[Increase in the incidence and risk of birth of children with Down's syndrome in Leningrad (1982-1989)]. / Uvelichenie chastoty i riska rozhdeniia detei s bolezn'iu Dauna v Leningrade (1982-1989).

Among 559,286 infants born in Leningrad in 1982-1989, there was revealed 744 infants (1.33/1000) with Down's syndrome (DS). The age distribution for their mothers as well as for 79,571 parturient women in the general population was investigated. The data regarding the period studied was compared with the results of a similar investigation conducted during of 1945-1961. A decrease in maternal age in the population was demonstrated. This was more pronounced for the mothers of affected infants. A 1.4- to 2.2-fold increase of birth risks for DS was found in all maternal age groups. The doubling of the risk value occurred by the age of 30-34, in contrast to 35-39 in 1945-1961.

[Indicators of lipid metabolism and lipid peroxidation system in patients with different types of lesions of the vessels of the lower limbs]. / Pokazateli lipidnogo obmena i sistemy perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov u lits s razlichnymi tipami porazhenii sosudov nizhnikh konechnostei.

A total of 66 patients were investigated with IR imager and television capillaroscopy for the blood circulation in the vessels of low extremities as well as for the values of lipid metabolism and the system of lipid peroxidation. According to the status of the vascular system in the low extremities the examinees were divided into the groups with the normal status of the vascular system, the groups with the signs of venous insufficiency, microcirculatory disorders and atherosclerosis of major vessels. With the disorders of microcirculation in low extremities staged increments in the atherogenic shifts in the exchange were demonstrated. It was suggested that atherosclerotic changes in the arteries could be preceded with the hemodynamic changes in the venous and capillary systems due to rheological disorders due to the development of hypercoagulation which accompanied dyslipoproteinemias and other atherogenic shifts in the metabolism.

[Indicators of lipid metabolism and the blood lipid peroxidation system in men with regard to hereditary predisposition to atherosclerotic vascular pathology]. / Pokazateli lipidnogo obmena i sistemy perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov krovi u muzhchin s uchetom nasledstvennoi predraspolozhennosti k ateroskleroticheskoi sosudistoi patologii.

Lipid metabolism and the blood lipid peroxidation system were examined in 56 military males living in rather similar conditions. The parameters in question were compared in the following groups: (1) control subjects, including healthy individuals without a family history of atherosclerotic vascular abnormalities; (2) healthy subjects with a family history of atherosclerosis; (3) patients with coronary heart diseases. There were significant differences only in single cases between the groups. The application of a system of grids setting upright the distribution curves for the parameters under study proved to be effective in finding significant differences between the groups, showing the value of the hereditary factors in the development of atherogenic lipid changes.

[Indicators of lipid peroxidation in the blood in hereditary predisposition to arteriosclerosis]. / Pokazateli perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov krovi pri nasledstvennom predraspolozhenii k aterosklerozu.

In members of the families whose parents had atherosclerosis complicated by macrofocal myocardial infarction or stroke, the serum level of lipid peroxidation products was correlated to enzymatic activity of neutrophil and red blood cells oxidation-antioxidation. In persons with hereditary predisposition to atherosclerosis both with clinical signs of atherosclerosis and phenotypically healthy against the control group there was elevated content of plasma acylhydroperoxides and hypoactivity of neutrophil myeloperoxidase. Determination of lipid peroxidation products by malonic dealdehyde showed this parameter to be higher in members of the families of the study group and in those with cardiovascular disorders. For those whose parents had atherosclerosis versus control subjects there were no differences in the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutation peroxidase and catalase in the blood red cells. Shifts in lipid peroxidation and activity of blood myeloperoxidase are identical in type and may represent a pathogenetic ling in formation of hereditary predisposition to cardiovascular disorders of atherosclerotic origin, the detection of which becomes feasible in a subclinical period.

[Blood lipids and lipid peroxides in the families of patients with ischemic heart disease]. / Lipidy i lipoperoksidy krovi v se'miakh bo'lnykh ishemicheskoi bolez'niu serdtsa.

Levels of some fractions of blood neutral lipids and lipoperoxides were compared in the families of patients with coronary heart disease. The patients and their relatives (including healthy ones) were found to show a statistically significant increase in the atherogenic index, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, total lipid, and lipoperoxide concentrations and a decrease in high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as against controls. The changes in the values of lipids and lipoperoxides in the families of patients with coronary heart disease were homogenous and might be one of the pathogenetic links in the formation of hereditary predisposition to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases which might be detected in a prehospital period.

[Myeloperoxidase of neutrophils and its possible role in lipid peroxidation processes in arteriosclerosis]. / Mieloperoksidaza neitrofilov krovi i ee vozmozhnoe uchastie v protsessakh perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov pri ateroskleroze.

Activity of blood plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) of neutrophil leucocytes and acetyl hydroperoxides was studied in families of atherosclerosis patients. The neutrophil MPO activity was decreased and the blood plasma content of acetyl hydroperoxides was increased in subjects with hereditary predisposition to atherosclerosis. The role of MPO and its possible pathogenetic action as a generator of the active forms of oxygen in atherosclerosis and its complications has been discussed.

[Atherosclerosis and the process of lipid peroxidation]. / Ateroskleroz i protsess perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov.

Reported data on lipid peroxidation (LPO) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are summarized. Numerous evidences are presented in favor of the fact that atherosclerotic vascular lesions are accompanied with disordered blood LPO, resulting in the accumulation of excessive quantities of peroxide derivatives, an important pathogenetic sign of this disease, along with blood lipid and lipoprotein levels, and clinico-instrumental findings. Oxidation and antioxidation factors whose balanced interaction contributes to the control of LPO activity are described.

[The origin of an extra chromosome 21 in families of children with Down syndrome]. / Izuchenie proiskhozhdeniia dopolnitel'noi khromosomy 21 v sem'iakh detei s bolezn'iu Dauna.

These are the first studies on the origin of nondisjunction of trisomy 21 in the USSR. Parental contribution was established in 84 of 140 families observed. In 66% cases the nondisjunction took place in oogenesis and in 34% cases - in spermatogenesis. Among the children, who inherited the additional chromosome from father, boys predominate. Compilative work on all the data available concerning the origin of the 21 nondisjunction has been performed; the factors favouring nondisjunction in I and II mitotic divisions in female meiosis, both genetical and age-dependent, have been considered. The great importance of the disturbances taking place in spermatogenesis for etiology is emphasized. It is proved that somatic hyperploidy does not serve as an indicator of predisposition for chromosome nondisjunction in meiosis.

[Comparative study, using fluorescent methods, of cell membranes and their reconstituted liposomes]. / Sravnitel'noe izuchenie fliuorestsentnymi metodami kletochnykh membran i rekonstruirovannykh iz ikh liposom.

Cell plasma membranes and proteoliposomes reconstituted from solubilized plasma membranes of thymocytes and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells have been studied by fluorescent methods. It has been shown that proteoliposomes are characterized by greater polarization and rigidity of microsurroundings in membrane proteins and greater microviscosity of membrane lipids. Proteoliposomes from thymocyte membranes contain less membrane proteins and express lower polarity of the lipid bilayer than proteoliposomes from Ehrlich ascites cells.

[Accumulation of DNA structural damages in human lymphocytes during aging]. / Narastanie povrezhdenii struktury DNK v limfotsitakh liudei pri starenii.

Elastoviscosometric parameters of DNA from normal subjects of different age and patients with Down syndrome were assessed. Characteristics of DNA isolated from lymphocytes trisomic for chromosome 21 were studied to compare normal and pathological rates of ageing. Increased elastoviscosity was observed in normal subjects above 60. Similar changes in this parameter were noted in aberrant lymphocytes isolated from patients above 10. The established dependence of elastoviscosity on ethidium bromide concentration led to the assumption that an increase in hydrodynamic DNA volume in human leukocytes during ageing was due to accumulation of spontaneous irreparable DNA lesions.

[Serotonin concentration and transport in the blood platelets of ischemic stroke patients and their relatives]. / O soderzhanii serotonina i ego transporte v trombotsitakh krovi bol'nykh s ishemicheskim insul'tom i ikh rodstvennikov.

Serotonin levels and transport were studied in patients with ischemic stroke (n = 31), their relatives (n = 50) and clinically healthy subjects (n = 45). A statistically significant difference was found in the absorption of exogenic serotonin in the patients and relatives. It has been shown that if judged by serotonin levels, the distribution curves in the control subjects patients with ischemic stroke and their relatives correspond to a model of the polygenic type of the heredity of the traits studied.