Changes in state of the surfactant in experimental pneumonia

The state of the lung surfactant in rabbits at different stages of development of experimental pneumonia (3–60 days) was compared with the dynamics of oxidoreductases in the alveolar epithelium and cells of the inflammatory focus of infiltration. In the initial stage (3–7 days) of activation of cell metabolism there was a brief increase in, the intensity of surfactant lipid synthesis, accompanied by relative inhibition of phospholipid synthesis. Later, development of degenerative changes and sclerosis of the parenchyma was accompanied by inhibition of synthesis of all components of the surfactant. The surface activity of the surfactant became stabilized at a low level.Laboratory Division, I. M. Sechenov Research Institute of Medical Climatology and Physical Methods of Treatment, Yalta. Department of Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Internal Medicine, and Department of Organic Chemistry, Crimean Medical Institute, Simferopol'. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. M. Chernukh.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 84, No. 9, pp. 286–288, September 1977.     

Surface activity of phosphatidylcholines as the basis for surfactant replacement therapy

Using the methods of surface balance we compared the effects of different phosphatidylcholines and synthetic surfactant Exosurf on the equilibrium surface tension at the air-water interface. It was found that dipalmitoyl-lecithin, the principal component of natural surfactant, and its synthetic substitutes can be replaced by other phosphatidylcholines, in particular, by modified soybean phosphatidylcholine phospholipon. It was demonstrated that equilibrium surface tension is an informative characteristic in the assessment of potential components for synthetic surfactants. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 2, pp. 168–170, February, 2000     

Comparison of distribution characteristics of phosphatidylcholines and surfactant preparation

Using the methods of surface balance we compared surface activity of different natural phosphatidylcholines. Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, the principal component of natural surfactant, is characterized by less rapid spreading on the air-water interface compared to unsaturated yolk and soybean phosphatidylcholines, while the absolute rate of surface tension reduction was the same for all test lecithines. The surface activity of modified saturated soybean phosphadtidylcholine (Phospholipon) was similar to that of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. The relationship between saturation of fatty acids in the molecule of phosphatidylcholine and the time of spreading on the air-water interface revealed in this study allows to use this parameter together with equilibrium surface tension for evaluation of surface activity when testing synthetic surfactant constituents. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 4, pp. 411–413, April, 2000     

State of the surface activity of rat lung surfactant at various times after left-sided pneumonectomy

The surface activity of seven successive washings from the right lung, determined with the aid of a modified Wilhelmy balance, was the same as in the control until the 5th day after removal of the left lung and also in the late stage after the operation (_min = 23–24 dynes/cm). Intracellular edema of the components on the air-blood barrier and the escape of edema fluid into the lumen of the alveoli of the vesicles were not reflected in the surface-active properties of the lung surfactant. A sharp increase in size of the alveoli on the 5th–7th day after the operation was accompanied by an increase in the surface-active properties of the lung washing (_min = 11–15 dynes/cm) and by increased secretion of material of the osmiophilic lamellar bodies from the type II alveolar cells into the lumen of the alveoli. The cytological mechanisms of the increased production of surfactants in the hypertrophied alveoli are activation of lipid synthesis in the type II alveolar cells, hypertrophy of those cells, and the appearance of binuclear cells.Laboratory of Growth and Development, Research Institute of Human Morphology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR. Laboratory of Physiology, A. V. Vishnevskii Institute of Surgery, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. P. Avtsyn.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 169–172, February, 1977.     

Effect of adrenocorticotropic hormone and calcitrine on the lung surfactant system by action on lateral hypothalamus and amygdala

It is shown on rats that cobalt activation of the hyperactivity focus in the lateral hypothalamic area causes a decrease of the phospholipid and cholesterol content and a reduced blood supply in the lungs but an increase of these factors in the basolateral amygdala area. Intracranial microinjection of adrenocorticotropic hormone, combined administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone+calcitrine, and administration of calcitrine alone cause a marked increase of the alveolar phospholipid content and normalize blood filling for action on the lateral hypothalamic area. Action on the basolateral amygdala induces an increase of the phospholipid and cholesterol concentration and augmentation of lung blood supply, but to a lesser degree. The role of peptidergic mechanisms in the realization of hypothalamic and amygdala influences on lung surfactant and hemodynamics is described. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 2, pp. 133–135, February, 1995 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effects of urethane anesthesia on the thresholds of thermoregulatory reactions

Rats without anesthesia and those superficially anesthetized with urethane responded to rapid cooling by two-phase metabolic reactions without changes in core temperature and heart emission. Their vascular reactions started much later than metabolic reactions. In animals under deep urethane anesthesia, vascular response occurred prior to metabolic response without changes in core temperature. Metabolic reaction became monophasic and occurred much later, with the lowering of rectal temperature. An increase in oxygen consumption coincided with an increase in muscle contractile activity. It is concluded that deep urethane anesthesia not only delays metabolic reactions but also changes the sequence of thermoregulatory reactions. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 3, pp. 248–251, March, 1999     

Influence of general anesthesia on acute experimental poisoning of cats with the organophosphorus pesticide Anthio

It is shown that general anesthesia strongly influences the resistance of animals to poisoning with organophosphorus compounds (OPC) such as Anthio, weakens compensatory/adaptive responses, and possibly acts synergistically with OPC in impairing tissue respiration. One to three days after peroral administration of Anthio, reduced oxygen tension in arterial blood and increased heart and respiratory rates were recorded in cats, although the arterial blood pressure tended to drop markedly. Anthio poisoning led to profound changes in the autonomic regulation of functions, which was manifested in sharply decreased parasympathetic influences. The function of the brain's GABA-ergic system did not change appreciably. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 6, pp. 587–590, June 1994 Presented by I. P. Ashmarin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of maternal aseptic inflammation on the structural organization of extraembryonal organs and on the proliferative activity of embryonic liver and lung cells in rats

After 2 days of aseptic inflammation in pregnant rats the number of hematopoietic lineage cells in the embryonic liver decreased, while proliferative activity of cells in the embryonic lung increased. Degenerative changes were noted in the placenta. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 5, pp. 584–587, May, 1997     

Changes in template properties of chromatin during aminoazo-carcinogenesis

Male rats were kept on a diet containing the carcinogen 3-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. No difference from the control was found either in the electrophoretic spectrum of the total protein of deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNP) or nonhistone proteins, or in the character of the melting curves of DNA and DNP, or in the template ability of DNA isolated from rat liver. DNP of tumor tissue functioned more actively as template for RNA synthesisin vitro in a system with animal or bacterial RNA-polymerase, with low concentrations of substrates (of the order of 2·10^–5 M), but RNA synthesis did not differ from the control in the presence of high concentrations of each of the substrates (2·10^–3 M). During lysis of the nuclei in a solution with alkaline pH the percentage of activity of RNA-polymerase that could be extracted from the complex with chromatin decreased considerably if the rats were fed with the carcinogen.Laboratory of Biochemistry of Tumors, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Oncology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 363–365, March, 1976.     

Changes in the blood-brain barrier during experimental cirrhosis of the liver

Translated fromBulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 116, N ^o 12, pp. 638–641, December, 1993     

Changes in some properties of transplantable adenocarcinoma of the colon during passage

During serial passage of an adenocarcinoma (strain AKTOL) arising as a result of spontaneous malignant change in tissues of the embryonic intestine, transplanted into, syngeneic adult mice, the rate of growth of subcutaneous grafts was increased, the ability to form multiple lung tumor nodules after intravenous inoculation appeared (it was absent in the first passages), and morphological anaplasia of the tumor was increased. These changes, evidence of progression of the tumor, were not directly connected with changes in its immunogenicity.P. A. Gertsen Moscow Oncologic Research Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR L. M. Shabad.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 328–330, March, 1977.     

Changes in cerebral vessels during experimental hyperlipidemia

Both specific (lipid deposition in endotheliocytes, myocytes, and pericytes) and non-specific (intense formation of apical processes and vacuoles in endotheliocytes and vacuolization of myocytes) changes in cerebral vessels of different diameter were revealed in rabbits and rats after 4 months of experimental hyperlipidemia. These changes suggest reduced endothelium athrombogeneity and intensified transendothelial transport. Biochemical and morphological manifestations of hyperlipidemia in rabbits were more pronounced than in rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 2, pp. 234–240, February, 2000     

Changes in expired air composition during electrical stimulation of the ventral medulla

Department of Physiology of Visceral Systems, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Saint Petersburg. Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 113, No. 4, pp. 339–340, April, 1992.     

Changes in components of the kinin system and structure of myocardium caused by antikinin preparations in rabbits with allergic myocarditis

The effect of anginin, contrical, aspirin, indomethacin, and -aminocaproic acid on the kininogen content and kininase activity in the myocardium and on its morphological structure was studied in rabbits with experimental allergic myocarditis. Anginin and contrical depressed the activation of the kinin system of the myocardium much more than the other substances and facilitated restoration of the morphological structure of the heart muscle. By inhibiting the kinin system of the plasma and the myocardium by antikinin substances it is possible to arrest the development or reduce the severity of allergic inflammation in the myocardium.M. F. Vladimirskii Moscow Regional Clinical Research Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. P. Avtsyn.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 8, pp. 979–981, August, 1976.     

Changes in the systemic hemodynamics produced by vasopressin in dogs during individual development

Indices of the central hemodynamics were studied in puppies aged 18–22 days and 2–3 months and in dogs aged 3–5 years after intravenous injection of synthetic vasopressin (0.8 unit/kg body weight). The pressor effect was strongest in the adult dogs and bradycardia in the puppies aged 18–22 days. The cardiac output was reduced in all animals and the peripheral resistance considerably increased. In adult dogs the external work of the left ventricle and the energy consumption of the heart were increased. In puppies a reduction in the volume velocity of ejection of blood and in the external work of the heart was combined with a smaller increase in energy consumption.Department of Pathological Physiology, Rostov Medical Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, N. N. Sirotinin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 261–263, March, 1977.     

Changes in hypoxia resistance in rats during daytime

The resistance to acute hypoxia in male Wistar rats was evaluated by the period of survival after exposure to high-altitude hypoxia (11.5 km above see level). The study was performed during daytime (13.00–21.00) in autumn. The fatal rat population was characterized by the log-normal distribution of survival periods. The rats with low and moderate resistance to hypoxia exhibited similar diurnal variations in it with gradual decrease by the end of daytime more pronounced in low-resistant rats. The rats with high resistance showed relatively constant resistance to hypoxia which decreased only at 21:00. All groups revealed a relatively stable resistance to hypoxia from 16:00 to 18:00. These variations in the resistance to hypoxia should be taken into consideration when planning experimental research. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 3, pp. 256–260, March 1999     

Changes in the histone/DNA ratio during the development of a multicellular organism

Changes in the histone/DNA ratio are studied in the star-fish. It is found that the development of a multicellular organism is based on the principle of nonequivalence of the sister cells which is described by the distribution of Polya. It is postulated that the development of an organism obeys the laws of mathematics. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 12, pp. 695–698, December, 1996     

Involvement of the renin-angiotensin system in the regulation of lung norepinephrine inactivation during immobilization stress in rats

The effect of immobilization stress on inactivation of norepinephrine in the lungs is studied in intact rats and against the background of blockade of the renin-angiotensin system with captopril (0.4 mg/kg intravenously). Captopril is shown to prevent the drop of lung inactivation of norepinephrine during immobilization stress. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 5, pp. 468–469, May, 1994 Presented by Yu. A. Pankov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences