[Molecular-genetic detection of a nonpathogenic genotype of Spironucleus barkhanus (Diplomonadida: Hexamitidae) in the black Baikal grayling (Thymallus arcticus baicalensis Dybowski, 1874)].

A nonpathogenic genotype of Spironucleus barkhanus (Diplomonadida: Hexamitidae) has been revealed for the first time in the Baikal grayling (Salmoniformes: Thymallidae) by molecular-genetic methods. Sequences corresponding to a fragment of the gene encoding the small ribosomal subunit RNA (SSU rRNA) have been obtained. The genotype of S. barkhanus from Baikal fish is identical to that characteristic of the parasite found in freshwater salmonid fishes.

[The parasite fauna of the big and little Baikal oil fishes]. / Parazitofauna bol'shoi i maloi golomianok ozera Baikal.

The parasite fauna of two endemic fish species of the genus Comephorus (Cottoidei: Comephoridae) includes 11 species. Six species were found in Comephorus baicalensis and 9--in C. dybowskii. Two species only are endemic for Baikal: Myxidium perniciosum and Gyrodactylus comephori. Other 9 species are distributed throughout Palaearctic region. Ecology of parasites and their hosts is briefly discussed.

[Role of high-dose BEAM-chemotherapy and autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of drug-resistant Hodgkin disease]. / Mesto vysokodoznoi BEAM-terapii i autologichnoi transplantatsii gemopoéticheskikh kletok u bol'nykh khimiorezistentnymi formami bolezni Khodzhkina.

In 1995-1999, 67 patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease or refractory to chemotherapy (group A--first relapse, B--primary refractory disease, and C--repeated relapse) received cytoreductive (dexaBEAM, DHAP) therapy followed by high-dose BEAM chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow or blood cell transplantation. Early postoperative transplant-related mortality rate was 4.5%. At day 100, complete remission rates were: group A--95.6%; B--74.1%; and C--76.5%. Survival for all patients was: overall--61.9%; event-free--43.9%; disease-free--46%; and relapse-free survival--49.5%. Such factors as primary refractory disease, age over 30 years and response to cytoreductive therapy had significant influence on overall survival prognosis.

[The determination of the species classification of Baikal planarian cocoons found in the stomach of the black grayling (Thymallus arcticus baicalensis) by a comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the ribosomal RNA gene]. / Opredelenie vidovoi prinadlezhnosti obnaruzhennykh v zheludke chernogo khariusa kokonov baikal'skikh planarii putem sravnitel'nogo analiza nukleotidnykh posledovatel'nostei gena ribosomnoi RNK.

Comparative analysis of nucleotide sequences of gene 18S of ribosome RNA was carried out. The results show that the genetic sequences of the given locus could be used as a molecular marker to identify the species of planaria irrespective of ontogenetic stage. The articles deals with problem of specific determination of cocoons of Baikal planaria from the stomach of Baikal black grayling using comparative analysis of nucleotide sequences of ribosome RNA fragments with known sequences determined earlier for Baikal planaria. The cocoons belong to two species of Rimacephalus. The authors discuss also the importance of feeding relationships of planaria and benthophage fish to investigate the biotic factors that influence the evolution of Baikal planaria.

[Experience in the use of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in severe forms of aplastic anemia at the Byelorussian hematological center]. / Opyt primeneniia transplantatsii allogennogo kostnogo mozga pri tiazheloi forme aplasticheskoi anemii v Belorusskom gematologicheskom tsentre.

AIM: Investigation of the response to antilymphocytic globulin (ALG) and transplantation of allogenic bone marrow (TABM) in patients with a severe form of aplastic anemia (AA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 patients were treated for severe AA in 1995-1997. 8 patients of group 1 were given ALG/cyclophosphamide with subsequent TABM from HLA-identical sib donor. To prevent graft versus host reaction the patients took cyclosporin A (CSA) + prednisolone. Those who had no sib donor (7 patients) were treated with ALG/CSA (group 2). RESULTS: A complete remission at 7-30-month follow-up was observed in 6 patients of group 1. One patient died of infectious complications in rejection of the transplant and one patient died of acute graft versus host reaction. None of group 2 patients achieved the remission. One patient died of infectious complications. The others need continuous hemotransfusion therapy. CONCLUSION: In spite of high probability of early complications after TABM, TABM-subjected patients are more likely to achieve a complete remission and recurrence-free survival than those given immunosuppressive therapy alone.