Triangle Singularity as the Origin of the a_{1}(1420).

The COMPASS Collaboration experiment recently discovered a new isovector resonancelike signal with axial-vector quantum numbers, the a_{1}(1420), decaying to f_{0}(980)π. With a mass too close to and a width smaller than the axial-vector ground state a_{1}(1260), it was immediately interpreted as a new light exotic meson, similar to the X, Y, Z states in the hidden-charm sector. We show that a resonancelike signal fully matching the experimental data is produced by the decay of the a_{1}(1260) resonance into K^{*}(→Kπ)K[over ¯] and subsequent rescattering through a triangle singularity into the coupled f_{0}(980)π channel. The amplitude for this process is calculated using a new approach based on dispersion relations. The triangle-singularity model is fitted to the partial-wave data of the COMPASS experiment. Despite having fewer parameters, this fit shows a slightly better quality than the one using a resonance hypothesis and thus eliminates the need for an additional resonance in order to describe the data. We thereby demonstrate for the first time in the light-meson sector that a resonancelike structure in the experimental data can be described by rescattering through a triangle singularity, providing evidence for a genuine three-body effect.

[The role of male factor in pregnancy loss].

Currently fertility specialists pay close attention to miscarriage. Spontaneous abortion and recurrent pregnancy loss in an early period of gestation are a frequent complication of pregnancy. Etiology of miscarriage includes genetic abnormalities, immunological disorders, endocrine abnormalities, infections and lifestyle factors. About 40% of cases of pregnancy losses remain unexplained. The role of male factor in miscarriages is considered in the review. The influence of advanced paternal ages, sperm DNA fragmentation, chromosomal abnormalities on pregnancy loss in natural conception or by assisted reproductive technique are described.

First Measurement of Transverse-Spin-Dependent Azimuthal Asymmetries in the Drell-Yan Process.

The first measurement of transverse-spin-dependent azimuthal asymmetries in the pion-induced Drell-Yan (DY) process is reported. We use the CERN SPS 190 GeV/c π^{-} beam and a transversely polarized ammonia target. Three azimuthal asymmetries giving access to different transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) parton distribution functions (PDFs) are extracted using dimuon events with invariant mass between 4.3 GeV/c^{2} and 8.5 GeV/c^{2}. Within the experimental uncertainties, the observed sign of the Sivers asymmetry is found to be consistent with the fundamental prediction of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) that the Sivers TMD PDFs extracted from DY have a sign opposite to the one extracted from semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (SIDIS) data. We present two other asymmetries originating from the pion Boer-Mulders TMD PDFs convoluted with either the nucleon transversity or pretzelosity TMD PDFs. A recent COMPASS SIDIS measurement was obtained at a hard scale comparable to that of these DY results. This opens the way for possible tests of fundamental QCD universality predictions.

[Role of soluble Fas ligand in myocardial remodeling, severity and outcomes of chronic heart failure]. / Rol' rastvorimogo Fas-liganda v remodelirovanii miokarda, tyazhesti techeniya i iskhodakh khronicheskoi serdechnoi nedostatochnosti.

AIM: to reveal the specific features of Fas ligand-mediated ischemic myocardial remodeling and those of chronic heart failure (CHF) development during a 12-month prospective follow-up. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 94 patients with ischemic CHF were examined and divided into 3 groups according to NYHA Functional Class (FC): 1) FC II CHF in 35 patients; 2) FC III CHF in 31; 3) FC IV CHF in 28. According to the results of the 12-month follow-up, the patients were randomized into 2 groups: A) 49 patients with a favorable course of cardiovascular disease and B) 45 patients with its poor course. Serum soluble Fas ligand (sFas-L) levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: In the patients with CHF, the baseline sFas-L levels substantially exceeded that in the control group by 3-6 times (p<0.01). In the men with the poor course of CHF, the baseline serum sFAS-L levels (85.94±4.14 pg/ml) were significantly higher than that in the favorable CHF group (107.33±5.13 pg/ml; р=0.0015). ROC analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of cardiovascular risk stratification according to sFAS-L levels revealed the high prognostic value of this marker - ROC-Area±S.E. was 0.75±0.05 (95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.81; p=0.0005). There was a statistically significant moderate correlation of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction with sFAS-L concentrations and a moderate direct correlation between serum sFAS-L concentrations and LV remodeling parameters. CONCLUSION: The serum level of sFas-L determines the development of ischemic LV remodeling and the severity of CHF, by increasing in proportion to the degree of disease progression. The determination of serum sFas-L levels assists in objectively estimating the severity of apoptosis and may be an important prognostic test to assess the course of CHF in patients with coronary heart disease.

[Electronic textbooks and libraries abroad].

Electronic textbooks and libraries abroad. - The current article presents a brief analysis of the modern state and perspectives of electronic textbooks and libraries abroad. The material is based on the open access foreign internet sources. Using particular examples it has been shown that despite a long history of electronic textbooks and libraries development, the latter remains at the very early stage. The bureaucratic attempts to speed up this process result in costly failures. It is necessary a painstaking and cautious work in the mode of scientific practical experiment to give electronic textbooks and libraries a chance to make worthy contribution into the progress of training, education and culture.

Observation of a New Narrow Axial-Vector Meson a1(1420).

The COMPASS Collaboration at CERN has measured diffractive dissociation of 190 GeV/c pions into the π(-)π(-)π(+) final state using a stationary hydrogen target. A partial-wave analysis (PWA) was performed in bins of 3π mass and four-momentum transfer using the isobar model and the so far largest PWA model consisting of 88 waves. A narrow peak is observed in the f0(980)π channel with spin, parity and C-parity quantum numbers J(PC)=1(++). We present a resonance-model study of a subset of the spin-density matrix selecting 3π states with J(PC)=2(++) and 4(++) decaying into ρ(770)π and with J(PC)=1(++) decaying into f0(980)π. We identify a new a1 meson with mass (1414(-13)(+15)) MeV/c2 and width (153(-23)(+8)) MeV/c2. Within the final states investigated in our analysis, we observe the new a1(1420) decaying only into f0(980)π, suggesting its exotic nature.

Measurement of the charged-pion polarizability.

The COMPASS collaboration at CERN has investigated pion Compton scattering, π(-)γ→π(-)γ, at center-of-mass energy below 3.5 pion masses. The process is embedded in the reaction π(-)Ni→π(-)γNi, which is initiated by 190 GeV pions impinging on a nickel target. The exchange of quasireal photons is selected by isolating the sharp Coulomb peak observed at smallest momentum transfers, Q(2)<0.0015 (GeV/c)(2). From a sample of 63,000 events, the pion electric polarizability is determined to be α(π)=(2.0±0.6(stat)±0.7(syst))×10(-4) fm(3) under the assumption α(π)=-ß(π), which relates the electric and magnetic dipole polarizabilities. It is the most precise measurement of this fundamental low-energy parameter of strong interaction that has been addressed since long by various methods with conflicting outcomes. While this result is in tension with previous dedicated measurements, it is found in agreement with the expectation from chiral perturbation theory. An additional measurement replacing pions by muons, for which the cross-section behavior is unambiguously known, was performed for an independent estimate of the systematic uncertainty.

[Assessment of the role of matrix metalloproteinase-3 gene polymorphism in the development of chronic heart failure].

AIM: To study the impact of a polymorphic variant of the matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) gene on the development and course of chronic heart failure (CHF) in patients with coronary heart disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 277 patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class (FC) II-IV CHF were examined. MMP-3 -1171 5A/6A genetic polymorphism was studied by polymerase chain reaction. A control group included 136 patients (mean age 53.6 ± 4.8 years) with no signs of cardiovascular diseases, as evidenced by the examination. RESULTS: The frequency of the 5A allele and the 5A/5A genotype of the 1171 5A/6A polymorphic locus in the MMP-3 gene proved to be higher in the patients with CHF than that in the control group. Thus, the variability of the 5A allele (odds ratio (OR), 1.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.033 to 1.869; p = 0.03) and the 5A/5A genotype (OR, 2.15; 95% CI: 1.131 to 4.070; p = 0.02) was associated with increased risk for CHF. There were significant differences in the frequency of MMP-3 alleles and genotypes in relation to FC of CHF. The frequency of the 5A/5A genotype was substantially higher in the patients with NYHA FC IV CHF than that in those with NYHA FC II CHF (32.8% versus 15.2%; p = 0.039). The frequency of the 5A allele was significantly higher in the patients with NYHA FC IV CHF than that in those with NYHA FC II CHF (55.5% and 39.3%; respectively; p = 0.019). Thus, the carriage of the 5A allele and the 5A/5A genotype of the 1171 5A/6A polymorphic locus in the MMP-3 gene is a risk factor of severe CHF. CONCLUSION: The determination of MMP-3 -1171 5A/6A polymorphism may be recommended for the early prediction of a risk for the development and severe course of CHF.

[Lethal intoxication with baclofen].

The objective of the present study was to select and develop simpler methods for the quantitative determination of baclofen in blood with the use of HPLC and tandem MS (MS-MS) techniques and its qualitative determination in cadaveric organs by the GC/MS technique. These mathods were shown to be suitable for the purpose of forensic medical analysis, clinical, toxicological, and therapeutic monitoring. The special emphasis is laid on the methods used to investigate the biological materials obtained from the subjects who died from baclofen intoxication.

Changes in lipid metabolism during Walker 256 tumor growth and the therapeutic effect of hyperthermia.

The dynamics of lipoprotein content during Walker 256 tumor growth in rats was studied. Moderate changes in HDL and LDL were paralleled by significant changes in VLDL level. A 2-fold increase of VLDL in comparison with the intact control was recorded on day 10 of tumor growth. Exposure to total hyperthermia additionally stimulated VLDL synthesis and this parameter increased by 4 times and more in rats with tumors in comparison with controls. This effect of hyperthermia correlated with significant subsequent decrease of rat mortality caused by the lethal effect of the tumor.

[The evaluation of metastatic damage of the liver of the Wistar rats under conditions of spontaneous development of the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma].

There was held micro- and ultrastructural study of the liver of the Wistar rats in the dynamics of development of transplantable Walker 256 carcinosarcoma. The regularities of the progression of the tumor process in the form of liver metastases with appearance of intralobular metastases. In the early stages of tumor development it was marked activation of cytotoxic function of the liver with necrosis of tumor lesions accompanied by a decrease of the structural density of metastases. In advanced stages of development of the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma an estimation of parameters of tumor invasion in the liver showed an intensification of these processes with increased severity of inflammatory reactions.

[Surgical treatment and different preoperative preparation of patients with malignant tumors of hepatopancreatoduodenal zone].

Different tactical approaches present to optimize surgical treatment of patients with malignant tumors hepatopancreatoduodenal zone. This research based on diagnosis and results of treatment of tumors of this localization, which included 357 analyzed case histories of patients treated in the Chelyabinsk Regional Hospital from 2010 to 2014. During this study was considered the preoperative preparation of patients with malignant obstructive jaundice genesis, and was assessed its impact on the level of postoperative complications and mortality. Farther was found effectiveness of a two-stage surgical treatment of patients with obstructive jaundice malignant etiology for the reduction of postoperative mortality. The complication rate is significantly reduced radically operated patients with bilirubin level below 40 mmol/l, palliative - 80 mmol/l. Also were presented results of treatment of chronic pain.

Melatonin and its bioisosteres as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity.

We conducted a study on the impact of intraperitoneal injections of melatonin and its three bioisosteres (compounds 1-3) on the development of oxygen-induced retinopathy in newborn rats during a 21-day experiment. It was demonstrated that melatonin and its analogues 1-3 effectively reduce the total protein concentration in the vitreous body of rat pups, decrease concentration of VEGF-A, and lower the level of oxidative stress (as indicated by normalization of antioxidant activity in the vitreous body). Melatonin and its analogues 1-3 equally normalize the level of VEGF-A. Analogues 1 and 2 even exceed melatonin in their ability to reduce protein influx into the vitreous body. However, analogue 2 had no effect on antioxidant activity, while analogues 1 and 3 caused a significant increase in this parameter, with analogue 3 even slightly exceeding melatonin. Thus, it can be concluded that analogues 1-3 are comparable to melatonin and can be utilized as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity.

[Pharmacogenomic control of angiotensin converting enzyme gene I/D polymorphism predominant risk factor of development of chronic heart failure and target of enalapril treatment].

Aim of investigation - to study effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism as a dominant risk factor of development of chronic heart failure (CHF) and target for effective therapy with ACE inhibitor enalapril in patients with ischemic heart disease. We followed 226 patients with CHF on stable permanent basic therapy comprising -adrenoblocker, diuretic, aldosterone antagonist, digoxin, and ACE inhibitor. Seventy eight patients received enalapril (starting dose 2.5 mg twice daily with subsequent titration up to 10-20 mg twice daily). Control group comprised 136 patients without cardiovascular abnormalities. Allele D of polymorphic locus I/D of ACE gene in homozygous state was associated with high risk of development and severity of clinical manifestations of CHF. In patients with D/D genotype of ACE gene at the background of therapy with enelapril we noted more pronounced lowering of CHF functional class and augmentation of left ventricular ejection fraction compared with patients having I/I and I/D genotypes. We revealed associative interrelationships of ACE gene polymorphism (polymorphic locus I/D) with development and severity of CHF as well as effectiveness of therapy with an ACE inhibitor enalapril.

[Impact of angiotensionogen and angiotensin II receptor type 1 gene polymorphisms on the development and course of chronic heart failure].

AIM: To study the impact of angiotensinogen (AGT) and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) gene polymorphisms on the development and course of chronic heart failure (CHF) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-six patients (149 men and 77 women; mean age 55.9 +/- 5.8 years) with CHF were examined. Genotypes were identified by the restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction products. A control group comprised 136 subjects (63 men and 73 women; mean age 53.6 +/- 4.8 years) without signs of cardiovascular diseases, as evidenced by the examination. RESULTS: The T allele of the M235T polymorphism in the AGT gene was found to be associated with the development and unfavorable course of CHF in patients with CHD. At the same time, carriage of the M allele of the M235T polymorphism in the AGT gene reflected the favorable course of this disease. That of the C allele and A/C genotype of the A1166C polymorphism in the AGTR1 gene was associated with the development of CHF and the A allele and A/A genotype manifested themselves as protective factors. According to the severity of CHF and the nature of its course, the distribution of frequencies of the genotypes and alleles of the A1166C polymorphism in the AGTR1 gene showed no significant differences between the patient groups. CONCLUSION: There were associations of the polymorphisms of the AGT gene (the M235T polymorphic marker) and the AGTR1 gene (the A1166C polymorphic marker) with the development of CHF in patients with CHD.

First measurement of chiral dynamics in π- γ → π- π- π+.

The COMPASS Collaboration at CERN has investigated the π- γ → π- π- π+ reaction at center-of-momentum energy below five pion masses, sqrt[s]<5m(π), embedded in the Primakoff reaction of 190 GeV pions impinging on a lead target. Exchange of quasireal photons is selected by isolating the sharp Coulomb peak observed at smallest momentum transfers, t'<0.001 GeV2/c2. Using partial-wave analysis techniques, the scattering intensity of Coulomb production described in terms of chiral dynamics and its dependence on the 3π-invariant mass m(3π)=sqrt[s] were extracted. The absolute cross section was determined in seven bins of sqrt[s] with an overall precision of 20%. At leading order, the result is found to be in good agreement with the prediction of chiral perturbation theory over the whole energy range investigated.

[Synthesis of GnRH analogs and their application in targeted gene delivery systems].

A set of GnRH analogues containing nuclear localization signal (NLS) of SV-40 virus large T-antigen have been synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis and chemical ligation technique. Selective chemical ligation was achieved as a result of hydrazone formation in the course of interaction between NLS hydrazide and GnRH analog modified by pyruvic acid. The efficiency of synthesized peptide carriers was demonstrated in experiments with human cancer cells transfected by reporter luciferase and beta-galactosidase genes or suicide HSV-1 thymidine kinase gene. It was shown that selectivity of action on cancer cells can be achieved as a result of peptide/DNA complex penetration through the cell membrane by GnRH receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway.

[Splenic artery pseudoaneurism as a rare complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis].

Diagnostics and treatment of the splenic artery pseudoaneursm as a complication of acute pancreatitis were highlighted. Literature data is reviewed. Personal results of treatment of 5 such patients were thoroughly analyzed. The effective treatment and diagnostic algorithm was worked out. Technical aspects of visceral arteries' surgery were featured and optimized.

Different assemblies of the DAM1 complex follow shortening microtubules by distinct mechanisms.

Mitotic chromosomes segregate at the ends of shortening spindle microtubules (MTs). In budding yeast, the Dam1 multiprotein complex supports this dynamic attachment, thereby contributing to accurate chromosome segregation. Purified Dam1 will track the end of a depolymerizing MT and can couple it to microbead transport in vitro. The processivity of such motions has been thought to depend on rings that the Dam1 complex can form around MTs, but the possibility that alternative coupling geometries contribute to these motilities has not been considered. Here, we demonstrate that both rings and nonencircling Dam1 oligomers can track MT ends and enable processive cargo movement in vitro. The coupling properties of these two assemblies are, however, quite different, so each may make a distinct contribution to chromosome motility.

Proliferation of Walker 256 carcinosarcoma cells: effect of whole-body hyperthermia and antitumor agents.

We studied the main biological characteristics of spontaneous growth of Walker 256 carcinosarcoma and under conditions of antitumor therapy. A combination of whole-body hyperthermia and cytostatic treatment (cyclophosphamide and melatonin) produced maximum suppression of the tumor growth, inhibition of mitotic activity of tumor cells, and stimulation of their necrotic and apoptotic death. The maximum decrease in mitotic activity of tumor cells was observed after combined exposure to whole-body hyperthermia and both cytostatic preparations; enhancement of apoptotic cell death and the decrease in the tumor node weight were also most pronounced under these conditions and practically no body weight loss was recorded in this case.