Efficacy of Arbidol in the prevention of virus-induced exacerbations of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

AIM: To assess the efficacy and safety of Arbidol in the influenza and ARVI preventing in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was an open label and prospective during epidemic period of 2016-2017 years. 100 outpatients aged 18 to 80 years with verified asthma and/or COPD, were enrolled to therapy group, and received oral umifenovir 200 mg once daily for 14 days and then 200 mg twice a week for 3 weeks.The medical records data for the same epidemic period of 2016-2017 seasons of the same patients during witch they received no prophylaxis was taken as a control. The data analysis was made by applying parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. RESULTS: Seasonal and post-exposure prophylaxis using umifenovir was associated with 2.6-times reduction in influenza and ARVI morbidity compared to control. In diseased patients (ARVI) of the therapy group the number of patients with mild illness prevailed (62.2%) and was significantly differed from control (37.1%). Severity of catarrhal symptoms and intoxication, was reduced with umifenovir prophylaxis course and were mild in 67.6% and 67.6% respectively of therapy group compared with 43.3% and 46.4% of control. Influenza and ARVI complications were only detected in control group (4 cases). The percentage of patients with incidents of underlying disease exacerbation was 42% in therapy group and 93% in control group. Also, exacerbation in the therapy group were mild in 59.5% and 34.4% in control group, while moderate exacerbation prevailed in control group and was in 59.1% of cases with was significantly higher then in therapy group (39.3%). Results in more frequent use of adjuvant in the control group compared with the therapy group (81.7% and 59.5% respectively). Patients of control group had a higher risk of hospitalizations due to underlying disease aggravation (11.8%), compared with therapy group (9.5%) but these differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: Seasonal and post-exposure prophylaxis with Arbidol reduce influenza and ARVI morbidity in patients with asthma and COPD during epidemic period, frequency and severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease aggravations resulting in decrease in the number of hospitalizations. Also, prophylaxis with Arbidol reduced the severity of catarrhal symptoms and intoxication.

[Clinical, laboratory, and functional characteristic of patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with disturbances of oxalic acid metabolism].

We studied the role of oxalate release through the airways as a potential injurious factor in the development of inflammation, bronchial obstruction and cough syndrome (respiratory oxalosis). Detection of oxalates in bronhcoalveolar lavage fluid and daily urine is the most valuable method for diagnostics of oxalates. Systemic effects, such as cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, and spinal osteochondrosis are characteristic clinical signs of respiratory oxalosis, besides purely respiratory symptoms.

[The treatment of patients with broncho-pulmonary pathology and concomitant disturbances of oxalic acid metabolism].

This work was aimed at estimating the role of special therapy of patients with bronchial asthma, COPD and hyperoxaluria designed to restrict the delivery or eliminate excess of oxalates and producing well apparent beneficial effect confirmed by the disappearance or decrease of clinical and functional manifestations of obstruction, reduction of requirements for broncholytic and anti-inflammatory agents.

[ISPpy1, a novel mobile element of the ancient Psychrobacter maritimus permafrost strain: translocations in Escherichia coli K-12 cells and formation of composite transposons].

It was shown that IS element ISPpyl isolated earlier in the permafrost strain Psychrobacter maritimus MR29-12 has a high level of functional activity in cells of the heterologous host Escherichia coli K-12. ISPpyl can be translocated in E. coli cells by itself and mobilize adjacent genes and can also form composite transposons flanked by two copies of this element. Apart from translocations between different plasmids, the composite ISPpyl-containing transposon Tn5080a is capable of translocation from the plasmid into the E. coli chromosome with high frequency and from the chromosome into the plasmid. Among products of Tn5080a transposition into plasmid R388, simple insertions were predominantly formed together with cointegrates. Upon mobilization of adjacent genes with the use of one ISPpyl copy, only cointegrates arise.

[Association of the strA-strB genes with plasmids and transposons in the present-day bacteria and in bacterial strains from permafrost].

Transposons closely related to the streptomycin resistance transposon of modem bacteria, Tn5393, were detected in the bacterial isolates from permafrost resistant to streptomycin. Many transposons studied were located on the medium-size plasmids with a narrow host range. None of the streptomycin-resistant strains isolated from permafrost contained small plasmids carrying the strA-strB genes and related to the broad host range plasmid RSF1010.

[Clinical characteristics and condition of the bronchial tree in patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in combination with hyperoxaluria].

AIM: To evaluate peculiarities of a clinical course and changes in bronchial mucosa in bronchial asthma (BA) patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in combination with hyperoxaluria (HOU); informative value of some laboratory and device findings including oxalates assay in bronchial lavage fluid for specification of the diagnosis, role of oxalates in development of obstructive syndrome and choice of optimal therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Oxalates were examined in daily urine, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and exhaled air condensate of 104 patients with BA and COPD, 77 of which had HOU and an atypical course of bronchial obstruction syndrome. RESULTS: Conception of airways inflammation in patients with oxalate metabolism disturbances is proposed. It is shown that insoluble oxalates participate in pathogenesis of bronchial obstruction. CONCLUSION: Oxalate metabolism disturbances are an important factor in pathogenesis of airways inflammation and development of bronchial obstruction in predisposed patients. Therefore, administration of insoluble oxalates lowering therapy may effectively prevent formation and progression of obstructive pulmonary diseases in this group of patients.

[Origin, evolution, and migration of drug resistance genes].

Current views on the mechanisms responsible for the emergence of multiple drug resistance in clinical bacterial isolates are considered. Hypotheses on the origin of resistance genes derived from determinants of actinomycetes, antibiotic producers, and chromosomal genes of bacteria involved in cellular metabolism are reviewed. The mechanisms underlying the diffusion of resistance determinants by means of bacterial mobile elements (plasmids, transposons, and integrons) are discussed. Examples of the horizontal transfer of resistance determinants between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are presented.

[Insect allergens in the human dwelling].

The paper considers the insect fauna of a human dwelling as a risk factor for patients with respiratory allergic diseases with domestic dust hypersensitivity. It shows that cockroaches, moths, domestic dust ticks, and molds may be additional sources of allergens within the human dwelling. The paper also lends support of an important role of cockroaches and their vital activity in the development of respiratory allergy and shows their implication as inhalation allergens.

[Distribution of transposons Tn5044 and Tn5070 with unusual mer operons in environmental bacterial populations]. / Raspostranenie v prirodnykh populiatsiiakh bacterii transpozonov Tn5044 i Tn5070, nesushchikh nekanonicheskie mer-operony.

The distribution of unusual mercury resistance transposons, Tn5044 and Tn5070, was examined. A characteristic feature of Tn5044 is temperature sensitivity of its mercury operon and the presence in the mer operon of the gene homologous to RNA polymerase a subunit. Structural organization of mercury operon Tn5070, containing minimum gene set (merRTPA), differs from mer operons of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. None of more than two thousand environmental bacterial strains displaying mercury resistance and isolated from the samples selected from different geographical regions hybridized to Tn5040- and Tn5070-specific probes. A concept on the existence of cosmopolite, endemic, and rare transposons in environmental bacterial populations was formulated.

[Mercury-resistant bacteria from permafrost sediments and prospects for their use in comparative studies of mercury resistance determinants]. / Rezistentnye k soedineniiam rtuti bakterii iz mnogoletnemerzlykh otlozhenii i perspektivy ikh ispol'zovaniia v sravnitel'nykh issledovaniiakh determinant rtut'-ustoichivosti.

Mercury-resistant bacteria were isolated from permafrost sediments of Kolyma lowland and Canada existing over five thousand to two million years. Their content was shown to vary within the range 0.001-2.9% and to depend on the amount of mercury in sampling sites (coefficient of correlation 0.75). A collection of mercury-resistant bacterial strains was created. In this collection, various representatives of both Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Micrococcus, Arthrobacter) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Plesiomonas, Myxobacteriales) were identified. Most resistant bacteria were found to contain determinants homologous to mer-operons of contemporary bacteria. The isolated strains of paleobacteria are proposed to be used for a comparative structural study of contemporary and ancient plasmids and transposons carrying mercury resistance determinants.

[Horizontal transfer of mercury resistance genes in natural bacterial populations]. / Gorizontal'nyi perenos genov ustoichivosti k soedineniiam rtuti v prirodnykh populiatsiiakh bakterii.

The results of studying the horizontal transfer of mercury resistance determinants in environmental bacterial populations are reviewed. Identical or highly homologous mercury resistance (mer) operons and transposons were found in bacteria of different taxonomic groups from geographically distant regions. Recombinant mer operons and transposons were revealed. The data suggest high frequencies of horizontal transfer and of recombination for mercury resistance determinants. The mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer were elucidated in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. New transposons were found and analyzed.

[Genetic factors in predisposition to bronchial asthma]. / Geneticheskie faktory predraspolozhennosti k bronkhial'noi astme.

The ratio between the normal (+) and null (0) alleles of the genes encoding glutatione S-transferases M1 (GSTM1) and T1 (GSTT1) were studied in normal individuals from northwestern Russia (control group) and in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). The frequency of the GSTM1 0/0 genotype in the population sample was statistically significantly lower (37.8%) than in the BA patients (82.1%; chi 2 = 16.8; P < 0.001; w chi 2 = 15.7; alpha = 0.01). For the GSTT1 gene, similar data were obtained. The frequency of the GSTT1 0/0 genotype in healthy donors was statistically significantly higher (16.3%) than in the BA patients (73.7%; chi 2 = 28.5; P < 0.001; w chi 2 = 23.22; alpha = 0.01). A significant preponderance of the compound homozygotes for the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null alleles among the BA patients was observed. The frequency of the GSTM1 0/0, GSTT1 0/0 individuals among the patients was 57.9%, while it was only 4.7% among the controls (chi 2 = 27.4; P < 0.001).

Re-evaluation of osmotic effects as a general adaptative strategy for bacteria in sub-freezing conditions.

We studied the molecular mechanisms of adaptation of a Siberian psychrophilic bacterial strain. Upon adaptation to 4 degreesC from 24 degreesC, the major changes observed were in the membrane and cell surface chemistry. There was no evidence for the formation of so-called 'compatible metabolites' that are thought to be responsible for the survival at very low to sub-freezing temperatures. The membrane fatty acids were shorter with an increased amount of unsaturation in the 4 degreesC cells compared to the 24 degreesC cells. The absence of a significant amount of phosphorylation in the membrane lipids at 4 degreesC compared to the levels at 24 degreesC was another significant difference. At 4 degreesC, the cell size was reduced in volume by a factor of approximately 14 compared to its size at 24 degreesC. The polar polysaccharide capsular layer was also significantly reduced. There were no significant changes in the protein profiles indicating that antifreeze proteins were not being produced. The results obtained here are consistent with observations and established theories and principles on and about the behavior of water in confined spaces. These indicate that ordering effects, surface charge and polarity are the key determinants of the freezing point and the type of ice structure that will be formed when water is confined to an area of the size of a bacterial cell.

[Role of biological defects in formation and development of bronchial asthma and potentialities of premorbid diagnosis]. / Rol' biologicheskikh defektov v formirovanii i razvitii bronkhial'noi atmy i vozmozhnosti premorbidnoi diagnostiki.

The paper considers bronchial asthma as a polygenic disease. It presents some data available in the literature on the role of genetic disorders in the development of atopic states and the authors' own findings of various biological defects detected in apparently healthy blood relatives of patients with bronchial asthma. It is concluded that premorbid diagnosis is of importance in high risk persons.

Horizontal spread of mer operons among gram-positive bacteria in natural environments.

Horizontal dissemination of the genes responsible for resistance to toxic pollutants may play a key role in the adaptation of bacterial populations to environmental contaminants. However, the frequency and extent of gene dissemination in natural environments is not known. A natural horizontal spread of two distinct mercury resistance (mer) operon variants, which occurred amongst diverse Bacillus and related species over wide geographical areas, is reported. One mer variant encodes a mercuric reductase with a single N-terminal domain, whilst the other encodes a reductase with a duplicated N-terminal domain. The strains containing the former mer operon types are sensitive to organomercurials, and are most common in the terrestrial mercury-resistant Bacillus populations studied in this work. The strains containing the latter operon types are resistant to organomercurials, and dominate in a Minamata Bay mercury-resistant Bacillus population, previously described in the literature. At least three distinct transposons (related to a class II vancomycin-resistance transposon, Tn1546, from a clinical Enterococcus strain) and conjugative plasmids are implicated as mediators of the spread of these mer operons.

[Clinical significance of specific features of HLA antigen incidence in patients with mucoviscidosis and in their relatives]. / Klinicheskoe znachenie osobennostei raspredeleniia antigenov sistemy HLA u bol'nykh mukovistsidozom i ikh rodstvennikov.

The distribution of antigens in the HLA system was studied in 57 patients with mucoviscidosis and in their 43 relatives. The examinees were found to have increased incidence of the HLA antigens B40, CW2, CW3, CW4. The haplotype AIB40 was associated with the mutation carriage of the CF gene deletion F508 both in patients and their relations heterozygous for this mutation. The analysis of the level of HLA antigens in the tissue of CF patients may predict the development of particular clinical features of mucoviscidosis and the nature of the course of the disease.

[Bronchial nonspecific reactivity in patients with bronchial asthma and in the preasthmatic state and its alteration under the influence of acupuncture]. / Nespetsificheskaia reaktivnost' bronkhov u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi i v sostoianii predastmy i ee izmenenie pod vliianiem akupunktury.

The development of nonspecific bronchial hypersensitivity and hyperreactivity in bronchial asthma and effectiveness of its correction with acupuncture were investigated in 152 patients with asthma and preasthma. 94 of them were subjected to acupuncture. The authors employed a complex of diagnostic methods with determination of 241 parameters processed later with the use of systemic modelling. Bronchial hypersensitivity as indicated by the response to acetylcholine was related to impaired coordination of bronchomotor tone regulating systems: parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system, eosinophilic and monocytic bronchial inflammation, glucocorticoid homeostatic alterations. The corrective role of acupuncture consists in reduction of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity, normalization of blood acetylcholine, resensitization of cell beta-adrenergic receptors, elevation of mean concentrations of 11-OCS and T-lymphocytes.

[Disorders in mineral metabolism at different stages of the development of bronchial asthma]. / Narusheniia mineral'nogo metabolizma na razlichnykh étapakh razvitiia bronkhial'noi astmy.

Magnesium and calcium concentrations were measured by nuclear-absorption spectrometry (AAC-508, Hitachi, Japan) and selective ionometry (Microlyte, Kone, Finland) in the serum, red cells, lymphocytes, 24-h urine and exhaled air humor condensate in 23, 31 and 23 sibs (parents and their children) with preasthma, atopic bronchial asthma, free of these diseases, respectively. All the patients had magnesium deficiency and calcium hyperconcentrations in the blood cells, low urine excretion of magnesium. Parathormone and calcitonin serum concentrations underwent no changes. It is suggested that in contrast to changes of endobronchial homeostasis of bivalent cations, those of electrolyte cell composition are primary and appear prior to clinical manifestations of bronchial asthma.