Exploring of Primate Models of Tick-Borne Flaviviruses Infection for Evaluation of Vaccines and Drugs Efficacy

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is one of the most prevalent and medically important tick-borne arboviruses in Eurasia. There are overlapping foci of two flaviviruses: TBEV and Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus (OHFV) in Russia. Inactivated vaccines exist only against TBE. There are no antiviral drugs for treatment of both diseases. Optimal animal models are necessary to study efficacy of novel vaccines and treatment preparations against TBE and relative flaviviruses. The models for TBE and OHF using subcutaneous inoculation were tested in Cercopithecus aethiops and Macaca fascicularis monkeys with or without prior immunization with inactivated TBE vaccine. No visible clinical signs or severe pathomorphological lesions were observed in any monkey infected with TBEV or OHFV. C. aethiops challenged with OHFV showed massive hemolytic syndrome and thrombocytopenia. Infectious virus or viral RNA was revealed in visceral organs and CNS of C. aethiops infected with both viruses; however, viremia was low. Inactivated TBE vaccines induced high antibody titers against both viruses and expressed booster after challenge. The protective efficacy against TBE was shown by the absence of virus in spleen, lymph nodes and CNS of immunized animals after challenge. Despite the absence of expressed hemolytic syndrome in immunized C. aethiops TBE vaccine did not prevent the reproduction of OHFV in CNS and visceral organs. Subcutaneous inoculation of M. fascicularis with two TBEV strains led to a febrile disease with well expressed viremia, fever, and virus reproduction in spleen, lymph nodes and CNS. The optimal terms for estimation of the viral titers in CNS were defined as 8–16 days post infection. We characterized two animal models similar to humans in their susceptibility to tick-borne flaviviruses and found the most optimal scheme for evaluation of efficacy of preventive and therapeutic preparations. We also identified M. fascicularis to be more susceptible to TBEV than C. aethiops.     

Back Cover: Prolonged in vivo functional assessment of the mouse oviduct using optical coherence tomography through a dorsal imaging window (J. Biophotonics 5/2018)

Optical coherence tomography through an implanted dorsal imaging window allows for prolonged in vivo structural and functional assessment of the mouse oviduct (Fallopian tube), including threedimensional structural imaging, quantitative measurements of the smooth muscle contraction, and mapping of cilia beat frequency. This method brings new opportunities for live studies and longitudinal analyses of mouse reproductive events in the native context. Further details can be found in the article by Shang Wang et al. ( e201700316 ).

     

Solubilization of cholesterol by sodium salts of bile and fatty acids

Solubilization of cholesterol by sodium salts of cholic, glycocholic, deoxycholic, lithocholic and oleic acids was studied. Dynamics of the solubilization process is described and a comparative characteristic of solubilizing ability of the substances under investigation is given. Cholesterole solubilization is studied as dependent on the concentration of the given substances. The possible mechanisms of solubilization is discussed.     

Development of a Soviet diagnostic kit for determining class M immunoglobulins to the hepatitis A virus by immunoenzyme analysis (a test system for anti-HAV IgM)

A new test system Diagn-A-Hep for the laboratory diagnosis of hepatitis A (HA) by means of the enzyme immunoassay has been developed at the Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (Moscow). The sensitivity and specificity of the newly developed test system have proved to be similar to those of the well-known commercial diagnostic system HAVAB manufactured by Abbott Laboratories (USA). Diagn-A-Hep permits the diagnosis of HA with 96-100% effectiveness both in patients with the acute form of the disease and in patients with its anicteric or inapparent forms. This system is simple and convenient, it may be employed in inadequately equipped laboratories or even under field conditions. The rules for the selection of immunobiological preparations to be included in the test system have been worked out.     

Research on plasma physics and controlled fusion in 2008 in Russia

Papers presented at the XXXVI International Zvenigorod Conference on Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion (February 9–13, 2009, Zvenigorod) are reviewed, and the main research directions outlined there are analyzed.     

Development of Hippocampus-Associated Cognitive Dysfunction in Huntington’s Disease Mouse Model

Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology - Huntington’s disease is a hereditary, incurable, neurodegenerative disease characterized by movement disorders—progressive choreic...     

Erratum to: The original online version of the following articles was revised: the issue date is not January 2020, but January 2021

Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology - A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0022093021020216     

Clinically relevant pharmacogenetic markers in Tatars and Balkars

Molecular Biology Reports - This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of CYP2C9*2 (p.430C?>?T, rs1799853), CYP2C9*3 (p.1075A?>?C, rs1057910), CYP4F2*3...