[Vitamin D deficiency study in railway drivers.]

Heart rhythm disturbances are significant pathology and one of the reason of sudden cardiac arrest. Locomotive crew drivers are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases, including heart rhythm disturbances. Multiple factors as a professional stress, frequent night shifts, lack of insolation, diet disbalance, low physical activity, exposure to vibration and noise, and an unfavorable industrial climate. In this study it was found that railway-men are predisposed to vitamin D deficiency. This condition reduces resistance to stress and increases risk of unfavorable heart rhythm disturbances.

[A study of the association between the kynurenine-3-monooxygenase gene and depression]. / Issledovanie svyazi gena kinurenin-3-monooksigenazy s depressiei.

AIM: To study the association between the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) and depression. MATERIAL AND METHODS: КМО rs2275163 (C/T) and rs1053230 (A /G) polymorphisms were genotyped in patients diagnosed with depression (the main group) and age - and sex-matched healthy people. RESULTS: The rs2275163 polymorphism was not associated with depression. There was the association between the rs1053230 polymorphism and depression. The frequency of the low expression genotype GG was higher in the main group compared to controls (р=0.001, ОШ 2.8 (95% ДИ 1.73-4.24). This genotype was earlier reported to be associated with the increased levels of kynurenic acid in patients with bipolar disorders. CONCLUSION: The genotype GG can be considered as a risk factor of depression.

[Comorbidity of depression and nonaffective - schizophrenia spectrum disorders: the clinical-epidemiological study EDIP]. / Komorbidnost' depressii i rasstroistv neaffektivnogo shizofrenicheskogo spektra: kliniko-epidemiologicheskoe issledovanie EDIP.

AIM: To explore the association between depression and heterogenic nonaffective symptom complexes in the study EDIP (Epidemiology of Depression and nonaffective Psychiatric disorders). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study consisted of two stages. The first stage (91 patients) aimed to resolve organizational and methodological issues, the second stage was performed in the epidemiological sample of 705 patients. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity (inequivalence and bidirectionality) of associations between depression and heteronomous nonaffective disorders have been identified. The associations are distinguished in three types: 1) affinity (agonism); 2) repulsion (antagonism); 3) lack of selective interaction (inertness) between depression and nonaffective disorders. The results obtained are discussed in a context of two conceptually polar psychopathological models of comorbidity between depression and nonaffective disorders: 1) based on a nosological dichotomy «affective disease - schizophrenia¼ and 2) denying the abovementioned dichotomy. The first model places depression among disorders of a mild psychiatric register. The second model supposes the integration of depression with syndromes typical for schizophrenia in a common "affect-symptoms" space and considers the increase of depression frequency proportionally to duration and severity of schizophrenia. Our own results have shown that depression is observed not only among disorders of mild psychiatric registers, but also in schizophrenia, though with a significantly lower frequency (as a nonobligatory compound of a syndrome). Thus, depression influence in comorbid delusional, schizophrenic and other severe nonaffective disorders is greatly diminished.

[Increased myelopepoxidase activity is a risk factor for ishemic heart disease in patients with diabetes mellitus].

Using previously developed spectro-photonmetrical method (Bioorg. Khim. 2009. V. 35. pp. 629-639), a significant increase of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was found in blood plasma of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) without of cardiovascular complications, as well as with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Plasma MPO concentration measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was significantly higher only in blood plasma of patient with DM2 and IHD. A direct and significant correlation between MPO activity and MPO concentration was observed only in blood plasma samples from healthy donors. Increased MPO activity did not correlate with MPO concentration in blood plasma of patients with DM2 and DM2 with IHD. Taken together, these results highlight the necessity for studying of the MPO role in the development of pathological processes to determine both the amount of enzyme and its peroxidase activity in the blood. The proposed approach gives comprehensive information about the relationship between MPO activity and MPO concentration in patient blood. Since the high concentration of MPO is a diagnostically significant parameter in the prediction of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease development, the obtained results evidence the contribution of MPO-dependent reactions in cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes. MPO activity may serve as an additional diagnostic criterion for determination of risk of IHD in DM patients.

Apoptosis and the receptor specificity of its mechanisms during the neurotoxic action of glutamate.

The ratio of necrosis to apoptosis and the mechanisms of apoptosis were studied during neurodegeneration induced by glutamate and selective agonists of glutamate receptors - N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate. Experiments were performed on primary cultures (seven days in vitro) of rat cerebral cortex neurons. Apoptosis and necrosis were identified using a vital fluorescence rapid test with staining with acridine orange and ethidium bromide. Immunocytochemistry in combination with confocal microscopy was used to visualize apoptotic proteins. Agonists (240 min) caused neuron death via both processes, though the proportion of necrotic cells when neurodegeneration was induced by NMDA and kainate was significantly less than when neurodegeneration was induced with glutamate. The neurotoxic effect of 3 mM glutamate was mediated via alpha-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-yl)propionate (AMPA) and kainate receptors, as it was blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxalin-2,3-dione (CNQX). Activation of NMDA receptors led to the development of apoptosis without involvement of caspases, due to the direct action of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) on neuron nuclei. Activation of AMPA-kainate receptors was accompanied by the development of apoptosis via the caspase-dependent pathway. Thus, these data identified the receptor dependence of the mechanisms of apoptosis during the neurotoxic action of glutamate.

[Apoptosis and its receptor selective pathways during neurotoxic action of glutamate].

A contribution of necrosis and apoptotis as well as the particular apoptosis pathways in neuro-degeneration induced by glutamate and selective glutamate receptor agonists, NMDA and kainate, were studied. In experiments on primary neuron cultures of 7 days in vitro from embryonic rat cortex, the necrosis and apoptosis were recognized using vital fluorescence acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining. Immunostaining was used to visualize apoptotic peptides such as P53, Cas-3 and AIF. Death of neurons occurred by both necrosis and apoptosis following 240 min 3 mM glutamate, 30 microM NMDA and 30 microM kainate exposure. Quantities of necrotic neurons in the presence of NMDA and kainate were substantially reduced when compared to the glutamate action. The glutamate effects were realized through predominant activation of AMPA- and kainate receptors, since it could be greatly suppressed by 30 microM CNQX. AIF but not Cas-3, was found in a large amount of neurons when apoptosis was evoked by the selective NMDA receptor activation. On the contrary, during apoptosis induced by glutamate and kainate, many cells contained Cas-3 in nuclei rather than the AIF. The data suggest that apoptosis induced by the NMDA receptor activation develops through the caspase-3-independent pathway that involves direct AIF accumulation in nuclei. The AMPA/kainate receptor mediated apoptosis includes the caspase-3-dependent mechanism.

[Antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of nebivolol]. / Antigipertenzivnaia éffektivnost' i perenosimost' nebivolola.

Nebivolol was given to 59 patients with hypertension for 8 weeks. This was accompanied by augmentation of amplitude of photoplethysmogram in all and normalization of blood pressure in 67% of patients. Nebivolol did not cause orthostatic hypotension or bronchial spasm.

[A convenient synthesis of retinal derivatives with a modified trimethylcyclohexene ring]. / Udobnyi sposob polucheniia proizvodnykh retinalia, modifitsirovannykh po trimetiltsiklogeksenovomy kol'tsu.

A method of simultaneous one-stage synthesis of three retinal derivatives (5,6-dioxo-5,6-seco-, 5,6-dihydro-5,6-epoxy-, and 4-oxoretinal) was proposed, with the yield of the first derivative being approximately 50%. These compounds are useful tools for studying the antitumor activity of retinoids, the reconstituted bacteriorhodopsin analogues with changed parameters of photocycle, and the reactivity of retinal derivatives in the processes of oxidation by molecular oxygen. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2002, vol. 28, no. 6; see also http://www.maik.ru.

Synthesis and properties of bacteriorhodopsin analogs containing electron-density labels in the chromophore moiety.

A method for synthesis of retinal analogs labeled with electron-density groups is suggested. The interaction of these polyene compounds with bacterioopsin in apomembrane of Halobacterium salinarum was tested. A retinal analog containing a crown-ether receptor group is able to interact readily with bacterioopsin giving rise to rapid formation of a pigment with absorption maximum at 460 nm. This pigment is capable of undergoing cyclic photoconversion. The crown-bacteriorhodopsin photocycle is extremely slow and its quantum efficiency is very low (approximately 3% of that in native bacteriorhodopsin). This photocycle includes an M-like intermediate with a differential absorption maximum at 380 nm. A retinal analog in which the beta-ionone ring is replaced by ferrocene moiety forms a stable chromoprotein with the main absorption band at 483 nm and a shoulder near 590-610 nm.

[Correction of secondary immunodeficiency as a method of prevention of suppurative-septic complications after surgery with artificial blood circulation]. / Korrektsiia vtorichnoi immunnoi nedostatochnosti kak sposob profilaktiki gnoino-septicheskikh oslozhnenii posle operatsii s iskusstvennym krovoobrashcheniem.

Eighty-five patients with acquired heart diseases with and without infective endocarditis (IE) were examined. In one group of patients traditional therapy was supplemented by the Russian drug immunofan, a synthetic hexapeptide with immunomodulating, antiinflammatory, and detoxifying effects. A course consisted of 10 intramuscular injections every other day (1 ml of 0.005% solution). The drug was prescribed after immunological studies on a laser flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson, USA). Correction was carried out before and after the operation. The postoperative period was uneventful in patients treated with immunofan; the incidence of clinical manifestations of IE was decreased. The concentrations of cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha) in the blood were increased in patients with IE. In patients treated with immunofan, the concentrations of cytokines were decreased and immune parameters were normalized. Changes in the cytokine status can be used as a laboratory test for evaluating the efficiency of treatment in cardiosurgical patients with IE.

[The use of low-energy laser radiation in the combined treatment of patients with chronic lympholeukemia]. / Primenenie nizkoénergeticheskogo lazernogo izlucheniia v kompleksnom lechenii bol'nykh khronicheskim limfoleikozom.

Our investigations evidence that intravascular laser radiation of the blood is an effective method of treatment of chronic lympholeucosis. The average hospitalization time became shorter, the period of clinical remission increased. N positive dynamics in the content of beta 2-microglobulin was noted, peripheral blood values improved, the dysbalance of cellular and humoral immunity was controlled.

[The significance of beta 2-microglobulin for the diagnosis of preleukemic states in workers of the chemical industry]. / Znachenie beta 2-mikroglobulina dlia diagnostiki predleikoznykh sostoianii u rabochikh khimicheskoi promyshlennosti.

A study is presented of 89 workers contacting with benzene and its derivatives and 98 workers without contacts with chemical substances. Radioimmunological assay of peripheral blood B2-microglobulin was carried out. Persons with a length of work over 10 years contacting with anilin and its derivatives showed a marked increase of B2-microglobulin in the blood serum as well a marked reduction of leucocyte number. It is considered that leucopenia with granulocytopenia and marked increase of B2-microglobulin is regarded as a preleucosis state.

[Changes in the levels of somatotropin and cyclic nucleotides and the state of protein metabolism in the brain and myocardium during stress as well as in myocardial necrosis following stress]. / Izmenenie kontsentratsii somatotropina, tsiklicheskikh nukleotidov i sostoianie belkovogo obmena v mozge i serdtse pri stresse, a takzhe nekroze miokarda, vosproizvedennom posle perenesennogo stressa.

Stress itself as well as the subsequent myocardium necrosis developed after stress were mainly responsible for distinct decrease in concentration of somatotropin, somatomedin and for impairments in protein synthesis accompanied by decrease in proteins half-life in brain hemispheres and in non-ischemized heart left ventricle.

[Changes in the concentration of nonesterified fatty acids and magnesium in emotional stress]. / Izmenenie kontsentratsii neésterifitsirovannykh zhirnykh kislot i magniia pri émotsional'nom stresse.

Stresses such as the anxiety neurosis, are the cause of the magnesium metabolism disorders in the heart, brain, liver, and induce an increase in the fatty acids/magnesium ratio in the blood at the expense of such NEFA as C16:0, C18:1, C20:4.