Connection Between the Carotid Plaque Instability and Paramagnetic Properties of the Intrinsic Mn²⁺ Ions

© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.The pulsed W-band (the microwave frequency of 94 GHz, magnetic field of 3.4 T) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) comparative studies of a series of 20 atherosclerotic plaques (AP) obtained during carotid endarterectomy in patients with atherosclerosis is presented. The AP stability was established by ultrasound angiography. In all of the obtained species EPR spectra due to the presence of Mn2+ ions in a crystal matrix of hydroxyapatites (HAp) is observed. The existence of HAp in plaque fragments is confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses. The spectral parameters of Mn2+ are ascribed to two possible locations in the HAp constituent of the atherosclerotic plaques. The difference in the electronic relaxation times of T2e for Mn2+ ions in stable and unstable plaques is observed that can indicate the more homogeneous distribution of Mn2+ in stable plaques as compared to unstable species. The results can be potentially used for the understanding the mechanisms of pathological calcifications and AP stability

Paramagnetic Manganese in the Atherosclerotic Plaque of Carotid Arteries

© 2016 Yury Chelyshev et al.The search for adequate markers of atherosclerotic plaque (AP) instability in the context of assessment of the ischemic stroke risk in patients with atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries as well as for solid physical and chemical factors that are connected with the AP stability is extremely important. We investigate the inner lining of the carotid artery specimens from the male patients with atherosclerosis (27 patients, 42-64 years old) obtained during carotid endarterectomy by using different analytical tools including ultrasound angiography, X-ray analysis, immunological, histochemical analyses, and high-field (3.4 T) pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at 94 GHz. No correlation between the stable and unstable APs in the sense of the calcification is revealed. In all of the investigated samples, the EPR spectra of manganese, namely, Mn2+ ions, are registered. Spectral and relaxation characteristics of Mn2+ ions are close to those obtained for the synthetic (nano) hydroxyapatite species but differ from each other for stable and unstable APs. This demonstrates that AP stability could be specified by the molecular organization of their hydroxyapatite components. The origin of the obtained differences and the possibility of using EPR of Mn2+ as an AP stability marker are discussed

Компьютерная томография высокого разрешения в диагностике патологии легких при дисплазии соединительной ткани

Summary. This article presents results of examination of 50 young patients with connective tissue dysplasia not having any acute or chronic respiratory disease. All patients underwent inspiratory and expiratory helical CT with density gradient determination in different parts of the lungs. Typical CT findings were subpleural apical bullae and bleby (16 %), peribronchial fibrosis (40 %), local fibrosis (18 %), plevroapikal spikes (62 %), emphysema (4 %), air traps (18 %). The density gradient between exhalation and inhalation was reduced in the upper and lower lobes of the lungs.Резюме. В статье представлены результаты обследования 50 лиц молодого возраста с признаками дисплазии соединительной ткани, не имеющих острой или хронической бронхолегочной патологии. Всем пациентам выполнена инспираторно-экспираторная мультиспиральная компьютерная томография (КТ) органов грудной клетки с определением градиента денситометрических показателей в различных отделах легких. Типичными КТ-находками явились субплевральные апикальные буллы и блебы (16 %), перибронхиальный фиброз (40 %), локальный фиброз (18 %), плевроапикальные спайки (62 %), участки центриацинарной эмфиземы (4 %), воздушные ловушки (18 %). Выявлены особенности изменения градиента плотности легочной ткани в виде относительного снижения в верхних и нижних отделах легких

IT techonology in x-ray morphometry diagnosis of osteoporosis to improve the accuracy for research

Рентгеновская морфометрия необходима для диагностики и наиболее выраженных остеопотических деформационных изменений позвоночника и определения динамики изменения тел позвонков. Использование программного обеспечения для обработки и анализа рентгенограмм, а также моделей определения уровня технических параметров съемки, позволяет получать количественные и качественные критерии оценки и необходимые технические показатели для качественного уровня снимков в диагностике и научных исследованиях у пациентов с заболеваниями опорно-двигательного аппарата.Рентгенівська морфометрія необхідна для діагностики та найбільш виражені остеоропотичних деформаційних змін хребта і визначення динаміки зміни тіл хребців. Використання програмного забезпечення для обробки та аналізу рентгенограм, а також моделей визначення рівня технічних параметрів зйомки, дозволяє отримувати кількісні та якісні критерії оцінки та необхідні технічні показники для якісного рівня знімків в діагностиці та наукових дослідженнях у пацієнтів із захворюваннями опорно-рухового апарату.X-ray morphometry necessary for the diagnosis and the most pronounced changes of osteopathic spinal deformation and dynamics of changes in the definition of the vertebral bodies. This method has been the most prevalent in broad application in the diagnosis of osteoporosis today. Using the software for processing and analysis of X-ray, as well as models of determining the level of technical parameters of the survey allows to get quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria and the required performance level of high-quality images for the diagnosis and research of patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system

Filovirus RefSeq Entries: Evaluation and Selection of Filovirus Type Variants, Type Sequences, and Names

Sequence determination of complete or coding-complete genomes of viruses is becoming common practice for supporting the work of epidemiologists, ecologists, virologists, and taxonomists. Sequencing duration and costs are rapidly decreasing, sequencing hardware is under modification for use by non-experts, and software is constantly being improved to simplify sequence data management and analysis. Thus, analysis of virus disease outbreaks on the molecular level is now feasible, including characterization of the evolution of individual virus populations in single patients over time. The increasing accumulation of sequencing data creates a management problem for the curators of commonly used sequence databases and an entry retrieval problem for end users. Therefore, utilizing the data to their fullest potential will require setting nomenclature and annotation standards for virus isolates and associated genomic sequences. The National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI’s) RefSeq is a non-redundant, curated database for reference (or type) nucleotide sequence records that supplies source data to numerous other databases. Building on recently proposed templates for filovirus variant naming [ ()////-], we report consensus decisions from a majority of past and currently active filovirus experts on the eight filovirus type variants and isolates to be represented in RefSeq, their final designations, and their associated sequences

Virus nomenclature below the species level : a standardized nomenclature for filovirus strains and variants rescued from cDNA

Specific alterations (mutations, deletions, insertions) of virus genomes are crucial for the functional characterization of their regulatory elements and their expression products, as well as a prerequisite for the creation of attenuated viruses that could serve as vaccine candidates. Virus genome tailoring can be performed either by using traditionally cloned genomes as starting materials, followed by site-directed mutagenesis, or by de novo synthesis of modified virus genomes or parts thereof. A systematic nomenclature for such recombinant viruses is necessary to set them apart from wild-type and laboratoryadapted viruses, and to improve communication and collaborations among researchers who may want to use recombinant viruses or create novel viruses based on them. A large group of filovirus experts has recently proposed nomenclatures for natural and laboratory animal-adapted filoviruses that aim to simplify the retrieval of sequence data from electronic databases. Here, this work is extended to include nomenclature for filoviruses obtained in the laboratory via reverse genetics systems. The previously developed template for natural filovirus genetic variant naming,\virus name[(\strain[/)\isolation host-suffix[/ \country of sampling[/\year of sampling[/\genetic variant designation[-\isolate designation[, is retained, but we propose to adapt the type of information added to each field for cDNA clone-derived filoviruses. For instance, the full-length designation of an Ebola virus Kikwit variant rescued from a plasmid developed at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could be akin to ‘‘Ebola virus H.sapiens-rec/COD/1995/Kikwit-abc1’’ (with the suffix ‘‘rec’’ identifying the recombinant nature of the virus and ‘‘abc1’’ being a placeholder for any meaningful isolate designator). Such a full-length designation should be used in databases and the methods section of publications. Shortened designations (such as ‘‘EBOV H.sap/COD/95/ Kik-abc1’’) and abbreviations (such as ‘‘EBOV/Kik-abc1’’) could be used in the remainder of the text, depending on how critical it is to convey information contained in the full-length name. ‘‘EBOV’’ would suffice if only one EBOV strain/variant/isolate is addressed.http://link.springer.com/journal/705hb201

Virus nomenclature below the species level : a standardized nomenclature for laboratory animal-adapted strains and variants of viruses assigned to the family Filoviridae

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) organizes the classification of viruses into taxa, but is not responsible for the nomenclature for taxa members. International experts groups, such as the ICTV Study Groups, recommend the classification and naming of viruses and their strains, variants, and isolates. The ICTV Filoviridae Study Group has recently introduced an updated classification and nomenclature for filoviruses. Subsequently, and together with numerous other filovirus experts, a consistent nomenclature for their natural genetic variants and isolates was developed that aims at simplifying the retrieval of sequence data from electronic databases. This is a first important step toward a viral genome annotation standard as sought by the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Here, this work is extended to include filoviruses obtained in the laboratory by artificial selection through passage in laboratory hosts. The previously developed template for natural filovirus genetic variant naming ( //<year of sampling>/-) is retained, but it is proposed to adapt the type of information added to each field for laboratory animal-adapted variants. For instance, the full-length designation of an Ebola virus Mayinga variant adapted at the State Research Center for Virology and Biotechnology “Vector” to cause disease in guinea pigs after seven passages would be akin to “Ebola virus VECTOR/C.porcellus-lab/COD/1976/Mayinga- GPA-P7”. As was proposed for the names of natural filovirus variants, we suggest using the fulllength designation in databases, as well as in the method section of publications. Shortened designations (such as “EBOV VECTOR/C.por/COD/76/May-GPA-P7”) and abbreviations (such as “EBOV/May-GPA-P7”) could be used in the remainder of the text depending on how critical it is to convey information contained in the full-length name. “EBOV” would suffice if only one EBOV strain/variant/isolate is addressed.This work was funded in part by the Joint Science and Technology Office for Chem Bio Defense (proposal #TMTI0048_09_RD_T to SB).http://www.springerlink.com/content/0304-8608/hb2013ab201