[MRI-parameters of frontal lobes in schizophrenia: correlations with the level of autoantibodies to nerve growth factor in the blood serum].

The relationship between MRI-parameters of frontal lobes and levels of autoantibodies to nerve growth factor (Aab-NGF) in the blood serum of patients with schizophrenia and their relatives was studied. The negative correlation between the Aab-NGF level and the total volume of frontal lobes (r= -0,59; p<0,01) was found in the group of patients. No significant correlations were found in the control groups of healthy subjects without family history of schizophrenia and relatives of patients. The authors concede that Aab-NGF may play a substantial role in the development of neuromorphological changes in schizophrenia.

[Molecular-genetic and epidemiologic examination of personnel subjected to occupational irradiation in Russian Federal Nuclear Center (Sarov). Report 3. Genetic characteristics of adaptive norm].

Was undertaken the effort to define the limits of the adaptive norms and of high risk groups in regard to the work connected with fissile materials (FM), radioactive materials (RM) and ionizing radiation sources (IRS). In view of the aforementioned goal it was made a comparative evaluation of the individual radiosensitivity measurements and anthropometric indicators in the cohort formed from VNIIEF personnel, which was exposed to a constant occupational gamma-neutron irradiation, as well as the non-irradiated cohort. There were analyzed the dispersion dependencies on height, on chest and on head circumference and heterozygosis by 9 loci. It was found that the minimum chest circumference dispersion is observed in people with average heterozygosis equal to 3 (at the 95% credibility). The minimum head circumference and height dispersion is observed in people with average heterozygosis equal to 3-5. The largest jitter in metric indicators is characteristic for people with heterozygosis 2. The highest radiosensitivity is typical for such individuals as well. It was formulated the assumption that this category of people present the limit heterozygosis case. So, additional research looking at people with the limit heterozygosis values (2 and 7; 8) is required, in order to define individual radiosensitivity limits.

[Molecular-genetic and epidemiologic examination of personnel subjected to occupational irradiation in the Russian Federal Nuclear Center (Sarov). Report 2. Genetic and non-genetic risk factors of morbidity].

Below is given a comparative evaluation of the genetic and the epidemiological examination of the cohort comprised by VNIIEF personnel subjected chronically to gamma-neutron ionizing radiation (74 persons), as well as nonirradiated cohort (74 persons). There are obtained data on the influence of the integral genotype structure on the health of an individual in case of occupational irradiation. The epidemiological analysis revealed statistically meaningful differences between the main and the control cohorts in the following five cases: acute respiratory diseases, diseases of upper respiratory tract, brain vessel malfunctions; illnesses connected with vision organs and cardio-vascular system and traumas. In such two cases as diseases of vision organs and cardio-vascular system the morbidity difference should be strictly attributed to the influence of the occupational factor. As a result of the genetic analysis it was shown that carriers of certain alleles of the loci ACP and Gc are credibly more susceptible to a number of diseases, when exposed to gamma-neutron irradiation. Besides, was proven that the occupational irradiation does not aggravate susceptibility to allergies and flew.

[Molecular-genetic and epidemiologic examination of personnel subjected to occupational irradiation in Russian Federal Nuclear Center (Sarov). Report 1. Genome structural damage rate and radiosensitivity].

A comparative evaluation of the cytological and dosimetric examination of the cohort comprised by VNIEF personnel subjected chronically to gamma-neutron ionizing radiation, as well as non-irradiated cohort is given. The obtained data on the influence of the occupational and on X-ray irradiation, age and smoking on the rate of structural genome damage, as well as the activity of the human repair system activity are presented. The influence of the individual heterozygosis by 9 polymorphous loci: Hp, Tf, Gc; 6-PGD, EsD, ACP, PGM1, microsatellite lici SCF1PO and F13AO1 is shown.

[A state of innate and adaptive immunity in children with schizophrenia and in the high-risk group for the disease].

Leukocyte elastase (LE) activity, alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha1-PI), C-reactive protein (CRP) as the indices of innate immunity and the level of autoantibodies to nerve growth factor (Aab-NGF) and to basic myelin protein (Aab-BMP) as the indices of adaptive immunity have been studied in the blood serum of 40 children at high risk for schizophrenia and in 32 children with schizophrenia. In the high-risk group, an increase both of the LE activity, CRP content and variance of alpha1-PI concentrations, indicating the activation of innate immunity, was found. LE activity correlated with severity of schizotypal diathesis. The development of schizophrenic process is accompanied by generalization of the immune response: along with activation of the innate immunity, there was activation of immunity acquired as an increase of the level of autoantibodies to neuroantigenes. It is suggested that activation of innate and adaptive immunity is related to the processes determining the disturbances of the nervous system development.

[Relation between immunological and neurophysiologic markers during exacerbation of schizophrenic process].

Relation between leukocyte elastase (LE) activity of peripheral blood and temporal parameters of late cognitive component of event-related potentials (ERP) was studied in 36 patients with different types of schizophrenia and 28 healthy controls. Both P300 latency and amplitude correlated with LE activity in patients, but not in controls. The results suggest a relationship between innate immunity activation and pathophysiologic processes underlying cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Possible mechanisms of the correlations revealed are analyzed.

[Markers of endothelial dysfunction in attack-like schizophrenia].

The activity of leukocyte elastase (LE) and two markers for vascular endothelial cells (EC) dysfunction/lesion--von Willebrand factor (WF) and C-reactive protein (C-RP)--was determined in the blood plasma of 22 male patients, aged 23.7 +/- 5.5 years with attack-like schizophrenia (ALS) and 24 matched controls. A significant increase of WF, C-RP and LE was found in the patients compared to controls indicating EC dysfunction and/or lesion in ALS schizophrenia. Positive correlations between LE activity and WF concentrations as well as between WF and severity of clinical symptoms in ALS patients imply a vascular layer lesion of the blood-brain barrier.

Effect of antibodies to nerve growth factor and serum albumin on the development and behavior of mice.

We studied physical development, behavioral characteristics, and learning capacity in the offspring of mice immunized with nerve growth factor and bovine serum albumin. High titer of antibodies to these factors in the blood of pregnant females determines high levels of these antibodies in the blood of their pups. These changes modulate physical development, behavior, and learning capacity of rat pups. The effects of these antibodies differed in the strength and directionality. Antibodies to nerve growth factor more markedly retarded physical development, reduced learning capacity, and considerably increased pain thresholds in animals.

[A comparison of some indices of innate and adaptive immunity in different types of schizophrenia]. / Sopostavlenie nekotorykh pokazatelei vrozhdennogo i priobretennogo immuniteta pri raznykh formakh techeniia shizofrenii.

Leukocyte elastase (LE) blood serum activity as an index of innate immunity and autoimmune reactions to brain antigens i.e. a level of autoantiboies to nerve growth factor (NGF) as an index of adaptive immunity were studied in patients with attack-like and slow progressive schizophrenia. Compared to controls, higher LE activity accompanied by a significant increase of autoantibodies to NGF titers was found in patients with attack-like schizophrenia. In slow progressive schizophrenia, only higher LE activity was detected. Correlations between immunological parameters and some clinical appearances (positive and negative disorders) and disease course peculiarities were revealed. The results suggest an involvement of different parts of immune system in pathophysiology of attack-like and slow progressive schizophrenia.

[Immune status in children with psychomotor development disturbances]. / Immunnyi status detei s narusheniiami psikhomotornogo razvitiia.

Leukocyte elastase (LE) activity and autoantibodies to nerve growth factor (NGF) level as indexes of innate and adaptive immunity have been studied in children with psychomotor development disturbances of cerebral organic origin. LE activity was elevated in mild and moderate degrees of psychomotor disturbances caused by perinatal encephalopathy. In psychomotor disturbances of cerebral organic origin, higher LE activity was accompanied by a significant increase of autoantibodies to NGF titers. Correlations between immunological parameters and some clinical symptoms were found. The results obtained suggest involvement of innate and adaptive immune system links in pathophysiology of psychomotor development disturbances in children.

The possible role of plasma kallikrein-kinin system and leukocyte elastase in pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

The main purpose of this paper is to study the possible causes of blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage during the acute condition of schizophrenia (Sch), which makes brain antigens accessible to the immunocompetent cells. The development of autoimmune reactions in this disease has to be preceded by the damage of BBB. We have studied the level of activity of plasma kallikrein-kinin (KKS) and complement systems, C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, proteinase inhibitory potential as well as the oxidized and degranulating activity of neutrophils as the main factors affected the permeability of tissue-blood barrier. Our results suggested that the acute stage of Sch was accompanied by the activation of KKS on the background of enhance in the functional activity of the alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor. The increased level of CRP, the high haemolytic activity of complement and significant degranulating activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes testified to inflammatory character of Sch. The treatment with psychotropic drugs have led to decrease of polymorphonuclear elastase (PMN-E) activity in patient's plasma. Our in vitro study indicates that Haloperidol causes the lowering of PMN-E activity in the dose-dependent fashion.

[Laser spatial scanning in flow cytometry]. / Lazernoe prostranstvennoe skanirovanie v protochnoi tsitometrii.

The main flow laser cytometry principles, based on the elastic light scattering, spheres of its applications, problems of its realization and utilization in the immunological investigations and diagnostics are analysed. The experimental model of a flow cytometer with laser probing beam space scanning, originally proposed by the authors, is described. The apparatus was tested by polystyrene latex spheres and biological objects. The experiments showed that the achieved sensitivity was enough to register red blood cells, their complexes and bacterial cells.

[Activation of kallikrein-kinin system, degranulating activity of neutrophils and blood-brain barrier in schizophrenia]. / Aktivatsiia kallikrein-kininovoi sistemy, degranuliatsionnaia aktivnost' neitrofilov i gematoéntsefalicheskii bar'er pri shizofrenii.

To evaluate permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB) some immunological and biochemical indices were used. The levels of the activity of serum kallikrein-kinin system (KKS), compliment system, C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, blood inhibitory potential, metabolic and degranulating activities of neutrophils, as well as functional activity of leukocytic elastase were investigated in 30 patients. Acute schizophrenic attack was accompanied by both activation of KKS and by the increase of functional activity of alfa-1-proteinase inhibitor. The increase of CRP levels, high hemolytic activity of complement as well as considerable degranulating activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes may be the causes of the damage of BBB permeability during acute schizophrenic attack.

Transferrin and ferritin modulate the activity of brain calcium-calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase.

The effect of the key iron homeostasis proteins transferrin and ferritin on the activity of partially purified brain calcium-calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase (CaM-PDE, EC 3.4.1.17) were studied. Transferrin and ferritin were found to be potent natural activators of CaM-PDE. The key factor determining the degree of activation by these proteins is their saturation with iron: apotransferrin activated CaM-PDE 6-7-fold; iron-poor brain ferritin and liver apoferritin (taken for comparison) activated the enzyme 4-5- and 2-fold, respectively. Diferric transferrin and iron-rich liver ferritin had no effects on the enzyme activity. Transferrin and ferritin (both in apo- and iron-saturated forms) did not change the activity of calmodulin-phosphodiesterase complex. The data suggest that apotransferrin and iron-poor transferrin are involved in the regulation of cyclic nucleotide content in nervous tissue.

[The effect of medium-wave UV-radiation on the photosynthetic apparatus and the productivity of higher plants]. / O deistvii srednevolnovoi UF-radiatsii na fotosinteticheskii apparat i produktsionnyi protsess vysshikh rastenii.

In laboratory and field experiments, the effect of medium-wave (290-320 nm) UV-radiation (UV-B) on the build-up of photosynthetic pigments, growth and productivity of higher plants was investigated. It was found that UV-B of 5-9 W/m2 in intensity applied daily (at a daily dose of 15-20 kJ/m2) or singly (at a daily dose of 24 or 36 kJ/m2) inhibited the formation of chloroplast pigments. The pattern and magnitude of changes depended on the plant species and leaf age. The degree of photosynthetic changes and plant resistance to UV-radiation were closely correlated. In field experiments (daily irradiation with 0.6 W/m2 at a dose of 12-13 kJ/m2/day), UV-B suppressed the growth and yield of cotton and soybean plants. This exposure modified chloroplasts of soybean plants and inhibited their growth to a greater extent than that of cotton plants. The factors responsible for the species-related specificity of UV-B resistance of higher plants are discussed and approaches to its evaluation based on the pigment apparatus of photosynthesis are described.

[Comparative evaluation of nutrition of healthy persons, patients with the preclinical stage of ischemic heart disease and in patients with marked coronary disease]. / Sravnitel'naia otsenka kharaktera pitaniia zdorovykh, lits s dokli- nicheskoi stadiei ishemicheskoi bolezni serdtsa i bol'nykh s vyrazhennoi ishemicheskoi bolezn'iu serdtsa.

A total of 92 males aged 28 to 55 years were examined. These included 28 apparently healthy individuals, 45 subjects with preclinical coronary heart disease and 19 patients with Functional Class I-II coronary heart disease. A special questionnaire was used to examine the dietary patterns of the subjects with preclinical coronary heart disease, i.e. those having no typical clinical signs of the disease, but showing signs of myocardial infarction during the maximum exercise testing and minimal coronary arterial changes at selective coronary angiography. The subjects, unlike healthy individuals and CHD patients, were found to have 1 or 2 meals a day, frequently late at night, consume large amounts of sugar and other candies, fatty milk products, butter, eggs; small quantities of vegetables, fruits, and fish, often put additional amounts of salt to their diet. The subjects, as patients with severe CHD but unlike healthy individuals, were shown to have hypercholesterolemia and display high low density lipoprotein and apo-lipoprotein B levels; apo B/apo A being more than 1. The above dietary patterns of subjects with preclinical CHD represent one of the causes of abnormal changes in the blood lipid profile, which result in further CHD development.