Thermal properties of frozen water in the native and amorphous starches with various hydration degrees.

The melting process of frozen water (FW) in various starches (rice, wheat, potato) that have crystal lattices of A- and B-type has been studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The dependences of the melting temperature (Tm) and heat (Qm) of FW on the size of the water clusters forming in starches with various humidity (the so-called size effect) and on conformational changes of starch molecules upon the destruction of native starch crystals (starch amorphization) have been considered. It has been found that in the native starches with low humidity (<35%) the Tm of FW lies below 0 °C and decreases with the decrease of their humidity. The sizes of the water clusters formed under these conditions have been estimated. In contrast, such a size effect in amorphous starches has not been observed and possible reasons for its masking have been discussed. Still, all the values of Tm for FW obtained in the amorphous starches are also negative thereby indicating the dispersed state of water in these systems. Conversely, the size effect for Qm of FW in starches with low humidity, very pronounced in the amorphous state and barely visible in the native one, has been found. It has been established that the starch amorphization leads to a redistribution of the relative amounts of FW and unfrozen water (UFW) resulting in the decrease of Qm for FW in both A- and B- starch types. Finally, it has been concluded that in all the investigated starches there exist water clusters with Tm and Qm lower than that of bulk water.

[Comparative data about cryosupernatant and fresh frozen plasma use in treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation in patients with generalized peritonitis].

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To compare the complex treatment of peritonitis with cryosupernatant and with fresh frozen plasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Outcomes of treatment were studied in 88 patients receiving cryosupernatant and in 112 receiving fresh frozen plasma. RESULTS: Cryosupernatant application provides better dynamics of hemostasis, decreases a risk of thrombosis and mortality and improves outcomes of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Cryosupernatant can be used instead of fresh frozen plasma in complex treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation in patients with generalized peritonitis.

[The use of cryosupernatant plasma in complex treatment of pancreonecrosis].

Comparative study of results of complex treatment of pancreonecrosis in 60 patients using cryosupernatant plasma (CSNP) and fresh frozen plasma was carried out. Better positive dynamics in some laboratory indices, less lethality and better outcomes were marked with use of CSNP. It can be used instead of fresh frozen plasma in complex treatment of pancreonecrosis and concomitant DIC syndrome.

[Endothelial injury markers as a possible criterion for the efficiency of treatment for arterial hypertension].

Endothelial injury markers, including endothelial microparticles (CD31+ particles, 1.5-4.0 microm in diameter), von Willebrand factor, endothelin-big 1-38, and plasma concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in patients with essential hypertension (EH), were evaluated. The endothelial injury markers and the concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were significantly elevated in patients with EH, as compared to healthy subjects and decreased, so was blood pressure in response to antihypertensive pharmacotherapy. However, the patients and the healthy subjects had differences in these parameters. It is suggested that all the studied parameters of endothelial injury are suitable for laboratory monitoring of treatment in patients with EH in different periods of the disease, including a stable blood pressure period.

[Population models in the study of the neurogenic determinants of arterial hypertension. Report I. Peculiarities of arterial hypertension in schizophrenia].

In order to clarify the role of the central nervous system in the genesis of arterial hypertension (AH) a population analysis of somatic pathology in schizophrenia was performed. Using clinical and postmortem data, the study found lower frequency of AH among mental patients vs. somatic ones; primary AH was benign independently of the psychotropic therapy regimen. II to III stage AH in psychosis was associated with primary or secondary renal pathology or magistral vessel atherosclerosis. Severe schizophrenia and a pronounced personality defect were associated with low intensity of the primary form of somatic nosology.

[Effect of anesthesia and anticoagulant prophylaxis on the occurrence of postoperative thromboembolic complications in orthopedic patients].

Different prevention regimens of venous thromboembolism, by using the low molecular-weight heparin Fraxiparin, were studied in 152 patients who had undergone major orthopedic leg surgery under spinal and general anesthesia. The regimens differed in the time of Fraxiparin administration (before or after surgery). Fraxiparin and spinal anesthesia were found to promote the lower incidence of venous thromboembolism. The preoperative preventive treatment of venous thromboembolism, by using a low molecular-weight heparin in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia is unnecessary because of a high risk of epidural hematomas. If the risk for venous thromboembolism is higher before surgery and remains the same after it, thromboprophylaxis should be prolonged for at least one month.

[Potassium transport in erythrocytes from patients with gentamicin intolerance]. / Issledovanie transporta kaliia v éritrotsitakh bol'nykh s lekarstvennoi neperenosimost'iu k gentamitsinu.

A study was made of rubidium (potassium analog) influxes via ouabain-sensitive Na/K pump, bumetanide-sensitive cotransport and resistant to ouabain bumetanide membrane ion pathways and of the intracellular potassium and sodium contents in red blood cells from patients with high gentamicin sensitivity (GSP) and healthy patients (HP). It is found that red blood cells from two groups of donors do not differ in both intracellular potassium and sodium contents and pump-mediated rubidium influxes, however, bumetanide-sensitive rubidium influxes were twice as low in GSP as compared to HP (0.28 against 0.46 mumole per gram of hemoglobin). In the presence of gentamicin (10(-6) M) bumetanide-sensitive rubidium influxes were shown to decrease in red blood cells of GSP, being unchanged in erythrocytes of HP. It is suggested that the increased rates of hemolysis in response to hypotonicity in red blood cells of GSP may be due to a decreased activity of bumetanide-sensitive cotransport in plasma membrane of these cells.

[Renal lesions in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus]. / Porazhenie pochek u bol'nykh sakharnym diabetom pozhilogo vozrasta.

AIM: To elucidate the role of some renal diseases, pyelonephritis in particular, in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The trial included 150 patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 aged over 60 years with DM duration 16.6 +/- 7.8 years. All the patients underwent general clinical examination, Reberg-Tareev test, urine seeding, renal ultrasonography. RESULTS: The diagnoses associated with renal pathology were made in 75% of patients, the specific renal parenchymal damage (diabetic nephropathy-DN) proper was much less common (73 patients with type 2 DM). 16 of them were found to have chronic renal failure. The concurrent abnormalities included pyelonephritis (21%), urolithiasis (14%), renal cysts (19%), their combination (43%). Concomitant pyelonephritis had the most significant impact on renal function. Essential hypertension occurred in 65% of patients. CONCLUSION: In old age, renal damage specific for DM develops in the presence of pyelonephritis, cystic degeneration of the parenchyma, involutional processes, atherosclerotic and hypertensive arteriolosclerosis.

[Absolute diet therapy and antibiotic tolerance in bronchial asthma patients]. / Razgruzochno-dieticheskaia terapiia i perenosimost' antibiotikov bol'nymi bronkhial'noi astmoi.

In 10 patients with bronchial asthma (BA) treated conventionally (control group), 10 BA patients on absolute diet therapy (group 1) and 10 BA patients in absolute diet therapy combined with wheat herb juice (group 2) tolerance to 12 antibiotics of different classes and some immunity factors were determined using a complex of diagnostic methods. The latter implies: case history, humoral and cell immunity defense system tests and special tests (chemical erythrograms and leukocyte migration inhibition test in plane capillary tubes with tested drugs). The data obtained evidence for increased tolerance of the antibiotics in groups 1 and 2 as well as for changes in humoral defense system, especially in immunoglobulin E. The drug tolerance may be a therapeutic criterion of absolute diet therapy in bronchial asthma patients.

[The effects of eiconol in elderly patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus]. / Effekty éikonola u bol'nykh pozhilogo vozrasta pri insulinnezavisimom sakharnom diabete.

A nutritional additive eikonol containing polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 was given for a month (8 g/day) to correct vascular complications in 60 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Eikonol-treated NIDDM patients with diabetic retinopathy, polyneuropathy, angiopathy of the legs combining with arterial hypertension exhibited a reduction in the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low and very low density lipoproteins cholesterol, a rise in concentrations of high density lipoproteins cholesterol. Blood pressure went down, peripheral vascular resistance and microhemocirculation improved. The findings evidence prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of eikonol in vascular complications of NIDDM.

[Heat capacity of hydrated and dehydrated globular proteins. The denaturing increment of heat capacity]. / Teploemkost' uvlashnennykh i obezvozhennykh globuliarnykh belkov. Denaturatsionnyi inkrement teploemkosti.

Absolute values of heat capacity for some hydrated globular proteins (11S globulin, ovalbumin, ribonuclease A, and lysozyme) have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. It has been found that for proteins with bound water, as in the case of protein solutions, the heat capacity of denatured proteins is higher then prior to denaturation. Depending on temperature and humidity, the denatured proteins can be either in high-elastic or glass state. Specific heat capacities for these two states have the same values for all proteins and depend only on temperature with a characteristic increment of 0.55 J.g-1.K-1 at glass transition. The glass transitions were observed not only in denatured but also in native proteins. Our results indicate that the main contribution to the heat capacity increment at denaturation is connected with the thermal motion in the protein globule, which is contrast with the commonly accepted ideas.

[Denatured increments of heat capacity in globular proteins and its connection with vitrification processes]. / Denaturatsionnyi skachok teploemkosti v globuliarnykh belkakh i ego sviaz' s protsessom steklovaniia.

Absolute values of heat capacity for some hydrated globular proteins have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) method. It has been found that for the proteins with completely bound water, like in the case of protein solutions, the value of heat capacity of denatured proteins is higher than that prior to denaturation. Depending on temperature and humidity the denatured proteins can be either in high elastic or glass state. Specific heat capacities for these two states have the same values for all proteins and depend only on temperature with a characteristic increment of 0.55 J/g.K. at glass transition. The glass transitions were observed not only in denatured but also in native proteins. As it follows from our results, the main contribution to the heat capacity increment at denaturation is connected with the thermal motion in the protein globule which is in contrast with the commonly accepted ideas.

[Calorimetric study of the glass transition of denatured collagen]. / Kalorimetricheskoe issledovanie steklovaniia denaturirovannogo kollagena.

Temperature dependence of heat capacity of native and denatured collagen samples with different content of bound water (6 divided by 27%) has been studied by DSC method in the temperature range from -50 to 150 degrees C. Heat capacity of denatured samples demonstrates a jump of 0.50 J/g.grad. at temperature Tg, which depends on humidity of the sample. It has been shown that Tg value also depends on the heating rate and thermal history. Annealing at the temperature below Tg produces an additional maximum in the temperature dependence on heat capacity. The magnitude of this maximum, as well as the Tg value increase with the annealing time. It is concluded that these properties of heat capacity reflect glass transition in the denatured collagen.

[Jump-like change in the heat capacity of denatured biological macromolecules]. / Skachkoobraznoe izmenenie teploemkosti denaturirovannykh biologicheskikh makromolekul.

Study of temperature dependence of heat capacity in denatured biopolymers (collagen, elastin, lysozyme, DNA) with 10-15% of bound water revealed a characteristic jump at some critical temperature Tc. It is argued that such behavior reflects glass transition in biopolymers.

[Characteristics of the course of ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus occurring jointly]. / Osobennosti techeniia ishemicheskoi bolezni serdtsa i sakharnogo diabeta pri ikh sochetanii

Findings of research into the specific course of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) concurrent with diabetes mellitus are analysed. Diabetic patients were found to have a more severe course of IHD after myocardial infarction, which was more often complicated with arrhythmias, cardiac failure, and unstable angina. The incidence of painless IHD after myocardial infarction was found to be twice higher in diabetics. A consistent relationship between the severity of diabetes and an increase in painless IHD incidence was noted. Diabetes was found to aggravate the IHD course irrespective of the patient's age. A correlation was observed between the severity of IHD and insulinaemia. Certain functional-diagnosis methodologies are shown to be most informative in the differential diagnosis of IHD and diabetic cardiomyopathy. The high efficacy of a complex therapy including beta-blockers and angioprotectors in concurrent IHD and diabetes is demonstrated.

[The functional activity and count of the natural killer cells in patients with recently diagnosed diabetes mellitus types I and II]. / Izuchenie funktsional'noi aktivnosti i kolichestva estestvennykh kletok-killerov u bol'nykh s nedavno voznikshim sakharnym diabetom I i II tipa.

Eight patients with type I diabetes mellitus (D-I), seven patients with type II diabetes mellitus (D-11) and 8 healthy donors were examined. The disease standing did not exceed 1 year since the moment of the diagnosis establishment. The patients with D-I manifested activation of natural killers (NK) as compared to their activity in the donors and patients with D-II (76.05 +/- 6.5%, 52.33 +/- 9.55% and 55.39 +/- 10.63%, respectively, p less than 0.01) in the presence of the attenuated response of NK to interleukin-2 and alpha-interferon, determined by NK prestimulation. The amount of NK (CD16-positive) in D-I was significantly less than in the donors and patients with D-II. The high activity of NK in D-I correlated with an increase of receptor expression for transferrin on the mononuclear cells of peripheral blood. At the same time 5 out of the 8 patients with D-I and 2 patients with D-II out of the 7 demonstrated the rise of serum alpha-interferon (in the titer 1:40 and over). Activation of NK and the rise of serum interferon may be due to viral etiology of the disease and may play a role in the autoimmune process in patients suffering from D-I.

[Duration of the antihypothermic action of the antidepressant ftoratsizin in galanthamine-induced hypothermia]. / O dlitel'nosti antigipotermicheskogo deistviia antidepressanta ftoratsizina pri gipotermii, vyzvannoi galantaminom.

The presence of m-anticholinergic properties in ftoratsizin was confirmed in experiments of rats. Ftoratsizin was found to possess the ability of preventing galanthamine-induced hypothermia. Unlike ftoratsizin, amizil exhibited an incomplete and transient antagonistic effect towards galanthamine (within an hour) not depending on the dose.

[Functional tests in the diagnosis of cerebral dystonic venous disorders]. / Funktsional'nye proby v diagnostike tserebral'nykh distonicheskikh venoznykh narushenii.

The authors conducted rheographic and opthalmoretinal studies of 85 patients with cerebral venous dystonias and of 20 control patients using functional loads (-30 degrees head-down tilt). In the control subjects the diastolic pressure in the central retinal vein (CRV) in head-down tilt test was 10.1 +/- 0.3 mm Hg, showing no significant difference from the initial level (9.0 +/- 0.4 mm Hg), p greater than 0.05. The patients with cerebral venous dystonias presented a significant increase in the diastolic pressure in the CRV by 4.9 +/- 0.2 mm Hg, p less than 0.001, which is indicative of a compromised intracranial venous pressure.