[Hepatoprotective properties of balm Herbamarin and hydrolysates from marine invertebrates in toxic hepatitis and ethanol intoxication].

Protective properties of a syrup balm "Herbamarin" and food hydrolysates of scallop, octopus and crab were investigated using experimental toxic hepatitis and ethanol intoxication. Preventive administration of the balm and hydrolysates to animals subjected to an intoxications by 40% alcohol and CCl4 normalized clinical-diagnostic parameters of liver and blood plasma of experimental animals.

[Temporary acquisition of intra-chain disulphide bonds by nucleocapsid protein of influenza virus].

The in vitro reducing agents were shown to promote the NP-NP association and to stabilize the NP oligomers, which dissociate when heated in non-reducing buffer. This confirms that non-covalent linkages in electrophoresis stabilize the influenza virus NP oligomers. The mobility of pulse-labeled and chased NPs in PAGE as well as their sensitivity to protease were investigated.

Stability of intracellular influenza virus nucleocapsid protein oligomers.

Stability of A/Duck/Ukrainae/63 (H3N8) influenza virus intracellular NP oligomers was studied using reducing agents, denaturants, detergents, salts, various pH and a range of temperatures. The results obtained indicate that influenza virus NP oligomers are noncovalently stabilized, and NP subunits are not linked by disulfide bonds. NP oligomers are thermostable and SDS resistant.

[Seasonal dynamics of atmospheric methane oxidation in gray forest soils].

Seasonal fluctuations in the methane flow in the soil-atmosphere system were determined for gray forest soils of Central Russia. Consumption of atmospheric methane was found to exceed methane emission in gray forest soils under forest and in agrocenosis. The average annual rates of atmospheric methane consumption by the soil under forest and in agrocenosis were 0.

[Effect of fixed low dose combination of perindopril and indapamide on processes of cardiovascular remodeling in previously untreated patients with hypertension].

Aim: To assess changes of blood pressure (BP) and processes of cardiovascular remodeling during treatment of previously untreated patients with hypertension with fixed low dose combination of perindopril and indapamide.

Material: Patients with untreated hypertension (n=30, mean age 46.7+/-1.

Transient disulfide bonds formation in conformational maturation of influenza virus nucleocapsid protein (NP).

It has been previously shown that influenza virus nucleocapsid protein (NP) forms homooligomers in vivo. Our analyses revealed that the reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT) introduced in pulse labeling period prevented further formation of native NP-oligomers. The shortly pulse-labeled non-reduced newly synthesized NP possessed a relatively faster mobility in non-reducing PAGE and a higher resistance to protease than the reduced one.

[Various aspects of diagnosis of food intolerance].

In the presence of food antigenes causing food intolerance in patients granulocytes isolated from these patients exhibited altered oxidative metabolism. This phenomenon may be used for diagnostics of food intolerance in vitro.

[Effects of Gerbamarin T balms on functions of the cardiovascular and hepatobiliary systems].

The effects two balms of "Herbamarin" T series on some parameters of cardiovascular and hepatobiliary systems were studied in mice either kept on the cholesterol diet or treated with CCl4. The results allow to recommend these balms as additional components to the therapy of various cardiovascular and hepatic diseases.

[Differences in oligomerization of nucleocapsid protein of epidemic human influenza A(H1N1), A(H1N2) and B viruses].

A comparative analysis of involving the nucleocapsid protein (NP) into shaping-up of SDS-resistant oligomers was carried out presently in circulating epidemic strains of human influenza, viruses A and B. The study results of viral isolates obtained from clinical samples and recent standard strains revealed that the involvement of NP in the SDS-resistant oligomers, which are different in various subtypes of influenza A viruses. According to this sign, the human viruses A(9H3N2) are close to the avian ones, in which, as proved by us previously, virtually the entire NP transforms itself into the oligomers resistant to SDS.

[The breath test is a necessary step in a physician's practice].

The authors advocate introduction of the respiratory test into clinical practice, show its advantages over other methods of Hp diagnosis and the ability to diagnose non-invasively other gastrointestinal diseases especially in advanced infection primarily in viral hepatitides, HIV infections. The method is safe and comfortable.

Effects of lipid peroxidation on structure of human plasma lipoproteins (magnetic resonance spectroscopy).

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed structural modifications of human plasma lipoproteins during peroxidation induced by copper sulfate in vitro. Decreased molecular mobility of fatty acid chains in lipoprotein lipids was demonstrated.

[Modern approaches to pharmacotherapy of diabetes mellitus type II].

The pharmacological approaches to the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus were reviewed. Special attention was paid to the new therapeutic agents that are able to decrease plasma glucose levels. The possible mechanisms of the hypoglycemic effects are discussed.

[The formation of the influenza virus aggregates, enriched with hemagglutinin].

The formation of electrostatic aggregates was studied by analysis of two types of virus-containing liquids: initial warm liquid collected at temperature 37 degrees and the same liquid stored over the night at temperature 4 degrees C. The formation of virus aggregates was revealed at 4 degrees C. The aggregates formed at temperature 4 degrees C had a relatively high HA/NP ratio in comparison with unassociated virus analyzed at 37 degrees.

Avian and human influenza a virus strains possess different intracellular nucleoprotein oligomerization efficiency.

We have previously shown (Prokudina-Kantorovich EN and Semenova NP, Virology 223, 51-56, 1996) that the nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A virus forms in infected cells oligomers which in the presence of SDS and 2-mercaptoethanol (ME) as reducing agent are stable at room temperature (RT) and dissociate at 100 degrees C. Here we report that the efficiency of intracellular NP oligomerization depends on the host origin of influenza A virus strain. Thus, in the cells infected with avian influenza A virus strains the viral NP was almost completely oligomerized and only traces of monomeric NP were detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in unboiled samples.

[Detection of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen with a biosensor].

A new method for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) has been developed. It employees IAsys optical biosensor registration kinetics of HBsAg complexes with monoclonal antibodies. Detection of intermolecular interactions is accompanied by changes of the light refraction coefficient in the sensitive layer of the biosensor cuvette.

[Effect of whole-body therapeutic gamma irradiation of patients on molecular characteristics of blood plasma from NMR data].

The changes in molecular characteristics of patients' blood after a totally therapeutic irradiation were studied by the NMR method. The changes in the intensity and shape of peaks attributed to methylene and methyl protons of fatty acids and lipoproteins were found in the NMR spectra of the blood plasma of the irradiated subjects. The data on the role of peroxide lipid oxidation in changes of lipid concentration in blood plasma were obtained.

Extracellular truncated influenza virus nucleoprotein.

In the culture medium of MDCK cells infected with influenza A/Duck/Ukraine/1/63(H3N8) virus two kinds of virus nucleoprotein (NP) are detected: full-length 56 kDa NP and truncated 53 kDa NP. However, in infected cells 53 kDa NP may be detected only at short pulse and after 10 min chase it becomes nondetectable. The extracellular truncated 53 kDa NP is detected in free RNP, and not in the virions.

[Extracellular immunoreactive nucleoprotein of Influenza virus not related to the virion].

Extracellular immunoreactive virus NP is accumulated in virus-containing fluid in the course of A/Duck/Ukraine/1/63(H3N8) influenza virus infection. The major part of this extracellular NP is included in viral RNP and characterized by relatively low molecular weight: 53 kD vs. 56 kD of virion NP.

[Dependence of oligomerization of influenza virus nucleoprotein on the species affiliation of the virus].

Comparison of human and avian influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) oligomerization showed that the efficiency of NP oligomerization is different in influenza viruses of different origin. NP oligomerization is virtually complete in avian influenza viruses, while in human influenza viruses only part of monomeric NP is oligomerized. The authors discuss the utilization of NP oligomerization efficiency as a sign for identification of the origin of influenza virus.

The use of 1H-NMR spectroscopy for predicting the efficiency of neoadjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer.

The pool of low-molecular-weight metabolites was studied in patients with breast cancer by high-resolution 1H-NMR spectroscopy. In order to predict the efficiency of treatment, mathematical regression analysis was carried out with consideration for some clinical morphological characteristics of patients, chemotherapy protocols, and the degree of therapeutic pathomorphosis. The efficiency of drug therapy was largely determined by metabolic status of tumors in untreated patients with breast cancer.

[Vanadium compounds--a new class of therapeutic agents for the treatment of diabetes mellitus].

Vanadium compounds as insulin mimics with promising therapeutic properties are reviewed. The biological effects of both inorganic forms of vanadium and vanadyl organic complexes are decried for various animal models. These effects include hypoglycemic and insulin reserve actions, insulin sensitivity enhance, cholesterol lowering and other manifestations.