Biochemical indices of the healthy human being in a hermetic chamber with periodically ionized air

The content of 11-hydroxycorticosteroids, triglycerides and enzyme activity in blood as well as the content of 17-ketosteroids in urine of normal men kept for 16 days in an enclosure ventilated for 24--60 hours with bipolar ionized air (averaged unipolarity factor 1.58, concentration of positive ions 26--35 thous. cm-(3)) were measured. On DD 7--9 concentrations of 11-HOCS, triglycerides and 17-KS increased. This can be attributed to an activation of the hypophyseal-adrenal system in response to the enclosure effect. Further rapid return of the parameters to the normal may be associated with the cumulative effect of air ionization. This ionization at the doses used did not influence activities of creatine phosphokinase, aspartate aminotransferase and alphahydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase.     

Epidemic strains influenza viruses A and B in the 2005-2006 season in Russia

Investigations indicated that the epidemic upsurge of influenza morbidity in the 2005-2006 season in Russia was caused by the active circulation of influenza viruses A and B. The Center for Ecology and Epidemiology of Influenza, D. I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, studied 182 epidemic strains. A hundred and thirteen influenza viruses A(H3N2) were similar to the reference A/California/07/2004 or were its antigenic variants. Thirteen influenza virus A(H1N1) strains that were antigenic variants of the reference A/New Caledonia/20/99 were isolated in sporadic cases. Influenza viruses B were similar to B/Malaysia/2506/2004--lineage B/Victoria/2/87). All the strains were isolated in the MDCK cell culture. Comparative study of the sensitivity of the chicken embryo (CE) and MDCK isolation system to the 1999-2006 epidemic strains showed that CE tropism was least pronounced in influenza viruses A(H3N2). Analysis of the 2002-2006 strains demonstrated that influenza viruses A reacted actively with human erythrocytes of the blood groups 0(I) and A(II) and very slightly with chicken ones. Eighty-five influenza virus A(H3N2) strains from the 2005-2006 epidemic season were investigated for rimantadine susceptibility. The frequency of rimantadine-resistant influenza virus A(H3N2) strains was 38.0%. Studies of 79 paired sera from patients revealed a rise of antibodies to influenza viruses A(H3N2) and B in 25.9-33.3 and 20.7-23.8% of cases, respectively. There was an increase in antibodies to influenza viruses A and B in the sera collected from donors in Moscow and its region in September 2005 to June 2006.     

Morphologic and biochemical study of the functional state of the adrenal cortex in the rat during prolonged hypokinesia

Female rats exposed to 3-month hypokinesia were used to study adrenal morphology and plasma corticosterone. Prolonged hypokinesia (60-90 days) led to a dissociation between adrenal hypertrophy and lower corticosterone content in plasma. During hypokinesia rats were also exposed to an additional stress-effect, i.e. 5-hour immobilization. This approach showed that in the course of 90-day hypokinesia the adrenal cortex retained its ability to react to an acute stress by an enhanced corticosteroid secretion. Moreover, in response to stress-effects of identical strength and duration the experimental adrenals produced more corticosterone than the controls with no structural rearrangement or de-lipoidization.     

Characterization of epidemic influenza virus A(H3N2) strains circulating in Russia in the 2003-2004 epidemic season

Studies indicated that the epidemic rise in the incidence of influenza was caused by its virus A (H3N2) circulation in Russia in the 2003-2004 season. The Center of Influenza Ecology and Epidemiology investigated 101 epidemic strains isolated the MDCK culture. Antigenic analysis showed that all viruses A(H3N2) were similar to the reference virus A/Fujian/411/02(H3N2) and only 5 strains slightly differed from the latter. Twelve (14%) strains resistant to rimantadine at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml were identified. Investigation of paired sera from the patients demonstrated a rise of antibodies to the references of influenza virus A(H3N2) in 68.7% of cases and a less increase in those to influenza viruses A(H1N1) and B. The active circulation of A(H3N2) viruses was due not only to changes in their antigenic structure, but also to the low level of antibodies to these viruses, as shown by the analysis of donor sera.     

The use of bromelain in obtaining the subviral particles of influenza A and B viruses

Subviral particles of modern strains of influenza A viruses, i.e. A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1), A/Moscow/10/99 (H3N2), reassortant X-31 (subtype H3N2) and B/Sichuan/379/99, were obtained by using two preparations of bromeline ("Sigma Co., Catalogues' Nos. B2252 and B5144). A selective ability of bromeline B5144 was detected to the proteolytic splitting of hemagglutinin of influenza A and B viruses. An influence of enzyme B5144 produced on influenza B viruses brought about an appearance of subviral particles. As for influenza A(H1N1) virus, the above enzyme did not have any impact on it under the similar experimental conditions. An incomplete effect was noted for the influenza A(H3N2) virus with particles (with intact external coatings) being found in the reaction mixture. Enzyme B2252 was found to be effective in respect to all viruses selected for testing, however, the highest effect was noted for influenza A(H1N1) and B viruses.