An Approach to Better Estimation of the Initial Velocity of Enzyme Reactions.

A new algorithm for computation of the initial velocity of enzyme reaction at the time zero is proposed. This algorithm makes it possible to reduce the systematic error of measurements to the minimum, to estimate the reaction velocity in test samples regardless of the enzyme activity levels, and to minimize the assay time. The study is illustrated by an example of salivary alpha-amylase and standard reagent kit.

A 320 Year Ice-Core Record of Atmospheric Hg Pollution in the Altai, Central Asia.

Anthropogenic emissions of the toxic heavy metal mercury (Hg) have substantially increased atmospheric Hg levels during the 20th century compared to preindustrial times. However, on a regional scale, atmospheric Hg concentration or deposition trends vary to such an extent during the industrial period that the consequences of recent Asian emissions on atmospheric Hg levels are still unclear. Here we present a 320 year Hg deposition history for Central Asia, based on a continuous high-resolution ice-core Hg record from the Belukha glacier in the Siberian Altai, covering the time period 1680-2001.

[SPECTRAL AND ACID-BASE PROPERTIES OF HEMOLYMPH PLASMA AND ITS FRACTIONS FROM GASTROPOD PULMONATE MOLLUSC ACHATINA FULICA].

The set of normal biochemical indicators of the hemolymph plasma of gastropod pulmonate mollusc Achatinafulica is described. Comparative analysis of the whole plasma and its subfractions enriched and depleted of oxygen-carrying protein hemocyanin was performed by spectrophotometry and spectrofluorimetry methods. Individual features of the absorption spectra were analyzed using fourth derivatives.

Ice-core based assessment of historical anthropogenic heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Sb, Zn) emissions in the Soviet Union.

The development of strategies and policies aiming at the reduction of environmental exposure to air pollution requires the assessment of historical emissions. Although anthropogenic emissions from the extended territory of the Soviet Union (SU) considerably influenced concentrations of heavy metals in the Northern Hemisphere, Pb is the only metal with long-term historical emission estimates for this region available, whereas for selected other metals only single values exist. Here we present the first study assessing long-term Cd, Cu, Sb, and Zn emissions in the SU during the period 1935-1991 based on ice-core concentration records from Belukha glacier in the Siberian Altai and emission data from 12 regions in the SU for the year 1980.

[The use of stapling sutures by right hemicolectomy].

90 right hemicolectomies (RH) were performed in 2011-2012 yy using the stapled (circular and linear) ileocolic end-to-side anastomosis. This group was compared with 100 RH (2002-2005 yy), performed using linear stapled biangular end-to-end anastomosis. All patients had verified colon cancer.

Three centuries of Eastern European and Altai lead emissions recorded in a Belukha ice core.

Human activities have significantly altered atmospheric Pb concentrations and thus, its geochemical cycle, for thousands of years. Whereas historical Pb emissions from Western Europe, North America, and Asia are well documented, there is no equivalent data for Eastern Europe. Here, we present ice-core Pb concentrations for the period 1680-1995 from Belukha glacier in the Siberian Altai, assumed to be representative of emissions in Eastern Europe and the Altai.

[The genes of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases].

The aim of the work was to study polymorphism of atherosclerosis-related genes in patients with different forms of coronary heart disease (CHD) and chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) in comparison with long-living subjects. Analysis included the distribution of genotypes and alleles of functional polymorphisms of lipid metabolism genes, viz. HindIII--polymorphism of lipoproteinase (LPL) gene; HhaI--polymorphism of apoE gene; TaqIB--polymorphism of cholesterol ether transfer protein (CETP) gene; I/D--polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in CHD and CCI patients of different age groups including long livers and those presenting with different clinical variants of CHD and CCI (FC II-III stable angina of effort, acute myocardial infarction, post-infarction cardiosclerosis, acute coronary syndrome) and control subjects.

[The relation between gene of lipoprotein-lipase and carrier protein of cholesterol ethers and life duration in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia].

Comparative analysis of frequency distribution of genotypes and alleles of HindIII-polymorphism of gene LPL and TaqIB-polymorphism of gene CETP in 267 patients of various ages with chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) was performed. Relation between age and polymorphous variants of genes LPL and CETP was noticed. It was shown that genotype of H+H+ HindIII-polymorphism of and genotype B1B1 TaqIB-polymorphism of gene CETP were found more frequently in more young patients with chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI).

[ACE gene I/D-polymorphism and hereditary predisposition to myocardial infarction].

The authors compare distribution of genotype frequencies and alleles of I/D of ACE gene polymorphism in patients with various forms of ischemic heart disease (IHD): with acute myocardial infarction (MI), stable effort angina (functional class II-III); in patients with postinfarction cardiosclerosis (PICS). A relationship was found between I/D polymorphism and acute MI. Frequency of DD genotype in MI patients was 0.

[HindIII DNA-polymorphism of lipoprotein lipase gene in elderly patients with ischemic heart disease].

Aim: To determine incidence of HindIII alleles of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in Russian elderly patients with stable effort angina (SEA) functional class II-III regarding lipid metabolism.

Material And Methods: Genotyping by LPL gene was performed in 103 patients with SEA. Of them 13 patients survived myocardial infarction (MI), 29 patients had diabetes mellitus.

[Connection of HindIII-polymorphism in the lipoprotein lipase gene with myocardial infarct and life span in elderly ischemic heart disease patients].

Allele and genotype frequencies of the HindIII polymorphism of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene were studied in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and stable angina of effort (SAE), including long-lived people (over 90). The polymorphism proved to be associated with MI and with the life span, genotype H+/H+ being predisposing to MI and allele H- being protective. The allele and genotype frequencies of long-lived people differed significantly from the Hardy-Weinberg proportions and from those of SAE patients aged up to 90.

[DNA-diagnosis of bulbospinal muscular atrophy (Kennedy's disease)].

Bulbospinal muscular atrophy--a rare disease with X-linked recessive type of inheritance. It is caused by expansion of trinucleotide repetitions in the gene of androgenic receptor (AR). We elaborated a method of DNA-testing with usage of nonradioactive registration of mutant alleles of AR gene.

Prenatal diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy in Russia.

Ninety-two families with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) applied for genetic counselling and further prenatal diagnosis. To minimize expenses, only one tightly linked informative marker was determined in the course of preliminary examination, and non-radioactive allele detection was preferably used. Four prenatal diagnoses of SMA type I, four of SMA type II, and one of SMA type III were made.

[Screening for deletion in patients with Duchenne's myodystrophy by multiplex amplification].

Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy were analyzed using the method of polymerase chain reaction in order to reveal deletions in the dystrophin gene. Deletions of different lengths and locations were detected in 28 of 78 ill boys. The highest number of deletions was detected in the 3'-end of the gene (the 45-50th exons).

[Analysis of deletions in the dystrophin gene by the multiplex amplification method in patients suffering from Duchenne's muscular dystrophy].

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction was carried out with the material from 68 patients suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Moscow and Leningrad clinics. Six pairs of oligoprimers were used. Deletions were detected in the material from 22 patients.

[Prenatal DNA-diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy].

Two prenatal diagnoses were carried out by the technique of intragenic polymorphous marker detecting heterozygosity in pregnant women in the families with cases of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In both cases the DNA fragment from pERT87-15 region was amplified. This fragment includes a polymorphous site in BamHI region of recognition.

[A benign variant of the course of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a child with short stature].

The authors describe a case of a benign variety of progressive Duchenne type muscular dystrophy in a 8-year-old short-stature boy. Provide the electromyographic and electroneuromyographic data, measurements of the growth hormone in blood serum and osseous age. Make suggestions about coupled inheritance of progressive Duchenne type muscular dystrophy and short stature .

[The preclinical DNA diagnosis of Huntington's chorea].

Presymptomatic DNA diagnosis of Huntington's chorea (HC) was made for two sons of a patient affected with the disease using amplification of the DNA fragment in the area of locus G 8 linked with HC gene. That fragment contains a polymorphous site in the area of restrictase recognition Hind III, being of information value as regards the family under examination. The familial analysis with the use of the DNA diagnosis data makes it possible to exclude the inheritance of HC gene for both the sons of the patient with a probability of 96%.

[DNA-diagnosis of carriers of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene].

Duchenne muscular dystrophy carrier detection has been performed by using probes XJ1.1 (intragenic probe) and probe 754 for a girl. The carrier probability was estimated by means of a computer program GenRisk combining pedigree and DNA-probe data and turned out to be 95%.

[Carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy based on DNA analysis].

Seven families with histories of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy underwent DNA diagnosis. The daughters of those consulted were examined for the carriage in 4 families. Their carriage was rejected or confirmed.

[Mitomycin C induced structural changes in heterochromatic regions of human chromosomes 1, 9, 16 and Y].

Aberrations and variations in the heterochromatic blocks of chromosomes 1, 9, 16 and Y were found under the influence of mitomycin C in cultured lymphocytes of peripheral human blood. Lymphocytes were cultured during 96 hours, mitomycin C in final concentration of 0.3 mkg/ml was present in the culture during the latest 24 hours of culturing.