[The effect of rehabilitation with sensory glove and virtual reality on concentration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and event related potential P300 in the early rehabilitation period after ischemic stroke]. / Vliyanie reabilitatsii s sensornoi perchatkoi i virtual'noi real'nost'yu na dinamiku neirotroficheskogo faktora golovnogo mozga i kognitivnykh vyzvannykh potentsialov P300 v rannem vosstanovitel'nom periode ishemicheskogo insul'ta.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of rehabilitation with sensory glove (SG) and virtual reality (VR) on changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration and amplitude and latency of event related potential (ERP) P300 in the early rehabilitation period after hemispheric ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety patients (mean age 58.0±9.7 years, time after stroke onset - 3.8±1.6 months) were randomized into intervention (IG) and control (CG) groups. Patients in both groups received 15 sessions of rehabilitation (30 min, 3 times a week). Patients in the IG (n=46) received rehabilitation with SG and VR. Patients in CG (n=44) received individualized physical therapy. The end points were a change in the MMSE, MoCA, 10-word Luria test, subtests of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV (WAIS IV) test, amplitude and latency of P300, and BDNF concentration on admission and at the end of rehabilitation. RESULTS: There was an improvement on MoCA test (p=0.049) and working memory index of the WAIS IV test (p=0.045) iIn the IG after completing rehabilitation the improvement on MoCA test (p=0.049) and working memory index of the WAIS IV test (p=0.045) was observed. There was aA trend tendency towards an significant increase on MMSE (p=0.093) and 10-word Luria test (p=0.052) was observed. In CG, an improvement with a trend towards significant differences (p≤0.12) on all above mentioned tests was also observednoted. In both groups there were no significant changes in the amplitude or latency of P300. Concentration of BDNF increased significantly in the IG (p=0.042), while in the CG a tendency (p=0.064) was observed (p=0.064). By the end of rehabilitation, the delta between groups in the increase of BDNF concentration was 17.9%, p=0.072. In both groups, there was a correlation between scores on cognitive tests and BDNF concentration. Absence/presence of cognitive disorders was not associated with initial or final BDNF concentrations or delta between groups. RESULTS: In the IG after completing rehabilitation the improvement on MoCA test (p=0.049) and working memory index of the WAIS IV test (p=0.045) was observed. There was a tendency towards significant increase on MMSE (p=0.093) and 10 word Luria test (p=0.052). In CG an improvement with a trend towards significant differences (p≤0.12) on all above mentioned tests was also observed. In both groups there were no significant changes in the amplitude or latency of P300. Concentration of BDNF increased significantly in the IG (p=0.042), while in the CG a tendency was observed (p=0.064). By the end of rehabilitation, the delta between groups in the increase of BDNF concentration was 17.9%, p=0.072. In both groups there was a correlation between scores on cognitive tests and BDNF concentration. Absence/presence of cognitive disorders was not associated with initial or final BDNF concentration or delta between groups. CONCLUSION: VR and SG in the early rehabilitation period after IS is are as equally effective as rehabilitation with individualized physical therapy (aerobic training) in increasing BDNF concentration and in improvement on cognitive tests.

[Voice disorders associated with novel coronavirus infection]. / Narusheniya golosa u patsientov posle perenesennoi novoi koronavirusnoi infektsii.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the features of voice disorders associated with novel coronavirus infection and to develop the clinical algorithm for diagnostic and treatment these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in patients with dysphonia after COVID-19 (n=60). All patients underwent a comprehensive voice assessment before and after the proposed treatment. The follow-up period was 1 month. RESULTS: Functional dysphonia or aphonia with a stable (refractory) or recurrent course was diagnosed in 58 (97%) patients. A tendency to an increase in the value of the latent period of the P300 and MMN in patients with voice disorder was revealed. There was a significant decrease in supraglottic constriction and glottal insufficiency before and after the treatment. The mean VHI-10 decreased from 25.4 before treatment to 15.3 after treatment. The DSI which is based on the set of voice measurements, statistically significant improved from -5.2 to 2.6 in patients as a result of treatment. The average value of MFI-20 improved from 65.4 (8.7) at the beginning of the study to 20.3 (5.3) after treatment. CONCLUSION: In patients with dysphonia or aphonia associated with COVID-19 are indicated a refractory type of dysphonia. This was indicated by the study of AEPs of the brain. The clinical algorithm for treatment and diagnostic patients with voice disorders after COVID-19 has been developed. The treatment of this group of patients should be adjunct by the drug therapy, kinesiotaping method and psychotherapy.

[Multimodal technology in the correction of post-stroke motor disorders]. / Mul'timodal'naya tekhnologiya korrektsii postinsul'tnykh dvigatel'nykh narushenii.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive rehabilitation program with the inclusion of programmable FES and BFB-stabilometric training in patients with post-stroke statolocomotor disorders in the late recovery period of ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 120 patients in the late recovery period of IS, 57 women and 63 men, average age 58.4±6.4 years. The duration of the stroke was 228.59±31.9 days. The main group (MG) included 30 patients who underwent FES and BFB-stabilometric training. Comparison group 1 (CG1, n=30) received computer stabilometric training with BFB. Comparison group 2 (CG2, n=30) received FES. The control group (CG3, n=30) received a standard rehabilitation program. MR programs were carried out for all patients in the amount of 15 procedures every other day (5 weeks). RESULTS: The complex of rehabilitation measures with the inclusion of FES and BFB-stabilometric training significantly improve the function of walking in the form of restoration of the motor stereotype by the 5th week of the study, which was confirmed by neurological scales and stabilometry data. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of FES and BFB-stabilometric training methods in the rehabilitation process leads to earlier motor adaptation of the patient, restoration of impaired balance function and quality of life, which is associated with an increase in plastic and associative processes of the brain.

[Effectiveness of rehabilitation with virtual reality and biofeedback in recovery of hand function after stroke]. / Effektivnost' reabilitatsii s virtual'noi real'nost'yu i biologicheskoi obratnoi svyaz'yu v vosstanovlenii funktsii kisti posle insul'ta.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the rehabilitation glove (RG) with virtual reality (VR) and biofeedback (BFB) on recovery of the hand function in patients during the late recovery period after first hemispheric ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was randomized and controlled. One hundred and six patients (age 58.8±4.3 years, time after stroke onset - 8.7±2.1 months) were included in the final analysis. The intervention group (n=56) received rehabilitation with RG and VR. The control group (n=50) received individualized physical therapy. The primary end points were a change in the Fugl-Meyer scale score (FMA-UE), in the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and in the nine holes peg test (NHPT). Secondary end points included changes in MRCS, MAS, MoCA, HADS, modified Barthel index (MBI) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L). RESULTS: Improvement of the motor function in the intervention group on FMA-UE scale (an increase of ≥7 points in sections A-D) was observed in 46.4% of patients, on ARAT (an increase of ≥5 points) in 53.6% of patients. There was a significant decrease in time from 36.8±6.3 sec. to 22.0±3.9 sec. on NHPT. A negative correlation was observed between the average ARAT score and anxiety (r=-0.7; p<0.05) and depression (r=-0.67; p<0.05). There was also a significant increase in EQ-5D-5L (VAS) by the end of rehabilitation in both groups with better scores in the intervention group (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation based on VR, RG, and BFB is effective in the rehabilitation of dexterous hand function in patients with first hemispheric IS.

[Innovative technologies and multimodal correction in medical rehabilitation of motor and neuropsychological disturbances due to stroke]. / Innovatsionnye tekhnologii i vozmozhnosti mul'timodal'noi korrektsii postinsul'tnykh dvigatel'nykh i neiropsikhologicheskikh narushenii.

The article presents an overview of innovative technologies based on the methods of sensorimotor retraining of the patient using various types of biofeedback (BFB) as the most promising in the medical rehabilitation (MR) of patients with cerebral stroke (CS). The works of a high level of evidence (RCTs, national and international clinical guidelines, meta-analyses, systematic reviews) of the Medline, Pubmed, PubMed Cochrane Library databases are analyzed, ClinicalTrials.gov. It is emphasized that training with multisensory effects on visual, auditory, vestibular and kinesthetic analyzers have a beneficial effect on cognitive-motor training and retraining, neuropsychological status of the patient and increase the level of motivation to achieve success in the rehabilitation process. The synergy of multimodal effects of digital technologies, BFB, virtual reality, and the brain-computer interface will expand the capabilities and improve the efficiency of MR of after stroke-patients.

[Linguistic adaptation and validation of the voice handicap index (VHI)-30 in patients with dysphonia into Russian]. / Lingvisticheskaya adaptatsiya i podtverzhdenie primeneniya russkoi versii oprosnika Indeks izmeneniya golosa-30 (Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-30) u patsientov s disfoniei.

Purpose of the study is to assess the internal consistency, reliability of retesting and clinical reliability of the Russian version of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-30 questionnaire. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It is prospective observational study. The original English version of the VHI-30 questionnaire was translated into Russian by two independent researchers (professional translators). The final Russian version (VHI-30rus) was formulated by a third researcher (otorhinolaryngologist) on the basis of these two translations, and then translated back into English. The 181 participants were included in this study. The main group patients (n=91) were additionally divided into subgroups in accordance with the form of dysphonia: 65 (71.4%) patients had functional and organic dysphonia, 8 (8.8%) had chronic inflammatory diseases of the larynx, 7 (7.7%) - benign neoplasms of the larynx (singing nodules, polyps, cysts), 11 (12.1%) - unilateral laryngeal paralysis. The control group consisted of 90 people without voice disorders. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient), retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) VHI-30, comparison of VHI-30 indicators of patients and studied control group (Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test) and correlation with the overall severity of dysphonia (Spearman's ρ rank correlation coefficient) were determined. RESULTS: In the patient group, we observed excellent internal consistency for VHI-30rus (α=0.95) and good internal consistency for all VHI-30rus subscales: physical (α=0.88), functional (α=0.88), and emotional (α=0.88). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) indicated high retest reliability for patients (0.99) and control group subjects (0.84). The 30-item mean total values for patients with dysphonia were statistically significantly higher than for control group participants (p<0.001). A correlation was found between the overall VHI-30rus value and the overall severity of dysphonia (ρ=0.748, p<0.001). In the patient's group, female and male participants showed a statistically insignificant difference in the total value of VHI-30rus (Mann-Whitney U-test, p<0.001). There was a correlation in terms of VHI-30rus indicators in different subgroups of the patient group and the control group (Spearman's correlation coefficient: functional dysphonia - 0.942; chronic laryngitis - 0.756; unilateral laryngeal paralysis - 0.888; benign neoplasms - 0.982; control group studied - 0.882). CONCLUSION: As a result of this study, the VHI-30 questionnaire was translated from English into Russian for use in the Russian-speaking environment. The study showed good internal consistency, retest reliability, and clinical validity for the Russian version of the VHI-30rus questionnaire. The VHI-30rus questionnaire can be recommended for use in clinical practice for patients with dysphonia.

Promising Methods of Antibacterial Finishing of Textile Materials.

A review article, containing information on the options, possibilities, and prospects for the development of antibacterial finishing of textile materials, is presented. A wide range of products designed to impart antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties to textile materials is considered. The main factors determining the appropriate decision on the technological and functional choice of the protective composition are presented, including the nature of the fiber-forming polymer, the tasks that the resulting material is designed to solve, and its application options. Compositions providing the required effect of destruction of the pathogenic flora and their application technologies are described. Special attention is paid to antimicrobial agents based on silver nanoparticles. Nanoparticles of this metal have a detrimental effect on antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria; their effectiveness is higher as compared to a number of well-known antibiotics, for example, penicillin and its analogues. Silver nanoparticles are harmless to the human body. Acting as an inhibitor, they limit the activity of the enzyme responsible for oxygen consumption by single-cell bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In this case, silver ions bind to the outer and inner proteins of the bacterial cell membranes, blocking cellular respiration and reproduction. Various options to apply microencapsulation methods for the implementation of antibacterial finishing are considered, including: phase separation, suspension crosslinking, simple and complex coacervation, spray drying, crystallization from the melt, evaporation of the solvent, co-extrusion, layering, fluidized bed spraying, deposition, emulsion and interphase polymerization, layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly etc. All presented technologies are at various development stages-from the laboratory stage to production tests, they all have certain advantages and disadvantages. The accelerated development and implementation of the described methods in production of textile materials is relevant and is related to the existing complex epidemiological situation in the world.

Effect of Peptide AEDG on Telomere Length and Mitotic Index of PHA-Stimulated Human Blood Lymphocytes.

We studied the effect of peptide AEDG on telomere length and mitotic index of PHA-stimulated blood lymphocytes from young (18-22 years, N=5) and middle-aged (49-54 years, N=6) men. In the younger age group, no significant changes in the mitotic index were detected, while in the middle-aged group, a decrease in this parameter was found in one case. The relative length of telomeric regions of metaphase chromosomes was evaluated by in situ fluorescence hybridization with DNA probes specific to telomeres. After incubation with peptide AEDG, significant changes in the relative telomere length were found in 7 of 11 individuals (3 cases in the younger age group and 4 cases in the middle age group). Significant increase in telomere length after exposure to peptide AEDG was revealed in 5 cases, including two individuals of the younger age group (by 41 and 55%) and three individuals of the middle age group (by 156, 18, and 76%). In one individual of the younger age group and in one of the middle-age group, a significant decrease in telomere length (by 37 and 15%, respectively) was found. A tendency to normalization of telomere lengths was noted: this parameter increased in individuals with initially lower telomere length relative to the group mean value and decreased in individuals with initially longer telomeres compared to the mean length in the group.

[Effectiveness of correction of post-stroke motor disorders using the methods of functional electrostimulation and BFB-stabilometric postural control]. / Éffektivnost' korrektsii postinsul'tnykh dvigatel'nykh narushenii s primeneniem metodov funktsional'noi élektrostimuliatsii i BOS-stabilometricheskogo postural'nogo kontrolia.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of complex rehabilitation with the inclusion of functional electrostimulation (FES) and BFB-stabilometric postural control in patients with post-stroke motor disorders in the late recovery period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-seven patients in the late recovery period of stroke, 31 women and 36 men, mean age 58.4±6.4 years, were studied. The duration of stroke was 228.59±31.9 days. Ischemic stroke was in 71.9% of patients, hemorrhagic stroke in 28.1%. The first group included 42 patients with stroke, who, in addition to standard treatment regimen, had FES and BFB stabilometric training. The second group comprised 25 patients with stroke, the rehabilitation of which did not include above-mentioned methods. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A complex of rehabilitation measures with the inclusion of FES and BFB stabilometric postural training made it possible to significantly improve the function of walking in the form of restoration of the motor stereotype. The clinical effect was traced 3 weeks after the beginning of rehabilitation, reaching a maximum by the 5th week. Inclusion of BFB-based methods in the rehabilitation process leads to earlier motor and social adaptation of the patient, restoration of the disturbed equilibrium function, which is associated with an increase in the plastic and associative processes of the brain.

[The efficacy of semax in the tretament of patients at different stages of ischemic stroke]. / Éffektivnost' semaksa pri lechenii bol'nykh na raznykh stadiiakh ishemicheskogo insul'ta.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of semax and timing of rehabilitation on the dynamics of plasma BDNF levels, motor performance, and Barthel index score in patients after ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and ten patients after IS (43 men, 67 women, mean age 58.0±9.7, Ме 63 years) were examined. All patients were divided into early (89±9 days) and late (214±22 days) rehabilitation groups. Each group was subdivided into semax+ and semax- subgroups. Standard regimen of semax included 2 courses (6000 mcg/day) for 10 days with 20 day interval. Plasma BDNF levels, motor performance on the British Medical Research Council scale and Barthel index were assessed in all groups. RESULTS: Administration of semax, regardless of the timing of rehabilitation, increased BDNF plasma levels which remained high during the whole study period. In semax- subgroups high BDNF plasma levels were positively correlated with early rehabilitation. Administration of semax and high BDNF levels accelerated the improvement and ameliorated the final outcome of Barthel score index. There was a positive correlation between BDNF plasma levels and Barthel score, as well as a correlation between early rehabilitation and motor performance improvement. The correlation between BDNF plasma levels and Barthel score was modified by the timing of rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Early rehabilitation and administration of semax increase BDNF plasma level, speed functional recovery, and improve motor performance.

On the theory of the proton dipolar-correlation effect as a method for investigation of segmental displacement in polymer melts.

A thorough theoretical description of the recently suggested method [A. Lozovoi et al. J. Chem. Phys. 144, 241101 (2016)] based on the proton NMR dipolar-correlation effect allowing for the investigation of segmental diffusion in polymer melts is presented. It is shown that the initial rise of the proton dipolar-correlation build-up function, constructed from Hahn Echo signals measured at times t and t/2, contains additive contributions from both inter- and intramolecular magnetic dipole-dipole interactions. The intermolecular contribution depends on the relative mean-squared displacement of polymer segments from different macromolecules, which provides an opportunity for an experimental study of segmental translational motions at the millisecond range that falls outside the typical range accessible by other methods, i.e., neutron scattering or NMR spin echo with the magnetic field gradients. A comparison with the other two proton NMR methods based on transverse spin relaxation phenomena, i.e., solid echo and double quantum resonance, shows that the initial rise of the build-up functions in all the discussed methods is essentially identical and differs only in numerical coefficients. In addition, it is argued that correlation functions constructed in the same manner as the dipolar-correlation build-up function can be applied for an experimental determination of a mean relaxation rate in the case of systems possessing multi-exponential magnetization decay.

[Detection of putative polysaccharide biosynthesis genes in Azospirillum brasilense strains from serogroups I and II].

It is known that in Azospirillum brasilense strains Sp245 and SR75 included in serogroup I, the repeat units of their O-polysaccharides consist of five residues of D-rhamnose, and in strain SR15, of four; and the heteropolymeric O-polysaccharide of A. brasilense type strain Sp7 from serogroup II contains not less than five types of repeat units. In the present work, a complex of nondegenerate primers to the genes of A. brasilense Sp245 plasmids AZOBR_p6, AZOBR_p3, and AZOBR_p2, which encode putative enzymes for the biosynthesis of core oligosaccharide and O-polysaccharide of lipopolysaccharide, capsular polysaccharides, and exopolysaccharides, was proposed. By using the designed primers, products of the expected sizes were synthesized in polymerase chain reactions on genomic DNA of A. brasilense Sp245, SR75, SR15, and Sp7 in 36, 29, 23, and 12 cases, respectively. As a result of sequencing of a number of amplicons, a high (86­99%) level of identity of the corresponding putative polysaccharide biosynthesis genes in three A. brasilense strains from serogroup I was detected. In a blotting-hybridization reaction with the biotin-labeled DNA of the A. brasilense gene AZOBR_p60122 coding for putative permease of the ABC transporter of polysaccharides, localization of the homologous gene in ~120-MDa plasmids of the bacteria A. brasilense SR15 and SR75 was revealed.

[Changes in Cell Surface Properties and Biofilm Formation Efficiency in Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 Mutants in the Putative Genes of Lipid Metabolism mmsB1 and fabG1].

The previously obtained insertion mutants ofAzospirillum brasilense Sp245 in the genes mmsBl and fabG1 (strains SK039 and Sp245.1610, respectively) were characterized by impaired flagellation and motility. The putative products of expression of these genes are 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase and 3-oxoacyl-[acyl-carrier protein] reductase, respectively. In the present work, A. brasilense- Sp245 strains SK039 and Sp245.1610 were found to have differences in the content of 3-hydroxyhexadecanoic, hexadecanoic, 3-hydroxytetradecanoic, hexadecenoic, octadecenoic, and nonadecanoic acids in their lipopolysaccharide prepa- rations, as well as in cell hydrophobicity and hemagglutination activity and dynamics of cell aggregation, in biomass amount, and in the relative content of lipopolysaccharide antigens in mature biofilms formed on hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces.

Effect of Hypothermia-Induced Respiratory Arrest on Cerebral Circulation in Rats.

Intravital microscopy was employed to examine cerebral circulation in rats assessed by blood flow in the venules with diameter of 10-30 µ during immersion hypothermia continued to the moment of respiratory arrest and for 10 min thereafter. Circulation in the cerebral microvessels continued during severe hypothermia, and it went on even after hypothermic respiratory arrest while the heart was beating. In pial venules, the blood continued to fl ow for 8-10 min after respiratory arrest.

[The enhanced external counterpulsation as a method of non-invasive auxiliary blood circulation used for the combined rehabilitative treatment of the patients surviving after ischemic stroke (a review)].

The present review of the foreign and domestic literature is concerned with the application of the method of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy for the treatment of the patients presenting with various diseases. It is shown that many recent publications report extensive investigations of the clinical and neurophysiological aspects of the application of this method for the combined regenerative treatment of the patients surviving after ischemic stroke (IS). The possibility of the influence of EECP therapy on the system of regulation of the cerebral blood flow, the formation of collateral circulation in the ischemic tissue, and the cellular-humoral mechanisms are considered. It is concluded that the introduction of enhanced external counterpulsation therapy into the program of the combined rehabilitative treatment on an individual basis for the patients surviving after ischemic stroke is pathogenetically substantiated as promoting regression of clinical, neurological, and neuropsychological disorders.

[Biofilm Formation by the Nonflagellated flhB1 Mutant of Azospirillum brasilense Sp245].

Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 with mixed flagellation are able to form biofilms on various surfaces. A nonflagellated mutant of this strain with inactivated chromosomal copy of the flhB gene (flhB1) was shown to exhibit specific traits at the later stages of biofilm formation on a hydrophilic (glass) surface. Mature biofilms of the flhB1::Omegon-Km mutant Sp245.1063 were considerably thinner than those of the parent strain Sp245. The biofilms of the mutant were more susceptible to the forces of hydrodynamic shear. A. brasilense Sp245 cells in biofilms were not found to possess lateral flagella. Cells with polar flagella were, however, revealed by atomic force microscopy of mature native biofilms of strain Sp245. Preservation of a polar flagellum (probably nonmotile) on the cells of A. brasilense Sp245 may enhance the biofilm stability.

[Sleep disorders and circadian rhythms in diseases of the cardiovascular system].

OBJECTIVE: To study disturbances of sleep and circadian rhythms in patients with cardiovascular diseases taking into account the level of melatonin secretion and to optimize a complex approach to their treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included patients with cardiovascular diseases with- (n=121) and without (n=105) cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). All patients received melaxen in dose 3 mg daily 30-40 min before sleep. Examination of patients included assessment of neurological status, psychometric scales, the definition of circadian rhythm of the heart and blood pressure, determination of 6-SOMT in daily urine. RESULTS: Pathological changes in circadian rhythms affected sleep disturbances, emotional and cognitive disorders and were associated with a reduction in the level of 6-SOMT in the urine. These changes were most pronounced in patients with CVD and stroke. The inclusion of melaxen in the comprehensive regimen of treatment improved sleep, reduced mood disorders and normalized the circadian heart rate profile and blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The data obtained allowed to consider melaxen as an effective tool in the complex therapy of patients with CVD.

[Genome Rearrangements in Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 with the Involvement of the Plasmid pRhico and the Prophage phiAb-Cd].

Alphaproteobacteria of the species Azospirillum brasilense have a multicomponent genome that undergoes frequent spontaneous rearrangements, yielding changes in the plasmid profiles of strains. Specifically, variants (Cd, Sp7.K2, Sp7.1, Sp7.4, Sp7.8, etc.) of the type strainA. brasilense Sp7 that had lost a 115-MDa plasmid were previously selected. In many of them, the molecular weight of a 90-MDa plasmid (p90 or pRhico), which is a kind of "depot" for glycopolymer biosynthesis genes, increased. In this study, a collection of primers was designed to the plasmid pRhico and to the DNA of prophage phiAb-Cd integrated in it. The use ofthese primers in polymerase chain reactions allowed the detection of the probable excision of phiAb-Cd phage from the DNA of A. brasilense variants Sp7.4 and Sp7.8 and other alterations of the pRhico structure in A. brasilense strains Cd, Sp7.K2, and Sp7.8. The developed primers and PCR conditions may be recoin mended for primary analysis of spontaneous plasmid rearrangements in A. brasilense Sp7 and related strains.

[Comparative assessment of inductive effects of Azospirillum lectins with different antigenic properties on the signal systems of wheat seedling roots].

The lectins of associative nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and its mutant A. brasilense Sp7.2.3 were shown to have different effects on the components of the wheat seedling root signal system, namely to regulate the levels of cAMP, nitric oxide, diacylglycerol, and salicylic acid, as well as to induce the activities of superoxide dismutase and lipoxygenase. Our results make it possible to consider azospirilla lectins as inducers of the signal systems in wheat seedling roots, since they cause development of several flows of primary signals. These data are of general biological importance, since lectins are present in all living organisms and most ot the functions of lectins remain insufficiently understood.

[Post-stroke spasticity of the lower limb: a comprehensive rehabilitation of patients with the use of botulinum toxin (onabotulinumtoxin A)].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of onabotulinumtoxin A (Botox) in the complex rehabilitation of patients with post-stroke spasticity of the leg in the early rehabilitation period of stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group comprised 31 patients in the early recovery period after stroke with the presence of equino-varus deformity of the foot with spasticity grade 3 or more (MAS). All patients received injections of onabotulinumtoxin A (Botox) in a total dose 400 ED as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program. Dynamics of neurological status, spasticity, pain, function of walking and everyday activity was evaluated. RESULTS AND СONCLUSION: The high efficacy of botulinum neurotoxin type A was demonstrated. The drug reduced the severity of spasticity and discomfort in the leg and foot; promoted independent movement and increased walking speed of the patient.