Self-organized criticality and pattern emergence through the lens of tropical geometry.

Tropical geometry, an established field in pure mathematics, is a place where string theory, mirror symmetry, computational algebra, auction theory, and so forth meet and influence one another. In this paper, we report on our discovery of a tropical model with self-organized criticality (SOC) behavior. Our model is continuous, in contrast to all known models of SOC, and is a certain scaling limit of the sandpile model, the first and archetypical model of SOC. We describe how our model is related to pattern formation and proportional growth phenomena and discuss the dichotomy between continuous and discrete models in several contexts. Our aim in this context is to present an idealized tropical toy model (cf. Turing reaction-diffusion model), requiring further investigation.

TCR-alpha/beta and CD19 depletion and treosulfan-based conditioning regimen in unrelated and haploidentical transplantation in children with acute myeloid leukemia.

We evaluated the depletion of TCR-alpha/beta cells from the graft of children with high-risk AML, who received transplantation from unrelated (n=20) and haploidentical donors (n=13). The preparative regimen included treosulfan, melphalan, fludarabine and anti-thymocyte globulin. Grafts were PBSC engineered by TCR-alpha/beta and CD19 depletion. The graft contained a median of 9 × 10(6)/kg of CD34+ and 20 × 10(3)/kg of αß-T cells. Post-transplant immune suppression included tacrolimus till day +30 and Mtx in 21 patients, tacrolimus in 5, Mtx in 2 and no prophylaxis in 5 patients. Sixteen patients received native or TCR-alpha/beta-depleted donor lymphocytes at a median of 47 (40-204) days. Median follow-up is 1.76 years. Primary engraftment was achieved in 33 patients (100%). Cumulative incidence of acute GvHD (aGvHD) grade 2-3 was 39 (26-60)%, half of them had skin-only aGvHD. Cumulative incidence of chronic GvHD was 30(18-50)%. Transplant-related mortality is 10(4-26)%. Event-free survival (EFS) is 60(43-76)% and overall survival (OS) is 67(50-84)% at 2 years. In a subgroup of patients, who received transplantation in CR, EFS is 66(48-84)% and OS-72(53-90)% at 2 years. Our data suggest that TCR-alpha/beta and CD19 depletion is a robust method of graft manipulation, which can be used to engineer grafts for children with AML.

[Disturbance of serum albumin conformation in patients with melancholic depression]. / Narushenie konformatsii al'bumina syvorotki u bol'nykh melankholicheskoi depressiei.

OBJECTIVE: Conformational protein changes may be an important component of the disturbance of molecular processes in the development of pathological process in the body. We studied conformations of albumin molecule in the blood of patients with depression using biophysical -nanotechnical approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 19 patients with depression and 25 healthy controls. Properties of serum albumin were compared in patients with typical melancholic depression and controls using spectroscopy (subnanosecond range) with K-35 fluorescent probe. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The properties of albumin binding sites in patients before and after treatment differed from those in controls. The authors suggest that it points to the changes in albumin molecule conformation that may influence the functional state of the protein. It has been suggested that these changes may be considered as biomarkers of pharmacotherapeutic efficacy.

[Stress effect on the development of hemorrhagic stroke].

The objective of this work was to study how stress, activity in the open field test, and conformational properties of albumin-binding sites are associated with experimental hemorrhagic stroke in rats. The open-field behavioral pattern in rats was characterized by the previously developed by us activity index. In accordance with this activity index, rats were divided into two groups, i.e., active and passive animals. The animals were subjected to experimental hemorrhagic stroke with or without previous emotional stress. It was shown that the previous stress affected the stroke development. Stress loading before experimental stroke changed albumin conformational properties in rats with active and passive behavioral patterns in different ways. It was associated with different ability of the albumin globule to undergo pH-induced transition N-F and in different accessibility of albumin-bound fluorescent probe CAPIDAN to nitrate-induced fluorescence quenching.

[Role of the medium acidity in the complexes formation of pyropheophorbide a with albumin and lipoproteins].

The spectral characteristics of the photosensitizer pyropheophorbide a (PPP) complexes with its carriers, that is, serum albumin and low density lipoproteins, were investigated in aqueous solutions at pH 7.4 and 5.0. The acidic pH had no effect on the quantitative parameters of PPP binding to lipoproteins but reduces its affinity for albumin. Differential role of acidification in the binding of PPP to biomacromolecules should be considered in the design of PPP-based drugs given that pH is frequently lowered in the sites of the disease.

[Disturbance of monoaminooxidase activity and indices of endogenous intoxication in patients with the first episode of schizophrenia].

An aim of the paper was to study some biochemical parameters of drug-naïve patients with the first episode of schizophrenia. Activities of platelet monoaminooxidase (MAO) and semicarbazide, a sensitive blood serum aminooxidase (BSA), levels of middle-sized molecules (MSM) and malonic dialdehyde (MDA), parameters of functional state of serum albumin were assessed in 16 patients. Severity of symptoms in patients with the first episode of schizophrenia was assessed as moderate (PANSS scores 73.1+/-12.5) before the treatment. The increase of MAO by 107%, reduction of BSA by 29% and increase of MSM level by 140% was found in patients compared to controls (p<0.01). The study of other biochemical (MDA level) and biophysical (effective albumin concentration) parameters did not yield unequivocal results. It has been suggested that MAO and BSA are integral components of pathogenetic mechanisms in patients with the first episode of schizophrenia.

[Anti-ischemic efficacy of combination of trimetazidine with enalapril in patients with stable effort angina and metabolic syndrome].

Efficacy of combination of trimetazidine (60 mg/day) and enalapril in patients with stable effort angina and metabolic syndrome was assessed in a randomized placebo controlled study of 64 patients. Anti-ischemic activity of trimetazidine was found to be significant. It was most pronounced in patients with abnormal 24-hour blood pressure index, waist/hip circumference ratio >1.0 at the background of satisfactory clinical and laboratory compensation of type 2 diabetes.

[Clonorchiasis in the Upper Amur region: biology, epidemiology, clinical presentation]. / Klonorkhoz v regione verkhnego Priamur'ia (biologia, épidemiologia, klinika).

Results of studies of clonorchiasis in the region of the Upper Amur and its tributaries are presented. Biological features of the pathogen and its epidemiology are outlined. Clinical symptoms were studied in 112 patients. In case of death, a pathoanatomic picture is given.

[Evaluation of Ricide-P pesticide toxicity using the experimental model mother-fetus-newborn]. / Otsenka toksichnosti pestitsida Ritsid-P s pomoshchíu éksperimentalnoi modeli mat-plod-novorozhdennyi.

Necessity of the mother-fetus-newborn model usage in toxicological experiments for the xenobiotics environmental content standardization was shown in the toxicological study of Ricid-P pesticide.