Selective Quantification of Organic and Inorganic Arsenic in Kelp Thalli and Kelp-Based Products

Kelp can accumulate large quantities of arsenic compounds even in the absence of considerable environmental pollution. A substantial difference in toxicity between organic and inorganic arsenic compounds makes the form of arsenic relevant for the risk assessment of consuming kelp thalli and kelp-based products.The aim of the study was to develop an analytical procedure for the selective quantification of organic and inorganic arsenic in kelp thalli by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and solid-phase extraction without scheduled precursors.Materials and methods. The authors studied samples of Laminaria saccharina and Laminaria japonica, spiking mixtures of chemical compounds containing arsenic in different oxidation states, and bioactive dietary supplements based on kelp thalli. Solid-phase extraction was performed using Maxi-Clean SAX cartridges. The arsenic content was determined using an Agilent 7900 inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.Results. Microwave-assisted extraction with deionised water ensures 91% recovery of arsenic-containing compounds from kelp thalli, and the addition of hydrogen peroxide to the extractant provides complete extraction. Solid-phase extraction with an eluent based on 3% H2O2 can extract the organic fraction from a mixture of organic and inorganic arsenic compounds without washing the inorganic fraction off the cartridge.Conclusions. The authors offer an effective analytical procedure for the selective quantification of organic and inorganic arsenic in kelp thalli and kelp-based products. This procedure allows for the isolation of arsenic-containing compounds from the organic matrix of kelp with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Solid-phase extraction with this extractant can effectively separate organic and inorganic fractions without prior neutralisation of the test solution

Билатеральная нефробластома у детей: клиника, диагностика, лечение (собственные наблюдения за период 1964—2007 гг.)

Bilateral nephroblastoma is a rare malignant tumor which is considered to be a hereditary disease. Specific proportion of bilateral nephroblastomas is 5—10% of all renal malignant tumors in children. From 1964 t 2007, 92 children with bilateral nephroblastomas received treatment in the surgical department of thoracoabdominal oncology of Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology of N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center. Diagnosis was confirmed by morphologic study in all patients. Our study enrolled 83 children, because in remaining 9 patients early dissemination of disease was revealed and they died from disease progression without being treated. Depending upon strategy and tactic of the treatment all patients were subdivided into 2 groups of historic control: first group included patients treated from 1964 to 1979, and second group—from 1980 to 2007. Clinical manifestations of disease and diagnostic algorithm are analyzed. The issues of surgical tactics, pre and post-operative treatment and radiotherapy are discussed. Overall survival rate of children of 2nd group was 79,2%, which is 3 times higher than outcomes in patients who received treatment from 1964 to 1979. Disease free survival rate in patients with bilateral nephroblastoma of 2nd group was 70,2%.

THE STUDY OF GENETIC DIVERSITY OF BRUCELLA STRAINS ISOLATED IN THE NORTH CAUCASIAN FEDERAL DISTRICT

Objective of the study is to investigate genetic diversity of Brucella strains of various species, isolated from humans and small mammals in the territory of the North Caucasus Federal District using MLVA14, as well as to identify the correlation between the formed clusters and the place setting, the time setting, and object of isolation.Materials and methods. Carried out has been MLVA14 genotyping of 91 Brucella spp. strains isolated from patients, small mammals and live-stock animals. The sizes of amplicons were compared with MLVA Bank 5.0 database, tutorial version 1.6. Based on the data obtained, constructed was a dendrogram of phylogenetic interrelations of the studied strains. Results and conclusions. Using the data on MLVA genotyping, the studied strains were subdivided into 61 MLVA14 genotypes. Strains of B. suis, B. abortus, B. melitensis form separate clusters in the dendrogram. Strains isolated during cluster cases of brucellosis in humans have similar MLVA14 B. melitensis types, B. suis strains are confined to the epizooties among small mammals that may occur in different administrative territories. The data can be used for monitoring of brucellosis agent, including as an effective tool for retrospective epidemiological analysis

Селективное определение органических и неорганических форм мышьяка в слоевищах ламинарии и продуктах на их основе

Kelp can accumulate large quantities of arsenic compounds even in the absence of considerable environmental pollution. A substantial difference in toxicity between organic and inorganic arsenic compounds makes the form of arsenic relevant for the risk assessment of consuming kelp thalli and kelp-based products.The aim of the study was to develop an analytical procedure for the selective quantification of organic and inorganic arsenic in kelp thalli by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and solid-phase extraction without scheduled precursors.Materials and methods. The authors studied samples of Laminaria saccharina and Laminaria japonica, spiking mixtures of chemical compounds containing arsenic in different oxidation states, and bioactive dietary supplements based on kelp thalli. Solid-phase extraction was performed using Maxi-Clean SAX cartridges. The arsenic content was determined using an Agilent 7900 inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.Results. Microwave-assisted extraction with deionised water ensures 91% recovery of arsenic-containing compounds from kelp thalli, and the addition of hydrogen peroxide to the extractant provides complete extraction. Solid-phase extraction with an eluent based on 3% H2O2 can extract the organic fraction from a mixture of organic and inorganic arsenic compounds without washing the inorganic fraction off the cartridge.Conclusions. The authors offer an effective analytical procedure for the selective quantification of organic and inorganic arsenic in kelp thalli and kelp-based products. This procedure allows for the isolation of arsenic-containing compounds from the organic matrix of kelp with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Solid-phase extraction with this extractant can effectively separate organic and inorganic fractions without prior neutralisation of the test solution.Ламинария способна накапливать соединения мышьяка в больших количествах даже при отсутствии заметного загрязнения окружающей среды. Из-за существенных различий в токсичности органических и неорганических соединений мышьяка при оценке риска потребления слоевищ ламинарии и продуктов на их основе актуально учитывать форму его содержания.Цель работы: разработка методики селективного определения содержания органических и неорганических форм мышьяка в слоевищах ламинарии без использования прекурсоров наркотических веществ на основе методов масс-спектрометрии с индуктивно-связанной плазмой (ИСП-МС) и твердофазной экстракции.Материалы и методы: в работе были использованы образцы слоевищ Laminaria saccharina и Laminaria japonica, модельные смеси соединений мышьяка с различной степенью окисления, биологически активные добавки к пище на основе слоевищ ламинарии. Твердофазную экстракцию проводили на картриджах Maxi-Clean SAX. Содержание мышьяка определяли с помощью масс-спектрометра с индуктивно-связанной плазмой Agilent 7900.Результаты: установлено, что микроволновая экстракция деионизированной водой обеспечивает полноту извлечения мышьяк-содержащих соединений на уровне 91%. Добавление в экстрагент пероксида водорода приводит к полному извлечению соединений мышьяка из слоевищ ламинарии. Использование при твердофазной экстракции смеси органических и неорганических соединений мышьяка элюента на основе 3% пероксида водорода позволяет извлечь органическую фракцию, не смывая при этом с картриджа неорганические соединения мышьяка.Выводы: разработана методика селективного количественного определения содержания органических и неорганических форм мышьяка в слоевищах ламинарии и продуктах на их основе, позволяющая выделять мышьяк-содержащие соединения из органической матрицы ламинарии исключительно раствором 3% пероксида водорода. Использование этого экстрагента позволяет эффективно разделять органическую и неорганическую фракции на этапе твердофазной экстракции без стадии нейтрализации испытуемого раствора

Опыт применения ингаляционной стероидной терапии у детей с коклюшем

The aim of study: аnalysis of the effectiveness of inhaled steroid therapy in patients with whooping cough.Materials and methods: 74 patients with whooping cough were observed, among whom 40 children included inhalations with Budesonide in complex therapy (main group). 34 patients in the comparison group received only basic therapy. The age structure in the main group was as follow: тhere were children under one years old 18 (47.4 ± 8.1%), 1—3 years — 7 (18.4 ± 6.3%); 4—6 years — 8 (21 ± 6.6%), 7—14 years — 7 (13.2 ± 5.5%) and comparable to the comparison group. To verify whooping cough were used the PCR method and serological diagnostic (IFA) using a test system “Ridascreen/Bordetella pertussis («R-biofarm AMG», Germany). Results: budеsonide was prescribed for a course of 5—7 days. Clinical analysis of dynamics of cough in main group showed, that a reduction in a number of attacks by the 4—5th day of budesonide was observed in majority of children (35/87.5 ± 5.2%). In the main group coughing attacks with a frequency of more than 15—25 times a day persisted for 2.7 ± 0.2 days, and in comparison group — 4.3 ± 0.2 (p < 0.001). Relief of broncho-obstructive syndrome was observed in shorter period of time, which contributes to a reduction in the average length of stay of the patient in the hospital.Цель исследования: анализ эффективности применения ингаляционной стероидной терапии у больных коклюшем. Материалы и методы: под наблюдением находилось 74 больных коклюшем, среди которых 40 детям в комплексную терапию был включены ингаляции с будесонидом (основная группа). 34 больных группы сравнения получали только базисную терапию. Возрастная структура в основной группе выглядела следующим образом: детей до 1 года было 18 (47,4 ± 8,1%), 1—3 лет — 7 (18,4 ± 6,3%), 4—6 лет — 8 (21,0 ± 6,6%), 7—14 лет — 7 (13,2 ± 5,5%) и была сопоставима с группой сравнения. Для верификации коклюша были применены метод ПЦР и серологическая диагностика (ИФА) с использованием тест-системы «Ridascreen / Bordetella pertussis («R-biofarm AMG», Германия). Результаты: будесонид назначали курсом на 5—7 дней. Клинический анализ динамики характера кашля в основной группе показал, что сокращение количества приступов к 4—5 дню применения будесонида отмечалось у большинства детей (35 (87,5 ± 5,2%). В основной группе приступы кашля с частотой более 15—25 раз в сутки сохранялись в течение 2,7 ± 0,2 дней, а в группе сравнения — 4,3 ± 0,2 дней (р < 0,001). Купирование бронхообструктивного синдрома наблюдалось в более короткие сроки, что способствовало сокращению средней длительности пребывания больных в стационаре. Применение ингаляционной стероидной терапии может служить способом оптимизации терапии коклюша у детей

MOOD 2020: A public Benchmark for Out-of-Distribution Detection and Localization on medical Images

Detecting Out-of-Distribution (OoD) data is one of the greatest challenges in safe and robust deployment of machine learning algorithms in medicine. When the algorithms encounter cases that deviate from the distribution of the training data, they often produce incorrect and over-confident predictions. OoD detection algorithms aim to catch erroneous predictions in advance by analysing the data distribution and detecting potential instances of failure. Moreover, flagging OoD cases may support human readers in identifying incidental findings. Due to the increased interest in OoD algorithms, benchmarks for different domains have recently been established. In the medical imaging domain, for which reliable predictions are often essential, an open benchmark has been missing. We introduce the Medical-Out-Of-Distribution-Analysis-Challenge (MOOD) as an open, fair, and unbiased benchmark for OoD methods in the medical imaging domain. The analysis of the submitted algorithms shows that performance has a strong positive correlation with the perceived difficulty, and that all algorithms show a high variance for different anomalies, making it yet hard to recommend them for clinical practice. We also see a strong correlation between challenge ranking and performance on a simple toy test set, indicating that this might be a valuable addition as a proxy dataset during anomaly detection algorithm development

Assimilation of alternative sulfur sources in fungi

Fungi are well known for their metabolic versatility, whether it is the degradation of complex organic substrates or the biosynthesis of intricate secondary metabolites. The vast majority of studies concerning fungal metabolic pathways for sulfur assimilation have focused on conventional sources of sulfur such as inorganic sulfur ions and sulfur-containing biomolecules. Less is known about the metabolic pathways involved in the assimilation of so-called “alternative” sulfur sources such as sulfides, sulfoxides, sulfones, sulfonates, sulfate esters and sulfamates. This review summarizes our current knowledge regarding the structural diversity of sulfur compounds assimilated by fungi as well as the biochemistry and genetics of metabolic pathways involved in this process. Shared sequence homology between bacterial and fungal sulfur assimilation genes have lead to the identification of several candidate genes in fungi while other enzyme activities and pathways so far appear to be specific to the fungal kingdom. Increased knowledge of how fungi catabolize this group of compounds will ultimately contribute to a more complete understanding of sulfur cycling in nature as well as the environmental fate of sulfur-containing xenobiotics

Skewed X-inactivation is common in the general female population

X-inactivation is a well-established dosage compensation mechanism ensuring that X-chromosomal genes are expressed at comparable levels in males and females. Skewed X-inactivation is often explained by negative selection of one of the alleles. We demonstrate that imbalanced expression of the paternal and maternal X-chromosomes is common in the general population and that the random nature of the X-inactivation mechanism can be sufficient to explain the imbalance. To this end, we analyzed blood-derived RNA and whole-genome sequencing data from 79 female children and their parents from the Genome of the Netherlands project. We calculated the median ratio of the paternal over total counts at all X-chromosomal heterozygous single-nucleotide variants with coverage ≥10. We identified two individuals where the same X-chromosome was inactivated in all cells. Imbalanced expression of the two X-chromosomes (ratios ≤0.35 or ≥0.65) was observed in nearly 50% of the population. The empirically observed skewing is explained by a theoretical model where X-inactivation takes place in an embryonic stage in which eight cells give rise to the hematopoietic compartment. Genes escaping X-inactivation are expressed from both alleles and therefore demonstrate less skewing than inactivated genes. Using this characteristic, we identified three novel escapee genes (SSR4, REPS2, and SEPT6), but did not find support for many previously reported escapee genes in blood. Our collective data suggest that skewed X-inactivation is common in the general population. This may contribute to manifestation of symptoms in carriers of recessive X-linked disorders. We recommend that X-inactivation results should not be used lightly in the interpretation of X-linked variants

Figures of Thanatos and Eros in "The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom": The Experience of Cultural Modeling

The article discusses the cultural philosophical paradigm of Thanatos - Eros, which manifested itself in the old Russian "Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom". The question is raised about the transformation of the folk tradition, about the emergence of ritual reality in the text of the story. The Christian worldview of the era of the creation of this work did not exclude the ideas of mythological and folklore consciousness. The story, chosen as the research material, is unique in its content, since it reflects the processes of transition from the traditional to the "revolutionary" type of culture, which is captured at the level of details and symbols in the text; it reflects socio-cultural transformations. As the main text in the text, the borderline (marginal) situation was chosen - illness and marriage and the complex of motives associated with it (the motive for searching for a narrowed bride, the motive for things of the wife, the motive for snaking, etc.). The methodological basis of the work was the materials of V.Ya. Propp, V.Ya. Petrukhina, V.M. Zhirmunsky, E.M. Meletinsky, M.B. Plukhanova. The comparative typological, structural-functional and systematic method of text analysis is applied. As a result, the contradiction between the interaction of two cultural traditions is resolved. Ethnographic parallels made it possible to read the work of Old Russian bookishness in a different way; raise the question of the interaction of folklore and literary tradition in theoretical terms