[CHANGING IMMUNE STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH REACTIVE SPONDYLOARTHRITIS OF CHLAMIDIAL GENESIS].

Aim - to identify deviations in immune parameters in patients with reactive chlamydial spondyloarthritis, allowing more targeted correction of immune status and improve the quality of treatment of these patients. A comparative immunological examination of 14 patients with reactive spondyloarthritis of chlamydial etiology before and after specific treatment and practically healthy people was carried out. CIC, lymphocytotoxic and granulocytotoxic antibodies, including autoimmune, LIF including autoantigens (cartilage, bone, sinewy), neutrophilic leukocytes, lymphocytes, IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α, CD-3, CD-4, CD-8, CD-25, Ig A, G, M. The immune status of patients before treatment was characterized by a perverse immune response, which was characterized by hyperactivation of the T-lymphocytic link of immunity, impaired suppressive link of the immune system, a tendency to autoimmune aggression, incomplete anti-infectious immunity, and chronic inflammatory process. Antichlamydial treatment with the eradication of the pathogen within 1 month led to a partial normalization of the immune response, normalization of the neutrophilic / lymphocytic ratio and the amount of granulocytotoxic and lymphocytotoxic antibodies. Desensitization of the organism to autoantigens (cartilage and synovial tissue) was observed. Comprehensive analysis of immunological parameters before and after treatment in patients with reactive spondyloarthritis of chlamydial etiology allows monitoring the effectiveness of the treatment and increases its effectiveness.

Effect of Ethosuximide on Audiogenic Epilepsy in Krushinsky-Molodkina Rats.

The anticonvulsant effect of ethosuximide (T-type calcium channel blocker) was evaluated in Krushinsky-Molodkina rats predisposed to audiogenic epilepsy. Ethosuximide given with drinking water (300 mg/kg/day) over 45 days slightly reduced proneness to audiogenic epilepsy and increased locomotor activity of the animals at the periphery of the open field. Neonatal administration of ethosuximide (3-4 mg per animal, from 2 to 10 days of life) insignificantly modulated the parameters of audiogenic epilepsy in these animals at the age of 1.5 months and reduced manifestation of audiogenic myoclonic convulsion that developed after long daily sound presentation started at the age of 3 months. The findings attested to a weak anticonvulsant effect of ethosuximide on tonic convulsions with its predominant effect on convulsions with forebrain focus location.

Study of Uridine Effect on the Development of Audiogenic Tonic Seizures in Krushinsky-Molodkina Strain Rats.

The latency of tonic seizure in response to loud sound (in rats of the Krushinsky-Molodkina strain with audiogenic epilepsy) had been slightly (although statistically significantly) longer after chronic uridine injections (100 mg/kg, i.p., three times a day during 9 or 12 days). The recovery time from the tonic seizure was shorter after 12 days of injections in comparison to the 9-day injection period. At the same time, the intensity of tonic seizures provoked by loud sound did not change after chronic uridine injections. The lack of uridine anticonvulsive effect demonstrated in the audiogenic epilepsy model contradicts the anticonvulsant effects of uridine in experiments with other seizure models, in which the epileptic foci were localized in the forebrain structures.

Remote effects of short-term neonatal hyperthermia in Krushinsky-Molodkina rats prone to audiogenic seizures strain.

Using the audiogenic seizure prone Krushinsky-Molodkina rat strain, it was demonstrated that short-term (5 min) exposure of 14-day-old pups to an elevated temperature (42°C) resulted in a significant decrease in audiogenic seizure severity at the age of 1 month. Presumably, this effect is determined by the activation of the heat-shock protein system (stress proteins).

The Krushinsky-Molodkina rat strain: The study of audiogenic epilepsy for 65years.

The more recent history and main experimental data for the Krushinsky-Molodkina (KM) audiogenic rat strain are presented. The strain selection started in late 1940. Now this strain is inbred, and two new strains are maintained in a laboratory in parallel. These strains originated from KM×Wistar hybrids and were bred (starting from 2000) for no-seizure and intense audiogenic seizure phenotypes, respectively. The experimental evidences of audiogenic seizure physiology were accumulated in parallel with (and usually ahead of) data on other audiogenic-prone strains. The peculiar feature of the KM strain is its vulnerability to brain hemorrhages. Thus, the KM strain is used not only as a genetic model of seizure states, but also as a model of blood flow disturbances in the brain. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Genetic and Reflex Epilepsies, Audiogenic Seizures and Strains: From Experimental Models to the Clinic".

[OCCUPATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT IN MODERN CONDITIONS OF EXPLOITATION OF POLYURETHANEFOAM INDUSTRIES].

In the article there are presented data on the evaluation of occupational risk on two types of modern production of polyurethane foam (PUF), one of which is a large-tonnage fast-growth production, the 2nd type is semidomestic industry being different in small volume of output products. An analysis and evaluation of occupational exposure to large-scale production was performed patient-specifically with the use of elaborated individual cards, where there was introduced information about occupational route, the level of harmful factors of the working environment in all the years of work, the duration of exposure. The research results allowed to establish that the occupational risk in representatives of the main professions in the large-scale production (operators and handlers) is referred to a class of working conditions 3.2, which corresponds to the risk categories--moderate (Important), and demonstrates the need for further improvement of the system of preventive measures. At the small production working conditions were characterized by the presence of a large number of manual operations and comply with Class 3.3--category of professional risk-high (Unbearable). To reduce the risk to the health of workers of this type of production it is necessary to develop documents, that will increase the responsibility of employers to ensure safe working conditions.

Effect of chronic fluoxetine treatment on audiogenic epilepsy, symptoms of anxiety and depression in rats of four lines.

Anxiety (Anx) and depression (Dp) levels were evaluated in rats of 4 lines: 2 of them (KM and "4") exhibited audiogenic seizures (AS), and 2 (Wistar and "0") had no AS. In KM rats (with AS), Anx and Dp levels were higher than in Wistars (without AS), while in "4" and "0" rats with the related genetic background but contrasting in AS severity, Anx and Dp indices were not different. Fluoxetine treatment exerted antidepressant effect in all rat lines irrespective of its effect on AS. Thus, phenotypic expression of AS is not directly associated with the mechanisms of Anx and Dp development.

[Stress as an occupational risk factor among policemen of road patrol service].

The hygienic evaluation of occupational factors which characterized working conditions of traffic policemen of road patrol service was performed. The authors found that along with high neuro-emotional occupational stress in traffic policemen, they exposed to unfavorable microclimate, higher level of noise, vibration and their work was classified as heavy. Also, traffic policemen presented subjective complaints about negative impact of polluted air of motorways on their health status. Prevalence of chronic diseases was analyzed in group of 431 traffic policemen. The authors revealed a leading role of the following diseases: musculoskeletal diseases, diseases of connective tissue, digestive diseases, diseases of the nerve system, circulation system; their portion in the morbidity structure was 86.0%. The association of these diseases with occupation was confirmed by the increasing of their incidence with increasing of length of duration of service. Calculation of indices of relative occupational risk showed (that especially important) the increase of the length of service led to the increase in the risk ofpathologies, in which stress played a significant role. In examined group, the authors revealed such diseases as hypertension, autonomous-vascular dystonia, gastric and duodenal ulcer. Risk of the development of these diseases in some age/length of service groups is classified as high and very high. Obtained results provide the evidence that measures aimed to the decrease of the exposure to occupational factors will promote prevention of stress-stipulated diseases among traffic policemen.

[The influence of ergonomic characteristics of the work place on the prevalence of pain syndrome in vocational drivers].

The study of features of the working posture pattern of bus and trucks drivers showed the inconsistency to their optimal criteria. Deviations of goniometric indices of working posture pattern of drivers are noted for most brands of studied cars, that is caused by constructive disadvantages of the driving seat both of well buses and trucks. The study of the health state of drivers have shown the prevalence of dorsalgia in the group of bus and truck drivers reached 40.8 ± 4.75, and in truckers drivers--15.6 ± 2.96 cases per 100 employees. The largest share in the structure of the pathology in both groups is occupied by lumbodynia. Significantly more frequent pathology of musculoskeletal system in bus drivers is related with the long-term presence in the fixed uncomfortable position. There is emphasized the importance of design changes of the driver's seat, adapted with taken account of the individual anthropometric parameters, for the prevention of the disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

[Septal Activation and Control of Limbic Structures].

Coherent activation of limbic system structures as the main function of theta-rhythm is widely discussed in the literature. However until now does not exist the common view on its generation in these brain structures. The model of septal theta-rhythmic activation and control of limbic structures is suggested basing on the literature and own experimental data.

Maternal methyl-enriched diet in rat reduced the audiogenic seizure proneness in progeny.

Audiogenic epilepsy proneness was analyzed in the progeny of rats from two strains (audiogenic seizure prone-strain "4"-and audiogenic seizure non-prone, strain "0"). Females were fed by a diet which contained substances enriched with methyl-groups during 1week before mating (MED), during pregnancy period and 1week after the delivery. This MED treatment resulted in a decrease of audiogenic seizure fit intensity, which was more evident in rats of strain "0". Control rats of strain "4" displayed intense seizures (tonic seizure, 3.85 arbitrary units). Med "4" rats seizures were less intense (3.23, tonic seizure of lower intensity), control "0" strain rats demonstrated the seizure with mean 3.09 arbitrary units, "0" MED rats only 2.03 arbitrary unit intensity (only clonic seizures, significantly, p<0.05, different from controls). Methyl-enriched diet resulted in the significant changes in methylation status of several genes (Cpne6, Gtf2i, Sctr,1 Sfmbt, Phe2). These genes among others were chosen for analysis as their expression was analyzed in other methylation study. These genes were hypermethylated after "epileptic tolerance". Due to this procedure, the intensity of status epilepticus, produced by kainate in mice, decreased (Miller-Delaney et al., 2012). The modulation of audiogenic seizure intensity as the result of methyl-enriched diet during prenatal and early postnatal ontogeny was demonstrated for the first time.

[Evaluation of the functional state of drivers by parameters of vegetative regulation of cardiac rhythm with the use of method of wireless cardiorhythmography].

Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) provides the possibility to obtain the predictive and meaningful information on the functional status and features of adaptive responses of the whole organism. Monitoring the functional state in the course of professional activities with the use of wireless cardiorhythmography provides data acquisition on heart rate dynamics in accordance with the level of occupational load. The article is devoted to the development of methods for rapid assessment of the functional state of motor vehicle drivers in the process of occupational activity. There was performed the hygienic assessment of working conditions of jobs. The studies of the influence of the factor loadings on the level of the functional state of the cardiovascular system (CVS) of drivers were performed with the help of wireless telemetry system. A developed computer software were used for the calculation of the spectral parameters of HRV. By the analysis of cardiorhythmograms in drivers there were both revealed significant disorders of the rhythm of the cardiac activity (reduction of total power TP, HF-component, increase in LF-component, LF/HF index, extrasystole) and recorded changes in the spectral HRV indices in accordance with the level of occupational load, that represents the degree of individual response. The method of wireless cardiorhythmography is promising for the creation of personalized monitoring system to assess the risk of individual occupational risk.

[Restoration of long-term potentiation by food delivery to deprived rat].

The possibility of restoration of the extinguished long-term potentiation at the Shafer collaterals projections in food deprived rats to small amounts of meal was studied. Giving a small portion of meal restores a population spike's amplitude for the first CA1 response to paired-pulse stimulation. The amplitude of the population spike for the second response restored completely. Giving a small portion of meal in control groups of deprived animals without preliminary acquisition of potentiation did not produce changes of the CA1 evoked responses. Restoration of potentiation in the described experiments is likely to be related with a certain level of animal's emotional tension. It is assumed that a restoration of potentiation at natural conditions could be necessary for solution of tasks related with satisfaction of biologically important for animal needs.

[Laboratory rat selection for the trait "the absence of audiogenic seizure proneness"].

The hybrids between Krushinsky-Molodkina (KM) inbred strain, selected for high predisposition to audiogenic epilepsy (AE), and Wistar rats non-prone to audiogenic seizure were the initial population for selection. Rats were selected for the trait "the absence of audiogenic seizure proneness". The creation of such strain in which the significant proportion of animals develop no AE in response to sound and share partly the genetic background of the KM strain is very important for the correct use of RV strain as the laboratory model of seizure states. As alleles which determine the AE proneness are recessive the selection for the "opposite" trait proceeds necessarily slow.

Binding of specific ligand by D2- and NMDA-receptors of striatum cells in two rat strains predisposed and resistant to audiogenic seizures.

We studied parameters of specific receptor binding of D2-dopamine receptor ligand [(3)H]-sulpiride and NMDA-receptor ligand [(3)H]-MK-801 on the membranes of striatum cells in Krushinsky-Molodkina rats (predisposed to audiogenic seizures) and strain "0" selected for the absence of audiogenic seizures. No interstrain differences were observed in affinity (K(d)) of both D2- and NMDA-receptors to ligands. At the same time, significant interstrain differences in receptor density (B(max)) were found for both D2-receptors and NMDA-receptors. The reduced number of dopamine and glutamate receptors in the striatum can be associated with neurological peculiarities of Krushinsky-Molodkina rat strain (audiogenic seizures and postictal catalepsy).

[Cancer risk assessment in a group of traffic officers].

Air-pollution studies in the area where the traffic officers of the road-patrol service of the State Inspectorate for Road Traffic Safety, who patrol road traffic safety, breathe at the stationary militia inspection stations (MIS) and in the areas of the heaviest motor traffic highways of a city ascertained the cancer risk from exposure to carcinogenic agents, such as benzo(a)pyrene, benzene, and formaldehyde. The mean concentrations of these substances do not exceed the hygienic limits. In terms of the hazard index (1.04) and the individual's cancer risk index (4.8 x 10(-5)), the cancer risk for the traffic officers of MIS may be considered acceptable. Both indices (1.28 and 1.3 x 10(-4), respectively) for traffic officers and traffic controllers are suggestive of an increased cancer risk, which constitutes a potential threat to a rise in cancer morbidity in this occupational group and needs preventive measures to be undertaken.

[Various mechanisms of heart failure in liver diseases].

The article is a review of the literature on the problem of heart disease in liver cirrhosis of different etiologies (alcohol, amyloidosis, hemochromatosis, viral lesions of the heart). Examined in detail the pathogenesis of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy and diagnosis, occurring in cirrhosis of any etiology. This article presents a noninvasive methods of diagnosis of myocardial fibrosis using serum markers of fibrosis, myocardial fibrosis degree of calculation on the basis of echocardiography and ECG.

Anxiety and predisposition to audiogenic epilepsy in rats of different genotypes.

We studied plus-maze behavior of inbred Krushinskii-Molodkina, Wistar, and black-hooded rats (originating from the Long-Evans outbred strain) differing by predisposition to audiogenic seizures. The severity of audiogenic seizures partially correlated with anxiety and negatively correlated with the total level of locomotor activity in the elevated plus-maze. The anxiety parameters in Krushinskii-Molodkina rats were evaluated after injection of anticonvulsant levetiracetam and anxiolytic afobazol. Levetiracetam and afobazol somewhat stimulated locomotor activity.

[Levetiracetam modifies the pattern of audiogenic locomotive response in Wistar and Krushinsky-Molodkina strain rats].

The novel antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (keppra, 80 mg/kg, i.p.) produces a pronounced anticonvulsant effect on all parameters of the audiogenic locomotion response in Wistar rats, leading to the prevention of acoustic seizures approximately in 50% animals. Keppra injection also led to a decrease in the intensity of single audiogenic convulsive episode, a twofold prolongation of the latency of motor reaction, and a change in the pattern of seizure reaction toward increasing number of rats with "one-wave" response. In contrast, a lack of sound resistant animals and the change from one- to two-wave audiogenic response were observed in Krushinsky-Molodkina strain rats.