[Embryogenesis of the Japanese quail in hypomagnetic conditions applied to deep space flights].

During future interplanetary flights and on the lunar base, astronauts and bioregenerative systems on the space ship will occur in an interplanetary magnetic field, which is much lower than the habitual geomagnetic field (GMF). It is known that hypomagnetic conditions have an adverse biological effect on human beings and other living systems. In our research the Japanese quail has been chosen as one of the possible elements of the bioregenerative live support system. The magnetic system--Helmholtz's coils--is used for compensation of GMF. The GMF in the center of Helmholtz's coils was decreased to 80-100 times. The eggs were kept under hypomagnetic conditions for 4 and 10 days in a special nonmagnetic incubator. The experiments have demonstrated a negative influence of hypomagnetic fields on the embryo development of the Japanese quail. One of the possible ways to solve the problem consists in installing special magnetic systems onboard the interplanetary ship and a lunar base. Evidently, it is necessary to create an analogue of GMF for bioregenerative live support systems.

[The first experience with the use of divozilimab in the treatment of multiple sclerosis patients in daily clinical practice]. / Pervyi opyt primeneniya divozilimaba dlya lecheniya patsientov s rasseyannym sklerozom v povsednevnoi klinicheskoi praktike.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of divozilimab in patients who have received post-marketing treatment and participants of clinical trials BCD-132-2 and BCD-132-4 were conducted at the IHB RAS. Additionally, we will present a case report of divozilimab therapy in a patient with highly active multiple sclerosis (MS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 27 patients with MS. We assessed the dynamics of neurological status, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and disability level during divozilimab treatment. We also analyzed the incidence and severity of adverse events (AE), including infusion reactions. RESULTS: During treatment with divozilimab, no exacerbations or radiological disease activity were observed after the first six months. Complete clinical remission was achieved in 25 patients. All 12 patients who received the drug as part of post-marketing use met the NEDA-3 criteria, and five of them showed improvement. Most AE were mild, none exceeding grade 3 according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Laboratory parameter changes were also mild and did not exceed I-II grade according to CTCAE. There were no instances of therapy discontinuation due to intolerance. CONCLUSION: The data from post-registration use of divozilimab confirm the results of clinical trials, showing high efficacy of the drug with a predictable and favorable safety profile.

Radionuclide production at the Russia State Scientific Center, RIAR.

Radionuclide production capabilities of the Russia State Scientific Center, the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (RIAR) are reviewed. Radionuclides routinely produced are as follows: transplutonium elements 243Am, 244-248Cm, 249Bk, 249Cf, 252Cf and high specific activity radionuclides 153Gd, 33P, 113,119mSn, 188W, 63Ni, 55,59Fe, 51Cr, 54Mn, 89Sr. Other HSA radionuclides (133Ba, 65Zn, 124Sb, 45Ca, 60Co, 192Ir, 169Yb, 170Tm, 75Se) are also available from RIAR. Besides radioactive preparations RIAR produces ionising neutron (252Cf), gamma (60Co, 192Ir, 75Se, 153Gd) and alpha (244Cm) sources for medicine, industry and research. A short description of the technology developed is presented.

[Effects of high energy charged particles on conduction of nerve rhythmic excitation]. / Vliianie oblucheniia chastitsami vysokoi énergii na provedenie ritmicheskogo vozbuzhdeniia v nerve.

The effects of heavy charged particles--alpha-particles and deuterons accelerated by cyclotron to the energies of 30.3 and 15.4 MeV accordingly--on nerve's excitability (amplitude of an action potential (AP) and speed of AP propogation has been studied. The local irradiation of a little segments of nerve by particles having high LET has been used. The differences in dose curves of AP parameters were detected both during the influence of particles, and during the influence of particles on a nerve treated with isopropyl alcohol. The results showed the AP amplitude reducing that was more expressed in case of alpha-particles, and the AP speed decreasing that was more expressed in case of deuterons. During irradiation, the AP blocked by isopropyl alcohol was rehabilitated, and then was disappeared irreversible. The injury of nerve during irradiation had local character and did not influence on neighbor non-irradiated regions.

[Automated unit complex for analyzing biomedical signals in a mass population screening system]. / Avtomatizirovannyi kompleks dlia analiza biomeditsinskikh signalov v sisteme massovykh obsledovanii naseleniia.

Some features of automating processes of biomedical signal analysis are considered. An actual complex of algorithms and programs realized on the homemade hardware is taken as an example. Practical recommendations to improve similar complexes being in current use in outpatient clinics are given.

[The epidemic situation of tuberculosis in the Tver Region]. / Epidemicheskaia situatsiia po tuberkulezu v Tverskoi oblasti.

Mathematical analysis of the basic parameters was used to trace a trend in the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in the Tver Region. Unfavorable shifts were noted in the increase of the prevalence, incidence, and mortality of tuberculosis among children and adolescents, and a rise in the reservoir of tuberculous infection. New approaches to improving the epidemiological situation by integrating the phthisiological service and general health care facilities, by enhancing a role of a family physician, by applying informational systems for monitoring the epidemic situation, and by introducing the adapted international strategies, WHO recommendations have been developed for the treatment of patients and tested. It is suggested that the tuberculosis-controlling service should closely interact with governmental bodies, social and religious organizations, and the mass media for the optimization of tuberculosis control at a regional level.

[Fast direct method of obtaining metaphase and prometaphase chromosomes from chorion biopsy cells and human embryos during the lst semester of pregnancy]. / Uskorennyi priamoi metod polucheniia metafaznykh i prometafaznykh khromosom iz kletok bioptata khoriona i émbrionov cheloveka v pervom trimestre beremennosti.

Samples of chorionic villi and embryonic tissues (brain, brain--sheaths) are thoroughly washed with Hank's solution, immediately subjected to hypotonic treatment (0.9% sodium citrate plus few drops of 0.01% colchicine) 37 degrees C, 30 min, prefixed 20 min with equal amount of standard fixative mixture, twice fixed in standard fixative solution (1 hour, -10 degrees C), hydrated with equal volume of distilled water (5-10 min), dried, macerated directly on the slide with 60% acetic acid. The cell suspension is then evenly spread on the slide surface, dried, postfixed and stained. The method provides sufficient amount of metaphase and prometaphase mitotic plates suitable for differentiating staining in 1.5-2 hours after sampling and might be recommended for routine chromosomal analysis in prenatal diagnosis of inherited diseases during early pregnancy.

[Cytogenetic analysis of chorionic biopsy samples in prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities]. / Tsitogeneticheskii analiz biotatov khoriona v prenatal'noi diagnostike khromosomnykh boleznei.

Using original direct methods of shaking-imprinting and rapid sampling of metaphase and prometaphase chromosomes, a cytogenetic analysis has been performed in 80 diagnostic chorionic villus samples (CVS) in the first trimester. Chromosomal disorders were identified in 6 (7.5%) fetuses: Down's syndrome in 4, monosomy 18 in 1, and a short-arm deletion of chromosome 18 in 1. These pregnancies were terminated. The paper offers opportunities for reducing risks of transcervical CVS and widely applying first-trimester chromosomal analysis in a program of mass screening for chromosomal and genetic diseases.

Five years' experience of prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis in the former U.S.S.R.

From a total of 490 cystic fibrosis (CF) high-risk families under supervision (mostly Russian Slavs from the European part of the country), DNA data including both direct screening for some CF gene (CFTR) mutations (delF508, G551D and 1677delTA) and allelic polymorphism studies with tightly CF linked DNA markers were collected from 261 families. All full families (129) and 86 CF families with a decreased index child were found to be either fully (42 per cent) or partially (40 per cent) informative for DNA analysis. Prenatal diagnosis (PD) was carried out in 161 CF families. Microvillar enzyme (MVE) assay was applied to all 140 PD at the second trimester either as a single test (88) or in conjunction with DNA analysis (52). The frequency of false-negative results of the MVE assay was 1.3 per cent and that of false-positive results, as judged by the albumin meconium test, was 5.0 per cent. Ambiguous results of MVE analysis were found in 30 cases, 12 of which were verified by DNA analysis. Molecular diagnosis of CF at the first trimester was carried out in 21 cases and four pregnancies were terminated. Altogether, 39 pregnancies with a predicted high risk of CF fetuses were terminated. The low average frequency of delF508 in CF chromosomes of Russian Slavs (50 per cent), its remarkable inter-population variation, and the significant proportion of at-risk families without an affected child determine the necessity of combined molecular and biochemical (MVE assay) approaches for efficient prenatal diagnosis of CF in the former U.S.S.R.

Dystrophin gene analysis and prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Russia.

Of 126 families referred for counselling of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), DNA analysis has been suggested to 119 families with at least one affected child or with an affected close male relative of the woman at risk of being a DMD carrier. A large proportion (about 80 per cent) of the families were represented by sporadic cases (only one affected individual). By means of multiplex polymerase chain reactions with different sets of oligoprimers providing amplification of 10-11 different exons, altogether 49 dystrophin gene deletions were identified (41 per cent). Eighteen deletions clustered in the 5' 'hot spot' region of DMD cDNA and 36 in the distal half of the central rod domain around exons 43-53. An unusually high frequency (18 per cent) of deletions involving exons 17-19 was discovered. Large deletions extending through both 'hot spot' regions and thus occupying over 30-40 exons were recorded in five cases (10 per cent). Seventy-six of 94 families were found to be informative by RFLP analysis for intragenic or extragenetic DNA probes. Carrier status was ascertained in 20 and rejected in 32 female relatives in 40 DMD families. Eight DMD-affected fetuses were diagnosed prenatally by direct deletion testing or by RFLP analysis. Feasible interpopulation variations in the dystrophin gene deletion pattern are discussed. The prospects for more effective prenatal diagnosis and carrier detection in high-risk DMD families in Russia are briefly outlined.