Vegetation of the Eastern Arctic between 2.595–2.554 Ma (Data from Lake El’gygytgyn, North-East Russia)

The Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary, set at 2.588 Ma or the base of the Gelasian age, represents a shift in global climates from those of the comparatively warm Pliocene to the cooler conditions of the Pleistocene. Lake El’gygytgyn (Chukotka) provides one of the few continuous terrestrial records that permits a close examination of this important transition in Earth’s climate states. The MIS 102-MIS 103 portion of the El’gygytgyn palynological record indicates that, during the earliest Pleistocene, this area of the Arctic was vegetated by closed Larix-BetulaAlnus forest. Such vegetation contrasts to that of the latest Pliocene, when Larix forest-tundra dominated, and differs from the herb and shrub tundra found today in northern Chukotka. This earliest period of the Gelasian represents the climatic optimum for MIS 103. Even under the most severe conditions during MIS 102, Larix forest-tundra persisted, which differs greatly from the herb tundra that characterized many glacial intervals in the Arctic during the Late and Middle Pleistocene

Towards a personal at-home lab for motion video tracking in patients with Parkinson's disease

Many digital healthcare services now employ the opportunities of mobile and smart Internet technologies. The Internet is used to deliver such services as medical consultations, diagnosis, and prescriptions. The services are constructed and delivered in the ubiquitous style - anywhere, anytime, and using surrounding devices of our everyday life. In this paper, we discuss the opportunities of motion video tracking in at-home settings for a patient. Parkinson's disease (PD) serves as a case study. First, we define the problem of motion video tracking in PD patients. Then, we consider Internet-enabled methods for motion video tracking, which are essentially restricted with professional settings of a medical environment. Finally, we propose to create a personal at-home lab based on such cheap home-based cameras as any smartphone has. Our early experiment shows that such cameras provide reliable capture quality for the practical use in PD patient motion video tracking

Current epidemiological situation on leptospirosis in the territories adjacent to Lake Baikal

Background. In presence the epizootiological situation on leptospirosis in the territories adjacent to Lake Baikal is not studied well. The showing up of natural focus, discovering of host animal’s species composition and etiological structure of leptospirosis causative agents are essential to plan any epidemiological response and to organize the specific prophylaxis.Aim: to analyze contemporary characteristics of leptospirosis natural foci at the territories adjacent to Lake Baikal.Materials and methods. From 2011 till 2020 the territory of nine Irkutsk Region's administrative districts was investigated. Trapping has been done at four kind of sites (wetland, meadow, forest-shrub, steppificated meadow) and boroughs. 1152 small mammals which belonged to 35 species were collected. Collected samples were studied by complex of methods. Serogroup belonging was detected by micro agglutination and decomposition test, and genomic species – by Microflex LT mass analyzer.Results. A leptospirosis natural foci in the Irkutsk city boundary was newly founded and there were isolated (from small mammals) four pathogenic cultures of leptospiras belonging to Javanica serogroup. Main hosts of causative agents at the territories adjacent to Lake Baikal were defined (insect-eating mammals: tundra shrew, largetoothed Siberian shrew, even-toothed shrew, shrew-mouse, and rodents: root vole, ground vole, narrow-skulled vole, sewer rat). By micro agglutination were defined pathogenic leptospirosis serogroups (Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, Javanica, Pomona, Sejroe, Autumnalis, Australis), all over 2.4 ± 0.45 % seropositive. Antibody dilution at survey animals ranged from 1 : 20 to 1 : 640. On the grounds of PCR results the mean value of infected animals in studied sample was 16.4 ± 1.14 %. Positive PCR findings were at 19 from 35 animal species.Conclusion. At the territories adjacent to Lake Baikal In the Baikal region, the proportion of animals that have had contact with pathogenic leptospira is quite high. Natural focus of this infection are highly pervasive in this region, they are evolved mainly in dewy sites

Epizootiological and Epidemiological Situation on Leptospirosis in the Russian Federation over the Period of 2013–2022 and the Forecast for 2023

The aim of the work was to analyze the epizootic and epidemiological situation on leptospirosis in the territory of the Russian Federation in 2013–2022 and to forecast its development in 2023. The long-term dynamics of leptospirosis incidence in the Russian Federation tends to decrease. Cases were registered in 58 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, in all federal districts. The highest incidence rates were noted in the North-Western Federal District. When studying the material from small mammals using bacteriological, immunological and molecular-biological methods, Leptospira circulation was detected in 52 entities of the Russian Federation, in all federal districts. In 2023, sporadic cases of infection are to be expected in the territories of the North-Western Federal District, the Central Federal District, and the Southern Federal District; imported cases of infection from countries with subequatorial and equatorial climates are not excluded

The First Case of <I>Yersinia Pestis</I> Subsp. <I>Pestis</I> Isolation in the Territory of Altai Mountain Natural Plague Focus. Communication 1. Microbiological Characteristics, Molecular-Genetic and Mass-Spectrometric Identification of the Isolate

Performed is a complex microbiological, molecular-genetic and mass-spectrometric identification of Yersinia pestis main ssp. strain, which was isolated for the first time in the history of surveillance over the Altai mountain natural plague focus in June, 2012. Determined is its high universal virulence. Plasmid screening, multi-locus VNTR- and mass-spectrometric analyses have revealed the strain to be more closely related to the plague agent variant, circulating in the territory of the natural focus Khuukh-Serkh-Munkh-Khairkhan, Bayan-Ul’giisk aimak, Mongolia

A Case of Human Infection with Plague in the Kosh-Agach Region of the Republic of Altai in 2015. Communication 1. Clinical-Epidemiological and Epizootiological Aspects

Objective of the study is to characterize the case of human plague in the territory of Gorno-Altaisk high-mountain natural focus in 2015 and to analyze the initiated measures, associated with localization and elimination of epidemic focus. Materials and methods. Utilized are the data contained in reporting and source (primary) documentation of the FGHI “Altai Plague Control Station”, records of the Rospotrebnadzor Administration in the Republic of Altai, and information collected by the FGHI “Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute”. Results and conclusions. Human infection occurred as a result of gray marmot dressing, which was caught in the Elangash River-Valley, against the background of unfavorable epizootic situation, caused by proliferation of the plague agent of main subspecie in the territory of the focus. Clinical material investigations, performed by means of bacteriological and molecular-genetic methods, showed negative findings. Applying serological method within the system of indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT)/antigen neutralization test (ANT), in blood sera, obtained at the time of hospitalization, low-titred specific antibodies to plague microbe (recognized as post-vaccinal ones) were detected. In blood serum sample, obtained 7 days later, identified were high-titer antibodies, which allowed for confirmation of clinical diagnosis - “bubonic plague”. Due to efficient cooperation between Rospotrebnadzor institutions and medical facilities, as well as municipal authorities it was possible to avoid further development of anthropogenic transmission of plague; to localize and eliminate epidemic outbreak of this dangerous infectious disease in Kosh-Agach Region of the Republic of Altai in the shortest possible time

Improvement of Epidemiological Surveillance of Natural Plague Foci of the Russian Federation and the Forecast of Their Epizootic Activity for 2023

The aim of the work was to assess the epidemic situation on plague in the world and epizootic activity of natural plague foci of the Russian Federation in 2022. Following the implementation of comprehensive preventive interventions plans, there was a decrease in the epizootic activity of the Gorno-Altai high-mountain and Tuva mountain natural foci, the cessation of plague epizootics in the Central Caucasian high-mountain focus. The total area of epizootics in the Russian Federation in 2022 reached 248.3 km2, which is 7 times less than in 2021. Infected animals were not found in the Tersko-Sunzhensky low-mountain, Dagestan plain-piedmont, Caspian North-Western steppe, Volga-Ural steppe, Trans-Baikal steppe, Volga-Ural sandy, Caspian sandy, East Caucasian high-mountain natural foci. Persistence of tense epizootiological situation in 2023 is predicted for the territory of the Altai Republic and the Republic of Tuva. The prospects of using the GIS portal of the Russian Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe” of the Rospotrebnadzor for an operational assessment of the actual epidemiological situation in natural plague foci are substantiated

Investigations of Structural-Functional Aspects of Epizootic Process in Natural Plague Foci in Siberia

Comprehensively studied have been structural elements of ecosystems of Siberian natural plague foci, as well as levels of integration among epizootic process components, and ways of their functional interaction. Application of the complex approach to the surveillance over structural-functional elements of the parasitic system along with investigations of epizootic process dynamics has provided for identification of peculiarities as regards epizootics development, transformation and evolution of population and carrier/vector coenosis structure in time and space. Revealed is the genetic diversity of plague microbe circulating within the bounds of separate foci and zones of focality. Determined is a long-lasting anti-epidemic effect (more than 20 years) of the field desinsection in the Saglinsk meso-focus of the Tuva natural plague focus

Epizootic Activity of Natural Plague Foci in the Territory of the Russian Federation in 2014 and Prognosis for 2015

. Isolated were 128 plague agent strains: from rodents and lagomorphs - 24, 103 - from bloodsucking arthropods. One strain was obtained from a patient in the territory of Gorno-Altaisk high-mountain natural plague focus. Substantiated has been epizootiological prognosis claiming persistent challenging epidemiological situation in the foci. Outlined is the necessity to use epizootiological forecasting as the basis for scheduling and carrying out epidemiological monitoring and preventive measures in active natural plague foci. Due to the varying epidemiological significance of Y. pestis ssp. pestis , Y. pestis ssp. caucasica , and Y. pestis ssp. altaica strains the data on their spatial distribution should be deployed for differentiation of focal areas according to the degree of the potential epidemic hazard

Coordination of Measures of Plague Control Institutions, Aimed at Rehabilitation and Sanitation of Gorno-Altai High-Mountain Natural Plague Focus in 2016

Objective of the study is to sum-up the results of prophylactic (anti-epidemic) measures associated with elimination of epidemic focus in Kosh-Agach Region of the Republic of Altai in 2016. Materials and methods. Utilized were the data of reporting and source documentation from Altai Plague Control Station, Rospotrebnadzor Administration in the Republic of Altai, RusRAPI “Microbe”, and Irkutsk RAPI. Results and conclusions. It is pointed out that carried out in 2016 complex of organizational, anti-epidemic, and sanitary-prophylactic activities against plague is the importnant stage of rehabilitation of Gorno-Altai high-mountain natural plague focus, the final goal of which is maximally possible decrement of risks of primary human infection with plague, and in case of occurrence of such – performing of prompt response measures on localization and elimination of epidemic focus. It has been substantiated that for epidemic risk minimization in 2017 it is necessary to continue prophylactic vaccination, desinsection and deratization in the areas of predictive epizootic situation aggravation, which is contained in “Complex Action Plan of the Rospotrebnadzor Institutions for Sanitation and Rehabilitation of Gorno-Altai high-mountain natural plague focus in Kosh-Agach Region of the Altai Republic in 2017”. It is also necessary to provide for implementation of the Program on lowering risks of importation from cross-border Sailyugemsky natural focus and spread of plague in the territory of the Russian Federation, within the frames of RF Government Order No 1864-p, dated 05.09.2016