[Effects of mono-, poly- and composite probiotics on the ulceration caused by restraint stress].

It was studied the effect of probiotic strains of Bifidobacterium animalis VKL, Bifidobacterium animalis VKB and Lactobacillus casei IMVB-7280, and their mixtures on erosive and ulcerative lesions of the gastric mucosa (GM) of rats. GM was induced by water-immersion restraint stress. It was found that investigated probiotics did not have gastroprotective properties under a single and seven-day prophylactic administration. However, multiprobiotics (polyprobiotic Bifidobacterium animalis VKL and Bifidobacterium animalis VKB and composite probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis VKL, Bifidobacterium animalis VKB and Lactobacillus casei IMVB-7280) reduced the erosive and ulcerative lesions and the intensity of bleeding in rat GM when given within 14 days. It was shown that one of the mechanisms of antiulcer preventive effect of the multistrain probiotics is the restoration of pro/antioxidant balance in the GM under the stress action. The obtained results show the effectiveness of poly- and composite probiotics in the gastric ulcer prevention.

Dose-dependent IFN-stimulating and immunomodulating properties of 6H-indolo[2,3-B] quinoxaline derivatives.

Two 6H-indoloquinoxaline derivatives were studied in different doses and schemes of application for their INFgamma-inducing potential and ability to effect functional activity of phagocytic cells. Tested compounds were shown to possess comparable or higher activity than reference drug Amixin in analogous doses. One indoloquinoxaline significantly elevated metabolic activity of macrophages and increased their potential for phagocytosis. Application of multiple treatments and higher doses allowed us to reveal differences between studied derivatives that were not obvious in previous in vivo experiment. Capacity of 6H-indoloquinoxalines to induce vast IFN amounts on in vivo level was demonstrated for the first time.

The effect of lacto- and bifidobacteria compositions on the vaginal microflora in cases of intravaginal staphylococcosis.

The effect of intravaginal injection of Lactobacillus casei IMV B-7280, Lactobacillus acidophilus IMV B-7279, Bifidobacterium animalis VKL and Bifidobacterium animalis VKB strains in various compositions on the range of microflora of the urogenital tract on the model of experimental intravaginal staphylococcosis of mice was determined. It was established that under the influence of various compositions of these strains changes in microflora spectrum occurred the number of representatives of normoflora increased and the number of pathogenic microorganisms, including staphylococci, streptococci, coliform bacteria and fungi, significantly decreased. It was determined that strains of lacto- and bifidobacteria, that were studied, are prospective components of future probiotic drugs efficient in treating staphylococcosis.

Effect of probiotic strains of lacto- and bifidobacteria on the activity of macrophages and other parameters of immunity in cases of staphylococcosis.

The immunomodulatory properties of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMVB-7281, Lactobacillus casei IMV B-7280, Lactobacillus acidophilus IMV B-7279, Bifidobacterium animales VKL and B. animales VKB strains on the models of experimental staphylococcosis infection in mice were determined. It was found that after the mice, infected with staphylococcus, were treated by some probiotic strains of lacto- and bifidobacteria, a normalization of functional activity of phagoctic cells system and increase of the endogenous interferon production were observed. L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMVB-7281, L. casei IMVB-7280, L. acidophilus IMV B-7279, B. animales VKB and B. animales VKL are promising for the development of probiotics, effective against staphylococci and for the immunity correction.

Creation of transgenic Brassica napus L. plants expressing human alpha 2b interferon gene.

Spring rapeseed transgenic lines expressing human interferon alpha 2b were created by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of aseptic plant leaf explants. The maximum antiviral activity of the leaf extracts reached 4500 IU/g fresh weight. It was determined that the antioxidant activity and the activity of an enzyme of plant antioxidant system--superoxide dismutase (SOD)--in the leaf tissues of transgenic plants increased compared to controls. There were no correlations between the interferon and antioxidant activities, as well as between SOD and interferon activities. Using the obtained transgenic rapeseed plants with high interferon and antioxidant activities as a feed additive for animals might have preventive effect on their body, increasing resistance to infections of various origins.

Gender differences in psychological distress in adults with asthma.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine whether there were gender differences in the relationship of depressive, anxiety-related, and somatic symptomatology to the presence, severity, and duration of asthma. METHODS: A total of 54 adult asthma patients (24 women, 30 men) and 31 healthy subjects (19 women, 12 men) were studied. Within each gender group, patients' psychological distress levels were compared as a function of severity (mild vs. moderate) and duration of disease (<5 vs. 5+ years), to each other and with healthy subjects. Data were collected in Ukraine utilizing the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the best-validated psychological assessment instrument in Eastern European populations. RESULTS: Relative to healthy women, women with both mild and moderate asthma showed elevated distress in multiple domains reflecting somatic and psychological complaints. In contrast, only men with relatively more severe disease of longer duration showed elevated symptomatology relative to healthy men, with depressive symptoms predominating. CONCLUSION: To the extent that distress in response to asthma takes a more diffuse form and may be expressed at milder and earlier stages of the disease in women than men, the findings suggest the need to tailor asthma education and behavioral interventions to the unique psychological needs of women and men in order to be maximally effective.