Hyperbaric oxygenation in the comprehensive therapy of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (clinico-immunologic study)

For 35 of 50 patients with rheumatoid arthritis traditional drug therapy was a minor success for a long time. Without any modifications of the drug therapy every patient went through a course of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO): 21 sessions under 1.7 ata for 40 min. Good clinical results both immediate and remote have been obtained. The effect of HBO on the immune system of the patients has intensified the suppressive function of T-lymphocytes (especially with systemic symptoms of the disease), normalized cell-bound immunity and decreased the serum concentration in immune complexes.     

The effect of separate and consecutive administration of cytochrome P-450 inducers to rats on the localization of various isoforms of the enzyme in liver lobe cells

By means of immunohistochemical methods a study of the liver intralobular localization of cytochromes P-450b(+e) and P-450c(+d) has been carried out after separate and consecutive treatment of rats with phenobarbital (PB) and 3-methylcholanthrene (MC). PB-treatment leads to localization of P-450b in the centrilobular region, whereas homogeneous distribution of P-450c in the lobule is observed after MC-treatment. The consecutive treatment with PB and MC is accompanied by the localization of P-450c only in cells of the periportal region of the lobule. PB-treatment of rats after preliminary MC-injection also results in the periportal localization of P-450c, and a small quantity of P-450b is localized in hepatocytes of the centrilobular region. Hence, the consecutive treatment with inducers of different molecular forms of cytochrome P-450 is accompanied by the redistribution of these isoenzymes in parenchymatous cells of the liver lobule. That is confirmed also by biochemical testing and immunochemical analysis of the microsomal fraction of hepatocytes.     

Side effects of antibiotics in rheumatic diseases]

Complications due to antibiotic therapy in rheumatic patients subjected to season bicillin prophylaxis in Minsk within 1965--1975 and in patients with extensive collagenoses were studied. Allergic complications mainly ih the form of allergic reactions in the patients treated with bicillin-3 or picillin-5 were observed in 7.8--16.8 per cent of the patients. Within 10 years 52 cases of anaphylactic shock due to the bicillin use were recorded. Side reactions to antibiotics were observed in 16 (17.3 per cent) out of 92 patients with extensive collagenoses. For prophylaxis of the above complications it is recommended to use rational antibiotic therapy in rheumatic patients, strict registration of allergological states in the anamnesis, testing of microbial sensitivity to the antibiotics.     

Divergence of mitochondrial DNA in a population of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka Walbaum) from Azabache'e lake (Kamchatka)

Variability of three PCR-amplified mtDNA regions was examined in five populations of sockeye salmon from Azabach'e Lake. Eighteen haplotypes were detected in 144 fish. Significant differences were found between seasonal races of sockeye salmon spawning in the lake. The short time of independent divergence between the seasonal races indicates that these races formed independently in each spawning region. No difference in mtDNA between lake samples of early sockeye salmon (subisolates) was revealed, which confirms the existence of gene flow between them. A high level of differences between the sockeye salmon spawning in the lake and spawning in the tributaries of the lake, the Bushuev and Lotnaya rivers, suggests that there were no migration between them during many generations and that the nature of spawning grounds (lake or river) is essential for within species differentiation in this species.     

X-ray study in the examination of patients with perineal fistulas

The paper discusses whether X-ray study of patients with perineal fistulas is required and justified. The main reason is that there is a diversity of diseases which display the same signs as paraproctitis. Of 426 examinees, perineal fistulas were mainly caused by chronic paraproctitis in 85% and by other various diseases showing the similar symptoms in 15%. The basic studies of these patients included fistulography made in 300 patients with external fistulas and proctofistulography performed in 126 patients with incomplete internal fistulas. Comparing the data of X-ray study with those of clinical and morphological ones showed the sensitivity of the former to be 94.5%. Based on the results of their own observations, the authors defined indications for fistulography or proctofistulography. In addition to the analysis of the findings, they present the main points of differential X-ray diagnosis of different diseases manifested by perineal fistulas.     

Outpatient screening and its place in better detection of breast tumors

The authors state their opinion on this problem by analyzing their 5-year use of their programme specially developed for detection of breast disease, mainly cancer, among females visiting specialized rooms of non-mammological profiles (gastroenterology, endocrinology, rheumatology, pulmonology, neurology, cardiology, hematology, nephrology, etc.) in the consulting polyclinics of regional (territorial) hospitals and large city hospital-polyclinic complexes. In this period, mammographic studies were made in 9169 women included into a breast cancer-risk group. Of them 1370 young female patients with well-developed glandular tissue that makes mammographic diagnosis of presumed masses difficult underwent breast ultrasonography. Abnormalities were found in 6092 (66.44%) patients. Breast cancer and nodal benign masses (including cysts and fibroadenomas) were detected in 278 (3.03%) and 669 (7.30%) women, respectively. The detection rates of unpalpable breast malignant and benign masses carcinomas were 0.4 and 3.03%, respectively. The findings allow the authors to recommend their proposed screening programme for wide use in large regional (territoreal), city, and town polyclinic complexes.     

Mitochondrial DNA variation in goldfish Carassius auratus gibelio from water reservoirs in the Far East

MtDNA variation of goldfish samples from several water bodies of Southern Primorye was examined by RFLP analysis. High mtDNA polymorphism was found in the river populations but not in the lake ones. Considerable among-haplotype divergence was found within samples, which suggests periodic gene exchange between populations having long histories of independent evolution. The absence of substantial differences between clusters of mtDNA haplotypes indicates recurrent transfer from bisexual to gynogenetic reproduction mode and vice versa.     

Adaptation of acrylamide producer Rhodococcus rhodochrous M8 to change in ammonium concentration in medium

The mechanism of adaptation of the acrylamide producing strain Rhodococcus rhodochrous M8 to changes in ammonium concentrations in the medium was studied. An increase in the content of ammonium in the medium changed the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS) (EC 6.3.1.2) and glutamine dehydrogenase (GD) (EC 1.4.1.4), the enzymes of ammonium assimilation, as well as the activities of enzymes responsible for nitrile utilization: nitrile hydratase (EC 4.2.1.84) and amidase (EC 3.5.1.4). This also caused inhibition of activation of GS induced by phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.1). Increases in the activities of nitrile hydratase and amidase and resistance of these enzymes to ammonium were observed in mutant of R. rhodichrous resistant to phosphotricine, an inhibitor of GS. An important role of GS in the mechanism of adaptation is suggested.