Phylogenetic reconstruction of the initial stages of the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Eurasian and American continents by analyzing genomic data.

Samples from complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 isolated during the first wave (December 2019-July 2020) of the global COVID-19 pandemic from 21 countries (Asia, Europe, Middle East and America) around the world, were analyzed using the phylogenetic method with molecular clock dating. Results showed that the first cases of COVID-19 in the human population appeared in the period between July and November 2019 in China. The spread of the virus into other countries of the world began in the autumn of 2019. In mid-February 2020, the virus appeared in all the countries we analyzed. During this time, the global population of SARS-CoV-2 was characterized by low levels of the genetic polymorphism, making it difficult to accurately assess the pathways of infection. The rate of evolution of the coding region of the SARS-CoV-2 genome equal to 7.3 × 10-4 (5.95 × 10-4-8.68 × 10-4) nucleotide substitutions per site per year is comparable to those of other human RNA viruses (Measles morbillivirus, Rubella virus, Enterovirus C). SARS-CoV-2 was separated from its known close relative, the bat coronavirus RaTG13 of the genus Betacoronavirus, approximately 15-43 years ago (the end of the 20th century).

[Elevated Level of the Natriuretic Peptide Among Adult Population in Regions Participating in the ESSE-RF Study and Its Association With Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors].

AIM: to study associations between elevated blood plasma concentration of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), risk factors and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in samples of adult population of Russian Federation (RF) aged 25-64 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data of examination of representative samples of population of 5 regions of RF obtained within the framework of the multicenter ESSE-RF study (2012-2013). Number of examined subjects was 8 077 (3 176 men). Methods included use of standard questionnaire, measurements of height, body mass, blood pressure (BP), and plasma NT-proBNP level. The following CVD were included into analysis: arterial hypertension (AH), ischemic heart disease (IHD), atrial fibrillation (AF), and stroke. RESULTS: Women compared to men had higher NT-proBNT concentration was higher in women compared to men, in both genders it rose with age. Overall 17.9 % of examinees had elevated NT-proBNT levels (14.2 and 20.3 % among men and women, respectively). Elevated NTproBNP level was associated in men with age, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, ischemic ECG changes, left ventricular hypertrophy, AF, bradycardia, smoking, in women with age, IHD, ischemic ECG changes, AF, bradycardia, heart rate ≥80 bpm, BP ≥160/95 mm Hg. CONCLUSION: In studied RF population elevated NT-proBNP level was significantly associated with gender, age, smoking, and CVD.

[The ethiology structure of community-acquried pneumonia of young adults in closed communities].

Despite of success in ethiology evaluation of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and instant improvement of diagnostic methods microbiological spectrum of CAP is still remaining underestimated and is still the problem for the routine clinical practice. In our study we estimated the role of fastidious bacteria which cause atypical CAP such as Chlamydophilla pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila. Furthermore we also defined the role of viral pathogens in ethiology of CAP.

[Diversity of polyketide synthase genes (PKS) in metagenomic community of the freshwater sponge].

Screening of metagenomic DNA of microbial community, associated with Baikalian sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis, was made to show the presence of polyketide synthase genes (PKS). PKS enzymatic systems take part in synthesis of a great number of biologically-active substances. Cloning and sequencing of amplified products of the ketosynthase domain section of PKS gene cluster has revealed 15 fragments of PKS genes differing from each other's on 35-65% by aminoacid sequences. BLASTX analysis has shown that all these sequences belong to the KS-domains identified in various groups of microorganisms: alpha-, beta-, delta-Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta. Some sequences were related to the genes which are taking part in biosynthesis of curacin A (CurI, CurJ), stigmatellin (StiC, StiG), nostophycin (NpnB), and cryptophycins (CrpB). The homology of the found sequences with those of the EMBL database varies within 50-82% confirming the presence in fresh-water sponge community the genes for synthesis of the new, yet not studied polyketide substances, possessing the biotechnological potential.

Pecularities of prolonged use of moxonidine in patients with hypertension associated with metabolic syndrome.

A 6-month clinical study with active therapeutic intervention was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of moxonidine for the correction of arterial hypertension in 30 patients with metabolic syndrome. Along with the metabolic neutrality for the lipid and purine metabolism, the drug demonstrated a distinct antihypertensive effect, which against the background of pronounced sympatholytic action after 3 months of therapy tends to disappear, which can be prevented by dosage correction. It was shown that the efficacy of moxonidine in reducing insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome directly depends on the severity of hypersympathicotonia manifesting in heart rate over 80 bpm at rest.

Correction of endothelial dysfunction in patients with arterial hypertension.

We examined 38 patients (mean age 55.92 ± 1.56 years) with a 3-5-year history of arterial hypertension. The study showed that hypertension is accompanied by endothelial dysfunction and one of its forming factors is activation of the inflammatory response. Highly sensitive diagnostic tests can verify initiation of inflammation in preclinical manifestations. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, irrespective of the tropism to cyclooxygenase forms, alleviates manifestations of endothelial dysfunction in patients with arterial hypertension.

[Genetic characteristics of the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis in Mongolia].

A patient with diagnosed meningoencephalitis and a history of tick bite died in Mongolia in 2008. The purpose of this paper is to characterize the virus causing the ill person's death. The virus was identified using the phylogenetic analysis of the 520-bp fragment of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) genome, which codes the fragment of TBEV protein E between 52-223 amino acids. TBEV RNA was detected in the samples of medulla oblongata, cerebral cortex, and pia mater of brain, but not in the cerebellar tissue. The study virus fragment was genetically closest to the representatives of the Far East subtype. Its closest relative was virus 740-84 (GenBank EU878282) isolated from large-toothed redback voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) in Buryatia and greatly differed from the Far East virus Soffin. Two amino acid substitutions (H86R and VI7A) were detected within the study protein E fragment. The paper is the first to describe the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis on the territory of Mongolia and to discuss the evolution and pathogenicity of TBEV.

[Metabolic effects of mexidol in complex treatment of chronic brain ischemia].

Patients with a chronic brain ischemia of stages I-II on the background of hypertension and/or cerebral atherosclerosis are characterized by energy insufficiency of the metabolism, as estimated by the activity of succinate dehydrogenase in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Within the framework of randomized comparative investigation of the efficiency of actovegin and mexidol in the complex therapy of a chronic brain ischemia, positive dynamics in reduction of the clinical semiology, restoration of cognitive processes in the brain, and reduction of the expression of subjective manifestations of the disease is established. On this background, the administration of mexidol led to restoration of the energy exchange due to substrate effects of the Krebs cycle intermediates present in its structure.

[Biological and molecular genetic characteristics of a Far-Eastern tick-borne encephalitis virus population and its pathogenetic implication].

The authors have got an idea of the structure of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus population forming in the human body after tick bite in the south of the Far East. A hundred and forty-five antigen-positive samples were virologically studied in enzyme immunoassays. Human blood leukocytic virus isolation on the first day of tick suction testified to the capacity of the virus to adsorb and multiply just in the peripheral blood immunocompetent cells. The bulk (as high as 70%) of the TBE virus population was non-neuroinvasive strains, most of which could rapidly eliminate from man and albino mice. The neuroinvasive strains (as high as 30%) caused encephalitis in albino mice and different TBE forms (inapparent, feverish, focal). The sequences of 160 bp fragment of glycoprotein E gene of 24 strains have shown that they belong to one Far Eastern subtype of TVE virus.

[Molecular typing of the tick-borne encephalitis virus isolated from patients with different-infection severities in the south of Russia's Far East]. / Molekuliarnoe tipirovanie shtammov virusa kleshchevogo éntsefalita, vydelennykh ot liudei s razlichnoi stepen'iu tiazhesti infektsii na territorii iuga Dal'nego Vostoka Rossii.

The thick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which is widespread in the Eurasian continent, belongs to the Flaviviridae family, Flavirus genus, and comprises the Far Eastern, Siberian and West European subtypes. It was for the first time that the gene part of the E 24 strain envelope glycoprotein of TBEV, which caused infection in residents of the South of Russia's Far East, was analyzed. It was established that the TBEV Far-Eastern subtype causes different-severity disease cases ranging from the focal ones with the lethal outcome to latent infection forms. On the basis of the phylogenetic analysis, the Far-Eastern subtype was shared between 4 sub-clusters, 2 of which constitute a majority of the analyzed TBEV strains.

[Biochemical markers of inflammation and bronchial obstruction]. / Biokhimicheskie markery vospaleniia i obstruktsii bronkhov.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was studied in 139 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). 90 of them had chronic bronchitis, 35--bronchial asthma. Overall metabolites of nitric oxide, histamine, serotonin, malonic dialdehyde were measured. Correlations were studied between concentrations of biologically active compounds and lung ventilation in exacerbation and remission. It was found that levels of indolalkylamines change in one direction both in inflammation and bronchial obstruction. Lipid peroxidation in BAL is closely connected with inflammation in both the diseases and is not related with disorders in lung ventilation. Nitric oxide metabolites differed: gas secretion in bronchial asthma exacerbation is higher than in chronic obstructive bronchitis. In its remission, nitric oxide activity is low, while in bronchial asthma it persisted higher than in healthy subjects.

Nitric oxide synthase in bronchial epithelium and nitric oxide metabolites in the lungs of rats with bronchial asthma after fenoterol inhalation.

Nitric oxide synthase of the bronchial epithelium and concentrations of nitric oxide metabolites (NO(2)(-)and NO(3)(-)) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were measured in rats with bronchial asthma after fenoterol inhalation. It was suggested that nitric oxide-ergic mechanisms can mediate the effects of inhaled beta(2)-adrenergic agonists.