[Etiology of purulent-inflammatory processes in the genital tract: suspicions of clinicians and problems of laboratory confirmation.]

Despite the long history of the study, laboratory diagnosis of gonococcal infection remains a complex task that does not have a clearly regulated effective solution. Aim of investigation was to assess the species diversity of the microbiota of the genital tract of men and women with suspected acute genital gonococcal infection (AGGI) using test systems of Russian manufacturers. A study of samples of the contents of the urethra of 69 men and posterior vaginal fornix fluids of 33 women of reproductive age with characteristic clinical manifestations and a presumptive diagnosis of AGGI was made. Cultivation was carried out using elective culture media with subsequent identification of strains by biochemical properties. Detection of DNA of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Lactobacillus spp. performed by PCR using Vektor-Best and InterLab Service kits (Russia). All patients were divided into groups according to the results of the bacteriological method and PCR. A metagenomic study of 16S ribosomal RNA samples was performed on the Illumina MiSeq platform using the MiSeq Reagent Kits v3 kit (600-Cycle Kit). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using criterion x2. As a result of a laboratory study, the presumptive clinical diagnosis of «AGGI¼ found its bacteriological confirmation in 35.3% of cases only, among which fragments of the N. gonorrhoeae genome were detected in 63.9% of the samples only. Moreover, a wide variety of microorganisms in the genital tract of both men and women was found in metagenomic analysis. However, this technique does not allow us to assess the viability of the detected bacteria, and the microflora spectrum is excessively wide. In addition, the high level of genetic polymorphism of different strains of N. gonorrhoeae complicates the interpretation of the results. Deciphering the composition of microbiota allows the use of InterLab Service kits. The decoding of the etiology of purulent-inflammatory processes in the genital tract, which presents serious difficulties, is greatly facilitated by the use of Russian kits for molecular genetic analysis, which, in our opinion, provide the necessary and sufficient information for practice.

[Formation of biofilms bynosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains].

AIM: Analysis of biofilm forming ability of nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 148 P. aeruginosa strains were used in the study. Reference strain P. aeruginosa 27853 was used as control. Biofilm forming was studied on the surface of96-well polystyrol plate. RESULTS: Most of the P.aeruginosa strains isolated both in intensive care (75.5%) and in other units (76.8%) of all the health care institutions were forming films, but ICU group displayed high film forming activity more frequently. The highest indexes of biofilm forming ability were detected in strains isolated from washouts of catheters, sputum and wound discharge. A high correlation between film forming and haemolytic activity for cultures isolated from wound discharge (r = 0.852, p < 0.05) and sputum (r = 0.816, p < 0.05) was detected.IIn the latte rgroup a correlation between film forming and phospholipase activity (r = 0.677, p < 0.05) was also observed. Film forming process was more intensive at 20 degrees C in all the groups. In most of the cases intensity of film forming by P. aeruginosa was independent of the presence of metabolites and of other bacterial taxa. CONCLUSION: High film forming activity provides competitiveness of strains, and probably can be one of the markers of nosocomial isolates.

[Preclinical diagnostics and correction of the disturbed renal blood flow in the children presenting with diabetic nephropathy].

The present study included 86 children aged between 7 and 17 years with type 1 diabetes mellitus from 1 to 15 years in duration. In all the patients, renal blood flow was investigated with the use of ultrasonic dopplerography. The results of the study suggest disturbances of intrarenal hemodynamics that manifested themselves as enhanced resistance of renal arteries from periphery to the centre in the patients at the hyperfiltration stage of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in conjunction with the reduced velocity of blood flow in inter-lobular and segmental arteries. In contrast, the patients at the microalbuminuric stage of diabetic nephropathy exhibited increased resistance and reduced velocity of blood flow in the main renal veins. In 35 patients presenting with diabetic nephropathy, hemodynamic correction was achieved by the application of the traveling pulsed magnetic field (TP-MF) to the renal region using an AMO-ATOS-E apparatus (Russia). This treatment resulted in normalization of the characteristics of renal blood flow. It is concluded that TPMF has good prospects for the use as a component of the combined treatment of diabetic nephropathy.

[The population-and-species-specific structure of anopheles (diptera, culicidae) mosquitoes in the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany].

The authors studied the population-and-species-specific structure of malaria mosquitoes in the Upper Rhine valley, Germany. Four Anopheles mosquito species were identified. These included An. claviger, An. maculipennis, An. messeae, and An. plumbeus. The predominance coefficients of the species were determined. An. messeae is dominant; An. maculipennis is subdominant, An. plumbeus and An. claviger are rare. The latter two species are ecologically specialized and predominantly develop inthe biotopes that are inaccessible for dominant species. The karyotypes of An. messeae show a high variability in sex chromosome XL and a low rate of homo- and heterozygotes in 3R, inversion. The greatest species-specific and karyotypic variety of malaria mosquitoes is noted for large aquatic biotopes.

[Transcranial magnetotherapy for the correction of initial manifestations of diabetic retinopathy in children].

This study included 45 children at the age from 5 to 17 years with type I diabetes mellitus complicated by diabetic retinopathy. All the patients showed retinal thickening at the macula and reduced amplitude of local electroretinogram suggesting compromised capillary circulation. The capillary blood flow was corrected by transcranial magnetotherapy with the use of an AMO-ATOS Ogolovie unit. The results of the treatment were evaluated from characteristics of laser Doppler flometry. A course of transcranial magnetotherapy comprising 10 daily seances resulted in a significant increase of microcirculation index, respiratory rhythm, and myogenic tone (by 1.64, 1.35, and 1.16 times respectively). In addition, morphometric and electrophysiological properties of the retina underwent positive changes. Transcranial exposure to the traveling magnetic field is recommended for the correction of intraocular microcirculation and prevention of diabetic macular oedema.

[Experimental study of an antirabies vaccine from sheep brain tissue inactivated by UV rays (author's transl)]. / Eksperimental'noe izuchenie antirabicheskoi vaktsiny iz mozgovoi tkani ovets, inaktivirovannoi UF-luchami

The optimal regimen of sheep brain rabies vaccine inactivation with UV rays has been developed. The immunogenic activity of 22 experimental lots of UV-inactivated rabies vaccine was found to be considerably higher than that of commercial Fermi vaccine. The antigenic activity of the inactivated vaccine in animals was also high.

[Autogeny in populations of blood-sucking mosquitoes (Culicidae) on the southern Yamal]. / Avtogennost' v populiatsiiakh krovososushchikh komarov na Iuzhnom Iamale (Culicidae).

After three-year studies a degree of autogeny in populations of Aedes communis. A. pullatus and A. hexodontus was defined. In various seasons a share of autogenous females in A. communis was stable enough amounting to 30-37%. At the same time considerable variations in the degree of autogeny in some micropopulations of this species were observed. Variations in the ratio between autogenous and non-autogenous individuals reflect a dissimilar effect of varied combinations of ecological factors upon larvae of mosquitoes.

[Swarming of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes (Culicidae) in the forest tundra]. / O roenii komarov roda Aedes (Culicidae) v lesotundre

Observations on the swarming of mosquitoes were conducted in the flood plain forest of South Yamal (67 degrees N.L.). The individuals of A. communis made 83 to 94% of the swarming males. Their number in swarms varied from 30 to 800 specimens. The dynamics of the swarming males number depends on the rate of their emergence from the pupae. At the mass emergence the number of swarming males was 3 times higher though the increase in the general size of the population was negligible. Synchronization of the swarming time of males was also favoured by warm windless weather.

[Change in lipid peroxidation depending on hormonal reactions during lengthy electric stimulation of the rabbit hypothalamic dorsomedial nucleus]. / Izmenenie perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov v zavisimosti ot gormonal'nykh reaktsii pri dlitel'noi élektrostimuliatsii dorsomedial'nykh iader gipotalamusa krolikov.

A model of chronic emotional stress (ES) induced by electrostimulation of the hypothalamic dorsomedial nucleus in 69 rabbits was used to examine the relationship of blood hormonal changes and lipid peroxidation (LPO) activity in blood and myocardial cells. The elevated concentrations of stress hormones at the initial stages of chronic ES (the first 2 series) caused LPO with high activities of antioxidative enzymes (AOEs). The subsequent stages of chronic ES (from 60 to 120 days) were associated with the decreased role of major stress hormones (adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, catecholamines) and the increased significance of parathyroid hormone and active renin (angiotensin I). A significant direct correlation was found between the blood level of these hormones and the rate of LPO in the myocardium and blood. At the same time the activity of AOEs progressively decreased and all rabbits exhibited myocardial cell necrotic foci.

[Determination of kinetic parameters lymphocyte populations in cows with chronic lymphocytic leukemia]. / Opredelenie kineticheskikh parametrov populiatsii limfotsitov korov pri khonicheskom limfolekoze.

We analyzed changes in the number of lymphocytes in the blood of cows with chronic lymphoid leukemia using the Gomperts equation of population dynamics. The parameters of this equation were determined. Coefficients beta and gamma proved to be the most variable. The former reflects the delay and the latter characterizes the maximum rate of growth of the lymphocyte population. According to these parameters, three groups of animals were distinguished with different kinetics of leucosis and different correlations between immuno-hematological indices.

[Comparative characteristics of lymphocyte proteolytic enzymes in normal conditions and in chronic lymphoid leukemia]. / Sravnitel'naia kharakteristika proteoliticheskikh fermentov limfotsitov v norme i pri khronicheskon leikoze.

Proteolytic activity was estimated in lymphocyte lysates of cattle in normal state and in chronic lympholeukosis using 3H-acetylated casein (pH 7.4) and 3H-acetylated hemoglobin (pH 4.0) as substrates. Distinct individual variations in the enzymatic activity were observed either in neutral or slightly-acid media in the animal groups studied. In chronic lympholeukosis specific proteolytic activity, calculated per a cell, was decreased, while it was increased in calculation per a mg of protein. The lower content of protein (about 2.4-fold) was found in lysates of lymphocytes in chronic lympholeukosis as compared with normal state. An increase in proteolytic activity in lymphocyte lysates correlated with elevation of blood leukocytosis if chronic lympholeukosis developed in individual animals. Effects of a number of proteinase inhibitors and activators were studied in the cell lysates; the spectrum of proteinases in chronic lympholeukosis was dissimilar to that of normal state. Pepstatin inhibited quite completely the proteolytic activity at pH 4.0 in lymphocytes of healthy animals and hence cathepsin D was responsible for the activity; in chronic lympholeukosis, except of cathepsin D, thiol-dependent proteinase was also detected. Activity of proteinases at neutral pH value in lymphocytes of healthy and impaired animals was inhibited by phenylmethionine fluorosulfate and p-chloromercuribenzoate, thus suggesting that serine and thiol-dependent proteinases were present; the level of these enzymes was distinctly higher in chronic lympholeukosis as compared with normal state.

[Hepatic status in convalescent patients after hemorrhagic fever with the kidney syndrome]. / Sostoianie pecheni u rekonvalestsentov gemorragicheskoi likhoradki s pochechnym sindromom.

The assessment of hepatic function by some clinicobiochemical parameters and kinetics of rose-bengal-I-131 in 70 reconvalescents after hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome indicated impairment of hepatic function, especially in those who had preexisting hepatobiliary disease.

[Transcranial magnetic electro-stimulation with alternate action on brain hemispheres in the correction of cerebral disturbances in children with diabetes mellitus type 1].

Correction of psychoemotional and autonomic disturbances in children 7-17 years old with diabetes mellitus type 1 was conducted using transcranial magnetic electro-stimulation with alternate action on brain hemispheres (main group, 42 patients). The method includes the combined action of magnetic field pulses and series of electric impulses; magnetic and electric stimulation were performed synchronously - at first, on one brain hemisphere, then on another hemisphere with alternation frequency 9.5-10.5 Hz. A comparison group consisted of 44 patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 who received physiotherapeutic treatment as a combination of transcranial magnetic therapy and electro-stimulation with simultaneous action on both brain hemispheres. Treatment duration was 10 sessions. Treatment efficacy was assessed by the decrease in frequency and intensity of complaints, improvement of patient's health status measured (a scale for assessment of activity, health perception and mood) and improvement of the status of the autonomic nervous system (Vein's questionnaire), mental sphere (the Luscher color test) and cognitive traits (The Concentrated Attention Test of the Toulouse-Pierron Factorial Battery). The status of the autonomic nervous system was evaluated before and after the treatment using cardiointervalography. Brain bioelectrical activity was assessed using encephalography. Significant reduction of autonomic, psychoemotional and cognitive disturbances, normalization of brain bioelectrical activity due to the α-rhythm organization and arrhythmia removal were identified in the main group after the treatment. No adverse effects of this physiotherapeutic treatment was found.

Non-pharmacological correction of impaired microcirculation in children with diabetic polyneuropathy.

A total of 25 boys and 20 girls aged 5-17 years with type I diabetes mellitus and disease durations of 2-10 years were studied. All had diabetic polyneuropathy. The microcirculation was studied by laser Doppler flowmetry. Treatment consisted of using a running impulse magnetic field. This method was found to be effective in diabetic polyneuropathy with the running field along the limb towards the periphery at a run velocity (field modulation frequency) being a multiple of the nerve fiber spike conduction velocity.