Screening of Some Dioxaboreninopyridine and Aniline Derivatives for Carcinogenic Properties Using a Model Cell-Free System of Regenerating Rat Liver.

We studied the effects of some aniline and dioxaborininopyridine derivatives on the rate of oxidative deamination of putrescine and polyamines in a tissue with high mitotic index. These effects were evaluated quantitatively by measuring diamine oxidase and polyamine oxidase activities in a model cell-free test system of regenerating rat liver tissue. Aniline derivatives exhibited mainly antiproliferative effects and promoted oxidative degradation of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. Dioxaborininopyridine derivatives inhibited this process, thus exhibiting carcinogenic properties.

[SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS WITH LUPUS NEPHRITIS IN THE ELDERLY (CLINICAL OBSERVATION)].

We report a clinical case of SLE in a women affected at the age of 63 years who had recurrent nephrotic syndrome with the development of renal insufficiency at the onset and a good outcome of therapy with a large total dose cyclophosphamide.

[Antitumor enzyme L-lyzine-alpha-oxidase from Trichoderma harzianum Rifai F-180 and investigation of its action on L-lysine oxidation by capillar electrophoresis].

Trichoderma harzianum Rifai F-180, an organism producing the antitumor enzyme L-lysine-alpha-oxidase was cultivated and the enzyme was isolated and purified under the manufacturing conditions. The effect of L-lysine-alpha-oxidase on oxidation of L-lysine was investigated for the first time by capillary electrophoresis and the procedure conditions were developed. The reaction of L-lysine oxidative deamination is described and location of the reaction components picks on the elecrophoregrams was identified. The average rate of the catalytic reaction of L-lysine oxidation equal to 0.46 RU/min (7.7 x 10(-3) RU/sec) was determined. The use of the antitumor enzyme L-lysine-alpha-oxidase is recommended as a drug for the treatment of superficial tumors and tissue relative oxygen excess.

Expansion of the modified Zelen's approach randomization and dynamic randomization with partial block supplies at the centers to unequal allocation.

Modified Zelen's approach is a randomization technique useful in multi-center trials where balance in treatment assignments within a center is desired. It has great balancing properties in a study with equal allocation to several treatment arms. This technique can also be used in studies with unequal allocation, where it would provide an allocation ratio close to the targeted one within centers as well as across centers. However, the implementation of the modified Zelen's approach for unequal allocation involves more than just imposing a constraint on within-center imbalance in treatment assignments, as is the case with equal allocation. Failure to account for this might provide a potential for accidental bias and (even in a double-blind study) selection and evaluation bias. The naive expansion of the modified Zelen's approach to unequal allocation can also lead to a shift in the re-randomization distribution of the between-group difference in treatment means. This paper will explain why and will offer an easy way to expand the modified Zelen's approach to unequal allocation that allows one to avoid these issues. The expansion to unequal allocation of another very useful in multi-center trials technique where partial blocks of supplies are sent to the centers will be offered.

Vascular endothelial growth factor in the serum of breast cancer patients.

Here we present the results of comparative immunoenzyme assay of the initial serum levels of VEGF in breast cancer patients (stages T1N0M0 and T2N0M0) and apparently healthy women (controls). It was found that VEGF concentrations in the serum of patients with breast cancer stages T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 significantly surpassed the control levels. Increased levels of VEGF surpassing the threshold values were more often observed in patients with T2N0M0 breast cancer compared to patients with T1N0M0 tumor. At the same time, this marker cannot be used in the diagnostics of this disease because in only 21.4% patients serum level of VEGF surpassed the upper boundary for this growth factor observed in the serum of control women. Serum concentration of VEGF in patients with stages T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 breast cancer did not depend on patient's age and reproductive function and receptor status of the primary tumor (estrogen and progesterone receptors), but was closely associated with tumor histogenesis and differentiation degree. Significantly higher levels of VEGF were observed in patients with lobular infiltrative breast carcinoma compared to patients with ductal tumors and in patients with low-differentiated tumors compared to highly and moderately differentiated tumors. High initial concentrations of VEGF (>300 pg/ml) were more often detected in patients with T2N0M0 breast cancer developing relapses within the first 3 years of follow-up compared to patients without relapses during the corresponding period (p=0.001). These findings suggest that serum level of VEGF in patients with T2N0M0 breast cancer before treatment can be used as an additional marker in parallel with standard clinical and morphological signs of the disease for more precise prognosis of early relapse (during the first 3 years of follow-up).

[Vascular endothelial growth factor: its secretion in the bone tissue in the norm and in pathological states]. / Faktor rosta éndoteliia sosudov: osobennosti sekretsii v kostnoi tkani v norme i patologii.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a homodimeric heparin-binding protein (34-42 kDa), which induces formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). VEGF-mediated capillary invasion is an essential signal that regulates growth plate morphogenesis and triggers cartilage remodeling. Thus, VEGF is essential coordinator of chondrocyte death, chondroclast function, extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis and bone formation in the growth plate. VEGF expression in untreated osteosarcoma is predictive for pulmonary metastasis and poor prognosis. VEGF concentration in the serum of patients with malignant bone tumors (osteosarcoma, Ewing's tumor) increased in comparison with norm and benign tumors. VEGF expression in the serum of patients with osteosarcoma associated with the development of metastasis and without metastasis period. The results of investigation indicate the existence of dependence between VEGF expression and degree of tumor malignancy and metastasis. These results testify probable participation of VEGF in biology of the tumor-transformed tissue.