Effect of Composition and Viscosity of Spinning Solution on Ultrafiltration Properties of Polyphenylene Sulfone Hollow-Fiber Membranes.

In this work, PPSUs with different molecular weights were synthesized for the development of highly permeable ultrafiltration hollow fiber membranes for the first time. The M of the synthesized polymers was controlled by varying the monomers molar ratio within 1:1-1.15 under the same synthesis conditions.

Trianionic 1,3,2-Dioxaborine-Containing Polymethines: Bright Near-Infrared Fluorophores.

Trianionic polymethines of the A'-π-A-π-A-π-A' type comprising dioxaborine rings (A) and different electron-accepting end groups (A') have been synthesized. The obtained dyes absorb and emit light in the near-infrared region with remarkably high molar attenuation coefficients (ϵ up to 495 000 M  cm in DMF) and fluorescence quantum yields (Φ up to 0.73 in DMF).

Synthesis and Properties of Thermotropic Copolyesters Based on Poly(ethylene terephthalate) and 4'-Acetoxy-4-biphenyl-carboxylic Acid.

A series of novel copolyesters based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and 4'-hydroxy-biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (HBCA) was obtained by melt polycondensation of (2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate and 4'-acetoxybiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ABCA) as co-monomers with SbO as a catalyst. Using this synthetic procedure, a set of copolymers containing 20-80 mol% of HBCA units was prepared. According to NMR spectroscopy, the copolymers were of random composition.

Gentle Sterilization of Carrot-Based Purees by High-Pressure Thermal Sterilization and Ohmic Heating and Influence on Food Processing Contaminants and Quality Attributes.

Pressure-enhanced sterilization (PES) and ohmic heating (OH) are two emerging sterilization techniques, currently lacking implementation in the food industry. However, both technologies offer significant benefits in terms of spore inactivation using reduced thermal intensity in food products, as well as minimized effects on sensory and nutritional profiles. In this study, PES and OH were tested based on possible food safety process windows in comparison to thermal retorting, to optimize the food quality of carrot-based purees.

New generation of cell-penetrating peptides: Functionality and potential clinical application.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) can transport various cargoes through membranes of live cells. Since the first generations of CPPs suffered from insufficient cell and tissue selectivity, stability against proteases, and escape from endosomes, a new generation of peptides, with optimized properties, was developed. These are either derived from natural sources or created through the combination of multivalent structures.

ERK Activity in Immature Leukemic Cells Drives Clonal Selection during Induction Therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Selection of resistant clones following intensive chemotherapy is a common obstacle for cure in many cancers, particularly in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In AML, clone-specific sensitivity to chemotherapy varies even within the same patient. Multiple mutations and genetic aberrations are associated with clones surviving chemotherapy.

Recombinant β-Glucocerebrosidase specific immunoaffinity ligands selected from phage-displayed combinatorial scFv libraries.

Antibodies specific to β-Glucocerebrosidase were selected from phage displayed naïve scFv libraries. Biopannings were performed against recombinant human protein β-Glucocerebrosidase immobilized on polystyrene surface, specific phages were eluted with 50% ethylene glycol in citrate buffer (pH 6.0).

New generation CPPs show distinct selectivity for cancer and noncancer cells.

In the last three decades, many new cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) were developed that exhibited enhanced cell selectivity. Thus, we aimed to validate the tumor cell selectivity of peptides from this new generation, namely fragments mini-crotamine and mini-maurocalcine. Both of these peptides are derived from venoms.

[Fragment of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products Improves Memory State in a Model of Alzheimer's Disease].

A number of synthetic peptides corresponding to potentially important regions in the sequence of the four membrane proteins known as beta-amyloid cell receptors have been investigated on their ability to improve memory state in experimental model of Alzheimer's disease. Nine fragments repeating all the exposed nonstructural regions of the RAGE protein according to X-ray data, have been synthesized. The activity of these peptides and synthesized earlier immunoprotective fragments of other three proteins (acetylcholine receptor alpha7-type, prion protein and neurotrophin receptor p75) has been investigated under intranasal administration, without immune response to the peptide.

[Antibodies for detection of E/K amino acid substitution in 129 position of the survivin sequence].

Survivin is an oncofetal protein involved both in inhibiting of apoptosis and in cell cycle regulation. The functions of survivin are defined by its structural state. Due to nature polymorphism, survivin cancontain either E or K amino acid in 129 residue, and K129 is commonly acetylated.

Nonquaternary poly(diallylammonium) polymers with different amine structure and their biocidal effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Mycobacteria, especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are one of the most dangerous types of microorganisms to cause diseases and mortality. Due to the known distinctive structure of their cell wall, mycobacteria are resistant to majority of antibiotics and common chemical disinfectants, including quaternized low molecular weight and polymer biocides. In this work, nonquaternary protonated polydiallylamines (PDAAs) based on protonated monomers of the diallylamine (DAA) series have been synthesized, secondary s-PDAA and tertiary t-Me-PDAA and t-Et-PDAA (with Me and Et N-substituents).

Immunization with either prion protein fragment 95-123 or the fragment-specific antibodies rescue memory loss and neurodegenerative phenotype of neurons in olfactory bulbectomized mice.

Epidemiological studies demonstrated association between head injury (HI) and the subsequent development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Certain hallmarks of AD, e.g.

[Antibodies to synthetic fragment 95-123 of the prion protein protect neurons and astrocytes from beta-amyloid toxicity].

Toxic effect of beta-amyloid on brain cells during Alzheimer's disease pathology is known to be associated with oxidative stress, intracellular Ca2+ increase in neurons and astrocytes and activation of reactive oxygen species production. Prion protein is involved in beta-amyloid toxicity. Here we investigated an effect of affinity purified antibodies to synthetic fragment 95-123 of the prion protein on beta-amyloid induced cell death, Ca(2+)-signal, reactive oxygen species production and caspase 3 activation.

[Antibodies to synthetic peptides for the detection of survivin in tumor tissues].

Survivin, an endogenous protein, is a promising marker for the diagnosis of cancer. The aim of the present work was to obtain antibodies specific to survivin and capable of detecting this protein in tumor tissues. Four peptides corresponding to fragments (1-22), (54-74), (80-88)-(153-165), and (118-144) of the survivin-2B sequence were selected and synthesized.

[Antibodies to synthetic fragments of nucleophosmin for the specific detection of its monomeric and oligomeric forms].

Immunoactive fragments corresponding to the N-terminal (19-36) and C-terminal (283-294) regions of the NPM1.1 isoform of nucleophosmin and their shortened fragments were chosen and synthesized. Rabbits were immunized with free full-size peptides and their protein conjugates.

[Synthesis and biological properties of polysaccharide-peptide conjugates as potential antigens for a vaccine against meningococci of serogroups A and B].

A new approach to the development of a vaccine against meningococci of serogroups A and B was proposed. It involves the synthesis of conjugates of high-molecular capsule polysaccharides of the serogroup A meningococcus (PsA) with earlier synthesized protective fragments of membrane proteins from serogroup B meningococci. The conjugates were synthesized using a method that consists of the generation of aldehyde groups by oxidizing free vicinal hydroxyl groups of PsA and subsequent reaction of these groups with amino groups of the peptide.

[Antitumor immunotherapy with the use of synthetic fragments of survivin].

The endogenous protein survivin is present in tumor cells and inhibits apoptosis. The influence of vaccination of mice by survivin fragments on growth of various types of tumors was studied to examine the possibility of creation of an antitumor vaccinating agent on its basis. Two peptides corresponding to the (118-144) and (80-88)-(153-165) sequences of survivin 2B were chosen and synthesized on the basis of literature data and theoretical calculations.

[New approaches to the immunotherapy of Alzheimer's disease with the synthetic fragments of alpha7 subunit of the acetylcholine receptor].

The effect of immunization with the synthetic fragments of the alpha7 subunit of the acetylcholine nicotine receptor on the spatial memory of mice subjected to olfactory bulbectomy, which causes the development of the neuro-degenetrative disease of Alzheimer's type, was studied. Mice of the NMRI line were immunized with the KLH conjugates of two peptide fragments of the N-terminal fragment of the alpha7 subunit extraxcellular fragment, subjected to olfactory bulbectomy to cause the development of the neurodegenetrative disease of Alzheimer's type, and then the state of the spartial memory was evaluated. It was shown that 20% of bulbectomized mice immunized with the N-terminal 1-23 fragment exhibited good spatial memory after training.

Mechanisms of defense formation against meningococcal infection in mice immunized with synthetic peptides.

Immunization of mice with synthetic peptide fragments of conservative sites of meningococcal outer membrane proteins led to defense formation against infection with virulent serogroup A and B Meningococci. The role of cellular immunity in the formation of defense against meningococcal infection after immunization with the peptides and the possibility of stimulating lymphocyte population with these peptides were demonstrated.

[Induction of antibodies to particular sites of the alpha7 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in mice of different lines].

Five synthetic fragments of the N-terminal domain of the alpha7 subunit of the human nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (alpha7 nAChR) that correspond to theoretically calculated B epitopes and T helper epitopes of the protein and contain from 16 to 29 amino acid residues were tested for the ability to stimulate the formation of antibodies in mice of three lines having H-2d, H-2b, and H-2k haplotypes of the major histocompatibility complex. It was shown that, in the free (unconjugated) form, all the peptides stimulate the formation of antibodies at least in one mouse line. Most of the peptides induced the formation of antibodies in BALB/c mice (haplotype H-2d); therefore, more detailed studies were carried out on these animals.

[Synthetic fragments of the NS1 protein of the tick-borne encephalitis virus exhibiting a protective effect].

Potentially immunoactive regions of the NS1 nonstructural protein of the tick-borne encephalitis virus that can stimulate the antibody formation in vivo and protect animals from this disease were chosen on the basis of theoretical calculations. Eleven 16- to 27-aa peptides containing the chosen regions were synthesized. The ability of the free peptides (without any high-molecular-mass carrier) to stimulate the production of antipeptide antibodies in mice of three lines and ensure the formation of protective immunity was studied.

[Problems of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the Republic of Tatarstan].

The prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the Republic of Tatarstan was studied. Among the bacillary patients with tuberculosis, those who isolated drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis were 54.4%; primary drug resistance was detected in 31.

[Cbl--a polyfunctional regulator of cellular processes].

C-Cb1 protein is a protooncogene product that was initially identified as part of a murine retrovirus transforming protein. C-Cb1 is ubiquitously expressed in cells of different origin. A number of isoforms subsequently identified in vertebrates and invertebrates allows to consider the existence of a family of Cb1 proteins.

[Clinical manifestation and outcomes of concussion of the brain: comparison of the results in patients admitted to hospital and in those who have refused admission].

The clinical manifestations and outcomes of concussion of the brain (CB) were comparatively analyzed in two groups of victims with acute brain injury (BI): those who had admitted to hospital and in those who had refused admission. A total of 355 individuals aged 16-35 years without concomitant somatic and neurological diseases were examined. The follow-up lasted 1 year.

[Psychosomatic relationships in sarcoidosis].

The procedure developed by the Bekhterev Leningrad Research Institute was used to define the attitude towards the disease in 40 patients with sarcoidosis. A harmonic attitude towards the disease was detected only in 20% of cases. There was a relationship between the magnitude of clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis and the type of an attitude towards the disease.