[The first break-through of the genotype 2.3.2 of high-virulence influenza A virus A/HSN1, which is new for Russia, in the Far East].

The epizootic etiologically associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 genotype 2.3.2 that is new for Russia among wild and domestic birds in the south of the Primorye Territory during spring migration in April 2008 has been decoded. About 25% of the wild birds of a water complex, which include European teals (Anas crecca), mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), great-crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus), are involved in viral circulation in the area of the Suifun-Khankai plain. Chicken embryos and the cell lines MDCK, SPEV, BHK-21, SW-13 were used to isolate 3 strains from recently deceased hens (A/chicken/Primorje/1/08, A/chicken/Primorje/11/08, and A/chicken/Primorje/12/08) and one strain from a European teal (A/Anas crecca/Primorje/8/08). The strains were deposited in the State Collection of Viruses of the Russian Federation, D. I. Ivanovsky Research Institute of Virology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. The nucleotide sequences of the full-sized genomes of A/chicken/Primorje/1/08 and A/Anas crecca/Primorje/8/08 were sent to the International databank GenBank. The strains from domestic and wild birds were shown to be identical. The isolated strains are most close to the strains Alchicken/Viet Nam/10/05, A/chicken/Guangdong/178/04, and A/duck/Viet Nam/12/05. Molecular genetic analysis has indicated that the strains isolated are susceptible to rimantadine and ozeltamivir and less adapted to mammalian cells (particularly, they contain E627 in RV2, which agrees with the biological properties of these strains in vitro). Penetration of the newly isolated virus into the Far East ecosystem provides in the foreseeable future a way for infecting the birds wintering in America and Australia in the nesting places, with further carriage of viral populations there in the period of autumn migrations.

[Complex environmental and virological monitoring in the Primorye Territory in 2003-2006].

The paper presents the results of monitoring of viruses of Western Nile (WN), Japanese encephalitis (JE), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), Geta, Influenza A, as well as avian paramicroviruses type I (virus of Newcastle disease (ND)) and type 6 (APMV-6) in the Primorye Territory in 2003-2006. Totally throughout the period, specific antibodies to the viruses were detected by neutralization test in wild birds (7.3%, WN; 8.0%, Geta; 0.7% Batai; 2.8%, Alpine hare (Lepus timidus); by hemagglutination-inhibition test in cattle (11.4% WN; 5.9%, JE; j 3.0%, TBE; 11.6%, Geta), horses (6.1, 6.8, 0, and 25.3%, respectively), and pigs (5.4, 1.5, 0, and 5.9%, respectively) by enzyme immunoassay (IgG) in human beings (0.8, 0.5, 6.8, and 3.2%, respectively. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to reveal RNA of the NP segment of influenza A virus in 57.9 and 65% of the cloacal swabs from wild and domestic birds, respectively; and the HA-segment of subtype HH was not detected in 2005. HA/H5 RNA was recorded in 5.5 and 6.7% of the swabs from wild and domestic birds, respectively; 6% of the specimens from domestic birds were M-segment positive in 2006. RNA of influenza A virus NA/H7 and RNA was not detected throughout the years. In 2004, the cloacal swabs 8 isolated influenza A strains: two H3N8 and two H4N8 strains from European teals (Anas crecca), two (H3N8 and H6N2) strains from Baikal teals (A. formosa), one (H10N4) strain from shovelers (A. clypeata), and one (H4N8) from garganeys (A. querquedula). In 2004, one ND virus strain was isolated from the cloacal swabs from European teals (A. crecca). RT-PCR revealed RNA of this virus in some 8 more cloacal swabs from black ducks (A. poecilorhyncha) (3 positive specimens), pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) (n = 2), garganeys (A. querquedula) (n = 1), gadwalls (A. strepera) (n = 1), and geese (Anser anser domesticus) (n = 1). Sequencing of the 374-member fragment of the ND virus F gene, which included a proteolytic cleavage site, could assign two samples to the weakly pathogenetic variants of genotype 1, one sample to highly pathogenic variants of genotype 3a, five to highly pathogenic ones of genotype 5b. Isolation of APMV-6 (2003) from common egrets (Egretta alba) and geese (Ans. anser domesticus) is first described.

[The effects of testosterone and estradiol on the activity of lysosomal enzymes in rat liver and kidneys]. / Issledovanie vliianiia testosterona i estradiola na aktivnost' lizosomal'nykh fermentov pecheni i pochek krys.

In in vitro tests with lysosomes isolated from the liver and kidneys of castrated rats of both sexes the action of testosterone and beta-estradiol in concentrations of 3.76.10(-4)M on the activity of beta-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase and acid phosphatase was investigated. Testosterone is shown to reduce the total and free activity of the membrane-bound enzymes and to increase the release from the matrix lysosomes. Estradiol proved less active than is testosteron. The renal lysosomes in vitro are more sensitive to the action of sex hormones than are hepatic lysosomes. In the interaction of testosterone and estradiol with lysosomal membranes a sex specificity was revealed.

[The effect of tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin, histidine and histamine on the peroxidation of lipids in hepatic mitochondrial membranes]. / Vliianie triptofana, 5-oksitriptofana, serotonina, gistidina i gistamina na perekisnoe okislenie lipidov v membranakh mitokhondrii pecheni

The method of recording the superweak chemifluorescence was applied to the study of the effect of tryptophan, 5-oxytryptophan, sertonin, histidine and histamine on the peroxication of lipids in the membranes of mitochondria of rat liver in the presence of Fe++ ions inducing this process. 5-oxytryptophan and serotonin inhibited this process in a concentration of 10(-5)-10(-4) M (protein content -1.8 mg per 1 ml of mitochondrial suspension). On the basis of studying the kinetics of the initial portion of the ascending branch of the "slow flare up" constants of the antioxidatinve activity (constituting 2.2-10(3) and 9.8-10(3) M-1 for 5-oxytryptophan and serotonin, respectively) was calculated. The antioxidative action is associated with the presence of the phenol group in the molecule of the compound under study. It is supposed that the action of 5-oxytryptophan and serotonin on peroxidation of lipids in the membranes was of significance for the regulation of permeability of the biological membranes, along with their effect on the other membrane processes.

[Effect of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, DOPA and phenylalanine on lipid peroxidation in liver mitochondria membranes]. / Vliianie adrenalina, noradrenalina, dofamina, DOFA i fenilalanina na perekisnoe okislenie lipidov v membranakh mitokhondrií pecheni

A method of superweak hemifluorescence was applied to the study of the effect of catecholamines on the process of chain peroxidation of lipids in the membranes of hepatic mitochondria in the presence of of Fe2+ ions. It was revealed that catecholamines in the concentrattion range of 10(-6)--10(-4) inhibited this process. On the basis of a mathematical study of the kinetics of the process a calculation was made of the constants of the antioxidative activity of catecholamines which constituted 1.13-10(4) for noradrenaline, 1.04-10(4) for adrenaline, 7.6-10(3) for dophamine, 5-.10(3)M(-1) for DOPA. The antioxidant action of catecholamines was associated with the presence in their molecule of a free phenol group. The mechanism of inhibition consisted in the interaction of catecholamines with the free radicals the leading of the oxidation chain. It is supposed that the antioxidative action of catecholamines could be of significance for the regulation of permeability of the biological membranes.