Current-controlled sedimentation in the north-western Weddell Sea

The sedimentary basins of the north-western Weddell Sea are characterized by a variety of contourite drifts. This study is aimed at their identification, spatial mapping and temporal evolution and based on the integration of a large amount of seismic data collected by different countries including the recent data of the Russian Antarctic Expedition. Most of the drifts in the region being studied are classified as separated, confined, plastered or sheeted. The chain of sediment wave fields is mapped in the western and northern Powell Basin. The earliest contourite drifts started to form in the Early Miocene or, possibly, in the Late Oligocene. The changes in the depositional pattern in the Middle Miocene and then in the Late Pliocene are thought to have resulted from successive intensification of the bottom currents. Контуритовые наносы, формируемые придонными течениями, могут использоваться для изучения циркуляции водных масс, так как по их параметрам и характеру распространения можно судить о направленности и относительной энергии придонных течений. В данной работе рассматриваются контуритовые наносы в северо-западной части моря Уэдделла, приводится схема распространения наносов и их классификация, а также реконструируется циркуляция водных масс в глубоководных бассейнах района. Исследования основаны на обобщении и интерпретации сейсмических данных отечественных и зарубежных экспедиций, большая часть которых доступна из международной библиотеки сейсмических данных по Антарктике. В результате анализа сейсмических данных в районе исследований в диапазоне глубин от 2000 до 4500 м выявлены отделенные, ограниченные, пластерные и покровные контуритовые наносы.  Зарождение донных течений в северо-западной части моря Уэдделла  началось с раскрытия бассейна Пауэлл, и развитие самых ранних  контуритовых наносов предполагается 24–23 млн лет назад. В среднем миоцене и в позднем плиоцене отмечается усиление интенсивности донных течение и более широкое развитие контуритовых наносов.

Study of psychological status of tsu students from exercise therapy group

The present article contains the results of ascertaining study, aimed at identification of the psychological characteristics of students engaged in groups of exercise therapy. It has been established that students with poor health differ greatly in psychometric characteristics from the group of students who do not have any problems with their health. These differences are most pronounced in the findings obtained by means of questionnaires of constructive thinking and level of subjective control. Students who train in the groups of exercise therapy, need special forms of organization of the educational process involving psychological methods

An Exploratory Assessment of Applying Risk Management Practices to Engineered Nanomaterials

The widespread industrial application of nanotechnology has increased the number of workers exposed to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), but it is not clear to what extent prevention guidance is practiced. Our aim was to explore the extent that companies manufacturing and/or using ENMs apply risk assessment and management measures. Thirty-four companies were surveyed with an international 35-item questionnaire investigating company and workforce features, types of ENM handled, and risk evaluation and preventive measures adopted. Among participating companies, 62% had a maximum of 10 employees. Metal-based nanomaterials were most frequently identified (73%). Environmental monitoring was performed by 41% of the companies, while engineering exposure controls were approximately reported by 50%. Information and training programs were indicated by 85% of the sample, only 9% performed specific health surveillance for ENM workers. Personal protective equipment primarily included gloves (100%) and eye/face protection (94%). This small-scale assessment can contribute to the limited amount of published literature on the topic. Future investigations should include a greater number of companies to better represent ENM workplaces and a direct access to industrial settings to collect information on site. Finally, deeper attention should be paid to define standardized frameworks for ENM risk assessment that may guide nano-specific preventive actions

STUDY OF DNA TRANSFORMATION DYNAMICS IN ВНК-21/2-17 CELL CULTURE USING FLOW CYTOMETRY DURING FMD VIRUS REPRODUCTION

The research tasks covered the study of ВНК-21/2-17 cell DNA transformation dynamics during FMDV reproduction process. It was noted that the destruction of major cell population coincided with the increase in apoptotic cell number and detritus amount. Three hours post cell culture infection increase in apoptosis and detritus was observed, G 1-phase decreased by 17–21% and polynuclear cells grew by 2.3 times. In seven hours, the drastic rise in cell death was noted. It was established that at all stages of FMDV culture in ВНК-21/2-17 suspension cell line, diploid cells G1(2n) were predominant, being basic cells for the virus reproduction. Cells in synthetic (S) and G2and M-phases were less susceptible to virus. Using flow cytometry technique made it possible to quantify cell cycle phases during reproduction in FMDV cells. We also succeeded in comparing between these phases, virus livability and virus reproduction dynamics. The study of FMDV cytopathic effect in ВНК-21/2-17 cells demonstrated that one of the optimization trends in culture vaccine production include proliferation inhibitory factor use at a certain cell cycle phase

Approaches to quality control, preclinical and clinical studies of live recombinant viral vector vaccines

At present, there are not much data on the clinical use of live recombinant viral vector vaccines. Characteristics of new vaccines should be factored into requirements/recommendations for quality control, preclinical and clinical studies of vaccines in order to enable further risk/benefit assessment. The aim of this study was to analyse current approaches to quality control, preclinical and clinical studies of live recombinant viral vector vaccines. The paper provides an overview of the licensed live viral vector vaccines and those at various stages of clinical trials. The authors analysed Russian, European, American, and Japanese guidelines related to quality issues, preclinical and clinical studies of live viral vector vaccines. The analysis demonstrated that the regulatory requirements for live recombinant viral vector vaccines include assessment of a detailed rationale for vaccine development, including information on the choice of the vector, the origin of the heterologous antigen gene(s), elements related to the transgene(s) expression, as well as assessment of the genetic and phenotypic stability of the recombinant virus, the risk of reversion to virulence or recombination with wild type strains, the potential for virus genome integration into the host cell chromosome, the pre-existing immunity to the vector, the intensity of the immune response elicited by the vector, and the reusability of the vector. The choice and number of applicable toxicological and pharmacological models will depend on these aspects. The results of the analysis of approaches to quality control, preclinical and clinical studies of live recombinant viral vector vaccines may be used in the development of Russian regulatory guidelines harmonised with the international norms and regulations

Efficiency of various methods of injection of antituberculosis agents in young patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis

The article presents the data of the randomized clinical trial of 80 young patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis for various methods of TB drugs injection. Particular attention is paid to the role of parenteral drug delivery. The work demonstrated that newly diagnosed patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis of younger age the most optimal and effective is parenteral injection of injectable forms of TB drugs, allowing to halt bacterioexcretion for 3 months in 92.5 % of cases and to close cavities in the lungs in 80 %. In newly diagnosed patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis of young age oral use of tablets and of TB drugs is not effective enough, allowing to achieve 3 months cessation of bacterial isolation in 85.2 % of cases and to close cavities in the lungs in 42.5 %. Undesirable side reactions to parenteral administration of injectable forms of TB drugs were detected in 17.5 % of patients and to separate oral tablet forms - in 20 %, fatal reactions were observed in 5 % of cases of drug delivery regardless of method

Properties of five z~0.3-0.4 confirmed LyC leakers: VLT/XShooter observations

Using new VLT/XShooter spectral observations we analyse the physical properties of five z~0.3-0.4 confirmed LyC leakers. Strong resonant MgII 2796,2803 emission lines (I(2796,2803)/I(Hbeta)=10-38 per cent) and non-resonant FeII* 2612,2626 emission lines are observed in spectra of five and three galaxies, respectively. We find high electron densities Ne~400cm-3, significantly higher than in typical low-z, but comparable to those measured in z~2-3 star-forming galaxies. The galaxies have a mean value of logN/O=-1.16, close to the maximum values found for star-forming (SF) galaxies in the metallicity range of 12+logO/H=7.7-8.1. All 11 low-z LyC emitting galaxies found by Izotov et al. (2016, 2018), including the ones considered in the present study, are characterised by high EW(Hbeta)~200-400A, high ionisation parameter (log(U)=-2.5 to -1.7), high average ionising photon production efficiency \xi= 10^{25.54} Hz erg-1 and hard ionising radiation. On the BPT diagram we find the same offset of our leakers from low-$z$ main-sequence SFGs as that for local analogues of LBGs and extreme SF galaxies at z~2-3. We confirm the effectiveness of the HeI emission lines diagnostics proposed by Izotov et al. (2017) in searching for LyC leaker candidates and find that their intensity ratios correspond to those in a median with low neutral hydrogen column density N(HI)=10^{17}-5x10^{17} cm-2 that permit leakage of LyC radiation, likely due to their density-bounded HII regions.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Challenges in development and authorisation of gene therapy products

There are a lot of diseases known today, which are caused by genetic abnormalities. Advances in genetics and biotechnology brought about gene editing technologies that can produce almost any gene, which ultimately led to the emergence of a new class of medicines - gene therapy products (GTPs). The aim of the study was to analyse international experience in development and authorisation of GTPs. The review highlights the challenges in GTP development, related to the search for an optimal approach to therapeutic gene delivery to the target cells. Viral vectors were shown to be a promising gene delivery system, with adenovirus (AV) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) based products demonstrating the highest efficacy and safety. The paper reviews current approaches to gene editing that allow modification of AVs and AAVs to improve GTP efficacy and safety. These modifications are carried out with the aim of, e.g., including a large therapeutic gene into a viral vector, decreasing viral protein expression levels, and decreasing viral vector immunogenicity. The review summarises GTP authorisation procedures in the USA and the European Union, including data on FDA and EMA subcommittees and departments entrusted with advisory functions. The paper mentions that there is one Russian-produced GTP authorised in the Russian Federation, and some other GTPs are in the pipeline. Therefore, the Russian regulatory framework and the Eurasian regulations and recommendations should be updated in order to accommodate for GTP development and authorisation

Use of Levosimendan in Cardiac Anesthesiology

The authors consider the main aspects of the rational use of the novel inotropic drug levosimendan in cardiosurgical patients on the basis of the results of the trials described in the literature and on their own findings in this review. The purpose of the analysis made was to provide a rationale for the effective use of this drug. The review shows the role of the ultrasound indicator left ventricular ejection fraction, the prognostic scale EuroSCORE, and the natriuretic peptides NT-proBNP and BNP in defining indications for levosimendan administration for preoperative preparation. There are original data on the lower level of the natriuretic peptides due to levosimendan therapy. The target hemodynamic monitoring values indicating that it is essential to use levosimendan in postperfusion heart failure are discussed. It is shown that it is expedient to use levosimendan simultaneously with traditional medical measures, by taking into account the pharmacokinetic features of a calcium sensitizer. The problem of levosimendan readministration in patients operated on the heart as well is stated. That there are no clear algorithms for repeated use of the drug is shown. At the same time, possible options of this therapy in different clinical situations are given. Key words: levosimendan, cardiosurgery, heart failure

Structural-Functional Analysis of Cryptic Plasmids in <i>Yersinia pestis</i> Strains from Two Natural Plague Foci of Russia

Identified are the complete nucleotide sequences of two cryptic plasmids - pCKF from the Central-Caucasian high-mountain plague focus and pTP33 - from Tuva mountain plague focus in Russia. It is established that the size of the pCKF is 5.4 kbp, and its G-C pair composition accounts for 38.4 %. The plasmid contains 8 open reading frames, encoding transport and secretion functions, in particular, secretion systems of the VI type. The size of another cryptic plasmid, pTP33, is 33.8 kbp, and G-C pair composition accounts for 50.3 %. It contains 52 open reading frames, the majority of which have been classified as phage proteins. Hence, it is inferred that pTP33 is a ring genome of phage. It also has two genes of two-component protein system, toxin-antitoxin, YoeB/YefM, that affects replication apparatus of bacteria