Oxygen Vacancies and Surface Wettability: Key Factors in Activating and Enhancing the Solar Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO Tetrapods.

This paper reports on the high photocatalytic activity of ZnO tetrapods (ZnO-Ts) using visible/solar light and hydrodynamic water flow. It was shown that surface oxygen defects are a key factor in the photocatalytic activity of the ZnO-Ts. The ability to control the surface wettability of the ZnO-Ts and the associated concentration of surface defects was demonstrated.

Circumpolar phylogeography and demographic history of beluga whales reflect past climatic fluctuations.

Several Arctic marine mammal species are predicted to be negatively impacted by rapid sea ice loss associated with ongoing ocean warming. However, consequences for Arctic whales remain uncertain. To investigate how Arctic whales responded to past climatic fluctuations, we analysed 206 mitochondrial genomes from beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) sampled across their circumpolar range, and four nuclear genomes, covering both the Atlantic and the Pacific Arctic region.

[Parental behavior of the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) in natural environment].

The parental behavior of beluga whales observed in a summer reproductive gathering (near Solovetsky Island, Onega Bay, White Sea) is described, including the parturition process. A tight association between the female and its newborn infant has been traced by the case study of a stillborn calf. Individual behavioral patterns of a mother and calves observable only in natural habitats are detailed.

Visual laterality of calf-mother interactions in wild whales.

Background: Behavioral laterality is known for a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Laterality in social interactions has been described for a wide range of species including humans. Although evidence and theoretical predictions indicate that in social species the degree of population level laterality is greater than in solitary ones, the origin of these unilateral biases is not fully understood.

[Mother-infant spatial relations in wild beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) during postnatal development under natural conditions].

Elements of behavior under natural conditions, their duration, and frequency are described in three age groups of belugas calves: newborn, one-month-old, and two-month-old. The quantitative and qualitative indices of the recognized behavioral elements allowed us to evaluate the mother-infant contacts and to analyze their dynamics during calf growth. The most common calf positions relative to the mother during this period were "at the cow's tail" and "at the cow's side.

[Prevention of cancer of the buccal mucosa].

Cancer of the buccal mucosa ranks fourth in the structure of cancers. Pretumor processes of the buccal mucosa are Bouin's disease, leukoplakia verrucosa, papillomatosis, erosive ulcerative and hyperkeratotic lupus erythematosus and lichen planus, and postradiation stomatitis. Two clinical cases of cancer of the tongue in young men aged 27 years are described.

Measles IgA in the nasal washings of adult volunteers and children immunized intranasally with measles vaccine L-16.

Earlier it was determined that inspiration of aerosolized measles vaccines may be as effective as its injection in induction of measles antibodies formation. In the beginning of measles infection the measles virus penetrates through mucosa of nose, mouth or eyes of children. So it seems rational to use a nasal spray of measles vaccine to induce "mucosal immunity" in the nasopharinx.

[Intranasal revaccination of children with live measles vaccine: development of local immunity].

Thirty-eight children aged 6-7 years were intranasally revaccinated against measles. Children without antimeasles antibodies in the serum responded to revaccination by their appearance in protective titers. In children with antibodies their titers increased (in 60%) on day 30 after intranasal revaccination.

[An automated system for evaluation of gastric motor function in duodenal ulcer].

The researchers of the Department of Medical and Biological Cybernetics and Hospital Surgery Department No. 2 of the Russian State Medical University have developed the first stage of an automatic diagnostic system to evaluate gastroduodenal motor function by intracavitary multichannel manometry. The system makes diagnostic syndromal conclusions by using an expert approach and statistic data analysis.

[Immunizing and immunomodulating activity of wild measles virus at the focus of measles infection].

The effect of a wild measles virus circulating in a childhood collective body on the immune status of 80 children has been studied over time. Only using enzyme immunoassay was it possible to fully record and assess the degree of booster effect of the virus on children in case of infection transmission. In 25% cases the increment of antibodies was at the expense of specific IgM antibodies appearing in the sera of children.

[Use of a latex-agglutination test for determining anti-measles antibody titer].

A new diagnostic agent for microtitration of antimeasles antibodies, making use of polyacrolein microspheres conjugated with purified measles virus has been developed. Parallel titration of blood sera of children and adults in latex agglutination test and in routine test (hemagglutination inhibition, passive hemagglutination, immunofluorescent tests) demonstrated a sufficient specificity of the new test, sensitivity compatible to that of hemagglutination inhibition, and correlation of the results of all tests.

[Immunizing and immunomodulating activity of a wild epidemic parotitis virus at a parotitis infection focus].

The immune status of 18 children previously vaccinated or not with live parotitis vaccine and living in a focus of parotitis was tested over time. Specific antibodies were found in the blood sera or nasal secretion of 88.9% children by follow-up days 10-20, and memory antigen-reactive cells were forming in 55.

[An intranasal method of revaccination against mumps].

The effectiveness of revaccination against mumps was studied using different routes for administration of a live mumps vaccine from L-3 strain. Poor reactogenicity of the vaccine was observed after intranasal administration. The highest rise in titres of virus-neutralizing antibody was demonstrated in volunteers given the vaccine by the intranasal route.

[The immunological indices in the intranasal method of revaccination with a live measles vaccine].

Immunological parameters of the blood were studied in intranasal revaccination with a live measles vaccine (LMV) from the strain L-16. Alongside with specific immune response, LMV was shown to produce nonspecific changes in the system of immunocompetent cells the amount and duration of which were vaccine dose-dependent. The immunomodulating activity of LMV administered by different routes was different.

[The specific activity and immunological safety of the intranasal method of revaccination with a live measles vaccine made from the Leningrad-16 strain].

The search for alternative routes for administration of live measles vaccine is associated both with the threat of infection with human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and with the development of a more physiological, natural and less traumatic mode of vaccine administration. The influence of the intranasal administration on the general condition of the immune system, its immunomodulating effect (the emergence of inducer suppressors, cell response to the inactivated virus), was studied as well as the level and intensity of secretory and general humoral immunity. The studies confirmed the immunological effectiveness and safety of the intranasal administration of a live measles vaccine and suggested its advantages for revaccination against measles.

[The determination of measles antibody titers in the latex agglutination reaction].

A new latex agglutination test (LAT) for detection of antibodies to measles virus in blood sera was developed. The latex diagnosticum consists of polymeric microspheres of national make carrying on their surface covalently bound measles virus antigen. The data on the specificity and sensitivity of the test are presented, and the results of titrations of blood sera from schoolchildren by traditional HI test and LAT are compared.

[A trial of the intranasal vaccination of adults against measles: the approaches to an alternative revaccination method].

The safety and efficacy of a measles vaccine from the L-16 strain was studied after its intranasal administration to adult volunteers using an atomizer. The controls were adult volunteers given one dose of the vaccine subcutaneously. The measles vaccine given intranasally was used in the same or double dose.

[Testing for the safety, reactogenicity and antigenic properties of a live thermostable mumps vaccine made from the Leningrad-3 strain].

A live mumps vaccine (LMV) from strain Leningrad-3 with a new stabilizer LS-18 was tested for reactogenicity and antigenic potency. Examinations of vaccinated children for vaccination reactions showed its complete areactogenicity and safety. LMV induced synthesis of virus-neutralizing antibodies in 78-82% of the vaccinees.

[The immune status of children in foci of measles infection studied by an immunoenzyme method].

Children immunized with live measles vaccine in the foci of measles infection varying in intensity (1-9 cases per focus) have been subjected by two methods: the hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) test and the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). As shown in this study, in most cases (98% of all blood serum samples) the correlation between the results of the HAI test and EIA is not high (r = 0.5), which is linked with the detection of a wider spectrum of antibodies in EIA.