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The manifestations of dysbiotic syndrome were monitored in the setting of chronically inflammatory diseases among women and men of different ages. Significant imbalances were found in the direction of reducing the titers of symbionts lactobacilli to 105 -0 CFU, bifidobacteria 108 -107 , enterococci 105 , typical Escherichia 106 -103 and increasing the number of representatives of opportunistic enterobacteria to 108 -105 CFU, staphylococci 106 -104 and fungi of the genus Candida 106 -103 . A more significant manifestation of intestinal inflammation of the intestine in terms of fecal calprotectin in men compared with women was shown. In males of patients with nonspecific ulcerative colitis, the level of imbalance of intestinal microbiocenosis was more pronounced in contrast to females. The number of cases when there was a decrease in the number of the main representatives of normal flora exceeded in the male group than in the female group by an average of 12.5%. Also, the identification of opportunistic pathogenic microflora and fungi of the genus Candida in the titer of higher reference indicators was observed more often in men by an average of 7.8%. However, in Crohns disease, the frequency of registration of deviations in the titers of individual microbiota varied among women and men. The high incidence of chronic inflammatory bowel disease with the corresponding dysbiotic disorders was recorded in the group of people aged 20 to 44 years. All patients, regardless of their age, showed a significant decrease in lactobacillus titers. The number of cases when a decrease in the number of bifidobacteria was recorded, enterococci relative to the norm, exceeded among young people and was 41.4% and 27.6%, respectively. At the same time, the quantitative indices of colonization of opportunistic microorganisms of the digestive tract were higher in the elderly. The frequency of detection of yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida was at a high level in all the examined age groups and was 42.8% 44.9%. It can be concluded that intestinal lesions caused by pathologies of nonspecific ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease play a leading role in the development of dysbacteriosis. The data obtained are the basis for studying the relationship between the depth of the pathogenesis of these diseases and the duration of dysbiotic disorders.

Aim. One of the potential methods for treating cancer is photodynamic therapy (PDT), which involves the targeted destruction of cancer cells through the activation of photosensitizers (PS) using light irradiation. The aim of the study was to investigate the photodynamic properties of the squaraine dyes with hydrophilic and hydrophobic substituents. Methods. Fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-VIS spectroscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, cytotoxicity assay. Results. It was shown that all studied dyes have maximum absorption in the far-red region, which makes them suitable for PDT. It has been investigated that the squarains can form complexes with proteins, as indicated by changes in their fluorescence. The samples demonstrated minimal dark toxicity but exhibited cytotoxicity after irradiation. The cytotoxic effect of dyes with hydrophilic groups was reduced by binding to BSA. Meanwhile, a dye with hydrophobic substituents shows a photodynamic effect in the presence of albumin. All studied dyes can penetrate through the cellular membrane, stain the cell components in the cytoplasm, and do not accumulate in nuclei. Conclusions. All dyes showed low dark toxicity. However, cytotoxicity increased after irradiation with light of a wavelength of 670 nm. The binding of the dyes with hydrophilic substitutes to albumin negatively impacted their photosensitizing properties. At the same time, the dye with the highest tendency to aggregate exhibited the most significant cytotoxic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and analysis of dynamic processes in oscillatory systems are closely connected to the establishment of exact or approximate analytical solutions to the problems of mathematical physics, which model such systems. The mathematical models of wave propagation in oscillatory systems under certain initial conditions at a fixed time are well known in the literature. However, wave processes in lengthy structures subject to an external force only and at the assigned states of the process at two points in time have been insufficiently studied. Such processes are modeled by a two-point time problem for the inhomogeneous wave equation in an unbounded domain t>0, x∈ℝs. The model takes into consideration the assignment of a linear combination with unknown amplitude of oscillations and the rate of its change at two points in time. A two-point problem, generally speaking, is the ill-posed boundary value problem, since the respective homogeneous problem has non-trivial solutions. A class of quasi-polynomials has been established as the class of the existence of a single solution to the problem. This class does not contain the non-trivial elements from the problem’s kernel, which ensures the uniqueness of solution to the problem. We have proposed a precise method to build the solution in the specified class. The essence of the method is that the problem’s solution is represented as the action of a differential expression, whose symbol is the right-hand side of the equation, on some function of parameters. The function is constructed in a special way using the equation and two-point conditions, and has special features associated with zeroes of the denominator - the characteristic determinant of the problem. The method is illustrated by the description of oscillatory processes within an infinite string and a membrane. The main practical application of the constructed method is the possibility to adequately mathematically model the oscillatory systems, which takes into consideration a possibility to control the system’s parameters. Such a control over parameters makes it possible to perform optimal synthesis and design of parameters for the relevant technical systems in order to analyze and account for special features in the dynamic modes of oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated processes of analysis, integration, and content generation, taking into consideration the needs of the user in cryptocurrency. By using the developed formal model and the performed critical analysis of methods and technologies for predicting the exchange rate of cryptocurrency, we have built a general architecture of the content processing system that acquires data from different cryptocurrency Internet stock exchanges. General functional requirements to the intelligent cryptocurrency system that target the Internet users have been stated. We have investigated methods, models, and tools to improve the effective support for developing structural elements in the model of a decision support system that manages content according to the user’s needs. general architectures of the backend and frontend parts of an intelligent cryptocurrency system have been devised. We also developed software for the system of integration and generation of content considering the cryptocurrency needs of users. An analysis of results of experimental verification of the proposed method for content integration and generation taking into consideration the cryptocurrency needs of users has been performed. A special feature of the system is that it analyzes information from social media and builds a forecast of currency rates based on the acquired information. A given system makes it possible to guess the trend in an exchange rate fluctuation. Conferences of a particular cryptocurrency, new implementations, government decrees from different countries, affect a trend as well, so it too must be taken into consideration. In order to account for most cases, it is necessary to constantly accumulate information on the subject and to assign it to Tables in a database. A given process takes place using a specialized software bot that collects and indexes information. The system is characterized by the following features that favorably distinguish it from analogs: the speed of page generation; the presence of SSL certificate and TLS encryption; content of better quality as it is updated every minute; there are no inactive sections of the service; the mobile web-site layout does not copy content at subdomain; automated checks against e-mail spam messages on the exchange rate. The focus of the system is on the frequency of updates at the speed of data aggregation from the Internet stock exchanges and social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the problem for homogeneous partial differential equations in two variables which are of second order with respect to time variable and of finite order with respect to another (spatial) variable, with homogeneous two-point conditions in time. We propose a method for the construction of nontrivial solutions of this problem when its characteristic determinant is nontrivial and the set of its zeroes is not empty. We apply this method to the construction of non-zero solutions of homogeneous two-point problems for some equations of mathematical physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solvability of the problem with local nonhomogeneous two-point in time conditions for a homogeneous PDE of the second order in time and infinite order in spatial variable in the case when the set of zeroes of the characteristic determinant is not empty and does not coincide with C is investigated. The existence of a solution of the problem in which the right-hand sides of the two-point conditions are quasi-polynomials is proved. We propose the differential-symbol method of constructing the solutions of the problem.

Aim. Generation of monoclonal antibodies specific to Coenzyme A. Methods. Hybridoma technique. KLH carrier protein conjugated with CoA was used for immunization. Screening of positive clones was performed with BSA conjugated to CoA. Results. Monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes CoA and CoA derivatives, but not its precursors ATP and cysteine has been generated. Conclusion. In this study, we describe for the first time the production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against CoA. The monoclonal antibody 1F10 was shown to recognize specifically CoA in Western blotting, ELISA and immunoprecipitation. These properties make this antiboby a particularly valuable reagent for elucidating CoA function in health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer composite materials with antibacterial properties based on poly(vinyl alcohol), which contain fine biocompatible mineral fillers and silver nanoparticles have been obtained. The method of preparation of polyacrylamide stabilized silver nanoparticles with shape of thin truncated triangular prisms has been developed. An approach to enhance adsorption capacity of the fillers to nanoparticulate silver was proposed. Studying bactericidal activity of obtained materials on model microorganisms (Escherichia coli) shown the high activity of the composites containing silver nanoparticles at the concentration of ≥ 0,018 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove that homogeneous problem for PDE of second order in time variable, and generally infinite order in spatial variables with local two-point conditions with respect to time variable, has only trivial solution in the case when the characteristic determinant of the problem is nonzero. In another, opposite case, we prove the existence of nontrivial solutions of the problem, and we propose a differential-symbol method of constructing them.

Relations among dimensions of parenting and adolescents' occupational aspirations were examined in two specific domains: academics and sports. The sample consisted of 444 seventh graders, with approximately equal numbers of African American and European American males and females, from two-parent nondivorced families. Multiple measures were used as indicators of parents' values and behaviors, youths' values and beliefs, positive identification with parents, and adolescents' occupational aspirations. In the academic domain, parents' values predicted youths' values directly rather than indirectly through their behaviors. In contrast, fathers' behaviors mediated the relation between parents' and youths' values in the sports domain. Positive identification was directly related to adolescents' values (especially about academics); however, positive identification did not moderate the transmission of values from parent to child in either domain. Parents' values predicted adolescents' occupational aspirations via both direct and indirect pathways. Similar results were obtained for African American and European American males and females. These findings highlight the potential role of parents as socializers of achievement-related values, and, ultimately, adolescents' occupational visions of themselves in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosomal protein S6 kinases belong to a family of highly conserved enzymes in eukaryotes that regulate cell growth, proliferation, survival, and the stress response. It is well established that the activation and downstream signalling of p70S6Ks involve multiple phosphorylation events by key regulators of cell growth, survival, and energy metabolism. Here, we report for the first time the covalent modification of p70S6K1 by coenzyme A (CoA) in response to oxidative stress, which regulates its kinase activity. The site of CoA binding (CoAlation) was mapped by mass spectrometry to cysteine 217 (Cys217), located in the kinase activation loop and only one amino acid away from the tripeptide DFG motif, which facilitates ATP-binding. The CoAlation of recombinant p70S6K1 was demonstrated in vitro and was shown to inhibit its kinase activity. Our molecular docking and dynamics analysis revealed the most likely mode for CoA binding to p70S6K1. This mechanism involves the non-covalent binding of the CoA ADP moiety to the p70S6K1 nucleotide-binding pocket, positioning the CoA thiol group in close proximity to form a covalent bond with the surface-exposed Cys217 residue. These findings support a "dual anchor" mechanism for protein kinase inhibition by CoAlation in cellular response to oxidative stress. Furthermore, the inhibition of S6K1 by CoAlation may open new avenues for developing novel inhibitors.

Low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols are produced in all living cells in different forms and concentrations. Glutathione (GSH), coenzyme A (CoA), bacillithiol (BSH), mycothiol (MSH), ergothioneine (ET) and trypanothione T(SH) 2 are the main LMW thiols in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. LMW thiols serve as electron donors for thiol-dependent enzymes in redox-mediated metabolic and signaling processes, protect cellular macromolecules from oxidative and xenobiotic stress, and participate in the reduction of oxidative modifications. The level and function of LMW thiols, their oxidized disulfides and mixed disulfide conjugates in cells and tissues is tightly controlled by dedicated oxidoreductases, such as peroxiredoxins, glutaredoxins, disulfide reductases and LMW thiol transferases. This review provides the first summary of the current knowledge of structural and functional diversity of transferases for LMW thiols, including GSH, BSH, MSH and T(SH) 2 . Their role in maintaining redox homeostasis in single-cell and multicellular organisms is discussed, focusing in particular on the conjugation of specific thiols to exogenous and endogenous electrophiles, or oxidized protein substrates. Advances in the development of new research tools, analytical methodologies, and genetic models for the analysis of known LMW thiol transferases will expand our knowledge and understanding of their function in cell growth and survival under oxidative stress, nutrient deprivation, and during the detoxification of xenobiotics and harmful metabolites. The antioxidant function of CoA has been recently discovered and the breakthrough in defining the identity and functional characteristics of CoA S-transferase(s) is soon expected., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors do not have a conflict of interest to report., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The COVID-19 pandemic caused drastic social changes for many people, including separation from friends and coworkers, enforced close contact with family, and reductions in mobility. Here we assess the extent to which people's evolutionarily-relevant basic motivations and goals-fundamental social motives such as Affiliation and Kin Care-might have been affected. To address this question, we gathered data on fundamental social motives in 42 countries ( N  = 15,915) across two waves, including 19 countries ( N   =  10,907) for which data were gathered both before and during the pandemic (pre-pandemic wave: 32 countries, N  = 8998; 3302 male, 5585 female; M age   =  24.43, SD  = 7.91; mid-pandemic wave: 29 countries, N  = 6917; 2249 male, 4218 female; M age   =  28.59, SD  = 11.31). Samples include data collected online (e.g., Prolific, MTurk), at universities, and via community sampling. We found that Disease Avoidance motivation was substantially higher during the pandemic, and that most of the other fundamental social motives showed small, yet significant, differences across waves. Most sensibly, concern with caring for one's children was higher during the pandemic, and concerns with Mate Seeking and Status were lower. Earlier findings showing the prioritization of family motives over mating motives (and even over Disease Avoidance motives ) were replicated during the pandemic. Finally, well-being remained positively associated with family-related motives and negatively associated with mating motives during the pandemic, as in the pre-pandemic samples. Our results provide further evidence for the robust primacy of family-related motivations even during this unique disruption of social life., Competing Interests: None., (© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

How does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives-self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care-are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 42 countries (N = 15,915) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N = 10,907) for which data were gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from mid-2016 through late 2019 (32 countries, N = 8,998; 3,302 male, 5,585 female; M age  = 24.43, SD = 7.91). Wave 2 was collected from April through November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 countries, N = 6,917; 2,249 male, 4,218 female; M age  = 28.59, SD = 11.31). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people's fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, accounting for at least two-thirds of dementia cases. A combination of genetic, epigenetic and environmental triggers is widely accepted to be responsible for the onset and development of AD. Accumulating evidence shows that oxidative stress and dysregulation of energy metabolism play an important role in AD pathogenesis, leading to neuronal dysfunction and death. Redox-induced protein modifications have been reported in the brain of AD patients, indicating excessive oxidative damage. Coenzyme A (CoA) is essential for diverse metabolic pathways, regulation of gene expression and biosynthesis of neurotransmitters. Dysregulation of CoA biosynthesis in animal models and inborn mutations in human genes involved in the CoA biosynthetic pathway have been associated with neurodegeneration. Recent studies have uncovered the antioxidant function of CoA, involving covalent protein modification by this cofactor (CoAlation) in cellular response to oxidative or metabolic stress. Protein CoAlation has been shown to both modulate the activity of modified proteins and protect cysteine residues from irreversible overoxidation. In this study, immunohistochemistry analysis with highly specific anti-CoA monoclonal antibody was used to reveal protein CoAlation across numerous neurodegenerative diseases, which appeared particularly frequent in AD. Furthermore, protein CoAlation consistently co-localized with tau-positive neurofibrillary tangles, underpinning one of the key pathological hallmarks of AD. Double immunihistochemical staining with tau and CoA antibodies in AD brain tissue revealed co-localization of the two immunoreactive signals. Further, recombinant 2N3R and 2N4R tau isoforms were found to be CoAlated in vitro and the site of CoAlation mapped by mass spectrometry to conserved cysteine 322, located in the microtubule binding region. We also report the reversible H 2 O 2 -induced dimerization of recombinant 2N3R, which is inhibited by CoAlation. Moreover, CoAlation of transiently expressed 2N4R tau was observed in diamide-treated HEK293/Pank1β cells. Taken together, this study demonstrates for the first time extensive anti-CoA immunoreactivity in AD brain samples, which occurs in structures resembling neurofibrillary tangles and neuropil threads. Covalent modification of recombinant tau at cysteine 322 suggests that CoAlation may play an important role in protecting redox-sensitive tau cysteine from irreversible overoxidation and may modulate its acetyltransferase activity and functional interactions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Lashley, Tossounian, Costello Heaven, Wallworth, Peak-Chew, Bradshaw, Cooper, de Silva, Srai, Malanchuk, Filonenko, Koopman, Rüdiger, Skehel and Gout.)

What motives do people prioritize in their social lives? Historically, social psychologists, especially those adopting an evolutionary perspective, have devoted a great deal of research attention to sexual attraction and romantic-partner choice (mate seeking). Research on long-term familial bonds (mate retention and kin care) has been less thoroughly connected to relevant comparative and evolutionary work on other species, and in the case of kin care, these bonds have been less well researched. Examining varied sources of data from 27 societies around the world, we found that people generally view familial motives as primary in importance and mate-seeking motives as relatively low in importance. Compared with other groups, college students, single people, and men place relatively higher emphasis on mate seeking, but even those samples rated kin-care motives as more important. Furthermore, motives linked to long-term familial bonds are positively associated with psychological well-being, but mate-seeking motives are associated with anxiety and depression. We address theoretical and empirical reasons why there has been extensive research on mate seeking and why people prioritize goals related to long-term familial bonds over mating goals. Reallocating relatively greater research effort toward long-term familial relationships would likely yield many interesting new findings relevant to everyday people's highest social priorities.

Peroxiredoxins (Prdxs) are antioxidant enzymes that catalyse the breakdown of peroxides and regulate redox activity in the cell. Peroxiredoxin 5 (Prdx5) is a unique member of Prdxs, which displays a wider subcellular distribution and substrate specificity and exhibits a different catalytic mechanism when compared to other members of the family. Here, the role of a key metabolic integrator coenzyme A (CoA) in modulating the activity of Prdx5 was investigated. We report for the first time a novel mode of Prdx5 regulation mediated via covalent and reversible attachment of CoA (CoAlation) in cellular response to oxidative and metabolic stress. The site of CoAlation in endogenous Prdx5 was mapped by mass spectrometry to peroxidatic cysteine 48. By employing an in vitro CoAlation assay, we showed that Prdx5 peroxidase activity is inhibited by covalent interaction with CoA in a dithiothreitol-sensitive manner. Collectively, these results reveal that human Prdx5 is a substrate for CoAlation in vitro and in vivo, and provide new insight into metabolic control of redox status in mammalian cells.

This study examines how student perceptions of teacher practices contribute to female high school students' math beliefs and achievement. Guided by the expectancy-value framework, we hypothesized that students' motivation beliefs and achievement outcomes in mathematics are fostered by teachers' emphasis on the relevance of mathematics and constrained by gender-based differential treatment. To examine these questions, structural equation modeling was applied to a longitudinal panel of 518 female students from the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. While controlling for prior achievement and race, gendered differential treatment was negatively associated with math beliefs and achievement, whereas relevant math instruction was positively associated with these outcomes. These findings suggest inroads that may foster positive math motivational beliefs and achievement among young women., (© 2018 Society for Research on Adolescence.)

In this monograph, we investigate the developmental trajectories of a predominantly middle-class, community-based sample of European American and African American adolescents growing up in urban, suburban, and rural areas in Maryland, United States. Within risk-protection and positive youth development frameworks, we selected developmental measures based on the normative tasks of adolescence and the most widely studied indicators in the three major contexts of development: families, peer groups, and schools. Using hierarchical linear growth models, we estimated adolescents' growth trajectories from ages 12 to 20 with variation accounted for by socioeconomic status (SES), gender, race/ethnicity, and the gender by race/ethnicity interaction. In general, the results indicate that: (a) periods of greatest risk and positive development depended on the time frame and outcome being examined and (b) on average, these adolescents demonstrated much stronger evidence of positive than problematic development, even at their most vulnerable times. Absolute levels of their engagement in healthy behaviors, supportive relationships with parents and friends, and positive self-perceptions and psychological well-being were much higher than their reported angry and depressive feelings, engagement in risky behaviors, and negative relationships with parents and peers. We did not find evidence to support the idea that adolescence is a time of heightened risk. Rather, on average, these adolescents experienced relatively stable and developmentally healthy trajectories for a wide range of characteristics, behaviors, and relationships, with slight increases or decreases at different points in development that varied according to domain. Developmental trajectories differed minimally by SES but in some expected ways by gender and race/ethnicity, although these latter differences were not very marked. Overall, most of the young people navigated through their adolescence and arrived at young adulthood with good mental and physical health, positive relationships with their parents and peers, and high aspirations and expectations for what their future lives might hold., (© 2017 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.)