[New transplantable brain gliomas in rats].

The paper provides the characteristics of 11 original transplanted rat brain gliomas that are part of the collection of experimental tumors of the nervous system, which has been developed at the Institute of Human Morphology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. The biological features of brain tumour strains, methods of their transplantation and cryoconservation are outlined in the paper.

[Comparative characteristics of deficiency and excess of the same trace element (as exemplified by nickel)].

General rules of biological effects of essential trace elements in human and animal body are discussed as illustrated by nickel model. Their action depends on the dose and duration of exposition. 5 levels of their action depending on the elements concentration in the body are distinguished.

[New data on the epidemiology and morphology of Viliuisk encephalomyelitis].

Viliuisk encephalomyelitis (VEM) appears to be endemic disease, affecting native population in Yakutia (Yakut, Even, Evenk). The infectious nature of VEM is very likely, but not yet established with certainty. The mortality rate caused by VEM from 1950 to 1990 was 17.

[New information on the histopathology of Vilyui encephalomyelitis: possible role of copper deficiency].

The nature of a pathological process in the central nervous system in Vilyui encephalomyelitis defines it as a specific entity of demyelinative encephalomyelitis with a drastic prevalence of an alternative component. The bulk of the nerve parenchyma dies from circulatory incompetence due to blood vascular diseases, which are typical of the disease, as a peculiar angiopathy and progressive reduction in the microcirculatory bed. Homeostatic disorders in the myelinic membranes of central nervous fibers were found to be of value.

[Biological bases of neuro-oncology].

The paper discusses the current status of the problem in brain tumor biotherapy. It provides strong evidence for potentialities of hormonal therapy and presents current experimental findings of the application of other brain tumor biotherapies: immune (vector and adaptive), genic and differential.