Late Permian and Early Triassic Conchostracans from the Babii Kamen Section (Kuznetsk Coal Basin)

The Late Permian and Early Triassic conchostracans from the Babii Kamen section (Western Siberia) were studied. The conchostracans were collected from the section during the field work in 2015–2018. It was found that the conchostracans from the Babii Kamen section are characterized by a rather high taxonomical diversity: we identified five Late Permian conchostracan species (Pseudestheria novacastrensis (Mitchell, 1927), Cornia papillaria (Lutkevich, 1937), Megasitum harmonicum Novojilov, 1970, Megasitum lopokolense Novojilov, 1970, and Echinolimnadia mattoxi Novojilov, 1965) and two Early Triassic species (Concherisma tomensis Novojilov, 1958, Cyclotunguzites gutta (Lutkevich, 1938). The discovered conchostracan species occur frequently in the Permian and Triassic sections of other regions and are useful for regional biostratigraphy and interregional correlation

Brucellosis: Trends in the Development of Situation in the World and Forecast for 2022 in the Russian Federation

An analysis of trends in the development of situation on brucellosis in the world over past decade and the data on the main risk factors for the occurrence of epidemiological complications regarding this infection in various regions of the world are provided in the paper. An expert assessment of the current epizootiological and epidemiological situation on brucellosis, the coverage of population and animals with immunization in the Russian Federation is given. Over 9 months of 2021, 210 potentially hazardous as regards brucellosis in cattle areas and 24 sites – as regards brucellosis in small ruminants – were registered in Russia. Compared to the same period in 2020, there was a decrease in the number of newly identified hazardous sites for bovine brucellosis by 35.8 % (117 areas). However, long-term upward trend in epizootiological adversity for bovine brucellosis in Russia persists. The epidemiological situation on brucellosis in the country for the period of 2012–2021 is characterized as unfavorable. Decrease in the number of newly detected human brucellosis cases (by 25.1 % of long-term average values) is observed against the background of persistent unfavorable epizootic conditions for brucellosis among epidemiologically significant species of small ruminants and cattle in regions with developed animal husbandry. In 2021, clusters of human cases were registered in the Republic of Dagestan and Penza Region. In the Republic of Dagestan, against the background of aggravation of epizootiological and epidemiological situation on brucellosis, there was also an alarming trend towards prevalence of a relatively high incidence among minors. The proportion of cases of brucellosis among children under the age of 17 in the Republic amounted to 60.3 % of the total number of minors with newly diagnosed brucellosis in Russia over the past 10 years. Taking into account current epizootic, epidemic situations and the long-term dynamics of the development of situation on  brucellosis in the Russian Federation, the incidence of brucellosis among the population  is predicted to be 10–15 % lower than the average long-term values – 0.18–0.20 per 100000 of the population – in 2022. The number of human cases of brucellosis can range from 250 to 300

Analysis of Brucellosis Incidence and Molecular-Genetic Characteristics of Brucella Population in the Territory of the Russian Federation

An analysis of brucellosis incidence in Russia in 2013–2022 and the data on genetic diversity of Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus populations isolated in Russia in 1939–2022 are provided in the review. Over the past decade, the epidemiological situation in Russia has been characterized as unstable against the background of persistent unfavorable conditions for brucellosis in cattle and small ruminants. During the period of 2013–2022 (9 months), 4298 epizootic foci as regards brucellosis in cattle (89164 sick animals) and 371 as regards brucellosis in small ruminants (13569) were registered. The largest number of epizootic brucellosis foci was recorded in the North-Caucasian and Southern Federal Districts. In 2013–2022, on average, 327 cases of brucellosis among people were registered annually, the incidence rate per 100 000 of the population was 0.24. Up to 70–90 % of brucellosis cases were detected in the south of the European part of the country. A trend towards deterioration of the situation on brucellosis in Volga (Penza and Samara Regions) and Central (Smolensk, Voronezh and Tula Regions) Federal Districts is observed. There is a connection between the intensity of epidemic manifestations of brucellosis and the level of anthropurgic enzooty of territories. In 2022, 467 cases of brucellosis were reported (0.32 per 100 000 of the population), which is 42.8 % higher than annual average values over 10 years. In 2023, a measure of stability of incidence rates, by 20–25 % above average long-term values, is to be expected. Incidence of brucellosis in humans will be within the range of 380–410 cases (0.26–0.28 per 100 000 of the population). The results of genotyping of B. melitensis strains point to an increase in the proportion of isolates with an MLVA-profile characteristic of strains from enzootic as regards brucellosis countries of Middle East and North Africa over past 20–25 years, which can indicate importation (introduction) of the infection from these territories to Russia through small ruminants and/or biomaterial from them

Основные принципы ведения неврологических пациентов в период пандемии COVID-19

In a COVID-19 pandemic, a neurologist needs to be able to assess the risks of virus infection in patients with individual neurological diseases. The review presents categories of risk groups from the Association of British Neurologists for neuromuscular diseases, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system, stroke, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. The risk of infection and the management of patients with neuromuscular diseases are analyzed in detail. The use of multiple sclerosis disease modifying drugs, the treatment of stroke patients are discussed. The data from the international guidelines for the management of patients with epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease are presented.В условиях пандемии COVID-19 неврологу необходимо уметь оценить риски заражения вирусом пациентов с отдельными неврологическими болезнями. В обзоре представлены категории групп риска от Ассоциации британских неврологов для нервно-мышечных заболеваний, рассеянного склероза и других аутоиммунных болезней центральной нервной системы, инсульта, эпилепсии и болезни Паркинсона. Рассмотрены риски заражения и особенности ведения пациентов с нервно-мышечными болезнями. Обсуждено применение препаратов, изменяющих течение рассеянного склероза, особенности терапии пациентов с инсультом при COVID-19. Представлены данные из рекомендаций международных организаций по ведению пациентов с эпилепсией и болезнью Паркинсона

Cardiovascular Risk Reduction with Icosapent Ethyl for Hypertriglyceridemia

BACKGROUND Patients with elevated triglyceride levels are at increased risk for ischemic events. Icosapent ethyl, a highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester, lowers triglyceride levels, but data are needed to determine its effects on ischemic events. METHODS We performed a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving patients with established cardiovascular disease or with diabetes and other risk factors, who had been receiving statin therapy and who had a fasting triglyceride level of 135 to 499 mg per deciliter (1.52 to 5.63 mmol per liter) and a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of 41 to 100 mg per deciliter (1.06 to 2.59 mmol per liter). The patients were randomly assigned to receive 2 g of icosapent ethyl twice daily (total daily dose, 4 g) or placebo. The primary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, coronary revascularization, or unstable angina. The key secondary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. RESULTS A total of 8179 patients were enrolled (70.7% for secondary prevention of cardiovascular events) and were followed for a median of 4.9 years. A primary end-point event occurred in 17.2% of the patients in the icosapent ethyl group, as compared with 22.0% of the patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68 to 0.83; P<0.001); the corresponding rates of the key secondary end point were 11.2% and 14.8% (hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.83; P<0.001). The rates of additional ischemic end points, as assessed according to a prespecified hierarchical schema, were significantly lower in the icosapent ethyl group than in the placebo group, including the rate of cardiovascular death (4.3% vs. 5.2%; hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.98; P=0.03). A larger percentage of patients in the icosapent ethyl group than in the placebo group were hospitalized for atrial fibrillation or flutter (3.1% vs. 2.1%, P=0.004). Serious bleeding events occurred in 2.7% of the patients in the icosapent ethyl group and in 2.1% in the placebo group (P=0.06). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with elevated triglyceride levels despite the use of statins, the risk of ischemic events, including cardiovascular death, was significantly lower among those who received 2 g of icosapent ethyl twice daily than among those who received placebo. (Funded by Amarin Pharma; REDUCE-IT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01492361

Early Triassic Conchostracans from the Tiryakh-Kobyume Section (Southern Verkhoyansk Region, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia))

Conchostracans (Crustacea) from the Induan deposits of the Tiryakh-Kobyume section (southern Verkhoyansk region) were studied. We identified the following seven conchostracan species belonging to five genera: Pseudestheria Raymond, 1946; Euestheria Deperet et Mezeran, 1912; Sphaerestheria Novojilov, 1954; Lioestheria Deperet et Mezeran, 1912; Wetlugites Novojilov, 1958. Most of the previously identified species in the Tiryakh-Kobyume region (“Pseudestheria sibirica”, “Ps. tumaryana”, “Ps. kashirtzevi”, and “Sphaeres­theria aldanensis”) were described in the middle of the 20th century from the basal Triassic in the western Verkhoyansk region (Balbuk section). Revision of these species with the use of modern methods of conchostracan classification is needed

Crystal structure of an unknown solvate of dodecakis(μ2-alaninato-1:2κ2O:N,O)cerium(III)hexanickel(II) aquatris(hydroxido-κO)tris(nitrato-κ2O,O′)cerate(III)

The chiral title compound, [CeNi6(C3H6NO2)12][Ce(NO3)3(OH)3(H2O)], comprises a complex heterometallic Ni/Ce cation and a homonuclear Ce anion. Both the cation and anion exhibit point group symmetry 3. with the CeIII atom situated on the threefold rotation axis. The cation metal core consists of six NiII atoms coordinated in a slightly distorted octahedral N2O4 configuration by N and O atoms of 12 deprotonated l-alaninate ligands exhibiting both bridging and chelating modes. This metal–organic coordination motif encapsulates one CeIII atom that shows an icosahedral coordination by the O-donor atoms of the l-alaninate ligands, with Ce—O distances varying in the range 2.455 (5)–2.675 (3) Å. In the anion, the central CeIII ion is bound to three bidentate nitrate ligands, to three hydroxide ligands and to one water molecule, with Ce—O distances in the range 2.6808 (19)–2.741 (2) Å. The H atoms of the coordinating water molecule are disordered over three positions due to its location on a threefold rotation axis. Disorder is also observed in fragments of two l-alaninate ligands, with occupancy ratios of 0.608 (14):0.392 (14) and 0.669 (8):0.331 (8), respectively, for the two sets of sites. In the crystal, the complex cations and anions assemble through O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network with large voids of approximately 1020 Å3. The contributions of highly disordered ethanol and water solvent molecules to the diffraction data were removed with the SQUEEZE procedure [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18]. The given chemical formula and other crystal data do not take into account the unknown amount of these solvent molecules

FEATURES OF MASS-SPECTROMETRIC PROTEIN PROFILES OF STRAINS OF BRUCELLOSIS CAUSATIVE AGENT DURING PREPARATION OF CULTURE ON VARIOUS NUTRIENT MEDIA

Aim. Carry out comparative analysis using time-of-flight mass-spectrometry with matrix laser desorption/ionization (MALDI-TOF MS) of protein profiles of brucellosis causative agents (Brucella melitensis Rev-1 and Brucella abortus 19BA), cultivated in various nutrient media: Albimi agar, brucellagar and erythrit-agar. Materials and methods. Vaccine strains: Brucella melitensis Rev-1 and Brucella abortus 19BA. Protein profiling in linear mode on Microflex «Bruker Daltonics» MALDI-TOF mass-spectrometer. Results. A number of characteristic features of brucella mass-spectra was detected: in particular, preservation of the total qualitative composition of protein profiles of cultures and significant differences in the intensity of separate peaks depending on the nutrient medium used. Conclusion. Based on the analysis of the data obtained, use of Albimi agar as the nutrient medium for preparation of brucella culture samples for mass-spectrometric analysis was shown to be optimal

(2-Benzoyl-1-phenylethenolato-κ2O,O′)bis[2-(1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)phenyl-κC1]iridium(III) dichloromethane disolvate

We present here synthesis and crystal structure of a neutral IrIII complex, [Ir(C19H13N2)2(C15H11O2)]·2CH2Cl2 or [Ir(C^N)2O^O]·2CH2Cl2, where C^N is 1,2-diphenyl-1H-benzimidazole and O^O is 2-benzoyl-1-phenylethenolate. The coordination sphere of the IrIII atom, located on a twofold rotation axis, is that of a slighlty distorted C2N2O2 octahedron, with the N atoms in a trans configuration. In the crystal, complex molecules assemble through weak C—H...π interactions in the range 2.699 (3)–2.892 (3) Å. The solvent CH2Cl2 molecules reside in channels aligned along the a axis and are connected to the complex molecules by C—H...O interactions

Basic principles for the management of neurological patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

In a COVID-19 pandemic, a neurologist needs to be able to assess the risks of virus infection in patients with individual neurological diseases. The review presents categories of risk groups from the Association of British Neurologists for neuromuscular diseases, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system, stroke, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. The risk of infection and the management of patients with neuromuscular diseases are analyzed in detail. The use of multiple sclerosis disease modifying drugs, the treatment of stroke patients are discussed. The data from the international guidelines for the management of patients with epilepsy and Parkinson's disease are presented. © 2020 ABV-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved