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The ability to derive temporal and spatial scales of “instantaneous” local temperature variations in a turbulent flame by means of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy is demonstrated, for the first time to our knowledge. The measurements employed two CARS spectrometers with synchronized nanosecond pulse-repetitive lasers. The system was enabling to record, with a high temporal resolution of about 10 ns, series of single laser shot CARS spectra of N2 molecules from two spatially overlapped or displaced probe volumes as small as 0.03 × 0.03 × 2 mm3. The spectra were being recorded at a variable delay between two sequential shots, following each other in pairs at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. The series of 500 coupled measurements, at the delays in the range 1 μs–10 ms and the displacements up to 2.5 mm, have been performed in a few points of an open premixed methane–air flame of a laboratory burner with the time-averaged temperatures in the range 1200–1800 K. From the spectra, “instantaneous” temperatures, at the given delay and probe volume distance, have been derived. This allowed the auto-correlation coefficients of temperature fluctuations versus the delay and the displacement to be calculated. These dependences enabled to evaluate temperature correlation times and lengths under various mixture flow rates and equivalence ratios.

The set of important properties of polymers necessary for their use as fuel cell membranes, such as film-forming properties, stability in acidic aqueous media, thermal stability, proton conductivity, is determined by their chemical structure, which provides not only basic and fragmentary mobility of the polymer chain but also complex supramolecular structural features (in particular, phase separation). The effect of the chemical structure of aromatic polyimide sulfonic acids, containing a fragment of 4,4′-diamino[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,2′-disulfonic acid (BDSA), on their membrane-forming properties is discussed, as well as the membrane stability under the conditions of a hydrogen-air fuel cell. The research is aimed at investigating sulfonated polyimides based on the commercially available rigid monomer - BDSA and flexible dianhydrides with an electron donor in their structure. As a model for this study, two aromatic anhydrides with flexible -O- bonds were chosen for investigating the potential of corresponding polyimide films in application to proton exchange membranes. The synthesized sulfonic acid polyimide BDSA-SPI-4(H) is of interest as a proton-conducting membrane polymer for direct energy conversion electrochemical devices and has shown to be a promising material for this group of devices. It is suggested that the presence of the flexible electron donor bonds in the structure of dianhydride should increase the stability of the membranes prepared from BDSA. The properties of polyimide sulfonic acids from the aforementioned diamine and dianhydrides of different fragmentary flexibility implemented in this work could help the understanding of the connection between chemical structure and properties of the material in application to proton exchange membranes development.

Background. There is a need to assess the diagnostic significance of the symptoms of nail damage, as well as available effective methods for diagnosing psoriatic arthritis in the early stages. Aims. To study of the occurrence of symptoms of psoriatic onychodystrophy in patients with psoriatic arthritis and assessment of the diagnostic significance of the ultrasound method for diagnosing enthesitis as an early symptom of psoriatic arthritis among patients with onychodystrophy and without psoriatic arthritis in case history. Methods. It was a prospective clinical study based on the Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases of the Military Medical Academy. We made the clinical assessment of symptoms of onychodystrophy among patients with and without psoriatic arthritis and the evaluation of the diagnostic significance of the ultrasound method for diagnosing psoriatic arthritis under the control of magnetic resonance imaging of the joints. Results. 45 patients with psoriatic arthritis and 134 patients with psoriasis without arthritis were examined. Psoriatic onychodystrophy was significantly more common in the group of patients with psoriatic arthritis (p = 0.028). The most characteristic symptoms of onychodystrophy in patients with psoriatic arthritis are oil spots and symptom combinations: oil spots and subungual hyperkeratosis, onycholysis and subungual hyperkeratosis, pits and longitudinal ridges, oil spots and longitudinal ridges. The ultrasound method for the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis has shown its high diagnostic significance (Se = 81.8%, Sp = 88.0%). The most characteristic symptoms of arthritis on ultrasound examination are hypoechoic structures of the Achilles tendons and the presence of fluid in the peri- and retro-Achilles bursa. Conclusions. The symptom of oil spots and combinations of oil spots with subungual hyperkeratosis, onycholysis with subungual hyperkeratosis, pits with longitudinal ridges and oil spots with longitudinal ridges can be considered diagnostically significant in the examination of early psoriatic arthritis, and the ultrasound method is highly effective in diagnosing early manifestations of arthritis.

The article deals with the administrative and legal status of commercial and non-commercial organizations. The author conducts a theoretical and methodological analysis of the administrative and legal status of commercial and non-commercial organizations. The author focuses on the fact that in modern Russian legislation there are processes of duplication of norms in the field of legal regulation of legal entities: the same issues are regulated by the civil code of the Russian Federation and special Federal laws, which in some cases leads to contradictions. The author notes that the administrative and legal status of commercial and non-commercial organizations in a number of representatives of legal science is studied in fragments, representing mainly a list of elements, without justification of why these characteristics are highlighted. The author concludes that the administrative and legal status of commercial and non-commercial organizations is a certain structure consisting of several blocks, which, in turn, consist of interrelated elements, the exclusion of which leads to the termination of the administrative and legal status.

The concepts of the prevention and prevention of crimes and offenses are examined, the role of these mechanisms of influence on public relations for their normal functioning is determined. The experience of foreign countries in the implementation of prevention, prevention of violations of the rule of law, the manifestation of legal nihilism is investigated. Mechanisms for improving the system of legal and public work in this direction are proposed.

We have detected subterahertz spectral lines in the emission of free-running GaAs/AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) operating around 3 THz. We have found that the power W( fd) of an individual sub-THz line at the frequency fd is directly proportional to a power product W( fi) × W( fk) of the corresponding pair of THz lines having the frequency difference fi − fk = fd. The established one-to-one correspondence of each sub-THz line to pair combinations of THz lines proves the nonlinear mechanism of difference-frequency generation (DFG) in the QCL active region. The conversion efficiencies W( fi − fk)/[ W( fi) × W( fk)] estimated from the experimental data are about 4 × 10−3 and 5 × 10−5 W−1 for the sub-THz lines found at 132 and 310 GHz, correspondingly. Considering nonlinear polarization of QCL active regions as the reason for DFG, we have evaluated the following values of the second-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(2)(132 GHz) ≅ 7 × 105 pm/V and χ(2)(310 GHz) ≅ 4 × 104 pm/V from the experimental data. The obtained results pave the way for the use of THz QCLs as sources of sub-THz radiation.

Introduction Defects of platelet functional responses in COVID-19 were reported, but their origin and pathophysiological significance are unclear. The objective of this study was to characterize the thrombocytopathy in COVID-19. Materials and methods Analysis of platelet functional responses to activation by flow cytometry and aggregometry in 46 patients with confirmed COVID-19 of different severity (non-ICU, ICU, and ECMO) over the course of hospitalization alongside with plasma coagulation, inflammatory markers (CRP, fibrinogen, NETosis assays in smears) was performed. Results and conclusions All patients had increased baseline percentage of procoagulant platelets (healthy: 0.9 ± 0.5%; COVID-19: 1.7 ± 0.6%). Patients had decreased agonist-induced platelet GPIb shedding (1.8 ± 0.7 vs 1.25 ± 0.4), P-Selectin exposure (1.51 ± 0.21 vs 1.1 ± 0.3) and aggregation. The values of these parameters among the non-ICU and ICU cohorts differed modestly, while the ECMO cohort differed significantly. Only ECMO patients had pronounced thrombocytopenia. While inflammatory markers improved over time, the observed platelet functional responses changed only moderately. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found in 8% of blood samples and it did not correlate with platelet counts or responses. All patients had increased NETosis that moderately correlated with platelet dysfunction. High cumulative dosages of LMWH (average > 12,000 IU/day over 5 days) resulted in an improvement in platelet parameters. The observed pattern of platelet refractoriness was reproduced by in vitro pre-treatment of washed platelets with subnanomolar thrombin or perfusion of blood through a collagen-covered flow chamber. We conclude that platelet dysfunction in COVID-19 is consistent with the intravascular-coagulation-induced refractoriness rather than with an inflammation-induced mechanism or a direct activation by the virus.

The aim: To study the predictive power of demographic, hemodynamic and electrocardiographic factors for atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with chronic heart failure.Materials and methods: Study included 120 patients, aged 59,80±10,08 years old with chronic heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction who were undergo RFA due to atrial fibrillation (AF). A standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was registered. Before the procedure the standard echocardiographic parameters were obtained. After 12 months, patients were divided into 2 groups: non-recurrence group and recurrence group.Results: As a result of prospective follow-up within 12 months AF recurrences were observed in 32 patients (27%), 88 patients remained non-recurrent (73%). The left atrium (LA) diameter and aortic root diameter were lager in the recurrence group (4,59±0,45 vs. 4,08±0,61 cm, p0,001; 3,37±0,60 vs. 2,80±0,67 cm, p0,001). The AF recurrence group before RFA had a significantly longer QTc interval than the non-recurrence group (387,23±2,31 vs. 341,22±8,91 ms, p0,010). ROC curve analysis revealed LA diameter the most sensitive factor for AF recurrence after RFA.Conclusions: QTc duration before radiofrequency ablation and its prolongation after intervention are independent predictors of atrial fibrillation recurrence; left atrium diameter before ablation is a highly sensitive predictor in patients with chronic heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

The article is devoted to the study of the propagation of random gravitational waves in a three-dimensional hydrodynamic system half-space– half-space. An overview of studies on the analysis of the propagation of random waves in different systems is given. Mathematical statement of the problem contains second-order differential equations with respect to velocity potentials, kinematic and dynamic conditions on the contact surface. To study the problem, the field of deviations and the potentials of the wave velocities are presented in the form of expansions in Fourier-Stiltjes integrals. Stochastic amplitudes of the corresponding fields are expressed through the amplitude of the deviation field in the form of recurrent relations. Using the expansion in series in a small parameter for the stochastic field amplitude variations, the dynamic equation in integral form has been received. It should be noted that the use of a small parameter makes it possible to control the contribution of the nonlinearity of the corresponding terms. Subintegral functions of two- and three-wave interaction are obtained in symmetrized form. Based on the obtained equation, a linear dispersion relationship is derived. In the two-dimensional case, it degenerates into the dispersion relationship obtained by A. Naifehfor deterministic wave motions in a two-layer system. Using the equations for the amplitude of the deviation field and the ensemble averaging procedure, the equation for the spectrum of the first harmonics is obtained. The reliability of the obtained results is confirmed by a comparison with previous studies of the problem of propagation of random surface gravitational waves performed in the works of Masuda and others. The obtained results can be used in the study of the propagation of random internal waves in the oceans.

The ignition and combustion of H2 O2 mixture upon the photodissociation of O2 molecules by the resonance laser radiation with a wavelength of 193 nm are studied both experimentally and computationally. The experimental test bench equipped with CARS and fluorescent diagnostic techniques was created and applied for the measurement of the induction time and velocity of combustion front during laser-induced ignition of the H2 O2 mixture in the model chamber. The complementary experiments on measuring the temperature and recording the emission of OH(X2Π) and OH(A2Σ+) radicals indicate that it is possible to ignite the H2 O2 mixture with ϕ= 1–3 and P0= 1–3 atm at a rather low temperature ∼700 K, which is below the autoignition temperature, under the action of focused laser radiation (λ= 193 nm) with the energy in the pulse of ∼25–150 mJ. And the induction time is rather small and varies in the range of 8–50 µs depending on mixture parameters and laser pulse energy. The analysis of ignition and combustion processes in the H2 O2 mixture under the action of resonance laser radiation is carried out on basis of two-dimensional numerical simulation with the use of the detailed kinetic mechanism of H2 oxidation supplemented by the set of reactions describing the formation of electronically excited radicals OH(A2Σ+). A special methodology for the calculation of the radiation absorption and determination of oxygen atoms concentration along the laser beam path was applied. The elaborated model allows us to describe the experimentally measured data for the induction time, the velocity of the combustion front, the space-time distribution of the OH radicals in the ground and excited states, and the temperature evolution in the focal region of the initiating laser radiation.

Recent advances in pharmacology have greatly expanded the drug repertoire for treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare multisystemic disorder, a type of the ANCA-associated vasculitis. Important features of this disease are eosinophilia and anti-myeloperoxidase ANCA presence in around 30-70% of patients. Primary therapy of EGPA includes steroids and cytotoxic drugs, e.g., cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, or methotrexate. Nevertheless, some patients are refractory to this therapy. Alternative approaches include rituximab, mepolizumab, and intravenous immunoglobulin. Accumulating evidence highlight a new promising drug in EGPA therapy-imatinib mesylate (IM), tyrosine kinase inhibitor. This drug is a key pharmacological agent in treating various types of hematological malignancies and FIP1L1/PDGF-RA-positive hypereosinophilia. In this article, we present a case demonstrating successful treatment of EGPA with IM; we also discuss possible mechanisms of IM efficacy in EGPA treatment and future perspectives of this therapeutic approach.

It is known that after being infected with phytoviruses plants do not recover. Breeding virus-resistant cultivars also does not give reliable results due to the high variability of pathogens and their diversity. And since it is impossible to obtain stable forms then one of the goals of protection a virus-free material and preventing its re-infection. To improve the health of vegetative propagated plant species, you can use the method of tissue culture of the apical meristem. In some cases true seeds can be healed by thermal or chemical treatment. The data on viruses infecting the main agricultural crops of the Russian Far East are presented; the features of their distribution and interaction with plants are described. Possible measures are given to prevent of phytoviruses spreading and re-infection of virus-free plants in the process of breeding and seed production, in gardening and landscape design.

The article is devoted to improving the efficiency and efficiency of ventilation systems through the use of new types of air distribution devices. These include textile air ducts made of polyester. This material allows you to cut micro-holes of a given diameter on the surface of the air duct with a laser. The advantage of micro-perforated air ducts is the possibility of supplying supply air with micro-jets with a small pulse, which eliminates the possibility of drafts in the workplace. The results of experimental and theoretical studies of air distribution using textile air ducts are analyzed. It is concluded that there are no data on the study of the distribution of supply air using textile air ducts with microperforation. The results of comparative numerical modeling of air distribution in an office space with two supply air supply schemes are presented: traditionally, through supply grilles and through a microperforated textile air duct. The fields of temperature and air velocity distribution over the room height are obtained. It is concluded that the use of a microperforated textile air distribution device increases the efficiency of assimilation of heat surpluses in comparison with traditional air supply sources (ventilation grilles).

У статті обґрунтований підхід до формування інформаційної системи класифікації умов експлуатації транспортних засобів. Запропонований підхід в умовах експлуатації дозволяє визначити вплив основних етапів обробки отриманої інформації про технічний стан транспортного засобу за допомогою інформаційного програмного комплексу, а саме: проводить ідентифікацію транспортного засобу в оточуючому просторі, забезпечує моніторинг нестаціонарних умов експлуатації; збирає вихідні дані про параметри технічного стану і положення у просторі транспортного засобу в умовах експлуатації; прогнозує параметри стану транспортного засобу; виконує ідентифікацію умов експлуатації; діагностує технічний стан, збирає повідомлення і дані діагностування транспортного засобу; перевіряє відповідність дійсного стану транспортного засобу отриманим параметрам і умовам експлуатації та в процесі виконання моніторингу. Запропонована в статті система загального інформаційного забезпечення процесів моніторингу параметрів технічного стану транспортних засобів забезпечує повноцінний збір і обробку інформації в реальному часі від бортової інформаційної системи моніторингу, розміщеної на транспортному засобі, а також від системи збору інформації, що працює у взаємодії із водієм та інфраструктурою транспорту і автомобільних доріг на основі поточного стану дорожніх, транспортних, кліма- тичних умов експлуатації й технічних споруд, в процесах порівняння з нормативними даними та даними попереднього контролю; відображає обстановку на ділянці руху автомобіля і результати аналізу в реальному часі і за відповідними запитами; ідентифікує передаварійний і аварійний стан шляху; архівує результати моніторингу; розробляє рекомендації щодо швидкісного режиму на ділянках руху транспортних засобів за результатами проведеного аналізу.

Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis (UAC) is a chronic progressive disease characterized by nonspecific clinical picture at the onset and late spine involvement. The article presents a clinical case of UAC progressed with migratory pain syndrome after an upper respiratory tract infection, early-onset spine lesions and ineffective therapy by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patient of 11 years old. The criteria approach to the diagnosis of UAC is discussed.

Detection and localization problem of extended small-scale objects with different shapes appears in radio observation systems which use SAR, infra-red, lidar and television camera. Intensive non-stationary background is the main difficulty for processing. Other challenge is low quality of images, blobs, blurred boundaries; in addition SAR images suffer from a serious intrinsic speckle noise. Statistics of background is not normal, it has evident skewness and heavy tails in probability density, so it is hard to identify it. The problem of extraction small-scale objects is solved here on the basis of directional filtering, adaptive thresholding and morthological analysis. New kind of masks is used which are open-ended at one side so it is possible to extract ends of line segments with unknown length. An advanced method of dynamical adaptive threshold setting is investigated which is based on isolated fragments extraction after thresholding. Hierarchy of isolated fragments on binary image is proposed for the analysis of segmentation results. It includes small-scale objects with different shape, size and orientation. The method uses extraction of isolated fragments in binary image and counting points in these fragments. Number of points in extracted fragments is normalized to the total number of points for given threshold and is used as effectiveness of extraction for these fragments. New method for adaptive threshold setting and control maximises effectiveness of extraction. It has optimality properties for objects extraction in normal noise field and shows effective results for real SAR images.

By specific design of the sample, in which SrTiO3 substrate is fully covered by a thin layer of the colossal magnetoresistive material La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (LCMO) and the latter is partially covered by high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO), and by using multiple current and voltage contacts, direct evidence of the strong effect of LCMO on YBCO is obtained. It is found that LCMO strongly influences not only superconducting, but also normal state of YBCO, and it is argued that this is a consequence of the spin injection from the former to the latter. The effect of the deposition conditions and crystal orientation of YBCO layer on this effect is clarified. A surprising peak in the temperature dependence of resistance seen in ex-situ ab-plane oriented sample is explained as a combination of two effects: influence of spin-polarized electrons on superconductor below its critical temperature and the interface-controlled shift of Curie temperature of LCMO to low temperatures. Considering expected use of LCMO and YBCO in composite quantum computation circuits, their combination with another advanced quantum material, graphene, is explored.

The physical properties of substrates can have profound effects on the structure and function of cultured cells. In this study, we aimed to examine the viability, adherence, and morphological and functional variations between SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells cultured on SU-8 surfaces compared with control surfaces composed of borosilicate glass, which are routinely used for cell culture. The SU-8 polymer has been extensively studied for its biocompatibility, but there has been little investigation into the characteristic differences between cells cultured on SU-8 when compared with glass. SH-SY5Y cells were cultured within polydimethylsiloxane wells on both SU-8 and glass substrates for up to 72 h after which flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis was performed to examine cell viability and neurotoxicity. Immunocytochemistry was also performed to analyze the morphological and functional characteristics of the cells. Atomic force microscopy was performed to measure surface roughness and to map cell-substrate interactions. Nanoindentation testing was used to characterize the mechanical properties of polymer surface. Results showed that SH-SY5Y cells grown on SU-8 have significantly improved viability and increased morphological and functional characteristics of neurodevelopment. The results from this study suggest that the mechanical properties of the polymer are optimal for the study of cultured cell lines, which could account for the increased viability, adherence, and morphological and functional characteristics of neurodevelopment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2129-2138, 2017.

An ordered CuAu alloy, which had relatively coarse grains (5 to 10 μm), without the lamellar structure, is mechanically tested at temperatures from 77 to 658 K. The temperature dependence of the yield stress is shown to be anomalous with a maximum nearT p≈573 K. The TEM analysis reveals the presence of single dislocations, superdislocations and microtwins. Long rectilinear dislocations at 523 K are identified as blocked screw superdislocations with the Burgers vector type

The research is devoted to gas mixtures ignition by UV laser radiation. The dissociation of O2 molecules by a pulse of excimer ArF laser radiation at 193-nm wavelength with formation of the chemically active oxygen atoms initiating chain reactions which cause ignition of H2/O2 mixture was employed. The experimental test bench was created with CARS and fluorescent techniques for experimental investigation of some peculiarities of mixture ignition and combustion caused by such photo-dissociation, at conditions typical for combustion chamber. Two-dimensional numerical modeling of combustion process in model combustion chamber, based on kinetic mechanism of H2 oxidation including atom O(1P) and radicals OH(A2Σ+), was performed.

Pyrolysis of C2H2 and CH4 gases near a heated surface was investigated using coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). Gas temperature and hydrocarbon density spatial profiles above the surface of deposition were measured. Although the measured hydrocarbon density distribution above the surface showed a gradual decrease upon approaching the surface, the observed temperature distribution revealed the presence of a temperature maximum at distances of 300–600 μm from the surface. The appearance of this maximum is explained by the release of condensation energy in the region where intensive homogeneous nucleation of carbon clusters takes place.

Assessment of contamination of anthropogenic radionuclides from past dumping of radioactive waste in areas of the Okhotsk Sea, NW Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan/East Sea has been performed. Two joint Japanese-Korean-Russian scientific expeditions were carried out in 1994-1995, where seawater and seabed sediments were samples from 22 sites. Results of sediment analysis are reported here, where concentrations of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239,240 Pu and 241 Am in surface layer and bulk sediments showed on large spatial variations, ranging between < 0.04 and 0.75 Bq kg 1 dry wt., < 0.2 and 7.2 Bq kg -1 dry wt., < 0.001 and 0.08 Bq kg -1 dry wt., 0.006 and 2.0 Bq kg -1 dry wt., 0.03 and 1.8 Bq kg -1 dry wt., respectively. However, the concentrations are comparable with those found in reference sites outside the dumping areas and they generally fall within ranges previously reported for non-dumping areas of the investigated seas. Estimates of sediment inventories indicated differences in radionuclide load between shelf/slope and basin type sediments as well as dependence on water depth. Except for the shallow areas, most of the inventories of 90 Sr, 137 Cs and Pu isotopes are still to be found in the water column. Total inventories (in water + sediment) show a surplus of 137 Cs and Pu-isotopes compared to expected integrated global fall-out deposition, which is consistent with previous observations in non-dumping areas in the seas investigated. Analysis of sediment 238 Pu/ 239,240 Pu activity ratios showed values in accord with that of global fall-out. Analysis of radionuclide depth distributions in core samples from areas of the Sea of Okhotsk showed sedimentation rates of 0.2-0.4 g cm -2 year -1 and 0.03 g cm -2 year -1 for shelf and basin areas respectively, which is similar to values found in the Sea of Japan/East Sea. Depth profiles of 90 Sr, 137 Cs and Pu isotopes in cores of the basin area indicate a typical delay compared to the input records of global fall-out.

The gene for thermostable 1,3-β-glucosidase BgIB was cloned from the chromosome of Thermotoga neapolitana and its primary sequence was determined. The purified recombinant β-glucosidase B had a monomer molecular mass of 81 kDa in accordance with the amino acid sequence predicted from the nucleotide sequence of clone pTT51. It was a member of glycosylhydrolase family 3 and belonged to enzyme class EC 3.2.1.21. β-Glucosidase B had a specific activity of 255 U mg-1on 4-nitrophenyl(PNP)-β-glucoside at the optima of pH (5.5) and temperature (90 °C), and K m values of 0.1, 10 and 50 mM for PNP-β-glucoside, laminaribiose and cellobiose, respectively. The gene bgIB was located immediately upstream of the laminarinase gene IamA. Both genes were transcribed from the same DNA strand and were not separated by a palindromic transcription terminator. The two purified enzymes 1,3-β-glucosidase BgIB (laminaribiase) and 1,3-β-glucanase LamA (laminarinase) were together capable of completely degrading laminarin to glucose.

The nucleotide sequence of clone pTT26 (3786 bp), containing the gene for 1,3-β -glucanase lamA (laminarinase) from Thermotoga neapolitana, was determined. It contains an ORF encoding a protein of 646 aa (73 328 Da). The central part of the protein is homologous to the complete catalytic domain of bacterial and some eukaryotic endo-1,3-β -D-glucanases and belongs to family 16 of glycosyl hydrolases. This domain is flanked on both sides by one copy on each side of a substrate binding domain homologue (family II). The recombinant laminarinase protein was purified from Escherichia coli host cells in two forms, a 73 kDa and a processed 52 kDa protein, both having high specific activity towards laminarin (3100 and 2600 U mg-1, respectively) and K m values of 2.8 and 2.2 mg ml-1, respectively. Limited activity on 1,3-1,4-β -glucan (lichenan) was detected (90 U mg-1). Laminarin was degraded in an endoglucanase modus, yielding glucose, laminaribiose and -triose as end products. Thus lamA classifies as an endo-1,3(4)-β -glucanase (EC 3.2.1.6). The optimum temperature of the enzymes was 95° (73 kDa) and 85° (52 kDa) at an optimum pH of 6.2. The superior thermostability of the 73 kDa enzyme is demonstrated by incubation without substrate at 100°, where 57% of the initial activity remained after 30 min (82% at 95°). Thus, lamA is the most thermostable 1,3-β -glucanase described to date.

Interactions between protein phosphatase inhibition and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression have implications for tissue remodelling after injury. Stimulation of β-adrenoceptors could affect such interactions as isoprenaline increases protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity and MMP-9 abundance. We investigated the effect of okadaic acid (OA) on MMP-9 expression to assess interactions between phosphatase inhibition and β-adrenoceptor signalling in fibroblasts.Fibroblasts were exposed to OA alone and in combination with isoprenaline. Effects on MMP-9 expression and intracellular signalling were studied using promoter assays, Western blot analysis and siRNA methodologies.Okadaic acid increased MMP-9 abundance in human cardiac ventricular fibroblasts, NIH3T3 fibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells. This effect was unaffected by PP2A knockdown in NIH3T3 cells. OA increased phosphorylation of NF-κB, but not NF-κB promoter activity, IκBα degradation, or nuclear translocation of p65-NF-κB. Exposure to SB202190 (p38 MAPK), U0126 (ERK1/2) and NF-κB III inhibitor revealed that OA induced MMP-9 activity through p38 MAPK. Isoprenaline inhibited OA-mediated MMP-9 expression in NIH3T3, in a β-arrestin 2- and PP2A-dependent manner. Mutation of the activator protein-1 (AP-1) and NF-κB binding sites demonstrated that OA-induced MMP-9 activity was mediated through the AP-1 but not NF-κB sites. The latter mediated the inhibitory effect of isoprenaline on OA-induced MMP-9 promoter activity.Okadaic acid induced MMP-9 activity through p38 MAPK and was inhibited by isoprenaline via a pathway involving β-arrestin 2, PP2A and an NF-κB binding motif. These findings elucidate how phosphoprotein phosphatases and adrenoceptors may modulate tissue remodelling by affecting fibroblast function.

N. Abel 21, J. Adamczewski 12, D. Adamova 45, M.M. Aggarwal 10, N. Ahmad 2, Z. Ahmad 30, A. Akindinov 36, P. Akishin 16, E. Akishina 16, T. Akishina 16, M. Al-Turany 12, M. Alyushin 39, S. Amar-Youcef 17, V. Ammosov 43, M. Andelic 47, C. Andrei 6, A. Andronic 12, Yu. Anisimov 14, K. Antipin 17, H. Appelshauser 17, A. Arefiev 36, T. Armbruster 23, A. Artamonov 43, E. Atkin 39, M.D. Azmi 2, P.V.K.S. Baba 25, E. Badura 12, S. Baginyan 16, S. Bandyopadhyay 29, N. Baranova 37, G. Bashindzhagyan 37, Z. Basrak 55, V. Baublis 18, S. Belogurov 36, I. Berceanu 6, E. Berdermann 12, A. Berdnikov 50, Y. Berdnikov 50, R. Berendes 40, C. Bergmann 40, D. Bertini 12, C. Besliu 7, O. Bezshyyko 33, P. Bhaduri 30, A. Bhasin 25, A.K. Bhati 10, B. Bhattacharjee 19, A. Bhattacharya 29, Y. Bocharov 39, M. Bogolyubsky 43, L. Boldizsar 9, N. Bondar 18, M. Borysova 34, S. Bottger 21, P. Braun-Munzinger 12, U. Bruning 23, J. Brzychczyk 32, A. Bubak 26, R. Caplar 55, Xu Cai 54, M. Calin 7, G. Caragheorgheopol 6, I. Carevic 47, V. Catanescu 6, A. Chakraborti 29, S. Chatterji 12, Subhasis Chattopadhyay 30, Sukalyan Chattopadhyay 28, Sanatan Chattopadhyay 29, A. Chaus 34, Hongfang Chen 20, Jianping Cheng 3, V. Chepurnov 14, S. Chernenko 14, A. Chernogorov 36, M. Chubarov 49, M. Ciobanu 12, G. Claus 51, V. Covlea 7, D. Cozma 6, M. Csanad 8, N. D’Ascenzo 41, D. Das 28, I. Das 28, V. Davkov 15, K. Davkov 15, M. De22, R. De51, B. Debnath 19, E. Denes 9, Zhi Deng 3, O. Denisova 16, H. Deppe 12, I. Deppner 22, A. Dermenev 35, M. Deveaux 17, M. Dey 30, A. Dorokhov 51, C. Dritsa (IPHC Strasbourg), 12, A. Dubey 30, W. Dulinski 51, A.K. Dutt-Mazumdar 28, T. Dutta 12, D. Dutta 12, M.R. DuttaMajumdar 30, V. Dyatchenko 43, M. Dželalija 47, H. Engel 21, T. Esanu 7, J. Eschke 12, H. Essel 12, O. Fateev 14, R. Ferreira Marques 11, P. Fischer 23, H. Flemming 12, Z. Fodor 9, P. Fonte 11, I. Frohlich 17, H. Froning 23, V. Friese 12, E. Futo 9, I. Gasparic 55, J. Gajda 31, T. Galatyuk 12, V. Galkin 41, A. Galkin 41, G. Gangopadhyay 29, Wenxue Gao 23, C. Garabatos 12, P. Gasik 53, J. Gebelein 21, P. Ghosh 30, Yu. Gilitsky 43, V. Golovatyuk 14, S. Golovnya 43, V. Golovtsov 18, M. Golubeva 35, D. Golubkov 36, A. Golutvin 36, D. Gonzalez-Diaz 12, S. Gorbunov 21, S. Gorokhov 43, D. Gottschalk 21, Ju. Gousakov 15, E. Grosse 13, P. Gryboś 31, A. Grzeszczuk 26, F. Guber 35, A. Gumenuik 39, A. Gupta 25, M. Hartig 17, K. Heidel 13, N. Heine 40, A. Herghelegiu 6, N. Herrmann 22, J. Heuser 12, A. Himmi 51, C. Hohne 12, R. Holzmann 12, Byungsik Hong 46, J. Hutsch 13, A. Ierusalimov 14, S. Igolkin 49, I. Ilyushenko 39, Tae Im Kang 46, M. Irfan 2, Valery Ivanov 16, V. Ivanov 18, Victor Ivanov 16, A. Ivashkin 35, K. Jaaskelainen 51, V. Jakovlev 49, A. Jinaru 7, A. Jipa 7, M. Kachel 31, I. Kadenko 33, H. Kalita 19, B. Kampfer 13, V. Karasev 49, O. Karavichev 35, T. Karavicheva 35, D. Karmanov 37, E. Karpechev 35, E.M. Kashif 2, K. Kasinski 31, Manjit Kaur 10, A. Kazantsev 38, U. Kebschull 21, J. Kecskemeti 9, G. Kekelidze 15, M.M. Khan 2, S.A. Khan 48, A. Khanzadeev 18, Yu. Kharlov 43, F. Khasanov 36, M. Kis 55, Junghan Kim 44, M. Kirejczyk 53, I. Kisel 12, S. Kiselev 36, A. Kiseleva 12, T. Kiss 9, A. Kiss 8, Ch. Klein-Bosing 40, M. Klein-Bosing 40, V. Kleipa 12, A. Kluev 39, K. Koch 12, P. Koczon 12, B. Kolb 12, B. Komkov 18, D. Konstantinov 43, P. Korobchuk 43, M. Korolev 37, I. Korolko 36, N. Korotkova 37, R. Kotte 13, A. Kotynia 12, A. Kovalchuk 34, S. Kowalski 26, M. Koziel 51, M. Krauze 26, C. Kreidel 23, D. Kresan 12, E. Kryshen 18, L. Kudin 18, I. Kudryashov 36, A. Kugel 23, A. Kugler 45, A. Kurepin 35, S. Lochner 12, V. Ladygin 14, C. Lara 21, S. Lashaev 49, A. Laszlo 9, I. Lazanu 7, A. Lebedev (JINR-LIT Dubna) 12, S. Lebedev (JINR-LIT Dubna) 12, Hayoung Lee 44, F. Lemke 23, Cheng Li 20, Yuanjing Li 3, Yulan Li 3, Jin Li 3, V. Lindenstruth 21, S. Linev 12, E. Litvinenko 16, I. Lobanov 43, E. Lobanova 43, P. Loizeau 22, Nuclear Physics A 830 (2009) 942c–944c

Many sequelae associated with endotoxaemic-induced shock result from excessive production of the cytokine mediators, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 1 (IL-1) and IL-6 from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated monocytes. Protein C (PC)/activated protein C (APC) has potent cytokine-modifying properties and is protective in animal models and human clinical trials of sepsis. The precise mechanism by which this anti-inflammatory response is achieved remains unknown; however, the recently described endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) appears to be essential for this function. The pivotal role that monocytes play in the pathophysiology of septic shock led us to investigate the possible expression of a protein C receptor on the monocyte membrane. We used similarity algorithms to screen human sequence databases for paralogues of the EPCR but found none. However, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we detected an mRNA transcribed in primary human monocytes and THP1 cells that was identical to human EPCR mRNA. We also used immunocytochemical analysis to demonstrate the expression of a protein C receptor on the surface of monocytes encoded by the same gene as EPCR. These results confirm a new member of the protein C pathway involving primary monocytes. Further characterization will be necessary to compare and contrast its biological properties with those of EPCR.

Cross-linking of LFA-1 induces an active locomotory phenotype in T cells. In this study we demonstrate that cross-linking of LFA-1 using a monoclonal antibody results in the secretion of MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta. Similar results were seen with anti-CD44 but not with anti-transferrin receptor or anti-MHC class 1. We examined the ability of activated lymphocytes to migrate onto a substrate consisting of large protein G-Sepharose beads coated with anti-LFA-1 and anti-CD44. In this system a signal is provided by cells at the point of contact with the beads. Cells migrated to cover the bead surface within 24 h. This contact was shown to be inhibited by the introduction of neutralizing antibodies to MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta. Hence cross-linking of LFA-1 or CD44 induce chemokine secretion which may be of relevance in directional migration of lymphocytes.

T cells activated via integrin receptors can polarize and start crawling locomotion with repeated cycles of cytoskeletal reassembly processes, many of which depend on phosphorylation. We demonstrate that protein kinase C (PKC) activation represents an essential event in induction of active T cell motility. We find that in crawling T cells triggered via cross-linking of integrin LFA-1 two PKC isoenzymes, beta(I) and delta, are targeted to the cytoskeleton with specific localization corresponding to the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) and microtubules, as detected by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting. Clustering of LFA-1 associated with its signaling function also occurs at the membrane sites adjacent to the MTOC. We further show that cells of a PKC-beta-deficient clone derived from parental PKC-beta-expressing T cell line can neither crawl nor develop a polarized microtubule array upon integrin cross-linking. However, their adhesion and formation of actin-based pseudopodia remain unaffected. Our data demonstrate the critical importance of the microtubule cytoskeleton in T cell locomotion and suggest a novel microtubule-directed intracellular signaling pathway mediated by integrins and involving two distinctive PKC isoforms.

Continuous wave laser microprocessing of diarrnd-1ike carbon films deposited on silicon is reported The conductive lines of 3-15 pm width with resistivity Lj . jo—2 ccm were formed into dielectric amcrphous film via its graphitization as evidenced by Rarnan spectroscopy. When the temperature within a laser spot rises up to 6000C the carbon oxidation starts, resulting in the film etching and the narrow channels formation The reflectivity in visible of the anneal ed DLC fi ims I s studied regarding them as a candidate for optical recording ridia.

International audience; The fibrous shape of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) raises concern that they may pose an asbestos-like inhalation hazard, leading to the development of diseases, especially mesothelioma. Direct instillation of long and short CNTs into the pleural cavity, the site of mesothelioma development, produced asbestos-like length-dependent responses. The response to long CNTs and long asbestos was characterized by acute inflammation, leading to progressive fibrosis on the parietal pleura, where stomata of strictly defined size limit the egress of long, but not short, fibers. This was confirmed by demonstrating clearance of short, but not long, CNT and nickel nanowires and by visualizing the migration of short CNTs from the pleural space by single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging. Our data confirm the hypothesis that, although a proportion of all deposited particles passes through the pleura, the pathogenicity of long CNTs and other fibers arises as a result of length-dependent retention at the stomata on the parietal pleura.