A new certified reference material IAEA-465 for radionuclides in Baltic Sea sediment.

Certified reference material (CRM) for natural (40K,210Pb,210Po,226Ra,228Ra,228Th,230Th,232Th,234U,235U, and238U) and anthropogenic (137Cs,239+240Pu, and241Am) radionuclides in marine sediment from the Baltic Sea (IAEA-465) has been developed. Information values are given for 238Pu,239Pu and240Pu. Altogether 27 laboratories participated in this exercise. Radiometric (alpha-spectrometry, gamma-spectrometry and beta counting, as well as mass spectrometry (ICP-MS and AMS) techniques were applied in measurements. The CRM is intended to be used for Quality Assurance/Quality Control of radionuclide analyses, for the development and validation of analytical methods, for the development of reference methods and for training purposes.

Fate of anthropogenic radionuclides (90Sr, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Am) in seawater in the northern Benguela upwelling system off Namibia.

A baseline study on anthropogenic radioactivity in the Namibian marine ecosystem, which is part of the northern Benguela upwelling system, known as one of the most productive ocean areas in the world, has been performed. A scientific cruise carried out in 2014 covering inshore and offshore areas, exhibiting different oceanographic features, has provided a basis for better understanding the distributions, ratios and inventories of six anthropogenic radionuclides (90Sr, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu and 241Am) in seawater. Although 3H was also measured, due to extremely low levels, its behaviour was not studied. The main source of 90Sr, 137Cs, 239Pu, 240Pu and 241Am in the samples analysed was proven to be global fallout, a finding further confirmed by 240Pu/239Pu and 90Sr/137Cs ratios. Furthermore, the 238Pu SNAP-9A satellite accident signal was confirmed once again through the determination of the 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratio. Inshore and offshore samples showed different patterns due to the unique oceanographic features of this upwelling system. The levels of anthropogenic radionuclides, comprehensively assessed for the first time in this region, are comparable with the few existing data and filled a critical gap for the Southern Atlantic Ocean.

Coxiella burnetii in ticks and wild birds.

The study objective was to get more information on C. burnetii prevalence in wild birds and ticks feeding on them, and the potentialities of the pathogen dissemination over Europe by both. MATERIALS: Blood, blood sera, feces of wild birds and ticks removed from those birds or from vegetation were studied at two sites in Russia: the Curonian Spit (site KK), and the vicinity of St. Petersburg (site SPb), and at two sites in Bulgaria: the Atanasovsko Lake (site AL), and the vicinity of Sofia (site SR). METHODS: C. burnetii DNA was detected in blood, feces, and ticks by PCR (polymerase chain reaction). All positive results were confirmed by Sanger's sequencing of 16SrRNA gene target fragments. The antibodies to C. burnetii in sera were detected by CFR (complement fixation reaction). RESULTS: Eleven of 55 bird species captured at KK site hosted Ixodes ricinus. C. burnetii DNA was detected in three I. ricinus nymphs removed from one bird (Erithacus rubecula), and in adult ticks flagged from vegetation: 0.7% I. persulcatus (site SPb), 0.9% I. ricinus (site KK), 1.0% D. reticulatus (AL site). C. burnetii DNA was also detected in 1.4% of bird blood samples at SPb site, and in 0.5% of those at AL site. Antibodies to C. burnetii were found in 8.1% of bird sera (site SPb). C. burnetii DNA was revealed in feces of birds: 0.6% at AL site, and 13.7% at SR site. CONCLUSIONS: Both molecular-genetic and immunological methods were applied to confirm the role of birds as a natural reservoir of C. burnetii. The places of wild bird stopover in Russia (Baltic region) and in Bulgaria (Atanasovsko Lake and Sofia region) proved to be natural foci of C. burnetii infection. Migratory birds are likely to act as efficient "vehicles" in dispersal of C. burnetii -infested ixodid ticks.

Impact of air temperature variation on the ixodid ticks habitat and tick-borne encephalitis incidence in the Russian Arctic: the case of the Komi Republic.

BACKGROUND: The causes of the recent rise of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) incidence in Europe are discussed. Our objective was to estimate the impact of air temperature change on TBE incidence in the European part of the Russian Arctic. METHODS: We analysed the TBE incidence in the Komi Republic (RK) over a 42-year period in relation to changes in local annual average air temperature, air temperature during the season of tick activity, tick abundance, TBE-prevalence in ticks, tick-bite incidence rate, and normalised difference vegetation index within the area under study. RESULTS: In 1998-2011 in RK a substantial growth of TBE virus (TBEV) prevalence both in questing and feeding ticks was observed. In 1992-2011 there was 23-fold growth of the tick-bite incidence rate in humans, a northward shift of the reported tick bites, and the season of tick bites increased from 4 to 6 months. In 1998-2011 there was more than 6-fold growth of average annual TBE incidence compared with 1970-1983 and 1984-1997 periods. This resulted both from the northward shift of TBE, and its growth in the south. In our view it was related to local climate change as both the average annual air temperature, and the air temperature during the tick activity season grew substantially. We revealed in RK a strong correlation between the change in the air temperature and that in TBE incidence. The satellite data showed NDVI growth within RK, i.e. alteration of the local ecosystem under the influence of climate change. CONCLUSIONS: The rise in TBE incidence in RK is related considerably to the expansion of the range of Ixodes persulcatus. The territory with reported TBE cases also expanded northward. Climate change is an important driver of TBE incidence rate growth.

[An analysis of the situation with injection narcotic usage in the city of Voronezh during the development of the HIV infection epidemic in Russia]. / Analiz situatsii s in''ektsionnym potrebleniem narkotikov v g. Voronezh v usloviiakh razvitiia épidemii VICh-infektsii v Rossii.

The medico-demographic situation in Voronezh, characterized by a decrease in the birth rate, a rise in the mortality rate, the prevalence of pensioners (38%) in the structure of the population, is presented. The negative influence of the deterioration of socio-economic conditions on the social health of the population, especially on the situation with drug addiction, is pointed out. The extent of the misuse of narcotic and toxic substances among adolescents essentially increased. The rapid assessment of the situation with the intravenous use of drugs in Voronezh was carried out, following the WHO methodology. The conclusion was made concerning the necessity of complex sociological monitoring with a view to obtaining more reliable data on the number of drug addicts. The calculation of the supposed number of users in Voronezh among persons aged 15-30 years, made by three modules of assessment, revealed this number reached 61,374 persons, i.e. every fifth or sixth young person used some narcotic substances. The necessity of taking drastic measures on the primary prophylaxis of HIV infection among injecting drug users by creating conditions for the realization of the programs "Harm Reduction" and "Equal Helps Equal" which proved to be effective in other regions of the Russian Federation.

[Treatment of stable dysuria in women]. / Lechenie stoikoi dizurii u zhenshchin.

The authors analyse treatment results for 88 women suffering from stable dysuria (SD). 44 of them with diagnosis "proliferative cystitis" underwent TUR of the bladder mucosa. The rest were treated conventionally. Biopsy of the bladder was made in all the patients. It is shown that mechanisms of SD development lies in that developing metaplasia of the squamous epithelium prevents close contacts between the surface cells leading to urine penetration into the submucous layer. This provokes frequent and painful micturition. The area of the bladder triangle contains vaginal epithelium (embryological) which changes according to the menstrual phases. Dysuria is more pronounced in the premenstrual period, i.e. in the period of marked desquamation of the squamous epithelial. Desquamation of the surface layer of metaplastic squamous epithelium cells and its thinning ease urine diffusion via intercellular space to the nerves and muscles of the bladder detrusor, thus deteriorating clinical symptoms. Thus, pain in full bladder results from functional failure of metaplastic multilayer squamous epithelium. To eradicate SD in such a situation, TUR of the bladder is recommended.