Late glacial and holocene palaeovegetation and palaeogeography of Eastern Fennoscandia

The monograph is a generalization based on the analysis and synthesis of the voluminous scope of data on the dynamics of palaeovegetation and its mapping, along with aspects of palaeogeography of the Kola Peninsula and Karelia. All the elements of past landscapes are considered against the background of the present state of environments: geology, geomorphology and vegetation. The interval under consideration embraces the Late Glacial Time (12 000-10 300 years BP) and the Holocene (from 10 300 years BP up to the present). The book discusses the methodical and theoretical treatments of the last decade. As a result, the dynamics of past landscapes are shown in the unity of all their components (i.e., relief, hydrology and vegetation), and in comparison with their present-day parameters. Cartographic and textual materials on geology and modern vegetation as well as palaeovegetation maps of model territories used in this book are entirely original. The model territories are rather evenly distributed throughout the Kola Peninsula and Karelia. Seven of them are represented in this work; for each of model territory, a series of maps (for 10 500, 9 500, 8 500, 5 500, 3 000, and 1 000 years BP) are provided, correlated with relief and present-day vegetation. The second stage of data generalization is a comparison of maps related to the same temporal sections. The sequence of the maps from ‘older’ to ‘younger’ characterizes the dynamics of chorological palaeovegetation units. These dynamics readily illustrate shifts of geographical zones in space and time

The inflammation markers in serum of tumor-bearing rats after plasmonic photothermal therapy

We report on plasmonic photothermal therapy of rats with inoculated cholangiocarcinoma through the intratumoral injection of PEG-coated gold nanorods followed by CW laser light irradiation. The length and diameter of gold nanorods were 41±8 nm and 10±2 nm, respectively; the particle mass-volume concentration was 400 μg/mL, which corresponds to the optical density of 20 at the wavelength 808 nm. The tumor-bearing rats were randomly divided into three groups: (1) without any treatment (control); (2) with only laser irradiation of tumor; (3) with intratumoral administration of gold nanorods and laser irradiation of tumors. An hour before laser irradiation, the animals were injected intratumorally with gold nanorod solutions in the amount of 30% of the tumor volume. The infrared 808-nm laser with power density of 2.3 W/cm2 was used for plasmonic photothermal therapy (PTT). The withdraw of animals from the experiment was performed 24 h after laser exposure. The content of lipid peroxidation products and molecular markers of inflammation (TNF-α, IGF-1, VEGF-C) was determined by ELISA test in serum of rats. The standard histological techniques with hematoxylin and eosin staining were used for morphological examination of tumor tissues. It was revealed that the significant necrotic changes were noted in tumor tissue after plasmonic photothermal therapy, which were accompanied by formation of inflammatory reaction with release of proinflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation products into the bloodstream

Photothermal and photodynamic therapy of tumors with plasmonic nanoparticles: challenges and prospects

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the world. For a number of neo-plasms, the efficiency of conventional chemo-and radiation therapies is insufficient because of drug resistance and marked toxicity. Plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPT) using local hyperthermia induced by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has recently been extensively explored in tumor treatment. However, despite attractive promises, the current PPT status is limited by laboratory experiments, academic papers, and only a few preclinical studies. Unfortunately, most nanoformulations still share a similar fate: great laboratory promises and fair preclinical trials. This review discusses the current challenges and prospects of plasmonic nanomedicine based on PPT and photodynamic therapy (PDT). We start with consideration of the fundamental principles underlying plasmonic properties of AuNPs to tune their plasmon resonance for the desired NIR-I, NIR-2, and SWIR optical windows. The basic principles for simulation of optical cross-sections and plasmonic heating under CW and pulsed irradiation are discussed. Then, we consider the state-of-the-art methods for wet chemical synthesis of the most popular PPPT AuNPs such as silica/gold nanoshells, Au nanostars, nanorods, and nanocages. The photothermal efficiencies of these nanoparticles are compared, and their applications to current nanomedicine are shortly discussed. In a separate section, we discuss the fabrication of gold and other nanoparticles by the pulsed laser ablation in liquid method. The second part of the review is devoted to our recent experimental results on laser-activated interaction of AuNPs with tumor and healthy tissues and current achievements of other research groups in this application area. The unresolved issues of PPT are the significant accumulation of AuNPs in the organs of the mononuclear phagocyte system, causing potential toxic effects of nanoparticles, and the possibility of tumor recurrence due to the presence of survived tumor cells. The prospective ways of solving these problems are discussed, including developing combined antitumor therapy based on combined PPT and PDT. In the conclusion section, we summarize the most urgent needs of current PPT-based nanomedicine

The assessment of effectiveness of plasmonic resonance photothermal therapy in tumor-bearing rats after multiple intravenous administration of gold nanorods

To assess the effectiveness of plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPT) multiple intravenous strategy of gold nanorods (GNRs) administration was used before laser exposure. The model of alveolar liver cancer PC-1 was used in male outbred albino rats, which were intravenously administrated by single and multiple injections of GNRs and then were treated by PPT. The gold dosage was 400 μg (single injection group), 800 μg (double injection group), 1200 μg (triple injection group), and absorption maximum of gold nanorods suspension was at the wavelength of 808 nm. 24 hours after last injection the tumors were irradiated by the 808-nm diode laser during 15 min at power density 2.3 W/cm2. Temperature control of the tumor heating was provided by IR imager. 24 hours after the PPT the half of animals from each group was withdrawn from the experiments and the sampling tumor tissue for morphological study was performed. In survived animals the growth of tumors was evaluated during 21 days after the PPT. The antitumor effects of PPT after triple intravenous injection were comparable with those obtained at direct intratumoral administration of similar total dose of GNRs. The effectiveness of PPT depended on gold accumulation in tumor, probably, due to sufficient vascularizTation of tumor tissue

The morphological changes in transplanted tumors of rats at plasmonic photothermal therapy

The aim of work was to study the morphological changes in transplanted liver tumors of rats after plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT). The gold nanorods functionalized with thiolated polyethylene glycol were injected intravenously to rats with transplanted liver cancer PC-1. A day after injection the tumors were irradiated by the infrared 808-nm diode laser. The withdrawal of the animals from the experiment and sampling of tumor tissue for morphological study were performed 24 hours after the laser exposure. The standard histological and immunohistochemical staining with antibodies to proliferation marker Ki-67 and apoptosis marker BAX were used for morphological study of transplanted tumors. The plasmonic photothermal therapy had pronounced damaging effect in rats with transplanted liver tumors expressed in degenerative and necrotic changes in the tumor cells. The decrease of proliferation marker Ki-67 and increase of expression of apoptosis marker BAX were observed in tumor cells after PPTT

In vivo optical monitoring of transcutaneous delivery of calcium carbonate microcontainers

We have developed a method for delivery of biocompatible CaCO3 microcontainers (4.0 ± 0.8 µm) containing Fe3O4 nanoparticles (14 ± 5 nm) into skin in vivo using fractional laser microablation (FLMA) provided by a pulsed Er:YAG laser system. Six laboratory rats have been used for the microcontainer delivery and weekly monitoring implemented using an optical coherence tomography and a standard histological analysis. The use of FLMA allowed for delivery of the microcontainers to the depth about 300 μm and creation of a depot in dermis. On the seventh day we have observed the dissolving of the microcontainers and the release of nanoparticles into dermis

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Joint Observation of the Galactic Center with MAGIC and CTA-LST-1

MAGIC is a system of two Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs), designed to detect very-high-energy gamma rays, and is operating in stereoscopic mode since 2009 at the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos in La Palma, Spain. In 2018, the prototype IACT of the Large-Sized Telescope (LST-1) for the Cherenkov Telescope Array, a next-generation ground-based gamma-ray observatory, was inaugurated at the same site, at a distance of approximately 100 meters from the MAGIC telescopes. Using joint observations between MAGIC and LST-1, we developed a dedicated analysis pipeline and established the threefold telescope system via software, achieving the highest sensitivity in the northern hemisphere. Based on this enhanced performance, MAGIC and LST-1 have been jointly and regularly observing the Galactic Center, a region of paramount importance and complexity for IACTs. In particular, the gamma-ray emission from the dynamical center of the Milky Way is under debate. Although previous measurements suggested that a supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* plays a primary role, its radiation mechanism remains unclear, mainly due to limited angular resolution and sensitivity. The enhanced sensitivity in our novel approach is thus expected to provide new insights into the question. We here present the current status of the data analysis for the Galactic Center joint MAGIC and LST-1 observations

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701