[Effect of negative air ions on respiratory organs and blood].

The effect of negatively charged ions on respiratory organs and blood of rats has been studied. It was shown that the inhaling of negative air ions (NAI) for 60 min with a concentration of NAI at the place of location of animals 320-350 000 ions/cm2 activated the secretion of goblet cells without damaging the mucosa of the trachea and changed the spectrum of proteins of bronchopulmonary lavage. It was also found that the spontaneous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by cells of nonfractionated blood after the exposure to NAI increased in both males and females; the intensity of ROS generation induced by opsonized zymosan increased only in females. Different sensitivity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase of blood to NAI in females and males was revealed. These results enable one to consider the effect of NAI as priming and a weak activation of the respiratory organs through the direct action on the mucosa of the primary target organs of the respiratory tract and then on the blood.

[Peculiarities of human lung prenatal morphogenesis at the first trimester of pregnancy in different periods after Chernobyl accident]. / Osobennosti prenatal'nogo morfogeneza legkikh cheloveka pervogo trimestra beremennosti v raznye sroki posle Cernobyl'skoi avarii.

The comparative histological and morphometric analysis of the bronchial structures of human fetal lungs was performed. Fetal lungs were taken from pregnant women living in radionuclide polluted zones (Novozibcov, Bryansk region) or in control regions (Moscow) in different periods after Chernobyl accident. Relative areas of the bronchial epithelial tubes and mesenchyme, quantity of bronchial branches and buds (end sections) of epithelial tubes on cut area unit were determined. The dates received in 1992-1993 showed the delay of fetal bronchial growth and branching in comparison with control. It can be estimated as tissue dysplasia of lungs from fetuses of mothers living in Novozibcov. The material received in 1995 showed the more intensive growth of bronchial branches in human fetal lungs than the material from Novozibcov and of the Moscow control, taken in 1992-1993. These date suggest the heterogenous character of lung prenatal morphogenesis reactions of offspring from pregnant women lived in different periods on controllable territories of Bryansk region.

[Present views of prenatal morphogenesis of human lung]. / Sovremennye predstavleniia o prenatal'nom morfogeneze legkikh cheloveka.

Published and original data on human lung morphogenesis during prenatal development are reviewed. Morphofunctional description of the lung at various phases of prenatal morphogenesis is given. Differentiation of various lung structures, surfactant system, development of intrapulmonary fluid, and the onset of breathing movements of the fetus are considered in chronological order. The "critical periods" when the fetal respiratory organs are most sensitive to unfavorable factors are considered. Morphofunctional tests for lung maturity are described applicable for predicting lung pathology of human fetus.

[Cell composition of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in compound chest trauma with main damage to the lungs]. / Osobennosti kletochnogo sostava bronkhoal'veoliarnoi lavazhnoi zhidkosti pri sochetannykh travmakh grudi s preimushchestvennym povrezhdenniem legkikh.

Lethal effect on alveolar macrophages is observed cytologically in all cases. Increase of neutrophils in alveols was found against the background of allergisation and inflammatory immune reactions. General state of patients with a syndrome of acute pulmonary damage but without parallel pulmonary pathology improved by day 5-20, neutrophillosis was moderate (22.8 +/- 8.3). On the contrary lavage liquid in patients with parallel pulmonary pathology had a high neutrophillosis (85.5 +/- 6.6). Endopulmonary cytogram allows prognosis and correction of treatment.

Bronchoalveolar lavage cells and mitotic activity of monocytes and macrophages in rats after long-term intermittent hypoxia.

Long-term (1.5 months) intermittent hypoxia promoted desquamation of bronchial epithelial cells, decreased the relative content of alveolar macrophages and monocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage, stimulated lymphocyte migration to the lungs, and increased the relative content of lymphoid cell in rats. Mitotic activity of monocytes and macrophages decreased against the background of intraalveolar lymphocytosis (lymphocytic alveolitis).

[Cytophysiology of lung bronchiolar secretory cells--source of inflammation "antimediators"]. / Tsitofiziologiia sekretornykh sekretornykh bronkhioliatnykh kletok legkogo--istochnika "antimediatorov" vospaleniia.

Literature and original authors' data on topography, structural organization and function of secretory bronchiolar Clara cells of the lungs in various representatives of mammals and humans are analyzed. Involvement of Clara cells in bronchiolar clearance, metabolization of xenobiotics and carcinogenic substances, synthesis of specific low molecular proteins (SLP), antimediators of inflammation. Special attention is drawn to the SLP properties; proteins with antiprotease properties are revealed among SLP. Other proteins are modulators of local inflammatory resection in the lungs or regulators of pulmonary surfactant function.

[Morphological characteristics of lungs in embryos and fetuses in women living in regions contaminated with radionuclides after accident at the Chernobyl power plant]. / Morfologicheskaia kharakteristika legkikh émbrionov i plodov materei, prozhivaiushchikh na territorii, zagriaznennoi radionuklidami posle avarii na Chernobyl'skoi AES.

The possibility of transplacental passage of Cr-90 and Cs-137 as well as their traces appearance in descendants muscles and bones beginning from the 2nd pregnancy trimester (and this was sometimes associated with teratogenic effects) was demonstrated on the abortion material (human embryos and fetuses) from the controlled zones of the Bryansk region. Statistically significant inhibition of the bronchial branching (according to the morphometry of the lung histological section) this indicating the disturbance of the lung prenatal morphogenesis during the "pseudoglandular" developmental stage was observed in the 1st trimester of the pregnancy in the descendants of the irradiated mothers. Lung hypoplasia was observed in some cases in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of the pregnancy. Activation of lymphoid cells in the fetal lungs and the tendency to the enhancement in them of the ectopic erythroid hemopoiesis was revealed. These processes are considered as a reflection of the compensatory adaptive cellular reaction in the descendants respiratory organs in response to the tissue hypoxia and antigenic stimuli from the organism of the pregnant woman irradiated after the Chernobyl accident.

[The use of a new marker and test systems for the diagnosis of lung cancer with a study of bronchoalveolar washings]. / Ispol'zovanie novogo markera i test-sistem dlia diagnostiki raka legkogo pri issledovanii bronkhoal'veoliarnykh smyvov.

Diagnostic value of enzyme immunoassays and immunoagglutination kits based on monoclonal antibodies ICO 25 was investigated. Antigen CAg 25 occurred in minimal quantities (5 micrograms/ml maximum) or was absent in the bronchoalveolar lavage of patients with bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis or free of pulmonary affection. The concentration 9-19 micrograms/ml was registered in epidermoid bronchial cancer and peripheral lung cancer. It is stated that test systems able to detect a new antigen CAg 25 in BAL are diagnostically significant.

[The characteristics of the prenatal morphogenesis of human lungs in the area of the action of the radiation factors after the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station]. / Osobennosti prenatal'nogo morfogeneza legkikh cheloveka v zone deistviia radiatsionnykh faktorov posle avarii na ChAES.

The effects of irradiation at low doses on prenatal development were studied using the abortion materials from the controlled zones of Bryansk Province, Russia. A possibility of transplacental transition of some radionuclides (90Sr and 137Cs) was shown, as well as appearance of their traces in tissues of some fetuses starting from the second trimester of pregnancy. The presence of radionuclides in the muscle and bones was combined in some cases with teratogenic effects, including lung hypoplasia. Reliable delay of the bronchi branching according to the morphometry of lung histological sections was found in the offspring of irradiated mothers during the first trimester of pregnancy, thus suggesting disturbed prenatal morphogenesis of the lungs. Lung hypoplasia was sometimes noted during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The lymphoid cells of the lungs in fetuses were activated and a trend was found to enhanced extravascular local erythroid hemopoiesis. This is considered by the authors as compensatory-adaptive cellular reactions in the respiratory organs to tissue hypoxia and antigenic stimuli from the irradiated maternal organism.

[Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis]. / Legochnyi al'veoliarnyi mikrolitiaz.

The paper reports a case of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in a 37-year-old female. The diagnosis was established clinically and roentgenologically. The cells of bronchoalveolar lavage were studied morphologically including transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Increased functional activity of alveolar macrophages (AM), a ten-fold increase of their mitotic index, numerous polynuclear AM and foreign-body cells have been revealed.

[The radiation effects of low doses of irradiation on human embryos and fetuses]. / Radiatsionnye éffekty malykh doz oblucheniia na émbriony i plody cheloveka.

Data about the biological effect of irradiation at "small" doses on prenatal development of man are reviewed. The effect of irradiation is observed either immediately after it or in progeny, as consequences of radiation damage to the embryo or fetus. Human embryos and fetuses are most sensitive to ionizing irradiation during the periods of the maximal proliferative activity and differentiation of cells. The concept is formulated that any dose of irradiation, however small, can inflict damage to the embryo or fetus. Problems and perspectives for studies in this field are discussed.

[Circadian fluctuations in the mitotic activity of the alveolar macrophages-monocytes from mouse bronchoalveolar washings]. / Sutochnye kolebaniia mitoticheskoi aktivnosti al'veoliarnykh makrofagov-monotsitov iz bronkhoal'veoliarnykh smyvov myshei.

The mitotic activity of alveolar macrophages-monocytes (AM-M) from bronchoalveolar lavages of 18 male (Balb x Black 6) mice F1 has been studied twice a day: at 8.00 a. m. (9 mice) and 8.00 p. m. (9 mice). Significant diurnal variations of AM-M proliferation were found. The mitotic index was 3.07 +/- 0.3/1000 in the morning and 1.39 +/- 0.3/1000 in the evening (p < 0.002).

[Lymphocyte subpopulation state of the human lung during prenatal development]. / Subpopuliatsionnyi sostav limfotsitov legkogo cheloveka v antenatal'nom periode razvitiia.

Distribution of surface lymphocyte markers was assessed in foetus lung by cytofluorimetry using monoclonal antibodies produced by "Ortho Diagnostic systems" and "Becton Dickinson". Seven lymphocyte subpopulations were detected in developing lungs even at the pseudoglandular stage (8-15 weeks). There was a significant increase in these lymphocyte subpopulations in canalicular stage. Quantity of T3+ cells increased 8-fold and B-cells 10-fold. There was a tendency to increased number of cortical thymocytes (T6+), and to decreased ratio T6+/T3+ lymphocytes. The ratio of immunoregulatory lymphocyte subpopulations (T4+/T8+) resembled that of these subpopulations in adult human lung rather than in cord blood. In canalicular stage the share of lung lymphoid cells in S-phase was decreased.

[The clinico-cytological parallels in exacerbated bronchial asthma]. / Kliniko-tsitologicheskie paralleli pri obostrenii bronkhial'noi astmy.

The authors provide the data on estimation of the character and intensity of inflammation in the proximal and distal bronchi as well as in the respiratory compartment of the lungs, obtained as a result of an all-round examination including a cytological assay of the bronchoalveolar washing off of 31 bronchial asthma patients in the period of disease exacerbation. A correlation analysis is given between the interrelationship between the intensity of bronchial obstruction and the level of eosinophilia in peripheral blood, sputum and in bronchoalveolar washing off. It has been revealed that the relative content of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar washing off is in the best agreement with the intensity of bronchial obstruction.

[Physiologic regeneration of alveolar macrophages]. / Fiziologicheskaia regeneratsiia alveoliarnykh makrofagov.

Alveolar macrophages (AM) play one of the leading roles in the modification of structure, function and behaviour of the respiratory organs cells. The size of AM population may determine the expression of the inflammatory and regenerative processes in the lung. Restoration of AM population may be brought about by two routes from monocytes coming to the alveoli from the circulation with subsequent differentiation into AM and as a result of local monocytes and macrophages proliferation. AM is a long-living cell population capable for limited self-maintenance and renewal.

[Colony-forming hematopoietic cells in the mouse embryonic lung]. / Kolonieobrazuiushchie krovetvornye kletki v émbrional'nom legkom myshi.

The colony-forming activity of embryo lung cells CBA mice was determined according to the Till and McCulloch technique (1961). After intravenous injection to jung cells (1 x 10(6)) from 14-day embryos the total number of colonies on the area of 1 mm2 of spleen sections from irradiated recipient mice averaged 2.31 +/- 0.39 whereas after transplantation of lung cells from 15-day embryos it averaged 2.34 +/- 0.53. The percent of macrocolonies equalled 52.5% in the former case and only 2.5% in the latter case. Macrocolonies contained cells of the myeloid, erythroid and megakaryocyte lines. Microcolonies predominantly consisted of granulocytes at various stages of differentiation. Thus, polypotent stem hematopoietic cells migrate into the fetal lung in vivo. The colony-forming ability of the lung polypotent stem cells decreases as the period of embryogenesis increases.

[Difficulties in the diagnosis of chronic toxoplasmosis with lung involvement]. / Trudnosti diagnostiki khronicheskogo toksoplazmoza s porazheniem legkikh.

A case of chronic acquired toxoplasmosis combined with lung impairment is described. The diagnosis was made on the basis of the data obtained as a result of the use of the latest clinical and instrumental research methods and a specific serologic test. The diagnosis was verified morphologically on thin sections of the sputum. The authors provide data on the diagnostic search for approaches to the differentiation between parasitic diseases resulting in dissemination to the lungs with calcification of the foci and broncholithiasis, tuberculosis.