Study on the Curing and Foaming of Surfactant-Modified Geopolymer Gels Based on Ash and Slag Waste from Coal Combustion.

This study explores the influence of temperature-time conditions, surfactants, and varied waste compositions on the curing of geopolymer gels, a foam formation with the properties of porous geopolymers. Findings reveal that a 6 h curing period leads to a density of 435 kg/m and strength of 0.66 MPa, with notable improvements at 12 h.

Influence of Various Coal Energy Wastes and Foaming Agents on Foamed Geopolymer Materials' Synthesis.

The regularities of obtaining foamed alkali-activated geopolymer materials based on different wastes of coal power engineering (fly ash, fuel (boiler) slag, ash, and slag mixture) were considered. The phase composition of the studied waste showed the presence of a significant amount of the amorphous phase, as well as a crystalline phase. mostly in the form of high quartz.

Improving the Properties of Porous Geopolymers Based on TPP Ash and Slag Waste by Adjusting Their Chemical Composition.

The possibility of improving the properties of porous geopolymer materials based on ash and slag waste from thermal power plants by adjusting their chemical composition is considered. An X-ray phase analysis of ash and slag wastes was carried out, the geopolymers' precursor compositions were calculated, and additives to correct their chemical composition were selected. The samples were synthesized and their physical and mechanical properties (density, porosity, compressive strength, thermal conductivity) were analyzed.

The Gene Regulatory Network of Lens Induction Is Wired through Meis-Dependent Shadow Enhancers of Pax6.

Lens induction is a classical developmental model allowing investigation of cell specification, spatiotemporal control of gene expression, as well as how transcription factors are integrated into highly complex gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Pax6 represents a key node in the gene regulatory network governing mammalian lens induction. Meis1 and Meis2 homeoproteins are considered as essential upstream regulators of Pax6 during lens morphogenesis based on their interaction with the ectoderm enhancer (EE) located upstream of Pax6 transcription start site.

Onecut1 and Onecut2 transcription factors operate downstream of Pax6 to regulate horizontal cell development.

Genetic studies of the last decades strongly indicated that generation of particular retinal cell types is governed by gene regulatory networks of transcription factors and their target genes. The paired and homeodomain transcription factor Pax6 plays a pivotal role in retinal development as its inactivation in the retinal progenitor cell population leads to abolished differentiation of all retinal cell types. However, until now, only a few transcription factors operating downstream of Pax6 responsible for generation of individual retinal cell types have been identified.

Genetic interaction between Pax6 and β-catenin in the developing retinal pigment epithelium.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays an essential role in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) determination. Since activity of Pax6 (together with Pax2) is also required for the RPE determination, we investigated a possible genetic interaction between Pax6 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by analyzing Pax6, β-catenin, and Pax6/β-catenin conditional knockout mice. Although Pax6 inactivation alone had no impact on initial specification determined by the expression of Mitf and Otx2, melanin pigmentation was reduced in the RPE.

Involvement of microtubular network and its motors in productive endocytic trafficking of mouse polyomavirus.

Infection of non-enveloped polyomaviruses depends on an intact microtubular network. Here we focus on mouse polyomavirus (MPyV). We show that the dynamics of MPyV cytoplasmic transport reflects the characteristics of microtubular motor-driven transport with bi-directional saltatory movements.

Efficiency of cellular growth when creating small pockets of electric current along the walls of cells.

Pulses up to 11 Tesla magnetic fields may generate pockets of currents along the walls of cellular material and may interfere with the overall ability of cell division. We used prokaryotic cells (Escherichia coli) and eukaryotic cells (murine fibroblasts) and exposed them to magnetic pulses of intensities ranging from 1 millitesla (mT) to 11,000 mT. We found prokaryotic cells to be more sensitive to magnetic field pulses than eukaryotic cells.

Stage-dependent requirement of neuroretinal Pax6 for lens and retina development.

The physical contact of optic vesicle with head surface ectoderm is an initial event triggering eye morphogenesis. This interaction leads to lens specification followed by coordinated invagination of the lens placode and optic vesicle, resulting in formation of the lens, retina and retinal pigmented epithelium. Although the role of Pax6 in early lens development has been well documented, its role in optic vesicle neuroepithelium and early retinal progenitors is poorly understood.

Generation of mRx-Cre transgenic mouse line for efficient conditional gene deletion in early retinal progenitors.

During mouse eye development, all retinal cell types are generated from the population of retina-committed progenitors originating from the neuroepithelium of the optic vesicle. Conditional gene inactivation provides an efficient tool for studying the genetic basis of the developing retina; however, the number of retina-specific Cre lines is limited. Here we report generation of the mRx-Cre BAC transgenic mouse line in which the expression of Cre recombinase is controlled by regulatory sequences of the mouse Rx gene, one of the earliest determinants of retinal development.

[Legionellosis in Ul'ianovsk region].

The increasingly frequent introduction of new infectious diseases poses the problem of their prophylaxis, prevention of secondary distribution and establishment. Current epidemiologic situation is characterized by the occurrence of rare infections including legionellosis. Data on the prevalence of this disease in Ulyanovsk region are presented for the period from 2008 to the first half of 2009.

[Clinical manifestations of neuroborreliosis in the Volga region].

Ixodes tick-borne borrelioses (TBB) are a group of etiologically independent acute infectious natural-focal transmissive and polysystemic diseases caused by Borrelia and transmitted by the ticks. These diseases tend to be chronic and recurrent, as well as latent, mainly involving the skin, nervous system, locomotor apparatus and heart. The signs of nervous system lesion are recorded in both acute (subacute) and chronic course of the disease.

Lens morphogenesis is dependent on Pax6-mediated inhibition of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in the lens surface ectoderm.

Lens formation in mouse is critically dependent on proper development of the retinal neuroectoderm that is located close beneath the head surface ectoderm. Signaling from the prospective retina triggers lens-specific gene expression in the surface-ectoderm. Supression of canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in the surface ectoderm is one of the prerequisites for lens development because, as we show here, ectopic Wnt activation in the retina and lens abrogates lens formation.

[Aseptic meningitis season caused by enteroviruses in 2007: molecular-epidemiological aspects].

Aim: Analysis of manifestation of epidemic process of aseptic meningitis and causes of its activation using molecular genetic methods.

Materials And Methods: Samples of feces and CSF, nasopharyngeal swabs from 296 patients with aseptic meningitis (AM), as well as 240 samples of drinking water and 6 samples of lake water were studied. Epidemiologic analysis, isolation of enteroviruses in Hep-2 and RD cell cultures, RT-PCR, partial sequencing of 5'NTR and genome region coding VP1 were performed.

[Peculiarities of the organism immune response in patients suffering ischemic cardiomyopathy].

Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP) constitutes the organspecific systemic form of autoimmune pathology. Now existing hypotheses of the ICMP pathogenesis trust the multistaged course of the disease with concurrent changes in the cellular and humoral chains of immunity. Among the immune disorders there are interrelated chains, influencing the disease course severity.

[Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome coursing with neurologic symptomatology].

At present it is known 2 forms of hantavirus infections in humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) induced by viruses Hantaan, Seoul, Puumala and Dobrava/Belgrade; and hantaviral pulmonary syndrome, induced by Sin Nombre et al. A case of HRFS, induced by hantavirus Dobrava, is described. Features of this case are developed neurological manifestations against the background of renal pathology, and difficulties of clinical and laboratory diagnostics in practice.

[Significance of immunological investigations in the studying of various forms of cardiomyopathy].

The data concerning the role of the immune and inflammatory reactions activation in formation of dilatational and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were presented. The dependence of the humoral-inflammatory disbalance progressing on the processes of the apoptosis and inflammatory cytokins level regulation, determining the immune answer disorder degree in relation with cardiomyopathy form, was established.

Epidemiology of syphilis in pregnant women and congenital syphilis in Belarus.

In Belarus the spread of syphilis has been on the increase since 1988, and the incidence reached its peak in 1996 with 209.7 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. During the following years the incidence has reduced, but still remains high with 41 cases in 2004.

Incidence of Crohn disease in the Czech Republic in the years 1990 to 2001 and assessment of pediatric population with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the pediatric population that suffered from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Czech Republic and to determine the incidence of Crohn disease (CD) in children up to 15 years age between 1990 and 2001.

Methods: Diagnostic criteria for CD, ulcerative colitis (UC), and indeterminate colitis (IC) were defined. Medical records provided a source of basic information about the children.

[On validity of intralacunar exposure to surgical laser beam in chronic tonsillitis (experimental study)].

An experimental study was made on the removed tonsil to validate clinical efficiency of intralacunar impact of surgical laser beam. The experiment was based on computed tomography of the removed tonsil with intralacunar introduction of the contrast medium before and after intralacunar impact of surgical laser beam. The study demonstrates changes in the lacunar apparatus of the palatine tonsils in response to laser beam radiation.

[Population density and area-specific distribution of the imago form of Hyalomma marginatum ticks, the vector of Crimean haemorrhagic fever, in Dagestan].

The results of the determination of the amount and location of ticks Hyalomma marginatum in Daghestan at the period of the appearance of cases of Crimean haemorrhagic fever (CHF) are presented. The domination and abundance indices of these ticks in different landscape areas, on the territories of some plain and foothill regions of the Republic of Daghestan are given. The advantages of the effective method for the collection of ticks "on the observer" have been substantiated.

[Hemangioendothelioma of the nasal cavity complicated by polypous sinusitis].

Three patients were observed who had small angioma in the region of the middle nasal passage. Angioma was the cause of recurrent nasal bleeding. In one of the patients the vascular tumor was covered with massive edemous polyps for which the patient was referred for polypotomy.