The Multicolor Panoramic Photometer-Polarimeter with high time resolution based on the PSD

Multicolor Panoramic Photometer-Polarimeter (MPPP) with a time resolution of 1 microsecond has been built based on a PSD and used at the 6-meter telescope in SAO (Russia). The device allows registration of the photon fluxes in four photometric bands simultaneously and finding values of 3 Stokes parameters. MPPP consists of Position-Sensitive Detector (PSD), acquisition MANIA-system, polarization unit and a set of dichroic filters. MPPP gives a possibility of detecting photons in 2 pupils with a size of 10 - 15 arc sec centered on the object and comparison star positions simultaneously. The first half of the object photon flux passes through the phase rotating plate and polarizer, and the second one through the polarizer alone. MPPP registers in each of the 4 filters four images of the object with different orientations of polarization plane and one image of a comparison star. It allows measuring instantaneous Stokes parameters. The main astrophysical problems to be solved with MPPP are as follows: investigation of optical pulsars; study of GRB phenomenon in the optical range; searching for single black holes; study of fast variability of X-ray binaries. As an illustration of MPPP use, the results of observations at the 6-meter telescope of Crab pulsar and soft gamma repeater are presented.Comment: 3 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Researc

Typing of Uncultured Isolates of <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> and <i>Coxiella</i>-Like Microorganisms Associated with Ticks Using <i>16S</i> rRNA Gene Nucleotide Sequence Analysis

The causative agent of Q fever, the intracellular pathogen Coxiella burnetii, is found almost worldwide; many types of blood-sucking ticks that are dangerous to animals and humans are involved in the circulation of the pathogen. Using molecular-genetic methods, closely related species of microorganisms of the genus Coxiella sp. have been discovered, some of which are endo-symbionts of ticks, and some can survive in the human body, causing an infectious process. The existence of species whose genes are similar in nucleotide sequence to those of C. burnetii makes it difficult to diagnose the pathogen in arthropod vectors. The aim of this work was to consider the use of PCR and sequencing of an extended 16S rRNA gene fragment for molecular diagnostics and differentiation of C. burnetii from Coxiella-like microorganisms. Materials and methods. Individual samples of blood-sucking ticks were examined to detect bacteria of the genus Coxiella sp. applying standard PCR. For positive samples, an extended fragment of the 16S rRNA gene was obtained and examined by sequencing and multiple alignment with homologous sequences. Results and discussion. Of the 96 examined ticks collected in the Ulyanovsk Region, one was positive for the presence of C. burnetii DNA and one – for the presence of Coxiella sp. The greatest similarity for the C. burnetii isolate was noted in comparison with Western European strains, for the Coxiella-like microorganism - with closely related bacteria from ticks of the same species. Unique polymorphisms for the detected microorganisms were identified. It has been established that genus-specific primers to the 16S rRNA gene fragment are able to amplify not only bacteria of the genus Coxiella sp., but also genetically distant species. Analysis of the sequence of the extended 16S rRNA gene fragment makes it possible to differentiate C. burnetii from Coxiella-like microorganisms; some gene polymorphisms appear to have arisen through microevolution in different geographic regions. In the European part of the Russian Federation, Coxiella-like bacteria have been uncovered for the first time

THE GENDER FEATURES OF THE RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN-ALDOSTERONE SYSTEM IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Aim. To study the correlation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activity with the female sex hormone levels and markers of target organ damage in patients with arterial hypertension (HT).Material and methods. Patients with HT (20 men and 39 postmenopausal women) were involved into the study. The dynamic renal angioscintigraphy and echocardiography were performed, plasma rennin activity (PRA), levels of aldosterone, estradiole and 17-hydroxiprogesterone were determined by radioimmunoassay.Results. Higher aldosterone level was found in women in comparison with men (212,5±123,9 pg/ml and 148,9±82,5 pg/m, respectively, р=0,03). Negative relations between aldosterone and estradiol levels (r=-0,3; p=0,04), and between aldosterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels (r=-0,318; p=0,04), and positive relations between aldosterone concentration and PRA (r=0,555; p=0,04) was found in women. Besides, correlation between levels of female sex hormones, aldosterone and renal blood flow indicators, glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were found in women. These correlations were not found in men.Conclusion. The gender differences of RAAS activity were revealed with higher aldosterone level in postmenopausal hypertensive women in comparison with men. Relationships between PRA, levels of aldosterone and female sex hormones and renal blood flow indices, LVMI were also found in women

ТЕРАТОМА ПОЧКИ: РЕДКИЙ СЛУЧАЙ ВНЕГОНАДНОЙ ГЕРМИНОГЕННОЙ ОПУХОЛИ

For the first time, a clinical observation of a rare case of a mature teratoma of the kidney in a child aged 5 months is presented in domestic literature. A literature review is given on this topic. The clinical picture, characteristic signs of a tumor during ultrasound and X-ray computed tomography, the results of a surgical procedure receive full coverage. Special attention is paid to the morphological characteristics of a mature teratoma.Впервые в отечественной литературе представлено клиническое наблюдение редкого случая зрелой тератомы почки у ребенка в возрасте 5 мес, приведен литературный обзор по этой теме. Детально освещены клиническая картина, характерные признаки опухоли при ультразвуковом  исследовании и рентгеновской компьютерной томографии, результаты  хирургического вмешательства.  Особое внимание в статье уделено  морфологической  характеристике зрелой тератомы

НЕФРОБЛАСТОМАТОЗ У ДЕТЕЙ: ОБЗОР ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ И СОБСТВЕННЫЕ МАТЕРИАЛЫ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ

Some nontumor processes can resemble renal tumors both clinically and morphologically. Malformations in the kidneys can lead to that the latter preserve primitive renal tissue elements that can be mistaken for nephroblastic tumors. In their clinical practice, pediatric oncologists most frequently come across, among the tumor-like processes simulating nephroblastoma (NB), a massive renal blastema that is also known as nephroblastomatosis (NBM). The paper demonstrates that there is no unified notion of NBM in children and that of a need and options for treatment. It presents data on 37 patients with bilateral NB, the development of which NBM is responsible for. The morphological and radiological signs of NBM are given. The results of treatment in the patients are provided in relation to the extent of a tumor process and the concomitance of NBM and Wilms’ tumor. NBM is shown to be a self-limiting pretumor proliferative process that is characterized by a high NB risk. When the diagnosis of NBM is verified, the patient needs antitumor treatment.   Некоторые неопухолевые процессы могут напоминать опухоли почек как клинически, так и морфологически. Нарушения развития почек могут приводить к тому, что в них сохраняются элементы примитивной почечной ткани, которые могут быть ошибочно приняты за нефробластические опухоли. Наиболее часто в клинической практике среди опухолеподобных процессов, симулирующих нефробластому (НБ), педиатры-онкологи встречаются с массивной почечной бластемой, известной также под названием «нефробластоматоз» (НБМ). В статье продемонстрировано отсутствие единого представления о НБМ у детей, необходимости и видах лечения. Приведены сведения о 37 больных билатеральной НБ, фоном развития которой явился НБМ. Даны морфологические и радиологические признаки НБМ. Представлены результаты лечения больных в зависимости от распространенности опухолевого процесса и сочетания НБМ с опухолью Вильмса. Показано, что НБМ является самоограничивающимся предопухолевым пролиферативным процессом, характеризующимся высоким уровнем риска развития НБ. При подтверждении диагноза НБМ больной нуждается в противоопухолевом лечении.

COXIELLA BURNETII PATHOGENICITY MOLECULAR BASIS

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterial pathogen, an ethiological agent of Q-fever, a zoonotic disease, elapsing as an acute (mostly atypical pneumonia) or a chronic (mostly endocarditis) form. The host range is represented by wide range of mammal, avian and arthropod species, but the main source of human infection are farm animals. The main route of infection is aerosolic. In case of contact with organism pathogen binds with phagocytal monocytic-macrophagal cell line. C. burnetii promotes maturation of specific phagolysosome-like compartment in host cell, called coxiella-containing vacuole, within this vacuole pathogen becames metabolically activated and actively replicates. Coxiella persists as metabolically inactive spore-like form in environment. Internalisation of C. burnetii occurs using actin-mediated phagocytosis and zipper mechanism. After internalization of bacteria maturation of phagolysosome-like compartment and large coxiella-containing vacuole formation occure, and vacuole can occupy nearly the whole cytoplasm of the host cell. Survivance of infected cells is important for chronic infection with C. burnetii. C. burnetii elongate the viability of host cell by two ways: it actively inhibits apoptotic signal cascades and induce pro-survival factors. Exceptthat C. burnetii involves autophagic pathway during coxiella-containing vacuole formation, and induction of autophagy promotes pathogen replication. During infection C. burnetii translocates effector substrates from bacterial cytosole to euca ryotic host cell cytosole using type IV secretion system, where effectors modulate host cell proteins. Overall approximately 130 secreted effectors of type IV transport system, but function of most of them remains unknown to date. Specific sec reted proteins for variety of strains and isolates were identified, confirmed that certain pathotypes of C. burnetii can exist. Identification and characterization of novel virulence factors it is now possible through axenic media for C. burnetii cultivation and development of site-specific mutagenesis and other genetic technics, which is important for research of C. burnetii molecular pathogenesis

Genetic diagnosis of Fanconi anemia. Literature review

The literature review provides information on genetic diagnosis of Fanconi anemia: currently used methods of genetic analysis, spectrum and frequency of mutations, including in different populations, and order of molecular genetic methods are described. Problems of genetic diagnosis of Fanconi anemia in the world and in particular in the Russian Federation are also presented

BACTERIAL AND VIRAL PATHOGENS IN IXODES SP. TICKS IN ST. PETERSBURG AND LENINGRAD DISTRICT

Tick-borne infections are the most common group of zooanthroponotic diseases in the Northern Hemisphere. For the  Baltic Sea region and Fennoscandia, the dominant infectious pathologies transmitted by ticks are tick-borne borreliosis and tick- borne encephalitis. The presence of vast forested areas, actively  visited by people in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region,  contributes to a rather high level of encroachment on the flares and  intelligence of the borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis among the  population of these regions. The relatively dangerous pathogens that can be transmitted with the tick bite are also of particular danger:  Anaplasma sp., Ehrlichia sp., Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia sp. In this  work, detection was performed using molecular genetic methods of  TBE virus, B. burgdorferi sensu lato and Rickettsia sp. in engorged  ticksple, as well as questing ticks collected from vegetation. The established levels of infection of TBE on infected ticks, levels of infection by pathogenic Borrelia of questing and engorgeded ticks  were approximately equal. Rickettsia was not found in the ticks. The  conducted analysis of the pathogens prevalence in comparison with  the data of russian and foreign authors. Monitoring the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens is an important issue in the prevention of tick- borne infections in the North-Western Russia