EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO RADIOACTIVE 56MnO2 POWDER ON HYALURONAN SYNTHASE 2 IN THE LUNGS OF RATS.

Manganese-56 (56Mn) is among the predominant radioisotopes produced in soil by neutrons from atomic bombs. Previously, we examined the effects of the internal exposure of this radioisotope in Wistar rats and reported significant pathological changes in the lung and small intestine. In the present study, we focused on its effects on hyaluronan synthase 2 (Has2) gene expression that may related to pathological changes in the lung. Ten-week-old male Wistar rats were exposed to neutron-activated 56MnO2 powder, non-radioactive MnO2 powder or external 60Co γ-rays (2 Gy, whole body). Animals were examined on days 3, 14, and 60 post-exposure. Absorbed doses in the lung of rats exposed to 56Mn were 55-110 mGy. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that 56Mn exposure significantly reduced the expression of Has2 gene in the lung, while γ-rays did not change it. Our findings suggest that internal exposure to 56Mn, even at low doses, has a significant biological impact on the lung compared with external radiation.

[A case with congenital underdevelopment of the middle part of the face in a newborn]. / Sluchai vrozhdennogo nedorazvitiia srednei chasti litsa u novorozhdennogo.

A newborn is described with a rare developmental defect of the middle part of the face: median cleft in the upper lip, alveolar process, hard and soft palate combined with pronounced hypotelorism and prosencephalia. Combination with hypotelorism indicates that the defect should be classified as a prosencephalic; the risk of repeated birth of a child with such a defect can be as high as 25%.

[Age and changes in the fascial compartment structures in the coxofemoral joint region]. / Vozrastnye izmeneniia fastsial'no-kletchatochnykh obrazovanii.

Investigations performed on 66 corpses beginning from 5-month-old embryos up to 75 years of age by methods of anatomical preparations (sections were studied after N. L. Pirogov) and on total histotopographical preparations revealed anteromedial, anterolateral and posteroinferior fascial nodes in the area of the coxofemoral joint. The anteromedial node is formed by the network that consists of connective tissue fibres of fascial cases covering the lumboinguinal and pectinate muscles and the common sheaths for the artery and vein. The anterolateral node is formed by the network that consists of the connective tissue fibres of the rectal muscle case, the sheaths of the lateral vessels circumflexing the femur and fasciae of the musculus sartorius and m. tensor fasciae femoris. The posteroinferior node is formed by the network that consists of the connective tissue fibres of the fascial cases of the m. obturatorius, internal and external, fascial sheaths of the internal pudendal vessels and the ischiadic nerve. The fascial nodes in question morphologically complete their formation by the end of the fetal period. In young and adolescent age their components have abundant fibroblastic cells, collagenous and elastic fibres are correctly oriented. By 20 years of development, the fascial nodes are dense and their supporting-protective role is clearly evident. After 55 years of age, the fascial nodes are subjected to involutional alterations characterized by decreasing number of cells, rough collagenous fibre fasciculi, transformed elastic fibres. All these signs demonstrate that their protective and supporting functions decrease at this age.