[Early postoperative stabilometric training in patients with spinal diseases who underwent decompressive-stabilizing interventions]. / Stabilometricheskii trening v rannem posleoperatsionnom periode u patsientov s zabolevaniiami pozvonochnika, perenesshikh dekompressivno-stabiliziruiushchie vmeshatel'stva.

AIM: To study the impact of rehabilitation measures on the dynamics of pain syndrome and on the state of postural muscle balance in the early postoperative period in patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the lumbar spine who have undergone decompressive-stabilizing interventions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This paper comparatively analyzed the level of pain syndrome in the lumbar spine and lower extremities, the stabilometric indicators characterizing the amplitude of center-of-pressure oscillations in patients who had undergone decompressive-stabilizing operations at 7±2 days after surgical treatment for degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the lumbar spine. Two groups of 60 people in each were formed: rehabilitation measures were implemented, starting on day 2 of an early postoperative period (the duration of the latter was 7±2 days after surgery); the basic complex was supplemented with stabilometric training in Group 1 (a study group); only the basic complex was used in Group 2 (a comparison group). RESULTS: In the study group, the frequency of rehabilitation outcomes with an achieved excellent result depending on the level of pain syndrome in the lower extremities and spine on a visual analogue scale was 62.5 and 88.9%, respectively; which significantly statistically exceeds the proportion of patients with the same outcome in the comparison group (37.5 and 11.1%; p<0.01 in both cases). There was a statistically significant more pronounced decrease in the level of pain syndrome in the lumbar spine (p=0.0001) and lower limbs (p=0.003) in the patients of the study group in the early postoperative period. Intergroup comparison revealed a statistically significant decrease in all the indicators monitored in the study, which characterize the amplitude of the center-of-pressure oscillations. Moreover, the value of the oscillation area parameter between the patient groups differed by 1.76 and 1.83 times during Romberg's test with the eyes open or closed, respectively (p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the comprehensive treatment supplemented with stabilometric training in the early postoperative period improves the state of postural muscle balance. There was a statistically significant predominance of compliance with normative values in patients of the study group during Romberg's test with the eyes open or closed (p=0.007 and p=0.00002, respectively), which contributes to a more marked decrease in the level of pain syndrome in the lumbar spine (p=0.001) and lower extremities (p=0.003).

M-cholinoreactivity of erythrocytes of non-pregnant and pregnant women evaluated by changes in the rate of erythrocyte agglutination under the influence of acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine (5.5×10(-10)-5.5×10(-6)M) accelerated erythrocyte agglutination in men, non-pregnant women in follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, and pregnant women in the first trimester. The effect was blocked with atropine (5.5×10(-6)M). Acetylcholine had no effect on the rate of erythrocyte agglutination in non-pregnant women in the luteal phase and pregnant women in the second and third trimesters, which coincided with the development of myometrium refractoriness to acetylcholine in pregnant women. The results indicate that erythrocytes can reflect M-cholinoreactivity of internal organs.

Mutilation of RNA phage Qbeta virus-like particles: from icosahedrons to rods.

Icosahedral virus-like particles (VLPs) of RNA phage Qbeta are stabilized by four disulfide bonds of cysteine residues 74 and 80 within the loop between beta-strands F and G (FG loop) of the monomeric subunits, which determine the five-fold and quasi-six-fold symmetry contacts of the VLPs. In order to reduce the stability of Qbeta VLPs, we mutationally converted the amino acid stretch 76-ANGSCD-81 within the FG loop into the 76-VGGVEL-81 sequence. It led to production in Escherichia coli cells of aberrant rod-like Qbeta VLPs, along with normal icosahedral capsids. The length of the rod-like particles exceeded 4-30 times the diameter of icosahedral Qbeta VLPs.

Mosaic Qbeta coats as a new presentation model.

The new protein carrier was developed on the basis of recombinant RNA phage Qbeta capsid. C-terminal UGA extension of the short form of Qbeta coat, so-called A1 extension, served as a target for presentation of foreign peptides on the outer surface of mosaic Qbeta particles. In conditions of enhanced UGA suppression, the proportion of A1-extended to short coats in mosaic particles dropped from 48% to 14%, with an increase of the length of A1 extension. A model insertion, short preS1 epitope 31-DPAFR-35 of hepatitis B surface antigen, demonstrated superficial location on the mosaic Qbeta particles and ensured specific antigenicity and immunogenicity.

RNA phage Q beta coat protein as a carrier for foreign epitopes.

The Q beta gene C has been proposed as a new carrier for the exposure of foreign peptide sequences. Contrary to well-known 'display vectors' on the basis of coat proteins of RNA phage group I, group III phage Q beta-based vectors suggested application of the 195-amino acid extension of coat protein (CP) within the so-called A1 protein for insertion of the appropriate immunological epitopes. 'Mosaic' capsids presenting model hepatitis B virus preS1 and HIV-1 gp120 epitopes and formed by Q beta CP together with A1-derived proteins were obtained as a result of (1) suppression of leaky UGA stop codon of the CP gene and (2) simultaneous expression of 'pure' CP and full-length A1-derived genes obtained after the changing of CP-terminating UGA to strong UAA stop codon or sense GGA codon, respectively.