The strong specific effect of coions on micellar growth from molecular-thermodynamic theory.

Viscoelastic solutions of ionic surfactants with an added salt exhibit a surprisingly strong dependence of their behavior on the nature of the added coion. We apply a recently proposed molecular-thermodynamic model to elucidate the effect of a coion's specificity on the aggregation of cationic and anionic surfactants. We show that micellar growth and branching are opposed by penetration of coions inside a micelle's corona leading to an increase of the aggregate's preferential curvature. These effects result from hydration/dehydration and dispersion attraction of coions and are only important at high salinity where electrostatic repulsion of coions from the micelle is screened and where branching of micelles and viscosity maxima are observed. At low and medium salinity, the coion plays a minor role; its effect on critical micelle concentration and sphere-to-rod transitions is insignificant. Our molecular-thermodynamic approach describes the specific effects of both counterions and coions and their different roles at different salinity levels based on a unified physical picture.

[Dynamic hierarchy of regulatory peptides. Structure of the induction relations of regulators as the target for therapeutic agents].

Based on the database information (literature period 1970-2010 gg.) on the effects of regulatory peptides (RP) and non-peptide neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, norepi-nephrine, acetylcholine) it was analyzed of possible cascade processes of endogenous regulators. It was found that the entire continuum of RP and mediators is a chaotic soup of the ordered three-level compartments. Such a dynamic functional hierarchy of endogenous regulators allows to create start-up and corrective tasks for a variety of physiological functions. Some examples of static and dynamic patterns of induction processes of RP and mediators (that regulate the states of anxiety, depression, learning and memory, feeding behavior, reproductive processes, etc.) are considered.

[Research of interactions in the dopamine-serotonin-somatostatin system promises new outlook in fundamental and practical respects].

Dopamine and serotonin are the two important key neurotransmitters, which participate in the formation and regulation of various physiological parameters in the normal and pathological states. It is very interesting and important in both fundamental and practical respect to analyze interactions of dopamine and serotonin with somatostatin--a peptide hormone suppressing the secretion of many other regulatory peptides and various bioactive substances. In the present work, a huge amount of experimental data on the interactions of dopamine and serotonin with somatostatin was collected and analyzed. Literature sources mainly cover the period of 1970 - 2006. Compilation of an information database on dopamine/serotonin--somatostatin interactions has been the next stage. Analysis of the effects of dopamine and somatostatin revealed unilateral influence of these endogenous regulators and also of the induced and/or inhibited peptides on the level of depression, stress, food intake, angiogenesis and cancerogenesis, thus making it possible to increase and prolong their effects via cascade mechanisms. Potentially possible combinations of somatostatin and dopamine analogs, and chimeric somatostatin/dopamine molecules are proposed for the treatment and correction of different pathological states, including acromegaly, prolactinemia, and hyperinsulinism.

[New conception of surgery in Peyronie's disease].

Clinical experience of the authors on patients with Peyronie's disease shows that intraplaque therapy with verapamil and interferon and a malignant course of the disease can result in shortening of the penis (4 and 1 cases were observed, respectively). The length of the penis diminished by 30 to 50%. The patients were treated with graft corporoplasty with endoprosthesis of the penis. Basing on the experience with these cases the following conclusions were made: intraplaque injections are hard to perform and can provoke progression of the disease; long-term conservative treatment for stabilization of the active stage of Peyronie's disease can lead to shortening of the penis; in malignant course of the disease and progressive shortening of the penis surgical policy is justified despite "acute" phase of the disease.

[Long-term results of one-stage urogenital reconstruction in total epispadia and extrophy of the urinary bladder in adults].

Surgical treatment of 34 patients with total epispadia and extrophy of the urinary bladder aged 15-33 years consists in one-stage extending corporoplasty, extending urethroplasty, granuloplasty, spongioplasty and sphincteroplasty. This novel method of one-stage urogenital reconstruction in adult males with total epispadia and extrophy of the urinary bladder provided satisfactory cosmetic results in all the patients and functional results in 68% patients, improved quality of life, social and sexual adaptation in patients with the above serious conditions. Postoperative complications and relevant prophylaxis are described.

[The interaction of serotonin and dopamine systems with the systems of the regulatory peptides oxytocin, vasopressin, and prolactin under normal conditions and during pregnancy].

The authors studied a vast volume of unsystematized literature data (between 1970 and 2006) on the interaction of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine with the hormonal peptide regulators prolactin, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Analysis of the results of studies made it possible to create a data base and analyze complex induction interactions between serotonin and dopamine and the three regulatory peptides under various physiological conditions: non-pregnancy, early and late stages of pregnancy, lactation, and maternal behavior. The roles of serotonin and dopamine in the formation of reproductive and maternal behavior were determined. The article presents possibilities for research into positive intervention into the hormonal status of a pregnant woman via a range of psychotropic drugs.

[Synactones--functionally conjugated complexes of endogenous regulators].

All physiological processes are regulated by complexes of various endogenous compounds (EC), acting in definite sequences and combinations. The effort to model the regulation by introducing separate ECs provides only partial information. This circumstance also limits the therapeutic efficiency of separate ECs and their stabilized derivatives. Therefore, it is obviously necessary to extensively investigate various EC complexes, for which a conventional name of "synactones" is proposed. It is expedient to use this name only for conjugated EC (or their stabilized derivatives) rather than to various drug combinations with compositions and structures far from those of the endogenous regulators of animal organism. Examples of the most promising synactones (in the form of mixtures of ECs or covalently associated ECs) are presented. Specific methodological difficulties of such investigations, as well as the problems related to various ways of administration and blood-brain barrier penetration are considered.

[Interactions between dopamine, serotonin and other internal reinforcement factors].

The big volume of odd literature data (period 1960-2005) was investigated for analysis and estimation of interactions between dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), reward factors and basic members of regulatory peptide (RP) families. Database, which includes information about physiological effect directions, doses and administration types of RP and biological active compounds, organism types, organ-tissues systems and receptor mechanisms was created. The complex cascade interactions between DA, 5-HT, reward factors and RP were investigated and systemized. Based on analysis of correlated functiong of DA and 5-HT-systems, the opponent-reciprocal interactions were established and their integrative characteristics were estimated.

[Development and application of an expert system for analysis of the functional continuum of regulatory peptides].

An expert computer system was developed to analyze the effects of regulatory peptides (RPs) and some other biologically active compounds. The database includes information on their structures and physiological and inductive effects taking in account the method of administration, doses, and types of organisms. The developed method of vector representation of RP effects and the software modules provide for the estimation of the role of single RPs and their combinations in the regulatory system of organism. The expert system was used for solving the following tasks: (1) an analysis of the structural and functional organization of the RP continuum and a search for effective RP combinations regulating the levels of anxiety, depression, cognitive processes, etc; (2) design of a network of complicated cross inductive connections of major members of RP families; and (3) an analysis of the peculiar features of functioning of numerous internal reward factors. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2006, vol. 32, no. 3; see also http://www.maik.ru.

[The method of a complete one-stage urogenital reconstruction in extrophy of the urinary bladder and total epispadia in the adults].

In the context of surgical treatment of bladder extrophy/epispadia in the adults, the authors offer one-stage urogenital reconstruction, i.e. urethro-corporo-glanulo-sphyncteroplasty with penile preparation. Long-term results were analysed in adult patients with total epispadia and urine incontinence. Intact erectile function was observed in all 25 patients. An adequate function of the artificial muscular sphyncter was registered in 20 patients. The length of the penis increased from 2.5 to 5 cm. Sexual adaptation was achieved in 88% cases. Social adaptation occurred in all the cases.

A functional continuum of regulatory anxiety-enhancing peptides. The search for complexes providing the optimal basis for developing inhibitory therapeutic agents.

Regulatory peptides are actively involved in controlling most physiological processes. One such function is regulation of the level of anxiety and panic states. We report here a meta-analysis of data published from 1960 to 2004 on the effects of anxiety-enhancing regulatory peptides. The resulting database was used to investigate the organization and functioning of the anxiogenic regulatory peptide system. Using vector representation of the effects of these peptides, the spectra of physiological effects which might be provoked by each anxiety- and fear-increasing regulatory peptide alone and in combination were evaluated. Complexes of regulatory peptides with anxiogenic profiles with the greatest potential for the further experimental development of inhibitory pharmacological agents were identified.

[Congenital penile deviation: an integral diagnostic approach to correction].

A comparative analysis of diagnostic examination of 130 men with isolated congenital erectile penile deviation (EPD) aged 14-22 years (mean age 17 years) has demonstrated that true EPD can be determined objectively only at adequate erection. Therefore, the diagnosis should be based not on subjective opinion of the patient but on the results of artificial pharmacological erection or viagra-test in combination with visual erotic and genital stimulation. Vacuum erection test is not justified. In patients with congenital EPD rigidity depends much on correlation between perfusion volume and functional volume of the penis (cavernous volume). The problem of congenital EPD can be formulated as the problem of "long penis". Measurements of the penis in the group of 54 patients with congenital EPD registered a low penile coefficient in 67% cases while a mean length of the penis in all the examinees was longer than a mean standard one and was about 13 cm in relaxed condition. EPD patients often suffer from asthenodepressive disorders deteriorating the copulative function. Psychotherapy and medication of the depressive syndrome result in stabilization of the psychological condition improving quality of life 1.3 times. Thus, an integrative diagnostic and therapeutic approach, due selection of the patients for operative correction of penile deviation can improve quality of the treatment aimed both at correction of erectile malformation and psychosexual adaptation of the patients.

[Functional continuum of the regulatory peptides enhancing anxiety. Search for the optimal complexes as a basis for developing inhibitory therapeutic agents].

Regulatory peptides (RP) take an active part in managing the majority of physiological processes. One of these functional applications is the monitoring of the anxiety level, of panic state. This work represents the presumptive analysis of literature data of 1960-2004 on the effects of regulatory peptides enhancing anxiety (RP-AT). This information database was used for researching the characteristics of organization and functionality of the system of anxiogenic RP. Taking into account the method of vector representation of RP effects, estimation of spectra of physiological effects that can go with each of RP-AT and their combination, was carried out. The most perspective RP complexes of anxiogenic profile for further experimental development of inhibitory therapeutic agents are proposed.

[Choice of corporoplastic method in Peyronie's disease depending on hemodynamic status of the penis].

We studied 164 patients with Peyronie's disease, 34 of whom have clinical symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Dopplerography has detected alterations of penile hemodynamics in 71.8% cases. Vein occlusive dysfunction prevailed (54.8%). Dopplerographic signs of venoocclusive dysfunction were seen also in patients with minor erectile disorders (55.4%). The analysis of absolute values of the systolic velocity peak allowed us to consider values in the range > 25 but < 35 cm/s as borderline or suboptimal, corresponding to subclinical period of venoocclusive dysfunction. Dynamic cavernosometry results served the basis for criteria of subclinical venoocclusive dysfunction characterized by threshold intracavernous pressure 50 mm Hg, coefficient of 30-s reduction of intracavernous pressure from 1.75 +/- 0.93 to 2.1 +/- 0.8 mm Hg and supporting perfusion velocities under 29.2 +/- 15 ml/min. Characteristics of hemodynamic status and penile geometry help an optimal choice of deviation correction in patients with Peyronie's disease.

Functional continuum of regulatory peptides (RPs): vector model of RP-effects representation.

During the past decades, bioactive (regulatory) peptides have been identified as the major players in the regulation of many important biological processes. Dozens of peptides have found their application as pharmaceutical agents, which further stimulated research in this field making it one of the most rapidly developing areas on the edge of biological science and medicine. However, the fast accumulation of enormous amounts of experimental data has revealed a great difficulty in their analysis and demanded the development of a systematic approach for generalization of the obtained information. We propose a new computer-based algorithm for studying biological activities of regulatory peptides and their groups based on their representation as vectors in n -dimensional functional space. Our method allows the rapid analysis of databases containing thousands of polyfunctional regulatory peptides with overlapping spectra of physiological activity. The described method permits to perform several types of correlations which, when applied to the large databases, could reveal new important information about the system of regulatory peptides. It can select the groups of peptides with similar physiological role (peptide constellations) and search for the optimal peptide combinations with predetermined spectrum of effects and minimal side effects for their further pharmacological application. It can also reveal the role of regulatory peptides in induction of chain physiological reactions.