[The state of the oral cavity in early diagnosis and predicting cognitive disorders.]

A review of the literature on the problem of the use of non-invasive technologies in early diagnosis and prediction of age-associated cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease is presented. The main attention is paid to the study of the buccal epithelium, oral fluid, as surrogate models of degenerative lesions of cerebral structures, as well as determining the role of oral microorganisms in the formation and development of cognitive disorders. An original hypothesis of neurodegenerative lesions of cerebral structures is presented, on the basis of which an algorithm for studying the state of the oral cavity is proposed in order to detect and predict cognitive deficits as early as possible.

[Diagnostic criteria for the transition from occlusal splints to non-removable orthopedic appliances in patients with TMJ dysfunction with disc disorders]. / Kriterii perekhoda ot okkliuzionnoi shiny k vremennym nes''emnym ortopedicheskim konstruktsiiam pri lechenii patsientov s sindromom bolevoi disfunktsii visochno-nizhnecheliustnogo sustava s diskovymi narusheniiami.

The aim of the study was to elaborate Diagnostic criteria for the transition from occlusal splints to non-removable orthopedic appliances in patients with TMJ dysfunction with disc disorders. The study involved 95 patients with the clinics of TMJ dysfunction. An examination included electrovibrography and computerized electromyography in order to assess diagnostic value of the methods. Electrovibrography is a method based on arthrophonography, which makes it possible to obtain data on intraarticular noise in the TMJ. Computerized electromyography provides an objective assessment of the bioelectrical activity of the masticatory muscles in occlusive disorders, changes in the height of the lower facial area, and their relationship with the development of musculo-articular dysfunction of the TMJ and allows monitoring the effectiveness of orthopedic treatment. Within the normal function of the jaws the graphic trajectories of mandibular movements are within the limits of norm, and in the case of a violation of the TMP function, the graphic and linear indices are significantly different from the normal values.

THE STATE OF THE CYSTATHIONINE GAMMA-LYASE / H2S SYSTEM IN THE LIVER AND SKELETAL MUSCLES OF RATS WITH HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA UNDER SIMVASTATIN ADMINISTRATION.

In studies on 94 male Wistar rats changes in the hydrogen sulfide content (H2S) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) in the liver and skeletal muscles in hypercholesterolemia under simvastatin treatment were assessed, as well as the effect of propargylglycine (PAG) on hepato- and myotoxicity of simvastatin. It was determined, that simvastatin inhibited the CSE-mediated synthesis of H2S in the main target organs. This negatively affected their biochemical and functional status. The use of PAG significantly suppressed the H2S deficiency induced by simvastatin, and also was accompanied by a significant increase in the activity of cytolysis markers in the serum, which significantly and negatively correlated with the activity of CSE and H2S in organs. Thus, formation of H2S deficiency due to simvastatin intake is probably one of the molecular mechanisms for the realization of hepato- and myotoxicity of this drug.

Development and testing of secondary ion accelerator for ITER neutral particle diagnostic system.

This paper presents the results of the development and testing of a secondary ion accelerator for the diagnostic complex of neutral particle analyzers at ITER. The accelerator is part of an analyzer designed to measure fluxes of neutral deuterium and tritium particles escaping from reactor plasma in a total range of 10-200 keV. The aim of the accelerator is to improve the signal/background ratio of the analyzer. It is especially important for the region with a relatively low energy of 10-50 keV. The accelerator has the function of converting atoms into secondary ions and accelerating them in an electrostatic field with a voltage of up to +100 kV. The accelerator is based on two high-voltage accelerating tubes. A special unit is built into the central electrode of the accelerator, which provides the replacement of stripping foils used for the conversion of the flux of neutral particles into a flux of secondary ions. The high-voltage tube assembly is encompassed by a sealed steel housing, in which electrical insulation is provided by a gas gap (nitrogen at 6 bar). The results of tests of the accelerator under ITER relevant conditions, namely, under high-intensity gamma irradiation and seismic loads, have shown its high reliability for use in the diagnostic complex of the fusion reactor.

Bench tests of a helium ion source for the neutral particle diagnostic system of the ITER tokamak.

Bench tests of a 15 keV helium ion source, which has been developed for the neutral particle diagnostic system of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), are described. Being part of the diagnostic system, the ion source will be used to monitor the intactness of carbon stripping foils as well as to check the detection and dispersion systems of the main diagnostic instruments-neutral particle analyzers (NPAs). The ion source produces a wide 5-cm diameter (FWHM) ion beam at a distance of about 50 cm; the ion beam uniformity at a 2-cm area corresponding to the size of the stripping foil is not worse than 10%. The beam current over the area of the stripping foil can be adjusted in the range of 0.1 pA-1 pA. After initial heating, the temporal stability of the ion beam is better than 10%. Pulse height measurements of registered signals show that 15 keV He+ ions can be reliably registered by the NPA detector system. The obtained results allow us to conclude that the developed ion source can provide a reliable check of the NPA system during the diagnostic performance on the ITER tokamak.

A prospective RCT comparing combined chromoendoscopy with water exchange (CWE) vs water exchange (WE) vs air insufflation (AI) in adenoma detection in screening colonoscopy.

Background: A low adenoma detection rate (ADR) increases risks of interval cancers (ICs). Proximal colon flat polyps, e.g. serrated lesions (SLs), are difficult to find. Missed proximal colon flat lesions likely contribute to IC. Aims: We compared chromoendoscopy with water exchange (CWE), water exchange (WE) and air insufflation (AI) in detecting adenomas in screening colonoscopy. Methods: After split-dose preparation, 480 veterans were randomized to AI, WE and CWE. Results: Primary outcome of proximal ADR (55.6% vs 53.4% vs 52.2%, respectively) were similar in all groups. Adenoma per colonoscopy (APC) and adenoma per positive colonoscopy (APPC) were comparable. Detection rate of proximal colon SLs was significantly higher for CWE and WE than AI (26.3%, 23.6% and 11.3%, respectively, p = 0.002). Limitations: single operator; SLs only surrogate markers of but not IC. Conclusions: When an endoscopist achieves high-quality AI examinations with overall ADR twice (61.6%) the recommended standard (30%), use of WE and CWE does not produce further improvement in proximal or overall ADR. Comparable APC and APPC confirm equivalent withdrawal inspection techniques. WE alone is sufficient to significantly improve detection of proximal SLs. The impact of increased detection of proximal SLs by WE on prevention of IC deserves to be studied. This study is registered at ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT#01607255).

The effect of long-chain N-acylethanolamines on some membrane-associated functions of neuroblastoma C1300 N18 cells.

As reported earlier (Gulaya, N.M., Vaskovsky, V.E., Vystosky, M.V., Volkov, G.L., Govseeva, N.N. and Artemenko, I.P. (1988) Ukr. Biochim. J. 60, 58-63), N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPE) and products of their catabolism, N-acylethanolamines (NAE), are present in the lipids of neuroblastoma C1300 N18 undifferentiated cells. The present paper describes the distribution of NAE added to culture medium of differentiated cells and its effect on the fast sodium channels and some other membrane characteristics. It is shown that NAE inhibits the destroying action of veratridine on membranes.

Changes in lipid composition of neuroblastoma C1300 N18 cell during differentiation.

Phospholipids and cholesterol were found to be the main lipids in mature and immature neuroblastoma cells. The ratios for the total cholesterol/phospholipids in these undifferentiated and differentiated cells were 0.33 and 0.52, respectively. The ratios of 0.45 and 0.62 were obtained with corresponding plasma membrane fractions. Individual fatty acid contents in the loosely bound lipid fraction were higher than in tightly bound lipids. The total levels of saturated fatty acids increased in both of these fractions. While arachidonic acid content significantly decreased, it increased simultaneously (600%) in the free fatty acid fraction during differentiation. The amount of cholesterol esters increased three-fold as a result of maturation. For the first time it was possible to detect, in neuroblastoma cells, several lipids, namely N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine, N-acylethanolamine and semilysobisphosphatidic acid. They all changed during maturation. Total N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine content decreased by 50%, disappearing completely from membrane fractions. N-Acylethanolamine disappeared from the cell as well as from membrane fractions. On the other hand the total cellular content of semilysobisphosphatidic acid increased without any alterations in its membrane content. Functional implications of our investigations are discussed.

Hydrogen sulfide: metabolism, biological and medical role.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a signaling molecule that is actively synthesized in the tissues and is involved in the regulation of vascular tone, neuromodulation, cytoprotection, inflammation and apoptosis. In recent years, new data on animal and human H2S metabolism and function under the effect of various endogenous and exogenous factors, including drugs were collected. This review is provided to introduce generalized information about the main and alternative H2S metabolism and regulation, peculiarities of transport, signaling, biological role and participation in pathogenesis. Submitted data describe H2S content and activity of H2S-synthesizing enzymes in different organs, H2S effect on blood coagulation and platelet aggregation based on our research results. The working classification of H2S metabolism modulators, which are used in biology and medicine, is proposed: 1) agents that increase H2S content in tissues (inorganic and organic H2S donors; H2S-synthesizing enzymes substrates and their derivatives, H2S-releasing drugs; agents that contain H2S-synthesizing enzymes cofactors and activators, agents that inhibit H2S utilization); 2) agents that reduce H2S content in tissues (specific and nonspecific inhibitors of H2S-synthesizing enzymes), 3) agents with uncertain impact on H2S metabolism (some medicines). It was demonstrated that vitamin-microelement and microelement complexes with H2S-synthesizing enzymes cofactors and activators represent a promising approach for H2S content correction in tissues.

Murine adult neural progenitor cells alter their proliferative behavior and gene expression after the activation of Toll-like-receptor 3.

Viral infections during pregnancy significantly increase the risk for psychological pathologies like schizophrenia in the offspring. One of the main morphological hallmarks of schizophrenia is a reduced size of the hippocampus. Since new neurons are produced in this particular brain compartment throughout life, it might be possible that low neurogenesis levels triggered by a maternal viral infection contribute to developmental deficits of the hippocampus. We injected polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) in pregnant C57Bl/6 mice to stimulate an anti-viral response through TLR3 and examined gene expressions in the neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs) of the offspring at different ages. Additionally, we treated adult NPC lines with Poly I:C to investigate its direct effect. We could show for the first time that TLR3 and its downstream effector molecule IRF3 are expressed in adult NPCs. Poly I:C treatment in vitro and in vivo led to the regulation of proliferation and genes involved in antiviral response, migration, and survival. These findings indicate that NPCs of the fetus are able to react towards an in utero immune response, and thus, changes in the neuronal stem cell pool can contribute to the development of neurological diseases like schizophrenia.

A cephalometric study of mandibular asymmetry in a longitudinally followed sample of growing children.

A longitudinally followed sample derived from the Burlington serial control group was used to investigate changes in mandibular symmetry according to age and sex. Hard tissue asymmetry was recorded as the difference between right and left mandibular lengths measured from 45 degrees oblique cephalograms. Differences (right minus left) in gonial angle measurements were also compared. Asymmetries were common at all ages; the mean values are presented in tabular format to serve as diagnostic guidelines and to aid in treatment planning. A strong trend of left- to right-sided dominance in mean mandibular length exists. The right-sided dominance was expressed by the age of 12 years in girls, but not until the age of 16 years in boys; at this age, 5% to 10% of the children had asymmetries greater than 5 mm. Mean mandibular lengths were consistently larger for boys than for girls, with the exception at 12 years of age where there was no significant difference in length. Although the boys tended to be more asymmetric at younger ages, by the age of 14 years there was no significant gender difference. Relative to the age of 6 years of age, there was a near equal probability for a child's asymmetry to improve (approach the mean) by the age of 16 years. In contrast, no significant difference between left and right gonial angles was noted, and no age-related trends were apparent.

Prevalence of hepatitis B, D and C virus infections among children and pregnant women in Moldova: additional evidence supporting the need for routine hepatitis B vaccination of infants.

Rates of acute hepatitis B are high in Moldova, but the prevalence of chronic infection is unknown. In 1994, we surveyed children and pregnant women, collected demographic information, and drew blood for laboratory testing. Among the 439 children (mean age, 5 years), the prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were 17.1 and 6.8%, respectively. Among the 1098 pregnant women (mean age, 26 years), 52.4% were anti-HBc-positive and 9.7% were HBsAg-positive. Of the HBsAg-positive pregnant women, 35.6% were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive and 18.3% had antibodies to hepatitis D virus. The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus was 1.4% in children and 2.3% in pregnant women. The high HBeAg prevalence among HBsAg-positive pregnant women and the high anti-HBc prevalence among children indicate that both perinatal and early childhood transmission contribute to the high hepatitis B virus endemicity in Moldova.