[Comprehensive studies of forensic science]. / Kompleksnye issledovaniia v sudebnoi ékspertize.

The article addresses those aspects of comprehensive studies which can rightly be considered to number among the most relevant and potentially rewarding problems of forensic science. Until now, neither the concept and structure of a comprehensive study, nor its status and methodology have been the subjects of independent consideration in the legal literature, and were considered only in connection with the analysis of the concept of a comprehensive investigation. Establishing the parameters of expert practice allowed the authors to identify some significant features of comprehensive studies, including their analytical nature, complexity of sources and their combined assessment, and to identify the methodological approaches underlying such research, representing a kind of tool for the synthesis of independent portrayals of complex research in a single and at the same time multidimensional model of forensic science. The empirical and theoretical grounds identified by the authors helped to determine the structure of comprehensive research. Its basic elements are: multiple subjects, a single integral objective, an interdisciplinary task, a specialized program-target complex and a comprehensive expert synthesis. It is concluded that this structure, being invariant for any of the different forms of comprehensive research, reflects its main features and has a pronounced general scientific orientation.

[Virilizing ovarian tumor: the challenges of differential diagnosis].

SertoliLeydig cell tumor is a rather rare type of ovarian neoplasms belonging to the group of sex cordstromal tumors. This malignancy is characterized by androgen overproduction, which results in the so-called virilization and can be accompanied by various metabolic disorders such as abdominal obesity, disturbances of carbohydrate and protein metabolism, and high blood pressure. During differential diagnosis, it is important to identify the source of androgen overproduction. An androgen-secreting ovarian tumor needs to be differentiated from androgen-secreting adrenal tumor, ovarian stromal thecomatosis (hyperthecosis), and endogenous hypercorticism (the Cushings syndrome). In most cases, the SertoliLeydig cell tumor is associated with DICER1 mutation carriership. If a patient is found to carry the DICER1 mutation, patients relatives need to undergo genetic testing as the individuals with mutations in this gene have an elevated risk of developing a broad range of benign and malignant tumors (most of these tumors are relatively rare in the overall population). The awareness of this rare ovarian neoplasm among medical specialists (obstetriciansgynecologists, endocrinologists, and oncologists) is supposed to ensure timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of this disease.

Messenger RNA of the Histidine-Rich Glycoprotein in Breast Tumors.

The content of mRNA of the histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), a potential marker of malignant neoplasia, which can be used in differential diagnosis of breast tumors, was determined in 110 breast tumor biopsy samples. The presence of HRG mRNA did not depend on the cancer type, on the preoperative treatment or its absence, as well as on the tumor progression stage and the presence of metastases.

[The progressive models of educational activities as a basis for the training of forensic medical experts of the new generation]. / Progressivnye modeli obrazovatel'noi deiatel'nosti ­ zalog podgotovki sudebno-ékspertnykh professionalov novogo pokoleniia.

The authors interpret forensic expertology as a synthetic science and propose the models for the training of professionals in the field of forensic medical expertise. They provide a rationale for the realization of such systematic training in the framework of the model of the three-level system based at the educational institutions of higher professional education. Characteristic features of the existing standards of professional training in the sphere of forensic medical expertise are considered with special reference to the organization of education of future forensic medical experts based at the many-level programs adopted in the Russian University of People's Friendship. The authors maintain that the integration of the activities of the Russian University of People's Friendship in the sphere of training of highly qualified forensic medical professionals and the potential of other leading Russian and foreign educational institutions in the close collaboration with the practical forensic medical facilities would provide a solid basis for the long-term fruitful cooperation for the modernization of the existing system of the training of forensic experts, its harmonization with the most sophisticated international programs, innovative scientific and educational technologies integrated into the system of management of the quality of modern laboratories of forensic medical expertise. It is concluded that the modification of the system of professional education in the field of forensic medical education constitutes the strategic approach to the solution of the problem of professional competence in the sphere of forensic expert activities.

[Transthyretin gene V30M, H90N, and del9 mutations in cardiomyopathy patients from St. Petersburg].

A search of transthyretin (TTP) gene mutations was conducted in patients with cardiomyopathies from St. Petersburg. Mutations H90N, V30M, G47A, and deletion (del9) of nucleotides GACTTCTCC in position 6776 from the start codon of the TTP gene (in position 98782 according to reference sequence AC079096 (NCBI) was found. The H90N mutation in the third exon of TTP gene was detected in a son of a cardiomyopathy patient and in his mother, which lacked any clinical manifestations. Mutations V30M and G47A in exon 2 of TTP gene were found in heterozygous and homozygous state, respectively, in one of the probands. Deletion (del9) was revealed in a patient with cardiomyopathy and in his two daughters from different marriages, who had no clinical manifestations of the disease. All the mutations revealed in this study were previously identified in other populations.

[Use of three-hybrid system to detect RNA-binding activity of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein]. / Ispol'zovanie trekhgibridnoi sistemy dlia opredeleniia RNK-sviazyvaiushchei aktivnosti belka obolochki virusa mozaiki liutserny.

We used yeast three-hybrid system, for studying interaction of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein AMVCP (AMVCP) with RNA4, which codes this protein. We have shown that AMVCP with high affinity is bound to plus-chain of RNA4 in vivo. The mutational analysis has shown, that the N-terminal part of AMVCP (aa 1 to 85) contains RNA-binding domain. C-terminal part of this protein (aa 86 to 221) does not participate in direct interaction with RNA4. However activity of the reporter-gene LacZ, which codes beta-galactosidase, in case of interaction only N-terminal part of AMVCP is five times lower, in comparison with full-length hybrid protein, that confirms that the tertiary structure of full-length AMVCP is more favourable for interaction with RNA4.

[Effect of tobacco mosaic virus on the ultrastructure of leaf mesophyll cells of the pepper Capsicuum anuum L]. / Vliianie virusa tabachnoi mozaiki na ul'trastrukturu kletok mezofilla lista pertsa Capsicuum anuum L.

Chlorotic areas of Capsicuum anuum L. leaves infected with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) have been investigated. Pathological changes of chloroplasts were found out. Swelling, more osmophilic plastoglobuli, loosened thylakoid structure were observed. It was shown that chloroplasts did not take part in the process of virus replication. Some structural changes of mitochondria were discovered too. They were most tolerant to the virus infection in comparison with other organoids.

[Cytofluorimetric study of glycogen fractions of the liver cells of patients with chronic viral and alcoholic hepatitis]. / Tsitofluorimetricheskoe issledovanie fraktsii glikogena v kletkakh pecheni bol'nykh khronicheskimi virusnym i alkogol'nym gepatitami.

A cytofluorometric study was made of total glycogen and two glycogen fractions--the one easily soluble (ES) and the other hard soluble (HS) in isolated liver cells (needle aspiration biopsy) of patients in the norm and with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) and chronic alcoholic hepatitis (CAH). The amount of LS in hepatocytes of patients with CAH was lower than that in patients with the norm or with CVH. This distinction was shown already at the beginning of chronic disease, and then, in spite of a considerable increase in the total glycogen content in hepatocytes, with progression of the disease did not change. The quantitative analysis of glycogen fraction contents in liver cells may be an additional differential diagnostic marker for the etiological distinction of chronic hepatitis.

[Diagnosis of viruses infecting essential-oil plant crops by using immunoenzyme analysis]. / Diagnostika virusov, porazhaiushchikh éfiromaslichnye kul'tury, s pomoshch'iu immunofermentnogo analiza.

The use of the EIA point technique permitted the detection of viruses affecting essential-oil plants. The method is simple, highly specific, sensitive and can be used for checking seedlings prior to planting.

[Dry weight of isolated normal human hepatocytes and in chronic hepatitis]. / Sukhoi ves izolirovannykh gepatotsitov cheloveka v norme i pri khronicheskom gepatite.

Dry weight of hepatocytes of 44 patients both normal and suffering from chronic hepatitis was measured interferometrically. The hepatocyte dry weight of the normal liver was about 431 pg. With the progression of the disease, this weight increased up to 640 pg. The dry weight concentration in this case did not change. The dry weight of hepatocytes increases proportionally to the polyploidy degree both in the norm and at chronic hepatitis. It was shown that cell hypertrophy not associated with cell proliferation and polyploidy is of great importance for the reparative liver growth. In patients with strong liver disease, it was increased by 30% in comparison with the normal condition.

[Polyploidy in the human liver normally and in hepatitis]. / Poliploidiia v pecheni cheloveka v norme i pri zabolevanii gepatitom.

DNA contents in mono- and binucleated hepatocytes have been measured using cytofluorimetry on slides of isolated human liver cells. In all, 28 patients, with the mean age of 33.7 years (ranging from 17 to 50 years), were examined, including both healthy (normal) ones and those with chronical hepatitis. The normal livers were shown to include approximately 88% of mononucleated diploid hepatocytes, and 9% of binucleated hepatocytes with diploid nuclei, whereas mononucleated tetraploid cells, binucleated cells with tetraploid nuclei and mononucleated octaploid cells made all together only a bit slightly more than 3%. The patients with hepatitis displayed markedly increased numbers of binucleated hepatocytes with diploid nuclei; some of these having more than 40% of such cells. The number of mononucleated tetraploid hepatocytes, binucleated hepatocytes with tetraploid nuclei and of mononucleated octaploid hepatocytes was seen to increase very slightly not reflecting the degree of the liver disease. It has been proposed that the normal and the reparative growth of human liver is accomplished due mainly to mitotic divisions of mononucleated diploid hepatocytes; the role of polyploidy in these processes being insignificant.

[Cytofluorimetric study of glycogen content in parenchymal liver cells of hepatitits patients]. / Tsitofluorimetricheskoe issledovanie soderzhaniia glikogena v kletkakh parenkhimy pecheni bol'nykh gepatitom.

Using cytofluorimetry, glycogen amount was measured in hepatic parenchymal cells on stained slides made of biopsied liver tissue taken from patients with chronic hepatitis. The glycogen content has been shown to increase progressively with the progression of the disease (by almost 3 times); the population of hepatocytes becoming more and more heterogenous as to their glycogen level. Simultaneously some typical morphological changes of hepatocytes were also found: increased dencondensation and vacuolization of the cytoplasm, a loss of cytoplasmic and nuclear boundaries. It is suggested that the glycogen content and morphological features of hepatocytes may be indicative as criteria of the hepatic disease dignosis.