Crystallographic models of ribbons and ribbon-based J-aggregate nanotubes from the geometry of tube ends.

Self-assembly into tubular structures typically proceeds by helical winding of ribbon intermediates, however, only the central parts of the tubes, that retain no information on the ribbon geometry, have received attention so far. We propose the procedure of establishing the crystal structure of ribbons and ribbon-based tubes on the basis of crystallographic analysis of the tube-end geometry, where the terminal parts of the ribbons fold and form characteristic mono/bilayer polygonal shapes. The terminal parts of flattened J-aggregate nanotubes of trimethine cyanine dye were clearly resolved in electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images, and the original parallelogram shape of ribbons was reconstructed and interpreted as a two-dimensional [1-10]/[010] facetted crystal with inclined molecular π-stacks parallel to the long ribbon side.

Crystallography and Molecular Arrangement of Polymorphic Monolayer J-Aggregates of a Cyanine Dye: Multiangle Polarized Light Fluorescence Optical Microscopy Study.

The molecular orientation in monolayer J-aggregates of 3,3-di(γ-sulfopropyl)-5,5-dichlorotiamonomethinecyanine dye has been precisely estimated using improved linear polarization measurements in the fluorescence microscope in which a multiangle set of polarization data is obtained using sample rotation. The estimated molecular orientation supplemented with the previously established crystallographic constraints based on the analysis of the well-developed two-dimensional J-aggregate shapes unambiguously indicate the staircase type of molecular arrangement for striplike J-aggregates with the staircases oriented along strips. The molecular transition dipoles are inclined at an angle of ∼25° to the strip direction, whereas the characteristic strip vertex angle ∼45° is formed by the [100] and [1-10] directions of the monoclinic unit cell.

Polymorphism of Two-Dimensional Cyanine Dye J-Aggregates and Its Genesis: Fluorescence Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy Study.

Polymorphic J-aggregates of monomethine cyanine dye 3,3'-di(γ-sulfopropyl)-5,5'-dichlorotiamonomethinecyanine (TC) have been studied by fluorescence optical microscopy (FOM) and by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The in situ FOM observations in a solution drop distinguish two J-aggregate morphology classes: flexible strips and rigid rods. The AFM imaging of dried samples reveals a strong J-aggregate structural rearrangement under adsorption on a mica surface with the strips self-folding and the rods squashing into rectangular bilayers and much deeper destruction.

[Comparative efficacy of homologous and heterologous biologicals against diphtheria].

Aim: Comparative assessment of efficacy of homologous and heterologous diphtheria antitoxins on the example of diphtheria intoxication.

Materials And Methods: Homologous hyperimmune sera were obtained through immunization of rabbits and guinea-pigs with diphtheria toxoid according to schedule. Immune rabbit sera contained 70 - 100 IU/mL of antitoxin antibodies and guinea-pig sera contained 60 - 80 IU/mL.

[Assessment of different regimens of diphtheria serotherapy].

Aim: Efficacy of different treatment regimens with equine diphtheria antitoxin (EDA) was assessed on clinical samples as well as in experiments on animals.

Materials And Methods: Protective properties and serum concentration kinetics of heterologous antibodies was studied on 12 rabbits and 51 guinea pigs after intramuscular injection of different doses of EDA, in serum samples from 26 patients, which received one intramuscular injection of EDA in various doses as well as in serum samples from 10 patients with diphtheria of different severity, which were treated with EDA in total course dose 100,000-1,500,000 IU. Antitoxin concentration in serum sample was measured with passive hemagglutination assay as well as Jensen toxin neutralization test on rabbits.

[Specific immunity in patients with diphtheria].

Aim: To study features of specific immunity in patients with diphtheria using data from clinic as well as from animal experiments.

Materials And Methods: Serum samples of 80 patients hospitalized to Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Moscow and treated with anti-diphtheria serum (manufactured by "Immunogen" Concern, Stavropol) were studied.

[The humoral immunity against diphtheria].

Results of the conducted study showed that naturally acquired antibacterial and postvaccinal antitoxic antibodies against diphtheria were found in human blood sera. Challenge of ADT-M toxoid to adults resulted in production of antitoxic as well as antibacterial antibodies in high concentrations. In response to challenge of ADT-M toxoid simultaneously with bacterial vaccine against diphtheria Codivac both antibacterial and antitoxic antibodies were synthesized in blood on optimal physiologic levels.

[Evaluation of the reactogenicity and immunogenic potency of combined vaccine "Bubo-Kok" in the immunization of children against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and viral hepatitis B].

Combined vaccine "Bubo-Kok" is characterized by safety and high immunological activity. The number of postvaccinal reactions in children aged 1 and 2 years, immunized with vaccine "Bubo-Kok", was not statistically different from those in groups of children immunized with adsorbed DPT vaccine, as well with such vaccine in combination with vaccine against hepatitis B. After the completion of the primary course of immunization 100% of children had protective antibody titers against diphtheria, tetanus and hepatitis B.

[Determination of tetanus toxin and toxoid by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies].

The procedure of obtaining monoclonal antibodies TT-1, TT-2, and TT-3 against tetanus toxin/toxoid is described. It is shown that both commercial DTP vaccine and tetanus toxoid conjugated with a low-molecular-weight hapten can be used an immunogens. Monoclonal antibodies TT-1 and TT-2 neutralized tetanus toxin in vivo.

[Reactions to and immunogenic properties of the combined vaccine Bubo-M for immunization of children against diphtheria, tetanus and viral hepatitis B].

Bubo-M, the first Russian combined vaccine, was found to have low reactogenicity. The difference between the number of postvaccinal reactions in the group of children immunized with Bubo-M (25.9%) and those in the group of children who had been simultaneously injected into different sites of the body with ADS-M toxoid (adsorbed DT toxoid with reduced antigen content) and hepatitis B vaccine (26.

[Evaluation of reactogenicity and immunogenicity of Bubo-M, the Russian combined vaccine for immunization of adults against diphtheria, tetanus and viral hepatitis B].

Bubo-M, the first Russian associated vaccine, was found to have low reactogenicity and high immunogenic potency. The frequency of postvaccinal reactions in the group of persons immunized with Bubo-M (20%) appeared to be considerably lower than among persons who received the combined injection of adsorbed DT toxoid with reduced antigen content and vaccine against hepatitis B (47.7%).

[Delayed hypersensitivity to the antigens of the herpes simplex virus and herpetic resistance induced in mice by the administration of xenogeneic lymphocytic ultrafiltrates].

Experiments on mice have shown that ultrafiltrates, prepared from lymphocytes obtained from the spleen of horses immunized with herpes vaccine and from human tonsils, contain herpes-specific transfer factor inducing delayed hypersensitivity. The antiherpetic resistance of mice has been found to achieve its maximum if herpes simplex antigens are introduced after the injection of the preparation of transfer factor.

[RNA biosynthesis in the microsomes of splenic cells during the inductive phase of the immunological response].

RNA labeled with 3H-uridine was extracted from the microsomes of the spleen of the intact and antigen-stimulated mice. A study was made of the composition of this RNA by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel. Apart from rRNA, there were revealed in the microsome composition up to 10 RNA components in the mol wt range of from 0.