Antibody-dependent and antibody-independent uptake of HBsAg across human leucocyte subsets is similar between individuals with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and healthy donors.

Maintaining detectable levels of antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum after HBsAg sero-conversion is the key clinical endpoint indicative of recovery from infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). As HBV-infected hepatocytes secrete HBsAg subviral particles in vast excess over HBV virions, detectable hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titres imply complete elimination of HBV virions as well as HBsAg particles. Although intrahepatic phagocytes, for example Kupffer cells, are thought to mediate clearance of HBsAg via antibody (Ab)-dependent and Ab-independent mechanisms, the relative contributions of circulating phagocytic cell types to HBsAg elimination are poorly characterized. Understanding the role of various immune cell subsets in the clearance of HBsAg is important because Ab-dependent or Ab-independent phagocytic HBsAg uptake may modulate presentation of HBsAg-derived epitopes to antigen-specific T cells and hence plays a critical role in adaptive immunity against HBV. This study aims to characterize phagocytic leucocyte subsets capable of internalizing HBsAg immune complexes (HBsAg:IC) or un-complexed HBsAg particles in whole blood directly ex vivo. The data show that uptake of HBsAg:IC occurs most prominently in monocytes, B cells, dendritic cells and in neutrophils. In contrast, B cells, and to a lesser degree also monocytes, seem to be effective phagocytes for un-complexed HBsAg. Importantly, a similar pattern of phagocytic HBsAg uptake was observed in blood from chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients compared to healthy controls, suggesting that phagocytosis-related cellular functions are not altered in the context of CHB.

Atomically resolved STM imaging with a diamond tip: simulation and experiment.

The spatial resolution of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) can be enhanced using light element-terminated probes with spatially localized electron orbitals at the apex atom. Conductive diamond probes can provide carbon atomic orbitals suitable for STM imaging with sub-Ångström lateral resolution and high apex stability crucial for the small tunneling gaps necessary for high-resolution experiments. Here we demonstrate that high spatial resolution can be achieved in STM experiments with single-crystal diamond tips, which are generally only considered for use as probes for atomic force microscopy. The results of STM experiments with a heavily boron-doped, diamond probe on a graphite surface; density functional theory calculations of the tip and surface electronic structure; and first-principles tunneling current calculations demonstrate that the highest spatial resolution can be achieved with diamond tips at tip-sample distances of 3-5 Å when frontier p-orbitals of the tip provide their maximum contribution to the tunneling current. At the same time, atomic resolution is feasible even at extremely small gaps with very high noise in the tunneling current.

[Surfactant replacement therapy increases life-span of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome].

The aim of the study is the evaluation of the influence of surfactant replacement therapy on the life-span of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in fatal cases. It has been determined, that in patients, were died from ARDS, exogenous surfactant therapy increases life-span from the moment of establishing of diagnosis of syndrome to fatal outcome. The initial functional state of lungs does not influence on life-span of patients with ARDS, but administration of exogenous surfactant is the important predictor of its increase.

Different morphological structures of breast tumors demonstrate individual drug resistance gene expression profiles.

AIM: To identify gene expression profiles involved in drug resistance of different morphological structures (tubular, alveolar, solid, trabecular, and discrete) presented in breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten patients with luminal breast cancer have been included. A laser microdissection-assisted microarrays and qRT-PCR were used to perform whole-transcriptome profiling of different morphological structures, to select differentially expressed drug response genes, and to validate their expression. RESULTS: We found 27 differentially expressed genes (p < 0.05) encoding drug uptake (SLC1A3, SLC23A2, etc.) and efflux (ABCC1, ABCG1, etc.) transporters, drug targets (TOP2A, TYMS, and Tubb3), and proteins that are involved in drug detoxification (NAT1 and ALDH1B1), cell cycle progression (CCND1, AKT1, etc.), apoptosis (CASP3, TXN2, etc.), and DNA repair (BRCA1 and USP11). Each type of structures showed an individual gene expression profile related to resistance and sensitivity to anticancer drugs. However, most of the genes (19/27; p < 0.05) were expressed in alveolar structures. Functional enrichment analysis showed that drug resistance is significantly associated with alveolar structures. Other structures demonstrated the similar number (10-13 out of 27) of expressed genes; however, the spectrum of resistance and sensitivity to different anticancer drugs varied. CONCLUSION: Different morphological structures of breast cancer show individual expression of drug resistance genes.

[Synthesis of lipophilic tetraphenylporphyrins to design lipid-porphyrin ensembles].

Synthesis of symmetrical meso-arylsubstituted porphyrins with long chain hydrophobic substituents in the phenyl rings was achieved. The lipoporphyrins can be used to design supramolecular lipid ensembles of nanometer size.

Epizootic process of equine infectious diseases in the Altai Krai / [Processo epizoótico de doenças infecciosas equinas no Krai de Altai]

The urgency of the studied problem is due to the need for epizootic monitoring of equine infectious diseases in the Altai Krai and the lack of basic information on the relative and absolute parameters of changes in the epizootic process, scientific, methodological and practical aspects of the assessment of potential risks. The purpose of the article is to study the epizootic process for each nosological form of equine infectious diseases in the Altai Krai based on statistical information over the period from 1964 to 2017. Epizootic method is a leading method of the study of this problem, which allows the identification and discussion of the association of equine infectious diseases with natural and geographical conditions in the Altai Krai. The article presents data on intensive parameters of the epizootic process of equine infectious diseases and their changes with a description of periodic changes in the Altai Krai. The materials of the article provide veterinary and biology specialists with information on the epizootics of various nosological forms of equine infectious diseases in the Altai Krai.(AU)

A urgência do problema estudado é devida à necessidade de monitoramento epizoótico de doenças infecciosas equinas no Krai de Altai, e a falta de informação básica sobre os parâmetros relativos e absolutos de mudanças no processo epizoótico, e aspectos científicos, metodológicos e práticos da avaliação de potenciais riscos. O propósito do artigo é estudar o processo epizoótico para cada forma nosológica de doenças infecciosas equinas no Krai de Altai, baseado em informação estatística no período de 1964 a 2017. O método epizoótico é o principal método de estudo deste problema, que permite a identificação e discussão da associação entre doenças infecciosas equinas e condições naturais e geográficas do Krai de Altai. Este artigo apresenta dados dos parâmetros intensivos do processo epizoótico de doenças infecciosas bovinas e suas mudanças com uma descrição de mudanças periódicas no Krai de Altai. Os materiais do artigo fornecem informações para especialistas na veterinária e biologia com relação aos epizoóticos de diversas formas nosológicas de doenças infecciosas equinas no Krai de Altai.(AU)

[Erythropoietin-forming and esterase activity of rat kidney subcellular fractions during stimulation of erythropoiesis]. / Eritropoétinobrazuiushchaia i ésteraznaia aktivnost' subtselliuliarnykh fraktsii pochek krys pri stimuliatsii éritropoéza.

Stimulation of erythropoiesis in rats (hemolytic-phenylhydrazine and acute posthemorrhagic anemia, effect of hypoxic hypoxia) was accompanied by an increased erythropoietine-formating activity in kidney microsomes and light mitochondria. The phenomenon correlated with an increased esterase activity in hypotonic supernatant of kidney homogenate mainly due to the enzymatic fraction, corresponding to alpha2-globulin by its mobility. Histochemical examination of kidney showed that the most distinct alterations in the esterase activity were observed in epithelial cells of nephron proximal part and in capillary endothelium.

[Study of the coatings of microsurgical instruments]. / Issledovanie pokrytii mikrokhirurgicheskikh instrumentov.

The coating of titanium nitride increases the working life a microsurgical instruments by 1.5 times. The coating is resistant to the bactericidal treatment.

[Use of a hollow drill in osteoplastic arthrodesis of the hip joint]. / Primenenie pologo cverla pri kostnoplasticheskom artrodeze tazobedrennogo sustava

The technic of osteoplastic arthrodesis of the coxa, using a hollow drill, is described. The operation was performed in 54 patients. 48 patients were examined within the terms from 1 year to 5 years postoperatively. Ankylosis occurred in 46 cases. The cause of a failure in 2 cases was an early cessation of immobilization.