Chemical Composition of Seeds in Soybean Glycine soja (Fabaceae) of Amur Oblast.

The wild soybean Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc. is an ancestor of the cultivated soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr. and a source of many valuable genes missing in the G. max genome, including genes that determine stress resistance to adverse environmental factors. Biochemical parameters (protein, oil, ascorbic acid, carotene, higher fatty acids, and specific activities and multiple forms of enzymes of the oxidoreductase and hydrolase classes) were studied in five G. soja accessions from the collection of the All-Russian Institute of Soybean (КА-1413, КА-342, КBl-29, КBl-24, and Kеl-72). The accessions provide unique natural gene banks. Wild seeds were collected in three districts (Arkharinskii, Blagoveshchensk, and Belogorskii) of Amur Oblast. Based on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), ribonuclease (RNase), acid phosphatase, esterase, and amylase (AML) activities and biochemical parameters of seeds, the G. soja accession KA-1413 was found to have higher contents of protein, oleic acid, and linolenic acid; a lower polyphenol oxidase specific activity; and higher activities of SODs, esterases, and RNases. The accession KA-1413 was therefore recommended to use as a source of dominant genes in breeding to increase the adaptive potential of new soybean varieties. A higher heterogeneity of multiple forms was observed for SOD, AML, RNase, and esterase, which can provide markers of adaptation to environmental conditions.

Effect of Xymedon and Mexidol in Combination with Antineoplastic Drugs on Spermatogenesis Indicators and Functional State of Spermatozoa in Rats with Walker-256 Carcinoma.

We compared the effect of Xymedon (100 mg/kg), Mexidol (50 mg/kg), and their combination on spermatogenesis indicators and functional state of spermatozoa in rats with Walker-256 carcinoma treated with doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (45 mg/kg) (once intraperitoneally on day 11 after tumor cells transplantation). Xymedon and Mexidol were injected intramuscularly for 10 days starting from day 11 of the experiment. The studied parameters were evaluated on experimental days 14 and 21. We have established that gonadoprotective effect of Xymedon developed gradually and persisted longer than that of Mexidol. It manifested in an increase in the number of epithelial spermatogenesis cells (spermatogonia by 3.2 times, early spermatids by 2.2 times, late spermatids by 2.9 times, and Leydig cells by 4 times) in the testes and also the proportion of viable progressively and non-progressively motile epididymal spermatozoa (by 2 times). The combination of Xymedon and Mexidol stimulated spermatogenesis (with restoration of the initial level of spermatocytes, an increase in the number of early spermatids by 65.5 and 99% in comparison with Xymedon alone and Mexidol alone, respectively) and increased the number of viable epididymal spermatozoa more effectively than Xymedon and Mexidol alone by 54 and 60%, respectively.

[Primary prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases and acetylsalicylic acid: ambiguity of opinions].

Chronic noninfectious diseases (cardiovascular, bronchopulmonary, oncological diseases and diabetes mellitus) are presently the most common cause of death worldwide, with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) being predominant. For this reason, the key goal of a physician is not only to treat but also to prevent diseases. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is considered one of the most effective drugs for secondary prevention of CVD. However, the use of ASA for primary prevention is still debated. Results of many studies of ASA are inconsistent. Some studies have suggested that using ASA in patients aged 40-70 with a high 10-year risk of CVD and a low risk of bleeding may reduce the incidence of CVD. Administration of ASA to patients with a high or medium risk of CVD is also considered.

Enantioselective cytotoxicity of ZnS:Mn quantum dots in A549 cells.

Chirality strongly influences many biological properties of materials, such as cell accumulation, enzymatic activity, and toxicity. In the past decade, it has been shown that quantum dots (QDs), fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles with unique optical properties, can demonstrate optical activity due to chiral ligands bound on their surface. Optically active QDs could find potential applications in biomedical research, therapy, and diagnostics. Consequently, it is very important to investigate the interaction of QDs capped with chiral ligands with living cells. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of the induced chirality of Mn-doped ZnS QDs on the viability of A549 cells. These QDs were stabilized with D- and L-cysteine using a ligand exchange technique. The optical properties of QDs were studied using UV-Vis, photoluminescence (PL), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of QDs was investigated by high content screening analysis. It was found that QDs stabilized by opposite ligand enantiomers, had identical PL and UV-Vis spectra and mirror-imaged CD spectra, but displayed different cytotoxicity: QDs capped with D-cysteine had greater cytotoxicity than L-cysteine capped QDs.

Enantioselective cellular uptake of chiral semiconductor nanocrystals.

The influence of the chirality of semiconductor nanocrystals, CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) capped with L- and D-cysteine, on the efficiency of their uptake by living Ehrlich Ascite carcinoma cells is studied by spectral- and time-resolved fluorescence microspectroscopy. We report an evident enantioselective process where cellular uptake of the L-Cys QDs is almost twice as effective as that of the D-Cys QDs. This finding paves the way for the creation of novel approaches to control the biological properties and behavior of nanomaterials in living cells.

Chlorin e6-ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots based system as reagent for photodynamic therapy.

Stable water-soluble complexes of Cd-free ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and chlorin e6 complexes have been prepared. These complexes have shown approximately 50% intracomplex fluorescence resonance energy transfer from QDs to chlorin e6. The photodynamic therapy (PDT) test of the complexes against the Erlich acsite carcinoma cell culture demonstrated a two-fold enhancement of the cancer cell photodynamic destruction as compared to that of free chlorin e6 molecules. It was shown that the PDT effect was significantly increased due to two factors: the efficient QD-chlorin e6 photoexcitation energy transfer and the improvement of cellular uptake of the photosensitizer in the presence of ZnSe/ZnS QDs.

[Hemorheological properties of new xanthine derivative studied on model of streptozotocin induced diabetes mellitus].

Influence of a new xanthine derivative SUM-55 on microrheological properties erythrocytes in rats with experimental diabetes has been investigated. It is shown that compound SUM-55 significantly reduces aggregation and increases deformability of erythrocytes. Comparative analysis showed that SUM-55 is comparable with pentoxyphylline in the ability to reduce aggregation of erythrocytes and is superior to the reference drug in increasing deformability of red bloodcells.

[Clinical significance of the determination of blood lactate in perinatology].

The paper substantiated the clinical diagnostic significance of lactate tests in various abnormalities. It presents the results of the past 25 years' research and practical studies of blood lactic acid in pregnant women and neonatal infants. More than 1000 pregnant women and 200 neonates were examined. The established peripheral blood lactate standards for pregnant women and the newborn and the values of lactic acid in varying hypoxia are given. It is concluded that lactate tests are of diagnostic value in perinatology.

[Antiarrhythmic activity of ajmaline obtained from Rauwolfia serpentina biomass grown in tissue culture]. / Antiaritmicheskaia aktivnost' aimalina, poluchennogo iz biomassy rauvol'fii zmennoi, vyrashchennoi v kul'ture tkani.

The conventional experimental techniques showed that ajmaline derived from Rouwolfia serpentina Benth. biomass grown in tissue culture was effective in arresting canine ventricular arrhythmias induced by coronary occlusion, strophanthin and epinephrine, displaying antiarrhythmic effects in aconitine-induced intoxication of rats and substantially elevating the threshold of ventricular fibrillations in cats. The antiarrhythmic activity of ajmaline produced by the biotechnological technique was identical to that of ajmaline derived from the natural root of Rauwolfia serpentina Benth, which allows one to recommend that the agent in question should be clinically tested as an antiarrhythmic.

[The role of the prostaglandin system in the cardioprotective effect of adaptation to hypoxia in stress]. / Rol' sistemy prostaglandinov v kardioprotektornom deistvii adaptatsii k gipoksii pri stresse.

The adaptation to periodic altitude hypoxia is known to have cardioprotective and antiarrhythmic effects in stress-induced and ischemic lesions. The effects are assumed to be associated with the enhanced activity of the body's stress-limiting systems, including prostaglandins (PG). Wistar rats were adapted in a hypobaric chamber at an altitude of 4000 m for 6 hours during 40 days. The levels of myocardial and plasma PGE, PGE2 alpha, PGI2, thromboxane A2 were measured by radioimmunoassay and those of plasma catecholamines by enzyme radioassay. In the myocardium, the adaptation showed a 2-fold increase in PGE levels, the PGE/PGE2 alpha ratio and PGI2 levels rose by 70 and 73%, respectively, the PGI2/thromboxane A2 ratio remaining unchanged, while thromboxane A2 concentrations also rose. In adaptation, the levels of PGE and PGI2 was 78 and 60% higher, respectively. In restraint stress, myocardial and plasma PG levels proved to be substantially higher in adapted animals than in the controls, but stress-induced plasma catecholamine release, i.e. stress reaction, showed a 2-3-fold decrease that in the controls undergoing the same stress. The findings along with the data on the cytoprotective and vasodilating action of PGE and PGI2 suggest that enhanced activity of the myocardial and blood PG system is the important link in the mechanism responsible for the antistress impact of adaptation.

[Clinical significance of glycolysis indicators in the evaluation of the condition of the fetus and newborn infant]. / Klinicheskoe znachenie pokazatelei glikoliza v otsenke sostoianiia ploda i novorozhdennogo.

A total of 40 full-term newborns, 41 miscarried fetuses and 196 pregnant women were examined. Of these, 85 women had an uncomplicated pregnancy, 70 were with threatened abortion and 41 with miscarriage within the gestation period of 24-27 weeks. Blood was examined for the glycolysis parameters (glucose, lactate, activity of LDH and its isozymes) and hormonal concentrations: ACTH, cortisol, insulin, C-peptide estriol; urine was examined for excretion of estrogens, pregnanediol++, total neutral 17-CS. It has been established that newborn infants assessed by the Apgar score as having 8-10 points and developing in conditions of threatened abortion are born in a state of hypoxia of different degrees, with dysfunction of the endocrine organs.

[Characteristics of the development during the 1st year of life of children born to mothers with threatened premature labor of the endocrine etiology]. / Osobennosti razvitiia detei pervogo goda zhizni, rodivshikhsia u materei, perenesshikh ugrozu nevynashivaniia éndokrinnogo geneza.

As many as 50 children with the antenatal period complicated by prematurity risk were subjected to clinical and hormonal studies during the first year of life. To estimate adrenal function, excretion of 17-ketosteroids, corticoids and their fractions with urine was investigated. The children born in a satisfactory state with a physiological body weight and length demonstrated the lag in the establishment of motor and static functions as well as mental retardation. It has been discovered that the clinical course of the early neonatal and subsequent periods of the child's development is dependent on adrenal function.

[Role of disorders of pentosephosphate pathway of glucose oxidation in the pathogenesis of the arrest of fetal development in miscarriage]. / Rol' narushenii pentozo-fosfatnogo puti okisleniia gliukozy v patologeneze zaderzhki razvitia ploda pri nevynashivanii beremennoti.

Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, the enzymes participating in the pentose phosphate pathway of glucose oxidation was studied in the blood of 15 normal fetuses and 25 abortuses as well as in 80 females (20 with normally advancing pregnancy, 40 with the signs of discontinuation and 20 patients with spontaneous abortion developed during 24-26 weeks of gestation). The impact of abnormal pentose phosphate pathway of glucose oxidation on the pathogenesis of fetal development arrest in females with incompetent pregnancy was established.

[Supplementary criteria of evaluation of health status in selecting the personnel for work in coal mines]. / Dopolnitel'nye kriterii otsenki sostoianiia zdorov'ia pri prieme na rabotu v ugol'nykh shakhtakh.

200 newly-engaged young miners were medically examined in an outpatient department. The routine examination techniques were supplemented with studies of the changes after 2 minute-long inhalations of 0.6% acetylcholine chloride and mine dust (78 mg/m3), hemodynamics and electrocardiography indices, as well as the indices of the immunologic and hormonal state. Established was diversified manifestations of the respiratory tract's response to the aerogenic irritations, combined with deviations in the immunologic state indices. The studies provide basis for further improvements in the preventive examination techniques for workers in coal-mining industries.