Four hydrogel formulations were synthesized: a control (alginate/gelatin) and three modified variants containing polyethylene glycol (PEG as a plasticizer), boric acid (filler), and a combination of both. The swelling capacity, degradation rate, tensile strength, cytotoxicity toward a human dermal fibroblast culture, and resistance to surgical sutures were evaluated. To enhance mechanical strength, a combined physicochemical approach including chemical crosslinking and treatment with a concentrated ammonium sulfate solution was used to induce the Hofmeister effect. To assess the tensile strength and suturability, tubular structures were fabricated from the hydrogels using 3D-printed molds patented by the authors. The PEG hydrogels and combined composition (PEG + boric acid) showed the best cytocompatibility and fibroblast growth support. Treatment with ammonium sulfate increased the strength of the materials by 40-70 times, enabling surgical suturing and the formation of leak-proof anastomoses. It has been shown that the Hofmeister effect is reversible, indicating that biocompatibility is restored following implantation. Thus, a combined approach to fabrication of hydrogels is proposed that overcomes the critical dilemma of biomedical materials regarding "strength vs biocompatibility". In the future, the developed materials and technologies (including molds) will offer a promising pathway for creating personalized implants of complex shapes suitable for fixation using standard surgical techniques.

A novel technology involving the donation of seminal plasma from fertile donors to improve the morphofunctional characteristics of human spermatozoa is proposed. The effects of seminal plasma from 7 donors, selected based on semen analysis parameters, were evaluated in spermatozoa from 31 men with infertility. Seminal plasma from three of the seven donors demonstrated a positive effect on recipient sperm motility. No effects, including adverse effects, were observed for the remaining donors. These findings suggest that donor selection should be based not only on standard semen analysis indicators but also on additional parameters, including seminal plasma composition. Further development and optimization of seminal plasma donation technology may prompt a revision of in vitro sperm preparation procedures and enhance the efficacy of assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs.

A topical mucoadhesive dosage form was developed for the treatment of infectious oral cavity diseases, consisting of a paste based on a combination of a complex immunoglobulin preparation (CIP) and interferon alpha-2b. CIP within the final formulation demonstrated robust antimicrobial activity against key oral pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus intermedius, and Fusobacterium nucleatum). An optimal composition was selected that exhibited optimal mucoadhesion and a mucosal retention time of at least 90 min. The final formulation produced no local irritant effects.

The effect of synthetic kisspeptin-14 on cortisol levels during embryogenesis was evaluated in vivo using a Danio rerio model. Cortisol concentrations were measured by ELISA in D. rerio embryo homogenates after exposure to synthetic kisspeptin-14 at concentrations of 10, 20, and 50 ng/mL at different stages of embryogenesis (10, 48, and 72 h post-fertilization). A significant decrease in cortisol levels was found at all these terms. These findings open up prospects for the development of therapeutic strategies based on peptide analogs for the correction of reproductive disorders associated with hypercortisolemia.

To non-invasively assess the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the pulsatile activity of arteries in the perirenal dorsal lumbar regions, electrical bioimpedance (BI) and biopotentials (BP) were recorded in healthy volunteers and patients with arterial hypertension (AH). Signals were processed using harmonic (Fourier) analysis to determine the effective values (rms) of spectral peaks for BI (MR, THR) and BP (MV, THV) in the Mayer (M) frequency range (0.03-0.2 Hz) and the Traube-Hering (TH) frequency band of a controlled respiration rate (0.3-0.4 Hz), which presumably reflect sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, respectively. The pulsatile activity of arteries was determined by the total effective value (TPrms) of four pulsatile harmonics. The indices of the sympathetic-parasympathetic balance were calculated as the ratios of MR/THR (for BI) and MV/THV (for BP). In healthy participants, the active orthostatic test significantly increased THR, MR, TPrms[-1], and MV, which reflected increased activity of sympathetic (MR, TPrms[-1], MV) and parasympathetic (THR) systems while maintaining overall autonomic balance. The spectral parameters of BI and BP were presented with normalized radar charts (RC). In patients with controlled AH, the median RCs were located within the interquartile range of RC of the healthy group indicating adequate drug therapy. In contrast, individual RCs of some patients with uncontrolled or refractory AH were outside this range, indicating the need to correct drug therapy or feasibility of renal denervation if pharmacotherapy fails. The advanced method enables the assessment of ANS activity in patients with AH of varying severity. It is concluded that harmonic analysis of electrical signals in human perirenal regions is a valuable non-invasive tool for evaluating local activity of ANS under physiological conditions and in AH patients.

The hemolytic activity of pneumolysin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae depends on the culture medium used for bacterial growth. In brain-heart infusion broth, both the culture medium and bacterial cell supernatants from all strains induced erythrocyte lysis and contained pneumolysin, which was detected using sandwich ELISA based on IgM and IgG1-HRP monoclonal antibodies to native pneumolysin. In contrast, samples obtained from strains grown on blood agar exhibited virtually no hemolytic activity, despite the presence of pneumolysin at high concentrations. These findings suggest that the culture medium affects the production of functionally active pneumolysin by pneumococcal strains. The developed sandwich ELISA based on monoclonal antibodies allows detection of pneumolysin that has lost its hemolytic properties.

The therapeutic activity of an IFN-γ preparation Ingaron, both alone and in combination with isoniazid, was studied in an experimental model of tuberculosis infection in inbred BALB/c mice. The combination of oral isoniazid and subcutaneous IFN-γ administration demonstrated high efficacy, which was confirmed by microbiological and morphological examination of the lungs and spleens, as well as by the organ weight dynamics.

Based on the results of monitoring the hemostatic potential, tumor volume, and metastatic characteristics in C57BL/6 mice with transplanted Lewis lung carcinoma receiving a single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin, we explain the mechanism underlying the wave-like dynamics of hemostasis. The cytostatic agent was found to eliminate the consumption of blood coagulation factors. The response of the hemostatic potential to total paraneoplastic injury and its key components (tumor size, metastasis, and chemotherapy) demonstrates a clear synergy that significantly exceeds the sum of the individual thrombogenic stimuli.

The morphological and molecular genetic characteristics of wound healing were investigated in male Wistar rats with high and low hypoxia tolerance (HT and HS rats, respectively). A full-thickness skin wound (diameter 16 mm) was inflicted in the interscapular region. On day 11 after wound infliction (proliferation phase), histological examination and morphometric analysis of the wound tissue were performed. The expression of the Hif1a, Epas1, Vegf, Nfkb, Il1b, Il6, Il10, Tnfa, and Tgfb genes in intact skin and in the wound granulation tissue was assessed by PCR, and the serum levels of HIF-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 were detected by ELISA. On day 11 of wound healing, reparative processes were more pronounced in HT animals, manifesting as a significantly smaller wound area compared to HS rats. The ratio of collagen fiber types on day 11 of wound healing in HT and HS rats did not differ significantly. Compared to HT rats, HS animals demonstrated higher expression of the Il6 and Tgfb genes in the granulation tissue, and higher serum levels of IL-6 protein. These data should be considered when conducting studies using animals with different hypoxia tolerance.

The contractile apparatus of left-ventricular cardiomyocytes from from 180-day-old rats that had been born one day preterm was studied using polarization microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In cardiomyocytes from preterm rats, the myofibrils had non-uniform thickness: along with thinned and disintegrated areas of myofibrils, thickened myofibrils were detected. Myofibril lysis was predominantly focal and less frequently diffuse. Cardiomyocytes with subsegmental contractures were observed. Mitochondria with signs of destruction were detected in cardiomyocytes from premature rats, while numerous small mitochondria that did not form intermitochondrial junctions were found in the dilated intermyofibrillar spaces. Mitochondrial damage leads to structural and functional disturbances of the cardiomyocyte contractile apparatus.

The present study elucidated the relationship between daytime body temperature dynamics in male painted quail (Synoicus chinensis) with atmospheric pressure fluctuations. Atmospheric pressure was measured by three sensors positioned at the corners of an equilateral triangle with a side length of 18-20 km. The birds and the fourth pressure sensor were positioned in the center of this triangle. We demonstrated that body temperature dynamics correlated only with atmospheric pressure fluctuations recorded simultaneously by all sensors. This indicates that the ultradian body temperature rhythms in quails within the 10-30-min period range are linked not to the direct influence of atmospheric pressure, but rather to a factor generated during large-scale pressure fluctuations, or this biotropic factor itself is the cause of the observed atmospheric pressure fluctuations. It was also shown that the phase of these ultradian rhythms depends on local solar time, indicating that they are externally determined, possibly by the movement of the solar terminator.

The wound-healing efficacy of the FENIX gel, containing poloxamer 188, alpha-fetoprotein, and perfluorodecalin, was evaluated in a model of 3-cm[2] skin flap excision in Sprague-Dawley rats. Daily topical application of the gel for 21 days accelerated wound contraction at a rate comparable to the reference products Kelo-Cote and Contractubex. During the wound closure phase, both FENIX gel and the reference preparation Contractubex promoted the formation of mature scar tissue and dermal connective tissue, while inducing minimal reactive epidermal hyperplasia and preserving hypodermal elements, leading to the timely resolution of reparative processes in the injured skin by day 41 post-excision.

We tested disk-shaped implants (5.0 mm in diameter) fabricated from VT6 titanium alloy with calcium phosphate coating (sample 1) and with an additional functional coating with a Schiff base (sample 2). Control samples were left uncoated. The antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains was evaluated in vitro. The safety of the test implants was studied in vivo after subcutaneous implantation to Wistar rats. Both experimental samples demonstrated a weak bactericidal effect against P. aeruginosa strain. In the in vivo experiments, sample 2 showed signs of cardiotoxicity.

The composition of seminal plasma from men with varying ejaculate parameters was analyzed using Raman spectroscopy. Distinct differences were identified in the Raman spectra of fertile men and infertile patients, particularly in amino acids, phospholipids, and saccharides. A comparative analysis of seminal plasma biomolecules was performed within the group of fertile men who were potential seminal plasma donors. It was found that the seminal plasma from certain fertile donors exhibits a similar spectral profile and has a positive effect on the morphofunctional characteristics of spermatozoa. These findings support the use of Raman spectral signatures for the selection of seminal plasma donors and the refinement of donor selection criteria.

Gloydius blomhoffii and Gloydius halys venoms contain considerable amounts of group IIA secretory phospholipase (sPLA2). We studied the cytotoxic effects of some fractions from these venoms on the A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell line. G. blomhoffii venom fraction 16 and G. halys venom fraction 22 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against A549 cells (cell viability 10.7 ± 1.5% and 11.7 ± 2.7%, respectively). The sPLA2-sensitive melanoma SK-MEL-2 cell line and the sPLA2 inhibitor varespladib were used for sPLA2 identification and evaluation of its cytotoxicity in these fractions. Cell viability in the presence of the inhibitor increased by 26.4% (fraction 16) and 13% (fraction 22), which confirms a link between the cytotoxic effect and the enzymatic activity of sPLA2 in the fractions examined. The two protein components were further identified as acidic phospholipases A2.