Co-production of 155Tb and 152Tb irradiating 155Gd / 151Eu tandem target with a medium energy α-particle beam.

INTRODUCTION: Four terbium isotopes 149,152,155,161Tb emitting various types of radiation can be used for both diagnostics and therapy. 152Tb emits positrons and is ideal for PET. 155Tb is considered a promising Auger emitter and a diagnostic pair for other terbium therapeutic isotopes. Several methods for the production of 155Tb using charged particle accelerators have been proposed, but they all have significant limitations. The restricted availability of this isotope hinders its medical applications. We have proposed a new method for production of 155Tb, irradiating enriched 155Gd by alpha particles. The possibility of simultaneous production of two isotopes of terbium, 152,155Tb, was also studied for more efficient cyclotron beam use. METHODS: Irradiation of 155Gd enriched targets and 155Gd / 151Eu tandem target with alpha-particles with an energy of 54 MeV was carried out at the U-150 cyclotron at the NRC "Kurchatov Institute". The cross sections of nuclear reactions on enr-155Gd were measured by the stack foil technique, detecting the gamma-radiation of the activation products. The separation of rare earth elements was performed by extraction chromatography with the LN Resin. 155Tb was produced via 155Dy decay. RESULTS: The cross sections for the 155,156Tb and 155,157Dy production were measured by the irradiation of a gadolinium target enriched with the 155Gd isotope with alpha-particles in an energy range of 54 → 33 MeV. The yield of 155Dy on a thick target at 54 MeV was 130 MBq/µAh, which makes it possible to obtain 1 GBq of 155Tb in 11 hour-irradiation with 20 µA beam current. The possibility of simultaneous production of 152,155Tb by irradiation of 155Gd and 151Eu tandem target with medium-energy alpha-particles is implemented. Optimal irradiation energy ranges of alpha -particles as 54 → 42 MeV for 155Tb and 42 → 34 MeV for 152Tb were suggested. Product activity and radionuclidic purity were calculated.

[Evaluation of the species diversity of microflora isolated from the epithelium of the oral mucosa in patients using removable orthopedic structures based on dental implants]. / Otsenka vidovogo raznoobraziya mikroflory, vydelennoi s epiteliya slizistoi obolochki polosti rta, pri ispol'zovanii s"emnykh ortopedicheskikh konstruktsii s oporoi na dental'nye implantaty.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the species diversity of microorganisms isolated from the oral mucosa in patients with removable orthopedic structures based on dental implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The indicators of the species diversity of microorganisms isolated from the oral mucosa in patients of the main and control groups were studied. RESULTS: For prosthetic treatment of patients from main group we used a method of manufacturing an overlapping, frame prostheses supported by teeth and dental implants. The results turned out to be reliable for opportunistic microorganisms Streptococcus anginosus and representatives of the orange periodontopathogenic complex Streptococcus constellatus. CONCLUSION: Microbiological assessment indicates the effectiveness of prosthetic treatment and the use of Corega tablets.

Experimental study of α-particle induced reactions on natural erbium for the production of Auger-emitters 167Tm, 165Er and 169Yb.

The cross sections for nuclear reactions natEr(α,x) were measured in the energy range 60 â†’ 10 MeV using the stacked-foil technique. The experiments were carried out in a wider energy range in comparison with previous works. The results are consistent with other studies and modeling using TENDL-2019. The 167Tm yield was 5.4 MBq/µAh in the range 60 â†’ 30 MeV, and the main long-lived impurity is 168Tm (0.78% in terms of activity). The 165Tm yield is 4.6 MBq/µAh (60 â†’ 40 MeV). 169Yb is formed with a yield of 1.0 MBq/µAh in the energy range 60 â†’ 20 MeV.

Genetic characterization of an almond germplasm collection and volatilome profiling of raw and roasted kernels.

Almond is appreciated for its nutraceutical value and for the aromatic profile of the kernels. In this work, an almond collection composed of 96 Sicilian accessions complemented with 10 widely cultivated cultivars was phenotyped for the production of volatile organic compounds using a proton-transfer time-of-flight mass spectrometer and genotyped using the Illumina Infinium®18 K Peach SNP array. The profiling of the aroma was carried out on fresh and roasted kernels enabling the detection of 150 mass peaks. Sixty eight, for the most related with sulfur compounds, furan containing compounds, and aldehydes formed by Strecker degradation, significantly increased during roasting, while the concentration of fifty-four mass peaks, for the most belonging to alcohols and terpenes, significantly decreased. Four hundred and seventy-one robust SNPs were selected and employed for population genetic studies. Structure analysis detected three subpopulations with the Sicilian accessions characterized by a different genetic stratification compared to those collected in Apulia (South Italy) and the International cultivars. The linkage-disequilibrium (LD) decay across the genome was equal to r2 = 0.083. Furthermore, a high level of collinearity (r2 = 0.96) between almond and peach was registered confirming the high synteny between the two genomes. A preliminary application of a genome-wide association analysis allowed the detection of significant marker-trait associations for 31 fresh and 33 roasted almond mass peaks respectively. An accurate genetic and phenotypic characterization of novel germplasm can represent a valuable tool for the set-up of marker-assisted selection of novel cultivars with an enhanced aromatic profile.

Combined 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and event-related potentials study of the cognitive impairment mechanisms in Parkinson's disease.

This study aimed to analyze positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose data and event-related potentials in the Go/NoGo paradigm in patients with Parkinson's disease with and without cognitive impairment. In the group of cognitively impaired patients, glucose metabolism was decreased in the frontal, parietal, cingulate and posterior temporal cortex. Correlations were found between the cognitive scores and cerebral glucose metabolism in those areas. Event-related potentials analysis revealed a decrease in the amplitude of the late positive wave (P300 NoGo wave) in the group of cognitively impaired patients. The analysis revealed that decline in amplitude of P300 wave was accompanied by decreased glucose metabolism in several cortical areas associated with cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. Correlations of glucose metabolism in these areas with event-related potentials amplitude in the NoGo condition confirm the important role of executive functions disorders in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Rapid and noninvasive quality control of anhydrous milk fat by PTR-MS: The effect of storage time and packaging.

In this study, proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), coupled with a time-of-flight mass analyzer and a multipurpose automatic sampler, was evaluated as a rapid and nondestructive tool for the quality control of anhydrous milk fat. Anhydrous milk fats packed in cardboard and bag-in-box were compared during refrigerated shelf life at 4°C for 9 months. Anhydrous milk fat samples were taken at 120, 180, and 240 days and measured by PTR-MS during storage at 50°C for 11 days. Univariate and multivariate data analysis were performed in order to classify samples according to the packaging type and compare aromatic profiles. Markers related to both packaging and storage duration were identified, and all stored samples were clearly distinguishable from reference fresh samples. Significant differences in some key butter aroma compounds such as 2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, 2/3-methylbutanal, acetoin, and butanoic acid were observed between different types of packaging. During the refrigerated storage, differences related to packaging are more evident, while during the storage at 50°C, the fat oxidation induced by the high temperature becomes the most relevant phenomenon independently of the packaging type. These results indicate the importance of avoiding anhydrous milk fat storage at 50°C for long times during industrial production processes. All together data demonstrated the viability of PTR-MS as a rapid and high-sensitivity tool in agroindustry quality control program.

Population morbidity in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant observation zone as an integral part of public health. / STAN ZAKhVORIuVANOSTI NASELENNIa ZONY SPOSTEREZhENNIa ZAPORIZ'KOÏ ATOMNOÏ ELEKTROSTANTsIÏ IaK SKLADOVA GROMADS'KOGO ZDOROV'Ia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the health status of adult population living in the Ukrainian nuclear power industry obser vation zone on the example of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: System review, analytic, sociological survey and statistical methods. RESULTS: There was established an increase in the incidence of digestive diseases among adult population in Nikopol of Dnipropetrovsk region, which is included in the Zaporizhzhia NPP observation zone. The highest increase was observed in the incidence of peptic ulcer, gastritis and duodenitis, cholecystitis and cholangitis by 340 %, 305 % and 83 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In connection with the residence in industrially developed region and NPP life extension in Ukraine, the possible influence of harmful factors on health status of the population of observation zones, an increase in the incidence of digestive diseases among adult population, there is required continuous monitoring and detailed study of public health.

[Influence of the consumption of radioactive contaminated food on the formation of the irradiation levels and health of the inhabitants of radioactive contaminated regions of Ukraine].

Within all these years after the Chernobyl disaster the population of contaminated areas of the Rivne region was shown to consume radioactive contaminated foodstuffs. The main components of the formation of the internal irradiation of the population in them were and remain locally sourced milk and meat, forest mushrooms and berries. After 1991, the largest annual internal doses in persons observed in 1997 varied from 2,2 to 1,45 mSv/year and in 2011--in the inhabitants of the village of El'no they were yet reaching 1.43 mSv/year. After 2003, exposure levels in most inhabitatants of affected areas exceeded the criterion specified by national legislation for residents of the tightened radioecological control zone (0,5 mSv/year). The long-term residence in the contaminated area, elevated levels of chronic internal exposure, lack of radioactively sound foodstuffs and involuntary consumption in 1987-2011 radioactively contaminated food of local production were noted to led to an increase in general morbidity, and incidence of endocrine diseases rate and their separate nosological forms.

[Differential surgical treatment of victims with damage to the small and large intestines in a closed abdominal injury combined, depending on the prediction of traumatic disease course and morphological changes of the intestinal wall].

Use of differentiated surgical approach to the management of surgical treatment, depending on the degree of violation of systemic hemodynamics, the timing and volume of surgical procedures, depending on the prognosis of traumatic disease course of cardiac index, interventions in the small and large intestine depending on morphological changes of the intestinal wall by cardiac and stroke indexes, put method extra-enteric anastomosis in patients with damage to the small intestine and colon combined with closed abdominal injury permitted to reduce the rate of postoperative complications from 22.2 to 10.1%, mortality at 2.1 times in shock period (from 19.3 to 9.2%) and the overall mortality from 33.3 to 21.1%.

Prevention of neurodegenerative damage to the brain in rats in experimental Alzheimer's disease by adaptation to hypoxia.

We report here studies addressing the possibility of preventing neurodegenerative changes in the brain using adaptation to periodic hypoxia in rats with experimental Alzheimer's disease induced by administration of the neurotoxic peptide fragment of beta-amyloid (Ab) into the basal magnocellular nucleus. Adaptation to periodic hypoxia was performed in a barochamber (4000 m, 4 h per day, 14 days). The following results were obtained 15 days after administration of Ab. 1. Adaptation to periodic hypoxia significantly blocked Ab-induced memory degradation in rats, as assessed by testing a conditioned passive avoidance reflex. 2. Adaptation to periodic hypoxia significantly restricted increases in oxidative stress, measured spectrophotometrically in the hippocampus in terms of the content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive secondary lipid peroxidation products. 3. Adaptation to periodic hypoxia completely prevented the overproduction of NO in the brains of rats with experimental Alzheimer's disease, as measured in terms of increases in tissue levels of stable NO metabolites, i.e., nitrites and nitrates. 4. The cerebral cortex of rats given Ab injections after adaptation to periodic hypoxia did not contain neurons with pathomorphological changes or dead neurons (Nissl staining), which were typical in animals with experimental Alzheimer's disease. Thus, adaptation to periodic hypoxia effectively prevented oxidative and nitrosative stress, protecting against neurodegenerative changes and protecting cognitive functions in experimental Alzheimer's disease.

[Prevention of the brain neurodegeneration in rats with experimental Alzheimer's disease by adaptation to hypoxia].

The study focused on a possibility of preventing brain neurodegeneration by adaptation to intermittent hypoxia (AH) in rats with experimental Alzheimer's disease (AD) modeled by injection of a neurotoxic bert-amyloid peptide fragment (Ab) into n. basalis magnocellularis. AH was produ- ced in an altitude chamber (4.000 m; 4 hours daily; 14 days). The following results were obtained after fifteen days of the Ab injection: (1) AH substantially prevented the memory impairment induced by Ab, which was determined using the conditioned avoidance reflex test; (2) the AH significantly restricted the enhanced oxidative stress, which was determined spectrophotometrically by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance level in the hippocampus; (3) the AH completely prevented Ab-induced nitric oxide (NO) overproduction in brain, which was measured by tissue level of nitrite and nitrate; (4) pathologically changed and dead neurons (Niessle staining) were absent in the brain cortex of rats exposed to AH before the Ab injection. Therefore AH seems to effectively prevent oxidative and nitrosative stress thereby providing protection of brain against neurodegeneration and preservation of cognitive function in experimental AD.

Role of nitric oxide in prevention of cognitive disorders in neurodegenerative brain injuries in rats.

NO synthesis disturbances play an important role in the development of neurodegenerative damage in Alzheimer disease. We previously showed that adaptation to intermittent hypobaric hypoxia prevents cognitive disturbances in rats with experimental Alzheimer disease. Here we evaluated the role of NO in cognitive disorders and development of adaptive protection during experimental Alzheimer disease. Adaptation to hypoxia in rats was performed in a hypobaric pressure chamber at a simulated altitude of 4000 m (4 h per day for 14 days). Alzheimer disease was simulated by bilateral injections of a toxic fragment of beta-amyloid (25-35) into n. basalis magnocellularis. For evaluation of the role of NO in the development and prevention of memory disorders, the rats received intraperitoneally either NO-synthase inhibitor N omega-nitro-L-arginin (L-NNA, 20 mg/kg, every other day for 14 days) or NO-donor dinitrosyl iron complex (200 microg/kg daily for 14 days). NO-synthase inhibitor potentiated the damaging effect of beta-amyloid, abolished the protective effect of adaptation to hypoxia, and produced memory disorders in rats similar to those observed during experimental Alzheimer disease. In contrast, the increase in NO level in the body provided by injections of the NO-donor produced a protective effect against memory disorders caused by beta-amyloid similar to that induced by adaptation to hypoxia. We concluded that reduced NO production in the organism plays an important role in the development of cognitive disorders produced by injections of beta-amyloid, while prevention of NO deficit by administration of NO-donors or non-pharmacological stimulation of NO synthesis can provide a protective effect in experimental Alzheimer disease.

[The effects of adaptation to hypoxia on the resistance to neurodegenerative disorders in the brain of rats of different genetic strains].

The aim of the study was to compare the protective effects of adaptation to altitude hypoxia (AH) on neurodegenerative brain disorders (NBD) induced with infusion of beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta) into the brain (imitation of Alzheimer's disease) of rats belonging to two species: Wistar rats (WR) and August rats (AR). Previously it was shown by the authors that WR were less resistant to memory function impairment and open-field activities, induced with Abeta infusion compared with AR. This study showed that preliminary AH significantly restricted brain function impairment induced by Abeta in WR, so AH demonstrated the protective effect in WR. In contrast, in AR preliminary AH provoked those impairments induced by Abeta. The AH protective effect in WR was associated with activation of stress-limiting systems (antioxidant system, NO system). Lack of AH protective effect in AR was associated with lack of activation of these systems in these rats. Thus, the different AH effects on NBD development in WR and AR are obviously determined by hereditary peculiarities of stress-limiting systems in WR and AR.

Role of heat shock proteins HSP70 and HSP32 in the protective effect of adaptation of cultured HT22 hippocampal cells to oxidative stress.

Preadaptation of cultured HT22 mouse hippocampal neurons to oxidative stress prevented cell damage induced by severe oxidative stress. This protection manifested in a decrease in metabolic disturbances in neurons. Adaptation of neurons to oxidative stress was accompanied by accumulation of HSP32 and HSP70. HSP synthesis inhibitor quercetin abolished the protective effect of adaptation under conditions of oxidative stress. Activation of HSP70 synthesis in neurons is an important mechanism for adaptive protection of cells.

Inversion of stress response reprogramming phenomenon in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated alveolar macrophages.

The stress response and NO production in reprogrammed proinflammatory or antiinflammatory alveolar macrophages were studied after lipopolysaccharide treatment. Experiments with macrophages not containing HSP70 showed that lipopolysaccharide in a dose of 500 ng/ml induced stress response in cells with the proinflammatory phenotype (as distinct from an antiinflammatory phenotype). The stress response was not observed in HSP70-containing lipopolysaccharide-stimulated proinflammatory macrophages, but occurred in cells with antiinflammatory phenotype. Hence, the presence of HSP70 in alveolar macrophages results in the inversion of the phenomenon of reprogramming of the stress response. Independently on the phenotype, stimulation with lipopolysaccharide was accompanied by a 60-70% increase in NO production by macrophages not containing HSP70. However, NO production by HSP70-containing macrophages did not increase in response to lipopolysaccharide treatment. Our results indicate that reprogramming of the cell response in macrophages does not concern the system for NO synthesis. HSP70 prevents the lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of NO synthesis in alveolar macrophages.

Role of extracellular and intracellular nitric oxide in the regulation of macrophage responses.

We studied the role of nitric oxide in the stress response and apoptosis. Intracellular nitric oxide potentiated the stress response. However, intracellular nitric oxide suppressed the stress response in macrophages of proinflammatory and antiinflammatory phenotypes. Intracellular nitric oxide promoted apoptosis in macrophages of the proinflammatory phenotype, but inhibited this process in cells of the antiinflammatory phenotype. Exogenous nitric oxide synthesized by macrophages protected them from lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis. Our results indicate that nitric oxide produces various effects on the stress response and apoptosis in macrophages, which depends on modus operandi.

Resistance to neurodegenerative brain damage in August and Wistar rats.

In Wistar and August rats characterized by different resistance to acute emotional stress we compared the resistance to neurodegenerative brain damage (model of Alzheimers disease) produced by administration of a neurotoxic peptide fragment (25-35) beta-amyloid into the brain. August rats were more resistant to acute stress and development of neurodegenerative disorders compared to Wistar rats. This conclusion was derived from studying animal behavior in conditioned passive avoidance task and open-field test that characterize cognitive function of the brain. Administration of beta-amyloid modulated the behavior of Wistar rats, which reflected the impairment of memory and orientation and exploratory activity in these animals. These disturbances in Wistar rats were accompanied by activation of lipid peroxidation in the hippocampus.

[Cytokines in tuberculosis]. / Tsitokiny pri tuberkuleze.

The paper presents the data available in the literature and the authors' own findings concerning the production of cytokines, such as interleukins 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, interferons and tumor necrosis factor, in patients with different stages of tuberculosis. A relationship between the production rate of some cytokines and the stage of the disease, the extent of the process, chemotherapeutical efficiency and other clinically important factors is discussed. The prospects of further investigations in this area are dealt with.