[The lifespans of scholars referred to different disciplines according to data from diverse sources: Inferences and challenges.]

Human lifespan is known to correlate positively with education level. In the present paper, it is explored whether there are significant differences in lifespan among those whose education may be reasonably rated as the highest possible, i.e. among scholars referred to different scientific disciplines. The publications where the lifespans of scholars were estimated against the general population are reviewed, and the estimates are compared with those derived from the Database of Persons Included in Encyclopedias (DBPE), which has been being developed by the authors since 2008 based on Wikipedia records. With all caveats associated with the peculiarities of the procedures of including biographic data in Wikipedia, the estimates derived from the latest version of DBPE correspond to earlier estimates and confirm the conclusions based on other data sources: scholars' mean age at death (MAD) and life expectancy (LE) steadily increased since the Medieval period up to the modern time, were higher than those of the general population, and where the highest among the scientific elite. An unexpected finding was that MAD and LE of economists were usually the highest, whereas those of the mathematicians were lowest compared with specialists in other research fields. The difference between the two extreme cases ranges from ca. 3 to 5 years in different historical periods. Further examination of the difference between the extremes may reveal what factors behind it may be at work generally, even though they manifest themselves less overtly in other cases.

[Longevity and some reasons of death of musicians of the XX century.]

Data on lifespan and some reasons of musicians' death of the XX century are presented in this article. The mean age of death (MAD) in male musicians (n=20 218) was 67,8 years, whereas the MAD in female ones was 71,5 years. «Classic¼ musicians both men and women lived longer than jazz, pop and variety music performing musicians (6,3 and 9,7 years longer respectively) and much longer then rock musicians (21,7 and 30,7 years longer, respectively). Among classic music interpreters, 10,8% of men and 21,5% of women survived into their 90 years' old; among jazz and variety musicians - 5,4 and 9,2% respectively; rock musicians barely survived to 90 years of age (0,4% in men and women). Male musicians of classic genre (9 100 persons) lived for 3,5 less then female musicians of the same genre (2 339). The MAD of jazz and variety musicians wasn't difference in men (7 974) and women (1 770) and the MAD in female rock musicians (254) was 5,5 years less as compared with male (3 144). Frequency of suicides, deaths by misadventure, murders and malignant tumors was maximum in rock musicians and minimally in «classics¼. All these events related to the music genre. The data of musicians of the XX century who have reached the age of 101 years old are presented in this article as well.

[Prediction of life expectancy for prostate cancer patients based on the kinetic theory of aging of living systems].

The article presents a methodical approach for prediction of life expectancy for people diagnosed with prostate cancer based on the kinetic theory of aging of living systems. The life expectancy is calculated by solving the differential equation for the rate of aging for three different stage of life - «normal¼ life, life with prostate cancer and life after combination therapy for prostate cancer. The mathematical model of aging for each stage of life has its own parameters identified by the statistical analysis of healthcare data from the Zharinov's databank and Rosstat CDR NES databank. The core of the methodical approach is the statistical correlation between growth rate of the prostate specific antigen level (PSA-level) or the PSA doubling time (PSA DT) before therapy, and lifespan: the higher the PSA DT is, the greater lifespan. The patients were grouped under the «fast PSA DT¼ and «slow PSA DT¼ categories. The satisfactory matching between calculations and experiment is shown. The prediction error of group life expectancy is due to the completeness and reliability of the main data source. A detailed monitoring of the basic health indicators throughout the each person life in each analyzed group is required. The absence of this particular information makes it impossible to predict the individual life expectancy.

[Life span, longevity and incidence of violence death in writers and poets].

The article provides information on the mean age of death (MAD) those professionally involved in literary work (22 028 men and women 4 651) assigned to one of three categories: novelists, poets and writers-poets. Women any of the investigated categories authentically lived longer than men (p<0,02). Analysis of dynamics of mean age of death (MAD), starting from the 15th century BC to the end of the 20th century, showed that this ratio gradually increased but uneven among fiction writers and novelists, poets of both sexes, however, remained unchanged at poets and poetesses have declined. Among men the very old (90+ years) were 5,38 % and 3,01 % writers-poets, whereas among women - 12,35 and 8,96 %, respectively. Centenarians have surpassed 1,62 % of women novelists and 0,61 % poets, then among men - 0,31 % and 0,49 % of writers, novelists and poets, respectively. The frequency of violent deaths (homicide, suicide, accidents) is also varied and was highest among poets, novelists, poets have minimum-novelists occupied an intermediate position for these indicators. Histogram of MAD had 2 peakes type, characteristic for heterogeneous populations, with a sample of «writers¼ heterogeneity was weakly expressed, however in a sample of «poets¼ was very noticeable. Suggests that MAD, longevity, as well as the frequency of violent deaths are related to processes associated with creativity.

[Analysis of the association of polymorphic variants of SYP1A2, GSTT1,GSTM1, GSTP1, XRCC1, XRCC3, AR and VDR genes with predisposition to the development of prostate cancer].

One of the risk factors for the development of malignant tumors, including prostate cancer, is an individual genetic predisposition due to the various unfavorable polymorphic variants of normal genes. The aim of the study was to com- pare the frequency of different genotypes of polymorphic vari- ants of genes CYPJA2, GSTT, GSTM, GSTP1 (xenobiotics detoxification), XRCC1, XRCC3,(DNA repair) and VDR, AR (transcription factors) in patients with prostate cancer and in control group to determine their association with genetic pre- disposition to this disease. According to the results obtained the rs1544410 AA genotype (VDR gene) and the presence of less than 20 CAG repeats in the 1st exon (AR gene) are the risk factors for the development of prostate cancer. The het- erozygous genotype 722 CT (XRCC3 gene) demonstrated the protective effect.

[Evaluation of survival of prostate cancer patients after transurethral resection of the prostate].

The study included 164 prostate cancer patients with a history of acute or chronic urinary retention. Conservative therapy or transurethral resection of the prostate were carried out to all patients as treatment for urinary retention. There was studied an influence of transurethral resection of the prostate on the survival of patients with prostate cancer and development of radiation complications following radiotherapy. Overall survival of prostate cancer patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate was significantly higher than in patients who had only conservative therapy as a treatment of dysuria. The frequency of radiation complications was lower in patients who had transurethral resection of the prostate prior radiation therapy.

[Musics and longevity].

The data on mean age of death of 8,775 musicians (7,371 males and 1,404 females)--composers, conductors, singers, pianists, violinists, etc.) are presented in the paper. Women lived longer than men in any studied categories (p < 0.02). The 3 first places of long-livers among men were belonging to conductors (71.1 yrs., n = 1,435), players on chello (70.0 yrs, n = 260) and on violin (70.0; n = 735). Rock-musicians, and author's song singer lived less than other categories (45.0 yrs, n = 421; 54.0 yrs, n = 428, respectively). Among women leading long-livers were harp-players (80.9 yrs., n = 32), clavesin-players (79.9 yrs, n = 17), and conductors (79.6 yrs., n = 24). The mean age of death in women rock-musicians was 37.7 yrs. (n = 37), in author song's singers--49.6 yrs. (n = 67), in guitarists--54.4 yrs. (n = 9). Relative number of nonagenarians (90+) was much higher among women as compared to men. The values were as 43.75% of harp-players, 29.17% of conductors, 19.50% of violinists among women and nobody from rock-musicians and guitar players survived 90 yrs. In men, 7.30% violinists, 6.62% of conductors and 6.54% of cello-players survived 90+ years. Honors give advantage for survival--"People artists" men-composers survived 8.7 yrs longer than ordinary composers, whereas women-composers with this honor lived 18.1 yrs longer than non awarded composers. Opera singers ,"People artists"-men live longer 5.3 yrs, and women-by 6.6 yrs longer than their no-honored colleagues. For estrada singers these differences were 8.0 yrs for men and 20.1 yrs. for women.

[Dynamics of prostate-specific antigen concentration--growth kinetics of prostate cancer?].

Current research confirms that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is not just a protein required for liquefaction of the ejaculate but it plays biological role in the development of prostate cancer. Assessment of the PSA dynamics offers good opportunities for understanding the kinetics of growth of prostate tumors. The most frequently it is performed calculation of PSA doubling time (PSADT), a parameter that requires a logarithmic analysis and takes into account the exponential nature of tumor growth. The review shows modern clinical applications and evaluation of PSADT at all stages of prostate cancer development.

[Modification of radiosensitivity in maignant and normal tissues during radiotherapy of malignant neoplasms].

The results of treatment of cancer patients have not undergone any significant changes in recent years. This is due to the fact that opportunities to improve the outcomes by developing radiation therapy equipment and op- timizing the dose delivery are largely exhausted. However, there is a proven, but practically not utilized way--the use of radiomodifiers. This paper presents the experience of more than 25 years of clinical use of radiomodification in the Russian Scientific Center of Radiology and Modern Surgery Technologies. Simplicity, avai- lability, and stability of the results allow considering the use of radiomodification as one of the possible ways to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy.

[Soluble receptors for tumor necrosis factor and lipid metabolism as potential prognostic factors in patients with prostate cancer].

There was investigated the relationship of lipid metabolism, humoral immunity, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and soluble receptors for TNF-alpha with the presence, severity and prognosis of the disease in 85 patients with morphologically verified diagnosis of prostate cancer. Connection with the dynamics of change in PSA as a major predictor of the disease was observed for concentration sRI and sRII to TNF, PSA baseline, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. During follow-up the relative risk of poor prognosis increased by 3 times, and death-in 8.7 times with increasing concentrations of soluble receptors for TNF. The concentration of soluble receptors for TNF may serve as an additional predictor of the presence and clinical course of disease in patients with prostate cancer.

[Life span and longevity in representatives of creative professions].

The article presents data on mean age of death of 49 064 representatives of various creative professions: visual artists (painters, sculptors, architects, n = 8 458), musicians (composers, conductors, singers, pianists, violinists, etc. n = 7 883), writers and poets (n = 11 488), scientists (n = 21 235). The mean age of death among writers and poets was significantly (p < 0.001) less than that in visual artists, musicians and scientists whereas scientists lived longer than representatives of other categories (p < 0.001). Women lived longer than men of any studied categories (p < 0.02). It was shown that the mean age of death gradually but irregularly increased since the 1st century A. C. until the 20th century in any professional cohort. Visual artists-men in 20th century lived longer than in previous historical periods (p < 0.001). Scientists both females and males in 20th century lived longer then these in 19th century (p < 0.001). The first five places of long-livers among men belong to Nobel prize winners (78,8 yrs.), academicians (72,7 yrs.) and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (71,7 yrs.), conductors (71,1 yrs.) and scientists (71,0 yrs.). Rock-musicians, author's song singer and poets lived less than other categories (43,6; 53,6 and 61,6 yrs. respectively). Among women leading long-livers were conductors (83,2 yrs.), harp-players (80,9 yrs.), academicians of the RAS (80,3 yrs.), clavesin-players (79,1 yrs.) and violinists (78,2 yrs.). Among women, less lived rock-musicians (37,6 yrs.), author's songs singers (51,4), horns and woodwinds instruments players (59,0 yrs.). Relative number of nonagenarians (90+) was much higher among women as compared to men. The values were as 43.75% of harp-players, 33.33% of conductors, 29.17% of architects, 20% of violinists and viola-players and 18.99% sculptors for women, and 16.67% of Nobel prize winners, 12.12% of conductors, 7.51% of academicians, 7.44% of violinists and 7.0% of scientists survived 90+ years among men. Centenarians were 8.33% of academicians and architects, 6.25% of harp-players and 4.22% of writers-poets among women, and only 0.76% of pianists, 0.45% of scientists and 0.42% of violinists were centenarians among men. Our data are in agreement with the opinion that high intellect and education directly correlate with longer life span and longevity.

[Aggressive vertebral hemangiomas: optimization of management tactics].

Today vertebral hemangioma is not completely understood entity, neither its pathogenesis nor optimal treatment is determined. Nowadays in majority of clinics in this country ineffective radiotherapy remains the first-line treatment. We analyzed results of treatment of 205 patients (286 lesions) with aggressive hemangiomas operated in Department of Neurosurgery of Military Medical Academy and Department of Nuclear Medicine of of Russian Scientific Center of Radiological and Surgical Technologies (Saint-Petersburg, Russia) since 1999 till 2009. Percutaneus vertebroplasty was performed in 167 lesions, radiotherapy was applied in 119 aggressive hemangiomas. Vertebroplasty is more effective for treatment of aggressive hemangiomas in comparison with radiotherapy. Signs of hemangiomas aggression, indications for surgery, and tactics of management were determined. Use of percutaneous vertebroplasty for treatment of aggressive hemangiomas resulted in fast recovery of the patients. This procedure is minimally invasive, it reduces hospital stay and duration of recovery.

[Clinical and prognostic significance of the doubling time of initial prostate-specific antigen in patients with prostate cancer].

UNLABELLED: Kinetic parameters of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) play a pivotal role in diagnostic and treatment of patients with prostate cancer (PCr). Assessment of PSA doubling time (PSADT) can be used for monitoring of treatment efficacy and predicting the outcomes of disease. The aim of the present paper is to analyze the PSADT in patients with different spread of PCr. Moreover, the initial PSADTs were studied with relation to overall survival. 336 PCr patients were included into the study. PSADT was measured usng two point method. Ill patients had localized PCr (T1-2N0M0), 90--regional-local PCr (T1-2N0M0) and 136 had generalized PCr (T1-4N1-2M1). RESULTS: Median PSADT in patients with generalized PCr amounted to 2,93 months and was significantly lower as compared to groups of patients with local and regional-local spread of disease--15,2 and 13,2 months respectively. Follow-up results revealed the link between PSADT and survival rates: the lower is PSADT, the worse are survival rates.

[Survival among patients with prostate cancer after distant radiotherapy and low-intensity near-infrared phototherapy].

The paper discusses the effect of photography with near-infrared photography on survival of patients with prostate cancer (PC) after distant radio- (DRT) and hormonal therapy (January 2000 - June 2007). The control group (n=251) were treated with standard radio- and hormonal therapy alone. Besides, patients of the study group (n=308) received phototherapeutic treatment to prevent radiation-induced injuries of the urinary bladder and rectum. The groups were compared relatively to PC cell differentiation, DRT and hormonal treatment. Survival was evaluated (Caplan-Meyer); log-rank test was used to compare the results. Overall survival in the study group of patients with localized (T1-2N0 M0) and generalized (T1-4N0-1 M1) tumors did not differ from that of controls (p > or = 0.05). In patients with locally advanced tumors (T3-4N0-1 M0, T1-4N1 M0), significant differences in survival between controls and study group were recorded beginning from year 3 of the investigation: 5-year survival rates were 67% and 89%, respectively (p < or = 0.05).

[A simplified model of growth of solid tumors].

In contrast with a previous work, we suggest that non-proliferating cells remainants in tumor are not depleted throughout its growth. Hence, two scenarios--exponential and logarithmic--are possible. They are essentially in good agreement with experimental data.

[The dose-response of unstable chromosome exchanges in lymphocytes of cancer patients undergone whole-body fractionated gamma-rays exposure at the total dose 1.15 Gy].

The dose-response of unstable chromosome exchanges (UCE) in lymphocytes of 4 cancer patients undergone whole-body fractionated gamma-rays exposure (at the daily dose of 0.115 Gy up to the total dose 1.15 Gy) was compared with corresponding dose-response for lymphocytes of the same patients, irradiated in vitro at the same dose range. In vivo irradiation yielded lower frequency of UCE on the dose unit than in vitro irradiation. It was shown that the in vivo dose-response curve gives more adequate dose estimation than in vitro one. This curve could be used for reconstruction of absorbed dose in the cases of analogous character of in-controlled irradiation of people.

[Some kinetic characteristics of cervical cancer].

Proliferation parameters such as mitotic index, tumor growth rate and cell loss were identified in 1,048 squamous cervical carcinoma patients treated at the Center's Clinic (1951-1996). Mitotic indices ranged 0.2-5.1% (average 1.13 +/- 0.03%), Ki-67--4.1-97.8% (average 49.97 +/- 3.02%). A direct and significant correlation between the two latter parameters was established. Cell loss levels ranged 59-99.9% (average 97.2 +/- 0.002%). Our results suggest that the correlation between tumor growth rate and cell loss might be of the utmost importance among the other prognostic factors.

[A simplified model for kinetics of a tumor cells' population].

A mathematical model of solid tumor growth is suggested. The external influence from the tumor-bearing organism is described separately for cell growth and apoptosis. The model is an ordinary differential equation which provides for use of a variety of dependences for both processes. A solution for a specific example of the processes is obtained in the form of a generalized logistic curve. Our results give clues for such experimental phenomena as spontaneous cessation of cell growth, dependence of life duration on insignificant variations in apoptosis, etc.

[Immunohistochemical markers as prognosticators in gynecologic oncology].

Cyclooxygenase and particularly COX-2 expression impaired survival in patients operated on for endometrial adenocarcinoma of the uterus: 5-year overall and relapse-free survival in absence of expression was 92% and 88%, respectively, while in cases of distinct expression, it fell down to 52% and 48%, respectively (p = 0.0004; 0.0005). Similar correlations were observed for COX-1, although with lower significance (p = 0.02). Particularly unfavorable prognosis is associated with high expression of combination of COX-2 and COX-1. The end-results of radiotherapy were associated with proliferative levels of squamous cell cervical carcinoma: for Ki-67--below median of < or = 50%, 5-year survival rate was 77%, mean survival--80 months; for Ki-67 above median of > or = 50%, the indices were 47% and 47 months, respectively, (p = 0.002). There were similar correlations for mutated suppressor-gene 53: 67%--for absence of expression and 53%--for its presence (p = 0/03). Immunohistochemical markers COX-2, Ki-67 and p53 can be used as sole prognosticators and their predictive significance is higher than that of either stage (II or III) or cell differentiation grading.