Historical and Legal Aspect of Consideration by the Courts of the Pskov Region of Citizens’ Complaints in the Economic Sphere at the Final Stage of the History of the Soviet State

The purpose of this article is to study the process of development and functioning of the judicial institutions of the Pskov region at one of the turning points in the history of our country on the eve of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of a sovereign Russian state. In the context of the socio-political and economic reforms of the Perestroika period, the judicial system did not remain aloof from the new trends in state policy. The content and main directions of the implementation of judicial policy in the field of civil rights are changing. Radical changes in the life of the country were reflected in the activities of the judicial authorities of the Pskov region regarding the work with citizens’ complaints on economic issues

Seven classes of antiviral agents

The viral epidemics and pandemics have stimulated the development of known and the discovery of novel antiviral agents. About a hundred mono- and combination antiviral drugs have been already approved, whereas thousands are in development. Here, we briefly reviewed 7 classes of antiviral agents: neutralizing antibodies, neutralizing recombinant soluble human receptors, antiviral CRISPR/Cas systems, interferons, antiviral peptides, antiviral nucleic acid polymers, and antiviral small molecules. Interferons and some small molecules alone or in combinations possess broad-spectrum antiviral activity, which could be beneficial for treatment of emerging and re-emerging viral infections.Peer reviewe

DrugVirus.info 2.0 : an integrative data portal for broad-spectrum antivirals (BSA) and BSA-containing drug combinations (BCCs)

Viruses can cross species barriers and cause unpredictable outbreaks in man with substantial economic and public health burdens. Broad-spectrum antivirals, (BSAs, compounds inhibiting several human viruses), and BSA-containing drug combinations (BCCs) are deemed as immediate therapeutic options that fill the void between virus identification and vaccine development. Here, we present DrugVirus.info 2.0 (https://drugvirus.info), an integrative interactive portal for exploration and analysis of BSAs and BCCs, that greatly expands the database and functionality of DrugVirus.info 1.0 webserver. Through the data portal that now expands the spectrum of BSAs and provides information on BCCs, we developed two modules for (i) interactive analysis of users' own antiviral drug and combination screening data and their comparison with published datasets, and (ii) exploration of the structure-activity relationship between various BSAs. The updated portal provides an essential toolbox for antiviral drug development and repurposing applications aiming to identify existing and novel treatments of emerging and re-emerging viral threats. [GRAPHICS] .Peer reviewe

Active Components of Commonly Prescribed Medicines Affect Influenza A Virus-Host Cell Interaction : A Pilot Study

Background: Every year, millions of people are hospitalized and thousands die from influenza A virus (FLUAV) infection. Most cases of hospitalizations and death occur among the elderly. Many of these elderly patients are reliant on medical treatment of underlying chronic diseases, such as arthritis, diabetes, and hypertension. We hypothesized that the commonly prescribed medicines for treatment of underlying chronic diseases can affect host responses to FLUAV infection and thus contribute to the morbidity and mortality associated with influenza. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether commonly prescribed medicines could affect host responses to virus infection in vitro. Methods: We first identified 45 active compounds from a list of commonly prescribed medicines. Then, we constructed a drug-target interaction network and identified the potential implication of these interactions for FLUAV-host cell interplay. Finally, we tested the effect of 45 drugs on the viability, transcription, and metabolism of mock- and FLUAV-infected human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Results: In silico drug-target interaction analysis revealed that drugs such as atorvastatin, candesartan, and hydroxocobalamin could target and modulate FLUAV-host cell interaction. In vitro experiments showed that at non-cytotoxic concentrations, these compounds affected the transcription and metabolism of FLUAV- and mock-infected cells. Conclusion: Many commonly prescribed drugs were found to modulate FLUAV-host cell interactions in silico and in vitro and could therefore affect their interplay in vivo, thus contributing to the morbidity and mortality of patients with influenza virus infections.Peer reviewe

Controlling bacteriophage phi29 DNA-packaging motor by addition or discharge of a peptide at N-terminus of connector protein that interacts with pRNA

Bacteriophage phi29 utilizes a motor to translocate genomic DNA into a preformed procapsid. The motor contains six pRNAs, an enzyme and one 12-subunit connector with a central channel for DNA transportation. A 20-residue peptide containing a His-tag was fused to the N-terminus of the connector protein gp10. This fusion neither interfered with procapsid assembly nor affected the morphology of the prolate-shaped procapsid. However, the pRNA binding and virion assembly activity were greatly reduced. Such decreased functions can be switched back on by the removal of the tag via protease cleavage, supporting the previous finding that the N-terminus of gp10 is essential for the pRNA binding. The DNA-packaging efficiency with dimeric pRNA was more seriously affected by the extension than with monomeric pRNA. It is speculated that the fusion of the tag generated physical hindrance to pRNA binding, with greater influence for the dimers than the monomers due to their size. These results reveal a potential to turn off and turn on the motor by attaching or removing, respectively, a component to outer part of the motor, and offers an approach for the inhibition of viral replication by using a drug or a small peptide targeted to motor components

Cluster Launches of Small Satellites on Dnepr Launch Vehicle

September 26, 2000 marked the launch of Dnepr launch vehicle ( converted SS-18 ICBM) with a group of small spacecraft. The rocket was launched from a silo located on Baikonur Cosmodrome. Five spacecraft were injected into a 650 km circular orbit inclined 65 degrees – MegSat-1 and UniSat (Italy), SaudiSat-1A and 1B (Saudi Arabia), and TiungSat-1 (Malaysia). For the purposes of rational use of the SS-18s being eliminated under the START treaty, an International Space Company Kosmotras was established in 1997 by the decision of the governments of Russia and Ukraine, which incorporated rocket and space industry enterprises of both countries. The Dnepr launch vehicle is 34.3 meters in length, 3 meters in diameter and its launch weight is 211 metric tons. It is equipped with liquid propellant engines. The Dnepr Program is one of the major conversion programs. The basis of the Dnepr Program is formed by all SS-18 assets available in Russia and silo launchers at Baikonur Cosmodrome. The SS-18 system has more than 20 years of successful launch history with the last Dnepr launch being 159th one. The last rocket launched differed from the standard SS-18 by its modified control system and flight program. An Encapsulated Payload Module (EPM) containing five spacecraft mounted on individual adapters was installed under its fairing. The use of EPM allows for the integration of all satellites with the launch vehicle adapter and their electrical checks in a separate clean room, with subsequent transportation of the hermetically sealed EPM to the Space Head Module Processing Facility for installation into the Space Head Module. Consecutive separation of the satellites in the course of the third stage motor operation (throttled-back operation mode) ensured their deployment into individual orbits. The September 26, 2000 Dnepr launch was the second one under the Dnepr Program. It was the next step of the program evolution – mastering the so-called “cluster” launches of spacecraft owned by different customers. Small satellites are expected to take a greater share among other payloads planned for launch in the near future. Small satellite builders always face a challenging task of finding a suitable launch opportunity. Basically, their payloads are piggy-back launched, while ISC Kosmotras offers them dedicated Dnepr launches, where a group of small spacecraft is launched as a primary payload