[Characteristics of nitrogen fixation and denitrification in Termites Neotermes castaneus, Zootermopsis angusticollis, and Reticulitermes lucifugus].

We studied specific features of microbial nitrogen fixation and denitrification in laboratory cultures of the termites Neotermes castaneus, Zootermopsis angusticollis, and Reticulitermes lucifugus, as well as in their nest materials. The nitrogenase activity in the termites was much higher than in the materials of termitarium. Denitrification was found only in the nest materials of termitarium.

[Ionic homeostasis and erythrocyte deformability in patients with primary arterial hypertension].

Erythrocyte Na, K-ATPase was examined for its activity and relation to the concentration of the complexon EDTA in 39 patients with arterial hypertension (AH), 12 subjects with borderline hypertension, and 18 normotensives. The ionic composition and deformability of erythrocytes were also studied. As compared to normotensives, the patients with Stage I AH displayed a significantly lower activity of erythrocyte Na, K-ATPase, which may suggest that there is an enzyme inhibitor in the blood of the patients.

[Assessment of the activity of tumor necrosis factor in normal state and in ovarian tumors].

The cytotoxic activity of tumor necrosis factor of healthy individuals and patients with cystadenoma and adenocarcinoma of ovaries was investigated. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) spontaneous activities of healthy donors and patients with cystadenoma of ovaries was the same. The level of TNF spontaneous activity of patients with adenocarcinoma was increased.