Nanotechnologies in Russia最新文献

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of pyrolysis temperature on the properties of biochars fabricated by sewage sludge. Increasing pyrolysis temperature from 300 to 900°С led to an increase of biochar pH between 8.4–11.8, ash content 60–75% as well as specific surface area 68–161 m² g^–1. At the same time, there were reduced H, O, C, S, N contents, the H/C and O/C ratios. An increase in pyrolysis temperature enhanced the content of metals in biochars and reduced their bioavailability. XRD analysis confirmed a higher degree of metal-containing phases of formation in biochar with increasing pyrolysis temperature.

High-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) has changed clinical oncology practice. Over the past two decades, this technology has evolved from the first oncogenomic projects and clinical trials to the introduction of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) into practical oncology guidelines. However, despite this fact NGS studies, with rare exceptions, are represented worldwide by commercial products that are not approved for clinical use. The legislative regulation of molecular genetic studies based on the NGS technology intended for clinical use is significantly inferior to the emergence rate of new technologies. For example, 11 years passed between the start of the first oncogenomic project and the approval of the world’s first targeted cancer NGS panel for comprehensive genomic profiling. This review analyzes the implementation of the NGS technology in oncology and the emergence of regulation of such molecular tests with the formation of recommendations for Russian regulatory practice.

Pure silver as well as silver compounds have been used as antiseptics for centuries. Nowadays, the most frequently applied silver compounds are silver nanoparticles. Several studies demonstrate the ability of silver nanoparticles and silver salts to accumulate in the brain of laboratory animals as well as the ability of silver nanoparticles to influence behavioral and cognitive functions of laboratory mammals. For the first time, the influence of silver citrate on the change dynamics of behavioral and cognitive functions of laboratory mice at the daily oral exposure during 30, 60, 120, and 180 days were investigated in the present research. We observed the anxiety increase after 30 days of the exposure as well as the ability of mice to adapt to the prolonged oral exposure of silver citrate manifested in the anxiety decrease, increase of locomotor activity and the tendency of long-term contextual memory improvement at the further stages of the experiment. Increase of locomotor activity and memory improvement might be associated with the sensitivity increase and regarded as compensatory mechanism to anxiety increase. The observed phenomenon is classified as a hormetic effect. A comparison with the analogous study, which implemented polyvinylpyrrolidone coated silver nanoparticles, is carried out. It was concluded that the nanoscale impacts into the toxicity of silver compound.

Stress is a risk factor for the development of anxiety-depressive disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cognitive impairment. The peptide drug ThrLysProArgProGlyPro (Selank), an analogue of endogenous tuftsin, has entered clinical practice as an anxiolytic agent acting as a positive allosteric modulator. In a model of acute restraint stress, high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) is used to demonstrate that Selank is able to significantly alter gene expression in the rat hippocampus 2 h after stress exposure. Thus, the introduction of Selank (300 μg/kg) to rats 30 min before the start of immobilization lasting 1 h leads to a change in the expression of 549 genes (fold change >1.5 and Padj < 0.05), which are related to the systems of processing and presentation of antigens and transmission of nerve impulses. At the same time, when Selank is administered to rats in the absence of stress, no significant change in gene expression in the hippocampus is observed. Thus, Selank can regulate the processes caused by acute stress at the molecular-genetic level already in the early hours after acute stress, without affecting genomic activity in the absence of such an impact.

The development of simple, readily available, and sensitive methods for studying bacterial protein synthesis is an important fundamental and applied task. We recently demonstrated the possibility of visualizing short BODIPY-labeled phenylalanine- and leucine-containing peptides using urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. In this work, we expand the range of test sequences and included peptides with valine, lysine, and the modified amino acid εNH₂-DOTA-lysine. The described method can also be used to study the mechanism of translation inhibition, as shown by elaboration of the specific action of the antibiotics etamycin A and viomycin.

Active study of the molecular mechanisms of the occurrence and development of various cardiac pathologies using the assessment of gene expression by real-time PCR is necessary to solve the problem of finding and selecting adequate reference genes. A search is conducted for the most stably expressed potential reference genes in the intravital myocardial samples of patients with severe heart failure due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or coronary heart disease. Gene-expression analysis is performed using reverse transcription and real-time PCR. Gene-expression stability is assessed using the RefFinder resource. It is shown that the genes expressed most stably in human myocardium in the case of heart failure are PSMD6, PSMD7, SARS1, and AARS1. In this regard, we recommend including them in the gene panel when searching for and validating potential reference genes to assess the expression of candidate genes in myocardial tissues.

Modern viticulture and winemaking is an important sector of biotechnology, which requires fundamental and applied scientific research for successful development of the agricultural sector. Since the end of the 20th century, the global scientific community has begun to receive data that one of the most important ways to improve the quality of grape harvests is to manage the planting density of grape vines and regulate yields. For the first time, an analysis of planting density, diversity, and yield of grape varieties in the main viticulture and winemaking terroirs of Russia was conducted. The main viticulture and winemaking regions of Russia are Krasnodar krai, the Republic of Crimea, and the Republic of Dagestan, which account for 80% of the total number of grape vines planted in Russia. The leading varieties in Russia in terms of the number of vines and planting area are Cabernet Sauvignon, Rkatsiteli, and Chardonnay. Russian vineyards have a wide row spacing (an average of 3.4 m) and low planting density of grape vines (an average of 2594 vines per hectare). According to modern scientific approaches, the yield and quality of grapes directly depend on a number of factors, one of which is the ratio of the leaf surface area of the vin to its yield. Against this background, it is necessary to rethink approaches to regulating the yield of fruit-bearing vineyards in order to avoid producers abusing the lack of yield standards for wine-grape varieties. In a number of regions, there are cases of overstated yields in declarations, which distort the real state of affairs in the grape and wine market. Russian grape growers are advised to take into account the balance factors of the grape vine in terms of the optimal ratio of its outer leaf surface to yield, as well as water balance, in order to achieve higher quality indicators of wine products and increase their competitiveness in the market.

Biomarkers are biological indicators that may be used to evaluate the functional status of an organism, monitor the aging process, and predict the transition of it to a pathological state. Age-related changes in gene expression determine the development of specific age-related phenotypes considered as biomarkers of aging, such as changes in chromatin structure, loss of proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired intercellular communication, chronic inflammation, and imbalances in nutrient uptake. Aging biomarkers are considered to be essential in developing techniques to assess the efficacy of geroprotective treatments. In this context, assessment of the possibility, feasibility, and limitations of the practical use of biomarkers requires a thorough understanding of their molecular nature and careful evidence of their objective association with aging and lifespan. The review considers the data on the effectiveness of the influence of several geroprotectors on aging biomarkers and the lifespan of model organisms and discusses the prospects for using biomarkers of aging to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy for aging.

Studying the effect of radiation on the stability and properties of nanoparticles is an important step in the development of drug delivery systems and radiopharmaceuticals. This work investigates the effect of gamma radiation with a total dose from 3 to 127 kGy on aqueous dispersions of poly(lactide-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles stabilized with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). It is found that after irradiation with doses up to 20 kGy, destruction occurs rapidly, and then it slows down. At the same time, the glass transition temperature of the PLGA core is practically unchanged and remains in the range of 37–38°C. The hydrodynamic diameter of the particles decreases due to the destruction of the PVA polymer chains. The hydrolysis of the irradiated and non-irradiated particles occurs at similar rates, which is probably explained by the glassy state of the core.