Effect of splenin and splenic protein-free extracts on the adenosine deaminase activity in various organs of the rat

It has been shown that the adenosine deaminase activity of intact rats increases in such lymphoid organs as the thymus and spleen under the influence of splenic protein-free extracts dissolved in the ratio of 1:100. The enzyme activity in testes does not change but its decrease (by 26.2%) is observed in the adrenal glands under the influence of the splenic protein-free extract. An analogous effect is revealed in splenin and its fractions. The splenic protein-free extract increases (by 83%) the enzyme activity in the thymus of splenectomized rats as compared to intact animals but does not change it in a homogenate of testes.     

Ultrastructure of Candida utilis in continuous culture with various concentrations of the carbon source introduced by different technics

The object of the work was to study changes in the ultrastructure of Candida utilis cells induced by increasing concentrations of glucose during chemostat cultivation and continuous cultivation with glucose pulse feeding. The results indicate that the cell structure and metabolism change vectorially with an increase of glucose concentration regardless of how glucose was added. An increase of the input glucose concentration is followed by an increase in the periplasmic space, the content of glycogen, the length and diameter of mitochondria, and the size of the nucleus. However, in the case of glucose pulse feeding, the above changes in the cell structure occur at a considerably lower input concentration as compared to the chemostat culture. Under these conditions, microtubuli are assembled in the cytoplasm in response to the glucose stimulus.     

Characteristics of mRNA and cDNA of fructose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase

Problems concerning synthesis of fructose-1,6-diphosphataldolase A (EC 4.1.2.13) in vitro, and localization in a cell and sizes of mRNA of this enzyme are considered in the review. The following items are described: methods for production and properties of individual mRNA and cDNA of the aldolase isoenzymes; making of the amino acid sequence of the aldolase isoenzyme forms according to the nucleotide sequence of mRNA and cDNA and peculiarities of isoform structure in different tissues of animals; structure of mRNA and cDNA of FDP-aldolase in the norm and under pathology and mechanisms of the appearance of nonspecific enzyme isoforms. Regulation of protein biosynthesis under pathology is considered as exemplified by mRNA and cDNA of FDP-aldolase.     

Clinical and epidemiological analysis of possibility of acute myocardial infarction development in personnel of radiation dangerous plants

According to the data of cohort and to the "case-control" studies, dynamics of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) morbidity during the period 1998-2002 and role of radiation factor in AMI development among personnel of radiation dangerous plants (by the example of Siberian Group of Chemical Enterprises (SGCE) exposed to a long-term impact of ionizing radiation in the range of "low" doses) were being carried out. It was determined that in personnel of the main production (working in contact with IR sources) the gradient increase of AMI morbidity was registered during the study period. Personnel of the main production in comparison to personnel of support production (correlating age, sex and examination level) have statistically significant increase of standardized relative risk coefficients of AMI development. When evaluating standardized relative risk coefficient depending on the cumulative dose of external y-radiation, it was impossible to determine the reliance between the rate of increase of radiation dose and standardized relative risk coefficient. According to logistic regression, was determined that individual features of dose load formation are of great significance in AMI development for the personnel of the main production. Absolute values of standardized regression coefficients peculiar to the values characterizing technogenic impact, exceed correspondent values for "traditional" risk factors to be the components of the regression equation, two-three times as much. The combination of these factors allowed to prognosticate AMI development in 94.3% cases. Obtained data made possible to conclude that in pathogenesis of acute coronary diseases ionizing radiation acts as a factor that aggravate negative influence of "traditional" risk factors of cardio-vascular diseases through pleiotropic effects.     

Identification of allelic state of leaf rust-resistance Lr34 gene in the cultivars of soft winter wheat of Ukrainian breeding

The distribution of alleles at the Lr34 locus associated with leaf rust resistance among winter common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars of Ukrainian breeding was studied. Co-dominant molecular-genetic marker cssfr5 was used for detection of the allelic condition of the Lr34 locus. The cultivars with detected allele Lr34(+) were identified as potentially "resistant" and the cultivars in which detected allele Lr34(-) were identified as potentially "susceptible". The collection of the cultivars (81 ones), created in the main plant breeding centers of Ukraine was analyzed. The allele Lr34(+) was identified in 44% cultivars. Results were compared with the data about the distribution of the Lr34(+) in cultivars created in different countries.     

Cortical cerebral atrophy in patients with Parkinson’s disease: New opportunities for in vivo diagnostics

The Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathology is not limited to degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system, but also includes the wide lesion of various regions of cerebral cortex. In our study we aimed to identify differences in the brain cortical thickness in patients with early and advanced PD using MRI morphometry. Sixty-seven patients with Hoehn–Yahr stages 2 and 3 were examined. All patients underwent MRI with subsequent post-processing and estimation of cortical thickness values in different brain regions. Significant differences in the visual and cingulate cortex, fusiform gyri, frontopolar zone of a dominant hemisphere, and Brodmann’s areas 1, 2, 3, and 4 of a non-dominant hemisphere were obtained. These data show relationship between the non-motor manifestations of PD and degeneration of certain cortical regions of the brain.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of mangiferin, likviritin and dihydroquercetin in rat plasma and urine

The use of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of the biologically active plant phenolic compounds mangiferin, likviritin and dihydroquercetin is described. Perchloric acid (35%) was used for deproteinization in the case of mangiferin and likviritin, and acidified methanol for dihydroquercetin. Detection was performed at 254, 275 and 290 nm for mangiferin, likviritin and dihydroquercetin in plasma, and 365, 312 and 290 nm in urine, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.2 μg/ml for plasma and 0.5 μg/ml for urine.     

Biochemical specifics of English oak trees with dry crown

Trees of the 56-year old oak stand, including those having dry crown and lacking desiccation features, have been tested biochemically. Neighboring 200to 300-year-old trees lacking drying crown features served as the control. We focused the study on protein contents in leaves and chose flavonols and tannins out of secondary metabolites. The higher activity of dominant pests Altica quercetorium and Erannis defoliaris in the stand has been shown to be related to lower proteins and condensed tannins concentration when compared with old trees.