[Hair as a study object in case of poisoning with heavy metal salts].

The objective of the present work was to analyse the results of morphological studies of hair taken from the children with suspected thallium poisoning. The findings obtained by isoelectrofocusing, spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were compared with the relevant literature data. Original investigations included a comparative microstructural study along the hair length and cross section. We failed to observe formation of black-purple structures in the hair bulb and root region of the shaft usually associated with thallium poisoning. It is concluded that thallium poisoning can not be diagnosed based on the presence of a black pigment, knob-like swellings, and spindle-shaped bulbs since they are normal elements of healthy hair. More sensitive methods for the determination of trace elements and their combination with morphological investigations are needed for the definitive diagnosis of thallium poisoning.

[Mycological and entomological methods for estimation of the time since death in forensic medicine].

The objective of the present paper was to summarize the results of experimental studies and expert estimation carried out by the authors to survey the process of cadaver biodecomposition under different conditions with special reference to the characteristics of soil biota at different burial sites. Criteria have been developed for the estimation of prescription of death coming and the identification of biotic communities of the corpse buried in the soil, saline and fresh water.

[A study of cadaveric mycobiota at the late stages of post-mortem changes within the forensic-medical verification of death coming and of bury place]. / Izuchenie mikobioty trupov v sostoianii pozdnikh trupnykh izmenenii pri sudebno-meditsinskom ustanovlenii davnosti nastupleniia smerti i mesta zakhoroneniia.

Data are described on the late stages of fungus populating in cadaveric remains (soil and other fungi). By week 2 after bury, the soil fungi grow through the cloths and skin of cadaver with the species mycobiotic composition of remains corresponding, on the whole, to a bury place. The woodland soils are distinguished through a more diversified species composition and total mycobiotic content, which can be valuable in establishing the fact and route of transfers of cadaver or of its remains even at late cadaveric changes.

[Use of liver morphometry in the differential diagnosis of chronic alcohol and narcotic poisoning]. / Primenenie morfometrii pecheni pri differentsial'noi diagnostike khronicheskikh alkogol'nykh i narkoticheskikh intoksikatsii.

Data on the quantitative histomorphological involvement of the liver in chronic narcotic and ethanol poisoning and their combination are presented. Alcohol use by narcomaniacs augments hepatocyte damage, which manifests by increased fatty degeneration, increased activity of lobular hepatitis, appearance of the neutrophil admixture in inflammatory infiltration, and stimulation of sclerotic processes leading to an increase in the perimeter of portal tract section at the expense of connective tissue growth. Quantitative analysis of these processes is recommended for forensic medical histological differential diagnosis of chronic narcotic and ethanol poisoning.

[The dynamic activity of lymphocyte succinate dehydrogenase and its correlations in experimental malaria]. / Dinamika aktivnosti suktsinatdegidrogenazy limfotsitov i ee korreliatsionnykh sviazei pri éksperimental'noi maliarii.

Succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes has been studied in progressing experimental malaria on a P. yoelii model, the strain 265 BY; the multinipple rats Mastomys natalensis. Cytochemical method employing n-nitrotetrazolium violet was used. Comparative analysis of changes in SDG activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes and changes in the level of parasitemia has demonstrated that day 10 was a critical period when there was an evident inverse correlation between the qualitative parameters. The findings give evidence of SDH participation in an adequate response of immunocompetent cells to malaria infection, thus leading to recovery.

[The modelling of the development of Plasmodium yoelli yoelli in different vertebrate hosts]. / Modelirovanie razvitiia Plasmodium yoelii yoelii v raznykh pozvonochnykh khoziaev.

Outbred mice and inbred BALB/c mice were used for simulating Plasmodium yoelii yoelii (strain 265 BY) development. When the infection is initiated by standardized blood cryosamples and in sporozoite infection in various vertebral hosts the infection develops likewise as regard to parasitemia cyclic recurrences, however, the magnitude of parasitemia peaks, time of their occurrence, its stabilization or attenuation are different, which to a great extent determines the period of gametocyte infectivity. Reproducibility of the models developed is ensured by the use of the same agent strain and host species, standardization of the inoculum type and the following characteristics of the vertebral host: sex, age, source and route of infection, chronobiology of schizogony and gametogony (quantitative and qualitative characteristics), duration of the infection (including a prepatent period) and the number of development peaks. An optimal model of the infection is merozoite infection of mice, when the first peak of gametocytemia is achieved during moderately increased parasitemia, prior to the parasitemia peak. The absence of marked interactions in asexual and sexual development of the parasite, and the coincidence of the parasitemia and gametocytemia peaks (infection models in BALB/c mice and sporozoite infection in mice) restrict substantially model standardization and selection of donors for infecting the carriers.