Immunomodulators in the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections.

The polyethiology of the respiratory diseases and the lack of effective vaccines to prevent them (except for influenza) underline the need for clinical trials and the practical application of immunomodulatory preparations that could become part of the group of anti-viral drugs with a wide range of activity. It has been demonstrated that amixin and poludan, the drugs made in our country, cause an increase of the serum IFN level, enhance the ability of leukocytes and lymphocytes to produce IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma, and lead to the activation of NK and peripheral blood phagocytes. In other words, they have an immunostimulating activity.

[Evaluation of amixine reactivity and efficacy for prophylaxis of acute respiratory tract infections].

Amixine reactivity and tolerability were evaluated in controlled trial at the risk group of medical personal at the period of flu and respiratory viral infection season. Drugs safety was estimated according to anamnesis, direct observation and hemogram. High efficacy of the drug for the infections prophylaxis and treatment was demonstrated.

[Computed image analysis of neutrophils: alkaline phosphatase].

Alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity was detected under optic microscope in neutrophilic leukocyte granules and intergranular cytoplasm. Computer analysis of the image showed that activation of neutrophils in the blood of patients with purulent peritonitis was paralleled by a drastic increase in the activity of AP and its intracellular redistribution. AP granules increased in size and their capacity to conglomeration increased.

[Evaluation of amyxin effect in prophylaxis of acute respiratory viral infections].

The results of the evaluation of the oral inductor of endogenic interferon (amyxin), manufactured in Russia are presented. The use of amyxin was found to produce a drop in morbidity in acute respiratory virus infections (ARVI) among medical workers 3.4 times, i.

[[Computed imaging analysis of neutrophils: myeloperoxidase]lysis of].

Computer analysis of the cell image showed granular and diffuse activities of myeloperoxidase (MP) in the neutrophil cytoplasm. MP in the intergranular cytoplasm can be regarded as a product of secretory activity of azurophilic granules. The patterns of MP distribution in the neutrophils of normal subjects and patients with peritonitis are different.

[Cytochemical detection of cationic proteins in blood granulocytes using amido black 10B for visual assessment and computer imaging analysis].

Cytochemical method for selective detection of the leukocyte lysosomal and cationic proteins by Amido Black 10B at pH 8.1-8.2 is described.

[Role of plasmalemma in the process of aging, elimination and reproduction of erythrocytes: plasmalemmal microvesicles as stimulators of erythropoiesis].

This study summarizes the experimental findings suggesting that plasmalemmal microvesicles formed from red blood cell aging are stimulators of erythropoiesis. The supposed sequence of events consists of microvesicular absorption by the settled macrophages of the liver and spleen, a message of information from circulatory monocytes (and lymphocytes) to the central macrophage of erythropoietic islands and regulation of late erythropoiesis. This is an autoerythronic regulation because it corrects red blood cell reproduction in relation to the rate of cell aging and thus differs from the classical humoral type which regulates erythrocytic reproduction according to visceral oxygen supply.

[Stimulation of erythropoiesis in hemorrhage during pregnancy using microvesicles from erythrocyte plasmolemma].

Autologous microvesicles of erythrocyte plasmalemma were obtained by means of ultrasound treatment of erythrocyte suspension. These microvesicles were intravenously (i.v.

[The determination of the optimal inoculation dose of an oral cholera bivalent chemical vaccine in a controlled trial of the vaccination of children and adolescents].

The reactogenicity and immunological effectiveness of different doses of cholera vaccine for oral administration (in tablets), containing choleragen toxoid, Ogawa and Inaba O-antigens and some of Vibrio cholerae exoenzymes, have been tested on 143 children aged 2-17 years. In this investigation the optimum immunization doses of the preparation have been established: two tablets containing 100,000 binding units (BU) of the toxoid and 2,500 units of O-antigen for children 11-14 years; four tablets containing 200,000 BU of the toxoid and 5,000 units of O-antigen for adolescents aged 15-17 years. An essential advantage of the oral vaccine over vaccines intended for parenteral administration lies in its capacity for inducing the accumulation of secretory antibodies (coproantibodies) in practically all vaccinees.

[The characteristics of the reactogenicity and immunological activity of a new cholera bivalent chemical vaccine based on the results of controlled trials].

The reactogenic properties and immunological potency of modified cholera chemical vaccine (choleragen-toxoid + O-antigens Inaba and Ogawa) were tested in 278 volunteers aged 18 years and over in comparison with those of a commercial batch of monovalent cholera vaccine (choleragen-toxoid + O-antigen Inaba). The cholera vaccine, enriched with O-antigen Ogawa, was found to be safe; vaccination with this vaccine was not accompanied by the development of systemic and local reactions whose frequency and intensity met the requirements for the reactogenic properties of commercial cholera vaccine. The immunological potency of the bivalent vaccine with respect to strain Inaba was not inferior to that of the commercial vaccine; at the same time in persons immunized with the new preparation the titers of vibriocidal antibodies to strain of serovar Inaba were five-fold higher.

[An oral chemical vaccine from the hypertoxigenic strains of the causative agent of cholera KM-76 Inaba and KM-68 Ogawa].

The material on the development of chemical vaccine, prepared from two newly formed strains (KM-76 Inaba and KM-68 Ogawa) and intended for oral administration, is presented. The conditions for the submerged cultivation of these strains have been established, which makes it possible to increase the production of choleragen 8- to 10-fold and O-antigen 3- to 4-fold in comparison with V. cholerae natural strain 569B.

[Experimental research on the safety of the new gestagen preparation acetomepregenol].

In the experiments on mature females of 50 rats, 10 rabbits, 8 dogs it was established that a new gestagenic drug acetomepregenol was not toxic both for pregnant and nonpregnant animals. The two-month administration of the drug in the therapeutic and maximal doses did not exert the irreversible effects on the reproductive function and did not influence the embryonal and postnatal development of the offspring. A single administration of acetomepregenol in the critical periods of pregnancy was found to exert the embryotoxic effect which did not manifest itself during daily administration of the drug from the 6th through the 16th days of pregnancy.

[The determination of the optimal inoculation dose of an oral cholera chemical bivalent vaccine in a controlled experiment].

276 volunteers aged 19 years and over were placed under observation in the course of the trial of oral cholera vaccine in tablets, containing choleragen toxoid, O-antigens of serovars Inaba and Ogawa and a number of Vibrio cholerae exoenzymes, for safety, reactogenic properties and immunological effectiveness. The vaccine was found to produce no reactions in a dose of 1-4 tablets; the administration of 3 tablets (300,000 binding units of the toxoid and 10,000 units of O-antigens, serovars Inaba and Ogawa) was shown to induce the most intensive synthesis of both antitoxins and vibriocidal antibodies in the blood sera of volunteers, as well as IgA coproantibodies. The oral vaccine was found to have an advantage over parenteral vaccines due to the absence of reactogenic properties and the formation of local immunity: coproantibodies appeared in 80% and 9% of the vaccinees respectively.

Functional characteristics of the mature and developing brain following neuroimmunization: analysis of short-term plasticity in the rat hippocampus.

The influence of neuroimmunization by the total antigens of the cytosol fraction of hippocampal tissue or neocortical tissue on the indices of short-term plasticity in adult and developing (3 to 4 week old) Wistar rats has been investigated. Short-term plasticity was evaluated on the basis of changes in the slow-wave component of the focal potentials (FP) of the CA3 field of the hippocampus upon stimulation of the region of the dentate gyrus. The FP were recorded under nembutal anesthesia.

[Morphological changes caused by the dermonecrosis factor of the causative agents of cholera and various other intestinal infections].

Intra- or subepithelial focal purulent inflammation with necrosis of exudating leucocytes during 1-2 days is developed in consequence of intradermal injection of the living cholera vibrios, cultured on membrane agar, or their supernatants. Sometimes coagulative necrosis of cover epithelium arises without preliminary purulent inflammation stage from the very beginning. Intradermal injection of living cholera vibrios leads to the development of coagulative necrotic foci in derma too.

[Functional characteristics of the mature and developing brain following neuroimmunization: an analysis of the short-term plasticity of the rat hypothalamus].

In experiments on mature and developing (3-4 weeks old) rats the influence was shown of neuroimmunization with summate antigens of hippocampal or neocortical tissue cytosolic fraction on short-term plasticity of hippocampal CA3 field potentials under dentate gyrus zone stimulation. An increase of paired facilitation and frequency potentiation was revealed in pyramidal layer responses of hippocampal tissue immunized animals. In case of immunization with neocortical antigens the changes were less expressed, had mainly the opposite direction and took place in the apical dendrites zone.

[Pharmacology of new gestagens: derivatives of 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone].

The experimental data on the pharmacological activity of the modified analogs++ of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone are presented. A high gestagenic activity was shown to be related to the presence of the methyl group in position 6, the double bond in position C6-C7, the hydroxyl and acetoxy groups in position 3. Such modification of the molecule provides a high degree of the secretory degeneration of the female rabbit endometrium at any method of administration as compared with progesterone but not always provides a high level of pregnancy preservation.

[Comparative study of the progestagenic action of 16 alpha, 17 alpha-cyclohexanoprogesterones (pregna-D'6-pentarans) when administered by different routes].

A comparative study of the progestational activity of modified pentarans depending on the dose and the route of administration was carried out. It was shown that modification of the molecule of 16 alpha, 17 alpha-cyclohexanoprogesterones by introducing and additional double bond in positions 6, 7 and methyl group in position 6 provided a high gestational effect, being particularly pronounced at intramuscular administration.

[Relation of the progestagenic activity and conformation of the 17beta-acetyl side chain in the D'6-pentarane series].

The synthesis of 2' beta-methyl-16 alpha,17 alpha-cyclohexanoprogesterone and its MM2 conformational analysis have been performed. The acetyl side chain was shown to have an unusual conformation with the torsion angle C13-C17-C20-O20 being -32.1 degrees.