[The Antioxidant and Geroprotective Properties of an Extract of Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia L.) Fruits].

Plant polyphenols are characterized by a wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant properties, and have a high geroprotective potential. The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of the extract of rowan berries (Sorbus aucuparia L.) on the lifespan and stress resistance of Drosophila melanogaster with the identification of possible mechanisms of its biological activity. It has been established that an ethanol extract of S. aucuparia berries, the main components of which are rutin and cyanidin-3-rutinoside, has a pronounced antioxidant activity in vitro. At the same time, treatment with rowan berry extract increased the resistance of D. melanogaster males to starvation, but reduced resistance to hyperthermia. In females, the extract reduced resistance to oxidative stress but increased resistance to hyperthermia. The effects of rowan berry extract on longevity depended both on its concentration and on the sex of fruit flies. In response to treatment with rowan berry extract, D. melanogaster males and females showed slight differences in the background level of expression of cellular stress response genes, including heat shock genes (hsp27, hsp68, and hsp83), oxidative stress resistance genes (hif1, nrf2, and sod1), circadian rhythm genes (clk and per), and the longevity gene sirt1, which may explain the differences in the observed effects.

Efficient Editing of the CXCR4 Locus Using Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Complexes Stabilized with Polyglutamic Acid.

Gene editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system provides new opportunities to treat human diseases. Approaches aimed at increasing the efficiency of genome editing are therefore important to develop. To increase the level of editing of the CXCR4 locus, which is a target for gene therapy of HIV infection, the Cas9 protein was modified by introducing additional NLS signals and ribonucleoprotein complexes of Cas9 and guide RNA were stabilized with poly-L-glutamic acid. The approach allowed a 1.8-fold increase in the level of CXCR4 knockout in the CEM/R5 T cell line and a 2-fold increase in the level of knock-in of the HIV-1 fusion peptide inhibitor MT-C34 in primary CD4+ T lymphocytes.

Thermoelectric current in a graphene Cooper pair splitter.

Generation of electric voltage in a conductor by applying a temperature gradient is a fundamental phenomenon called the Seebeck effect. This effect and its inverse is widely exploited in diverse applications ranging from thermoelectric power generators to temperature sensing. Recently, a possibility of thermoelectricity arising from the interplay of the non-local Cooper pair splitting and the elastic co-tunneling in the hybrid normal metal-superconductor-normal metal structures was predicted. Here, we report the observation of the non-local Seebeck effect in a graphene-based Cooper pair splitting device comprising two quantum dots connected to an aluminum superconductor and present a theoretical description of this phenomenon. The observed non-local Seebeck effect offers an efficient tool for producing entangled electrons.

Noise of a superconducting magnetic flux sensor based on a proximity Josephson junction.

We demonstrate simultaneous measurements of DC transport properties and flux noise of a hybrid superconducting magnetometer based on the proximity effect (superconducting quantum interference proximity transistor, SQUIPT). The noise is probed by a cryogenic amplifier operating in the frequency range of a few MHz. In our non-optimized device, we achieve minimum flux noise ~4 µΦ0/Hz1/2, set by the shot noise of the probe tunnel junction. The flux noise performance can be improved by further optimization of the SQUIPT parameters, primarily minimization of the proximity junction length and cross section. Furthermore, the experiment demonstrates that the setup can be used to investigate shot noise in other nonlinear devices with high impedance. This technique opens the opportunity to measure sensitive magnetometers including SQUIPT devices with very low dissipation.

Personalized Clinical Diagnosis in Data Bases for Treatment Support in Phthisiology.

The decision-making is a key event in the clinical practice. The program products with clinical decision support models in electronic data-base as well as with fixed decision moments of the real clinical practice and treatment results are very actual instruments for improving phthisiological practice and may be useful in the severe cases caused by the resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The methodology for gathering and structuring of useful information (critical clinical signals for decisions) is described. Additional coding of clinical diagnosis characteristics was implemented for numeric reflection of the personal situations. The created methodology for systematization and coding Clinical Events allowed to improve the clinical decision models for better clinical results.

A Josephson radiation comb generator.

We propose the implementation of a Josephson Radiation Comb Generator (JRCG) based on a dc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) driven by an external magnetic field. When the magnetic flux crosses a diffraction node of the critical current interference pattern, the superconducting phase undergoes a jump of π and a voltage pulse is generated at the extremes of the SQUID. Under periodic drive this allows one to generate a sequence of sharp, evenly spaced voltage pulses. In the frequency domain, this corresponds to a comb-like structure similar to the one exploited in optics and metrology. With this device it is possible to generate up to several hundreds of harmonics of the driving frequency. For example, a chain of 50 identical high-critical-temperature SQUIDs driven at 1 GHz can deliver up to a 0.5 nW at 200 GHz. The availability of a fully solid-state radiation comb generator such as the JRCG, easily integrable on chip, may pave the way to a number of technological applications, from metrology to sub-millimeter wave generation.

Cooper pair splitting by means of graphene quantum dots.

A split Cooper pair is a natural source for entangled electrons which is a basic ingredient for quantum information in the solid state. We report an experiment on a superconductor-graphene double quantum dot (QD) system, in which we observe Cooper pair splitting (CPS) up to a CPS efficiency of ∼10%. With bias on both QDs, we are able to detect a positive conductance correlation across the two distinctly decoupled QDs. Furthermore, with bias only on one QD, CPS and elastic cotunneling can be distinguished by tuning the energy levels of the QDs to be asymmetric or symmetric with respect to the Fermi level in the superconductor.

Fully gapped superconductivity in a nanometre-size YBa2Cu3O(7-δ) island enhanced by a magnetic field.

The symmetry of Cooper pairs is central to constructing a superconducting state. The demonstration of a d(x²-y²)-wave order parameter with nodes represented a breakthrough for high critical temperature superconductors (HTSs). However, despite this fundamental discovery, the origin of superconductivity remains elusive, raising the question of whether something is missing from the global picture. Deviations from d(x²-y²)-wave symmetry, such as an imaginary admixture d(x²-y²)+ is (or id(xy)), predict a ground state with unconventional properties exhibiting a full superconducting gap and time reversal symmetry breaking. The existence of such a state, until now highly controversial, can be proved by highly sensitive measurements of the excitation spectrum. Here, we present a spectroscopic technique based on an HTS nanoscale device that allows an unprecedented energy resolution thanks to Coulomb blockade effects, a regime practically inaccessible in these materials previously. We find that the energy required to add an extra electron depends on the parity (odd/even) of the excess electrons on the island and increases with magnetic field. This is inconsistent with a pure d(x²-y²)-wave symmetry and demonstrates a complex order parameter component that needs to be incorporated into any theoretical model of HTS.

[Particular features of detection of patients with urogenital tuberculosis and their management].

The rate and trend in extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) incidence including urogenital tuberculosis (UTB) were estimated in population of the Sverdlovsk region for the last 25 years. Long-term results of treatment of 591 patients with different forms of UTB (renal parenchyma TB, tuberculosis papillitis, monocavernous and polycavernous renal TB, male genital TB) were studied. Ureter was involved in tuberculosis process in 24.7% of UTB cases, urinary bladder--in 20.1%, renal TB combined with male genital TB. Early (non-destructive) forms incidence increased 2.8-fold while advanced forms incidence decreased 1.7-fold. This shows an increased level of detection. Total number of patients operated in state hospitals with undetected, mostly complicated urogenital male tuberculosis remains high--from 7.3 to 16% from all newly detected patients.

Lasing without inversion in circuit quantum electrodynamics.

We study the photon generation in a transmission line oscillator coupled to a driven qubit in the presence of a dissipative electromagnetic environment. It has been demonstrated previously that a population inversion in the qubit can lead to a lasing state of the oscillator. Here we show that the circuit can also exhibit the effect of "lasing without inversion." It arises since the coupling to the dissipative environment enhances photon emission as compared to absorption, similar to the recoil effect predicted for atomic systems. While the recoil effect is very weak, and so far elusive, the effect described here should be observable with realistic circuits. We analyze the requirements for system parameters and environment.

Magnetic field and contact resistance dependence of non-local charge imbalance.

Crossed Andreev reflection (CAR) in metallic nanostructures, a possible basis for solid-state electron entangler devices, is usually investigated by detecting non-local voltages in multi-terminal superconductor/normal metal devices. This task is difficult because other subgap processes may mask the effects of CAR. One of these processes is the generation of charge imbalance (CI) and the diffusion of non-equilibrium quasi-particles in the superconductor. Here we demonstrate a characteristic dependence of non-local CI on a magnetic field applied parallel to the superconducting wire, which can be understood by a generalization of the standard description of CI to non-local experiments. These results can be used to distinguish CAR and CI and to extract CI relaxation times in superconducting nanostructures. In addition, we investigate the dependence of non-local CI on the resistance of the injector and detector contacts and demonstrate a quantitative agreement with a recent theory using only material and junction characteristics extracted from separate direct measurements.

[Prediction of the major tuberculosis epidemiological parameters among the children of the Udmurt Republic].

The tuberculosis epidemiological situation was studied among the children of the Udmurt Republic and the tuberculosis morbidity rates in children, the risk of primary infection, and the infection rates were predicted by the Bayes procedure. To study the impact of chemoprophylaxis on the incidence of tuberculosis in children, the risk of its primary infection, and the infection rates, the authors used the multivariate statistical method--hypotheses theorem (the Bayes formula). The application of the hypotheses theorem has shown that if the cohort of children who had chemoprophylaxis in 2007, they should receive it at the same rate as in 2002, which is 30% greater, the morbidity rates in children should show a 1.1-fold reduction.

[Use of discriminant analysis for the integrated estimation of the activity of an epidemic process of tuberculosis and the efficiency of medical measures for its prevention].

Whether the discriminant analysis might be used for the integrated estimation of an epidemic process of tuberculosis and for the efficiency of medical measures at the interregional levels was studied. Out of the 8 earlier chosen epidemiological criteria, this analysis could identify 6 most important ones that yielded two canonically discriminant variables. Calculations indicated that over 90% of the whole dispersion of regions in the activity of an epidemic process of tuberculosis might be accounted for by Discriminant Variable One. Variable Two played an indirect role. Out of the 8 clinical criteria, repeated analysis could choose four ones that gave rise to one canonical discriminant variable. The latter provided an integrated estimation of the efficiency of medical measures. The accuracy of prediction of the belonging of regions to high and low epidemic intensity groups was 100%. The findings open up possibilities of designing a present-day tuberculosis epidemic surveillance system at the interregional and regional level.

[Active detection of patients with tuberculosis of urinary organs from increased risk groups at the polyclinics of the general therapeutic-and-prophylactic network].

To timely detect tuberculosis of urinary organs (TUO), the authors have proposed a procedure for detecting the disease in increased risk groups. By analyzing 272 cases with TUO and 12 control persons, they established the most important risk factors. The authors have developed a procedure for stratification of contingents and differential measures in accordance with the risk (three degrees). The procedure has shown to be effective.

Relaxation and dephasing in a many-fermion generalization of the Caldeira-Leggett model.

We analyze a model system of fermions in a harmonic oscillator potential under the influence of a fluctuating force generated by a bath of harmonic oscillators. This represents an extension of the well-known Caldeira-Leggett model to the case of many fermions. Using the method of bosonization, we calculate Green's functions and discuss relaxation and dephasing of a single extra particle added above the Fermi sea. We also extend our analysis to a more generic coupling between system and bath that results in complete thermalization of the system.

[Progress and efficiency of implementation of the purpose-oriented program "Urgent Tuberculosis Control Measures in Russia in 1998-2004" in the Urals Federal Region]. / O khode vypolneniia i éffektivnosti realizatsii federal'noi tselevoi programmy "Neotlozhnye mery bor'by s tuberkulezom v Rossii na 1998-2004 gg." v Ural'skom federal'nom okruge.

The paper analyzes the tuberculosis epidemic situation in the areas of the Urals Federal Okrug, which is regarded to be very serious. Recent years are marked by a rise in basic epidemiological indices, such as incidence, prevalence, spread of cases with bacterial isolation, mortality due to tuberculosis. There is a direct, close, and significant relationship of positive tuberculin tests and morbidity in children to the spread of tuberculosis with bacterial isolation. The effectiveness of tuberculosis controlling measures within the federal special program Urgent Tuberculosis Controlling Measures in Russia in 1998-2004 was evaluated and guidelines for its enhancement are stated.

[Training of physicians-phthisiologists in the Urals Federal Region]. / Podgotovka vrachei-ftiziatrov v Ural'skom federal'nom okruge.

The paper analyzes problems associated with the training and retraining of staff for phthisiological service and general practitioners, such as therapists and pediatricians, in the timely diagnosis of tuberculosis. The authors share their experience in organizing the training of physicians in antituberculosis aspects. Interaction of departments of tuberculosis and a regional research institute of phthisiopulmonology and the use of current educational technologies are required to enhance the efficiency of this work.

Coulomb interaction and quantum transport through a coherent scatterer.

An interplay between charge discreteness, coherent scattering, and Coulomb interaction yields nontrivial effects in quantum transport. We derive a real-time effective action and an equivalent quantum Langevin equation for an arbitrary coherent scatterer and evaluate its current-voltage characteristics in the presence of interactions. Within our model, at large conductances G0 and low T (but outside the instanton-dominated regime), the interaction correction to G0 saturates and causes conductance suppression by a universal factor which depends only on the type of the conductor.

[Detection of patients with respiratory tuberculosis in high-risk groups ar general polyclinic]. / Vyiavlenie bol'nykh tuberkulezom organov dykhaniia iz grupp povyshennogo riska v poliklinike obshchei lechebno-profilakticheskoi seti.

The paper presents the results of elucidation of numerous tuberculosis risk factors. Eight most significant criteria were selected by using the multifactorial analysis. They were used to develop an algorithm for selecting patients in risk groups at the polyclinic. Follow-ups of these groups of patients were shown to enhance the detection rate of tuberculosis, thus greatly reducing material expenditures.

[The tuberculosis situation and urgent task to optimize antitubercular care for the population in the Ural and Volgo-Viatka regions]. / Situatsiia i neotlozhnye zadachi po optimizatsii protivotuberkuleznoi pomoshchi naseleniiu na territoriiakh Ural'skogo i Volgo-Viatskogo regionov.

The tuberculosis epidemiological situation in the Ural and Volgo-Vyatka regions is recognized to be extraordinary. There is a reduction in the rate of mortality growth in some areas. A dispersion criterion for epidemiological indices is proposed to evaluate the control and management of the tuberculosis situation. To improve the quality of antituberculosis care, the authors propose urgent measures in the near future, which are to be financially supported at most.