[Altricial and precocial developmental features in modern meat-type chicks].

Variability of egg weight, egg yolk content, neonatal growth rate and relationships of these parameters were studied in meat-type chicks. As it had been established the level of variability in neonatal growth traits was greater than variability of the egg morphology parameters. Egg weight had stronger influence on the chicks' neonatal growth rate than egg yolk content did. Low egg size was associated with limited neonatal growth rate variability, declined chick weight at hatching and increased relative growth rate throughout four days post hatch. Comparison of egg morphological parameters in two species having the same female definitive body weight--meat-type domestic fowl (precocial type) and brown pelican (altricial type) has shown, that, in contrary to predicted on the basis of avian developmental typology, egg weight to female body ratio was greater in brown pelican, egg yolk content was equal in both species.

[Amino acid and lipid metabolism in embryos of flesh fowl with different yolk mass].

It has been proposed that variations in relative yolk mass in a population of flesh fowl be used as a model of development of nidicolous and nidifugous birds. During development of the eggs with a high proportion of yolk, an excess of lipids is cleaved at a higher rate and oxidized until day 17 of incubation, while in the embryos developing from the eggs with a low relative yolk mass, amino acids are intensely cleaved during the period preceding the hatching. Significant differences in the body content of cystine were found in 17-day embryos and upon hatching, thus suggesting a delayed activity of the genes encoding keratins in the group corresponding to the seminidicolous type according to the egg content of lipids. These biochemical differences question the widespread concept on the occurrence of dichotomy by the end of embryogenesis and beginning of neonatal growth of nidifugous and nidicolous birds.

[Eggs fertilizability in domestic hens Gallus gallus domesticus as a function of the yolk surface area]. / Zavisimost' oplodotvoriaemosti iaitz domashnikh kur Gallus gallus domesticus ot ploshchadi poverkhnosti zheltka.

The increase of egg mass and reliable decrease of egg fertilizability were observed when the mass surface area of yolk (egg) increased. The results obtained suggest that, in addition to the number of viable spermatozoa penetrating across the perivitelline membrane within 15-20 min after ovulation, the probability of fertilization depends on the area of egg surface, which approximately corresponds to the area of perivitelline membrane. Apparently, the ratio of receptors' numbers and spermatozoa, which contact with them on the germ disc surface, to their number on the rest part of perivitelline membrane decreases with the increase of yolk size. The decreased egg fertilizability concomitant with the increased area of perivitelline membrane suggests that the egg size is one of the factors of fertility of the female gametes as concerns both variability of the egg composition and age.

Totally endoscopic myocardial revascularization: an experimental study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of performing totally endoscopic myocardial revascularization through the abdominal cavity. METHODS AND RESULTS: The right gastroepiploic artery was harvested endoscopically through three troacars in 46 human cadavers. Then, a 5-cm hole was made in the diaphragm to expose the right coronary artery. With the help of two vacuum pods, we fixed a site of the right coronary artery and made a right gastroepiploic artery-right coronary artery anastomosis. In 20 cases, continuous Prolene suture was used, and in 26 experiments, we applied a sutureless technique. Twenty-three anastomosis were patent. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the low patency rate, the transabdominal approach of totally endoscopic bypass grafting is promising and demands further investigation.

Multivessel minimally invasive coronary surgery with endoscopic support.

BACKGROUND: Interest in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass (MICAB) grafting and the MICAB experience have been increasing. The purpose of this study was to develop the multivessel minimally invasive coronary revascularization technique and to estimate the effectiveness of the endoscopic support in this operation. METHODS: From January 1998 through April 1999, 190 patients (ages 38 to 72 years) underwent coronary revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass. Among them, 69 patients (55 males, 14 females) underwent minimally invasive coronary revascularization, from 1 to 3 vessels, through minithoracotomy and ministernotomy with endoscopically dissected internal mammary artery, gastroepiploic artery, and composite grafts. Preoperative risk factors included unstable angina (n = 15), reoperations (n = 8), low ejection fraction (n = 14), renal insufficiency (n = 4), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 6), cerebrovascular accident (n = 2), diffuse atherosclerosis (n = 4) and diabetes mellitus (n = 7). RESULTS: The operative mortality was 1.5% (1/69). Morbidity included wound infections (n = 1), reoperation for management of bleeding (n = 1), acute graft occlusion (n = 1), perioperative myocardial infarction (n = 1). The number of grafts placed in 69 patients was as follows: single, 54; double, 10; triple, 5. Postoperative angiography and Doppler flow assessment of the coronary anastomoses performed in 22 patients (30%) showed that 97% were patent. CONCLUSIONS: The minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting operation is safe and effective. Endoscopic support makes the use of minimally invasive technology possible in patients with multivessel coronary disease and makes this operation less traumatic.

[Functional activity of placental, splenic and hepatic tissues in pyo-septic diseases under conditions of extracorporeal detoxication]. / Funktsional'naia aktivnost' tkanei platsenty, selezenki i pecheni pri gnoino-septicheskikh zabolevaniiakh v usloviiakh ékstrakorporal'noi detoksikatsii.

Immunocorrective and detoxication treatment by plasma perfusion through fragments of alloplacental tissue (group 1), fragments of xenosplenic tissue (group 2) and isolated xenohepatocytes (group 3) was carried out as an adjuvant therapy in 61 patients with pyoseptic diseases. Control group consisted of 21 patients. Comparative analysis of effectiveness of the treatment showed, that in patients of group 2 after 5 days substantial increase of lymphocytes count was detected due to increased pool of T- and B-lymphocytes. In patients of group 1 increase in lymphocytes content occurred even in greater degree, but it occurred mainly owing to the augmentation of B-lymphocytes pool. In patients of groups 1 and 2 already to the 3rd day an increase of FAL as well IgA and IgM occurred. There was no immunocorrective effect in patients of group 3, as well as control group. However, detoxication activity, having been evaluated by bilirubin and cytolytic enzymes dynamics, by urea and kreatinine level increased in all patients of groups 1, 2, 3 in comparison with the control. It is suggested, that allogenic placental tissue could be recommended for the treatment of pyoseptic conditions, especially in patients with transplanted organs, because this tissue electively activates only humoral immunity.

[Equipment for blood detoxication in critical care of patients]. / Apparat dlia detoksikatsii krovi pri kriticheskikh sostoianiiakh bol'nykh.

The paper deals with the development of a new more improved blood detoxicating system in critical patients. Based on the design of a [symbol: see text]-0.5 plasmapheresis device, the authors have designed a new [symbol: see text] 2-0.5 system, by including into the extracorporeal circuit the second rotor which cultures biologically active agents (hepatocytes, fragments of splenic and placental tissue) enhancing a patient's detoxification. The paper also outlines the operating principles of the [symbol: see text] K 2-0.5 device, its operational preparation and procedure.

[Identification and purification of GTP-binding regulatory proteins from plasma membranes of swine heart]. / Identifikatsiia i ochistka GTP-sviazyvaiushchikh reguliatornykh belkov iz plazmaticheskikh membran serdtsa svin'i.

A 23 kDa GTP-binding protein was purified from pig heart sarcolemma. This protein was not ADP-ribosylated by cholera, pertussis and botulinum C3 toxins. In pig heart sarcolemma pertussis toxin ADP-ribosylated 40 kDa subunit of Gi-protein, cholera toxin--45 kDa subunit of Gs-protein, botulinum C3 toxin ADP-ribosylated a group of proteins with Mr 22, 26 and 29 kDa. Antiserum generated against the peptide common for all alpha-subunits of G-proteins did not react with purified 23 kDa protein. Trypsin cleaved the 23 kDa protein in the presence of guanyl nucleotides into a 22 kDa fragment. Proteolysis of the 39 kDa alpha 0-subunit from bovine brain plasma membranes and ADP-ribosylated 40 kDa alpha i-subunit from pig heart sarcolemma in the presence of GTP gamma S yielded the 37 and 38 kDa fragments, respectively. In the presence of GTP and GDP the proteolysis of alpha 0 yielded the 24 and 15 kDa fragments, while the proteolysis of ADP-ribosylated alpha i-subunit yielded a labelled 16 kDa peptide. Irrespective of nucleotides trypsin cleaved the ADP-ribosylated 26 kDa substrate of botulinum C3 toxin into two labelled peptides with Mr 24 and 17 kDa. The data obtained indicate the existence in pig heart sarcolemma of a new 23 kDa GTP-binding protein with partial homology to the alpha-subunits of "classical" G-proteins.

[Regulation by cations of adenylate cyclase activity in chicken tissues]. / Reguliatsiia kationami aktivnosti adenilattsiklazy v tkaniakh kur.

The effects of magnesium and sodium ions on adenylate cyclase activity in plasma membranes from chicken heart and eggshell gland mucosa were studied. It was found that the increase in magnesium chloride concentration from 5 to 40 mM results in the stimulation (4.1-fold) of the adenylate cyclase activity. The increase in sodium chloride concentration up to 150 mM stimulated the enzyme activity 2-fold. The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by magnesium and sodium ions was less pronounced in the eggshell gland. GTP did not activate adenylate cyclase. The activating effect of magnesium and sodium ions was accompanied by the attenuation of the enzyme sensitivity to NaF, guanylyl imidodiphosphate and isoproterenol. Activation by guanylyl imidodiphosphate was completely abolished in the presence of 40 mM magnesium chloride. It is assumed that high concentrations of the salt promote subunit dissociation of the adenylate cyclase regulatory protein and its interaction with the catalytic subunit in the presence of endogenous nucleotides. The differences in the adenylate cyclase sensitivity to cations in chicken heart and eggshell gland mucosa correlate with the amount of pertussis toxin substrate.

[Genetic engineering of peptide hormones. I. Cloning and primary structure of cDNA of chicken growth hormone]. / Geneticheskaia inzheneriia peptidnykh gormonov. I. Klonirovanie i pervichnaia struktura kDNK gormona rosta kuritsy.

The cDNA coding for the chicken growth hormone was cloned and sequenced. The 795 base pairs long cDNA insert contains a 5'-untranslated region (35 b.p.), a sequence coding for precursor of growth hormone (648 b.p.), a 3'-untranslated region (96 b.p.) and a poly(A)-tail (16 b.p.). Comparison of the cDNA sequence cloned by us with that published earlier revealed several differences including the additional unique HinfI site at the position corresponding to codons for Leu-87 and Thr-88.

[Respiration and heat production in the embryonic development of chickens]. / Dykhanie i teploproduktsiia v zarodyshevom razvitii kur.

A marked increase in the rate of oxagen consumption and heat production, measured by the direct method, is observed in the chick embryogenesis. The intensity of respiration and heat production of the embryos decreases as the development proceeds. During development the data obtained by direct and indirect calorimetry diverge. This divergence, referred to as psi u-function, gradually decreases by the moment of hatching. Differences in the value of heat production and psi u-function were found in crosses of meat and egg directions, related to differences in the growth rate and productivity of adult fowl.