Draft Genome Sequences of Two Strains of Enterococcus lactis Showing High Potential as Cattle Probiotic Supplements.

Probiotic supplements are currently widely used in cattle feeding practices. However, knowledge regarding the genomic landscape of cattle probiotic microorganisms is relatively scarce and is based on analogies with human probiotics. Here, we report on the draft genome sequences of two Enterococcus lactis strains, VKPM B-4989 and VKPM B-4992, which were isolated from the rumen of a healthy calf and utilized as a probiotic additive.

Draft De Novo Genome Assembly of Acinetobacter pittii Strain VKPM B-3780, a Prospective Multifunctional Bioremediation Agent.

Acinetobacter pittii strain VKPM B-3780 is a prospective degrader of oil and methanol, isolated from industrial wastewater. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain VKPM B-3780, obtained using Illumina sequencing of the fragment genomic library.

[Hybrid treatment of a patient with dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm and single kidney]. / Gibridnye tekhnologii v lechenii patsienta s rassloivsheisia torakoabdominal'noi anevrizmoi aorty i edinstvennoi pochkoi.

Presented herein is a clinical case report regarding a repeat intervention for a type II dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm treated by means of a hybrid technique in a 76-year-old male patient with a single kidney, having 9 years previously endured resection of an aneurysm of the infrarenal aortic portion. The first stage consisted in prosthetic repair of the thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm by an oblique anastomosis, with the second stage (7 days thereafter) being endoprosthetic repair of the descending thoracic aorta. The findings of check-up computed tomography at 16 months postoperatively demonstrated no negative dynamics.

Radon program of the Czech Republic.

The Radon Program of the Czech Republic 2010-2019--Action Plan is based on Governmental Decision No. 594/2009 (Radon Program of the Czech Republic 2010-2019--Action Plan, Government of the Czech Republic, Decision No. 594/2009, May 4 2009) and is coordinated by the State Office for Nuclear Safety. It covers both prevention in new house construction and intervention in existing houses with high indoor radon concentration. The Program is aimed at developing an effective public information system. It takes advantage of long-term experience and good scientific and technological background-staff, methods, standards and technologies.

[PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OF PERSONNEL POLICY IN REFORMING OF UKRAINIAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM USING THE EXAMPLE OF DERMATOVENEREOLOGICAL SERVICE].

The health care system, its modernization and optimization are among the most important functions of the modern Ukrainian state. The main goal of the reforms in the field of healthcare is to improve the health of the population, equal and fair access for all to health services of adequate quality. Important place in the health sector reform belongs to optimizing the structure and function of dermatovenereological service. The aim of this work is to address the issue of human resources management of dermatovenereological services during health sector reform in Ukraine, taking into account the real possibility of disengagement dermatovenereological providing care between providers of primary medical care level (general practitioners) and providers of secondary (specialized) and tertiary (high-specialized) medical care (dermatovenerologists and pediatrician dermatovenerologists), and coordinating interaction between these levels. During research has been found, that the major problems of human resources of dermatovenereological service are insufficient staffing and provision of health-care providers;,growth in the number of health workers of retirement age; sectoral and regional disparity of staffing; the problem of improving the skills of medical personnel; regulatory support personnel policy areas and create incentives for staff motivation; problems of rational use of human resources for health care; problems of personnel training for dermatovenereological service. Currently reforming health sector should primarily serve the needs of the population in a fairly effective medical care at all levels, to ensure that there must be sufficient qualitatively trained and motivated health workers. To achieve this goal directed overall work of the Ministry of Health of Uktaine, the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, medical universities, regional health authorities, professional medical associations. Therefore Ukrainian dermatovenereological care, in particular fixed, needs a deep and objective medical and social audit. A necessary condition for the harmonious development of dermatovenereological service is adequate staffing to ensure it to reflect changes in the structure of the provision of the assistance at various levels, as well as their effective coordination throughout the natient's medical route.

Isolation of microbial DNA by newly designed magnetic particles.

Carboxyl group-containing magnetic nonporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) (P(HEMA-co-GMA)) microspheres and cobalt ferrite nanoparticles modified with alginic acid (natural carboxylic polysaccharide) were used for isolation of microbial DNA of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from dairy products, lyophilised cell cultures, and bacterial colonies grown on hard media, and Trichophyton fungi DNA from lyophilised cells. DNA from the samples with lysed cells was reversibly adsorbed to the particles in the presence of high poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 6000) and sodium chloride concentrations. The optimal final PEG and NaCl concentrations were 9.1 wt.% and 2.0 M, respectively. The adsorbed DNA was released from the particles in low ionic strength TE buffer. The quality of isolated DNA was checked by PCR amplification. Moreover, PCR amplicons were isolated on cobalt ferrite nanoparticles modified with alginic acid and checked by restriction analysis.

[Effect of Type 2 Diabetes on Results of Endovascular Treatment of Ischemic Heart Disease With Drug Covered Stents (Results of 1 Year Follow-up).].

Aim of the study was to determine the impact of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) on clinical outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) undergoing coronary revascularisation. The study enrolled 99 diabetic patients with de novo lesions in native coronary arteries. Medically treated DM was present in 61 patients (62%), 7 (7%) of whom required insulin. 53 patients received 78 SES and 46 patients received 57 bare metal stents. The differences in clinical outcomes between diabetic patients treated with SES and bare metal stents were assessed. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as death, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat revascularizations, and recurrences of angina were analyzed at 12-month follow-up. In the SES group the rate of recurrence of angina was 17%, the rate of coronary artery bypass surgery was 3,8%, the rate of repeat coronary angioplasty was 5,7%. In the bare metal stent group the rate of recurrence of angina was 37,8%, the rate of coronary artery bypass surgery was 2,2%, the rate of MI was 4,4%, the rate of repeat coronary angioplasty was 22,2%. Implantation of SES in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus reduces recurrence of angina and major adverse cardiac events during first year after coronary angioplasty.

Dose registry in Europe: national databases and international statistics.

This paper describes the approach used in ESOREX to compare national dose statistics of occupational radiation exposure at a European level. As every country uses its own scheme to characterise radiation work, the 'best common denominator' has to be found in order to compare dose statistics. The same problem has to be solved for the dose bands used in each country in order to scale dose distributions.

The system of personal monitoring and the evaluation of occupational exposure in the Czech Republic.

New legislation concerning radiation protection, which was effective in the Czech Republic from 1997, followed from the recommendations of ICRP Publication 60 and the IAEA BSS, and included all new basic principles for the protection of radiation workers given in these documents. The requirements for the personal monitoring of category A workers and the recognition of the capacity of dosimetry services were identified as being very significant for radiation practice, and will be licensed by the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS). The license application will include the methodology of effective dose evaluation, the description of QA and QC of the service, the system of customer communication and dose recording and reporting. In accordance with legislation requirements, the licensee is obliged to report the personal and dosimetry data of category A radiation workers to SONS. For the purpose of data collection, SONS is developing the central registration system of occupational radiation exposure (CROE). Personal monitoring is managed for about 20,000 workers in 1500 workplaces. The paper describes in detail all current aspects of external monitoring of workers in the Czech Republic.

Medical radiation exposure of the Czech Republic paediatric population due to diagnostic nuclear medicine.

BACKGROUND: The information on the results of the survey of collective effective dose SE to children in the Czech Republic (CR) due to nuclear medicine examinations performed during the one-year period July 1995-June 1996. METHODS: The estimate of SE was based on the annual frequency of nuclear medicine procedures and the type and amount of administered radiopharmaceuticals provided by the General Health Insurance Company covering 75% of the CR population. RESULTS: In the period considered, 15,281 examinations of children younger than 18 years were performed, which represented 7.5% of total nuclear medicine examinations in the CR. The annual SE 43.8 man Sv formed 5.1% of the collective effective dose to all patients examined by nuclear medicine procedures in the CR. The contributions of procedures in various body systems of children to the annual SE: urinary tract 32.8%, bone 30.4%, brain 12.8 %, cardiovascular 6.4%, GIT 6.0%, thyroid 4.4%, lungs 3.0%, other 4.2%. In comparison with a similar survey performed in the CR in 1987 (based on a questionnaire) there was an increase in SE to children younger than 15 years by a factor of 2.8, mainly due to the expansion of kidney and bone investigations. CONCLUSIONS: The mean effective dose per exam to children younger than 15 years was 60% of that for adults, which was in agreement with the requirement that the radiation burden of children should not exceed that of adults. The use of data from the Insurance Company for regular conducting of such surveys appeared to be not as cumbersome and time-consuming as questionnaire surveys.

[Use of radiopharmaceuticals, radiation burden and radiation risks in examination procedures in nuclear medicine]. / Aplikované aktivity radiofarmak, radiacní zátez a radiacní riziko vysetrovacích postupu v nukleární medicíne.

Consistent with the worldwide development of nuclear medicine, in the Czech Republic in 1987 to 1996 partly the spectrum of used radiopharmaceutical preparations and their ratio changed. In the majority of radiopharmaceutical preparations the mean administered activity increased by 20 to 80% and the range of activities administered in different departments diminished somewhat. Adherence to principles of radiation protection of patients is assisted by guidelines of administered activities of radiopharmaceutical preparations laid down in new regulations on radiation protection valid in the CR from the middle of 1997. The radiation burden associated with the majority of examinations in nuclear medicine expressed as the effective dose is comparable with the radiation burden of radiodiagnostic examinations, only after administration of preparations with 131I, 201Tl, 67Ga and 111In it is markedly higher. Based on knowledge of the effective dose it may be concluded that the lifetime extra risk of a fatal tumour due to administration of radiopharmaceutical preparations is by two to three orders lower than the lifetime risk of spontaneous development of fatal tumours. A special feature of radiation risk is its hypothetical character--it is frequently projected into the distant future of human life, contrary to immediate non-radiation risks of some medical procedures and risks in the living environment which frequently are higher. Any examination using ionising radiation can be made only if the expected health benefit for the patient is significantly greater than the radiation risk. Excessive fear of radiation risk should not lead to refusal of justified examinations with possible subsequent serious health damage for the patient.

Biodegradation of 4-nitrophenol by indigenous microbial populations in Everglades soils.

The Everglades in South Florida are a unique ecological system. As a result of the widespread use of pesticides and herbicides in agricultural areas upstream from these wetlands, there is a serious potential for pollution problems in the Everglades. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of indigenous microbial populations to degrade xenobiotic organic compounds introduced by agricultural and other activities. Such biodegradation may facilitate the remediation of contaminated soils and water in the Everglades. The model compound selected in this study is 4-nitrophenol, a chemical commonly used in the manufacture of pesticides. The mineralization of 4-nitrophenol at various concentrations was studied in soils collected from the Everglades. At concentrations of 10 and 100 microg/g soil, considerable mineralization occurred within a week. At a higher concentration, i.e., 10 mg/g soil, however, no mineralization of 4-nitrophenol occurred over a 4-month period; such a high concentration apparently produced an inhibitory effect. The rate and extent of 4-nitrophenol mineralization was enhanced on inoculation with previously isolated nitrophenol-degrading microorganisms. The maximum mineralization extent measured, however, was less than 30% suggesting conversion to biomass and/or unidentified intermediate products. These results indicate the potential for natural mechanisms to mitigate the adverse effects of xenobiotic pollutants in a complex system such as the Everglades.

[Immunologic response of divers working in the conditions of increased microbial contamination of water under pressure up to 5.1 MPa]. / Immunologichaskaia reaktivnost' akvanavtov pri rabote v usloviiakh povyshennoi mikrobno'i zagraznennosti vodno'i sredy pod davleniem do 5.1 MPa.

The complex investigation of immune and nonspecific reactivity of 30 aquanauts was carried out during five experimental saturation divings up to 350-500 m accompanied by an increase of microbic contamination in water of the hyperbaric chamber. Peculiarities of humoral immune response and phagocyte functions were found to depend on the inflammatory disease of aquanauts. It is concluded that the situational transitory immune deficiency development under the influence of hyperbaric factors is possible and changes in the microbe spectrum are real.

[Radiosensitizing and toxic effect of metronidazole and its ortho-isomer 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-4-nitroimidazole on Escherichia coli B/r cells]. / Radiosensibiliziruiushchee i toksicheskoe deistvie metronidazola i ego ortoizomera 1-(2-gidroksiétil)-2-metil-4-nitroimidazola na kletki Escherichia coli B/r.

A study was made of the effect of metronidazole and isometronidazole on the survival rate of irradiated and nonirradiated E. coli B/r cells. These substances had similar radiosensitizing activity with regard to anoxic cells and did not sensitize cells irradiated in the air. At the same time, isometronidazole was found to be less toxic than metronidazole.

[Radiosensitizing activity of maleic acid derivatives. Effect of maleic acid o-nitroanilide, anilide and diethyl ester on the survival of gamma-irradiated cells of Escherichia coli B/r]. / Radiosensibiliziruiushchaia aktivnost' proizvodnykh maleinovoi kisloty. Vliianie o-nitroanilida, anilida i diétilovogo éfira maleinovoi kisloty na vyzhivaemost' gamma-obluchennykh kletok Escherichia coli B/r.

Among three substances under study, only o-nitroanilide of maleic acid (oNAM) possessed a radiosensitizing activity. Radiosensitivity of E. coli B/r cells irradiated in the presence of Ar and oNAM was higher by 4.8 times than that of irradiated controls. The survival rate of E. coli B/r cells irradiated in the presence of oxygen was changed by 1.4 times by the effect of oNAM.