Application of the Spores of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Lecanicillium Muscarium for Control of Adelgids on Conifers in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden

This article discusses the possibility of using the entomopathogenic fungus Lecanicillium muscarium R. Zare & W. Gams (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against the fir adelgid Adelges pectinatae pectinatae (Cholodkovsky, 1888) and Siberian cedar adelgid Pineus cembrae (Cholodkovsky, 1888) on the Siberian fir Abies sibirica Ledeb., and pines Pinus sibirica Du Tour and Pinus banksiana Lamb. The blastospores of the entomopathogenic fungus L. muscarium strain G-033 VIZR, in the concentration of 5x107 spores/ml, showed a high efficiency on both of the species of adelgid. On the 17th day, the mortality of P. cembrae was 73% on P. sibirica and 61% on P. banksiana, and the mortality of the species A. pectinatae pectinatae on A. sibirica was 74%. The effect of the spore application had a prolonged effect over the next month on all treated trees. Keywords: entomopathogenic fungi, Lecanicillium muscarium, adelgid, conifers

The effect of medicinal electroapplication of the biologically active agent "Pelamine" from the ELAV-8 device on microcirculation in the rabbit ear

The study was the first to study the effect of pulsed electric currents from the ELAV–8 device and the biologically active substance "Pelamine" on microcirculation in the rabbit ear. It was found that pulsed currents from the ELAV-8 device with a frequency of 100 Hz, as well as the biologically active agent "Pelamine" injected into the rabbit's paravertebral region by means of pulsed currents, have a vasodilatory effect on the vascular bed of the rabbit's ear. At the same time, transdermal administration of the biologically active agent "Pelamine" with the help of currents from the ELAV-8 device has a more prolonged effect on vasodilation. Key words: Microcirculation, rabbit ear, paravertebral region, vascular diameter, "Pelamine", ELAV-8 device.

Utilization of apixaban anti-Xa levels in transition from apixaban to warfarin in a patient with chronic renal dysfunction

Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose The effect of apixaban on anti–factor Xa (anti-Xa) assays and international normalized ratio (INR) complicates transitions between anticoagulant agents. When switching from apixaban to warfarin, the recommendation is to begin both a parenteral anticoagulant and warfarin at the time of the next apixaban dose and to discontinue the parenteral agent when INR is in an acceptable range. This proves challenging in renal dysfunction, as continued presence of apixaban contributes to both a prolonged effect on the INR and continued therapeutic levels of anticoagulation. Summary This case describes the transition of apixaban to warfarin in a patient with acute on chronic kidney disease and recent deep vein thrombosis, utilizing chromogenic apixaban anti-Xa assays to assess the level of anticoagulation and avoid unnecessary parenteral anticoagulation. Conclusion Utilization of apixaban anti-Xa levels aided in the transition from apixaban to warfarin in a patient with chronic renal failure and avoided need for parenteral bridging therapy.

Percutaneous, Ultrasound-guided Laser Ablation of Benign Thyroid Nodules: Results of 10-year Follow-up in 171 Patients

Background Percutaneous, ultrasound-guided laser ablation is effective in nodular thyroid disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term (10-year) efficacy and safety of laser ablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. Methods Between 2009 and 2010, 171 patients received a single session of laser ablation. Evaluation of nodule volume was performed before treatment, at 6 months, and every year. Results Technique efficacy was achieved in 92% of patients at 1 year. Median nodule volume significantly decreased from 16.7 mL (range: 11.0−97.0 mL) at baseline to 5.0 mL (range: 4.1−32.0 mL) at 1 year, a volume reduction ratio (VRR) of 68%. The benefit of the treatment was durable (p < 0.001 vs baseline at all timepoints), with a VRR of 59% after 10 years. No cases of nodule regrowth >50% were observed at 1 year, although such cases did occur after 4 years (n = 3; 1.7% of the overall cohort) and 7 years (n = 8; 4.7%). There were no further cases of regrowth beyond 7 years. When patients were stratified according to baseline nodule volume (<15 mL, 15−25 mL, or >25 mL), durable results were observed across all 3 categories, with the largest, most prolonged effect observed in patients with nodules <15 mL. Treatment was well tolerated, with only minor, transient complications of fever and local pain, and 98% of patients willing to recommend the treatment. Conclusions Percutaneous, ultrasound-guided laser ablation of benign thyroid nodules provides long-term benefits and the treatment is well tolerated.

Synthesis and Hypoglycemic Activity of the Derivatives of 4-(1,3-Thiazolidine-5-Ylidene)Pyrazole-3-Carbonic Acid and its Esters

A preparatively convenient method for synthesizing a series of new (pyrazole-4-yl)methylenethiazolidine structures fictionalized by the carboxylate or carboxylic group in the 3rd position of the pyrazole cycle and by the oxo- thio- or imine groups in the 3rd and 5th positions of the thiazolidine ring is discussed. The method is based on the condensation of 4-formylpyrazole-3-carbonic acids and their ethyl esters with a series of substituted thiazolidines: 1,3-thiazolidine-2,4-dione, 4-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidine-2-one, 2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidine-4-one, and 2-imino-1,3-thiazolidine-4-one. As seen from the biochemical investigations results, a clear hypoglycemic activity has been registered for the compounds mentioned in this work. Five of ten products have ensured a prolonged effect embracing the entire duration of the experiment. 1-Methyl-4[(4-oxo-2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidine-5-iliden)methyl]-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonic acid caused the deepest decrease in the glucose content (by 2.0 mmole/L or 30.4 %), while in the case of the reference medicine pioglitazone, it was only by 1.35 mmole/L (23.9 %). Some dependence between the compound structure and its pharmaceutical activity was also found. The most prolonged and steady hypoglycemic activity was registered for (pyrazole-4-il)methylethiazolidines with methyl group as a substitute in the 1st position and carboxylic group – in the 3rd position. The additional introduction of the methyl and carboxylate groups into the pyrazole scaffold results in a prolonged and more in-depth hypoglycemic effect leading to the 1.4 times lesser drop in glucose concentration as compared to that after administration of the reference medicine.

The Acute and Prolonged Effects of Different Durations of Foam Rolling on Range of Motion, Muscle Stiffness, and Muscle Strength

“Foam Rolling” has been used in sports settings to increase range of motion and decrease muscle stiffness without decreasing muscle strength and athletic performance. However, there has been no study investigating the acute and prolonged effect of different durations of foam rolling intervention on muscle stiffness, and the minimum foam rolling intervention duration required to decrease muscle stiffness is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the acute and prolonged effect of different durations of foam rolling intervention on ROM, muscle stiffness, and muscle strength. The 45 participants were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups (30 s × 1 times group vs 30 s × 3 times group vs 30 s× 10 times group). The outcome measures were dorsiflexion range of motion, shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius, and muscle strength before, 2 min and 30 min after foam rolling intervention. There were no significant differences before and 2 min after foam rolling intervention in 30 s×1 time group, whereas dorsiflexion range of motion was increased in both 30 s×3 times group (p = 0.042, d = 0.26) and 30 s× 10 times group (p < 0.01, d = 0.33). However, the increase in dorsiflexion range of motion was returned to baseline value after 30 minutes in both 30 s × 3 times group and 30 s × 10 times group. In addition, there were no significant changes in shear elastic modulus and muscle strength in all groups. This study suggested that foam rolling for more than 90 s or more of foam rolling was effective in order to increase the range of motion immediately without changing muscle stiffness and muscle strength.

Acute and Prolonged Effects of Stretching on Shear Modulus of the Pectoralis Minor Muscle

Increased muscle stiffness of the pectoralis minor (PMi) could deteriorate shoulder function. Stretching is useful for maintaining and improving muscle stiffness in rehabilitation and sport practice. However, the acute and prolonged effect of stretching on the PMi muscle stiffness is unclear due to limited methodology for assessing individual muscle stiffness. Using shear wave elastography, we explored the responses of shear modulus to stretching in the PMi over time. The first experiment (n = 20) aimed to clarify the acute change in the shear modulus during stretching. The shear modulus was measured at intervals of 30 s × 10 sets. The second experiment (n = 16) aimed to observe and compare the prolonged effect of different durations of stretching on the shear modulus. Short and long stretching duration groups underwent 30s × 1 set and 30s × 10 sets, respectively. The assessments of shear modulus were conducted before, immediately after, and at 5, 10, and 15 min post-stretching. In experiment I, the shear modulus decreased immediately after a bout (30 s) of stretching (p < 0.001, change: -2.3 kPa, effect size: r = 0.72) and further decreased after 3 repetitions (i.e., 90 s) of stretching (p = 0.03, change: -1.0 kPa, effect size: r = 0.53). In experiment II, the change in the shear modulus after stretching was greater in the long duration group than in the short duration group (p = 0.013, group mean difference: -2.5 kPa, partial η2 = 0.36). The shear modulus of PMi decreased immediately after stretching, and stretching for a long duration was promising to maintain the decreased shear modulus. The acute and prolonged effects on the PMi shear modulus provide information relevant to minimum and persistent stretching time in rehabilitation and sport practice.

Considerations for Phage Therapy Against Mycobacterium abscessus

There is a global increasing number of Mycobacterium abscessus infections, especially pulmonary infections. Reduced therapeutic options exist against this opportunistic pathogen due to its high intrinsic and acquired levels of antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy is a promising afresh therapy, which uses viruses to lyse bacteria responsible for the infection. Bacteriophages have been recently administered under compassionate use to a 15-year-old patient infected with M. abscessus in combination with antibiotics with excellent results. This mini review highlights different recommendations for future phage administrations such as where to look for new phages, the use of cocktail of mycobacteriophages to broaden phage specificity and to tackle resistance and phage insensitivity due to temperate phages present in bacterial genomes, the combined use of phages and antibiotics to obtain a synergistic effect, the liposomal administration to reach a prolonged effect, intracellular delivery and protection against neutralizing antibodies, and the convenience of using this strategy in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF) since phages are believed to promote immunomodulatory actions and eliminate biofilms.

The effect of bee venom and hyperthermia on the lipoperoxidation and antioxidant activity of the blood of tumor-bearing animals

Introduction. Nowadays, it has been shown that one of the possible ways to increase the effectiveness of the treatment of malignant tumors is the use of combined treatment methods. Aim. To study the intensity of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in hyperthermia against the background of bee venom in the blood of tumor-bearing rats. Materials and methods. The experimental animals were divided into 5 groups: 1st — intact; 2nd — control (tumor-bearing animals (PS-1 tumor strain) with intraperitoneal (IP) administration of saline solution); 3rd, 4th and 5th groups — tumor-bearing animals with IP administration of 0.5 ml of bee venom against the background of hyperthermia 42, 43 and 44°C respectively. The content of diene and triene conjugates, Schiff bases (SB) and SOD activity in the blood of animals was determined. Results. From the 1st day after the end of the experiment, a statistically significant decrease in triene conjugates was recorded in all experimental groups compared to the control group. SB decreased on the 1st–7th day after the end of the experiment with the action of hyperthermia 42°C and bee venom, on the 7th–28th day — with the action of hyperthermia 43°C and bee venom, and on the 28th day — with the action of bee venom and hyperthermia 44°C, which was accompanied by an increase in SOD activity from the 7th day in all experimental groups compared to the control group. Conclusion. Hyperthermia in combination with the action of bee venom causes a decrease in lipid peroxidation products and an increase in antioxidant activity in the blood of tumor-bearing rats. The most effective action, in our opinion, is the use of bee venom against the background of hyperthermia of 43°C, at which a prolonged effect is recorded both with respect to a decrease in the concentration of SB and an increase in the activity of SOD.