[Vibrational spectroscopy use for forensic purposes combined with machine learning]. / Ispol'zovanie kolebatel'noi spektroskopii v sochetanii s mashinnym obucheniem dlya zadach sudebnoi meditsiny.

Vibrational spectroscopy combined with machine learning has a great potential for forensic research. Portable Raman spectrometers are already being used by law-enforcement agencies to identify drugs. Several new technologies based on vibrational spectroscopy, that can be used in forensic science to analyze documents, gunshot traces, cloths, soil, hair, nails and lacquer, are being developed nowadays. The article considers the use of vibrational spectroscopy in forensic practice for conducting serological studies with an emphasis on the development of a universal method of identifying the main secretions of the body. The method allows to determine the time elapsed since the trace was made, as well as the phenotypic profile of host, including sex, race and age.

[Forensic assessment of neck organs alterations in hanging depending on the noose position]. / Sudebno-meditsinskaya otsenka izmenenii v organokomplekse shei pri poveshenii v zavisimosti ot polozheniya petli.

OBJECTIVE: To reveal statistical patterns in the localization of alterations in organs and tissues of the neck in hanging depending on the noose location. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study 222 forensic examination reports of corpses of those who died from hanging, conducted in the Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise of Moscow Oblast for 2019, were investigated. Standard methods of mathematical statistics, including Mann-Whitney U Test and the Fisher's Exact Test, were used for calculations. Sex and age characteristics of hanging cases were given. RESULTS: Retrospective statistical analysis has shown that the pattern of injuries revealed in organs and tissues of the neck both depends (in cases of Amussat's sign) and does not depend (in cases of hemorrhages in the legs of sternocleidomastoid muscle, fractures of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage, Martin's sign) on the noose position. CONCLUSION: The obtained results can be used to develop measures aimed at improving the quality of forensic examination of hanging cases.

[Forensic characteristic of sudden death cases in subjects with metabolic syndrome]. / Sudebno-meditsinskaya kharakteristika sluchaev vnezapnoi smerti lits s metabolicheskim sindromom.

Comparing pace and standard of living of the world population these days and in the end of the last century, it's quiet true that there has been a significant increase. Therewith, the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases has increased in recent decades. Scientists around the world attribute this fact to the increase in the number of people with overweight and other metabolic disorders. Unhealthy lifestyle, namely unbalanced diet, stress, bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse) leads to metabolic disorders and metabolic syndrome development, that, in turn, can be the main risk factor for complications of associated diseases leading to fatal outcome. The present study gives a forensic description of sudden death in metabolic syndrome, its pathomorphological features were investigated, the causes of death were shown, as well as their relationship with biochemical abnormalities in the body.

[Forensic assessment of meteorological conditions as risk factors of sudden death from arterial hypertension]. / Sudebno-meditsinskaya otsenka meteouslovii v kachestve faktorov riska vnezapnoi smerti pri gipertonicheskoi bolezni.

Arterial hypertension is a disease that significantly increases the risk of sudden death in different age groups. It is of high scientific interest to study the relationship of arterial hypertension manifestations with different weather conditions. The article provides a review of literature data on the variability of arterial hypertension course depending on meteorological conditions as a risk factor for sudden death.

[Professor Dmitry Egorovich Min - physician and poet]. / Professor Dmitrii Egorovich Min ­ medik i poet.

Dmitry Egorovich Min is an outstanding pathologist, forensic physician and hygienist of the Russian Empire, a prominent public figure, professor and vice-rector of the Imperial Moscow University, an outstanding poet-translator and one of the founders of the Russian school of forensic medicine. This article discusses the biography of D.E. Min, his merits and accomplishments in labor and creative activity.

Concerning the enigmatic cytochrome b-559 of oxygenic photosynthesis.

Although there is an extensive literature on the properties and possible electron transfer pathways of cytochrome b-559, which is a prominent subunit of the multi-subunit photosystem II complex which functions in oxygenic photosynthesis, there is presently no consensus on the function of b-559 in the photosynthetic electron transport chain. The inability in earlier times to define a redox-linked function of this cytochrome was, to a large extent, a consequence of an absence of biochemical and structure information to complement an extensive array of spectrophotometric studies of the cytochrome in situ. Based on the location of hetero-dimeric b-559 in the photosystem II reaction center complex, derived from crystal crystallographic structure analysis, and the absence of a necessary redox function for the cytochrome in PSII, it is proposed that the main function of cytochrome b-559 is linked to its role as a structure component in the PSII reaction center complex. This function resides in the association of b-559 through its heme histidine residues in the trans-membrane domains of the PsbE and PsbF subunits of the PSII reaction center. These subunits, along with PsbJ, are inferred, from the analysis of structure, to define the intra-membrane portal in the PSII reaction center for plastoquinol (PQH2) export which, through the PSII complex, provides the redox link to the cytochrome b6f complex in the electron transfer chain.

On mechanisms of colicin import: the outer membrane quandary.

Current problems in the understanding of colicin import across the Escherichia coli outer membrane (OM), involving a range of cytotoxic mechanisms, are discussed: (I) Crystal structure analysis of colicin E3 (RNAase) with bound OM vitamin B12 receptor, BtuB, and of the N-terminal translocation (T) domain of E3 and E9 (DNAase) inserted into the OM OmpF porin, provide details of the initial interaction of the colicin central receptor (R)- and N-terminal T-domain with OM receptors/translocators. (II) Features of the translocon include: (a) high-affinity (Kd ≈ 10-9 M) binding of the E3 receptor-binding R-domain E3 to BtuB; (b) insertion of disordered colicin N-terminal domain into the OmpF trimer; (c) binding of the N-terminus, documented for colicin E9, to the TolB protein on the periplasmic side of OmpF. Reinsertion of the colicin N-terminus into the second of the three pores in OmpF implies a colicin anchor site on the periplasmic side of OmpF. (III) Studies on the insertion of nuclease colicins into the cytoplasmic compartment imply that translocation proceeds via the C-terminal catalytic domain, proposed here to insert through the unoccupied third pore of the OmpF trimer, consistent with in vitro occlusion of OmpF channels by the isolated E3 C-terminal domain. (IV) Discussion of channel-forming colicins focuses mainly on colicin E1 for which BtuB is receptor and the OM TolC protein the proposed translocator. The ability of TolC, part of a multidrug efflux pump, for which there is no precedent for an import function, to provide a trans-periplasmic import pathway for colicin E1, is questioned on the basis of an unfavorable hairpin conformation of colicin N-terminal peptides inserted into TolC.

[The role of the vascular surgeon in improvement of organization of dialysis help]. / Rol' angiokhirurga v uluchshenii organizatsii dializnoi pomoshchi.

Analysed herein are one-year results of formation of arteriovenous fistulas in 109 patients with end-stage chronic renal failure, as well as therapeutic decision-making after angiosurgical counselling of 144 patients presenting with 'problem' permanent vascular accesses. The counselling and formation of arteriovenous fistulas were carried out in conditions of interdepartmental collaboration between outpatient centres dealing with haemodialysis and vascular surgeons specialized in ultrasound mapping of peripheral vessels and performing different variants of arteriovenous fistulas. The angiosurgical care was as close to the patient as possible. Of the 109 operated patients, primary arteriovenous fistulas were made in 46 (42.2%) cases, secondary AVF - in 27 (24.8%) cases, and reconstruction of AVF - in 36 (33.0%) cases. Of the 144 patients with 'problem' permanent vascular assesses, correction of arteriovenous fistulas turned out impossible in 13 (9.1%). In the remaining 131 (90.9%) patients there was a possibility of different variants of open reconstruction of arteriovenous fistulas or performing angioplasty. Active policy of vascular surgeons in interdepartmental collaboration with nephrologists made it possible to bridge over the difficulties of patients routing which resulted in reduction of the terms of formation of arteriovenous fistulas by 2 months. Preventive arteriovenous fistulas were carried out in 17.4% of cases of primary permanent vascular assesses. During a year after formation of permanent vascular accesses, the number of patients with vascular catheters in ambulatory centres decreased from 22 to 17%. These positive changes in organization of the dialysis treatment made it possible to reduce the risks of infectious complications, to obtain adequate blood flow characteristics for haemodialysis procedures, as well as to decrease financial expenses and labour costs for AVF care.

[The sudden death among the young persons under effect of the different forms of physical loads]. / Vnezapnaia smert' lits molodogo vozrasta pri razlichnykh vidakh fizicheskoi nagruzki.

The present review of the literature publications concerns the problem of sudden death (SD) among the young persons under effect of the different forms of physical loads. The statistical data on the frequency of sudden death are presented together with information about risk factors of SD, the morphological substrates and structural changes that promote death coming. The cases of sudden death among the young persons associated with the amateur sports activities and the professional sport of records are presented. The role of physical exercises and psycho-emotional stresses in the development of the terminal processes is considered with special reference to the risk factors and genetic predisposition to sudden cardiac death, largely among male athletes. The questions of sudden death in connection with cardiac pathologies as its main causes are discussed.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism affects the outcome of methanol poisoning in exposed humans.

As the susceptibility of humans to xenobiotics often depends on genetic factors, we assumed that ADH1B and ALDH2 genetic variants may affect susceptibility to the acute methanol exposure. To evaluate the role of genetic variants of enzymes involved in methanol catabolism in humans, we analysed ADH1B (rs1229984) and ALDH2 (rs441) polymorphisms in 50 adults who survived acute methanol poisoning, 246 individuals with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and in 545 healthy controls. GG homozygotes of ADH1B were more common among methanol-poisoned patients (98%) and among patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (98%) than among healthy controls (90%) (P = 0.08 and < 0.001, respectively). Minor C allele carriers of the ALDH2 were significantly more common among methanol-poisoned persons (46%) than among patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis or healthy controls (31% in both groups, P < 0.05 and 0.025, respectively); the odds ratios were 1.89 (95% CI 1.02-3.52) and 1.94 (1.08-3.48), respectively. As there was a substantial amount of subjects with alcohol abuse between both groups of patients, ADH1B is unlikely to affect the susceptibility to methanol poisoning. By contrast, the genetic variant of the ALDH2 enzyme seems to specifically affect the susceptibility to methanol in acutely exposed humans and potentially plays a role in the outcome of methanol poisoning.

Markers of oxidative damage of nucleic acids and proteins among workers exposed to TiO2 (nano) particles.

OBJECTIVE: The use of nanotechnology is growing enormously and occupational physicians have an increasing interest in evaluating potential hazards and finding biomarkers of effect in workers exposed to nanoparticles. METHODS: A study was carried out with 36 workers exposed to (nano)TiO2 pigment and 45 controls. Condensate (EBC) titanium and markers of oxidation of nucleic acids (including 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHG), 5-hydroxymethyl uracil (5-OHMeU)) and proteins (such as o-tyrosine (o-Tyr), 3-chlorotyrosine (3-ClTyr) and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NOTyr)) were analysed from samples of their exhaled breath. RESULTS: In the production workshops, the median total mass 2012 and 2013 TiO2 concentrations were 0.65 and 0.40 mg/m(3), respectively. The median numbers of concentrations measured by the scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) were 1.98 × 10(4) and 2.32 × 10(4) particles/cm(3), respectively; and about 80% of those particles were smaller than 100 nm in diameter. In the research workspace, lower aerosol concentrations (0.16 mg/m(3) and 1.32 × 10(4) particles/cm(3)) were found. Titanium in the EBC was significantly higher in production workers (p<0.001) than in research workers and unexposed controls. Accordingly, most EBC oxidative stress markers, including in the preshift samples, were higher in production workers than in the two other groups. Multiple regression analysis confirmed an association between the production of TiO2 and the levels of studied biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of titanium in EBC may serve as a direct exposure marker in workers producing TiO2 pigment; the markers of oxidative stress reflect the local biological effect of (nano)TiO2 in the respiratory tract of the exposed workers.

Sudden death in cancer pathology forensic-medical characteristics.

The article presents a review of references on causes of sudden death of persons suffering from oncological diseases. The paper describes the main mechanisms of sudden death of persons with cancer who are subjected to forensic-medical research. Data on the structure of sudden death for the last 10 years are demonstrated. The authors have identified the increase of a number of sudden deaths in the group with oncological pathology 2. 2 times more in comparison with 2005. There are showed peculiarities of forensic-medical diagnostics of reasons of sudden death in cancer.

[Inhibition of NF-kB Activation Decreases Resistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells to TRAIL-induced Apoptosis in Multicellular Aggregates].

Suppression of resistance in acute myeloid leukemia cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in multicellular aggregates, was studied using small molecule inhibitors of the activation of the transcription factor NF-kB - NF-k9 Activation Inhibitor IV and JSH-23 at non-toxic concentrations. NF-kB Activation Inhibitor IV and JSH-23 reduced resistance in the acute myeloid leukemia cells in multicellular aggregates to cytotoxic action of recombinant protein izTRAIL. It is shown that the use of these inhibitors decreased the phosphorylation of the RelA (p65) as a main marker activation of the transcription factor NF-kB. We discuss a possible reason for increasing resistance in acute myeloid leukemia cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in multicellular aggregates.

[Ortho/para spin-isomers of H2O molecules as a factor responsible for formation of two structural motifs in water].

According to the last results obtained by small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray spectroscopy it was suggested that water within the nanometer scale represents a fluctuating mixture of clusters with tetrahedral structure and a subphase with partially broken hydrogen bonds whereas the nuclear configuration of the H20 molecule corresponds to single tetrahedral coordination. The basic reason of such structural partition is not clear until now. Here we show that it can be associated with the existence of two nuclear H2O spin-isomers which have different probability to be in one or another subphase. The para-molecule can transfer an excess of its rotational energy to the environment up to the complete stopping of rotation because its rotational quantum number J = 0 in the basic state. This property is favorable for the formation of clusters with closed H-bonds. Ortho-molecules with odd-numbered J states lack for this property and thus should be predominantly present in the surrounding with distorted bonds.

Membrane proteins in four acts: function precedes structure determination.

Studies on four membrane protein systems, which combine information derived from crystal structures and biophysical studies have emphasized, as a precursor to crystallization, demonstration of functional activity. These assays have relied on sensitive spectrophotometric, electrophysiological, and microbiological assays of activity to select purification procedures that lead to functional complexes and with greater likelihood to successful crystallization: (I), Hetero-oligomeric proteins involved in electron transport/proton translocation. (1) Crystal structures of the eight subunit hetero-oligomeric trans-membrane dimeric cytochrome b(6)f complex were obtained from cyanobacteria using a protocol that allowed an analysis of the structure and function of internal lipids at specific intra-membrane, intra-protein sites. Proteolysis and monomerization that inactivated the complex and prevented crystallization was minimized through the use of filamentous cyanobacterial strains that seem to have a different set of membrane-active proteases. (2) An NADPH-quinone oxido-reductase isolated from cyanobacteria contains an expanded set of 17 monotopic and polytopic hetero-subunits. (II) ß-Barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs). High resolution structures of the vitamin B(12) binding protein, BtuB, solved in meso and in surfo, provide the best example of the differences in such structures that were anticipated in the first application of the lipid cubic phase to membrane proteins [1]. A structure of the complex of BtuB with the colicin E3 and E2 receptor binding domain established a "fishing pole" model for outer membrane receptor function in cellular import of nuclease colicins. (III) A modified faster purification procedure contributed to significantly improved resolution (1.83Å) of the universal porin, OmpF, the first membrane protein for which meaningful 3D crystals have been obtained [2]. A crystal structure of the N-terminal translocation domain of colicin E3 complexed to OmpF established the role of OmpF as an import channel for colicin nuclease cytotoxins. (IV) α-Synuclein, associated with the etiology of Parkinson's Disease, is an example of a protein, which is soluble and disordered in solution, but which can assume an ordered predominantly α-helical conformation upon binding to membranes. When subjected in its membrane-bound form to a trans-membrane electrical potential, α-synuclein can form voltage-gated ion channels. Summary of methods to assay functions/activities: (i) sensitive spectrophotometric assay to measure electron transfer activities; (ii) hydrophobic chromatography to deplete lipids, allowing reconstitution with specific lipids for studies on lipid-protein interactions; (iii) microbiological screen to assay high affinity binding of colicin receptor domains to Escherichia coli outer membrane receptors; (iv) electrophysiology/channel analysis (a) to select channel-occluding ligands for co-crystallization with ion channels of OmpF, and (b) to provide a unique description of voltage-gated ion channels of α-synuclein.

[Water: nanostructure and fluctuations].

Recently a model of local organization of water was experimentally justified, in which tetrahedrally coordinated water clusters of 1-2 nanometers arise and disappear in liquid composed of H2O molecules with partially broken hydrogen bonds [1, 2]. Here we show that the clusters can oscillate between two structural forms, of which one is common hexagonal ice Ih whereas another is formed of the modules participating in formation of hydration shells of biomolecules. It is suggested that such self-oscillations are responsible for observable fluctuations of various physical and chemical parameters of water.

[A structural criterion for the biological compatibility of materials].

The principles of searching and selection of the polymeric materials compatible with biological tissues are offered, based on structural features of the hydration shells of biopolymers.

[Structural compatibility of hydration shells as a criterion of mutual recognition of reacting biomolecules].

Before a biochemical reaction begins to occur reagents need to recognize each other. To explain the recognition mechanism the "key-lock" hypothesis has been proposed at the end of the nineteenth century. Now it should be reconsidered since in the overwhelming majority of cases surface landscapes of the interacting molecules -- individually and in the complex -- do not coincide. The subsequent modifications of this hypothesis, for instance, the ligand-induced adjustment, were unable to predict a degree of the partner affinity and alleviate decision-making in essential task as to the search for the new drug forms. Here we offer a concept according to which the approaching reagents recognize each other by their hydration shells. Such an approach is based on the existence of universal structural blocks in water skeleton of biomolecules. The mutual recognition occurs when hydration shells of reagents are structurally compatible. This statement is demonstrated by the example of the simplest biochemical reaction.

[The theoretical substantiation of myofunctional correction of sagittal occlusion abnormalities and temporomandibular joint dysfunction].

Simulation in 3D-model of skeletal forms of sagittal malocclusion revealed tendency in tonus' modification of muscles of mastication in formation of distal and mesial occlusion. It's shown that distal occlusion is characterized by hypotonic condition of muscles of mastication, except posterior fibers of temporal muscle. Mesial occlusion is characterized by complex combination of muscle tone with prevalence of hypotonic condition of anterior fibers of temporal muscle, superficial portion of masseter muscle and medial pterygoid muscle. We have detected that using of myofunctional devices in treatment of sagittal malocclusion, temporomandibular joint dysfunction promotes of tone increasing of muscles of mastication.

[Automatization of the monitoring of medical staff--the basis of their continued professional education].

Some reasons preventing realization of a principle of vocational training of the medical personnel of health service BC the Russian Federation, including the expense of insufficient efficiency of planning of formation are considered in the article. Recommendations about working out of the personnel register are given.