The effect of long-acting radiation on the diversity of heterotrophic bacteria in the soils of a 10-kilometer area around the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station

The catastrophe at Chernobyl Atomic Power Station (ChAPS) of 1986 has created a natural model for studying the after-effects of prolonged action of radiation on the biota. Our work is aimed to estimate the variability of heterotrophic bacteria in the soil of 10-km zone of ChAPS which have formed as affected by prolonged action of radiation, as well as to create the corresponding collection of bacteria. Microbiological analysis of soils was carried out in 1993-1994 (in spring, summer, autumn), allowing for bacteria destroying different organic substance (in soil). It is shown that in the surface layer of soils (at the depth of 0-2 cm) the total number of cells of heterotrophic bacteria as well as the number of found species of bacteria is considerably less than in the control samples. Atypical distribution of bacteria in the soil profile was established. Indices of the species diversity of bacteria in these soils permit one to consider that microbe content of soil of the 10-km zone of the ChAPS has become considerably less after the disaster at the ChAPS in 1986 and has not recovered by 1993. A collection of various physiological groups of bacteria including representatives of Methylobacterium genus has been created. They have been isolated from the soils of 10-km zone of the ChAPS for following genetic investigations.     

Frostbite as a problem for dermatoplastic surgery

An analysis of the 35-years experiences with treatment of 621 patients with the IV-degree frostbite of hands and feet is presented. The surgical strategy of treatment of frostbite has undergone considerable evolution for these years. In addition to classical surgical treatment, the surgeons began to widely use methods of dermo-plastic surgery which allowed not only to save the maximum possible length of the extremity segment stump, but also to reduce the frequency of purulent complications and reamputations and thus to shorten the duration of hospital treatment.     

The dynamic hematological indices in alcoholic intoxication in relation to the ecological situation

Comparative investigations of conventional male rat red blood with modelling of chronic alcohol-toxic influence of different types were carried out. Even a short alcohol intoxication developing against the background of ecologically unfavourable factors of the environment was shown to cause rapid development of decompensation of the blood system protective mechanisms. In these cases hematologic picture resembled that after long and hard alcohol abuse.