Development of formulation and technology for the production of functional drinks using of cranberry fruits

Creation of new products with scientifically substantiated and proven properties that reduce the risk of developing diseases that are directly dependent on nutrition, and improve health due to the presence of various nutrients in their composition is one of the promising areas for improving the health of the population. The soft drinks market today is replete with both domestic and foreign manufacturers. In addition, public catering enterprises have the opportunity to sell their own products, which necessitates the improvement of the quality of drinks and their functional properties. A person consumes soft drinks throughout his life, while they represent the optimal basis for enrichment with biologically active food substances, since they most affect the endoecological rehabilitation of the human body. Natural non-alcoholic drinks based on healthy plant materials are becoming increasingly popular. We have developed soft drink compositions using cranberry, sea buckthorn, Japanese quince (chaenomeles), ginkgo biloba and basil leaves, containing vitamins A, C, E, known for their antioxidant properties. In order to preserve raw materials, shock freezing and dehydration by means of convective drying were used with a sparing temperature heating regime not exceeding 45 ℃, which made it possible to preserve the most vulnerable vitamin C to heat treatment. As a result of experimental studies, recipes and technologies for the production of drinks have been developed, as well as technical and technological maps indicating organoleptic indicators and energy value. Dry matter and acidity, which corresponds to the accepted allowable values have been determined. The values of the chemical composition of drinks have been obtained, allowing to state that, according to the content of the microelement potassium, drinks belong to general health-improving functional drinks, and, according to the content of vitamin C, to antioxidant and immune-supporting functional drinks

Phase separation, ferromagnetism and magnetic irreversibility in La1-xSrxMn1-yFeyO3

The ferromagnetism of LSMFO is attributable to percolation over the system of such particles and generation of large FM clusters, whereas the frustration is governed presumably by a system of smaller weakly-correlated magnetic units, which do not enter the percolative FM clustersyesBelgorod State Universit

Melatonin in Th17/Treg differentiation: the contribution of the hormone's own production by T lymphocytes

The hormone melatonin is involved in regulation of functioning of almost all organs and systems of the organism. In the immune system, T lymphocytes are an important target of melatonin: they express specific melatonin receptors with different affinities – membrane MT1 and MT2 and nuclear RORa, as well as intracellular molecules that nonspecifically bind melatonin at high concentrations. Moreover, many in vitro studies reveal their own production of melatonin by T lymphocytes in response to polyclonal activation and its involvement as autocrine or paracrine factor in the induction of IL-2 and IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) synthesis by T cells, with melatonin receptors involvement in implementation of these effects. Since IL-2/IL-2R-dependent signal is a key event in T lymphocytes proliferative response induction, intrinsic melatonin seems to be directly involved at least in the clonal expansion of these cells. In this work, we investigated the contribution of T cells’ melatonin to regulation of the next stage of T lymphocyte activation, namely, the differentiation of T helper populations Th17 and Treg. It was shown that blockade of both membrane and nuclear melatonin receptors did not cause statistically significant changes in Th17 differentiation, although the trend was fixed for a decrease. Simultaneously, CD4+FoxP3+Т cells level decreased under the nonselective blockade of membrane hormone receptors, and Treg-associated cytokine TGF-b concentration in activated cultures supernatants decreased both in case of MT1/MT2 nonselective blockade and MT2 selective blockade. The data indicate that melatonin produced by T lymphocytes in culture can contribute to the control of naive CD4+T cell differentiation into Treg in vitro, and the hormone effects are mediated by membrane melatonin receptors. The presence of a large number targets with different affinities for melatonin in T lymphocytes determines the key role of the hormone concentration in its effects on these cells. And when interpreting data on melatonin-dependent regulation of Treg, it is important to take into account the hormone’s own production by lymphocytes, since T cells’ melatonin can mask the exogenous hormone effects or interfere with its action due to competitive binding to hormone receptors

Influence of exogenous melatonin on the oxidative status and the state of peroxidation of proteins in a rat model of alimentary obesity

Not only lipids, but also proteins are exposed to the action of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative modification of proteins (PBS) leads to a change in their native conformation with the formation of large aggregates, it causes inactivation of enzymes, disrupts the metabolism and functioning of cells. In addition, there is a growing interest in studying the hormone of the pineal gland called melatonin, as well as its synthetic analogues as the leading protection factors in the oxidative stress conditioned by disturbed physiological rhythms, including obesity. The peculiarities of protein peroxidation in the case of alimentary obesity, as well as the conditions affecting to this process, in contrast to lipid peroxidation (LPO), have not been studied sufficiently, that has determined the purpose of this study. Aim. To evaluate the effect of exogenous melatonin on the oxidative status and features of PBS in rats with alimentary obesity. Methods. The study was conducted on 27 white Wistar male rats with body weight 160–180 grams. Animals were divided into 3 series of 9 rats in each: 1 series – intact animals; 2 series – animals with alimentary obesity, followed by the introduction of 0,9% sodium chloride solution in a volume of 2 ml for 12 days; 3 series – animals with alimentary obesity followed by melatonin administration at a dose of 2 mg / kg rats for 12 days. Alimentary obesity was reproduced by feeding animals with high-calorie carbohydrate-fatty food, consisting of a laboratory feed "Assortment Agro" (42.5%), butter (25%) and sweet condensed milk (32.5%) for seven weeks. The maximum physical working capacity and resistance of rats to severe hypobaric hypoxia were determined. PBS was determined by the method of R. Levine in the modification of E.E. Dubinina. In addition, the lipid peroxidation marker – TBA-reactive products (malonic dialdehyde MDA) was determined. Results. It has been established that the PBS in alimentary obesity is not specific, it is reflected in the increase in the areas of absorption of light from both the visible and ultraviolet of aldehyde and ketondinitrophenylhydrazones. In parallel with this, there was a marked increase in the concentration of TBA-reactive products in the blood serum in this pathology, as well as a significant decrease in the resistance of rats to hypobaric hypoxic hypoxia and maximum physical activity. The daily administration of a 2 mg/kg melatonin suspension to rats with alimentary obesity for 12 days leads to a significant decrease in the concentration of TBA-reactive products, however, the PBS is not significantly affected. Conclusion. Alimentary obesity in rats, simulated by the maintenance of animals on a high-calorie carbohydrate-fat diet, leads to an increase in the proportion of visceral fat in the body, an increase in the activity of PBS in the form of an increase in the level of carbonyl derivatives, a significant increase in the concentration of MDA, and a significant decrease in the stability of rats to hypobaric hypoxic hypoxia and maximum physical activity. When a melatonin suspension was administered at a dose of 2 mg/kg for 12 days, a stable high level of carbonyl derivatives was observed, in comparison with the intact series, which was explained by the need to use a greater concentration of the drug to increase its exposure time, which requires further study

The change in the inclination angle of the non-eclipsing binary SS Lacertae: future eclipses

Eclipses in the 14.4-day period double-lined binary SS Lac were observed photographically and visually early in the 20th century, but stopped some 50 or 60 years ago. This has been explained by the presence of a distant third star in the system, which has now been detected spectroscopically with a period of 679 days. The plane of the orbit of the binary is changing relative to the line of sight in response to perturbations from this third object. A recent analysis by Milone et al. (M00) of all photometric material available for the system, including a re-measurement of original Harvard plates, has confirmed earlier reports of changes in the depth of the eclipses as a function of time, which are due to the third star. In this paper we discuss our detailed analysis of the eclipse amplitude measurements, and extract from them information on the change in the inclination angle of the binary over the last century. Our use of a much improved ephemeris for the system by Torres & Stefanik was found to be crucial, and prompted us to re-determine all the amplitudes from the historical data at our disposal, including the Harvard material used by M00. Systematically lower measurements on the branches of the minima were properly accounted for, and we made use of both a linear approximation to the time variation of the inclination angle and a more realistic model based on the theory of three-body interactions ("regression of the nodes" effect). The nodal cycle is found to be about 600 yr, within which TWO eclipse "seasons" occur, each lasting about 100 yr. The non-eclipsing status of the system is expected to continue until the beginning of the 23rd century.Comment: 32 pages, including figures and tables. Accepted for The Astronomical Journal, April 200

Patient with Jaundice, Dyspnea and Hyperferritinemia after COVID-19

The aim: to highlight the importance of considering hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in patients with jaundice of unclear origin and systemic inflammatory manifestations after coronavirus infection.Key points. A 64-y.o. patient was admitted to the hospital with jaundice, pruritus, fatigue, weight loss. The complaints occurred 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital for treatment of patients with coronavirus infection. Laboratory tests revealed signs of hepatic insufficiency, markers of cholestasis and inflammation persisted in time. Upon instrumental examination no signs of hepatosplenomegaly, biliary tree changes, intra- and extrahepatic obstruction were found. S. aureus was identified in blood cultures, CT scan of the facial skull bones showcased the focus of infection in the area of the roots of teeth 2.4 and 2.5. Therefore, antibiotics were prescribed. Subsequently, the patient's condition was complicated by the development of two episodes of acute respiratory distress syndrome, which occurred during the withdrawal of glucocorticosteroid therapy. Liver biopsy was performed, morphological study revealed signs of “vanishing bile duct” syndrome, excessive activation of macrophages and hemosiderosis of sinusoidal cells. Identified lesions can be found in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a life-threatening complication of coronavirus infection. Glucocorticosteroids therapy, transfusions of human immunoglobulin, albumin, and parenteral nutrition have led to patient's condition improvement.Conclusion. COVID-19 provokes the development of secondary HLH 10 times more often than other respiratory viral infections. The possibility of hemophagocytic syndrome development should be considered, including cases of overlap syndrome with sepsis, in patients with unresolved jaundice, hyperferritinemia after coronavirus infection. Routinely used scales and criteria for diagnosis of HLH (H-score, HLH 2004) in such cases lacks sensitivity, therefore, careful analysis of clinical picture and exclusion of other causes of jaundice are required