Feedback adaptive control of operator's performance by the parameters of spatial synchronization of the brain cortex areas]

Operator's determined (D) and stochastic (S) performance depends on the level of readiness and synchronization of the frontoparietal and parietooccipital cortex areas. The developed feedback algorithm was tested in two series of experiments with volunteered subjects doing computer simulation tasks. The experiments showed feasibility to elaborate feedback adaptive control skills that will sustain for a month period.     

Blood biochemical parameters of tilted primates periodically subjected to gravitational stimuli]

Head-down tilting of primates (HOT) is a universal method of studying the hypokinetic syndrome effects on functionality of various body systems. Clinical biochemical blood assay was performed in a 25-day HDT experiment (-5 degrees) with 11 Macaca rhesus. One group of animals was kept tilted all the time through, whereas the other was periodically returned into the orthostatic position for 30 to 120 minutes 4-5 times a week. Dry chemistry was employed in biochemical analysis of blood serum and enzyme immunodetection (EID) in measuring blood hormones. As a rule, the biochemical parameters of primates' serum were within the physiological norm range. Shifts in protein, carbohydrate and mineral metabolism were sought for and enzymic activity in blood serum and hormone concentrations were determined. HDT did not produce noteworthy changes in blood concentrations of somatotropic hormone, thyrotrophic hormone (TTH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) or cortisol. Animals of both groups showed statistically reliable decrease in blood osteocalcine. The preventive complex did not contribute materially to the control of metabolic homeostasis and endocrine function of the primates adapting to the 25-day HDT.     

Effect of chronic exposure to low doses of ionized radiation on embryonal development of the Japanese quail

Experiments on Japanese quail embryogenesis on a background of chronic exposure to gamma- and neutron doses comparable with the doses of ionized radiation inside the orbital space stations Mir and ISS, and exploration vehicles gave evidence that permanent absorption of low gamma-doses (0,15 cgy/d) did not impact development of the Japanese quail embryos. On the contrary, the neutron dose of 200 microgy/d imparted by the neutron flux of 30 particles/cm2s was hazardous to embryos as it caused morphological disorders in 12% of embryos.     

Severe hypoglycaemia in a person with insulin autoimmune syndrome accompanied by insulin receptor anomaly type B.

AIMS: A rare case of the insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) accompanied by insulin receptor anomaly is reported. METHODS: Antibodies to insulin and insulin receptor were determined in the patient with severe hypoglycaemia before and after the treatment with prednisolone. RESULTS: Titers of antibody to insulin and insulin receptors were 73.0% and 41.5%, respectively. Drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation tests were all negative for the suspicious drugs. Her HLA-DR was DRB1*0403/04051. Following steroid therapy, the formation of antibodies was suppressed and alleviated her symptoms. Scatchard analysis yielded findings specific to polyclonal antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in autoantibodies resulted in alleviation of the hypoglycemic symptoms as a result of steroid therapy.     

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF EXCELLENCE IN HEART FAILURE NURSING

This column contains the presidential address presented during the Third Annual Meeting of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses on June 28, 2007, in San Diego, California, titled "Building the Foundation of Excellence in Heart Failure Nursing."     

Iron-containing proteins in the plasma and serum of the blood in patients during hyperbaric oxygenation therapy

Extra-erythrocyte hemoglobin (EEH) level and total peroxidase activity (TPA) have been analysed in the blood serum and plasma of 44 patients following hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO). The levels of the parameters tested decreased after 3 HBO procedures and remained low to the end of the treatment period in the first group of patients. In the second group of patients, on the contrary, EEH and TPA levels increased after 3 HBO procedures and remained high to the end of the treatment period. In both groups of patients EEH changes correlated with TPA alterations. Possible EEH and TPA determination for the estimation and enhancement of HBO treatment efficacy is discussed.     

Initial stages of validation by penile volume assessment that sexual orientation is distributed dimensionally

Kinsey concluded that homosexuality and heterosexuality were distributed dimensionally in the normal population, a significant percentage of whom experienced homosexual feelings. This conclusion has been ignored by most sex researchers. Twenty men seeking treatment for compulsive sexual behaviours reported a dimensional distribution of heterosexual and homosexual feelings, rated by questionnaire on 11-point scales. Their penile volume responses to 10-second movies of nude women and men were assessed. Significant correlations were found between individual subjects' penile volume and questionnaire assessment of heterosexual/homosexual feelings, validating their questionnaire-assessed dimensional distribution of their feelings. The finding was considered to provide the initial stage of physiological validation of the questionnaire, which in previous studies demonstrated a dimensional distribution of heterosexual/homosexual feelings in representative samples of medical students, supporting Kinsey's conclusion.