Moulded Jewelry of the Kazan Tatars: experience of ethnic-archaeological and technological study

From the variety of moulded artifacts studied by the authors, it is obvious that the Kazan Tatar craftsmen were familiar with elementary and rather complex casting technologies. Casting from a ready-made model into closed earthen moulds was the simplest and most widespread. This is how most of the moulded jewelry was made. “Splash" casting and casting on a melted wax model were known among the complex methods. They are of particular interest in terms of identifying the origins of casting technologies closely related to the medieval traditions of the Turkic, Finno-Ugric, Slavic ethnic groups of Eurasia. In different periods of ethnic-cultural history, the casting work was at various stages of technological evolution, which is explained by a number of historical reasons, particularly related to the assay legislation of the Russian Empire

Technical and Technological Features of Kazan-Tatar Filigree: Retrospective Ethnic-Archeological Analysis

The article considers the technical and technological parameters of Kazan-Tatar filigree (openwork, granulous and overlay) with the purpose of determining its genesis and ethnic specific features. The authors determined that the Kazan-Tatar filigree of 18th – 19th centuries is characterized by the application of practically all types of wire discovered in the Volga region since the 12th century: smooth, filigree, flattened and stamped. The type of filigree most widely spread among the Kazan Tatars was delicate filigree. Its predominant technical and technological parameters indicate the stability of the national tradition with the character of an indicator. The manufacturing traditions of openwork filigree most likely were established under the influence of the Golden Horde. Of special interest in terms of genesis is the ethnic specific granulous filigree. It is not represented in archaeological and early ethnographic Tatar materials. Granulous filigree with no base, similar to Tatar filigree, is present in the secular tradition of Western European countries. Overlay granulous filigree has been encountered in Russian cult tradition

Assessment of Human Immune Responses to H7 Avian Influenza Virus of Pandemic Potential: Results from a Placebo–Controlled, Randomized Double–Blind Phase I Study of Live Attenuated H7N3 Influenza Vaccine

<div><p>Introduction</p><p>Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) are being developed to protect humans against future epidemics and pandemics. This study describes the results of a double–blinded randomized placebo–controlled phase I clinical trial of cold–adapted and temperature sensitive H7N3 live attenuated influenza vaccine candidate in healthy seronegative adults.</p><p>Objective</p><p>The goal of the study was to evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and potential shedding and transmission of H7N3 LAIV against H7 avian influenza virus of pandemic potential.</p><p>Methods and Findings</p><p>Two doses of H7N3 LAIV or placebo were administered to 40 randomly divided subjects (30 received vaccine and 10 placebo). The presence of influenza A virus RNA in nasal swabs was detected in 60.0% and 51.7% of subjects after the first and second vaccination, respectively. In addition, vaccine virus was not detected among placebo recipients demonstrating the absence of person–to–person transmission. The H7N3 live attenuated influenza vaccine demonstrated a good safety profile and was well tolerated. The two–dose immunization resulted in measurable serum and local antibody production and in generation of antigen–specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ memory T cells. Composite analysis of the immune response which included hemagglutinin inhibition assay, microneutralization tests, and measures of IgG and IgA and virus–specific T cells showed that the majority (86.2%) of vaccine recipients developed serum and/or local antibodies responses and generated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ memory T cells.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The H7N3 LAIV was safe and well tolerated, immunogenic in healthy seronegative adults and elicited production of antibodies broadly reactive against the newly emerged H7N9 avian influenza virus.</p><p>Trial registration</p><p>ClinicalTrials.gov <a href="http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01511419" target="_blank">NCT01511419</a></p></div

Genetic stability of attenuating mutations of LAIV vaccine reassortant A/17/mallard/Netherlands/00/95 (H7N3) isolates derived from vaccinated subjects.

1<p>wild–type strain A/Leningrad/134/57 (H2N2);</p>2<p>cold–adapted MDV A/Leningrad/134/17/57 (H2N2);</p>3<p>LAIV A/17/mallard/Netherlands/00/95 (H7N3) strain.</p

Restriction of growth of H7N3 vaccine isolates at different temperatures.

1<p>From the titer at permissive temperature (32°C);</p>2<p>A/Leningrad/134/17/57 (H2N2) master donor virus was used as a positive control of <i>ts</i> and <i>ca</i> markers.</p

Trial profile.

<p>CONSORT 2010 Flow Diagram. The schema graphically outlines the design and conduct of the clinical study. One subject dropped out from the study prior to receiving the second dose of vaccine because of an adverse event not related to the vaccination (adenovirus infection on Day 28 confirmed by PCR).</p

Detection of influenza A virus in nasal swabs.

1<p>All subjects were negative before vaccination and revaccination, respectively.</p>2<p>Total number of positive subjects.</p

Cross–reactivity provided by H7N3 LAIV to H7N9 avian influenza virus.

1<p>A/17/mallard/Netherlands/00/95 (H7N3) LAIV;</p>2<p>A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9).</p

Percentage of adult subjects vaccinated with H7N3 LAIV with solicited local and systemic reactions within 7 days of vaccination.

1<p>All reactions observed were mild and included sore throat, fever, nasal congestion and catarrhial nasopharinx, sneeze and headache.</p>2<p>All reactions observed were mild and included sore throat, fever, cough and nasal congestion.</p>3<p>95% confidence interval.</p

Cumulative data on immune responses to A/17/Mallard/Netherlands/00/95 (H7N3) LAIV in vaccinated subjects after the first and/or the second doses.

1<p>Occurrences of antibody conversions or cellular responses after the first and/or the second doses of A (H7N3) LAIV.</p