Paints of Old Believer Carved Icons of the Lower Pechora: Technical, Technological, Historical, and Archival Aspects of Study

Поступила в редакцию: 27.02.2023. Принята к печати: 06.04.2023.Submitted: 27.02.2023. Accepted: 06.04.2023.Статья посвящена технико-технологическим и архивным аспектам исследования старообрядческой резной пластики (икон и крестов) Нижней Печоры, происхождение которой связывается с Великопоженским скитом на р. Пижма (современный Усть-Цилемский район Республики Коми). Поводом к исследованию послужила первоначальная гипотеза о местном происхождении использованных в окраске икон охр, богатые месторождения которых в окрестностях деревни Скитской (на месте бывшего Великопоженского скита), по данным письменных источников, разрабатывались до первой четверти XX столетия. Описываются методы проведенного исследования состава образцов охры из месторождений в окрестностях д. Скитская, красок великопоженской резной иконы «Крест Голгофский» из собрания Национальной галереи Республики Коми (Сыктывкар), а также с палитры потомственного старообрядческого мастера-ложечника Ф. О. Аншукова из д. Скитская, результаты исследований и их корреляция с данными письменных источников. Установлено, что в составе белого и других пигментов с иконы «Крест Голгофский» присутствуют свинцовые белила. В качестве красного пигмента использован сурик. Синий пигмент отвечает составу берлинской лазури. Природные пигменты (мумия, охры) не использованы. В палитре ложечника краски красного, коричневого и синего цветов замешивались на свинцовых белилах с примесями кварца, барита и гипса. В качестве красного пигмента использован сурик. Состав синего пигмента соответствует берлинской лазури. Белая краска в палитре представлена цинковыми белилами. Зеленая краска замещена на цинковых белилах с мышьяксодержащим пигментом (шееловая зелень?). Краска коричневого цвета содержит окислы железа, что позволяет говорить о природном происхождении пигмента (мумии). Результаты исследований в совокупности с данными письменных источников свидетельствуют о том, что в XVIII–XIX вв. насельники Великопоженского скита и их потомки, мастера «пижемской росписи» по дереву, использовали преимущественно привозные красочные пигменты искусственного происхождения.This article considers the technical, technological, and archival aspects of the study of Old Believer carved works of art (icons and crosses) of the Lower Pechora, whose origin is associated with the Velikopozhensky Monastery on the Pizhma River (currently, Ust-Tsilma District of the Komi Republic). The reason for the study is the hypothesis about the local origin of the ochre used for painting the icons, as there are rich deposits in the vicinity of the village of Skitskaya (on the site of the former Velikopozhensky Skete). According to written sources, they were developed until the first quarter of the twentieth century. The article describes the methods of studying the composition of ochre samples from deposits in the vicinity of the village of Skitskaya, the colours of The Cross of Golgotha, a Velikopozhensky carved icon from the collection of the National Gallery of the Komi Republic (Syktyvkar). Also, the authors speak about the palette of F. O. Anshukov, a hereditary Old Believer spoon maker from the village of Skitskaya, research results, and their correlation with data from written sources. The study demonstrates that the white and other pigments of The Cross of Golgotha icon contain white lead. The red pigment is minium. The blue pigment corresponds to the composition of Prussian blue. Natural pigments (caput mortuum, ochre) are not used. In the spoon maker’s palette, red, brown, and blue pigments are mixed with lead white with an admixture of quartz, barite, and gypsum. Minium was used as a red pigment. The composition of the blue pigment corresponds to Prussian blue. The white paint in the palette is zinc white. The green paint was replaced with zinc white with an arsenic-containing pigment (Scheele’s green?). The brown paint contains iron oxides, which suggests the natural origin of the pigment (caput mortuum). The results of the research testify that in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the inhabitants of the Velikopozhensky Skete and their descendants, masters of “Pyzhem painting” on wood, used mainly imported pigments of artificial origin

Influence of high-intensity CO2 laser irradiation on collagen matrix composition of normotrophic skin scars (experimental study)

The experiment was carried out in 25 laboratory rats. After modeling of normotrophic cutaneous scars, the procedure of laser dermabrasion with 50 Watt carbon dioxide laser was performed in superpulse mode with impulse-pause ratio of 0,5:100 ms and 500 µm spot diameter. Morphological, immunohistochemical and morphometric examination of skin histological sections were performed. A single exposure to CO2 laser radiation in this mode resulted in the early formation of mainly type III collagen and then type I collagen in ratios approaching to the intact skin.Проведено экспериментальное исследование на 25-ти лабораторных крысах, которым после моделирования нормотрофических кожных рубцов выполняли процедуру лазерной дермабразии излучением углекислого лазера мощностью 50 Вт в суперимпульсном режиме с соотношением импульс – пауза 0,5:100 мс и диаметром пятна 0,5 мм. Проводили морфологическое, иммуногистохимическое морфометрическое исследование гистологических срезов кожи. Установлено, что однократное воздействие излучением Со2 лазера в указанных режимах приводит к образованию в ранние сроки преимущественно коллагена III типа, а затем и коллагена I типа в соотношениях, приближающихся к показателям интактной кожи

Comparison of REMS, NEWS, qSOFA and SIRS criteria scales for sepsis prediction in patients with diagnosis “SARS-CoV-2, virus unidentified”: a retrospective observational study

Background. Despite ample research on the coronavirus infection sequence and therapy, the incidence of adverse outcomes remains very high. Sepsis stands among the major factors greatly complicating treatment and increasing the risk of death. A timely identification of highrisk sepsis patients is a cornerstone of effective sepsis prevention.Objectives. A comparative prognostic power assessment between the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) scale, National Early Warning Score (NEWS), Initial Prehospital Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) and the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria for sepsis detection in anaesthetic intensive care patients with a diagnosis: SARS-CoV-2, virus unidentified.Methods. A retrospective observational study included 166 patients over 18-year age with unconfirmed infection (ICD-10 code U07.2). The qSOFA, NEWS, REMS and SIRS point estimates were obtained from each patient. The patients were retrospectively divided in two cohorts by sepsis presence (Sepsis-3 criteria) to determine the express scales power in evaluating the risk of sepsis (estimated as area under ROC curve, AUROC).Results. Data on 102 patients were included in the final analysis. Fifty-eight (57%) patients were terminal, and 55 (54%) developed sepsis. The estimates are as follows: NEWS — AUROC 0.848 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.764–0.912], sensitivity 76.36% [95% CI 63.0–86.8], specificity 82.98% [95% CI 69.2–92.4], optimal cut-off threshold >5 points; qSOFA — AUROC 0.700 [95% CI 0.602–0.787], sensitivity 76.36% [95% CI 63.0–86.8], specificity 61.70% [95% CI 46.4–75.5], optimal cut-off threshold >0 points; REMS — AUROC 0.739 [95% CI 0.643–0.821], sensitivity 69.09% [95% CI 55.2–80.9], specificity 65.96% [95% CI 50.7–79.1], optimal cut-off threshold >5 points; SIRS criteria — AUROC 0.723 [95% CI 0.626–0.807], sensitivity 98.18% [95% CI 90.3–100.0], specificity 31.91% [95% CI 19.1–47.1], optimal cut-off threshold >0 points.Conclusion. The NEWS scale revealed a good prognostic power to estimate the risk of sepsis in patients with suspected COVID-19 disease. The qSOFA, REMS scales and SIRS criteria possess a good calibration capacity, albeit insufficient resolution, which limits their prognostic value

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics and effectiveness of antiviral therapy for COVID-19 in children: The experience of the first year of the pandemic

Background. The use of antiviral agents can shorten the duration of the viral infection. The aim: to study the clinical and epidemiological features and the effectiveness of antiviral therapy for new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in outpatient children.Materials and methods. From April 2020 to March 2021, 9334 outpatient children aged from 0 months to 17 years were randomly tested for new coronavirus infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in oropharyngeal and nasal material by PCR. Patients with confirmed new coronavirus infection were prescribed interferon-alpha (IFN-α) intranasally, antiviral agents of systemic action. The control group consisted of children with COVID-19 who did not receive treatment.Results. When examining clinically healthy contact children, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 7.4 % of cases. In the structure of ARI, the specific weight of COVID-19 was 12.3 % with the peak incidence in April-May (up to 22.8 %) and NovemberDecember (up to 30.0 %). In half of the cases, children became infected in the family, and usually adults were the index patient. In 47.7 % of cases, an asymptomatic form of COVID-19 was registered without significant differences in patients of different ages. In one third of children with concomitant pathology, the disease was asymptomatic, in half it was mild, in other cases moderate severity was diagnosed. The clinical picture of COVID-19 did not differ from other ARIs. Anosmia (9.4 %) in half of the cases was combined with ageusia (4.4 %) and was significantly more common in boys. The duration of clinical manifestations in children of the control group and those who received antiviral therapy did not statistically significantly differ in mild and severity of the disease. Also, various antiviral therapy options did not significantly affect the duration of SARS-CoV-2 detection in children with various forms of COVID-19.Conclusion. In the first year of the pandemic, the novel coronavirus infection did not dominate the pattern of respiratory diseases in outpatient children. Further research is required to develop pediatric guidelines for the treatment of COVID-19 at the outpatient stage

Anthropourgic Foci of Plague in Vietnam: Past and Present

The review contains the results of ecological-epizootiological and epidemiological investigations of plague in the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1989-2012. Studied has been the structure of epizootic triad - carrier-vector-pathogen. There is a low probability of plague foci occurrence in zones of tropical forests and savanna under the conditions of humid subequatorial climate. Main plague agent carrier on the Thai Nguyen Plateau is the synanthropic little rat, Rattus exulans . Specialized fleas species are absent on wild-living rats Rattus genus, as well as mice, and bandicoots, and the abundance of other species is small. It has been demonstrated that all the elements of the parasitic plague system are classified as introduced species. Thereupon it is inferred that plague foci in Vietnam are anthropourgic and are of anthropogenic origin solely. Plague cases in humans across the territory of the country were registered between 1898 and 2002. The most persistent ones functioned on the Thai Nguyen Plateau. Although epizootic activity of the foci in territory of the former endemic provinces has decreased, it is necessary to continue epizootiological monitoring further on in the modern period

Thyroid cancer risk in Belarus among children and adolescents exposed to radioiodine after the Chornobyl accident

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed an increased risk of thyroid cancer among children and adolescents exposed to radioactive iodines released after the Chornobyl (Chernobyl) accident, but the effects of screening, iodine deficiency, age at exposure and other factors on the dose-response are poorly understood. METHODS: We screened 11 970 individuals in Belarus aged 18 years or younger at the time of the accident who had estimated (131)I thyroid doses based on individual thyroid activity measurements and dosimetric data from questionnaires. The excess odds ratio per gray (EOR/Gy) was modelled using linear and linear-exponential functions. RESULTS: For thyroid doses \u3c5 \u3eGy, the dose-response was linear (n=85; EOR/Gy=2.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.81-5.47), but at higher doses the excess risk fell. The EOR/Gy was significantly increased among those with prior or screening-detected diffuse goiter, and larger for men than women, and for persons exposed before age 5 than those exposed between 5 and 18 years, although not statistically significant. A somewhat higher EOR/Gy was estimated for validated pre-screening cases. CONCLUSION: 10-15 years after the Chornobyl accident, thyroid cancer risk was significantly increased among individuals exposed to fallout as children or adolescents, but the risk appeared to be lower than in other Chornobyl studies and studies of childhood external irradiation

Myocardial infarction in the population of some Russian regions and its prognostic value

Aim. To study the prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI) in the population of Russian regions and its contribution to cardiovascular events.Material and methods. The analysis material was representative samples of the population aged 35-64 years from 11 Russian regions,  examined within the multicenter study “Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases and their Risk Factors in Regions  of Russian Federation”. The response rate was about 80%. The study used a community-based  systematic stratified multiply random sample. During the study, information on prior MI was obtained using a standard questionnaire. Anthropometry and measurement of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) with an automatic BP monitor were performed. Resting electrocardiography (ECG) was performed, followed by Minnesota coding. Major and minor QQS waves and STT segments were considered as ischemic  ECG abnormalities. Biochemical parameters were determined using an Arkhitect 000 Clinical Chemistry Analyzer. The median prospective  follow-up was 6,21 [5,25; 6,75] years. A composite endpoint (CE) was analyzed, including cardiovascular death and non-fatal MI. During the follow-up period, 363 all-cause deaths were detected,  of which 134 were from cardiovascular diseases, while 196 — CEs. Statistical analysis was carried out in R 3.6.1 environment.Results. The MI prevalence among the Russian population was 2,9%; 5,2% for men and 1,5% for women,  increasing  with age. Men with prior MI were  more likely to take statins and beta-blockers  than women as follows: 39,0% vs 25,6% and 29,3% vs 27,1%, respectively. MI newly diagnosed within the follow-up  period was associated with the following risk factors (RFs): smoking, increased BP, HR, triglycerides and glucose.  For individuals with prior MI, a significant relationship was found only with smoking.  Multiple comparison  of the contribution of RFs, ECG abnormalities,  and prior MI showed  that the inclusion of ischemic ECG abnormalities in the analysis significantly increases  the risk of cardiovascular events in individuals without prior MI compared with individuals without both MI and ECG changes.  A high CE risk was noted in patients with prior MI: relative risk (RR), 4,73 (2,92-7,65); the addition of ischemic ECG abnormalities increased the RR to 5,75 (3,76-8,8).Conclusion. The RR of CEs in patients  with prior MI without or with ischemic ECG changes  is 4,73 and 5,75 times higher than in patients without MI and ECG abnormalities. The risk factors  identified  in this case cannot explain such an increase  in CEs. It is obvious  that people  with prior MI need  rehabilitation. The presence of RFs in patients with newly diagnosed  MI indicates insufficient primary prevention, which suggests  that strengthening preventive measures to eliminate conventional risk factors in patients with newly diagnosed  MI will help reduce the risk of recurrent MI or cardiovascular  mortality

Major Factors Affecting Incidence of Childhood Thyroid Cancer in Belarus after the Chernobyl Accident: Do Nitrates in Drinking Water Play a Role?

One of the major health consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident in 1986 was a dramatic increase in incidence of thyroid cancer among those who were aged less than 18 years at the time of the accident. This increase has been directly linked in several analytic epidemiological studies to iodine-131 (131I) thyroid doses received from the accident. However, there remains limited understanding of factors that modify the 131Irelated risk. Focusing on post-Chernobyl pediatric thyroid cancer in Belarus, we reviewed evidence of the effects of radiation, thyroid screening, and iodine deficiency on regional differences in incidence rates of thyroid cancer. We also reviewed current evidence on content of nitrate in groundwater and thyroid cancer risk drawing attention to high levels of nitrates in open well water in several contaminated regions of Belarus, i.e. Gomel and Brest, related to the usage of nitrogen fertilizers. In this hypothesis generating study, based on ecological data and biological plausibility, we suggest that nitrate pollution may modify the radiationrelated risk of thyroid cancer contributing to regional differences in rates of pediatric thyroid cancer in Belarus. Analytic epidemiological studies designed to evaluate joint effect of nitrate content in groundwater and radiation present a promising avenue of research and may provide useful insights into etiology of thyroid cancer

Olekminsk Evenks of Yakutia in Context of Economic Development of the North in 19^th-21^st Centuries

The issue of the relationship between indigenous peoples of the North and extractive companies is raised. The relevance of the study is determined by the resumption of active activities of industrial companies engaged in the exploration and extraction of minerals in the places of residence of indigenous peoples. The article presents the results of the author’s research prepared during the ethnological examination in the Olekminsky district of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in summer 2017. The novelty of the study is the reconstruction of the process of formation of the system of relations between industrialists and indigenous peoples on the example of the local community of Olekminsk Evenks. The influence of industrial development on the socio-economic indicators and living environment of the Evenks of Olekma is shown. It is emphasized that the policy pursued by the authorities in relation to the aboriginal population strengthened the assimilation processes. In the long period of time the peculiarities of relations between industrialists and peoples of the North in different historical periods are revealed. The author gives interesting examples of the relationship of Olekminsk Evenks and industrialists on the basis of previously unclaimed archival sources. The experience of interaction between Olekminsk Evenks and extractive companies is considered. Recommendations are given in building mechanisms of interaction between extractive companies and indigenous peoples of the North