Epidemiological evaluation of Neospora caninum in dairy animals

The purpose of the study is to explore the epidemiological information concerning the spread of neosporosis in the Moscow region (Russian Federation) and Almaty region (Republic of Kazakhstan). The study is conducted in 2019 in the Moscow region (Russian Federation) and Almaty region (Republic of Kazakhstan). The study sample includes 800 cows (400 animals at each of the two locations), 100 at each of the 4 cattle farms in the Moscow region and 100 at each of the 4 cattle farms in the Almaty region. There were more seropositive cows on the rest of farms as compared to farm No. 1: 1.9 times more on farm No. 2 (p ≤ 0.01), 2.4 times more on farm No. 3 (p ≤ 0.001), and almost 4 times more on farm No. 4 (p ≤ 0.0001). In terms of the abortion rates, the maximum difference between the farms was 5-fold in the Moscow region (p ≤ 0.0001) and 3-fold in the Almaty region (p ≤ 0.001). Positive correlations exist between all the studied parameters (the proportion of seropositive animals, the proportion of seroprevalent animals, the abortion rate, and the stillbirth rate). The results of the study are mainly extremely valuable for the global economy, because the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation occupy an important place in the export of meat and dairy products.(AU)

Efficacy and Safety of BCG Revaccination With M. bovis BCG Moscow to Prevent COVID-19 Infection in Health Care Workers: A Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial.

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, which is widely used to protect children against tuberculosis, can also improve immune response against viral infections. This unicentric, randomized-controlled clinical trial assessed the efficacy and safety of revaccination with BCG Moscow in reducing the positivity and symptoms of COVID-19 in health care workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs who had negative COVID-19 IgM and IgG and who dedicated at least eight hours per week in facilities that attended to individuals suspected of having COVID-19 were included in the study and were followed for 7, 15, 30, 60, and 180 days by telemedicine. The HCWs were randomly allocated to a revaccinated with BCG group, which received the BCG vaccine, or an unvaccinated group. Revaccination with BCG Moscow was found to be safe, and its efficacy ranged from 30.0% (95.0%CI -78.0 to 72.0%) to 31.0% (95.0%CI -74.0 to 74.0%). Mycobacterium bovis BCG Moscow did not induce NK cell activation at 15-20 days post-revaccination. As hypothesized, revaccination with BCG Moscow was associated with a lower incidence of COVID-19 positivity, though the results did not reach statistical significance. Further studies should be carried out to assess whether revaccination with BCG is able to protect HCWs against COVID-19. The protocol of this clinical trial was registered on August 5th, 2020, at REBEC (Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos, RBR-4kjqtg - ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4kjqtg/1) and the WHO (# U1111-1256-3892). The clinical trial protocol was approved by the Comissão Nacional de ética de pesquisa- CONEP (CAAE 31783720.0.0000.5078).

History of the E.I. Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology and Tropical Medicine: research on malaria and leishmaniasis.

This review presents the 100-year history of the Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology and Tropical Medicine in Moscow, Russia, starting with its foundation and early activities, and also describes the impact of its leading scientists, some of whom became internationally known. The institute headed a network of nine tropical institutes in the various Soviet republics from the 1920s to 1990. The extensive body of literature on the history and research accomplishments of this institute has mainly been published in Russian; our goal here is to introduce these achievements and this expertise to the international scientific and medical community, focusing on malaria and leishmaniasis and the development of measures to control and monitor these diseases in the USSR.

History of the E.I. Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology and Tropical Medicine: research on malaria and leishmaniasis / História do Instituto E.I. Martsinovsky de Parasitologia Médica e Medicina Tropical: pesquisa sobre malária e leishmaniose

Abstract This review presents the 100-year history of the Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology and Tropical Medicine in Moscow, Russia, starting with its foundation and early activities, and also describes the impact of its leading scientists, some of whom became internationally known. The institute headed a network of nine tropical institutes in the various Soviet republics from the 1920s to 1990. The extensive body of literature on the history and research accomplishments of this institute has mainly been published in Russian; our goal here is to introduce these achievements and this expertise to the international scientific and medical community, focusing on malaria and leishmaniasis and the development of measures to control and monitor these diseases in the USSR.

Resumo O artigo analisa a história centenária do Instituto Martsinovsky de Parasitologia Médica e Medicina Tropical em Moscou, Rússia, desde sua fundação e primeiras atividades, e descreve a influência de seus principais cientistas, alguns dos quais viriam a conquistar renome internacional. O instituto liderou uma rede de nove institutos tropicais em diversas repúblicas soviéticas entre as décadas de 1920 e 1990. A vasta literatura sobre o trabalho de história e pesquisa desse instituto foi publicada sobretudo em russo; nosso objetivo aqui é apresentar esse trabalho e conhecimento à comunidade médica e científica internacional, concentrando-se na malária e na leishmaniose e no avanço de medidas de controle e monitoramento dessas doenças na URSS.

Robotic rectal resection: preliminary Russian experience / Ressecção retal robótica: experiência preliminar russa

ABSTRACT Purpose: To outline the preliminary experience of the da Vinci® robotic system used in a Moscow tertiary colorectal referral center for an unselected range of benign and malignant rectal conditions. Methods: Prospective non-randomized single-center study which analyzed results of 26 robotic rectal resections performed between january 2014 and december 2016. Results: The cohort included 10 females and 16 males (mean total age 61.6 years). Three patients underwent surgery for benign rectal villous adenomas. The median overall ASA score was 4 (ranged from 2 to 5). Of the surgeries, there were 19 total mesorectal excisions with 6 patients undergoing a multivisceral resection. The mean operating time was 358 minutes with a mean blood loss of 203 mL. All total mesorectal excision specimens were adjudged according Philip Quirke classification as mesorectal plane - Grade 3 with a mean of 18.5 lymph nodes identified (from 12 to 35). Of these there were 10 patients (38.5%) with lymph node metastases. After surgery the average pain score was 2.1 out of 10 on the "Visual-Analogue Pain Intensity Scale" and 1.5 score out of 10 on the "Brief Pain Inventory with Quality of Life". Anal continency after rectal resection with total mesorectal excisions estimated according Wexner Scale: 10 days after surgery average score was -3.1 and a 6 month after surgery -1.6 score. The median length of hospital stay was 11 days (from 10 to 15). Conclusion: Our initial experience with a totally robotic rectal resection has shown the technique to be safe and feasible, particularly in patients where conventional laparoscopic rectal resection would be anticipated to be challenging.

RESUMO Objetivo: Delinear a experiência preliminar do sistema robótico da Vinci® usado em um centro de referência colorretal terciário de Moscou para uma gama não selecionada de problemas retais benignos e malignos. Métodos: Estudo unicêntrico prospectivo não randomizado que analisou os resultados de 26 ressecções retais robóticas realizadas entre janeiro de 2014 e dezembro de 2016. Resultados: A coorte incluiu 10 mulheres e 16 homens (idade total média de 61,6 anos). Três pacientes foram submetidos à cirurgia para adenomas vilosos retais benignos. O escore global mediano da ASA foi de 4 (variou de 2 a 5). Das cirurgias, houve 19 excisões mesorretais totais com 6 pacientes submetidos à ressecção multivisceral. O tempo médio de cirurgia foi de 358 minutos, com perda sanguínea média de 203 mL. Todas as amostras de excisão total do mesorreto foram classificadas de acordo com a classificação de Philip Quirke como plano mesorretal - Grau 3 com uma média de 18,5 linfonodos identificados (de 12 a 35). Destes, havia 10 pacientes (38,5%) com metástases linfonodais. Após a cirurgia, o escore médio de dor foi de 2,1 de 10 na Escala de Intensidade da Dor Visual-Analógica e de 1,5 de 10 no "Inventário Breve de Dor com Qualidade de Vida". Continência anal após ressecção retal com excisões totais mesorretais estimadas de acordo com a Escala de Wexner: 10 dias após a cirurgia o escore médio foi -3,1 e um escore de -1,6 após 6 meses da cirurgia. A mediana do tempo de internação foi de 11 dias (de 10 a 15). Conclusão: Nossa experiência inicial com uma ressecção retal totalmente robótica mostrou que a técnica é segura e viável, particularmente em pacientes nos quais a ressecção retal laparoscópica convencional seria prevista como um desafio.

Ícones russos ilustrando a relação mãe-bebê desdobramentos clínicos / Iconos rusos ilustrando la relación madre/hijo

Uma visita à exposição “500 ANOS DE ARTE RUSSA” resultou de início em uma crônica e posteriormente em uma reflexão sobre a relação mãe/bebê a partir da observação desses dois objetos culturais: os ícones e a crônica. Nesse trabalho, tais objetos serão tomados como ilustrações de uma relação que está nos alicerces da teoria do desenvolvimento emocional infantil, segundo Winnicott, e cujos desdobramentos estão presentes na clínica. A apreensão desse fenômeno a partir desse olhar determinará a postura terapêutica (AU)

[The antioxidative activity of drugs in the liver microsomal system of rats]. / Antiokislitel'naia aktivnost' nekotorykh lekarstv v mikrosomal'noi sisteme pecheni krys.

The antioxidative properties of drugs--diethylcarbamazine citrate--DECC, dipyridamole-DP, levamisole and labinzarit--have been investigated in various microsomal lipid peroxidation (LPO) models: NADPH-, ascorbate- and CCl4-dependent. The most strong antioxidant of direct action turned out to be DP, DECC exhibited the antioxidative properties as a result of metabolic activity in monooxygenases system of rat liver microsomes. Levamisole and labinzarit turned out to be weak antioxidants. The control of microsomal membrane stability against Fe(2+)-ADP, NADPH-induced LPO, after being isolated from rat liver after the action of CCl4 without and with DECC, showed that DECC protected microsomal membranes from CCl4 in vivo and they remained stable against LPO in vitro.

[Gas exchange and physical work capacity of natives of different geographical regions]. / Gazobmen i fizicheskaia rabotosposobnost' u urozhentsev razlichnykh geograficheskikh regionov.

A study was carried out to investigate exercise tolerance, gas exchange and external respiration of Latin-American students who lived in Moscow for a year. As controls Soviet students residing in and around Moscow were used. The above parameters were measured at a different time of the day in response to a hypercapnic exposure. Exercise tolerance was determined using the test PWC170. External respiration and gas exchange were investigated at rest and during 5 min exercises with a load of 1 and 2 Wt/kg body weight. CO2 sensitivity was determined by means of the rebreathing method. In the evening the Latin-American students showed a trend towards an increase of the cardiorespiratory activity and exercise tolerance. The Soviet students did not display changes in exercise tolerance. The Latin-American students showed an increase in the morning and a decrease in the evening of external respiration reactions. The Soviet students exhibited opposite variations. Direct alveolar measurements demonstrated an increase of pCO2 in the alveolar air in the Latin-American students in the evening and a decrease of the parameter in the Soviet students. It is suggested that cyclic changes in external respiration in response to hypercapnia are associated with exercise tolerance.