Review of Psychophysiological and Psychotherapeutic Studies of Stress Using Virtual Reality Technologies.

This review addresses the use of virtual reality technologies in the psychophysiology and psychotherapy of stress. Studies using virtual reality both to introduce subjects into a state of stress and to help reduce stress reactions are reviewed. Methods developed for treating patients suffering from stress-related disorders (in particular, PTSD and phobias) are described. In many cases, reductions in stress reactions with the help of virtual reality systems are achieved not only at the self-report (experiential) level, but also at the level of central and peripheral nervous system measures. This allows virtual reality to be regarded as a modern, inexpensive, and effective method, firstly, for introducing subjects into a state of stress with the aim of testing various hypotheses in psychophysiology and, secondly, to reduce stress reactions.

[Geometric Approach to Phylogeographic Analysis Molecular Genetic Sequences: Principal Components and Dendrograms].

Currently, the search for manifestations of selection under the influence of the environment in molecular sequences is usually carried out within closely related species or at the intraspecific level. It is believed that at high taxonomic levels this is unpromising due to phylogenetic relationship. Cytochrome b amino acid sequences of 67 rodent and lagomorph species with known geographic coordinates were digitized using the AAindex database. Based on more than 200 thousand characters, the principal components were obtained. A well-known statistical method, which has not been previously used for such problems, was used, which makes it possible to orthogonally decompose multidimensional variability into intra- and intertaxon variability and analyze them separately. The subfamily level was selected. For the second principal component (17.05% of intertaxon variability), a correlation with latitude was found (r = 0.561; n = 67; p < E-5). The clear division into two groups, revealed by the first principal component (39.48% of intertaxon variability), which does not coincide with the taxonomic one, indicates a possible physicochemical underlying cause for the differences between them. This requires further research.

[Effects of embryonal bone tissue on hemopoiesis]. / Vliianie émbrional'noi kostnoi tkani na hemopoéz.

The influence of human fetal bone (FB) on the hemopoietic and stromal cells were studied in the morphometric assay of the bone marrow trephine biopsy samples after a preliminary cultivation using the Marbrook system for 1-5 weeks. The rat FB effect on the hemopoiesis and survival were also studied in experiment with FB transplantation to rats with prior administration of lethal and sublethal doses of cyclophosphamide. In long-term cultivation of the bone marrow trephine biopsy samples, enhanced proliferation of the fibrous tissue and elimination of hemopoietic elements were seen. Combined cultivation of the trephine biopsy samples of the bone marrow and FB inhibited the fibrous tissue proliferation and enhanced the viability of the hemopoietic and lipid cells. Transplantation of the FB in experiment shortened the leukocytopenia period in rats after sublethal (300 mg/kg) and lethal (500 mg/kg) doses of cyclophosphamide and increased their survival.

[Hemostasis and T-cell immunity in lung cancer patients]. / Gemostaz i T-kletochnyi immunitet u bol'nykh rakom legkogo.

Complex examination of hemostatic system and T-cell-mediated immunity in 19 cases of stage II-IV lung cancer showed an increased activity of blood coagulation system to be associated with a decrease in OKT3+, OKT11+ and OKT4+ T-lymphocyte subsets levels. A reverse correlation was established between plasma--Willebrand's factor level and those of OKTè+ and OKT8+ lymphocytes whereas a direct one--between blood-platelet aggregate level and that of OKT4+. The data obtained emphasized the need to consider the status of hemostatic system when evaluating the function of cell-mediated immunity.