Clinical and immunological characteristics of primary and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome

A prospective study was made of 93 patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), including 34 patients with primary APS (PAPS) and 59 with secondary APS (SAPS) associated with exanthematous lupus erythematosus (ELE). According to the clinical outcomes, PAPS is heterogeneous since the clinical and laboratory signs of ELE or lupus-like syndrome occurred in two thirds of the patients with PAPS. The clinical manifestations of PAPS and ELE-associated SAPS differed at the height of disease: the signs of vascular diseases were prevalent in patients with PAPS and ELE-associated systemic manifestations were predominant in those with SAPS. In the patients with APS who further developed ELE, unlike those with PAPS showed a high incidence of transient erythema and arthralgias. The levels of serological markers in patients with APS at its height did not differ. As compared with healthy individuals, patients with APS were found to have the similar changes in the nonspecific immunological parameters manifested by absolute lymphopenia, by the diminished Fc-phagocytosis of monocytes and neutrophils, by the elevated levels of circulating immune complexes, and by the high biocidal activity of neutrophils. There were no significant differences in the immunity of patients with PAPS and in those with SAPS.     

Alternative Splicing of Interleukin-6 mRNA in Mice

Expression of mRNA for interleukin-6, interleukin-6Delta3, and interleukin-6Delta5 was detected in placental tissue (second and third trimesters of pregnancy) and spleen of mice immunized with sheep erythrocytes in high dose. We hypothesize that translation of mRNA yields proteins capable of binding to individual subunits of the interleukin-6 receptor and possessing effector functions.     

Adjuvant Effect of High-Frequency Hyperthermia of the Abdominal Cavity on the Course of Transplanted Leukemia in AKR Mice

The adjuvant effect of high-frequency hyperthermia of the abdominal cavity was studied in 2-month-old mice of highly leukemic AKR strain treated with cyclophosphamide. Weights of organs, parameters of the peripheral blood, and cytological imprints of organs were compared in experimental and control animals. A more pronounced antitumor effect was observed in animals exposed to hyperthermia. These data provide the basis for clinical use of hyperthermia of the abdominal cavity.     

Pancreatoduodenal resection with preservation of the pylorus

Experience with 106 pancreatoduodenal resections (PDR) with pylorus savage for tumors and benign diseases of pancreatic head and periampullar zone is analyzed. Features of mobilization of pancreatoduodenal complex in PDR are shown. They permit to reduce the rate of complications (gastrostasis). Necessity of differential approach to choice of creation of biliodigestive anastomosis is demonstrated. Risk of postoperative pancreatitis is highest in non-dilated pancreatic duct and small-changed pancreatic parenchyma. In these cases terminolateral pancreatojejunostomy with external drainage of pancreatic duct (12 patients) and pancreatogastrostomy (21) are preferable. PDR with pylorus savage permitted to use wider pancreato-, bilio- and duodenoenteroejunoanastomosis on one loop of the jejunum. Gastrostasis was seen in 50% patients after PDR with pylorus savage. Technical features of surgery and also postoperative complications leading to gastrostasis are demonstrated.     

Portable small size X-ray dosimeter DER-01M designed for dose control and its intensity in X-ray diagnostics

Described in the paper is a portable small-size X-ray dosimeter DER-0.1 M designed by the Research Institute for Introscopy, Research Production Amalgamation "Spectr", for monitoring the dose and its intensity in the manufacturing and exploitation of general-purpose and specialized X-ray units. A flat-parallel ionizing chamber is used in the device as a radiation detector. The related technical characteristics are contained in the paper.     

The antioxidant activity of caroverine

Caroverine, 1-(2-diethylaminoethyl)-3-(p-methoxy benzyl)-1,2-dihydro-2-quinoxalin-2-on-hydrochloride, is a class B calcium-channel-blocker and antiglutamatergic agent with significant effects on the brain function. Caroverine exhibits competitive AMPA antagonism, and at higher concentrations, noncompetitive NMDA antagonism. In clinical practice caroverine is used as a spasmolytic and otoneuroprotective agent. Since reactive oxygen species are supposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of inner ear diseases in which caroverine shows beneficial effects, the present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant properties of caroverine. Lipid peroxidation of liposomal membranes was suppressed in the presence of caroverine. In order to understand the mechanism of this antioxidant action of caroverine, we determined the rate constants both for a possible reaction with superoxide (O(2)(.-)) radicals from xanthine/xanthine oxidase and for a possible reaction with hydroxyl (.OH) radicals in Fenton system. Using a defined chemical reaction model O(2)(.-) scavenging was found to occur at a rather low rate constant only (3 x 10(2)M(-1)s(-1)). Thus, a reaction of caroverine with O(2)(.-) radicals is of marginal significance. In contrast, the reaction of caroverine with .OH radicals occurs at an extremely high rate constant (k=1.9 x 10(10)M(-1)s(-1)). The strong antioxidant activity of caroverine is therefore based both on the partial prevention and highly active scavenging of hydroxyl radicals.     

Studies of Selective Attention in Dogs Using the Coherence-Phase Characteristics of Cortical Potentials over a Wide Range of Frequencies, 1–220 Hz

The state of selective attention formed during operant food-related behavior was studied using the coherence-phase characteristics between potentials in several areas of the neocortex at frequencies of 1–220 Hz. Functional groups were identified among the areas compared, which appear to have priority for this state. The temporal relationships between potentials in these groups were established from values for coherence functions at a particular optimum level (0.7) mainly in the band 1–15 Hz and the high-frequency range 40–200 Hz. The phenomenon of synchronicity appeared at phase shifts close to zero, while at significant phase shifts the phenomenon of non-synchronous time relationships with defined spatial directions was seen in the high-frequency range.