Mixed urogenital infection in men

High occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) caused by a combination of different infective agents was established. In 62.5% of cases such diseases took a course typical for mixed infections. Combinations of infective agents of STD were found to have several typical associations, e.g. Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis in combination with opportunistic microflora. The microbiocenosis of the reproductive tract was shown to form under the influence of a complex of endogenous (natural biological) and exogenous (sexual behavioral) factors leading, in each particular case, to the formation of stable associations.     

New steroid glycosides from the starfish Fromia milleporella

Two new steroid glycosides from the starfish Fromia milleporella collected in the Seychelles were isolated and characterized: milleporoside A, (20R, 24R)-29-O-[3-O-methyl-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-3-O-methyl-beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-24-ethyl-5alpha-cholestane-3beta,4beta,6alpha,8,15beta,16beta,29-heptaol, and milleporoside B, (20R, 24R)-(22E)-28-O-[3-O-methyl-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-3-O-methyl-beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-24-methyl-5alpha-cholest-22-ene-3beta,4beta,6alpha,8,15beta,16beta,28-heptaol. The structures of the glycosides were determined from their spectra and a comparison with spectral characteristics of known compounds. These compounds exhibit a moderate cytostatic activity toward the embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius.     

Microbiological and production characteristics of the high-temperature Kongdian bed revealed during field trial of biotechnology for the enhancement of oil recovery

Microbiological technology for the enhancement of oil recovery based on the activation of the stratal microflora was tested in the high-temperature horizons of the Kongdian bed (60 degrees C) of the Dagang oil field (China). This biotechnology consists in the pumping of a water-air mixture and nitrogen and phosphorus mineral salts into the oil stratum through injection wells in order to stimulate the activity of the stratal microflora which produce oil-releasing metabolites. Monitoring of the physicochemical, microbiological, and production characteristics of the test site has revealed large changes in the ecosystem as a result of the application of biotechnology. The cell numbers of thermophilic hydrocarbon-oxidizing, fermentative, sulfate-reducing, and methanogenic microorganisms increased 10-10 000-fold. The rates of methanogenesis and sulfate reduction increased in the near-bottom zone of the injection wells and of some production wells. The microbial oil transformation was accompanied by the accumulation of bicarbonate ions, volatile fatty acids, and biosurfactants in the formation waters, as well as of CH4 and CO2 both in the gas phase and in the oil. Microbial metabolites promoted the additional recovery of oil. As a result of the application of biotechnology, the water content in the production liquid from the test site decreased, and the oil content increased. This allowed the recovery of more than 14000 tons of additional oil over 3.5 years.     

A study of the inhomogeneity of bilayer lipid membranes by measurements of higher harmonics of transmembrane current

Higher harmonics of alternating current in bilayer lipid membranes caused by sinusoidal voltage applied to the membrane were measured. The bilayer lipid membranes were prepared from diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine in n-decane and n-tetradecane, and measurements were conducted with the aid of an analog-to-digital converter of 16th category. Sinusoidal voltage was formed using a digital-to-analog converter of the 16th category. The dynamic region of measurements was up 90 dB. The results of measurements were used to determine the alpha and beta coefficients of the expansion of membrane capacity C in terms of membrane voltage U C = C0 (1 + alphaU2 + betaU4). We showed in the framework of the electrostriction model that the relation between the alpha and beta coefficients characterizes the inhomogeneity of bilayer lipid membrane with respect to its thickness and Young modulus of elasticity.     

Photoacoustic Imaging of Breast Microcalcifications: A Preliminary Study with 8-Gauge Core-Biopsied Breast Specimens

Background

We presented the photoacoustic imaging (PAI) tool and to evaluate whether microcalcifications in breast tissue can be detected on photoacoustic (PA) images.

Methods

We collected 21 cores containing microcalcifications (n = 11, microcalcification group) and none (n = 10, control group) in stereotactic or ultrasound (US) guided 8-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsies. Photoacoustic (PA) images were acquired through ex vivo experiments by transmitting laser pulses with two different wavelengths (700 nm and 800 nm). The presence of microcalcifications in PA images were blindly assessed by two radiologists and compared with specimen mammography. A ratio of the signal amplitude occurring at 700 nm to that occurring at 800 nm was calculated for each PA focus and was called the PAI ratio.

Results

Based on the change of PA signal amplitude between 700 nm and 800 nm, 10 out of 11 specimens containing microcalcifications and 8 out of 10 specimens without calcifications were correctly identified on blind review; the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive and negative predictive values of our blind review were 90.91%, 80.0%, 85.71%, 83.33% and 88.89%. The PAI ratio in the microcalcification group was significantly higher than that in the control group (the median PAI ratio, 2.46 versus 1.11, respectively, P = .001). On subgroup analysis in the microcalcification group, neither malignant diagnosis nor the number or size of calcification-foci was proven to contribute to PAI ratios.

Conclusion

Breast microcalcifications generated distinguishable PA signals unlike breast tissue without calcifications. So, PAI, a non-ionizing and non-invasive hybrid imaging technique, can be an alternative in overcoming the limitations of conventional US imaging.     

The connection of visual evoked potentials with the subjective differences between emotional expressions of the "schematic face"

Human cortical visual potentials (VEP) were studied to obtain electrophysiological data concerning face discrimination and to compare them with the direct estimates of differences between faces obtained in the previous publications. The present schematic faces varied in curvature of a mouth and/or declination of eyebrows. These features determined the emotional expression of the schematic faces. We recorded the VEP as the response to the instant replacement of one schematic face (referent stimulus) by an other one (test stimulus) rather then to presentation of a single stimulus. Thus we recorded direct electrophysiological differences between schematic faces. A characteristic feature of this approach was the application of the set of functionally connected test stimuli with monotonously increasing values of differences between the referent and test stimuli. In a result of analysis the complex of components P120-N180-P230 in sites O1, O2, P3, P4, T5, T6 was described. Interpeaks amplitudes of the components shows high correlations with subjective differences between the same pairs of stimuli as well as with physical (configurative) differences between stimuli measured as the angles of lines, defining curvature of a mouth and a declination of eyebrows. The highest correlation with subjective estimates of emotional differences between faces was shown by interpeaks amplitudes N180-P230 in sites O1 and P3. In the some time the interpeaks amplitudes P120-N180 in sites O1 and T5 reflected highest correlation between configurative measures and subjective estimates of stimuli differences.     

About the effect of the amplitude of fluctuations on the coefficient of rubbing of the brownian oscillator in aqueous media

The methods of molecular dynamics and correlation functions of coordinates were applied to investigate molecular oscillations in water solution at a variation of the amplitude of fluctuations. It was established, that the amplitude of fluctuation exceeds the threshold value (in water of the order of 0.3-0.45 A), of the force of friction sharply increases, and the vibration mode changes to the mode of limited diffusion. The consistency of the results with the theory of M?ssbauer effect and the model of Brownian oscillator for conformational mobility in biopolymers is discussed.     

Altricial and precocial developmental features in modern meat-type chicks

Variability of egg weight, egg yolk content, neonatal growth rate and relationships of these parameters were studied in meat-type chicks. As it had been established the level of variability in neonatal growth traits was greater than variability of the egg morphology parameters. Egg weight had stronger influence on the chicks' neonatal growth rate than egg yolk content did. Low egg size was associated with limited neonatal growth rate variability, declined chick weight at hatching and increased relative growth rate throughout four days post hatch. Comparison of egg morphological parameters in two species having the same female definitive body weight--meat-type domestic fowl (precocial type) and brown pelican (altricial type) has shown, that, in contrary to predicted on the basis of avian developmental typology, egg weight to female body ratio was greater in brown pelican, egg yolk content was equal in both species.