Water uptake and transport properties of La1-xCaxScO3-α proton-conducting oxides

In this study, oxide materials La1-xCaxScO3-α (x = 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10) were synthesized by the citric-nitrate combustion method. Single-phase solid solutions were obtained in the case of calcium content x=0.03 and 0.05,whereas a calcium-enriched impurity phasewas found at x=0.10. Water uptake and release were studied by means of thermogravimetric analysis, thermodesorption spectroscopy and dilatometry. It was shown that lower calcium content in the main phase leads to a decrease in the water uptake. Conductivity wasmeasured by four-probe direct current (DC) and two-probe ascension current (AC)methods at different temperatures, pO2 and pH2O. The effects of phase composition,microstructure and defect structure on electrical conductivity, as well as correlation between conductivity and water uptake experiments, were discussed. The contribution of ionic conductivity of La1-xCaxScO3-α rises with decreasing temperature and increasing humidity. The domination of proton conductivity at temperatures below 500 °C under oxidizing and reducing atmospheres is exhibited. Water uptake and release as well as transport properties of La1-xCaxScO3-α are compared with the properties of similar proton electrolytes, La1-xSrxScO3-α, and the possible reasons for their differences were discussed. © 2019 by the authors.Russian Science Foundation, RSF: 16-13-00053Government Council on Grants, Russian FederationMinistry of Education and Science of the Republic of KazakhstanFunding: The research was partially supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Grant №16-13-00053) and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Project No. AP05130148). The education activity of Ph.D. and students involved into this work is supported by Act 211 of Government of the Russian Federation, agreement No. 02.A03.21.0006

Biological properties of domestic strain vRub-Ant of rubella virus

Introduction. Rubella is a mild infectious disease affecting mainly children and is caused by the rubella virus, part of the Matonoviridae family, genus Rubivirus. Rubella causes congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) and is the main cause of developmental abnormalities, especially blindness and deafness. There is no specific treatment for rubella and CRS. In order to avoid possible complications from rubella infection, a live attenuated rubella vaccine based on the foreign strain of Wistar RA 27/3 rubella virus is used. However, the actual, more effective and preferred vaccine strain the rubella virus for the Russian Federation is considered to be a viral strain of rubella circulating on its territory. The aim of the study was to study the biological properties of the developed domestic cold-adapted strain vRub-Ant circulating in the territory of the Russian Federation. Materials and methods. Following cell cultures were used in the study human embryo lung diploid cell strain LECH-3, transferable cell line from embryonic kidney cells of green monkeys Vero CCL-81 and Vero ECC, human mesenchymal stem cells, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Cell cultures were grown on a DMEM/F12 nutrient medium with the addition of 5% fetal bovine serum. Swabs from the pharynx and nasal passages from a child with rubella were used as clinical virus-containing material. Monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies m(anti-ID)Ab were used to assess the expression level of alpha/beta and gamma interferon receptors (/ and IFN-R)Ab, imitating the biological effects of alpha/beta and gamma interferons (/ and IFN) of humans. The cultural, virological, immunochemical and serological research methods were applied in the study. Results. Attenuation of the vRub-Ant clinical isolate of rubella virus was carried out for 20 consecutive passages on LECH-3 diploid cells at a reduced temperature of 30C. The main biological markers of attenuation were determined to be ts and ca phenotypes. The avirulence of the attenuated viral strain (att-phenotype) was assessed by the level of expression of / and IFN-R. A lower level of / and IFN-R expression was found on the membranes of human PBMC induced by the vaccine strain vRub-Ant in comparison with the parent wild variant of the rubella virus. This trait,the att phenotype, is characteristic of attenuated viral strains. It has been shown that the vaccine strain vRub-Ant has lost neurotropism and was unable to bind to the membrane receptors of the brain (MRB) of guinea pig embryos, unlike its parent rubella virus strain. The high immunogenicity of the domestic cold-adapted strain vRub-Ant was confirmed by high titers of neutralizing rubella antibodies observed in guinea pigs immunized subcutaneously with one vaccination dose of the virus. Conclusion. A domestic attenuated vaccine strain vRub-Ant of the rubella virus that has the main biological markers of attenuation (ts-ca and att phenotypes) has been developed. The vaccine strain vRub-Ant induces a high levels of neutralizing antibodies in guinea pigs following the immunization with a single vaccination dose of the vaccine. The viral strain vRub-Ant has lost its tropism to the MRB of guinea pig embryos, unlike its parent variant

Virus-inhibitory activity of the antigen complex of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria against SARS-CoV-2

Introduction. The antigen complex of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria (ACOPB) has a protective effect against avian influenza viruses, herpes virus type 2, and other viruses that cause acute respiratory viral infections. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, an important task is to find out whether ACOPB has a protective effect against SARS-CoV-2. The purpose of the study was to evaluate in vitro the ACOPB virus-inhibitory activity against the Dubrovka laboratory strain of SARS-CoV-2. Materials and methods. The study was performed using Vero cell line CCL-81, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), mouse monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies structurally mimicking biological effects of human interferons (IFNs), the Dubrovka laboratory strain of SARS-CoV-2. The infectivity of the virus was assessed by two methods: by virus titration using cell cultures and the limiting dilution method when the results are assessed by a cytopathic effect; the second method was a plaque assay. The in vitro virus inhibition test was performed using the cell culture susceptible to SARS-CoV-2; the mixture containing a specific dose of the virus and a two-fold dilution of ACOPB was transferred to the cell culture after the ACOPB medication had interacted with the virus at 4C for 2 hours. The ACOPB virus-inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 was assessed by the functional activity of / and IFN receptors (RIFN) in human PBMCs induced in vitro by ACOPB and the ACOPB mixture with the specific dose of SARS-CoV-2. The RIFN expression level was measured by the indirect membrane immunofluorescence test. Results. Hemagglutination assay using chicken, mouse, guinea pig, and human red blood cells was performed for detection of the SARS-CoV-2 inhibitory protein. The lysate of Vero CCL-81 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 Dubrovka demonstrated the highest hemagglutination activity with guinea pig red blood cells and low titers of hemagglutination in the virus-containing fluid. The virus inhibition test in the Vero CCL-81 cell culture demonstrated that ACOPB inhibited 10 doses of SARS-CoV-2 Dubrovka with the titer 1 : 32, providing 100% protection of the cell culture for 8 days (the monitoring period). ACOPB induced / and RIFN expression on membranes of human PBMCs in in vitro cultures and decreased RIFN / and expression after its interaction with SARS-CoV-2 Dubrovka. Conclusion. The experimental studies including the virus inhibition test in the cell culture susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Dubrovka and the indirect membrane immunofluorescence assay using monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies mimicking IFN-like properties demonstrated that ACOPB had both an immunomodulatory and a virus-inhibitory effect

REGIONALIZATION OF MANAGEMENT PROCESS BY INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY

Summary. In current market conditions, the economy and Russia's accession to international trade scholars and experts from various fields of knowledge paying special attention to a huge set of regional problems. The growing role of regional research determines the level of establishing effective mechanisms for the implementation of the economic interests of actors as well as economic development and improving the quality of human life is the priority objectives of federal, regional and local authorities. Today, the Russian economic science faces a global goal - to develop ways and means of transformation of the Russian economy and bring it to a path of sustainable, innovative development, providing new quality of life. Achieving this goal must surely be a central task of the Russian economics and politics, as in the near future and the long term In article authors opened the maintenance of determinants of innovative development of the territory, mediated by strengthening of regionalization of management by innovative activity: condition of resource and innovative potential; the developed forms and nature of interaction between public authorities of regional level, local community and business; applied forms of integration of subjects of managing for realization of their innovative potential due to expansion of opportunities of participation in the perspective directions of scientific and technical, economic and social development; system of the incentives developing favorable conditions for introduction and development of innovative technologies, and also increases in the enterprise activity, formed by the external institutional environment; regional economic policy as instrument of increase of efficiency of innovative activity

Synaptotagmin oligomerization is essential for calcium control of regulated exocytosis

Regulated exocytosis, which underlies many intercellular signaling events, is a tightly controlled process often triggered by calcium ion(s) (Ca2+). Despite considerable insight into the central components involved, namely, the core fusion machinery [soluble N-ethylmaleimide?sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE)] and the principal Ca2+ sensor [C2-domain proteins like synaptotagmin (Syt)], the molecular mechanism of Ca2+-dependent release has been unclear. Here, we report that the Ca2+-sensitive oligomers of Syt1, a conserved structural feature among several C2-domain proteins, play a critical role in orchestrating Ca2+-coupled vesicular release. This follows from pHluorin-based imaging of single-vesicle exocytosis in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells showing that selective disruption of Syt1 oligomerization using a structure-directed mutation (F349A) dramatically increases the normally low levels of constitutive exocytosis to effectively occlude Ca2+-stimulated release. We propose a parsimonious model whereby Ca2+-sensitive oligomers of Syt (or a similar C2-domain protein) assembled at the site of docking physically block spontaneous fusion until disrupted by Ca2+. Our data further suggest Ca2+-coupled vesicular release is triggered by removal of the inhibition, rather than by direct activation of the fusion machinery.Fil: Bello, Oscar Daniel. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histologia y Embriologia de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Grupo Vinculado de Investigacion y Desarrollo Biotecnologico Aplicado Al Diagnostico Al Ihem | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Medicas. Instituto de Histologia y Embriologia de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Grupo Vinculado de Investigacion y Desarrollo Biotecnologico Aplicado Al Diagnostico Al Ihem.; Argentina. University College London; Estados UnidosFil: Jouannot, Ouardane. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Chaudhuri, Arunima. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Stroeva, Ekaterina. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Coleman, Jeff. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Volynski, Kirill E.. University College London; Reino UnidoFil: Rothman, James E.. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados Unidos. University College London; Estados UnidosFil: Krishnakumar, Shyam S.. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados Unidos. University College London; Estados Unido