[Comparative experimental assessment of the impact of gold and silver nanoparticles on the phagocyting cells of the lower airways].

Judging by the cytological characteristics of the free cell population of the lower airways obtained with assistance of the bronchoalveolar lavage in 24 hours after the intratracheal instillation of equal doses of equidimensional gold or silver nanoparticles, both metals result in active recruitment of phagocytes with domination of neutrophile leukocytes, especially marked after the instillation of the nanosilver. The higher ratio of these cells count to that of alveolar macrophages gives evidence for the significantly higher cytotoxicity of the nanosilver comparing with both nanogold and even the smallest silver particles in the micrometric range. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates similar pictures of intracellular distribution and ultra-structural damages caused by internalized nanoparticles in both types of phagocytes, while there are significant differences between cells under impact of nanosilver vs. those under impact of nanogold. The highest importance is higher propensity of the nanosilver particles to aggregation and to ingression into mitochondria with damaging these organelles.

[Characteristics of a cytokine profile of T-lymphocytes of peripheral blood and synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis].

AIM: To assess cytokine-producing activity of T-lymphocytes of peripheral blood and synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 58 RA female patients aged 28-53 years (mean age 42.1 +/- 2.9 years) with at least 5-year history of RA (mean 10.7 +/- 4.9 years). The control group consisted of 37 healthy women matched by age. Spontaneous production of IL-2, IL-4, IFNgamma (IFNgamma) and TNFalpha (TNFalpha) by CD3(+) and CD3(-) lymphocytes was estimated after 4 hours of incubation in 37 degrees C with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA, 50 ng/ml, Sigma, France), ionomycin (1 mcg/ml, Sigma, France) and brefeldin A (10 mcg/ml, Sigma, France). RESULTS: In RA there is a decrease in a relative and absolute count of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes which occurs spontaneously and due to nonspecific stimulation of synthetizing IL-4, TNFalpha and IFNgamma. IFNgamma-producing lymphocytes (CD3(+) IFNg(+)/CD3(+) IL-4(+) = 4.45 +/- 1.56) prevail in the synovial fluid in RA, but count of lymphocyte IFNgamma , IL-2 and TNFalpha(+) in the synovial fluid is lower than in peripheral blood. CONCLUSION: One of the causes of low count of TNFalpha, IFNgamma and IL-4 producing T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood is migration of relevant TC-subpopulations to the affected joints. Migration of TC1-lymphocytes into the synovial fluid does not result in their prevailing count in the synovial fluid vs peripheral blood.

[Diagnostic role of different immunologic methods for laboratory diagnostics of legionellosis].

The aim of the study was a comparative analysis of diagnostic value of different laboratoty methods conducted on the basis of results of examination of patients during Legionnaires' disease outbreak in town Verkhnyaya Pyshma. Retrospective analysis of laboratory data from 74 patients with diagnosis of Legionnaires' disease was performed. Complex of laboratory methods was used (polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme immunoassay (EIA), immunochromatography). In group of patients with Legionnaires' disease, the highest proportion of positive results (73%) was obtained by the EIA determining total specific antibodies in urine. Determination of antigen in urine by immunochromatographic express-test yielded 52% of positive results. PCR testing of blood specimens yielded positive results in 65% of samples but was low specific, due to that in 19% of patients from control group false-positive results were obtained. Testing of 3 autopsy samples showed that all specimens contained DNA of the causative agent. Performed analysis allowed to recommend complex use of immunochromatographic express-test of antigen detection and identification of total specific antibodies by EIA during mass people examination.

[Experience of information sharing between local healthcare management and regional Administration of Federal Service for Surveillance for Protection of Consumers Rights and Human Welfare in Sverdlovsk region during outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in town Verkhnyaya Pyshma in July-August 2007].

Issues of reliability, uniformity, and timeliness of reporting and sharing of information during outbreaks of infectious diseases are basic for establishment of tactics and strategy of organizational, antiepidemic, and clinical measures. Analysis of experience in sharing of information between medical care organization service and services ensuring sanitary-epidemiological welfare of population during outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in town Verkhnyaya Pyshma in July-August 2007 was performed in the article.

[Microflora formation in the newborn in maternity hospitals and neonatal abnormality units].

The basic sources of pyoseptic infection pathogens are infected and colonized neonatal infants in maternity hospitals. Microbiological monitoring revealed the specific features of biocenosis formation in the newborn in the "Mother and Baby" units, resuscitative departments (RD), intensive care units, and neonatal abnormality departments (NAD). Irrespective of the conditions of hospital stay, methicillin-resistant S. epidermis (MRSE) and Enterococcus faecium were prevalent in the neonatal microbial landscape. Colonization with the normal flora in the newborn actively treated with antibiotics is difficult in RD, at the same time there is a significant infection with the mycotic flora. Broad-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Klebsiela pneumonia strains have received wide acceptance in NAD.

[Specifics of cytokine regulation in tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of T-lymphocyte cytokine profile during the acute period of tick-bore encephalitis (febrile and meningeal forms) and non-erythematous Lyme borreliosis (NELB). ELISA (Vector-Best, Novosybirsk) and IHA (Virion, Tomsk) techniques were used for laboratory diagnostics of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Etiological verification of Lyme borreliosis (LB) was performed using immune-enzyme test systems for detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to Borellia burgdorferi (NOVATEC Immunodiagnostica, Germany). Thirty-eight subjects constituted the meningeal TBE group; the febrile TBE group consisted of 25 subjects. NELB was diagnosed in 20 subjects. Immunological tests were performed on days 1-7, 8-14, 15-21, and 22-28 of the disease. The study found that primary T-lymphocytes prevailed at early stages during the acute period of febrile TBE. In NELB, secondary T-lymphocytes were registered beginning from days 15-21. Meningeal TBE was characterized by a deep reduction in IFNgamma-producing CD3+ lymphocyte reserve.

[Comparative study of results of serological diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoenzyme analysis]. / Sravnitel'noe izuchenie rezul'tatov serologicheskoi diagnostiki Laim-Borrelioza v reaktsii nepriamoi immunofliuorestsentsii i immunofermentnom analize.

A total of 176 sera from 73 patients with verified Lyme borreliosis at different stages of the disease are examined. Serological diagnosis was carried out by 2 methods: indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) with corpuscular B. burgdorferi antigen and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with purified flagellar B. burgdorferi antigen (Dako). EIA with Dako antigen is more sensitive for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis at any period of the disease than IIF. Analysis of correlations between the results of IIF and EIA showed correlation in the levels of IgG but not IgM antibodies. The findings confirmed a previous hypothesis that inadequate antibacterial therapy before investigation decreases the level of antibodies to Borrelia. In patients with a history of Lyme borreliosis, antibodies to B. burgdorferi are detected less frequently by both IIF and EIA. Patients with persistent levels of antibodies to B. burgdorferi, even without clinical signs of infection, are in need of regular check-ups, because the prognostic significance of antibodies to B. burgdorferi is unknown and relapses may occur after months and years.

[The laboratory diagnosis of spring-summer infections in Yekaterinburg in the epidemic season for tick-borne encephalitis]. / Laboratornaia diagnostika vesenne-letnikh infektsii v Ekaterinburge v épidemicheskii sezon kleshchevogo éntsefalita.

The authors propose a comprehensive approach to laboratory diagnosis of seasonal transmissible infections, based on modern methods permitting etiological deciphering of disease. A universal diagnostic algorithm notably accelerated the laboratory diagnosis due to cutting the period between collection of material from a patient and consecutive screening for antibodies to agents of tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, and California encephalitis.

[The characteristics of peripheral nervous system involvement in Lyme borreliosis in an endemic region of Russia]. / Osobennosti porazheniia perifericheskoi nervnoi sistemy pri Laim-borrelioze v éndemichnom raione Rossii.

Clinical and laboratory data are available on affection of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) in 27 patients with Lyme-borreliosis (LB) in the endemic region of Russia. PNS disorders arose early, 88.9% of the patients had them within one month of the disease. 9 (37.5%) patients had meningoradiculoneuropathy (MRN) which emerged in the acute period in 77.8% of the patients. Inflammation in the cerebrospinal fluid was registered only in patients with clinical signs of meningitis. MRN developed more frequently in facial nerve neuritis (FNN) than in radiculopathy (RP)-80.0% and 14.3%, respectively, p = 0.01. Intrathecal synthesis of antibodies to B. burgdorferi in combination with pleocytosis was found only in FNN patients (16.7%). In 6 (37.5%) of 16 patients with neuroborreliosis concentrations of C-reactive protein were elevated. Its high level occurred significantly more frequently in RP (83%) than in FNN (17%) (p = 0.05). 5 out of 14 LB patients exhibited high level of Willebrand factor antigen. No clear clinical relations between this value and PNS lesions in LB were found.

[Late changes in the body function of the inhabitants in the area of the eastern Urals radioactive trace]. / O nekotorykh otdalennykh izmeneniiakh sostoianiia organizma zhitelei v zone Vostochno-Ural'skogo radioaktivnogo sleda.

Using a mathematical methodology based upon the theory of pattern recognition, the adequacy of this methodology being confirmed by the corroborative results obtained with neuro-net non-parametric methods of analysis, it proved possible to discriminate reliably between generalized organism's statuses, as described with a big number of laboratory indices, of the inhabitants of different areas of a big industrial city which differ in levels of radioactive and non-radioactive environmental pollution.

[The ecdysteroid fraction of the above-ground portion of Serratula coronata L. in the spontaneous E-rosette formation reaction and the agar migration test in vitro]. / Ekdisteroidnaia fraktsiia nadzemnoi chasti Serratula coronata L. v reaktsii spontannogo E-rozetkoobrazovaniia i agarmigratsionnom teste in vitro.

Reaction of E-rosette formation and agar migration test in vitro showed that small concentrations (7.5.10(-13) -7.5.10(-8) M) of phytosteroid ecdysterone (20-hydroxyecdysone) induce the activation of human lymphocytes. The effect of higher concentrations (7.5.10(-7) -7.5.10(-5) M) is less pronounced (two-phase effect).

[Pathomorphology of uveitis caused by an echovirus]. / Patomorfologiia uveita, vyzvannogo virusom ECHO.

The monkey eyes infested by inoculation into the eye anterior chamber of the ECHO-19 virus from children with uveitis were studied morphologically. It was established electron microscopically that the inoculated virus is replicated in the capillary endothelium and stromal cells of the uveal tract. Crystal-like accumulation of virions and degenerative changes in the organelles are observed in these cells. Acute granulomatous alterative-exudative-hemorrhagic uveitis with the destruction of the iris, ciliary body and processes and secondary changes in the cornea and crystalline lens with the symptoms of keratitis and cataract develop in the anterior part of the eye as observed in the light microscope. The anterior and posterior goniosynechia develop. An acute inflammatory process is further transformed into a progressing autoimmune inflammation.

[Poliovirus infection in monkeys vaccinated with live Sabin vaccine]. / Poliovirusnaia infektsiia u obez'ian, vaktsinirovannykh zhivoi vaktsinoi Sebina.

An account of the findings resulting from the study of experimental poliomyelitis in M. rhesus after several immunizations with Sabin live vaccine is given. The challenge of the vaccinated monkeys with the virulent strain of poliomyelitis virus, type I, was shown to result in the development of a disease with clinical and morphological characteristics typical of poliomyelitis in some of these monkeys. The incidence of the infection was found to decrease with the growth of antibody level in the blood of the monkeys. The virus was isolated from the tissues of the vaccinated animals showing the symptoms of the disease less frequently than from the tissues of the control animals.