[On the issue of qualitative assessment of level of population commitment to vaccination].

This article presents analysis of results of quantitative study "Level of Commitment to Vaccination" based on author's original methodology of survey. The main medical and social causes of decreasing of level of population commitment to vaccination are explained. The purpose of the study is to quantitatively assess commitment to vaccination, to establish both dependence of level of commitment on risk factors of population refusal to be vaccinated and medical and social causes of this phenomenon.

[Evaluation of injuries features inflicted by shots from gas guns by emission spectral analysis].

The authors describe a methodological approach to emission spectral analysis of material evidences aimed at evaluating the regularities of deposition of the shot metals at the site of injuries inflicted by gas guns. Injuries inflicted by gunshots with chemical cartridges and with shot cartridges, with and without obstructions, from different distances have been examined. The detected regularities may be useful in forensic medical expert evaluations by means of emission spectral analysis in cases with gas gunshots.

[The use of emission spectrum analysis in the forensic medical expertise of gunshot wounds (experimental research)].

Presents the methodology of experimental shots from various guns (n = 11) by common cartridges and of emission spectral analysis (ESA) which was used to study the regularities in deposition of "gunshot metals" at the site of gunshot injuries and to detect the characteristic differences in shooting with and without obstacles. Effects of some factors on deposition of metal components of gunshot products at the site of gunshot injuries are studied: type of gun, shell (with/without coating or semicoated), presence of obstacles, distance, and order of the shot. Results of studies are presented for some guns, which may be useful in forensic medical expert evaluations by means of ESA.

[The possibilities for using in forensic medical practice a chemical analysis unit based on the Spectroscan spectrometer].

Trials of the Russian x-ray fluorescent crystal diffraction scanning spectrometer Spectroscan A01 manufactured by the Spectron firm in St. Petersburg showed its drawbacks which can lead to erroneous interpretation of the results; this does not permit us to recommend this device for practical forensic medical expert evaluations.

[The properties of the Vibrio cholerae strains isolated in large districts in western Dagestan in 1994].

190 V. cholerae cultures isolated by the specialized antiepidemic brigade of the Rostov-on-Don Research Institute for Plague Control in the Khasavyurt, Babayurt and Novolaksk regions of Daghestan in August-October 1994. All isolated strains were typical with respect to their morphological and cultural properties and could be agglutinated (with the exception of one strain) to the titer or half-titer with diagnostic cholera serum and Ogawa serum.