Psychophysiological aspects of duodenal ulcer in young patients

SMALL and Spilberg-Khanin questionnaires were used to examine psychological state while statistical and spectral analysis of heart rate at rest and orthostasis to evaluate vegetative status in 86 patients aged 15-24 years with duodenal ulcer (DU). Patients with mild DU had the least psychological and vegetative alterations primarily of the neurotic trend with a relative enhancement of the nervous sympathetic component. A severe disease was characterized by the greatest psychovegetative changes--high SMALL scales, anxiety, stress of the vegetative nervous systems at rest and orthostasis. Thus, alterations in psychic and vegetative status may serve criteria in prediction of DU course in young patients.     

Use of thymodepressin for treating autoimmune cytopenia

AIM: To study influence of thymodepressin on the course of autoimmune cytopenia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thymodepressin is a new synthetic hemoregulatory dipeptide (gamma-D-Glu-D-Trp). It was used for the treatment of 22 patients with autoimmune cytopenia. RESULTS: Hemoglobin levels were elevated in autoimmune hemolytic anemia and platelet levels were high in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. A thymodepressin course resulted in a fall of total lymphocyte count and activated CD3+CD69+ lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: The above results, safety, absence of toxicity and allergenicity, parenteral and intranasal useability open perspectives for further studies of therapeutic action of thymodepressin as an immunodepressant in autoimmune processes.     

Approaches to improve cellular retention of radiohalogen labels delivered by internalising tumour-targeting proteins and peptides

Specific targeting of radionuclides is a promising approach to improve diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Targeting vectors may be monoclonal antibodies directed toward tumour-specific antigens or regulatory peptides binding to receptors overexpressed on or by malignant cells. Depending on the aim of the procedure and the biokinetics of the targeting vectors, radionuclides with different nuclear properties (decay scheme, half-life, etc.) must be applied. Halogen radioisotopes are attractive since they exhibit a variety of nuclear properties suitable for various applications. At the same time, their chemistry shows great similarities, which enables the use of similar labelling procedures for different nuclides. A problem in using radiohalogens for labelling of tumour-targeting proteins and peptides is that the commonly used radiohalogenation methods provide labels, which, after internalisation and lysosomal digestion, rapidly "leak" from malignant cells as radiohalogenated degradation products. The main reason for such leakage is free diffusion of the radiometabolites through lysosomal and cellular membranes. This review describes current approaches in molecular design to improve cellular retention of radiohalogen labels. These approaches include the use of prosthetic groups for the attachment of radiohalogens to targeting vectors of bulky hydrophilic non-charged molecules, molecules positively charged at lysosomal pH and negatively charged molecules. The emphasis in this paper is on labelling chemistry and the results of the biological testing of labelled compounds.     

Effectiveness of ursodeoxycholic acid in cholesterosis of the gallbladder

AIM: To study efficacy of ursodesoxycholic acid (UA) drugs in the treatment of polypous and polyporeticular cholesterosis of the gallbladder (CGB), including combination with biliary sludge, with reference to terms of the treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A contraction function of the gallbladder was studied ultrasonically in 74 CGB patients treated with UA drugs. The treatment lasted from 1 month to 1.5 years. A response (complete or partial dilution of cholesterol polyps) was recorded in 71.6% patients. Therapy was less effective if the gallbladder contained biliary sludge, heterogeneous bile and suspension, dense bile. The lytic therapy effect improved with treatment duration. Complete dissolving of cholesterol polyps was achieved after at least 10-month treatment. The treatment also brought about a marked choleretic effect and an increased ejection fraction of the gallbladder. CONCLUSION: UA drugs can be used in the treatment of CGB.     

Correlation between coronary dilatation reserve and cardiac contractile function after marked disorders of coronary circulation

Relationship between the realization of the coronary dilatation reserve and cardiac contractility was investigated in acute dog experiments with the intact thoracic cage under partially limited and rationed flow through a major coronary artery (a 30-minute 70% reduction), and during subsequent reperfusion. Limited coronary flow was seen in combination with moderately depressed cardiac contractility that did not improve significantly during the reperfusion period of equal duration. Inadequate realization of the coronary dilatation reserve that fails to restore the balance between blood supply and myocardial oxygen requirement may be a cause of incomplete recovery during the early reperfusion period.     

Pathological and morphometric evaluation of taurine therapy in a model of aortic insufficiency in rabbits

Research Institute of Experimental Cardiology, All-Union Cardiologic Scientific Center, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR E. I. Chazov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 109, No. 6, pp. 600–603, June, 1990.     

Medico-social and economic aspects of the rehabilitation of patients with laryngeal cancer

The results of therapy and rehabilitation of the target and control groups of patients with laryngeal cancer, each consisting of 70 people, demonstrated that the method of reconstructive subtotal resection of the larynx as compared to its extirpation was efficient and advantageous in medical, social and economic terms. The advantages of the modified method were verified clinically and statistically. In the target group every other patient and in the control group only one out of four patients regained their normal work capacity. The expenses for research and development paid off within a year.