[Clinical and laboratory associations of liver fibrosis indexes in patients with decompensated Chronic Heart Failure II-IV Functional Classes].

Aim To study clinical and laboratory associations of hepatic fibrosis indexes in patients with decompensated NYHA functional class II-IV chronic heart failure (CHF).Material and methods The study included 128 patients admitted to the cardiological or therapeutic department of the University Clinical Hospital #4 at the I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University) with symptoms of CHF associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and/or arterial hypertension (AH). All patients had signs of liver disease (liver enlargement on physical examination ± diffuse changes in hepatic tissue according to ultrasound data). Mean age was 70.59±10.71 years. Along with general clinical examination, severity of hepatic fibrosis was evaluated by calculated indexes, FIB-4, APRI, MELD-XI, and BARD. All calculations were based on laboratory data obtained within the first two days of hospitalization for decompensated CHF, at the onset of active therapy with intravenous diuretics. Statistical analyses were performed with the R programming language (3.6.1).Results In patients with NYHA FC II-IV CHF, the FIB-4 index significantly increased with the increase in NYHA FC (р<0.05). Also, the high liver density by most fibrosis indexes correlated with the probability of LV EF decrease to <40 % (FIB-4: RR, 1.32 at 95 % CI from 0.53 to 3.28, р=0.079; MELD-XI: RR, 1.62 at 95 % CI from 1.19 to 2.20, р=0.004; BARD: median LV EF, 42.5 % vs. 56 %, р=0.019), and a tendency to heart rhythm disorders was observed (FIB-4: RR, 1.92 at 95 % CI from 0.75 to 4.90, р=0.218; BARD: RR, 1.09 at 95 % CI from 0.97 to 1.22, р=0.174; MELD-XI: RR, 1.34 at 95 % CI from 0.94 to 1.90, р=0.101). Increases in liver fibrosis indexes correlated with other multiorgan disorders in CHF patients evident as a decrease in platelet count (FIB-4: р<0.01; APRI: р=0.045) and a tendency to a decrease in hemoglobin (FIB-4: 127 g/l vs. 137 g/l, p=0.249; APRI: 127 g/l vs. 136 g/l, p=0.749). Patients with a high liver density more frequently had cardiorenal syndrome diagnosed by reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated by CKD-EPI to less than 60 ml/min / 1.73 m2 (FIB-4: р<0.03; MELD-XI: p=0.0001; BARD: р=0.005). In comparing liver fibrosis indexes in subgroups of CHF patients with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF), significant differences were found only for MELD-XI (12.08 vs. 9.32, р=0.001).Conclusions For all studied indexes, correlations were observed with LV EF, decreases in hemoglobin, and incidence of heart rhythm disorders. For the BARD, FIB-4, and MELD-XI indexes, high results of calculations correlated with the presence of other predictors for unfavorable prognosis and disease severity (LV EF, NYHA FC, presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and lower GFR). Liver fibrosis indexes are a new and promising but understudied instrument for evaluation of prognosis in CHF patients, which requires further study to determine most appropriate prognostic formulas.

BCR/ABL preleukemic fusion gene in subpopulations of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from human UCB.

The BCR/ABL preleukemic fusion gene (PFG) is one of the most frequent fusion genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and was also detected in hematopoietic cells from umbilical cord blood (UCB) of healthy newborns. Since hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) are considered to be a critical cellular target for origination of leukemia, we have studied the presence of BCR/ABL PFG in expanded subpopulations of HSPC and differentiated cells from UCB of those healthy newborns, who have previously been tested positive for BCR/ABL by screening of their UCB mononuclear cells using RT-qPCR and FISH methods. We isolated cells from human UCB samples positive for BCR/ABL and negative controls. The isolated cells were sorted into 5 hematopoietic and progenitor cell subpopulations. We analyzed BCR/ABL in sorted and expanded subpopulations of UCB using FISH and RT-qPCR. We found that the number of BCR/ABL positive cells was similar in each studied subpopulation and the same as in differentiated lymphocytes. Our data showed that there is no specific subpopulation of hematopoietic and progenitor stem cells with an increased leukemogenic potential due to the presence of higher copies of BCR/ABL.

[Registration of changes in the nucleoide conformation based on the analysis of the time dependence of viscosity].

The sensitivity of the method of anomalous time dependence of viscosity to changes in the conformation of DNA-protein complexes (such as nucleoide) by the action of (1) nalidixic acid on cells and (2) one- and two-charged ions Na+, Cl-, Cu2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, SO4(2-) on Escherichia coli cells has been studied. The data obtained suggest that the method anomalous time dependence of viscosity is highly sensitive to the conformation of high-molecular DNA-protein complexes. It was shown that the method anomalous time dependence of viscosity can be used to register cell sensitivity to changes in the concentration of one- and two-charged ions in suspension.

[The use of the method of anomalous time dependence of viscosity for registration of changes in the nucleoide conformation. Part 1].

The sensitivity of the method of anomalous time dependence of viscosity to changes in the conformation of DNA-protein complexes (such as nucleoide) by the action of increased temperature (33, 70 and 85 degrees C) and the combined action of temperature and Na+, Cl- ions on lysates of Escherichia coli AB1157 cells has been studied. The optimal conditions of the cell lysis was determined on the basis of the curve parameters of the anomalous time dependence of viscosity.

[The peculiarities of the microwave in the frequency range of 51-52 GHz spectrum effects on E. coli cells].

The effects of microwaves on conformation of nucleoids in E. coli cells were studied by the method of anomalous viscosity time dependence (AVTD) at various frequencies in the range of 51-52 GHz and the power flux density of 100 microW/cm(2) . Linearly polarized microwaves resulted in significant effects within specific frequency windows of resonance type. The distances between frequency windows were in the range of 55-180 MHz. Only one of two possible circular polarizations, left-handed or right-handed, was shown to be effective at each frequency window. The sign of effective circular polarization alternated between frequency windows. We show that the effects of microwaves on E. coli cells as measured by the AVTD technique are not caused by adhesion of cells. The half-width of the 51.575 GHz resonance was measured to be 120+/-20 MHz. This value is very close to the half-width of the 51.755 GHz resonance as it has previously been determined at the same power flux density. The obtained data suggest similar targets for effects of microwaves at these two resonance frequencies and provide evidence for non-thermal nature of observed microwave effects.

[The effects of the microwaves on E. coli cells depend on oxygen concentration and static magnetic field].

The effects of non-thermal microwaves (MW), 10(-4) and 10(-10) W/cm(2), on conformation of nucleoids in E. coli cells were analyzed by the method of anomalous viscosity time dependence (AVTD). MW exposure was performed at different values of static magnetic field and concentration of oxygen, 8-90 microT, and 2.3-7.8 mg/l, respectively. It was shown, that slight changes in both static magnetic field and oxygen concentration result in significant changes of MW effects up to their disappearance. It was established, that changes in static magnetic field affected significantly the time kinetics of the MW effects. The obtained data provide further evidence for strong dependence of the effects of non-thermal microwaves on physical parameters of exposure and physiological factors. These dependences should be taken into account in replication studies. The obtained results encourage further investigation of possible modulation of non-thermal MW effects by additional electromagnetic fields.

[Structum in combined treatment of low back pain syndrome]. / Primenenie struktuma v kompleksnom lechenii sindroma bolei nizhnei chasti spiny.

AIM: To assess duration of a clinical response and tolerance of structum in patients with low back pain (LBP) and comorbid cardiovascular disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 25 patients with primary LBP and coronary heart disease (n = 13) and/or essential arterial hypertension (n = 18) were examined and treated for 6 months with structum. RESULTS: To the end of the first treatment months structum significantly relieved pain intensity, spinal motility, increased exercise tolerance. Excellent and good response to structum were observed in 71% patients, no response was in 29%. Tolerance of the drug was good in 23 (92%) patients. The effect persisted for 3 months. CHD characteristics did not change while arterial pressure went down noticiably. CONCLUSION: Structum is highly effective in the treatment of LBP. Its long-term intake had no effect on CHD.

[Method of the anomalous time dependence of viscosity for registration of changes in conformational state of Escherichia coli cell genome]. / Primenenie metoda anomal'noi vremennoi zavisimosti viazkosti dlia registratsii izmenenii v konformatsionnom sostoianii genoma kletok Escherichia coli.

The sensitivity of the anomalous time dependence of viscosity to the concentration of the DNA-protein complexes (DNA + histone-like proteins of bacteria or, in other words, the genome) such as chromatin and the conformations of these complexes in lysates of E. coli AB1157 cells were studied. A linear region of the anomalous viscosity time dependence on the concentration of E. coli cells was found in which the interactions between single DNA-protein complexes can be neglected. The response of the genome of E. coli to ethidium bromide at concentrations of 0.0003-3 mg/ml was studied. Significant differences in the effect of ethidium bromide on E. coli cells in the stationary and logarithmic growth phases were found. The effect of heating cell lysates, the molar concentration of NaCl in lysates, and the addition of proteins into lysates on the parameters of the anomalous viscosity time dependence was studied. It was shown that proteins do not contribute significantly to the effect of anomalous viscosity time dependence. The results obtained confirm that the method is sensitive to changes in the conformational state of the genome of E. coli cells.

[Morphological characteristics of lungs in embryos and fetuses in women living in regions contaminated with radionuclides after accident at the Chernobyl power plant]. / Morfologicheskaia kharakteristika legkikh émbrionov i plodov materei, prozhivaiushchikh na territorii, zagriaznennoi radionuklidami posle avarii na Chernobyl'skoi AES.

The possibility of transplacental passage of Cr-90 and Cs-137 as well as their traces appearance in descendants muscles and bones beginning from the 2nd pregnancy trimester (and this was sometimes associated with teratogenic effects) was demonstrated on the abortion material (human embryos and fetuses) from the controlled zones of the Bryansk region. Statistically significant inhibition of the bronchial branching (according to the morphometry of the lung histological section) this indicating the disturbance of the lung prenatal morphogenesis during the "pseudoglandular" developmental stage was observed in the 1st trimester of the pregnancy in the descendants of the irradiated mothers. Lung hypoplasia was observed in some cases in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of the pregnancy. Activation of lymphoid cells in the fetal lungs and the tendency to the enhancement in them of the ectopic erythroid hemopoiesis was revealed. These processes are considered as a reflection of the compensatory adaptive cellular reaction in the descendants respiratory organs in response to the tissue hypoxia and antigenic stimuli from the organism of the pregnant woman irradiated after the Chernobyl accident.

[Study of 137Cs transfer across the placenta to the rat fetuses and effect of ferrocin on these processes]. / Issledovanie zakonomernostei perekhoda 137Cs cherez platsentu v plody beremennykh krys i vliianie ferrotsina na éti protsessy.

The 137Cs placental transfer to the fetuses was studied using a daily oral 137Cs administration to pregnant rats. At day 19 of gestation, the fetuses receive 0.8% of the amount administered to the female. A daily application of ferrocinum reduces the 137Cs content of the female body by 82-84% and decreases the fetal accumulation down to 0.14%.

[Chromosome aberrations, chromatin diminution and their significance in understanding the molecular genetic organization of eukaryotic chromosomes]. / Aberratsii khromosom, diminutsiia khromatina i ikh znachenie v ponimanii molekuliarno-geneticheskoi organizatsii khromosom éukariot.

The paper analyzes the significance of new data obtained in the study of mechanism of formation of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations and in the investigation of chromatin diminution for understanding of the principles of the molecular genetical organization of eucaryotic chromosome. It is concluded that the structure of eucaryotic chromosome follows a certain plan. For its formation, a large number of various innovations were necessary, which could not been prepared simultaneously under the directed action of natural selection based upon the stochastic mutation process.

[A model of phase modulation of high frequency nucleoid oscillations in reactions of E. coli cells to weak static and low-frequency magnetic fields]. / Model' fazovoi moduliatsii vysokochastotnykh kolebanii nukleoida v reaktsii kletok E. coli na slabye postoiannye i nizkochastotnye magnitnye polia.

The method of anomalous viscosity time dependencies was used to investigated the influence of extremely low frequency alternating and static magnetic field on the genome conformational state of E. coli K12 AB1157 cells. The physical model was developed on the base of obtained results to describe effects of weak static and alternating magnetic fields on the living cells. In this model the high frequency of oscillations of a charged nucleoid are considered with a classical approach. The wave-like dependence of maximum effect on magnetic induction within the range from 0 to 110 microT was established.

[Physical model of the anomalous time dependence effect of viscosity in high molecular weight DNA-protein complex solutions]. / Fizicheskaia model' éffekta anomal'noi vremennoi zavisimosti viazkosti v rastvorakh vysokomolekuliarnykh DNK-belkovykh kompleksov.

An anomalous dependence of viscosity on time in solutions of high-molecular DNA-protein complexes was found. A physical model is proposed which accounts for the presence of such anomalous dependence. The dependence of viscosity on the ratio of rotor and stator radii of the viscosimeter and the value of the twisting moment was analyzed.

[The treatment and prosthesis after an interilioabdominal amputation for sarcomas of the bones and soft tissues]. / Lechenie i protezirovanie posle mezhpodvzdoshno-briushnoi amputatsii po povodu sarkom kostei i miagkikh tkanei.

According to data of the Research Institute of Oncology named after N. N. Petrov, progress was achieved in treatment of patients who were subject to interilioabdominal amputation for malignant tumors. Five years survival after such operations was 19.7 +/- 3.4%. The prosthesis for patients subjected to interilioabdominal amputations was developed in Research Institute of Prosthesis (Saint Petersburg). It was successfully used in 11 patients in the age from 8 to 51 years. The original construction of the prosthesis gives the patients possibility to walk without crutches, move along staircases with 25-cm-high footsteps and to use urban transport.

[Modification of the body's resistance to acute ionizing radiation by synthetic beta-carotene]. / Modifikatsiia sinteticheskim beta-karotinom rezistentnosti organizma k ostrym ioniziruiushchim vozdeistviiam.

Radiomodifying efficiency of short-term and chronic medicinal and treatment-prophylactic enrichment of rations with artificial beta-carotene, administered at single doses of 0.1-10.0 mg, were studied after acute external gamma-irradiation of adult nonlinear and Wistar rats (0.029 Gy/s) or female SBA mice (0.0037 Gy/s), where the absorbed dose was equal to 8-3 Gy or 9.9-9.5 Gy, respectively. Suspension of beta-carotene paste in olive oil accelerated death of rats irradiated at doses of 8 and 7 Gy (P = 0.04), and shortened their lifespan. At a dose of 6 Gy single and long-term enrichment of rations with beta-carotene decreased the rate of rat death within 30 days from 33.3% to 16.7% (P = 0.14) and 3.3% (P = 0.01), while their life time was increased from 48 days to 67 days (P = 0.05) and 508 days (P = 0.01). beta-Carotene was found to affect favourably the radiation-induced (5 Gy) leukocytopenia, and decreased thymus mass (6 Gy) and body weight (8 Gy). In treatment-prophylactic enrichment with beta-carotene of mice (9.9 Gy) ration their survival was increased from 15% to 30% and lifespan from 14.4 days to 28.9 days (P = 0.05). During medicinal or treatment-prophylactic courses of beta-carotene death of mice (9.7 Gy) was decreased from 75% to 35% (P = 0.01) or 60% and life time was increased from 16.7 days to 22.17 days or 39.9 days (P = 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Certain parameters of beta-carotene metabolism in the rat]. / Nekotorye parametry metabolizma beta-karotina v organizme krys.

Concentration of retinoids was decreased from 24.5 micrograms/100 ml to 13.5 micrograms/100 ml of blood serum in rats with ageing, during 2-11 months; these rats were maintained on a standard ration. Enrichment of rat ration with beta-carotene caused a statistically significant increase in content of retinoids in blood serum from 24.5 micrograms/100 ml to 48.6 micrograms/100 ml within early periods (1-72 hrs), while within later periods (0.25-2 months) the retinoid content was similar to that of control intact animals. After single and, especially, in long-term treatments with beta-carotene dose-dependent deposition of the carotenoid and increase in content of retinoids were detected in liver tissue. Use of white rats is of importance in principle for evaluation of beta-carotene caused modifications of pathological states developed under influence of unsuitable environmental factors.

[Prospects of the use of beta-carotene enriched food products in the prevention and therapy of radiation injuries]. / Perspektivy ispol'zovaniia obogashchennykh beta-karotinom pishchevykh produktov v profilaktike i terapii luchevykh porazhenii.

Radio-protective effectiveness of short-term (19 and 4 h before, 4 and 24 h after irradiation), long-term (3 times/week during 30 days after irradiation) and delayed (1 or 2 days after irradiation) enrichment with crystallized beta-carotene, in single doses of 0.1, 1.0 or 5.0 mg was evaluated in experimental acute external gamma-irradiation (0.029 Gy/sec) within the range of absorbed doses 9--6 Gy. The results obtained have permitted the authors to recommend the ration enriched with carotinoid for prevention and therapy of acute radiation injuries.

[The radioprotective efficacy of karotinil under acute external and internal irradiation]. / Radiozashchitnaia éffektivnost' karotinila pri vneshnem i vnutrennem ostrom obluchenii.

Radioprotective, with respect to the whole body and reproductive system, geroprotective and anticarcinogenic properties of carotinyl after single acute external gamma-irradiation or exposure to tritium oxide have been revealed. It is concluded that the use of beta-carotene-containing substances is highly promising in preventing remote effects of chronic irradiation at low rates of absorbed doses, particularly the effects of incorporated radioactive substances.

[Evaluation and correction of the vitamin C status in relation to the problem of the experimental modification of long-term radiation effects]. / Otsenka i korrektsiia C-vitaminnogo statusa v probleme éksperimental'noi modifikatsii otdalennykh posledstvii radiatsionnykh vozdeistvii.

A lognormal double-peak pattern of ascorbic acid content distribution within rat daily urine and the presence in the population of vitamin C hypo-, hyper-, and normally producing individuals have been established. Radiation-induced changes in the C-vitamin status of rats during their lifetime were assessed by average geometrical levels of acid excretion. A 1.5-3-fold decrease in providing vitamin C producing animals with vitamin C was demonstrated a year after intrapulmonary incorporation of 239PuO2.