[Association of sleep disorders with headache]

AIM

The aim of the present study was to investigate the connection of sleep disorders (SD) with a headache (HA) among the representative sample of population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

1115 inhabitants of Chuvashia (491 men and 624 women) aged from 18 to 70 years old have been interviewed (middle age 38.7±13.9 years old); respondents under 18 and over 70 years old were not included into the research. There were 690 city residents, and 425 residents of the rural areas. The questionnaire approved earlier in the research of HA, and also the questions directed to identification of SD were used. One-way ANOVA, Chi-square test were used to compare variables of the groups.

RESULTS

There were 718 (64.4%) respondents with SD and HA (the main group), 366 (23.8%) with HA without SD (comparative group), 16 (1.4%) with SD without HA, and 15 (1.3%) without SD and HA. The main group of the respondents authentically differed from other groups in older age, a larger number of women and villagers, presence of concomitant diseases in them. In the respondents with SD arose more often, pain had the combined (polymorphic) character, HA were more severe, localized in several areas of the head, but were of smaller duration. Among them there were more people with short sleep duration (<5 hours of night dream) and accepting sedative-hypnotic medications. HA without SD had a pricking character more often; the respondents more often slept in the afternoon, differed in higher level of education, and a rarer occurrence of cases of the increased arterial pressure.

CONCLUSION

SD are often connected with HA, with their frequency, expressiveness and localization. Development of SD from HA are influenced by existence of concomitant diseases, age, gender and the place a residence. SD make the current of HA more severe.

[Complex treatment results in a congenital glaucoma patient (case report)]

Early diagnosis of congenital glaucoma allows surgery to be performed at the stage of reversible glaucomatous alterations of the optic disc and retina. In primary congenital glaucoma, the main reason for visual acuity reduction following surgical stabilization of the intraocular pressure are corneal changes. These include an increased corneal diameter, Haab's striae, areas of thickening and a greater posterior elevation. The resultant irregular astigmatism leads to amblyopia and a marked decrease in visual acuity. Active pleoptic treatment started from a very early age in children operated on for compensated congenital glaucoma provides them an opportunity to achieve high visual acuity and full rehabilitation.

Chemical and biological properties of a supramolecular complex of tuftsin and cucurbit[7]uril

Cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) is an uncharged and water-soluble macrocyclic host. CB7 binds to doubly protonated tuftsin, which is the tetrapeptide Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg, with moderate affinity (K_a=2.1×10³M^-1). In this study, the host-guest complexation was confirmed by fluorescence titration. This affinity would allow for easy release of the peptide under physiological conditions. According to density functional theory calculations, the structural binding motif involves hydrogen bonding. The most energetically stable form had the Arg side chain inside the CB7 cavity. The effects of the tuftsin-CB7 complex on the proliferation and cytokine activity of immune cells were studied. The complex had broader spectrum immunomodulation than free peptides, and caused statistically significant (p<0,05) changes in cytokine production (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and interleukin-10) by mononuclear cells. By contrast, the free peptide only activated tumor necrosis factor-α production.

Systemic Amyloidosis Model on Young Mice

Subcutaneous daily injection (with neglect of aseptics) of 0.5 ml solution of soybean cream substitute (10% volume in distilled water) during 30 days caused systemic amyloidosis in 30-day-old mice. All the known methods for induction of systemic amyloidosis are based on the use of old animals, as senile tissue bradytrophy allows effective simulation of amyloidosis.

Telomere Length of Individual Chromosomes in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

We analyzed telomere length of individual chromosomes in peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy individuals and patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization and subsequent computer analysis of metaphase chromosomes showed that distribution of telomere length on individual chromosomes is different under normal and pathological conditions. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis had significantly shorter chromosome 4p telomeres, which can be essential for pathogenesis of this multifactorial disease. Additionally, disease activity inversely correlated with telomere length on chromosome 10p carrying genes involved in T cell differentiation and proliferation.

Tissue-specific expression of splice variants of human IL-4 and IL-6 gene mRNA

The spectrum of alternatively spliced IL-4 and IL-6 gene mRNA was studied in peripheral blood mononuclears from healthy donors and in human fetal tissues. It was found that the expression of alternatively spliced IL-4 and IL-6 gene mRNA in fetal tissues is tissue specific and that hemopoiesis- and immunopoiesis-related tissues differ by the amount of IL-4 and IL-4δ2 mRNA. An mRNA variant IL-4alt3 carrying partial exon 3 deletion was for the first time identified in human mononuclear cells.

[The role and place of high-dose immunosuppressive therapy and autologous transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells for autoimmune diseases]

AIM

To determine the possible boundaries of high-dose immunosuppressive therapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HDIT-autoHSCT) for autoimmune diseases (AUDs), such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and multiple sclerosis (MS).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A long-term trial was conducted at one center to evaluate the efficiency and safety of HDIT-autoHSCT in patients with AUDs. The previous standard therapy was noted to be resistant or lowly effective. The age of 10 patients with systemic connective tissue diseases was 27.6±2.8 years; the pre-HDIT-autoHSCT disease duration was 5.9±1.3 years; the median posttransplantation follow-up was 39.3 months. The age of 49 patients with MS reached 34.9±1.33 years; the pretransplantation disease duration was 8.4±0.69 years; the median post-HDIT-autoHSCT follow-up was 42 months. The efficiency of transplantation was evaluated on the basis of clinical findings, by using scales, laboratory tests, and magnetic resonance imaging. Pretransplantation conditioning was carried out according to the protocols: a) BEAM + antilymphocyte globulin (ALG); b) fludarabine + melphalan + ALG. No fatal outcomes due to a transplant procedure were observed.

RESULTS

Overall 5-year survival after transplantation was 80% for systemic connective tissue diseases and 95% for MS; 5-year progression-free survival rates were 30% in the RA and SLE groups and 45% in the MS group. HDIT-autoHSCT turned out safe and reduced the activity of the process and further disease progression for a long period of time, as confirmed by regression of clinical symptoms and/or status stabilization in 9 patients with SLE or RA and in all patients with MS.

CONCLUSION

The favorable factors associated with the results of transplantation are age younger than 35 years in collagenoses with their short-term duration and moderate signs; age younger than 40 years in MS with a disease duration of less than 10 years and expanded disability status scale scores of not more than 6.5. Of importance are functional system scores, duration of first remission, and an index of disease progression in different types of MS.

Efficiency of Cell Therapy in Liver Cirrhosis

We studied safety and clinical efficacy of transplantation of autologous bone marrow cell in complex therapy of 158 patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. The efficiency of cell therapy was assessed in 12 months after single injection of the cells. The positive response (alleviation of liver cirrhosis or stabilization of the pathological process) was observed in 70% cases. The efficacy of therapy correlated with the severity and etiology of the disease and was maximum in patients with Child-Pugh class A (in 82.5% cases) and class B liver cirrhosis (in 79% cases); in patients with class C liver cirrhosis, the positive response was achieved in 42.5% cases. In 39 patients, ultrasonic examination performed in 3 years after transplantation revealed no focal lesions or ectopic ossification foci.

[Suppressor cells - the basis of the immunopathogenesis of cancer]

There are numerous data in experimental and clinical medicine that convincing evidence on the leading role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of tumor diseases. Exactly immune cells such as cytotoxic T lymphocytes, NK cells, macrophages and dendritic cells have the ability to kill tumor cells. Under normal conditions the activity of these cells is a factor of inhibition proliferation and differentiation of tumor cells. An appearance of tumor itself, as uncontrolled cell growth and clinical manifestation, says that it was changed the cytotoxic activity of the cells causing tumor immunity. The main factor, if not the only reason for the decline of anti-tumor activity of the cells, is the formation of powerful extra- and inside-tumor suppressor mechanisms suppressing cytotoxic activity of anti-tumor immune-competent cells and allowing tumor cells to avoid surveillance by the immune system. It is showed that T and B cells, macrophages, and cells of myeloid origin suppressors possess these immunosuppressive properties. Therefore, in the future, methods to suppress functional activity of cells suppressors of various geneses can be the basis for immunotherapy of tumor growth.

LOW-INVASIVE TECHNOLOGIES OF INITIAL SURGICAL D-BRIDEMENT IN POLYTRAUMA AT THE FIRST STAGE OF PROGRAMMED MULTISTAGED SURGICAL TREATMENT

The authors described the variants of initial surgical d-bridement on the basis of experience of treatment of 183 patients of multistaged treatment program.

Mechanism of protodesorption-exchange of heavy metal cations for protons in a heterophase system of H2O-H2SO4-MSO4-cellulose sorbent

The influence of pH on the distribution of metal cations [Cd(II), Cu(II), Fe(II), Ni(II), Zn(II)] in a four-component heterophase system (H2O-H2SO4-MSO4-cellulose sorbent) was studied. Protodesorption of metal cations was studied with indicator and constant quantities of [MSO4] salts and constant solvent-sorbent ratio. Linear dependence lgКDМ2+=f(рН) with tgα=1/2 of the КDМ2+ metal ions distribution coefficients from the acidity of the aqueous phase is observed in logarithmic coordinates. Depression of the exponent corresponding to proton involvement in protodesorption from 2 (theory) to 0.5 (experiment) indicates that anions of the aqueous phase are involved in the process of exchange of metal cation for proton on the anionic centers of the sorbent, which corresponds to participation of the salt and acid components of the system in molecular non-dissociated form in an equivalent proportion H2SO4/MSO4=1/1. Different behavior of the salt and acid components in ion exchange of cations for cations and cations for protons is due to the differences in the constraint coefficients of their molecular and ionic forms which must be taken into consideration in equations describing thermodynamics of the interphase exchange.

[The influence of alcohol consumption on the chronological patterns of sudden cardiac death]

The objective of the present study was the retrospective analysis of the materials collected by the Republican Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise, Ministry of Health and Social Development of Chuvash Republic, during the period from 1997 till 2002 for the elucidation of the chronological patterns of sudden cardiac death (SCD) associated with alcohol consumption depending on the sex and age of the victims, days of the week and months of the year as well as weather conditions. It was shown that the peak of mortality among men and women taking no alcohol fell on Monday. It was highest in May and decreased by February. The alcohol consumption significantly changes the chronological patterns of mortality from cardiovascular pathology. It was highest among the women abusing alcohol in August and October. The study has demonstrated a weak negative correlation between the frequency of sudden cardiac death among non-consumers of alcohol and dew-point temperature among the persons having alcohol in blood.

[The Experimental Model of Autoimmune Process: the Role of Epigenetic Variation in the Population of Mice Hybrids]

BACKGROUND

At the development of graft versus host disease in genetically homogeneous population of (C57BI/6 x DBA/2) Fl mice two clinical phenotypes of SLE-like disease were revealed: lupus+ (immune complex glomerulonephritis and hemnolytic anemia) and lupus - (hemolytic anemia). The GvHD phenotypic heterogeneity is determined by the Th2-polarization: Th2 lymphocyte predominant activity, leads to the lupus+development, or prevalence activity of Th1 cells, leads to the lupus- development.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to evaluate the possibility of using an experimental model of autoimmnune disease for studying and testing of epigenetic modifications, shifting Th1/Th2 balance in vivo.

METHODS

Chronic GVHD was induced in B6D2F1 mice by the transplantation of 130x10(6) parental DBA/2 splenocytes. Anti-ds-DNA, total IgG and IgGI, IgG2a Abs were measured by ELISA.

RESULTS

Six- to 8-week-old female DBA/2 and B6D2F1 mice were obtained from Biological Research Laboratory (Novosibirsk). It was established that regular moderate physical activity (unladed swimming) shifted Th1/Th2 balance towards Th1. This leads to a decrease in a population of recipients the lupus+ mice from 57 to 26% (p <0,001) with significantly reduced hypergammaglobulinemia (IgG from 2,8 to 2,0 mg/ml; p <0,047) and DNA antibodies titer from 0,18 to 0,12 OD (p =0,05). Administration of epigenetic modificator bisphenol A at low doses, which mimicking estrogen effects, enhances the proportion of lupus+ mice in experimental groups from 33 to 64% (p <0,001) and impairs their clinical status by the increasing the urine protein level from 2.8 to 4,2 mg/ml (p <0,001) in animals.

CONCLUSION

Th1/Th2 - balance presumably is determined by the immune system epigenetic modification in experimental mice, formed on the previous stages of ontogeny and defines the direction of immune processes development in individual animal.

[The comparative analysis of various amyloid models]

Considered natural and experimental amyloidosis models in the existing theories context and known amyloidogenesis mechanisms. Available clinical and experimental observations indicate that the opinion of a fatal incurable amyloidosis wrong. It is shown that there is a significant amount of experimental easily replicable amyloidosis models, which may be used for practicing the treatment methods of this pathology. We offer an amyloidosis models classification: natural (animal models with generic amyloidosis), cell clones, artificial (infectious, protein, etc.). Based on the analysis of amyloidosis existing models concluded--none of the accepted in the scientific the theories community for amyloid building does not combine or explains all known facts about the amyloidogenesis mechanisms. It is assumed that there is a proteins group, the beta-sheet structure, which are potentially capable of amyloid conformation building. It is assumed that beta-sheets of these proteins have similar amino acid composition. The condition for the amyloid building conformation is getting too much protein in sufficient quantities in an uncharacteristic place where the ionic strength of the tissue fluid is such that it promotes the amyloid building conformation. It is assumed that an unfortunate amount of ionic strength environment amyloid protein is provided by polysaccharides, tubulins proteins and ionized silicon.

Solid-phase cyclopalladation in S,C,S′-pincer systems: rising alternative for synthesis in solution

Cyclopalladation of pincer ligands can proceed efficiently in the solid state, serving as a powerful alternative for synthesis in solution.

[Parametabolism as Non-Specific Modifier of Supramolecular Interactions in Living Systems]

As it became known recently, in addition to the enzyme (enzymes and/or ribozymes) in living organisms occur a large number of ordinary chemical reactions without the participation of biological catalysts. These reactions are distinguished by low speed and, as a rule, the irreversibility. For example, along with diabetes mellitus, glycation and fructosilation of proteins are observed resulted in posttranslational modification with the low- or nonfunctioning protein formation which is poorly exposed to enzymatic proteolysis and therefore accumulates in the body. In addition, the known processes such as the nonenzymatic carbomoylation, pyridoxylation and thiamiation proteins. There is a reasonable basis to believe that alcoholic injury also realized through parametabolic secondary metabolites synthesis such as acetaldehyde. At the same time, the progress in supramolecular chemistry proves that in biological objects there is another large group ofparametabolic reactions caused by the formation of supramolecular complexes. Obviously, known parameterizes interactions can modify the formation of supramolecular complexes in living objects. These processes are of considerable interest for fundamental biology and fundamental and practical medicine, but they remain unexplored due to a lack of awareness of a wide range of researchers.