Voting 'against all' in postcommunist Russia

Since the early 1990s voters in Russia (and most of the other post-Soviet republics) have been offered the opportunity to vote ‘against all’ parties and candidates. Increasing numbers have done so. The evidence of two post-election surveys indicates that ‘against all’ voters are younger than other voters, more urban and more highly educated. They do not reject liberal democracy, but are critical of the contemporary practice of Russian politics and find no parties that adequately reflect their views. With the ending of the ‘against all’ facility in 2006 and other changes in the Russian electoral system under the Putin presidency, levels of turnout are likely to fall further and the protest vote will seek other outlets within or outside the parliamentary system

Vaginal microbiocenosis in various clinical forms of miscarriage

Introduction. Numerous studies have shown that vaginal dysbiosis can complicate the course and outcome of pregnancy. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) allows for a multivariate quantitative analysis of conditionally pathogenic microflora from the urogenital tract, which represents a novel approach to the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases and dysbiotic conditions of the lower female genitals. Aim: to determine and compare the parameters of vaginal microbiocenosis between various clinical forms of miscarriage. Materials and methods. For the microbiological analysis, we used scrapings from the posterolateral vaginal fornix mucosa. The samples were analyzed using the RT-PCR assay. Three groups of women with clinically identified and sonographically confirmed miscarriages were examined. The clinical forms were: threatened miscarriage (TM), spontaneous abortion (SA), and undeveloped pregnancy (UP). Results. Significant differences in the vaginal microbiocenosis parameters were found between the UP vs SA and TM vs UP groups; these changes negatively affected the course and outcome of pregnancy. The highest occurrence (68 %) of microbiocenosis disorders was found in patients of the TM group. The most common carriers of Candida fungi were patients of the UP (60 %) and TM (56 %) groups. Mycoplasma genitalium was the most common infectious agent in the TM group (14 %), and Mycoplasma hominis - in the SA group (40 %). In most cases (54 %), the carriers of CMV infection were detected in the UP group. Four parameters were found statistically significant for the TM and SA groups: the reduced presence of Lactobacillus spp. (p = 0.001), the increased presence of Gardnerella vaginalis + Prevotella bivia + Porphyromonas spp. (p = 0.01), Mycoplasma hominis (p = 0.001), and CMV infection (p = 0.004). For the UP group, the significant indicator was the presence of CMV (p = 0.001). Conclusion. The results indicate a negative role of the above infectious agents in the development of various clinical forms of miscarriage

Effects of stress on quantitative and age composition chervonokrivtsiv peripheral blood judo athletes

Фізичні навантаження на організм спортсменів протягом тренувального макроциклу й особливо в його змагальному періоді супроводжуються значними витратами енергії, для відновлення якої потрібний кисень, який в енергетичному обміні виконує функцію акцептора електронів. Єдиними спеціалізованими постачальниками кисню до тканин є червонокрівці, від функціонального стану яких залежить ефективність їх транспортної функції. У цій статті описано результати вивчення кількісного та вікового складу еритроцитів пери-феричної крові до й після змагань у 108 спортсменів-дзюдоїстів різних кваліфікацій. Відзначено, що фізичні навантаження викликають появу молодих еритроцитів у крові висококваліфікованих спортсменів, чого не спостерігали у спортсменів масових розрядів. Effect of Physical Loads on Quantitative and Age Structure of Peripheral Blood Erythrocytes of Sportsmen-Judoists. Physical loads experienced by athletes during training macrocycle, especially at competitive period have been accompanied by significant energy loss that requires oxygen, which is the electron acceptor at energy metabolism. The only specialized suppliers of oxygen in tissues are erythrocytes. The article reveals the results of quantitative and age structure of peripheral blood erythrocytes’ investigations before and after the competitions 108 sportsmen of different qualifications specialized in judo wrestling. It was found that physical activities contribute to young erythrocytes appearance in blood of highly skilled sportsmen, what is not observed in athletes of mass qualifications

Combination of a Chaperone Synthesis Inducer and an Inhibitor of GAPDH Aggregation for Rehabilitation after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study

The recovery period after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often complicated by secondary damage that may last for days or even months after trauma. Two proteins, Hsp70 and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), were recently described as modulating post-traumatic processes, and in this study, we test them as targets for combination therapy using an inhibitor of GAPDH aggregation (derivative of hydrocortisone RX624) and an inducer of Hsp70 synthesis (the pyrrolylazine derivative PQ-29). The protective effect of the combination on C6 rat glioblastoma cells treated with the cerebrospinal fluid of traumatized animals resulted in an increase in the cell index and in a reduced level of apoptosis. Using a rat weight drop model of TBI, we found that the combined use of both drugs prevented memory impairment and motor deficits, as well as a reduction of neurons and accumulation of GAPDH aggregates in brain tissue. In conclusion, we developed and tested a new approach to the treatment of TBI based on influencing distinct molecular mechanisms in brain cells

A woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) carcass from Maly Lyakhovsky Island (New Siberian Islands, Russian Federation)

A partial carcass of an adult woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) found in 2012 on Maly Lyakhovsky Island presents a new opportunity to retrieve associated anatomical, morphological, and life history data on this important component of Pleistocene biotas. In addition, we address hematological, histological, and microbiological issues that relate directly to quality of preservation. Recovered by staff from North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, this individual is a relatively old female preserving soft tissue of the anteroventral portion of the head, most of both fore-quarters, and the ventral aspect of much of the rest of the body. Both tusks were recovered and subjected to computed tomographic analysis in which annual dentin increments were revealed as cycles of variation in X-ray attenuation. Measurements of annual increment areas (in longitudinal section) display a pulsed pattern of tusk growth showing cycles of growth rate variation over periods of 3-5 years. These intervals are interpreted as calving cycles reflecting regular shifts in calcium and phosphate demand for tusk growth vs. fetal ossification and lactation. Brown liquid associated with the frozen carcass turned out to include remains of hemolyzed blood, and blood samples examined microscopically included white blood cells with preserved nuclei. Muscle tissue from the trunk was unusually well preserved, even at the histological level. Intestinal contents and tissue samples were investigated microbiologically, and several strains of lacticacid bacteria (e.g., Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus hirae) that are widely distributed as commensal organisms in the intestines of herbivores were isolated. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved