Role of CT angiographic plaque morphologic characteristics in addition to stenosis in predicting the symptomatic side in carotid artery disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Atherosclerotic disease of the carotid artery is an important cause of ischemic stroke. We evaluated carotid plaque morphologic features by using CTA in addition to stenosis in the setting of symptomatic hemispheric TIA/stroke to identify factors that may predict plaque activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six hundred seventy-three patients (408 men; ages, 18-91 years; mean, 65.8 +/- 15.2 years) presenting with hemispheric ischemic symptoms and having a CTA that included imaging of both carotid arteries within 24 hours were studied. Scans were interpreted for morphologic features, such as plaque length and width, attenuation, shape, surface, presence and degree of calcification, and ILT in addition to stenosis. RESULTS: Univariable analysis showed that carotid occlusions (P = .01, OR = 5.27), high-grade stenosis (70%-99%) (P = .06, OR = 1.8), and the presence of ILT (P = .01, OR = 4.33) were highly predictive of the symptomatic side. Smooth plaque (P = .01, OR = 0.73) and extensive calcification (P = .03, OR = 0.72) were more commonly associated with the asymptomatic side. There was no correlation between plaque hypoattenuation (P = .7, OR = 1.06) or ulcerated plaque (P = .74, OR = 0.955) in predicting the symptomatic side. In a multivariable logistic regression model, the presence of ILT was still found to be significantly associated with the symptomatic side (P = .048, OR = 3.1) and the presence of extensive calcification, with the asymptomatic carotid artery (P = .047, OR = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to higher stenosis grades, the presence of ILT is highly predictive of the symptomatic side in carotid disease. Smooth plaque and extensive calcification seem to afford a protective effect. This information may be useful in radiologic risk stratification in carotid disease in addition to the current evidence available based on stenosis criteria alone.

[Genetic collections: problems of formation, conservation and use]. / Geneticheskie kollektsii: problemy formirovaniia, sokhraneniia i ispol'zovaniia.

Classification of plant genepool collections are presented, the principal tasks worked on by collections are examined. Databases on genepool collections of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of Syberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia) and the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine are described. Principles of formation of genepool collections, their existing problems, the methods of maintenance of their viability and genetical authenticity are discussed. Necessary amount of collection accessions, differences and specificity of their reproduction and multiplication aims and tasks are proved. Gradations of the permissible changes of accessions in connection with the type and the purpose of collections are proposed. The necessity of specialized periodical edition on genepool collecting is emphasized.

[Possibilities of using Salmonella cya, crp mutants as vectors of an oral recombinant vaccine]. / Vozmozhnost' izpol'zovaniia mutantov cya, crp sal'monell v kachestve vektorov rekombinantnoi vaktsiny oral'nogo primeneniia.

The Salmonella typhimurium B-2/1 double mutant with cya and crp mutations was obtained by a recombination process. The mutant exhibited a low virulence and inability to utilize citrate. In terms of these properties, the mutant differs from the wild-type strain. The mutant is able to persist in the body of mice, cattle, and monkeys, provoking the immune response to its oral administration.

[Autonomic disorders in Charcot-Marie neural amyotrophy]. / Vegetativnye narusheniia pri nevral'noi amiotrofii Sharko--Mari.

The paper is concerned with disorders of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in Charcot-Marie amyotrophy. 32 patients were examined. Of these, 21 suffered from the demyelinizing type of the disease and 11 from the axonal one. The status of the peripheral part of the ANS was estimated in the cardiovascular and in the respiration systems as well as in the system of pupil innervation. The patients were distributed into groups with the above-mentioned disease types on the basis of the electroneuromyography data. The relationship was demonstrated between the intensity of vegetative disorders and the genetically determined type of nerve fiber injury--myelinopathy and axonopathy. In the axonal form of Charcot-Marie amyotrophy, the involvement of vegetative fibers into the pathological process was appreciably higher than in the demyelinizing type.