[Clinico-electromyographic studies in congenital spinal hernia]. / Kliniko-elektromiograficheskoe issledovanie pri vrozhdennykh spinnomozgovykh gryzhakh.

As many as 33 children operated on for congenital meningocele of the inferior parts of the spine were subjected to clinicoelectromyographic studies. Alterations seen in the amplitude of the maximum M-response serve as one of the objective indicators of the degree of neuromuscular lesions. According to the magnitude of that amplitude, the patients were distributed into 4 groups: I /0 mV/, group II /0-1 mV/, group III /1-6 mV/, group IV /more than 6 mV/. The F wave reflecting the status of antidromic excitability of the spinal motoneurons is only recordable in groups III and IV of the patients (65%), with the magnitude of the maximum M-response being over I mV. H-reflex, as an indicator of reflex excitability of the motoneurons, is the most labile electromyographic parameter which is only recordable in some patients belonging to group IV, constituting 12% of the total number of the examined patients.

[Syndrome of excessive growth of the cutaneous integument in spinal cord hernias]. / Sindrom izbytochnogo razvitiia kozhnykh pokrovov pri spinnomozgovykh gryzhakh.

Combination of clinical manifestations of skin hyperplasia in spinal hernias with signs of connective tissue lesion (articular hypermobility, skin hyperelasticity, trophic disorders) indicates involvement of the spinal cord and its radicles which is confirmed by electromyographic findings. Early surgical treatment of spinal hernias prevents the development of irreversible changes in the nervous system and progression of neurological manifestations. It is also important that such patients find occupation which would not be associated with excessive strain on the vertebral column and overextension of the limb ligaments.

[Steroid saponins from the rhizomes of Dioscorea caucasica Lipsky]. / Steroidnye saponiny iz kornevishch dioskorei kavkazskoi Dioscorea caucasica Lipsky.

Deltonin or diosgenin-3-0-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2)-[beta-D- glucopyranosyl-(1----4)-]-beta-D-glucopyranoside, m. p. 282 degrees, [alpha] 20(546): -96.4 degrees (c 1, pyridine) and a new oligospirostanoside beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----3'' Glcp)-deltonin, m. p. 242-243 degrees, [alpha]20(546): -63.7 degrees (c 1, pyridine) were isolated from rhizomes of Dioscorea caucasica.

[Isolation and properties of saponins from rhizomes of Dioscorea deltoidea Wall]. / Vydelenie i svoistva saponinov iz kornevishch Dioscorea deltoidea Wall

From the rhizome D. deltoidea a new trisaccharide of diosgenine has been isolated. This compound is diosgenine-3 (alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2gl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4 gl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside. This trisaccharide has been termed deltonine. The rhizome D. deltoidea has also displayed furostanolic tetrasaccharide which is a mixture of delta5-furostene-3beta, 22, 26-triol-3beta-deltotrioside-26beta-D-glucopyranoside and its alkoxyderivative. This tetrasaccharide has been termed deltoside. The rhizome has also small quantities of diosgenine-3-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside.