Systematics and Distribution of Ferret Badgers Melogale (Mammalia, Mustelidae) in Vietnam: First Genetic Data.

Genetic studies of the ferret badgers Melogale conducted in Vietnam have shown that this area is inhabited by three species, M. moschata, M. personata, and M. cucphuongensis, which can be attributed to sibling species (cryptic species). M. personata was found to be widespread not only in southern and central Vietnam, but also in the northern provinces (Lang Son, Ha Giang, Ninh Binh), while M. cucphuongensis was found in the provinces Lang Son, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, and Dak Lak, apart from Ninh Binh, from where it was described. The data obtained suggest a sympatric distribution of all three species over the Vietnam area and confirm sympatry of M. personata and M. moschata in southern Vietnam, which has been earlier established on the basis of morphological data.

Unexpectedly high genetic diversity of the asiatic short-tailed shrews Blarinella (Mammalia, Lipotyphla, Soricidae).

Genetic diversity of the genus Blarinella was studied using one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes as examples. The first genotyping of shrews from the southeast of Gansu province (China), which is a typical habitat of B. griselda, has been performed. Molecular genetic analysis showed that Blarinella sp. from southern Gansu stand apart among the other representatives of the genus and can be assigned to neither of the known species.

Genetic variation of the MHC class II DRB genes in the Japanese weasel, Mustela itatsi, endemic to Japan, compared with the Siberian weasel, Mustela sibirica.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes encode proteins that play a critical role in vertebrate immune system and are highly polymorphic. To further understand the molecular evolution of the MHC genes, we compared MHC class II DRB genes between the Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi), a species endemic to Japan, and the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), a closely related species on the continent. We sequenced a 242-bp region of DRB exon 2, which encodes antigen-binding sites (ABS), and found 24 alleles from 31 M. itatsi individuals and 17 alleles from 21 M. sibirica individuals, including broadly distributed, species-specific and/or geographically restricted alleles. Our results suggest that pathogen-driven balancing selection have acted to maintain the diversity in the DRB genes. For predicted ABS, nonsynonymous substitutions exceeded synonymous substitutions, also indicating positive selection, which was not seen at non-ABS. In a Bayesian phylogenetic tree, two M. sibirica DRB alleles were basal to the rest of the sequences from mustelid species and may represent ancestral alleles. Trans-species polymorphism was evident between many mustelid DRB alleles, especially between M. itatsi and M. sibirica. These two Mustela species divided about 1.7 million years ago, but still share many MHC alleles, indicative of their close phylogenetic relationship.

[ROLE OF BIOMARKERS IN ESTIMATION OF RENAL TUBULOINTERSTITIAL TISSUE DAMAGE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GLOMERULONEPHRITIS].

AIM: to investigate the relationship between the levels of NGAL and IL-18 in.blood, urine and clinical, morphological parameters reflecting renal tubulointerstitial tissue damage (TTD) in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 81 patients with CGN. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of arterial hypertension (AH). Levels of NGAL and IL-18 in blood and urine were determined by the immuno-enzymic method. Data of renal morphological study were used for the analysis of TTD. RESULTS: In patients with CGN and AH we observed more pronounced morphological changes of renal TTD, what coincide with higher levels of NGAL and IL-18 in blood and urine. We found correlations between markers and morphological changes, what allow to use NGAL in blood and urine, IL-18 in blood to estimate renal TTD in CGN. CONCLUSIONS: NGAL in blood most accurately reflects interstitial fibrosis (IF) and tubular basement membrane changes; NGAL in urine--tubular epithelium dystrophy. IL-18 in blood is an indicator of dystrophy and necrosis of the tubular epithelium, IF.

[Immunomodulator Intensification of Etioropic Therapy in Patients with Advanced Pulmonary Tuberculosis].

The study was aimed at possible increase of the therapy efficacy in patients with advanced tuberculosis by including immunomodulators to the treatment schemes. The data concerning 6034 patients with advanced tuberculosis, mainly fibrocavernous tuberculosis of the lungs, were analysed. Four groups of the patients were randomized. In group 1 the management of the patients included etiotropic therapy and some treatment and rehabilitation measures with the use of Cycloferon. The group 2 patients in addition to the etiotropic therapy and some treatment and rehabilitation measures were given Omega-3. In group 3 the management included the etiotropic therapy and some treatment and rehabilitation measures. In group 4 the etioropic therapy was used alone. The analysis showed that 3419 patients had primary pulmonary tuberculosis, 340 patients had relapsing tuberculosis and 2275 patients had long-term process. The etiotropic therapy efficacy was estimated after an intensive phase of not more than 3 months. In the cases with Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance and some other unfavourable factors it was estimated after a 5-month intensive phase. The results confirmed that inclusion of immunomodulators to the treatment schemes allowed to increase the therapy efficacy and the patients' adherence to the treatment, as well as to shorten the period of the bacteria carriage. Thus, the use of Cycloferon in the schemes of the treatment of the patients with fibrocavernous pulmonary tuberculosis allowed to shorten the period of the pathogen carriage (as well as the drug resistant forms) in 94.1 ± 3.33% of the patients in spite of concomitant diseases. The effect of Cycloferon in such cases was likely due to both its direct immunoprotective action and the improvement of the general state of the patients and their higher adherence to the treatment.

[Application of immunomodulators in the treatment of mandibular fractures in elderly patients with incomplete secondary adentia].

The aim of the work was to study the experience of using complex pharmacotherapy in the treatment of mandibular fractures in elderly patients with incomplete secondary periodontitis, which were divided into two groups. In the first group, patients (n = 46; average age 69.0 ± 3.6) were treated using the authors' original device combined with application of antimicrobial MetrogilDenta gel onto gums two times a day during ten days. Patients in the second group (n = 52; average age 61.0 ± 3.1) were treated with the same device combined with (i) application of MetrogilDenta antimicrobial gel onto gums two times a day during ten days, (ii) application of 1.5 ml of Cycloferon 5% liniment by cotton pellet for 20 min during the same 10 days (30 minutes after the antimicrobial gel), and (iii) intramuscular injections of 6 mg of synthetic immunomodulator Polyoxidonium once a day for 3 days, then once every two days (for a total of 17 days). It is established that the use of the combination of interferon inducers of immunomodulator group--Cycloferon in the form of liniment and synthetic immunomodulator Polyoksidonium together with MetrogilDenta antimicrobial gel--led to the most pronounced regression of inflammatory and destructive processes in periodontal tissues (in 7.1%, d = 0.05), optimized the state of local immunity of the oral cavity, and normalized microflora in periodontal pockets in elderly patients with incomplete secondary adentia.

[Pathological remodeling of myocardium in spontaneous hypertensive rats with experimental diabetes mellitus: the role of mitochondrial dysfunction].

The expression of cardiotrophin-1, annexin V, titin and type I collagen was investigated in myocardium of normotensive Wistar rats and spontaneous hypertensive rats with and without experimental diabetes. The Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial permeability transition pore was assessed in mitochondria isolated from rat hearts. The contents of cardiotrophin-1, annexin V and type I collagen in spontaneous hypertensive rats with diabetes were higher compared with that detected in the groups of normotensive rats and rats with diabetes. The cardiac titin level was 27% lower in animals with hypertension and diabetes compared to spontaneous hypertensive rats without diabetes. The changes of cardiotrophin-1, annexin V, titin and type I collagen expression were associated with higher sensitivity of mitochondrial pore to Ca2+ in myocardium of spontaneous hypertensive rats with diabetes.

Expression of XBP1 in lymphocytes of the small intestine in rats under chronic social stress and modulation of intestinal microflora composition.

The present study was conducted to investigate of the influence of chronic social stress and modulation of the composition of intestinal microflora on the distribution of Xbp(1+)-lymphocytes in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue of ileum of the rats. Structure of population of Xbp(1+)-cells has been studied by the analysis of serial histological sections using the method of indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies to Xbp1 of rat. Chronic social stress development is accompanied with the reduction of total number of Xbp(1+)-lymphocytes in lymphoid structures of ileum (31% -3 fold reduction, p < 0.05), mostly expressed in lymphoidfollicles, and changes the concentration of Xbp1 protein in immunopositive cells. Modulation of the composition of intestinal microflora by antibiotics and probiotics under chronic social stress results in the increase of total number of Xbp1+ lymphocytes in gut-associated lymphoid tissue, the degree of it depends on the kind ofstress. The discovered alterations of Xbp1 expression under stress may be one of the triggers for development of autoimmune and inflammatory bowel diseases. Thus, increased understanding of the molecular actions and transcriptional networks regulated by XBP1 in immune cells may aid in the development of potential therapeutics targeting immune disorders.

[The mountain weasel Mustela kathiah (Carnivora: Mustelidae): molecular and karyological data].

The karyotype of Mustela kathiah was first described. Its structure is most similar to the karyotype of M. altaica, differing inthe morphological peculiarites of five pairs of large chromosomes. A comparative analysis of mitochondrial genes in the species Mustela allowed us to clarify understanding of the place of M. kathiah in the system of the genus. The earlier hypothesized proximity of the species to a group of small weasels (altaica, nivalis) or to a group of South Asian species (strigidorsa, nudipes) was not confirmed. A high level of differences between M. kathiah of Vietnam and specimens from southern China in nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b (7.7%) and ND2 (6-6.2%) genes was found. Perhaps these differences, manifested in populations of M. kathiah from different regions, are adaptive.

Revision of the genus Leopoldamys (Rodentia, Muridae) as inferred from morphological and molecular data, with a special emphasis on the species composition in continental Indochina.

A revision of the genus Leopoldamys is presented, and both the species composition and distribution in Indochina and Sundaic regions is reinvestigated. The phylogeny of the genus is recovered based on Cyt b, COI, and IRBP gene analyses. Five basal and 16 secondary monophyletic phylogenetic lineages were identified. A taxonomic reassessment of the continental and Sundaic populations is performed based on morphological verification of the genetically defined clades. Six clades were recovered in the phylogenetic analyses and correspond to morphologically defined species: L. revertens (distributed in lowlands of eastern and central Indochina), L. herberti (western and central Indochina, northward to northern Vietnam), L. edwardsi (China and northern Vietnam, northward of 21 degrees N), L. milleti (endemic of Dalat Plateau, southern Vietnam), L. sabanus (Borneo), and L. vociferans (lowlands of the Malacca Peninsula, northward to southwestern Thailand). The absence of proper L. sabanus in continental Indochina is revealed. The substitute name for the species known from the majority of Indochina under the name of L. sabanus should be L. revertens. The name L. neilli, which has been ascribed to populations from Thailand and Vietnam, is a junior synonym of L. herberti. Two related but rather divergent clades are found in Sumatra and the Malacca Peninsula. Based on their considerable genetic distances, these forms should be regarded as separate species from the L. sabanus type-bearing populations of Borneo, or as the members of L. sabanus polytypic superspecies. The substitute name for the lineage-bearing taxon from Malacca should be L. vociferans. The continental populations of Leopoldamys can be distinguished from each other by external and cranial characters and may be subdivided into four species. Two of these species (L. revertens and L. milleti) are well distinguished by external and cranial morphology, whereas the other two species (L. herberti and L. edwardsi) may be treated as sibling species that are difficult to distinguish based on morphological characters.

[The influence of the intermittent hypoxia trainings on the functional status of corticoliberin- and beta-endorphin-synthesizing neurons of the paraventricular nucleus hypothalamus in rats].

The experiments show that hypoxia training leads to an increase of the immunoreactivity to corticotropin and beta-endorphin and to an increase of the content of these neuropeptides. In this case, the ratio of the area of the immunoreactive material to the corticotropin/beta-endorphin, and the coefficient of their content in the PVN did not change significantly compared with the control. Thus, the selected hypoxia mode leads to adaptation, which is reflected in the balanced activity of stress-realizing and stress-limiting systems of rats' hypothalamus.

Arthropod symbiotes of Laonastes aenigmamus (Rodentia:Diatomyidae).

Arthropod symbiotes of the Laotian rock-rat, Laonastes aenigmamus (Rodentia:Diatomyidae), from Laos are examined. This host is a member of Diatomyidae previously thought to have gone extinct >10 million yr ago. Permanent symbiotes are represented by 2 species, a new species of sucking louse, Polyplax sp., near rhizomydis (Phthiraptera:Polyplacidae), and a new species of fur mite, Afrolistrophorus sp., near maculatus (Acariformes:Listrophoridae). The temporary parasites are represented by 18 species, i.e., 1 mesostigmatan species, i.e., a new species of Androlaelaps near casalis (Parasitiformes:Laelapidae); immature stages of 2 tick species, Ixodes granulatus and Haemaphysalis sp. (Parasitiformes:Ixodidae); and a rich fauna of chiggers (Acariformes:Trombiculidae) comprising 8 genera and 15 species. It is hypothesized that this host completely lost its initial fauna of ectosymbiotes and that ancestors of the recorded symbiotes switched to this host from rodents of the superfamily Muroidea.

Influence of prototropic reactions on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of methyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate and its two ortho derivatives.

The influence of prototropic reactions on the spectral characteristics of methyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate (I) and its o-methoxy (II) and o-hydroxy (III) derivatives has been studied using steady-state spectroscopic technique and quantum-chemical calculations. This study concerns the solvent-induced shift of the absorption, locally excited (LE) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence bands in the neat tetrahydrofuran (THF) and its hydrochloric acid solutions at different HCl concentrations. On the basis of the experimental results and quantum-chemical calculations, it was shown that in a hydrochloric acid solution the studied molecules exist as a mixture of neutral, mono-, and dicationic forms. Additionally, the results of spectroscopic measurements were used to calculate, according to the Benesi-Hildebrand method, the equilibrium constants of protopropic reactions in the ground, S(0), and excited, S(1), states. Our findings predestine molecules I and II to be used as acid fluorescence probes in a region of 0-2.5 M of [H(+)] concentrations.

[Searching for ways to correct thymic dysfunction in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus].

We investigated the influence of multiple introductions of NO precursor L-arginine and NOS non-selective blocker N-nitroL-arginine (NNLA) on thymic morpho-functional status in Wistar male rats with experimental diabetes mellitus (EDM). To reveal insulin-expressing, proliferating, Treg-cells, iNOS(+)-cells and Bcl-2(+)-cells, the immunohistochemical methods of direct and indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies to insulin, PCNA, CD-25 antigen. Bcl-2 and iNOS of rat were used. It was established that NNLA administration to rats with EDM has more pronounced effect in comparison with L-arginine administration, demonstrating an increase in the number of Treg-cells, insulin-expressing and proliferating thymocytes and a decrease in the density of iNOS(+)- and Bcl-2(+)-cells population.

[Effect of mobile phone electromagnetic emission on characteristics of cerebral blood circulation and neurohumoral regulations in humans].

It was investigated in experiment on volunteers the influence of mobile phone (MP) electromagnetic emission on brain blood supply rheoencephalographic parameters, and on status of neurohumoral regulation using the heart rate variability analysis. It was established that influence of MP electromagnetic emission results in adverse movement by cerebral blood flow and regulatory systems of organism.