Impaired Surfactant Production by Alveolar Epithelial Cells in a SCID-hu Lung Mouse Model of Congenital Human Cytomegalovirus Infection

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading viral cause of birth defects and life-threatening lung-associated diseases in premature infants and immunocompromised children. Although the fetal lung is a major target organ of the virus, HCMV lung pathogenesis has remained unexplored, possibly as a result of extreme host range restriction. To overcome this hurdle, we generated a SCID-hu lung mouse model that closely recapitulates the discrete stages of human lung development in utero. Human fetal lung tissue was implanted into severe combined immunodeficient (CB17-scid) mice and inoculated by direct injection with the VR1814 clinical isolate of HCMV. Virus replication in the fetal lung was assessed by the quantification of infectious virus titers and HCMV genome copies and the detection of HCMV proteins by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. We show that HCMV efficiently replicated in the lung implants during a 2-week period, forming large viral lesions. The virus productively infected alveolar epithelial and mesenchymal cells, imitating congenital infection of the fetal lung. HCMV replication triggered apoptosis near and within the viral lesions and impaired the production of surfactant proteins in the alveolar epithelium. Our findings highlight that congenital and neonatal HCMV infection can adversely impact lung development, leading to pneumonia and acute lung injury. We have successfully developed a small-animal model that closely recapitulates fetal and neonatal lung development and provides a valuable, biologically relevant tool for an understanding of the lung pathogenesis of HCMV as well as other human respiratory viruses. Additionally, this model would greatly facilitate the development and testing of new antiviral therapies for HCMV along with select human pulmonary pathogens.     

Dose-dependent effect of penicillin on activity of metabolic enzymes in Staphylococcus epidermidis]

The study was concerned with investigation of the biochemical properties, antibiotic resistance and the effect of various doses of penicillin on the activity of metabolic enzymes in the bacterial cells of Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from the pharynx mucosa of healthy subjects. The study revealed an increase in the aggressive properties of the representatives of the mouth normal microflora. It was also observed that the highest percentage of the staphylococcal isolates was resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. The effect of various concentrations of penicillin on the microbial metabolism was shown to be directed at different targets. Penicillin intensified the aerobic processes and lipid synthesis in the bacterial cells. The reactions of the processes of the amino acid metabolism proceeded in different directions. Some concentrations of penicillin inhibited such processes.     

Computed tomography in the diagnosis of degenerative diseases of the spine

CT and roentgenography were used for the investigation of 78 patients with the radicular syndrome. The state of the intervertebral disks, intervertebral joints and cerebrospinal canal in degenerative vertebral diseases was assessed. CT permits the detection of hernia, protrusion of the intervertebral disks, deformity of the intervertebral joints, and the narrowing of the cerebrospinal canal as a result of degenerative changes, as well as establishing the cause of the affection of neural structures in the cerebrospinal canal, radicular holes. CT possesses some advantages over roentgenography in the diagnosis of degenerative vertebral diseases and can be recommended as the principal method together with roentgenography for investigation of patients with lumbar pains.     

Use of the thermoinducible temperate phage Phi 105cts139 for cloning in Bacillus subtilis

The gene for alpha-amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens having a foreign promoter providing gene expression in logarithmic growth phase and the cat gene of plasmid pC194 (AC fragment) were inserted into thermoinducible prophage phi 105 cts139. Possibility of amylolytic activity enhancement was studied after thermoinduction. When AC fragment and random PstI restricts of phage DNA were ligated and used to transform Bacillus subtilis 1A289 (phi 105 cts139) the Amy+ CmR transformants were obtained having the different levels of increased amylolytic activity (maximum--26 fold). Numerous phages without insert found in induced lysates suggest that insertions were unstable and (or) the clones were double lysogens for hybrid and original type phages. Stable insertion of AC fragment replacing the PstI-H-fragment of phage DNA revealed that all Amy+ CmR transformants were double lysogens. Inducibility depended on the insertion orientation.     

Experience with using aclarubicin in the treatment of acute leukemia and blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia]

The clinical efficacy of aclarubicin, an anthracycline antibiotic, was studied in 48 patients with leukemia. The antibiotic was used in the following combinations with cytarabine: "7 + 7", "5 + 5" and "7 & 3". A complete remission was stated in 14 (42.4 per cent) out of 33 patients with acute nonlymphoid leukemia, 6 (43 per cent) out of the 14 patients having relapses. The combined therapy was effective in 4 out of 5 pre-resistant patients. The "7 + 3" scheme was the most beneficial. The most common adverse reactions were nausea and vomiting.     

The phages of halophilic vibrios and their use]

The range of the lytic activity of 46 phages of parahemolytic vibrios isolated from lysogenic strains, sea water samples, crabs and mussels has been studied. The phages are represented by virions belonging to morphological groups II, IV, V according to the phage classification currently used in Russia and to different serological groups. No relationship between the sensitivity of vibrio strains to the phages under study and the specificity of serotypes O and K has been established. The preparation of diagnostic phage [see text] suitable for the identification of 82% of strains of parahemolytic vibrios has been proposed.     

The effect of intracoronary injections of x-ray contrast media on cardiac rhythm and conductivity during different variations of myocardial blood supply]

A study of the correlation between electrophysiologic effects of intracoronary injections of radiopaque agents and anatomical features of blood supply of cardiac conduction was carried out in 60 patients with intact coronary arteries. Coronary angiography was performed in all the patients. Disorders in cardiac conduction and repolarization in the myocardium were observed in intracoronary injection of radiopaque agents, which was accompanied by the development of S-A bradycardia. A bradyarrhythmic reaction type depends on prevalence of the left or right coronary artery in the atrial blood supply and cardiac conduction. The bradyarrhythmic effect was more pronounced in injection of a radiopaque agent in the right artery than in the left one.