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Acoustic noise is one of the main factors affecting humans. The task of the urban environment operational monitoring is urgent as it will facilitate the solution of population protection problem. This problem can be solved by carrying out measurements in a full-spectrum mode with an assessment of the acoustic signal attenuation along typical noise propagation paths deep into residential areas. It has been shown that monitoring the noise level or its changes within the propagation limits deep into residential areas is possible provided that measuring microphones are located along this path at least in two characteristic points. An estimate of the potentially required microphone separation distance in case of using a system with two microphones is given. It is determined that at the preliminary stage of the measuring system construction, the measuring microphones’ location at a distance of 1 km from each other is sufficient. A block diagram of the meter, including two radio transmitters combined with the microphones and a receiver-analyzer, is proposed. It has been determined that acoustic signal delay on the way to the second microphone must be taken into account and the system calibration problem must be solved.

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) derived from hydrogen peroxide and chloride anion by myeloperoxidase (MPO) plays a significant role in physiological and pathological processes. Herein we report a phenoxazine-based fluorescent probe Celestine Blue B (CB) that is applicable for HOCl detection in living cells and for assaying the chlorinating activity of MPO. A remarkable selectivity and sensitivity (limit of detection is 32 nM), along with a rapid “turn-on” response of CB to HOCl was demonstrated. Furthermore, the probe was able to detect endogenous HOCl and reactive halogenated species by fluorescence spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, and flow cytometry techniques. Hence, CB is a promising tool for investigating the role of HOCl in health and disease and for screening the drugs capable of regulating MPO activity.

Strongly pronounced argyrosis caused by adding AgCl to the feed of laboratory rats efficiently mimics the deficiency of ceruloplasmin (CP) ferroxidase activity. Bringing the concentration of AgCl in the feedstuff of lactating rats to 250 mg % and keeping their progeny (Ag-rats) for 3 months on the same silver-containing feed provided the serum iron content 1.4 times lower than that in the control group. Besides, the ferroxidase activity of CP dropped to zero. In CP purified from sera of Ag-rats two copper ions were substituted with two silver ions. Using rat models of both post-hemorrhagic and hemolytic anemia we showed that the deficiency of CP ferroxidase activity in Ag-rats affects the iron content in serum, though does not prevent the recovery of hemoglobin level accompanied by exhaustion of iron caches in liver and spleen. When apo-lactoferrin (apo-LF) was administered to Ag-rats suffering from either post-hemorrhagic or hemolytic anemia, both hemoglobin and serum iron were restored more rapidly than in the control animals. In independent experiments Ag-rats were compared with those fed on regular diet and the former displayed a prolonged 3-day stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors 1 and 2 alpha (HIF-1a and HIF-2a) along with an increased serum concentration of erythropoietin. Introduction to Ag-rats of active CP separately or together with apo-LF reduced that effect to 1 day only. It is concluded that saturation of apo-LF with iron, provided by active CP, can strongly affect its protective capacity.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition is an initiating factor in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Microglia are the brain immune cells that surround and phagocytose Aβ plaques, but their phagocytic capacity declines in AD. This is in agreement with studies that associate AD risk loci with genes regulating the phagocytic function of immune cells. Immunotherapies are currently pursued as strategies against AD and there are increased efforts to understand the role of the immune system in ameliorating AD pathology. Here, we evaluated the effect of the Aβ targeting ACI-24 vaccine in reducing AD pathology in an amyloidosis mouse model. ACI-24 vaccination elicited a robust and sustained antibody response in APPPS1 mice with an accompanying reduction of Aβ plaque load, Aβ plaque-associated ApoE and dystrophic neurites as compared to non-vaccinated controls. Furthermore, an increased number of NLRP3-positive plaque-associated microglia was observed following ACI-24 vaccination. In contrast to this local microglial activation at Aβ plaques, we observed a more ramified morphology of Aβ plaque-distant microglia compared to non-vaccinated controls. Accordingly, bulk transcriptomic analysis revealed a trend towards the reduced expression of several disease-associated microglia (DAM) signatures that is in line with the reduced Aβ plaque load triggered by ACI-24 vaccination. Our study demonstrates that administration of the Aβ targeting vaccine ACI-24 reduces AD pathology, suggesting its use as a safe and cost-effective AD therapeutic intervention.

The paper presents the results of electromagnetic modelling in the computer-aided design system and electrical parameters measurements of microwave band waveguide-to-coaxial adapters. Adapters are developed, manufactured and tested at Micran.

Since Alzheimer’s disease was first described in 1907, many attempts have been made to reveal its main cause. Nowadays, two forms of the disease are known, and while the hereditary form of the disease is clearly caused by mutations in one of several genes, the etiology of the sporadic form remains a mystery. Both forms share similar sets of neuropathological and molecular manifestations, including extracellular deposition of amyloid-beta, intracellular accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, disturbances in both the structure and functions of mitochondria, oxidative stress, metal ion metabolism disorders, impairment of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-related signaling pathways, abnormalities of lipid metabolism, and aberrant cell cycle reentry in some neurons. Such a diversity of symptoms led to proposition of various hypotheses for explaining the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the amyloid hypothesis, which postulates the key role of amyloid-beta in Alzheimer’s disease development, being the most prominent. However, this hypothesis does not fully explain all of the molecular abnormalities and is therefore heavily criticized. In this review, we propose a hypothetical model of Alzheimer’s disease progression, assuming a key role of age-related mitochondrial dysfunction, as was postulated in the mitochondrial cascade hypothesis. Our model explains the connections between all the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, with particular attention to autophagy, metal metabolism disorders, and aberrant cell cycle re-entry in neurons. Progression of the Alzheimer’s disease appears to be a complex process involving aging and too many protective mechanisms affecting one another, thereby leading to even greater deleterious effects.

The paper presents a comprehensive assessment of vegetation biodiversity at the construction site of the ZapSibNeftekhim production complex in the city of Tobolsk, Tyumen Region, Russia. In this paper, we (1) study the biogenic and salt composition of the soil; (2) label the revealed samples, (3) record the geographical coordinates; (4) use the method of translocation (transfer) of the rare and endangered flora representatives found at the construction site of the ZapSibNeftekhim and the associated facilities, as well as the removal of such species from the original habitat, and their transportation to new habitats. In total, 149 individuals of 13 flora species were transferred during the work: (1) Malaxis monophyllos L., (2) Listera ovata (L.) R. Br., (3) Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soo, (4) Allium microdictyon Prokh., (5) Centaurea phrygia L., (6) Phegopteris connectilis (Michx.) Watt, (7) Polyporus badius (Pers.) Schwein., (8) Iris sibirica L., (9) Daphne mezereum L., (10) Lilium pilosiusculum (Freyn) Miscz., (11) Cinna latifolia (Trev.) Griseb., (12) Platant herabifolia (L.) Rich., (13) Heterodermia japonica (M.Sato) Swinscow et Krog. In addition, we took into account all the biological characteristics of the transferred flora species and their environmental requirements during monitoring activities. Adaptation of almost all translocated specimens was successful. Research in this area contributes to a deeper understanding of the processes of anthropogenic transformation of floristic complexes and should be the basis for environmental monitoring of disturbed habitats. These studies allow approaching the solution of problems of rational use, conservation and restoration of life-support resources in ecosystems, integrity, productivity, and biodiversity of biological resources.

The paper presents a comprehensive assessment of vegetation biodiversity at the construction site of the ZapSibNeftekhim production complex in the city of Tobolsk, Tyumen Region, Russia. In this paper, we (1) study the biogenic and salt composition of the soil; (2) label the revealed samples, (3) record the geographical coordinates; (4) use the method of translocation (transfer) of the rare and endangered flora representatives found at the construction site of the ZapSibNeftekhim and the associated facilities, as well as the removal of such species from the original habitat, and their transportation to new habitats. In total, 149 individuals of 13 flora species were transferred during the work: (1) Malaxis monophyllos L., (2) Listera ovata (L.) R. Br., (3) Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soo, (4) Allium microdictyon Prokh., (5) Centaurea phrygia L., (6) Phegopteris connectilis (Michx.) Watt, (7) Polyporus badius (Pers.) Schwein., (8) Iris sibirica L., (9) Daphne mezereum L., (10) Lilium pilosiusculum (Freyn) Miscz., (11) Cinna latifolia (Trev.) Griseb., (12) Platant herabifolia (L.) Rich., (13) Heterodermia japonica (M.Sato) Swinscow et Krog. In addition, we took into account all the biological characteristics of the transferred flora species and their environmental requirements during monitoring activities. Adaptation of almost all translocated specimens was successful. Research in this area contributes to a deeper understanding of the processes of anthropogenic transformation of floristic complexes and should be the basis for environmental monitoring of disturbed habitats. These studies allow approaching the solution of problems of rational use, conservation and restoration of life-support resources in ecosystems, integrity, productivity, and biodiversity of biological resources.

Soft magnetic materials are widely requested in electronic and biomedical applications. Co-based amorphous ribbons are materials which combine high value of the magnetoimpedance effect (MI), high sensitivity with respect to the applied magnetic field, good corrosion stability in aggressive environments, and reasonably low price. Functional properties of ribbon-based sensitive elements can be modified by deposition of additional magnetic and non-ferromagnetic layers with required conductivity. Such layers can play different roles. In the case of magnetic biosensors for magnetic label detection, they can provide the best conditions for self-assembling processes in biological experiments. In this work, magnetic properties and MI effect were studied for the cases of rapidly quenched Co67Fe3Cr3Si15B12 amorphous ribbons and magnetic Fe20Ni80/Co67Fe3Cr3Si15B12/Fe20Ni80 composites obtained by deposition of Fe20Ni80 1 μm thick films onto both sides of the ribbons by magnetron sputtering technique. Their comparative analysis was used for finite element computer simulations of MI responses with different types of magnetic and conductive coatings. The obtained results can be useful for the design of MI sensor development, including MI biosensors for magnetic label detection.

Currently, much research is devoted to the study of biological objects using atomic force microscopy (AFM). This method’s resolution is superior to the other non-scanning techniques. Our study aims to further emphasize some of the advantages of using AFM as a clinical screening tool. The study focused on red blood cells exposed to various physical and chemical factors, namely hemin, zinc ions, and long-term storage. AFM was used to investigate the morphological, nanostructural, cytoskeletal, and mechanical properties of red blood cells (RBCs). Based on experimental data, a set of important biomarkers determining the status of blood cells have been identified.