Polyoxometalate chemistry at volcanoes: discovery of a novel class of polyoxocuprate nanoclusters in fumarolic minerals.

Polyoxometalate (POM) chemistry is an important avenue of comprehensive chemical research, due to the broad chemical, topological and structural variations of multinuclear polyoxoanions that result in advanced functionality of their derivatives. The majority of compounds in the polyoxometalate kingdom are synthesized under laboratory conditions. However, Nature has its own labs with the conditions often unconceivable to the mankind. The striking example of such a unique environment is volcanic fumaroles - the natural factories of gas-transport synthesis. We herein report on the discovery of a novel class of complex polyoxocuprates grown in the hot active fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano at the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. The cuboctahedral nanoclusters {[MCu12O8](AsO4)8} are stabilized by the core Fe(III) or Ti(IV) cations residing in the unique cubic coordination. The nanoclusters are uniformly dispersed over the anion- and cation-deficient NaCl matrix. Our discovery might have promising implications for synthetic chemistry, indicating the possibility of preparation of complex polyoxocuprates by chemical vapor transport (CVT) techniques that emulate formation of minerals in high-temperature volcanic fumaroles.

Ophiostoma spp. associated with pine- and spruce-infesting bark beetles in Finland and Russia.

The timber and pulp industries of Finland rely heavily on importations from Russia as source of raw timber. These imports raise the risk of accidentally importing forest pests and pathogens, especially bark beetles and their associated fungi, into Finland. Although ophiostomatoid fungi have previously been reported from Finland and Russia, the risks of accidentally moving these fungi has prompted a first survey to compare the diversity of conifer-infesting bark beetles and associated fungi from boreal forests on both sides of the Finnish-Russian border. The aim of the present study was to identify and characterise Ophiostoma species isolated in association with 11 bark beetle species infesting Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies during this survey in the eastern parts of Finland and neighbouring Russia. Fungal isolates were grouped based on morphology and representatives of each morphological group were subjected to DNA sequence comparisons of the internal transcribed spaced region (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2) and ß-tubulin gene region. A total of 15 species of Ophiostoma were identified, including seven known species, five new species, and three species for which the identity remains uncertain. In the O. piceae-complex we identified O. canum, O. floccosum, O. karelicum and O. rachisporum sp. nov., and related to these, some isolates belonging to the European clade of O. minus in the O. minus-complex. Ophiostoma bicolor and O. fuscum sp. nov. were identified in the O. ips-complex, while O. ainoae, O. brunneo-ciliatum, O. tapionis sp. nov. and O. pallidulum sp. nov. were shown to group close to, but not in a strict monophyletic lineage with species of the O. ips-complex. Together with a single O. abietinum-like isolate, the only species that grouped close to the Sporothrix schenckii- O. stenoceras complex, was O. saponiodorum sp. nov.

Orthostatic hypotension in the first month following acute spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective data analysis. OBJECTIVES: To determine prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) during the acute rehabilitation period. SETTING: Quaternary care spinal unit, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients with acute SCI stratified by neurological level (cervical, 55 (62%); upper thoracic, 12 (13%); lower thoracic, 22 (25%)), and graded by American Spinal Injury Association standards. Non-invasive measurement of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were made at baseline and 3 min following an orthostatic challenge test administered during the first month after SCI. RESULTS: Patients with cervical or upper thoracic motor complete SCI more frequently experienced OH (P<0.01). OH persisted during the first month following SCI in 74% of cervical and only 20% of upper thoracic motor complete SCI patients. CONCLUSION: Patients with cervical and upper thoracic motor complete SCI are more likely to experience persistent OH than those with lower level or motor incomplete SCI during the first month of rehabilitation.

[The effect of the parameters of biolistic transformation of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) on the level of transient expression of GFP reporter gene].

The effect of the parameters of biolistic transformation (rupture disk pressure of helium, vacuum pressure, stopping screen to target tissue distance, material (gold or tungsten) and size of particles, and duration of explant culturing before bombardment) on the level of transient expression of GFP reporter gene was studied in barley embryos. The highest transient expression was observed after explant preincubation for 12-14 days and bombardment with 1 microm gold particles at the helium pressure of 61.24-74.85 atm, vacuum pressure of 0.064 atm, and distance to target of 9 cm.

[Prognosis of the outcome of the surgical treatment of the acquired lumbar spinal stenosis]. / Prognozirovanie rezul'tatov khirurgicheskogo lecheniia priobretennogo stenoza pozvonochnogo kanala na urovne poiasnichnogo otdela.

Not clear-cut indications exist until now for surgical interventions in lumbar spinal stenosis. The satisfying surgical results range from 55% to 98%. The purpose of the present case study was to optimize the data related with the neurological status, magnetic-resonance tomography and with defining the factors having an influence on surgical results. A total of 77 patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 comprised patients with the signs of intermittent claudication and group 2 comprised patients with pains in legs. The surgical treatment consisted in decompression of the spinal neural structures and, in cases of instability, in fixing the damaged spinal segments. The splendid surgical results were registered in 20 patients (66%) of group 1 and good results were obtained, in this group, in 10 patients (34%); the splendid results were obtained in 10 patients (21%) of group 2, good results--in 17 patients (37%), satisfactory results--in 11 patients (23%) and unsatisfactory--in 9 patients (19%) of group 2. The surgical treatment in neurogenic intermittent claudication with a scanty neurological symptomatology ensures good results. While, in case of pain in legs with definitely pronounced neurological symptomatology, the surgical treatment does not provide for a full-value regression of symptoms.

Thermodynamic approach to the selection of polyuronide sequestrants for preventive and medicinal nutrition.

An approach to the analysis of isotherms of cooperative binding is developed that allows to calculate approximately affinity profiles, i.e. dependencies of binding constants on binding densities. The comparison of the affinity profiles of the interactions of Ca2+ and Sr2+ ions with sodium pectate as well as sodium alginates with the different content of the blocks of alpha-L-guluronic acid residues (GG-blocks) and blocks of mixed composition showed that (1) pectate has higher affinity to both ions as compared with alginates; (2) the affinity of pectate to Ca2+ ions is comparable to its affinity to Sr2+ ions but in the case of Ca2+ ions the maximum of the affinity profile falls on the substantially lesser value of the binding density in comparison to Sr2+ ions that seems to be unfavorable from the standpoint of the use of this polyuronide in preventive or medicinal nutrition; (3) the affinity of both alginates to Sr2+ ions at relatively low binding densities exceeds their affinity to Ca2+ ions; (4) the affinity of alginates to Sr2+ ions increases with the increase in the content of GG-blocks, whereas the affinity to Ca2+ ions practically does not depend on the composition of the alginate; (5) the maximum binding density of Sr2+ ions to the alginates approximately corresponds to the content of GG-blocks. These results corroborate the practice of the use of alginates rich in residues of alpha-L-guluronic acid for the removal of radioactive strontium from the digestive tract. The binding constants of Pb2+ ions to pectate over a wide range of binding densities are more than an order of magnitude greater than those of alkali-earth metal ions.

[The biology of the thorny-headed worms, parasites of trout acclimatized in the bodies of water of the Tien Shan]. / Biologiia skrebnei--parazitov foreli, akklimatizirovannoi v vodoemakh Tian'-Shania.

A new species of Acanthocephala, a parasite of local Naemacheilus stoliczkai, was recorded from Salmo gairdneri after 9 years of its introduction into mountain water bodies of Tien Shan. Gammarus lacustris serves as an intermediate host. Dynamics of infection of trout for 9 years is shown.

[Use of cytostatics as anti-cicatricial drugs after anti-glaucoma surgery in children, adolescents and young adults]. / Primenenie tsitostatikov v kachestve protivorubtsovykh sredstv posle antiglaukomatoznykh operatsii v detskom i molodom vozraste.

Anti-cicatricial cytostatic therapy with 5-fluorouracil and prospidin was carried out after antiglaucoma surgery in 78 eyes of 67 patients aged 6 to 42 (2/3 of the patients were aged from 21 to 40). Half (34) of the patients suffered from open-angle (pigmented in 3 cases) and 6 from closed-angle glaucoma, the rest patients presented with common hydrophthalmia, the Frank-Kamenetsky, Sturdge-Weber, Riger's syndromes, etc. The cytostatics were injected subconjunctivally. The results of 67 surgeries were followed up for 6 months to 3 years. Stable normalization of the ophthalmic tone and stabilization of the process were achieved in 60 eyes (89.2%). The authors emphasize that cytostatics may be recommended for children and young subjects after surgery involving fistulization, on condition of thorough biomicroscopic monitoring in the postoperative period, because of a possible disadaptation of the edges of the mucosal incision and corneal diseases.

[Characteristics of trabeculectomy in the treatment of some forms of glaucoma in young patients]. / Osobennosti trabekuloéktomii pri lechenii nekotorykh form glaukomy v molodom vozraste.

The described technique of modified trabeculectomy with irido-retraction according to O. V. Grusha-G. A. Sokolovsky is intended for the treatment of some glaucoma forms in young patients with the anterior fixation of the iris. The basic features of the technique are as follows: (1) besides the sinus, deep scleral layers and abnormal trabecula, the scleral autoimplants include the anterior section of the scleral calcar; (2) during the operation the iris is disconnected from the site of its adhesion to the trabecular zone; (3) to prevent cilio-choroidal detachment, sclerectomy is carried out. A total of 14 eyes in 11 patients aged 17 to 42 were operated on and the results followed up for up to 2.5 years. Surgical and stable hypotensive effect was achieved in 12 cases. Two obligatory conditions of effective surgery are emphasized: punctilious performance of all the particulars of the operation and postoperative cytostatic therapy.

[An assessment of the opisthorchiasis situation in the area of Irtysh-Karaganda Canal]. / K otsenke situatsii po opistorkhozu v zone kanala Irtysh-Karaganda.

Helminthological investigation of the Irtysh-Karaganda Canal area was performed in the summer of 1989. In 9 storage ponds on the Shiderta and Olenta rivers 900 fish individuals, whose size was suitable for fishery have been examined, samples of water have been taken and the epidemiological assessment of modern conditions of opisthorchiasis agent circulation have been presented. The whole canal is at present favourable in view of opisthorchiasis infection. Local cases of infection are associated with fish from Shiderta and Olenta rivers.

The description of Paralongicollum nemacheili n. gen., n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Pomphorhynchidae) from freshwater fishes in Kazakh S.S.R.

Paralongicollum nemacheili n. gen., n. sp. is described from Salmo gairdneri Richardson and Nemacheilus stoliczkai Steindacher in Lake Kul'say in the basin of Lake Balkhash, Kazakh S.S.R. Its long uniformly cylindrical neck and nonfiliform proboscis distinguish it from the other 3 genera of the family. Tenuiproboscis Yamaguti, 1935, has a filiform proboscis. The neck of Pomphorhynchus Monticelli, 1905, has a bulb anteriorly, and that of Longicollum Yamaguti, 1935, is spirally twisted with expansions. A key to the genera of Pomphorhynchidae is provided. The relatively longer necks in juveniles than in larger worms probably enhance the establishment of new infections. A large proportion of worms had extensive body wall deformities. Longicollum sergenti (Choquette and Gayot, 1952) Golvan, 1969, is relegated to the new genus Paralongicollum.

[The clinico-morphologic foundation of the modern pathogenetically oriented surgery of hydrophthalmos simplex]. / Kliniko-morfologicheskoe obosnovanie sovremennoi patogeneticheskoi orientirovannoi khirurgii prostogo gidroftal'ma.

On materials of 45 biopsies dissected at the time of antiglaucomatous operations and 10 eyes of newborns, a detailed morphologic analysis of the state of the drainage apparatus of the in norm and at relatively early stages of hydrophthalmos simplex is presented, and considering results of clinical investigations (105 eyes, of them 45 eyes mentioned) a foundation of modern surgery of congenital glaucoma is given. It is shown that the basis of congenital pathology of retinocorneal angle is disturbance of anatomotopographic relationships of its structures as well as expressed trabeculodysgenesis and dysgenesis of scleral sinus. The paper describes three main variants of combinations of pathologic changes in the drainage apparatus, characterized by a common gonioscopic picture and reflecting the degree of severity of congenital pathology (3 degrees of goniodysgenesis). It is noted that the presence of a coarse congenital pathology of trabecular plexus in hydrophthalmus, incompatible with the possibility of its functioning, and at the same time a satisfactory enough state of the "scleral sinus-emissary" link allow to consider the basic element of surgical reconstruction of anterior outflow passage to be trabeculotomy from outside. Indications in the choice of adequate surgical intervention and its volume are shown (the degree of goniodysgenesis and the state of functional preservation of scleral sinus and emissaries). The approved, within 15 years, system of operations in case of hydrophthalmos simplex and their results are presented.

[The status of the iridocorneal angle after the implantation of anterior chamber intraocular lenses with flexible supporting elements]. / Sostoianie raduzhno-rogovichnogo ugla posle implantatsii perednekamernykh IOL s gibkimi opornymi élementami.

The study was undertaken to examine the status of the iridocorneal angle (ICA) 1 to 4 years after implantation of anterior chamber intraocular lens with flexible supporting devices designed by M. L. Dvali. Correct implantation and gonioscopic monitoring wherein were found to provide reliable lens fixation, as a rule, in the area of the scleral spur and, occasionally, to the anterior part of the ciliary body, if the latter was broad. Additional fixation of the supporting devices was attained by delicate commissures at their small extent at the sites of iris contact, which were detected in the majority of cases. Strangulation of the iris or fixation in its periapical part occurred in small cases and were observed in the upper portion of ICA. Corneal epithelial contact with the supporting devices was revealed in 5.4% of cases, as well as in the upper part of ICA. Only in 1 out of 37 cases, the changes in the drainage area such as iris strangulation at a great extent were sufficient to impair its function and required additional surgical correction. The remaining eyes showed no abnormal intraocular fluid circulation. The visual acuity in 35 eyes was as great as 0.5 or more.