Taxonomies of psychological individual differences: biological perspectives on millennia-long challenges.

This Editorial highlights a unique focus of this theme issue on the biological perspectives in deriving psychological taxonomies coming from neurochemistry, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, genetics, psychiatry, developmental and comparative psychology-as contrasted to more common discussions of socio-cultural concepts (personality) and methods (lexical approach). It points out the importance of the distinction between temperament and personality for studies in human and animal differential psychophysiology, psychiatry and psycho-pharmacology, sport and animal practices during the past century. It also highlights the inability of common statistical methods to handle nonlinear, feedback, contingent, dynamical and multi-level relationships between psychophysiological systems of consistent psychological traits discussed in this theme issue.This article is part of the theme issue 'Diverse perspectives on diversity: multi-disciplinary approaches to taxonomies of individual differences'.

[A clinical and psychological study of tobacco dependence in patients with alcoholism]. / Kliniko-psikhologicheskoe issledovanie tabachnoi zavisimosti u bol'nykh alkogolizmom.

AIM: To study the effect of sex- and age-related features, social aspects and progression of alcoholism on tobacco smoking (TS), tobacco dependence (TD) and alcohol dependence (AD) in the Chuvash Republic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Authors questioned 769 inpatients with AD and then performed detailed examination and questioning of 390 patients. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: 74.4% patients with AD (82.2% men and 41.6% women) were cigarette smokers. According to the Fagerström's test, 79.2% had Nicotine Dependence (ND), 80.3% smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day. ND was diagnosed much more often in men, TS in them was more intense in comparison with women. There were highly significant correlations between alcoholism progression and TS or TD. Patients with AD had more significant ND compared to total population. They started TS much earlier, more often didn't prefer a particular brand of cigarettes, smoked high pitch cigarettes. Rejuvenation of TS onset with the fast formation of ND and AD is noted.

[Selective staining of pericentromeric heterochromatin regions in chromosomes of spontaneously dividing cells with the use of the acridine orange fluorochrome].

A novel phenomenon of unusual selective acridine orange (AO) staining ofpericentromeric heterochromatin regions (HRs) in chromosomal preparations from tissue with known spontaneous mitotic activity (chorionic villi, placenta, embryonic tissues, bone marrow, and testes), as well as embryonic stem cells, is described. Staining with 0.01% AO in a citric-phosphate (pH 5.5) or sodium phosphate (pH 7.0) buffer solution allows the HRs of human chromosomes (1q12, 9q12, 13p11.2, 14p11.2, 15p11.2, 16q11.2, 21p11.2, 22p11.2, and Yq12) and pericentromeric HRs of mouse chromosomes to be reliably detected by the red fluorescence of AO. This method of AO staining does not require any pretreatment. Explanations for metachromatic AO staining of polymorphic pericentromeric HRs in chromosomes of spontaneously dividing cells are suggested. A high reproducibility of the specific AO staining makes it possible to suggest its use as a reliable quick method for detection of polymorphic HRs of human chromosomes in cytogenetic prenatal diagnosis and oncohematology.

Pilot in vitro study of the parameters of artificial niche for osteogenic differentiation of human stromal stem cell pool.

The aim of this research is experimental investigation of the topography and evaluation of some parameters of artificial microterritories promoting osteogenic differentiation of stromal stem cells. A technique of short-term culturing of prenatal human lung stromal cells with fibroblastoid morphology on calcium phosphate substrates with known topography was used. Judging from secretory activity of the cell culture (osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase), stromal stem cells directly interacting with calcium phosphate discs have advantage in manifestation of osteoblast-like functional activity in comparison with cells cultured on plastic. Rough surfaces of calcium phosphate discs stimulate the formation of spatial human fibroblastoid cell culture. The cells with positive reaction to acid phosphatase are located on spheroliths forming the relief of calcium phosphate coatings. The cells with positive reaction to alkaline phosphatase (marker of osteoblasts) populate hollows (niches) of the artificial surface. The niche for induction of osteogenic differentiation of human multipotent mesenchymal stem cells is apparently a structural and functional formation. It can be characterized by an index calculated as the ratio of the total area occupied by alkaline phosphatase-positive cells to the area of artificial surface occupied by one stained cell.

[Affinoleukin in combined treatment of psoriasis].

Open randomized controlled clinical trials in which 161 patients were included showed that Affinoleukin (commercial drug which contains low molecular weight proteins obtained from extract of human leukocytes membranes) was effective in treatment of psoriasis. Affinoleukin, when added to regular treatment, accelerated the establishment of remission and its duration by restoration of impaired regulatory and defensive functions of T-lymphocytes, particularly, gamma deltaT- and NKT-cells as well as monocytes and NK-cells. Regular treatment led to marked positive effect in 45% of patients with severe psoriasis and psoriasis of intermediate severity. Addition of Affinoleukin in combined treatment increased proportion of patients with marked positive effect to 72%. Magnitude of Affinoleukin effect was directly related with its dose and severity of psoriasis. Course of Affinoleukin injections (up to 30 units in adults) is worthwhile to use as immunobiological component of combined treatment of exacerbations of severe psoriasis and psoriasis of intermediate severity.

[Adrenal ACE and type II glucocorticoid receptors in primary hyperaldosteronism]. / Nadpochechnikovyi angiotenzinprevrashchaiushchii ferment i gliukokortikoidnye retseptory II tipa pri pervichnom giperal'dosteronizme.

Adrenal tissue from 6 patients with primary hyperaldosteronism has been examined for the presence of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Its activity and amount of glucocorticoid receptors of type II (GR-II) were measured. ACE and GR-II were detected in adrenal tissue. GR-II induce ACE activity in interaction with plasma hydrocortisone. The glucocorticoid-receptor mechanism is an essential element in regulation of ACE activity determining a vasopressor effect. Disclosed is one of the aspects of tissue renin-angiotensin system function in primary hyperaldosteronism.

An investigation of how people of different age, sex, and temperament estimate the world.

Results of a study on 167 subjects demonstrated that the basic semantic structure of consciousness is associated with a person's temperament, age, and sex. Concrete particularities of estimations and structure of the semantic space depend upon these biologically based characteristics. The results suggest the presence of a phenomenon of "projection through capacities": when a person registers only those aspects of objects or situation that he can properly react to and deal with in their own behavior.

[Work experience in detecting cancerous diseases of the oral mucosa at a dental polyclinic]. / Opyt raboty po vyiavleniiu onkologicheskikh zabolevanii slizistoi obolochki polosti rta v usloviiakh stomatologicheskoi polikliniki.

The paper present the experience gained in 10 years at the consultation and diagnosis room for buccal mucosa abnormalities in Dental Health Center No. 56 in Moscow. Three cases with cancer and precancer of the buccal mucosa and red lips detected in this room are described.

[Primary structure of DNA, complementary for mRNA for the Baikal omul growth hormone]. / Pervichnaia struktura DNK, komplementarnoi mRNK gormona rosta Baikal'skogo omulia.

The pregrowth hormone DNA was synthesized by polymerase chain reaction from a pituitary gland cDNA library of Baikal omul (Coregonus autumnalis Pallas). A cDNA was sequenced and found to encode a precursor protein of 210 amino acid residues, which included a putative signal peptide of 22 amino acid residues. Sequence comparison reveals close similarity of the omul growth hormone to those of other Salmoniformes species.

[Cloning and sequencing the cDNA for the beta-subunit of Baikal omul gonadotropin]. / Klonirovanie i sekvenirovaniie kDNK beta-sub''edinitsy gonadotropinov Baikal'skogo omulia.

Two types of cDNA encoding gonadotropin beta subunits (GTH beta) were isolated from a cDNA library prepared from pituitary gland of Baikal omul (Coregonus autumnalis migratorius Georgi). The nucleotide sequences of cDNA were determined. The CTHI beta and GTHII beta cDNAs code for polypeptides of 137 and 142 amino acids, respectively. Both of them include a putative signal peptide of 24 amino acids. The predicted amino acid structures of omul gonadotropins were compared with those of other vertebrate species.

Molecular cloning and sequencing of omul prolactin cDNA.

We constructed a complementary DNA (cDNA) library from Baikal omul (Coregonus autumnalis migratorius Georgi) pituitary glands. Synthetic oligonucleotide probes corresponding to chum salmon prolactin (PRL) cDNA were used to select the recombinant plasmids carrying the omul PRL gene. The larger insert was sequenced and found to encode a polypeptide of 210 amino acid residues, including a putative signal sequence of 23 amino acids. Nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence of omul PRL showed high homology with other salmonid PRLs.

[Significance of Ia-like antigen expression in malignant lymphoma of the skin]. / Znachenie ékspressii Ia-podobnogo antigena pri zlokachestvennykh limfomakh kozhi.

Immunophenotyping was conducted in 14 patients with malignant lymphoma of the skin using 4 monoclonal antibodies against CD4, 4, 8 and HLA (Ia--like) antigens. OKT4+ cells were detected in all the patients and OKT3+ cells in five of them. The expression of Ia-like antigen was noted in all patients with varying duration of the tumor process, in some of them Ia-like antigen prevailed that evidenced T-cell activation at all the stages of the tumor process in T-lymphomas of the skin. The highest expression of Ia-like antigen was recorded at the erythrodermal stage of granulomatosis of OKT4+ and OKT3+ phenotypes. Less pronounced expression of epidermal Ia-like tumor cells may be an evidence of a more benign course of the process.

[The clinico-immunological characteristics of patients with the typical and the erosive-ulcerative forms of lichen planus ruber]. / Kliniko-immunologicheskie osobennosti bol'nykh s tipichnoi i érozivno-iazvennoi formami krasnogo ploskogo lishaia.

Sixteen patients with typical and 17 with erosive ulcerative forms of lichen ruber planus were examined for the T- and B-immunity systems, myeloid series cells, complementary and spontaneous rosette-forming populations. B-lymphocyte levels were found elevated twofold in both groups of patients as against normal subjects. Patients with typical lichen planus developed a statistically significant elevation of T-lymphocyte count vs. normal subjects, whereas in patients with erosive ulcerative lichen planus this count was virtually unchanged. Reduced counts of active T-cells were detected in all the patients. The parameters of spontaneous and complementary rosette formation of neutrophils were different in the two groups of patients and in normal subjects. The counts of EAC-receptor carrying neutrophils were two times lower in the patients with erosive ulcerative lichen planus as against those with the typical form of the disease. Clinical manifestations correlated with changes in cell-mediated immunity factors; a marked defect of the neutrophilic receptor system has been detected, particularly manifest in erosive ulcerative lichen planus.

[Monoclonal antibodies in the study of malignant skin lymphomas]. / Monoklonal'nye antitela v izuchenii kozhnykh zlokachestvennykh limfom.

Comprehensive analysis of skin infiltrate cells, carried out in malignant lymphomas of the skin, has included examinations with the use of monoclonal antibodies (MCA). Basing on the clinical, histologic, and immunologic findings, mycosis fungoides has been diagnosed in 9 patients and T-cellular lymphoblastic lymphosarcoma consisting of T-suppressors in 1. The findings evidence that (1) mycosis fungoides is a tumor consisting of OKT4 cells in the majority of cases; (2) mature T-cell markers are sometimes lost in the course of mycosis fungoides, this being parallelled by the emergence of antigens characteristic of earlier differentiation stages, e. g. corticothymocytic ones; (3) immunologic heterogeneity is a characteristic feature of malignant lymphomas of the skin; this may be explained by both: the tumor progress of the clone and the therapeutic pathomorphosis; (4) use of MCA to a wide spectrum of leukocytic differentiation antigens permits an accurate estimation of the nature of the tumor cells and of the cellular relationships; this helps understand the pathogenesis of malignant lymphomas of the skin and develop new treatment modalities.

[A case of immunodependent Kaposi's sarcoma against a background of glucocorticoid treatment]. / Sluchai immunozavisimoi sarkomy Kaposhi na fone lecheniia gliukokortikoidami.

A patient with bullous pemphigoid has developed immunodependent Kaposi's sarcoma during immunosuppressant therapy. It may be supposed that the initial manifestations of Kaposi's sarcoma developed in the gastrointestinal tract, inducing the development of bullous pemphigoid in the presence of massive immunosuppressant therapy.