Quantitative Characteristics of Chromosome Aberration Frequency in the Human Population of a Large Western Siberian Industrial Region

The results of a 15-year study of chromosome aberration frequency in cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes from subjects living in the Kuzbass industrial region are presented. The database for the analysis of the main parameters of chromosome aberrations contains data on 925 subjects, with the total number of cells examined being 92 900. It has been found that the total frequency of aberrant metaphases in the database is 3.73 ± 0.1%, whereas this frequency for the sample of subjects from industrial areas of this region (the basic control group) is significantly lower (2.86 ± 0.26%). It has been demonstrated that the sex and age of the subjects do not affect substantially the frequency of any type of chromosome aberrations. Tobacco smoking is associated with a slight increase in chromosome damage frequency; however, the difference between smokers and nonsmokers is insignificant even among subjects exposed to occupational hazards. The possible causes that have determined the increased basic and background chromosome aberration frequencies in the population of the Kemerovo oblast compared to these parameters for the European part of Russia and the CIS are discussed.     

Levels of acute phase proteins remain stable after ischemic stroke

Background  

Inflammation and inflammatory biomarkers play an important role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Little information is available, however, on time course of serum markers of inflammation after stroke.     

A Study of the Genetic Basis of Susceptibility to Occupational Fluorosis in Aluminum Industry Workers of Siberia

The phenotype frequency distributions of several classical blood genetic markers and dermatoglyphic characters were analyzed in workers of Siberian aluminum plants who had occupational fluorosis. Comparison with healthy workers revealed significant differences in frequencies of several markers. Phenotypes B (AB0), D (Rh), MN (MN), P1 (P), Le a (Lewis), Gc 2-1, Cx (on both hands), Th/I+ (on the left hand), C3, and C4 (HLA) were associated with higher risk of occupational fluorosis.     

The study of the chemical composition of nitrogenase Fe-Mo-cofactor by a new fluorimetric method of thiocompound analysis

A purification technique for a large scale production of crystalline Mo-Fe protein of nitrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii and of its fragment, Fe-Mo-cofactor (Fe-Mo-co) in argon atmosphere has been elaborated. The novel fluorimetric method of thiol compounds analysis has been proposed for identification of Fe-Mo-co thiol ligands; this procedure allows the determination of concentration and class of thiol compounds and of the distance between sulphur atoms in the case of dithiols. The use of this method for an analysis of Fe-Mo-co has demonstrated that it contains a thiomolybdate fragment and two atoms of inorganic sulphur. Organic thiol as a Fe ligand has not been revealed.     

The role of computed tomography in the diagnosis of brain involvement in patients with posttraumatic epilepsy]

Fifteen patients with posttraumatic epilepsy (10 men and 5 women aged 15 to 47) were examined in 1990-1991. All the patients had a history of craniocerebral injury (closed in 7 and open in 8 cases), 6 of them were operated on for intracranial hematomas. Besides CAT, electroencephalography, craniography, and examination of the fundus oculi were carried out. CAT was performed with a Ct MAX (General Electric) unit. Standard positioning of the patients with sectional projections parallel to the orbital meatal line was used. Changes in the brain matter were detected in 13 of these 15 patients: foreign bodies (2 cases), meningeal cerebral cicatrices (5), dilatation of the ventricular system (4), petrificates in the brain matter (1), atrophic changes of the cerebral cortex (1). The tomograms of two patients were normal. Ten patients were operated on: 2 were subjected to anterior callosotomy, in 2 foreign bodies were removed, and in 6 patients staged plasty with removal of the meningeal cerebral cicatrix was carried out. The detected CAT changes helped diagnose the topical location of the epileptogenic focus and choose the optimal method of surgery for posttraumatic epilepsy.