Inhibition of Histone Deacetylases 4 and 5 Reduces Titin Proteolysis and Prevents Reduction of TTN Gene Expression in Atrophied Rat Soleus Muscle after Seven-Day Hindlimb Unloading.

The effect of HDACs 4 and 5 on the level of atrophy, calpain-1 and titin content, and TTN gene expression in rat soleus after 7-day gravitational unloading (hindlimb suspension model) was studied. The development of atrophic changes induced by gravitational unloading in rat soleus was accompanied by an increase in the calpain-1 content, an increase in titin proteolysis, and a decrease in the mRNA content of the protein. Inhibition of HDACs 4 and 5 did not eliminate the development of unloading-induced atrophy but significantly prevented proteolysis of titin and the decrease in the TTN gene expression.

Seasonal changes in proteolytic activity of calpains in striated muscles of long-tailed ground squirrel Spermophilus undulatus.

Seasonal changes in proteolytic activity and content of calpains in striated muscles of the longtailed ground squirrel Spermophilus undulatus were studied by casein zymography and Western blotting analysis. The results testify to hyperactivation of calpain proteases in the skeletal muscles of awakened animals during the "winter" activity. The observed changes are discussed in the context of adaptation of skeletal muscles of long-tailed ground squirrels to hibernation.

[Effects of weak magnetic fields on different phases of planarian regeneration].

We analyzed the effects of weak combined magnetic fields, tuned to the cyclotron resonance condition for calcium ions, obtained in different phases of planarian regeneration. We showed that the result of regeneration in 72 hours after decapitation depends on the length of exposure, and the time between decapitation and initiation of a half-hour exposure. The experimental dependence can be explained by a multiplicity of enzymatic targets activated in different phases of the regeneration process.

Induction of differentiation in leukemic cell strains with myelopeptide-4.

We studied the capacity of myelopeptide-4 (regulatory peptide of the bone marrow origin) to induce terminal differentiation of HL-60 and K-562 leukemic cells. Myelopeptide-4 increased the expression of CD14 and CD38 differentiation antigens on the surface of HL-60 cells and of CD44 antigen on K-562 cells, induced the appearance of mature monocyte/macrophages in HL-60 culture and hemoglobin-producing cells in K-562 cell culture, and stimulated phagocytic activity of THP-1 leukemic cells. Myelopeptide-4 is an endogenous factor of cell differentiation, a prospective agent for antileukemic therapy.

[Comparative analysis of a new modification of segmental tuberculin test with the routine Koch test]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz novoi modofokatsii segmentarnykh tuberkulinovykh prob s traditsionnoi proboi Koch.

A focal reaction plays the leading role in the assessment of segmental tests (ST). The sensitivity of ST is 72.4% and that of the Koch test is 64.5%, their specificity is 94.1 and 80.0%, respectively. A 10% or more increase in adenosine deaminase during peritoneal fluid ST indicates to the exacerbation of genital tuberculosis. Analysis of the cellular composition of peritoneal fluid from the Douglas space is proposed as a criterion for a focal reaction. There are ultrasound symptoms which accompany the exacerbation of an inflammatory process in the genitals in response to ST and which are indicative of a positive focal reaction. The minimum tuberculin load and lack of contraindications allow ST to be introduced into the practical work of tuberculosis facilities.

[Features of surgery on female genital tuberculosis]. / Osobennosti khirurgii tuberkuleza zhenskikh genitalii.

The paper gives the outcomes of treatment in 4983 patients treated at the Gynecology Clinic of the Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology in 1977 to 1999. Surgical interventions different in their scope were made in 949 (19%) females. Analyzing 526 females of them indicated that organ-saving operations were performed in most cases (80.2%). Indications for surgery and the time of preoperative etiotropic therapy were defined. Emphasis is laid on that the introduction of laparoscopy into practical phthiosiologic gynecology will solve many problems associated not only with a surgical appliance, but also with the diagnosis of genital tuberculosis.

[Laparoscopy in the complex diagnosis abdominal and genital tuberculosis]. / Laparoskopiia v kompleksnoi diagnostike abdominal'nogo i genital'nogo tuberkuleza.

Laparoscopy may detect pathognomonic signs of rashes on the visceral peritoneum, enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, a profound commissural process in the small pelvis and Douglas space to identify abdominal and genital tuberculosis. The examinees were also found to have a prior tuberculosis of other sites or a contact with bacillary patients. Laparoscopy shows a 19.7% increases in the diagnostic potentialities by morphologically verifying the diagnosis based on biopsy specimens.

[Effectiveness of enalapril in chronic cor pulmonale]. / Effektivnost' énalaprila pri khronicheskom legochnom serdtse.

The aim of our investigation was assessment of enalapril effects in cor pulmonale. 20 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases complicate with cor pulmonale received combined treatment including enalapril. The course of such treatment led to a significant lowering of systolic and diastolic pressure in the pulmonary artery, systemic arterial pressure, specific peripheral resistance and minute volume in patients with hyperkinetic and mixed types of hemodynamics. Parameters of ECG and exercise tolerance improved. Enalapril is effective in correction of pulmonary and central hemocirculation in chronic cor pulmonale.

[Clinico-morphological manifestations of genital tuberculosis in women]. / Kliniko-morfologicheskie proiavleniia tuberkuleza genitalii u zhenshchin.

Surgical material from 35 female patients with genital tuberculosis is analyzed. 57.1% of patients with clear-cut clinical symptoms showed tubercles and caseous foci. In other patients no specific pathology was found histologically. This condition can be called as a non-active tuberculosis if clinicoepidemyologic data and laboratory studies support diagnosis of tuberculosis. Natural evolution of the specific inflammation and its trend to fibrosis facilitate the development of secondary infection. In this respect tuberculosis of female genitalia resembles pulmonary tuberculosis.

[Diagnostic values of polymerase chain reaction test in females with genital tuberculosis]. / Diagnosticheskie vozmozhnosti metoda tsepnoi reaktsii pri genital'nom tuberkuleze u zhenshchin.

The previously offered procedure for detecting. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), has been tested for diagnosing genital tuberculosis in females. PCR was used to examine endometrial curettage specimens in 44 patients with different nosological entities, which showed a high sensitivity (80%) and a high specificity in the diagnosis of genital tuberculosis.

[Clinical aspects of genital tuberculosis in young women]. / Klinicheskie osobennosti genital'nogo tuberkuleza u zhenshchin molodovogo vozrasta.

The review of 108 case histories of active genital tuberculosis (GT) in young women provided the following information: the symptoms emerged acutely in 30%, GT ran under the mask of nonspecific salpingo-oophoritis in 44%, GT was associated with pain, general toxicity, blood picture changes in 50, 30 and 66% of patients, respectively. In 70.7% of young women tuberculosis affected uterine tubes only, whereas in women over 30 years old the infection more frequently occurred in the uterus. 63% of GT females were treated surgically.

[Testosterone metabolism in the skin of women with hirsutism]. / O metabolizme testosterona v kozhe zhenshchin, stradaiushcikh girsutizmom.

A study was made of the endogenous testosterone (T) level in the blood plasma, the rate of T decomposition and the level of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone in the pubic skin of women with hirsutism of different genesis. As to T amounts the investigated form of androgenization can be placed in the following sequence: diencephalic form of ovarian polycystosis greater than congenital adrenogenital syndrome greater than ovarian form of polycystosis (before operation) greater than idiopathic form of hirsutism greater than ovarian form of polycystosis (after operation) greater than healthy women. The rate of T transformation into 5 alpha-dehydrotesosterone was higher but in patients with the idiopathic form of hirsutism whereas the level of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone was significantly decreased in all the patients. The highest amount of the metabolite was found in the patients with idiopathic hirsutism, the lowest in the diencephalic form of polycystosis and congenital adrenogenital syndrome. In all the investigated clinical forms of androgenization there is a reduced period of the presence of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone in the skin cells. An enhanced process of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone transformation into androstenediols is likely to be the most probable cause of this phenomenon. An assumption has been made as to a stimulating effect of androstenediols on the virile pattern hair growth in women.