Results of screening for antibodies to varicella-zoster virus in healthcare workers of a multidisciplinary hospital in Moscow

Introduction. Given the unfavorable epidemic situation with chickenpox and shingles in Russia, there is a high risk of virus introduction and spread in healthcare settings, including among medical staff who are not immune to varicella zoster virus (VZV). The objective of this study is to assess the immunity of employees of a multidisciplinary hospital in Moscow to VZV. Materials and methods. A selective screening study was carried out. Venous blood serum samples were taken from 1546 hospital employees as material for detection of IgG antibodies to VZV antigens using a commercial solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) test system "Vecto VZV-IgG". All employees were questioned to obtain information about their infectious and vaccine history in relation to VZV. Results and discussion. Screening for antibodies to VZV in the hospital workers revealed that 6.3% of those workers are not immune to VZV. The proportion of seronegative individuals was the highest (12.6 ± 2.4%) in the age group of 29 years and younger. VZV seronegative healthcare workers were found in various departments, but the presence of non-immune individuals among the staff of the obstetrics and gynecology departments (6.5%) is of epidemiologic concern. The results of the survey showed that documented data on infection and vaccination history cannot be used to assess the protection of healthcare workers against VZV infection. Conclusion. The results of serologic screening for antibodies to VZV made it possible to identify a significant number of susceptible employees of the multidisciplinary hospital. In order to prevent the formation of multiple epidemic foci of varicella in medical organizations, it is advisable to include anti-VZV testing of medical staff in the state prevention programs with subsequent vaccination of non-immune individuals

Materials of scientific and practical conference «Dietoogy In Practice Of Endocrinologist» at the VIII (XXV) Russian Diabetology Congress With International Participation «Diabetes Mellitus – XXIth Century Pandemia»

The scientific-practical conference Dietoogy In Practice Of Endocrinologist was held during the VIII Russian diabetology congress with international participation “Diabetes Mellitus – XXIth Century Pandemia”. It was chaired by Academician of RAS M.V. Shestakova (Moscow), Professors L.A. Ruyatkina (Novosibirsk ) and L.A. Suplotova (Tyumen). The expediency of this event was dictated by the necessity to create a unified national regulated guidelines for the diet therapy of obesity and associated diseases for the medical community and patients. The program of the meeting included a discussion about the formation of a healthy diet and its effect on the body, starting from the pregnant women, fetal development, the breastfeeding period, in the period of perimenopause and postmenopause, in the presence of concomitant pathology of heart and kidneys

A rapid method for evaluation of partial potato resistance to late blight and of aggressiveness of Phytophthora infestans isolates originating from different regions

The procedure of evaluation is based on mathematical simulation model of the late blight (LB) development in combination with laboratory testing of detached leaflets artificially inoculated with Phytophthora infestans. An incubation period, amount and sizes of lesions and sporulation capacity are estimated. Each couple “tested Phytophthora isolate and tested potato cultivar” is compared with a standard couple “Phytophthora isolate N161 and standard cultivar”. A simulator on the base of these data calculates area under the curve for LB development and yield loss due to LB for a situation when a yield loss of a standard cultivar infected with a standard isolate is equal 35%. Comparison of a new rapid laboratory method and field methods showed satisfactory correlation. Resistance to late blight was evaluated for 47 potato cultivars with the new method. It was also shown that some variations in foliar aggressiveness existed among P. infestans populations from different regions. Supported by ISTC grant #1640

Association of polymorphic markers of genes FTO, KCNJ11, CDKAL1, SLC30A8, and CDKN2B with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Russian population

Background The association of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with the KCNJ11, CDKAL1, SLC30A8, CDKN2B, and FTO genes in the Russian population has not been well studied. In this study, we analysed the population frequencies of polymorphic markers of these genes. Methods The study included 862 patients with T2DM and 443 control subjects of Russian origin. All subjects were genotyped for 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the genes using real-time PCR (TaqMan assays). HOMA-IR and HOMA-β were used to measure insulin resistance and β-cell secretory function, respectively. Results The analysis of the frequency distribution of polymorphic markers for genes KCNJ11, CDKAL1, SLC30A8 and CDKN2B showed statistically significant associations with T2DM in the Russian population. The association between the FTO gene and T2DM was not statistically significant. The polymorphic markers rs5219 of the KCNJ11 gene, rs13266634 of the SLC30A8 gene, rs10811661 of the CDKN2B gene and rs9465871, rs7756992 and rs10946398 of the CDKAL1 gene showed a significant association with impaired glucose metabolism or impaired β-cell function. Conclusion In the Russian population, genes, which affect insulin synthesis and secretion in the β-cells of the pancreas, play a central role in the development of T2DM

Oxirapentyns F–K from the Marine-Sediment-Derived Fungus <i>Isaria felina</i> KMM 4639

Six new highly oxygenated chromene derivatives, oxirapentyns F–K (<b>2</b>–<b>7</b>), one new polyketide (<b>8</b>), one new benzofurane (<b>9</b>), and two known cyclodepsipeptides, isoisariin B and isaridin E, were isolated from the lipophilic extract of the marine-derived fungus <i>Isaria felina</i> KMM 4639. The structures of compounds <b>2</b>–<b>9</b> were determined using spectroscopic methods. The relative configurations of compounds <b>2</b>–<b>7</b> were established through a combination of NOE data and spin coupling constants, and these results were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis of <b>4</b>. The absolute structures of all oxirapentyns were assumed based on their biogenetic relationship and confirmed using the modified Mosher’s method on <b>2</b> and <b>7</b>. Isariketide (<b>8</b>) showed moderate cytotoxicity toward HL-60 cells