N-protein vaccine is effective against COVID-19: Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Despite the success of first-generation COVID-19 vaccines targeting the spike (S) protein, emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants have led to immune escape, reducing the efficacy of these vaccines. Additionally, some individuals are unable to mount an effective immune response to S protein-based vaccines. This has created a need for alternative vaccine strategies that are less susceptible to mutations and capable of providing broad and durable protection.

Rapid Deposition of the Biomimetic Hydroxyapatite-Polydopamine-Amino Acid Composite Layers onto the Natural Enamel.

In this work, we developed a technology that enables rapid deposition of biomimetic composite films onto natural enamel slices (known as biotemplates). These films are composed of polydopamine (PDA) and nanocrystalline carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite (nano-cHAp) that have been functionalized with amino acid l-Arginine. We utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) combined with infrared (IR) synchrotron to achieve nanoscale spatial resolution for both IR absorption and topography analyses.

Age-inclusive Arctic outdoor spaces: a policy review in four Nordic countries.

In the last decade, policy strategies were adopted in response to population ageing in the Nordic countries. Governmental actions have to be evaluated in terms of their efficacy. The objective of this article is to identify and review the policies related to age-inclusive outdoor spaces in the Arctic regions of Nordic countries.

Efficacy of Raphamin against Pneumococcal Infection: a Preclinical Study.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the activity of Raphamin in a model of non-lethal pneumococcal infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae 3 in BALB/c mice. The drug or placebo was administered intragastrically 3 days prior to infection, 2 h before and 2 h post infection, and then for 3 full days, alone or in combination with antibiotic (amoxicil-lin/clavulanic acid). Raphamin monotherapy significantly decreased bacterial load in the lungs in comparison with placebo (p<0.

Antiviral Activity of Technologically Processed Antibodies to CD4 Receptor against Influenza Infection.

The antiviral activity of technologically processed antibodies to CD4 receptor was evaluated a model of sublethal A/California/04/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-induced influenza infection in female BALB/c mice. The technologically processed antibodies increased animal survival rate by 50% in comparison with the placebo group (p<0.05), which correlated with significant inhibition of virus replication in the lungs (p<0.

Research on Selected Wildlife Infections in the Circumpolar Arctic-A Bibliometric Review.

One Health, a multidisciplinary approach to public health, which integrates human, animal, and environmental studies, is prudent for circumpolar Arctic health research. The objective of our bibliometric review was to identify and compare research in select infectious diseases in Arctic wildlife species with importance to human health indexed in English language databases (PubMed, Scopus) and the Russian database eLibrary.ru.

Biomimetic Mineralization of Tooth Enamel Using Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite under Various Dental Surface Pretreatment Conditions.

In this report, we demonstrated the formation of a biomimetic mineralizing layer obtained on the surface of dental enamel (biotemplate) using bioinspired nanocrystalline carbonate-substituted calcium hydroxyapatite (ncHAp), whose physical and chemical properties are closest to the natural apatite dental matrix, together with a complex of polyfunctional organic and polar amino acids. Using a set of structural, spectroscopy, and advanced microscopy techniques, we confirmed the formation of a nanosized ncHAp-based mineralized layer, as well as studying its chemical, substructural, and morphological features by means of various methods for the pretreatment of dental enamel. The pretreatment of a biotemplate in an alkaline solution of Ca(OH) and an amino acid booster, together with the executed subsequent mineralization with ncHAp, led to the formation of a mineralized layer with homogeneous micromorphology and the preferential orientation of the ncHAp nanocrystals.

Development of a Visualisation Approach for Analysing Incipient and Clinically Unrecorded Enamel Fissure Caries Using Laser-Induced Contrast Imaging, MicroRaman Spectroscopy and Biomimetic Composites: A Pilot Study.

This pilot study presents a practical approach to detecting and visualising the initial forms of caries that are not clinically registered. The use of a laser-induced contrast visualisation (LICV) technique was shown to provide detection of the originating caries based on the separation of emissions from sound tissue, areas with destroyed tissue and regions of bacterial invasion. Adding microRaman spectroscopy to the measuring system enables reliable detection of the transformation of the organic-mineral component in the dental tissue and the spread of bacterial microflora in the affected region.

Caregiving of Older Persons during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Russian Arctic Province: Challenges and Practice.

Older people and their families were particularly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but not much is known about the context of the Arctic regions of Russia. In this study, we identified the changes in family care before and during the pandemic using a questionnaire for the informal caregivers of older people. We investigated how and to what extent the pandemic has affected the relationships between caregiver and older person, and how the mental and physical health of older people and caregivers were affected by self-isolation in the Arkhangelsk region of Russia.

Raman and XANES Spectroscopic Study of the Influence of Coordination Atomic and Molecular Environments in Biomimetic Composite Materials Integrated with Dental Tissue.

In this work, for the first time, the influence of the coordination environment as well as Ca and P atomic states on biomimetic composites integrated with dental tissue was investigated. Bioinspired dental composites were synthesised based on nanocrystalline calcium carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite Ca4ICa6IIPO46-xCO3x+yOH2-y (nano-cHAp) obtained from a biogenic source and a set of polar amino acids that modelled the organic matrix. Biomimetic composites, as well as natural dental tissue samples, were investigated using Raman spectromicroscopy and synchrotron X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy.

A checklist of bat-associated macronyssid mites (Acari: Gamasina: Macronyssidae) of Russia, with new host and geographical records.

The family Macronyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) comprises mostly obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) and some other animals, such as small mammals, reptiles and birds. Here, we document and curate previously known data, and, based on our extensive survey, provide this article of bat-associated macronyssid mites of the Russian Federation. We record a total of 24 mite species belonging to 4 genera (Ichoronyssus, Macronyssus, Steatonyssus, and Cryptonyssus).

New records of bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae), with an updated checklist of the nycteribiids of Russia.

We assembled a checklist by documenting and curating previously published data as well as previously unpublished records of bat flies from the Russian Federation. A total of 20 bat fly species are listed, belonging to 4 genera. Basilia mongolensis nudior Hůrka, 1972 and Basilia nattereri (Kolenati, 1857) are recorded from Russia for the first time.

Insights into the Mechanism of Action of Highly Diluted Biologics.

The therapeutic use of Abs in cancer, autoimmunity, transplantation, and other fields is among the major biopharmaceutical advances of the 20th century. Broader use of Ab-based drugs is constrained because of their high production costs and frequent side effects. One promising approach to overcome these limitations is the use of highly diluted Abs, which are produced by gradual reduction of an Ab concentration to an extremely low level.

Correction to: Temporal trends of contaminants in Arctic human populations.

The article Temporal trends of contaminants in Arctic human populations, written by Khaled Abass, Anastasia Emelyanova and Arja Rautio, was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on 25 August 2018 without open access.

Ergoferon Increases IL-2 Production by Activated Lymphocytes.

We studied the effects of Ergoferon on the production of antiviral cytokine IL-2 by type 1 CD4T cells. Preincubation of Jurkat cells with Ergoferon increased IL-2 secretion by these cells after stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionomycine in comparison with the placebo group. The data prove that Ergoferon is capable of activating cell cascades involved in the realization of the antiviral immune response.

Human infectious diseases and the changing climate in the Arctic.

Climatic factors, especially temperature, precipitation, and humidity play an important role in disease transmission. As the Arctic changes at an unprecedented rate due to climate change, understanding how climatic factors and climate change affect infectious disease rates is important for minimizing human and economic costs. The purpose of this systematic review was to compile recent studies in the field and compare the results to a previously published review.

Temporal trends of contaminants in Arctic human populations.

The first Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) report was published in 1998 and followed by three assessment reports of human health (AMAP 2003, 2009 and 2015). The focus area of the AMAP reports was to monitor levels of environmental contaminants in the Arctic and to assess the health effects connected with detected levels in Arctic countries. This review gives an overview of temporal trends of contaminants and their health effects in humans of the Arctic based on data published by AMAP, as well as Russian scientific literature.

In Vitro Study of Antitumor Effect of Antimicrobial Peptide Tachyplesin I in Combination with Cisplatin.

We studied combined effect of β-hairpin antimicrobial peptide tachyplesin I and cytotoxic agent cisplatin on tumor and normal human cell lines. MTT assay and flow cytometry showed that tachyplesin I selectively sensitized cancer cells to cisplatin in specified concentration ratios. In vitro experiments demonstrated that combined use of tachyplesin I and cisplatin allows decreasing the effective dose of the cytostatic thus reducing nonspecific toxicity.

Efficacy of novel antibody-based drugs against rhinovirus infection: In vitro and in vivo results.

Rhinoviruses (RVs) cause the common cold and are associated with exacerbations of chronic inflammatory respiratory diseases, especially asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We have assessed the antiviral drugs Anaferon for Children (AC) and Ergoferon (containing AC as one of the active pharmaceutical ingredients) in in vitro and in vivo experimental models, in order to evaluate their anti-rhinoviral and immunomodulatory potential. HeLa cells were pretreated with AC, and levels of the interferon-stimulated gene (ISG), 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1-A) and viral replication were analyzed.

Effects of Release-Active Antibodies to CD4 Receptor on the Level of lck-Kinase in Cultured Mononuclear Cells from Human Peripheral Blood.

For evaluation of effects of release-active antibodies to CD4 on cultured lymphocytes from human peripheral blood, we measured intracellular content of lck-kinase cell-based ELISA. In cells treated with release-active antibodies to CD4, the content of intracellular lck-kinase significantly (p<0.01) decreased in comparison with the control (purified water processed in a similar way).

The phenomenon of released-activity. Reply on comment on Don et al.: Dose-dependent antiviral activity of released-active form of antibodies to interferon-gamma against influenza A/California/07/09(H1N1) in murine model.

This text is aimed to provide the readers with detailed information about phenomenon of released-activity and reply on the specific risen questions.