Tsar and his people: power and society in Moscow state during the second half of the 16th century

The article raises the issue about the nature of the relationship between the supreme power and society of the early Russian state. The authors of the article show that this unwritten contract, which was well understood by both parties, who participated in it, functioned well in Russia during the 16th - 17th centuries, and its existence refutes convincingly the Herberstein's passage, who failed to understand the Russian political realities of the early Modern Ag

Social behavior and spatial orientation in rat strains with genetic predisposition to catatonia (GC) and stereotypes (PM)

Various psychopathologies, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, are associated with abnormalities in social behavior and learning. One of the syndromes that may also take place in these disorders is catatonia. Catatonia is a psychomotor syndrome in which motor excitement, stereotypy, stuporous state, including the phenomenon of “waxy flexibility” (catalepsy), can be observed. Rats with genetic catatonia (GC) and pendulum-like movements (PM) of the anterior half of the body have physiological and behavioral changes similar to those observed in schizophrenia and depression in humans and can be considered as incomplete experimental models of these pathologies. The social behavior of the GC and PM rats has not been previously studied, and the cognitive abilities of animals of these strains are also insufficiently studied. To determine whether the GC and PM rats have changes in social behavior and spatial learning, behavioral phenotyping was performed in the residentintruder test, three-chamber test, Barnes maze test. Some deviations in social behavior, such as increased offensive aggression in PM rats in the resident-intruder test, increased or decreased social interactions depending on the environment in different tests in GC, were shown. In addition, principal component analysis revealed a negative association between catatonic freezing and the socialization index in the three-chamber test. Decreased locomotor activity of GС rats can adversely affect the performance of tasks on spatial memory. It has been shown that PM rats do not use a spatial strategy in the Barnes maze, which may indicate impairment of learning and spatial memory

RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AS A CONDITION OF REDUCING WASTE FORMATION

The authors consider the problem of formation of ecological culture and culture of environmentally responsible consumption among young people. It is relevant for modern society. An eco-friendly approach to shopping involves special attention to creating less waste and not causing harm to the environment. The experience of informational and educational work with the youth of the country's leading schools is considered. This allowed us to develop the concept of an environmental quest for conscious consumption, which is inextricably linked to the concept of "Zero waste". The proposed eco-quest on separate waste collection and the principles of responsible consumption is a system of tasks with game elements in the format of individual participation in a remote form.Авторами рассматривается актуальная для современного общества проблема формирования экологической культуры и культуры экологически ответственного потребления у молодежи. Экологичный подход к покупкам предусматривает особое внимание к тому, чтобы создавать меньше отходов и не причинять вред окружающей среде. Рассмотрен опыт информационной и просветительской работы с молодёжью ведущих школ страны. Это позволило разработать концепцию экологического квеста по осознанному потреблению, которое неразрывно связано с концепцией «Zero waste». Предлагаемый эко-квест по раздельному сбору отходов и принципам ответственного потребления представляет собой систему заданий с элементами игры в формате индивидуального участия в дистанционной форме

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Cardiac Patients with Overweight and Obesity

Aim. In this research, we set out to study organic changes in the heart and blood vessels of obese men suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) combined with cardiac pathology in the metabolically unhealthy phenotype (MUHP). Another objective consisted in establishing a relationship between liver damage and the pathology of the heart and blood vessels.Materials and methods. A group of 112 men (male)aged 61.2±1.7 diagnosed with the ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stage 1–3 arterial hypertension (AH) were examined during the stationary treatment in the Republican Clinical Diagnostic Centre (Izhevsk, Russia). The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their body mass index (BMI): 29 men with a BMI under 25 kg/m2(I group); 43 overweight men a BMI over 25 of kg/m2(II group); 40 men with obesity and a BMI above 30 of kg/m2(III group). Laboratory and non-invasive instrumental examinations required for the diagnostics of NAFLD and IHD were carried out, including liver ultrasound and FibroScan elastometry. Other examinations included the measurement of the intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness, the calculation of the visceral adiposity index (VAI), the estimation of endothelial dysfunction indicators, as well as the assessment of the structural and functional parameters of the heart and blood vessels.Results. In obese patients with pronounced NAFLD signs, IAT, EAT and VAI indicators are shown to increase in direct correlation with the parameters of liver steatosis. A relationship is established between the most significant structural and functional indicators of the heart (myocardial mass index, volume of the left atrium), blood vessels (endotheliumdependent vasodilation, the size of the intima-media complex of the common carotid artery) and NAFLD. It is demonstrated that the correlation coefficients grow with the progression of fatty infiltration and liver fibrosis signs.Conclusions. The results of the study have revealeda connection between the NAFLD presence and the main markers of visceral fat depots (IAT, EAT, VAI), which is shown to increase the risk of cardio-vascular complications in such patients. NAFLD is accompanied by endothelial dysfunction and a change in the most significant parameters of cardiac and vascular remodelling. These parameters manifest the progression of pathological changes in the liver parenchyma, which increases the cardio-metabolic risk in patients with MUHP

Expression of catecholaminergic genes in the midbrain and prepulse inhibition in rats with a genetic catatonia

The GC rat strain (from the words "genetic" and "catatonia") was created by selection for predisposition to passive-defensive reaction of catatonic freezing in response to stressing stimuli. Rats of the GC strain have previously demonstrated a number of biochemical and behavioral properties similar to those of patients with schizophrenia and depression. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is widely explored as an important indicator, a decrease of which may be indicative of psychopathology, including schizophrenia. It has been established that the brain noradrenergic system influences the manifestation of PPI, in particular through the activation of central alpha-adrenoreceptors. Also known is the association between PPI and expression of catechol-O-methyltransferase. This study focuses on the reaction of prepulse inhibition in rats of the inbred GC strain, being considered as a hypothetical model of schizophrenia, as well as on the relation of prepulse inhibition to mRNA expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, catechol-O-methyltransferase, alpha1A- and alpha2Aadrenergic receptors in the midbrain of GC rats. For the first time, a decrease of PPI in GC rats compared with WAG rats was shown, both with a prepulse power of 75 dB and at 85 dB, which may indicate a violation of filtration of sensorimotor information into the central nervous system in GC rats. Real-time PCR showed a decrease in mRNA level of Adra1A in intact rats with genetic catatonia when compared to control WAG rats. There was observed no correlation between the expression of mRNA of the Adra1A, Adra2A, Th, and Comt genes in the midbrain and the PPI reaction in GC rats. The reduction of prepulse inhibition in GC rats indicates functional similarity of this genetic model of schizophrenic psychopathology with a prototype. © AUTHORS, 2017.Russian Foundation for Basic Research, RFBR: 16­04­013250324­2016­0002This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project 16­04­01325, and State Budgeted Project 0324­2016­0002

Effects of brain renin- angiotensin system inhibition in ISIAH rats with inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is one of the main systems regulating arterial pressure and water-salt homeostasis of the body and is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Angiotensin peptides – products of enzymatic hydrolysis of angiotensinogen – can be synthesized not only in the blood stream, but also in tissues, including various regions  of the brain. Studies of local tissue RAS in the context of arterial hypertension have been conducted for a long time. It has been shown that a steady arterial pressure increase is often associated with changes in the functioning of the central (brain) RAS in various animal models of hypertensive disease and in humans. Nevertheless, it is still not completely clear whether these changes alone are sufficient for the formation of hypertensive status, and whether the components of the central RAS can be used as targets for the treatment of hypertensive disease. Effects of prolonged inhibition of the brain RAS on blood pressure and expression of RAS genes in brain and kidney tissues in ISIAH (inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension) rats were studied. Inhibition was performed using widely used pharmacological agents, losartan and benazepril. Osmotic minipumps were used to deliver drugs to the lateral ventricle of the brain. It was shown that prolonged inhibition of the central RAS, AT1 receptors in particular, can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and significant changes in the level of expression of brain RAS genes in ISIAH rats. The mRNA level of RAS genes in the kidney does not significantly change due to this inhibition. Thus, the participation of the central RAS in the pathogenesis and maintenance of hypertensive status during stress induced form of hypertensive disease in ISIAH rats was confirmed

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: the Role in Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Aim. To estimate the role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) administration in atrial fibrillation (AF) prevention after planned coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.Material and Methods. Studied were 306 patients divided into two groups: patients of group I didn’t receive PUFAs (158 patients, 82.7% males) and patients of group II received PUFAs (148 patients, 89.3% males). PUFAs were prescribed in daily dose 2000 mg 5 days before surgery and in daily dose 1000 mg in postoperative period during 21 days.Results. Postoperative AF (POAF) occurred in 29.7% patients in group I and in 16.9% patients in group II (р=0.009). We found that after CABG in patients of the I group median IL-6 level was 39.3% higher (p=0.001), interleukin-10 – 20.2% higher (p=0.01), superoxide dismutase – 78.9% higher (р<0.001), malondialdehyde – 33.8% higher (p=0.03), docosahexaenoic acid – 31.8% lower (p=0.01) and omega-3 index – 43.4%    lower (p=0.04) than in patients of the II group.According to multivariate regression analysis we found significant association between the factors of inflammation, oxidative stress and the risk POAF development.Conclusions. In patients who took PUFAs, we found less activation of inflammation, oxidative stress, the increasing of docosahexaenoic acid and omega-3 index accompanied by the decreasing of POAF development rates up to 12.8%

Multiplex Real Time PCR Test-System for the Detection of Anthrax Causative Agent

Designed is a multiplex PCR-RT test-system for the detection of anthrax causative agent using hybridization fluorescence detection – “ Bacillus anthracis multiplex 3 FRT”. This test-system contains enclosed reference sample for carrying out control procedure in the phase of DNA purification, primers and probes to specific DNA target sequences of the two plasmid and one chromosomal B. anthracis genes. It allows for identification B. anthracis strains both possessing plasmids (one or two) and plasmidless, revealing their genetic pathogenicity potential, and for differentiation between anthrax agent strains and closely related saprophytes belonging to Bacillus species

Application of <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Molecular Typing Methods by the Reference Center for the Anthrax Agent Monitoring

Presented are the results of B. anthracis molecular typing of in the scope of work of the Reference center for the anthrax agent monitoring. Summarized is the experience of genotyping application in epidemiological investigation of anthrax outbreaks. MLVA-genotyping (8-25 VNTR-loci analysis) of B. anthracis strains, isolated in Russia and in neighboring regions is shown to provide the correct comparison of genotypes with the data of the global MLVA-data bank. The major tasks of reference center for the development of approaches to B. anthracis genotyping are identified. These approaches include research of additional genotyping methods such as SNP analysis, SNR analysis with assessment of the described loci variability and identification of new polymorphic regions

Application of Basophil Activation Test with Anthraxin for Laboratory ( <I>in vitro</I>) Diagnostics of Anthrax

Demonstrated is the possibility to use in vitro basophil activation test with anthraxin, with registration of the results by means of flow cytometry, for anthrax diagnostics. This approach seems promising as it provides quantitative assessment of sensitization of the organism and does not cause its additional allergization. The duration of the analysis is 1h. The test is suggested for application, as an express one, for early and retrospective laboratory diagnostics of anthrax, estimation of post-vaccinal immunity