The ways to improve the biological and morphological parameters of young fattening pigs

Studies were carried out to find the new ways to improve the efficiency of iodine use for the young pigs. During the scientific and economic experiment it was found that bringing iodine to the physiological norm, in combination with introduction of 3% bentonite clay into the diets of young fattening pigs, provided a positive effect on the morphological composition of carcasses, slaughter parameters and meat quality of the pigs. So fattening the yelts with the diets with a physiological norm of iodine in combination with 3% bentonite clay allowed young pigs of the 3rd experimental group to reach a slaughter weight of 78.95 kg at the age of 8 months, which is 10.1% more than in the control group, and 4.2% and 2.5% more in comparison with the 1st and 2nd experimental groups. The slaughter yield in yelts of the 3rd experimental group increased by 2.43% (P<0.05) compared to the control group. The largest (30.17 cm2) area of the “rib eye” was recorded in the 3rd experimental group, which is 5.60% more than the control one, while the carcasses of pigs of the 3rd experimental group contained muscle tissue by 4.74% (P<0.05) more than the same in the control group. Analysis of the Musculus longissimus showed a significant increase in protein content in the 3rd experimental group by 1.22% compared to the control group (P<0.05). The protein-quality parameter was significantly higher in the muscle tissue of young pigs of the 3rd experimental group and amounted to 10.90 (P<0.05), which is 1.12% higher than in the muscle tissue of the control group yelts. The maximum content of oleic acid was found in the lard of animals of the 3rd experimental group — 49.59, which is 1.28% (P<0.05) higher than in the control group.

Assessment of Knee Osteoarthritis Risk Following Canine Tibial Prosthetics (Pilot Experimental Morphological Study)

Objective was to obtain preliminary data on the knee osteoarthritis risk following canine tibial prosthetics using one-stage osseointegration, external fixation and compression loading. Material and methods The study was carried out on 5 intact (controlgroup) and 3 experimental (experimental group) animals aged 1.8 ± 0.5 years with a body weight of 19 ± 1.2 kg. Osteotomy wasperformed at the boundary of the upper and middle third of tibia and a PressFit type construct implanted. A special device was usedfor bone fixation and compression loading of FN = 20 N. Paraffin sections of the articular cartilage and the underlying subchondralbone were used for histomorphometric examination. Results The zonal structure of the articular cartilage and cytoarchitectonics wereshown to be maintained in all experimental animals with insignificant destructive changes in the form of impaired homogeneity of theintercellular substance in the upper third of the surface zone. There was a two-fold decrease in the thickness of the calcified cartilage anda 1.9‑fold decrease in the thickness of the subchondral bone. The volumetric density of trabeculae in the subchondral bone decreased to22.31 ± 5.41 % in experimental animals and to 46.94 ± 1.94 % in controls. Complete absence of calcified cartilage and the subchondralbone were observed in one case with vessels and bone marrow pannus invading the noncalcified cartilage. Conclusion Structuralchanges in the contact zone of the articular cartilage and the subchondral bone seen in the knee following experimental canine tibialprosthetics indicated the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis © Stupina T.A., Emanov A.A., Kuznetsov V.P., Ovchinnikov E.N., 202

Pathomorphological and pathochemical characteristic of the osteomyelitis focus in patients with diabetic osteoarthropathy (Charcot foot)

BACKGROUND: Osteomyelitis in diabetic osteoarthropathy occurs in 65 % of cases, and it is the main cause of non-traumatic amputations. The choice of optimal treatment technologies should be based on understanding the pathogenetic characteristics of this disease.AIM: To study the pathomorphological and pathochemical picture of osteomyelitic focus in patients with diabetic neuroosteoarthropathy.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Object — 20 patients (55.3±9.33 years) with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuroosteoarthropathy, chronic osteomyelitis of the foot bones. The treatment consisted in surgical debridement of the purulent focus with the material collection for pathomorphological and biochemical studies, and in reposition and alignment of bone fragments with the leg and foot fixation using the Ilizarov fixator in order to form bone ankylosis of the compromised joint.RESULTS: Subacute and acute course of chronic osteomyelitis was registered in 80 % of cases. As for the pathohistological changes in bone tissue, the following ones were the most significant: necrosis and the presence of an inflammatory infiltrate of varying severity depending on the phase of the inflammatory process. The articular cartilage structure was broken in all the cases. Activation of osteoclasts was observed in the osteomyelitis focus, especially in the subchondral zone. There was no subchondral bone plate in most cases, or only its fragments remained. Pathohistological examination of the soft tissues associated with the osteomyelitis focus indicated the presence of mirocirculatory and denervation disorders due to necrosis and hyalinosis of a significant part of microvessels against the background of compensatory hypervascularisation and chronic inflammation, narrowing and obliteration of the lumens of feeding arteries, almost complete absence of nerve elements in the tissues or their destructive changes. An increase in the activity of lytic enzymes was revealed in the interstitial environment of the tissues surrounding the osteomyelitis focus (138-fold increase in the activity of acid phosphatase, interstitial osteolytic index was 7.2-fold higher than blood serum index).CONCLUSION: The pathomorphological signs of chronic osteomyelitis subacute and acute processing were observed in most patients. Breaking the articular cartilage structure was accompanied by invasion of vessels, inflammatory infiltrate, and by activation of osteoclasts in the subchondral zone. Destructive changes of vessels and nerves in the soft tissues associated with the osteomyelitis focus can be etiopathogenetic factors of this disease development. The technologies for stopping this process should be based on obligatory debridement of the focus with sequestrnecrectomy, with regular monitoring of the operated segment condition

Helical Chirality: a Link between Local Interactions and Global Topology in DNA

DNA supercoiling plays a major role in many cellular functions. The global DNA conformation is however intimately linked to local DNA-DNA interactions influencing both the physical properties and the biological functions of the supercoiled molecule. Juxtaposition of DNA double helices in ubiquitous crossover arrangements participates in multiple functions such as recombination, gene regulation and DNA packaging. However, little is currently known about how the structure and stability of direct DNA-DNA interactions influence the topological state of DNA. Here, a crystallographic analysis shows that due to the intrinsic helical chirality of DNA, crossovers of opposite handedness exhibit markedly different geometries. While right-handed crossovers are self-fitted by sequence-specific groove-backbone interaction and bridging Mg2+ sites, left-handed crossovers are juxtaposed by groove-groove interaction. Our previous calculations have shown that the different geometries result in differential stabilisation in solution, in the presence of divalent cations. The present study reveals that the various topological states of the cell are associated with different inter-segmental interactions. While the unstable left-handed crossovers are exclusively formed in negatively supercoiled DNA, stable right-handed crossovers constitute the local signature of an unusual topological state in the cell, such as the positively supercoiled or relaxed DNA. These findings not only provide a simple mechanism for locally sensing the DNA topology but also lead to the prediction that, due to their different tertiary intra-molecular interactions, supercoiled molecules of opposite signs must display markedly different physical properties. Sticky inter-segmental interactions in positively supercoiled or relaxed DNA are expected to greatly slow down the slithering dynamics of DNA. We therefore suggest that the intrinsic helical chirality of DNA may have oriented the early evolutionary choices for DNA topology

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ ПРИРОДНЫХ РАДИОНУКЛИДОВ В МИНЕРАЛЬНОЙ ПРИРОДНОЙ ПИТЬЕВОЙ ВОДЕ САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГА И ЛЕНИНГРАДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

The aim of the study was to estimate the radiation characteristics of the mineral natural drinking table and medical-table water, consumed by the population of St-Petersburg and Leningrad region. This study was focused on the bottled natural mineral drinking water, available in St-Petersburg and Leningrad region market, as well as on the natural mineral drinking water sampled from the St-Petersburg groundwater supplies. Data on the levels of radionuclides specific activities in the sources under investigation was obtained using radiochemical analysis with the subsequent radiometric or spectrometric measurement of the counting samples. 107 samples of mineral natural drinking water were analyzed during the period from1999 till the December of 2017. Assessment included estimation in different combinations of the levels of gross alpha- and beta activities, specific activities of 226Ra, 224Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, 238U, 234U, 40K and 222Rn, as well as the estimation of the index of conformance of the water to the requirements of the radiation safety. The mentioned index is the sum of the ratios of the specific activities of the individual radionuclides to the corresponding guidance levels. Exceedance of the index of conformance for the gross alpha-activity was detected for 87% of analyzed water samples; for the gross beta-activity – for 18% of the samples. Exceedance of the index of conformance of the water to the requirements of the radiation safety was detected for 40% of the analyzed samples. Exceeding of the guidance level of radionuclide in drinking water was found: in 24% water samples for 226Ra concentration, in 24% – for 228Ra concentration, in 3,5% – for 224Ra concentration. An exceedance of the guidance levels for 210Pb, 210Po, 238U, 234U, 40K and 222Rn in analyzed samples was not detected. The main contribution to the sum of the ratios of the specific activities of the natural radionuclides to the corresponding guidance levels and, correspondently to the exposure dose to the population of St-Petersburg and Leningrad region from the consumption of the mineral drinking water give 226Ra, 228Ra and 222Rn the total contribution of which to the mentioned value exceeds 90%.Цель исследования – определение радиационных показателей минеральной природной питьевой столовой и лечебно-столовой воды, потребляемой населением г. Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области. Объектом исследования в данной работе является бутилированная минеральная природная питьевая вода, реализуемая в торговой сети  г. Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области, и минеральная природная питьевая вода, отобранная из скважин г. Санкт-Петербурга. Данные о величинах удельной активности радионуклидов в изучаемых источниках были получены в результате радиохимического анализа с последующим радиометрическим или спектрометрическим измерением счетных образцов. В период с 1999 г. по декабрь 2017 г. был осуществлен анализ 107 проб минеральной природной питьевой воды. В отобранных пробах воды были определены в разных комбинациях величины удельной суммарной альфа- и бета-активности и удельной активности 226Ra, 224Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, 238U, 234U, 40K, 222Rn, а также рассчитан показатель соответствия воды требованиям радиационной безопасности: сумма отношений удельных активностей выделенных радионуклидов к соответствующим уровням вмешательства. Превышение критерия соответствия воды требованиям радиационной безопасности по удельной суммарной альфа-активности было обнаружено для 87% исследованных проб воды, по удельной суммарной бета-активности – для 18% проб. Превышение условия соответствия воды требованиям радиационной безопасности зафиксировано для 40% исследованных проб. В 24% исследованных проб воды было обнаружено превышение уровня вмешательства по содержанию 226Ra, в 24% – по содержанию 228Ra, в 3,5% проб – по содержанию 224Ra. Превышений величин уровней вмешательства для 210Pb, 210Po, 238U, 234U и 222Rn в исследованных пробах выявлено не было. Основной вклад в величину суммы отношений удельных активностей природных радионуклидов к соответствующим уровням вмешательства и, соответственно, в дозу облучения населения г. Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области за счет потребления минеральной питьевой воды вносят 226Ra, 228Ra и 222Rn, суммарный вклад которых в данную величину составляет более 90%

ОСОБЕННОСТИ РАЦИОНА ПИТАНИЯ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ КУРИЛЬСКИХ ОСТРОВОВ, ВЛИЯЮЩИЕ НА ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ ДОЗЫ ВНУТРЕННЕГО ОБЛУЧЕНИЯ

Institute of Radiation Hygiene carried out series of field studies because of possible dissemination of radioactive contamination in the territories of Far East regions of Russian Federation after the accident on “Fukushima-1” NPP. The aim of investigations was to clarify radiation situation in the territories of Sakhalin region. We carried out investigations during May-October of 2011 in the Sought-Eastern part of Sakhalin region including the territories of Korsakov district of Sakhalin Island and Kunashir and Shikotan Islands, which are located close to “Fukushima-1” NPP. In autumn of 2012, we carried additional investigation in the Islands Sakhalin, Iturup and Kunashir. In the frames of expedition investigations of 2011 – 2012, we carried out gamma-irradiation dose rate measurements, gamma-spectrometric investigations, sampling of soil, foodstuffs, environmental samples, and as well local population questionnaire survey with the aim of clarification of the food rations. We sampled 132 foodstuffs samples, which local population use to consume and implemented their gamma-spectrometric and radiochemical analysis. We carried out 99 questionnaire surveys of population to estimate the volume of consumption of different foodstuffs, clarification of food ration and its peculiarities. Carried survives revealed that practically all respondents consume milk, fish, mainly sea fish, seafood and/or edible algae. Local population consume freshly cooked, salt and pickled forest herbs: wild garlic, fern, and burdock. The consumption of cow milk, produced mainly in private farms, could reach 200 l/year, sea fish – 170 kg/year, seafood – 100 kg/year, edible algae – 50 kg/year. More than 50% of respondents rather actively consume forest mushrooms – up to 90 kg/year, 3% of respondents consume meat of game – up to 6 kg/year and feathered game – up to 15 kg/year. Carried survives revealed peculiarities of cattle ration: the cows gaze unorganized, feed meadow and forest grass and herbs, algae from a coast. Forestlands of the investigated region are located in the territories with prevailing of sandy, sandy loam and loamy soils. The values of caesium isotopes transfer factors from such soils to foodstuffs and environmental objects are much higher than the values of transfer factors from fertile black soils. Thus, the population of investigated territory actively consume the foodstuffs transfer of caesium isotopes to which is rather high.В связи с возможным распространением радиоактивного загрязнения на территориях Дальневосточного региона Российской Федерации в результате аварии на АЭС «Фукусима-1» научно-исследовательский институт радиационной гигиены провел серию экспедиционных исследований с целью уточнения радиационной обстановки на территории Сахалинской области. В мае – октябре 2011 г. было проведено обследование юго-восточной части Сахалинской области, включавшее территорию Корсаковского района острова Сахалин и островов Кунашир и Шикотан, ближе всех расположенных к АЭС «Фукусима-1». Осенью 2012 г. были проведены дополнительные исследования на островах Сахалин, Итуруп и Кунашир. В рамках экспедиционных обследований 2011–2012 гг. проводили замеры мощности дозы гамма-излучения, гамма-спектрометрические исследования, отбор проб почвы, пищевых продуктов и объектов окружающей среды, а также опросы местного населения с целью уточнения рационов питания. Было отобрано 132 пробы пищевых продуктов, потребляемых местным населением, с последующим проведением их гамма-спектрометрического и радиохимического анализа. Проведено 99 опросов местного населения с целью установления объемов потребления разных видов пищевых продуктов, уточнения рационов питания и его особенностей. Опросы показали, что практически все респонденты потребляют молоко, рыбу, в основном морскую, морепродукты и/или водоросли. Местное население употребляет в свежеприготовленном виде и заготавливает на зиму в засоленном или маринованном виде травянистые лесные растения: черемшу, папоротник, лопух. Потребление взрослым населением коровьего молока, причем в основном произведенного в личных подсобных хозяйствах, может достигать  200 л/год, потребление морской рыбы – 170 кг/год, морепродуктов – 100 кг/год, водорослей –  50 кг/год. Более 50% опрошенных достаточно активно потребляют лесные грибы – до 90 кг/год, около 3% – мясо диких животных – до 6 кг/год или мясо дикой птицы – до 15 кг/год. Проведенные опросы выявили особенности рациона питания крупного рогатого скота, а именно: коровы пасутся не организованно, питаются луговой и лесной травой, кустарничковой растительностью, водорослями на побережье. Лесные массивы обследованного региона расположены на территориях с преобладанием песчаных, супесчаных и суглинистых почв. Значения коэффициентов перехода изотопов цезия из таких почв в пищевые продукты и объекты окружающей среды существенно выше значений коэффициентов перехода из плодородных черноземных почв. Таким образом, население края активно потребляет в пищу продукты, переход изотопов цезия в которые достаточно высок