[Physiotherapeutic methods in ophthalmic rehabilitation of patients with glaucoma and cataract]. / Fizioterapevticheskie metody v oftal'moreabilitatsii patsientov s sochetannoi glaukomoi i kataraktoi.

The authors analyzed scientific data on physiotherapeutic measures in the treatment of combined glaucoma and cataracts as one of the main causes of blindness and low vision.

Photothermoplastic recording media and its application in the holographic method of determination of the refractive index of liquid objects.

The photothermoplastic medium based on the films of photosensitive polymeric composites with semiconductor properties is developed for application in optical information recording and storage, in holographic interferometry, as well as for medical purposes. This medium was used in the modified holographic device for determination of changes of the refractive index of homogeneous and inhomogeneous liquid objects. The technique and holographic equipment were modified by employing the specially developed and produced transparent cuvette of special shape and the phase shifting interferometry method. Experimentally demonstrated precision of the measurements is not less than 10-5.

Antioxidant and Antimutagenic Metabolites in Animals with Opposite Sensitivity to Tuberculosis Mycobacteria and Mutagenic Xenobiotics.

Different sensitivity of guinea pigs and rats to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and membranotropic mutagenic xenobiotics is associated with differences in the metabolism of amino acid precursors of phospholipids. In turn, specific features of phospholipid metabolism are determined by differences in the level of sulfur-containing regulatory metabolites (methionine, taurine, and glutathione) in tissues. Taurine and methionine increase organism's resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (typical of rats), glutathione and its constituent amino acids improve resistance to the mutagenic effects of xenobiotics (typical of guinea pigs). These metabolites can be used for strengthening of natural resistance to tuberculosis and mutagenic and carcinogenic xenobiotics.

Some features of information properties of holographic recording media based on a photoconducting carbazolyl-containing oligomer doped with an organic electron acceptor.

Unusual multimodal kinetics of diffraction efficiency in the cycle of hologram recording and erasing were observed in the recording media for the holographic photothermoplastic technique. It was shown that this effect is caused by competition between the simultaneous development of regular and random "frosty" surface reliefs of the photoconducting polymer film during the hologram development. The mechanism explaining the decrease of the maximal diffraction efficiency as compared to its calculated value is discussed.

Information media based on electron donor oligomers with different structures.

Information properties of recording media for photothermoplastic techniques were investigated. The films consisted of oligomer composites based on carbazole containing co-oligomers of linear and radial structures with branching centers on silicon and germanium atoms. It was ascertained that the media based on the radial oligomers possessed high holographic sensitivity because of the high plasticity and its ability to accumulate volume electric charge during the exposure. Examples of practical applications of the investigated recording media are presented.

Central cholinergic activation of a vagus nerve-to-spleen circuit alleviates experimental colitis.

The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is an efferent vagus nerve-based mechanism that regulates immune responses and cytokine production through α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) signaling. Decreased efferent vagus nerve activity is observed in inflammatory bowel disease. We determined whether central activation of this pathway alters inflammation in mice with colitis and the mediating role of a vagus nerve-to-spleen circuit and α7nAChR signaling. Two experimental models of colitis were used in C57BL/6 mice. Central cholinergic activation induced by the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor galantamine or a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist treatments resulted in reduced mucosal inflammation associated with decreased major histocompatibility complex II level and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion by splenic CD11c⁺ cells mediated by α7nAChR signaling. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory efficacy was abolished in mice with vagotomy, splenic neurectomy, or splenectomy. In conclusion, central cholinergic activation of a vagus nerve-to-spleen circuit controls intestinal inflammation and this regulation can be explored to develop novel therapeutic strategies.

HMGB1 mediates splenomegaly and expansion of splenic CD11b+ Ly-6C(high) inflammatory monocytes in murine sepsis survivors.

BACKGROUND: More than 500,000 hospitalized patients survive severe sepsis annually in the USA. Recent epidemiological evidence, however, demonstrated that these survivors have significant morbidity and mortality, with 3-year fatality rates higher than 70%. To investigate the mechanisms underlying persistent functional impairment in sepsis survivors, here we developed a model to study severe sepsis survivors following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). METHODS: Sepsis was induced in mice by CLP and survivors were followed for twelve weeks. Spleen and blood were collected and analyzed at different time points post-sepsis. RESULTS: We observed that sepsis survivors developed significant splenomegaly. Analysis of the splenic cellular compartments revealed a major expansion of the inflammatory CD11b+ Ly-6CHigh pool. Serum high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) levels in the sepsis surviving mice were significantly elevated for 4-6 weeks after post-sepsis, and administration of an anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody significantly attenuated splenomegaly as well as splenocyte priming. Administration of recombinant HMGB1 to naive mice induced similar splenomegaly, leukocytosis and splenocyte priming as observed in sepsis survivors. Interestingly analysis of circulating HMGB1 from sepsis survivors by mass spectroscopy demonstrated a stepwise increase of reduced form of HMGB1 (with known chemo-attractant properties) during the first 3 weeks, followed by disulphide form (with known inflammatory properties) 4-8 weeks after CLP. DISCUSSION: Our results indicate that prolonged elevation of HMGB1 is a necessary and sufficient mediator of splenomegaly and splenocyte expansion, as well as splenocyte inflammatory priming in murine severe sepsis survivors.

Controlling inflammation: the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.

Innate immune responses and inflammation are regulated in part by neural mechanisms. In the present paper, we summarize experimental evidence that reveals that innate immunity and inflammation are controlled by the vagus nerve, previously known as a regulator of other vital physiological functions. Activation of vagus nerve cholinergic signalling inhibits TNF (tumour necrosis factor) and other pro-inflammatory cytokine overproduction through 'immune' alpha7 nicotinic receptor-mediated mechanisms. This efferent vagus nerve-based 'cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway' has been elucidated as a critical regulator of inflammation in several experimental models of diseases. Our recent observations have shown that activation of central (brain) cholinergic transmission by selective muscarinic receptor ligands results in lower systemic TNF levels in rodents and indicate that the efferent vagus nerve may provide a functional brain-to-immune connection. Thus central cholinergic signalling is implicated in the activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Electrical vagus nerve stimulation is clinically approved for the treatment of epilepsy and depression and current knowledge suggests that it could be utilized to control inflammation. Advances in understanding the receptor and molecular mechanisms of cholinergic anti-inflammatory signalling indicate that selective alpha7 nicotinic receptor agonists and centrally acting cholinergic enhancers can be used in the treatment of pathological conditions characterized by cytokine overproduction.

Neural regulators of innate immune responses and inflammation.

The nervous system regulates immune function and inflammation. Experimental evidence shows an important role of the autonomic nervous system in the bidirectional communication between the brain and the immune system, underlying the ability of the brain to monitor immune status and control inflammation. Here we review the involvement of the autonomic nervous system in regulating inflammation, with a focus on the vagus nerve. The clinical implications of the recently discovered anti-inflammatory role of the efferent vagus nerve are also discussed.

[Pathogenetic mechanisms of action of tarry substances and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in guinea pigs and rats]. / Patogeneticheskie mekhanizmy vozdeistviia smolistykh veshchestv i mikobakterii tuberkuleza na morskikh svinok i krys.

Harmful environmental agents [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)] have been ascertained to greatly stimulate the biosynthesis of arginine and urea and reduce the amount of sulfur-containing metabolites in the liver of experimental animals by increasing the level of sulfur sulfate. Against this background, contamination with Mycobacteria tuberculosis (MBT) inhibits the activity of arginine and drastically decreases its amount by elevating the concentration of sulfur-containing metabolites. The supplementary administration of sodium glutamate to animals receiving PAH and MBT potentiates a decrease in nitrogen-rich metabolites and increases the level of sulfur-containing metabolites guinea pigs, tuberculosis resistance being on the rise. Under the influence of a combined action of PAH and MBT, the mutagenic effect of the former lowered in rats.

[Noninvasive transcranial electrostimulation of endorphin structures of the brain as a reparation activator: experimental and clinical parallels]. / Neinvazivnaia transkranial'naia élektrostimuliatsiia éndorfinnykh struktur mozga kak aktivator reparatsii: éksperimental'no-klinicheskie paralleli.

The authors evaluated the capacities of transcranial electrostimulation and the specific features of its impact on reparative regeneration of damaged tissues of different types, such as the dermal and gastroduodenal epithelium, hepatic cells, connective tissue, peripheral nerve fibers, on animal experimental pathological models and compared with the results of treatment of respective pathology in patients.

The synthesis and in vitro cytotoxic studies of novel bis-naphthalimidopropyl polyamine derivatives.

Bis-naphthalimidopropyl putrescine (BNIPPut), spermidine (BNIPSpd), spermine (BNIPSpm) and oxa-putrescine (BNIPOPut) were synthesised and their growth-inhibitory properties characterised. All these compounds except for BNIPOPut, showed high in vitro cytotoxic activity (with mean GI50 values between 0.5 and 8.45 microM) and selectivity against cancer cells derived from nine different human tumours. The increased content of nitrogen atoms in the linker chain of BNIPSpd and BNIPSpm significantly improved their aqueous dissolution properties with a marginal decrease in their cytotoxic activity.

The synthesis and in vitro cytotoxic studies of novel oxa-spermidine derivatives and homologues.

A series of oxa-spermidine derivatives and homologues were prepared and their anticancer properties were evaluated. All these compounds showed an average GI50 value in the range of 3.9-28.9 microM. SAR studies showed that the presence of a sulphonamido functionality and the length of the alkyl chain are important factors for an enhanced activity.

[Separate and combined mutagenic effect of radiation and asbestos on the micronucleus test in experiments]. / Razdel'noe i sochetannoe mutagennoe deistvie radiatsii i asbesta v mikroiadernom teste v éksperimente.

We investigated the isolated and combined mutagenic effect (ME) of radiation (gamma-irradiation, 0.5 or 2 Gy) and asbestos (i.p. 10 mg/mice) in mice CBA. We studied also the antioxidant activity and malonic dialdehyde concentration in blood serum as possible mechanism of ME and its possible modification. For the ME the micro-nuclei incidence in polychromatic bone marrow erythrocytes was scored. The reciprocal modification (potentiation) of both radiation and asbestos ME was established for combination "radiation, 2 Gy + asbestos", the additivity--for combination "radiation, 0.5 Gy + asbestos".

[Neuroprotective effect of kapakh, representative of new nootropic class non-anticholinesterase organophosphoric compounds]. / Neroprotektivnoe deistvie kapakh, predstavitelia novogo klassa nootropov-neantikholinésteraznykh fosforoorganicheskikh soedinenii.

In vivo and in vitro experiments revealed the neuroprotective activity of CAPAH, a representative of the new nootropic class phosphorylated carboxylic acid hydrazides. The mechanisms of this action, which were due to the membranous stabilizing activity of the drug and its affinity for glycine strychnine-sensitive sites of MMDA receptors (Ki = 8.8.10(-5) M). Six analogues of CAPAH have been also found to have affinity for these types of receptors; based on the examination of structure-affinity relationship, putative pharmacophores (only radicals of the benzene ring of a molecule in the para position exerted effects on affinity changes) were revealed. The findings give a deep insight into the mechanism of nootropic activity and open vistas for synthesizing phosphorylated carboxylic acid hydrazides as potential neuroprotective agents interacting with glycine strychnine-sensitive sites of MMDA receptor.

[Effect of chronic emotional stress and low dose ethanol on the level of neuronal cell adhesion molecule and glial fibrillary acidic protein in rat brain]. / Vliianie khronicheskogo émotsional'nogo stressa i étanol v maloi doze na soderzhanie neirospetsificheskogo belka kletochnoi adgezii i glial'nogo fibrilliarnogo kislogo belka v mozge krys.

The effect of chronic emotional stress and ethanol on NCAM and GFAP levels in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum, cerebellum and medulla-ponts was investigated. We report about increase of NCAM and GFAP concentrations in the cerebral cortex and decline of the total protein contents in the investigated brain areas of middle-sleep rats under the stress conditions. Ethanol in the dose of 0.5 g/kg during 7 days evoked opposite changes of NCAM and GFAP concentration and elevation of the total protein level in medulla-pons. In the other brain areas level changes of only one (any) of the two investigated neurospecific proteins were observed. Ethanol injections to the stressed rats normalized the relative weights of adrenals and the level of total protein in the brain areas but didn't normalize the behavioral activity in an "open field" test. Besides, we observed a dramatic increase of GFAP level (over 10 times) in the medulla-pons which may be connected with glioses. These results suggest the specific changes of NCAM and GFAP contents under the chronic emotional stress which don't correlate with changes in the hypophysis-adrenals system.

[Effects of coal tar on hematological parameters in experimental tuberculosis]. / Vliianie kamennougol'noi smoly na gematologicheskie pokazateli pri éksperimental'nom tuberkuleze.

Guinea pigs were injected with coal tar (CT) (intratracheally, 25 mg per animal once a week or a month for 2 or 8 months, respectively), then they were infected with MBT (H37Rv, 0.1 mg, subcutaneously). There were changes in hematological responses to MBT changes (in the context of the cell composition of bone marrow and peripheral blood), their pattern was associated with the mode of exposure to CT preceding MBT inoculation. The greatest differences were found in the responses of bone marrow lymphopoiesis and peripheral lymphocytes upon both exposures to CT. On greater exposure to CT (once a week) the changes in the blood system indicated that CT had an adverse effect on the course of experimental tuberculosis, while on lesser exposure (once a month), the effect of CT was more favourable.