Review. Kuru and its contribution to medicine

The solution of kuru led us to the solution of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and to the elucidation, in humans and other species, of previously unknown mechanisms of infection. These require very close three-dimensional matching, which determines infectious nucleant or prion activity. Evidence for nucleation processes is found widely in the organic and inorganic worlds and in the interactions between them: in the formation of amyloid fibrils; in the biochemistry of silicon; in cave formations deep in the Earth; and in outer space. Kuru in its location in Papua New Guinea has also led to an understanding of the cultural achievements of the Palaeo-Melanesians, with deep roots in human history.     

Prevalence of hereditary pathologies in residents of the Kirov Province]

Medical-genetic study was carried out in the population of Kirov Province (population size about 120.000). 203 families with 334 affected with hereditary disorders were registered. The correctness of pathology classification for the inheritance type was confirmed by segregational analysis. The load of hereditary diseases in the population was: 1.25 +/- 0.06 for autosomal dominant, 1.37 +/- 0.07 for autosomal recessive and 0.22 +/- 0.06 for X-linked recessive disorders. It is suggested that variability in the values of the load of autosomal recessive disorders is determined to the large extent by genetic structure of the population.     

On the contribution of Prof. Yu. S. Balashov to fundamental parasitology

A brief review of the original concepts of Yu.S. Balashov in the field of fundamental parasitology devoted to the types of parasitism, origin and evolution of parasitism in arthropods, transmissible infections, and the structure of parasite populations, the ecological niches and communities of parasites is presented.     

The contribution of Academician L. A. Orbeli to the theory of higher nervous activity]

In the paper are discussed the main directions of the investigation of the higher nervous activity, fruitfully developed by academician L. A. Orbeli and his school. These directions are the following: the evolutionary approach, the study of the influence of the sympathetic nervous and endocrine systems, of the role of the extracortical brain structures, especially the hypothalamus and the cerebellum, and the significance of pain and efferent systems for the higher nervous activity.     

The willingness of U.S. Emergency Medical Technicians to respond to terrorist incidents

A nationally representative sample of basic and paramedic emergency medical service providers in the United States was surveyed to assess their willingness to respond to terrorist incidents. EMT's were appreciably (9-13%) less willing than able to respond to such potential terrorist-related incidents as smallpox outbreaks, chemical attacks, or radioactive dirty bombs (p<0.0001). EMTs who had received terrorism-related continuing medical education within the previous 2 years were twice as likely (OR=1.9, 95% CI 1.9, 2.0) to be willing to respond to a potential smallpox dissemination incident as those who indicated that they had not received such training. Timely and appropriate training, attention to interpersonal concerns, and instilling a sense of duty may increase first medical provider response rates.