Synthesis, Photo- and Electroluminescence of New Polyfluorene Copolymers Containing Dicyanostilbene and 9,10-Dicyanophenanthrene in the Main Chain

Using palladium-catalyzed Suzuki polycondensation, we synthesized new light-emitting fluorene copolymers containing the dicyano derivatives of stilbene and phenanthrene and characterized them by gel permeation chromatography, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, spectrofluorimetry, and cyclic voltammetry. The photoluminescence spectra of the synthesized polymers show significant energy transfer from the fluorene segments to the dicyanostilbene and 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene units, which is in agreement with the data of theoretical calculations. OLEDs based on these polymers were fabricated with an ITO/PEDOT-PSS (35 nm)/p-TPD (30 nm)/PVK (5 nm)/light emitting layer (70-75 nm)/PF-PO (20 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (80 nm) configuration. Examination of their electroluminescence revealed that copolymers of fluorene with dicyanostilbene show yellow-green luminescence, while polymers with 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene have a greenish-blue emission. The 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene units have a more rigid structure compared to dicyanostilbene and, in OLEDs based on them, an increase in maximum brightness is observed with an increase in the content of the additive to the polymer chain. In particular, the device using fluorene copolymer with 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene (2.5 mol%) exhibited a maximum brightness of 9230 cd/m2 and a maximum current efficiency of 3.33 cd/A.

[Surgical treatment of patients with chest malignancies in anti-tuberculosis hospital]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment of patients with malignancies of lungs, pleura and chest wall in early and long-term follow-up period in anti-tuberculosis hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

There were 2139 patients between 2016 and 2020. Chest tumors were diagnosed in 290 (13.6%) patients and 210 (94.2%) ones underwent surgery.

RESULTS

Surgical interventions are rare in patients with lung cancer and active tuberculosis (0.7%, n=15). Lobectomies prevailed (73.3%). All sublobar resections were performed in elderly patients with severe comorbidities and low functional reserves. Postoperative complications occurred in 9% of cases. Overall 3-year survival rate was 84.8%, overall 5-year survival rate - 70.8%. Overall survival of patients with lung cancer and tuberculosis does not depend on activity of specific process.

CONCLUSION

The TRA test used in differential diagnostics of tuberculosis and lung cancer has a mediating value. Lung cancer surgery in patients with active tuberculosis has no negative effect on effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment. Surgical treatment of malignancies in anti-tuberculosis hospital can be performed in accordance with standards of specialized medical care in oncology.

Biocompatibility, antioxidant activity and collagen photoprotection properties of C60 fullerene adduct with L-methionine

Functionalization of the fullerene core with amino acids has become a new and promising direction in the field of nanochemistry. The biologic activity of water-soluble fullerene derivatives is based on such properties as lipophilicity, electron deficiency and photosensitivity. The complex of above-mentioned properties can be used to develop protection of biomolecules (in particular, proteins) from external physical and chemical influences. Thus, development and up-scaling of synthesis procedures, as well as investigation of the biological properties of these derivatives, are extremely important. This paper presents new data on the biocompatibility studies of C₆₀ fullerene adduct with L-methionine (C₆₀[C₅H₁₁NO₂S]₃; C₆₀-Met). Antiradical activity, binding to human serum albumin (HSA), collagen and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), hemocompatibility, photodynamic properties, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were studied. In addition, it was found that C₆₀-Met increases the photostability of the collagen molecule, and this effect is dose-dependent.

Graphene oxide enriched with oxygen-containing groups: on the way to an increase of antioxidant activity and biocompatibility

The article is dedicated to the comprehensive biocompatibility investigation of synthesised graphene oxide (GO) enriched with oxygen-containing functional groups (⁓85%). GO was synthesised through a modified Hummers and Offeman's method and characterised using ¹³C NMR, Raman, and IR spectroscopy, XRD, HRTEM, along with size dimensions and ζ-potentials in aqueous dispersions. Biocompatibility study included tests on haemocompatibility (haemolysis, platelet aggregation, binding to human serum albumin and its esterase activity), antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl reaction, NO-radical uptake, Radachlorin photobleaching, photo-induced haemolysis), genotoxicity using DNA comet assay, as well as metabolic activity and proliferation of HEK293 cells.

Preparation of Affinity Purified Antibodies against ε-Glutaryl-Lysine Residues in Proteins for Investigation of Glutarylated Proteins in Animal Tissues

The glutarylation of lysine residues in proteins attracts attention as a possible mechanism of metabolic regulation, perturbed in pathologies. The visualization of protein glutarylation by antibodies specific to ε-glutaryl-lysine residues may be particularly useful to reveal pathogenic mutations in the relevant enzymes. We purified such antibodies from the rabbit antiserum, obtained after sequential immunization with two artificially glutarylated proteins, using affinity chromatography on ε-glutaryl-lysine-containing sorbents. Employing these anti(ε-glutaryl-lysine)-antibodies for the immunoblotting analysis of rat tissues and mitochondria has demonstrated the sample-specific patterns of protein glutarylation. The study of the protein glutarylation in rat tissue homogenates revealed a time-dependent fragmentation of glutarylated proteins in these preparations. The process may complicate the investigation of potential changes in the acylation level of specific protein bands when studying time-dependent effects of the acylation regulators. In the rat brain, the protein glutarylation, succinylation and acetylation patterns obtained upon the immunoblotting of the same sample with the corresponding antibodies are shown to differ. Specific combinations of molecular masses of major protein bands in the different acylation patterns confirm the selectivity of the anti(ε-glutaryl-lysine)-antibodies obtained in this work. Hence, our affinity-purified anti(ε-glutaryllysine)-antibodies provide an effective tool to characterize protein glutarylation, revealing its specific pattern, compared to acetylation and succinylation, in complex protein mixtures.

Evaluation of the C60 biodistribution in mice in a micellar ExtraOx form and in an oil solution

The article is devoted to the study of the pharmacokinetics of fullerene C₆₀ in oil and micellar forms, analysis of its content in blood, liver, lungs, kidneys, heart, brain, adrenal glands, thymus, testicles, and spleen. The highest accumulation of C₆₀ was found in the liver and adrenal glands. As a result of the studies carried out, it was shown that the bioavailability of C₆₀ in the micellar form is higher than that in an oil solution.

Biocompatibility of a nanocomposite based on Aerosil 380 and carboxylated fullerene C60[C(COOH)2]3

Silica is silicon dioxide, which, depending on the production method, can exist in various amorphous forms with varying specific surface area, particle size, pore volume and size, and, as a result, with different physicochemical and sorption characteristics. The presence of silanol groups on the surface of silicas provides the possibility of its further functionalisation. In addition, the developed specific surface of Aerosil allows to obtain composites with a high content of biologically active substances. In this work, we studied the biocompatibility of a composite based on Aerosil 380 and carboxylated fullerene C₆₀[C(COOH)₂]₃, namely: haemolysis (spontaneous and photoinduced), platelet aggregation, binding to HSA, cyto- and genotoxicity, antiradical activity. Interest in the creation of this nanomaterial is due to the fact that carboxylated fullerenes have potential applications in various fields of biomedicine, including the ability to bind reactive oxygen species, inhibition of tumour development, inactivation of viruses and bacteria. The obtained composite can be used for the immobilisation of various drugs and the further development of drugs for theranostics.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis

Heart sarcoidosis diagnosis presents great difficulties due to the absence of specific clinical manifestations. Most often, the diagnosis is established during autopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart with contrast enhancement is one of the most informative methods of intravital diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis. In this article, two clinical cases, shows the role of MRI of the heart with contrast enhancement in the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis.

[The application of the pulsed low-frequency electrostatic field for the combined treatment of the children presenting with bronchial asthma]

The objective of the present study was to develop a scientifically sound rationale for the application of the pulsed low-frequency electrostatic fields (PLIESF) for the combined treatment of the children presenting with bronchial asthma and the comparative assessment of the effectiveness of the use of this method either as monotherapy or together with therapeutic physical exercises based on the immediate and long-term results of the treatment. The dynamic clinical observations and special investigations were carried out on 101 children at the age varying from 5 to 15 years who suffered from bronchial asthma. PLIESF were shown to produce the beneficial effect on dynamics of clinical symptoms in the children manifested as the disappearance or reduced frequency of episodes of laborious respiration and the improvement of sputum discharge, auscultation picture, bronchial patency, and respiratory excursions of the chest. The application of PLIESF significantly increased the level of the general physical performance in the children with bronchial asthma, improved the functional conditions of the cardiovascular system, normalized both the cardiac rhythm and the heart rate. It was shown based on the analysis of the short-term and long-term outcomes of the treatment that the combined therapy with the use of the two physical factors, i.e. the pulsed low-frequency electrostatic fields and therapeutic physical exercises, ensures the significantly higher effectiveness of the treatment than the separate application of either of them.

[The application of the physical factors for the rehabilitation of the children presenting with bronchial asthma]

The use of anti-asthmatic preparations alone can not be considered sufficient for the rehabilitation of the children suffering from bronchial asthma. Traditional medicamental therapy does not allow mortality from asthma to be appreciably reduced. At the same time, it is known to produce serious adverse effects. The physical factors proved to be fairly well compatible with the basal treatment; specifically, their application makes it possible to decrease the amount of pharmaceutical products and the duration of therapy.

[Physical training for the treatment of children presenting with bronchial asthma]

This paper reports the results of the treatment of 101 children presenting with bronchial asthma. The study has demonstrated the pronounced positive effect of the combined application of a pulsed low-frequency electrostatic field and therapeutic physical training on the dynamics of clinical symptoms of the disease. By the end of the treatment period, all the patients reported the disappearance of paroxysmal night-time coughing, productive cough, expectoration, and attacks of respiratory distress. Auscultation failed to reveal dry, whistling, and bubbling rales. Dynamics of the changes of the impaired airway patency was estimated from the results of computed pneumotachometry and monitoring peak expiratory flow by the peak flowmetric technique. The combined application of a pulsed low-frequency electrostatic field and therapeutic physical training significantly improved characteristics of the external expiratory function (PEF, FEV1, MEFR25, MEFR50--p < 0.02, MEFR75--p < 0.001). In the end of therapy, 96.7% of the children had normal parameters of computed flowmetry in the absence of a generalized impairment of bronchial patency while obstruction at the level of peripheral bronchi persisted only in 3.3% of the patients. The increase of PEF based on the results of peak flowmetry averaged 44.21% (p < 0.001). A rationale has been developed for the application of the proposed therapeutic strategy to the treatment of children with bronchial asthma.

[Cardiac damage in sarcoidosis: clinical features and impact of steroid therapy]

Twenty-seven sarcoidosis patients with signs of cardiac damage were examined to study the clinical features of cardiac sarcoidosis and the impact of systemic glucocorticosteroid (GCS) therapy on its course. ECG and echoECG changes were observed in 21 (78%) and 17 (63%) patients, respectively; abnormal perfusion was seen in 25 (93%) patients at single-photon emission myocardial computed tomography using 99mTc-MIBI. Three clusters (clinical types) of patients were identified, which differed in the pattern and degree of cardiac disorders. The use of systemic GCSs in 13 of 20 patients resulted in myocardial perfusion recovery and clinical improvement, the degree and duration of which depended on what cluster it belonged to. Seven GCS-untreated patients had progressive perfusion disorders with subsequent or synchronous clinical deterioration (p < 0.05). The degree and duration of the positive effect of a GCS differed depending on the clinical type of cardiac damage.