The effect of FMRFa-like peptides on rats reanimated after clinical death

The effects of the endogenous, paraopioid FMRFa and FMRFa-like peptides are compared upon reanimation of rats after clinical death caused by acute hemorrhage. It is found that FMRFa restores cardiohemodynamics and respiratory function more effectively than RFa and RF×2HCl. The nonpeptide opioid antagonist naloxone does not alleviate the effects of acute hernorrhage. It is assumed that the reanimating effect of the studied peptides is realized via mechanisms that are not associated with opiates. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, No. 4, pp. 417–419, April, 1996     

Course of the early neonatal period and hormonal indicators in newborn infants from multiple pregnancies (twins)

Overall 22 neonates born due to plural pregnancy (twins, gestation 38-40 weeks) were examined for the clinical characteristics of the early neonatal period. Blood samples were analyzed, measurements were made of blood serum cortisol, immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and somatotropic hormone (STH). The findings were correlated to those obtained in controls, namely in 57 healthy neonates born due to single pregnancy. Alterations in the IRI content in twins turned out similar to those obtained by the authors in neonates with intrauterine hypotrophy. Cortisol was discovered to fall within the first day of life. The mean STH in twin children was much lower. The data obtained enable the neonate twins to be classified with the group at risk for development of hormonal abnormalities during the neonatal period.     

Correlation of hydrophobic character of opioid peptides with their biological activity measured in various bioassay systems

Relative hydrophobicity of a series of enkephalin-like peptides has been studied by partitioning in the aqueous polymeric Ficoll-dextran biphasic system. The activities of the peptides in the guinea pig ileum, mouse vas deferens and rat brain receptor binding assay systems have been examined. The biological activities of the peptides in the two latter assays were correlated with their hydrophobic character. No correlation between the relative hydrophobicity of the compounds and their activity in the guinea pig ileum could be established. The correlations obtained appear to indicate that the drug-receptor interactions in the two bioassays occur under various conditions in regard to the local ionic composition at the membrane and/or the ionizable state of the receptor site. The activities of morphine and a number of similar drugs are described by a relationship different from that found for the peptides, which seems to support the multiple opiate receptor hypothesis.     

NK and trophoblast cells interaction: cytotoxic activity on recurrent pregnancy loss

Abstract

The trial objective was to determine the peripheral blood NK cells cytotoxic activity effect on trophoblast cells at recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The investigation involved non-pregnant women with PRL in proliferating and secretory menstrual cycle phases (PMCPh and SMCPh, respectively); women of 6–7 weeks pregnancy with RPL in past medical history; healthy fertile non-pregnant women in PMCPh and SMCPh, women of 6–7 weeks physiological pregnancy, nulliparity healthy women with regular menstrual function in PMCPh and SMCPh. NK cells cytotoxic activity was determined using peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The target cells were JEG-3?line trophoblasts. It has been established that NK cells cytotoxic activity effect on trophoblasts is lower in SMCPh than in PMCPh in non-pregnant fertile women. The NK cells cytotoxic activity was higher in SMCPh than in PMCPh in non-pregnant women with PRL and also higher than the same value in SMCPh in non-pregnant fertile women. The increased NK cells cytotoxic activity values in SMCPh in women with RPL may be the reason for miscarriage.     

Disease susceptibility genes for autism

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social interaction accompanied by a delay or lack of language, restricted interests, stereotyped behavior, and repetitive movement. Genetic predisposition to autism is evident from family and twin studies, and heritability in idiopathic autism is estimated at over 90%. Frequency of the disorder is approximately 1:2000 with a male to female ratio of 4:1. Affected individuals look normal at birth, and the symptoms manifest at the first 2-3 years of life. The spectrum of clinical symptoms and the severity of the disorder are variable even among siblings. Family studies and several genome-wide linkage analyses support the hypothesis of complex inheritance with involvement of as many as 10-100 genes of moderate effect. Identification of genes responsible for the phenotype would help to understand the molecular mechanisms of the disorder. Several genes have been proposed to play a role in susceptibility to autism, and this paper will overview those genes and their potential role in the disorder.     

Infectious endocarditis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The authors describe 2 cases of infectious endocarditis in patients with idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. In one case, the disease eventuated in lethal outcome. Photomicrographs of histological preparations are provided.     

Significance of immunological investigations in the studying of various forms of cardiomyopathy

The data concerning the role of the immune and inflammatory reactions activation in formation of dilatational and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were presented. The dependence of the humoral-inflammatory disbalance progressing on the processes of the apoptosis and inflammatory cytokins level regulation, determining the immune answer disorder degree in relation with cardiomyopathy form, was established.     

The insulin receptor function of mononuclear leukocytes in pregnant women with diabetes mellitus

Investigation of the insulin-binding activity of insulin receptors (IR) in insulin treated pregnant women with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus with different requirement in insulin has shown that insulin-dependent diabetes in pregnant women in characterized by heterogeneity. Insulin therapy gets to normal the activity of insulin receptors in patients with diabetes mellitus with an increased affinity to IR, and causes no increase in the level of IR in patients in whom it was not raised. Insulin-binding activity in the latter may be associated with metabolic derangement caused by insulin insufficiency.