Interstitial Edema of the Interatrial Septum in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Heart Failure.

We studied the presence of interstitial edema of the interatrial septum in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) with atrial fibrillation (n=23) or without rhythm disturbances (n=9). The intensity of the MRI signal of the interatrial septum, interventricular septum, and skeletal muscle by T2-weighted MRI and the enhancement index of interatrial septum (the ratio of the signal intensity of the interatrial septum to the signal intensity of the skeletal muscle) were evaluated. The enhancement index of interatrial septum ⩾2 was regarded as an MRI sign of myocardial edema.

Using pulmonary vein diameters for prescribing diuretic therapy and estimating its effectiveness in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction outpatients.

Determining the optimal prescribing and stopping points for diuretic therapy remains a challenge in outpatients who have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The aim was to study pulmonary vein diameters for prescribing diuretic therapy and estimating its effectiveness in outpatients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction were examined before and after 6 months of standard heart failure therapy, including loop diuretics.

First molecular characterization of Sarcocystis miescheriana in wild boars (Sus scrofa) from Latvia.

Various muscle samples of wild boar (Sus scrofa) from Latvia were studied for the presence of Sarcocystis infection by means of morphological and molecular methods. Sarcocysts were detected in 122 out of 140 (87.1%) wild boar examined.

Diastolic function of the left and right ventricles of the heart in outpatients with arterial hypertension.

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the impairment of diastolic function of the left ventricle (LV) and the right ventricle (RV) in arterial hypertension outpatients.

Materials And Methods: Arterial hypertension patients (n = 299) and practically healthy people (n = 62) were examined on an outpatient basis. Echocardiographically, diastolic dysfunctions of both ventricles were evaluated.

Miocene restriction of the Pacific-North Atlantic throughflow strengthened Atlantic overturning circulation.

Export of warm and salty waters from the Caribbean to the North Atlantic is an essential component of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). However, there was also an active AMOC during the Miocene, despite evidence for an open Central American Seaway (CAS) that would have allowed low-salinity Pacific waters to enter the Caribbean. To address this apparent contradiction and to constrain the timing of CAS closure we present the first continuous Nd isotope record of intermediate waters in the Florida Strait over the past 12.

Morphological and molecular description of Sarcocystis ratti n. sp. from the black rat (Rattus rattus) in Latvia.

Rodents have been widely studied as intermediate hosts of Sarcocystis; however, only a few reports on these parasites in the black rat (Rattus rattus) are known. Having examined 13 black rats captured in Latvia, sarcocysts were found in skeletal muscles of two mammals and were described as Sarcocystis ratti n. sp.

Sarcocystis species identification in the moose (Alces alces) from the Baltic States.

Various muscle tissue samples from 60 moose (Alces alces) in the Baltic region were examined for Sarcocystis species. Sarcocysts were detected in 49 out of 60 (81.7%) moose investigated.

The level of NT-proBNP in ambulatory patients with chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction of the left ventricle.

Aim: The prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) remains high. Echocardiography is a reliable method of diagnosing heart failure. Determination of brain natriuretic peptide allows to identify patients with the most probable diagnosis of heart failure, which requires further instrumental examination of patients.

Identification and genetic characterization of Sarcocystis arctica and Sarcocystis lutrae in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Baltic States and Spain.

Background: Typically, carnivores serve as definitive hosts for Sarcocystis spp. parasites; currently, their role as intermediate hosts is being elucidated. The present study aimed to identify and molecularly characterize Sarcocystis cysts detected in striated muscle of red foxes from different populations in Latvia, Lithuania and Spain.

Increased concentrations of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in blood plasma from patients with pulmonary hypertension due to mitral valve disease.

Serotonin content in the plasma and platelets and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentration in the plasma were shown to increase in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension due to mitral valve disease. A positive correlation was found between the severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension and concentrations of serotonin (r=0.48) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the plasma (r=0.

[The state of sympathetic-adrenal system in patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency].

Activation of sympato-adrenal system plays an important role in the development of chronic cardiac failure (CCF). However, its relation to morpho-functional state of myocardium in CCF patients is virtually unknown. HPLC with electrochemical detection was used to determine plasma noradrenalin, adrenalin, and their precursors, 3,4-dioxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and dopamine, in patients with different morpho-functional changes in myocardium.

Disrupted serotonergic and sympathoadrenal systems in patients with chronic heart failure may serve as new therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers to assess severity, progression and response to treatment.

Background: It is well established that the serotonergic system (SS) plays important roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. However, the impact of serotonin and its inter-relation with the sympathoadrenal system (SAS) in chronic heart failure (CHF) is poorly understood.

Methods: Utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, we determined blood plasma levels of serotonin (5-hydroxy-triptamine, [5-HT](p)), 5- hydroxy-indole-acetic acid ([5-HIAA](p)), epinephrine ([E](p)), norepinephrine ([NE](p)), 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenyl-alanine ([DOPA](p)), dopamine ([DA](p)) and the platelet concentration of serotonin ([5-HT](pt)) in CHF patients with different morphofunctional alterations of myocardium.

[Morphological evaluation of Nd:YAG laser exposure to parodontal tissues].

With the help of a light microscopy method of morphometric techniques there were studied dynamics of morphological changes in gum tissues after traditional open curettage and Nd:YAG laser treatment of parodontal pockets in VSP mode. One monph after traditional curettage signs of chronic inflammation were still present, while after the laser exposure complete regeneration of the tissues was achieved.

[Peculiarities of bone tissue regeneration when using various osteoplastic materials in experiment].

During the experiment on 18 rabbits by histologic methods there were investigated particularities of tissue regeneration after filling of bone defect by various osteoplastic materials for terms 14, 30 and 90 days. The advantage of the mixture of osteobrefomatrix and hydroxyappatite in comparison with independent using of eaxh of these materials. Regeneration of bone tissue was scen in early terms and it was matched to the bone structure in 90 days only by filling bone defect by the of mixture osteobrefomatrix and hydroxyiappatite.

Adrenergic and serotoninergic regulation of myocardial contractility in patients with various morphofunctional changes in the heart resulting from chronic heart failure.

A relationship between morphofunctional changes in the heart and predominance of adrenergic or serotoninergic influences on the strength of myocardial contraction in the right atrium was revealed in patients with chronic heart failure. During left ventricular hypertrophy, the strength of myocardial contraction in response to serotonin exceeded that induced by epinephrine and was realized via 5-HT2 receptors.

[Pharmacological sympatectomy changes heart's inotropic reaction on serotonin in postnatal ontogenesis of rats].

In the present study, the influence of 0.1 microM, 1.0 microM, 10.

A whole-cell clamp study of dendrodendritic synaptic activities in mitral cells of turtle olfactory bulb slices.

A procedure for preparing slices from the turtle olfactory bulb is described in this report. Individual layers of the bulb could be identified in the slices which enabled visual identification of cell types. Mitral cells retained extensive dendritic arborizations in slices of typical thickness, 300-400 microm.

[Immunoenzyme demonstration of viruses and virus-specific antibodies by using conjugates based on gene engineering-produced beta-lactamase].

Enzyme immunoassays for the detection of viral antigens and virus-specific antibodies in biological samples have been described. Molecular complexes of antibodies and beta-lactamase (penicillinase) have been used as anti-specific conjugates. To synthesize the conjugate, the enzyme obtained with the aid of genetic engineering has been used.

[The effect of exogenous RNA and their fragments on yeast beta-galactosidase activity].

It is shown that a degradation level of exogenic high-polymeric RNA does not change their stimulating effect on beta-galactosidase synthesis in yeast protoplasts. Nucleoside monophosphates are a product of RNA degradation which promotes an increase in the beta-galactosidase activity. The exogenic RNA is established to act at the transcription level.