A simple method of studying oxidation resistance of heparin-precipitated blood beta lipoproteins

Decrease of beta-lipoprotein resistance to copper-dependent oxidation is an important diagnostic criterion of risk of atherosclerosis. We developed a simple method for assessing resistance of heparin-precipitated beta-lipoproteins to oxidation induced by 50 microM copper ions. A strong positive correlation between the oxidation of precipitated and ultracentrifuged beta-lipoproteins in the presence of 50 and 10 microM copper ions, respectively, was revealed. In coronary patients oxidation resistance of precipitated beta-lipoproteins was decreased in comparison with that in healthy donors. The method is simple, informative, and easily available for clinical biochemical laboratories.     

The diagnostic and treatment characteristics of diphtheria in troop units and military medical institutions

Medical records of 876 servicemen of a young age who have suffered various forms of clinical diphtheria were analysed. (Lethal cases were marked in 52 cases--5.9%). A true clinical symptom complex for the diagnosis of diphtheria at pre-hospital period is as following: fever, intoxication and febrinous tonsillitis. The main cause of unfavourable outcome of the disease depends on the affection of cardiovascular, central and peripheral nerve systems by diphtheritic exotoxin. The most frequent limitations during medical care were the following: error diagnosis of angina (41%), late hospitalization and late specific treatment, insufficient doses of antidiphtheric serum, inopportune diagnosis of severe aggravations (infectious toxic shock, pneumonia).     

Morphofunctional characteristics of alveolar macrophages under the effect of a toxic factor

The work was conducted on Wistar rats who had received orally the xenobiotic hexachlorocyclohexane (HClCH) in different doses. The sizes of the alveolar macrophages and type II pneumocytes as well as the parameters of macrophage phagocytosis were studies. Administration of HClCH in subtoxic doses not exceeding the pesticide residues in the food in the first two months stimulated synthesis of the surfactant and its phagocytosis by the alveolar macrophages; further administration of the primer led to exhaustion of the cell function. A toxic HClCH dose induced synchronous stimulation of the functional interaction of the alveolar macrophages and type II pneumocytes by the end of the second month. Synthesis of the surfactant and its phagocytosis were stabilized in the period of the after-effect of the drug.     

Stress echocardiography in localization of coronary atherosclerosis and assessment of it severity

193 patients with coronary heart disease were examined to study potentialities of noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery lesions, their location and severity using transesophageal echocardiography in combination with transesophageal stimulation. This method of stress-test proved highly sensitive (89%) and specific (84%) in noninvasive diagnosis of both location of coronary atherosclerosis and its severity (stenosis, subtotal stenosis, occlusion) and extension.     

Secretory immunoglobulin A in the blood sera of healthy and ill persons

Sera of healthy and sick persons were tested for the presence of secretory IgA (SIgA) and free secretory component (SC) SIgA was present in the blood of healthy persons in low concentrations (1.07 mg/100 mg), and free SC was absent. Infectious and somatic diseases, in which damage of the epithelial covering of the gastrointestinal and respriatory tracts was possible, were accompanied by increased blood SIgA content. There was also noted a distinct relationship between the blood SIgA concentration and the severity of infectious diseases and pneumonia supervention. In these cases the SIgA level proved to rise.     

Coordination of arm movement during locomotion in Ophiuroidea

Ophiura Amphipholis kochii Lütken can move with any one of five arms directed forwards; therefore, each arm performs various functions during locomotion. The arm amputated together with the adjoining part of the central nervous ring is capable of complicated behaviour, particularly, of locomotion. Transection of the central nervous ring results in disturbances of the arms coordination. Experiments with amputation of a part of the arms showed that afferent signals from arms are important for determination of the leading arm and mode of locomotion. The experimental data suggest that each arm has an autonomous nervous centre, and coordinated activity of all arms is acheaved by an interaction of the nervous centres. The interaction results in function distribution among the arms and in synchronization of arm movements. The leading arm prevails, since the influences exerting by its centre determine activity of adjacent centres.     

Re-operations after formerly performed suturing of the "silent" perforative duodenal ulcer

After the "silent" perforative duodenal ulcer closure the gap till the complications would occur, which need reoperation, by two times more than such period of time in patients with typical ulcer anamnesis, preceding the perforation. The reoperation causes are the recurrence (in 50.6% of observations), newly occurred ulcer (in 26.9%) or nonhealing of already existing (in 22.5%) duodenal ulcer. The reoperation method of choice is gastric resection according to Billroth-I in combination with truncal vagotomy in case of hypersecretory syndrome.     

Psychophysiological support for the professional activities of servicemen

Optimal solution of the personnel replenishment problem, the necessity of training and education process improvement in the training centers and schools, the outcome of social, psychological and medical measures greatly depend on the overall physical and mental health state of the servicemen and their professional training quality. On the basis of their long standing experience the authors discuss the traits of the psychophysiological maintenance of the military professional activities of servicemen, in particular--the methodology and theory of professional psychological selection, the importance of body functional indications for the estimation of the fighting capabilities of military units. They examine some prospects for the psychophysiological expertise in the promotion procedures of commanding officers and make a suggestion that psychophysiological maintenance in the Armed Forces would increase its combat capabilities and help to avoid some negative effects in military groups.