Genetic Diversity and Evolution of the Biological Features of the Pandemic SARS-CoV-2.

The new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) represents a challenge for global health. Since the outbreak began, the number of confirmed cases has exceeded 117 million, with more than 2.6 million deaths worldwide. With public health measures aimed at containing the spread of the disease, several countries have faced a crisis in the availability of intensive care units. Currently, a large-scale effort is underway to identify the nucleotide sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that is an etiological agent of COVID-19. Global sequencing of thousands of viral genomes has revealed many common genetic variants, which enables the monitoring of the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and the tracking of its spread over time. Understanding the current evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is necessary not only for a retrospective analysis of the new coronavirus infection spread, but also for the development of approaches to the therapy and prophylaxis of COVID-19. In this review, we have focused on the general characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Also, we have analyzed available publications on the genetic diversity of the virus and the relationship between the diversity and the biological properties of SARS-CoV-2, such as virulence and contagiousness.

[Initial combination therapy for primary open-angle glaucoma]. / 'Startovaia' kombinirovannaia terapiia pervichnoi otkrytougol'noi glaukomy.

PURPOSE: To study the efficacy and safety of initial combination therapy in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 111 patients (161 eyes) with stages II-III b-c of POAG aged 46 to 89 years (mean age 70.8±8.5 years). In the test group, therapy began with a fixed combination of prostaglandin (PG) (latanoprost) and beta-blocker (BB) (timolol). In patients of the control group, POAG therapy began with administration of the analogue of prostaglandin (latanoprost). When the target IOP was not achieved, a second drug was added to the treatment - instillations of 0.5% solution of timolol maleate 2 times a day. RESULTS: In patients of the test group the treatment started with a combination of BB + PG, the target IOP in the 'worst' eyes was achieved in 33 cases (64%) in 1.5±0.6 visits, and in the 'best' eyes - in 17 cases (81%), in 1.2±0.4 visits. In the control group with a 'step-by-step' selection of antihypertensive therapy, the target IOP in the 'worst' eyes was achieved in 35 cases (59%), in 2.5±0.7 visits, and in the 'best' eyes - in 22 cases (76%), in 2.2±0.5 visits (p<0.05). In both study groups, there were no cases of drug withdrawal attributed to their side effects. Patients noted conjunctival hyperemia in 5% (4 eyes) and 7% (6 eyes) of cases in the test group and the control group, respectively (p>0.05). Hyperemia decreased significantly in 2 weeks of latanoprost administration or fixed combination and did not cause withdrawal. CONCLUSION: Initial combination therapy is possible in patients with newly diagnosed POAG in some clinical situations, namely in stages II-III POAG with high IOP, unavailability of regular observation of patients for various social and economic reasons, absence of somatic and local contraindications to individual components of the combined treatment, etc.

Secondary electron emission detectors for neutral beam characterization on C-2W.

Heating, current drive, and partial fueling from neutral beam injection are essential to sustainment of C-2W field-reversed configuration plasmas. C-2W has eight 2.1 MW neutral beams (16.8 MW of total electrical power), capable of providing a beam of 15 keV hydrogen neutrals for 30 ms. To maximize the effectiveness of neutral beam injection, duct losses must be minimized by maintaining beam alignment and optimizing beam current for minimum divergence. Each beam terminates on a vertical and horizontal array of secondary electron emission detectors (nine in the vertical, seven in the horizontal, and sharing one in the middle). The molybdenum detectors are spatially separated to characterize the beam size and alignment. With knowledge of the geometry of the vacuum ducts and horizontal and vertical beam profiles from test stand measurements, the focal length, divergence, and power loss were calculated. Through characterization, the set of neutral beams are optimized to inject up to 12 MW of power into the confinement vessel throughout the plasma discharge.

Effect of lithographically-induced strain relaxation on the magnetic domain configuration in microfabricated epitaxially grown Fe81Ga19.

We investigate the role of lithographically-induced strain relaxation in a micron-scaled device fabricated from epitaxial thin films of the magnetostrictive alloy Fe81Ga19. The strain relaxation due to lithographic patterning induces a magnetic anisotropy that competes with the magnetocrystalline and shape induced anisotropies to play a crucial role in stabilising a flux-closing domain pattern. We use magnetic imaging, micromagnetic calculations and linear elastic modelling to investigate a region close to the edges of an etched structure. This highly-strained edge region has a significant influence on the magnetic domain configuration due to an induced magnetic anisotropy resulting from the inverse magnetostriction effect. We investigate the competition between the strain-induced and shape-induced anisotropy energies, and the resultant stable domain configurations, as the width of the bar is reduced to the nanoscale range. Understanding this behaviour will be important when designing hybrid magneto-electric spintronic devices based on highly magnetostrictive materials.

[Reasons for intraocular pressure to resist hypotensive therapy in glaucoma patients]. / Prichiny rezistentnosti VGD k gipotenzivnoi terapii u bol'nykh s glaukomoi.

AIM: To study the reasons of intraocular pressure (IOP) resistance to therapy in patients with glaucoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the period 2011-2013 we examined 72 primary glaucoma patients (stage I-III), 44 women and 28 men, aged 49-87 years (65.2±2.5 years on average) referred by local ophthalmologists due to poor response to hypotensive therapy. RESULTS: We suggest that glaucoma should be regarded as resistant if, despite combination therapy with three antihypertensive drugs at optimal doses, IOP stays above the target. In the present study, the treatment was found suboptimal in 19.4% of cases. About 45% of all patients (33 patients) demonstrated poor compliance to the prescribed treatment. Resistant glaucoma, as we have defined it, was diagnosed in 33% of cases (pigmentary glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, secondary unrecognized glaucoma, etc.). This group also included patients, in whom b-blockers were initially effective, but then seemed to lose their power. CONCLUSION: 1. The reasons for intraocular pressure to resist hypotensive therapy are often associated with medical inertia (inaccurate diagnosis, inadequate treatment, etc.) and lack of patient compliance. 2. Resistant glaucoma in its true sense accounts for about 35% of cases of IOP being above the target despite conservative treatment. 3. It is advisable that at the time of first presentation, any patient who fails to reach the target IOP is treated as an «uncontrolled glaucoma¼ case, until the reasons for his/her resistance are clear.

[Life expectancy of patients with primary glaucoma, residents of a large industrial city of Siberia].

PURPOSE: To investigate life expectancy and the structure of causes of death in patients with primary glaucoma, residents of a large industrial city of Siberia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The database of the Novokuznetsk Public Health Department information analysis center on registration forms 025 (outpatients) and 066 (inpatients) for 2004-2011 was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 5424 primary glaucoma patients were registered during 2004-2011, of whom 441 (8.1%) subsequently died. Age at death of patients with primary glaucoma was 69.0 +/- 7.2 years. The difference between age at death and at diagnosis of glaucoma was 2.6 +/- 1.8 years. CONCLUSION: The correlation suggests that primary glaucoma is a predicting factor for vascular events, such as stroke or myocardial infarction. The authors assume that topical administration of beta blockers without consulting a physician and/or a cardiologist may lead to ischemic stroke.

[Regarding the method of the total tear production assessment].

Different Schirmer test I techniques presented in the literature have been reviewed and a comparative study of Schirmer test I results obtained with the eyes opened and closed has been conducted. The total tear production with the eyes opened vs. closed averaged 17.1+/-1.1 mm and 12-1.2 correspondingly (p=0.001; Mann-Whitney U test). In 22% of patients values were higher with the eyes closed rather than opened. The authors recommend to specify the conditions of the performed test when entering the results into the patient's chart.

InAs(1-x)P(x) nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular-beam epitaxy.

We report on the self-catalysed growth of vertical InAs(1-x)P(x) nanowires on Si(111) substrates by solid-source molecular-beam epitaxy. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed the mixed wurtzite and zincblende structure of the nanowires. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction measurements were used to study the phosphorus content x in the InAs(1-x)P(x) nanowires, which was shown to be in the range 0-10 %. The dependence of phosphorus incorporation in the nanowires on the phosphorus flux in the growth chamber was investigated. The incorporation rate coefficients of As and P in InAs(1x)P(x) nanowires were found to be in the ratio 10 ± 5 to 1.

Minimization of the contact resistance between InAs nanowires and metallic contacts.

We investigate different processes for optimizing the formation of Ohmic contacts to InAs nanowires. The nanowires are grown via molecular beam epitaxy without the use of metal catalysts. Metallic contacts are attached to the nanowires by using an electron beam lithography process. Before deposition of the contacts, the InAs nanowires are treated either by wet etching in an ammonium polysulfide (NH(4))(2)S(x) solution or by an argon milling process in order to remove a surface oxide layer. Two-point electrical measurements show that the resistance of the ammonium polysulfide-treated nanowires is two orders of magnitude lower than that of the untreated nanowires. The nanowires that are treated by the argon milling process show a resistance which is more than an order of magnitude lower than that of those treated with ammonium polysulfide. Four-point measurements allow us to extract an upper bound of 1.4 × 10(-7) Ω cm(2) for the contact resistivity of metallic contacts on nanowires treated by the argon milling process.

[Study on causes of ophthalmologists' inertia in glaucoma treatment].

The problem of inertia in ophthalmological practice, which implies the absence of any adjustment of the given treatment, even if an adjustment is objectively necessary or clinically indicated, was studied. According to the authors, the problem is most pressing when multifactorial diseases, including primary glaucoma, are concerned. An anonymous survey of 147 ophthalmologists from different West Siberian regions (Altai Krai, Kemerovo region, and Republic of Khakassia) was conducted. The set of causes for ophthalmologists' inertia was identified. The leading cause appeared to be psychological reluctance to achieve target intraocular pressure and overestimation of therapeutic success. Other causes, although less significant, include lack of professional awareness and economic barriers to decision making.

Long-path second-harmonic interferometer with nanosecond time resolution: reliable diagnostic tool for electron density measurement in pulsed plasma devices.

We describe the performance of a second-harmonic interferometer (SHI) to measure, on an optical path exceeding 12 m, the electron plasma density of two plasmoids formed in separate theta-pinch chambers and then merged in a central compression chamber after undergoing acceleration and compression. The excellent mechanical stability and a time resolution better than 50 ns suggest the application of SHI, especially in pulsed plasma devices with limited optical accesses.

[The phenotype IFNy+cd69- of T-lymphocytes of umbilical blood associated with epidemiologically verified risk factors of atopy formation].

The article deals with the determination of possible role of imbalance of lymphocytes TH1/TH2 at birth in pathogenesis of atopy development in children. The subpopulation compound of umbilical blood lymphocytes was examined on sampling of 153 newborns. The following prospective monitoring was applied during first year of life. It is established that the low content ofnonactivated mononuclears in umbilical blood producing gamma-interferon (IFNy+/CD69-) is associated with atopic family anamnesis (p = 0.006), residing of pregnant woman in town (in comparison with rural area, p = 0.02) and male gender of newborn in case of repeated labor (p = 0.008). This situation matches the epidemiologic verified risk factors of atopy formation in children. The contact of pregnant woman with domestic pets results in increasing of content of activated lymphocytes producing gamma-interferon (IFNy+/CD69-), p = 0.03. The decrease of content of nonactivated cells producing gamma-interferon (IFNy+/CD69-) is a strong and independent predictor of formation of atopic dermatitis in children of infancy age. The relative risk of formation of atopic dermatitis consisted 3.4 (1.19-9.69).

Dynamic formation of a hot field reversed configuration with improved confinement by supersonic merging of two colliding high-ß compact toroids.

A hot stable field-reversed configuration (FRC) has been produced in the C-2 experiment by colliding and merging two high-ß plasmoids preformed by the dynamic version of field-reversed θ-pinch technology. The merging process exhibits the highest poloidal flux amplification obtained in a magnetic confinement system (over tenfold increase). Most of the kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy with total temperature (T{i}+T{e}) exceeding 0.5 keV. The final FRC state exhibits a record FRC lifetime with flux confinement approaching classical values. These findings should have significant implications for fusion research and the physics of magnetic reconnection.

[The role of released membrane microparticles in pathogenesis of systemic inflammatory response].

The aim of this work was to evaluate contribution of released membrane particles (RMP) to the development of systemic inflammatory response (SIR) after aortocoronary bypass grafting (ACBG). The number of RMP carrying surface adhesion molecules, CD62L, CD62P, CD62E, was shown to increase in the early postoperative period in parallel with the enhancement of lymphocyte plasma membrane blebbing and elevation of cytokine levels in peripheral blood. It is concluded that (1) activation of plasma membrane blebbing in peripheral blood cells underlies the appearance of RMP in circulation; (2) increased number of RMP expressing CD62L, CD62P, CD62E is a marker of intercellular communication associated with the development of SIR and suggests new mechanisms of RMP involvement in the reaction of organism to massive surgical injury.

Evaluation of the expression of early activation marker CD69 by CD8+ lymphocytes in HIV-infected patients.

We studied the expression of CD69 antigen on CD8+ lymphocytes in response to nonspecific activator phytohemagglutinin in 202 patients with HIV infection. It was found that the number of CD8+CD69+ lymphocytes in HIV-infected patients increased; this parameter negatively correlated with relative and absolute content of CD4+ cells and positively correlated with IgG concentration.

Arterial compliance: is it reduced in antiphospholipid syndrome?

To assess vascular compliance in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), or antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) positivity in comparison to healthy people and diabetes mellitus patients. Twenty-five patients with APS or aPLs, 33 healthy people (HP), 28 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) underwent pulse wave analysis. Data calculated included the small artery elasticity (SAE), large artery elasticity (LAE) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Statistical analysis was performed as appropriate. The patient group was divided into two subgroups: APS-1 with warfarin treatment, and APS-2 without warfarin treatment. All patients and healthy subjects were matched by gender, body mass index and lipid profiles. Patients in APS-1 group were significantly younger in comparison to three other groups. After the adjustment for age, we found that SAE in APS-1 group did not differ from SAE in the HP group (6.4+/-1.8 ml/mmHg x 100 and 5.54+/-3.4 ml/mmHg x 100, respectively, P>0.05). In contrast, SAE in the group APS-2 was significantly lower (3.41+/-1.2 ml/mmHg x 100) than in the APS-1 and was almost equal to SAE in the DM group (4.2+/-2.37 ml/mmHg x 100). The SAE in the APS-2, DM and HP groups was inversely correlated with age, whereas in the APS-1 group we did not find such correlation. This pilot study showed abnormal small vascular elasticity in the patients with positive aPL, relative to the healthy subjects. The APS patients, treated with warfarin had the normal vascular function. This data support the hypothesis that APS may be associated with diffuse changes in the arterial wall, and may be a risk factor for atherosclerotic disease.

Nucleus fragmentation in a scleral pocket for small incision extracapsular cataract extraction.

We present a technique for planned manual extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) incorporating a modification of mini-nuc ECCE in which the scleral tunnel is made wide enough to allow a nucleus of any size to settle in the tunnel. A 5.0 mm, inverted-V chevron incision is used in which the exposed part of the nucleus lodged in the scleral pocket can be manually picked and fragmented until it is small enough to be removed through the incision. The chevron incision is flexible enough to allow a medium-sized nucleus to be extracted without fragmentation and implantation of a rigid 6.0 mm poly(methyl methacrylate) lens. Vector analysis of preoperative and 3 month postoperative keratometric results in 30 patients showed that the surgically induced vector was 0.54 diopter (D) +/- 0.58 (SD). Mean reduction in astigmatism was 0.08 +/- 0.39 D. The sutureless technique is fast and safe, allows a nucleus of any size to be extracted through a constant size 5.0 mm incision, and results in minimal postoperative astigmatism.

Managing inferior zonule tears during manual extracapsular cataract extraction.

We describe a new technique for safely concluding manual extracapsular cataract extraction in the presence of a rupture of the interior zonules. A lens glide is inserted in the anterior chamber. The tip of the glide is placed in the inferior part of the capsular bag, pushing it toward the ciliary sulcus at 6 o'clock. The extraocular part of the glide is sutured to the sclera to prevent its displacement during manipulation of the eye. The glide spreads the rolled inferior capsule, allowing aspiration of retained cortical material and in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation. The glide is then removed. This technique was used in 12 eyes with pseudoexfoliation in which the complication occurred. No vitreous loss, lens displacement, or other intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed.