Author's personal copy Measurement of Retinalamin diffusion coefficient in human sclera by optical spectroscopy

a b s t r a c t The use of cytomedines (such as Retinalamin) in clinical practice has shown high effectiveness of the medicaments in ophthalmology. The study of diffusion of Retinalamin in scleral tissue is important for estimation of a drug dose delivered into inner tissue of eye, time of drug action, etc. In vitro measurements of spectral reflectance of sclera interacting with aqueous solution of Retinalamin have been carried out. Ten human sclera samples were included in the study. The results of the experiments have shown that penetration of Retinalamin into scleral tissue leads to the decrease of scleral reflectance due to optical immersion. Estimation of diffusion coefficient of studied solution has been made on the basis of analysis of optical reflectance dynamics of the sclera samples. The diffusion coefficient of Retinalamin in human scleral tissue was evaluated as (1.8270.14) Â 10 À6 cm 2 /s. The results are important for treatment of partial optic atrophy observed at primary open-angle glaucoma and others eye diseases

Enisamium Reduces Influenza Virus Shedding and Improves Patient Recovery by Inhibiting Viral RNA Polymerase Activity.

Infections with respiratory viruses constitute a huge burden on our health and economy. Antivirals against some respiratory viruses are available, but further options are urgently needed. Enisamium iodide (laboratory code FAV00A, trade name Amizon) is an antiviral, marketed in countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States for the treatment of viral respiratory infections, but its clinical efficacy and mode of action are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of enisamium in patients aged between 18 and 60 years with confirmed influenza virus and other viral respiratory infections. Enisamium treatment resulted in reduced influenza virus shedding (at day 3, 71.2% in the enisamium group tested negative versus 25.0% in placebo group [P < 0.0001]), faster patient recovery (at day 14, 93.9% in the enisamium group had recovered versus 32.5% in placebo group [P < 0.0001]), and reduced disease symptoms (from 9.6 ± 0.7 to 4.6 ± 0.9 score points in enisamium group versus 9.7 ± 1.1 to 5.6 ± 1.1 score points in placebo group [P < 0.0001]) compared to those in the placebo group. Using mass spectrometry, and cell-based and cell-free viral RNA synthesis assays, we identified a hydroxylated metabolite of enisamium, VR17-04. VR17-04 is capable of inhibiting influenza virus RNA synthesis and is present in plasma of patients treated with enisamium. VR17-04 inhibits the activity of the influenza virus RNA polymerase more potently than its parent compound. Overall, these results suggest that enisamium is metabolized in humans to an inhibitor of the influenza virus RNA polymerase that reduces viral shedding and improves patient recovery in influenza patients. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT04682444.).Farmak JS

Immunization With a Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine in Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Without Systemic Manifestations: a Prospective Study

Background. Patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have an increased risk of being infected. Approximately half of all serious infections in children with JIA are associated with airway involvement.Objective. Our aim was to study the efficacy and safety of the pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV) in children with JIA.Methods. In a prospective cohort study, 5 groups were formed:  children with JIA in the remission phase on methotrexate therapy  (group 1) or etanercept (group 2), with JIA in the active phase prior  to the appointment of methotrexate (group 3) or etanercept (group  4), control group (conditionally healthy children). 0.5 ml of the 13-valent PCV was administered once subcutaneously during therapy in patients in the remission phase or 3 weeks before the appointment  of methotrexate or etanercept in patients in the active phase. The  main study outcome was the proportion of patients with a protective  ( 40 mg/L) level of specific anti-pneumococcal antibodies (anti-SPP) IgG to Streptococcus pneumoniae 4 weeks after vaccination. In  addition, we assessed the incidence of infectious events before and  after vaccination as well as changes in the content of a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, S100 protein, and post-vaccination period.Results. The study included 125 children. Four weeks after  vaccination, the protective level of anti-SPP IgG was established in  21 (84%) patients in the 1st, 23 (92%) in the 2nd, 22 (88%) in the  3rd, 24 (96%) in the 4th and 5th groups (p =1.0). Increase in the  concentration of S100 protein and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein  after vaccination was not noted. JIA exacerbation episodes were not  recorded in any patient. After immunization, the total number of infectious events decreased in all observed groups (p 0.001). Serious adverse events were not registered during the study.Conclusion. Vaccination with the 13-valent PCV in children with JIA  is highly effective and is not accompanied by the development of serious adverse events

Safety and Immunogenicity of Betuvax-CoV-2, an RBD-Fc-Based SARS-CoV-2 Recombinant Vaccine: Preliminary Results of the First-in-Human, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase I/II Clinical Trial

COVID-19, being a life-threatening infection that evolves rapidly, remains a major public health concern calling for the development of vaccines with broad protection against different pathogenic strains and high immunogenicity. Aside from this, other concerns in mass immunization settings are also the scalability of production and relative affordability of the technology. In that regard, adjuvanted protein vaccines with particles mimicking the virus stand out among known vaccine technologies. The “Betuvax-CoV-2” vaccine, developed on the basis of a recombinant protein and an adjuvant, has already been tested in preclinical studies and has advanced to clinical evaluation. Open, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized phase I/II clinical trial of the “Betuvax-CoV-2,” recombinant protein subunit vaccine based on the S-protein RBD fused with the Fc-fragment of IgG, was conducted to evaluate safety and immunogenicity in response to the vaccination. Methods: In the phase I/II clinical trial, 116 healthy adult men and women, ages 18–58, were enrolled: 20 in Stage I, and 96 in Stage II. In Stage I, 20 µg of the vaccine was administered intramuscularly on day 2, and either 5 µg (group 1) or 20 µg (group 2) on day 30. In Stage II, 20 µg of the vaccine was administered intramuscularly on day 2, and either 5 µg (group 3) or 20 µg (group 4) on day 30. In group 5, both injections were replaced with placebo. The primary outcome measures were safety (number of participants with adverse events throughout the study) and antigen-specific humoral immunity (SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies measured by ELISA and CMIA). Antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity and changes in neutralizing antibodies (detected with a SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assay) were measured as a secondary outcome. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Study Identifier: NCT05270954). Findings: Both vaccine formulations (20 µg + 5 µg and 20 µg + 20 µg) were safe and well tolerated. Most adverse events were mild, and no serious adverse events were detected. On day 51,anti-SARS-CoV-2 total and IgG antibody titers and anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies were significantly higher in the vaccine groups (both formulations) than in the placebo. A more pronounced CD4+-mediated immune response was observed in the group of volunteers administered with the 20 + 20 μg vaccine formulation. Interpretations: RBD-Fc-based COVID-19 “Betuvax-CoV-2” vaccine in doses (20 + 5 µg and 20 + 20 µg) demonstrated an excellent safety profile and induced a strong humoral response. Further research on the protective effectiveness of the “Betuvax-CoV-2” vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 is on its way

Development of Bacteriostatic DNA Aptamers for Salmonella

<i>Salmonella</i> is one of the most dangerous and common food-borne pathogens. The overuse of antibiotics for disease prevention has led to the development of multidrug resistant <i>Salmonella</i>. Now, more than ever, there is a need for new antimicrobial drugs to combat these resistant bacteria. Aptamers have grown in popularity since their discovery, and their properties make them attractive candidates for therapeutic use. In this work, we describe the selection of highly specific DNA aptamers to <i>S. enteritidis</i> and <i>S. typhimurium</i>. To evolve species-specific aptamers, twelve rounds of selection to live <i>S. enteritidis</i> and <i>S. typhimurium</i> were performed, alternating with a negative selection against a mixture of related pathogens. Studies have shown that synthetic pools combined from individual aptamers have the capacity to inhibit growth of <i>S. enteritidis</i> and <i>S. typhimurium</i> in bacterial cultures; this was the result of a decrease in their membrane potential

DataSheet_1_Estimation of anti-orthopoxvirus immunity in Moscow residents and potential risks of spreading Monkeypox virus.docx

WHO has declared the outbreak of monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern. In less than three months, monkeypox was detected in more than 30 000 people and spread to more than 80 countries around the world. It is believed that the immunity formed to smallpox vaccine can protect from monkeypox infection with high efficiency. The widespread use of Vaccinia virus has not been carried out since the 1980s, which raises the question of the level of residual immunity among the population and the identification of groups requiring priority vaccination. We conducted a cross-sectional serological study of remaining immunity among Moscow residents. To do this, a collection of blood serum samples of age group over 30 years old was formed, an in-house ELISA test system was developed, and a virus neutralization protocol was set up. Serum samples were examined for the presence of IgG antibodies against Vaccinia virus (n=2908), as well as for the ability to neutralize plaque formation with a Vaccinia virus MNIIVP-10 strain (n=299). The results indicate the presence of neutralizing antibody titer of 1/20 or more in 33.3 to 53.2% of people older than 45 years. Among people 30-45 years old who probably have not been vaccinated, the proportion with virus neutralizing antibodies ranged from 3.2 to 6.7%. Despite the higher level of antibodies in age group older than 66 years, the proportion of positive samples in this group was slightly lower than in people aged 46-65 years. The results indicate the priority of vaccination in groups younger than 45, and possibly older than 66 years to ensure the protection of the population in case of spread of monkeypox among Moscow residents. The herd immunity level needed to stop the circulation of the virus should be at least 50.25 – 65.28%.</p