Distribution of thietazole in organs and tissues of rats after single and repeated administration

We studied the kinetics of thietazole distribution in the liver, brain, kidneys, spleen, heart, skeletal muscles, lungs, adipose tissue, and testicles after single and repeated administration of this drug. Single and repeated administration of thietazole was followed by elimination of this drug from the blood into organs and tissues. After repeated administration, thietazole was selectively accumulated in the spleen. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 5, pp. 555–557, May, 2008     

Characteristics of transplanted mouse myeloproliferative disease developed after repeated injections of granulocytic colony-stimulating factor

Transplanted myeloproliferative disease developed in mice against the background of repeated injections of granulocytic CSF was characterized using morphological and molecular biological methods. It was demonstrated that transplanted myeloproliferative disease had a non-viral nature and is probably induced by repeated injections of granulocytic CSF. Tumor cells actively populate the liver of sick animals, which leads to their rapid death. Expression of Myc, Abl, G-CSF, and MPO genes is enhanced, which is typical of myeloid neoplastic transformation. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 2, pp. 234–240, February, 2008     

Morphofunctional characteristic of mast cells in BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice during cold exposure

Mast cells of the mesentery and subcutaneous tissue in BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice were studied after single and repeated cold exposure (−20°C, 3 min). Immediate adaptive reactions of mast cells in BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice did not differ after single cold exposure and were manifested in increased degranulation. Repeated cold exposure of BALB/c mice was followed by an adaptive reaction, which included an increase in the count of mast cells in subcutaneous tissue and normalization of the degranulation index. In C57Bl/6 mice the count of mast cells in subcutaneous tissue decreased, while the degranulation index remained high. These changes reflect the disadaptive response of mast cells to repeated cold exposure. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 138, No. 8, pp. 207–209, August, 2004     

Study of Drug Transport between the Blood and Lymph in the Predominant Direction

Our method for evaluating the time course and intensity of antibiotics and other drugs transport in the predominant direction between the blood and lymph in humans promotes a more objective evaluation of drug circulation mechanisms, which is essential for determining the time of their repeated administration and route of administration. Calculation of the lymph/blood difference coefficient, based on parallel repeated measurements of the drug concentration in the lymph and blood, and of the lymph/blood coefficient provides complete data on the direction and time course of drug transport between the lymph and blood in the predominant direction. Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 147, No. 3, pp. 331–334, March, 2009     

Effect of γ-radiation on the formation of cell complexes in HeLa cell cultures

The number of cultured HeLa cells forming cell complexes and the number of cells per complex decrease after repeated irradiation (0.1 and 4.9 Gy at a 3-min interval). The modulating effect of small radiation doses is observed only in confluent cultures. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 4, pp. 435–439, April, 1997     

Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone on avoidance behavior of adult male rats

We studied the effect of repeated intraperitoneal treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone in doses of 0.1 and 0.7 mg/kg on conditioned-response activity and behavior of adult male rats. The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone on learning was estimated in conditioned active and passive avoidance response paradigms. Chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone in low and high doses had no effect on retention of conditioned passive avoidance response in adult male rats 24 h after learning. However, chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone in low dose impaired acquisition of the conditioned active avoidance response. It should be emphasized that chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone in high dose did not modulate acquisition and retention of this reaction. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 138, No. 7, pp. 63–67, July, 2004 This work was supported by the Regional Social Foundation for Russian Medicine.     

Antitumor and antimetastatic activity of fucoidan,a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from the Okhotsk sea <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fucus evanescens</Emphasis> brown alga

Antitumor and antimetastatic activities of fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from Fucus evanescens (brown alga in Okhotsk sea), was studied in C57Bl/6 mice with transplanted Lewis lung adenocarcinoma. Fucoidan after single and repeated administration in a dose of 10 mg/kg produced moderate antitumor and antimetastatic effects and potentiated the antimetastatic, but not antitumor activities of cyclophosphamide. Fucoidan in a dose of 25 mg/kg potentiated the toxic effect of cyclophosphamide. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 143, No. 6, pp. 675–677, June, 2007     

Role of nitric oxide in modulation of afferent impulses in cutaneous branches of somatic nerves by polarized light

Subcutaneous injection of L-NAME inhibited afferent impulse activity inn. ischiadicus andn. saphenus and abolished the increase in this activity induced by stimulation of mechanoreceptors after skin irradiation with polarized light with various spectral characteristics. Subsequent subcutaneous injection of sodium nitroprusside restored the pattern of afferent impulse activity in these nerves during repeated skin irradiation with polarized light. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 130, No. 8, pp. 140–143, August, 2000     

Locomotor response to levodopa in fluctuating Parkinson’s disease

The aim of this study was to quantify the dynamic response of locomotion to the first oral levodopa administration of the day in patients with fluctuating Parkinson’s disease (PD). Stride length, walking speed, cadence and gait variability were measured with an ambulatory gait monitor in 13 PD patients (8 males) with a clinical history of motor fluctuations. The Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) gait score (part 29) was also determined by a movement disorders specialist from video recordings. Subjects arrived in the morning in an ‘off’ state (no PD medication) and walked for a maximum length of 100 m. They then took their usual morning dose of oral levodopa and repeated the walking task at 13 min intervals (on average) over a 90 min period. Changes in stride length over time were fit with a Hill (Emax) function. Latency (time until stride length increased 15% of the difference between baseline and maximum response) and the Hill coefficient (shape of the ‘off–on’ transition) were determined from the fitted curve. Latency varied from 4.7 to 53.3 min post-administration [23.31 min (SD 14.9)], and was inversely correlated with age at onset of PD (R = −0.83; P = 0.0004). The Hill coefficient (H) ranged from a smooth hyperbolic curve (0.9) to an abrupt ‘off–on’ transition (16.9), with a mean of 8.1 (SD 4.9). H correlated with disease duration (R = 0.67; P = 0.01) and latency (R = 0.67; P = 0.01), and increased with Hoehn & Yahr stage in the ‘off’ state (P = 0.02) from 5.7 (SD 3.5) (H&Y III) to 11.9 (SD 4.7) (H&Y IV). Walking speed correlated with changes in mean stride length, whereas cadence and gait variability did not. UPDRS gait score also reflected improving gait in the majority of subjects (8), providing clinical confirmation of the objective measures of the locomotor response to levodopa. Increasing abruptness (H) of the ‘off–on’ transition with disease duration is consistent with results from finger-tapping studies, and may reflect reduced buffering capacity of pre-synaptic nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Ambulatory monitoring of gait objectively measures the dynamic locomotor response to levodopa, and this information could be used to improve daily management of motor fluctuations. Dr. Steven Moore was supported in part by NASA grant NNJ04HF51G.     

Effects of Prolylendopeptidase Inhibitor Benzyloxycarbonyl-Methionyl-2(S)-Cyanopyrrolidine on Experimental Depressive Syndrome Development in Rats

Model of experimental depressive syndrome in rats induced by repeated systemic injection of proneurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine showed that chronic injection of prolylendopeptidase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-methionyl-2(S)-cyanopyrrolidine 30 min before pro-neurotoxin injection prevents the development of a number of depressive syndrome symptoms such as behavioral despair and biorhythmic disorders in forced swimming test, precludes the increase in anxiety-phobic level, prevents reduction of relative thymus mass. These results indicate that benzyloxycarbonyl-methionyl-2(S)-cyanopyrrolidine possesses antidepressant, anxiolytic, and/antistress properties. Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 147, No. 1, pp. 27–31, January, 2009     

Ratio between the contents of 11-dehydrocorticosterone and corticosterone after acute and repeated stress: Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate

Acute stress was accompanied by reduction of 11-dehydrocorticosterone to corticosterone in male rats. The reverse reaction predominated during repeated stress and increased after administration of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Treatment with μ-opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone in a dose of 0.1 mg/kg 20 min before administration of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate abolished this effect. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 138, No. 8, pp. 158–161, August, 2004     

Tactile impairments cannot explain the effect of age on a grasp and lift task

This experiment addressed the often-posed theory that age-related declines in manual dexterity result from diminished tactile function. We measured the time ’young’ subjects (n=33; mean=45 years) and ’old’ subjects (n=33; mean=74 years) needed to grip (thumb and index finger), lift, and transport a small metal sphere when vision was permitted and when blindfolded. Subjects began each trial by reaching for the sphere and were instructed to complete the entire task quickly. In the absence of visual information, placement of the finger and thumb for a secure grip and lift cannot be performed efficiently without tactile information. If age-related tactile changes are functionally significant for this task, then without visual information the ’old’ group should show a disproportionate increase in the duration of the grip and lift phase of the task compared to the ’young’ group. Perceptual thresholds for tactile pressure stimuli (Semmes-Weinstein filaments) confirmed well-known age-related changes. Age and vision effects were manifest mainly during the grip-lift phase (time from object contact to lift-off from its support surface), with the expected finding that the ’old’ group required more time than ’young’ group, regardless of visual condition. The main finding was that the ’grip-lift’ duration in the ’no-vision’ condition was about twice the duration observed in the ’vision’ condition for both age groups (ratios of 2.1 and 2.3 for ’young’ and ’old’, respectively). This similar relative slowing for the two groups fails to support the hypothesis that old adults’ ability to grip and lift the object was limited by changes in the availability or use of tactile information. Received: 30 September 1997 / Accepted: 26 January 1998     

Cytokeratin 19 mRNA concentration in lymph nodes as a diagnostic marker of metastases

Comparison of the sensitivity of cytological and molecular genetic methods (19 specimens of lymph nodes from 8 patients with breast cancer and suspected metastases obtained by transcutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy under ultrasound guidance) showed that molecular genetic and cytological studies produced true results in 95 and 84% specimens, respectively. True-positive and true-negative results were obtained in 8 and 7 patients, respectively. Expression of cytokeratin 19 was detected in 3 specimens with negative cytological results and confirmed metastases in lymph nodes. Our results indicate that molecular genetic diagnostic study for lymph node metastases should be used in small amounts of biopsy specimens, presence of marginal metastases in lymph nodes, and negative results of repeated cytological examination. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 1, pp. 97–99, January, 2008     

The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the green alga Oltmannsiellopsis viridis: evolutionary trends of the mitochondrial genome in the Ulvophyceae

The mitochondrial genome displays a highly plastic architecture in the green algal division comprising the classes Prasinophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, Ulvophyceae, and Chlorophyceae (Chlorophyta). The compact mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) of Nephroselmis (Prasinophyceae) and Prototheca (Trebouxiophyceae) encode about 60 genes and have been ascribed an ‘ancestral’ pattern of evolution, whereas those of chlorophycean green algae are much more reduced in gene content and size. Although the mtDNA of the early-diverging ulvophyte Pseudendoclonium contains 57 conserved genes, it differs from ‘ancestral’ chlorophyte mtDNAs by its unusually large size (96 kb) and long intergenic spacers. To gain insights into the evolutionary trends of mtDNA in the Ulvophyceae, we have determined the complete mtDNA sequence of Oltmannsiellopsis viridis, an ulvophyte belonging to a distinct, early-diverging lineage. This 56,761 bp genome harbours 54 conserved genes, numerous repeated sequences, and only three introns. From our comparative analyses with Pseudendoclonium mtDNA, we infer that the mitochondrial genome of the last common ancestor of the two ulvophytes closely resembled that of the trebouxiophyte Prototheca in terms of gene content and gene density. Our results also provide strong evidence for the intracellular, interorganellar transfer of a group I intron and for two distinct events of intercellular, horizontal DNA transfer.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Manipulability and object recognition: is manipulability a semantic feature?

Several lines of evidence exist, coming from neuropsychology, neuroimaging and behavioural investigations on healthy subjects, suggesting that an interaction might exist between the systems devoted to object identification and those devoted to online object-directed actions and that the way an object is acted upon (manipulability) might indeed influence object recognition. In this series of experiments on speeded word-to-picture-matching tasks, it is shown how the presentation of pairs of objects sharing similar manipulation causes greater interference with respect to objects sharing only visual similarity (experiment 1). Moreover, (experiment 2) it is shown how the repeated presentation of pairs of objects sharing a similar type of manipulation leads to a ‘negative’ serial position effect, with the number of errors increasing across presentations, a behaviour that is typically found in patients with access deficits to semantic representations. By contrast, the repeated presentation of pairs of objects sharing only visual similarity leads to an opposite ‘positive’ serial position effect, with errors decreasing across presentations. It is argued that a negative serial position effect is linked to interference occurring within the semantic system, and therefore that the way an object is manipulated is indeed a semantic feature, critical in defining manipulable object properties at a semantic level. To our knowledge, this constitutes the first direct evidence of manipulability being a semantic dimension. The results are discussed in the light of current models of semantic memory organization.     

Pathomorphological Study of the Cytotoxic Effects of Cyclic Polychemotherapy on Reproductive Organs of Female Rats

The effects of cyclic polychemotherapy on reproductive organs were studied in female rats intraperitoneally injected (twice at 7-day intervals) with cyclophosphamide (21 mg/kg), adriamycin (2.1 mg/kg), vincristine (0.04 mg/kg), and prednisolone (2.1 mg/kg). Changes in the vaginal swabs on day 1 after polychemotherapy corresponded to estrus in 45% animals, to proestrus in 25%, and were undifferentiated in 30%. After repeated injection of the cytostatics, undifferentiated changes were found in 80% females and persisted for 6 days. Injection of the cytostatic complex led to degenerative changes and necrosis of follicular epithelial cells, edema and focal necroses of vascular endotheliocytes, which progressed after repeated polychemotherapy. By the end of 1.5 months following 2 courses of polychemotherapy, the numerical density of primary, early and late secondary follicles in the ovaries decreased and vascular sclerosis developed indicating progressive atrophy. Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Suppl. 1, pp. 45–48, 2008     

Family support and cardiovascular responses in married couples during conflict and other interactions

This study examined the relation between perceived support from family and cardiovascular (CV) responses to interaction in 45 married couples, 24 to 50 years old. Gender-specific median splits on Family Support scores from the Brief Social Support Questionnaire defined high versus low support groups. CV responses were obtained from both spouses during baseline and 3 stressors: reading control, conversing about events of the day, and conflict discussion. Men with low support had higher systolic (SBP) and diastolic pressure (DBP) than men with high support or either group of women at baseline and during all task periods (p < .004 and .05). Women with high support did not differ in blood pressure (BP) from women with low support. Men and women with low support had higher vascular resistance indexes (VRI) than those with high support, during all periods (p < .0015), and reported lower dyadic satisfaction and total dyadic adjustment. Because a disproportionate number of non-While participants reported low family support, secondary analyses that included race as a covariate were conducted. Covarying for race did not produce substantial results for any of the measures (SBP,p < .05; DBP,p < .058; VRI, p < .021). Post-hoc analyses were also conducted, in which the marital dyad was considered the unit of analysis. For these analyses, in which both spouses’ perceptions of family support as high or low were considered together, the wife’s perceived support did not influence the husband’s BP, whereas his perceived support did influence his BP (ps < .03). For VRI in both men and women, the spouses’ support level, as well as the participant’s own support level, affected responses (ps < .02). Thus, high family support is associated with both marital and CV benefits for both husbands and wives, although husbands may benefit more.     

Study of Magnetic Field of the Brain in Parkinson’s Disease

The magnetic field of the brain in parkinsonism was studied. Magnetic encephalography data were analyzed by a comprehensive spectral method. Sources of magnetic activity of the brain were simulated by punctate current dipoles. Based on the results of classification, we detected the pattern of high magnetic activity; this opens new vistas for the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 147, No. 3, pp. 351–354, March, 2009     

Cells of rhabdomyosarcoma PA-23 tumor clones with high and low metastatic potential differ by activity of lysosomal sialidase

We studied activity of lysosomal sialidase in cells of rhabdomyosarcoma PA-23 tumor clones with high and low metastatic potential. Low activity of lysosomal sialidase was found in clones characterized by high metastatic potential. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 3, pp. 330–332, March, 2008     

Population sub-structuring among <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trypanosoma evansi</Emphasis> stocks

To investigate the population genetic structure of Trypanosoma evansi from domesticated animals, we have analysed 112 stocks from camels, buffaloes, cattle and horses using the tandemly repeated coding sequence (MORF2) and minisatellite markers 292 and cysteine-rich acidic integral membrane protein (CRAM). We recorded a total of six alleles at the MORF2 locus, seven at 292 and 12 at the CRAM loci. Nei’s genetic distance showed reduced allelic diversity between buffaloes and cattle stocks (1.2) as compared to the diversity between camels and buffaloes (3.75) and camels and cattle stock (1.69). The mean index of association (I _A = 0.92) significantly deviated from zero, and the average number of multilocus genotypes (G/N ratio) was 0.21. Twenty-four multilocus genotypes were defined from the combination of alleles at the three loci. The Kenyan sub-populations showed F _st = 0.28 and analysis of molecular variance showed significant divergence (22.7%) between the Laikipia, Kulal and Galana regions. The regional and host distribution of multi-locus genotypes significant population differentiation and high Nei’s genetic distances suggest existence of genetic sub-structuring within T. evansi stocks while the few multi-locus genotypes and deviation of association index from zero indicate the lack of recombination. In conclusion, this study reveals that some genetic sub-structuring does occur within T. evansi, which has a clonal population structure.