[Comparative analysis of occupational health services practice of international companies of oil and gas industry and ILO Convention "Occupational Health Services"].

A comparative analysis of current work practices of occupational health services of international companies of Russian oil & gas industry and provisions of ILO Convention 161 and Recommendation 171 "Occupational Health Services" has been carried out. Proposals for improvement and harmonization of labor legislation related to this problem have been formulated.

[Epidemiological characteristics of multiple sclerosis in Russia]. / Epidemiologicheskie kharakteristiki rasseiannogo skleroza v Rossii.

An increase in multiple sclerosis (MS) frequency was registered in several countries including Russia. This may be associated with better MS diagnosis and treatment, better data collection and real increase in MS incidence. Previous local studies sometimes were based on mainly hospital cases, so the real prevalence was underestimated. Several population-based studies showed that Russia is in the zone of medium MS risk. In 1999-2000, 24 local medical committees collected the "official" data on the number of resident MS patients, which varied greatly. Statistical analyses showed a significant negative association (R = -0.68) between estimated level of MS prevalence and the percent of severe cases among these MS patients. It is proposed that in several regions the number of mild MS cases had been underestimated and thus the percent of severe cases was high. Using the rates, received in large population-based studies in different countries, we re-calculated the data using the 33% rate of severe MS cases as a model. The calculated "model" indexes using "official" data in two Russian cities Moscow and Orel (40.8 and 64.8 cases per 100,000 of population) were very close to what had been found in these populations in population-based epidemiological studies (37.8 and 66.1 cases, respectively). Recalculation of the "official" data from all 24 regions showed, that the "model" MS prevalence in different regions of Russia varied from 35 till 70 cases per 100,000 of population, which seems real taking into consideration the geographical factor and the ethnic origin of these populations (percents of European residents). These "model" numbers may be used before the already started all-over-country epidemiological study will be finished.

[Antigenic polysaccharides of Shigella bacteria. Structure of the polysaccharide chain of the lipopolysaccharide from Shigella boydii, type 11]. / Antigennye polisakharidy bakterii roda Shigella. Struktura polisakharidnoi tsepi lipopolisakharida Shigella boydii, tip 11.

On mild acid degradation of the Shigella boydii, type 11 lipopolysaccharide, the corresponding O-specific polysaccharide composed of D-glucuronic acid, 2-acetylamino-2-deoxy-D-glucose, D-ribose and L-rhamnose residues in the ratio 1:1:1:3 was obtained. Methylation, partial acid hydrolysis and 13C-NMR spectral data for the polysaccharide led to the structure of the oligosaccharide repeating unit as a branched hexasaccharide: [formula: see text]. Numerous O-acetyl groups attached non-stoichiometrically to the residues of D-glucuronic acid, L-rhamnose and 2-acetylamino-2-deoxy-D-glucose were located with the use of 13C-NMR spectroscopy.

[Study of the structure of O-specific polysaccharide of Salmonella anatum using 1H- and 13C-NMR-spectroscopy]. / Izuchenie stroeniia O-spetsificheskogo polisakharida Salmonella anatum s primeneniem 1H- i 13C-IaMR-spektroskopii.

The Salmonella anatum O-specific polysaccharide structure was fully confirmed by means of complete interpretation of its 13C NMR spectrum, using the selective double resonances and NOE experiments: [-3(6Ac)GaIp alpha 1-6Manp beta 1-4Rhap alpha 1-]n.

[Antigenic polysaccharides of bacteria of the genus Shigella. The structure of the polysaccharide chain of Shigella boydii type 14]. / Antigennye polisakhridy bakterii roda Shigella. Struktura polisakharidnoi tsepi lipopolisakharida Shigella boydii, tip 14.

A specific acidic polysaccharide has been isolated from the Shigella boydii type 14 antigenic lipopolysaccharide after mild hydrolysis followed by chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The polysaccharide consists of the D-glucuronic acid, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose and D-galactose residues in the ratio 1:1:3. From the results of methylation analysis and partial acid hydrolysis, the structure of the repeating unit of the specific polysaccharide was deduced as follows: (-6DGalp alpha 1-4DGlcAp beta 1-6DGalp beta 1-4DGalp beta 1-4DGlcNAcp beta 1-)n. The 13C NMR spectra of native and carboxyl-reduced polysaccharides, as well as of oligosaccharides produced by partial acid hydrolysis fully confirmed the proposed structure. The approach was suggested to determine the type of substitution of uronic acid moieties in polysaccharide chain by use of chromato-mass-spectrometry of acetylated methyl esters of partially methylated aldonic acids. Serological characteristics of Sh. boydii LPS type 14 and its modified derivatives are discussed.

[Improved method of lipopolysaccharide isolation from gram-negative bacteria]. / Uluchshennyi metod vydeleniia lipopolisakharidov iz gramotritsatel'nykh bakterii.

A modification of the traditional method for lipoplysaccharide isolation from the cells of grammnegative bacteria was elaborated on the basis of extraction by the hot water solution of phenol (the method of Westfahl). To make the method simpler and to raise the yield of the product it was proposed to use the water-phenol extract without its division for plases. The nucleic acids are eliminated by precipitation from dialyzed extract at pH 3,2-3,4 achieved by addition of acetic acid. The comparative isolation of lipopolysaccharides by the classic and modified methods has confirmed the advantages of a new technique.