[Molecular Mechanisms of Interactions between Mitochondria and the Endoplasmic Reticulum: A New Look at How Important Cell Functions are Supported].

Interactions between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria have received insufficient attention until recently. However, distorted contacts between the ER and mitochondria were identified as an important factor in the etiopathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In view of these new data, the mechanisms of ER-mitochondrial interactions are necessary to study in detail in order to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to neurodegenerative diseases and to extend basic knowledge of the physiology of the eukaryotic cell. The review focuses on the functions of mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs). Structural elements of the MAM system, their contributions to the vital cell functions (calcium and lipid homeostasis, autophagy, fusion and division of mitochondria, and the regulation of their number), and the role of MAM dysfunctions in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases are considered.

[Depression in alcohol addicted patients].

In this review, authors considered characteristics of depression and alcohol addiction. Depressive disorders comorbid to alcoholism are heterogeneous in their nature and structure and can be observed during alcohol withdrawal syndrome and in remission. Antidepressants, and first of all selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), along with the specific anti-relapse drugs (disulfiram, acamprosate and naltrexone), are the drugs of choice in treatment of alcohol addiction. Efficient combinations of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy can improve outcomes of both comorbid disorders.

Synovial sarcoma of the extremities and trunk: a long-lasting disease.

Synovial sarcoma (SS) of an extremity or trunk is relatively rare and is approached by limb sparing surgery (LSS), radiation therapy (RT) and chemotherapy. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical and histopathological data of 73 patients with proven SS. At a median follow-up time of 6 years, local recurrence was seen in 17.8 and systemic recurrence 35.6% of patients (local-only, 6.8; systemic-only, 24.6; combined, 11%). The 10-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), systemic recurrence-free survival (SRFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 78, 68 and 61%, respectively. LRFS was significantly better in patients treated with isolated limb perfusion (ILP); SRFS was influenced by the delay until diagnosis. The practical aspects of our observations are the need for long-term follow-up in order to diagnose recurrences, the fact that not all local or distant recurrences are necessarily associated with a shortening of OS time and the important role of induction ILP with TNF in cases of extremity SS.

Use of potentiated preparations to relieve alcohol and opium withdrawal syndromes.

The efficiency of potentiated preparations from ethanol and morphine hydrochloride in the therapy of patients with alcohol and opium withdrawal syndromes was compared in an open clinical trial. Potentiated ethanol relieved the major clinical manifestations, possessed hypnagogic properties, and reduced the severity of neurological and vegetative disorders in patients with the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Potentiated morphine produced the anxiolytic, myorelaxing, and analgetic effects. Test preparations did not cause side effects.

Proproten-100 in the therapy of patients with the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

The efficiency of Proproten-100 containing antibodies to S100 protein in ultralow doses and used to relieve somatovegetative and psychoneurological manifestations of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome was studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The preparation possessed anxiolytic, sedative, hypnagogic, and vegetostabilizing properties. Proproten-100 more rapidly relieved the alcohol withdrawal syndrome than standard drugs (by 2 times). Proproten-100 may used in combination with detoxicating and symptomatic drugs to treat patients with severe disorders. The preparation did not cause side effects. Our observations indicate that Proproten-100 may be used alone (monotherapy) or in combination with standard pharmaceutics for treatment of patients with the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

Use of ANAR for the therapy of opium withdrawal syndrome.

We studied the efficiency of ANAR containing antibodies to morphine (dilutions C300 and C200) in the therapy of patients with the opium withdrawal syndrome. In patients with moderate to severe forms of the opium withdrawal syndrome therapeutic activity of ANAR was comparable to that of standard symptomatic drugs. ANAR possessed vegetostabilizing, sedative, and analgetic properties. Treatment with ANAR allowed us to reduce doses of psychotropic and analgetic preparations and delay the development of withdrawal symptoms by 18-24 h.

Psychotherapeutic application of group hypnosis.

This clinical observational study examined the effects of group hypnosis on psychosomatic disorders. A psychotherapist conducted hypnotic sessions with a single group of 306 people on four consecutive days. Our follow-up studies indicated that group hypnosis can have strong positive effects on many types of disorders. The depth of hypnosis was not related to the level of improvement. The results suggest that the human body has considerable potential for psychophysiological regulation.

[Hemodynamic changes in patients with myocardial infarct complicated by acute left ventricular failure during combined nitroglycerin and dobutamine therapy]. / Izmeneniia gemodinamiki u bol'nykh infarktom miokarda, oslozhnennym ostroi levozheludochkovoi nedostatochnost'iu, pri kombinirovannoi terapii nitroglitserinom i dobutaminom.

A total of 18 patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by acute left ventricular failure were examined for their central hemodynamics. Intravenous nitroglycerin was shown to cause positive changes in central hemodynamic parameters, but it failed to normalize the hemodynamics in patients with baseline low blood pressure, as nitroglycerin induced a further reduction in blood pressure. A combined administration of nitroglycerin and dobutamine solutions contributes to hemodynamic normalization and is indicated for patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by acute left ventricular failure at a baseline low blood pressure.

[Study of the relations between prazosin administration schedule for patients with subacute myocardial infarction and the type of central hemodynamics based on pharmacokinetic data]. / Zavisimost' rezhima naznacheniia prazozina bol'nym podostrym infarktom miokarda ot tipa ikh tsentral'noi gemodinamiki na osnove farmakokineticheskikh dannykh.

The model-independent pharmacokinetics and hemodynamics were studied in 48 patients (35 males and 13 females; mean age, 60.0 +/- 1.3 years) with primary myocardial infarction of various sites. After a single dose of 2-5 mg prazosin, the mean prazosin molecule retention time, systemic clearance and distribution were found to be substantially different from those in the groups formed by the central hemodynamic types recorded before the drug administration. The interval between the maintenance doses was recommended to be 8 hours for the hypokinetic type, 7 hours for the hypovolemic type and 6 hours for the congestive and eukinetic types. In the models with "saturated" effects it was calculated that the optimal therapeutic effect of prazosin in patients with myocardial infarction was seen in the plasma concentration range of 50-80-100 ng/ml, whose attainment required its single dose of 3-5 mg 3-4 times a day during its course monotherapy.

[The pharmacokinetics and the concentration-and-effect relationship of prazosin in patients at the beginning of the subacute period of myocardial infarct complicated by the development of heart failure]. / Farmakokinetika i vzaimosviaz' kontsentratsii i éffekta prazozina u bol'nykh v nachale podostrogo perioda infarkta miokarda, oslozhnennogo razvitiem serdechnoi nedostatochnosti.

The pharmacokinetics of prazosin was studied in 16 patients in the early subacute period of myocardial infarction complicated with heart failure following a single and 10-day administration. The increase of the half-life of the drug (6.6 +/- 1.6 h) and the elevation of the blood plasma concentration 1-2.5 h after administration (87 +/- 33 ng/ml) were found. After 10-day administration the increase of the apparent total clearance of the drug was established. The blood plasma levels of prazosin significantly correlated with the change of the hemodynamic parameters measured invasively after a single administration of 2-5 mg of the drug. After 10 days of treatment the correlation weakened and the regression line angle reduced that reflected the development of tolerance to the drug. On the basis of the calculated effective concentrations, there were determined the optimal intervals of the drug dosage.

[Prazosin pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in patients with myocardial infarct complicated by heart failure in the subacute period]. / Farmakodinamika i farmakokinetika prazozina u bol'nykh infarktom miokarda, oslozhnennym v podostrom periode serdechnoi nedostatochnost'iu.

Central hemodynamic parameters were monitored by invasive procedures (pulmonary arterial catheterization), and prazosin kinetics following the administration of a single 5 mg dose were determined in 69 patients with subacute myocardial infarction, complicated by heart failure. The response to prazosin was dependent on pretreatment hemodynamic parameters and differed between patients with early and manifest heart failure. There was a correlation between the peaks of hemodynamic change and drug concentration.