[The cellular factors of innate immunity in nonpsychotic patients at high risk for schizophrenia]. / Kletochnye faktory estestvennogo immuniteta u bol'nykh s nepsikhoticheskimi psikhicheskimi rasstroistvami, otrazhayushchimi vysokii risk razvitiya shizofrenii.

AIM: Changes in the parameters of innate immunity in patients with schizophrenia are observed already in the first episode. The study was performed to find out whether these changes take place prior to disease manifestation, and what role do they play in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-five male nonpsychotic patients at high risk of psychosis, aged between 17 to 23 years, were examined. Phagocyte activity (PA) of neutrophils in the blood serum was evaluated by the number of active neutrophils, i.e. phagocytic index (PhI), and phagocytic number (PhN), which was determined by counting latex particles absorbed with a single phagocytic cell. Cytotoxic activity of natural killer lymphocytes (NK CA) was evaluated by the number of cell targets K-562, which remained non-degraded after the contact with natural killer cells. The influence of monocytes on NKCA was determined as well. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared to controls, patients had the lower PhI level (p<0.001) which was compensated by the increase in PhN levels, and the lower NK CA level which was increased due to the influence of monocytes. Negative correlations between PhI and PhN (r= -0.83, p<0.01) and between the level of NKCA and PhI (r= -0.83, p<0.05) as well as the positive correlation between PhN and SOPS scores (r=0.69, p<0.01) were found. After treatment, there was the decreasein the severity of mental disorders (p<0.001). The level of PhAN was normalized in 61.9% of patients compared to 36.7% before treatment. After treatment, the proportion of patients with normal levels of NK CA was the same as before treatment (40 and 35%, respectively). The immune disturbances revealed in the study may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease and have predictive value for schizophrenia.

[The effect of serotonin on the cytotoxic activity of natural killer lymphocytes in patients with the first episode of endogenous psychosis].

Authors studied the level of cytotoxic activity of natural killer lymphocytes (NKCA) and the effect of monocytes, serotonin, rate of serotonin reuptake by lymphocytes and psychotropic therapy on NKCA levels in 59 male patients, aged 18-30 years, with the first episode of attack-like progressive schizophrenia (33 patients) and schizoaffective psychosis (26 patients). All patients were examined at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks after the beginning of treatment with haloperidol and clozapine. Before the treatment, the decrease of NKCA was found in a half of patients compared to controls. In other patients, the NKCA levels were high and did not differ from those in controls. The treatment resistance was estimated as 70,6% in patients with schizophrenia with initially low NKCA levels and 30,8% in patients with schizoaffective psychosis with initially low NKCA levels. During the treatment, the initially high NKCA level decreased while the initially low level increased but remained lower compared to controls. These changes suggest the active reaction from the immune system of the patient to treatment with neuroleptics. The changes of NKCA values during the treatment were reciprocally related to the maximal rate of serotonin reuptake by lymphocytes. Serotonin added to the cell culture in vitro normalized the NKCA level in cultures with- and without monocytes. This effect was revealed in both pathologies only in responders, regardless of the presence or absence monocytes, that may be explained by the presence of active serotonin receptors on the NK cell surface in these patients.

[Triton X-100 induces heritable changes of morphological characters in Triticum aestivum L].

The effect of the nonionic detergent polyethylene glycol octylphenyl ester (Triton X-100, TX-100) on the spring common wheat cultivar Alem was studied under laboratory and field conditions. Treatment of seeds and vegetating plants with 0.1 or 0.01% TX-100 (aqueous solution) changed the spike morphology in all plants of the first posttreatment generation. The changes were inherited by the second generation without additional treatment with TX-100. Square-headed dense spikes with doubled spikelets of the duospiculum type (an additional spikelet at the top of the main one), elongate dense and lax spikes, mid-dense spikes, and fusiform spikes were observed. An epigenetic nature was assumed for the observed changes.

[Marker characters of variation induced in Triticum aestivum L. by nicotinic acid].

A search for markers of epigenetic variability in spring common wheat form Genotroph-1, obtained after the treatment of seeds and growing plants of spring common wheat cultivar Kazakhstanskaya-126 with nicotinic acid of innate origin (0.1-0.01% water solutions), and in a winter wheat line Gostianum-88 along with a common wheat cultivar Alem obtained on the basis of Genotroph-1 was conducted under laboratory conditions. The possibility of using isoenzymes as markers for studying variation induced by natural nicotinic acid with high frequency was demonstrated. Enzyme glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase-2, as a marker by which modified plants and lines obtained on the basis of these plants differ from the original cultivar, was identified.

[Epigenetic variability induced by nicotinic acid in Triticum aestivum L]. / Epigeneticheskaia izmenchivost', indutsirovannaia nikotinovoi kislotoi, u Triticum aestivum L.

The effect of nicotinic acid (NA) on hereditary traits of spring common wheat cultivar Kazakhstanskaya 126 (K.126) were studied under the laboratory and field conditions. Treatment of seeds and vegetating plants with 0.01-0.1% NA (aqueous solution) induced heritable epigenetic changes in wheat. As a result, strong tall plants with the long productive spike, large seeds, and several quantitative and qualitative characters other than in the original cultivar were obtained in the second and further generations after treatment. Crosses of changed plants with each other did not result in segregation with respect to leaf downiness or anthocyan stem color in F2-F4, suggesting the same epigenetic state of genes responsible for changed characters. In crosses with the original cultivar, characters of the changed plants always dominated in F1. Basing on the current views, the changes were attributed to a transition of the hl1 and pc recessive marker genes into new, dominant epiallelic states Hl1 and Pc, which respectively determine downy leaves and the colored stem. The NA effect was specific, since only one type of the variation was observed. The changed characters were stable, and no reversion to the original phenotype was detected in 57 generations.

[A comparative clinico-economic study of 2 models of organizational forms of psychiatric care exemplified in schizophrenia]. / Sravnitel'noe kliniko-ékonomicheskoe izuchenie dvukh modelei organizatsionnykh form psikhiatricheskoi pomoshchi na primere shizofrenii.

The authors describe part of the results of a comparative clinico-economic analysis of the functioning of two models of organizational forms of psychiatric services with special reference to Moscow and Kaluga. The purpose of the given research fragment was to make a comparative analysis of expenditures on schizophrenic patients depending on the system of psychiatric services organization on the whole and between different types of services; to specify approaches to optimization of their functioning with the use of a clinico-economic approach. Based on a comparative investigation of the representative groups of schizophrenic patients (386 patients of a mental health center in Moscow and 531 patients of the Kaluga regional psychiatric hospital No. 1), it has been established that as a result of the proper organization and financing of psychiatric services in Kaluga, the "direct" expenditures on one schizophrenic patient per year could be 20% as reduced and the losses of the national income could be lowered more than 2-fold. It should necessarily be mentioned that the financing of extra hospital services in Kaluga exceeded that in Moscow more than 3-fold, reaching about 20.3% of all the expenditures on schizophrenic patients. Apparently, the organizational and financial experience gained in Kaluga with the design of the common complex and many-staged system of psychiatric services may turn fairly instrumental in elaborating approaches to optimization of the functioning of psychiatric services.

[The comparative results of a clinico-economic and socioeconomic study of 2 populations of schizophrenic patients under different organizational forms of psychiatric care]. / Sravnitel'nye rezul'taty kliniko-ékonomicheskogo i sotsial'no-ékonomicheskogo izucheniia dvukh populiatsii bol'nykh shizofreniei v usloviiakh razlichnykh organizatsionnykh form psikhiatricheskoi pomoshchi.

The paper is a fragment of a comparative clinico-economic study of two models of organizational forms of psychiatric services in Moscow and Kaluga with special reference to schizophrenic patients (386 and 531 patients, respectively). The authors describe the results of computing expenditures on patients depending on the sex, age, disease pattern and social factors including educational and skill levels, family status, and family structure. The values of "direct" and "indirect" expenditures on schizophrenic patients are fairly variable. There are definite significant relationships between the magnitude of these expenditures and clinico-psychopathological and social factors as is their certain stability in both patients' populations examined. The adequately designed psychiatric services, scientifically based financing of the appropriate treatment and social rehabilitation programs may have a noticeable effect on the magnitude and character of losses on the part of the state, connected with schizophrenic patients, decrease expenditures on them as well as markedly improve their social functioning.

[Study of the processes of lipid peroxidation in patients with endogenous psychoses using gas chromatography]. / Izuchenie protsessov perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov u bol'nykh éndogennymi psikhozami s pomoshch'iu gazovoi khromatografii.

The processes of lipid peroxidation were studied in healthy subjects and patients with manic-depressive psychosis and schizophrenia using a non-invasive method based on chromatographic determination of endogenic pentane in the expired air. In patients with circular psychosis pentane concentration in the expired air did not differ from the norm, yet with advancing age it decreased (in contrast to an elevation in normal subjects). In schizophrenic patients pentane levels were significantly higher than in age-matched normal subjects. The level of the studied parameter was not correlated with the duration of the disease but showed a definite correlation with the severity of adverse disturbances in schizophrenia.

[Monoacylglycerol phosphatide accumulation and the alteration of the properties of benzodiazepine receptors in the brain synaptosomes]. / Nakoplenie monoatsilglitserofosfatidov i izmenenie svoistv benzodiazepinovykh retseptorov v sinaptosomakh mozga.

Phospholipase A2-induced changes in the affinity of benzodiazepine receptors are due to accumulation of monoacylglycerol phosphatides, and not fatty acids, in the membranes. The data show the regulatory role of membrane phospholipids in ligand-receptor interaction.

[3H-diazepam binding to brain synaptic membranes during the development of generalized epileptic activity]. / Sviazyvanie 3H-diazepama s sinapticheskimi membranami mozga pri razvitii generalizovannoi épilepticheskoi aktivnosti.

The development of bemegride-induced generalized epileptic activity in rats was shown to reduce the constant (CB). of specific 3H-diazepam binding with synaptic membranes from 0.23 nM-1 to 0.15 nM-1 and to increase the maximum number of membrane binding sites (Bmax) from 410 fmol/mg protein to 550 fmol/mg protein. It is assumed that the changes of benzodiazepine receptor properties are due to alteration in physico-chemical characteristics of synaptic membrane lipids resulting from the activation of lipid peroxidation.

[The role of lipids in the changes in the properties of the brain beta-adrenoreceptors during emotional stress]. / Rol' lipidov v izmenenii svoistv beta-adrenoretseptorov mozga pri émotsional'no-bolevom stresse.

The role of phospholipid hydrolysis by phospholipase A2 and lipid peroxidation in changes of the properties of beta-adrenoreceptors in rat brain synaptosomes in severe emotional painful stress (EPS) has been evaluated. It has been shown that EPS does not influence lipid and fatty acid content of synaptosomal membranes but significantly increases the amount of lipid peroxidation products. Activation of lipid peroxidation in EPS causes a decrease in specific binding of 3H-dihydroalprenolol. The free radical scavenger, 4-methyl-2,6-di(tret-butyl)phenol completely prevents activation of lipid peroxidation and eliminates the disturbances in ligand-receptor interactions in EPS.

[Binding of 3H-serotonin, 3H-diazepam and lipid peroxidation in brain membranes]. / Sviazyvanie 3H-serotonina, 3H-diazepama i perekisnoe okislenie lipidov v membranakh mozga.

It was demonstrated that the processes of lipid peroxidation in brain tissues of rats induced by hyperoxia and Fe-ascorbate system in vivo and in vitro significantly influence specific binding of serotonin and diazepam. Lipid peroxidation caused various changes in the ability to bind utilized ligands: 3H-serotonin binding decreased by 53%, while that of 3H-diazepam increased by 30%. Preliminary administration of the synthetic antioxidant 4-methyl-2,6-ditretbutylphenol prevented these changes.

[Hemolytic properties of activated (adhesive) peripheral blood lymphocytes from schizophrenia patients]. / Gemoliticheskie svoistva aktivirovannykh (adgezivnykh) limfotsitov perifericheskoi krovi bol'nykh shizofreniei.

The hemolytic properties of adhesive and nonadhesive lymphocytes in the blood of schizophrenic patients and normal donors were studied. It was demonstrated that adhesive lymphocytes possess hemolytic properties. It was shown as well, that the content of hemolytic active lymphocytes in the adhesive fraction of peripheral blood cells in schizophrenic patients is ten times higher than in a similar cell fraction of normal donors.

[Hemolytic properties of the lymphocytes of schizophrenia patients]. / Gemoliticheskie svoistva limfotsitov krovi bol'nykh shizofreniei.

The authors studied the cytotoxic activity of the lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of 16 schizophrenic patients and 14 normal donors in respect to autological erythrocytes. It was demonstrated that the hemolytic activity of the lymphocytes of patients was significantly higher, than in the control group. Activated cells possess cytotoxic properties.

[Effect of aminazin on the enzymatic oxidation of lipids]. / Vliianie aminazina na fermentativnoe okislenie lipidov.

An inhibitory effect of chlorpromazine on the enzymatic NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomal fraction was found. This inhibition was caused by the 1) antioxidative effect of hydroxy-derivatives appearing during the oxidative metabolism of chlorpromazine with NADPH-dependent microsomal oxygenases, and by the 2) competition for reduced components of electron-carriers between the NADPH-dependent processes: chlorpromazine metabolism and lipids peroxidation.

[Rapid method of obtaining ultrathin sections in monolayer embedding]. / Uskorennyi metod polucheniia ul'tratonkikh srezov pri ploskoi zalivke

It is proposed to employ a simple optical method for a correct relative adjustment of the knife and the roof of the piramid for obtaining ultrathin sections of monolayer embedding. For the material embedding, plastic cuvets and a lavsan film are employed, this technique facilitating the process of embedding.