Effects of dimebon on coronary blood flow and myocardial contractility

The antihistamine Dimebon, which is an H₁-receptor blocker, is shown to act as a moderate coronary vasodilator without exerting a marked effect on myocardial contractility. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, No. 5, pp. 506–508, May, 1996     

Antiarrhythmic properties of Dimebon

The H₁-receptor blocker Dimebon is shown to exhibit pronounced antiarrhythmic properties. Its activity and therapeutic action range (toxic/therapeutic ratio) exceed those of quinidine, ethmosine, isoptin, and bonnecor in several animal models of cardiac arrhythmia. The mechanism of its antiarrhythmic action is probably associated with blockade of sodium and particularly calcium channels, prolongation of the effective refractory period, and slowing of impulse traffic in the conduction system of the heart. Dimebon may be recommended for submission to clinical trials as an antiarrhythmic agent. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 4, pp. 375–377, April, 1995 Presented by B. A. Lapin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of the γ-aminobytyric acid derivative TZ-50-2 on systemic and cardiac hemodynamics and size of myocardial necrosis

The linear derivative of γ-aminobutyric acid TZ-50-2 (4-hydroxy-3-benzylamino-N-benzyl-butanamide hemisuccinate) stimulates coronary circulation (particularly in the left ventricular myocardium) in intact cats, decreases vascular resistance, stimulates the blood flow in ischemic endo- and mesocardium, and decreases (similarly as perlinganite, obsidan, and finoptin) the necrotic zone area in experimental myocardial infarction. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 126, No. 12, pp. 662–665, December, 1998     

Clinical and experimental study of antiarrhythmic and antianginal effects of quaternidine

High antiarrhythmic activity of a new Russian antiarrhythmic drug quaternidine in ventricular arrhythmia was studied in 96 coronary patients by Holter monitoring, bicycle ergometry, and echocardiography. The drug had a positive impact on local kinetics in left-ventricular ischemic myocardium and some parameters of bicycle exercise test. The preparation possesses no arrhythmogenic effect. Experiments on 30 random-bred rats showed that the drug reduced the necrotic zone under conditions of experimental coronary occlusion. Experiments on 14 intact cats demonstrated that quaternidine had no effect on coronary bloodflow. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 130, No. 11, pp. 581–584, November, 2000     

Antiischemic activity of immobilized cytochrome C

The antiischemic activity of polyethylene glycol- and dialdehyde dextran-immobilized cytochrome C is experimentally studied on rats. Immobilization of cytochrome C on these matrices enhanced the enzyme activity assayed by restriction of the necrotic zone 4 hours after coronary occlusion. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, No. 5, pp. 533–535, May, 1996     

Intracellular pH in thymocytes at the early stages of apoptosis and necrosis

Dynamics of intracellular pH during apoptotic and necrotic death of lymphocytes was studied with the help of fluorescent pH-sensitive probe BCECF. Change in intracellular pH is an early differential marker of apoptotic and necrotic types of death in thymus lymphocytes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 128, No. 10, pp. 387–390, October, 1999     

Hepatoprotective properties of phospholiv, a preparation containing phosphatidylcholine from sunflower seeds and glycyrrhizic acid, in modeled cirrhosis of rat liver

Hepatoprotective effect of Phospholiv, a phospholipid preparation containing phosphatidylcholine from sunflower seeds and glycyrrhizic acid trisodium salt, is studied using a model of CCl₄-induced cirrhosis of the liver. Phospholiv protects hepatic tissues from necrotic and dystrophic changes and prevents the development of cirrhosis. Phospholiv restores impaired RNA and protein synthes is under conditions of chronic intoxication. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 9, pp. 311–314, September, 1997     

Experimental hymenolepiasis of rats: preliminary data on histopathological changes of visceral organs

Pathomorphological changes of intestine, liver, spleen and adrenals of rats experimentally infected with Hymenolepis diminuta are described 24 days post infection. Major structural alterations in intestinal wall include lesions of the mucosa, fusions of villi, damage of the epithelial layer and its replacement by flattened cells with pycnotic nuclei. In addition, tunica muscularis and tunica submucosa become thicker and there are numerous lymphocytes among enterocytes. At moderate infections, the changes in the spleen indicate activation of the lymphopoiesis and enhanced protective functions while, in heavily infected rats, the B zone of the spleen showed signs of emaciation. Liver histology of infected rats showed dilatation of sinusoids and the presence of destructive alterations in the parenchyma, necrotic cells and cells with pycnotic nuclei; in heavily infected animals, the necrotic cells were grouped in foci. In adrenal glands, alterations concern mostly zona fascicularis, which is interpreted as mobilization of cytoplasmic lipid inclusions in order to increase the intensity of the steroid hormone synthesis. The degree and character of histopathological changes depended on the intensity of infection.     

Histophysiology of ovaries and adrenal glands in rats and brain development in their progeny: Correlation and cluster analysis

Brain weight of 21-day-old rat fetuses positively correlates with the area of the glomerulosa zone, the ratio of this area to the area of the fasciculata-reticularis zone, activity of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the glomerulosa zone, and the ratio of its activity in the glomerulosa and reticularis zones. In the one-day-old newborns these relationships were absent. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 3, pp. 336–339, March, 1999     

Quantitative morphological analysis of acute focal damage and myocardial infarction

Some approaches based on polarization microscopy and stereology are proposed for quantitative evaluation of acute dystrophic and necrotic lesions in the myocardium. It is shown that in sudden death and myocardial infarction the degree III contractures predominate in cardiomyocytes, while lumpy degradation of myofibrils under these conditions is half as often. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 125, No. 1, pp. 112–115, January, 1998     

Activity of sympathoadrenal system and myelokaryocyte death during aging in AKR/JY mice

Accelerated bone marrow cell death and activation of the sympathoadrenal system were observed during aging of highly leukemic 2–7-month-old AKR/JY mice compared to that in (CBA/CaLac×AKR/JY)F1 strain. Close correlation was revealed between activity of the sympathoadrenal system and necrotic and apoptotic forms of cell death. This can promote tumor process, because maximum changes in hemopoietic cells occur during advanced stage of the disease. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 6, pp. 614–616, June, 2000     

Functional asymmetry of the thymicoadrenal system is reflected in the state of the reticular zone of adrenals after allogenic transplantation of the left or right thymic lobe

The effects of grafting left or right thymic lobe into thymectomized male BALB/c mice were studied. Selective retention of mononuclear leukocytes in the reticular zone determined by variant of grafting were demonstrated. Higher activity of adrenocorticocytes and lesser amount of mononuclear leukocytes were observed in the reticular zone of adrenal homolateral to the thymic lobe graft. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 11, pp. 577–579, November, 1996     

Ultrastructural reorganizations of synaptic contacts in an organotypic culture of the brain cortex in the presence of ethanol

The effect of various ethanol concentrations (0.5 and 1%) on the ultrastructure of interneouronal contacts is studied in an organotypic culture of the brain cortex from newborn rats. It is shown that ethanol in the culture medium causes geometric complications in the synaptic contacts. Morphometric analysis of synapses reveals an increase of the area and perimeter of axon terminals and of the length of the active zone of the contact, as well as a decrease of the coefficient determined by the ratio of the number of synaptic vesicles to the length of the active zone of the contact. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120 N ^o 7, pp. 99–102, July, 1995 Presented by V. Ya. Semke, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.     

The multimiostim-04, a portable compact device for electroneurostimulation and electropuncture

The Multimiostim-04, a multichannel electrostimulator, has been developed. Its advantage lies in its powerful effect on the neuromuscular structures and neurons around the focus of injury, due to an enhancement of the impulse flow from several muscle groups of the injured extremities. The afferent effect on neurons in the zone where the synaptic contacts have been lost is also boosted by electrostimulation of the symmetrical muscles of the healthy extremities. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 8, pp. 219–221, August, 1994 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Localization and fate of thymic epitheliocytes of endodermal origin synthesizing cytokeratin 18

A reaction in the cytoplasm and processes of some cells of the epithelial reticulum is revealed by indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies to cytokeratin 18 in the cortical zone of human thymus. In the medullary zone the reaction is observed in spherical elements similar in shape and size to intestinal goblet cells. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Medsitsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 2, pp. 188–190, February, 1994 Presented by V. I. Shumakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Interrelationship between the membrane potential of adrenocorticocytes and functional activity of the adrenal glands in adult and old rats

Experiments on adult (5–7 months old) and old (28–30 months old) male rats reveal that ACTH induces a hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane of adrenocorticocytes from the fasciculate zone in both age groups of animals 24 hours after a single administration of the hormone. Actinomycin D, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, prevents the development of hyperpolarization. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, № 3, pp. 302–303, March, 1994 Presented by D. F. Chebotarev, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.     

Mechanism of vagotropic effect of somatostatin

Burst stimulation of the vagus nerve in cats results in synchronization of vagal and cardiac rhythms, while their desynchronization leads to sinus arrhythmia. Using a coefficient characterizing the magnitude of chronotropic effect, we have determined a zone of cardiocycle where the stimulating effect of the vagus stimulus was several times higher than in other zones. Somatostatin reduces this zone and increases the range of theP-P interval fluctuations in it, while somatostatin antagonist has an opposite effects. The observed phenomenon can underlie the potentiating effect of somatostatin on the dynamics of controlled vagal bradycardia. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 10, pp. 372–376, October, 1997     

Modern concepts of the structural bases for the reparative regeneration of the mammalian and human testis

Modern concepts of the structural bases of the reparative regeneration of the mammalian and human testis are discussed in this article, based on published data and our own findings. The significance of the rete testis as a regeneration zone is discussed as well as the use of its potentials in clinical andrology. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 4, pp. 396–399, April, 1994     

Genetics Analysis of Larval Foraging Behavior in Drosophila Funebris

To understand the genetics and evolution of foraging in larvae of Drosophila funebris, we examined two strains reared at different breeding sites in the wild. Larvae of the Til–Til strain breed in necrotic cactus tissue, while those of the Pelequén strain rear in necrotic prickly pear cladodes. We measured feeding, locomotion, turning behavior, and latency of D. funebris. Til–Til and Pelequén larvae, at 8 days of age show very similar rates in all behaviors. Crosses between Til–Til and Pelequén strains decrease feeding rate and increase locomotion, turning, and latency in F₁ and F₂ larvae. Backcross larvae show a behavior similar to that of their parental strains. The behavioral similarities observed between the Til–Til and Pelequén strains are product of two different co-adapted gene pools. Epistasis and dominance are the principal sources upon which adaptation of the gene pools of each population are based. Edited by Yong-Kyu Kim.