[Aseptic nasal septal abscess in patients with ulcerative colitis: two case reports. Case report].

Ulcerative colitis (UC) may be associated with different extra-intestinal manifestations (EIM), which are often difficult to diagnose and treat, and may complicate the course of the disease. EIM are a multidisciplinary problem encountered by doctors of various specializations. However, many incidences of EIM in patients with UC remain unknown. The coexistence of UC and aseptic nasal abscess (ANA) is uncommon. Here, we describe two cases of ANA in young female patients with UC. ANA run in parallel with intestinal disease activity and led to necrosis of the septal cartilage. Moreover, pyoderma gangrenosum was described in one of them. Aseptic abscess syndrome should be kept in mind when a microbial factor is not identified, the diagnosis is not clear or a patient is not improving on appropriate antibacterial therapy. ANA can present as a rare complication of UC.

Gender Characteristics of the Novel Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) in Middle-Aged Adults.

The aim of the study is to assess the gender-related specifics of the COVID-19 course in patients under 55 years of age. Materials and Methods: This pilot single-center continuous retrospective non-randomized study was carried out in the repurposed infectious diseases hospital of the Privolzhsky Research Medical University (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia). The study inclusion criterion was the age of patients (up to 55 years) and confirmed coronavirus infection. In the groups based on gender differences (25 men, average age 44.0±7.8 years and 32 women, average age 41.9±9.1 years), we monitored complications of COVID-19 such as the transfer of patients to the ICU and the volume of lung damage (determined with CT scans). Results: The course of COVID-19 in male patients younger than 55 was aggravated by concomitant diseases (γ=0.36; p=0.043), among which IHD (γ=1.00; p=0.003) and liver disease (γ=0.58; p=0.007) dominated. Frequency analysis confirmed the high prevalence of coronary artery disease in men (p=0.044). Significant differences between the gender-related groups were noted in the volume of lung lesions: at admission (p=0.050), during hospital treatment (p=0.019), and at discharge (p=0.044). Using the logistic regression method, a relationship was found between the transfer of male patients to ICU and the Krebs index [y= -2.033 + 1.154 male gender + 1.539 Krebs index (χ2=5.68; p=0.059)] and comorbidity [y= -2.836 + 1.081 male gender + 2.052 comorbidity (χ2=7.03; p=0.030)]. The influence of the Krebs index and the male gender on the excess volume of lung lesions was shown [y= -1.962 + 0.575 male gender + 1.915 Krebs index (χ2=7.78; p=0.021)]. Conclusion: In individuals under the age of 55 diagnosed with COVID-19, gender is of significant importance: in men, there is a more pronounced lesion of the lung parenchyma and a more significant change in laboratory parameters. Risk factors for a severe course of COVID-19 in men are coronary artery disease and hepatobiliary disorder. Calculating the Krebs index can be used to assess the risk of disease progression.

FEATURES OF EPISOTIC PROCESS AND MOLECULAR-GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUS ISOLATES OF RABIES IN TVER REGION.

Rabies epidemic situation in the Tver Region has been studied. Animals of different species that had confirmed clinical rabies were statistically analyzed. It was established that the features of the course of epizootics in the Tver region correspond to the regularities characteristic of rabies of the natural-focal type. As a result of sequencing of the rabies virus N gene and phylogenetic analysis, the isolates studied were assigned to the central phylogenetic group. With the help of the geoinformatic system, nosological maps of the Tver region were obtained and the spatial- temporal features of the course of the epizootic process of rabies infection were studied.

MOLECULAR-GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF FIELD ISOLATES OF RABIES VIRUS IDENTIFIED IN THE TERRITORY OF VLADIMIR, MOSCOW, TVER, NIZHNY NOVGOROD AND RYAZAN REGIONS.

The article presents a molecular genetic study of genomes of field isolates of rabies virus isolated in the Vladimir, Moscow, Tver, Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan regions, with the aim of carrying out phylogenetic analysis. We studied 20 samples of purified PCR products containing the rabies virus nucleoprotein. The samples were provided by the Vladimir veterinary service. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the gene showed that 12 fragments of isolates under study were close to the Central phylogenetic group of the rabies virus; namely - 5 isolates from the Vladimir region, 2 from the Nizhny Novgorod region, 2 from the Moscow region, and 3 from the Tver region. Eight studied isolates from the Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan regions were attributed to the Eurasian phylogenetic group.

[Increased Size of Epidermal Cells in Syringa josikaea Jacq. Smaller Leaf Side as an Adaptive Mechanism for Reducing Its Asymmetry].

Comparative study of quantitative anatomy of the epidermis in Syringa josikaea Jacq. leaf halves of different width was conducted in order to analyze the possible mechanism of formation of the value of fluctuating leaf asymmetry. A regular decrease in the density of main epidermal cells in the smaller leaf half compared with the bigger one was traced during leaf ontogeny. Stomatal index was equal in different-sized leaf halves. Adaptive response was found in fully formed leaves; it was aimed at reducing leaf blade fluctuating asymmetry by 23% on average and consisted of compensatory growth--further elongation of main epidermal cells in the smaller half of the leaf. It was concluded that the level of fluctuating leaf asymmetry in Hungary lilac is mainly due to a lower rate of cell division, as well as due to their greater elongation in the smaller half of adult leaf compared with the bigger half.

Unihemispheric slow wave sleep and the state of the eyes in a white whale.

We recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) and simultaneously documented the state of both eyelids during sleep and wakefulness in a sub-adult male white whale over a 4-day-period. We showed that the white whale was the fifth species of Cetaceans, which exhibits unihemispheric slow wave sleep. We found that the eye contralateral to the sleeping hemisphere in this whale was usually closed (right eye, 52% of the total sleep time in the contralateral hemisphere; left eye, 40%) or in an intermediate state (31 and 46%, respectively) while the ipsilateral eye was typically open (89 and 80%). Episodes of bilateral eye closure in this whale occupied less than 2% of the observation time and were usually recorded during waking (49% of the bilateral eye closure time) or low amplitude sleep (48%) and rarely in high amplitude sleep (3%). In spite of the evident overall relationship between the sleeping hemisphere and eye state, EEG and eye position in this whale could be independent over short time periods (less than 1 min). Therefore, eye state alone may not accurately reflect sleep state in Cetaceans. Our data support the idea that unihemispheric sleep allows Cetaceans to monitor the environment.

Virus-induced permeability transition in mitochondria.

Isolated rat liver mitochondria undergo permeability transition after supplementation with a suspension of tobacco mosaic virus. Four mitochondrial parameters proved the opening of the permeability transition pore in the inner mitochondrial membrane: increased oxygen consumption, collapse of the membrane potential, release of calcium ions from mitochondria, and high amplitude mitochondrial swelling. All virus-induced changes in mitochondria were prevented by cyclosporin A. These effects were not observed if the virus was treated with EGTA or disrupted by heating. Protein component of the virus particle in the form of 20S aggregate A-protein, or helical polymer, as well as supernatant of the heat-disrupted virus sample, had no effect on mitochondrial functioning. Electron microscopy revealed the direct interaction of the virus particles with isolated mitochondria. The possible role of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in virus-induced apoptosis is discussed.

Combined use of risperidone and olanzapine in the treatment of patients with resistant schizophrenia: a preliminary case series report.

Polypharmacy, or the use of multiple drugs in the therapy of psychiatric disorders, is not recommended. However, appropriate combinations of pharmacologic mechanisms may enhance the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs and alter the course of schizophrenia. In recent years, some articles have been published about the successful use of clozapine and risperidone in combination for the treatment of patients with resistant schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorders. However, safety of this drug combination is open to discussion. This report presents the results of a preliminary study of five patients with resistant schizophrenia successfully treated with risperidone-olanzapine combination. The results suggest that this combination may be useful. In the future, the efficacy of risperidone-olanzapine combination should be confirmed in larger study populations before its clinical application is considered.

A longitudinal study of positive symptoms in schizo-affective and paranoid schizophrenia.

The purpose of our work was studying the evolution of positive psychopathological symptoms in patients who had suffered from schizo-affective (N=146) and paranoid schizophrenia (N=74) (according to ICD-9CM) for at least 5 years. Using the list of syndromes taken from the Present State Examination, we retrospectively analyzed 2118 relapses registered in these patients' life during their illness (mean 18.1 years). According to our data, when the course of schizo-affective and paranoid schizophrenia incorporates definite periods of remission, there is a tendency towards a simplification of positive symptoms: 1.for 26.4% of the patients, the illness manifested itself in infrequent relapses (once in 4-5 years or less); 2. in 45.9% of the patients (those who displayed prominent regressive tendencies) psychotic symptoms were replaced by symptoms of affective, primarily depressive, type; 3. in 18.6% of the patients the illness took the form of recurring uniform attacks; 4. only in a mere 9.1% of the patients was the disorder diagnosed as progressive; and 5. a tendency to improvement and favorable prognosis was more pronounced in schizo-affective schizophrenia patients than in patients with paranoid schizophrenia (69.9% vs 54.1%, P<0.05).

The lack of extracellular Na+ exacerbates Ca2+-dependent damage of cultured cerebellar granule cells.

Rhodamine 123 staining, light and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the ultrastructural and functional state of cultured cerebellar granule cells after short treatment with the solution where NaCl was substituted by sucrose (sucrose balance salt medium, SBSM). Cell exposure to SBSM for 20 min resulted in the fact that mitochondria in the neurons lost their ability to sequester rhodamine 123. This effect could be prevented by: (i) non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channel blocker, 10(-5) M MK-801; (ii) a competitive specific antagonist of NMDA glutamate receptors, 0.25 x 10(-3) M D,L-2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoate (APH); (iii) 10(-3) M cobalt chloride; (iv) removal of Ca2+ from the medium. Low Na+ in the Ca2+-containing medium caused considerable mitochondrial swelling in granule cells. However, the same treatment in the absence of calcium ions in the medium abolished the deleterious effect of SBSM on the neuronal mitochondrial structure and functions. It is suggested that (i) the exposure of cultured cerebellar granule cells to SBSM leads to a release of endogenous glutamate from cells; (ii) Ca2+ ions potentially de-energizing neuronal mitochondria enter the neuron preferentially through the NMDA channels rather than through the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger; (iii) mitochondrial swelling in granule cells is highly Ca2+-dependent; (iv) cellular overload with sodium ions can activate mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and thus prevent permeability transition pore opening in mitochondria.

Characteristics of suicidal attempts in major depression versus adjustment reactions.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this present study was to compare the characteristics of suicidal attempts of patients with major depression (MD) and adjustment reaction (AR). METHOD: Sixty-nine patients with MD and 86 with AR admitted to the Moscow Institute of Emergency Help after the first suicide attempts were studied. All the attempters were interviewed by at least by two psychiatrists and the diagnosis was made according to agreement and to ICD-9CM criteria. RESULTS: Differences between the two groups were found with regard to social-demographic, clinical-psychological and suicidal characteristics: the AR patients were less educated, had lower social status and in most cases were unmarried, compared with the MD patients. A large number (51.2% of the attempters in the AR group and 34.8% in the MD group) had an unstable parental family, early orphanhood or an emotionally deprived childhood. No differences were found in the methods of the suicidal attempts between the groups. Suicidal attempts under alcohol abuse occurred more often among the AR group (34.9 vs. 10.1%). The interval from the beginning of the disorder until the suicidal attempt was significantly shorter within the AR group. In this group the suicidal attempts were not planned, in comparison with the MD group. LIMITATION: The sample is a selected study, because the research included only inpatients with AR and MD after their first suicidal attempt. CONCLUSION: We believe that our data may be important for improving the assessment of suicidal risk and in planning treatment strategies for prevention of repeated suicidal attempts.

Interhemispheric asynchrony of the sleep EEG in northern fur seals.

In northern fur seals the two brain hemispheres can generate the EEG slow waves during sleep not only simultaneously, as in all the terrestrial mammals investigated, but also independently as in dolphins.