Antibodies against calcium-regulating hormones in infectious-allergic forms of bronchial asthma

Antibodies to calcitonin, parathyroid hormone and cortisol are detected in acute stage of infection-caused bronchial asthma. The appearance of antibodies is paralleled by marked hypercalcaemia. The antibodies may bind excessive hormones in the blood, preventing further hormonal imbalance. Ten-day treatment with glucocorticoids decreased the amount of antibodies possibly due to normalization of hormonal secretion and restoration of their balance. As a result, calcium blood levels returned to normal.     

Relation of the progestagenic activity and conformation of the 17beta-acetyl side chain in the D'6-pentarane series

The synthesis of 2' beta-methyl-16 alpha,17 alpha-cyclohexanoprogesterone and its MM2 conformational analysis have been performed. The acetyl side chain was shown to have an unusual conformation with the torsion angle C13-C17-C20-O20 being -32.1 degrees. This conformation is by 5.4 kJ.mol-1 more stable than the usual one with the torsion angle 130.3 degrees. 2' beta-Methyl-16 alpha,17 alpha-cyclohexanoprogesterone proved to be inactive as a progestogen (pregnancy maintenance and McPhail tests). The lack of the activity may be due to the additional methyl group in D'-ring causing a change of the conformation of the 17 beta-acetyl side chain, thus hindering the formation of the conformation necessary for binding to the progesterone receptor.     

State of the blood coagulating system in the treatment of puerperal infections using semisynthetic penicillins and cephaloridine]

The effect of some semi-synthetic penicillins, such as methicillin and oxacillin and cephalosporings, such as cephaloridin on the condition of the blood coagulation system in 85 patients with postnatal mastitis and endomyometritis was studied. It was shown that the above antibiotics had no significant effect on the parameters of the blood coagulating system. A decrease in the fibrinogen level was found in the mastitis patients treated with semi-synthetic penicillins and cephaloridin. An increase in the prothrombins index in the patients treated with methicillin oxacillin was shown. The use of the semi-synthetic penicillins and cephaloridin for the therapy of the puerpera with endomyometritis resulted in prolongation of the recalcification period. A decrease in the fibrinolytic activity most pronounced in therapy with cephaloridin was also found. Therefore, the above changes in the blood coagulating system of the puerpera with postnatal infections subjected to short-term treatment courses were insignificant and required no special correction.     

Adaptive characteristics of growth of human embryos and fetuses during the intrauterine life]

Under observations was the dynamics of growth of human embryos and fetuses in embryogenesis which is directly dependent on the month of the intrauterine life. Coefficients of correlation and regression were calculated and with their help the average growth of the general length of fetuses in each month of prenancy was determined. The enlargement of the fetus length was found to be more intensive in the embryonic and prefetal periods.     

Effects of Birth Season and Thymus Transplantation on Experimental Animal Longevity

Biology Bulletin - It is demonstrated in this study that a decrease in the rate of irreversible age-related thymus atrophy affects animal longevity. It was observed that the life span of rats may...     

Reconstruction of the properties of smooth-muscle cell sarcolemma on planar lipid membranes

A method is described for reconstruction of certain sarcolemma characteristics of smooth muscle cells in the small intestine of a rabbit on the planar lipid membranes (PLM). The method is based on the use of fusogenic properties of certain lipid preparations. The ultrasound dispergates of azolectin and egg lecithin in combined incubation with sarcolemma vesicles of smooth-muscle cells promote a 1.4-1.8-fold increase of the total ATPase activity of the sarcolemma. Cholesterol, dipalmithoil lecithin, total brain phospholipids, inhibit the ATPase activity. Sarcolemma vesicles preincubated with azolectin lyposomes in the ratio which induces maximum ATPase activation (sarcolemma protein: azolectin-1:6) interact intensively with PLM from azolectin. PLM modified in such a way is channel-conductive, sensitive to tetraethylammonium and sign of the applied voltage.     

The environmental fate and behaviour of antifouling paint booster biocides: A review

Antifouling paint booster biocides are a group of organic compounds added to antifouling paints to improve their efficacy. They have become prevalent since the requirement for alternative antifouling paints formulations for small boats (< 25 m). This need followed a ban on the use of triorganotin biocides in antifouling paints for small boats, in the late 1980's. Worldwide, around eighteen compounds are currently used as antifouling biocides, viz. benzmethylamide, chlorothalonil, copper pyrithione, dichlofluanid, diuron, fluorofolpet, Irgarol 1051, Sea‐Nine 211, Mancozeb, Polyphase, pyridine‐triphenyl‐borane, TCMS (2,3,5,6‐tetrachloro‐4‐methylsulfonyl) pyridine, TCMTB [2‐(thiocyanomethylthio)benzothia‐zole], Thiram, tolyfluanid, zinc pyrithione (ZPT), ziram and Zineb. Any booster biocide released into the environment is subjected to a complex set of processes. These processes include transport mechanisms, transformation, degradation, cross media partitioning, and bioaccumulation. This paper reviews the fate and behaviour data currently available in the public domain concerning antifouling paint booster biocides.