Survey of carabid beetles of the tribe Nebriini (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of the fauna of Ukraine

Data on the geographic distribution of 18 species of the tribe Nebriini (8 species of Leistus and 10 species of Nebria) in Ukraine are presented. The species composition in 13 geographic regions of Ukraine is discussed. Short bionomical and ecological data of and a key to Nebriini species of Ukraine are given.     

Sensitivity to antibacterial preparations of the pseudotuberculosis bacteria isolated on the territory of the Ukraine]

Sensitivity of 92 strains of the causative agent of pseudotuberculosis isolated in the Ukraine was studied with respect to 26 antibacterial drugs. It was found that the strains of the pseudotuberculous bacteria were sensitive to 17 drugs, i.e. benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, cephaloridin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin, neomycin, monomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin, polymyxin, colistin, furadontin, nalidixic acid, sulfisoxazol and septrin. No differences in the sensitivity of the strains isolated in various districts of the Ukraine and from various sources were found. By their antibiotic sensitivity the strains isolated in the Ukraine did not differ from the cultures isolated in other districts of the USSR and abroad.     

QF-PCR examination of parental and meiotic origin of trisomy 21 in Central and Eastern Europe.

Study of parental/meiotic origin of free trisomy 21 in nuclear families from Russia (70 cases), Ukraine (32 cases), and 22 from Germany revealed maternal nondisjunction in 77.3% (Germany), 93.8% (Ukraine), and 91.4% (Russia), paternal origin in 13.6%, 6.2%, and 8.6%, respectively. Maternal meiosis I errors were found in 84.4% (Ukraine), 77.1% (Russia), paternal origin in 3.1% (Ukraine), 2.9% (Russia). Maternal meiosis II errors occurred in 9.4% and 14.3% and paternal in 3.1% and 5.7% in Ukraine and Russia, respectively. No significant differences were found in maternal/paternal origin among Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and published data from other European regions.     

High rates of neural tube defects in Ukraine

BACKGROUND: Oral consumption of synthetic folic acid can prevent neural tube defects (NTDs), which are some of the most severe congenital anomalies. The prevalence of NTDs in Ukraine and other countries of the former U.S.S.R. has not been well studied. We determined the prevalence of NTD-affected pregnancies in Northwestern Ukraine as background for policy decisions related to flour fortification in this country. METHODS: The Ukrainian-American Birth Defects Program was established in 1999 and conducts population- based surveillance of birth defects in several oblasts (states) of Ukraine. We determined the prevalence of NTDs in the Volyn and Rivne oblasts of Northwestern Ukraine for three years, 2000-2002. RESULTS: There were 75,928 births in the two oblasts in 2000-2002. There were 159 cases of NTDs among live births, stillbirths, and induced abortions. The prevalence of NTDs in the two oblasts in Northwestern Ukraine is 2.1 per 1000 births. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of NTD-affected pregnancies we found in Northwestern Ukraine is almost four times what it should be. This prevalence suggests that population folate deficiency is widespread in Ukraine. Universal folic acid fortification of flour milled in Ukraine is urgently needed to end this epidemic of birth defects. Such fortification would be expected to prevent folate deficiency anemia, heart attacks, and strokes.     

Division of Regulatory Systems of Cells of the Institute of Biochemistry of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences (L'viv). History, achievements and perspectives

A short review presented deals with the history of biochemistry development in the western regions of Ukraine. Two principal biochemical schools were founded here by J. Parnas (1884-1949) and S. Gzhytskiy (1900-1976). While most of the students and collaborators of Prof. J. Parnas left for Poland and other western states, those ones of Prof. S. Gzhytskiy stayed in Lviv and other scientific centers of Ukraine. In 1979 Prof. S. Kusen (one of Gzhytskiy's former students and collaborators) and Prof. G. Shavlovsky headed two scientific departments founded in Lviv at O. V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry. This event could be considered as the beginning of modern biochemistry development in the western regions of Ukraine. Since 1992 in Lviv there exists the Division of Regulatory Cell Systems of O. V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine headed since 1995 by Prof. R. Stoika. Four Departments work in the structure of this Division: 1) the Department of Biochemistry of Cell Differentiation headed in 1979-1997 by S. Kusen and since 1997 by L. Drobot; 2) the Department of Regulation of Cell Proliferation created in 1993 and headed by R. Stoika; 3) the Department of Biochemical Genetics created in 1988 and headed by A. Sibirny; 4) the Department of Regulation of Synthesis of Low Molecular Compounds headed in 1979-1996 by G. Shavlovsky and since 1996 by D. Fedorovych. Division of Regulatory Cell Systems is presently the leading scientific center in Ukraine in the study of the biochemical mechanisms of proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of normal and tumour cells and in the development of effective biotechnological processes for obtaining the biologically active substances using yeast. Numerous publications of its collaborators in the high impact factor scientific magazines as well as the realisation of the international grants confirm this statement. Taking into account the high level of scientific research and availability of highly skilled scientists at the Division in 1999 the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine took a resolution to transform the Division into the Institute of Cell Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which was founded in 2000 on the basis of the Division.     

Gene pool of the population of Ukraine: Current state and new approaches to maintenance and conservation]

Defense and conservation of the Ukraine Population genofond are the most topical problem of nowadays. Stating of the criteria of population genofond status valuation, revealing all the damaging factors and applying of scientific methods of modern genetics are necessary for the development of theoretical and methodological bases of this problem. The authors try to analyze in detail negative factors causing damage in genofond of the Ukraine population, to forecast the dynamics of further development of ecological-genetic situation in the Ukraine, to analyze new approaches to the problem of genofond defense and conservation, as well as estimation of possible consequences caused by changes in population genofond.     

Analysis of the short-stem genes in the genotypes of bread wheat cultivars in Ukraine

Varieties of winter common wheat widely used in breeding programmes for the period of 1912-2002 in Ukraine were investigated using both the microsatellite Xgwm261 marker linked with the gibberellin-sensitive dwarf gene Rht8 and the biochemical test for the sensitivity of seedlings to gibberellic acid. Allelic characteristics of the locus Xgwm261 have been determined for 97 varieties. Near 98% of the modern varieties of winter common wheat derived from Odessa breeding institute and 50% of the varieties derived from the Mironovka wheat institute possess the allel 192 n.p. and gene Rht8 correspondingly. Estimation of sensitivity of the seedlings to gibberellic acid showed that the majority of the varieteis cultivated in Ukraine until the middle of the seventies are sensitive to gibberellic acid. The insusceptibility to gibberellic acid is predominantly manifested in the varieties derived from the south of Ukraine since the eighties owing to the introduction of the dwarf genes into the genotypes. At the same time the varieties of the Mironovka wheat institute still retain the sensitivity.     

The results of a joint project of the State Department of Ukraine on the Implementation of Punishments and UNAIDS to decrease the risk of the spread of HIV in the prisons of Ukraine

During the period of 1987-1999 altogether 7,800 cases of HIV infection were detected among the prisoners of the penitentiary institutions of the Ukraine. In 1997 the penitentiary system of the Ukraine abolished the mandatory testing and isolation of HIV-positive persons. In April 1998 the realization of measures aimed at reducing the spread of HIV infection started in the penitentiary system. The main trends in the activities aimed at the realization of the Project were information and educational work among prisoners both during investigative detention and after conviction, as well as among the personnel of penitentiary institutions; availability of condoms and disinfectants; ensuring the possibilities of voluntary testing for HIV, as well as pre- and post-test counselling.     

Records of Chrysomya albiceps in the Ukraine

First records of the presence of the blowfly, Chrysomya albiceps in the western and northern Ukraine are presented.     

Scientific-Pedagogic School of Biological and Medical Chemistry of the O. O. Bogomolets National Medical University (on the 160th year of its founding)

In this work the most important stages of the scientific-pedagogic school of biologic and medical chemistry formation in Bogomolets National Medical University starting from the period of foundation as early as in 1863 till nowadays the Chair of Medical Chemistry and Physics as a part of Medical Faculty of Saint Volodymyr Emperor University in the city of Kyiv have been estimated and generalized. The especial attention is attracted to the fact, that it was Kyiv University where firstly the Chair of Biochemistry was created in order of stuyding the regularities of biochemical processes running in the human organism and metabolism disturbances inducing the pathologic processes at some diseases. The scientific and scientific-pedagogical trends of the chair work in different periods of its development are presented, simltneously the leading role of famous Ukrainian scientists--biochemicians in foundation and development of biologic and medical chemistry scientific school in the University are emphasized. Nowadays the Chair is the educational and scientific center supporting and developing the best traditions on training the specialists of different qualification levels: physicians Masters of Science, Philosophy Doctors and Doctors of Science in Medicine and Biology. The Chair is considered to be a basic one among the Ukraine higher medic and pharmaceutic educational institutions having the III-IV accreditation rate on the problems of teaching-organizational, educational-methodical and scientific work. On the Chair base there is functioning the Scientific Problem-Solving Commission of Ministry of health Protections of Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine "Biological and medical Chemistry" (the chairman is the Corresponding-Member of Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Prof. Yu.I. Gubsky. The Chair personnel compiled and issued the contemporary manuals in Ukraine language on Biologic and Bioorganic Chemistry.     

Using methods of plant biotechnology for conservation and study of the world flora biodiversity

Ex situ germplasm bank of plant species of world flora has been created at the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine as a result of investigations in the fields of botany and plant biotechnology. At present the bank contains more than 4000 samples in seed bank and more than 2000 cell lines in in vitro bank. The germplasm bank which has been put on the List of scientific objects of national property of Ukraine is the basis of elaboration ofbiotechnological methods of plant biodiversity preservation and of plant material screening for biologically active substances.     

The gene pool of Belgorod oblast population: study of biochemical gene markers in populations of Ukraine and Belarus and the position of the Belgorod population in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system

The characteristics of the gene pools of indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been studied using 28 alleles of 10 loci of biochemical gene markers (HP, GC, TF, PI, C'3, ACP1, GLO1, PGM1, ESD, and 6-PGD). The gene pools of the Russian and Ukrainian indigenous populations of Belgorod oblast (Russia) and the indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been compared. Cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling, and factor analysis of the obtained data have been used to determine the position of the Belgorod population gene pool in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system.     

The gene pool of Belgorod oblast population: Study of biochemical gene markers in populations of Ukraine and Belarus and the position of the Belgorod population in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system

The characteristics of the gene pools of indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been studied using 28 alleles of 10 loci of biochemical gene markers (HP, GC, TF, PI, C′3, ACP1, GLO1, PGM1, ESD, and 6-PGD). The gene pools of the Russian and Ukrainian indigenous populations of Belgorod oblast (Russia) and the indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been compared. Cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling, and factor analysis of the obtained data have been used to determine the position of the Belgorod population gene pool in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system.     

进境乌克兰玉米中夹杂向日葵间座壳菌的鉴定

自进境乌克兰玉米中夹杂的向日葵籽上,采用常规平板分离法获得1株疑似向日葵间座壳菌Diaporthe helianthi的菌株76782-5。形态特征观察结果表明,该菌株在PDA上产生分生孢子器和大量β型分生孢子,但未见有性阶段。经rDNA ITS和β-tubulin基因序列比对分析,发现该菌株与GenBank中多个向日葵间座壳菌菌株的基因序列同源性达99%以上,位于同一个发育分支。致病性测定结果表明,该菌株可侵染向日葵根茎部,引起典型茎溃疡病症状。研究结果表明,进境乌克兰玉米中夹杂的向日葵籽上携带有向日葵间座壳菌D. helianthi,这是我国首次截获该种检疫性真菌。     

Retrospective analysis of the effect of Ukraine and USA research interrelations on the development of sport biochemistry in the XX century

This review highlights some of the important developments in Sport Biochemistry and relates these endeavors to the current understanding of muscle biochemistry and function. Attempts have been made to establish some scientific links involved in the evolution of such research, in particular the influences shared by scientists working in some premier institutions in Ukraine and the USA in the 20th century. Research initiated in the United States by Sutherland lead to further Ukrainian investigations that aided in the understanding of the role cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase in muscle metabolism during exercise. Topics covered include Palladin's pioneering research on muscle creatine in Ukraine at the beginning of the 20th century, Russian program on creatine supplements in the 1970s-1980s and its implementation at Olympic games.     

Comparative characteristics of leucocytes compositions in the crucian carp Carassius carassius (Cyprinidae) from the waterbodies of the Chernobyl exclusion zone and from the Rybinsk reservoir

The comparative characteristics of leucocytes of the crucian carp Carassius carassius inhabiting the waterbodies of the Chernobyl exclusion zone (Kyiv oblast, Ukraine) and outside the zone in the upper nonpolluted areas of the Kyiv (Kyiv and Chernigov oblasts, Ukraine) and the Rybinsk reservoirs (Yaroslavl oblast, Russian Federation) is given. The composition and quantitative parameters of certain types of leucocytes are presented. It is shown that the crucian carp from the Chernobyl exclusion zone differs from that inhabiting the noncontaminated waterbodies by the level of lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils, and blast cells. It is suggested that the radioactive contamination affects the processes of differentiation of stem hematopoietic cells in fish.     

Molecular-genetic characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in southern region of Ukraine

Results of molecular-genetic analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from patients of Odessa and Nikolaev regions of Ukraine are represented. Occurrence of individual types of mutations in genes associated with rifampicin and isoniazid resistance has been studied for the first time. Data concerning prevalence of Beijing strains in the South of Ukraine are obtained.     

Science, diplomacy, charity, politics... What is in common?--Academician Serhiĭ Komisarenko

The paper is dedicated to the history of creation and development of a new trend of scientific investigations in Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of NAS of Ukraine and Ukraine as a whole, - molecular immunology - in the context of scientific, scientific-organizational, pedagogical, social and political activity of Serhiy Vasyliovych Komisarenko. Professor S. V. Komisarenko, Director of Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, Full Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, President of the Ukrainian Biochemical Society (since 1999), editor-in-chief Ukrainian Biochemical Journal (1989-1992 and since 1998), Academician-Secretary and Member of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (since April 2004) is a physician by education, molecular biologist by the calling, biochemist-immunologist by profession. He was one of the first researchers in our country who started systematic investigations in the field of molecular immunology, created a powerful world-famous scientific school, and made great contribution to solution of the acute problems of public health. He has proposed a new anti-tumor preparation MEBIFON which is produced at pharmaceutical firm Farmak in Kyiv. He was one of the first in the former USSR who introduced a hybridom technique for obtaining monoclonal antibodies. S. Komisarenko was awarded the State Prize of the Ukr. SSR (1979) for immunochemical investigation of milk for babies. He proved that small doses of total radiation cause essential inhibition of natural immunity, which he called "the Chernobyl AIDS". The collective of scientific workers of the Department of Molecular Immunology headed by S. Komisarenko was awarded the O. V. Palladin Prize of NAS of Ukraine (2003) for a cycle of works Immunochemical Analysis of Fibrin and Fibrinogen Polymerization Mechanisms. Serhiy Komisarenko combines successfully scientific, scientific-organizing activity with pedagogical work; he leads the division BIOTECHNOLOGY of the Department of Biochemistry at Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University. Under his supervision 6 doctors and 18 candidates of science have been prepared. He has above 400 scientific articles in the field of Biochemistry and/or Immunology, and more than 100 publications on Ukrainian culture and politics. Serhiy Komisarenko has performed great social and political work at the post of the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine responsible for humanitarian sector (1990-1992), Ambassador of independent Ukraine in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland (1992-1998). He is a trustee of activity of charitable organization of disabled children Special Olympics - Ukraine (since 2002). He was awarded a Diploma of the Supreme Council of Ukraine (2003), State Order of Merit (III degree - 1996, II degree - 1998), State Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (V degree - 2005). Serhiy Komisarenko was elected the Honorary Doctor of Kingston and North London Universities (1997). He has the Rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine.     

Evolution of the Hong Kong influenza A sub-type. Structural relationships between the haemagglutinin from A/duck/Ukraine/1/63 (Hav 7) and the Hong Kong (H3) haemagglutinins.

The relationship between the haemagglutinin from the influenza virus A/duck/Ukraine/1/63 (Hav 7) and the human Hong Kong variants (H3) has been investigated. Amino-acid-sequence analysis shows that the Hav 7 haemagglutinin closely resembles the 1968 human H3 haemagglutinin in structure. However, the number of amino-acid-sequence differences (23) suggest that the Hong Kong haemagglutinin gene did not come directly from A/duck/Ukraine/1/63 but from a virus derived from it by antigenic drift during the period 1963-1968.