Activity of digestive hydrolases in carp Cyprinus carpio with different mercury content in food

The concentration of mercury in muscles of experimental carp Cyprinus carpio whose diet contained high levels of mercury gradually increased and in 6 months became 5.4 times higher than in the control group. This increase was accompanied by a decrease in the activity of glycosidases in the intestinal mucosa, as a rule, and an increase in the activity of proteases. The observed effects were most pronounced in the optimum pH range of the enzymes. The maximum rates of the reactions catalyzed by proteinases in the fish of the experimental group were equal to or slightly higher than in the control throughout the experiment, whereas the Michaelis constant values, conversely, were much lower. The maximum rates of the reaction catalyzed by glycosidases decreased 2–3 months after the beginning of the experiment (by 14–21%), and the Michaelis constant values decreased almost throughout the experiment.     

The laboratory diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection in infants in the first months of life

The detection rate of IgM, specific to cytomegalovirus (CMV), in the umbilical blood was 2.0 +/- 1.8% in infants with antenatal complications in their medical history, 8.9 +/- 1.8% in hospitalized infants aged 7 days to 6 months; simultaneously, such IgM proved to be absent in healthy infants of the same age. The maximum primary detection rate of CMV-specific IgM in hospitalized infants was registered at the age of 1.5-4 months and the minimum detection rate, at the age of 6 months, as well as at the age of 1 month and younger. In sick infants aged 0-6 months CMV-specific IgM were detected, as a rule, for 2-4 weeks. 86% of infants with CMV-specific IgM detected in their blood were found to have cytomegaloviremia; in 80% of patients the virus was excreted with saliva and in 50% the virus was detected in blood plasma.     

Entrapment of herbal extracts into biodegradable microcapsules

The microcapsules with entrapped herbal water-soluble extracts of plantain Plantago major and calendula Calendula officinalis L. (PCE) were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL)-adsorption of carrageenan and oligochitosan onto CaCO₃ microparticles with their subsequent dissolving after the treatment of EDTA. Entrapment of PCE was performed by using adsorption and co-precipitation techniques. The co-precipitation provided better entrapment of PCE into the carbonate matrix compared to adsorption. In vitro release kinetics (AGJ) was studied using artificial gastric juice. Using the model of acetate ulcer in rats it has been demonstrated that PCE released from the microcapsules accelerates gastric tissue repair.     

The antidepressant-like effect of Ocimum basilicum in an animal model of depression

We investigated the efficacy of Ocimum basilicum (OB) essential oils for treating depression related behavioral, biochemical and histopathological changes caused by exposure to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in mice and to explore the mechanism underlying the pathology. Male albino mice were divided into four groups: controls; CUMS; CUMS plus fluoxetine, the antidepressant administered for pharmacological validation of OB; and CUMS plus OB. Behavioral tests included the forced swim test (FST), elevated plus-maze (EPM) and the open ?eld test (OFT); these tests were performed at the end of the experiment. We assessed serum corticosterone level, protein, gene and immunoexpression of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) as well as immunoexpression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Ki67, caspase-3 in the hippocampus. CUMS caused depression in the mice as evidenced by prolonged immobility in the FST, prolonged time spent in the open arms during the EPM test and reduction of open field activity in the OFT. OB ameliorated the CUMS induced depressive status. OB significantly reduced the corticosterone level and up-regulated protein and gene expressions of BDNF and GR. OB reduced CUMS induced hippocampal neuron atrophy and apoptosis, and increased the number of the astrocytes and new nerve cells. OB significantly increased GFAP-positive cells as well as BDNF and GR immunoexpression in the hippocampus.     

The mechanism of disorders of salivary catecholamine excretion in acute starvation in rats

Using standard HPLC method the authors estimated adrenaline and noradrenaline content in saliva and salivary gland tissue. In severe starvation A and NA content were diminished in 24 hours.     

Etiology and structure of infectious complications of cytostatic therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and non-B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas

A retrospective analysis of medical histories with acute lymphoblast leucosis and non-B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas made it possible to reveal infectious complications of cytostatic therapy in 100% of children, namely: sepsis (0.3%), unidentified infection (12%), local infection (87.7%). Infectious complications of the cytopenic nature were localized mainly in the upper sections of the gastrointestinal tract and in upper respiratory tract. Bacterial infectious complications caused by opportunistic microorganisms with the prevalence of Gram positive flora, resistant to cephalosporins of generations I and II, occurred most frequently.     

Monitoring of uropathogens and their susceptibility to antibiotics]

Samples of urine collected from patients with complicated urology infection and hospitalized to the Moscow Region Research Clinical Institute in 1986, 1991, 1995 and 1999 were analysed. Of 11,444 samples examined, bacteriuria was estimated in 7143 samples. 9786 strains (29 genus) of bacteria were isolated--56.9 per cent as mono culture and 43.1 per cent as associations. Susceptibility to 21 antibiotic was determined by disk diffusion method for 1607 strains; beta-lactamase production was determined in 198 strains, MIC was determined for 41 antibiotics. Gram-negative rods relative amount among pathogens decreased substantially (84.7 per cent in 1986 against 61.6 per cent in 1999), particularly Enterobacteriaceae (74.7 per cent in 1986 against 41.4 per cent in 1999). Nonfermenting Gram-negative rods (NFGNR) relative amount increased (10.8 per cent against 19.2 per cent), along with Gram-positive cocci (19.8 per cent against 64.2 per cent), particularly coagulasenegative staphylococci (CNS) (10.8 per cent against 35.9 per cent) and enterococci (5 per cent against 16.5 per cent) and candida and fungi (0.5 per cent in 1986 against 15.9 per cent in 1999). At the period 1986-1999 the main pathogens in urology infection were E. coli, Enterobacter spp., NFGNR (including P. aeruginosa), Staphylococcus, CNS, Enterococcus spp. The problem pathogens for urological department were the following: E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp., NFGNR including P. aeruginosa, CNS, Enterococcus spp., candida and fungi. At the period 1991-1997 Gram-negative pathogens susceptibility to amikacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, ceftazidime, cefotaxime was not changed in general, Gram-positive cocci (staphylococci and enterococci) retained the same susceptibility to vancomicin, cefamandol and amoxyclave. Staphylococci were also susceptible to amikacin, imipenem, rifampicin, oxacillin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin. Production of beta-lactamase was registered for 38.7 per cent of CNS, 26.5 per cent of E. coli, 38.5 per cent of K. pneumoniae, 25 per cent of P. mirabilis and 55.6 per cent of P. aeruginosa strains.     

Development of a new method for preparing biologically active compounds based on the typed strain Streptomyces werraensis

The regulatory function of a DNA fragment responsible for actinomycin resistance in the typed strain Streptomyces werraensis ATCC 1365, which produces a macrotetrolide antibiotic, was studied. Metabolic changes made this strain capable of producing an antibiotic complex, which comprises four biologically active compounds absent from the parent culture.     

The anti-infection resistance system and the pathogenesis of bacterial endocarditis in patients with congenital heart defects

The clinico-immuno-microbiological study of 24 patients with congenital heart diseases was made. Clinically, the patients were subdivided into two groups: 8 patients with diagnosed bacterial endocarditis (BE) prior to the operation and 16 patients without BE. The analysis of the results of investigation carried out prior to the operation showed that age, the form of the disease and its duration did not affect the level of anti-infectious resistance factors (AIRF): in both groups a decrease in the level of AIRF characteristics (cell-mediated and humoral) was noted and no characteristic differences were determined. The results of the study of microflora from the nasal and laryngeal mucosa showed no difference in both groups of the patients. At the same time the detailed analysis of the results made it possible to suggest that BE caused by Streptococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus aureus inhabiting the mucous membrane of the anterior sections of the nasal cavity, alpha-hemolytic streptococci and S. epidermidis inhibiting the laryngeal mucosa. The results of the analysis made 3-6 months after the operation were also indicative of the absence of essential differences between AIRF characteristics observed in patients with confirmed and clinically unconfirmed BE. The clinical manifestation of this fact was an increase in the percentage of diagnosed BE cases up to 70% as compared with that before the operation (33%). This clinico-immuno-microbiological study made it possible to come to the conclusion that any form of congenital heart disease develops in combination with BE and/or is its prodrome.