Morphological Characteristics of the Action of Cationic Peptide Warnerin on Regeneration of the Connective Tissue around Implanted Teflon Catheters in Mice under Conditions of Immunosuppression.

Warnerin pretreatment of catheter segments subcutaneously implanted to mice under conditions of immunosuppression led to a significant increase in the number of neutrophils in the surrounding tissues on day 1; the number of fibroblasts tended to decrease by day 3. Immunohistochemical study showed the presence of T and B lymphocytes on day 3, but no positive reactions to vimentin and CD34 were observed during the first 2 days. These changes suggest that warnerin reduced the intensity of regeneration processes in tissues around the implant, which can be used for suppression of fibrosis.

Proton-electron mass ratio from laser spectroscopy of HD+ at the part-per-trillion level.

Recent mass measurements of light atomic nuclei in Penning traps have indicated possible inconsistencies in closely related physical constants such as the proton-electron and deuteron-proton mass ratios. These quantities also influence the predicted vibrational spectrum of the deuterated molecular hydrogen ion (HD+) in its electronic ground state. We used Doppler-free two-photon laser spectroscopy to measure the frequency of the v = 0→9 overtone transition (v, vibrational quantum number) of this spectrum with an uncertainty of 2.9 parts per trillion. By leveraging high-precision ab initio calculations, we converted our measurement to tight constraints on the proton-electron and deuteron-proton mass ratios, consistent with the most recent Penning trap determinations of these quantities. This results in a precision of 21 parts per trillion for the value of the proton-electron mass ratio.

Precise test of quantum electrodynamics and determination of fundamental constants with HD+ ions.

Bound three-body quantum systems are important for fundamental physics1,2 because they enable tests of quantum electrodynamics theory and provide access to the fundamental constants of atomic physics and to nuclear properties. Molecular hydrogen ions, the simplest molecules, are representative of this class3. The metastability of the vibration-rotation levels in their ground electronic states offers the potential for extremely high spectroscopic resolution. Consequently, these systems provide independent access to the Rydberg constant (R∞), the ratios of the electron mass to the proton mass (me/mp) and of the electron mass to the deuteron mass (me/md), the proton and deuteron nuclear radii, and high-level tests of quantum electrodynamics4. Conventional spectroscopy techniques for molecular ions5-14 have long been unable to provide precision competitive with that of ab initio theory, which has greatly improved in recent years15. Here we improve our rotational spectroscopy technique for a sympathetically cooled cluster of molecular ions stored in a linear radiofrequency trap16 by nearly two orders in accuracy. We measured a set of hyperfine components of the fundamental rotational transition. An evaluation resulted in the most accurate test of a quantum-three-body prediction so far, at the level of 5 × 10-11, limited by the current uncertainties of the fundamental constants. We determined the value of the fundamental constants combinations [Formula: see text] and mp/me with a fractional uncertainty of 2 × 10-11, in agreement with, but more precise than, current Committee on Data for Science and Technology values. These results also provide strong evidence of the correctness of previous key high-precision measurements and a more than 20-fold stronger bound for a hypothetical fifth force between a proton and a deuteron.

[Evolution and Comparative Genomics of the pSM22 Plasmid of the IncF/MOBF12 Group].

A new plasmid, pSM22, was isolated from Serratia marcescens and sequenced. Its 43 190-bp sequence with an average GC-content of 58% contains 31 open reading frames (ORFs) which form replication, conjugation, stability, and adaptive modules. The replication module includes a site of initiation of leading-strand synthesis in plasmid replication, a replication termination site (terC), the rep A (=repA1) and repA4 genes, and the copA sequence, which codes for an antisense RNA (asRNA). These structures are functionally integrated in an FII replicon (incompatibility group IncFII). Based on the significant differences between the FII replicon and the canonical sequences of the R plasmids R1 and NR1 (=R100=R222), pSM22 was assigned to a new subtype. The conjugation module includes 13 genes with a high identity to the genes responsible for conjugation of the F plasmid. A comparative genomic analysis showed that the conjugation modules of pSM22 and F are structurally similar. By the conjugation system and the presence of three conserved motifs in relaxase (TraI), pSM22 belongs to the F12 clade of the MOBF type. The stability module includes the resD and parA genes, which are responsible for the resolution of multimeric plasmid forms and their subsequent segregation between daughter cells. The adaptive module contains the microcin H47 (MccH47) secretion/processing and UV resistance genes. The mosaic structure of pSM22 and reductive evolution of its modules suggest high genomic plasticity for the genus Serratia. An analysis of the architecture of the pSM22 modules clarifies the evolutionary relationships among IncF/MOBF12 group plasmids in bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae and opens a novel avenue for further comparative genomic studies of Serratia plasmids.

Activation of the sorption of Staphylococcus epidermidis 33 on hydrophobic polystyrene surface by low-molecular-weight autogenous factors.

The results of studying the compounds secreted into the medium during the adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis to surfaces with different levels of hydrophobicity are presented. These compounds seem to be peptides with a molecular weight of 550-600 Da capable of stimulating the adhesion of the tested bacterial strain by performing, in essence, the function of Quorum sensing factors of bacterial adhesion.

[Physiological properties of the vancomycin-resistant strain Staphylococcus epidermidis 33 GISK VAN(R)].

Physiological properties of a selected Staphylococcus epidermidis strain 33 GISK VAN(R) with high resistance to vancomycin, multiple resistance to various antibiotics, as well as decreased sensitivity to lysozyme, lysostaphin, and the low-molecular mass peptide warnerin were studied. The strain was characterized by a thicker cell wall, resulting in considerably decreased rates of vancomycin penetration into the cells and in limited access of the antibiotic to its targets on the bacterial membrane.

Simplest molecules as candidates for precise optical clocks.

The precise measurement of transition frequencies in cold, trapped molecules has applications in fundamental physics, and extremely high accuracies are desirable. We determine suitable candidates by considering the simplest molecules with a single electron, for which the external-field shift corrections can be calculated theoretically with high precision. Our calculations show that H(2)(+) exhibits particular transitions whose fractional systematic uncertainties may be reduced to 5×10(-17) at room temperature. We also generalize the method of composite frequencies, introducing tailored linear combinations of individual transition frequencies that are free of the major systematic shifts, independent of the strength of the external perturbing fields. By applying this technique, the uncertainty of the composite frequency is reduced compared to what is achievable with a single transition, e.g., to the 10(-18) range for HD(+). Thus, these molecules are of metrological relevance for future studies.

[Purification of recombinant proteins with an example of tumor necrosis factor thymosin-alpha1].

Hybrid protein, cancer necrosis factor thymosin-alpha1 (CNF-T), when synthesizing in strain-producer of Escherichia coli SG200-50 with plasmid pThy315, was a part of "inclusion bodies" mostly in the form of a high-molecular complex with other proteins due to the S-S bonds formation. An approach of purification of CNF-T has been proposed, which is based on the destruction of the complex in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate (DDS-NA) and dithiotreitol (DDT) followed by gel-filtration on Sephadex G-100 and renaturation by ultrafiltration on hollow fibers. The method allows the isolation of electrophoretically homogeneous CNF-T containing no DDS-Na and having high cytotoxic activity against cancer cells of mouse adenocarcinome L-929. The yield of CNF-T achieved 80% relative its content in biomass and 30% relative the total protein.

One year clinical outcomes of renal artery stenting: the results of ODORI Registry.

The safety, efficacy and long term clinical benefits of renal artery revascularization by stenting are still a matter of debate. The aim of our study was to define the safety and efficacy of renal artery stenting with the Tsunami peripheral stent (Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). The ODORI was a prospective, multicentre registry which enrolled 251 consecutive patients, (276 renal arteries) in 36 centres across Europe. The primary endpoint was acute procedural success defined as <30% residual stenosis after stent placement. Secondary endpoints included major adverse events, blood pressure control, serum creatinine level, and target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 6 and 12 months. Patients were 70 +/- 10 years old, 59% were male, 33% had diabetes, and 96% hypertension. The main indications for renal stent implantation were hypertension in 83% and renal salvage in 39%. Direct stent implantation was performed in 76% of the cases. Acute success rate was 100% with residual stenosis of 2.5 +/- 5.4%. Systolic/diastolic blood pressure decreased from a mean of 171/89 at baseline to 142/78 mmHg at 6 months (p < 0.0001 vs. baseline), and 141/80 mmHg at 12 months (p < 0.0001 vs. baseline). Mean serum creatinine concentration did not change significantly in the total population. However, there was significant improvement in the highest tercile (from 283 micromol/l at baseline to 205 and 209 micromol/l at 6 and 12 months respectively). At 12-months, rates of restenosis and TLR were 6.6 and 0.8% respectively. The 12 month cumulative rate of all major clinical adverse events was 6.4% while the rate of device or procedure related events was 2.4%. In hypertensive patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis Tsunami peripheral balloon-expandable stent provides a safe revascularization strategy, with a potential beneficial impact on hypertension control and renal function in the highest risk patients.

[Effect of lantibiotic warnerin on lipid bilayer membranes].

The effect of the lantibiotic warnerin on the ionic permeability of artificial membranes has been studied. Membranes were composed of different lipid fractions, including lipids isolated from warnerin-sensitive cells of Staphylococcus epidermidis. It was shown that warnerin selectively interacts with artificial membranes of different lipid composition, which leads, in some cases, to the formation of ionic channels. A computer model of the spatial structure of warnerin has been coustructed, which supports a high probability of the membranotropic activity of this peptide.

[Endovascular treatment of patients suffering from multifocal atherosclerosis in a clinic without cardiovascular support].

The article reflects the present-day aspects concerning comprehensive clinical and radiological diagnosis of multifocal atherosclerosis with the involvement of the coronary, renal, brachiocephalic arteries and arteries of the lower limbs. Confirmed herein is clinical efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment for multifocal atherosclerosis in a clinical hospital without cardiosurgical support.

[Raoultella planticola, a new strain degrading 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid].

A new strain that degrades the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) was isolated from soil, which was exposed to factors related to the petrochemical industry. According to its physiological, biochemical, cultural, and morphological traits, together with the sequence of the 16S rRNA gene, the strain was identified as Raoultella planticola 33-4ch. The strain could consume 2,4,5-T as a sole source of carbon and energy. The amount of 2,4,5-T in the culture medium decreased by 51% after five days of incubation. Raoultella planticola 33-4ch consumes 2,4,5-T to produce 4-chlorophenoxyacetic, phenoxyacetic, and 3-methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-hexenoic acids.

Relativistic correction to the 1ssigma and 2psigma electronic states of the H2 + molecular ion and the moleculelike states of the antiprotonic helium He+ -p.

Effective potentials of the relativistic Breit-Pauli corrections for the 1ssigma(g) and 2psigma(u) electron states of the H(2) (+) molecular ion and the 1ssigma, 2ssigma, and 3psigma states of the antiprotonic helium atom He(+)(-)p are calculated within the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. The variational expansion with randomly chosen exponents has been used for numerical studies. The results obtained for the Breit-Pauli effective potentials are accurate up to ten significant digits for the H(2) (+) molecular ion and eight digits for the He(+)(-)p atom.

[The dependence of the antibacterial effect of the polycationic peptide warnerin on the energy state of target cells].

The bactericidal effect of the polycationic peptide warnerin, produced by Staphylococcus warneri IEGM KL-1, was found to depend on the energy state of susceptible Staphylococcus epidermidis cells. The pre-treatment of these cells with compounds that diminish the proton-motive force of plasma membranes enhanced cell tolerance to warnerin. The components deltapsi and deltapH of the membrane proton potential influenced the antibacterial activity of warnerin in different ways. In particular, the antibacterial activity of warnerin decreased when the electric component of the proton-motive force of target membranes declined.

[Identification and characterization of a plasmid in strain Aeronomas hydrophila IBRB-36 4CPA carrying genes for catabolism of chlorophenoxyacetic acids]. / Identifikatsiia i kharakteristika plazmidy shtamma Aeronomas hydrophila 1BRB-36 4CPA, nesushchei geny katabolizma khlorfenoksiukusnykh kislot.

Results of studying plasmid pAH36 in strain Aeronomas hydrophila IBRB-36 4CPA are presented. Plasmid pAH36 possesses BamHI, PstI, and HindIII restriction sites and is 5.4 kb in size. The plasmid was shown to contain genes for catabolism of chlor-substituted phenoxyacetic acids.

[Lysozyme of the mollusk Unio pictorum and the sensitivity of alkanotrophic rhodococci to its effect]. / Lizotsim molliuska Unio pictorum i chuvstvitel'nost' k nemu alkanotrofnykh rodokokkov.

A preparation of lysozyme from a freshwater bivalve, Unio pictorum, has been isolated by sorption to chitin, and its physicochemical properties have been studied. An assessment of the sensitivity of 48 strains of rhodococci, belonging to the species Rhodococcus rubber, R. luteus, and R. erythropolis (Specialized Collection of Alkanotrophic Microorganisms of the Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Ural Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences), which were isolated from diverse natural waters, to lysozyme of the mollusk Unio pictorum demonstrated that the three species differ in their sensitivity to its effects. The high resistance of rhodococci to lysozyme is indicative of their considerable permanence in hydrobiocenoses (and, therefore, ability to maintain self-purification of microbiocenoses from hydrocarbons).

[Treatment and rehabilitation measures concerning degenerative dystrophic changes of the cervical spine in elderly patients]. / Lechebno-reabilitatsionnye meropriiatiia pri degenerativno-distroficheskykh izmeneniiakh v sheinom otdele pozvonochnika u bol'nykh pozhilogo vozrasta.

The results of treatment 300 elderly aged patients with cervical spine syndromes enabled us to develop the most effective treatment-and-rehabilitation programs with manual therapy involved, determine stages of the therapy course of such patients. The results of the complex treatment were better in comparison with the traditional treatment mainly based on pharmacotherapy. That allows us to recommend it to wide clinical use as the treatment agreeable to the modern standards.