Gadolinium as an Inhibitor of Ionic Currents in Isolated Rat Ventricular Cardiomyocytes.

The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to examine the effect of gadolinium Gd (a non-specific blocker of mechanically gated current I, a component of late current I) on ionic currents in insolated rat ventricular cardiomyocytes alone and in combination with the blockers of L-type calcium currents (I) nifedipine (10 μM) or verapamil (1 μM). In K/K or Cs/Cs media, blockade of I produced no effect on I at negative potentials, but inhibited I at positive ones. In K/K medium, Gd (5 μM) decreased the net persistent current (I) at -45 mV from 198.

[The role of calcium in reaction of the heart for mechanical stress].

The article deals with the role of Ca2+ in four possible mechanisms of cardiac muscle response to mechanical stretch. First, the Ca2+ role is analysed in the changed contractive myocardium function under mechanical stretch. Second, discussed are the direct proofs of redistributing intercellular ions occurring at axial stretch of single cardiomyocytes.

[Antibodies to DNA in the blood of patients with tick-borne encephalitis].

A comparison of relative levels of autoantibodies (Abs) to both native (n) and denatured (d) DNA in the blood of 55 patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was carried out. 31% of patients with TBE was shown to have an increased level Abs to nDNA and 40% of patients demonstrate increased level of Abs to dDNA. The percent of TBE patients with increased concentration of anti-nDNA Abs higher then that in patients with multiple sclerosis (18%) and some other autoimmune diseases (6-18%), but comparable with that for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (38%) and polymyositis (42%).

[Autologous transfusion of UV-irradiated blood in the treatment of occlusive arterial diseases of the lower extremities].

Complex examination of 72 patients with obliterating atherosclerosis and 10 patients with obliterating endarteritis was performed. All the patients were given autotransfusion of UV-irradiated blood as conservative treatment, preoperative preparation and postoperative management. The course of AUVIB was followed by a decrease of the lactic acid level, increase of functional properties of hemoglobin, activation of humoral immunity, change of the blood hemostatic potential to the side of hypocoagulation.

[Effect of proteolytic enzymes on the functional activity of the neuron].

Different neuronal responses to electrical stimuli under the effect of proteolytic enzymes, were shown. Different mechanisms of neuronal responses to stimuli were shown to depend on disturbances in neuroglial interrelationships. Two forms of the firing rate transformation depending on the type of stimulation, were described.

[Surgical treatment of magistral vein injuries].

The article generalizes the experience with the surgical treatment of 83 patients with injuries of major veins. The integrity of injured veins in 71 patients was restored by reconstructive operations. Good and satisfactory results were obtained in 71 patients.

[Functional restructuring of the ultrastructure of the giant neuron (Retzius') in the medicinal leech and the possible role of Ca++ ions in these processes].

As it has been demonstrated in the giant (Retzius') neuron of the leech (Hirudo medicinalis), at the synaptic activation for 5 sec. and 10 min., ultrastructural changes in the neuron are accompanied with an increasing number of Ca++ ions in hyaloplasm, mitochondria and cytosomes.