Diode Laser Spectrometer for Diagnostic Assessment of Exhaled Air Components.

The main requirements for a screening test are simplicity, non-invasiveness, safety of testing procedures, high processing speed, and ability to detect diseases at an early stage. A multichannel gas analyzer for assessment of exhaled air composition (diode laser spectrometer), non-invasive screening, and biomedical testing was developed on the basis of near-infrared diode lasers with fiber output. The device measures the following exhaled air components: 12CO2, 13CO2, CH4, NH3, H2O, and H2S. The concentration of molecules was measured in a multi-pass Herriot cell with a reference length of 40 cm, 1.8 L volume, and a total optical path length of 26 m. Three diode lasers manufactured by NTT Electronics (Japan) were used in the work. Detection of CH4 was carried out in the 1.65 µm wavelength range, 12CO2, 13CO2, and H2S levels were measured in the 1.60 µm range, NH3 and H2O in the 1.51 µm range. All measurements were taken in real time. Clinical testing of the spectrometer was carried out at V.M. Buyanov City Clinical Hospital of Moscow Department of Health. More than 150 patients were examined. The tests included analysis and measurement of these molecular components in the exhaled air of patients with various diseases. The content of these components was studied in conditions of various changes in the human physiological state (dosed physical activity, relaxation, psychoemotional stress, etc.). The studies have demonstrated efficacy of using the developed hardware system for assessment of exhaled air components in order to reveal functional disorders in various diseases of the digestive system, cardiorespiratory system, diseases caused by impaired nitrogen-excreting function of the kidneys, etc.

[A new class of phenomena identified during the analysis of neural network of multidimensional data from patients with inflammatory lung diseases].

AIM: To apply the neural network analysis method of multi-data of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to recognize the variability of their diagnoses and discovery of new analytical capabilities of NSA based on new methodological approaches of the meeting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this paper, we applied a new approach of neural network analysis of multivariate data, obtained based on clinical, laboratory and instrumental tests in 60 patients older than 65 years at various stages of the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. Anthropometric data were used together with the results of immunological and immunochemical studies of blood serum of patients with community-acquired pneumonia who were in the acute phase of the disease. RESULTS: A new approach analysis of these data revealed the presence of characteristic groups of the biomarkers, which consist from a combination of a small number of the signs that are necessary and sufficient in the aggregate for accurate classification of diagnoses for patients. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of these symptoms characteristic series shows that we have discovered a new class of phenomena. These phenomena manifest themselves in the hidden relationships between the signs which included in these groups and are reflect features of the flow processes in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases of the lungs in different diagnostic areas. Their study can be an important and interesting in terms of understanding the many aspects of this disease.

[The protector properties of a pseudopeptide drug ingamine studied on a model of bronchospasm in guinea pigs].

The original pseudopeptide drug ingamine (4-[N-[2-(imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]-carbamoyl] butyric acid) was studied on the traditional model of antigen-induced bronchospasm in actively sensitized guinea pigs. The drug was introduced using various methods (by inhalation, via intragastric tube, and by intraperitoneal injections) in a range of doses (20, 50, 150, or 500 mg/kg). The new drug exhibited a pronounced dose-dependent protector action for all ways of introduction, but the most significant effect was observed upon inhalation, whereby the degree of bronchospasm inhibition exceeded 80%. In comparison to the reference drug sodium cromoglycate, ingamine (in equimolar doses) showed a higher activity with respect to the antigen-dependent bronchospasmic reactions. It can be expected that ingamine will provide for the effective treatment of bronchial obstruction under clinical conditions.

[The anti-inflammatory activity of intal and beta-carotene in a model of experimental granulomatous lung inflammation]. / Issledovanie protivovospalitel'noi aktivnosti intala i beta-karotina na modeli éksperimental'nogo granulematoznogo vospaleniia legkikh.

A-25 sephadex-induced granulomatous inflammation of the lungs in rats was treated with beta-carotene and intal in inhalations. Both drugs showed antiinflammatory activity reducing the area of alveolitis and emphysema in the lungs, number of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar fluid. The experimental data allow to recommend further trial of intal and beta-carotene in granulomatous pulmonary diseases.

[Dynamics of the cytologic and bacterioscopic changes in bronchoalveolar washings in acute focal pneumonia]. / Dinamika tsitologicheskikh i bakterioskopicheskikh izmenenii v bronkhoal'veoliarnom smyve pri ostroi ochagovoi pnevmonii.

The authors analyze cytologic and bacterioscopic changes in bronchoalveolar washings in 37 patients with acute focal pneumonia on days 4 through 44 of the disease. Bronchoalveolar washings obtained from 11 subjects without pulmonary conditions were examined for control. Immunofluorescent examination of brush biopsy specimens of the bronchial epithelium from 4 patients, taken at the peak of pneumonia, has revealed respiratory viruses antigens. The highest numbers of free bacterial colonies and intracellular bacteria were detectable also at the peak of pneumonia. In contrast to reference specimens, patients' bronchoalveolar washings were characterized by elevated absolute counts of the neutrophils, bronchoepitheliocytes, and destroyed cells during the peak and regress of the disease. During convalescence these cell counts were essentially reducing though persisting significantly elevated as against the control. Absolute counts of alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar washings were virtually unchanged over the course of the disease. The authors claim that the cytologic and bacterioscopic characteristics of bronchoalveolar washings objectively and fully reflect the activity of the inflammatory reaction in the lungs.

[Structural-functional characteristics of phagocytes in the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid in acute focal pneumonia]. / Strukturno-funktsional'naia kharakteristika fagotsitov bronkhoal'veoliarnykh smyvov pri ostroi ochagovoi pnevmonii.

The alveolar macrophages and neutrophils of the bronchoalveolar fluid from 37 patients with acute focal pneumonia were studied cytochemically. A comparison group consisted of 20 patients with primary chronic bronchitis, 11 subjects without pulmonary affections served control. Phagocytes with a high motile, oxygen-dependent bactericidal and hydrolytic activity as well as with increased level of absorptive capacity prevailed during the peak of the disease and its regression. At the phase of convalescence the number of phagocytes with a high oxygen-dependent bactericidal and hydrolytic activity decreased but their high absorptive activity was retained.