[Genetic control of Vibrio cholerae pathogenicity: the temperate filamentous phage CTX, coding for cholera toxin and the "island of pathogenicity"].

Reviews modern data on the genetic control of the key factors of Vibrio cholerae pathogenicity: cholera toxin and toxin-coregulated adhesion pili. Pays special attention to the temperate filamentous CTX bacteriophage, whose genome contains structural genes of cholera toxin, and the "pathogenicity island" carrying tcp genes responsible for the most important factor of the human small intestine colonization with V. cholerae.

[P53-status of cells from patients with progeria and ataxia-telangiectasia exposed to ionizing irradiation].

P53 protein expression and stabilization in cell strains derived from patients suffering from progeria and ataxia-telangiectasia following gamma-irradiation have been described. A similar pattern of P53-status in healthy donor and progeria patient cells was shown using immunofluorescent cell staining. In ataxia-telangiectasia cells (strain AT2SP) the P53 protein was not detected by the same method.

[Zenker's diverticulum].

An experience with treatment of 14 women and 15 men aged from 41 to 83 years with Zenker's diverticulum was analyzed. Most liable to the disease were people at the age from 50 to 70 years. The average duration of the disease was 3-4 years.

[Risk factors of multiple sclerosis in Moscow population. I. Exogenous risk factors].

Descriptive epidemiologic investigations revealed the necessity of the exogenous influence for the development of multiple sclerosis (MS). By means of "case-control" method the relations of MS with exogenous factors were studied. On the first stage there were analysed questionnaire data on 250 "patient-control" pairs matched by age, sex, nationality and birth in Moscow or out of it.

[Vibrio cholerae temperate phage O139: characteristics and role in changing expression of chromosomal virulence genes].

Restriction analysis of temperate cholera phage 139 isolated from Vibrio cholerae P16064, serogroup 0139, showed its DNA to be double-stranded linear with cohesive terminals. DNA-DNA hybridization on nylon membranes revealed that many V. cholerae strains of serogroup 0139 isolated in different regions contained a temperate cholera phage 139 in their genomes.

A Bacillus-specific factor is needed to trigger the stress-activated phosphatase/kinase cascade of sigmaB induction.

The general stress regulon of Bacillus subtilis is controlled by the transcription factor sigmaB. Environmental stress activates sigmaB via a phosphatase/kinase cascade that triggers sigmaB's release from an anti sigma factor complex. To determine if the members of the phosphatase/kinase cascade are sufficient to detect environmental stress and activate sigmaB, we expressed sigmaB and its regulators in E.

[Mechanism of action of lomefloxacin on Mycobacterium tuberculosis].

The peculiarities of the mechanism of the lomefloxacin bactericidal action on Mycobacterium tuberculosis were studied. The electron microscopy of ultrathin sections of the cells of M.tuberculosis H37Rv exposed to 10 micrograms/ml of lomefloxacin for 24 hours revealed severe changes in their ultrastructure: exfoliation of the cell wall from the cytoplasmic membrane, loosening and fragmentation of the cytoplasmic membrane, lowering of the cytoplasm thickness, vacuolization and twisting of the mesosomes.

Isolation and characterization of Bacillus subtilis sigB operon mutations that suppress the loss of the negative regulator RsbX.

sigmaB, a transcription factor that controls the Bacillus subtilis general stress response regulon, is activated by either a drop in intracellular ATP or exposure to environmental stress. RsbX, one of seven sigmaB regulators (Rsb proteins) whose genes are cotranscribed with sigmaB, is a negative regulator in the stress-dependent activation pathway. To better define the interactions that take place among the Rsb proteins, we analyzed sigB operon mutations which suppress the high-level sigmaB activity that normally accompanies the loss of RsbX.

Biochemical nature of high-molecular-weight prolactin of human serum: identification of a prolactin-binding protein.

The biochemical nature of a high-molecular-weight immunoreactive prolactin (HMW-irPRL) prepared by gel filtration of women's sera with predominance of this hormone form was studied. Immunochemical characteristics of HMW-irPRL are different from those of 23 kD prolactin (23 kD-PRL). A protein which specifically and reversibly binds to human [125I]PRL is isolated from the pooled fractions of HMW-irPRL by affinity chromatography on prolactin-Sepharose.

Probing the Sol-Gel Conversion in the Tetraethoxysilane/Alcohol/Water System with the Aid of Diffusion-Controlled Fluorescence Quenching.

The sol-gel conversion in the tetraethoxysilane/alcohol/water system can be probed by means of the diffusion-controlled fluorescence quenching of Py* by Cu2+ ions. In the course of tetraethoxysilane hydrolysis, the viscosity of the system increases, thereby causing the quenching rate to decrease and the mean lifetime of the excited state to elongate dramatically as the system approaches the gel-point. Incorporating the equation proposed by Vogelsberger et al.

Stress activation of Bacillus subtilis sigma B can occur in the absence of the sigma B negative regulator RsbX.

Environmental stress activates sigma B, the general stress response sigma factor of Bacillus subtilis, by a pathway that is negatively controlled by the RsbX protein. To determine whether stress activation of sigma B occurs by a direct effect of stress on RsbX, we constructed B. subtilis strains which synthesized various amounts of RsbX or lacked RsbX entirely and subjected these strains to ethanol stress.

[Manifestations of immunopathology and validation of immunotherapy of diabetic retinopathy].

Three-year clinical and immunological studies of 378 patients with diabetic retinopathy revealed involvement of the T- and B-immunity systems and the specific features of the local autoimmune response to the retinal S-antigen, which manifest during the early preclinical stage of diabetic retinopathy. The progress of retinopathy is associated with augmenting insufficiency of T-suppressors, inhibition of lymphocyte blastogenesis with phytohemagglutinin, and an increase in the levels of B-lymphocytes, IgM, and circulating immune complexes in the blood. Two abnormalities of autoimmune response of the eye to S-antigen were observed in patients with the proliferative forms: hypersensitivity and insufficiency of the immune response.

[Emergence of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae strains on non-O1 serotype as a result of the exchange of genetic information].

To study the possibilities of genetic exchange between Vibrio cholerae of O1 and non-O1 serogroups, donor and recipient strains were developed. It was shown that toxicogenic strains of V. cholerae non-O1 appeared in vitro and in vivo as the result of conjugative transfer of rfb-NAG genes from avirulent V.

[Cycloplatam in the treatment of patients with disseminated prostatic cancer].

A 22% response rate was achieved in clinical trials of Russian drug cycloplatam in disseminated and hormone-resistant cancer of the prostate. In 80% of cases the drug has improved quality of life of patients with prostatic cancer stage III and IV. Antitumor effect and low toxicity make cycloplatam applicable in combined therapy of prostatic cancer.

[Creating a system of conjugated chromosome transfer and genetic mapping of Vibrio cholerae serogroup O139 chromosomes].

A conjugational gene transfer system consisting of donor and recipient strains has been developed for genetic analysis of Vibrio cholerae 0139 serogroup, a new cholera agent. Donor strains constructed using the Tn5-Mob carrying the origin of transfer (ori T) of plasmid RP4 and helper plasmid pRP4-4 were able to perform a directed transfer of chromosomal markers. Recipient strains carried mutations in auxotrophic genes as well as in virulence genes.

Virulence-associated characteristics and phage lysogenicity of two morphologically distinct colonies of Vibrio cholerae O139 serogroup.

The presence of a temperate phage was demonstrated in a strain of Vibrio cholerae O139 isolated from a patient. Spontaneous variants with translucent colonies had lost this phage. The loss of the phage was associated with increased hydrophobicity, indicating the loss of the capsule.

[The 5HT3-receptor antagonist Zofran (ondansetron) as an agent for preventing nausea and vomiting during the cytostatic treatment of cancer patients].

The authors describe regimens of Zofran application convenient in oncological practice to prevent nausea and vomiting in patients receiving cytostatic drugs. It is well tolerated and low toxic.

[Detection of viral-bacterial factors responsible for infertility in couples].

A high prevalence of genital infections was revealed in patients suffering for a long time from sterility. The inflammatory process was found to predominate in tubal sterility. In other forms of sterility with asymptomatic urogenital infections the couples are frequently unaware of the disease and are not properly examined.