Epidemics of the Ancient World and Religions of Salvation

The aim of the study is to analyze the history of epidemics in the ancient world and comprehend their consequences relating to the emergence of salvation religions. The relevance of the study is due to the need to comprehend the historical experience of managing social processes in complex epidemiological situations and developing the response of Russian society to the new great challenges associated with the spread of epidemics of dangerous diseases. The novelty of the study lies in the originality of the hypothesis, according to which several social institutions and related forms of social consciousness appear in the conditions of challenge to society from epidemics and symbolize a form of social response to these challenges. The study was conducted using written historical sources, primarily the works of ancient pagan and Christian historians, as well as the latest scientific research on the history of epidemics in the ancient world, carried out by modern historians. During the study, the following methods of historical knowledge were used: problem-chronological, historical-genetic, historical-typological, historical-comparative, historical-systematic. The theoretical basis of the study is the methodology of global history. The conclusions of the study are as follows. Epidemics have always been a challenge for any society, forcing it to seek an appropriate form of response. A distinctive feature of the epidemics of the ancient world was that they not only inflicted enormous damage on existing social systems and political institutions, but also gave birth to new forms of religiosity. The epidemic of the “Athenian plague” of the fifth century BC contributed to the decline of the Athenian maritime empire, bringing to life a new religious cult - the cult of Asclepius, the god of healing, which had become the salvation religion of the Greeks before the arrival of Christianity. The “Antonine Plague” and the “Cyprian Plague” (2nd–3rd centuries) caused a crisis in the Roman Empire, contributing to the spread of Christianity in the Mediterranean. The “Justinian plague” (6th–8th centuries) contributed to the undermining of the power of the Byzantine Empire and the collapse of the Persian Empire, the disappearance of Christianity and the spread of Islam in the Middle East

ASSESSMENT OF MUNICIPAL WASTE LANDFILL IMPACT ON THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT

The problem of the negative impact of accommodation facilities municipal solid waste on its associated components environment is increasingly facing scientists and ecologists at home and abroad

SANITARY REFORMS IN EAST ASIA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH AND THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURIES (HONG KONG’ AND SHANGHAI’ CASES)

The aim of the study is to analyze the history of sanitary reforms in East Asia on the territory of two European enclaves (Hong Kong and Shanghai), which became important centers of transit of Western public health theories and practices to China in the second half of XIX - first half of XX centuries. The relevance of the research is conditioned by the necessity of understanding the historical experience of social processes management in complex epidemiological situations and development of Russian society response to new big challenges, connected with epidemic spreading. The novelty of the study consists in clarifying the existing scientific picture of the formation of modern public health management institutions in East Asia during the period from the beginning of European expansion into China to the Japanese invasion. The study was conducted in 2022 using primary sources from digital libraries in London (Wellcome Collection), Hong Kong (Digital Repository of Hong Kong University), and Shanghai (Virtual Shanghai), as well as works by Western and Chinese historians on public health and sanitation in Asia. During the study methods of historical knowledge were used: problem-chronological, comparative-historical, historical-typological. Methodology of social history of public health became the theoretical base of research. The conclusions of the study are as follows. Sanitary reforms began in those parts of East Asia where European influence was strong. At the forefront of the reforms were the British colony of Hong Kong and the international settlements in Shanghai, where Europeans had to adapt to the difficult conditions of climate, the burden of infectious diseases, and constant overcrowding. Rationalizing the management of urban space, they did not try to offer their way of life to the Chinese population, seeing them as culturally backward and unable to assimilate such civilizational achievements as sewage and running water, but under the pressure of economic and epidemiological 6 needs this step was taken. As a result, by the end of the 1930s, Hong Kong and Shanghai had become prosperous cities with relatively good sanitary and epidemiological condition

Prenatal Hyperhomocysteinemia Induces Glial Activation and Alters Neuroinflammatory Marker Expression in Infant Rat Hippocampus

Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia is one of the common complications of pregnancy that causes offspring cognitive deficits during postnatal development. In this study, we investigated the effect of prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia (PHHC) on inflammatory, glial activation, and neuronal cell death markers in the hippocampus of infant rats. Female Wistar rats received L-methionine (0.6 g/kg b.w.) by oral administration during pregnancy. On postnatal days 5 and 20, the offspring’s hippocampus was removed to perform histological and biochemical studies. After PHHC, the offspring exhibited increased brain interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 levels and glial activation, as well as reduced anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 level in the hippocampus. Additionally, the activity of acetylcholinesterase was increased in the hippocampus of the pups. Exposure to PHHC also resulted in the reduced number of neurons and disrupted neuronal ultrastructure. At the same time, no changes in the content and activity of caspase-3 were found in the hippocampus of the pups. In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that neuroinflammation and glial activation could be involved in altering the hippocampus cellular composition following PHHC, and these alterations could be associated with cognitive disorders later in life

Maternal Hyperhomocysteinemia Disturbs the Mechanisms of Embryonic Brain Development and Its Maturation in Early Postnatal Ontogenesis

Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia causes the disruption of placental blood flow and can lead to serious disturbances in the formation of the offspring’s brain. In the present study, the effects of prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia (PHHC) on the neuronal migration, neural tissue maturation, and the expression of signaling molecules in the rat fetal brain were described. Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia was induced in female rats by per os administration of 0.15% aqueous methionine solution in the period of days 4–21 of pregnancy. Behavioral tests revealed a delay in PHHC male pups maturing. Ultrastructure of both cortical and hippocampus tissue demonstrated the features of the developmental delay. PHHC was shown to disturb both generation and radial migration of neuroblasts into the cortical plate. Elevated Bdnf expression, together with changes in proBDNF/mBDNF balance, might affect neuronal cell viability, positioning, and maturation in PHHC pups. Reduced Kdr gene expression and the content of SEMA3E might lead to impaired brain development. In the brain tissue of E20 PHHC fetuses, the content of the procaspase-8 was decreased, and the activity level of the caspase-3 was increased; this may indicate the development of apoptosis. PHHC disturbs the mechanisms of early brain development leading to a delay in brain tissue maturation and formation of the motor reaction of pups

Intranasal Ion-Triggered In Situ Delivery System of Virus-like Particles: Development Using the Quality by Design Approach

The rapid growth in the prevalence of infectious diseases requires timely action from drug developers. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the unpreparedness of the population for such emergencies. The introduction of modern methods of Design of Experiments (DoE) is required to accelerate the process of drug development and bring a drug to market. The main objective of this study was to develop an ion-triggered in situ system for intranasal delivery of VLP using a Quality by Design approach. Based on a literature review and initial studies, the key QTPP, CQA, CPP, and CMA were identified to develop a novel delivery system for virus-like particles. As a result of the studies on the quality attributes of the developed delivery system, an ion-triggered in situ gel meeting all the specified parameters was obtained using the Quality by Design method