Repeated operations in gastric and duodenal ulcers

The results of repeated operations in 165 patients were studied. A second operative intervention was indicated most frequently after closure of a perforating ulcer (h = 126). The character of the second operative intervention was determined by the method of the previous operation and the complication of the ulcer for which the operation had to be repeated, the patient's condition and age, and the urgency of the surgery. The mortality rate after repeated operative interventions was 3%.     

Methodological aspects of radiotherapy in the treatment of ear neoplasms

During 1978 to 1988, 35 patients with ear carcinoma (22 men and 13 women, aged 30 to 74 years) were treated. In 62% cases the tumor originated from the external acoustic meatus, in 30% cases--from the postoperative cavity (in patients operated on for chronic inflammation), and in 8% cases it was a primary tumor of the concha auriculae. 77% of the patients developed the III or IV stage of disease and 71% of patients had squamous cell carcinoma. Six patients underwent radiation therapy (Group 1), nine-radiation therapy and subsequent surgery within 14 to 30 days after exposure (Group 2), and twenty patients were exposed first to surgery and then to postoperative radiation therapy (Group 3). All the patients were followed up for at least one year and eight of them--for not less than 5 years. At the present time survivors make 37% of all the patients. In the study only routine dose fractionation was used. Regional metastatic areas were also exposed to irradiation. It is stressed that efforts are needed to increase the local effect of ear tumor therapy. Indications and contraindications for radiation therapy are presented and protocols of radiation therapy are described.     

Isopropoxygermathrane as a stimulator of hepatocyte regeneration

Translated fromByulleten' Experimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 115, No. 1, pp. 69–71, January, 1993     

In vitro studies of interactions between frequent and unique mRNAs and cytoplasmic factors from brain tissue of several species of wild timber voles of northern Eurasia, Clethrionomys glareolus, Clethrionomys frater and Clethrionomys gapperi: a new criticism to a modern molecular-genetic concept of biological evolution

As a result of the complex comparative neurochemical study of the translation machinery functioning in the brain cells of three conventionally "phylogenetically related" species of wild timber voles (Clethrionomys glareolus, Clethrionomys frater and Clethrionomys gapperi), it has been found that the cytoplasm of brain cells of the latter contain an oligonucleotide (oligoribonucleotide) factor(s) with mol. weight below 1.0 KD which is able completely and highly selectively to inhibit the translation directed by mRNA which are species-specific templates and which were isolated from analogical tissue (brain) of "closely related" organisms. This phenomenon was found for the first time using special Cell-Free Translation Systems (CFTS) of very different variants of their composition consisting of the following main components: Post-Mitochondrial Supernatant (PMS), total cytoplasmic poly(A)+ mRNA or a species-specific poly(A)+ mRNA isolated form the PMS by affinity chromatography on the columns with the anti-mRNA1-FAB-(CNBr)-Sepharose, or purified 9S or 11S globin or histone specific mRNAs, respectively, and, finally a few samples of the CFTS used contain the additions of high or low molecular weight cytosolic compounds isolated from S150 fraction by ultrafiltration on Diaflo UM2 membrane with an exclusion limit of 1.0 KD. All CFTs components listed were isolated separately from the brain tissue of each organism studied. A new complex way for construction and using of the CFTS leads to an adequately documented conclusion which suggested the existence of special, so far uncharacterized in detail, cytoplasmic oligoribonucleotide factor(s) for efficient blocking for the cytoplasmic expression of "evolutionally renovated part" of genome; i.e., these factors seem to be sufficiently powerful suppressors of the translation of every mRNA template if the latter is not usual for the cell type containing the cytoplasmic suppressors mentioned in the case of a "so-called" newly found (perhaps, due to spontaneous but nonlethal mutagenesis) genes expression at the level of mRNA functioning in the cytoplasm. All findings and ideas of the paper are under discussion.     

Neurospecific translation control and the problem of potent danger of drugs and chemicals: a caution

At present, chemicals are an integral part of the surrounding biosphere. A great number of new xenobiotics for industrial, pharmaceutical, agricultural, or mode-of-life daily use (perfumes, cosmetics, food additives, etc.) may play a role of a danger health hazards. These chemicals may be environmental pollutants and due to this circumstance they promote different ecological disorders including the several epidemic-like processes such as, for instance, Minamata disease (chronic alimentary poisoning with methyl mercury), etc. Also, these chemicals may be industrial hazards promoting the origin and development of various occupational diseases. Finally, the numerous side effects of multiple new drugs may serve as causes of a number of different health disorders. Briefly, we must agree that modern man exists in the world with such inalienable elements as the steadfast increase of chemical soiling of Earths biosphere. Naturally, human health protection in our "chemically soiled" world is very difficult by urgent task. As for the solving of this task, it may be reached only in the case of successful fundamental studies of mechanisms of toxic action of different classes of chemicals performed at different biological levels (systemic, organ/tissue, cellular and molecular levels of research). A separate and special population of modern health-hazardous chemicals is a group of agents which selectively suppress protein synthesis in mammalian cells and tissues due to the direct effect on the translation machinery elements or on the messenger RNA processing steps. The agents of this group ("translation blockers" or, the same but more broadly, "protein synthesis inhibitors" (PSI) usually are quite dangerous for human health since these substances inhibit the central molecular process of life, i.e., the synthesis of protein molecules. The small but important subclass of the PSI is represented by the agents with marked neurotropic properties, i.e., by the agents which are able to promote the effective inhibition of protein synthesis in the brain, while the same agents do not essentially influence the translation processes in the liver and all other organs of the animal (human) organism. The main aim of the present monograph is to review and analyze the data obtained recently in the course of biochemical research of several neurotropic PSI (methyl mercury, lithium salts). However, this is not the single aim of the book. Thus, besides this the present monograph deals with analysis of the general peculiarities of action of some non-neurotrophic inhibitors which are able, nevertheless, to direct a number of specific neurotrophic effects (Cordycepin, tRNA).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Apolipoprotein B 3'-VNTR polymorphism in Eastern European populations

Apolipoprotein B 3' (3' ApoB) minisatellite polymorphism was studied in healthy unrelated individuals from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, in 10 populations from five ethnic groups: Russians, Byelorussians, Adygeis, Kalmyks and Yakuts. The analysis was carried out using PCR and electrophoresis followed by silver staining. Overall, 25 alleles of the 3' ApoB minisatellite, ranging from 25 to 55 repeats, were detected. Heterozygosity indices were high and varied from 0.73 to 0.84. The distributions of alleles of this minisatellite in the Caucasoid populations (Russians, Byelorussians and Adygeis) had a bimodal character, whereas that for Mongoloid populations (Kalmyks and Yakuts) had a unimodal distribution. Nei's genetic distances between the populations studied and some reference populations of Europe and Asia were estimated. Despite their allele distribution homogeneity, different East Slavonic ethnic groups were clearly resolved by multidimensional analyses. The East Slavonic and Adygei populations revealed a high similarity with European Caucasoids. The Mongoloid populations (Kalmyks and Yakuts) were considerably different from those of the European Caucasoid populations, but were similar to other Asian Mongoloid populations. The results demonstrate the variability of 3' ApoB minisatellite polymorphism not only in distant populations but also, to a certain extent, in genetically relative ones.     

Utilization of the 2017 diagnostic criteria for hEDS by the Toronto GoodHope Ehlers–Danlos syndrome clinic: A retrospective review

The new 2017 diagnostic criteria for hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) provide a framework for diagnosing hEDS but are more stringent than the previous Villefranche criteria. Our clinical experience at the GoodHope EDS clinic was that the 2017 criteria left many highly symptomatic patients without a diagnosis of hEDS. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to confirm our clinic experience and assess the accuracy of the 2017 diagnostic criteria for hEDS in patients who had a previous hEDS diagnosis based on the Villefranche criteria. Our study found that 15% (n = 20 of 131) of patients with a prior diagnosis of hEDS met the 2017 diagnostic criteria, and many of the traits used to distinguish hEDS were not significantly more frequent in patients who met 2017 criteria versus those who did not. In both groups objective systemic manifestations were found less frequently than subjective systemic manifestations. Beighton score (BS) as assessed by primary care practitioner was found to be higher than assessment by EDS practitioner in 81% (n = 74 of 91) of cases. Generalized joint hypermobility was confirmed in only 46% (n = 51 of 111) of patients who had a previous diagnosis of hEDS. Higher BS did not correlate with increased number of systemic manifestations in our cohort. Common comorbidities of hEDS were found with similar frequency in those who met 2017 criteria and those who did not. Based on our cohort, the 2017 hEDS diagnostic criteria require refinement to improve its diagnostic accuracy.     

Proton modulation of M-like potassium current (IKx) in rod photoreceptors

The effect of extracellular pH (pH_e 6.9–8.1) and intracellular pH (pH_i 6.4–8.1) on the non-inactivating voltage-sensitive M-like potassium current (I_Kx) was studied in patch-clamped salamander rod photoreceptors. The midpoint of the I_Kx activation curve shifted by 6.6 mV per pH_e unit, with acidification producing positive shifts and alkalinization producing negative shifts. The time constant of I_Kx activation shifted with pH_e in a manner consistent with the shifts in the activation curve. Maximum conductance and gating charge were unaffected by changes in pH_e. I_Kx did not depend on pH_i. Given the importance of I_Kx in rod function, these results suggest that pH_e could affect the signal transmitted from rods by changing I_Kx activation parameters.