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Cerasomes are hybrid organic-inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) that could be considered as liposomes with rather durable silicon shell. In this study, several cerasome-forming lipoamino acids (CFLA) were synthesized and used as structural blocks for cerasome preparation. Pure cerasomes which contained only CFLA, and mixed cerasomes based on a mixture of CFLA with a disintegrating dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipid were fabricated and characterized in terms of morphology, mean size, ζ-potential, stability at storage. All obtained cerasome samples were found to be much more stable at storage than conventional liposomes (120 and 10 days, respectively). The cerasomes were loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and tested in vitro using human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7. Effects of the lipid composition on the physical-chemical properties and cellular uptake of the cerasomes both in 2D (monolayer culture) and 3D (multicellular tumor spheroids) were studied. The biggest accumulation efficiencies as well as the highest cytotoxicity level were found for the mixed cationic cerasomes. These cerasomes could be proposed as promising drug delivery system for cancer treatment.

The article covers results of clinical and roentgenologic data analysis. The data were obtained in the study that covered 447 pneumoconiosis patients, 75 of which were subjected to high resolution CT. If compared to chest X-ray, high resolution CT helps more precise forecast of further course in pneumoconiosis.

We examined 50 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) who in dependence on prescription in the content of basic therapy of sulfhydric group containing angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) zofenopril and captopril were divided into 2 groups each comprizing 25 patients. We studied dynamics of lipid peroxidation, protective antioxidant systems, the state of endothelial function, systemic inflammation, and endogenous cytoprotective mechanisms - the system of nitric oxide (NO) and stress proteins of HSP70 family - during fist 24 hours of hospitalization, in 1 and 6 months after development of MI. We have found that long-term administration of ACEI promotes lowering of free radical oxidation products what is related to activation of protective antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant activity of blood serum. Preparations also exert positive effect on the state of protective HSP70 system and parameters of endothelial function.

To evaluate effects of carvedilol (Akridilol, AKRIKHIN, Russia) on central hemodynamics, microvascular bed, hemorheology, von Willebrand factor (VWF) activity, clinical efficacy of the drug and influence on exercise tolerance in patients with Q myocardial infarction (QMI) compared to therapy with atenolol.The trial covered 90 patients with acute QMI. All the patients had cardiac failure and were divided into 3 comparable groups. Group 1 received carvedilol in a dose 6.25-50 mg/ day. Group 2 received atenolol in a dose 12.5-50 mg/day. Group 3 had contraindications to therapy with beta-adrenoblockers. The patients were followed up for 60 +/- 2 days. The following methods were employed in the study: clinical examination, echocardiography, laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), Holter ECG monitoring, examination of platelet-vessel hemostasis, VWF activity, treadmill-test, statistical processing with the program Excel 7.0.Inclusion of beta-adrenoblockers in combined therapy of QMI patients with cardiac failure considerably improves treatment efficacy. These drugs, carvedilol in particular, inhibit postinfarctional remodeling and thus development and progress of cardiac failure. Carvedilol reduces stasis in the microcirculatory bed, corrects abnormal response of microhemodynamics to sympathic activation and operation of venuloarteriolar mechanisms of capillary blood flow regulation. High clinical efficacy of the combined therapy of QMI patients is explained by marked antianginal and antiischemic effects of carvedilol. Treadmill test showed that the addition of beta-adrenoblockers to therapy raised exercise tolerance in the postinfarctional period.

Results of diagnosis of thyroid nodes in 404 patients are analyzed. Ultrasonic examination and US-assisted puncture biopsy were carried out before operations. Their results were compared with ones of morphologic study performed after surgery. Solitary nodes were diagnosed in 171 (42.3%) patients, multiple--in 233 (57.7%). The most specific ultrasonic symptoms of different forms of thyroid nodes were revealed. Thyroid cancer is imaged as hypoechogenic node with clear and unclear contour, heterogeneous structure, multiple zones of hyperechogenicity and calcification. Adenomas are presented as isoechogenic homogenic nodes with clear border and cystic cavities. Colloid nodes picture is the same. Rathen often different morphologic forms of nodes are similar, thus ultrasonic examination permits to detect morphologic structure of nodes hypothetically only. Sensitivity of puncture biopsy for goiter, adenomas and cancer was 87.1, 92.9 and 69.7% respectively. Cancer was not diagnosed before surgery in 30.3% cases when colloid goiter or adenomas were suspected. In these cases small cancer was located amidst colloid nodes and didn't differ by ultrasonic symptoms. Diagnosis of malignant tumor in nodular goiter was highly precise. Morphologic form of cancer was verified cytologically in majority of cases.

To reveal and evaluate the severity of concurrent coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients with atherosclerotic aneurysm of the abdominal aorta and to optimize preoperative preparation and intraoperative management, 38 patients underwent comprehensive physical examination, echocardiography, a set of ECG exercise tests. Concurrent CHD was encountered in 87% of cases with abdominal aortic aneurysm. The specific feature of CHD in this aortic abnormality is the predominance of its severe forms as evidenced by findings of coronary circulatory reserve. The incidence of postoperative events is directly related to the reserve of coronary circulation. With all these facts, patients with atherosclerotic aneurysm of the aorta should undergo ECG exercise tests and, depending on the findings, differential antianginal therapy in the preoperative period and nitrate use under the control of central hemodynamics during surgery.

A nuclear stethoscope was used to examine central hemodynamic parameters and myocardial contractility in 70 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The findings were analyzed according to the degree of cicatricial changes in the myocardium and coronary atherosclerotic lesion. The patients, unlike apparently healthy individuals, were found to show an increase in systolic cardiac output and a decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction in response to transesophageal cardiac pacing. As the cicatricial changes in the myocardium became profound, the maximum left ventricular performance decreased mainly due to the myocardial factor, while there was a reduction in the chronotropic reserve along with relatively slight signs of myocardial dysfunction when coronary atherosclerotic lesion progressed.

Preoperative identification of cardiac insufficiency in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) has proved essential for the success of surgery on the coronary arteries. To provide for an objective assessment of the contractile function of the myocardium in selecting candidates for surgery among IHD patients with over 70-percent narrowing of one, two, and three coronary arteries, use was made of the central hemodynamics indices in response to the loading test during right heart catheterization with computer-assisted monitoring and mathematical analysis. Two patient groups were distinguished during the hemodynamic loading test: group I showing a high and effective chronotropic reserve (+X) and group II presenting a negative chronotropic reserve (-X). It was established that with equal numbers of narrowed coronary arteries and similar clinical manifestations, the estimates of myocardial contraction may differ which determines indications for surgery and preoperative care.

The left-ventricular ejection fraction, reflecting the contractile capacity of the myocardium according to the clinical data, is the most objective criterion in indication for the operation for aortocoronary shunting. The indices of central hemodynamics appearing in response to the exercise test during intracardiac catheterization of the right heart and monitor-computer control with mathematical analysis were used in objective appraisal of the left-ventricular ejection fraction in selecting for surgical treatment patients suffering from ischemic heart disease with normal and reduced ejection fraction of the left ventricle. Two gradations of patients with ischemic heart disease were set apart during the hemodynamic exercise test: the first--patients with a high and effective chronotropic reserve--subgroup I("+X") and the second--patients with a poor and ineffective chronotropic reserve--subgroup II("--X"). It was found that in a single-valued left-ventricular ejection fraction (normal or low) in patients with ischemic heart disease there may be the presence or absence of latent cardiac insufficiency according to the results of the hemodynamic exercise test which must be determined in indications for surgical treatment.

The brief data on the results of the clinical trials of a new antiarrhythmic drug bonnecor at intravenous administration performed in six clinical institutions of the country are presented. A high effectiveness and a good tolerance of the drug in VT, VE, ST, SE and WPW syndrome were revealed.

Forty-six male coronary patients and 10 normal subjects underwent a course of rationed exercise (30 daily bicycle ergometric sessions). Total cholesterol (CS), triglycerides and CS of lipoproteins, belonging to different classes, were measured before and after exercise. Total CS was shown to decline under the effect of regular exercise drills in coronary patients with hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) types IIa and IIb, while high-density lipoprotein CS increased in patients with HLP types IIb and IV. It is suggested that exercise may be an effective instrument of controlling HLP as a coronary risk factor.

Changes in blood insulin, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, thyrotropin, somatotropin, corticotropin, cortisol, and aldosterone were defined in 46 male patients with coronary heart disease during daily graded exercises performed on a bicycle ergometer for 30 days. The exercises led to improvement of health in 44 patients. There was a significant reduction in baseline insulin and aldosterone levels and a tendency to lower corticotropin and triiodothyronine concentrations. The amounts of somatotropin, thyrotropin, thyroxine, and cortisol failed to greatly change during the exercise.

The toxic comples of Cl. botulinum, type F, was separated into the toxic and nontoxic protein fractions by the methods of ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration in accordance with a specially devised purification scheme. Highly purified, electrophoretically and serologically homogeneous toxin with a molecular weight of 150,000 and potency equal to 10 X 10(6) DLM per 1 mg of protein was isolated from the toxic fraction. The nontoxic protein component had faintly pronounced hemagglutinating properties and was essentially different from type A and B hemagglutinins. The toxic complex of Cl. botulinum, type F, was shown to contain a proteolytically active fraction.