Hybrids of Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks effectively acquire and transmit tick-borne encephalitis virus

Ixodes rici nus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks are the main vectors of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which has three main subtypes connected with certain tick species: the European subtype, associated with I. ricinus, and the Siberian and Far-Eastern subtypes, associated with I. persulcatus. Distribution ranges of these species overlap and form large sympatric areas in the East European Plain and Baltic countries. It has previously been shown that crossing of I. ricinus and I. persulcatus is possible, with the appearance of sterile hybrids. Hybridization of ticks can affect not only the spread of ticks but also the properties of natural foci of arbovirus infections, in particular TBEV. In the present study, we analyzed the effectiveness of virus transmission from infected mice to larvae and nymphs and trans-stadial transmission (from larvae to nymph and adult) in I. ricinus, I. persulcatus, and hybrids. For this purpose, we bred a hybrid generation from the crossing of I. persulcatus females and I. ricinus males, and we used the Siberian and European subtypes of TBEV. We showed that after feeding on infected mice, virus prevalence in engorged ticks decreased over time, and after molting, the opposite was true. In hybrids we observed the highest acquisition effectiveness and RNA copy numbers during Siberian TBEV subtype transmission. The efficiency of trans-stadial transmission of both TBEV subtypes was similar in hybrids and parental species. After the second trans-stadial TBEV transmission, a significant increase in ticks’ infection rates was observed only in specific subtype-tick combination. Our data demonstrate the possible features of TBEV circulation in the I. ricinus and I. persulcatus sympatry area

HIGLY STABLE NITROXIDE SPIN LABELS FOR BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH

This work was supported by the RSF, project # 19-13-000235 and Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (grant No. 14. W03.31.0034)

Effects of Spiro-Cyclohexane Substitution of Nitroxyl Biradicals on Dynamic Nuclear Polarization

Spiro-substituted nitroxyl biradicals are widely used as reagents for dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), which is especially important for biopolymer research. The main criterion for their applicability as polarizing agents is the value of the spin–spin exchange interaction parameter (J), which can vary considerably when different couplers are employed that link the radical moieties. This paper describes a study on biradicals, with a ferrocene-1,1′-diyl-substituted 1,3-diazetidine-2,4-diimine coupler, that have never been used before as DNP agents. We observed a substantial difference in the temperature dependence between Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectra of biradicals carrying either methyl or spirocyclohexane substituents and explain the difference using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation results. It was shown that the replacement of methyl groups by spirocycles near the N-O group leads to an increase in the contribution of conformers having J ≈ 0. The DNP gain observed for the biradicals with methyl substituents is three times higher than that for the spiro-substituted nitroxyl biradicals and is inversely proportional to the contribution of biradicals manifesting the negligible exchange interaction. The effects of nucleophiles and substituents in the nitroxide biradicals on the ring-opening reaction of 1,3-diazetidine and the influence of the ring opening on the exchange interaction were also investigated. It was found that in contrast to the methyl-substituted nitroxide biradical (where we observed the ring-opening reaction upon the addition of amines), the ring opening does not occur in the spiro-substituted biradical owing to a steric barrier created by the bulky cyclohexyl substituents

Spin Labeling of Surface Cysteines Using a Bromoacrylaldehyde Spin Label

Structural investigations of proteins and their biological complexes are now frequently complemented by distance constraints between spin labeled cysteines generated using double electron–electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy, via site directed spin labeling (SDSL). Methanethiosulfonate spin label (MTSSL), has become ubiquitous in the SDSL of proteins, however, has limitations owing to its high number of rotamers, and reducibility. In this article we introduce the use of bromoacrylaldehyde spin label (BASL) as a cysteine spin label, demonstrating an advantage over MTSSL due to its increased selectivity for surface cysteines, eliminating the need to ‘knock out’ superfluous cysteine residues. Applied to the multidomain protein, His domain protein tyrosine phosphatase (HD-PTP), we show that BASL can be easily added in excess with selective labeling, whereas MTSSL causes protein precipitation. Furthermore, using DEER, we were able to measure a single cysteine pair distance in a three cysteine domain within HD-PTP. The label has a further advantage of comprising a sulfide in a three-bond tether, making it a candidate for protein binding and in-cell studies

Patient-specific hemodynamics and stress-strain state of cerebral aneurysms

Purpose: Approximately 5% of the adult population has one or more cerebral aneurysm. Aneurysms are one of the most dangerous cerebral vascular pathologies. Aneurysm rupture leads to a subarachnoid hemorrhage with a very high mortality rate of 45–50%. Despite the high importance of this disease there are no criteria for assessing the probability of aneurysm rupture. Moreover, mechanisms of aneurysm development and rupture are not fully understood until now. Methods: Biomechanical and numerical computer simulations allow us to estimate the behavior of vessels in normal state and under pathological conditions as well as to make a prediction of their postoperative state. Biomechanical studies may help clinicians to find and investigate mechanical factors which are responsible for the initiation, growth and rupture of the cerebral aneurysms. Results: In this work, biomechanical and numerical modeling of healthy and pathological cerebral arteries was conducted. Patient-specific models of the basilar and posterior cerebral arteries and patient-specific boundary conditions at the inlet were used in numerical simulations. A comparative analysis of the three vascular wall models (rigid, perfectly elastic, hyperelastic) was performed. Blood flow and stress-strain state of the two posterior cerebral artery aneurysm models was compared. Conclusions: Numerical simulations revealed that hyperelastic material most adequately and realistically describes the behavior of the cerebral vascular walls. The size and shape of the aneurysm have a significant impact on the blood flow through the affected vessel and on the effective stress distribution in the aneurysm dome. It was shown that large aneurysm is more likely to rupture than small aneurysm

Dynamic stability of heated geometrically irregular plates on the basis of the Reisner model

On the basis of the continuum model of geometrically irregular plate the problem of dynamic stability has been solved. The Reissner type model is considered. The heated plate with ribs is subjected to periodic temporary coordinate of the tangential forces. For the tangential forces a non-homogeneous boundary problem of membrane thermoelasticity in displacements is solved. The system of singular equations of dynamic stability recorded through the function of the deflection and additional functions. The additional functions characterize the law of change of stresses in vertical planes dependent variables $x$ and $y$. The solution is reduced to the Mathieu equation. The characteristics of the Mathieu equation represented by terms in classical theory of plates and contain corrections of temperature, transverse shear and ribs. Three areas of dynamic stability of the thermoelastic system are determined. Quantitative analysis has been carried out. Dependence of the configuration of the areas of dynamic stability on temperature, shear deformation in vertical planes and relative height of ribs is presented

METHOD OF THE RECURRENT ESTIMATION OF THE UNDERWATER OBJECT MOTION PARAMETERS ACCORDING TO THE DATA OF THE SPACE NAVIGATION DEFINITIONS OF THE TOWED CONSUMER EQUIPMENT

An option of navigational support of an autonomous underwater object for the system of technological processes monitoring and management in the exploration and production of minerals, maintenance of underwater pipelines and engineering structures using a towed device fitted out with the consumer equipment of the space navigation system is presented. The approach oriented on recalculation of the buoy coordinates formed in the recurrent mode to the position of the underwater object is contemplated due to the consideration of their rigid coupling parameters when using a strength-power communications cable. An attempt was made to construct a technique for position measurement of the underwater carrier with simplified initial data. Based on the permissible geometric interpretation of the relative dynamics of the underwater vehicle and the surface consumer equipment, a concept was developed for recalculating the phase center of the latter into the center of the underwater facility masses. Its merit is determined by the possibility to increment when the noted dynamics is complicating. The results of statistical computer simulation of the process of recurrent estimation of the coordinates of an underwater object are presented using a constitutive model characterized by a second-order polynomial

Development Features of <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> × <i>I. persulcatus</i> Hybrids under Laboratory Conditions

Widely distributed Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks transmit many pathogens of both medical and veterinary significance. The ranges of these tick species overlap and form large sympatric areas in the East European Plain and Baltic countries. It has previously been shown that crossing I. ricinus and I. persulcatus is possible, resulting in the appearance of sterile hybrids. In the present study, we analyzed the features of this hybrid’s life cycle under laboratory conditions. For this purpose, virgin females of I. ricinus and I. persulcatus ticks were obtained in the laboratory, and hybrid generations of ticks were bred from the reciprocal crossings of these two tick species. According to our data, mating the females of I. ricinus and I. persulcatus with the males of another species leads to a decrease in the engorgement success of the females, a decrease in the number of hatched larvae, and the appearance of a hybrid generation in which both females and males are sterile. Under laboratory conditions at a constant room temperature and under natural daylight, the morphogenetic diapause of the engorged I. persulcatus larvae began in September. For I. persulcatus nymphs, it occurred earlier than for I. ricinus, in October and November, respectively. The hybrids generally repeated the features of the life cycle of the mother species