Peculiarities of erythropoiesis in patients with chronic renal failure

In 600 patients suffering from chronic renal insufficiency the cellularity of bone marrow, erythroid cells proliferative activity, erythroid cells destruction and iron incorporation rate, data of ferrokinetics, intracellular iron distribution, porphyrin synthesis rate were examined. On the basis of the obtained data the suggestion is put forward that metabolic disturbances are important in anemia development in uremic patients. One of the aspects of this problem is the role of disorders in the protein turnover causing changes in the synthesis of globin and porphyrin which are the primary components for heme synthesis. Special importance is attached to the changes in iron turnover, i.e. to its redistribution between stromal and heme pools.     

Comparative Analysis of the Results of a Stepped Running Test Performed in the Vertical and Horizontal Positions

Physiological reactions and energy expenditure during a treadmill test with an increasing load were compared in subjects performing the test in the vertical and the horizontal positions. The subjects performing the test in standing and lying positions exhibit essentially similar but quantitatively different physiological changes, which permits correct dosing of cyclic locomotion in a lying position after some corrections are made. This may be used in rehabilitation of bedridden patients after long-term immobilization and in other cases of disturbed motor activity.     

Bacteriolytic enzymes produced by actinomycetes. II. Biosynthesis and areas of practical application

The data on physiological conditions of the bacteriolytic enzyme formulation of actinomycetes, the population structure of producing cultures, the search of producers of enzymes able to hydrolyze the peptidoglycan of cellular walls of bacteria are reviewed. The fields of application of lytic enzymes in fundamental and applied microbiological investigations are pointed out. These enzymes are of considerable interest as potentially useful chemotherapeutics and food preservatives. They may be successfully used in biochemical and genetic investigation, in the study of peptidoglycan structure. The ability of bacteriolytic enzymes to cause the lysis of microorganisms resistant to the lysozyme action is of special importance. The application of these enzymes allows to work out gentle methods of lysis of bacterial cells used in various fields of microbiology.     

Correlation between the bone mass of athletes and biochemical and genetic markers of bone tissue remodeling

The association of the polymorphism of the VDR, Col1a1, and CALCR genes with a form of osteoporosis frequently occurring as a consequence of intense physical exercise in athletes was studied. Biochemical parameters of bone remodeling and its neuroendocrine regulation, as well as the bone masses, of 22 amateur athletes were determined immediately before a strenuous nine-week training cycle (TC) and eight months later. The possible association of these factors with the polymorphism of the genes coding for bone tissue proteins was studied. Long-term intense physical training was found to be associated with a significant activation of bone tissue resorption accompanied by continued rapid synthesis. Nevertheless, and in spite of the strong activation of resorption caused by the TC, the athletes exhibited no osteoporosis (even eight months after the discontinuation of the TC); some of them, however, displayed an individual tendency to osteopenia. According to the results of genetic analysis, this was associated with the polymorphism of predisposition genes (genotype TT of the VDR gene and the functionally weakened s allele of the Col1a1 gene).