Water-soluble hybrid materials based on {Mo₆X₈}⁴⁺ (X = Cl, Br, I) cluster complexes and sodium polystyrene sulfonate

Development of water-soluble forms of octahedral molybdenum clusters {Mo₆X₈}⁴⁺ (X = Cl, Br, I) is strongly motivated by the tremendous potential that these complexes have for biological applications, namely as agents for bioimaging and photodynamic therapy. In these work we report the first water-soluble hybrid materials, which represent sodium polystyrene sulfonate doped by molybdenum clusters, and evaluation of their photophysical and biological properties (dark and photoinduced cytotoxicity and cellular uptake) with the use of cervical cancer (HeLa) and human epidermoid larynx carcinoma (Hep-2) cell-lines as models

A comparative study of hydrophilic phosphine hexanuclear rhenium cluster complexes’ toxicity

Octahedral rhenium cluster compound Na2H8[{Re6Se8}(P(C2H4CONH2)(C2H4COO)2)6] has recently emerged as a very promising X-ray contrast agent for biomedical applications. However, the synthesis of this compound is rather challenging due to difficulty to control the hydrolysis of initial P(C2H4CN)3 ligand during the reaction process. Therefore, in this report we compare the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Na2H8[{Re6Se8}(P(C2H4CONH2)(C2H4COO)2)6] with those of related compounds featuring fully hydrolysed form of the phosphine ligand, namely Na2H14[{Re6Q8}(P(C2H4COO)3)6] (Q = S or Se). Our results demonstrate that cytotoxicity and acute in vivo toxicity of the complex Na2H8[{Re6Se8}(P(C2H4CONH2)(C2H4COO)2)6] solutions were considerably lower than those of compounds with fully hydrolysed ligand P(C2H4COOH)3. Such behavior can be explained by the higher osmolality of Na2H14[{Re6Q8}(P(C2H4COO)3)6] versus Na2H8[{Re6Se8}(P(C2H4CONH2)(C2H4COO)2)6]

ПРОЕКТУВАННЯ ПРИРОДООХОРОННИХ КОМПЛЕКСІВ З ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ САПР

The tutorial discusses the principles and methodology of designing environmentally safe industries using CAD; there is a laboratory workshop: design documentation and drawings using CAD. All topics of the relevant typical discipline are discussed in detail, as well as a series of additional issues and directions. It is designed for students at higher educational institutions, graduate students, teachers and researchers, as well as specialists involved in environmental protection activities. Indexing:              У навчальному посібнику розглядаються принципи та методика проектування екологічно безпечних виробництв з використанням САПР; наведено лабораторний практикум: оформлення проектної документації та креслень з використанням САПР. Детально розглянуті всі теми відповідної типової навчальної дисципліни, а також висвітлено ряд додаткових питань та напрямів. Розраховано на студентів вищих навчальних закладів освіти, аспірантів, викладачів і наукових співробітників, а також спеціалістів, які займаються природоохоронною діяльністю. Індексація:              &nbsp

Optical properties of photonic crystal slabs with asymmetrical unit cell

Using the unitarity and reciprocity properties of the scattering matrix, we analyse the symmetry and resonant optical properties of the photonic crystal slabs (PCS) with complicated unit cell. We show that the reflectivity is not changed upon the 180deg-rotation of the sample around the normal axis, even in PCS with asymmetrical unit cell. Whereas the transmissivity becomes asymmetrical if the diffraction or absorption are present. The PCS reflectivity peaks to unity near the quasiguided mode resonance for normal light incidence in the absence of diffraction, depolarisation, and absorptive losses. For the oblique incidence the full reflectivity is reached only in symmetrical PCS.Comment: 5 pages, 2 Postscript figure

ECOLOGY OF INFLUENZA VIRUS IN WILD BIRD POPULATIONS IN CENTRAL ASIA

The study provides the results of AIV surveillance in Central Asia region during 2003-2009. We have analyzed. 2604 samples from wild birds. These samples were collected in Kazakhstan. (279), Mongolia (650), and Russia (1675). Isolated viruses from samples collected in Mongolia (13 isolates) and. in Russia (4 isolates) were described. Virological analysis has shown that 6 isolates belong to H3N6 subtype and. 5 isolates belong to H4N6 subtype. Two H1N1 influenza viruses, one H10N7 virus, two H3N8 viruses, and. H13N8 virus, which is new for Central Asia, have been also isolated. Samples were taken from birds of 6 orders, including several species, preferring water and semi-aquatic biotopes, one species, preferring dry plain regions, and one more species which can inhabit both dry and. water biotopes

Lassa virus: characterization of infectious agent, biological models for pathogenesis studies and variants of vaccine

Lassa virus (LASV) is classified into genus Mammarenavirus of Arenaviridae family. This virus is etiological agent of Lassa fever (LF) which is widespread in Africa. On average, in four out of five infected people, LF occurs without symptoms. The annual incidence ranges from 100,000 to 500,000 registered clinical cases, at a mortality rate of 1-2%. Among hospitalized patients with severe symptoms of hemorrhagic fever, this figure may be from 14 to 89.5%. Signs of an adverse outcome in LF are open bleeding and disorders of CNS (convulsions, tremor, disorientation and coma). Death occurs from multiple organ failure. Severely ill people recover slowly and may have relapses and complications such as pneumonia, myocarditis, psychosis, and hearing loss.Transmission of the virus in endemic territories occurs by alimentary way, air-dust and airborne droplets from a zoonotic source – rodents of the species African multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis), by accidental contacts of people with their secretions (urine, feces, saliva) as well as when butchering carcasses and eating rodents. These animals are characterized by asymptomatic carrier and life-long persistence of the virus. Cases of transmission of the virus from person to person through the blood or other body fluids of patients are described. A sick person is contagious for two months, because the virus circulates in the blood despite high levels of antibodies. Infection of medical staff occurs during emergency surgical operations, or when the rules of contact precautions are not observed. Currently, with the ongoing LF outbreak in Nigeria, since 2016, hospitals have registered mortality rates of 22 and 8% for patients and health workers, respectively. During 1969-2016, 33 imported cases of this disease were described from West Africa to non-endemic territories (in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Israel and Japan). The mortality rate among these patients was 39%.The lack of prophylactic vaccines and specific therapeutic drugs is the major challenge for the prevention of LF. Thus, this review considers biological models (cell cultures and animals) that are suitable for studying the pathogenesis of this disease, preclinical studies of the specific activity and harmlessness of candidate vaccines, as well as options for these developments based on the platforms such as inactivated LASV and its DNA, the reassortant of Mopeia arenavirus, and measles virus attenuated strains, recombinant and replication-defective viruses (smallpox vaccine, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, bovine vesicular stomatitis, adenovirus of chimpanzee) and virus-like particles

STUDY OF PATHOGENETIC FEATURES INFECTIOUS CAUSED BY HIGHLY PATHOGENIC INFLUENZA VIRUS A/H5N1 IN WILD DUCKS AND DOMESTIC CHICKEN

Changes in lung, liver and brain were investigated, in wild, ducks and. domestic chicken under experimental infection caused by highly pathogenic avian Influenza virus A/H5N1. Isolation of virus was demonstrated, in swabs from the throat and. cloaca, virus titers were presented, in patterns of organs. Changes in organs of wild, ducks have dystrophic characteristics, but in domestic chickens are of the dystrophic and necrotic nature

Experimental infection of H5N1 HPAI in BALB/c mice

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

RARE INFLUENZA VIRUS SUBTYPES ISOLATED FROM BIRDS OF THE SOUTH OF WESTERN SIBERIA

During avian influenza virus (AIV) surveillance in Russia, 2008, H15N4 subtype of the virus was isolated. All the H15 viruses had been previously isolated in Australia in 1979 and 1983. This is the first report about isolation. of AIV H15 subtype elsewhere. Genetic and. antigenic analyses were made. The significant antigenic differences between A/teal/Chany/7119/2008 strain and. reference strain A/shearwater/ Australia/2376/1979 were revealed. The results of this study show the necessity of monitoring for avian influenza viruses, study of pathogen genetic variability, evolution and ecology

Luminescent silica mesoparticles for protein transduction

Unlike silica nanoparticles, the potential of silica mesoparticles (SMPs) (i.e. particles of submicron size) for biological applications in particular the in vitro (let alone in vivo) cellular delivery of biological cargo has so far not been sufficiently studied. Here we examine the potential of luminescent (namely, octahedral molybdenum cluster doped) SMPs synthesised by a simple one-pot reaction for the labelling of cells and for protein transduction into larynx carcinoma (Hep-2) cells using GFP as a model protein. Our data demonstrates that the SMPs internalise into the cells within half an hour. This results in cells that detectably luminesce via conventional methods. In addition, the particles are non-toxic both in darkness and upon photo-irradiation. The SMPs were modified to allow their functionalisation by a protein, which then delivered the protein (GFP) efficiently into the cells. Thus, the luminescent SMPs offer a cheap and trackable alternative to existing materials for cellular internalisation of proteins, such as the HIV TAT protein and commercial protein delivery agents (e.g. Pierce™)