[Insecticidal and immunosuppressive effect of ascomycete Cordyceps militaris on the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata].

The immunosuppressive and insecticidal activity of cultures of the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris on the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata has been established for the first time. It was found that the peroral effect of the fungal culture resulted in dose-dependent decrease in survival, delayed in development time and molting, decreases in the total hemocyt counts, increased activity of phenoloxidases in the hemolymph, and reduced activity of the enzyme in the cuticle, as well as increased sensitivity of larvae to the fungus Beauveria bassiana at the level of the synergistic effect.

[Synergistic action of entomopathogenic hyphomycetes and the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. morrisoni in the infection of Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata].

A synchronous coinfection of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) with the entomopathogenic bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. morrisoni Bonnifoi & de Barjak var. tenebrionis Krieg et al. and hyphomycete Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin or Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill leads to the rapid death of 95-100% of larvae. The bacteria arrest the nutrition of insects, while the fungal spores kill the weakened larvae. The synergistic effect of two pathogens is recorded at a relatively low hyphomycete titer (1-5 x 10(6) conidia/ml) and is evident in the mortality dynamics at all larval ages. These bacterial and fungal pathogens display no antagonism on artificial nutrient media. This microbial complex is highly efficient under natural conditions (80-90% larval mortality rate and no plant defoliation).

[The role of hippocampus in long-term memory: dynamic system approach].

Several attempts have been made to reconcile a number of concurrent theories on the role of the hippocampus in long-term memory functions. Those attempts fail to explain the basic effects of the theories from the same standpoint. This work is a critical review of the four major theories demonstrating (with the use of mathematical models of attention and memory) that only one of them is capable of reconciling them all by explaining the fundamental effects of each theory in a unified fashion without sacrificing their individual contributions. The key issue here is whether or not a memory trace is ever stored in the hippocampus itself, and there is no reconciliation unless the answer is in the negative.

[Urgent surgical correction of ventricular septal defects in children of first months of life].

The article presents the results of urgent surgical correction of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and a range of associated congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in 123 children of the first 6 months of life, hospitalized between 1988 and 2002 in a severe or critical condition. In 102 patients the progression of clinical symptoms was caused by a big single VSD and in 21 patients--by multiple VSDs. 70 patients had significant associated CHDs. Significant extracardiac anomalies were revealed in 75 patients. The condition of 55.3% of children had deteriorated due to pneumonia. Correction of defects with cardiopulmonary bypass was performed after urgent examination and intensive therapy. Hemodynamically significant VSD were closed in 117 (95.2%) patients. Two patients were reoperatied due to the presence of residual VSD. Partial or full simultaneous correction of associated CHDs was performed in 68 patients. 93.5% of patients with isolated VSDs survived the operation. The survival rate of patients with associated CHDs and extracardiac anomalies was 81.5%. Postoperative mortality risk factors were found to be critical condition at hospitalization and preoperative activity of infectious process (P < 0.01 and < 0.05, respectively). Accumulation of experience and introduction of a special approach allowed an 8-time decrease of the hospital mortality, which has not exceeded 3.4% within last 3 years. Good and excellent follow-up results were obtained in 98% of the survived patients within 10 to 67 months after operation. Precise diagnostics of associated CHDs and extracardiac anomalies, intensive preoperative treatment and weighed estimation of indications and risk factors allow significant improvement in the results of primary correction of VSD and accompanying cardiovascular anomalies in children of the first months of life in a heavy and critical condition upon admission.

[Sensory integration: hierarchy and synchronization].

This is the first in the series of mini-reviews devoted to the basic problems and most important effects of attention in terms of neuronal modeling. We believe that the absence of the unified view on wealth of new date on attention is the main obstacle for further understanding of higher nervous activity. The present work deals with the main ground problem of reconciling two competing architectures designed to integrate the sensory information in the brain. The other mini-reviews will be concerned with the remaining five or six problems of attention, all of them to be ultimately resolved uniformly in the framework of small modification of dominant model of attention and memory.

[Attention and memory model based on the principle of dominant and comparative function of the hippocampus]. / Model' vnimaniia i pamiati, osnovannaia na printsipe dominanty i komparatornoi funktsii gippokampa.

Six basic problems of attention are described in terms of the dominant focus by Ukhtomsky, which is simulated as a system of phase transitions in the brain. Theoretical and experimental arguments in favor of the existence of metastable states in the brain with the life time of about a second or more are deduced. This forms an approach to resolution of all the problems of interaction between attention and memory, binding, and central control. A neurobiological model of attention and memory is advanced, which integrates the system properties of dominanta by A.A. Ukhtomsky and comparator function of the hippocampus by O.S. Vinogradova. New literature evidence is given for the existence of the brain system of information processing with the hippocampus as a central executive.

[Comparative analysis of memory pathologies of various genesis: epileptic patients and Chernobyl nuclear plant accident liquidators]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz patologii pamiati raznogo geneza na primere liudei, bol'nykh épilepsiei, i likvidatorov avarii na ChAES.

Different types of short-term memory were examined in two groups of people: epileptic patients during remission and participants of cleaning after the incident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The control group matched the experimental groups by sex, age, and education. It was found that memory dysfunctions were similar independently of the kind of pathology. The associative memory was most vulnerable. This finding is explained in terms of the role of protein-nucleic synthesis (the molecular-universal aspect) in the formation of human and animal associative memory.

[Testing problems regarding narcotic substances in hair analysis]. / O problemakh testirovaniia na narkoticheskie veshchestva po analizu volos.

The authors discuss legal, ethic, and technological problems associated with introduction of drug testing by analysis of hair in Russia. There are sufficiently reliable methods of hair analysis, but lack of legal basis and poor equipment of forensic chemical departments impede the introduction and wide use of these methods in Russia. The authors propose certification of the best equipped departments and render them the legal status of regional centers for tests for narcotics and psychotropic agents.

[The forensic medical assessment of the bone damages to skeletons from a group burial in the environs of Yekaterinburg]. / Sudebno-meditsinskaia otsenka povrezhdenii kostei skeletov iz gruppovogo zakhoroneniia v okrestnostiakh Ekaterinburga.

Results of comprehensive expert evaluation of bone remains found at the place of burial made 80 years ago are presented. Injuries inflicted by gunshots, mechanical, chemical, and other factors are classified. Diagnostic criteria for reconstruction of circumstances of death and burial of the Romanov family and subjects in their attendance are defined.

[Physico-chemical properties of borate derivatives of DOPA, dopamine, and their liposome forms]. / Fiziko-khimicheskie svoistva boratnykh proizvodnykh DOPA, dopamina i ikh liposomnykh form.

To increase the solubility of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and dopamine (DA) incorporated in liposomes, it was suggested to convert them into ammonium and 1-adamantylammonium borate complexes. The structure of these complexes was studied by 11B and 1H NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry and conductometry. The liposomic form of the complexes is characterized by a high active compound/lipid molar ratio (0.5). Catechols in the form of complex salts are retained better within the inner volume of liposomes.

Self-reported physical and emotional health of women in a low-fat, high-carbohydrate dietary trial (Canada).

OBJECTIVES: While decreased intake of dietary fat may have significant positive effects on women's health by reducing the risk of cancer and other diseases, little research has been carried out to determine the potential adverse effects of dietary fat reduction. This study compares the self-reported physical and emotional health of 402 low fat intervention and control group participants in the Canadian Diet and Breast Cancer Prevention Trial. METHODS: Subjects who had been participating in the dietary intervention trial for at least 2 years completed 3 mailed questionnaires: two designed to assess physical and emotional health (MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ)) and a Health Practices Survey. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the study groups on total scores or any of the subscales/health domains for the SF-36 or the WHQ. In premenopausal women only, intervention group subjects scored significantly lower on the vasomotor symptoms scale, indicating less symptom experience. Frequency of visits to physicians and alternative health practitioners were not significantly different between the study groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that participation in a low-fat, high-carbohydrate dietary intervention did not have any detrimental effects on participants' self-reported physical health or emotional well-being.

Assessment of a food frequency questionnaire as a screening tool for low fat intakes.

This study tested the ability of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to identify women with low fat intakes. FFQs were completed by 95 control participants of a dietary trial at a mean 2.9 +/- 0.8 years post-randomization. Subjects were selected in approximately equal numbers from women who were low-fat eaters (< or = 30% of energy from fat) and high-fat eaters (> 30% of energy from fat). Percentage energy from fat derived from food records and FFQ were similar in both the low- and high-fat eaters. Percentage of energy from carbohydrate and total grams of carbohydrate (low-fat eaters only) were slightly higher measured by FFQ than by food records, and percentage of energy from protein was slightly lower. The correlation between nutrient intake measured by FFQ and food records for the whole group was 0.74 for percentage of energy from fat, 0.50 for total fat, 0.59 for percentage of energy from carbohydrate, 0.43 for total carbohydrate, 0.53 for percentage of energy from protein, 0.27 for total protein, and 0.32 for energy intake. Correlations were slightly lower when the low- and high-fat eaters were examined separately. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, 0.83, was significantly above 0.5 (p < < 0.001), indicating that the FFQ discriminated between low- and high-fat eaters significantly better than chance. The FFQ cutoff point of 30% of energy from fat had a true positive rate of 0.63 and false positive rate of 0.24. The use of this cutoff point for screening would result in the loss of 36% of potential subjects and an estimated increase in baseline percentage of energy from fat intake of 2.3 percentage points.

[Significance of intravascular ultrasound studies in the evaluation of the vascular lumen and wall in interventional radiological procedures]. / Znachenie vnutrisosudistogo ul'trazvukovogo issledovaniia v otsenke sostoianiia prosveta i stenki sosudov pri interventsionnykh radiologicheskikh protsedur.

The paper analyzes the first experience with intravascular ultrasound study (IUSS) in 9 patients at the Cardiosurgery Center. It presents the potentialities of IUSS during interventional radiological procedures. It is concluded that there are benefits and trends of the technique in the exploration of various vascular beds.