[Epitope analysis of the hemagglutinin molecule of the Victoria lineage influenza B viruses].

A panel of five monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the HA1 molecule of the influenza B virus of the Victorian lineage with high virus-neutralizing activity was developed. For identification of the virus neutralizing epitopes in HA1 escape mutants (EM) of the influenza BIShandong/07/97 and B/Malaysia/2506/04 virus were selected using virus- neutralizing antibodies (MAbs). Three EMs had single, two--double and one--triple amino acid substitutions (AAS) in HA1 (H122N, A202E, K203T, K2031, K203N or A317V). In addition, AAS N197S was detected in three EMs. A correlation of AAS identified with peculiarities of interaction of EMs with Mabs was discussed.

[Analysis of time series to establish the relationship of respiratory symptomatology in children to ambient air pollution fluctuations].

Eighty-five junior schoolchildren from Nizhni Tagil were examined on the basis of daily recording of respiratory and allergic symptoms by parents and continuous monitoring of ambient air pollution with suspended matter and irritating gases. Regression analysis of the findings has ascertained the adverse impact of even relatively small daily pollution peaks (generally not greater that the established mean maximum daily permissible concentrations) on acute upper and deep airway responses in junior and middle schoolchildren. The principal results of the study agree with those of the studies in the West, although the latter concerned the concentrations of dust particles that are higher and vary in wider ranges than in this study. It is recommended that this methodology be widely introduced into practice in order to establish correlations between ambient air pollution and children's impaired health.

NO2 and children's respiratory symptoms in the PATY study.

OBJECTIVES: NO2)is a major urban air pollutant. Previously reported associations between ambient NO2)and children's respiratory health have been inconsistent, and independent effects of correlated pollutants hard to assess. The authors examined effects of NO2 on a spectrum of 11 respiratory symptoms, controlling for PM10 and SO2, using a large pooled dataset. METHODS: Cross sectional studies were conducted in Russia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, during 1993-99, contributing in total 23 955 children. Study-specific odds ratios for associations with ambient NO2 are estimated using logistic regressions with area-level random effects. Heterogeneity between study-specific results, and mean estimates (allowing for heterogeneity) are calculated. RESULTS: Long term average NO2 concentrations were unrelated to prevalences of bronchitis or asthma. Associations were found for sensitivity to inhaled allergens and allergy to pets, with mean odds ratios around 1.14 per 10 microg/m3 NO2. SO2 had little confounding effect, but an initial association between NO2 and morning cough was reduced after controlling for PM10. Associations with reported allergy were not reduced by adjustment for the other pollutants. Odds ratios for allergic symptoms tended to be higher for the 9-12 year old children compared with the 6-8 year old children. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for associations between NO2 and respiratory symptoms was robust only for inhalation allergies. NO2 most likely is acting as an indicator of traffic related air pollutants, though its direct effect cannot be ruled out. This remains important, as policies to reduce traffic related air pollution will not result in rapid reductions.

[Hygienic regulation of environmental air pollution with consideration of epidemiological data]. / O gigienicheskoi reglamentatsii zagriazneniia atmosfernogo vozduha s uchetom épidemiologicheskikh dannykh.

The authors hold that the maximum allowable concentrations (MAC) established in Russia for some ambient air pollutants can adversely affect human health and that they are worthy of reconsideration. This opinion is based on the published results of epidemiological studies of Western investigators and on the authors' own data obtained from the analysis by the time series method for a relationship of daily variations of dust or gaseous ambient air pollution to the so-called acute mortality or for that of the variations to respiratory symptoms and to the values of the maximum expiratory flow rate in preschool with or without respiratory abnormalities in their history; from the cross analysis of an association of the characteristics of atmospheric contamination in 13 urban areas with the prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases in junior schoolchildren, which was established by a special questionnaire. Particular emphasis should be laid on the reconsideration of not only established values, but mainly on the principles in laying down MAC for dust particles. The Western practice in measuring and evaluating risks separately for fractions of particles of varying sizes should be assessed for its use in Russian conditions; however, the authors' experience argues for this practice.

[The role of environmental and epidemiological surveys of ambient pollution in the evaluation of a risk for "acute" mortality]. / Rol' ékologo-épidemiologicheskikh issledovanii atmosfernykh zagriaznenii v otsenke riska "ostroi" smertnosti.

The paper provides evidence that there is a relationship of daily death rates to variations in the concentrations of total dust and some gaseous ambient pollutants. The great advantage of a procedure to analyze temporary variables is that it makes it possible to retrospectively use the available materials of routine monitoring of air pollution and to consider these effects (cases of death in particular). Along with the high informative value of environmental and epidemiological surveys (EES) based on the analysis of time series, this advantage allows one to recommend them for widely use within the sociohygienic monitoring system. At the same time the paper shows it necessary to control the quality of available data and to chose monitoring centers comparable in this regard. Inevitable missing data on the concentrations of different pollutants on days off and on some working days are of particular value under the actual conditions of monitoring of air pollution. The approach applied in this study to the choice of the most effective ways of filling of such gaps may be recommended. Nevertheless, incomplete data and the need for their artificial reproduction should be regarded as a source of uncertainty of specific results of EES of this type. Increments in mortality rates for a certain increase in the concentrations of pollutants may be used in the risk assessment projects when a dose-response relationship is analyzed. The larger number of EES based on the analysis of time series will be conducted in the regions of Russia, the more reliable the use of EES-grounded single risks will be at the regional and federal level.

[Impact of short-term increase in air pollution on mortality of the population]. / Vliianie kratkovremennykh povyshenii zagriazneniia atmosfernogo vozdukha na smertnost' naseleniia.

The authors analyzed whether there is an association of mortality with ambient air pollution analyzed in Yekaterinburg and Nizhni Tagil in 1994 to 1997. There was a positive correlation between general mortality and CO or SO2 concentrations, between cardiovascular mortality and dust, NH3 or phenol, between mortality and CO or NH3. An increase of deaths as percents per 10 micrograms/m3 dust was calculated.