Mucosal-associated invariant T-cell activation and accumulation after in vivo infection depends on microbial riboflavin synthesis and co-stimulatory signals.

Despite recent breakthroughs in identifying mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cell antigens (Ags), the precise requirements for in vivo MAIT cell responses to infection remain unclear. Using major histocompatibility complex-related protein 1 (MR1) tetramers, the MAIT cell response was investigated in a model of bacterial lung infection employing riboflavin gene-competent and -deficient bacteria. MAIT cells were rapidly enriched in the lungs of C57BL/6 mice infected with Salmonella Typhimurium, comprising up to 50% of αß-T cells after 1 week. MAIT cell accumulation was MR1-dependent, required Ag derived from the microbial riboflavin synthesis pathway, and did not occur in response to synthetic Ag, unless accompanied by a Toll-like receptor agonist or by co-infection with riboflavin pathway-deficient S. Typhimurium. The MAIT cell response was associated with their long-term accumulation in the lungs, draining lymph nodes and spleen. Lung MAIT cells from infected mice displayed an activated/memory phenotype, and most expressed the transcription factor retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt. T-bet expression increased following infection. The majority produced interleukin-17 while smaller subsets produced interferon-γ or tumor necrosis factor, detected directly ex vivo. Thus the activation and expansion of MAIT cells coupled with their pro-inflammatory cytokine production occurred in response to Ags derived from microbial riboflavin synthesis and was augmented by co-stimulatory signals.

Rapid screening for the detection of HLA-B57 and HLA-B58 in prevention of drug hypersensitivity.

HLA-B57 and HLA-B58 are major histocompatibility class (MHC)-I allotypes that are potentially predictive of important clinical immune phenotypes. HLA-B*5701 is strongly associated with hypersensitivity to the HIV drug abacavir, liver toxicity from the antibiotic flucloxacillin and is a marker for slow progression of HIV AIDS. HLA-B*5801 is associated with hypersensitivity to allopurinol used to treat hyperuricaemia and recurrent gout. Here we describe a monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for HLA-B57 and HLA-B58 that provides an inexpensive and sensitive screen for these MHC-I allotypes. The usefulness of HLA-B57 screening for prediction of abacavir hypersensitivity was shown in three independent laboratories, including confirmation of the mAb sensitivity and specificity in a cohort of patients enrolled in the PREDICT-1 trial. Our data show that patients who test negative by mAb screening comprise 90%-95% of all individuals in most human populations and require no further human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing. Patients who test positive by mAb screening should proceed to high-resolution typing to ascertain the presence of HLA-B*5701 or HLA-B*5801. Hence, mAb screening provides a low-cost alternative to high-resolution typing of all patients and lends itself to point-of-care diagnostics and rapid ascertainment of low-risk patients who can begin immediate therapy with abacavir, flucloxacillin or allopurinol.

[A complex psychological assessment of health care quality of medical personnel and quality of life of four generation of Ukrainians].

The article presents experience of the assessment of labour quality and professionalism of medical personnel (physicians and nurses) after the study conducted in 20 medical institutions in Kiev and 20 in Moscow. Expert-points method of assessment was used, correlation analysis of finalized qualifying assessment and social status of staff in each department was the mechanism of check of obtained results. Quality of life of population depends a lot on professionalism of specialists (physicians, teachers, scientists and others). The article presents results of four year (2003-2006) study of quality of life of four generations of Ukrainians aged from 11 to 85 years. Regularity was revealed in different sides of life of four group of responders, including personal, behavioral and psychological aspects.

Preparation, structure and thermal stability of onium- and amino-functionalized silicas for the use as catalysts supports.

We explored and compared several synthetic methods of grafting silica with strong (alkyltriphenylphosphonium, tetralkylammonium, propylpyridinium and dialkylimidazolium) and weak (gamma-aminopropyl, gamma-(N-imidazolyl)propyl) anion-exchanging groups starting with commercially available chloroalkyl- and gamma-aminopropylsilanes. Structure of the intermediate and final materials was investigated by elemental analysis, titration, 13C, 29Si, 31P MAS NMR, DRIFT, and TPD MS. The derivatives of alkyltriphenylphosphonium, propylpyridinium and dialkylimidazolium cation can be prepared with satisfactory quaternisation yields (ca. 30-100%) via the nucleophilic substitution of gamma-chloropropyl groups either in the silane or in chloropropylsilica, resulting in bonded phases with moderate densities: 0.2-1.0 group nm(-2) (onium salts) and 0.2-1.5 group nm(-2) (amines). Parallel one-pot end-capping/hydrophobization can be done if a mixture of target silane with end-capping reagent or gamma-chloropropylsilane is used. The grafted layer is highly stable at the level of Si-C bonds and decomposes at ca. 400 degrees C, while the onium functions begin to decompose at ca. 250 degrees C, lowering the thermal stability of materials. Thus, anion-exchanging silicas can be envisaged for the use as catalyst supports at moderate temperatures.

[The organization of the staged treatment of light casualties based on the experience of World War II and local prewar conflicts]. / Organizatsiia étapnogo lecheniia legkoranenykh po opytu Velikoi Otechestvennoi voiny i dovoennykh lokal'nykh konfliktov.

On the basis of the experience of medical support of troops gained during pre-war local conflicts and the Great Patriotic war the authors make the analysis of the main stages in the development and formation of the system of treatment of minimally wounded in the tactical, Army and Front regions. The article describes a number of aspects which have scientific and practical significance for the improvement of the modern system of evacuation and treatment procedures.

[Emergency angioplasty of the coronary arteries in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction]. / Ekstrennaia angioplastika venechnykh arterii v lechenii ostrogo infarkta miokarda.

The comparative assessment of lethality, incidence of development of repeated myocardial infarction and complications, indices which evidence in favour of improvement of the left ventricular function in 36 patients with acute myocardial infarction (group 1) who underwent superselective intracoronary thrombolysis alone, and in 10 patients (group 2) who underwent emergency coronary angioplasty after successful intracoronary thrombolysis is presented. The best immediate and long-term results were noted in group 2 patients.

[The penetration of Sporozoa into host cells]. / Proniknovenie sporovikov v kletki khoziaina.

The analysis of morphological and functional peculiarities of sporo- and merozoites as disseminative stages of the sporozoan life-cycle is given. Penetration of parasites into the host's cells is a complex multistepped process very similar to the induced but not completed phagocytosis. As a result of that process the formation of the integrated cell system, which consists of the host's cell and the unicellular parasite takes place.

[Inhibitors of the nitrite oxidation of hemoglobin]. / Ingibitory nitritnogo okisleniia gemoglobina.

Different types of active inhibitors of the reaction of nitrite hemoglobin oxidation have been revealed and studied. The dependence of inhibition of methemoglobin formation, on concentration of inhibitors at pH 5.9 and 7.17 has been determined. Differential absorption spectra of the inhibitors in the presence sodium nitrite in UV and visual light has been studied. The values of oxidation-reduction potentials have been estimated. Possible mechanism of action of the inhibitors has been discussed.

[Blastocystis galli sp. n. (Protista: Rhizopoda) from the intestines of domestic hens]. / Blastocystis galli sp. n. (Protista: Rhizopoda) iz kishechnika domashnykh kur.

A new species, Blastocystis galli, parasitic in blind processes of large intestine was found in domestic hens. Sizes of blastocysts are 7.5-35.0 x 6.25-30.0 (18.67 x 17.05) microns. The parasite form varies from round to ellipsoid. There were found stages with 1 to 4 nuclei and stages containing 8 to 32 small daughter individuals. Outside blastocysts are covered with structured glycocalyx. Under glycocalyx there is a plasmatic membrane. Cytoplasm contains a great number of ribosomes and mitochondria with cristae resembling in their shape oval or round small sacs. Nucleus contains nucleolus. Chromatin mass is concentrated on one of the poles of the nucleus as individual bodies. Semilunar in form chromatin mass was not found. Golgi apparatus is represented by a number of plates grouped in a pile. Most part of the cell is occupied by reproductive organelles divided by cytoplasmatic membranes into compartments. On the basis of its ultrafine organization. B. galli is assigned to the kingdom Protista, type Rhizopoda, class Lobosea, subclass Gymnamoebia, order Blastocystida.

[Roentgenoendovascular dilatation of the renal arteries in the treatment of vasorenal hypertension]. / Rentgenoéndovaskuliarnaia dilatatsiia pochechnykh arterii v lechenii vazorenal'noi gipertenzii.

The possibilities of the use of roentgenoendovascular dilatation of the renal artery were studied in 57 patients with stenosis of the renal artery and vasorenal hypertension. The authors managed to perform the manipulation in 48 patients. Occlusion of the renal artery, pronounced atherosclerosis of the iliac and axillary arteries, coarctation of the aorta were the causes of failure. In 52.6% of the patients, the "residue" of stenosis was less than 30% of the normal arterial lumen, in 31.6%--30-50%, in the remaining patients, the dilatation has failed. Stable normotension was achieved in 39.5%, the state improved in 50% of the patients. The absence of hypotensive effect for the first 6 mos after the operation was caused by recurrency of the dilated artery stenosis, which resulted from the improper choice of a balloon catheter. The diameter of such a catheter should be 100-110% of a width of the renal arterial lumen proximally to stenosis. The later recurrency of hypertension was caused by the development of the stenosis of the artery of the contralateral kidney.

[Benzo(a)pyrene content of grain and the products of its processing]. / O soderzhanii benz(a)pirena v zerne i produktakh ego pererabotki.

The content of benz(a)pyrene (BP) was studied in the grain, different sorts of flour and in talkan, a Kazakh national food product, prepared from fried grain. It was found that the grain contained 0.33 micrograms/kg of BP, flour--33-58% of that in the grain. The carcinogen content in flour varied with its kind: the highest BP concentration was detected in rye flour, the lowest--in high-quality wheat flour. In talkan, prepared from fried wheat, the content of BP was twice as much compared to the non-fried wheat, due to the intensity of frying. A man, who makes use of talkan during his life, may receive a significant amount of BP which can be conducive to raising the incidence of tumors of the digestive organs, especially of the esophagus.

[Decrease in the milk yield in cows casued by dipterous blood-sucking insects and the protection of heifers with Oxamate, a repellent, in the area of Leningrad]. / Ztráty na dojivosti krav, püsobené dvoukrídlým hmyzem sajícím krev, a ochrana skotu repelentem Oxamát v Leningradské oblasti.

Blood-sucking dipterous insects, milk yield losses caused by these insects to cows in the pasture and the possibilities of cattle protection against these insects were investigated in the Leningrad region of the USSR in 1982-1984. The invasion by horse-flies causes the greatest trouble to grazing cattle. Twenty-five horse-fly species were identified during the study. The nine prevailing species constituted more than 85% of the horse-flies invading the animals. The horse-flies flew for 50-55 days from the beginning of June to the beginning of August; mass flights were observed for two weeks starting in the second decade of June. A twelve-hour repelling action was recorded in the Oxamate repellent applied as 20% emulsion. A new portable motor-powered aerosol sprayer was tested during the study. The losses in milk yields caused by horse-flies in the Leningrad region were computed; in the period of the horse-fly flights the milk yields are reduced by 13%. The economic benefit of the treatment of the animals with the Oxamate repellent was 9.11 roubles per rouble invested. Manitoba-type traps attracting the horse-flies to an optical bait (a black ball or cube) were used as an additional method of reducing the occurrence of horse-flies in the pasture.

[Benzo(a)pyrene content in tea]. / O soderzhanii benz(a)pirena v chae.

Six samples of different kinds and sorts of native tea and 103 samples of tea beverage were tested for the benz(a)pyrene (BP) content. The results of the study showed that the carcinogen content in native tea varied from 2.4 micrograms/kg (in mixed tea No 36) to 3.84 micrograms/kg (in the Georgean tea, sort 1). The BP content in the tea beverage depended on the technology of its production. The carcinogen presence and its content increase in a violated technology of tea production may be an important factor in the genesis of esophagus carcinoma.