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The environmental effects, positive and negative, of reservoir creation and the dynamics of their construction in each continent and in certain countries are presented in this paper. The regional peculiarities of reservoir use are characterized ." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bibrachial amyotrophy associated with an extradural CSF collection and infratentorial superficial siderosis (SS) are rare conditions that may occasionally mimic ALS. Both disorders are assumed to be due to dural tears., Case Presentation: A 53-year-old man presented with a 7-year history of slowly progressive asymmetric bibrachial amyotrophy. Initially, a diagnosis of atypical motor neuron disease (MND) was made. At re-evaluation 11 years later, upper limb wasting and weakness had further progressed and were accompanied by sensorineural hearing loss. MRI of the brain and spine demonstrated extensive supra- and infratentorial SS (including the surface of the whole spinal cord) as well as a ventral longitudinal intraspinal fluid collection (VLISFC) extending along almost the entire thoracic spine. Osteodegenerative changes were observed at C5-C7 level, with osteophytes protruding posteriorly. The bony spurs at C6-C7 level were hypothesized to have lesioned the dura, causing a CSF leak and thus a VLISFC. Review of the MRI acquired at first evaluation showed that the VLISFC was already present at that time (actually beginning at C7 level), whereas the SS was not. 19 years after the onset of upper limb weakness, the patient additionally developed parkinsonism. Response to levodopa, brain scintigraphy with 123 I-ioflupane and brain MRI with nigrosome 1 evaluation were consistent with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). On the latest follow-up 21 years after symptom onset, the VLISFC was unchanged, as were upper arm weakness and wasting., Conclusions: Based on the long-term follow-up, we could establish that, while the evidence of the VLISFC was concomitant with the clinical presentation of upper limb amyotrophy and weakness, the radiological signs of SS appeared later. This suggests that SS was not per se the cause of the ALS-like clinical picture, but rather a long-term sequela of a dural leak. The latter was instead the causative lesion, giving rise to a VLISFC which compressed the cervical motor roots. Dural tears can actually cause several symptoms, and further studies are needed to elucidate the pathophysiological correlates of "duropathies". Finally, as iron metabolism has been implicated in PD, the co-occurrence of PD with SS deserves further investigation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The liver has a remarkable regenerative capacity. Nevertheless, under chronic liver-damaging conditions, this capacity becomes exhausted, allowing the accumulation of fibrotic tissue and leading to end-stage liver disease. Enhancing the endogenous regenerative capacity by targeting regeneration breaks is an innovative therapeutic approach. We set up an in vivo functional genetic screen to identify such regeneration breaks. As the top hit, we identified Microfibril associated protein 4 (Mfap4). Knockdown of Mfap4 in hepatocytes enhances cell proliferation, accelerates liver regeneration, and attenuates chronic liver disease by reducing liver fibrosis. Targeting Mfap4 modulates several liver regeneration-related pathways including mTOR. Our research opens the way to siRNA-based therapeutics to enhance hepatocyte-based liver regeneration., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Unfortunately, available liver cancer treatments are associated with modest survival advantage. The biggest factor improving survival is early detection, but the current understanding of early transformation events is limited. Therefore, we set up a model to study these early events and investigated the relationship of premalignant, senescent hepatocytes, a regenerative environment, and the influence of secreted factors on liver tumorigenesis. Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) was triggered in a subset of mouse hepatocytes, which under normal conditions, are eliminated by immunosurveillance. Inducing liver damage and regeneration was sufficient to trigger immunosurveillance escape of OIS hepatocytes, resulting in premalignant to malignant transformation and hepatocellular tumor development. Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) was found to be overexpressed in OIS hepatocytes and in hepatocellular carcinoma. TFF3 deficiency strongly attenuated malignant transformation by increasing insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) expression, which consequently dampened IGF receptor signaling. Furthermore, analysis of precancerous liver tissue validated TFF3 as an early liver cancer biomarker. Altogether, these findings provide mechanistic insights into early transformation and immunosurveillance escape in liver cancer, revealing TFF3 and IGFBP5 to be important players with opposite roles in tumorigenesis., Significance: Liver damage induces a compensatory regenerative response that can drive premalignant to malignant transformation of senescent hepatocytes., (©2022 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Here we present a brief review of the reports concerning proteome modifications under the influence of salicylic acid, which is one of the major mediators of both local and systemic immunity. We describe also the results of our own studies of the salicylate-induced changes in proteomes of pea leaves and roots. Fifteen salicylate-inducible proteins, which were previously unknown, have been identified. Unlike the roots, leaves accumulated some chloroplast proteins and enzymes capable of degrading the pathogen cell walls. In the roots, salicylic acid increased the content of enzymes, improving the resistance of plant cells themselves, and promoted the disappearance of reductase of oxophytodienic acid. The latter could lead to inhibition of jasmonic acid synthesis and stimulation of local immunity. High (apoptotic) concentration of salicylic acid intensified synthesis of root proteins involved in the formation of heteroprotein complexes, which play an important role in the functioning of the signaling system, DNA synthesis and repair, and protein synthesis, refolding, and proteolysis.

The paper presents the results of studying genital squamous epitheliocytes from human papillomavirus-infected female patients by cytology and atomic force microscopy. The squamous epitheliocytes with and without cytomorphological signs of papillomavirus infection (koilocytosis, dyskeratosis, parakeratosis, hyperkeratosis) have been compared. Examining the surface of the squamous epithelium has yielded quantitative characteristics of infection-induced surface changes.

The paper presents the results of statistical processing of experimental data on the volumetric activity of radon within the premises of various buildings. The results were used to estimate internal radiation doses of inhaled radon and its short-lived degradation products in the population of Tomsk. The average annual population-weighed value of the effective dose was 1.24 mSv, which is 1.5-times higher than the estimated value for the Russian Federation.

The theoretical and experimental investigation of radon levels inside dwellings of Tomsk was carried out. The statistical analysis of gathered results let us to reveal the significant factors, which define the formation of radon levels inside the buildings and dependencies of radon distribution. The significant factors are: building type (urban or rural), year season, floor level (is significant only for buildings of rural type), daytime and social factor includes habits and life stile of inhabitants. The distribution of mean radon levels in buildings obeys the log-normal law. The distribution of radon level among the floors for urban type of buildings obeys the normal law, for rural type of buildings--exponential law.

Thorough examination of 114 young men of pre-constriction military training age disclosed that possibility of oral cavity pathology development is mainly determined by the indices DMFT, PMA, OHI-S and the following parameters of mixed saliva -- basic salivary flow, pH and Lactobacillus and Streptococcus mutans amounts. The degree of these factors changes expressed in scores identifies groups of low, medium and high probability of stomatologic pathology development and basing on this to individualize curative and preventive measures.

151 young men with constitutionally determined nutrition insufficiency were examined. For absolute majority of them multiple caries with primary lesions development in incisors and on 3 molar surfaces was typical. In patients with constitutionally determined nutrition insufficiency caries complications with predominance of acute apical or chronic periodontitis were 3 times more often diagnosed. Low level of oral hygiene was noted in such young men that correlated with high prevalence of severe gingivitis in them.

The stomatologic investigation has revealed multiple caries in the youths of pre-conscription age with constitutionally conditioned malnutrition (CCM). Its specific features are the following: the high affection of incisor and molar teeth, the involvement as a rule of 3 dental surfaces, the high incidence of complicated caries (especially when the bode mass index is 16.69 + /- 0.25 kg/ m2), with the prevalence of acute apical periodontitis of pulpar origin and chronic periodontitis. The "bad" mark of oral cavity hygiene was more often noted in CCM youths, that causes the high incidence of gingivitis severe forms among them. The wide spread and high intensity of dental-and-maxillary anomaly and deformity connected with permanent lower molar early removal as well as the high incidence of desquamative glossitis are registered in the given patient group. The revealed patterns of incidence and intensity of oral and dental diseases in CCM youths show the necessity of more detailed study of their stomatologic status with the use of special clinical-and-laboratory methods in order to develop the optimal rehabilitation programs.

The paper presents the results of the studies of the levels of radon in the premises of 30 kindergartens and 36 schools of Tomsk and its region, which were conducted in 1989 to 2000. The volume activity of radon in the air of the premises was measured by using passive track detectors of gamma-radiation upon a long-term exposure of 1-3 months. In parallel with these measurements, statistical data required for a more accurate assessment of effective doses were collected. Analysis of the statistical processing of the data on the levels of radon has indicated that the arithmetic mean, geometric mean, and standard deviation are 60, 51, and 33 Bq/m3, respectively, for kindergartens and 50, 38, and 56 Bq/m3 for schools. The mean annual radiation doses obtained on inhalation exposure to radon-222 and its degradation products are 1.06 and 1.08 mZv for preschool and school children, respectively.

The detailed analysis of criteria used in the different countries for an assessment of radon potential risk in territories was made. Such criteria as radon flux density from earth surface, radon concentration in soil air, specific activity of 226Ra in superficial soils were chosen. The analysis has revealed that the most reliable criterion is the value of equilibrium radon concentration in the soil air. The method of measurement of this value is specified.

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes from 115 patients with opisthrochiasis at its different (acute and chronic) stages were studied before and 1-3 days, 1-3 months, and 1-2 years after antihelminthic therapy with bilthricide. The functional activity of the cells in question was evaluated following an hour load with different drugs: bilthricide, ascorbic acid, decaris, cyclophosphane, doxycycline in a final concentration of 2.5 x 10(-5) mole/l. Physiological solution and autologous plasma were test controls. The changes in the activity of extracellular (secreted), intracellular (reserve), and summary myeloperoxidase on incubation with each test agent were found to depend on the stage of the disease and the interval after antihelminthic therapy. In early Opisthorchis invasion, the maximum increase in the induced activity of secreted myeloperoxidase is followed by a fall in the level of reserve myeloperoxidase in response to these drugs. With this, there is the most pronounced decrease in reserve myeloperoxidase of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in chronic opisthorchiasis, which may be due to the disrupted controlling processes of its production at late stages of the disease. The distinctive features of the action of agents on the overall activity of granular leukocytic myeloperoxidase in acute and chronic opisthorchiasis suggests that autologous plasma, ascorbic acid, and doxycycline should be used as a test control at the clinical stage of Opisthorchis invasion.

Cytochemistry was used to study the level of lysosomal cationic proteins of polymorphonuclear peripheral leukocytes in 25 and 20 patients with acute and chronic opisthorchiasis, respectively, before treatment. Comparison groups included patients with chronic viral hepatitis C, bronchial asthma, as well as apparently healthy individuals free of Opisthorchis invasion. That the ratios of an increase in the intracellular content of lysosomal cationic proteins to that in the control individuals were found to be 13.86 and 4.50 for acute and chronic opisthorchiasis, respectively. At the same time, the contribution of an allergic component (bronchial asthma) to the changes in the index studied is greater than that of somatic lesions of the hepatic parenchyma (viral hepatitis C). The authors suggest that it is expedient to use lysosomal cationic proteins in combination with other indices for making a diagnosis and determining the stage of the disease in Opisthorchis invasion.

The higher absorptivity of neutrophils during their alpha-tocopherol stimulation has been found to promote lower adaptability in the metacercariae of Opisthorchis felineus, a reverse picture was observed when cyclophosphanum was used. The antihelminthic effect of biltricide is probably to be unassociated with the changed functional activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, but to be determined by its direct action on helminths. This phenomenon was studied on golden hamsters inoculated with Opisthorchis felineus. On day 2 after inoculation, the following drugs were given for a fortnight: biltricide in a single dose of 60 mg/kg weight; biltricide used in a daily fractionated dose of 60 mg/kg; cyclophosphanum (6 mg/kg, every second day); alpha-tocopherol in a daily dose of 30 mg every day.

The contributions of different radon sources into total indoor radon level can differ in some times depending on geographical and climatic features of the locality, building characteristics, lifestyle and habits of the population. The revealing of most significant radon sources for examined locality and the assessment of their relative contributions will allow planning expected radon levels during building design stage. The analysis of the factors influencing indoor radon levels and the computation of radon enter to dwellings from different sources were carried out in Tomsk. About 200 dwellings were investigated on the radon presence by solid state track detectors. The results of the comparative analysis of the theoretical and experimental sets are discussed in this paper.

Upon long-term exposure, the radioactive gas radon-222 and its decay products in increased doses adversely affect human health. Since the human being spends about 65% of his time in the buildings, it is necessary to evaluate air radiation purity in the rooms, which can be obtained by making a sanitary radiological survey of residential buildings. The scope of the rooms in many-storeyed buildings to be examined can be considerably reduced if the regularities in radon distribution are known. This paper deals with searches for regularities in the distribution of radon levels by the floors of many-storeyed buildings in Tomsk. The room air concentrations of radon were measured for 18 residential buildings with tract detectors upon 1-3--month exposure. The findings showed a different pattern in the distribution of radon levels by the floors in relation to the structural features of a building and to the type of a building material. The wooden and slag-concrete buildings show a 2-3--fold increase in radon levels on the lower floors as compared to the upper ones. A statistical analysis of measurements in the bearing-wall and brick buildings revealed no association of the concentration of radon with the level of a floor, the distribution is near-uniform with 15-30% standard deviation, which is within the limits of measurement error.

Nonspecific and specific immunity values were studied in 70 children before and in various periods after 74 operations on the anterior segment of the eyeball. In children with persistent autosensitization to ocular tissue autoantigens (alpha-crystalline and S-antigen) postoperative uveitis presented as an immunocomplex disease with signs of exhaustion of the functional potential of the phagocytosis and complement systems. In children without autosensitization uveitis was associated with immunity activation. Phagocytosis system and cooperation of lymphocyte subpopulations, including normal killers (CD16+), play an important role in prevention of sensitization to ocular tissue autoantigens. Therefore, complex immunological examinations of children before surgery and regular check-ups after it will help differentiate immunodeficiency from compensatory immunosuppression preventing autoimmune disease, which is important in prescription of immunostimulating therapy.

A total of 152 patients with Opisthorchis infection at the acute and chronic stage of the diseases, as well as 1-3 days and 1-2 months after therapy with biltricide in a dose of 60 mg/kg body weight. Intracellular myeloperoxidase was spectrophotometrically determined. Its activity was demonstrated to be significantly varying at the different opisthorchiasis stage. At the acute stage there was a 6-fold increase in the activity of the enzyme as compared with that at the chronic stage. The therapy resulted in the drop of myeloperoxidase levels, at the same time the authors interpret the heterodirectional changes in the activity of myeloperoxidase in the early post-therapeutic period as a fact of individual anthelmintic intolerance the normalization of the parameter studied 1 month after the therapy only in 42.1% of the cases as a fact residual Opisthorchis antigen persistence.

The dynamics of morphological, enzymatic and immunologic salivary glands indices in pubertal rates was investigated after thymectomy. The data obtained analysis demonstrated the functional salivary glands reconstruction, having immunologic and secretory characteristics: stimulation of the humoral and cellular immunity factors; reduction of the albuminous and rise of the mucous salivary glands component represented the remote effect of thymectomy /3 months]. Activation of the salivary glands immune characteristics may be explained by their belonging to the thymic-peripharyngeal complex.

Continuous enzymatic synthesis of L-malic acid from potassium fumarate in packed-bed flow reactors was investigated. Carrageenan-immobilized Escherichia coli cells were used as a biocatalyst. The operational stability of the biocatalyst fumarase activity was studied, and conditions for preserving high activity of the biocatalyst were determined.

Unlabelled: Operations were performed on 750 children with cystic hypoplasia and dysontogenetic and acquired bronchiectases. The operation volume: pulmonectomy, lobectomy, combined resections, resection of pulmonary tissue with extirpation of bronchi, extirpation of bronchi., Complications: atelectasis, pneumonia, intrapleural hemorrhage were encountered in 87 (11.6%) children. Six (0.8%) children died. Recurrent or residual bronchiectases were found in 27 children, 18 underwent a second operation. Recurrences were encountered mainly in children with dysontogenetic bronchiectases.

The kinetics of the fumarate hydratase (fumarase) reaction catalyzed by the cells of E. coli strain 85 at high concentrations of the substrate (potassium fumarate) were studied. An automatic procedure for determination of the reaction product--malonic acid--including the use of commercial malate dehydrogenase from porcine heart was developed. The fumarate activity of bacterial cells was studied at different concentrations of the substrate and at different pH values with intact and disrupted cells of E. coli 85 used as the enzyme source. The rate of the fumarase reaction in the E. coli cells was shown to depend on the diffusion and transport processes of the reagent transfer across the cell wall and the cytoplasmic membrane of bacterial cells. The pH optimum of the reaction in free E. coli cells (8-9) and the rate of malonic acid synthesis from potassium fumarate under optimal conditions, which varies within the concentration range of (6--13) x 10(-5) mkmole per mg of protein depending on the quality of cell, were determined.

Experiments were carried out to investigate the process of a continuous enzymatic synthesis of L-aspartic acid from ammonium fumarate in uniform filling flow reactors. Escherichia coli (Soviet strain 85) cells immobilized in polyacrylamide gel granules reinforced by a solid carrier were used as biocatalysts. The conditions, under which a high aspartase activity of the biocatalyst and a stable hydrodynamic performance of the reactor were maintained, were determined. The main kinetic characteristics of a continuous performance of the reactor for 150 days were obtained.

Lungs of 20 rats flown aboard Cosmos-936 for 18.5 days and sacrificed within 5-13 hours (8 weightless and 4 centrifuged rats) and 25 days (4 weightless and 4 centrifuged rats) after recovery were studied histologically. An identical number of lung specimens were withdrawn from rats of synchronous and vivarium controls. Lungs of the flight rats did not show any pathological changes or morphological signs of prolonged congestion, thus indicating the lack of hypertension in pulmonary circulation. Lungs of the flight rats exhibited an increased leukocyte count, which was more marked in the weightless rats killed 8-13 hours postflight. The elevation in the count of neutrophilic leukocytes in the flight rats was due to peripheral neutrophilia which is a manifestation of an acute stress-reaction. An exposure of rats to artificial gravity was responsible for a lesser increase in the count of neutrophilic leukocytes.

This paper presents data on pulmonary circulation of rats during prolonged hypokinesia (30 to 165 days). It was found that the hypokinetic exposure of 30 to 60 days produced venous and, in particular, capillary plethora associated with blood redistribution and pooling in the lungs. As the exposure continued, the plethora level decreased due to the development of compensatory-adaptive reactions in the lung vessels. For instance, on hypokinetic day 90 small arteries of the muscle type developed a spasm which accelerated circulation stabilization. By hypokinetic days 120-165 pulmonary circulation returned to normal due to the further development of compensatory-adaptive mechanisms in lung vessels (tendency for hypertrophy of the media of small arteries and increase of its cross-sectional area).

The effects of temperature (45--55 degrees) and duration of thermal treatment on the L-aspartase activity of free and immobilized on polyacrylamide gel cells of E. coli, strain 85 were studied. It was found that preliminary thermal treatment of the cells at 50 degrees for 40--60 min is optimal for a high aspartase activity. Within the temperature interval of 20--55 degrees the temperature dependence of effective rate constants of L-aspartate synthesis obeys the Arrhenius equation, whereas the effective energy of activation is decreased from 12,6 to 3,6 kcal/mole, when the "activation" of the cells shows an increase.

The cells of Escherichia coli 85 immobilized in carrageenan from various sources were being studied for the aspartase activity and stability. These properties of the resultant preparations which display a relatively high and stable biocatalytic activity were shown to be almost independent of the raw material from which carrageenan was obtained and of the degree of its purification.