[Comparative analysis of unsaturated indicators fatty acids in elderly patients in initial stages of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.]

A decrease in cognitive functions up to the development of dementia in the elderly is associated with a decrease in the blood level of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially Omega-3, which occurs against the background of oxidative stress. The paper presents a comparative analysis of the spectrum of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the activity of individual components of the enzymatic antioxidant system in the blood of elderly people with impaired cognitive performance to the level of «mild cognitive decline¼ (MCI AD, prodromal Alzheimer's disease) or vascular etiology (MCI VaD, prodromal vascular dementia) compared with older people without signs of cognitive impairment. A decrease in the concentration of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the blood of both groups of the examined patients was revealed compared with the control group. In patients with AD MCI, a sharp decrease in the concentration of arachidonic acid (Omega-6) was detected compared with patients with MCI VaD and the control group. The decrease in the activity of the antioxidant enzymatic system and the decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acids due to their peroxidation revealed in this study indicate an intensification of the OS processes in patients with impaired cognitive functions. The question of the pathogenetic role of arachidonic acid in patients predisposed in the future to the development of AD is discussed.

[Self-consciousness in elderly persons with cognitive impairment and vascular dementia].

Self-consciousness was compared in 17 elderly (aged 65-89 years old) persons with cognitive impairment without dementia and 17 patients with vascular dementia. Neurocognitive functions and mental health complaints were evaluated. Neuropsychological assessment included evaluation of higher psychological functions, such as attention, memory, conceptualization, gnosis (optic, acoustic), manual skill, speech. Older persons with cognitive impairment assessed their neurocognitive functions adequately. Patients with vascular dementia usually denied cognitive deficit or explained it as a result of aging. Regardless of physical health, older persons with cognitive impairment have active attitude to aging. They could find ways of compensation of cognitive deficits without assistance. Patients with vascular dementia could not compensate their cognitive deficit even with support.

[Dynamics of the emotional state of patients with atherosclerosis of lower limb arteries undergoing surgical treatment].

OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed at determining the dynamics of the emotional state and factors influencing thereupon in patients presenting with atherosclerosis of lower limb arteries and undergoing surgical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included a total of sixty-five 36-to-90-year-old patients (53 men and 12 women) subjected to examination twice - prior to surgery and before discharge by means of semi-structured interview, self-assessment scale of feeling and mood, methods "Integrative test of anxiety" and "Type of attitude towards the disease" (TOBOL), questionnaire for assessing health-related quality of life SF-36 and Krantz questionnaire in order to determine the position in the therapeutic process. RESULTS: After surgery (on postoperative day 7-10 of hospital stay) the patients demonstrated a decrease in the degree of anxiety and somatic complaints. Women (p=0.037), patients with the duration of the disease from 1 to 8 years (p=0.033), with signs of personality anxiety (p≤0.045), disadaptive variants of attitude to disease and treatment (p≤0.05), as well as clearly manifesting mistrust for medical recommendations (p=0.014) belong to a group of risk of emotional stress at the postoperative stage. CONCLUSION: Clinical and socio-demographic determinants are comparatively less important in formation of pronounced anxiety of postoperative period than the patient's personality.

[POLYMORPHISM IN THE PHENOTYPIC STRUCTURE OF A POPULATION OF TAIGA TICK AND ITS EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE].

The paper presents the results of 10-year (2005-2014) observations of an Ixodespersulcatus Schulze population. The purpose of this investigation was to trace long-term changes in the structure of the taiga tick population from the proportion of specimens with external skeletal anomalies and to assess a relationship between the pattern of imago phenotypic variation and the virus percentage of a carrier. There were a total of reports of the external skeletal structure of 1123 females gathered from plants to a flag in an area at 43 km from the Baikal Road connecting Irkutsk and the settlement of Listvyanka (Irkutsk Region). The proportion of specimens with anomalies averaged 37.8 +/- 1.88%. Four-to-seven varying anomalies were annually recorded. There was a preponderance of scutum impairment (an average of 17.0 +/- 3.08% of all females) that was a conglomerate of prominences and indentations along the entire clypeus surface and that was denoted P9. The nature of a change in the proportion of ticks with two anomalies (average monthly registration rate, 2.5 +/- 0.66%) is exhibited by three-year high-frequency oscillations whereas the specimens with P9 anomalies fail to show so clear cycling. The percentage of virus-containing taiga ticks was individually determined estimating the level of tick-borne encephalitis virus antigen by an enzyme immunoassay. A total of 4022 ticks were examined. The male and female data were pooled. There was a positive correlation between the change in the proportion of females with P9 anomaly and the infection of ticks in the examined population (Spearman's correlation coefficient, 0.88; P < 0.01). This supports the earlier observation of the greater epidemiological significance of the imago of a taiga tick with external skeletal anomalies particularly with considerably marked ones.

Homocysteine in Schizophrenia: Independent Pathogenetic Factor with Prooxidant Activity or Integral Marker of Other Biochemical Disturbances?

A wide range of studies have demonstrated that hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with the risk of schizophrenia, but currently available assumptions about the direct involvement of homocysteine (Hcy) in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia are hypothetical. It is possible that in vivo Hcy is only a marker of folate metabolism disturbances (which are involved in methylation processes) and is not a pathogenetic factor per se. Only one study has been conducted in which associations of hyperhomocysteinemia with oxidative stress in schizophrenia (oxidative damage to protein and lipids) have been found, and it has been suggested that the oxidative stress may be induced by the elevated Hcy in schizophrenic patients. But the authors did not study the level of reduced glutathione (GSH), as well as possible causes of hyperhomocysteinemia-disturbances of folate metabolism. The aim of this work is to analyze the association of Hcy levels with the following: (1) redox markers in schizophrenia GSH, markers of oxidative damage of proteins and lipids, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in blood serum; (2) with the level of folate and cobalamin (В12); and (3) with clinical features of schizophrenia measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). 50 patients with schizophrenia and 36 healthy volunteers, matched by sex and age, were examined. Hcy in patients is higher than in healthy subjects (p = 0.0041), and this may be due to the lower folate level in patients (p = 0.0072). In patients, negative correlation was found between the level of Hcy both with the level of folate (ρ = -0.38, p = 0.0063) and with the level of B12 (ρ = -0.36, p = 0.0082). At the same time, patients showed higher levels of oxidative modification of serum proteins (p = 0.00046) and lower catalase (CAT) activity (p = 0.014). However, Hcy is not associated with the studied markers of oxidative stress in patients. In the group of patients with an increased level of Hcy (>10 µmol/l, n = 42) compared with other patients (n = 8), some negative symptoms (PANSS) were statistically significantly more pronounced: difficulty in abstract thinking (N5, p = 0.019), lack of spontaneity and flow in conversation (N6, p = 0.022), stereotyped thinking (N7, p = 0.013), and motor retardation (G7, p = 0.050). Thus, in patients with schizophrenia, hyperhomocysteinemia caused by deficiency of folate and B12 is confirmed and can be considered a marker of disturbances of vitamin metabolism. The redox imbalance is probably not directly related to hyperhomocysteinemia and is hypothetically caused by other pathological processes or by an indirect effect of Hcy, for example, on the enzymatic antioxidant defence system (CAT activity), which requires further exploration. Further study of the role of Hcy in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia is relevant, since the proportion of patients with hyperhomocysteinemia is high and correlations of its level with negative symptoms of schizophrenia are noted.

Role of 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal in cell functions.

The role of lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (4-HNE) in functional activity of cells under normal and different pathological conditions is discussed. Different pathways of 4-HNE metabolism in tissues are analyzed, with particular focus on the role the glutathione system in this process. 4-HNE is implicated in regulation of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. 4-HNE and metabolic products of other antioxidants (carotenoids) resemble each other in chemical nature of the product and influence general pathways of signal transduction. Manifestation of 4-HNE toxicity under oxidative stress conditions is regarded as a link to many diseases whose pathogenesis is connected with modifications of proteins and nucleic acids.

[Oxidative stress and post-stroke depression]. / Okislitel'nyi stress i postinsul'tnaya depressiya.

OBJECTIVE: To study the use of combination therapy for post-stroke depression using antidepressants and antioxidants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The dynamics of the clinical status of post-stroke depression and parameters of oxidative stress were evaluated in 60 patients with post-stroke depression before and after a 3-month treatment with fluvoxamine in a daily dose of 100 mg per day and cytoflavin in a dose of 10 ml/day (200 ml of 5% glucose solution or physiological saline in patients with diabetes mellitus) intravenously in the morning for 10 days followed by transfer to tablet form (2 tabs in the morning and 2 tabs in the evening for 90 days). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results on the comparative effectiveness of the treatment of post-stroke depression with fluvoxamine monotherapy and the combination of fluvoxamine and cytoflavin confirmed the great effectiveness of the combination therapy, which should be taken into account when developing new treatment regimens for post-stroke depression, and the need for prescribing antidepressants and antioxidant drugs should be determined based on an individual assessment of the severity of depressive disorder and parameters of oxidative stress: endogenous antioxidant activities in each individual patient with ischemic stroke.

Modulation of virulence factor expression by pathogen target cell contact.

Upon contact with the eukaryotic cell, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis increased the rate of transcription of virulence genes (yop), as determined by in situ monitoring of light emission from individual bacteria expressing luciferase under the control of the yopE promoter. The microbe-host interaction triggered export of LcrQ, a negative regulator of Yop expression, via the Yop-type III secretion system. The intracellular concentration of LcrQ was thereby lowered, resulting in increased expression of Yops. These results suggest a key role for the type III secretion system of pathogenic bacteria to coordinate secretion with expression of virulence factors after physical contact with the target cell.

Bottom Sediments Reveal Inter-Annual Variability of Interaction between the Ob and Yenisei Plumes in the Kara Sea.

River discharge is the main source of terrigenous sediments in many coastal areas adjacent to estuaries and deltas of large rivers. Spreading and mixing dynamics of river plumes governs transport of suspended sediments and their deposition at sea bottom at these areas. Generally river plumes have very large synoptic and seasonal variability, which cannot be reconstructed from structure of bottom sediments due to their small accumulation velocity. However, bottom sediments can be indicative of variability of river plumes on inter-annual and decadal time scales. In this study we focus on the large Ob and Yenisei buoyant plumes formed in the central part of the Kara Sea. These plumes interact and mix in the area adjacent to the closely located Ob and Yenisei gulfs. Suspended sediments carried by these river plumes have significantly different geochemical characteristics that can be used to detect Ob or Yenisei origin of bottom sediments. Using new geochemical methods we revealed dependence between spreading patterns of these plumes and spatial distribution and vertical structure of bottom sediments in the study area. This relation is confirmed by a good agreement between local wind and discharge conditions reconstructed for 1948-2001 and vertical structure of bottom sediments.

[Stress levels and coping behavior in patients with chronic insomnia]. / Uroven' stressa i stress-preodolevaiushchee povedenie u patsientov s khronicheskoi insomniei.

AIM: To assess stress level and coping strategies in chronic insomnia as its potential psychological factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group included 29 patients (19 women), aged 18-55 years old (mean age 33.1±2.1 years), with chronic insomnia diagnosed in accordance with the International Classification of Sleep Disorders III. The control group was formed by 32 subjects (11 men), aged 18-55 years old (mean age 31.5±2.0 years), without sleep disorders. Insomnia Severity Index and polysomnography were used to evaluate sleep quality. Stress level and coping strategies were assessed via an interview (stressfull life events during last year, their duration, their controllability, unexpectedness, and outcome), and by 'Level of subjective control' and 'Ways of coping questionnaires'. RESULTS: Both groups were comparable by the mean number of significant events during last year (4.97±0.34 vs 4.72±0.23, p=0.54). Patients with insomnia more often reported the loss of a relative (p=0.04), while controls more frequently reported positive events, such as pregnancy (p=0.007) or wedding (p=0.02) among close ones. Insomniacs more often described the stressful events as uncontrolled (p<0.001) and prolonged (p<0.001). They demonstrated lower indices of all the scales of the 'Level of subjective control', questionnaire except the scale of interpersonal attitudes. They rarely implemented confrontive coping (p=0.001), seeking social support (p<0.001), accepting responsibility (p<0.001) and positive reappraisal (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The interpretation of stressful events and personal response in insomnia patients might be considered as psychological risk factors for insomnia development.

[The factors of oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases (vascular dementia, Alzheimer disease)].

We investigated the state of oxidative stress in aging people suffering from vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. We have examined the oxidative modification of plasma's proteins, the activity of enzyme antioxidative defense (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and the state of components of blood glutathione system. Aged patients with neurodegenerative diseases show decrease of metal-catalysed oxidative modification proteins, increase of superoxide dismutase and disrupt of balance enzymatic antioxidant and glutathione system in blood in comparison with aging people who have no psychoorganic disorders. The high activity of superoxide dismutase in patients with Alzheimer's disease has been discovered. We have shown the joint change of separate component oxidative stress with the degree of mental disorders. Oxidative stress is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of different neurodegenerative diseases in aged patients.

[An experimental in vitro study of antioxidant and antiradical properties of cytoflavin, vinpocetine, actovegin and ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate]. / Izuchenie v eksperimente in vitro antioksidantnykh i antiradikal'nykh svoistv preparatov tsitoflavin, vinpotsetin, aktovegin i etilmetilgidroksipiridina suktsinat u donorov i bol'nykh, perenesshikh ishemicheskii insul't.

AIM: To investigate experimentally in vitro the antioxidant and anti-radical activity of several drugs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Antioxidant activity was assessed by induced luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL). An impact on the generation of reactive oxygen species (O2-, OH, 1D, H2O2, HClO) and their ability to inhibit the auto-oxidation of quercetin combined with the generation of superoxide radical anion were determined. Anti-radical activity was studied by the method of restoring a stable radical α-α-diphenyl-ß-picryl hydrazine (DPPH) molecule of the alleged anti-oxidant. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The many-sided action of the drugs on the products of free radicals generated in the in vitro experiments has been shown. Only cytoflavin has the highest total antioxidant and antiradical activity. Vinpocetine has demonstrated similar, but somewhat less pronounced, activity. Ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate and actovegin have shown only the nonspecific superoxide dismutase activity which was by times lower than that of cytoflavin and vinpocetine.

[Oxidative stress and its effect on cells functional activity of alzheimer's disease].

The paper summarizes literature data on the importance of oxidative stress as one of the pathogenetic mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease. The paper describes the main specific and nonspecific ways of reactive oxygen species generation in the course of the disease development. The effect of reactive oxygen species generated by the functional activity of cells, i.e. apoptosis and mitotic cycle, is shown. The role of the regulatory system of nodal cells is performed by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation process which is associated with intense phosphorylation of tau protein and mitosis-specific proteins. In Alzheimer's disease, the regulating function of peptidyl-prolyl isomerases in particular of Pin1 associated with maintaining a balanced state of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation processes is disturbed. Taking into consideration the multifactorial impairment of the cell cycle control, this process should be considered from the standpoint of the general state of metabolic processes, and oxidative stress has one of the key positions in aging.

Molecular heterogeneity of plasma superoxide dismutase.

A method was worked out that helped us to isolate superoxide dismutase (SOD) from human blood plasma. The change of enzyme's activity was shown depending on the period of SOD storage. Changes in activity were observed in storing protein after gel filtration. The activity of purified enzyme was half as much after 24 h storage and remained constant for a long period of time (5 mo). The change of SOD activity was found to be connected with a modification of its structure. The storage of enzyme's solution during 3 1/2 mo is accompanied by the lowering of protein molecular mass from 53,000 Da to 34,000 Da. The inhibitors of proteinases--phenyl-methylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and alpha 2-macroglobulin--showed no protective effects on purified SOD. That's why it was possible to say that the lowering of protein molecular mass didn't connect with a specific proteolysis. An oxidative modification of SOD structure is under discussion now. The modification is most probably caused by oxidative destruction of aminoacid residues that are located outside the protein active centre.

Characteristics of low molecular weight substances regulating plasma superoxide dismutase activity.

Low molecular weight peptides which inhibit both plasma and red cell superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity have been isolated from human plasma. Several fractions of the substance were isolated chromatographically. The most active peptides have molecular weight about 1000 and 5000 D. The peptide lowering the SOD activity accelerates the hemoglobin oxidation reaction by NaNO2 and diminishes the laboratory animals' period of life in the process of intoxication by NaNO2. Another peptide was also isolated from human plasma and increased the SOD activity. The work is in progress on purification of this substance and investigation of its physical properties.

[Radiocardiography and rheography of the pulmonary artery in the diagnosis of disorders of hemodynamics and right-ventricular contractility in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis]. / Radiokardiografiia i reografiia legochnoi arterii v diagnostike narushenii gemodinamiki i sokratitel'noi funktsii pravogo zheludochkau bol'nykh khronicheskim obstruktivnym bronkhitom.

Radiocardiography and rheography of the pulmonary artery were used to examine impairments in hemodynamics and contractile function of the right ventricle in 40 patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis complicated with persistent hypertension. Right ventricular hemodynamic and contractile impairments were shown to be not equivalent with similar clinical and functional signs of pulmonary hypertension. This fact indicates that the use of special techniques is of practical value in the determination of right ventricular hemodynamics and myocardial contractility in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis. Radiocardiography and rheography of the pulmonary artery are sufficiently reliable noninvasive techniques for examining the hemodynamics and contractile function of the right ventricular myocardium.

[Activity and properties of superoxide dismutase from human erythrocytes and plasma in ontogenesis]. / Aktivnost' i svoistva superoksiddismutazy éritrotsitov i plazmy cheloveka v ontogeneze.

One- and two-substituted potassium-salts of phosphoric acid are studied for their effect on the value of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the plasma and erythrocytes of healthy adults and newborn children. It is shown that the superoxide dismutase activity of plasma depends on the phosphoric acid salts which are used during its treatment. Single direction of changes in the activity of superoxide dismutase obtained after the plasma treatment by KH2PO4 and K2HPO4 depending on the pH incubation medium, the results of separation of protein fractions obtained by the method of disc-electrophoresis testify that the superoxide dismutase activity is connected with the same protein. Different absolute values of the plasma SOD activity and different influence on it of azide sodium are, probably, determined by spatial orientation of copper ions in the active centre, which changes depending on pH of the medium. Superoxide dismutase plasma and erythrocytes in newborn children have higher activity than is adults.

[Anti-oxidant system of blood plasma]. / Antioksidantnaia sistema plazmy krovi.

Recent data available in literature and the author's data about the state of the antioxidant protection of the blood plasma have been generalized. The role of superoxide dismutase as the basic compound of the antioxidant system is discussed. The character of individual macromolecules (transferrin, ceruloplasmin, albumin) which have shown nonenzymatic specific antioxidant properties is presented. Possible mechanisms of biological activity of some antioxidants have been examined.

[Superoxide dismutase activity of human plasma; the effect of Cu2+-complex compounds]. / Superoksiddismutaznaia aktivnost' plazmy krovi cheloveka; vliianie kompleksnykh soedinenii Cu2+.

The superoxide-dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) activity was revealed in blood plasma after its successive treatment with alcohol, chloroform and one- or two-substituted phosphate. Its value is the highest when treating plasma with KH2PO4. The boiling of the supernatant liquid obtained after addition of K2HPO4 leads to a complete loss of the activity. The treatment of plasma with KH2PO4 provides higher stability of the enzyme to thermal actions. The analysis of EPR-spectra has shown the presence of different complex compounds of copper ions in the supernatant liquid. Certain experiments with the use of aqueous solutions of CuCl2 and histidine have shown that Cu2+ inhibits the superoxide-dismutase activity in samples treated with KH2PO4 and increases it in samples treated with K2HPO4.

[Antioxidant enzymes activity of erythrocytes and indicators of blood hemodynamics of normal and hypoxic newborns in their first day of life]. / Fermenty antioksidantnoi sistemy éritrotsitov i nekotorye pokazateli gemodinamiki krovi v pervye sutki zhizni novorozhdennykh detei v norme i pri gipoksicheskikh sostoianiiakh.

The authors have found direct correlating between the enzymatic activity and the values of the total of circulation blood, erythrocytes, plasma and hematocrit. The highest activity of antioxidant-enzymes and values of hemodynamic was observed by the sixth hour of life of healthy newborns. Influenced by simultaneous effect of asphyxia and intrauterine chronic fetal hypoxia SOD, catalase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities in erythrocytes remain low during the first 24 hours of life. These newborns proved to have lower values of hemodynamics. The state of the antioxidant enzyme and hemodynamics at the moment of birth is discussed.