[Two novel mutations in gene SPG4 in patients with autosomal dominant spastic paraplegia].

Hereditary spastik paraplegias (HSP) are a group of neurodegenerative disorders with primary lesion of the pyramidal tract. The most frequent autosomal dominant form of the disease in Europeans is HSP associated with mutations in the spastin gene (SPG4). Analysis of the gene SPG4 was carried out in 52 unrelated families with HSP from Bashkortostan by SSCP and following sequencing.

[West Nile virus infection of agricultural animals in the Astrakhan region, as evidenced by the 2001-2004 serological surveys].

Sera sampled from 2,884 farming animals in the Astrakhan region in 2001 to 2004 were investigated by the hemagglutination inhibition test (HIT) in order to indicate specific antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV). HIT-positive samples were investigated by the neutralization test (NT). WNV antibodies were detected in all the examined species of animals: horses (the proportion of positive tests throughout the observation averaged 9.

[The diagnosis of intestinal dysbacteriosis by the spectrum of fecal amino acids].

As reveals in the analysis of 45 fecal specimens taken from patients, the occurrence of amino acids of indigenous origin increases with the increase of the imbalance in the intestinal microflora (31.2% in dysbacteriosis of the I degree and 75% in cases of the III degree). The presence, or absence, of beta-aspartyllysine, beta-aspartylglycine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, 5-aminovalerianic acid, lactosolysine, fructosolysine, ornithine is the sign of the development of dysbacteriosis.