AUTOIMMUNE CONCEPT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA: HISTORICAL ROOTS AND CURRENT FACETS

Background: The review analyzes the possible role of autoimmune processes in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and the evolution of concepts on this issue from its origin to the present. Results: Risks of autoimmune processes causing schizophrenia are associated with several factors: an impaired functioning of dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems in the brain, kynurenine pathway disorder with overproduction of quinolinic, anthranilic and kynurenic acids (possibly altering both neurons and T-regulators), increased intestinal permeability, as well as food antigens’ effects, stress and infections with various pathogens at different stages of ontogenesis. An increase in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines as well as a decrease in the levels of anti-inflammatory ones also may contribute to schizophrenia risks. Schizophrenia often occurs in those patients having various autoimmune diseases and their first-degree relatives. Conclusion: Cases of schizophrenia resulted from autoimmune pathogenesis (including autoimmune encephalitis caused by autoantibodies against various neuronal antigens) are characterized by quite severe cognitive and psychotic symptoms and a less favorable prognosis. This severe course may result from the chronic immune damage of the neuronal receptors such as NMDA, GABA, and others and depend on hyperprolactinemia, induced by antipsychotics, but aggravating autoimmune processes

Sorption materials for indoor environment cleaning from microorganisms

The article touches upon the problem of working area air pollution by pathogenic microorganisms. The problem’s solution requires increased efficiency of filtration materials. Using thermally expanded graphite and Cribrol® polymer composite material, we analyzed air purification quality of multifunctional rooms in comparison with traditional activated carbon. The filtration materials properties were studied using a set of analytical methods. The air was pumped through tested materials in a volume of 500–2000 liters with the use of PU-1B sampling device depositing microorganisms on the nutrient medium. We showed that activated graphite and Cribrol® are effective in cleaning the air from bacteria (cell sizes do not exceed 1 micron), as well as larger microorganisms (from 3 microns or more). Activated graphite completely trapped microorganisms in all test variants. The filtration capacity of the new materials turned out to be higher than that of traditional activated carbon, which indicates the prospects for their further research and practical application

Chronicles of nature calendar, a long-term and large-scale multitaxon database on phenology

We present an extensive, large-scale, long-term and multitaxon database on phenological and climatic variation, involving 506,186 observation dates acquired in 471 localities in Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The data cover the period 1890-2018, with 96% of the data being from 1960 onwards. The database is rich in plants, birds and climatic events, but also includes insects, amphibians, reptiles and fungi. The database includes multiple events per species, such as the onset days of leaf unfolding and leaf fall for plants, and the days for first spring and last autumn occurrences for birds. The data were acquired using standardized methods by permanent staff of national parks and nature reserves (87% of the data) and members of a phenological observation network (13% of the data). The database is valuable for exploring how species respond in their phenology to climate change. Large-scale analyses of spatial variation in phenological response can help to better predict the consequences of species and community responses to climate change.Peer reviewe

Phenological shifts of abiotic events, producers and consumers across a continent

Ongoing climate change can shift organism phenology in ways that vary depending on species, habitats and climate factors studied. To probe for large-scale patterns in associated phenological change, we use 70,709 observations from six decades of systematic monitoring across the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Among 110 phenological events related to plants, birds, insects, amphibians and fungi, we find a mosaic of change, defying simple predictions of earlier springs, later autumns and stronger changes at higher latitudes and elevations. Site mean temperature emerged as a strong predictor of local phenology, but the magnitude and direction of change varied with trophic level and the relative timing of an event. Beyond temperature-associated variation, we uncover high variation among both sites and years, with some sites being characterized by disproportionately long seasons and others by short ones. Our findings emphasize concerns regarding ecosystem integrity and highlight the difficulty of predicting climate change outcomes. The authors use systematic monitoring across the former USSR to investigate phenological changes across taxa. The long-term mean temperature of a site emerged as a strong predictor of phenological change, with further imprints of trophic level, event timing, site, year and biotic interactions.Peer reviewe

Study of corrosion-active microorganisms of the coastal zone of the Baltic and Barents seas

The composition of microbial communities in coastal zones in the area of Kislogubskaya tidal power plant (the Barents Sea) and near Saint Petersburg Flood Prevention Facility Complex in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) was studied. The enrichment and pure cultures of microorganisms of various groups (sulfate-reducing, sulfur-oxidizing, nitrifying, ammonifying and iron-oxidizing bacteria) have been isolated, their cultural and physiological-biochemical properties, as well as their ability to induce corrosion of different materials used in the construction of hydraulic structures, have been studied

Using the unit software model to improve design solutions and optimize process management

Advanced design power units are distinguished by a high degree of digital transformation. Therefore, of particular interest are operator information (intelligent) support systems, which can reduce the workload on operating personnel as well as predict possible deviations long before they evolve into severe emergencies. The article analyzes the current standard process documentation that requires solutions to support the operator and determines the list of system functions that should be provided to improve the safety level of nuclear power plants. A brief overview of the world experience in implementing such solutions is also provided. As an example of the further development of operator support systems, the authors consider the operator information support system (OISS), which is being developed at the NvNPP pilot unit with the VVER-1200 reactor. The OISS functions will make it possible to fulfill the requirements of standard process documentation that are currently not implemented in the power unit design. The key features of the OISS under development are step-by-step interactive procedures and the unit software model. The authors provide a brief description of the power unit software model and consider several examples of its practical application as part of the OISS to improve design solutions and optimize automatic process control. In the years ahead, it is proposed to implement the OISS at power units under construction in order to reduce the information overload of operators and create conditions for a step-by-step increase in the automation level of the power unit control

Rapid Effects of BCI-Based Attention Training on Functional Brain Connectivity in Poststroke Patients: A Pilot Resting-State fMRI Study

The prevalence of stroke-induced cognitive impairment is high. Effective approaches to the treatment of these cognitive impairments after stroke remain a serious and perhaps underestimated challenge. A BCI-based task-focused training that results in repetitive recruitment of the normal motor or cognitive circuits may strengthen stroke-affected neuronal connectivity, leading to functional improvements. In the present controlled study, we attempted to evaluate the modulation of neuronal circuits under the influence of 10 days of training in a P3-based BCI speller in subacute ischemic stroke patients

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Kraft and Sulfite Pulps: What Is the Best Cellulosic Substrate for Industrial Saccharification?

Sulfite and kraft pulping are two principal methods of industrial delignification of wood. In recent decades, those have been considered as possibilities to pretreat recalcitrant wood lignocellulosics for the enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides and the subsequent fermentation of obtained sugars to valuable bioproducts. Current work compares chemistry and technological features of two different cooking processes in the preparation of polysaccharide substrates for deep saccharification with P. verruculosum glycosyl hydrolases. Bleached kraft and sulfite pulps were subjected to hydrolysis with enzyme mixture of high xylanase, cellobiohydrolase, and β-glucosidase activities at a dosage of 10 FPU/g of dry pulp and fiber concentration of 2.5, 5, and 10%. HPLC was used to analyze soluble sugars after hydrolysis and additional acid inversion of oligomers to monosaccharides. Kraft pulp demonstrated higher pulp conversion after 48 h (74–99%), which mostly resulted from deep xylan hydrolysis. Sulfite-pulp hydrolysates, obtained in similar conditions due to higher hexose concentration (more than 50 g/L), had higher fermentability for industrial strains producing alcohols, microbial protein, or organic acids. Along with saccharification, enzymatic modification of non-hydrolyzed residues occurred, which led to decreased degree of polymerization and composition changes in two industrial pulps. As a result, crystallinity of kraft pulp increased by 1.3%, which opens possibilities for obtaining new types of cellulosic products in the pulp and paper industry. The high adaptability and controllability of enzymatic and fermentation processes creates prospects for the modernization of existing factories

Differences in spatial versus temporal reaction norms for spring and autumn phenological events

For species to stay temporally tuned to their environment, they use cues such as the accumulation of degree-days. The relationships between the timing of a phenological event in a population and its environmental cue can be described by a population-level reaction norm. Variation in reaction norms along environmental gradients may either intensify the environmental effects on timing (cogradient variation) or attenuate the effects (countergradient variation). To resolve spatial and seasonal variation in species' response, we use a unique dataset of 91 taxa and 178 phenological events observed across a network of 472 monitoring sites, spread across the nations of the former Soviet Union. We show that compared to local rates of advancement of phenological events with the advancement of temperature-related cues (i.e., variation within site over years), spatial variation in reaction norms tend to accentuate responses in spring (cogradient variation) and attenuate them in autumn (countergradient variation). As a result, among-population variation in the timing of events is greater in spring and less in autumn than if all populations followed the same reaction norm regardless of location. Despite such signs of local adaptation, overall phenotypic plasticity was not sufficient for phenological events to keep exact pace with their cues-the earlier the year, the more did the timing of the phenological event lag behind the timing of the cue. Overall, these patterns suggest that differences in the spatial versus temporal reaction norms will affect species' response to climate change in opposite ways in spring and autumn