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Due to the latest scientific achievements new opportunities have appeared for deeper processing of not only raw materials, but also by-products of the country's agro-industrial complex. Beet sugar production is a source of a number of by-products such as beet pulp, molasses and filter cake. Domestic sugar production refers to material-intensive industries, since the volume of vegetable raw materials, as well as by-products formed in the technological process, is several times higher than the yield of finished products – white sugar. Insufficient attention to the problems of more complete processing of by-products of sugar beet production may be the cause of environmental degradation. Currently, not only the regulatory documentation regulating the quality indicators of raw materials used and finished products of the industry has been updated, but also the definition of by-products of sugar production, formed in the production of white sugar, has been clarified. In particular, by-products of the sugar beet industry can be used to extract useful components from them, suitable for the production of new food products with increased nutritional value. The main attention in the paper is paid to promising areas for the use of beet pulp for the production of new types of food products. A method has been developed for the production of sugar syrup enriched with pectin extract of beet pulp. The addition of beet pulp pectin extract to the syrup not only increases the nutritional value, but also improves its technological properties while expanding the range of new types of food products and their properties.

Two commercial cost-efficient titanium alloys — a low-alloyed α+β-Ti–6Al–4V (mass.%) and a metastable β-alloy Ti–1.5Al–6.8Mo–4.5Fe melted with a single electron-beam cold hearth melting approach — are employed in a present study as program materials. The influence of microstructure formed by means of the subsequent thermomechanical and heat treatments on both the mechanical behaviour (evaluated by the deformation energy, UD) when tested using standard methods with different deformation rates and the ballistic resistance of plate materials is investigated. As revealed, the weakest dependence of UD on the strain rate corresponds to Ti–6Al–4V alloy with microstructure morphology close to globular one, whereas in the same alloy with a lamellar microstructure (annealed in a single-phase β-field) as well as in Ti–1.5Al–6.8Mo–4.5Fe alloy with various microstructures, UD values significantly depend on the rate of deformation. Moreover, only after annealing at a temperature of the two-phase α+β field, the UD value for Ti–6Al–4V upon three-point flexure at varying deformation rate is equal to the sum of the corresponding values obtained under tension and compression. During subsequent ballistic tests of plates of different thicknesses, it is established that the best ballistic impact resistance corresponds to the materials with higher UD values and lower strain-rate sensitivity. The damage of alloys during all types of testing is discussed in detail in terms of possible mechanisms of deformation and fracture.

A study imaged identical regions of partially reduced TiO2(11) surfaces with bridge-bonded oxygen vacancy ([BBO.sub.V]) concentrations of 10% ML using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) before and after dosing H2O at ambient temperature (300 K). Hydrogen hopping along the [001] direction is observed at ambient temperature, with a strong preference for [OH.sub.B] (10x) hydrogen motion.

Background: Intraorbital hemorrhages are one of the most dangerous complications of frontal bone trauma and frontal and orbital trauma because of the close and intricate anatomical relationships among the cranial cavity, orbit, nose and paranasal sinuses. Failure to solve the problem promptly will inevitably lead to disability. Effective treatment requires a multidisciplinary surgical team including a neurosurgeon, otorhinolaryngologist, ophthalmologist and a maxillofacial surgeon. Purpose: To assess the efficacy of endonasal endoscopic transethmoidal orbitotomy (TEO) and transcutaneous orbitotomy (TCO) in patients with post-traumatic intraorbital hemorrhages. Material and Methods: Fifteen patients (9 men and 6 women) with retrobulbar hematoma were included in this study. Patient age ranged from 33 years to 65 years. Of the 15 patients, 8 received endonasal endoscopic TEO and 7, TCO. Preoperatively, each patient underwent an eye examination, ultrasonography of the orbit, and spiral computed tomography of the paranasal and periorbital sinuses. Postoperative examinations were performed at 7 days and 1 month. Exophthalmos was assessed using a Hertel's exophthalmosmeter (ALMAS YZ9). Sivtsev-Golovin charts were used to assess visual acuity. Statistical analyses were conducted using Microsoft Excel and Statistica (StatSoft, Tulsa, OK, USA) software. Results: The preoperative exophthalmos was 18.5 ± 2.12 mm in patients scheduled for TEO and 16.9 ± 1.78 mm in those scheduled for TCO. On day 7 after surgery (the day of discharge), exophthalmos reduced to 6.4 ± 0.77 mm in patients undergoing TEO (p < 0.0005) and 8.8 ± 0.94 mm in those undergoing TCO (p < 0.005). The preoperative visual acuity (VA) was 0.07 ± 0.03 in patients scheduled for TEO and 0.09 ± 0.05 mm in those scheduled for TCO. On day 7, mean VA improved to 0.81 ± 0.12 (p < 0.00005) in patients undergoing TEO, and to 0.56 ± 0.34 in those undergoing TCO. The two groups showed practically the same pattern of a longitudinal decrease in chemosis. Diplopia in upward and downward gaze and any restriction in ocular motility disappeared in patients undergoing TEO by the day of discharge (day 7), which was 4-5 days earlier than in patients undergoing TCO, with a postoperative period 4.25 ± 0.75 days longer (p<0.05) in the latter patients. At one month, mean VA improved to 0.89 ± 0.08 (p < 0.00005) in patients of the TEO group, and to 0.75 ± 0.15 (p < 0.005) in patients of the TCO group. Conclusion: Endonasal endoscopic transethmoidal orbitotomy was significantly more advantageous than transcutaneous orbitotomy, with a faster recovery, particularly, shorter postoperative period, faster restoration of visual acuity and ocular motility, minimum trauma to soft orbital tissues, and no external damage to facial skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common opportunistic pathogens that causes a variety of diseases, from minor skin infections to life-threatening sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia and a number of other diseases. Particular attention was paid to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains with multiple drug resistance. The purpose of this study is investigation of the sensitivity of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains, to bacteriophage drugs and determination of possibility of using this agent for the treatment of staphylococcal infections. A number of classical and modern microbiological methods for the isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus: an indication of genes, responsible for antibiotic resistance (PCR analysis), determination of sensitivity to antibiotics (disc diffusion method) and bacteriophages (spot test, Gracia method, Appelman method) were used in the study. The susceptibility analysis of Staphylococcus aureus with presence and absence of mecA gene to the commercial bacteriophage product – “PYOFAG® BACTERIOPHAGE POLYVALENT” was performed. The results of the study showed that the total number of susceptible strains of bacteria was 95±0,2%. The use of investigational Bacteriophage drug for the treatment of furunculosis caused by MRSA has shown positive results. After one week of using the bacteriophage as monotherapy, the patient experienced regression of the clinical symptoms. For the period of use no adverse effects have been detected. Thus, the phage drugs using can become an important tool in the control of antibiotic-resistant strains, which cause a variety of infections in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To correct immune system deficiencies in patients with a problematic recovery course after frontal orbital trauma surgery that involved the use of SYNTEKIST biocomposite. Material and Methods: Twenty facial bone trauma (FBT) patients with complicated wound healing in the late postoperative period were examined. The control group involved 10 healthy individuals. Patients of the rehabilitation treatment group were administered Imupret®, the commercial herbal medicinal product and an immunocorrective and antiphlogistic agent, and Eebisol, an IFN-γ inducer and repairing agent. Serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)M, IgE, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-10, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-1ß were measured. Results: Two groups of patients who underwent FBT surgery that involved the use of biocomposite were identified. The group with a problematic late postoperative course exhibited stimulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and absence of changes in serum levels of immunoglobulins and circulating immune complexes compared to controls and the group with uneventful late postoperative course. In addition, the group with a problematic late postoperative course exhibited decreased serum levels of TGF-ß and IFN-γ, which may be considered as pathogenetically significant factors involved in regeneration processes. No humoral autoimmune response to connective tissue antigens was found. Conclusion: Increased serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukins and decreased serum levels of TGF-ß and, especially, IFN-γ, are observed in patients with problematic regeneration. No humoral autoimmune response to connective tissue antigens was found in either group of patients with FBT. Stress mechanisms might be involved in decreased immunity levels in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify the influence of biocomposite on immune system status in front bone trauma (FBT) patients at 9 months or later after surgery involving the use of the composite material. Material and Methods: Twenty FBT patients underwent an examination 9 months or later after surgery. They were divided into two groups, group A with a problematic clinical course and group B with an uneventful clinical course during follow-up. The control group was composed of 10 age-matched and practically healthy individuals. Serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)M, IgG, IgA and IgE, interleukins (IL)-1 and IL- 10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, circulating immune complexes (CIC), and gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and agglutination antibodies to antigens of allogeneic connective tissue were measured. Non-parametric Wilcoxon U test and Student t-test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Activation of pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukins and no changes in the levels of immunoglobulins and CIC were found in group A, but not group B or the controls. In addition, patients from group A exhibited decreased serum levels of TGF-β and IFN-γ, which may be considered as pathogenetically significant factors involved in regeneration processes. No humoral autoimmune response to connective tissue antigens was found. Conclusion: Two disease course variants were found in the late phase after FBT. Increased serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukins and decreased serum levels of TGF-β and, especially, IFN-γ, were observed in patients with problematic regeneration. No humoral autoimmune response to connective tissue antigens was found in either group of patients with FBT. Stress mechanisms might be involved in decreased immunity levels in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To determine the influence of a biocomposite on the state of the immune system of patients with trauma to the frontal bone at 1 month after surgical treatment. Materials and Methods. 20 patients with frontal bone fracture treated surgically with and without a SYNEKIST biocomposite were examined; 10 patients served as control. Immunoglobulins M, G, A, and E were determined in the blood serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We also determined the content of prodefensin (lactoferrin, an indicator of the acute phase of inflammation), interleukins IL-1β, and interleukin-10. Results. On presentation and during the first days, the patients with trauma to the frontal bone had a decreased level of IgM which, however, reached the control level and was practically the same in both groups. There were no changes in other immunoglobulins in a month. The level of pro-inflammatory Il-a was increased on admission with a significant decrease within the first month in both treatment approaches. The on-admission level of proinflammatory cytokines did not differ significantly from the control while its level increased in the patients undergone the surgical treatment using a biocomposite material. The level of lactoferrin decreased to normal ranges in both treatment approaches. Conclusions. The advantage of the surgical treatment using a biocomposite material lies in the restoration of the IgM level and activation of antiinflammatory mechanisms, Il-10, in particular, in 1 month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical and chemical properties of cream multistep modes of ripening and fermentations are investigation and their role in the production of sour-cream butter is studied. The process of ripening of cream was carried out multistep, regimes were selected depending on seasonal changes in the composition of milk fat. For raw materials of the autumn-winter period, for the values of iodine number 29.1-34.5, the first stage of ripening was carried out at a temperature of 8°C for 2 hours, the second stage - at 21°C for 7 hours, the third stage - at 13°C for 10 hours. For raw of spring-summer period, for the values of iodine number 34.5-40.1, the first stage of ripening was carried out at 21°C for 6 hours, the second stage - at 13°C for 4 hours, the third stage - at 8°C for 8 hours. It has been established that individual modes of low-temperature cream preparation, taking into account seasonal changes in the composition of milk fat, make it possible to obtain cream before churning almost with the same indexes of effective viscosity. The content of the crystalline phase of milk fat under both temperature regimes was 38.7- 40.1%, which is sufficient to obtain of proper consistency sour-cream butter. The content of diacetyl and volatile organic acids more depend on the level of fermentation of cream than on the technological regimes of ripening and seasonality of raw materials. It has been proved that an increase in the fermentation degree of cream promotes an increase in the acidity of plasma and the content of aroma-producing components in the butter, and, accordingly, affects the degree of the sour taste. It is recommended for the production of cultured butter to begin the cream when the acidity of the plasma reaches 60ºT, which ensures the formation of high sensorial characteristic of the finished product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]