An Improved Method for the Synthesis of the of Indole[2,3-a]Pyrrolo[3,4-c]Carbazole-5,6-Dione N-Glycosides and their Cytotoxic Activity

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - Use of formylindolylacetic acid as a reagent at the stage of preparing the glycosides of bis(indolyl)furan-2,5-diones and dioxane as solvent increased yields from...     

Comparative investigation of the long non-coding M-F genome region of wild-type and vaccine measles viruses

Summary.  The sequence of the 300 nucleotides region of the measles virus genome was determined that includes a part of the 3′-untranslated region of the matrix (M) gene, the intergenic region and a part of the 5′-untranslated region of the fusion (F) gene [M-F region] for vaccine strain Leningrad-16 and 14 wild-type isolates. The data obtained demonstrate the variability of this long non-coding M-F region. No mutations in this region of the genome were found which seem to be specific for vaccine strains of measles virus (MV). Accepted August 1, 1997 Received June 2, 1997     

TREC/KREC Levels and T and B Lymphocyte Subpopulations in COVID-19 Patients at Different Stages of the Disease

Background: T and B cell-mediated immunity can be assessed using T cell receptor excision circle (TREC) and Kappa-deleting recombination excision circle (KREC) analysis, respectively, and successful implementation of this method requires evaluation of the correlation between the TREC frequencies and T cell subsets as well as KREC levels and B lymphocyte subsets. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between the TREC/KREC concentrations and T/B lymphocyte subsets at different stages of COVID-19. Methods: We examined 33 patients in the acute stage of COVID-19 (including 8 patients with poor outcomes) and 33 COVID-19 survivors. TREC/KREC concentrations were measured using quantitative real-time PCR. T/B lymphocyte subsets were determined using flow cytometry. Results: Blood TREC and KREC levels were found to be significantly lower in the acute stage of COVID-19 compared to control values. Moreover, a zero blood TREC level was a predictor of a poor disease outcome. Reductions in CD3⁺CD4⁺CD45RO⁻CD62L⁻ and CD3⁺CD8⁺CD45RO⁻CD62L⁻ T cell counts (as well as in the main fractions of B1 and B2 B cells) indicated a favorable outcome in COVID-19 patients in the acute stage of the disease. Decreased CD3⁺CD4⁺CD45RO⁻CD62L⁺ and CD3⁺CD8⁺CD45RO⁻CD62L⁺ T cell frequencies and increased CD3⁺CD8⁺CD45RO⁻CD62L⁻ cell counts were found to indicate a poor outcome in patients with acute COVID-19. These patients were also found to have increased B1 cell counts while demonstrating no changes in B2 cell counts. The levels of effector T cell subsets an naïve B cells were normal in COVID-19 survivors. The most pronounced correlations between TREC/KREC levels and T/B cell subsets counts were observed in COVID-19 survivors: there were positive correlations with naïve T and B lymphocytes and negative correlations with central and effector memory T cell subsets. Conclusions: The assessment of correlations between TREC and T cell subsets as well as KREC levels and B cell subset counts in patients with acute COVID-19 and COVID-19 survivors has shown that blood concentrations of TREC and KREC are sensitive indicators of the stage of antigen-independent differentiation of adaptive immunity cells. The results of the TREC and KREC analysis correlated with the stages of COVID-19 and differed depending on the outcome of COVID-19.     

Genetic variability of wild-type measles viruses, circulating in the Russian Federation during the implementation of the National Measles Elimination Program, 2003–2007

Genetic characterization of wild-type measles viruses (MVs) is an important component of laboratory surveillance of measles. In this study, a phylogenetic analysis was performed of the nucleoprotein gene sequences of 228 MVs isolated in the Russian Federation between 2003 and 2007. Five genotypes, D4, D5, D6, D8, and H1, were detected. From 1999 through the first 6 months of 2003, the most prevalent genotype in the European part of Russia was D4. All genotype D4-type viruses were closely related to each other (with overall sequence diversity of ≤0.9%), suggesting the presence of a single endemic MV strain. After 2003, viruses with closely related sequences within genotype D6 (≤0.9% sequence diversity) were prevalent. During this time, there was a low level of indigenous transmission of genotype D6, and genotype D6 viruses were imported from neighbouring countries, which led to the identification of two lineages of genotype D6, i.e. D6a and D6b. Lineage D6a was closely related to viruses isolated in Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, whereas lineage D6b was linked to a large outbreak in Ukraine in 2005–2006. Genotypes H1, D5 and D8 were associated with sporadic cases and clusters of transmission linked to importations. Enhanced vaccination interrupted the transmission of the previous endemic lineage D4 in 2003 and of lineage D6a in 2005, although an accumulation of susceptible individuals in the population allowed for prolonged circulation of lineage D6b. These data on MV genotype distribution, in conjunction with the epidemiological data for measles, show considerable progress in measles control and suggest that regional elimination is possible.     

The social organization of commercial sex work in Moscow,Russia

BACKGROUND: Increased poverty, unemployment, and migration place the Russian population at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A qualitative study was undertaken to clarify the organization of sex work and describe the likely contributions of different types of sex work to disease transmission. GOAL: The goal of the study was to describe the social-organizational patterns of sex work in Moscow, Russia. STUDY DESIGN: Four qualitative data collection methods were used: semistructured telephone interviews, semistructured face-to-face individual and group interviews with key informants, systematic and unobtrusive naturalistic observations, and geomapping. RESULTS: Intermittent, truck stop, and railway station sex workers may be the most important groups in the dissemination of STIs. Sex work is widely disseminated throughout the city. Identifiable positions in the social organization of street sex work include pimps, assistant female pimps, guards, drivers, "indicators," the sex workers themselves, and recruitment "pluckers." CONCLUSION: The Moscow sex market may be an adjustive response of the social system to the economic pressures in Russia. Sex work in Moscow has great potential for disseminating STIs throughout Russia and beyond. Understanding of these issues may enhance the impact of STI prevention programs.