Kazan City Research Articles

ОСТРЫЙ ПАНКРЕАТИТ ТЯЖЕЛОЙ СТЕПЕНИ: ВАРИАНТЫ ТАКТИЧЕСКИХ ПОДХОДОВ В ЛЕЧЕНИИ

Abstract. Introduction. Severe acute pancreatitis still remains a pressing issue of urgent abdominal surgery. Aim: To provide a multifactorial analysis of managing patients with severe acute pancreatitis and assess the efficiency of the treatment approaches used. Materials and Methods. Our study included 94 patients with severe acute pancreatitis, aged 30 to 76 years (average age 48.6+10.1), admitted to Surgery Departments 1 and 2 of Kazan City Clinical Hospital 7 over the last 10 years. There were 58 (61.7 %) male patients and 36 (38.3 %) female patients. We did not include patients with severe comorbid diseases, pregnant patients, drug addicts, or those refusing to be involved in our study. Extremely severe, fulminant forms of acute pancreatitis were also excluded, namely: SOFA ≥ 7 and/or intraabdominal pressure >25 mm Hg persisting after 48 hours from the onset of the disease. 30 (31.9%) patients were admitted within the first 24h, 44 (46.8%) patients within 24-72h, and 20 (21.3%) within 3-5 days upon the onset. Examination of the patients included clinical, laboratory, and imaging approaches. We used conservative methods, such as massive infusions, epidural block, and parenteral feeding with gradually changing into enteral feeding. Minimal invasive approaches were used, such as laparoscopy, ultrasound-controlled liquid inclusions drainage, and endoscopic main pancreatic duct stenting. Transabdominal and extraperitoneal open surgeries were performed, as well. The findings were evaluated statistically using Statistica 6.0. In evaluating nonparametric values, we calculated criterion χ2 (chi-squared test). Differences in the results were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. Results and Discussion. Our analysis of current approaches to the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis showed benefits of intensive care combined with minimal invasive surgery performed at the onset of the disease. This allowed increasing the patients’ survival rates to 81.9 % and reducing mortality to 18.1 %. Conclusions. Unsatisfactory treatment outcomes of severe acute pancreatitis are mostly caused by inaccurate evaluation of the disease severity at admission and, therefore, delayed initiation of intensive care.

Nikolai Fedorovich Grauert – a Councilor of the Kazan City Duma

In Russian historiography, the officials of Tsarist Russia have long been portrayed as refusing progressive ideals and pursuing their personal goals, i.e., as being unconcerned with the public good. However, this perspective on the history of Russian officialdom has led to the neglect of many distinguished individuals who contributed immensely to the public life of their country. Due to their active roles in both local and public self-government of Russian provincial cities and the exceptional impacts they made on the urban well-being of the Russian Empire, there has now been a growing interest in their biographies among researchers. One such individual is Nikolai Fedorovich Grauert, once a prominent public figure in Kazan. He served as a member of the Kazan City Duma and the City Council (from 1897 to 1916), participating in a number of city executive commissions (those related to school, theater, and forestry management). Despite his fruitful work in the public service, N.F. Grauert’s biography has never been specifically addressed. He happened to be involved in the events in October 1905 that took place in Kazan and thus was labeled by the state authorities as a culprit of the Kazan “upheaval.” Here, using archival sources, N.F. Grauert’s biography is reconstructed. His role as the chairman of the City Council’s School Commission for improving the situation with urban education, as well as in expanding the school network to promote universal education in Kazan, is emphasized.

Роль картографических источников в проектной деятельности по сохранению объектов культурного наследия

The author provides a description of the plans stored in Russian and regional archives and identifies their role in determining the historical and archaeological significance of a particular land plot. Fragments of Kazan city plans from the second half of the 18th – early 20th centuries are given as examples. The Republic of Tatarstan’s, RF, state archive funds capabilities, due to which the historic development of the site is restored, indicating the chronology, owners, functional purpose and building material of the constructions, are separately considered. The data obtained enabled developing a program of rescue archaeological field works to preserve cultural heritage sites, in which a promising land allocation area for research is identified, the type of work is selected, and areas of destroyed or damaged cultural layer are excluded

Reactive arthritis in children

One of the common childhood illnesses is reactive arthritis, which develops during or soon after an infection.Purpose. The aim of the study was to study the etiology, clinical and laboratory manifestations of arthritis in children.Material and methods. The study included 37 children with arthritis aged 1 year 10 months to 15 years who were hospitalized at Kazan City Children’s Hospital № 1.Results. Reactive arthritis was diagnosed in 26 children, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis in 11. In 20 patients, reactive arthritis manifested itself as monoarthritis with predominant damage to the hip or knee joints – in 11 and 9 cases, respectively. Two children had ankle arthritis. In 4 cases there was oligoarthritis. Markers of infectious diseases were identified in 10 out of 26 children with reactive arthritis (38%). In 5 children (19%) IgM to Mycoplasma pneumonia was detected, in two (8%) – IgM to capsid antigen of Epstein–Barr virus, in one child (4%) – IgM to Chlamydia pneumonia. Two children had elevated ASLO values (more than 400 IU/ml). Inflammatory in the blood in 33 cases (89%) were characterized by increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the median of which was 22 mm/hour. Increased level of C-reactive protein and leukocytes in the blood were observed only in 9 (24%) and 7 (19%) children, respectively.Conclusion. Reactive arthritis in children mainly manifests as monoarthritis, with predominant damage to the hip or knee joints and in most cases was associated with Mycoplasma pneumonia.

Scientific rationale for the indicators of biological urine monitoring in adolescents in Kazan City

BACKGROUND: Biomonitoring is crucial for assessing the level of pollution in a population, identifying risks and studying the impact of changes in technology. Knowledge of the reference values of trace elements in biological material is critical in comparing exposed with non-exposed groups and accurate. The control values of trace elements are crucial for ensuring public health and occupational safety. AIM: To study and analyze concentrations of priority chemical pollutants in the urine of adolescents aged 14–17 years in three zones in Kazan City and determine reference values for this age group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The concentration of elements in urine of 276 adolescents aged 14–17 years was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The upper 95 percentiles and their confidence intervals (RV95) were determined, which established the upper limit of the current background exposure to adolescents for 12 biomarkers, interpreted as “conditional” reference values for this age group. The following reference values for adolescents in Kazan City were obtained: Al, 12.80 µg/L; Cr, 1.02 µg/L; Mn, 3.53 µg/L; Hg, 0.65 µg/L; Cu, 110.91 µg/L, and Ni, 8.72 µg/L. In adolescents, the highest level of exceedance over background values was observed in zones 1 and 2 (Kirovsky and Privolzhsky Districts): Al exceeded by 1.4 times, Cr by 1.3 times in zone 1 (Kirovsky District), Mn by 1.5 times, Hg by 1.3 times, and Cu by 1.14 times in zone 2 (Privolzhsky district).The results are of interest for further analysis and identification of interrelations in the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, where exposure levels may vary between regions or separate subgroups living in the same territory. CONCLUSION: Research in the field of biomonitoring in Kazan established the levels of exposure to toxic elements among the studied population and provided means for comparing exposure for further research by population groups by age, sex, and ethnicity. Moreover, biomonitoring results can be used to determine research priorities, measure exposure trends over time, and verify effectiveness of individual measures to combat pollution and other measures in the field of the environment and public health. The study presents modern technologies for assessing exposure to chemical pollutants using human biomonitoring methods and demonstrates its advantages.

DEVELOPMENT OF SIMULATION MODEL OF THE ROAD NETWORK SECTION OF THE CITY OF KAZAN

The article considers the process of developing a simulation model of the road network section of the city of Kazan in order to improve road safety. The choice of modelling tools is carried out and the load of Kazan city roads is studied.

Environmental safety of wild plants in the republic of Tatarstan by heavy metals content

Based on the results of biogeochemical studies in the territory of Western Predkamye (Pestrechinsky, Mamadyshsky, Zelenodolsky districts), Eastern Zakamye (Almetyevsky, Bugulminsky districts), Predvolzhye regions (Verkhneuslonsky district) of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Kazan city, the range of heavy metals natural concentrations in the herbaceous vegetation was determined. It has been established that the heavy metals content in herbaceous plants of the Republic of Tatarstan does not exceed the world average clarke. Separate local biogeochemical specializations of plants determined by the natural geochemical background of the region have been established. Wild plants species in the Zelenodolsky district were identified with Pb and Cd content exceeds the established standards.

Доминантные топосы в культурной памяти города: «Чёрное озеро» в истории, литературе и культуре Казани

The article studies the significant Kazan cultural topos – the public garden (now a park) Сhornoje Ozero (“Black Lake”) that has existed since the beginning of the 19th century. Despite the fact that the image of Kazan appears a lot in Russian literature, the author of the article believes that it would be an exaggeration to speak about the “Kazan city text”, since the mythology of the city is not developed and the city is not perceived as a symbolic space. However, it is correct to state a “pre-text” that includes a sufficient number of dominant topoi, although they have not developed into something integral. Each of these topoi is associated with the historical and cultural memory of the city, recorded in Russian literature. The purpose of the article is to analyze the meanings that have been filling this space for almost two centuries, the semantic content of the image of Сhornoje Ozero (“Black Lake”) that has been changing in literature and culture, and hence the role which this space with an unusual name played in citizens’ lives. Being a free public space (unlike the neighboring garden with paid entrance), in the 19th – early 20th centuries Сhornoje Ozero (“Black Lake”) was formed as a space for students of a nearby university and still focuses on the youth of the city. It was reflected in the works of fiction by writers who studied at Kazan University. In the 20th century, the leading meanings of the space was about neighborhood to NKVD. It even gave rise to a specific urban folklore. Despite the fitting solutions for reconstruction of the space and the return of young people, citizens and tourists, there has been a loss of meanings associated with the topos “Black Lake”, the name is perceived as strange, the cultural memory of the past has gone. The policy of the Kazan city authorities as a whole is characterized by a tendency to destroy the cultural memory of the city, which seems to be a big mistake.

Вклад Михаила Дмитриевича Рузского в изучение фауны птиц Волжско-Камского края

Mikhail Dmitrievich Ruzsky is one of the last encyclopedic scientists of the 20th century, known for his works on zoology, ichthyology and ornithology, hydrobiology, and entomology. Professor Mikhail Dmitrievich Ruzsky (1864-1948) is one of the country outstanding biologists and founders of the national science of ants, the first researcher of the myrmecofauna of Russia and neighboring countries. He made a significant contribution to the development of not only individual sciences, but also the formation of university education in Russia. The Kazan period of his biography is significant for his life and career. Mikhail Dmitrievich began his bird watching in Kazan and its surroundings while still being a very young researcher. His formation as a scientist began in Kazan Imperial University. Ruzsky had his first publications on birds in 1889, although he began conducting ornithological observations from the first years of university. The significant coverage of the territory allowed him not only to obtain new data on the distribution of birds in these areas, but also compare the lists of species and changes in their composition. His interest in studying fauna was influenced by the works of his predecessors - famous local historians and scientists of Russia - Pallas, Eversman, Bogdanov, and others. Ruzky gave the first list of birds of the Kazan province. In 1893, he presented his master’s thesis, Materials for the Study of Birds of the Kazan Province, whose results were published in the Proceedings of the Society of Naturalists of Kazan University. Ruzsky was the curator and collector of the Zoological Museum of Kazan University; within just one decade (from 1887 to 1896), he delivered 439 specimens of birds to the museum. His works made it possible to compile the first list of the avifauna of Kazan. He noted 56 species of birds directly inhabiting the city, and about 50 species found in the vicinity. A comparison of Ruzsky’s regional avi-faunistic lists with the data from recent years made it possible to present the dynamics and main changes that occurred in the composition of the bird fauna of the Volga-Kama Region over two hundred years. He was one of the organizers of the Kazan City Museum (now the National Museum of the Republic of T atarstan), chairman of its Council (1912), and having received the title of honorary member of the museum staff, he became director of the Natural History Department (1908-1913). Mikhail Dmitrievich was directly involved in the formation of the third Zoological Museum in Kazan located in the Veterinary Institute (now the Kazan State Academy of Veterinary Medicine), where he also worked for some time. The studies conducted on the avifauna of the Volga-Kama Region laid the foundation for subsequent large-scale work on both zoogeography, species distribution, and species ecology. In 1913, Mikhail Dmitrievich Ruzsky was elected professor of the Department of Zoology in Kiev and Tomsk Universities. He faced the choice and gave his preference to Tomsk devoting next 35 years of his life to working for the benefit of science in Tomsk University. The article contains 2 Figures, 13 References. The Authors declare no conflict of interest.

РОЛЬ ЛУЧЕВЫХ МЕТОДОВ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ В ЛЕЧЕБНОЙ ТАКТИКЕ ПАЦИЕНТА С ИНТРАМУРАЛЬНОЙ ПСЕВДОКИСТОЙ ДВЕНАДЦАТИПЁРСТНОЙ КИШКИ

Abstract. Introduction. Intramural pseudocysts, i. e., pseudocysts developing in the gastrointestinal wall are very rare. It is still uncertain how a pseudocyst forms in the gastrointestinal wall. They have been reported in the stomach, duodenum, and colon as isolated cases. Pancreatic pseudocyst is the most frequent complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Aim is to present our own clinical observation of diagnosis and treatment of intramural duodenal pseudocyst in a patient with acute pancreatitis. Material and methods. A 50-year-old patient was admitted to the Surgery Department 3 of Kazan City Clinical Hospital 7, complaining of fatigue, abdominal pain upper, nausea, repeated vomiting. During his hospital stay, laboratory and instrumental investigations and minimally invasive therapeutic manipulations were performed for the patient. This article provides details on his case history, clinical manifestations, and examination findings underlying the patient management and the minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations used. Results and Discussion. Comprehensive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures made it possible to detect an intramural duodenal pseudocyst, followed by ultrasound-controlled puncture and drainage. Conclusions. Clinical observation presented demonstrates high potential of radiological and other instrumental techniques to examine patients in order to diagnose various pathologic conditions of pancreas, especially intramural pseudocyst; a need for interaction between diagnostic and clinical services; high importance of continuity and timely using various instrumental diagnostic techniques, based on the clinical case; and the dependency of the efficiency of the treatment strategy chosen on interdisciplinary approach and system analysis of the changes identified.

ЛИПОКАЛИН СЫВОРОТКИ КРОВИ БОЛЬНЫХ ОСТРЫМ ПАНКРЕАТИТОМ

Abstract. Introduction. Acute pancreatitis is a severe inflammatory disease of the pancreas. In case of severe acute pancreatitis, mortality rate reaches 36-50%. The most challenging issue is the prediction of its severity and clinical outcome due to the limitations of clinical scoring systems and biochemical markers, which are still being studied intensely. Aim: To study serum lipocalin levels in patients with acute pancreatitis of varying severity. Materials and Methods. Our study included 68 patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and treated in the inpatient facility of Kazan City Clinical Hospital 7 over the years 2017-2019. Patients were stratified by severity, gender, and age. As a comparison group, 20 healthy volunteers without any gastrointestinal issues were examined. Specimen to be studied were the sera of patients with acute pancreatitis and those of healthy volunteers. Blood was sampled from the patients upon admission to the hospital and before their discharge from it. Lipocalin levels were registered using BioVendor’s Human Lipocalin-2/NGAL ELISA kit. The findings were processed statistically at their normal distribution. Results and Discussion. Our study showed a significant excess of lipocalin levels in patients with acute pancreatitis as compared with healthy volunteers. In healthy volunteers this value varied within 4.91±6.55 ng/ml, while it was 78.19±89.09 ng/ml (p<0.05) in acute pancreatitis patients. Conclusions. Our study of serum lipocalin in patients with acute pancreatitis showed a significant and statistically reliable excess of this indicator as compared to healthy volunteers. The highest lipocalin levels were found in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Conventional therapy reduced these levels in mild, moderate, and severe cases, although there was no statistically significant difference before and after treatment. Keywords: pancreatic necrosis, lipocalin, prediction.

Advertising as a factor in the development of Kazan city’ commercial press in the second half of the XIX century

The article enlightens the directions of development of the Kazan periodical press of the second half of the 19th century, associated with the growth of economy and trade. The main forms of advertising in Kazan newspapers are presented. The processes of commercialization of periodicals are shown, which are directly related to the transformation of advertising into the most important tool for working with the consumer and increasing the competitiveness of the enterprise. Based on archival sources, the main stages in the development of the Kazan commercial press in the second half of the 19th century are reflected.

ЭТИОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ И КЛИНИЧЕСКИЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ АНАФИЛАКТИЧЕСКОГО ШОКА У ПАЦИЕНТОВ, ГОСПИТАЛИЗИРОВАННЫХ В КЛИНИКУ ЭКСТРЕННОЙ МЕДИЦИНЫ

Introduction. Anaphylaxis is a severe generalized hypersensitivity reaction affecting more than one organ system that can start very quickly and symptoms can be severe or life-threatening. The profile of triggers and cofactors for anaphylaxis is age dependent and varies across geographies. The clinical manifestations of anaphylaxis are diverse, one of its most severe clinical phenotypes is anaphylactic shock. Aim. To assess the significance of various groups of triggers, cofactors and clinical features of anaphylactic shock in patients hospitalized in the Department of Allergology and Immunology of the Kazan City Clinical Hospital No. 7. Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of 107 medical records of inpatients hospitalized in the Department of Allergology and Immunology of City Clinical Hospital No. 7 with a diagnosis of anaphylactic shock (T78.0, T78.2, T80.5, T88.6) was carried out for three calendar years (from 01.01.2018 to 31.12.2020). Statistical data processing was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (v.18.0). Results and discussion. It has been shown that medicines were the most common trigger for anaphylactic shock in hospitalized patients, while food and insect bites led to the development of shock much less frequently and with approximately the same frequency. The vast majority of patients did not have concomitant diseases, and also did not take concomitant therapy, which are risk factors for the severe course of anaphylaxis. Skin changes were the most frequent symptom, supplementing the clinic of anaphylactic shock, followed, approximately with equal frequency, by gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, neurological symptoms were most rarely recorded. Conclusion. To verify the trigger as the cause of anaphylactic shock, it is necessary to conduct an allergological examination after the resolution of its symptoms. To assess the influence of exogenous and endogenous cofactors on the occurrence of anaphylaxis and the severity of its course, it is necessary to conduct prospective studies.

A modern approach to the rehabilitation of patients with fractures of the bones of the lower extremities

BACKGROUND: General injury rates tend to increase in most federal districts of Russia. The patients with fractures of the bones of the lower extremities reaches for 8.525% of the total number of patients with fractures. Fractures of the bones of the lower extremities are characterized by long period of reparation, persistent contractures, a violation of the congruence of the articular surfaces, and changes in the biomechanics of walking. Only full course of rehabilitation can eliminate the these complications and restore the previous motor activity.
 АIMS: The study aimed to analyze the structure of injuries in patients of the traumatology department and to present and the results of the recovery of patients with fractures of the bones of the lower extremities using and algorithm of organization of medical rehabilitation in the case study.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of statistical data on 995 patients of the traumatology department № 1 of the Kazan City Clinical Hospital, who underwent 981 operations, was carried out. Randomly selected two groups of patients ― I main (n=45) and II control (n=45). Patients of group II after the treatment at the trauma center underwent outpatient medical rehabilitation, group I received inpatient medical rehabilitation in the rehabilitation department of the Kazan City Clinical Hospital № 7. In a hospital setting, a comprehensive rehabilitation program included physiotherapy exercises, CPM-veloergometry, exercises on rehabilitation simulators, the PNF kinesiotherapy technique, etc.
 RESULTS: A more pronounced statistically significant positive dynamics at the end of the course of medical rehabilitation was noted in patients of group I (reduction of pain syndrome, increased joint mobility, degree of dependence on others, increased mobility index, the ability to dress independently, maintain body position in space, reduced dysfunction in lifting and carrying objects, walking disorders, and caring for body parts). The dynamics of motor function and psycho-emotional sphere also improved to a greater extent in patients of group I.
 CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of the presented algorithm of organization of medical rehabilitation of patients with fractures of the bones of the lower extremities is confirmed by the results of present study. It is revealed that patients in the I (main) group showed more significant improvement in functions, activity and participation, a decrease of disability, reduce of pain, anxiety and depression, as well as an increase of the level of quality of life compared to patients of group II (control), who did not receive comprehensive medical rehabilitation in the hospital (p 0.1).

Earth Science Frontier at Urban Periphery: Geoheritage from the Vicinity of Kazan City, Russia

Characterizing geological heritage sites (geosites) available in Russia remains an urgent task. The present study focuses on two geosites from the vicinity of Kazan—a large city on the Volga River. They are attributed to the standardized geoheritage types and scored by means of several criteria. It is found out that the Pechischi geosite represents nine geoheritage types, from which the stratigraphical type (stratotype section of the Upper Kazanian regional unit of the Guadalupian) and the geohistorical type (history of the Permian System studies) are the most important. This geosite reaches 675 out of 750 maximum possible scores, and it is ranked globally. The Cheremushki geosite represents six geoheritage types, from which the stratigraphical type (reference section of the Urzhumian regional unit of the Guadalupian) and the paleontological type (locality of diverse fossils, including tetrapods) are the most important. This geosite reaches a score of 250 and is ranked nationally. The undertaken study allows for recommending several actions for the effective conservation and exploitation of these geosites. The innovative interpretation is that the presence of geosites at the urban periphery makes its general (not only geological) heritage value comparable to that of the city’s center.

Assessment of the bioresource potential of Kazan city’s lake ecosystems by phytoplankton indicators

Nowadays protection and sustainable management of biological resources is of particular importance. The most important area of hydrobiological research is the assessment of the bioresource potential of aquatic ecosystems (Alimov et al., 2005). Phytoplankton is the basis of life and the most important component of the bioresource base in the aquatic ecosystem. Phytoplankton indicators (primarily abundance and biomass) are widely used to assess the bioresource potential of lakes due to its position as an autotrophic producer at the base of the ecological pyramid of the lake ecosystem (Bulion, 2005, 2019; Alimov, 1989, 2000; Alimov et al., 2005). Our study is aimed to research phytoplankton indicators to assess the bioresource potential of Kazan city’s lake ecosystems (Volga region, Russia).

БЕРЕМЕННОСТЬ И COVID-19. ПЕРИНАТАЛЬНЫЕ ИСХОДЫ

Abstract. Introduction. The coronavirus infection COVID-19 has become a major medical problem around the world. Despite the fact that the infection is new and research on COVID-19 is ongoing, the main risk factors for severe consequences for pregnant women have already been identified. Aim. The aim of our study – analyze the impact of coronavirus infection and its consequences on the course of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. Material and methods. The medical records of 4422 pregnant women were studied on the basis of the Kazan city obstetric hospital. The study included two groups: an experimental group – 67 patients who underwent COVID-19 at various times during pregnancy and a control group – 65 patients with a normal pregnancy. The analysis of the collected data was performed in the GraphPad Prism 9 software (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA, USA). Results and discussion. Most often, pregnant women had infection COVID-19 during the third trimester, n=51 (76%). The main complications during pregnancy in the experimental group were moderate preeclampsia – 6; 9% (in the control group – 2; 3%) and the threatened preterm labor – 14; 17% (in the control group – 2; 3%). The main complications in newborns: respiratory distress syndrome (9; 13%) and intrauterine pneumonia (3; 5%). The calculated odds ratios showed that the chance of getting 7 or more points on the Apgar scale in the control group was 7,2 times higher compared to the experimental group at 1 minute, and 10,1 times higher at the fifth minute. A significant difference (p-value=0,0027) was also shown between the average values of body weight of newborns in the experimental group [(3047±186) g] and control [(3403±243) g]. Conclusion. The number of cases of complicated pregnancy was significantly higher in experimental the group compared to the control group. Children in the control group are more likely to have higher Apgar score and have higher body weight than children born to mothers included in the experimental group. Also, the number of newborns with complications (mainly pathology of the respiratory system) in the early neonatal period was higher in the experimental group compared to the control group.

Картографический метод в изучении секулярного тренда длины тела мужчин России и сопредельных стран на протяжении XIX-XX вв.

Introduction. The article aims to study the regional differences in male stature during the 19-20th centuries in Russian Empire, USSR, Russia and some neighboring countries and to illustrate the observed changes in time using contemporary cartographic methods and the new source of information – the RLMS HSE dataset. We hypothesized that there are some areas with stable short and tall statures. Materials and methods. We used datasets with as large number of territorial units of the country as possible, published by D.N. Anuchin, V.V. Bunak, A.L. Purundzhan. To illustrate relevant datasets, the methodology of visualization was created. To make maps comparable with each other, especially, for the territory, like the European part of Russia, we made a surface interpolation. Results. We could suggest areas with more or less stable tall stature – near the Baltic Sea and Saint-Petersburg and between the contemporary cities of Kiev and Krasnodar. The area with stable short stature is situated in the middle part of Volga River – near Kazan city. Thus, the hypothesis was confirmed considering a new database. Moreover, according to the datasets, which illustrated the second part of the 20th century, the new area had appeared in Moscow and some neighboring territories. Secular changes in height for different regions and time periods were uneven, which may be connected with the different ethnic composition of the studied populations and various socioeconomic and demographic variables. Conclusion. Based on contemporary cartographic methods we illustrated the general pattern of changes in male stature, the idea of the consistency of the changes in male stature and the uneven changes in values across the territory. Some areas with stable short and tall statures first discovered by Anuchin are preserved till nowadays. Our research demonstrated the idea that areas could be formed under various circumstances. However, the overall trend has stayed the same over time despite the positive secular changes.

A page on the history of healthcare development in Kazan

On the 1st of 1885, by the decree of the Kazan City Duma, the Kazan City Admiralty Hospital was opened in a hired house. The closest reason for the opening of the hospital was the epidemic of Asian cholera, which appeared in Western Europe.

ХОЗЯЙСТВЕННО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКАЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ КАЗАНСКОЙ ГОРОДСКОЙ ДУМЫ В 70–80-е ГОДЫ XIX ВЕКА: АСПЕКТ РАЗВИТИЯ МЕСТНОГО ПРЕДПРИНИМАТЕЛЬСТВА

This article discusses the results of a complex study of the Kazan City Duma’s steps to advance local entrepreneurship during the 1870s–1880s under the conditions of the city reform initiated by Alexander II. The mechanism of issuing the following types of entrepreneurial certificates is analyzed: trade certificates, capture and estate manager’s certificates, certificates for the trade in gold and silver items, and trade powers of attorney. The quantitative data obtained from the research of clerical documents stored in the National Archives of the Republic of Tatarstan show that trade certificates and certificates for the trade in gold and silver items were granted on a stable basis. The number of trade powers of attorney issued in 1870–1876 increased substantially, which is explained by the active development of trade with various cities. In 1876–1880, the volume of all types of documents that allowed the entrepreneurial activity decreased. This trend was driven by the reduction in civil industry funding during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, as well as by the spread of conservative sentiments within the ruling elite by the end of Alexander II’s reign.