Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of the Black Edged Sculpin Gymnocanthus herzensteini (Cottidae) off the Mainland Coast of Russian Waters in the Sea of Japan

Journal of Ichthyology - Off the mainland coast of the Russian waters of the Sea of Japan, the Black Edged sculpin Gymnocanthus herzensteini occurs at depths from 10 to 424 m at temperatures from...     

Growth dynamics of the barfin plaice <Emphasis Type="Italic">Liopsetta pinnifasciata</Emphasis> (Pleuronectidae) in Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan)

Dynamics of the linear sizes of the barfin plaice Liopsetta pinnifasciata has been considered during the life cycle. Two stages are distinguished: an intensive initial growth (35.9% of the maximum length for 6.0% of the life) and its subsequent gradual variation. The linear growth rate is shown to correspond to the rate of sclerite formation on the scales.     

Recombinant MHC tetramers for isolation of virus-specific CD8<Superscript>+</Superscript> cells from healthy donors: Potential approach for cell therapy of posttransplant cytomegalovirus infection

Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation have a high risk of cytomegalovirus reactivation, which in the absence of T-cell immunity can result in the development of an acute inflammatory reaction and damage of internal organs. Transfusion of the virus-specific donor T-lymphocytes represents an alternative to a highly toxic and often ineffective antiviral therapy. Potentially promising cell therapy approach comprises transfusion of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, specific to the viral antigens, immediately after their isolation from the donor’s blood circulation without any in vitro expansion. Specific T-cells could be separated from potentially alloreactive lymphocytes using recombinant major histocompatibility complex (MHC) multimers, carrying synthetic viral peptides. Rapid transfusion of virus-specific T-cells to patients has several crucial advantages in comparison with methods based on the in vitro expansion of the cells. About 30% of hematopoietic stem cell donors and 46% of transplant recipients at the National Research Center for Hematology were carriers of the HLA-A*02 allele. Moreover, 94% of Russian donors have an immune response against the cytomegalovirus (CMV). Using recombinant HLA-A*02 multimers carrying an immunodominant cytomegalovirus peptide (NLV), we have shown that the majority of healthy donors have pronounced T-cell immunity against this antigen, whereas shortly after the transplantation the patients do not have specific T-lymphocytes. The donor cells have the immune phenotype of memory cells and can be activated and proliferate after stimulation with the specific antigen. Donor lymphocytes can be substantially enriched to significant purity by magnetic separation with recombinant MHC multimers and are not activated upon cocultivation with the antigen-presenting cells from HLA-incompatible donors without addition of the specific antigen. This study demonstrated that strong immune response to CMV of healthy donors and prevalence of HLA-A*02 allele in the Russian population make it possible to isolate a significant number of virus-specific cells using HLA-A*02–NLV multimers. After the transfusion, these cells should protect patients from CMV without development of allogeneic immune response.     

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of Great Sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus (Cottidae) in Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Journal of Ichthyology - Great sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus is distributed in the Russian waters of the Sea of Japan at the depths between 6 and 640 m at the temperature from...     

T Lymphocytes with Modified Specificity in the Therapy of Malignant Diseases

Immunotherapy is one of the most rapidly progressing and promising fields in antitumor therapy. It is based on the idea of using immune cells of patient or healthy donors for elimination of malignant cells. T lymphocytes play a key role in cell-mediated immunity including the response to tumors. Recently developed approaches of altering antigen specificity of T cells consist of their genetic modification (introduction of additional T cell receptor or chimeric antigen receptor), as well as the use of bispecific molecules that crosslink target and effector cells. These approaches are used to retarget T lymphocytes with arbitrary specificity against tumor antigens in the context of antitumor immunotherapy. The high potential of T cell immunotherapy was demonstrated in a number of clinical trials. In the future, it is possible to develop approaches to the therapy of a wide spectrum of tumors. The selection of the optimal antigen is the main challenge in successful T cell immunotherapy, as it largely determines the effectiveness of the treatment, as well as the risk of side effects. In this review we discuss potential methods of modification of T cell specificity and targets for immunotherapy.     

Glabrizoflavone--a novel isoflavone from Glycyrrhiza glabra L.]

7-O-Methylglabranin, 6-C-prenylpinocembrin, glabranin, pinocembrin, galangin, and a novel isoflavonoid, (E)-5,7,4'-trihydroxy-6-(3-hydroxymethyl-2-butenyl)isoflavone (glabrisoflavone) were isolated from the aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. The structure of the novel isoflavonoid was elucidated on the basis of chemical transformations and spectral data.     

Effect of High-Pressure Helium on Latex-Induced Activated Chemiluminescence of Human Blood Leucocytes

High-pressure helium reduces the latex-induced activated chemiluminescence of diluted human blood. This effect is more noticeable, when lucigenin rather than luminol is used as the activator of chemiluminescence. The effect lessens in the presence of Mg²⁺ but not Ca²⁺. The data suggest the association of this effect with actin polymerization in leucocytes phagocytosing the latex particles.     

Current generation by helicons and lower hybrid waves in modern tokamaks and reactors ITER and DEMO. Scenarios, modeling and antennae

The innovative concept and 3D full-wave code modeling the off-axis current drive by radio-frequency (RF) waves in large-scale tokamaks, ITER and DEMO, for steady-state operation with high efficiency is proposed. The scheme uses the helicon radiation (fast magnetosonic waves at high (20–40) ion cyclotron frequency harmonics) at frequencies of 500–700 MHz propagating in the outer regions of the plasmas with a rotational transform. It is expected that the current generated by helicons, in conjunction with the bootstrap current, ensure the maintenance of a given value of the total current in the stability margin q(0) ≥ 2 and q(a) ≥ 4, and will help to have regimes with a negative magnetic shear and internal transport barrier to ensure stability at high normalized plasma pressure β _N > 3 (the so-called advanced scenarios) of interest for the commercial reactor. Modeling with full-wave three-dimensional codes PSTELION and STELEC showed flexible control of the current profile in the reactor plasmas of ITER and DEMO, using multiple frequencies, the positions of the antennae and toroidal wave slow down. Also presented are the results of simulations of current generation by helicons in the DIII-D, T-15MD, and JT-60AS tokamaks. Commercially available continuous-wave klystrons of the MW/tube range are promising for commercial stationary fusion reactors. The compact antennae of the waveguide type are proposed, and an example of a possible RF system for today’s tokamaks is given. The advantages of the scheme (partially tested at lower frequencies in tokamaks) are a significant decline in the role of parametric instabilities in the plasma periphery, the use of electrically strong resonator-waveguide type antennae, and substantially greater antenna-plasma coupling.     

Lipid peroxidation and free Fe2+ during ischemia and reoxygenation of the liver

Ischemia and reoxygenation were experimentally induced in thin liver sections. It has been shown that free iron decompartmentalization takes place 30 min after the induction of ischemia, with no lipid peroxidation activation observed. In reoxygenation, activation of lipid peroxidation and decrease in free iron concentration take place in the liver cells. It is suggested that free iron accumulation in the tissues during ischemia causes lipid peroxidation activation during reoxygenation.     

Peculiarities of hemostasis reactivity under stress load in persons with different degree of physical training

Healthy young persons with different degrees of physical training have been impacted with exposure to a stress (a single physical exercise). It caused unidirectional hypercoagulative shifts and activation of anticoagulant and fibrinolytic blood systems. It was shown that changes of the untrained individuals' haemostatic parameters could be adjusted with adaptogen preliminary administration. The adaptogen administration in trained individuals resulted in disadaptive shifts in the haemostatic system. These contradictory changes indicate different levels of subject's adaptive potential.