Leningrad Research Articles

The export of Old Masters from Poldi Pezzoli’s Milan to international museums

Abstract The mid-and later nineteenth century saw the creation and enrichment of some major international museum collections alongside the development of connoisseurship. In this process, Milan was an important hub for the supply of major works of art. This essay offers new insights into Milan’s art market of the period through the methodical examination of export documents; analysis of the unpublished manuscripts of two great exponents of international connoisseurship of this period, Giovanni Battista Cavalcaselle and Joseph Archer Crowe; and new sources from the archives of the National Gallery in London. A number of case-studies are presented in chronological order, focusing on examples of works of art imported from Milan by the National Gallery, the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the Royal Museums in Berlin and the Imperial Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. The conclusions that emerge from this study pave the way for a comparative investigation of other Italian cities in the same period.

Exome Sequencing for the Diagnostics of Osteogenesis Imperfecta in Six Russian Patients

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a group of inherited disorders of connective tissue that cause significant deformities and fragility in bones. Most cases of OI are associated with pathogenic variants in collagen type I genes and are characterized by pronounced polymorphisms in clinical manifestations and the absence of clear phenotype–genotype correlation. The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive molecular–genetic and clinical analysis to verify the diagnosis of OI in six Russian patients with genetic variants in the COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained from six OI patients who were observed at the Medical Genetics Center in Saint Petersburg from 2016 to 2023. Next-generation sequencing on MGISEQ G400 (MGI, China) was used for DNA analysis. The GATK bioinformatic software (version 4.5.0.0) was used for variant calling and hard filtering. Genetic variants were verified by the direct automatic sequencing of PCR products using the ABI 3500X sequencer. We identified six genetic variants, as follows pathogenic c.3505G>A (p. Gly1169Ser), c.769G>A (p.Gly257Arg), VUS c.4123G>A (p.Ala1375Thr), and c.4114A>T (p.Asn1372Tyr) in COL1A1; and likely pathogenic c.2035G>A (p.Gly679Ser) and c.739-2A>T in COL1A2. In addition, clinical cases are presented due to the presence of the c.4114A>T variant in the COL1A2 gene. Molecular genetics is essential for determining different OI types due to the high similarity across various types of the disease and the failure of unambiguous diagnosis based on clinical manifestations alone. Considering the variable approaches to OI classification, an integrated strategy is required for optimal patient management.

Local Self-Government Autonomy in Saint Petersburg

In modern history, public authority has expanded its political and legal interpretation. By an amendment to the Constitution of the Russian Federation from 2020 on improving the regulation of certain issues of the organization and functioning of public authority, the bodies of local self-government were included among the bodies of public authority. Based on Article 132 of the RF Constitution, LSG bodies entered the unified system of public authority in the Russian Federation and began to cooperate with state authorities for the most effective resolution of tasks in the interests of the population residing in the respective territory.The European Charter on Local Self-Governance defines and the Constitution of the Russian Federation enshrines the historical and legal basis for the establishment of local self-governance in a particular territory — its autonomy. The cultural and historical peculiarities of the inhabitants of these territories must be taken into account.The people of St Petersburg exercise their constitutional right to exercise power through local government. It has its own cultural code, which is expressed in special history, local customs and traditions, a multinational population, and a multitude of confessions. Local self-government is represented by 111 inner-city municipalities and 1 Council of Municipalities. Local government is regulated by the law on organization of local government in St Petersburg. The degree to which the residents’ right to power, and thus political stability in the region, depends on the quality of the local government’s performance of its powers.The 2019 municipal elections changed the quality of the representative bodies by supplementing them with independent, non-systemic deputies. This circumstance allowed for a different perspective on the specifics of local government and the functioning of LSG bodies. In the opinion of the authors, this renewal is not so much the desire of the population of the metropolis to change the composition of the representative bodies, but rather the consequence of a consistent government policy of centralizing local self-governance. After the incorporation of local self-governance into the system of public authorities and the artificial subordination of its legal nature to the needs of state power, the managerial principle of federal megacities of urban unity became the main reason, exploiting which, as a screen, the state power consistently deprives LSG bodies of independence, reducing the financial basis, the number of issues of local significance, and traditionally local functionality.The article attempts to determine the level of autonomy of LSG bodies of St. Petersburg, the direction of the vector of normative-legal regulation of state power in relation to the constitutional institution, to analyze the results of the findings, to draw conclusions and to assess the level of autonomy of local self-government in the political aspect, as well as the possible consequences of such state policy on the ground.The aim of this article is to provide scientific substantiation of necessity of certain decisions of state power bodies with the aim of preventing governmentalization of local self-government in St. Petersburg, to offer concrete measures for decision-making by state power bodies.

Social Portrait of a Student of a Non-State Higher Education Institution of St Petersburg (on the Example of AN НЕО “University associated with IA EAEC”)

Introduction. Article is the result of a case analysis to study the satisfaction of students of   the AN НЕО “University associated with IA EAEC” with the educational process as one of the   indicators of the quality of education. An analysis of various aspects of student satisfaction   with the activities of the university allows to identify problems in the organization of the   learning process and find the best ways to solve them using available resources. In addition,   determining the overall level of student satisfaction allows making managerial decisions   based on relevant information about the needs of students and the quality of educational   services provided. The purpose of the article is to analyze the degree of satisfaction of   students of AN НЕО “University associated with IA EAEC” with the educational process in   general and their career orientations. This formulation of the question will allow to identify   more accurately the problems and needs of students, as well as to develop   recommendations for improving the quality of the educational process itself.  Methodology and sources. The case-study method was chosen as the methodological   strategy. The main research method in the work is a survey.  Results and discussion. The results of sociological research conducted in the form of a   questionnaire survey are presented. The type of sampling is continuous. According to the   results of the survey, students demonstrate pragmatism and focus on results in the learning   process. Thus, 70.6 % stated that only intrinsic motivation helps them to study. In difficult   competitive conditions, students need to be sure that the profession they get in higher   education will be in demand, that their knowledge will be enough to compete effectively  with other graduates in the labor market. In these conditions, modern students are aimed   not so much at obtaining fundamental knowledge as at acquiring practical skills.  Conclusion. One of the main results of the analysis is the conclusion that the most painful   issues for students are the issues of internship and grant opportunities. The university   management should pay the most attention to these two aspects of satisfaction, i.e.,   internship places and grant opportunities. 

Features of organizing the provision of emergency medical care on-site in the city of Saint Petersburg

Special attention is paid to the development of primary health care and emergency medical care in our country, since timely prevention of the development of diseases and early provision of medical care to citizens is a priority task facing the domestic healthcare system. National projects and programs in healthcare are aimed at improving the provision of medical care, preventing diseases and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Providing emergency medical care is undoubtedly associated with all types of medical care and is an effective factor. Timely provision of emergency medical care contributes to a favorable outcome for each patient. That is why the need to analyze the experience of organizing the provision of emergency medical care on-site in a medical organization providing primary health care is of utmost importance. The purpose of the study is to analyze the organization of emergency medical care on-site in the city of St. Petersburg and identify its features. The research materials included analyzed orders of the Russian Ministry of Health, orders of the Health Committee of the city of St. Petersburg, open literary sources, medical documentation of the emergency department of a medical organization providing primary health care. As a result of the analysis and based on the data obtained, proposals were developed to improve the organization of emergency medical care on-site in the city of St. Petersburg, taking into account the existing shortcomings.

Bogdo–Baskunchak Nature Reserve as a geoheritage site

Abstract The Bogdo–Baskunchak Nature Reserve is a geoheritage site in the Caspian Depression, near the Lower Volga River. The Salt Lake Baskunchak and the Mount Big Bogdo with the gypsum field are the main objects of interest. Local legends about this place and the history of salt mining and trading, as well as geological exploration, make this geoheritage site special. This natural landscape is intact, as seen by the first scientific expeditions of the eighteenth century organized by the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Arts in St Petersburg. Reports and papers about this area are associated with Pallas, Humboldt, Murchison, Eichwald, Auerbach, Pravoslavlev, Efremov and other scientists and expeditions. Extensive research and important discoveries were made in this area, mostly in mineralogy, stratigraphy, palaeontology, sedimentology, salt tectonics, and mining. This area reflects its long history of exploration and could be a good example of organizing the protection of geological landmarks and monuments in arid regions. In 1916, a Russian law was passed giving the government rights to organize reserves ( zapovednik ) for scientific and cultural purposes in the most remarkable natural areas. Only in recent decades have geological monuments in Russia become specially protected sites.

Law and Order at the Junction of the Modern and Postmodern Eras: Review of the Speeches of the International Scientific Conference Fifth Baskin Readings (Saint Petersburg, November 2–3, 2023)

Law and Order at the Junction of the Modern and Postmodern Eras: Review of the Speeches of the International Scientific Conference Fifth Baskin Readings (Saint Petersburg, November 2–3, 2023)

Incidence of the musculoskeletal system diseases in children and the organization of specialized care in Saint Petersburg

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases, effects on the quality of life of children, and disability level are among the main medical and social problems.
 AIM: To assess the morbidity rates and provision of medical care to St. Petersburg children with musculoskeletal diseases between 2017 and 2021.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on the incidence of musculoskeletal diseases in children of St. Petersburg were analyzed based on the Federal statistical observation forms submitted by the St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution Medical Center for Information and Analysis, collections of N.N. Priorov National Medical Research Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation “Trauma, orthopedic morbidity, the state of trauma and orthopedic care for the population,” edited by Acad. S.P. Mironov, RAS, and data from the Federal State Statistics Service.
 RESULTS: In Saint Petersburg, the morbidity rate of musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases from 2017 to 2021 was 13%, excluding 2020, which was most likely due to the introduction of measures aimed at counteracting the spread of COVID-19 and the suspension of planned outpatient specialized care. The number of orthopedic beds for children decreased by 58, whereas the availability of beds for children remained at the same level and amounted to 4.3 beds per 10,000 children, which exceeded the indicator for the Russian Federation (1.0). The number of children with these disabilities increased 1.4-fold. Deaths of children due to musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases were recorded in 2019 and 2020.
 CONCLUSIONS: The results of the 5-year observation period of musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases in children in St. Petersburg revealed increasing incidence because of the increase in the number of children newly diagnosed with these diseases.

Лечение агрессивного системного мастоцитоза и тучноклеточного лейкоза. Обзор литературы и серия клинических наблюдений

Aim. To provide case reports on the course and treatment of aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM) and mast cell leukemia (MCL).
 Materials & Methods. This paper reports the histories of adult patients with ASM (n = 4) and MCL (n = 2) treated with cytoreduction predominantly at the City Clinical Hospital No. 31 (Saint Petersburg). The patients were 36–61 years of age (median 50 years); there were 4 women and 2 men.
 Results. All patients showed stable response to cladribine (n = 3), imatinib (n = 2), and combined lenalidomide, elotuzumab, and dexamethasone treatment with subsequent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n = 1). With a median follow-up of 124 months (range 55–186 months), 1 out of 2 MCL patients died due to the concomitant hypereosinophilic syndrome progression and secondary infectious complication.
 Conclusion. Cladribine therapy in 2 ASM patients and imatinib therapy in 2 MCL patients yielded stable long-term response with good quality of life being maintained. More comparative studies are required for efficacy assessment and optimum sequencing of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Prevalence of smoking and consumption of nicotine-containing products among students of medical and technical universities (PROTECT)

BACKGROUND: The article presents data of the study “Prevalence of smoking and consumption of nicotine-containing products among students of medical and technical universities” (PROTEСT), carried out in 2023 at North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov and Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University (LETI) named after V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin).
 AIM: To study the prevalence and patterns of consumption of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, attitudes to smoking behaviour.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of a random sample of student groups included 1105 respondents.
 RESULTS: The average age of respondents was 20.7 ± 2.0 years, 44.3% were men. 6.8% of participants smoked cigarettes; more often men than women (9.4 vs. 4.7%, p 0.01). The prevalence of nicotine-containing products consumption was 15.7%. There were no differences by gender (men 15.7% and women 15.8%). The use of a combination of cigarettes and nicotine-containing products was noted by 6.6% of students, which led to increase the tobacco smokers number to 13.4%; and the number of people consuming nicotine-containing products to 22.4%. The main reason for starting smoking/consuming nicotine-containing products was the example of friends (in 35.8 and 34% of cases). The reason for the start of smoking and consuming nicotine-containing products were problems in school and family among 21.1% of women and 6.6% of men (p 0.05), and nicotine-containing products by 16.0% of women and 5.7% of men (p 0.05). The majority of consumers of cigarettes and nicotine-containing products combination (38.4%) use them in a 20/80 ratio. Among the respondents, the proportion of smoking relatives is 40.3%, friends — 66.2%, classmates/dormitory neighbors — 71.9%.
 CONCLUSIONS: A reduction in tobacco smoking and an increase in the proportion of people using nicotine-containing products and their combination with tobacco, as well as the absence of gender differences in nicotine-containing products consumption, indicates a change in the smoking behavior of students and increases the risk of developing nicotine addiction and harmful health consequences. Differences in the motivation for starting smoking/using nicotine-containing product among men and women requires more detailed study.

The role of the primary care physician in identifying patients at high risk of fractures in real clinical practice

BACKGROUND: The FRAX calculator is an accessible method for identifying patients at high risk of fracture. However, data on its practical use in primary health care settings are limited.
 AIM: To evaluate the correctness of calculating the 10-year fracture probability according to FRAX by primary care physicians and then analyze the impact of the results on patient routing.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The base of the study was the city polyclinic No. 25 of the Nevsky district of Saint Petersburg. The study included men and women aged 40 years and older.
 During 2017–2020, polyclinic doctors assessed the risk of fracture using the FRAX calculator for 11,013 people. A group of patients with significant differences (30% or more) in the obtained value of the risk of major osteoporotic fractures from the average was identified. A 10-year probability of fractures was recalculated for these patients.
 RESULTS: Major osteoporotic fracture risk scores were compared before and after recalculation. In most cases of patients (83%), the risk category did not change after recalculation. In 15% of patients changed to a higher risk. In the total group (11,013 people), errors in FRAX calculation led to an underestimation of high fracture risk in 41 patients (0.4%).
 CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that primary care physicians use the FRAX calculator correctly. The proportion of incorrect fracture risk calculations was low. Nevertheless, training of primary care physicians in the calculation and interpretation of the FRAX score is essential.

Orthodox Estonians in St Petersburg Province: The Fate of the Diaspora in an Autochthonous Environment

During the pre-revolutionary decades, the Estonian diaspora was one of the most active in St Petersburg, however, it remains little-studied to this day. An intensive study of the history of Estonian churches in St Petersburg province and the Estonian deanery of the St Petersburg diocese make it possible to raise the question of an organised Orthodox Estonian diaspora that did not merge with the Lutheran one. This article formulates the reasons for introducing this phenomenon into scholarly circulation and characterises its distinctive features. The author refers to documents from the Central State Historical Archive of St Petersburg (primarily, reports from the dean of Estonian district), as well as articles and materials from the first All-Russian population census. The active development of the issue studied by some historians in recent years speaks of its relevance. The article provides an overview of the historical situation, identifies the problems that characterised the life of Estonian migrants in St Petersburg and the province, and describes the contribution to the solution of the problem by Archpriest Pavel Kuhlbusch, senior priest of the Estonian church in the capital and dean of the Estonian parishes of the diocese. Additionally, the author carries out a detailed analysis of the theological aspect of the diaspora’s existence and missionary and educational work inside it. The threat of nationalism caused by the language barrier with the locals, the linguistic community with a Lutheran majority, and the incomprehensibility of the Church Slavonic language for foreigners was the breeding ground of the Estonian diaspora as a whole and led the Orthodox Estonian diaspora to a crisis at the time of the collapse of the Russian Empire. The atheism of Bolshevik ideology finally terminated its life in the 1930s. However, the panhellenism of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which replaced the multiculturalism of the Russian Empire, also failed to contribute to the development of Orthodoxy among Estonians. The efforts Pavel Kuhlbusch made for many years led to an increase in the number of Orthodox Estonians, whose literacy and enlightenment also increased significantly, but his departure to Estonia for episcopal service and death in 1919 had a disastrous effect on the future fate of the Estonian Orthodox diaspora.

Georgian National Idea in the Tiflis Seminary of the Post-Reform Time: The Optics of the Russian Language and Literature

This article examines the case of seminarian David Kezeli who compiled the anti-Russian proclamation To the New Generation of Georgia, confiscated in December 1873. Although the St Petersburg and Caucasian authorities interpreted the case differently, they were united in their inattention to the situation of the Tiflis Theological Seminary. The internal problems of the theological educational institution, including the problem of the disloyalty of the “native” teachers, were to be solved by the officials of the Synod’s Educational Committee and the Exarch of Georgia. The author aims to show the ambivalence of the anti-Russian views of the Georgian seminarians and analyse the Kezeli case as part of the processes in religious education initiated by the 1867 reform. Special attention is paid to the discussion about the establishment of the Georgian language class, the idea of which either led to a consensus among the teachers or to a confrontation described in the Synod documents as a struggle between the Russian and Georgian “parties”. The origins and limitations of anti-Russian sentiments among seminarians are considered in relation to conflicts among teachers, the rules of access to educational and extracurricular literature, and the status of the Russian and Georgian languages. The author concludes that in the first years after the reform, young graduates of the theological academies were inspired by the opportunity to change the content of theological education by introducing the achievements of modern science into it. This goal united teachers of Russian and Georgian origin. They worked together both on projects for Georgian language classes and on compiling lists of advanced literature to be purchased for the student library. Georgian teachers, such as Jacob Gogebashvili, were prepared to become conduits of “human Russification”, arguing that only the Russian language allowed their students to access modern science. The transformation of interaction into conflict, which took on the form of a confrontation between the Russian and Georgian “parties” in the seminary, was explained on both sides by its participants’ personal ambitions. They were fighting for power and money, not for the promotion of the Georgian national idea or the defence of Russian interests in the region. David Kezeli was wholly a product of this situation. After completing his studies at the theological school and moving to the seminary, he felt hostility towards his teachers, seeing in them “Famusovs” who were trying to educate him as a “Molchalin”, while he was constructing himself as a “Bazarov”, the only “nihilist” in Georgia. The anachronism of Kezeli’s “nihilistic” identity emphasises his attachment to the generation of “fathers” who determined the literature available to him and provided him with a tool to master it, i. e. the Russian language.

Leonid Shvartsman: An Artistic Reading of the Petersburg Tales by Nikolai Gogol

This article analyses little-known works by artist L. A. Shvartsman (1920–2022) based on the Petersburg Tales by N. V. Gogol. The works from private collections created in 1953–1956 did not attract the attention of researchers at the time, whereas the appeal to the characters of The Overcoat, Portrait, and Nevsky Prospekt was an important stage for Shvartsman in the formation of a personal artistic programme. His studies at the art school at the All-Union Academy of Arts (1937–1941) determined his attitude to classical art and influenced the emotional perception of St Petersburg. The atmosphere of the “thaw” contributed to the master’s appeal to the unsettled life of a “little man”, defenceless in the face of power and a rude crowd. Having achieved fame as an animation film production designer by the mid‑1950s, Shvartsman sought to build his own system of translating verbal language into visual language outside the film production system, independently solving the creative tasks set. By calling his works “illustrations”, the master did not mean a book illustration, for which it is necessary to initially think over the design and style of the publication. The artist went from full-scale sketches, developed colouristic approaches and strove for the self-sufficiency of each work, hence the noticeable easel character of his works. At the same time, they also have expressive images inherent in sketches of animated films, stylised figures, a sense of action that logically develops and is predicted. The artist approached Gogol’s text selectively, focusing on the life and characters of the heroes, on the originality of the St Petersburg environment. He is interested in the image of Akaky Akakievich, moderately funny and ridiculous, but attractive in his fixation on rewriting papers – a matter which he treats with inspiration, with full dedication. Shvartsman did not want to dramatise situations, avoided climaxes, being satisfied with fixing the temptations of life, which, in the end, would lead the characters to a sad ending. In the process of artistic reading of the Petersburg Tales, Shvartsman not only developed expressive images and compositions, but also built his own creative worldview with moral guidelines and rules.

Mediated Translation between Italian and Russian Languages

La forza del destino was commissioned to Giuseppe Verdi by the St Petersburg Imperial Theatres in 1861, and premiered in November 1862,  at the Bolshoy  Kamenny Theatre. The opera was written on a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, and draws its subject from the Spanish drama Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino, by Ángel de Saavedra, through an Italian version by Faustino Sanseverino, and with insertions of fragments from Schiller’s trilogy Wallengstein. In this paper I analyse the genesis of the opera, considering the typical derivation of Italian operatic librettos from pre-existing literary works, a process that combines mediated and inter-semiotic translation. This allows me to show the artistic resources offered by mediated translation in the field of stage literature. On another level of discussion, given that for the Premiere Apollon Grigor’yev translated the libretto from Italian to Russian, I consider the role of translation on the reception of this subject by the local audience.

Orthoflavivirus Lammi in Russia: Possible Transovarial Transmission and Trans-Stadial Survival in Aedes cinereus (Diptera, Culicidae).

In the last few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of discovered viruses that are transmitted by arthropods. Some of them are pathogenic for humans and mammals, and the pathogenic potential of others is unknown. The genus Orthoflavivirus belongs to the family Flaviviridae and includes arboviruses that cause severe human diseases with damage to the central nervous system and hemorrhagic fevers, as well as viruses with unknown vectors and viruses specific only to insects. The latter group includes Lammi virus, first isolated from a mosquito pool in Finland. It is known that Lammi virus successfully replicates in mosquito cell lines but not in mammalian cell cultures or mice. Lammi virus reduces the reproduction of West Nile virus during superinfection and thus has the potential to reduce the spread of West Nile virus in areas where Lammi virus is already circulating. In this work, we isolated Lammi virus from a pool of adult Aedes cinereus mosquitoes that hatched from larvae/pupae collected in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This fact may indicate transovarial transmission and trans-stadial survival of the virus.

History of Agroengineering Science in Saint Petersburg

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, there was a significant development in the field of domestic agricultural engineering science, which focused on the challenges associated with the creation of agricultural machinery. The integration of new technologies in agriculture necessitated a scientific foundation for these advancements, with a keen consideration for the traditional methods of land cultivation. It is posited that the origins of the scientific team at the Institute of Agroengineering and Environmental Problems of Agricultural Production can be traced back to the establishment of the Bureau of Agricultural Mechanics in Saint Petersburg in 1907. (Research purpose) The paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the historical and scientific foundations surrounding the emergence and evolution of agroengineering science in Saint Petersburg; and illustrate the continuity of scientific traditions in addressing production objectives within the realm of «Agroecology». (Materials and methods) The analysis was conducted by drawing upon publications that delve into the inception in Russia agricultural mechanization science, the chronicles of the State Agricultural Museum as well as materials prepared for the 100th anniversary of the Bureau of Agricultural Mechanics’ establishment. (Results and discussion) The paper outlines the primary stages and identifies the scientists who played pivotal roles in the operations of the Bureau during 1907-1917. Commencing its activities in Leningrad in 1930, the Institute was later relocated to Moscow. In Leningrad, branches of both VIM and VIESKH were established, where former members of the Bureau continued their work. Further, after various organizational changes, the Leningrad branches were amalgamated in 1962 to form an independent institution known as NIIMESKH of the North-West. This later evolved into the research and production association «Nechernozemagromash» with the workforce exceeding 1,200 employees. In 2018, the Institute once again became a branch of VIM, with a renewed focus on comprehensive scientific research aimed at ensuring the environmental sustainability of agricultural production. (Conclusions) The most significant outcome stemming from the team’s extensive history is the continuity of knowledge transmission. Presently, operating under the umbrella of the Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM, the team at the Institute of Agroengineering and Environmental Problems of Agricultural Production continues the illustrious traditions of its inaugural predecessor—the Bureau of Agricultural Mechanics. It remains steadfast in its commitment to these traditions in tackling emerging challenges in agricultural science and practice.

Analysis of the impact of cytoreductive surgery in patients with oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma in clinical practice

Cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) and metastasectomy are justified in patients with oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Objective: to evaluate the impact of cytoreductive surgery on survival rates in patients with oligometastatic RCС. Material and Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 342 patients with oligometastatic RCC, who underwent systemic therapy and different types of cytoreductive surgeries at the Municipal Oncology Hospital No. 62 in Moscow and the Municipal Oncoloy Center in Saint Petersburg from 2006 to 2022. Cytoreductive nephrectomy was performed in 332 (97.1 %) patients, metastasectomy in 103 (30.1 %) patients. The survival rates of patients in treatment groups were evaluated using the Survival Analysis by calculating descriptive characteristics of survival time by means of a life-table and Kaplan–Meier curves. The results were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. Results. In the univariate analysis, in patients who underwent CN, the factors that had a negative effect on the prognosis of survival rates were the tumor grade, evidence of bone metastases, levels of ALP, LdH, ESR, as well as prognosis according to the IMdC model and metastasectomy. In the multivariate analysis, only IMdC prognosis was found to have a negative effect on survival rates. In both the univariate and multivariate analysis, in the group of patients who underwent metastasectomy, IMdC prognosis alone had an unfavorable impact on survival rates of patients with oligometastatic RCC. Conclusion. Our study showed that CN and metastasectomy had a statistically significant effect on OS (p=0.02 and p=0.032) of patients with oligometastatic RCC. division of the patients into prognosis groups according to the IMdC model showed that CN did not improve the OS rates in patients with oligometastatic RCC with intermediate and unfavorable prognosis, and metastasectomy significantly increased the OS rates in oligometastatic RCC patients with favorable and unfavorable prognosis (p=0.0055 and p=0.047). When evaluating prognostic factors in patients undergoing CN and metastasectomy, only IMdC prognosis had an impact on the OS rates (p<0.001).

Ground-based measurements of HF and HCl total columns in atmosphere near Saint Petersburg (2009–2023)

ABSTRACT Monitoring of the ozonosphere requires observing the concentration of gases involved in the formation and depletion processes of stratospheric ozone. This study focuses on optimization the ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) method of retrieving total columns of halogen-containing gases hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF). The work describes generally the procedure for selecting parameters to update the technique for deriving their atmospheric contents. Using parameters of the optimized methods, we obtained temporal variability of daily mean values of HCl and HF total columns above St. Petersburg from March 2009 to March 2023 by ground-based measurements of direct solar radiation spectra with a Bruker IFS 125 HR (IR Fourier spectrometer). The linear trends amount to (0.59 ± 0.27) %/year and (−0.26 ± 0.21) %/year for HF and HCl, respectively. The seasonal variability of both gases content was also calculated. The peak of HF total column occurred in March, while the low was observed in November. April showed the maximum of HCl content annually, and the lowest HCl total column appeared in the mid-winter. The results were compared with datasets from the nearest NDACC sites Harestua and Kiruna. Trends and seasonal cycles at the sites are consistent. The analysis of the variability of HCl to HF contents ratio demonstrated the time periods of decrease in HCl content caused by the chemical activity in the stratosphere. Finally, we analysed the ozone layer state over St. Petersburg at the beginning of 2023 using ground-based FTIR-measurements of HCl and HF total columns and satellite measurements of ozone total columns.

Comparison of the effectiveness of intraoperative radiotherapy with external beam radiotherapy in patients with early breast cancer

Background. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The main treatment for breast cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. The role of radiation therapy in the management of breast cancer continues to evolve. Radiation therapy is currently being de-escalated to include the use of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) and adjuvant endocrine therapy. Purpose of the study: to compare the efficacy of IORT with that of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in the treatment of early breast cancer. Material and Methods. A retrospective study of 559 patients with early breast cancer was conducted in Clinical Oncology Center of Saint Petersburg. The main treatment group included 273 patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery with IORT and sentinel lymph node biopsy. The control group included 286 patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery with sentinel lymph node biopsy and EBRT. Results. For all patients, the median follow-up time was 59.1 months (interquartile range: 43.7 to 80.7), the minimum follow-up period was 0.6 months, and the maximum follow-up period was 110.4 months. Recurrence occurred in 18 (6.6 %) patients of the main group and in 8 (2.8 %) patients of the control group. A statistically significant association of biological subtype with survival outcomes was found (p=0.02). The hazard ratio for Luminal B of 1.88 (95 % CI 1.02, 3.46) corresponded to a 65 % chance of an earlier onset of a negative outcome. The hazard ratio for triple-negative breast cancer of 3.01 (95 % CI 1.53, 5.95) corresponded to a 75 % chance of an earlier negative outcome. In the main treatment group, 11 (4 %) patients developed disease progression, and 2 of them died of multiple organ failure. In the control group, disease progression was observed in 18 (6.3 %) patients, 6 of whom died. However, the analysis of overall survival using the Kaplan–Meier curve showed a statistically non-significant log-rank p-value (0.73). The 3-year survival rates were 100 % (100 – 100) in the treatment group and 98.2 % (96.7 – 99.8) in the control group. The 5-yaer survival rates were 99.3 % (97.9 – 100) in the treatment group and 97.8 % (96.2 – 99.6) in the control group. These results showed advantage of IORT over EBRT. Conclusions. Intraoperative radiotherapy is a safe and effective alternative to external beam radiotherapy for early breast cancer.