Yersinia pestis Surface Antigens in Reception of Specific Bacteriophages.

The significance of Yersinia pestis surface antigens in adhesiveness to specific bacteriophages has been studied with the use of two methodological approaches. It was shown that Ail protein immobilized on the surface of polystyrene microspheres (but not in the solution), can bind both the Pokrovskaya phage and pseudotuberculous diagnostic phage. YapF autotransporter interacted with both phages in a water-soluble form, but YapF bound to polystyrene microspheres interacted only with the Pokrovskaya phage. An assumption was made that Ail and YapF proteins can be the primary receptors providing non-specific reversible binding to the phages used in this work.

[A non-invasive method of evaluation of Helicobacter pylori urease activity: its perfection and introduction to clinical practice].

The authors have developed a highly sensitive method of non-invasive diagnostics of Helicobacter pylori, the most frequent human infection. Detection of urease activity is based upon measurement of the degree of the elevation of stable 13C isotope content in exhaled air after administration of C-urea as a test reagent. The method has been scarcely applied in Russia because the test preparation, 13C urea had not been produced domestically until 2002. The method can be easily applied by any healthcare institution; however, it requires special equipment and trained personnel to perform measurement of 13C content in exhaled air samples using mass spectrometers. The article presents the first experience in clinical application of the method.

[The cytochrome P-450-dependent mono-oxygenase system of the liver and interleukin-1 production by the macrophages in adjuvant arthritis in rats under the influence of beta-carotene]. / Tsitokhrom P-450-zavisimaia monooksigenaznaia sistema pecheni i produktsiia interleikina-1 makrofagami pri ad''iuvantnom artrite u krys pod vliianiem beta-karotina.

A relationship between the production of interleukin 1 (IL-1) by macrophages from adjuvant-induced arthritic rats and cytochrome P-450-dependent hepatic microsomal monooxygenase was studied. The synthesis of IL-1 by splenic and peritoneal macrophages on day 17 postadjuvant treatment was not altered, but the hepatic cytochrome P-450 levels and monooxygenase activity were significantly decreased. Beta-carotene treatment of arthritic rats reduced hind paw swelling and concurrently stimulated the ability of macrophages to secrete IL-1 and increased the cytochrome P-450 levels and the activity of hepatic monooxygenase. The findings did not establish a definite relationship between the production of IL-1 by systemic macrophages on the one hand, and the hepatic cytochrome P-450 levels a and monooxygenase activity on the other hand. It thus appears that IL1 is unable to play a role of a mediator between the immune system and the hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase system of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis.

[Detection of tuberculosis in high risk group of children in the special hospitals]. / Vyiavlenie tuberkulëza u detei iz grupp riska v usloviiakh spetsializirovannogo statsionara.

The authors believe that children from tuberculosis risk groups, i.e. those with primary positive or hypersensitive response to tuberculin and living in the infection foci, should be examined in specialized hospitals. Community pediatricians and phthisiotherapists should pay more attention to carrying out closer control over chemoprophylaxis, treatment of chronic infection and concomitant diseases in risk-group children.

[The effect of beta-carotene on the development of adjuvant arthritis and interleukin-1 production in rats]. / Vliianie beta-karotina na razvitie ad''iuvantnogo artrita i produktsiiu interleikina-1 u krys.

The production of interleukin 1 (IL1) by peritoneal and splenic macrophages from rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis on day 17 postadjuvant treatment was not altered compared with normal. Treatment of arthritic rats with beta-carotene reduced hind paw swelling and significantly increased ability of macrophages to secrete IL1 as well as stimulated spontaneous proliferation of splenic lymphocytes. No direct relationship between the release of IL1 from peritoneal and splenic macrophages and increase of hind paw swelling was revealed.

[Blood cobalamins and xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in rat liver in adjuvant arthritis]. / Kobalaminy krovi i fermenty metabolizma ksenobiotikov v pecheni krys pri ad''iuvantnom artrite.

Changes in the total cobalamin content and spectrum of individual forms of these vitamins in blood cells and plasma as well as the activities of enzymatic systems of xenobiotic metabolism in liver microsomes of rats with experimental adjuvant arthritis (AA) have been studied. The total cobalamin content in the blood plasma of rats with AA was increased in comparison with intact animals; however, leucocytes from AA rats were deficient in methylcobalamin (MeCbl). A correlation was found between the ratios of individual cobalamin forms and their total content which was differently expressed in experimental and control animals. The development of AA was associated with marked inhibition of the cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase system of the liver and glutathione transferase. The possibility of correction of these disturbances by MeCbl is discussed.

[The vitamin D endocrine system and bone tissue mineral metabolism in rats with adjuvant arthritis: the effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3]. / Endokrinnaia sistema vitamina D i mineral'nyi obmen kostnoi tkani u krys s ad''iuvantnym artritom: vliianie 1,25-digidroksivitamina D3.

Adjuvant arthritis was induced in male rats by injecting bacillus Calmette-Guèrin in mineral oil in a hindpaw. A decrease in bone density, calcium and phosphorus content due to polyarthritis was found in the tibia of the noninjected hind leg. Arthritic rats demonstrated serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D deficiency along with constant level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The disease caused a significant expression of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors in lymphocytes. Arthritic rats were treated with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (0.15 mg/kg/day orally) for 35 days. The treatment prevented the development of osteoporosis and a decrease of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels as well as reduced the expression of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D receptors in lymphocytes.

[Pneumocystis carinii infection in a pediatric tuberculosis hospital]. / Pnevmotsistoz v detskom tuberkuleznom statsionare.

An outbreak of pneumocytosis in a children's tuberculosis hospital was analyzed. The infection was characterized by few signs and favourable progress. Antibiotic therapy failed. To eliminate the outbreak of pneumocystosis in the hospital it was necessary to detect all the children with pneumocystosis and carriers of pneumocysts among the patients and medical staff, to use furazolidone for etiotropic treatment of the patients with pneumocystosis and to perform one-stage sanation of the carriers with antiparasitic agents.

[Determination of urinary protein using the biuret method]. / Opredelenie belka v moche biuretovym metodom.

Interlaboratory inspection of the quality of laboratory investigations in the Saratov region, carried out in 1987-1988, has revealed a 9 to 50 percent share of unsatisfactory results of measurements of urinary protein by the Roberts-Stolnikov method. This fault was not mended despite the measures taken and the errors detected in the activities of clinical diagnostic laboratories. Analysis of the relevant literature has led the authors to a conclusion that the biuret method, the most specific and sensitive of all the universal methods, should be given preference to. The final stage of the investigation is carried out with the use of a KFK-2M photoelectrocolorimeter. A standard curve based on albumin calibration solution was plotted to estimate the results. At present 15 clinical diagnostic laboratories of this region are using the biuret method. Their results have improved, as evidenced by interlaboratory quality control: the share of satisfactory results of urinary protein measurements makes up 83 to 100 percent.

[The effect of hemosorption on the aldosterone and vasopressin content of the blood in patients with decompensated chronic cor pulmonale]. / Vliianie gemosorbtsii na soderzhanie al'dosterona i vazopressina v krovi bol'nykh s dekompensirovannym khronicheskim legochnym serdtsem.

The dynamics of the content of blood aldosterone and vasopressin after hemosorption studied in 17 patients with decompensated chronic cor pulmonale revealed a significant reduction of their concentration. Reduction of the content of hormones in the blood occurred due to the effect of the sorbent and is not related to the influence of heparine.

[Use of beta 1-adrenostimulants in circulatory failure in patients with chronic inflammatory lung diseases]. / Primenenie beta 1-adrenostimuliatorov pri nedostatochnosti krovoobrashcheniia u bol'nykh s khronicheskimi vospalitel'nymi zabolevaniiami legkikh.

In 34 patients with chronic cor pulmonale, the drugs from a group of beta-adrenostimulants, nonachlazinum and oxyphedrinum, were tested for effects on their hemodynamics, pulmonary ventilation function, blood gas composition and acid-base balance. In patients with circulatory failure due to lung diseases, nonachlazinum and oxyphedrinum were found to exert a pronounced positive intropic action, to contribute to an increase in cardiac output. The agents may be included into the multimodality therapy of patients with decompensated chronic cor pulmonale.

[The rationale for the use of a hypercapnic mixture in the aerosol therapy of patients with diseases of the lungs]. / Obosnovanie primeneniia giperkapnicheskoi smesi v aérozol'terapii bol'nykh s zabolevaniiami legkikh.

Patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis and lingering pneumonia and healthy subjects were examined. Indices featuring lung ventilation function, blood gases and its acid-base state were analysed in the process of a series of inhalation tests with a hypercapnic mixture. It was found that the use of 2% hypercapnic mixture in aerosol therapy can ensure deeper permeability into the airways due to a rise of the respiration amplitude. Hypercapnic mixture-containing aerosol therapy is not advisable for the patients with a serious respiratory insufficiency since it might cause an increase in the blood hypercapnia.

[The monooxygenase system, lipid peroxidation in the liver and vitamin B12 metabolism in experimental poisoning of rabbits with phenylhydrazine]. / Monoksigenaznaia sistema, perekisnoe okislenie lipidov v pecheni i obmen vitamina B12 pri éksperimental'nom otravlenii krolikov fenilgidrazinom.

It has been demonstrated that phenylhydrazine poisoning results in a significant activation of lipid peroxidation, reduction of dimethylaniline N-demethylation and NADPH-2.6-dichlorophenolindophenol and NADPH-cytochrome c-reductase activities as well as in the stimulation of the NADPH-nitrotetrazolium reductase activity in rabbit liver microsomes. In addition, phenylhydrazine administration causes disturbances in vitamin B12 metabolism which are manifested as changes in total cobalamin pool and in the spectrum of vitamin B12 individual physiologically active forms in the blood.

[Efficacy of aerosol therapy based on a hypercapnic mixture]. / Effektivnost' aérozol'terapii na osnove giperkapnicheskoi smesi.

It was established that use of a hypercapnic mixture (2% concentration) potentiates the effect of medicinal agents due to their deep penetration in the air-conducting pathways.

[X-ray characteristics of acute intestinal obstruction in middle-aged and elderly patients]. / Rentgenologicheskie osobennosti ostroi kishechnoi neprokhodimosti u lits pozhilogo i starcheskogo vozrasta.

The authors presented clinical and x-ray findings of 188 patients with mechanical intestinal obstruction (92 of them were middle-aged and advanced in years and 96 were under 60). A combined program of x-ray examination included 3 stages: panoramic polypositional roentgenography of the chest and abdominal cavity, dynamic x-ray control over the state of the abdominal cavity, and contrast study of the G.I. tract. A distinctive feature of the x-ray symptomatology of intestinal obstruction in middle-aged and old patients was the absence of classical x-ray symptoms in some cases during panoramic roentgenography of the abdominal cavity. In patients over 60, x-ray symptomatology was characterized by marked colon distension and intestinal distension of various degree in 77.1%