The effect of surgical intervention on the state of the immune system in brain tumors

In patients with benign and malignant brain tumors before the operation, the suppression of the immune system, in particular, proliferative response of lymphocytes to T- and B-mitogens was established. Preoperative preparation of the patients aggravated this process. At day 8-10 after the operation, normalization of the main indices of immunity in patients with benign tumors was noted. In malignant tumors after the operation, the increase in the contents of T- and B-lymphocytes against the background of decrease in their proliferative activity was observed.     

Role of leukocyte adhesion in filterability of a blood cell suspension

Research Institute of Physicochemical Medicine, Ministry of Health, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences Yu. M. Lopukhin.) Translated from Byulleten Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 113, No. 5, pp. 488–489, May, 1992.     

The comparative characteristics of the safety,immunogenic activity and prophylactic potency of the adult and children types of live influenza vaccine in schoolchildren aged 7-14 years

In Russia for prevention of influenza in children, aged from 3 to 14 years, the children's live influenza vaccine (LIV), based upon A/Leningrad/134/47/57(H2N2) master strain (LIVI) is used. The need for double immunization appears to be one out of the faulties of this preparation. The study was aimed to comparing the safety, immunogenic activity and prevention of influenza by LIV for adults (LIVII) (A/Leningrad/134/17/57(H2N2 master strain) and LIVI in children aged from 7 to 17 years under similar administration schedule. The safety, the preventive efficacy, humoral and secretory immunity were studied. In total 2486 persons, including 539 children, twice inoculated with LIVI, 971 persons once inoculated with LIVII, and 840 treated by placebo were obserbed. From the data of the clinical observations during 7 days after immunization both vaccines appeared to be low reactogenic. The LIVII advantages in induction of the humoral and secretory antibodies in comparison with children's vaccine had been revealed. Both vaccines were highly efficacious, the efficiency of both preparations was more pronounced after serologic correction of the diagnosis. The results obtained permit to recommend the single immunization by the variant of LIV at the base on A/Leningrad/134/17/57/(H2N2) master strain for prevention of influenza in school children.     

Plasma HIV-1 RNA decline within the first two weeks of treatment is comparable for nevirapine, efavirenz, or both drugs combined and is not predictive of long-term virologic efficacy: A 2NN substudy

BACKGROUND: The initial rate of plasma HIV-1 RNA (pVL) decline has been proposed as a marker of early efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and a possible predictor of late efficacy. We compared the rate of pVL decline in patients starting ART with nevirapine (NVP), efavirenz (EFV), or both drugs combined in addition to lamivudine (3TC) and stavudine (d4T). METHODS: Analysis of the viral decay constant (VDc) during the first 2 weeks of treatment in patients enrolled in the 2NN study who remained on allocated treatment. RESULTS: The median VDc (log10 copies per day, [interquartile range]) was similar for NVP (0.30 [0.25-0.36], EFV (0.31 [0.27-0.37]), and NVP + EFV (0.30 [0.27-0.36]). Patients with a baseline pVL >100,000 copies/mL were 8.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.2-12.3) times more likely to have a VDc >75th percentile. A high VDc was not associated with plasma drug concentration or with a decreased risk of virologic failure at week 48 after the start of therapy (hazard ratio = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6-1.2). CONCLUSION: NVP, EFV, or NVP + EFV in combination with 3TC and d4T show similar rates of pVL decline during the first 2 weeks of treatment. The VDc with these regimens is not predictive of late virologic efficacy.     

The architecture of variant surface glycoprotein gene expression sites in Trypanosoma brucei

Trypanosoma brucei evades the immune system by switching between Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) genes. The active VSG gene is transcribed in one of approximately 20 telomeric expression sites (ESs). It has been postulated that ES polymorphism plays a role in host adaptation. To gain more insight into ES architecture, we have determined the complete sequence of Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs) containing DNA from three ESs and their flanking regions. There was variation in the order and number of ES-associated genes (ESAGs). ESAGs 6 and 7, encoding transferrin receptor subunits, are the only ESAGs with functional copies in every ES that has been sequenced until now. A BAC clone containing the VO2 ES sequences comprised approximately half of a 330 kb 'intermediate' chromosome. The extensive similarity between this intermediate chromosome and the left telomere of T. brucei 927 chromosome I, suggests that this previously uncharacterised intermediate size class of chromosomes could have arisen from breakage of megabase chromosomes. Unexpected conservation of sequences, including pseudogenes, indicates that the multiple ESs could have arisen through a relatively recent amplification of a single ES.     

The experience of application of peritoneal dialysis in cardiosurgery of an early age children

The experience of the peritoneal dialysis (PD) successful application in 16 children of an early age was summarized. In all the patients the terminal state with an acute cardiac and renal insufficiency was noted after cardiosurgical operation conduction using artificial blood circulation. The improvement of hemodynamical indices, renal and pulmonary function as well, were promoted by an early application of PD.