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Spring floods in Siberia annually affect local communities. Major urban settlements in the region implemented flood control structures, so rural areas take a heavy beating. In 2018, spring floods severely hit multiple communities in central Yakutia, exposing deficient flood prevention and risk management practices. Notably, Amga village, an important local center, was severely inundated. Hydrological analysis shows that the 2018 flood had a 50-yr return period, and was caused by an ice jam in a nearby channel bend where mid-channel sand bars impede ice movement during breakup. The cold spells of late April and early May in the middle section of the river promote ice-jam development, causing extreme water stage rise. Highest water stage is unrelated to either winter snow water equivalent or early May rainfall. Estimated tangible direct damage to the Amga community equals 5.1B ($81.5M) in 2018 prices, but only 0.13B ($2.1M), or 2.5% of this total, was reclaimed. A questionnaire survey revealed that most residents report important deterioration of drinking water quality and health after flooding. Residents respond positively to risk mitigation actions, implemented by the local and regional authorities, except ice dusting and cutting, and report minor activity of official sources in spreading information on flood progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of HIV-infected people who are receiving ART, including those with low adherence, is causing the spread of HIV drug resistance (DR). A total of 1396 plasma samples obtained from treatment-experienced patients from the Volga federal district (VFD), Russia, were examined to investigate HIV DR occurrence. The time periods 2008−2015 and 2016−2019 were compared. Fragmentary Sanger sequencing was employed to identify HIV resistance to reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) and protease inhibitors (PIs) using an ABI 3500XL genetic analyzer, a ViroSeq™ HIV-1 genotyping system (Alameda, CA, USA) and AmpliSense HIV-Resist-Seq reagent kits (Moscow, Russia). In 2016−2019, HIV DR was detected significantly more often than in 2008−2015 (p < 0.01). Mutations to RTIs retained leading positions in the structure of DR. Frequencies of resistance mutations to nucleoside and non-nucleoside RTIs (NRTIs and NNRTIs) in the spectra of detected mutations show no significant differences. Resistance to NRTIs after 2016 began to be registered more often as a part of multidrug resistance (MDR), as opposed to resistance to a single class of antiretrovirals. The frequency of DR mutations to PIs was low, both before and after 2016 (7.9% and 6.1% in the spectrum, respectively, p > 0.05). MDR registration rate became significantly higher from 2008 to 2019 (17.1% to 72.7% of patients, respectively, p < 0.01). M184V was the dominant replacement in all the years of study. A significant increase in the frequency of K65R replacement was revealed. The prevalence of integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) resistance mutations remains to be investigated.

The main purpose of the study: to analyze the ideas of older people about ways to influence their own health and their health promoting behavior. The study considers the elderly as an active agent that can influence their own health. Based on the materials of 25 in-depth interviews, 4 thematic blocks related to health were analyzed. It is confirmed that the modern elderly city dweller can be called an active agent in relation to his own health. Informants noted physical activity and a balanced diet as the main ways to maintain/improve health. Much less often (in isolated cases) maintenance of mental and emotional well-being, and professional and intellectual activity were named. At the same time, ideas about how to influence health correlate with the daily practices of the older people. The repertoire of practices is quite wide (all kinds of physical activity and dietary restrictions, the desire to balance it). Along with this, medicine is practically not considered by informants as a tool for preventing diseases and maintaining health; rather, it is a way to solve problems that have already arisen.

Myostatin is a protein belonging to the myokine class, the family of transforming growth factors β (TGF-β). The review article, based on the analysis of literature data, shows the key role of myostatin in the development of senile sarcopenia and cachexia in various pathological conditions, such as cancer, chronic heart failure, chronic renal failure, COPD, etc. The article discusses the structure of myostatin, provides a detailed diagram of the synthesis and activation of myostatin, the ways of implementing the mechanism of action as a negative regulator of muscle growth and differentiation in these pathological conditions. The main physiological properties and clinical significance are highlighted. Exogenous and endogenous factors regulating myostatin expression and possible mechanisms of their action are considered.

In heart attack, FSTL-1 is actively secreted by cardiomyocytes, accelerates growth of heart myofibrils and stimulates of vascular endothelial growth factor expression. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of Etoxidol on synthesis of FSTL-1 in rats after myocardial infarction. The experiments were performed on Wistar rats weighing 250-350 g with simulated myocardial infarction or intact (group 5). Animals of control groups (groups 1, 2) were treated with saline for 7 and 14 days; Ethoxidol (24 mg/kg) was injected to animals of experimental groups (group 3, 4) (the daily dose was 6.36 mg/animal) for 6 or 14 days. The injection volume was 0.2 ml. At the beginning and at the end of the study plasma concentrations of FSTL-1 were determined by the ELISA method. Myocardial FSTL-1 gene expression was determined by real-time PCR. At the end of the experiments, the hearts were also used for histochemical analysis. To determine the size of the scar formed after the modeled heart attack, we used the classic Mallory staining method. The results show that the development of experimental acute myocardial infarction is accompanied by a significant increase in FSTL-1 expression in the heart, which was detected on the 7th day and stored increased by 14 days after a heart attack. After therapy with Ethoxidol, a tendency to a decrease in the expression of FSTL-1 by the 14th day was observed; it coincided with the dynamics of the plasma protein FSTL-1 level. It can be assumed that the downregulation trend in the FSTL-1 expression is associated with a more effective repair process after a heart attack, since FSTL-1 increases precisely in response to myocardial damage and decreases when the incentives for its expression from damaged heart tissue are reduced. Indirectly, this assumption is confirmed by the detected tendency to reduce the size of post-infarction fibrosis in the treatment with Ethoxidol. The results indicate the ability of Ethoxidol to influence FSTL-1 synthesis of in rats after myocardial infarction.

One of the most vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic was the older people. This is due not only to the danger of the disease itself and its consequences, but also to the conditions of quarantine restrictions. Based on the materials of 26 interviews with representatives of the older people (from 63 to 87 years old), we analyzed how older people experienced the pandemic in St. Petersburg. The interviews were collected from July to September 2020 by senior volunteers (60+) of the non-commercial organization «House of Projects» (St. Petersburg). The most difficult informants endured spatial isolation in their own apartments and the inability to take walks, maintain live communication, lack of reliable information about pamdemic. In the case of medical care, many were forced to cancel scheduled visits and examinations, postpone surgery indefinitely, and also experienced difficulties in obtaining prescription drugs, glasses and dental care. On the positive side during the quarantine period, elderly informants noted the development of youth volunteer movement and assistance, the development of mobile devices and online communication methods, and the establishment of closer emotional ties with relatives. In summary, we can say that the strict restrictions on leaving homes for the older people, and intimidation «from TV», lack of reliable information, restrictions on access to health care, clearly observed during the quarantine period, do not correspond to the responsible care for citizens by state.

The aim of the investigation was to study the effect of 2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine malate (Ethoxidol) on the concentration of oxidative stress metabolites in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and hypertension., Materials and Methods: 126 patients with FC I-III CHF have been examined. In addition to their individual therapy these patients received intravenous infusions of Ethoxidol. Blood content of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), oxygen tension (рО 2 ), pH, concentration of total peroxides, lactate, and aldosterone were identified. 2,3-DPG levels (g/L erythrocytes) in whole blood samples were determined by an enzyme assay using the reagent kit (Rosh, Germany), values of рО 2 , рСО 2 , рН, lactate in the venous blood were measured using gas analyzer Stat Profil pHOx Ultra (Nova Biomedical, USA). Indices of oxidative stress, i.e. the concentration of plasma total peroxides, were investigated by ELISA using OxyStat kit (Biomedica, Austria). Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from all patients before and 6 days after the daily intravenous Ethoxidol infusion., Results: In patients with FC I, II, III CHF, on day 7 after intravenous Ethoxidol infusion at a dose of 100 mg/day, statistically significant growth (p=0.0002) of PaO 2 level by 15.7, 17.4, and 22.8%, respectively, was noted. In patients with FC I, II, III CHF in the group receiving standard therapy, statistically significant (p=0.002) reduction of 2,3-DPG level by 2.7, 2.4, and 4.0%, respectively, was registered. On day 7 after the infusion of Ethoxidol at a dose of 100 mg/day, its decrease by 5.7, 10.5, and 26.2%, respectively (p<0.0001), was also observed., Conclusion: The increased concentrations of active oxygen forms have been established to negatively affect various bodily functions and adversely influence the pathophysiology of numerous diseases. Application of antioxidants, including Ethoxidol presented by us in this article, may become a clue to the development of preventive measures for many serious diseases., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

The article presents analysis of activities concerning organization of pre-analytic stage of monitoring of HIV resistance to anti- retrovirus preparations on territories of the Privolzhskiy Federal Okrug. The medical records of patients receiving anti-retrovirus therapy and appointment cards to detect drug resistance of HIV from territorial centers of prevention and control of AIDS and infectious diseases are analyzed. The results of testing of specialists of service of prevention of AIDS/HIV with questionnaire "Characteristics of pre-analytical stage under implementation of molecular genetic and immunologic analyses" developed in the Privolzhskiy okrug center of prevention and control ofAIDS and samples of bio-tests obtained during coming-outs in regions of okrug were included into analysis too. The failures in implementation of pre-analytical stage were established. Hence, the subsequent decreasing of informativeness of analyses or inexpediency or even impossibility of application of testing of AIDS drug resistance. The recommendations are proposed concerning main directions of work to enhance pre-analytical stage of analysis of AIDS resistance to anti-retrovirus preparations.

Aim: Genotyping of noroviruses that had circulated in the territory of Nizhny Novgorod during 6 epidemic seasons (2006 - 2012), detection of dominating genovariants and analysis of their change., Materials and Methods: Feces samples from children hospitalized in an intestinal infection department of one of the infectious disease hospitals of Nizhny Novgorod served as material for the study. Noroviruses were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Genotypes and gene variants were determined by analysis of nucleotide sequences of viral genome regions coding capsid protein and RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase., Results: During examination of 6589 children with an acute intestinal infection between July 2006 and June 2012 noroviruses were detected in 17.55% of cases. Nucleotide sequences of capsid and/or polymerase gene regions were determined for 114 norovirus isolates. Genotyping has shown that noroviruses of 8 various genotypes had circulated in the territory of Nizhny Novgorod--GII.1, GII.2, GII.3, GII.4, GII.6, GII.7, GII. 12, GII.13 with the domination of GII.4 noroviruses for the whole observation period. A dynamic of change of epidemic variants of genotype GII.4 noroviruses that had been accompanied by an increase of frequency of detection of norovirus in children hospitalized with acute intestinal infection similar to global was established. A short-term circulation of GII.4 2006b-NN 2008 norovirus subvariant in spring of 2008 and spread of genotype GII.12 norovirus during 2009, 2010 epidemic season were also shown., Conclusion: The data obtained give evidence to the necessity of norovirus circulation monitoring with the aim of early detection of novel virus variants that may determine an increase of norovirus infection morbidity.

Prevalence of the primary drug resistance mutations and resistance developed in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapies in the HIV-infected persons in the Privolzhsky federal district was studied. It was demonstrated that among the ART-naive HIV-positive patients there were no mutations leading to the development of resistance. A high level of the resistance to lamivudin, nevirapin, efavirenz was revealed among the persons receiving the antiretroviral therapy. As a whole, the frequency of mutations of resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (23.8%) and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (26.9%) was much higher than to protease inhibitors (1.2%).

A total of 5230 specimens from children with gastroenteritis collected in Nizhny Novgorod in 2006-2010 were screened for human parechoviruses (HPeV). HPeV were observed every year with mean frequency of 6.16%. The majority of HpeV (65.83%) was detected in children younger than 3 years. The typing of 71 detected HPeV with the use of partial sequencing of the VP3-VP1 region revealed the presence of HPeV1 (91.55%), HpeV6 (5.63%), HPeV3 (3.08%), HPeV4 (1.54%). HPeV1B was predominant among HPeV1, HPeV1A was identified rarely. Six stains of HPEV1 formed separate phylogenetic cluster, had sequence gomology with HPEV1A or HPeV1B not more than 88% and could be characterized as members of a separate genotype HPeV1.

Aim: Genotyping ofastroviruses isolated from children with acute enteric infection (AEI) on the territory of Nizhny Novgorod in 2006 - 2011., Materials and Methods: Samples of feces from children hospitalized in intestine infection department of a Nizhny Novgorod infectious diseases hospitals served as study material. Astroviruses were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. Astrovirus genotypes were determined based on phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequence of genome fragment coding capsid protein., Results: During examination of 5759 children with AEI from July 2006 to June 2011 astroviruses were detected in 2.6% of cases, and in 2010 - 2011 the frequency of astrovirus detection (5.19%) was significantly higher than in the previous epidemic seasons and the average based on the whole observation period. Genotyping of the detected astroviruses showed that genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 astroviruses circulated on the territory of Nizhny Novgorod with predomination ofgenotype 1. Genotype 1 astroviruses are presented by genetic lineages 1a, 1b, 1d with predomination of lineage la. From the start of 2010 all the detected isolates from genetic lineage la belonged to a single new sublineage - 1a-2010. The second by quantity of detected isolates were genotype 5 astroviruses identified for the first time in Nizhny Novgorod in July 2010. Genotype 2, 3 and 4 astroviruses were detected in isolated cases., Conclusion: Activation of astrovirus circulation in the population of Nizhny Novgorod that was shown by a significant increase of frequency of their detection in children with AEI in 2010 - 2011 epidemic season with the highest probability was caused by appearance of genotype 5 astroviruses, that had not previously been detected in this territory and other territories of Russian Federation.

In 2009 echovirus 9 caused a higher seasonal incidence of enterovirus infection (EVI) and its several outbreaks in a number of regions of Russia. Analysis of the partial VP1 coding region differentiated 4 phylogenetic lineages of echoviruses 9 variants identified in patients with aseptic meningitis and EVI in 2007-2009. One variant of echovirus 9 was most commonly encountered in 2009. Echoviruses 9 identified in different areas, which had a high (98.2-100%) homology of nucleotide sequences of the partial VP1 coding region, varied in the amino acid sequences within the B-C loop.

A prospective longitudinal controlled investigation of 189 patients with secondary diffuse peritonitis was performed. A correlation between the levelof interleuikin-6 of peritoneal exudate, the severity of the patients' state, the number of complications and outcome of the course of the disease was established. The maximal number of complications and unfavorable outcomes falls on the peak value ofinterleuikin-6.

The genes regulating resistance to potassium tellurite were cloned from plasmid pS221 with a broad host range. The studied DNA fragment encodes for the synthesis of two polypeptides with molecular mass of 38 and 43 kD. Metal tellurium crystals were localized in the periplasm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ML4262 (pBS221) cells by electron microscopy. Results of colony hybridization permit us to propose that the cloned genes of potassium tellurite resistance have sites of homology with plasmids RP4(IncP), R27 (IncH), pBS38, pBS79, and R931(IncP-2).

Modern data on prevalence, structural and functional organization of the tetracycline resistance determinants in bacteria are reviewed. The three mechanisms of the antibiotic resistance are the tetracycline efflux, the ribosomal protection and the antibiotic modification. The problems of evolution of tetracycline resistance genes are discussed.

The colony hybridization and tetracycline accumulation techniques made possible to demonstrate the majority of the 29 bacteria of Pseudomonas genera to harbour the plasmids carrying tet determinants belonging to classes A-C, while one strain contained a plasmid carrying tet determinant of class B. For the first time the determinants of classes D and E were found on R plasmids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The determinant of G class was identified on two plasmids identical to pBS221 plasmid described previously.

Plasmid pBS221 was physically mapped for restriction endonucleases EcoRI, BamHI, BglII, HindIII. The regions essential for the plasmid existence and participating in replication (oriV trfA*) and mobilization (mob) were cloned. The tet determinant and oriV trfA* regions were localized on the physical map of the plasmid. A DNA sequence homologous to genes of Tn501 mer operon was detected in this plasmid. The studies on homology of plasmids RP4 (IncP alpha), R751 (IncP beta) and pBS221 plasmid suggest that the latter belongs to the IncP beta subgroup.

Tetracycline-resistance determinant of the plasmid pBS221 isolated from a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain has been cloned on pUC19 vector plasmid. The determinant is expressed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions coding for two proteins: a 36 Kd protein conferring antibiotic resistance and 27 Kd repressor protein. The determinant is not homologous to tet-determinants of the known classes as shown by blot hybridization experiments. The determinant represents a new class--G. Determinants of the new class are widespread among Serratia marcescens strains.