Sj?gren's syndrome in systemic scleroderma

Combined investigation of 43 patients with sclerodermia systematica (SSD) was conducted to detect Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and to study SSD association with SS. Four groups of patients were defined: with marked SS (10), primary SS (12), probable SS (13), and without SS manifestations (8). Comparative characterization has shown that SS is detected slightly more frequently in a chronic course of SSD, combines with manifestations of sclerodactyly, telangiectasia, calcinosis, however esophageal hypomobility, indurative skin changes and contractures which are typical of SSD, occur less frequently than in SSD patients without SS. SSD association with SS is characterized by polyarthralgia, arthritis, marked Raynaud's syndrome, the frequency and rather high RF titers, the detection of anti-Ro and anti-La, and a significant rise of the level of circulating immune complexes determined by SS influence. SS manifestations in SSD are retention pains in the parotid glands, signs of clearness on sialograms, periductal sclerosis in the form of rings in morphological investigation of the parotid glands.     

A photoplethysmo-tonomanometer for examination of the vascular system and measuring hemodynamic parameters

A new method and an apparatus for noninvasive medical investigations of the vascular system are considered. During the investigations, the two known methods of arterial pressure measuring, namely Korotkov's method and Penaz's method were used. The combination of the methods and a special procedure algorithm allow the measuring, in addition to arterial pressure, of the other important hemodynamic parameters such as venous pressure, the characteristic time parameters of blood redistribution between arterial and venous vessels and pulse wave velocity. The diagram of the photoplethysmo-tonomanometer and the measuring algorithm procedure are provided.     

Clinical trial of the possibility of increasing the bioavailability of mebendazole using sunflower oil in echinococcosis

Increasing mebendazole bioavailability is one of the most important problems to be solved in echinococcosis chemotherapy. The method of mebendazole administration with sunflower oil, elaborated by the authors, serves to this purpose: drug concentration exceeding the minimal effective one was attained in 86% patients treated with mebendazole and sunflower oil and only in 40% patients treated with the drug alone.     

Species-specific identification of variola, monkeypox, cowpox, and vaccinia viruses by multiplex real-time PCR assay

A method of one-stage rapid identification of variola (VARV), monkeypox (MPXV), cowpox (CPXV), and vaccinia (VACV) viruses, pathogenic for humans, utilizing multiplex real-time TaqMan PCR (MuRT-PCR) assay was developed. Four pairs of oligonucleotide primers and four hybridization probes with various fluorescent dyes and the corresponding fluorescence quenchers were concurrently used for MuRT-PCR assay. The hybridization probe specific for the VARV sequence contained FAM/BHQ1 as a dye/quencher pair; MPXV-specific, TAMRA/BHQ2; CPXV-specific, JOE/BHQ1; VACV-specific, Cy5/BHQ3. The specificity and sensitivity of the developed method were assessed by analyzing DNA of 29 strains belonging to six orthopoxvirus species as well as the DNA samples isolated from archive clinical specimens of human smallpox cases and experimental specimens isolated from CPXV-infected mice and MPXV-infected marmot.     

Are Hamsters a Suitable Model for Evaluating the Immunogenicity of RBD-Based Anti-COVID-19 Subunit Vaccines?

Currently, SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding-domain (RBD)-based vaccines are considered one of the most effective weapons against COVID-19. During the first step of assessing vaccine immunogenicity, a mouse model is often used. In this paper, we tested the use of five experimental animals (mice, hamsters, rabbits, ferrets, and chickens) for RBD immunogenicity assessments. The humoral immune response was evaluated by ELISA and virus-neutralization assays. The data obtained show hamsters to be the least suitable candidates for RBD immunogenicity testing and, hence, assessing the protective efficacy of RBD-based vaccines.