Influence of Acoustic-Mechanical Impact on the Reproductive Qualities of Sturgeon Sperm during Cryopreservation.

The use of various types of stimulation of fish spermatozoa in order to increase the survival of defrosted cells is a promising direction in the field of low-temperature preservation. In this work, the use of acoustic-mechanical effects on the sperm of sturgeons (in particular, sterlet) was studied for the first time. The technical characteristics of the assembled experimental device for acoustic-mechanical effects on fish sperm are given. As a result of this work, the optimal parameters of exposure to increase the preservation of defrosted germ cells were selected.

Cryoprotective activity of phosphorus-containing phenol.

The antioxidant and cryoprotective efficiencies of a 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)methylenediphosphonic acid (MDPA) differ significantly for sperm cells of various species of sturgeon fish (Russian sturgeon, beluga and Stellate sturgeon). The ability of phosphorus-containing phenol MDPA to decrease the level of lipid peroxidation of sperm, beneficial effect on the activity indicators of the sperm of native sturgeon and of the defrosted one after deep freezing as well as on the fertility of sperm cells was shown.

[Termination of Replication and Mechanisms of Heteroplasmy in Sturgeon Mitochondrial DNA].

The control region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in sturgeon contains one to seven tandem nucleotide repeats 78-83 bp in size. Some sturgeon species are homoplasmic by the D-loop size (Acipenser nudiventris, A. oxyrinchus, A. sturio), some are mildly heteroplasmic (A. fulvescens, Huso huso) and some are markedly heteroplasmic (A. brevirostrum, A. medirostris, A. mikadoi, A. naccarii, and A. transmontanus). This work presents a comparison of the D-loop sequences associated with the termination of mtDNA replication in fish and the conservative sequences determining the termination of replication (TAS) in these organisms. It is proposed that the D-loop heteroplasmy in sturgeon may be associated with variation in the number of tandem repeat sequences, which can form stable spatial structures during mtDNA replication. In most sturgeon species with pronounced heteroplasmy, the energy levels required for the folding of tandem repeats containing variable number of repeated units differ minimally.

Functional Orientation of Biochemical Processes in Female Beluga × Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus Linnaeus, 1758 × Huso huso Linnaeus, 1758) Hybrids in the Reproductive Cycle.

The article reports data on the dynamics of blood parameters and parameters of protein, fat, and water-salt metabolism in female starlet × beluga hybrids kept under artificial conditions in the period of reproductive cycle. Gonad maturation in female hybrids in the artificial environment causes clear changes in the biochemistry of blood and of urine.

[Idiopathic epiretinal membranes: visual function impairment, morphological and functional features of retinal involvement]. / Idiopaticheskaia épiretinal'naia membrana: narushenie zritel'nykh funktsii, morfofunktsional'naia kharakteristika izmenenii setchatki.

By affecting different retinal layers, an idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) produces changes in macular architectonics and functioning. Morphological and functional assessment of these patients using modern visualization methods and electroretinography contributes to a better understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms of iERM.

Cryoprotective effect of phosphorous-containing phenolic anti-oxidant for the cryopreservation of beluga sperm.

A cryoprotective effect of an addition of a new synthetic antioxidant - a representative of phosphorus-containing sterically hindered phenols is presented. The efficiency of the compound was shown to exceed the effect of lipid-soluble antioxidants butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and trolox in the conditions of cryopreservation of beluga sperm in the presence of the modified Stein's medium. It was shown that the level of carbonyl oxidation by-products, which can react with thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), in beluga sperm was inversely proportional to the motility time of sperm cells. The fertility of beluga sperm increased 2 times upon the addition of phosphorus-containing phenol to a modified Stein's medium. The prospects of the new antioxidant application to improve cryoresistance of beluga sperm in the conditions of cryopreservation for its efficient protection from the peroxidation processes are discussed.

[Idiopathic epiretinal membrane: definition, classification, current understanding of pathogenesis].

Idiopathic epiretinal membrane is a result of a complex biomechanical interaction of the retina and vitreous. This paper discusses classification problems, epidemiological data of multicenter studies, and current hypotheses of epiretinal membrane pathogenesis.

[Macular and multifocal electroretinography in the evaluation of the retinal macular region function in age-related macular degeneration].

The electrogenesis of the retinal macular region versus optic coherent tomographic data was studied in different forms of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). A macular electroretinogram (M-ERG) and mixed ERG, multifocal ERG (mf-ERG), and optical coherent tomograms were recorded in 60 patients (112 eyes) aged 57 to 82 years who had ARMD. A significant moderate correlation was established between the averaged N1 amplitude of mf-ERG in the central rings and the M-ERG a-wave to a red stimulus, as well as between the averaged latency of an mfERG P1-component and the latency of the latency of b-wave and between the amplitudes of respective components. There was a significant reduction in the amplitude of the retinal macular region in confluent druzen. In focal atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), the amplitude decrease rate and extent varied from a significant reduction in M-ERG b-wave amplitude and a P1 decrease in the central hexagon to the significant reduction in the amplitude of M-ERG a- and b-wave components and mfERG N1 and P1 components in the foveal and parafoveal rings. M-ERG and mfERG changes in exudative ARMD were different in neuroepithelial and RPE detachments, retinal cystic changes and in varying activity of choroidal neovascularization.

[Morphofunctional characteristics of the retina and optic nerve in endocrine ophthalmopathy].

Optic neuropathy is a serious complication of endocrine ophthalmopathy (EOP). The morphological characteristics of the optic nerve (provided by a Heidelberg, HRT II retinotomograph) were compared with the functional impairments of various canals of light, color, and contrast sensitivities (detected by an Offon programme complex, MBN, Moscow). There were decreases in contrast and color sensitivities just at the early stages of the disease and deteriorated functions of contract and color sensitivity canals as optic neuropathy progressed. The HRT II retinotomograph has shown a significant change in the thickness of optic nerve fibers, the area of the optic disk (OD), and the volume of the neuroretinal ring, which corresponds to the magnitude of clinical manifestations and the severity of OD lesion. The first retinal changes appear long before optic nerve compression at the orbital apex (orbital apex syndrome), which are caused by ischemic and hypoxic processes due to orbital soft tissue edema. The most sensitive test in detecting the latent stage of optic neuropathy in EOP is a color and contrast sensitivity topography test. In EOP, the morphological optic nerve changes correlate with functional impairments in different canals of the visual system, reflecting the stage of the disease.

[The clinical characteristics of progressive focal epilepsy with a herpetic etiology]. / Klinicheskie osobennosti progressiruiushchei fokal'noi épilepsiei gerpeticheskoi étiologii.

Cases are described of chronic zoster encephalitis presenting with the leading progressive focal epilepsy syndrome. The clinical presentation of the trouble can include both general cerebral signs and those of the focal affection of the central nervous system only. The progressive course and duration of remission suggest to us a persisting infection manifesting against the background of immune deficiency.

[The cerebellar cortical atrophy syndrome]. / Sindrom kortikal'noi mozzhechkovoi atrofii.

The results of the observation of 44 patients with cerebellar syndrome of different etiology are presented. Together with careful study of anamnestic and clinical data some additional examinations were performed: senso- and pallesthesiometry, thermovisional investigation, vestibulometry, electroencephalo-, electromyography, computer tomography. The study allowed to reveal both the cause of the disease and to refer etiologically late cerebellar cortical ataxia to alcohol factor. On the basis of the comparison of clinical neurological data with paraclinical observation differential diagnostic criteria were defined for Marie-Foix-Alajouanine's late cortical cerebellar atrophy in alcoholism, in the cases of the hereditary predisposition as well as of unclear genesis, in Holmes olivocerebellar atrophy, in Menzel, Hunt and Déjérine-Thomas olivopontocerebellar degeneration.

[Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies]. / Khronicheskie vospalitel'nye demieliniziruiushchie polinevropatii.

A chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is described both on the basis of authors' own observations and literary data. The disease is characterised by delayed onset with progredient, progredient-remittent and stable course of flaccid paresis of extremity together with mild distal sensitive disturbances, albumino-cytologic dissociation and dysimmunoglobulinemia. Cranial nerves damages and vestibulo-cerebellar disturbances were observed in a number of patients. This confirms the involvement of CNS in CIDP. The common character of clinical, immunological, laboratory and electrophysiological findings permits to consider CIDP and Guillain-Barré syndrome as autoimmune diseases. Meanwhile some recent findings on the formation of antibodies to peripheral nerves structures as well as high titers of antisulfamide and antigangliosides antibodies permit to suggest CIDP as separate nosological unit. Additional clinical data and the evaluation of the role of etiological and pathogenetic mechanisms are necessary for the final conclusion.

[Chronic herpetic encephalitis with a progressive epileptic syndrome]. / Khronicheskii gerpeticheskii éntsefalit s progressiruiushchim épileticheskim sindromom.

Basing on the evidence provided by clinicomorphological and immunobiological studies, three, patients with progressive epileptic seizures were found to have chronic herpetic inflammation in the brain. The seizures took serial pattern with development of status epilepticus.

[Clinical forms of acute herpetic infections of the central nervous system in adults]. / Klinicheskie formy ostrykh gerpeticheskikh porazhenii tsentral'noi nervnoi sistemy u vzroslykh.

The authors describe the course of herpetic encephalitis in 52 patients aged 16 to 64 years. Five types of the initial manifestations of herpetic infection of the CNS were revealed. In 44.3% of cases the disease started from the general cerebral symptomatology and consciousness disturbance; in 13.6% it started in a brain stroke-like manner followed by the development of the comatose status; in 13.6% of cases from memory disorder and unmotivated actions; in the same percentage of cases, the disease onset was marked by the dominance of dizziness, diplopia, ataxia and central hemiplegia ; in 15.9% the disease started from pains in the stomach, loin and lower limbs. Hemispheric and pseudotumorous stem encephalitides (48.1 and 13.6% respectively) were predominant; in 25% meningoencephalitides and in the remainder, encephalomyelitis running their course in the form of disseminated encephalomyelitis (5.7%), focal myelitis (5.7%) or opticomyelitis (1.9%). The data presented attest to the pleomorphism of the clinical picture of herpetic lesions of the CNS.

[A differentiated approach to the therapy of the Parsonage-Turner syndrome]. / Differentsirovannyi podkhod k terapii sindroma Personeidzha--Ternera.

The authors have analyzed the anamnestic, clinical and laboratory data in 44 patients with Parsonage-Turner syndrome. Two forms of the disease were distinguished: radicular ischemia of vascular genesis, and the local form of infectious allergic polyradiculoneuritis associated with injury to the shoulder girdle of infectious genesis.

[Chronic forms of herpetic lesions of the central nervous system in adults (clinico-laboratory and morphological studies)]. / Khronicheskie formy gerpeticheskikh porazhenii tsentral'noi nervnoi sistemy u vzroslykh (kliniko-laboratornye i morfo- logicheskie issledovaniia).

Based on analysis of 17 cases with chronic herpetic encephalitis and encephalomyelitis, the authors demonstrate the diversity of the clinical manifestations of the illnesses. A problem of the progredient forms of those neurologic infections is discussed.