Free radical oxidation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

As shown by the study of 27 patients with non-obstructive form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC), this disease is associated with a significant rise in the production of active oxygen forms by leukocytes, significant changes in the activity of enzyme antioxidant defense, unchanged lipid peroxidation, high total antioxidant activity of blood plasma. The patients received a complex of natural antioxidants varying by mechanism of action and glutaminic acid. Antioxidants produced a subjective clinical response, reduced incidence of cardiac arrhythmia, improved exercise tolerance. The response becomes still better in combination of antioxidants with conventional therapeutic tools.     

The intensity of the peroxidation of lipids and their fatty acid composition in Drosophila melanogaster strains differing in their adaptive value

An attempt was made to explore the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in medium used for incubation of peripheral venous blood (PVB) leukocytes from patients with gingivitis and periodontitis and to compare it with that of periodontally healthy subjects. The study population included 54 gingivitis patients (G), 52 periodontitis patients (P) and 52 control subjects (C). All these groups were assessed by clinical, laboratory and statistical methods. The leukocytes were incubated with opsonized zymosan, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, nonopsonized E.coli or Staphylococcus aureus 256. The respective levels of MPO activity in incubation media of PVB leukocytes taken from group G patients were 598.0 +/- 29.2 conventional units (c.u.), 640.0 +/- 26.3 c.u., 662.0 +/- 37.6 c.u. and 750.0 +/- 40.8 c.u. (control incubation medium: 564.0 +/- 25.1 c.u.); those for group P patients were 672.0 +/- 34.3 c.u., 678.0 +/- 43.1 c.u., 692.0 +/- 47.9 c.u. and 762.0 +/- 34.7 c.u. (control: 612.0 +/- 35.2 c.u.); those for group C subjects were 556.0 +/- 30.2 c. u., 714.0 +/- 28.2 c.u., 1276.0 +/- 69.0 c.u. and 794.0 +/- 47.1 c.u. (control: 534.0 +/- 29.0 c.u.). MPO activity was increased most significantly when nonopsonized E.coli was added to the incubation medium of PVB leukocytes taken from subjects with intact periodontium. MPO activity was unchanged when the leukocytes were taken from periodontitis patients.     

The Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy of the A. L. Polenov Russian Neurosurgical Research Institute. The results of research over 20 years (1976-1996)

Chronic tonsillitis (CT) was found in 63.1% of 190 obese children aged 3-15 years, 15% of them had no quinsy in the past. Onset of obesity was attributed to frequent quinsy in 18.3% of the examinees. Marked CT exacerbations were more typical for the children aged 6-7 years (10%). In 12-15-year-olds the disease tended to a sluggish course with scarce symptoms (25.8%). Pharyngoscopy discovered edema and hypertrophy of the tonsils in 74.1% of the patients. 35 patients underwent tonsillectomy. Examination of the removed tonsil tissue for phospholipids revealed pathological phospholipids lysophosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinosite the quantities of which rose with growing obesity. It may be the result of negative action of obesity on tonsil structure.     

Coliphages as indicators of viral pollution of water supply

The paper presents the data of Russian and foreign authors, as well as these author's findings of the significance of coliphages as indicators of viral contamination of drinking water. Coliphages may be used as indicators of viral drinking water contamination and for evaluation of the efficiency of drinking water purification in waterworks.     

Current aspects of creation of expert systems in aviation medicine

Topical directions of developing the medical expert systems (MES) are considered. The problems to be solved by using programming and informational means as part of MES are discussed. A classification of the knowledge of expert physicians who directly deal with decision making is proposed. The characteristics of the developed MES well appreciated by the results of their operation are given. They show new trends associated with the update of medical knowledge and the developmental level of information technologies.     

Cloning of ribR, an additional regulatory gene of the Bacillus subtilis riboflavin operon

A 13.0-kb EcoRI fragment of Bacillus subtilis DNA carrying an additional regulatory ribR gene of riboflavin operon was cloned on the basis of resistance to 7, 8-dimethyl-10 (O-methylacetoxym)-isoalloxasin. The cloned fragment was trans-dominant with regard to ribC constitutive mutations that block the overproduction of riboflavin but inactive relative to constitutive mutations in the rib(O) regulatory region.     

Analysis of genome rearrangements in Streptomyces kanamyceticus mutants

Sarcoma consisting of dendritic reticular cells is one of the histiocytic sarcoma variants. In the case reported sarcoma affected axillary lymph nodes in a 20-year-old male. The tumor was surgically removed but recurred 2 years after radiation and polychemotherapy. The recurrent tumor was also surgically removed. Histology of the primary and recurrent tumors was similar. The tumors were studied electron-microscopically and immunohistochemically.