Emergency situations in the North Caucasus and role of specific immunoprophylaxis in eradication and prevention of epidemiological consequences

Information on emergency situations (ES) on the territory of the North Caucasus from the 90s of the last century till the present moment is presented. The importance of the specific immunoprophylaxis of infections for the liquidation of epidemiological aggravations in ES and for their prevention is shown. Information on the scope of specific immunoprophylaxis in the zones of ES and on different approaches to its carrying out. The conclusion was made on the expediency of making corrections in the normative documents of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, regulating planned vaccinations and vaccinations made on epidemic indications in connection with different kinds of ES.     

Basic measures for prevention of the epidemiological consequences of a natural disaster in the North Caucasus in 2002

The system of organizational and prophylactic measures, carried out with a view to prevent epidemiological aggravations in connection with the natural calamity in the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation in 2003, is described. Proposals on the improvement of the system of preventive measures, including the monitoring of the epidemiological, sanitary and hygienic situation, personnel training, technical provision, the cooperation of different services and departments, capable of ensuring the liquidation of the consequences of emergency situations of the natural character, are made.     

Evaluation of the epidemiological situation in different territories of the Russian Federation, based on the Bank of Standard Blood Sera

The Bank of Standard Sera created in the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology provide for evaluation the epidemiological situation in any separate territory and in the whole of the country. The collection of certified blood sera is divided according to different territories of the country and makes it possible to obtain the retrospective and operative information on the level of population immunity and the immune structure of the population with respect to different infective agents, and to reveal the susceptible group of the population. The analysis of the unfavorable character of the epidemiological situation in the inspected territory with due consideration of its climato-geographical and anthropogenic environmental, socio-demographic characteristics, the level of population immunity and the immune structure of the population with respect to different infective agents makes it possible to carry out the epidemiological diagnostic (an outbreak, the import of infection, the use of a bacteriological weapon), prognosis and the prophylaxis of diseases, as well as the epidemiological cartography of territory.     

Cause-of-death registers in radiation-contaminated areas of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan

Since the early 1990s, information on radiation-exposed populations other than those exposed from the Chernobyl accident in 1986 has become increasingly available for international scientific research. It is essential to understand how the cohorts of exposed populations have been defined and what mechanisms can be used to study their health outcomes. Different international scientific research collaborations currently investigate four population groups chronically exposed to ionizing radiation during the late 1940s and early 1950s in the Russian Federation and in Kazakhstan. In this framework, collaborations have been established to develop cause-of-death registers in each of these four areas for future mortality follow-up purposes with the aim of studying the health effects of ionizing radiation. The emphasis of this effort is on assessing the information sources available, the mechanisms of data collection and coding, and the data quality and completeness of the information collected. One of the major challenges is the harmonization of all these aspects between the four different centers to the extent possible, taking into account that much of the actual data has been collected over many decades.     

Basic activity of the Railroad Center of the State Sanitary and Epidemiologic Surveillance at the Vladikavkaz train station of the North Caucasus Railroad in the prevention of infectious diseases in an emergency situation

The article deals with the data on the activity of the Railroad (RR) Center of State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance at the train station of Vladikavkaz of the North Caucasian RR at the period of the liquidation of the consequences of the natural calamity in June-July 2002. In accordance with the situation, the scheme of the interaction with the territorial services and departments were worked out, the operative plans of antiepidemic measures were rectified, the sanitary, hygienic and bacteriological control on the quality of drinking water supply and foodstuffs on RR trains and stations was strengthened, the work on sanitary education among the personnel and passengers in the zone of responsibility of the RR Center of State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the North Caucasian RR was activated.     

Vegetation formations and associations of the zonobiomes along the North American Pacific coast

This phytosociological study, carried out according to the Braun-Blanquet method and supported by cluster analysis, describes Walter's zonobiomes along the North American Pacific coast between British Columbia (Canada) and Baja California Sur (Mexico). Fourteen floristic associations have been identified and each is characterized by a unique floristic combination, a distinctive geographical range and particular bioclimatic conditions.Abbreviations of the associations that appear in table and figures AE Fraxino trifoliatae-Aesculetum parryi - AM Ambrosio chenopodifoliae-Larreetum tridentatae - BE Bergerocacto emoryi-Agavetum shawii - CA Calystegio intermediae-Ceanothetum megacarpi - CE Cercidio praecocis-Prosopidetum palmeri - CY Antigono leptopi-Cyrtocarpetum edulis - DU Malosmo laurinae-Quercetum dumosae - ID Agavo cerulatae-Idrietum columnaris - LO Lonicero denudatae-Quercetum agrifoliae - OX Oxalido oreganae-Sequoietum sempervirentis - RO Roso minutifoliae-Aesculetum parryi - TH Thujo plicatae-Tsugetum heterophyllae - UM Umbellulario californicae-Quercetum agrifoliae - YU Yucco validae-Fouquierietum diguetii     

Virulence Frequences of Puccinia triticina in Germany and the European Regions of the Russian Federation

From 2001 to 2003, leaf rust was collected in different regions of Germany and the Russian Federation to generate single spore isolates and to study the structure of the pathogen populations by analyses of virulence. The virulence of isolates was tested with 38 near‐isogenic lines each carrying a different resistance gene. The analyses of variance revealed significant effects for the frequency of virulent isolates, the regions and most interactions with years and regions, but no significance was found for the effects of years. In Germany, an increase of virulence frequencies was detected for Lr1 and Lr2a while a decrease was found for Lr3a, Lr3bg and Lr3ka. Such clear trends did not occur in Russia which may be due to the great agroclimatic differences between regions. The variance of the frequency of virulent isolates was used to estimate adequate sample sizes for the analysis of regional populations of leaf rust. This procedure resulted in more reliable information about the dynamic processes within the pathogen populations. In 2002 and 2003, all pathotypes in Germany had a combined virulence to Lr1, Lr2a, Lr2b, Lr15, Lr17 and Lr20 supplemented by a few other genes. The complexity of virulence was lower in the most frequent pathotypes. In Russia virulence to the alleles at locus Lr3 was very common. Using detached leaf segments in Germany and Russia it turned out that the most virulent pathotypes carry 34 and 32 virulence genes, respectively. Virulence to Lr9, Lr19, Lr24 and Lr38 was rare or even absent. The use of major genes, not overcome by corresponding virulent pathotypes, may contribute to more durable types of resistance in case they are combined with genes having different effects, e.g. adult plant resistance.     

SSR polymorphism of modern cultivars and autochthonous forms of the pear tree from North Caucasus

Genetic similarity and relatedness within the set of pear genotypes including autochthonous Circassian cultivars from North Caucasus, European cultivars, accessions of Pyrus caucasica Fed., and modern Russian cultivars were estimated on the basis of analysis of SSR loci. The level of polymorphism for the studied loci varied from 11 to 15 alleles per locus in the set of 29 samples of pears. A higher level of allelic polymorphism of SSR loci was revealed for a set of P. caucasica samples in comparison with modern cultivated cultivars: from 9 to 12 alleles for P. caucasica and from 6 to 8 alleles for modern cultivars. Specific alleles for the mentioned groups of pears were identified. UPGMA clustering revealed two distinct groups: one includes P. caucasica accessions and autochthonous Caucasian cultivars and the other group includes all cultivated European and Russian pear cultivar. The results support the hypothesis of an isolated gene pool formation of autochthonous pear cultivars of the North Caucasus and their probable origin from the wild P. caucasica.     

Legal Status of the Northern Sea Route and Legislation of the Russian Federation: A Note

This article addresses the legal status of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) from a historical perspective and in accordance with the current Russian legislation and provides some answers to the questions of how the legal status of the NSR conforms with the norms of contemporary international law of the sea and, in particular, with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.     

Ticks (Acari,Ixodidae) of the North Caucasus: Species diversity and host-parasite relationships

The biological diversity of the ixodid tick fauna of the North Caucasus is analyzed. On the whole, 38 tick species are recorded in the fauna of the North Caucasus. Their distribution within the region, biotopic associations, and host-parasite relationships at different stages of development are considered.     

The current problems in the epidemiology and prevention of viral hepatitis B and C in the Russian Federation

The data on the epidemiological situation with hepatitides B and C in the Russian Federation in 1991-1998 are presented. Morbidity rates in hepatitis B, registered during the recent 3 years, were 35.8 (1996), 36.3 (1997) and 35.7 (1998) per 100,000 of the population. Morbidity rates in acute hepatitis C were 3.2 (1996), 9.1 (1997) and 11.6 (1998) per 100,000 of the population. Different regions of the Russian Federation were noted to have pronounced differences in the activity of the epidemic processes of hepatitides B and C.     

Direct and indirect racial discrimination of Roma people in Bulgaria,the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation

In this article, a methodological approach to the topic of the racial discrimination of Roma people in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation draws on three models of modus vivendi between Roma people and the majority, including the concepts and forms of direct and indirect discrimination. The core methodology employed in this article is the legal and sociological analysis of various national and international statistics as well as practices of the courts, which are focused upon throughout. The fieldwork within this article deals with the various attitudes of Roma parents to the introduction of Roma assistants in primary schools in the Czech Republic and is enriched with in-depth interviews conducted with Roma teaching assistants. Data from original research in three Czech elementary schools are compared with forms of discrimination in Bulgaria and in the Russian Federation regarding their educational systems.     

Genetics of the native inhabitants of the Caucasus: distribution of various immunological and biochemical markers in North Osetiia and Checheno-Ingushety

The distribution of genetic markers of blood groups (AB0, Rhesus, MNSs, P, Duffy, Kell-Cellano), plasma proteins (Hp, Gc, C'3, Tf) and red-cell enzymes (Glo-1, AcP, EstD, 6-PGD, PGM1) as well as ABH-secretion has been studied among 6 native populations of North Osetia and Checheno-Ingushety. Distribution of gene frequencies in populations of North-Osetians, Chechenians, Ingushians and other Caucasian ethnic groups was comparatively studied.     

A Critical Analysis and Discussion of Clinical Research Ethics in the Russian Federation and Their Implications for Western Sponsored Trials

Globalization, political upheavals, and Western economic struggles have caused a geographical reprioritization in the realm of drug development and human clinical research. Regulatory and cost hurdles as well as a saturation of research sites and subjects in Western countries have forced the pharmaceutical industry to place an unprecedented level of importance on emerging markets, injecting Western corporate initiatives into cultures historically and socially isolated from Western‐centric value systems. One of the greatest recipients of this onslaught of Western business and research practices is the Russian Federation. Namely, market forces are dictating a focused research initiative in the traditional emerging markets, but this focus may be at the expense of individual and societal dignity.     

Organizational provision for the sanitary and epidemiological safety of the population in the regions of the Stavropol Territory affected by the flood

Materials on the organizational provision and financing of measures taken with a view to ensure the sanitary and epidemiological safety in the Stavropol Territory in connection with the high flood of 2002 are presented. Due to the joint efforts of sanitary, antiepidemic and medico-prophylactic services of the Territory, administrative organs and institutions, as well as other relevant departments, not only high quality restoration works were carried out and completed in a short time, medical assistance was given to the victims and the appearance of mass infectious diseases prevented, but also the growth social tensions in the affected areas was averted.