Mass screening of coal miners with ischemic heart disease

As a result of epidemiological and clinico-functional studies occupational peculiarities of ischemic heart disease (IHD) among miners were detected. The role of a number of industrial factors in the development of arrhythmia with unfavourable prognosis was assessed. Persons at risk for development and progress of IHD were identified. A method of dynamic control over their cardiovascular system was suggested. The findings of the study formed the basis for a complex follow-up programme for miners with IHD.     

Genetic differentiation of poly I:C from B:9-23 peptide induced experimental autoimmune diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an immune-mediated disease, in which T cells of the adaptive immune system mediate beta cell destruction. Recently the innate immune system has been linked to etiopathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, as innate effector cells (e.g. dendritic cells, monocytes/macrophages and NK cells) can prime and promote or regulate (auto)immune responses. We have previously developed an experimental autoimmune diabetes (EAD) model with insulin peptide B:9-23 immunization in transgenic H-2(d)mice expressing the costimulatory molecule B7.1 in their islets (under the Rat Insulin Promotor, RIP). We compared the induction of diabetes with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C), a mimic of double stranded viral RNA versus insulin B:9-23 peptide in mice following backcrossing of the B7.1 transgene on to BALB/c mice from original B7.1 C57Bl/6 mice. We find that diabetes induction by Poly I:C is C57Bl/6 associated, whereas B:9-23 peptide induced diabetes and induction of insulin autoantibodies (IAA) are dependent on BALB/c genes. This B:9-23 peptide induced diabetes is consistent with MHC class II H-2(d)being necessary for the response to this peptide. Of note Poly I:C induction of diabetes was lost while B:9-23 induction was retained with backcrossing to BALB/c mice. Interaction of genes and environment (antigenic epitope and viral mimic) can be important in the pathogenesis of immune mediated diabetes and activation of the innate immune system (e.g. Poly I:C) may be one key determinant.     

Lipid peroxidation in the evaluation of healing of myocardial infarction

The authors studied the time-course of lipid peroxidation with special reference to malonic dialdehyde in blood serum comparatively to the time-course of uricemia in 189 patients with acute large-focal myocardial infarction. It was established that the time-course of malonic aldehyde and uric acid is characterized by a consistent increase which reaches the maximal values at the height of the destructive phase of myocardial infarction as well as by the differences in uncomplicated and complicated healing. The joint index of destruction was developed, permitting one to compare the concentrations of malonic dialdehyde and uric acid in blood serum and to exercise an efficacious biochemical "tracing" of the healing.     

A progressive breakdown of the body in space

A 74 year-old woman (MD), free of previous neurological history, presented with difficulty in handling cutlery, clothes, writing with what was initially described as an atypical apraxia in acts related to space. Initial neurological evaluation revealed mixed, asymmetric pyramidal, and extrapyramidal semiology. Νeuropsychological testing revealed dressing and constructional deficits, ideomotor apraxia and signs of executive dysfunction in absence of memory, language, and visual perception pathology. The final diagnosis was that of a corticobasal degeneration, where the rare occurrence of a progressively emerging syndrome of self-management loss within peripersonal space is observed.