Gender Differences in the Level of Antibodies to Measles Virus in Adults.

Individuals without a protective antibody level are susceptible to measles infection. There are differences in the persistence of antibodies after vaccination and infection, while the impact of gender on this process has not been sufficiently studied. Measles Ig G antibodies were measured in 1742 employees of a large hospital facility-403 men and 1339 women aged from 25 to 67 years; 15% participants had antibody levels less than the protective threshold of ≥0.18 IU/mL. Significant differences were found in the age group 40-49, where the level of IgG antibodies to measles among men was higher than among women (1.51 IU/mL (0.41; 3.38) vs. 0.70 IU/mL (0.22;1.98) respectively, (U = 3.2, p = 0,001)); in the age group 60 and older, by contrast, the level of antibodies among women was higher compared to men (3.29 IU/mL (1.72; 4.07) vs. 2.90 IU/mL (1.46; 3.53) respectively (U = 2.2, p = 0.03)). The proportion of seronegative women in the age group 40-49 was significantly higher than of seronegative men: 22 [18-26]% and 11 [6-18]% respectively (χ2 = 7.0, p = 0.001). The revealed gender characteristics that affect persistence of measles immunity may be important in personalization of vaccinal prevention for men and women.

[EXPERIENCE OF TOTALLY TRANSCUTANEOUS ENDOPROSTHESIS OF THE INFRARENAL AORTA АNEURYSM].

Endovascular endoprosthesis infrarenal aorta constitutes a miniinvasive highly technological method of treatment of a life-thretening pathology. Experience of transcutaneous endoprosthesis of infrarenal aorta in 6 patients was presented. Possibility of a common femoral artery (CFA) suturing, using Prostar XL apparatus, was estimated on a stage of the endoprosthesis dimensions calculation in accordance to a CT and duplex US scanning data and recommendations of manufacturer. In transcutaneous CFA suturing the complications were absent. Absence of a sectional access to CFA have permitted to avoid such complications, as neuralgia, paresthesia, seroma, suppuration of operative wound. In bilateral suturing of CFA a duration of the patients stationary state have reduced.

[Biodegradable coronary stents: history of application and own experience].

Experience of application of a new generation coronary stents--biodegradable stent--platforms--was summarized, in 46 patients, suffering an ischemic heart disease, 60 stents "Absorb" were implanted. Unstable course of the disease was noted in 6 (13.0%) patients, coronary angina of functional class II--III--in 40 (87%). Early stenting was accomplished in 10, aortocoronary shunting--in 4 patients, and abdominal aorta endoprosthesis--in 1. One stent "Absorb" was implanted to 33 patients, two stents--to 11, four biodegradable stents--1. In one observation the stenting of coronary arteries and a. carotis interna was conducted. In all the patients the immediate postoperative period course was uneventful, unfaithful implantation or an acute thrombosis of stent were not observed. The investigation results witnesses the possibility of application of this technology in various clinical and angiographic situations. For wide introduction of biodegradable stents into practice of interventional cardiology departments it is necessary to proceed with the immediate and late follow-up results studying.

[Remote results of endoprosthesis of the infrarenal aorta aneurysm].

Endovascular endoprosthesis of infrarenal aorta aneurysm (EEIAA)--is miniinvasive highly technological method of treatment of a life-threatening disease. The rate of the endovascular interventions conduction for aortal aneurysm enhances every year in the world, the prosthesis construction and operative technique are upgrading constantly. The experience of the EEIAA endoprosthesis in 75 patients, aged 51-80 years old, 70 men and 5 women, was presented. The aneurysm size was from 4.3 to 8 cm. Preoperative examination of the patients have included the ultrasound scanning, computeric tomography (CT). Among existing complications there is haemorrhage from the access site more than 500 ml in volume, demanding the erythrocytic mass transfusion in 2 patients. The patients were followed up from 1 mo till 7 yrs. A hospital lethality was absent. Major cardiovascular accidents in the terms of observation up to 30 days postoperatively were absent. During the follow up period the mortality, connected immediately with the abdominal aorta aneurysm rupture, was absent.

[Structural and functional changes of cell membranes in patients with renocardiac chronic syndrome].

The 53 patients with chronic renocardiac syndrome, with hypertension in chronic kidney disease, were investigated. In the presence of chronic renal failure there is a decrease of cholesterol in the membrane, which is the basis for the violation liquid characteristics of cell membranes. Changes in the exchange of phospholipids and an increase in the exchange rate reflect increasing phosphatidylcholine lipid peroxidation, increasing in chronic renal failure. The degradation of cell membranes reflects a compensatory accumulation in these fractions of phosphatidylcholine, a major component of the outer layer of biomembranes. Regardless of the degree of renal dysfunction and clinical manifestations of the disease in the membranes of platelets accumulate lizoform phospholipids, indicating a strengthening of the processes of lipid peroxidation and accumulation of biologically active substances, which have membrane-destructive activity.

[Risk of cerebrovascular disease incidence in the cohort of Mayak production association workers first employed during 1948-1958].

Incidence of cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) has been studied in a cohort of 12210 workers first employed at one of the main plants (reactors, radiochemical or plutonium) of the Mayak nuclear facility during 1948-1958 and followed up to the end of 2000. Information on external gamma doses is available for virtually all (99.9%) of these workers; the mean (+/- one standard deviation) total gamma dose was 0.91 +/- 0.95 Gy (99% percentile 3.9 Gy) for men and 0.65 +/- 0.75 Gy (99% percentile 2.99 Gy) for women. Plutonium body burden was measured only for 30.0% of workers. Amongst those monitored, the mean (+/- standard deviation) cumulative liver dose from plutonium alpha exposure was 0.40 +/- 1.15 Gy (99% percentile 5.88 Gy) for men and 0.81 +/- 4.60 Gy (99% percentile 15.95 Gy) for women 4418 cases (first diagnosis) of CVD were identified in the studied cohort. A statistically significant increasing trend in CVD incidence with total external gamma dose was revealed after adjustment for non-radiation factors and internal exposure from incorporated plutonium-239. Excess relative risk per Gy was 0.464 (95% confidence interval 0.360-0.567). Incidence of CVD was statistically significantly higher for the workers chronically exposed to external gamma rays at a dose above 1.0 Gy A statistically significant increasing trend in CVD incidence with internal liver dose from plutonium alpha exposure was observed after adjustment for non-radiation factors and external exposure. ERR per Gy was 0.155 (95% confidence interval 0.075-0.235). CVD incidence was statistically significantly higher among workers with a plutonium liver dose above 0.1 Gy, although the trend estimates differed between workers at different plants. The incidence risk estimates for external radiation are generally compatible with estimates from the study of Chernobyl clean-up workers, although the incidence data point to higher risk estimates compared to those from the Japanese A-bomb survivors.

Cerebrovascular diseases in the cohort of workers first employed at Mayak PA in 1948-1958.

The incidence of and mortality from cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) have been studied in a cohort of 12,210 workers first employed at one of the main plants of the Mayak nuclear facility during 1948-1958 and followed up to 31 December 2000. Information on external γ-ray doses is available for virtually all of these workers (99.9%); the mean total γ-ray dose (± SD) was 0.91 ± 0.95 Gy (99th percentile 3.9 Gy) for men and 0.65 ± 0.75 Gy (99th percentile 2.99 Gy) for women. In contrast, plutonium body burden was measured only for 30.0% of workers; among those monitored, the mean cumulative liver dose from plutonium α-particle exposure (± SD) was 0.40 ± 1.15 Gy (99th percentile 5.88 Gy) for men and 0.81 ± 4.60 Gy (99th percentile 15.95 Gy) for women. A total of 4418 cases of CVD, including 665 cases of stroke, and 753 deaths from CVD, including 404 deaths from stroke, were identified in the study cohort. Having adjusted for non-radiation factors, there were statistically significant increasing trends in CVD incidence but not mortality with both total external γ-ray dose and internal liver dose. Much of the evidence for increased incidence in relation to external dose arose for workers with cumulative doses above 1 Gy. Although the dose response is consistent with linearity, the statistical power to detect non-linearity at external doses below 1 Gy was low. CVD incidence was statistically significantly higher among workers with a plutonium liver dose above 0.1 Gy. There was a statistically significant increasing trend in incidence with increasing internal dose, even after adjusting for external dose, although the trend estimates differed between workers at different plants. The risk estimates for external radiation are generally compatible with those from other large occupational studies, although the incidence data point to higher risk estimates compared to those from the Japanese A-bomb survivors.

Cardiovascular diseases in the cohort of workers first employed at Mayak PA in 1948-1958.

Incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular diseases have been studied in a cohort of 12,210 workers first employed at one of the main plants of the Mayak nuclear facility during 1948-1958 and followed up to 31 December 2000. Information on external gamma-ray doses is available for virtually all of these workers (99.9%); the mean total gamma-ray dose (+/-SD) was 0.91 +/- 0.95 Gy (99% percentile 3.9 Gy) for men and 0.65 +/- 0.75 Gy (99% percentile 2.99 Gy) for women. In contrast, plutonium body burden was measured for only 30.0% of workers; among those monitored, the mean cumulative liver dose from plutonium alpha exposure (+/- SD) was 0.40 +/- 1.15 Gy (99% percentile 5.88 Gy) for men and 0.81 +/- 4.60 Gy (99% percentile 15.95 Gy) for women. A total of 3751 cases of ischemic heart disease (IHD), including 683 cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and 1495 IHD deaths, including 338 AMI deaths, were identified in the study cohort during the follow-up period. Having adjusted for non-radiation factors, there were statistically significant increasing trends with both total external gamma-ray dose and internal liver dose in IHD incidence. The trend with internal dose was weaker and was not statistically significant after adjusting for external dose, whereas the external dose trend was little changed after adjusting for internal dose. The trend with external dose in IHD mortality was not statistically significantly greater than zero but was consistent with the corresponding trend in IHD incidence. The estimated trend in IHD mortality with internal dose was lower and was not statistically significant once adjustment was made for external dose. There was a statistically significantly increasing trend in AMI incidence but not AMI incidence with external dose. The risk estimates for IHD in relation to external radiation are generally compatible with those from other large occupational studies and the Japanese A-bomb survivors.

Substrate specificity of family 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, and 45 endoglucanases.

Endoglucanases are important enzymes for biomass conversion and other industrial processes. Determining the specificity of endoglucanases from various glycoside hydrolase families is of interest for bioinformatic functional prediction and substrate-tailored enzyme development. To do so, we characterized approximately 30 endoglucanases from six glycoside hydrolase families. For p-nitrophenyl cellobioside and lactoside, only family 7 enzymes showed significant activity. For xyloglucan, both family 7 and 12 enzymes showed significant activity. For xylan and arabinoxylan, only family 7 enzymes showed significant activity. For mannan and galactomannan, both family 5 and 9 enzymes showed significant activity. The difference in specificity was preliminarily attributed mainly to the structural difference of the enzymes' active sites. For family 7 endoglucanases, difference in thermal stability might affect their performance in hydrolyzing various (hemi)cellulose substrates. Phylogenetic analysis on the subfamily distribution of family 5 endoglucanases (in relation with mannanases) suggested that their mannanase side-activity might be the remnant of an ancestral multi-function enzyme. Similar analysis was also made with the xyloglucanase or arabionxylans side-activity of family 12 and 7 endoglucanases. The apparent dependence of the specificity on family (primary/tertiary structure) might assist us in better understanding the structure-function relationship of the enzymes, and developing more versatile biocatalysts for the utilization of biomass.

[Chronic morbidity parameters in personel engaged into processing and utilization of arms and military equipment].

Analysis of chronic morbidity parameters in workers engaged into processing and utilization of arms and military equipment did not reveal any case of occupational radiation disease over 30 years of medical observation. Standardized parameters in general and in separate diseases classes did not differ with general data collected in Russia. Occurrence of separate entities did not depend on influence of radiation factors.

[The evaluation of the analgesic action of phenaridine when combined with agents used in anesthesiological practice]. / Otsenka obezbolivaiushchego deistviia fenaridina pri ego kombinirovanii so sredstvami, primeniaemymi v anesteziologicheskoi praktike.

A new narcotic analgesic agent phenaridine is superior to fentanyl by the activity and duration of action. It does not cause bronchospasm, exerts no significant influence on the parameters of gas exchange in the blood.