Resistance of Antarctic black fungi and cryptoendolithic communities to simulated space and Martian conditions

Dried colonies of the Antarctic rock-inhabiting meristematic fungi Cryomyces antarcticus CCFEE 515, CCFEE 534 and C. minteri CCFEE 5187, as well as fragments of rocks colonized by the Antarctic cryptoendolithic community, were exposed to a set of ground-based experiment verification tests (EVTs) at the German Aerospace Center (DLR, Köln, Germany). These were carried out to test the tolerance of these organisms in view of their possible exposure to space conditions outside of the International Space Station (ISS). Tests included single or combined simulated space and Martian conditions. Responses were analysed both by cultural and microscopic methods. Thereby, colony formation capacities were measured and the cellular viability was assessed using live/dead dyes FUN 1 and SYTOX Green. The results clearly suggest a general good resistance of all the samples investigated. C. minteri CCFEE 5187, C. antarcticus CCFEE 515 and colonized rocks were selected as suitable candidates to withstand space flight and long-term permanence in space on the ISS in the framework of the LIchens and Fungi Experiments (LIFE programme, European Space Agency)

The Modern Concepts of Pharmaceutical Development in the Context of the Transition to a Uniform Regulation of Medicinal Products Circulation

Introduction. At the stage of transition from national to a uniform of circulation of pharmaceutical products regulation at the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) framework, harmonization of requirements for the development of medicines determines the need of use modern approaches, including the use of new methods and tools, thus to assure EAEU and other integration associations markets entry for effective and safe medicinal products. The new medicinal products development model, described in the ICH guidelines (The International Conference of Harmonization), involves a science-based approach to developing, using appropriate tools, such as defining a target product profile, establishing of critical quality indicators, risk assessment, establishment of design space, development of control strategy, drug lifecycle management and continuous improvement of existing processes. These approaches and techniques are not a part of the traditional paradigm of pharmaceutical development; although they are poorly understood and expensive, they are ensure the market entry of effective products with the desired quality parameters.Aim. Main purposes of this work are to compare two concepts of pharmaceutical developmentof medicinal products: traditional and improved, and to consider the necessity of new model usingin generic products development.Materials and methods. Research materials of this study were available literature sources, regulatory documents and guidelines regarding pharmaceutical products development, registration dossier documents, reports of regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical development reports. The achieving of study purposes was carried out on the basis of scientific research methods in the framework of comparative and logical analysis, and through the analysis and interpretation of the obtained data regarding pharmaceutical development of medicinal products.Results and discussion. On the basis of the data provided, author assess that modern concept it is a new, improved tool for development of medicinal products with specified quality parameters.Conclusion. The modern paradigm requires new expensive methods, stuff special knowledge and skills, investment and time, but it is effectively oriented on development of effective and safe medicinal products

Geometrical frustration of phase-separated domains in Coscinodiscus diatom frustules

Diatoms are single-celled organisms with a cell wall made of silica, called the frustule. Even though their elaborate patterns have fascinated scientists for years, little is known about the biological and physical mechanisms underlying their organization. In this work, we take a top-down approach and examine the micrometer-scale organization of diatoms from the Coscinodiscus family. We find two competing tendencies of organization, which appear to be controlled by distinct biological pathways. On one hand, micrometer-scale pores organize locally on a triangular lattice. On the other hand, lattice vectors tend to point globally toward a center of symmetry. This competition results in a frustrated triangular lattice, populated with geometrically necessary defects whose density increases near the center.ISSN:0027-8424ISSN:1091-649