[Enzymes involved in modification of the steroid nucleus of industrial mycobacterial strains: isolation, functions, and properties].

The key enzymes involved in modification of the steroid nucleus of sterol-transforming mycobacteria--3beta-hydroxysteroid oxidase (3-OH-SO, EC 1.13.1.2) and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17-OH-SDH, EC 1.1.1)--were isolated and characterized. It is shown that 3-OH-SO is a multifunctional enzyme catalyzing oxidation of the 3beta-OH group, delta5 --> delta4 isomerization, and 6-hydroxylation. Two forms of intracellular 17-OH-SDH that catalyze redox reactions at C17 were found, and their properties were determined. The presence of an extracellular 17-OH-SDH in Mycobacterium spp. (VKM Ac-1815 D and Et1) was demonstrated for the first time.

[The investigation of the safety, genetic stability and immunogenicity of live influenza vaccine for adults in vaccination of 3-6 years old children]. / Izuchenie bezvrednosti, geneticheskoi stabil'nosti i immunogennosti zhivoi grippoznoi vaktsiny dlia vzroslykh pri vaktsinatsii detei 3-6 let.

The study of the based on the A/Leningrad/134/17/57/(H2N2) attenuated adult live influenza vaccine (LIV) investigated features for immunization of the children, aged 3-6 years. During autumn, 1999, out of 256 children, aged 3-6 years, residents of the Leningrad region, who attended the kindergarten, 184 children were immunized with 1 or 2 doses of the live influenza vaccine, and 72 ones were given placebo. There were no any moderate or strong temperature reactions revealed after the inoculation. The LIV was shown to be genetically stable. After a single dose of the vaccine seroconversion to influenza type A virus and to influenza type B virus was observed respectively in 58% and in 39% of seronegative 3-6 year old vaccinees. The twofold LIV administration failed to give any advantages in stimulation of the immune response. During 6 months after immunization the morbidity rate in vaccinees did not exceed the morbidity rate in unvaccinated children. Thus LIV for adults proved safe and immunogenic and can be recommended for single dose immunization both of adults and children.

[The immunoprophylaxis of influenza among elderly persons]. / Immunoprofilaktika grippa sredi liudei pozhilogo vozrasta.

During three seasons at the period of 1992-1996 immunization of elderly persons, living in homes for old people, against influenza with inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) was carried out. Altogether 856 persons were immunized intranasally, 581 persons constituting the control group. For comparison, 4,825 healthy young adults aged 18-24 years were immunized under similar conditions. The study revealed that the intranasal immunization of elderly persons with IIV, made in two administrations, was safe and stimulated sufficient humoral and secretory immunity: the level of seroconversions was 24.3-41.0% to type A(H1N1) influenza virus, 29.6-50.7% to type A(H3N2) influenza virus, 39.3-59.6% to type B influenza virus; the level of diagnostic IgA conversions was 31-38%. Immunization produced a pronounced prophylactic effect (the effectiveness index 1.6-1.7), as well as decreased the total mortality level by half. The tactics of the immunization of persons from high risk groups against influenza in medical practice is discussed.

[Biosynthesis of bovine growth hormone in Escherichia coli DH1 cells and its purification on a pilot scale]. / Biosintez bych'ego gormona rosta v kletkakh Escherichia coli DH1 i ego vydelenie na pilotnom urovne.

The biosynthesis of the bovine growth hormone (BGH) in E. coli DH1 cells containing the plasmid pbGH(1-119)ptrp was studied. It was found that BGH accumulated in the cytoplasm of bacterial cells as optically dense granules that can be isolated by low-speed centrifugation. A fraction of purified protein granules was used for further purification of BGH. A purified BGH preparation contained two polypeptides with molecular weights of 18,000 and 22,000 D. The state of plasmid was investigated during cultivation and storage of the culture.

[The effect of growth rate and culturing conditions on the stability of plasmid pCJ55 and on the level of expression of a large fragment of DNA-polymerase I, cloned in Escherichia coli]. / Vliiane skorosti rosta i uslovii kul'tivirovaniia na stabil'nost' plazmidy pCJ55 i na uroven' ékspressii bol'shogo fragmenta DNA- polimerazy I, klonirovannogo v Escherichia coli.

Plasmid pCJ55 with a cloned gene for the large fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I is stable in the population of a recombinant strain under the conditions of batch and continuous cultivation at different dilution rates in the presence of ampicillin. The level of Klenow fragment expression is determined by at least two factors: the stability of the recombinant strain and its specific growth rate. The maximal activity of the Klenow fragment was found after thermoinduction of the culture growing at a rate of mu = 0.6 h-1 in a synthetic medium with bactopeptone and glucose as a carbon source.

[Characteristics of the clinical picture, hormonal status and humoral immunity in older patients with diffuse toxic goiter]. / Osobennosti kliniki, gormonal'nogo statusa i gumoral'nogo immuniteta u bol'nykh s diffuznym toksicheskim zobom pozhilogo vozrasta.

Radioimmunoassays, immunological and radioreceptor methods were used for a study of the levels of T3, T4, TSH, thyroglobulin, antibodies to thyroglobulin and microsomal antigen, immunoglobulins suppressing thyrotropin binding in 92 patients with diffuse toxic goiter aged over 50. There was discrepancy between the prevalence of severe types of disease in this group of patients and an insignificant rise of T3 and T4 levels. Changes in the immune status pointed to an increase in immunodeficiency which became progressive with aging of the organism, and increasing sensitivity to damaging agents.

[Status of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system in patients with diffuse toxic goiter]. / Sostoainie gipotalamo-gipofizarnoi sistemy u bol'nykh s diffuznym toksicheskim zobom.

Disorder of function of the hypothalamus-thyroid system in patients with diffuse toxic goiter is accompanied by change of the hormonal activity of the hypothalamohypophyseal-adrenocortical and hypothalamohypophyseal-ovarian systems. It is particularly marked in persons with heredity aggravated by thyroid diseases or/and diabetes mellitus.

[New trematode genus of the family Didymozoidae from a mackerel in the Indian Ocean]. / Novyi rod trematod semeistva Didymozoidae iz skumbrii Indiiskogo Okeana.

A new trematode of the genus Paranema tobothrium triplovitellatum gen. et sp. n. from the body cavity of Scomber scombrus from the Indian ocean is described. The individuals of the new genus are not incysted. Testes paired, ovary twisted, unbranched, vitelline gland bifurcates, uterus forming three turns.

[Adrenocorticotropic and somatotropic functions of the pituitary gland in juvenile thyrotoxicosis]. / Adrenokortikotropnaia i somatotropnaia funktsiia gipofiza u bol'nykh tireotoksikozom iunosheskogo vozrasta.

The adrenocorticotropic (ACT) activity of the hypophysis (according to the blood 11-HCS level) was studied in 27 female patients suffering from thyrotoxicosis, aged from 16 to 24 years (19 with moderately severe and 8 with severe form) and in 7 healthy girls. The ST activity of the hypophysis was ascertained in 11 patients by the blood STH content before and after the insulin hypoglycemia. The metopyron test was also carried out in 6 patients. The ACT function of the hypophysis proved to be increased, and the ST function was normal in the patients with thyrotoxicosis at rest and on fasting stomach. The value of the corticotropic and somatotropic response to hypoglycemia was similar in sick and healthy persons. In the patients with a pronounced elevation of the 11-HCS and STH content under the effect of hypoglycemia the metopyron response was determined by the initial adrenal cortex function.

[Glucocorticoid and androgenic functions of the adrenal cortex and the state of the sympathetic-adrenal system in thyrotoxicosis with primary organic disease of the central nervous system]. / Gliukokortikoidnaia i androgennaia funktsii kory nadpochechnikov, sostoianie simpatiko-adrenalovoi sistemy u bol'nykh tireotoksikozom s pervichnym organicheskim zabolevaniem tsentral'noi nervnoi sistemy.

In patients with thyrotoxicosis combined with primary affection of the central nervous system (CNS)-encephalitis, diencephalitis-there was revealed, like in common thyrotoxicosis, an increased production by the adrenal cortex of hydrocortisone, its intensified transformation and inactivation, reduced production of 17-ketosteroid chiefly due to the fall of dehydroepiandrosterone content, an increased urinary excretion of adrenaline and a decreased-of noradrenaline. The use of functional test with the ACTH administration demonstrated organic affection of the CNS to sharply aggravate the weakening and even the exhaustion of the functional reserves of the glomerular and the reticular zones of the adrenal cortex developing during thyrotoxicosis, and also the reserve possibilities of the sympathico-adrenal system. Direction of the changes in the 24-hour excretion of 17-OCS and corticosteriods was the same in the majority of cases. The latter can point to the presence of functional association between the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal cortex systems and adrenergic regulation in these patients.

[Dynamics of the urinary excretion of estrogens, pregnanediol, 17-ketosteroid fractions, cortisol and its metabolites in healthy women in the course of the menstrual cycle]. / Dinamika vyvedeniia s mochoi éstrogenov, pregnandiola, fraktsii 17-ketosteroidov, kortizola i ego metabolitov u zdorovykh zhenshchin na protiazhenii menstrual'nogo tsikla.

The 24-hour urinary estrogen excretion was studied in 12 women of reproductive age at periods corresponding to the middle and the end of the follicular phase, the middle and the end of the lutein phase of the menstrual cycle; pregnandiol excretion was determined at the same periods in 20 women, the urinary sum total and individual 17-KS content--in 26 women, free cortizol and its metabolites--in 19 women. The 24-hour estrogen excretion reached the maximum on the days corresponding to the ovulation peak (the 14th-15th days), and remained at a sufficiently high level in the middle of the lutein phase. Pregnandiol excretion increased by the end of the folliculin phase and reached the maximum during the lutein phase. During the mentioned most active periods of the menstrual cycle there was also noted a significant elevation of androstendione, androsterone, ethiocholanolone and free hydrocortizone excretion. The absolute amount and relative content of dehydroepiandrosterone in the sum total fractions of the urinary 17-ketosteroids proved to diminish. Cortizol metabolite excretion decreased as well. A regular direction of the changes occurring in the 24-hour excretion of individual 17-KS fractions, cortizol and its metabolites in the course of the menstrual cycle was apparently associated with the synthesis and transformation of sex hormones.