Spectrum of psychotropic effects and mechanism of action of ultra low doses of the antibodies to S-100 protein (proproten)

Proproten contains ultra-low doses of affinity purified antibodies to S-100 protein dynamized according to the rules of homeopathy. S-100 is regulator of brain integrative activity and takes part in synaptic processes. In experiment on outbred rats proproten demonstrates significant anxiolytic, antidepressant and antiamnestic effects after single and repeated administration. Proproten is similar to the well-known reference preparations diazepam, amitriptyline and piracetam in activity. Proporten's advantage over these drugs is no sedative, myorelaxation and amnestic effects. Psychotropic effects of proproten are likely to result from modulation of synaptic transmission in limbic structures of brain.     

Application of multilevel models to morphometric data. Part 2. Correlations.

Multilevel organization of morphometric data (cells are "nested" within patients) requires special methods for studying correlations between karyometric features. The most distinct feature of these methods is that separate correlation (covariance) matrices are produced for every level in the hierarchy. In karyometric research, the cell-level (i.e., within-tumor) correlations seem to be of major interest. Beside their biological importance, these correlation coefficients (CC) are compulsory when dimensionality reduction is required. Using MLwiN, a dedicated program for multilevel modeling, we show how to use multivariate multilevel models (MMM) to obtain and interpret CC in each of the levels. A comparison with two usual, "single-level" statistics shows that MMM represent the only way to obtain correct cell-level correlation coefficients. The summary statistics method (take average values across each patient) produces patient-level CC only, and the "pooling" method (merge all cells together and ignore patients as units of analysis) yields incorrect CC at all. We conclude that multilevel modeling is an indispensable tool for studying correlations between morphometric variables.     

Hyperplasia of adrenal rest tissue causing a retroperitoneal mass in a child with 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency

We report the case of a child with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency, with hyperplasia of adrenal rest tissue presenting as a retroperitoneal mass. Complete resolution of the mass was noted after 18 months of hydrocortisone replacement therapy.     

On an evaluation of external dose values in the Techa River Dosimetry System (TRDS) 2000

Absorbed doses were determined by thermoluminescence (TL) measurements for bricks from a height of 6 m from the south-western wall of the former mill in Metlino that faced the Techa river. Measurements of the internal beta-radiation and alpha-radiation in the brick samples and of radionuclide activities in soil samples from the Techa river valley were performed. The absorbed dose in bricks due to the natural radiation was derived and subtracted from the total dose in order to obtain the absorbed dose in the bricks caused by anthropogenic sources. The results were combined with results from two previous studies. The absorbed dose in the bricks due to the radiation field after relocation of the Metlino population in 1956 was derived from dose rates in air measured in front of the sampling locations in 1996/1997. Based on these dose rates the dose to bricks was calculated by means of conversion factors from the literature. The absorbed dose accumulated in the bricks in the period 1949–1956 was nearly 80% of the total dose that had been determined by TL measurements. Previously derived conversion factors were applied to obtain an estimate of the gamma dose in air at the former shore of the Techa river. An uncertainty and sensitivity analysis was performed with the program package Crystal Ball. Care was taken to treat statistical and systematic uncertainties separately and to take parameter correlations into account. The resulting distribution for the gamma dose accumulated in the period 1949–1956 at the Techa river shore has a median value of 32 Gy with a 95% confidence interval of 21–45 Gy. This study confirms the corresponding value of 26.6 Gy that is used in the Techa River Dosimetry System (TRDS) 2000.     

Structural and functional state of microsomal membranes in the rat brain cortex during long-term ethanol consumption

The range of the Na+, K(+)-ATPase functional stability in microsomal fraction of rat brain cortex under long-term chronic ethanol (15%, v/v) consumption was ascertained. The enzyme activity decreased only after 15 months of alcoholisation on the background of the stable structural membrane characteristics (on the basis of the intrinsic and 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate fluorescence parameters) and SH-content in postmitochondrial supernatant. The cellular homeostatic mechanisms under ethanol effect are discussed.