A global cloud map of the nearest known brown dwarf.

Brown dwarfs--substellar bodies more massive than planets but not massive enough to initiate the sustained hydrogen fusion that powers self-luminous stars--are born hot and slowly cool as they age. As they cool below about 2,300 kelvin, liquid or crystalline particles composed of calcium aluminates, silicates and iron condense into atmospheric 'dust', which disappears at still cooler temperatures (around 1,300 kelvin). Models to explain this dust dispersal include both an abrupt sinking of the entire cloud deck into the deep, unobservable atmosphere and breakup of the cloud into scattered patches (as seen on Jupiter and Saturn). However, hitherto observations of brown dwarfs have been limited to globally integrated measurements, which can reveal surface inhomogeneities but cannot unambiguously resolve surface features. Here we report a two-dimensional map of a brown dwarf's surface that allows identification of large-scale bright and dark features, indicative of patchy clouds. Monitoring suggests that the characteristic timescale for the evolution of global weather patterns is approximately one day.

[The 8-OH-2-desoxiguanosin marker of oxidizing modification of DNA in patients with diffused dermatitis].

The level of 8-OH-2-desoxiguanosin in blood serum of patients with severe chronic dermatitis was analyzed. It is demonstrated that in comparison with healthy patients in examined group of patients this indicator is increased mainly in patients with atopic dermatitis (up to 62%) and least of all with psoriasis (up to 25%) and bullous dermatitis (up to 18%). The statistically reliable differences of this indicator from control values under endogenic intoxication and different degree of severity of disease are determined. The detection of level of 8-OH-2-desoxiguanosin in blood serum is an informative technique of analysis to increase quality of laboratory monitoring of oxidizing stress.

[Oxidative stress level in patients with rosacea and a rationale for the therapeutic use of an ozone-oxygen mixture].

The paper gives information on the possible involvement of pro- and antioxidant imbalance in the pathogenesis of rosacea. Eighty patients with different clinical types of rosacea were examined; the parameters of primary and intermediate products of lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, plasma total antioxidative activity, and protein oxidative modification were studied. Based on the findings, oxidative therapy options for rosacea, treatment with an ozone-oxygen mixture in particular, are proposed.

[Focal immunophysiotherapy in combined treatment of men with manifestations of papilloma virus infection].

We compared efficacy of combined treatment of males with anogenital warts given intramuscular cycloferon or cycloferon electrophoresis. Patients with manifest HPV infection (n=107) were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n=72) received intramuscular cycloferon (2 ml 12.5% solution each other day for 10 days), group 2 (n=35) received cycloferon electrophoresis on genital region (2 ml 12.5% solution daily in 1-2 days, 5 injections). Measurements were made of local cytokines in urethral secretion, IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, lactoferrin, sexual hormones (estradiol and testosterone) in blood serum before and after treatment. Focal immunophysiotherapy with cycloferon in combined treatment of males with anogenital warts vs intramuscular cycloferon treatment reduces recurrence rate 2 times, has no negative effect on serum level of sexual hormones, a course dose and duration of immunotherapy decreased 2-fold, is well tolerated, is not painful. Cycloferon electrophoresis has a more potent effect on improvement of local immunity. Thus, local immunophysiotherapy with cycloferon can be a method of choice in the treatment of manifest HPV infection in males.

[Study of the sorption capacity of red blood cell membranes for the assessment of the pattern of endogenous intoxication in dermatoses].

The parameters of the sorption capacity of red blood cell membranes and the level of small and medium molecular weight substances were studied in 53 patients with chronic dermatoses. The plasma accumulation of small and medium molecular weight substances contributes to the altered sorption capacity of red blood cell membranes and to the occurrence of resistance to long used drugs. Biological blood clearance should be performed to enhance the efficiency of therapeutic measures.

[The lipid composition of high-density lipoproteins in patients with psoriasis]. / Lipidnyi sostav lipoproteinov vysokoi plotnosti u bol'nykh psoriazom.

Ten lipid fractions were detected in patients with psoriasis by the method of unidimensional chromatography in a thin layer of silica gel with two solvent systems designed for separating a lipid extract of high-density lipoproteins (HDLP). Four phospholipids fractions were identified as follows: three main ones, i.e. phosphatidylcholine, lisophosphatidylcholine and sphyngomielin, and one minor fraction, i.e. phosphatidylethanolamine. The HDLP lipid comprises free cholesterol and its esters. Three glyceride fractions were detected: mono-, di- and triglicerides and free fatty acids. The ratio of the individual phospholipid fractions, on the one hand, and of free to ester-bound cholesterol was found in HDLP by computer-aided densitometry of chromatograms and coincided with the routinely obtained data. The described method designed to evaluate the HDLP lipid composition can be handy in investigations of HDLP in patients with psoriasis.

[Laboratory diagnosis of intoxication in chronic dermatosis]. / Laboratornaia giagnostika éndointoksikatsii pri khronicheskikh dermatozakh.

The content of medium molecular weight (MMW) substances in the blood and urine was studied in patients with chronic dermatoses (psoriasis and atopic dermatitis). Intoxication was detected in all these patients, which was confirmed by clinical symptoms and a high level of plasma MMW substances, indicating pronounced catabolic processes in this condition. The distribution of MMW substances in biological media and the absence of positive changes after treatment in patients with atopic dermatitis in comparison with psoriasis patients may be indicative of different mechanisms of biochemical homeostasis and different adaptation potential, which should be taken into consideration when prescribing correction.

[The comparative value of myoglobin determination in patients with different forms of ischemic heart disease]. / Sravnitel'naia tsennost' opredeleniia mioglobina u bol'nykh s razlichnymi formami ishemicheskoi bolezni serdtsa.

The hemagglutination test was used to measure the content of myoglobin (MG) in the blood serum in 92 patients suffering from coronary heart disease (myocardial infarction, unstable and stable angina pectoris). The content of MG turned out a safe indicator attesting to acute myocardial infarction. In complications and spreading of necrosis, the MG level was returning to normal slowly. In patients with angina pectoris, the MG level did not on the average differ from control. However, in patients with unstable angina pectoris, there was an increase of the MG content after long-term attacks and in the development of small-focal necroses in the myocardium.

[The significance of middle-molecular peptides in the blood in acute forms of ischemic heart disease]. / Znachenie srednemolekuliarnykh peptidov syvorotki krovi pri ostrykh formakh ishemicheskoi bolezni serdtsa.

Estimation and analysis of correlations permit disclosing principally new mechanisms in assessment of the homeostasis. The authors have derived curvilinear correlations between medium-molecular peptides, immune complexes, and lipids in coronary patients with the acute forms of the condition. Close relationships (high correlations) between homeostasis parameters were revealed, that were found more manifest in the patients with unstable angina pectoris. The immune complexes and lipids are regarded as the principal signs, and the medium-molecular peptides are functionally related to these. A lower correlation between the parameters and change of the argument/functional relationships in the patients with myocardial infarction are characteristic of essential imbalance of the homeostasis system.

[Various mechanisms of immune homeostasis in myocardial infarction]. / Nekotorye mekhanizmy immunnogo gomeostaza pri infarkte miokarda.

Dynamic alterations and interrelationships of the patterns of humoral immunity (immunoglobulins and immune complexes) were studied in 77 patients with myocardium infarction and in 23 healthy donors. Stimulation of immunity homeostasis in the patients with acute form of myocardium infarction was manifested as an increase in content of immunoglobulins and immune complexes. Content of immunoglobulin G was distinctly decreased in epistenocardic pericarditis. High rate of correlations was found between the patterns studied in healthy persons (r = 0.7 = 0.85). During the acute period of myocardium infarction disbalance of homeostasis was observed, which was expressed as a decrease in the correlation coefficient down to r = 0.41 = 0.54. An increase in the interrelation and redistribution of the argument-functional parameters were detected in dynamics of the disease.