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We present the first record of Holocene fossil insect assemblages from Central Yakutia. A stratigraphic sequence in the locality within the Vilyuy River valley is a buried oxbow. The late Holocene water body inherited an impervious stratum from the late Pleistocene. The organic layer preserved rich fossil assemblages of macrofossils including insects and other invertebrates, plants, and charcoal. The ancient flora and fauna include species that are common in Yakutia as well as those that are rare and absent in the region. The most abundant finds are leech cocoons and bogbean seeds. The macrofossils of some insects were found along with remains of their host plants. Despite the absence of intensive human land use in the area, traces of fires were recorded. The oxbow represents the environment of a floodplain wetland that developed separately from the ecosystem of the adjacent sand dunes.

Introduction. The development of science diplomacy is aimed at promotion of a state’s interests in the international arena. Russia is striving to strengthen cooperation in the field of scientific and technological development, humanitarian exchange with such MENA countries as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. These countries are of significant interest to Russia due to the long-standing forms of cooperation with them. The main purpose of this study is to identify science diplomacy actors, visually present them taking into consideration the process of science development in these countries and determine prospects of cooperation with Russia. Materials and Methods. In their study, the authors used data from open sources, Russian Federal State Statistics Service reports, UNESCO Science reports, World Bank database. The analysis of development of international science and technology cooperation in the three MENA countries was carried out. The authors used the descriptive method to present the main actors of science diplomacy and visually provide the science diplomacy systems. The developed models of science diplomacy of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates enable Russia to identify the priorities in the field of science diplomacy in the context of geopolitical challenges. Results. The study identified the potential partners of Russia in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt to strengthen international science and technology cooperation. The prospects for cooperation with these countries are fixed in the mutual agreements with Russia. The authors studied the policy of these countries in the field of international scientific and technical cooperation, considered strategic directions for the development of science diplomacy. The created models of science diplomacy reflect the main actors of science diplomacy, as well as the current interrelationship between the three MENA countries and Russia in the field of science and technology. The value of this research lies in the preparation of an extensive analytical base that helps to identify potential partners for Russia among the MENA countries, as well as identify key strategies and directions to stimulate the growth of cooperation and knowledge exchange. Discussion and Conclusion. The research has shown that in the studied Arab countries, there is an active development of scientific diplomacy. The governments of these countries are increasingly turning to science to solve political problems. The MENA region has extensive resources and scientific potential, which makes it attractive for scientific cooperation. The analysis of cooperation with these countries made it possible to identify key strategies and priorities to stimulate the growth of cooperation and knowledge exchange between the MENA countries and Russia.

Taking into account social, psychological and physiological factors, the labor impact on the human body with disabilities requires the activation of adaptive mechanisms, which in this category has features related to the specifics of the state of health.The purpose of the work is to identify the features of the dynamics of psychophysiological adaptation in disabled people in the course of work.Materials and methods. Hart rate variability indicators, socio-psychological adaptation and stress sensitivity of 130 disabled people were monitored before and after completing work practice at the Center Labor Rehabilitation and Habilitation.Results. The analysis of data depending on the group, category of disability, gender, age and disabling disease revealed the features of adaptive activity of each group of the study, as well as threshold values of psychoemotional indicators relative to the tension of regulatory systems.

BACKGROUND: The search for biological markers for the differential diagnosis of recurrent depression and bipolar depression is an important undertaking in modern psychiatry. Electroencephalography (EEG) is one of the promising tools in addressing this challenge. AIM: To identify differences in the quantitative characteristics of the electroencephalographic alpha band activity in patients with a depressive episode within the framework of recurrent depression and bipolar depression. METHODS: Two groups of patients (all women) were formed: one consisting of subjects with recurrent depressive disorder and one with subjects experiencing a current mild/moderate episode (30 patients), and subjects with bipolar affective disorder or a current episode of mild or moderate depression (30 patients). The groups did not receive pharmacotherapy and did not differ in their socio-demographic parameters or total score on the Hamilton depression scale. A baseline electroencephalogram was recorded, and the quantitative characteristics of the alpha band activity were analyzed, including the absolute spectral power, interhemispheric coherence, and EEG activation. RESULTS: The patients with recurrent depressive disorder demonstrated statistically significantly lower values of the average absolute spectral power of the alpha band (z=2.481; p=0.042), as well as less alpha attenuation from eyes closed to eyes open (z=2.573; p=0.035), as compared with the patients with bipolar affective disorder. CONCLUSION: The presented quantitative characteristics of alpha activity are confirmation that patients with affective disorders of different origins also display distinctive electrophysiological features which can become promising biomarkers and could help separate bipolar depression from the recurrent type.

Crystalline cerium(III) phosphate (CePO4), cerium(IV) phosphates, and nanocrystalline ceria are considered to be promising components of sunscreen cosmetics. This paper reports on a study in which, for the first time, a quantitative comparative analysis was performed of the UV-shielding properties of CePO4, Ce(PO4)(HPO4)0.5(H2O)0.5, and CePO4/CeO2 composites. Both the sun protection factor and protection factor against UV-A radiation of the materials were determined. Ce(PO4)(HPO4)0.5(H2O)0.5 was shown to have a sun protection factor of 2.9, which is comparable with that of nanocrystalline ceria and three times higher than the sun protection factor of CePO4. Composites containing both cerium dioxide and CePO4 demonstrated higher sun protection factors (up to 1.8) than individual CePO4. When compared with the TiO2 Aeroxide P25 reference sample, cerium(III) and cerium(IV) phosphates demonstrated negligible photocatalytic activity. A cytotoxicity analysis performed using two mammalian cell lines, hMSc and NCTC L929, showed that CePO4, Ce(PO4)(HPO4)0.5(H2O)0.5, and nanocrystalline ceria were all non-toxic. The results of this comparative study indicate that cerium(IV) phosphate Ce(PO4)(HPO4)0.5(H2O)0.5 is more advantageous for use in sunscreens than either cerium(III) phosphate or CePO4/CeO2 composites, due to its improved UV-shielding properties and low photocatalytic activity.

Relevance. The rapid spread of new pathogens inevitably leads to the occurrence of joint circulation with already known infectious agents, leading to the development of mixed infections. The simultaneous circulation of the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with a highly contagious measles virus leads to the development of mixed infections in people who have not been sick or vaccinated against measles. Aims. Review cases of co-infection with measles and COVID-19 in Moscow. Material and methods. A retrospective study of cases of measles and COVID-19 co-infection in three children with a description of the epidemiological and clinical picture of the disease. Results. In all observed children, the manifestation of the disease was typical for measles, the diagnosis of COVID-19 was established based on a laboratory study carried out in a hospital, which gave reason to count. That the infection with SARSCoV-2 occurred after the infection of children with measles. Conclusions. Different incubation periods can lead to several options for the development of co-infection. The similarity of clinical symptoms at the onset of the disease does not allow excluding a certain infection clinically, without laboratory verification.

Background. Russia is the world leader in the number of women who are members of management bodies in top achievements sports. At the same time, the professional motivation of women engaged in boxing activities and its connection with psychological well-being have not yet been object of a special study. However, targeted management of staff motivation could help to increase their professional efficiency, satisfaction with their performance in the professional sphere and, as a result, achieve sustainable psychological well-being. Objective. To study the peculiarities of professional motivation of women who are employees of the Russian Boxing Federation (RBF), and its connection with psychological well-being. Design. The survey involved 39 women aged 23 to 59 who hold positions in the FBF. The tools used were: the Questionnaire of professional motivation by E. Desi and R. Ryan (adapted by Osin E., Ivanovа T., and Gordeevа T.), and the Questionnaire of psychological well-being by K. Riff (adapted and modified by L.V. Zhukovskaya and E.G. Troshikhina). Results of the study made it possible to determine the attractiveness factors of activities in the FBF: the main ones are “interest in activities,” “opportunities for professional development”, and “team”. Internal professional motivation dominates, which is consistent with the data on the attractiveness of the activities performed in the RBF due to interest in it, the possibility of personal development, a sense of psychological well-being from the process and the results of activities. Positive correlation of autonomous professional motivation with psychological well-being has been established. Conclusion. The data obtained made it possible to describe the peculiarities of professional motivation of women-employees of the Russian Boxing Federation and its connection with psychological well-being.

The hepatoprotective activity of remaxol, reamberin and ademethionine was studied on a model of the liver Injury Induced by antituberculosis drugs. The study included 30 male uninbred albino rats. The following antituberculosis drugs were used: isoniazid (50 mg/kg) subcutaneously + rifampicin (250 mg/kg) intragastrically + pyrazinamide (45 mg/kg) intragastically (by the procedure of Yu.I. Slivka, 1989). Remaxol, reamberin and ademethionine were administered 1.5 hour prior to the antituberculosis drugs. The treatment course was 14 days. It was shown that remaxol, reamberin and ademethionin were able to correct the structural and functional disorders in the liver due to the use of the antituberculosis drugs. By the impact on the biochemical indices, evident of the liver function condition, remaxol showed the maximum effect. The effect of reamberin was somewhat lower and the results of the ademethionine use were less significant. Remaxol had also a distinct effect as for lowering the level of the structural injuries in the liver, evident from recovery of the organ histoarchitectonics, less extended carbohydrate, albuminous and fatty degeneration, more active intracellular regeneration. It was noted that ademethionine had an insignificant effect on necrobiosis. Moreover, there was once detected a large necrosis focus, evident of possible stimulation of the liver tissue alteration by the drug.

Efficacy of remaxol In complex chemotherapy of generalized drug resistant tuberculosis was studied on mice. Mycobacterium tuberculosis 5419 SPBNIIF isolated from a patient with freshey diagnosticated pulmonary tuberculosis resistant to isoniazid (10 mcg/ml), rifampicin (40 mcg/ml), streptomycin (10 mcg/ml) and ethionamide (30 mcg/ml) was used in the experiments. The main polychemotherapy included 4 antituberculosis drugs in the highest therapeutic doses: isoniazid, amikacin, ethambutol and tavanic, the treatment course was 8 weeks. Remaxol was administered in a dose of 25 ml/kg intraperitoneally 5 times a week (14 injections). Significant activating effect of remaxol on the tension of the lung tissue local immunity was revealed by changes in the granuloma cell composition (from mainly epitheliod to mainly lymphoid) and by more frequent large lymphohistiocytic infiltrates. The use of remaxol also greatly increased the absorptive and digestive activity of the peritoneal macrophages phagocytosis, inhibited in the process of the experimental tuberculosis development.

Introduction. The territory of the Northern Caspian region plays an important role in the study of the Neolithic of Eastern Europe. The main criterion of this period is clay pottery. One of the difficult issues is the time of the ceramic technology appearance. Methods and materials. The study of the pottery technology of the Neolithic population of the Northern Caspian region is carried out in the framework of the historical and cultural approach to the study of ceramics, according to the method of A. Bobrinsky. The technique is based on binocular microscopy, tracology and experiment in the form of physical modeling. The basis for identifying technological traces on ceramics is the comparative analysis of the vessels under study with the base of standards. It is made by means of physical modeling in field and laboratory conditions. The age of the Neolithic monuments was determined using traditional methods in radiocarbon laboratories in Russia and Ukraine, as well as using AMS at universities in Sweden and Finland. Analysis. Over the past 10 years, more than 68 radiocarbon dates on different materials such as charcoal, bones, organics from ceramics, charred crusts, humus have been obtained. They give the possibility to determine the time of appearance and spread of the earliest pottery in the Northern Caspian region. This is the middle 7th millennium BC. The chronological framework for the development of the Neolithic in the Northern Caspian region is ca. 6600–5500 BC. The paper establishes the main and specific features of ceramic traditions. Results.The technical and technological analysis allows to reveal the genesis, the features of dynamics and further development of pottery in this region. The complex of results obtained allows to attribute the Neolithic sites of the Caspian region to the earliest pottery areal in Eastern Europe.

Because of the high risk of brain metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer, the study of the anticancer activity of drugs used to treat brain tumors, in particular lomustine, is of great importance. In the FVB/N Her-2 transgenic mice bearing HER2-positive breast cancer (BC HER2+), a single oral administration of lomustine at a dose of 50 mg/kg resulted in a significant tumor growth inhibition (up to 96 %, p

Aim: to study the possibility of reducing the incidence of preeclampsia (PE) by giving vitamin D and calcium (Ca) to pregnant women with a high PE risk starting from the second trimester of pregnancy.Materials and methods. A total of 101 patients from the PE high risk group were examined on weeks 14–16 of pregnancy followed by treatment with vitamin D and Ca; then, the course of pregnancy and labor was analyzed. Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, vitamin D binding protein, endothelin 1-38, and ionized Ca were determined using enzyme immunoassays.Results. In the examined women at high risk of PE, severe serum deficiency of vitamin D and Ca was detected. In patients treated with vitamin D and Ca, a two-fold decrease in the incidence of PE, a three-fold decrease in the incidence of intrauterine growth retardation syndrome, and a decrease in the number of urgent surgery-assisted deliveries were found.Conclusion. Therapy with vitamin D and Ca from the second trimester of pregnancy increases the availability of vitamin D, leads to a more favorable course of pregnancy, and prevents the development of severe forms and early onset of PE in patients at high risk.

The article examines the earliest translations of Montesquieuʼs Persian Letters in the Russian language. The first Russian versions of the novel are fragmentary amateur translations included in such anthologies as Reading for Children (1779) and Selected Reading (1786) addressed to young readers. While realized independently of each other by Kapiton Bocharnikov and Ivan Chashnikov, these translations are based on the same fragment — the fable of the Troglodytes fable which is crucial in Montesquieuʼs political theory because it explains the advantages of Republic government. Comparing the original text and its translations has allowed me to reveal that Bocharnikovʼs translation relies on Lectures pour les enfants by a French childrenʼs author Arnaud Berquin as a mediator text. Another conclusion to be drawn is that while both translations relatively adequately correspond to the original text, they are different in terms of their literary value. At the same time, both translators fulfil their principal aim: withdrawn from the philosophical literature for adults, the Troglodytes fable is adopted for children as a didactic tale by both Bocharnikov and Chashnikov. This allows us to relate both translations to the tradition of translating childrenʼs literature in the second half of the 18 th century.

Today much attention is paid to products of plant origin that can solve the problem of protein deficiency in a human diet. The prospects for the use of lupine seeds in food production is attributed to the characteristics of chemical composition and high biological value. Currently, food supply does not fully meet the needs of the population. The actual problem is the lack of proteins in a human diet. The purpose of the research was to study the chemical composition, quality and safety indicators, as well as properties of dietary fiber obtained from the seeds of legumes - lupine. All studies were carried out with the help of the equipment of the CKP «Food and Chemical Technologies Research Center» of FSBEI HE «KubSTU» according to generally accepted methods and GOSTs. The article presents data characterizing organoleptic quality indicators, as well as sanitary and hygienic safety indicators of the powder from lupine seeds. In the course of the research it’s been found that lupine seeds contain proteins in a large amount, balanced in amino acid composition and sanitary and hygienic safety indicators meet the requirements of ТР ТС 021/2011 «On food safety», and the content of toxic elements in the powder from lupine seeds is lower than the acceptable level. Thus, the dietary supplement in the form of powder obtained from lupine seeds can be recommended for the use in food industry in order to produce safe products.

CO2 production in soils responds strongly to changes in temperature and moisture, but the magnitude of such responses at different timescales remains difficult to predict. Knowledge of the mechanisms leading to the often observed interactions in the effects of these drivers on soil CO2 emissions is especially limited. Here we test the ability of different soil carbon models to simulate responses measured in soils incubated at a range of moisture levels and cycled through 5, 20, and 35 °C. We applied parameter optimization methods while modifying two structural components of models: (1) the reaction kinetics of decomposition and uptake and (2) the functions relating fluxes to soil moisture. We found that the observed interactive patterns were best simulated by a model using Michaelis–Menten decomposition kinetics combined with diffusion of dissolved carbon (C) and enzymes. In contrast, conventional empirical functions that scale decomposition rates directly were unable to properly simulate the main observed interactions. Our best model was able to explain 87 % of the variation in the data. Model simulations revealed a central role of Michaelis–Menten kinetics as a driver of temperature sensitivity variations as well as a decoupling of decomposition and respiration C fluxes in the short and mid-term, with general sensitivities to temperature and moisture being more pronounced for respiration. Sensitivity to different model parameters was highest for those affecting diffusion limitations, followed by activation energies, the Michaelis–Menten constant, and carbon use efficiency. Testing against independent data strongly validated the model (R2 = 0.99) and highlighted the importance of initial soil C pool conditions. Our results demonstrate the importance of model structure and the central role of diffusion and reaction kinetics for simulating and understanding complex dynamics in soil C.

The territory of the Lower Volga plays an important role in the study of the Neolithic of Eastern Europe. The leading indicator of this epoch is pottery. Determining the chronology of pottery making is one of the most complex issues. Over the past ten years, a large number of radiocarbon dates (43) have been obtained on various materials: coal, bones, organic materials in pottery, crusts, humus. They allowed accurate determining of the initial time of appearance of the most ancient crockery in the Lower Volga region – the middle of the 7th millennium BC. The authors determine the chronological frameworks of the Neolithic development in steppes of the Lower Volga region: 6600 – 5300 BC. The Orlovskaya culture had being developed evolutionarily. The special attention is also paid to identifying the specific features of pottery traditions in the area of interest. The technical and technological analysis made it possible to clarify the genesis, the features of the dynamics and the further destiny of pottery in the region. The combination of the latest data allows referring the Neolithic monuments of steppe territory of the Lower Volga to the area of the ancient pottery in Eastern Europe. A.A. Vybornov has carried out the analysis of archaeological data, the entire base of radiocarbon dates on the Neolithic of steppes of the Lower Volga region, and determined the chronological frames of the Orlovskaya culture. I.N. Vasilyeva has carried out the technical and technological analysis of the Orlovskaya culture pottery, identified its peculiarities, and analyzed the materials from adjacent territories from the comparative viewpoint. M.A. Kulkova has obtained and compared the radiocarbon dates for different layers of the Varfolomeyevskaya site, Orlovka, Algay and Oroshaemoe sites. B. Philippsen has obtained radiocarbon dates on coal and bones with AMS for the Neolithic site Algay in the Lower Volga region. Key words: Low Volga region, Neolithic, Orlovskaya culture, chronology, radiocarbon dating, historical and cultural approach, technical and technological analysis of pottery, pottery tradition.

The paper presents the analysis of the Russian and foreign academic events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the defeat of German fascist troops by the Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad, in which lecturers, postgraduate and undergraduate students of the Volgograd State University (VolSU) took part. The focus of the paper is on the multilateral activities of the Center for Public Diplomacy, functioning on the basis of the VolSU, as well as of the Scientific and Educational Center “Modernization of the multidimensional social and political space of modern Russia” at the Department of International Relations, Political Science and Area Studies of VolSU on the presentation of Volgograd as a academic and methodological center for the formation of patriotism and civil identity in the Russian Federation. E.N. Vasilyeva presents an analytical review of the international scientific and practical conference “Stalingrad – a symbol of heroism, patriotism and cohesion of the peoples of Russia and the world”. S.B. Kozhirova characterizes the cooperation of foreign scholars with colleagues from the Volgograd State University on the formation of the historical memory of generations. S.A. Pankratov highlights the main activities of the Center for Public Diplomacy and the academic and educational center “Modernization of the multidimensional social and political space of modern Russia” in the context of the institutionalization of the practices of people’s diplomacy in the public policy of the hero city Volgograd-Stalingrad.

The fate of The Spirit of Laws by Ch.-L. Montesquieu in Russia in the second half of the 18 th century is an example of ambiguous reception that the French enlightener and his ideas received at that time prompting both imitation and polemics. The origin of these controversies is in the unfavorable image of Russia that Montesquieu represented as a country of despotism and slavery. The ideas developed in the treatise incited various Russian authors to nourish their own thinking about the country, especially concerning such problems as liberty and equality. The article attempts to trace the emergence of this debate in political literature, including the works by F.-H. Strube de Piermont, Catherine II, and Prince M.M. Shcherbatov. Since the examined texts are interdependent, it allows me to speak of the literary polemics of a kind. It is argued that each author develops her own writing strategy in accordance with her specific position in society and intention. A comparative analysis shows the following tendencies. (1) The book by Strube de Piermont is a typical literary refutation intended to rehabilitate Russia’s reputation compromised by the author of The Spirit of Laws. (2) Prince Shcherbatov uses Montesquieu’s statements about Russia as a reference point for his own deep and original study of the phenomena and processes that existed in Russia. (3) The ambiguous position of Catherine II as both a private person and a monarch is the most vulnerable of the three and forces her to adapt her ideas to this peculiar role.

Еhe results of the lexical-semantic explication of a universal concept of DEATH in the Yakut language picture of the world are presented. The relevance of the work is determined by the fact that the study of concepts, occupying a significant place in the Yakut linguistic culture, is not currently completed. It is also noted that linguists have always shown interest in the content of the concept of DEATH and peculiarities of its lexical representation by means of different languages, because it belongs to the universal concepts. Euphemization in of death designation is emphasized. The material of the research were sustainable verbal complexes of the Yakut language, signifying death. Prepared by the authors the literal translations of collocations are presented. For example, the expressions are given which literally can be translated as follows: “to disappear from white sun world,” “to go into the pit,” “to go out on the hillside,” “soul became cold” etc. The analysis involve phraseology with other meanings: ‘to deprive of life, kill,’ ‘to go on a deadly risk’ etc. They confirm and clarify the metaphors identified in the primary material. Vocabulary is analysed with respect to ethnographic background information about the traditions of the Yakut graves, about the attitude to suicide and others. Following models of ideas about death are revealed on the Yakut material: “death is a transmigration to another world,” “death is the end,” “death is darkness,” “death is sleep” etc.

Aim. To determine plasma extracellular low-molecular-weight DNA (elmwDNA) as an indicator of apoptosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in remission versus healthy donors, patients with chronic non-obstructive bronchitis (CNOB), and their first-degree relatives (FDRs). Subjects and methods. The investigation recruited 110 participants, including 17 healthy donors, 31 patients with COPD, and 20 patients with CNOB in remission, 19 healthy FDRs of patients with COPD, and 23 healthy FDRs of those with SNOB. The plasma levels of elmwDNA were determined in the study participants. Nucleic acids were isolated by phenol/chloroform extraction, precipitated with ethanol, and treated with RNase; elmwDNA was analyzed by electrophoresis. Results. In patients with COPD, the mean level of elmwDNA was 7.8±2.0 ng/ml, which was 3.9 and 3.0 times statistically significantly lower than that in healthy donors and patients with SNOB, respectively; while the level of elmwDNA in the latter did not differ statistically significantly from that in healthy donors. In both the blood relatives of patients with COPD and FDRs of those with SNOB, the mean level of elmwDNA was not significantly different from that in healthy donors. The content of elmwDNA tended to increase in COPD patients aged 60—80 years as compared to those aged 45—59 years; that in both age groups was, however, significantly lower than in healthy donors of the same age. Conclusion. The level of elmwDNA in plasma and, accordingly, apoptosis in the lung are reduced in patients with COPD in remission, whereas that is unchanged in those with SNOB. In patients with COPD, blood elmwDNA release is unrelated to heredity and varies little with age. The determination of elmwDNA is recommended for use in patients with COPD to assess apoptosis.

Objectives: Evaluation of the effect of low-frequency noise (LFN) on the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow cells and on the content of low-molecular-weight DNA (lmwDNA) in the blood plasma of rats. Materials and Methods: A total of 96 male Wistar rats were exposed to either single (17 min session) or multiple (17 min session repeated five times a week for 13 weeks) LFN, with the maximum range below 250 Hz and the sound pressure levels (SPLs) at 120 and 150 dB, respectively. The rats in the control groups were not subjected to any impact. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow cells and the levels of lmwDNA in the blood plasma were measured afterwards. Results: It has been detected that a single LFN exposure with either corresponding SPLs had a significant increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (more than 10-fold) compared to the controls (0.9 ± 0.3%) and resulted in the appearance of dicentric chromosomes in the aberration spectrum, both of which are evident for the occurrence of deoxyribonucleic acid double strand breaks triggered by the exposure. Furthermore, the lmwDNA levels in the blood plasma measured the following day after a single LFN exposure were significantly higher (7.7- and 7.6-fold, respectively) than that in the control group (11.0 ± 5.4 ng/ml), and such levels were maintained higher (4.8- and 2.1-fold, respectively) in the week after a single LFN exposure for the SPL of 120 and 150 dB, respectively, compared to the control group (18.8 ± 1.6 ng/ml). Similar results were obtained from the group with multiple LFN exposures (36.4- and 22.4-fold, respectively) compared to the control (17.7 ± 1.7 ng/ml) and suggest the enhancement of cellular apoptosis as a result of the LFN impact. Conclusion: Presumably, the LFN may have possible mutagenic effects and cause massive cell death.

The purpose of this work was to study changes in the level of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the blood of young and old rats in the normal state and with induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups—young (3 months), old (20 months), intact, or with testosterone-induced BPH. Groups with BPH were subjected to surgical castration and administration of testosterone esters at a dose of 25 mg/kg for a total of 7 injections for 20 days. In intact animals, the level of cfDNA in old rats (2.00±0.14 ng/μl) was significantly higher than that in the young (1.02±0.30 ng/μl). The body and the prostate weights of old rats were 1.6 and 1.4 times larger than those of the young, without an increase in the prostate index (PI). The testosterone level in the blood of young rats was 1.6 times higher than that of old (6.20±0.93 nmol/l vs. 3.77±0.55 nmol/l; NS). In animals with BPH, the level of cfDNA in old rats (3.14±0.76 ng/μl) was significantly higher than that in young rats (0.80±0.14 ng/μl). The body and the prostate weights in old rats were 1.8 and 2.3 times larger, than those in young rats, with an increase in the PI. The level of testosterone in the blood of young (15.76±0.51 nmol/l) and old (16.99±1.1 nmol/l) rats was not significantly different. Morphological signs of BPH were observed in the prostate of both young and old rats. During the induction of BPH in the experiment, according to the level of cfDNA, cell death processes have not changed significantly in young rats but significantly increased in old rats. A similar trend was observed in the group of intact animals. The obtained data indicate that apoptosis processes are enhanced during the development of BPH despite the growth of tissues in the prostate itself.

Aim. To estimate the spread of weak D antigen types of the Rhesus system in the citizens of the Russian Federation and a possibility of serologically identifying these types. Subjects and methods. The red blood cells and DNA of people with weakened expression of D antigen were investigated using erythrocyte agglutination reaction in salt medium (2 methods); agglutination reaction in the gel columns containing IgM + IgG anti-D antibodies, indirect antiglobulin test with IgG anti-D antibodies (2 methods); polymerase chain reaction to establish the type of weak D. Results. A rhesus phenotype was determined in 5100 people in 2014-2015. The weakened agglutinable properties of red blood cells were detected in 102 (2%) examinees. 63 examinees underwent genotyping to identify the variants of the weak D antigen, which identified 6 weak D types. There were the most common weak D types 3 (n=31 (49.2%)) and weak D type 1 (n=18 (28.6%)), including weak D type 1.1 in one (1.6%) case. The other 4 weak D antigen types were as follows: weak D type 2 (14.3% (n=9)), weak D type 15 (4.8% (n=3)), weak D type 4.2 (DAR) (1.6% (n=1)) and weak D type 6 (1.6% (n=1)). The antiglobulin test in the gel column containing antiglobulin serum was the most sensitive serological assay to identify the weak D antigen. Only a molecular test could establish weak D type 15 in 2 samples of red blood cells with Ccdee and ccdEe phenotypes. Conclusion. The weak D antigen could be serologically identified in 96.8% of cases. When testing for weak D, particular attention should be given to people with the D-negative phenotype who had the C or E antigens. Our investigations conducted for the first time in Russia will be able to improve the immunological safety of red blood cell-containing medium transfusions for patients.

Active mechanical amplification of sound occurs in cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) that change their length with oscillations of their membrane potential. Such length changes are the proposed cellular source of the cochlear amplifier, and prestin is the motor protein responsible for OHC electromotility. Previous findings have shown that mice lacking prestin displayed a loss of OHC electromotility, subsequent loss of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, and a 40–60 dB increase in hearing thresholds. In this study we were interested in studying the functional consequences of the complete loss of cochlear amplification on neural coding of frequency selectivity, tuning, and temporal processing in the auditory midbrain. We recorded near-field auditory evoked potentials and multi-unit activity from the inferior colliculus (IC) of prestin (−/−) null and prestin (+/+) wild-type control mice and determined frequency response areas (FRAs), tuning sharpness, and gap detection to tone bursts and silent gaps embedded in broadband noise. We were interested in determining if the moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss associated with the loss of motor protein prestin would also impair auditory midbrain temporal-processing measures, or if compensatory mechanisms within the brainstem could compensate for the loss of prestin. In prestin knockout mice we observed that there are severe impairments in midbrain tuning, thresholds, excitatory drive, and gap detection suggesting that brainstem and midbrain processing could not overcome the auditory processing deficits afforded by the loss of OHC electromotility mediated by the prestin protein.

The molecular basis of the D-negative phenotype formation in humans is presented in this article. Causes of true and false D-negative phenotype appearance are described. The basis of true D-negative phenotype are changes in the genome, that lead to complete lack of RhD antigen expression on the red blood cells surface, or defective expression of RhD antigen, not detectable by serological methods. The reason for the false D-negative phenotype is the insufficient sensitivity of routine serological methods. Cases of true and false D-negative phenotype identified during the examination of the Russia residents are described. We were able to identify one case of true (RHDψ) and five cases of false D-negative phenotype (RHD weak type 2 – two cases, RHD weak type 15 – one case and RHD weak type 20 – two cases) by molecular method.