Prediction of arenavirus fusion peptides on the basis of computer analysis of envelope protein sequences

AbstractTheoretical search and selection criteria for putative fusion peptides of enveloped viruses are proposed. Arena virus fusion peptides are predicted on the basis of computer-assisted analysis of amino acid sequences of arenavirus envelope proteins and elements of their secondary and tertiary structure. Accordingly, two regions of GP2 surface protein from 5 viruses of Arenaviridae family have been detected with properties typical of fusion peptides of other enveloped viruses. One region, named peptide IV, located at the N-terminus of the GP2 protein, is followed by the other region or peptide V, more likely candidate for the arenavirus fusion peptide

Quantification of malaria parasite release from infected erythrocytes: inhibition by protein-free media

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Radiation-induced peculiarities of cytochrome P-4502E1 and oncogenes mRNA accumulation in different rat tissues

Cytochrome CYP2E1 gene as well as c-fos and c-myc oncogenes expression have been studied in different tissues of Wistar rats kept at Chernobyl's exclusion zone. Reliable differences are revealed in above-mentioned genes expression on RNA level by comparing data obtained from experimental and control animal groups.Вивчали експресію гена цитохрому CYP2E1 а також онкогенів c-myc і c-fos у різних органах щурів лінії Wistar, що утримувалися в умовах Чорнобильської зони відчуження. При порівняні даних для дослідних і контрольних груп тварин виявлено вірогідні розбіжності в експресії вказаних генів на рівні РНКИзучали экспрессию гена цитохрома CYP2E1,a также онкогенов c-myc и c-fos в различных органах крыс линии Wistar, содержавшихся в условиях Чернобыльской зоны отчуждения При сравнении данных для опытных и контрольных групп животных выявлены достоверные различия в экспрессии, указанных генов на уровне РНК

DOWNTURN AS A BASIS OF A COMPANY’S PROPERTY COMPLEX INSOLVENCY

В статье обоснована взаимосвязь кризисных явлений и несостоятельности имущественного комплекса организации, выделены факторы, обусловливающие их возникновение. На основе анализа и обобщения существующих подходов к определению понятий несостоятельность и банкротство установлено их соотношение. Обоснована необходимость антикризисного стратегического управления имущественным комплексом организации в целях обеспечения стратегического соответствия протекающих в нем процессов высокой изменчивости факторов внутренней и внешней среды.Цель: обоснование влияния кризисных явлений на формирование несостоятельности имущественного комплекса организации, установление соотношения понятий несостоятельность и банкротство.Метод и методология проведения работы: исследование базируется на диалектическом и системном подходах. Также использованы такие общенаучные методы исследования, как анализ, синтез, сравнение, дедукция, индукция.Результаты: проведен анализ существующих подходов к классификации кризисов и на этой основе выделены факторы, обусловливающие возникновение кризисных процессов и формирование неплатежеспособности; обосновано соотношение понятий несостоятельности и банкротства; уточнено понятие несостоятельности.Область применения результатов: результаты исследования расширяют теоретические представления о причинах возникновения несостоятельности имущественного комплекса организации и могут быть использованы при обосновании системы антикризисного управления, а также концептуальных моделей стратегирования его развития в условиях высокой изменчивости факторов внутренней и внешней среды.The paper gives reasons for co-relation of downturn and a company’s property complex insolvency; the factors which define it are determined. The co-relation between the concepts of insolvency and bankruptcy has been observed. The necessity of a strategic crisis management of a company’s property complex in order to adapt it to the conditions of internal and external environment variability has been explained.The objective: to prove the downturn influence on a company’s property complex insolvency; to set up the co-relation between the concepts of insolvency and bankruptcy.Method and methodology of work: the study rests on dialectical and systemic approaches; analysis, synthesis, comparison, deduction, and induction are applied.Findings: factors contributing to downturn and a company’s insolvency appearance are outlined; co-relation of insolvency and bankruptcy concepts is stated; insolvency concept is specified.Application of the findings: the findings extend theoretical ideas about a company’s property complex insolvency and can be used to justify anti-crisis management, as well as in conceptual models of its further development in conditions of high internal and external environment variability

Клещи рода Demodex и дрожжи рода Malassezia у пациентов с себорейным дерматитом

Target. Studies of dynamics of species diversity and of abundance of Malassezia fungi, аs well as of pimple mites at the skin of patients, suffering from seborrheic dermatitis (SD) at the treatment with activated zinc pyrithione aerosol (ZPA). Маterial and methods. 60 patients with SD were examined. 2 groups were segregated: 1-st (n = 31) - patients with SD, receiving within 4 weeks the AZP therapy; 2-nd (n = 29) - patients with SD, not receiving local therapy. At the examination the gravity of symptoms, the dynamics of skin integument affection was assessed, the mycological skin analysis for Malassezia fungi, as well as the acarological analysis for Demodex mites was performed. Results. 4 kinds of Malassezia were revealed on the skin of patients, suffering with SD disease, with dominating M. globosa (10 7 КОЕ/cm 2). At patients, suffering with SD, 2 kinds of mites were revealed: Demodex: D. brevis and D. folliculorum. D. Brevis was dominating - 65%, D.folliculorum - 26%. After affected sites of the facer skin of patients, suffering from SD, with AZP aerosol within 4 weeks was revealed the statically authentic decrease at the average by a factor of 2 from the number of Malassezia yeast, and the decrease (to 16%) of the frequency of D.brevis reveal, аs well as the complete elimination of D.folliculorum. After the course of therapy with topical AZP aerosol is over the high therapeutic effect is revealed at 90% patients with SD. Opinion. So, AZP aerosol can be recommend to the decrease of the number of Malassezia fungi at Demodex mites at the facial skin of patients, suffering with SD.Цель. Изучение динамики видового разнообразия и численности грибов рода Malassezia, а также клещей-железниц на коже лица больных себорейным дерматитом (СД) при лечении аэрозолем активированного цинка пиритиона (АЦП). Материал и методы. Обследованы 60 пациентов с СД. Выделены 2 группы: 1-я (n=31) - пациенты с СД, получающие в течение 4 нед. терапию АЦП; 2-я (n = 29) - больные с СД, не получавшие наружную терапию. При обследовании оценивали тяжесть симптомов, площадь поражения кожного покрова в динамике, а также проводили микологический анализ кожи на грибы рода Malassezia и акарологический анализ на присутствие клещей рода Demodex. Результаты. На коже больных СД выявлено 4 вида дрожжей рода Malassezia, среди которых доминировал M. globosa (10 7 КОЕ/см 2). У больных СД обнаружено 2 вида клещей рода Demodex: D. brevis и D. folliculorum. Доминировал D. brevis - 65%, D. folliculorum - 26%. После обработки аэрозолем АЦП пораженных участков кожи лица больных СД в течение 4 нед. выявлено статистически достоверное уменьшение в среднем на 2 порядка численности дрожжей рода Malassezia и снижение (до 16%) частоты выявления D. brevis, а также полная элиминация D. folliculorum. После окончания курса терапии топическим аэрозолем АЦП выявлен высокий терапевтический эффект у 90% пациентов с СД. Заключение. Таким образом, аэрозоль АЦП может быть рекомендован для снижения численности грибов рода Malassezia и клещей рода Demodex на коже лица больных СД

Coreceptor Choice and T Cell Depletion by R5, X4, and R5X4 HIV-1 Variants in CCR5-Deficient (CCR5Δ32) and Normal Human Lymphoid Tissue

AbstractCoreceptor utilization by HIV-1 is an important determinant of pathogenesis. However, coreceptor selectivity is defined in vitro, while in vivo critical pathogenic events occur in lymphoid tissues. Using pharmacological inhibitors, we recently provided evidence that coreceptor selectivity by the R5X4 dual-tropic isolate 89.6 was more restricted in ex vivo infected lymphoid tissue than in vitro [S. Glushakova, Y. Yi, J. C. Grivel, A. Singh, D. Schols, E. De Clercq, R. G. Collman, and L. Margolis (1999). J. Clin. Invest. 104, R7–R11]. Here we extend those observations using CCR5-deficient (CCR5Δ32) lymphoid tissue as well as additional primary isolates. We definitively show that neither CCR5 nor secondary coreceptors used in vitro mediate 89.6 infection in lymphoid tissue. We also demonstrate that restricted coreceptor use in lymphoid tissue ex vivo compared with in vitro utilization occurs with other dual-tropic primary isolates and is not unique to 89.6. For all strains tested that are dual tropic in vitro, severe CD4 T cell depletion in lymphoid tissue correlated with preferential CXCR4 use in this ex vivo system

Merozoite release from Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes involves the transfer of DiIC16 from infected cell membrane to Maurer’s clefts

Merozoite release from infected erythrocytes is a complex process, which is still not fully understood. Such process was characterised at ultra-structural level in this work by labelling erythrocyte membrane with a fluorescent lipid probe and subsequent photo-conversion into an electron-dense precipitate. A lipophilic DiIC16 probe was inserted into the infected erythrocyte surface and the transport of this phospholipid analogue through the erythrocyte membrane was followed up during 48 h of the asexual erythrocyte cycle. The lipid probe was transferred from infected erythrocyte membranes to Maurer’s clefts during merozoite release, thereby indicating that these membranes remained inside host cells after parasite release. Fluorescent structures were never observed inside infected erythrocytes preceding merozoite exit and merozoites released from infected erythrocyte were not fluorescent. However, specific precipitated material was localised bordering the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and tubovesicular membranes when labelled non-infected erythrocytes were invaded by merozoites. It was revealed that lipids were interchangeable from one membrane to another, passing from infected erythrocyte membrane to Maurer’s clefts inside the erythrocyte ghost, even after merozoite release. Maurer’s clefts became photo-converted following merozoite release, suggesting that these structures were in close contact with infected erythrocyte membrane during merozoite exit and possibly played some role in malarial parasite exit from the host cell

Human blue-opsin promoter preferentially targets reporter gene expression to rat s-cone photoreceptors

PURPOSE. To develop a gene therapy system that specifically targets transgene expression to S-cones of the mammalian retina, the authors coupled recombinant AAV-mediated delivery with the use of a human blue-opsin (HB) promoter to drive expression. METHODS. Two regions of the HB promoter sequence, HB569 and HB996, were amplified from human DNA, cloned into an AAV vector cassette upstream of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, and packaged into AAV2 and AAV5 capsids. Eyes of postnatal day (P) 40 to P48 Sprague-Dawley rats were subretinally injected with 2 L vector. Animals were humanely killed 2 to 3 weeks or 20 months after injection, and the pattern and persistence of GFP expression were analyzed in the treated retinas by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and RT-PCR. RESULTS. AAV5.HB.GFP vectors targeted photoreceptor transduction with an efficiency 20-fold higher than analogous serotype 2 vector. Both AAV5.HB.GFP vectors exhibited similar transduction efficiencies with patterns of GFP expression that did not vary depending on the size of the HB promoter used. Transgene expression was exclusively localized to photoreceptors of retinas treated with either vector. Furthermore, GFP expression was observed for at least 20 months. Dual GFP immunostaining with S-or M-opsin antibodies and GFP/PNA labeling revealed that cones coexpressing S-opsin/GFP or Mopsin/GFP constituted 37.5% Ϯ 8% and 13.5% Ϯ 3% of the GFP-positive photoreceptors, respectively, whereas rods constituted 49% Ϯ 5% of the GFP-positive photoreceptors. Because cones constitute approximately 1% of adult rat retinal photoreceptors, it was estimated that the relative transduction efficiency of AAV5.HB.GFP vectors was approximately 100:1 for cones versus rods. CONCLUSIONS. AAV5.HB.GFP vector injected into the subretinal space of Sprague-Dawley rats targeted gene expression to photoreceptor cells with an efficiency approximately 20-fold higher than that for AAV2.HB.GFP. Transgene expression regulated by the human blue cone-promoter persisted at least for 20 months. Cones coexpressing S-opsin and the GFP transgene appeared to prevail, confirming that in addition to having properties of the AAV serotype, the promoter choice is key to fine-tuning transgene delivery and expression in specific retinal cells. The system described here may be effective in a therapeutic setting in which strong S-cone transgene expression is required. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2006;47:3505-3513