Age changes of foot microbiome estimated by microscopy method.

Despite of great number of investigations in the area of tinea pedis, question is opened: to what extent dermatophyte fungi are spread among modern population and does their occurrence interrelated with host age? Investigated group included 99 volunteers from 14 to 73 years old. Skin scales were collected from heel area of foot, and signs of heel skin trouble were expressed in points. In contrast to usual laboratory microscope magnification x900 we worked at x1750, what allowed to estimate not only fungal, but bacterial forms too. Average abundances of microbial morphotypes were expressed in points. Heel skin trouble increased in the process of aging (Pirsons` coefficient r=0.954). Bacilli occurred in all persons independently from age, but their abundance increased with aging (0.821). On the contrary cocci were more common and abundant in young person`s feet (-0.620). Occurrence of dermatophytes increased with age (0.891), at that relatively high values took place in young persons (10.5% with mycelium and 73.7% with spores) and in group without any heel skin trouble symptoms (7.7% and 76.9%), what allow to refer these fungi to normal habitats of foot skin.

[New in clinical laboratory diagnostics dermatophyte fungi in children with atopic dermatitis.]

Role of bacteria Staphylococcus spp., yeasts of Candida spp., Malassezia spp. genera in pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infant patients is well known. However, no data concerning the incidence of dermatophytes in such disease entity were obtained. Aim of the study was estimation of dermatophytes carriage in children with AD. Group of patients involved 44 persons 1 to 18 years old with clinically diagnosed acute AD. Especially for the study a method of skin scales collection was created: painless for patients and safe for medical personnel. The method is based on following stages - rubbing of lichenificated skin zones with sterile swab which was preliminary saturated with phosphate/Tween 80 buffer pH 7,9 and centrifuging of the suspension for sedimentation of skin scales. Microscopic examination of hydrolyzed scales was carried out at maximal magnification x1750, at that different dermatophyte and yeast fungal forms were registered. Spores of dermatophyte fungi were detected with 67,0% frequency, whereas dermatophyte mycelium - with 18,3% frequency. No correlation between dermatophyte spores and mycelium was found out (Pirson`s coefficient r=0,236), however no mycelium without spores was detected, but in 73,3% of cases spores occurred without mycelium. Yeast spores were detected in 45,2% of patients - this fact is agreed with data obtained earlier by the seeding method, but yeast mycelium was found out in 3,5% of patients.Therefore frequent occurrence of dermatophyte fungi on the skin of AD infants is revealed for the first time. At that dermatophytes were found out to exist more often in the form of spores. These results are important for choice of the further therapy.

[The determination of ferroceron in the practice of forensic chemical expertise]. / Opredelenie ferrotserona v sudebno-khimicheskoi ékspertnoi praktike.

Valov's method followed by extraction of the acid form of ferroceron with ether is recommended for isolation of ferroceron from cadaveric material in forensic chemical practice expert evaluation. Detection and measurement of isolated ferroceron are carried out by thin-layer chromatography and spectroscopy in the visible part of the spectrum. The developed method for ferroceron detection in cadaveric material was used in two expert evaluations. Recommendations are offered on the detection of ferroceron in cadaveric and biological material and on resuscitation measures in cases with poisoning with this drug.

[Isolation and properties of an alpha-galactosidase preparation from Cephalosporium sp. 237]. / Poluchenie i svoistva preparata al'fa-galaktozidazy iz Cephalosporium sp. 237.

Different methods for preparing alpha-galactosidase from the culture fluid of the micromycete Cephalosporium sp. 237 were tested. They included precipitation with ethanol, isopropanol, and acetone. Precipitation with two volumes of acetone gave the best results with respect to specific activity (12 units) and yield of the enzyme (78%). Properties of alpha-galactosidase (optimum pH at 5.5, temperature optimum at 40 degrees C. thermolability, etc), when different substrates were used, were examined.