[Use of topical haemostatic agents in cardiovascular surgery]. / Ispol'zovanie mestnykh gemostaticheskikh sredstv v serdechno-sosudistoi khirurgii.

The problem of haemostasis in cardiovascular surgery is of current concern. Recent trends are towards increased use of topical haemostatic agents. Tachocomb has been used for more than 30 years in abdominal surgery and oncology. The purpose of the present publication is to analyse the literature data and formulate the indications for the use of Tachocomb in cardiovascular surgery. Multicenter randomized and local studies have demonstrated efficacy of Tachocomb in treatment of surgical haemorrhage in operations on the heart, thoracic aorta, carotid arteries and lower-limb arteries, resulting in significantly decreased time to achieve haemostasis, decreased volume of blood loss and haemotrasfusion, as well as reduced frequency of complications. Also shown was economic efficacy, including a shortened length of patients' hospital stay. This is followed by describing a wide spectrum of examples of alternative use of Tachocomb, including its use for seamless closure of defects of cardiac chamber walls, aero- and lymphostasis, prevention of formation of commissures. Convincing experimental and clinical results make it possible to formulate a series of indications for the use of Tachocomb in cardiovascular surgery.

[Molecular genetic characteristics of the strain A/chicken/Moscow/2/2007 (H5N1) strain from a epizootic focus of highly pathogenic influenza A among agricultural birds in the neear-Moscow region (February 2007)].

Among agricultural birds in the near-Moscow Region (February 2007), local epizootics caused by the highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 virus seem to be of unintended manual origin. Such a situation may be considered to be model when the source of inoculation is elucidated in cases of potentially possible acts of bioterrorism. Molecular genetic analysis of isolated A/chicken/Moscow/2/2007 strain established its genetic similarity with the highly pathogenic strains detected in the Black-and-Caspian Sea region in 2006. At the same time, comparison of nucleotide sequences of the strain A/chicken/Moscow/2/2007 with the strains of Qinghai-Siberian genotype (CSG) for which the sequences of full-sized genomes are known in the international databases revealed a significant distinction of the near-Moscow strain from the earlier known analogues. The uniqueness of the primary structure of the PB1 gene is shown. The paper discusses the functional value of amino acid substitutions in the proteins of the strain A/chicken/Moscow/2/2007 and in other variants of CSG of the subtype H5N1.

[HIV-1 serotyping of V3-mimicking peptides circulating in the Republic of Tajikistan among intravenous drug users]. / Serotipirovanie na osnove V3-imitiruiushchikh peptidov variantov VICH-1, tsirkuliruiushchikh v Respublike Tadzhikistan sredi lits, upotrebliaiushchikh narkotiki vnutrivenno.

The paper summarizes the results of HIV-1 serotyping by using 56 positive sera collected in the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan (RT) from intravenous drug users (IVDU). It was made by solid-phase ELISA based on synthetic peptides, mimicking different variants of the apical epitope of the HIV-1 gp120 V3-loop. Two types of conjugates, those specific to human IgG and IgA, were used to detect the immune complexes. Serotypes, as determined according to IgG and IgA-based ELISA, coincided, however, the latter were proven to be more suitable for serotyping. There is a high level of HIV-1 serotype heterogeneity among IVDU in RT; altogether, 4 serotypes were identified, i.e. B (10%), B+A/C (18%), A/C (20%) and A/C+B (52%). The modern serotype HIV-1 diversity in RT resembles the epidemiologic situation in the territory of the former USSR as observed in the late 80-ies-early 90-ies of the last century.

[Serotypical profile of HIV infection in Moscow]. / Serotipicheskii profil' VICh-infektsii v Moskve.

A total of 310 sera from HIV-1 infected patients detected in Moscow were serologically typed using 10 V3-imitating synthetic peptides. Subtype B virus is the most prevalent in Moscow (66.7%), serotype A/C ranks second (21.3%).

[Increase in the serotypical heterogeneity in HIV-1 in Svetlogorsk focus 1 year after the start of an epidemic]. / Narastanie serotipicheskoi geterogennosti VICh-1 v svetlogorskom ochage cherez 1 god posle nachala épidemii.

Serotypical heterogeneity of HIV-1 variants in the Svetiogorsk focus of HIV-1 epidemic (Gomel region, Belarus) increased in the cohort of intravenous drug addicts in comparison with the situation one year before. A more complex serotypical profile of the epidemic can reflect the routes of virus transmission.

[The molecular epidemiological characteristics of the HIV-1 variants circulating among injection drug addicts on the territory of the CIS Nations]. / Molekuliarno-épidemiologicheskie osobennosti variantov VICh-1, tsirkuliruiushchikh sredi shpritsevykh narkomanov na territorii SNG.

Different strains of HIV-1, circulating among drug addicts introducing drugs intravenously and detected on the territories of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, have been characterized by the methods of the comparative analysis of genetic sequences of different variants of HIV (gene typing) and the study of the immunological properties of autoimmune sera (serotyping).

[Serological properties of HIV-1 isolates from the focus of an epidemic in the Gomel region of the Belarus Republic (1996)]. / Serologicheskie svoistva izoliatov VICh-1 iz ochaga épidemii v Gomel'skoi oblasti Respubliki Belarus' (1996 g.).

Immunoreactivity of sera obtained in 1996 from HIV-1-infected intravenous narcomaniacs from an epidemic focus in Gomel region, Belarus, is studied with a panel of 10-16-component synthetic peptides simulating apical epitope of surface glycoprotein gp120 V3 loop of HIV-1 variants. Comparative analysis of resultant spectra with representative immunoreactivity spectra of sera from a sampling of HIV-1-positive sera collected in 1986-1997 in different regions of the former USSR demonstrated a high homogeneity of immunoreactivity spectra of sera from Gomel region. Serotypes of HIV-1 A/C variants circulating in populations of intravenous narcomaniacs in the focus in Gomel region in 1996 and in Southern and South-Eastern Ukraine in 1995-1996 are similar. This confirms a previous conclusion about the prevalence of A/C serotype among intravenous narcomaniacs in the former USSR.

[Serotypical stratification of HIV-1 in populations of intravenous drug users in the south/southwestern Ukraine]. / Serotipicheskaia stratifikatsiia VICh-1 v populiatsii vnutrivennykh narkomanov na iuge/iogo-vostoke Ukrainy.

A total of 101 HIV-1 positive sera from intravenous drug users (IVDU) in Southern and South-Eastern Ukraine were serotyped using V3-mimicking peptides. Serotype B circulates in Nikolaev and type A/C in Odessa and Donetsk. Prevalence of A/C serotype in the population of IVDU is a characteristic feature of the epidemic situation in this region, in contrast to the USA and Western Europe, where subtype B circulates. Serotypical stratification indicates that routes of HIV-1 dissemination in the Ukraine differ from those in the USA and Western Europe, which should be borne in mind when planning the strategy of epidemic control.