[Comorbidity of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Komorbidnost' zabolevaniya spektra optikoneiromielita i sistemnoi krasnoi volchanki.

The comorbidity of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a poorly studied problem. The issues of the pathogenetic relationship between these diseases, timely diagnosis of their co-existence in one patient, disease course and therapeutic approaches are the most relevant. The authors summarize current views on the state of the problem and analyze three clinical cases of NMOSD and SLE comorbidity including the diagnostic issues and therapeutic approaches.

The Impact of Intracortical Lesions on Volumes of Subcortical Structures in Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recent studies showed thalamic atrophy in the early stages of MS. We investigated the impact of intracortical lesions on the volumes of subcortical structures (especially the thalamus) compared with other lesions in MS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-one patients with MS were included. The volumes of intracortical lesions and white matter lesions were identified on double inversion recovery and FLAIR, respectively, by using 3D Slicer. Volumes of white matter T1 hypointensities and subcortical gray matter, thalamus, caudate, putamen, and pallidum volumes were calculated using FreeSurfer. Age, MS duration, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale score were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with intracortical lesions were older (P = .003), had longer disease duration (P < .001), and higher Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (P = .02). The presence of intracortical lesions was associated with a significant decrease of subcortical gray matter volume (P = .02). In our multiple regression model, intracortical lesion volume was the only predictor of thalamic volume (R 2 = 0.4, b* = -0.28, P = .03) independent of white matter lesion volume and T1 hypointensity volume. White matter lesion volume showed an impact on subcortical gray matter volume in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (P = .04) and those with disease duration of <5 years (P = .04) and on thalamic volume in patients with Expanded Disability Status Scale scores of <4.0 (P = .01). By contrast, intracortical lesion volume showed an impact on subcortical gray matter and thalamic volumes in the secondary-progressive MS subgroup (P = .02 and P < .001) in patients with a long-standing disease course (P < .001 and P = .001) and more profound disability (P < .001 and P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Thalamic atrophy was explained better by intracortical lesions than by white matter lesion and T1 hypointensity volumes, especially in patients with more profound disability.

[Metal-binding capacity of metallothioneins of the liver of rats poisoned with heavy metals].

The functioning of metallothioneins in the liver of rats, poisoned with copper sulfate and cadmium sulfate has been investigated. By sequential chromatography on sephadex G-50 and DEAE-cellulose the authors obtained metallothioneins (MT-1, MT-1A, MT-2, MT-2a), which differ in molecular weight and composition of associated metals. Heavy metal poisoning leads to activation of synthesis and metal-binding function of metallothioneins, as well as to changes in the composition of their isoforms.

Observation of a superfluid component within solid helium.

We demonstrate by neutron scattering that a localized superfluid component exists at high pressures within solid helium in aerogel. Its existence is deduced from the observation of two sharp phonon-roton spectra which are clearly distinguishable from modes in bulk superfluid helium. These roton excitations exhibit different roton gap parameters than the roton observed in the bulk fluid at freezing pressure. One of the roton modes disappears after annealing the samples. Comparison with theoretical calculations suggests that the model that reproduces the observed data best is that of superfluid double layers within the solid and at the helium-substrate interface.

[Biological techniques in space]. / Biologicheskie tekhnologii v kosmose.

The review is dedicated to the biotechnological studies in space. The main directions of studies in the space biotechnology are the developments of life support systems, crystallogenesis of biological macromolecules, separation of proteins and cells with the help of electrophoresis as well as the studies of cellular, subcellular and molecular processes induced by the spaceflight factors effect. The experience gained in the cultivation of unicellular organisms, the selection of perspective species and strains of microorganisms, the use of them in the ecological life-support system under development is considered in detail. The development of tooling designed for performing the overall technological chain ranged from growing the cell cultures to isolating the individual macromolecules and their storage has been followed. Findings gained in the studies of the transmittance of genetic material in the microorganisms allow one to hope that in perspective the microgravity conditions will be capable of cultivating the highly effective strains of the producers.

The heterogeneity of protein/surface interactions and structural alterations of adsorbed albumin and immunoglobulin G.

The theoretical model is developed for the reversible and irreversible protein adsorption in kinetic regime by assuming the continuous energetical heterogeneity for protein/surface interaction and the possibility of structural alterations of adsorbed molecules. The simplest rectangular distributions of adsorption centers in energy of activation are used to explain the logarithmic kinetics of IgG and human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption on a quartz surface. To explain the Freindlich character of HSA adsorption onto a precoated surface, the exponential distributions of adsorption centers in energy of activation are used. A competitive analysis of some of the approaches allowed for the energetical heterogeneity of protein/surface interaction is made. The possibility of lateral electrostatic repulsion to form the logarithmic kinetics of HSA adsorption is checked experimentally. The influence of the temperature on HSA adsorption onto quartz is discussed also.

[Adsorption of human serum albumin on the original and albuminized surface of quartz]. / Adsorbtsiia chelovecheskogo syvorotochnogo al'bumina na iskhodnuiu i al'buminizirovannuiu poverkhnosti kvartsa.

The method of TIRF is used for obtaining kinetic curves of HSA adsorption on coated and uncoated silica surfaces. Using the model of energetic heterogeneous surface an analysis of positive effect of passivation as a result of transformation of energetic heterogeneity of quartz surfaces from rectangular to exponential is performed.