously the only red deer to harbour the mitochondrial B lineage whose origin, however, remained unknown. Our ancient Italian samples from the central part of the peninsula that were radiocarbon-dated to an age of ca. 6300 to 15 600 cal BP all showed B haplotypes, closely related or even identical to those found on Sardinia. Genetic diversity in the mainland population was considerably higher than on the islands. Together with palaeontological evidence our genetic results identify the Italian Peninsula as the ultimate origin of the B lineage and thus the Tyrrhenian and North African red deer. This is in line with previous biogeographic findings that uncovered distinct intraspecific phylogeographic lineages in Italian mammals, underlining Italy's status as a hotspot of European mammalian diversity.

Application of spectroscopic and theoretical methods in the studies of photoisomerization and photophysical properties of the push-pull styryl-benzimidazole dyes.

The synthesis and spectroscopic properties of a series of substituted 1,3-dimethyl-2-aminostyrylbenzimidazolium iodides are described and discussed. The products were identified by NMR, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Their electronic absorption and fluorescence band positions are affected by the character of the substituent and by the solvent polarity. The fluorescence decay of the dyes shows two lifetimes interpreted in terms of emission from two forms of the dye in the excited state. Moreover, the photochemical trans→cis isomerization is reported for these compounds. It occurs from the first excited singlet state of the trans isomer to the cis isomer following a trans-S0→ S1 excitation. The electron-donating character of the substituent in a styrene moiety is one of the crucial factors influencing the photoisomerization process. The structure of the cis isomer was established by (1)H and (15)N NMR. Experimental studies are supported by the results of quantum chemical calculations.

Genome-wide signatures of population bottlenecks and diversifying selection in European wolves.

Genomic resources developed for domesticated species provide powerful tools for studying the evolutionary history of their wild relatives. Here we use 61K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) evenly spaced throughout the canine nuclear genome to analyse evolutionary relationships among the three largest European populations of grey wolves in comparison with other populations worldwide, and investigate genome-wide effects of demographic bottlenecks and signatures of selection. European wolves have a discontinuous range, with large and connected populations in Eastern Europe and relatively smaller, isolated populations in Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. Our results suggest a continuous decline in wolf numbers in Europe since the Late Pleistocene, and long-term isolation and bottlenecks in the Italian and Iberian populations following their divergence from the Eastern European population. The Italian and Iberian populations have low genetic variability and high linkage disequilibrium, but relatively few autozygous segments across the genome. This last characteristic clearly distinguishes them from populations that underwent recent drastic demographic declines or founder events, and implies long-term bottlenecks in these two populations. Although genetic drift due to spatial isolation and bottlenecks seems to be a major evolutionary force diversifying the European populations, we detected 35 loci that are putatively under diversifying selection. Two of these loci flank the canine platelet-derived growth factor gene, which affects bone growth and may influence differences in body size between wolf populations. This study demonstrates the power of population genomics for identifying genetic signals of demographic bottlenecks and detecting signatures of directional selection in bottlenecked populations, despite their low background variability.

Cyclic voles and shrews and non-cyclic mice in a marginal grassland within European temperate forest.

Cyclic population dynamics of small mammals are not restricted to the boreal and arctic zones of Eurasia and North America, but long-term data series from lower latitudes are still less common. We demonstrated here the presence of periodic oscillations in small mammal populations in eastern Poland using 22-year (1986-2007) trapping data from marginal meadow and river valley grasslands located in the extensive temperate woodland of Bialowieza Primeval Forest. The two most common species inhabiting meadows and river valleys, root vole Microtus oeconomus and common shrew Sorex araneus, exhibited synchronous periodic changes, characterised by a 3-year time lag as indicated by an autocorrelation function. Moreover, the cycles of these two species were synchronous within both habitats. Population dynamics of the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius was not cyclic. However, this species regularly reached maximum density 1 year before the synchronized peak of root voles and common shrews, which may suggest the existence of interspecific competition. Dynamics of all three species was dominated by direct density-dependent process, whereas delayed density dependent feedback was significant only in the root vole and common shrew. Climatic factors acting in winter and spring (affecting mainly survival and initial reproduction rates) were more important than those acting in summer and autumn and affected significantly only the common shrew. High temperatures in winter and spring had positive effects on autumn-to-autumn changes in abundance of this species, whereas deep snow in combination with high rainfall in spring negatively affected population increase rates in common shrew.

Accelerated photobleaching of a cyanine dye in the presence of a ternary target DNA, PNA probe, dye catalytic complex: a molecular diagnostic.

In many settings, molecular testing is needed but unavailable due to complexity and cost. Simple, rapid, and specific DNA detection technologies would provide important alternatives to existing detection methods. Here we report a novel, rapid nucleic acid detection method based on the accelerated photobleaching of the light-sensitive cyanine dye, 3,3'-diethylthiacarbocyanine iodide (DiSC(2)(3) I(-)), in the presence of a target genomic DNA and a complementary peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe. On the basis of the UV-vis, circular dichroism, and fluorescence spectra of DiSC(2)(3) with PNA-DNA oligomer duplexes and on characterization of a product of photolysis of DiSC(2)(3) I(-), a possible reaction mechanism is proposed. We propose that (1) a novel complex forms between dye, PNA, and DNA, (2) this complex functions as a photosensitizer producing (1)O(2), and (3) the (1)O(2) produced promotes photobleaching of dye molecules in the mixture. Similar cyanine dyes (DiSC(3)(3), DiSC(4)(3), DiSC(5)(3), and DiSC(py)(3)) interact with preformed PNA-DNA oligomer duplexes but do not demonstrate an equivalent accelerated photobleaching effect in the presence of PNA and target genomic DNA. The feasibility of developing molecular diagnostic assays based on the accelerated photobleaching (the smartDNA assay) that results from the novel complex formed between DiSC(2)(3) and PNA-DNA is under way.

[Multiple EEG examinations in patients with refractory endogenous depression after unilateral ECT]. / Wielokrotne badania EEG u pacjentów z lekoopornym endogennym zespolem depresyjnym, po leczeniu elektrowstrzasami jednostronnymi.

In 37 inpatients /27 females and 10 males, mean age--49.8 +/- +/- 10.3 years/, with the diagnosis of refractory endogenous depression, after completing a course of unilateral ECT /u-ECT/, multiple EEG examinations were performed during a year of observation. Routine EEG examinations were carried out after a washing out period of two weeks, using an 8 channel Medicor-Orion EEG device. The patients were examined before treatment and 2, 4 and 6 weeks and then 3, 6 and 12 months after the course of ECT. The mean number of ECT which the patients received during a therapeutic session was 8.4 +/- +/- 2.8. Two weeks after completing the course of U-ECT, pathologic tracings in the EEG were found in 17 patients--mainly slowing of the basic alpha activity and slow theta waves. A month after the course of U-ECT in the majority of patients--32 there was a normal EEG tracing. After 6 weeks changes in EEG were found in 2 patients. In one of them they were still present after completion of U-ECT. No significant relationship between the persistence of EEG changes and the number of U-ECT received during the last therapeutic session or the quantity of ECT treatments in the past was detected. The result of this work may support the hypothesis that changes in the biological activity of the brain after ECT therapy are reversible in nature and most probably are a reflection of functional changes in the neurons, partly connected with the therapeutic process or without any relationship with that occurring from a wide spectrum of neurochemical activity of the method of treatment.