[Determination of the mutagenic potential of inorganic compounds of some heavy metals].

The authors determined the mutagenic potential of inorganic compounds, such as tungsten, molybdenum, lead, and copper, as well as waste of a tungsten-molybdenum industrial complex engaged in the exploitation of tungsten and molybdenum deposits, and environmental components, by using a plant test system and species of wild flora. They were shown to be suitable for the determination of genotoxicity of the environment polluted with heavy metals.

[Analysis of morbidity in vicinity of a tungsten-molybdenum industrial complex].

Morbidity rates were analyzed in adults residing in vicinity of a tungsten-molybdenum industrial complex. The structure of morbidity was examined in relation to the physiological role of a number of heavy metals that are the priority contaminants in this area and with the habits of the residential population. The incidence of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, connective tissue, and respiratory organs was significantly higher in the area adjacent to the complex. In the mid-highlands, there are low incidence rates of circulatory, digestive, and urogenital diseases, and neoplasms as compared with the republican rates.

[Some approaches to evaluation of the mutagenic effect of industrial waste on the environment].

The mutagenic effect of an industrial enterprise (tungsten and molybdenum factory) was studied in three stages. At the first stage, the putative impact of the industrial sewage of the factory was studied using three plant test systems: Crepis capillaris L., Tradescantia sp. clone 02, and Glycine max (L.) Merill. It was found that the sewage increased the mutation level by a factor of 11-45. At the second stage, the rate of mutation was studied in the native vegetation growing on solid waste piles of the enterprise. It exceeded the corresponding index of uncontaminated areas by a factor of 2-4.5. At the third stage, the rates of children with birth defects and miscarriages were studied in the vicinity of the enterprise. The rate of miscarriages proved to be higher than the value averaged over the autonomous republic by a factor of 2.4. No change in the rate of birth defects was detected.

[The erythron system in body exposure to nitrogen oxides]. / Sistema éritrona pri vozdeistvii na organizm okislov azota.

AIM: Assessment of erythron parameters in subjects exposed occupationally to nitrogen oxides polluted air versus those who work in healthy environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Levels of red cells, reticulocytes, packed cell volume, resistance of red cell membranes to acid buffer were measured in 95 subjects working in polluted environment and 89 healthy controls. RESULTS: Long-term (10 years and longer) contact with nitrogases entails a tendency to lowering of red cell number in the exposed subjects, significant rise of packed cell volume, increased mean cell volume of red cells, anisocytosis and reticulocytosis, high acid resistance of red cells and their membrane permeability. The causes of these changes are discussed in terms of "uneffective erythropoiesis" conception. CONCLUSION: Thus, erythron parameters can serve for indication of toxic effects of some chemicals on human body.

[Luciferase synthesis regulation in Photobacterium mandapamensis]. / Reguliatsiia sinteza liutsiferazy u Photobacterium mandapamensis.

The synthesis of luciferase and the dynamics of luminescence were studied in the course of batch cultivation of the strain 54-K obtained from the wild strain of Photobacterium mandapamensis after numerous passages. Luciferase synthesis bvy the strain was not sensitive to the inhibitor contained in the growth medium and did not require the accumulation of an "audoinductor". Since the intensity of luminescence and the content of luciferase per cell did change, the bacterium seemed to possess an additional system for regulating the synthesis of luciferase which was independent of the "autoinductor" and the inhibitor.

[Ultrastructural organization of marine luminescent bacteria and their mutants]. / Osobennosti ul'trastrukturnoi organizatsii morskikh svetiashchikhsia bakterii i ikh mutantov.

The aim of this work was to study the submicroscopic organization of luminescent bacteria belonging to the genera Photobacterium and Lucibacterium as well as that of their "dark" mutants incapable of luminescence. The ultrastructural organization of all studied bacteria is typical of gram-negative species. The luminescent bacteria are characterized by the presence, in their cytoplasm, of osmophilic formations 22--110 nm in size. The cells of "dark" mutants accumulate volutin and contain complex membrane systems which are related to decelerated growth of the cultures.