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Green Deal and achieving its objectives require changes in the development of the construction and real estate operations sectors. There are many reasons, such as the depletion of natural resources, the transition to a circular economy, decarbonization, and the new tax policies. The transition to ecological construction with minimal energy losses and pollution also means higher construction prices. This goal requires compliance with environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. This would lead not only to a review of the strategies that companies develop but also to a change in their valuation as a whole and the valuation of individual assets. Therefore, there is a constant need to search for opportunities to improve and obtain more accurate and reliable options in the field of business valuation theory in Bulgarian practice. The relationship, the dependence between the prices of residential properties and the factors that influence them, can be presented in mathematical models, and based on them, an indicative value can be derived.

The study examines the impact of municipal solid waste on the environment and the volume of its formation in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It has been established, that the main component of solid household waste is food (organic) waste, the disposal and processing of which is becoming a relevant and important direction for the development of the waste management industry in Kazakhstan. The purpose of the study was to identify, through a study of potential areas of application of organic waste, the most effective ways of using it, both from the point of view of environmental safety and from the point of view of economic efficiency. The main environmental problem is not only the increase of the amount of waste, but also the absence of its high-tech disposal and processing. In Kazakhstan, a significant part of organic waste as part of municipal solid waste continues to get to landfills, so the landfill is the most common method of waste disposal in the country. Today, there are various technologies for utilization and processing of the organic (food) fraction of municipal solid waste, including biogas production, combustion with energy recovery, composting and others. However, in order to establish a waste collection and recycling system in Kazakhstan, first of all, it is necessary to consider waste as a valuable secondary raw material. At the same time, separating food waste from the rest of the garbage will keep it dry and clean and increase the efficiency of sorting. It was found that recycling organic waste is effective not only from an environmental safety point of view, but also from an economic efficiency point of view.

Agriculture plays a key role in the economy of any state. In Kazakhstan, out of a rural population of 7,444,673, there are 3,573,443 economically active individuals. In Kazakhstan, a total of 1,078,720 people are employed in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Of these, 478,366 are wage workers, while 600,354 are self-employed. Rural unemployment affects 4.8%. In 2023, individuals working in agriculture in Kazakhstan earned an average monthly wage of 199,536 tenge, placing them second from the bottom in the income rankings. Despite increasing agricultural output, the wages of these workers are concerning. Consequently, their low and erratic social contributions affect the future quality of social protection regarding old age, job loss, and other social risks.

Our goal was to identify new varieties and varietal samples of potatoes suitable for industrial processing and possessing complex resistance to diseases and abiotic factors. The research was carried out at the peasant farm “Egorsha” in 2021-22. The objects of the study were the following varietal samples: K719, K720, K77, K626, K67, K225, K450, K534, K23, K229, K65, K828, K824, K611, K518, K508, K526. As standards, we used varieties of Russian and foreign selection of different ripeness groups, the most popular in production, and the most resistant to adverse factors: Riviera, Meteor, Red Scarlet, Lady Claire, Nevsky, Gala, Bryansk Delicacy, Varyag, Evpatiy, Morning, Kumach. Cultivation technology is basic. The most suitable potato varietal samples for industrial processing (for crispy potatoes) with complex resistance to diseases and abiotic factors - K229 (Martian) and K828 (Suvorovsky) - have been identified.

In the conditions of digitization and ecological transformation of industry and society, studying the opportunities to apply technological innovations and their impact on the tourism sector has become a research topic. The directions of tourism business innovations are explored and the role of technological innovations in adapting the tourism sector to the processes of transformation and digitalization of society is outlined by conducting a systematic analysis. The aim of this study is to identify the different approaches to tourism product innovation, clarify the scope of technological innovation and to present the possibilities of their application in the tourism sector. As a result of the study the scope of technological innovations in the tourism sector is outlined and guidelines for their application are proposed in order to diversify the tourist product and optimize tourism business activities.

Viticulture and winemaking are traditional industry of agriculture in the southern regions of the Russian Federation, which playing an important role in their economy. A rich and undamaged crop is almost impossible to grow without plant protection measures. Preparations used to spray plants are by no means harmless, and do not always completely disintegrate before harvesting. The objective of the work was to study the dynamics of degradation of fungicides of systemic action, belonging to different classes, in grapes. The two-component preparation was a combination of 120 g/l difenoconazole + 60 g/l tetraconazole (MEC). The one-component preparation contained 250 g/l of cyprodinil (EC). The work was done in the Krasnodar region for 2 years. The half-lives of difenoconazole and tetraconazole were about 5 days, cyprodinil 2.7 and 4 days, 1 and 2 years, respectively. The concentration of difenoconazole and tetraconazole went down to below the MRL in the first year of the study, two weeks after the last spraying, and in the second – after three weeks, which was most likely caused by the prevailing weather conditions – “dangerous phenomenon – intense heat”. At the time of harvest, no residual amounts of difenoconazole, tetraconazole and cyprodinil were found, which indicates the safety of the products obtained for consumers.

The present study, the issues related to the development and features of Cargo insurance are considered as a way to manage the risk in the maritime transport of goods and cargo. The state, tendencies and prospects for development of this type of insurance are outlined, as well as the gross domestic product of the country. The study period is 2010-2019, ie the years after Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union. The results of the analysis confirm the strong link between maritime transport and insurance of transported goods and cargo, which leads to strong development in the insurance market as a whole. It was established that the rate of development of the gross domestic product of the country lags behind the rate of development of the transported goods and cargo by sea. On the other hand, the pace of development of freight insurance outpaces the pace of development of goods transported by sea and the rate of development of the country’s gross domestic product.

The goal of research was the carrying-out of analysis of the rural and ecological tourism in Russia and the determination of the prospects for the transition to sustainable tourism development based on the experience of foreign countries and areas of the world. Based on the author’s own data, as well as expert assessments, an analysis of the prospects and opportunities for the development of rural tourism in Russia was carried out. In the course of the research performance, the necessity of the diversification of Russia rural economy was substantiated, which will contribute to the creation of conditions for alternative employment of the population in non-agricultural sectors, in particular, in rural tourism. As the result, recommendations were elaborated for the transition to sustainable tourism development in rural areas of Russia.

The study examines the costs of innovation and foreign direct investment by district (NUTS 3), Planning regions (NUTS 2) and Regions (NUTS 1), according to the classification of territorial units for statistical purposes. The main trends in their development are outlined. The authors believe that foreign direct investment is closely linked to the cost of innovation. Of particular importance is the view that the intensity of R&D expenditure by statistical regions and districts almost coincides with foreign direct investment. The results of the analysis confirm the strong disproportion in recent years in the distribution of direct investment and R&D expenditures, which leads to the formation of a highly developed center - Sofia district (capital) and weak periphery - all other districts.

The subject of research in this article is the search for possible strategies to overcome the shortage of personnel for the mining industry. The purpose of the study is to prepare recommendations that will help implement HR strategies in mining companies. Method of research. The study used comparative and institutional approaches, as well as an empirical method – the method of observation. Research materials. When preparing the scientific article, the materials of reports of specialized structures of regional government bodies and reports of the rector of the Kuzbass state technical University were used. The results obtained will help to improve the rating indicators of mining enterprises for attracting qualified personnel. The study shows that only an integrated approach to the application of ethical HR technologies can make real progress in a reasonable time frame. The problem of reducing the number of trained specialists and the professionalism of personnel in the mining industry in the Kemerovo region remains particularly relevant. In this situation, there is an appeal of managers of industrial enterprises to educational institutions of any level to develop strategies to solve the personnel problems that have arisen. These managers have a desire to solve personnel issues together with the leading training centers in Kuzbass. The government of the Kemerovo region, the relevant ministries and the Kuzbass State Technical University constantly receive written requests to the rector to develop a personnel strategy for a specific enterprise. Following the instructions of the regional leadership, various departments of the University conduct research on personnel problems at the enterprise and offer their own strategies for overcoming them. The Department of state and municipal management conduct research with enterprises on the managerial aspect of personnel work related to interaction with state authorities in the region. Thanks to working contacts with the profile structures of regional management bodies, there is a constant personnel monitoring at problem enterprises with the involvement of employees of the Department. Based on the results of monitoring, detailed reports are compiled, which can be considered as the basis for developing personnel strategies that can be implemented by both public authorities and mining enterprises themselves.

This paper discusses the adaptation of mining education to the modern requirements of improving the management of mining enterprises. The authors substantiate the necessity and expediency of including a separate benchmarking course in the programs of university and postgraduate mountain education, which is based on the postulates of the process approach to management. It is necessary to gain understanding and knowledge of all processes occurring in the organization, based on illustrating the flow of processes with drawings, graphs of changes in process parameters; have a clear understanding of the standards in order to use their experience in relation to their activities, as well as managers should have a pronounced desire to improve their activities in order to achieve the maximum financial result. The paper presents the results of a study on testing the mechanism for using benchmarking tools conducted by the authors at mining enterprises of an open and underground mining method. Among the main tasks of top managers to reduce the risks of inadequate business processes in coal enterprises, it is necessary to resort to a criterion-based assessment of business processes through internal process benchmarking and the provision of analytical information to interested parties, which will allow them to identify «narrow» places during the implementation of the process and make informed management decisions. The presented conclusions are recommended for consideration when drawing up educational standards and programs for the training and retraining of managerial personnel for the mining industry.

The purpose of the study is to show the economic transformation impact on solving the problems of modernization of the socio-economic sphere of the mineral resource industry cluster operating in the mining region. The object of the research is the mineral resource industry cluster as a center of interaction between state, science, education and business for the implementation of innovative scientific, technical and socio-economic projects. The subject of the article is socio-economic relations concerning nature, focused in the mineral resource industry cluster of the mining region. The problems of sustainable development and modernization of the mineral resource industry cluster of the mining region are considered in terms of the socio-ecological-economic approach methodology, taking into account the economic transformation in the cluster, which ensures the scientific novelty of the study. The scientific merit of the study is the determination of the impact of the change in the types of economy on solving the problems of modernization of the socio- economic sphere of the cluster, based on the parity of nature and the economy in the mining region. It has been shown that clustering involving the potential of a world-class regional scientific and educational center is an effective mechanism for such modernization. The practical relevance of the study lies in the fact that its results can be used to clarify, taking into account the proposed approach, the state strategy of support and development of clusters, as well as regional cluster policy.

Along with cost optimization, the main reserve is the use of the workforce. Development opportunities depend not only on the level of equipment and technology, but also on the added value of the participants -managers, specialists, workers. The fundamental understanding should be that the workforce is not only a basic production factor, but also an important source of income for the enterprise. The purpose of this article is to analyse the main factors of the management of professional development and human resources qualification, influencing the production and economic results in the machine-building sector. The article is structured into two main sections. The first includes an analysis of the factors of the management of professional development and the qualification of the human resources, by examining their interrelations and links with the economic results by types of enterprises in the machine-building sector. The second section presents a model of the factors which are particularly important for achieving high economic results.

The article evaluates current trends in the development of science and innovation in Kazakhstan. Analysis of scientific and innovation activities in Kazakhstan show that among the main sources of financing science there are almost no business representatives. An assessment of the current state of the national innovation system demonstrates that with the existing system of financing science in Kazakhstan there is no possibility to increase the costs of research and development. The overall reduction in domestic R&D expenditures over the period analyzed had the most negative impact on the financing of basic research. The results of the study show the need to revise some of the value settings for building a national innovation system in Kazakhstan.

This study intends to present a possibility of applying the AHP method in the process of making managerial decisions concerning the selection of sources of financing innovation by mining enterprises. Such companies, active in a turbulent market environment marked by increasing competition, are looking for new tools and solutions with a view to supporting and optimising their activity. Development and implementation of innovations, principally aimed at improving the effectiveness of enterprise operation and lowering operating costs, is an efficient tool for the sake of gaining competitive advantage. As shown by studies, the presented method can make an appropriate instrument when it comes to selecting sources of financing for an enterprise. The conducted analyses demonstrated that offtake agreements can be an optimal method of financing innovation in mining companies, in line with indications of experts participating in the study.

At present, foreign markets and, above all, the EU market are decisive for the development of the Bulgarian machine-building sector. In the majority of cases, the presence of European and other foreign markets remains at the level of inter-company trading relationships. One reason for this is the absence of strong national scientific, technical and production structures (science-technology-production) which are able to integrate themselves into large production chains. The lack of adequate human capital management, as well as the low level of professional knowledge, skills and competencies, have a negative impact on the economic performance of the sector. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out an economic and managerial analysis of the state of human capital, revealing the possibilities for its effective utilization and management. The purpose of this article is to examine the state of the human capital by analyzing its impact on the development of the machine building sector in Bulgaria.

Corneal ulcer is a common pathology of the anterior part of the eye in cats, of various etiologies, but clinically manifested stereotypically, by the loss of corneal epithelium with a positive fluorescein test and pain. An analysis of 184 cases of various problems of the organs of vision revealed that the incidence of this pathology in the Rostov region is more than 70%. Corneal ulcers of any etiology with simultaneous infection caused by FHV-1 respond better to therapy with systemic antiviral and anti-collagenase drugs. Combined therapy of corneal ulcers in cats with the simultaneous administration of “Famciclovir” and heterogeneous serum significantly reduces the recovery time of the corneal epithelium.

Glaucoma is a common disease in animals, often leading to blindness. Nowadays, there are several treatments for glaucoma. One of promising technique is transscleral cyclophotocoagulation. This article presents a clinical case of treating a dog with bilateral secondary glaucoma complicated by optic atrophy and blindness of the right eye. Thanks to the combination of drug therapy and surgical treatment, a steady decrease in intraocular pressure was achieved.

The article presents the results of the analysis of the development strategies of the mining regions of Russia for the environmental measures. The objectives of the strategic development of the regions, the inclusion of environmental development measures in the management system are studied, the content of the strategies of mining regions in relation to eliminating existing environmental damage and the implementation of measures to conserve forests and natural systems is studied.

Cytological examination of conjunctival smears obtained from cats with conjunctivitis can reveal the severity and type of inflammation and diagnose conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydophila felis. The diagnosis of chlamydia was made by the study of material taken from the conjunctival sac with a sterile cotton swab by PCR. Material for cytological examination was taken from these cats. Cytological examination of inclusions interpreted as chlamydial, was detected in all cytologic smears from sick cats, and has not been detected in none of healthy cats. Thus, cytological examination is a convenient, non-invasive, easily feasible method, which is suitable for rapid diagnosis of chlamydial conjunctivitis in cats.

The process of sedimentation and subsequent gravity compression of kaolin and water suspensions was investigated experimentally. 45 batch tests were carried out and the time dependence of the height of the suspension column was measured. The one-dimensional equations of Darcian mechanics of two-phase porous media are applied to formulate the studied process mathematically. A very natural assumption makes it possible to find a solution of the forward problem for a starting period of the process. Analysis of the theoretical function and the experimental data gives hydraulic conductivity as a function of the suspension concentration. The obtained results are presented and discussed.

The subject matter of this article is incentives for innovations in entrepreneurship. There are two models of entrepreneurship which exist in developed market economies – traditional and innovative. Innovations have never been so important as they are now, which holds particularly true for small and medium-sized businesses. As Peter F.Drucker formulated it, “Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service.” The methods by which innovations are encouraged change from country to country. The choice of such methods depends on economic, political and other conditions for a country&s development. By encouraging innovative activities, governments enhance the effectiveness of innovative systems and create favorable conditions for enterprises to engage in science and technology. For the EU, which falls behind the USA and Japan in so far as innovation technologies are concerned, it is a highpriority task to implement the innovation development strategy and to transform its economy in accordance with the up-to-date model by 2020. The aim of such strategy is to achieve industrial leadership as well as to support business, including small and medium-sized businesses.

In today’s high tech global economy the need of competent and highly qualified workforce becomes focal point in the research of academics, practitioners and business alike. The development of professional skills and competencies correlates with the processes of performance, evaluation and career development of the human capital. A lot of businesses are looking for innovative ways to improve efficiency and maintain competitive advantage in order to survive. The development of professional competencies is more frequently linked with the processes of performance, evaluation and career development of the human capital. The formation of such competencies requires consistent actions to improve particular knowledge, skills and abilities. The analysis of the professional competences of the human capital in the mining and quarrying sector in Bulgaria reveals a number of opportunities for their effective use and management. The purpose of this article is to outline the main tactics for developing professional competences of the human capital in the mining and quarrying sector analysing the predispositions of young professionals to work in this sector.

The results of monitoring of pregnant women with hypertension against the background of pharmacotherapy. A comparative evaluation of the clinical efficacy of treatment of hypertension in pregnancy, the drug metoprolol tartrate (Egilok retard, Egis, Hungary) and methyldopa (dopegit, Egis, Hungary). The positive effect of metoprolol tartrate in pregnant women with hypertension in the kidney, heart, psychological profile, as well as safety for the fetus. Purpose:To evaluate the psychological profile of pregnant women with essential hypertension on antihypertensive therapy. The method and methodology of work: We observed 43 pregnant women with pre-existing hypertension of pregnancy. Surveyed women were divided into 2 groups by open randomized trial. The first group was assigned to metoprolol tartrate (Egilok retard) at a dose of 50-75 mg / day, once in monotherapy, the second - methyldopa (dopegit) at a daily dose of 500-1000 mg as a single agent. The first group included women aged 24 to 40 years, mean age was 30,1 ± 4,15 years, the second from 23 to 36 years with a mean age of 28,5 ± 3,55 years. The groups were matched for age, presence of somatic diseases, gynecological diseases, the presence of harmful habits. The area of ​​application of the results: medicine.

Resistance to carbapenems has become a problem due to Klebsiella pneumoniae ( K. pneumoniae ), harboring carbapenemases. Among them, there are isolates that are recognized as carbapenem-susceptible; however, these carbapenemase-producing strains with low meropenem minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) may pose a threat to public health. We aimed to investigate the impact of the ability to produce carbapenemases by a bacterial isolate on the effectiveness of meropenem in the hollow-fiber infection model. K. pneumoniae and Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) strains with equal meropenem MICs but differing in their ability to produce carbapenemases were used in pharmacodynamic simulations with meropenem. In addition to standard MIC determination, we assessed the MICs against tested strains at high inoculum density to test if the inoculum effect occurs. According to pharmacodynamic data, the carbapenemase-producing strains were characterized with a relatively decreased meropenem effectiveness compared to non-producers. Meanwhile, the effect of meropenem perfectly correlated with the meropenem exposure expressed as the DOSE/MIC ratio when high-inoculum (HI) MICs but not standard-inoculum (SI) MICs were used for regression analysis. It could be concluded that meropenem-susceptible carbapenemase-producing strains may not respond to meropenem therapy; the antibiotic inoculum effect (IE) may have a prognostic value to reveal the meropenem-susceptible Enterobacterales that harbor carbapenemase genes.

Previous studies have shown that a significant part of the bacterial communities of Antarctic soils is represented by cells passing through filters with pore sizes of 0.2 µm. These results raised new research questions about the composition and diversity of the filterable forms of bacteria (FFB) in Antarctic soils and their role in the adaptation of bacteria to the extreme living conditions. To answer such questions, we analyzed the succession of bacterial communities during incubation of Antarctic soil samples from the Bunger Hills at increased humidity and positive temperatures (5 °C and 20 °C). We determined the total number of viable cells by fluorescence microscopy in all samples and assessed the taxonomic diversity of bacteria by next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene region. Our results have shown that at those checkpoints where the total number of cells reached the maximum, the FFB fraction reached its minimum, and vice versa. We did not observe significant changes in taxonomic diversity in the soil bacterial communities during succession. During our study, we found that the soil bacterial communities as a whole and the FFB fraction consist of almost the same phylogenetic groups. We suppose rapid transition of the cells of the active part of the bacterial population to small dormant forms is one of the survival strategies in extreme conditions and contributes to the stable functioning of microbial communities in Antarctic soils.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of Arbidol in the influenza and ARVI preventing in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Materials and Methods: This study was an open label and prospective during epidemic period of 2016-2017 years. 100 outpatients aged 18 to 80 years with verified asthma and/or COPD, were enrolled to therapy group, and received oral umifenovir 200 mg once daily for 14 days and then 200 mg twice a week for 3 weeks.The medical records data for the same epidemic period of 2016-2017 seasons of the same patients during witch they received no prophylaxis was taken as a control. The data analysis was made by applying parametric and nonparametric statistical methods., Results: Seasonal and post-exposure prophylaxis using umifenovir was associated with 2.6-times reduction in influenza and ARVI morbidity compared to control. In diseased patients (ARVI) of the therapy group the number of patients with mild illness prevailed (62.2%) and was significantly differed from control (37.1%). Severity of catarrhal symptoms and intoxication, was reduced with umifenovir prophylaxis course and were mild in 67.6% and 67.6% respectively of therapy group compared with 43.3% and 46.4% of control. Influenza and ARVI complications were only detected in control group (4 cases). The percentage of patients with incidents of underlying disease exacerbation was 42% in therapy group and 93% in control group. Also, exacerbation in the therapy group were mild in 59.5% and 34.4% in control group, while moderate exacerbation prevailed in control group and was in 59.1% of cases with was significantly higher then in therapy group (39.3%). Results in more frequent use of adjuvant in the control group compared with the therapy group (81.7% and 59.5% respectively). Patients of control group had a higher risk of hospitalizations due to underlying disease aggravation (11.8%), compared with therapy group (9.5%) but these differences were not significant., Conclusion: Seasonal and post-exposure prophylaxis with Arbidol reduce influenza and ARVI morbidity in patients with asthma and COPD during epidemic period, frequency and severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease aggravations resulting in decrease in the number of hospitalizations. Also, prophylaxis with Arbidol reduced the severity of catarrhal symptoms and intoxication.

We studied the role of oxalate release through the airways as a potential injurious factor in the development of inflammation, bronchial obstruction and cough syndrome (respiratory oxalosis). Detection of oxalates in bronhcoalveolar lavage fluid and daily urine is the most valuable method for diagnostics of oxalates. Systemic effects, such as cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, and spinal osteochondrosis are characteristic clinical signs of respiratory oxalosis, besides purely respiratory symptoms.

This work was aimed at estimating the role of special therapy of patients with bronchial asthma, COPD and hyperoxaluria designed to restrict the delivery or eliminate excess of oxalates and producing well apparent beneficial effect confirmed by the disappearance or decrease of clinical and functional manifestations of obstruction, reduction of requirements for broncholytic and anti-inflammatory agents.

It was shown that IS element ISPpyl isolated earlier in the permafrost strain Psychrobacter maritimus MR29-12 has a high level of functional activity in cells of the heterologous host Escherichia coli K-12. ISPpyl can be translocated in E. coli cells by itself and mobilize adjacent genes and can also form composite transposons flanked by two copies of this element. Apart from translocations between different plasmids, the composite ISPpyl-containing transposon Tn5080a is capable of translocation from the plasmid into the E. coli chromosome with high frequency and from the chromosome into the plasmid. Among products of Tn5080a transposition into plasmid R388, simple insertions were predominantly formed together with cointegrates. Upon mobilization of adjacent genes with the use of one ISPpyl copy, only cointegrates arise.

An O-polysaccharide was released by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Acinetobacter sp. VS-15 and studied by chemical methods along with (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D (1)H,(1)H COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, (1)H,(13)C HSQC and HMBC experiments. The following structure of the pentasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established: [Formula: see text]. The O-polysaccharide of Acinetobacter lwoffii EK67 was found to have the same structure., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We established a peculiar structure of the O-specific polysaccharide (O-antigen) of a psychrotrophic strain of Acinetobacter lwoffii, EK30A, isolated from a 1.6-1.8 million-year-old Siberian permafrost subsoil sediment sample. The polysaccharide was released by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide and studied using chemical analyses, Smith degradation, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. It was found to contain d-homoserine, which is N-linked to 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-d-glucose (Qui4N) and is N-acylated itself with acetyl in about half of the repeating units or (S)-3-hydroxybutanoyl group in the other half. The following is the structure of the tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide: -->3)-beta-d-Quip4NAcyl-(1-->6)-alpha-d-Galp-(1-->4)-alpha-d-GalpNAc-(1-->3)-alpha-d-FucpNAc-(1--> where Acyl stands for either N-acetyl- or N-[(S)-3-hydroxybutanoyl]-d-homoseryl.

Transposons closely related to the streptomycin resistance transposon of modem bacteria, Tn5393, were detected in the bacterial isolates from permafrost resistant to streptomycin. Many transposons studied were located on the medium-size plasmids with a narrow host range. None of the streptomycin-resistant strains isolated from permafrost contained small plasmids carrying the strA-strB genes and related to the broad host range plasmid RSF1010.

Aim: To evaluate peculiarities of a clinical course and changes in bronchial mucosa in bronchial asthma (BA) patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in combination with hyperoxaluria (HOU); informative value of some laboratory and device findings including oxalates assay in bronchial lavage fluid for specification of the diagnosis, role of oxalates in development of obstructive syndrome and choice of optimal therapy., Material and Methods: Oxalates were examined in daily urine, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and exhaled air condensate of 104 patients with BA and COPD, 77 of which had HOU and an atypical course of bronchial obstruction syndrome., Results: Conception of airways inflammation in patients with oxalate metabolism disturbances is proposed. It is shown that insoluble oxalates participate in pathogenesis of bronchial obstruction., Conclusion: Oxalate metabolism disturbances are an important factor in pathogenesis of airways inflammation and development of bronchial obstruction in predisposed patients. Therefore, administration of insoluble oxalates lowering therapy may effectively prevent formation and progression of obstructive pulmonary diseases in this group of patients.

Current views on the mechanisms responsible for the emergence of multiple drug resistance in clinical bacterial isolates are considered. Hypotheses on the origin of resistance genes derived from determinants of actinomycetes, antibiotic producers, and chromosomal genes of bacteria involved in cellular metabolism are reviewed. The mechanisms underlying the diffusion of resistance determinants by means of bacterial mobile elements (plasmids, transposons, and integrons) are discussed. Examples of the horizontal transfer of resistance determinants between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are presented.

The microbial composition of ancient permafrost sediments from the Kolyma lowland of Northeast Eurasia was examined through culture and culture-independent approaches. These sediments have been continuously frozen for 5,000 to 2-3 million years. A total of 265 Bacteria 16S rRNA gene sequences were amplified from the permafrost total-community genomic DNA and screened by amplified ribosomal 16S rRNA restriction analysis. Members of three major lineages were found: gamma-Proteobacteria (mostly Xanthomonadaceae), Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. We also determined partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of 49 isolates from a collection of 462 aerobes isolated from these sediments. The bacteria included Actinomycetales (Arthrobacter and Microbacteriaceae); followed by the Firmicutes (Exiguobacterium and Planomicrobium); the Bacteroidetes (Flavobacterium); the gamma-Proteobacteria (Psychrobacter); and the alpha-Proteobacteria (Sphingomonas). Both culture and culture-independent approaches showed the presence of high and low G+C Gram-positive bacteria and gamma-Proteobacteria. Some of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of environmental clones matched those of Arthrobacter isolates. Two-thirds of the isolates grew at -2.5 degrees C, indicating that they are psychroactive, and all are closely related to phylogenetic groups with strains from other cold environments, mostly commonly from Antarctica. The culturable and non-culturable microorganisms found in the terrestrial permafrost provide a prototype for possible life on the cryogenic planets of the Solar System.

The paper considers the insect fauna of a human dwelling as a risk factor for patients with respiratory allergic diseases with domestic dust hypersensitivity. It shows that cockroaches, moths, domestic dust ticks, and molds may be additional sources of allergens within the human dwelling. The paper also lends support of an important role of cockroaches and their vital activity in the development of respiratory allergy and shows their implication as inhalation allergens.

The distribution of unusual mercury resistance transposons, Tn5044 and Tn5070, was examined. A characteristic feature of Tn5044 is temperature sensitivity of its mercury operon and the presence in the mer operon of the gene homologous to RNA polymerase a subunit. Structural organization of mercury operon Tn5070, containing minimum gene set (merRTPA), differs from mer operons of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. None of more than two thousand environmental bacterial strains displaying mercury resistance and isolated from the samples selected from different geographical regions hybridized to Tn5040- and Tn5070-specific probes. A concept on the existence of cosmopolite, endemic, and rare transposons in environmental bacterial populations was formulated.

Mercury-resistant bacteria were isolated from permafrost sediments of Kolyma lowland and Canada existing over five thousand to two million years. Their content was shown to vary within the range 0.001-2.9% and to depend on the amount of mercury in sampling sites (coefficient of correlation 0.75). A collection of mercury-resistant bacterial strains was created. In this collection, various representatives of both Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Micrococcus, Arthrobacter) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Plesiomonas, Myxobacteriales) were identified. Most resistant bacteria were found to contain determinants homologous to mer-operons of contemporary bacteria. The isolated strains of paleobacteria are proposed to be used for a comparative structural study of contemporary and ancient plasmids and transposons carrying mercury resistance determinants.

The results of studying the horizontal transfer of mercury resistance determinants in environmental bacterial populations are reviewed. Identical or highly homologous mercury resistance (mer) operons and transposons were found in bacteria of different taxonomic groups from geographically distant regions. Recombinant mer operons and transposons were revealed. The data suggest high frequencies of horizontal transfer and of recombination for mercury resistance determinants. The mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer were elucidated in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. New transposons were found and analyzed.

We studied the molecular mechanisms of adaptation of a Siberian psychrophilic bacterial strain. Upon adaptation to 4 degreesC from 24 degreesC, the major changes observed were in the membrane and cell surface chemistry. There was no evidence for the formation of so-called 'compatible metabolites' that are thought to be responsible for the survival at very low to sub-freezing temperatures. The membrane fatty acids were shorter with an increased amount of unsaturation in the 4 degreesC cells compared to the 24 degreesC cells. The absence of a significant amount of phosphorylation in the membrane lipids at 4 degreesC compared to the levels at 24 degreesC was another significant difference. At 4 degreesC, the cell size was reduced in volume by a factor of approximately 14 compared to its size at 24 degreesC. The polar polysaccharide capsular layer was also significantly reduced. There were no significant changes in the protein profiles indicating that antifreeze proteins were not being produced. The results obtained here are consistent with observations and established theories and principles on and about the behavior of water in confined spaces. These indicate that ordering effects, surface charge and polarity are the key determinants of the freezing point and the type of ice structure that will be formed when water is confined to an area of the size of a bacterial cell.

The ratio between the normal (+) and null (0) alleles of the genes encoding glutatione S-transferases M1 (GSTM1) and T1 (GSTT1) were studied in normal individuals from northwestern Russia (control group) and in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). The frequency of the GSTM1 0/0 genotype in the population sample was statistically significantly lower (37.8%) than in the BA patients (82.1%; chi 2 = 16.8; P < 0.001; w chi 2 = 15.7; alpha = 0.01). For the GSTT1 gene, similar data were obtained. The frequency of the GSTT1 0/0 genotype in healthy donors was statistically significantly higher (16.3%) than in the BA patients (73.7%; chi 2 = 28.5; P < 0.001; w chi 2 = 23.22; alpha = 0.01). A significant preponderance of the compound homozygotes for the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null alleles among the BA patients was observed. The frequency of the GSTM1 0/0, GSTT1 0/0 individuals among the patients was 57.9%, while it was only 4.7% among the controls (chi 2 = 27.4; P < 0.001).

The paper considers bronchial asthma as a polygenic disease. It presents some data available in the literature on the role of genetic disorders in the development of atopic states and the authors' own findings of various biological defects detected in apparently healthy blood relatives of patients with bronchial asthma. It is concluded that premorbid diagnosis is of importance in high risk persons.