ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION AND PATHOGENETIC PHENOTYPES OF LOCALIZED SCLERODERMA.

There are several pathogenetic models of localized scleroderma. At the same time, studies examining the role of endothelin-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) and cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM) are limited. Objectives - to learn the nature of disorders of vascular, proliferative, adhesive functions of the endothelium on the content of endothelin-1, VEGF-A and VCAM-1 in localized scleroderma.

Workflow Barriers and Strategies to Reduce Antibiotic Overuse in Nursing Homes.

Objectives: Antibiotic overuse is a significant problem in nursing homes (NHs). Strategies to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in NHs are a critical need. In this study, we analyzed antibiotic prescribing workflows to identify strategies for improving antibiotic prescribing in NHs.

[The formation of safe behavior among young people in the family conditions].

Objective: Introduction: The article is dedicated to studying the readiness and ability of parents to form safe behavior of their own children with the aim to avoid school traumatism with respect to the complexity and systematic necessary for principles of prophylaxis. The author pays attention to this very aspect of the problem as for nowadays the works of studying the role of the family, the readiness of parents to form the culture of their own children's health are practically absent. The aim: To identify the conditions for the formation of safe behavior in schoolchildren in the family and the level of parents' preparation for problematic issues.

[Effect of an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor on the plasma concentration of cytokines and vasoactive molecules in patients with coronary heart disease and hypertension].

Aim: To investigate the plasma concentrations of cytokines and vasoactive molecules in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in the presence of hypertension in relation to the angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor level reflecting the degree of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibition.

Subjects And Methods: 72 patients with NYHA functional class (FC) II-III angina pectoris and 40 healthy persons at the age of 47-65 years were examined in a controlled cohort study. Enzyme immunoassay was employed to determine the serum concentrations of interleukins (IL) (IL-2, IL-12, IL-17A, and IL-24), the vasoactive molecules of bradykinin, serotonin, ACE, angiotensin-II (AT-II), NO, and endothelin-1 (ET-1), and plasma renin activity.

Relationship between the Contents of Cyclins, Cyclin-Dependent Kinases, and Their Inhibitors in Whole Blood Mononuclear Leukocytes during the Postclinical Stage of Community-Acquired Pneumonia under the Influence of 1-GHz Microwaves.

The contents of cyclins A1, B1, E1, and D1, cyclin-dependent kinases 2 and 4 (CDK2 and CDK4), cyclin-dependent kinase 2C inhibitor (p18), and cyclin-dependent kinase 1C inhibitor (p57) in whole blood mononuclear cells of practically healthy donors and convalescents from community-acquired pneumonia were measured after cell exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic radiation of 1 GHz. The level of cyclins A1, D1, and B1, p57, and p18 proteins, and CDK2 was reduced in convalescents, while the content of cyclin B1 was elevated in both groups. A strong correlation was found between the content of cyclin B1 and the levels of cyclin A1 and CDK2 in convalescents.

[PROINFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES AND SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE].

Aim: To determine content of mononuclear ells (MNC) in peripheral blood of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and factors responsible for their functional state and cytokine production.

Materials And Methods: Concentration of proteinkinases JNK1/2, ERK1/2, MAPK38, AKT1, JAK2, FAK, AMPK, p70S6K, STAT3, STAT5B and STAT6 was determined in MNC lysate by immune-enzyme assay. Interleukin 1β, 2, 4 and y-interferon levels were measured in blood sera.

[The state of receptor-dependent signal pathways in the agranulocytes from the peripheral blood of the reconvalescent patients following community-acquired pneumonia under the influence of microwave radiation].

The present article reports the study of the influence of low-intensity microwave radiation on the state of the JAK/STAT-signaling pathways in the mononuclear cells and the intercellular levels of the molecules maintaining the functioning of this pathway. The experiments on the model of intercellular interactions in the whole blood cell culture obtained during the convalescence phase of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia were designed to elucidate the effects of the cell-cell interactions in the culture exposed to electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of 1000 MHz and power flux density 0.1 mcW/cm2 on the intracellular levels of total and phosphorylated species of JAK-kinases, STAT-factors and SOCS-proteins.

[The laboratory detection of intra-cellular factors of anti-viral defense under community-acquired pneumonia in evaluation of effects of low-intensity microwave radiation].

The study was carried out to investigate intro-cellular concentration of factors of antiviral defense of cells of whole blood of re-convalescents of community-acquired pneumonia and healthy individuals under effect of low intensity SHF-radiation of whole blood in vitro with frequency of 1000 MGz. The technique of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied for analyzing lysates of mononuclears of whole blood exposed to impact of low intensity SHF-radiation with frequency of1000 MGz on concentration of mitochondrial antiviral signal protein MAVS, RIG-I-like receptor type III - helicase LGP2, RIG-I-like receptor - helicaseMDA5, trans-membrane protein 173 (Tmem 173), interferon-regulated factors (IRF) 3,7 and 8, sub-units p50 and p65 of nuclear factor of transcription NF-kB, phosphorylated on serine in position form 32 of inhibitor of nuclear factor of transcription (IkB-a) and also its total concentration. Besides, spontaneous production of interferon - a/β by cells of whole blood was evaluated in cellular supernatant.

Cardiomyocyte Autophagia and Morphological Alterations in the Left Ventricular Myocardium during Acute Focal Ischemia.

In experiments on rabbits we evaluated the intensity of cardiomyocyte autophagia by the level beclin-1 protein and morphology of the left ventricular myocardium on days 1, 3, and 5 after the onset of focal ischemia caused by ligation of the descending branch of the left coronary artery. The morphological alterations in the left ventricular myocardium were accompanied by intensification of cardiomyocyte autophagia, which attained maximum on postligation day 1.

Safety and Effectiveness of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Treatment-Naïve HIV Patients: Preliminary Findings of a Cohort Event Monitoring Study in Belarus.

Background And Objective: Antiretroviral drugs have well-documented evidence-based favorable benefit-risk ratios. Although various studies have investigated and characterized the safety profile of antiretroviral medicines, there are a limited number of studies evaluating the safety of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in patients with a specific co-morbidity. A cohort event monitoring (CEM) study of the safety and effectiveness of antiretroviral medicines in a target population that has a significant level of co-morbidities (chronic infectious diseases, peripheral blood cytopenias) was implemented.

Broadband observations of the naked-eye gamma-ray burst GRB 080319B.

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) release copious amounts of energy across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and so provide a window into the process of black hole formation from the collapse of massive stars. Previous early optical observations of even the most exceptional GRBs (990123 and 030329) lacked both the temporal resolution to probe the optical flash in detail and the accuracy needed to trace the transition from the prompt emission within the outflow to external shocks caused by interaction with the progenitor environment. Here we report observations of the extraordinarily bright prompt optical and gamma-ray emission of GRB 080319B that provide diagnostics within seconds of its formation, followed by broadband observations of the afterglow decay that continued for weeks.

Beneficial effect of the central nervous system beta-adrenoceptor blockade on the failing heart.

Heart failure patients are routinely given beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (beta-blockers), although the mechanism(s) underlying their beneficial effects is not fully resolved. It is not entirely clear how long-term application of negative inotropic compounds improves cardiac performance, slows remodeling processes, and decreases mortality. All beta-blockers, which produce a beneficial effect in heart failure, have in common a high degree of lipophilicity and, therefore, have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.

[Immunological disturbances in psoriatic patients exposed to radionuclides and corrective complex therapy with dibazol and hepatoradioprotective diet].

In an inpatient setting, 67 and 70 patients with psoriasis living in contaminated and uncontaminated with radionuclides territories respectively were studied in the time-related course of some qualitative indices of immunity. Significant deviations from the norm were recordable, especially in those patients residing in the contaminated with radionuclides tcrritiry. Combined treatment involving the use of dibazol and hepatoradioprotective diet in the experiment group of psoriatic patients proved to be significantly more effective than in patients of the control group who were treated by the generally accepted method.

[Indexes of activity of specialized department for the treatment of foot lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus].

Experience of treatment of 2524 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) for the 1990-2001 yrs period was summarized. Of all the patients 48-52% are presenting the citizens of Darnitskiy and Kharkivskiy regions of city of Kyiv. For the 1990-1994 yrs period general lethality had constituted 7.

[Correction of lipid peroxidation intensity and glutathione system by derivatives of polygalacturonic acid after exposure to nitrogen dioxide].

Influence of intraperitoneal administration of polygalacturonic acid derivatives at a dose of 100 mg/kg on the glutathione system and lipid peroxidation in the rat lung after treatment with NO2 was studied. A considerable decrease of lipid peroxidation intensity by these derivatives was caused not only by ability of these compounds to the chelate formation and absorption of free radicals, but also by the substantial activation of the glutathione system.

[Prediction of bleeding from esophageal and gastric varices in patients with liver cirrhosis].

A course of the disease was studied in 190 patients with hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension without bleeding as well as in 107 patients with bleeding from esophageal and gastric varices. The Wald's consecutive analysis with derivation of a summary diagnostic coefficient on the basis of 13 clinical signs was used. Effectiveness of the method was assessed by means of retrospective analysis of 150 case records and long-term results of treatment of 30 patients.