O.V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences--75 years

The article deals with a short record including the information about the history of creation and main developmental stages of the first and presently the single in Ukraine Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The record contains the main achievements of the Institute scientific subdivisions for the 75 years period of their creative work in the field of the most urgent problems of fundamental and applied biochemistry. As well it displays the information about comprehensive and extensive publishing and educational activity conducted by the staff,, the work on training the scientific manpower of the highest qualification--Doctors of Science (D.Sc.) and Philosophy Doctors (Ph. D.), active participation of the research scientists in attracting to science the talented young people representing the students and school-children taking interest in the biological chemistry. The article shows the great role of the Institute famous scientists-biochemists in forming some scientific schools on functional biochemistry acknowledged in the world biochemistry. There are also some data about the each of nine scientific departments of the Institute for the period of last 20-25 years of their activity in the field of the most urgent problems of the contemporary biochemistry. These are the following Departments: Neurochemistry, Metabolism Regulation, Muscular Biochemistry, Protein Structure Functions, Coenzymes Biochemistry, Enzymes Chemistry and Biochemistry, Molecular Immunology, Biochemistry of Lipids, Sensor and Regulator Systems Biochemistry. There is also a short review regarding the history of foundation, development and scientific achievements of the Institute division in L'viv including four scientific departments: Biochemistry of Cellular Differentiation, Biochemical Genetics, Regulation of Low Molecular Compounds Synthesis, Regulation of Cells Differentiation.     

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.     

V.N. Karazin Kharkov National University as the foundation of biochemistry in Ukraine

The paper deals with the data on foundation and development of physiological chemistry (biochemistry) as independent science and education subject in the V. N. Karazin Kharkov National University before and after the organization of the Department of Physiological Chemistry. Studying the chemistry of natural compounds, their qualitative and quantitative content and transformations in living organisms both by foreign and home researchers made the basis for the appearance of physiological chemistry as static biochemistry. The improvement of the investigation methods and further discoveries caused the appearing of new branches--dynamic and functional biochemistry. The attention is paid to the fact that biochemistry arised at the Kharkov University as the education subject (A. I. Khodnev) and then developed as independent science due to efforts of A. Ya. Danilevskiy as well as biochemical school created by him. The Kazan' and Kharkov periods of scientific activity of A.Ya. Danilevskiy are described. The leading role of A. Ya. Danilevskiy in development of the home school of biochemistry is considered. Important role of A. V. Palladin in the foundation of Kharkov biochemists' school and organization of the Scientific-research Institute of Biochemistry in Kharkov is considered as well. It is stated that the Institute of Biochemistry after its arrival to Kiev and joining the Academy of Sciences became the center of Ukrainian biochemistry. The role of A. V. Nagorny and I. N. Bulankin in further development of biochemistry and foundation of a new scientific branch--age-related physiology and biochemistry--at the Kharkov University after its re-organization is discussed.     

Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Bielitser--a gifted scientist and outstanding biochemist, a founder of the scientific school

Professor V. O. Belitser, Doctor of Science (biology), (30.09.1906, Ryazan, RF-04.03.1988 Kyiv, Ukraine), Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, graduated from the physico-mathematical faculty of the Moscow University in speciality "physico-chemical biology". In 1934-1943 he worked at the All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine (Moscow) where he was engaged in research of the relation between the respiratory system and glycolytic reactions in the animal tissues. V. O. Belitser established the effect of creatin on the muscular respiration on the role of creative phosphate in this process. He was the first to demonstrate that the anaerobic phosphorylation is bound to respiration. He investigated stechiometric relations between the joint phosphate binding and oxygen absorption and estimated thermodynamic importance of this process, he showed that the energy of electron transfer from the substrate to oxygen is a source of formation of three ATP molecules per one atom of absorbed oxygen. From 1944 to 1988 V. O. Belitser worked at the Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukr.SSR (Kyiv), where he headed the Laboratory of Enzymes (then proteins), and from 1966 he headed the Department of Protein Structure and Function; for a certain period (1969-1972) he headed the Institute as its director. Investigations of properties of native and denaturated proteins jointly with K. I. Kotkova led to the creation of blood substitute from blood serum proteins of cattle--BK-8. The school of V. O. Belitser is known by studying the molecular mechanism of one of the basic reactions of blood coagulation--fibrinogen transformation to fibrin, by finding out the organization and function of fibrinogen and fibrin. It was proved experimentally that the specific polymerization centres significance for the fibrin lattice formation are of essential significance for the fibrin lattice formation, that fibrinogen to fibrin transformation occurs in two stages--enzymatic and polymerizational ones. V. O. Belitser proposed the mechanism of fibrinogen transformation to fibrin, as soon as he had substantiated the kinetic theory of this reaction; domain structure of fibrinogen has been investigated. Such diagnostic tests as the methods of definition of the products of fibrinogen and fibrin splitting in urine (for differential diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases) were developed and put into medical practice under his guidance. V. O. Belitser and members of his school have published above 300 scientific works, prepared 5 doctors and 25 candidates of science. The selfless work of the scientists was honoured with high state awards--the Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Labour Red Banner, the Order of Oktober Revolution, that of Friendship of Peoples and with numerous medals.     

Medical women of the West.

The presence in the West of women physicians with degrees from regular medical schools spans a period of approximately 130 years. Women''s Medical College of Pennsylvania graduated many of these early women physicians. The first woman medical graduate of a western school was Lucy M. Field Wanzer, who finished in 1876 at the Department of Medicine, University of California in San Francisco. Soon thereafter, schools that would become Stanford University and the Oregon Health Sciences University schools of medicine, as well as the newly founded University of Southern California, were contributing to the pool of women physicians. The University of Michigan Medical School, the first coeducational state medical school, also educated some of the western women physicians, who by 1910 numbered about 155. This regional account of the progress of women physicians as they strove to become an integral part of the profession emphasizes the familiar themes of altruism, ingenuity, and perseverance that characterized their efforts.     

Oleksandr Solomonovych Tsyperovych--gifted enzymologist, scientist and practician

Professor O. S. Tsyperovich (15.12.1910-20.12.1976), Doctor of biology, was born in the city of Odessa, graduated from the Faculty of Chemistry of Shevchenko Kyiv State University as a specialist in organic chemistry (1930-1935). In 1935-1941 he worked at the Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukr.SSR (Kyiv) as a junior research worker, and then as a senior research worker at the Department of Enzymology. In 1941 O. S. Tsyperovich defended the thesis for the Candidate's degree dedicated to the investigation of synthetic effect of proteolytic enzymes, and he was awarded the title of the senior research worker. In 1941-1945 O. S. Tsyperovich struggled in the ranks of the Soviet Army, was awarded the Red Star Order, medals For Defense of Caucasus, For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. In 1946-1976 O. S. Tsyperovich worked at the Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. When investigating the mechanism of proteins denaturation he discovered the phenomenon of their "denaturational stabilization". New technological schemes of production of pepsin preparations were elaborated on the basis of the method of autholysis proposed by him. In 1954 O. S. Tsyperovich defended the thesis for the Doctor's Degree and was awarded the order The Badge of Honor. Beginning from 1963 he headed the laboratory, and from 1966 -- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry of Enzymes, in 1969 the title of professor was conferred on him. In the 60-70's O. S. Tsyperovich investigated hydrolytic enzymes of microorganisms with the purpose of their use in industry. Thus, the method of production of the preparation "pronasa" from Streptomyces griseus was developed, aminopeptidases, dipeptidases, a-amylase, cellulases, were investigated. Investigations in the field of preparative enzymology resulted in the development of technological scheme for creation of the following drugs for the purposes of medicine: medical pepsin, preparation gastric juice, crystalline trypsin, highly purified chemotrypsin, highly purified trypsin, highly purified amylase which were introduced into industry. New methods of silver regeneration from photographic and cinema films with the use of proteinase of S. griseus were developed, as well as the enzyme-antibiotic preparation protezym for hydrolysis of fodder proteins which gave positive results in breeding calves and in feeding adult animals. O. S. Tsyperovich has proposed two simple structures of automatic collector of fractions for the column chromatography, published 178 scientific works including 3 monographs, 10 author's certificates; 12 candidates of science were brought up under his supervision.     

Volodymyr Petrovych Vendt--a founder of sceintific trends in photobiochemistry and biotechnology in Ukraine

Professor Volodymyr Petrovych Vendt (30.11.1906, Kremenchug, Ukraine-22.11.1997, Kyiv, Ukraine), Doctor of science (biol.), Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine graduated from the Odessa Physico-Pharmaceutical Institute (1930) in speciality chemist-analyst and was assigned to work at the Ukrainian Institute of Pathology and Labour Hygiene in Kharkiv. He was soon taken on as a scientific worker at the Ukrainian Institute of Experimental Medicine. He defended his thesis for the Candidate's degree and acquired the academic status of the senior scientific worker in 1939, and that of docent (assistant professor) in 1940. In 1938-1941 Volodymyr Petrovych read lectures at the Department of Chemistry of the Academy of Service Corps of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. At that time his scientific interests were connected with development of simple express-methods for detecting various substances, including chemical weed- and pest-killers which were used in agriculture. In 1944-1946 V. P. Vendt took part in military operations at the 1st Ukrainian Front, and after the release he was taken on as the senior scientific worker at the Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, where he worked during 47 years. In 1961, after defending the thesis for the Doctor's degree Volodymyr Petrovych acquired the academic status of professor. In 1963 V. P. Vendt became a head of the Laboratory and then (1966) - of the Deaprtment of Photobiochemistry and from 1976 to 1983 - the Department of Sterol Biochemistry. He was the first to make the broad-scale investigations of sterol biochemistry, first of all group D vitamins, and came close to finding out the action mechanism of vitamin D3 - cholecalciferol. V. P. Vendt was one of the first to show a possibility of formation of sterene complexes with proteins and to find out the nature of chemical relations between them. That made it possible to develop the methods of obtaining artificial protein-vitamin complexes of high activity on the basis of casein (or other proteins) with preparations of vitamins D2, D3, E, carotene. Vitamin industry of the USSR used the technology, elaborated by V. P. Vendt, for the industrial production of vitamin D3 (videin D3) for poultry farming and medicine. He offered the method of early diagnosis of D-hypovitaminosis in chickens and developed and put into medical practice the methods of early diagnosis of rachitis in children and the degree of the disease risk by the umbilical blood analysis. V. P. Vendt and R. I. Yakhymovych were the first to obtain crystalline vitamin D3 and its complex with cholesterol (videchol) which was successfully used for rachitis prophylaxis and therapy in children. V. P. Vendt is the author of above 200 scientific works, 17 author's certificates and inventions. The scientific school of V. P. Vendt numbers 4 doctors and 16 candidates of science and above 60 research workers. The selfless work of the scientist was marked by state awards--by six medals and the State Prize of Ukraine in the field of science and technology "For investigations in vitamin D chemistry and biochemistry, creation of industrial technology of its production and introduction into medicine and agriculture" (jointly with R. I. Yakhymovych).     

Development of biochemistry in the Biology Department of Kharkhov State University. Formation of a new direction--physiology and biochemistry of aging

The article presents some data on teaching Biochemistry at the Nature Department of Kharkiv Imperial University Physico-Mathematical Faculty, as well as restoration of biochemical education and scientific researches as a result of the University reorganization in the Soviet period and foundation of the Biochemistry Chair at the Biological Faculty in the renovated Kharkiv State University. The analysis of scientific biochemical investigations conducted in the Kharkiv University till now is revealed. The special attention is paid to development of such a scientific trend as age physiology and biochemistry. The article deals with the comprehensive information on scientific and pedagogical activity of the outstanding scientists such as O. V. Nagorny and I. M. Bulankin as founders of the Kharkiv school of age physiology and biochemistry. The work has utilized some archive data.     

Memorial museum to Academician O.V. Palladin (on the 25th anniversary of the foundation

In the article the short information about A.V. Palladin Memorial Museum, displaying some documentary materials on the life, scientific, scientific-administrative and enlightenment activity of the founder of the Institute of Biochemistry and Ukrainian Biochemical school, President of UkSSR Academy of Sciences (1946-1962), outstanding scientist and public figure, Academician Alexander Vladimirovich Palladin (1885-1972). The Museum created according to the Resolution of the UkSSR Soviet of Ministers due to the efforts of the Institute personnel, is officially considered as an affiliate of the State Historical Museum of Kiev and acquired a wide-spread reputation as a center of propagation and study of the history of Ukraine biochemical science, its achievements, contribution of the native scientists into the world treasury of the life sciences.     

沙尘暴对北京市空气细菌多样性特征的影响

亚洲沙尘暴携带着各类污染物质,严重影响下风向地区大气过程及生态系统和相关人群的健康。然而,沙尘天气对中国华北地区空气细菌群落及多样性特征影响的研究较少。以北京市为例,系统研究了沙尘暴对城市空气细菌多样性特征的影响。2015年4月,通过定点采样连续收集了一次沙尘暴及其前后4天的空气颗粒物样本,DNA提取、PCR扩增后进行16S rRNA基因高通量测序。共获得169122条高质量序列,生物信息学分析表明,北京市空气细菌物种多样性较高,沙尘暴不能引起细菌OTU数目的增加,但沙尘暴天气下细菌群落Pielou、Shannon和Simpson指数显著增加。菌群分类分析发现,北京市空气细菌由35个细菌门构成,其中变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)相对丰度最高,分别占总序列的32.76%、28.09%、25.46%和6.32%;芽单胞菌门(Gemmatimonadetes)和酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)次之,分别占序列总数的2.11%和1.81%,其他细菌门的相对丰度均低于1%。沙尘暴天气下,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、芽单胞菌门(Gemmatimonadetes)和酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)显著升高(P<0.05),分别由31.67%、5.74%、1.82%、1.51%升高至41.46%、10.98%、4.48%和4.26%;而放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)显著降低(P <0.05),分别由28.84%、27.10%降低至22.13%和12.35%。冷杆菌属(Psychrobacter),纤维单胞菌属(Cellulomonas),不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter),假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)和梭菌属(Clostridium)可能含有人类条件病原菌,其在沙尘暴天气中相对丰度下降,但绝对丰度会大幅增加。沙尘暴能降低人体免疫力,因此致病菌潜在健康风险可能显著增强。通过聚类分析和主成分分析发现,沙尘暴日与非沙尘暴日空气细菌群落差异较大,而沙尘暴前后群落结构差异较小。沙尘暴前后空气细菌群落α-多样性和β多样性均无显著差异,推测沙尘暴只能暂时影响空气细菌群落特征,不能显著改变其群落结构。本研究通过分析了沙尘暴侵袭下北京市空气细菌群落多样性特征及动态,为制定中国北方城市沙尘暴灾害预警措施和建立气传疾病的防控机制提供数据支持。     

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.     

A New Species of the Chalcid Wasp Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eurytoma</Emphasis> Illiger (Hymenoptera,Eurytomidae) from South Korea

A new species, Eurytoma koreana Zerova et Fursov, sp. n., is described from South Korea. The new species is closely related to Eurytoma verticillata (Fabricius) but differs in the structure of the antennae and the fore wings in both sexes. The holotype and paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences ofUkraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.     

Ivan Djaja (Jean Giaja) and the Belgrade School of Physiology

The founder of physiology studies in the Balkans and the pioneer of research on hypothermia, Ivan Djaja (Jean Giaja) was born 1884 in L'Havre. Giaja gained his PhD at the Sorbonne in 1909. In 1910 he established the first Chair of Physiology in the Balkans and organized the first Serbian Institute for Physiology at the School of Philosophy of the University of Belgrade. He led this Institute for more than 40 subsequent years. His most notable papers were in the field of thermoregulation and bioenergetics. Djaja became member of the Serbian and Croatian academies of science and doctor honoris causa of Sorbonne. In 1952 for the seminal work on the behavior of deep cooled warm blooded animals he became associate member of the National Medical Academy in Paris. In 1955 the French Academy of Sciences elected him as associate member in place of deceased Sir Alexander Fleming. Djaja died in 1957 during a congress held in his honor. He left more than 200 scientific and other papers and the golden DaVincian credo "Nulla dies sine experimento". His legacy was continued by several generations of researchers, the most prominent among them being Stefan Gelineo, Radoslav Andjus and Vojislav Petrovi?.     

Skvyrs'ka Etel Berkivna--a gifted researcher and pedagogue (to the 100th anniversary of birthday)

E. B. Skvyrska was born in the town of Chigirin. In 1928 she graduated from the Agricultural-Pedagogical Division of the Kyiv Institute of People's Education (Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, now) in speciality pedagogue-biologist. In 1937 she finished the post-graduate course at the Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, in 1940 she defended the thesis for the Candidate's degree in biology and the title of the senior researcher was conferred on her in 1941. Beginning from 1936, E. B. Skvyrska had been working at the Institute of Biochemistry. She was working at the Department of Structure and Biochemistry of Nervous System (till 1963), and then at the Department of Structure and Biochemistry of Nuclear Acids (till 1973). In 1958 she defended the thesis for the Doctor's degree. From 1938 to 1941 E. B. Skvyrska worked as the assistant, and from 1945 to 1950 as the docent of the Department of Biochemistry at the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv (State) National University. Up to 1941 her scientific work was dedicated to the investigation of peculiarities of carbohydrate metabolism of the central and peripheral nervous system depending on the animal age. Since 1951 E. B. Skvyrska was investigating the metabolism of high-molecular phosphorus-including compounds (nucleic acids, phosphoproteins and phospholipids) in the central nervous system during the excitation and inhibition, in ontogenesis, in functionally and morphologically different parts of the nervous system, in different structure elements of the nerve cell. The results of investigations allowed finding the biochemical peculiarities connected with the difference of structure and function of morphologically different divisions of the nervous system. Peculiarities and functioning of t-RNA and aminoacyl-t-RNA synthetases of rats in norm and during starvation were studied at the Department of Nucleic Acids. More than 50 scientific works have been published.     

Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences A.P. Avtsyn Is the Founder of the Russian School of Human Geographical Pathology and Ecological Physiology

A short analysis is presented of the development in Russia of human geographical pathology and ecological physiology, and it is fair to say that Academician Alexander Pavlovich Avtsyn of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences was a founder of these scientific trends. His scientific heritage, theoretical bases of these sciences, and prospects for development of human ecological physiology and pathology are considered.     

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.     

Foundation and development of biochemistry at the Imperial Kharkov University

The article summarizes the biochemical researches carried out at Kharkiv Imperial University from the middle of XIX century up to the cessation of its existence in 1920 as a result of transformation into the Kharkiv Institute of National Education. Scientific activity at the Chair of Medical Chemistry at Medical Department is described in details. Information on professors who led the chair and their researches are represented. Among them a great attention is spared to the Kharkiv works of such famous scientists as A. Danilevsky and V. Gulevich, who made a great contribution to the development of Russian and world biochemistry. There are also some resordes about researches of biological and physiological chemistry carried out at other chairs of Medical Department and Department of Physics and Mathematics of the Kharkiv University. In particular, the article presents the works of well-known plant physiologists and biochemists prof. V. Palladin and V. Zalessky, and the endocrinological researches led by prof. A. Reprev.     

I. P. Pavlov--a Full Member (Academician) of Russian Academy of Sciences (100-years anniversary)

I. P. Pavlov, the great Russian physiologist, the founder of a leading scientific school of physiology, first Russian scientist to be awarded the Nobel Prize. Pavlov's work received wide international recognition. He was elected full or honorary member of more than 120 academies, scientific societies and universities. In 1907 he was elected a Full Member (Academician) of Russian Academy of Sciences and headed the Physiological Laboratory of the Academy. In 1925, at his petition, the Laboratory was transformed into the Physiological Institute, remaining his head until 1936, when he had died. Since 1950 this is the Pavlov Institute of Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.     

Laureates of the Palladin Premium of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine

The article presents a short information about the Resolution of Ukr.SSR Soviet of Ministers on establishing the nominal premium of Presidium the Academy of Sciences of Ukr.SSR (of NAS of Ukraine, now) in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology dedicated to the famous scientists, founder of the Ukrainian biochemical school and the Institute of Biochemistry named after him--academician O. V. Palladin. There is a chronologically sequential list presenting all Laureates (with photo pictures) awarded by this honourable bonus with displaying their scientific works for which they received this reward.     

Potential of adenovirus as a vector for sustained gene expression

Inder Verma received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, in 1971, and was a postdoctoral fellow (with David Baltimore) in the Department of Biology, Massachussetts Institute of Technology. He is currently American Cancer Society Professor of Molecular Biology, Chair of the Laboratory of Genetics at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biology, University of California at San Diego. Inder Verma is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA). He is a member of the editorial boards of The Journal of Gene Medicine, Journal of Virology and Gene, and serves on several other scientific advisory boards. His major fields of interest are molecular analysis of oncoproteins, and suppressor genes, gene therapy involving retroviral, adenoviral, AAV vectors, and generation of novel lentiviral vectors. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.