[Features of physical development of girls residing in the altai territory with the different level of the environmental load].

There was performed the determination of the characteristics of the physical development of 660 girls aged of from 6 years 6 months to 17years 5 months 29 days, residing in the Blagoveshchenskiy and the Ust-Pristanskiy regions of the Altai Krai. The Blagoveshchenskiy region is characterized by a high level of ambient air pollution (potential of the atmospheric pollution accounts for 2.7-3.0). Sodium sulfate, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbonic oxide, nitrogen dioxide, vanadium pentoxide, ammonia, manganese and its compounds, hexavalent chromium make the greatest contribution to the atmospheric pollution. The Ust-Pristanskiy region is referred to the least polluted territories of the Altai Krai. Living conditions in the Blagoveshchenskiy region of the Altai Krai were found to influence on the girls ' physical and sexual development. The girls living in the Blagoveshchenskiy region show the pubertal growth spurt one year later, which is lasting longer. As a result, by the age of 17, measurements of the body and leg length are almost 6 cm higher in girls of the Blagoveshchenskiy region. 97% of the Blagoveshchenskiy region residents have pathological (trochanter index ≤ 1.85) and disevolutive (trochanter index = 1.86 - 1.91) types of age evolution which testifies to the thyroid and reproductive hormones deficiency. Among the residents of the Ust-Pristanskiy region, 80% have either normal values of the trochanter index (1.95 - 2.0) or slightly deviated from the norm (hypoevolutive, normoevolutive, and hyperevolutive types of age evolution). The level of the endocrine system diseases prevalence, nutrition and metabolic disorders among the teenagers of the Blagoveshchenskiy region are 2.5 times higher than in the rural area of the Altai Krai. The relative risk of the endocrine system diseases occurrence, nutrition disturbances and metabolic disorders in the teenagers of the Blagoveshchenskiy region equals to OR=1.87 (x=272.7, p<0.001).

[Dyspnea. I. Definition and pathophysiological problems]. / Dispnea. I. Definitsiia i patofiziologichni problemi.

An analytical review was made on the pathophysiological mechanisms suspected to be involved in dyspnea, accepting that the sensation of shortness of breathing, and the subjective signs (exertion, anxiety and fear) are essential for the diagnosis of this condition. Bearing in mind the anatomical relations in the central nervous system between the structures involved in the control and regulation of the respiration, and these involved in the emotions, a scheme was presented of the pathophysiological mechanisms, which determine the essential signs of the dyspnea. Three neuronal circuits were assumed for the explanation of the manifestations in dyspnea: subjective signs, symptoms of the thoraco-pulmonary and cardio-vascular systems, and these of the voluntary muscular system that accompanied dyspnea.

[Dyspnea. II. Clinical and treatment problems]. / Dispnea. II. Kliniko-terapevtichni problemi.

In a previous paper (Balanova, Surcheva and Ichev, 2001) we have proposed a scheme about pathophysiological mechanisms involved in dyspnea. Some of the clinical problems in dyspnea were discussed in this paper on the base of that scheme, as well as clinical observations on the patients with dyspnea. Two groups of symptoms were considered--subjective and objective, and their significance for the diagnosis of the dyspnea and of the disease that provokes dyspnea were evaluated. A critical analysis of the different forms of dyspnea has been made, and suggestions about the treatment of the subjective symptoms in dyspnea were proposed.

[Congestive heart failure--some current problems]. / Zastoina surdechna nedostatuchnost--niakoi aktualni problemi.

The congestive heart failure (CHF) has become one of the most common syndromes afflicting the population. The long-term prognosis of these patients is bad. The CHF shows a tendency toward fast progressive development. The aim of our study was a retrospective investigation on CHF patients, a determination of CHF functional class by NYHA and its type, a determination of the most important diseases leading to heart decompensation and of the reasons for dead in these patients. For a 6-year period we investigated 6428 patients. 1095 (17.03%) of them were with a different degree of CFH. More of them were with II and III functional class of CHF by NYHA. In the age decade from 61 to 70 years the frequency of CHF increased significantly. The most important diseases leading to CHF syndrome were chronic ischemic disease, arterial hypertension, COPD with chronic cor pulmonale and valve diseases. The average age of deceased CHF patients was 67.8 +/- 7.4 years. After the manifestation of the first group of symptoms the mean life duration of CHF patients was 13.2 +/- 4.1 years.

[Pulmonary microlithiasis-analysis of a case]. / Belodrobna mikrolitiaza-analiz na edin sluchai.

The pulmonary microlithiasis is a very rare disease, and each new patient present a special interest. It is given an opportunity to discuss some new aspects of the etiology and pathogenesis which are unclear. This case concerns a woman (42 years old) in whose case some particularities in the clinical course have been analyzed and discussed. The essential in the clinical course was practically lack of clinical manifestation and disturbances during a very long period--about 25 years from the beginning of the disease, and very fast development during last year, manifested by the pulmonary deficiency. It was also marked the absence of respiratory infection during this long unmanifested period. The lack of the familial tendency and occupational noxious in this case rise the question about some new aspects of the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease. Namely, the disturbances in the recyclation of the pulmonary surfactant as a clue moment in the development of the disease.

[Rare pulmonary (alveolar) diseases--clinico-morphological and etiopathogenic aspects]. / Redkite belodrobni (alveolarni) bolesti--kliniko-morfologichni i etiopatogenetichni aspekti.

Bearing in mind the exceptional rarity of the following three pulmonary diseases: pulmonal microlythiasis, proteinosis and primary idiopathic amyloidosis, a review of the latest publications in the international scientifical literature about their ethiology and pathogenesis has been made. In this context, the latest data concerning the role of pulmonary surfactant in their pathogenesis has been outlined. The description and re-iteration of the scanty information available about these conditions will expand the knowledge of specialists in pulmology and of general practitioners in particular who are the first to encounter these particularly seldom occurring, and for this reason insufficiently investigated, diseases. The new reports regarding the structure, production and recycling of pulmonary surfactant clarify to a certain extent the ethiology and pathogenesis of the diseases looked upon not long ago as conditions of unsettled ethiology.

[Immunological changes in the exacerbated form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. / Niakoi imunologichni promeni pri izostrena forma na khronichnata obstruktivna belodrobna bolest.

Ninety four subjects were examined, 42 of them with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 52--healthy. The following indices followed up: immunoglobulins G, A, M, fraction of the complement--C3 and C4, alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2MG), alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1 AT). The following methods were applied: radial immunodiffusion according to Manccini et al and counter-electrophoresis on cellulose-acetate. Antisera and standards of the firm "Behring"--FRG were used. The data obtained are compared with those from the group the healthy subjects. Changes were established, manifested in increased level of immunoglobulin (IgG) and considerable reduction in the values of alpha 1AT, in the patient, with exacerbated form of COPD. No substantial deviations in IgA, complement fractions and alpha 2MG were established.