Recombinant Pseudomonas Vaccine: Technological Aspects of Obtaining and Evaluating Quality Indicators

For an aim to prevent Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a candidate recombinant vaccine has been developed. This vaccine – (RPV) was based on two protective proteins of P. aeruginosa: the outer membrane protein F (OprF) and the recombinant truncated form of the Exotoxin A (toxoid) that were adsorbed on the aluminum hydroxide. The optimal immunization schedule for mice included two intraperitoneal administrations with a two-week interval. RPV promoted to increase survival rates in challenged immunized mice and stimulated humoral and innate immune responses. During preclinical studies, we confirmed the immunogenicity of the vaccine that had not pyrogenicity, acute and chronic toxicity, allergenicity and immunotoxicity. Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, outer membrane protein F (OprF), toxoid, Pseudomonas Recombinant Vaccine (PRV

Implementation of Interdisciplinary Links Between Physics and Astronomy in the Project Activities of Students

В работе представлены результаты исследований по проблеме реализации межпредметных связей при обучении физике в школе, в том числе с целью формирования естественнонаучной грамотности у школьников. Обозначены причины актуальности данной темы. Выявлена связь естественнонаучной грамотности с рядом школьных предметов. Предложена методика формирования естественнонаучной грамотности с использованием проектов межпредметного содержания.The paper presents the results of research on the problem of implementing interdisciplinary links in the teaching of physics at school, including the formation of natural-science literacy in schoolchildren. The reasons of the relevance of the topic are stated. The link between natural-science literacy and a number of school subjects is revealed. The methods of formation of natural literacy using the projects of interdisciplinary content are offered

First record of the whip-lash squid, Mastigoteuthis agassizii verrill, 1881 (Mollusca: Cephalopoda: Mastigoteuthidae) in the subarctic atlantic, with notes on its morphology and biology

© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Cephalopods are an important, abundant and taxonomically diverse component of the bathypelagic realm. However, their biology, ecology and distribution are poorly known. Specimens of Mastigoteuthis agassizii (Mastigoteuthidae) have been captured in the southern part of the Denmark Strait, which is at approximately 65°N. This site is approximately 550 km north of the previously most northern known border of the Mastigoteuthidae range. The main goal of this paper is to provide an extended morphological description and biological analysis of M. agassizii, the first species of the Mastigoteuthidae caught in the Subarctic Atlantic. Despite sample collection at 534 deep-water stations in the area, only two specimens were captured, indicating the rarity of this species in the northern part of its range. We suggest that the typical range of this species is bathyal depths throughout the North Atlantic to the Subarctic, but not through the Denmark and Davis Straits to the Arctic. These findings coincide with the geographic border of the Northern Atlantic boreal bathyal province, which is warmer and more saline compared to the Arctic province further to the north. We also provide the first descriptions of the radula and reproductive system of M. agassizii. The female had synchronous ovulation, fecundity of approximately 23,000 oocytes, oocyte resorption having not been found, most likely due to the early maturity stage of the female. The males, as proven by our sample and additional photo in other source, were found to have the distal part of the penis enlarged, divided into two valves and pigmented, possibly indicating they can protrude outside the mantle cavity. This enlarged valved part, as it is supposed in the literature for other deep-water squid families having it, may be used as an analogue to the lacking hectocotylus

DETECTION OF TUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIA IN THE BLOOD OF PATIENTS WHEN SUSPECTING TUBERCULOUS SEPSIS

The increase in HIV patients manifesting clinical signs of sepsis requires up-to-date, rapid and reliable techniques for etiologic diagnostics.The analysis has included 53 publications related to various aspects of tuberculous bacteriemia, resources for its detection and their efficiency. According to the publications tuberculous mycobacteria in blood can be detected in HIV-positive patients with severe immune suppression (CD4: 17-18 cells/mcl) and presence of the following clinical and laboratory and X-ray signs: fever, severe anemia, paratracheal lymphoadenopathy, miliary dissemination. It is feasible to test the blood in order to detect tuberculous mycobacteria only in the very ill HIV positive patients in whom tuberculosis is suspected and it is impossible to collect sputum and there are no obvious signs of pulmonary lesions.The presence oftuberculous mycobacteria in blood isrelated to the high mortality level (up to 60%) and the immediate prescription of anti-tuberculosis therapy can reduce it. Antiretroviral therapy can reduce the chances of tuberculous sepsis development. Development and optimization of test systems for rapid detection of DNA of tuberculous mycobacteria in blood can be fairly promising for the diagnostics of the urgent tuberculosis

CLINICAL NUTRITION INVOLVING A SPECIALIZED PROTEINAND CALORIE-RICH PEDIATRIC MILK PRODUCT FOR ENTERAL FEEDING OF INFANTS WITH PROTEIN-CALORIE DEFICIENCY

Background: Premature infants with extremely low and very low birth weight with a severe overlapping perinatal pathology often feature slower growth rate within the first year of life and require special nutritional support.Objective: Our aim was to study physical development of infants with protein-calorie deficiency in the setting of using a specialized protein- and calorie-rich pediatric milk product for enteral feeding.Methods: We analyzed tolerability and efficacy of clinical nutrition within the framework of a prospective two-month-long case series. We assessed actual children’s diets and the chemical composition thereof. We determined body weight and length, body mass index (BMI), adipodermal flap thickness over the triceps. Anabolic effect of clinical nutrition was assessed on the basis of transthyretin concentration dynamics.Results: The study involved 30 infants with protein-calorie deficiency (7 term infants and 23 premature infants) with a severe perinatal pathology. High tolerability of the formula under analysis was registered in most patients. Termination of functional gastrointestinal tract disorders (posseting, colics, flatulence, constipations) was observed in 23 (87%) patients. In most cases, the use of a protein- and calorie-rich formula as a part of a therapeutic diet helped to satisfy children’s protein demand and improve their weight/length parameters: BMI increased in 19 (72%) children, body weight — in 16 (63%), body length — in 24 (92%), adipodermal flap thickness over the triceps — in all the children (100%). We observed transthyretin concentration increase from 162 (157; 171) in the beginning of the study to 187 (170; 208) mg/l in the end thereof (p = 0.028).Conclusion: A specialized protein- and calorie-rich product for enteral feeding may be used for feeding infants with protein-calorie deficiency born with a severe a perinatal pathology, including premature infants

Морфологические особенности пневмоцистной пневмонии при ВИЧ-инфекции

Summary. In our study, pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis comprised 7.1 % of all autopsies of patients died from HIVassociated infections and was the forth cause of death following tuberculosis (35.6 %), bacterial pneumonia (16.5 %), and infectious endocarditis (10.8 %). Acute stage was more frequent (73.1 %); cavitary pneumonia was diagnosed in 7.7 % autopsies, generalized Pneumocystis infection was found in 3.8 % of cases. In 7.7 % of cases, the course of Pneumocystis pneumonia was complicated by diffuse alveolar damage. Advanced stages of Pneumocystis pneumonia should be differentiated from organizing bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, and cytomegalovirus infection. In died HIVinfected patients with com bined pulmonary infection, Pneumocystis was found in 27.6 % of cases. Advanced stages of pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis and combined pul monary infection are difficult for morphological diagnosis and require a complex of modern investigations.Резюме. Пневмоцистная пневмония (ПЦП) составила 7,1 % от количества всех вскрытий умерших от ВИЧассоциированных инфекций и занимает в структуре смертности 4е место после туберкулеза (35,6 %), бактериальной пневмонии (16,5 %), инфекционного эндокардита (10,8 %). Превалировала отечная стадия ПЦП (73,1 %), в 7,7 % аутопсий констатирована кавернозная форма заболевания, в 3,8 % – генерализованный пневмоцистоз. В 7,7 % течение ПЦП осложнилось развитием диффузного альвеолярного повреждения. На поздних стадиях ПЦП необходимо морфологически дифференцировать с организацией при бактериальной пневмонии, туберкулезе, цитомегаловирусной инфекции. В 27,6 % случаев сочетанного инфекционного поражения легких у умерших от ВИЧинфекции в составе ассоциации обнаруживалась ПЦП. Случаи поздней стадии ПЦП и сочетанного поражения легких сложны для морфологической верификации, что требует использования комплекса современных исследований

Rhodium oxide surface-loaded gas sensors

In order to increase their stability and tune-sensing characteristics, metal oxides are often surface-loaded with noble metals. Although a great deal of empirical work shows that surface-loading with noble metals drastically changes sensing characteristics, little information exists on the mechanism. Here, a systematic study of sensors based on rhodium-loaded WO₃, SnO₂, and In₂O₃—examined using X-ray diffraction, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, direct current (DC) resistance measurements, operando diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy, and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy—is presented. Under normal sensing conditions, the rhodium clusters were oxidized. Significant evidence is provided that, in this case, the sensing is dominated by a Fermi-level pinning mechanism, i.e., the reaction with the target gas takes place on the noble-metal cluster, changing its oxidation state. As a result, the heterojunction between the oxidized rhodium clusters and the base metal oxide was altered and a change in the resistance was detected. Through measurements done in low-oxygen background, it was possible to induce a mechanism switch by reducing the clusters to their metallic state. At this point, there was a significant drop in the overall resistance, and the reaction between the target gas and the base material was again visible. For decades, noble metal loading was used to change the characteristics of metal-oxide-based sensors. The study presented here is an attempt to clarify the mechanism responsible for the change. Generalities are shown between the sensing mechanisms of different supporting materials loaded with rhodium, and sample-specific aspects that must be considered are identified

Manifestation of Huntington's disease pathology in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons

© 2016 Nekrasov et al.Background: Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable hereditary neurodegenerative disorder, which manifests itself as a loss of GABAergic medium spiny (GABA MS) neurons in the striatum and caused by an expansion of the CAG repeat in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene. There is no cure for HD, existing pharmaceutical can only relieve its symptoms. Results: Here, induced pluripotent stem cells were established from patients with low CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, and were then efficiently differentiated into GABA MS-like neurons (GMSLNs) under defined culture conditions. The generated HD GMSLNs recapitulated disease pathology in vitro, as evidenced by mutant huntingtin protein aggregation, increased number of lysosomes/autophagosomes, nuclear indentations, and enhanced neuronal death during cell aging. Moreover, store-operated channel (SOC) currents were detected in the differentiated neurons, and enhanced calcium entry was reproducibly demonstrated in all HD GMSLNs genotypes. Additionally, the quinazoline derivative, EVP4593, reduced the number of lysosomes/autophagosomes and SOC currents in HD GMSLNs and exerted neuroprotective effects during cell aging. Conclusions: Our data is the first to demonstrate the direct link of nuclear morphology and SOC calcium deregulation to mutant huntingtin protein expression in iPSCs-derived neurons with disease-mimetic hallmarks, providing a valuable tool for identification of candidate anti-HD drugs. Our experiments demonstrated that EVP4593 may be a promising anti-HD drug

Химиотерапия туберкулеза в России – история продолжается

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