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The article presents the results of the research conducted during the 2015– 2017 years. On the experimental field of the Department of Horticulture and Storage of V.V. Dokuchaev KNAU was determined the influence of the plant growth regulators on the formation of a marketable yield and the content of some components of the cauliflower hybrids chemical composition. The early ripening hybrids of cauliflower Livingstone F1 and Kul F1 were studied. The Humisol-super, Vympel, and Megafol were taken for the study. The experience was a two-factor: factor A was the features of the hybrid, factor B was drug treatment. The repetition was four-fold. Field experiments were carried out according to generally accepted methods. The cauliflowers` soil preparation and the plant care were carried out according to the generally accepted recommendations. Treatment with growth regulators was carried out by spraying plants during the growing season according to the manufacturers' recommendations. The first spraying was carried out after planting seedlings in the open ground; the subsequent spraying had been carried every 14 days. An option without treatment was taken as a control. As a result of the studies, it was found that treatment of cauliflower plants with growth regulators during the growing season significantly affects the yield of hybrids. Over the years of research, the highest yield of the Livingston F1 hybrid was obtained with the Megafol treatment, – 12,9 t/ha (+1,6 t/ha to control). The highest yield of the Kul F1 hybrid was 13,4 t/ha (+1,0 t/ha to control) during Humisol-super treatment. It has been proved that the usage of the growth regulators influenced the physical indicators of the commercial yield of hybrids. During the 2015–2017 years, the average weight of cauliflower heads increased by 2,1–11,8 % compared to the control, depending on the treatment. The Megafol had a greater effect on the hybrids. Plants` treatment with growth regulators increased the average volume of the hybrid head by 1,3–11,3 % compared to the control. In terms of influence on this indicator, Megafol and Humisol-super were the best drugs. It has been established that plant growth regulators affect the components of the cauliflowers' heads' chemical composition. The Vympel and Megafol increased the dry matter content in the Kul F1 hybrid by 1,0 and 1,4 %, respectively, compared with the control. The treatment of plants with the Humisol-super increased the ascorbic acid content in the heads of the Livingston F1 hybrid by 4,3 % compared to the control. It is recommended to apply the treatment of plants during the growing season with Humisol-super (1,5l/ha) and Megafol (2,3 l/ha) every 14 days to increase the yield and improve the physical parameters of cauliflower heads. Key words: cauliflower, hybrids, plant growth regulators, crop yields, physical yield indicators, chemical components.

Methotrexate (MTX) is the immunosuppressive anti-inflammatory drug and the antagonist of the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. Pharmacogenomic studies and clinical evidences suggest that altered response to MTX in patients with different diseases is associated with polymorphisms of genes that regulate folate metabolism. The purpose of the article was to analyze the methotrexate effect on the biochemical indices of psoriasis patients depending on methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) polymorphisms. Effects of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, C677T and A1298C, were studied. An increase of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activity above the normal level in the patients with both MTHFR gene polymorphisms after methotrexate intake was observed. In patients with CC, TT, CT genotypes for C677T polymorphism and AA genotype for A1298C polymorphism of MTHFR gene, significant differen­ces in alpha-amylase activity before and after treatment with methotrexate were detected. Analysis of the biochemical indices of patients with arthropathic and vulgaris psoriasis showed that the positive effect of MTX treatment could be associated with wild-type alleles in both polymorphisms of MTHFR gene, while the ineffectiveness of methotrexate was associated with the dihеterozygous genotype. The largest number of smokers was found within the CTAA genotype group (37.5%), while no smokers were observed within TTAA patients and most of CCAA patients. The data obtained testify the utility of the individual approach to the psoriasis patients therapy taking into account genetic background.

The aim of the work was to evaluate the effectiveness of a physical therapy program for athletes specializing in team sports games with diaphysis fractures of the shin after intramedullary osteosynthesis. Materials and methods. Experimental studies were conducted with athletes in game sports (n = 58) with diaphyseal fractures of the tibia, who were treated in the Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics of the Clinical Hospital № 7, Kyiv, SI “Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics NAMS of Ukraine”, sports clinic injuries of NUFVSU during 2014–2019. Methods of analysis and generalization of literature sources were used; method of anthropometric measurements to determine the comprehensiveness of a healthy and injured limb; goniometry method for measuring the available range of motion in the knee joint of a healthy and injured limb; myotonometry method to determine the tone of the quadriceps femoris; testing to calculate the symmetry index of the lower extremities (LSI ‒ Lower Extremity Symmetry Index); methods of mathematical statistics. Results. The developed complex program of physical therapy is a cycle of restorative measures that meet the achievement of previous functionality, meets the requirements for the level of motor skills, general and special physical performance of athletes, and meets their personal ideas about the quality of life. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the physical therapy program allows us to state that in BG the normative values were reached by 25 out of 29 athletes (86.21 %), in CG ‒ 19 athletes out of 29 (65.52 %), which indicates the high efficiency of the proposed physical therapy program. Conclusions. In the process of forming physical therapy programs for patients ‒ athletes with diaphysis fractures of the tibia after intramedullary osteosynthesis, therapeutic exercises should be grouped depending on the specific objectives of rehabilitation measures and their predominant focus: to restore motor function; to restore general physical fitness; to restore special physical fitness; to restore basic motor skills and abilities; to restore special motor skills and abilities in accordance with the specifics of training and competitive activities in sports games.

The activation of distinct branches of the Wnt signaling network is essential for regulating early vertebrate development. Activation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway stimulates expression of β-catenin-Lef/Tcf regulated Wnt target genes and a regulatory network giving rise to the formation of the Spemann organizer. Non-canonical pathways, by contrast, mainly regulate cell polarization and migration, in particular convergent extension movements of the trunk mesoderm during gastrulation. By transcriptome analyses, we found caveolin1, caveolin3 and cavin1 to be regulated by Lef1 in the involuting mesoderm of Xenopus embryos at gastrula stages. We show that caveolins and caveolin dependent endocytosis are necessary for proper gastrulation, most likely by interfering with Wnt5a/Ror2 signaling. Wnt5a regulates the subcellular localization of receptor complexes, including Ror2 homodimers, Ror2/Fzd7 and Ror2/dsh heterodimers in an endocytosis dependent manner. Live-cell imaging revealed endocytosis of Ror2/caveolin1 complexes. In Xenopus explants, in the presence of Wnt5a, these receptor clusters remain stable exclusively at the basolateral side, suggesting that endocytosis of non-canonical Wnt/receptor complexes preferentially takes place at the apical membrane. In support of this blocking endocytosis with inhibitors prevents the effects of Wnt5a. Thus, target genes of Lef1 interfere with Wnt5a/Ror2 signaling to coordinate gastrulation movements.

Parameters of the oocyte enucleation and fusion with somatic cell for producing of cattle cloned cetohybrids were studied. It was established that the electrofusion efficiency depends on strength, duration and set number of electrical pulse. The optimal parameters for Multiporator (Eppendorf, Germany) were determined: two consistent pulses DC electrical field each of 30 V field strength and 15 msec duration followed by the pulse of AC electrical field of 5 V and 10 sec duration. It was found that the first polar body serving as a marker for the chromosome position at «blind» enuclea-tion must not deviate from the chromosome location by more than 10 degrees. Keywords: in vitro culture, oocyte, cattle nuclear transfer, electrofusion, enucleation.

Disturbances in Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and dysregulation in neonatal immune responses have been associated with typical neonatal diseases. Immunosuppression by IGF-I might be a key regulator of neonatal immune responses in infection and maturation. However, information on IGF-I serum levels, IGF-I-receptor (IGF-IR) and effects on functional properties of neonatal immune cells is scarce. Neonatal cord blood samples were stimulated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28, PMA/ionomycin or LPS in a whole-blood assay, while IGF-I serum levels and IGF-I receptor expression were assessed. Furthermore the effect of IGF-I on cytokine expression, apoptosis and the DNA binding activity of AP-1 and NFκB was evaluated. IGF-I serum levels were within normal range. The IGF-I-receptor was present on the surface of cord blood CD3+CD4+lymphocytes and cord blood CD14+monocytes. Upon stimulation the IGF-I-R expression on lymphocytes was significantly upregulated. The addition of IGF-I (100ng/ml) to whole blood cultures inhibited the secretion of IFN-γ from PMA/ionomycin-stimulated cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC). While IGF-I did not influence apoptosis in our experimental setting, it led to a distinct decrease in anti-CD3/CD28-stimulated DNA binding activity of AP-1 and NFκB. Thus IGF-I may be a key regulator of neonatal immune responses in maturation processes and inflammation by suppressing proinflammatory Th1 responses. Future in vivo studies need to elucidate whether disturbances of the IGF-I serum level and IGF-IR expression are associated with susceptibility for infections and subsequent diseases in neonates.

Neonates demonstrate functional immaturity and dysregulation of immune responses leading to systemic inflammation and enhanced apoptosis of immune cells. Thalidomide has already been proven to differentially regulate immune responses and support anti-apoptosis in immunodeficiency syndromes. Thus, it was the aim of this study to evaluate the effects of thalidomide on the cytokine response and apoptosis of neonatal immune cells. After whole blood culture and stimulation of cord and adult blood samples, the intracytoplasmic expression and the secreted amounts of IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-8 were assessed by flow cytometry and Cytokine Bead Array. Apoptosis was detected using Annexin-V staining. Bcl-2 expression was analysed using the Cytokine Bead Array Apoptosis Kit. Exposure to thalidomide (100 µg/ml) reduced the intracytoplasmic pro-inflammatory cytokine production of neonatal monocytes and the IFN-γ production of neonatal lymphocytes. In supernatants, the addition of thalidomide resulted in reduction of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 and, by trend, IFN-γ. While stimulated neonatal lymphocytes exhibited susceptibility to apoptosis, thalidomide tended to diminish apoptotic cells. Bcl-2 expression tended to be increased after addition of thalidomide. The potent anti-inflammatory effects of thalidomide and its anti-apoptotic properties in cord blood immune cells provide the basis for future strategies to optimise treatment of neonatal infections and immunodeficiency syndromes.

Human plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs) are present in solid tumor tissue and metastatic cervical lymph nodes (CLN) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We recently showed that classical PDC functions are heavily disturbed in the tumor microenvironment. In this study we present a new approach to the subject by introducing 3 PDC subsets in HNSCC, characterized by the surface markers CD25, CD56 and CD203c. The first subset, positive for CD25, is significantly induced by HNSCC in vitro and present in metastatic lymph nodes in vivo. This subset can be phenotypically subdivided into matured cells and into a group expressing early T cell markers. Functionally this subgroup is associated with the secretion of IL-8. The second subset, positive for CD56, constitutes 4-5% of all PDCs and is significantly down-regulated by HNSCC. Furthermore, this population sporadically expresses perforin/granzyme B and is absent in metastatic lymph nodes. The third subset, positive for the basophile marker CD203c, is inducible by crosslinking BDCA-2 in the presence of HNSCC and IL-4. Future studies will have to clarify the in vivo relevance of the different PDC subsets in HNSCC.

The novel immunosuppressant Sanglifehrin A (SFA) is an immunophilin-binding metabolite with a yet unidentified mechanism of action. Several reports demonstrated the effects of SFA on proliferation and cytokine production of purified T cells with in part different results. However, less is known about the impact of SFA on the regulation of innate immune responses. We used a whole blood assay to investigate the impact of SFA on monocyte responses and T-lymphocyte activity/proliferation upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation and anti-CD3/anti-CD28 costimulation, respectively. SFA was found to inhibit interleukin (IL)-2 protein expression of T lymphocytes. Whereas IL-2 mRNA expression was significantly reduced after 4 h of costimulation, the mRNA expression of IL-4 and IL-6 but not tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha was inhibited by SFA both after 4 and 24 h of costimulation. The production of IL-2 and IL-6 protein in T lymphocytes was even strongly affected by SFA than the mRNA expression of the respective cytokine. Unlike other immunophilin-binding immunosuppressants, SFA also inhibited LPS-induced IL-6 and TNF-alpha mRNA and protein expression. At the single cell level, SFA was demonstrated to block the intracellular production of IL-6 in CD14+ monocytes but not the expression of other proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 and TNF-alpha. On the basis of these data, we propose that SFA may have a significant effect on the initiation and direction of immune responses. Considering the pleiotropic role of bioactive IL-6 production at the interface of innate and acquired immunity in a variety of disease conditions, it was found that these novel aspects of the unique immunosuppressive action could strongly impact on future clinical application of SFA.

Human Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (PDCs) infiltrating solid tumor tissues and draining lymph nodes of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) show an impaired immune response. In addition to an attenuated secretion of IFN-α little is known about other HNSCC-induced functional alterations in PDCs. Particular objectives in this project were to gain new insights regarding tumor-induced phenotypical and functional alterations in the PDC population. We showed by FACS analysis and RT-PCR that HNSCC orchestrates an as yet unknown subpopulation exhibiting functional autonomy in-vitro and in-vivo besides bearing phenotypical resemblance to PDCs and T cells. A subset, positive for the PDC markers CD123, BDCA-2, HLA-DR and the T cell receptor αβ (TCR-αβ) was significantly induced subsequent to stimulation with HNSCC in-vitro (p = 0.009) and also present in metastatic lymph nodes in-vivo. This subgroup could be functionally distinguished due to an enhanced production of IL-2 (p = 0.02), IL-6 (p = 0.0007) and TGF-β (not significant). Furthermore, after exposure to HNSCC cells, mRNA levels revealed a D-J-beta rearrangement of the TCR-beta chain besides a strong enhancement of the CD3ε chain in the PDC population. Our data indicate an interface between the PDC and T cell lineage. These findings will improve our understanding of phenotypical and functional intricacies concerning the very heterogeneous PDC population in-vivo.

Introduction. The meaning of the Holy Saturday is a transition from Passion week to the Easter, from the greatest grief to jubilation, from death to life. It focuses different ontological extremities in a single point: death of the Immortal and resurrection of mortal body. This engenders maximal concentration of liturgical events, exceptional saturation of the services, revealing ample hymnographic material, diversity of stylistics, ways of incarnating of different senses, approaches to the events happening. One of the most interesting chants of the Passion Cycle is “Ne riday Mene, Mati” (“Do not mourn Me, Mother”), with its wonderful poetics, profound images and lapidary structure. Vividness and theological deepness of this chant provide inexhaustible material for research. Theoretical Background. In modern theological literature “Ne riday Mene, Mati” is mention in the context of special traits of the Holy Saturday services (I. Karabinova (1910), A. Kashkin (2010), M. Krasovitskaya (2014), G. Shimanskiy (2002) etc. It was characterised in more details in the researches on the Byzantine singers, among them the most important are works by archbishop Filaret (Gumilevskiy) and nun Ignatia (Puzik). Describing the personality and works of St. Kosma Mayumski, archbishop Filaret notes concentration of his style. Nun Ignatia studies images of this author’s works, their foundation in creed, links with dogmas of the Church; stresses features of poetics as well as dissects canons for Epiphany and Christmas. She pays special attention to the canons dedicated to Holy Mother, and she mentions “Ne riday Mene, Mati” as one of the most touching work by St. Kosma. Unfortunately, detailed analysis doesn’t follow this statement, that makes given paper relevant. Objective of this article is to study location of chant “Ne riday Mene, Mati” in service, specifics of its content, influence on later hymnography and iconography. Methods. Given that this research addresses theology, corresponding terminological system has been used, including special concepts as well as Church Slavonic words and expressions. Results. “Ne riday Mene, Mati” is an irmos of the ninth chant of the canon sung at the morning service on the Holy Saturday and devoted to suffering and death of Jesus Christ, interpreted as a culmination of the salvation of humanity. It has a distinctive feature of personal appeal of the Son to the Mother, answering her grief and closing a dialogical form in a spacetime of the whole service and Passion week, defining specifics of the poetics of its services. Several levels of content can be defined in a chant: 1) personal, describing relations between the Mother and the Son; 2) soteriological, revealing Lord’s plan of the salvation of humanity; 3) dogmatic, presenting dogmas of Christ and Holy Mother; 4) celebratory, establishing praise of the Mother of God. The structure of the irmos is defined by a triad thesis – antithesis – synthesis. Thesis is imperative expression (addressing “Ne riday Mene, Mati”), antithesis is justification of this reaction (“zrjashhi vo grobe, Ego zhe rodila esi Syna”). Not only does the synthesis resolve appearing contradiction, but also transfers the relations between the Son and the Mother into sphere of God-man relations. In this context the initial imperative can be understood as a demand for silence and tranquillity of soul, for absolute concentration in the situation of the contact with Godly essence. The same demand is situated in one of the crucial moments of liturgy of the Holy Saturday, in the time of The Great Entrance: “Da molchit vsjakaja plot chelovecha”. For the second time “Ne riday Mene, Mati” is sung in the final part of Eucharistic canon of the liturgy. In this context it brings out completely different facet, reincarnation of the God in a human through Resurrection. Thus, due to changes of context and place in the service, “Ne riday Mene, Mati” undergoes modulation of meaning. For the third and last time, “Ne riday…” appears in the Eastern Midnight office, that is a threshold between the Holy Saturday and The Easter, accompanying appearance of the shroud with the image of Jesus Christ. Thus, “Ne riday…” ends all the Passion cycle of the service. The profoundness of the images and dogmas as well as structure exceptionality of “Ne riday Mene, Mati” is reflected in later hymnography. Irmoses of the canons sung on Eves of Epiphany and Christmas are constituted in a way, similar to irmoses of the Holy Saturday. They preserve images, poetic devices, genre traits (irmos of the canon), glas (voice), usage of acrostic, thesis – antithesis – synthesis principle of composition. Besides for hymnography, “Ne riday Mene, Mati” influenced iconography of the stated image. All the most vital aspects of it have found their incarnation in iconography: Birth from the Virgin (iconography “Eleusa”), Crucifixion (the Cross, pierced rib), death and burial (crossed hands, closed eyes of Christ, stone tomb), Resurrection, appeal to the Mother (leaning of the Saviour’s head) as a sign of a dialogue; and every aspect from the abovementioned is a separate edge of multidimensional meaning of the Holy Saturday. Conclusions. Through analysis specifics of content and composition of “Ne riday Mene, Mati” is revealed. Dialogue is defined as a crucial principle, causing peculiar poetics of this chant and all the services of the Holy Saturday. Role of silence as one of the factors of the reception of the content is stated. Logical principle of structure thesis – antithesis – synthesis is brought out. Connections are drawn between this chant and its “podobnas” in texts of Menaion and Octoechos. Perspective of the further research lies in studying of dialogue in service of the Holy Saturday on micro- and macrolevels. Specifics of influence of chants on the iconography seems to be worthy of attention.