Immunization with recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing structural and part of the nonstructural region of tick-borne encephalitis virus cDNA protect mice against lethal encephalitis.

Three recombinant vaccinia viruses containing different fragments of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) cDNA representing the 5'-noncoding region (5'NCR), all structural and part of the nonstructural regions were constructed. Western blot analysis showed that E and NS1 proteins were expressed and processed correctly in cells infected with recombinant viruses vC-NS1 (coding for C-prM-E-NS1 region) and vC-NS3 (coding for C-prM-E-NS1-NS2A-NS2B-NS3 region). In contrast, in cells infected with recombinant virus v5'C-NS2A (coding for 5'NCR and C-prM-E-NS1-NS2A regions) expression of NS1 protein was greatly reduced and no E protein was detected. Immunization of mice with vC-NS3 induced high levels of TBEV-specific antibodies and protected them against intraperitoneal challenge with 10(7) LD50 of TBEV. The level of protection was very similar to the level of protection achieved by immunization with commercially available inactivated TBEV vaccine. Although the immunization of mice with recombinants vC-NS1 and v5'C-NS2A induced much lower levels of TBEV-specific antibodies, they were still protected against intraperitoneal challenge with 10(4) and 10(3.6) LD50 of TBEV, respectively. The high level of protection against TBEV infection achieved by the immunization of mice with the recombinant vaccinia virus vC-NS3 makes this virus a very attractive candidate for development of a live recombinant vaccine against TBEV.

[Rare causes of acute esophago-gastroduodenal hemorrhages]. / Redkie prichiny ostrykh ézofagogastroduodenal'nykh krovotechenii.

Rare causes of acute esophagogastroduodenal hemorrhages were identified in 61 (4%) of 1,532 patients. Their number has increased 2.5-fold in the recent years due to the wide use of emergency endoscopy. Neoplastic diseases were encountered in 32, nonneoplastic diseases--in 29 patients. The source of the bleeding was in the esophagus in half of the cases, and emergency endoscopy was decisive in its identification. The greatest difficulties arise in the diagnosis of extragastric carcinoma complicated by bleeding. Active therapeutic tactics is advisable in nonepithelial tumors of the stomach complicated by hemorrhage, nonoperative treatment--in nonneoplastic diseases. Arrest of hemorrhage during endoscopy, by means of the polymer hemostatic ferracryl among other methods, increases the effect of nonoperative therapy. A fatal outcome occurred in 12 cases, 10 of them were with carcinoma of extragastric localization.

[Determining the safety of antral branches of the vagus nerve during selective proximal vagotomy]. / Opredelenie sokhrannosti antral'nykh vetvei bluzhdaiushchikh nervov pri selektivnoi proksimal'noi vagotomii.

A new method of determination of safety of antral branches of the vagus nerves during selective proximal vagotomy based on the potentiometric measurement of the oxidation-reduction potential from the side of the serous membrane on the anterior and posterior walls of the antral portion of the stomach was developed in experiments and approved in the clinic. Results of using the method during operation as well as findings of complex investigation of the motor-evacuatory function of the stomach in the nearest and remote terms after vagotomy show efficiency of the method. The method may be recommended for the surgical practice.

[Mallory-Weiss syndrome]. / Sindrom Mallori-Veissa.

The 18-years experience of the clinic is presented with diagnosis and curative tactics for the Mallory-Weiss syndrome which was observed in 65 (4.7%) of 1392 patients with acute gastroduodenal hemorrhages. Urgent esophagogastroduodenoscopy has improved diagnostics during the recent 5 years which resulted in 10% increased diagnosing of the Mallory-Weiss syndrome in gastroduodenal hemorrhage from the total amount of such patients. Before introducing of endoscopic hemostasis with Ferakryl into clinic 4 of 24 patients were operated on and 20 patients were treated by conservative hemostatic methods. Four patients died: 2 after operations and 2 after the conservative treatment. Complex conservative treatment with curative endoscopy and Ferakryl used in the clinic during the recent 2.5 years resulted in stable hemostasis in all the 41 patients without lethal outcomes.