Vol 2, No 3 (2002)

Our paper describes a technique of cell line production from embryonic stem cells (ES-cells), embryonic germ cells (EG-cells) and embryocarcinoma stem cells (ЕС-cells). The main properties of ES-cells, EG-cells and ЕС-cells are compared. The new data on plasticity and differentiation potential of adult stem cell are analyzed. The current situation and perspectives of therapeutic cloning are considered. Therapeutic cloning is production of stem cells with genotype identical to that of a person that donated somatic nuclei for transfer. The facts are presented which fortify the necessity of a further detailed study of stem cells on biological models of human diseases before using these cells in clinical medicine.

We examined 212 men after myocardial infarction (MI) occurred before the age of 45, and 198 healthy men (control group). During the 2-year period 23 patients died of recurrent Ml.

Platelet aggregation was studied by G. V. R. Born’s and D. R. O’Brien’s method, PIA1/A2 glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa gene polymorphism - by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent restriction according to P. J. Neuman’s et al. method, plasma lipids - by enzymatic calorimetric method.

The level of PIA2 allele of GP IIb/IIIa was significantly higher in the study group than among controls (30,0 and 21,0 %, respectively; p=0,03). Among the dead patients the rate of PIA2 allele was significantly higher than among other patients (0,24 and 0,15, respectively; p=0,02). Maximal velocity of platelets aggregation was also higher in the patients with PIA2/A2 genotype than in those with PIA1 allele.

We conclude that the risk of MI in young men as well as the risk of sudden death of recurrent MI is higher in those with PIA2 allele of GP IIb/IIIa gene. This could be due to changes in platelet aggregation in patients with various genotypes of GP IIb/IIIa gene.

Morphological, histochemical and histoenzymological changes in the nervous tissue of the spinal cord were studied in a chronic experiment on 16 mongrel dogs after epidural introduction of clofelin. Compared to control animals, no negative clofelin effects on the neuron structure and microcirculatory bed of the nervous tissue were found. Morphofunctional analysis showed that chronic epidural injection of clofelin caused no degenerative or necrobiotic changes in the anterior and posterior spinal cord neurons.

The randomized trials have assessed the effects of 1-2 year or 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen administration in breast cancer patients. The data for 1433 women with early breast cancer (ER-positive tumours or unknown) were analyzed. For trials of 1-2 years and about 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen administration, the proportional recurrence reduction during 5-10 years of follow up was 16,1 and 27 % respectively (p<0,05). The corresponding proportional mortality reduction was 14 and 26,6 % respectively (p<0,05) The proportional mortality reduction was similar for patients with node-positive and node-negative breast cancer, but the absolute mortality reduction was greater in node-positive women. The neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer patients with letrozole was more effective than treatment with tamoxifen (p<0,05).

The course of degenerative changes of the aortic valve (DCAV) with stenosis formation was analyzed in 48 patients (men) older than 70 years of age with chronic heart failure (CHF). The analysis has shown that DCAV is not rare in the elderly and senile age and that it an exerts influence on myocardial remodeling and on chronic heart failure development. On the background of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and arterial hypertension (AH) with CHF, degenerative aortic stenosis (DAS) has a subclinical course with no specific symptoms at the initial stages of its development. In connection with this, an early ultrasonic heart examination is necessary in order to prevent CHF progression.

The work deals with the development of the concept and methodology of the system of ecology-associated pathology comprehensive diagnostics, as well as with its implementation in a number of regions and settlements. The basis for this diagnostics is the evaluation of the population health as a whole with the subsequent revealing and thorough examination of «risk groups». At the same time, the work proceeds with a hygienic examination of harmful factors of the human habitation environment and with a comprehensive analysis of medicoecological data. This provides elucidation of ethiopathogenetic components of the causal relationships in the system «harmful factors of the human habitation environment - human health».

We have postulated a hypothesis about the relation between the type and strength of extreme external forces and the structure of time-spatial organization of organism functions. According to the hypothesis, the type of extreme external forces determines the algorithm of developing cascade, the degree of non-coordination of the separate elements in the structure of organism functions time-spatial organization and the critical level above which a relative functional inadequacy of associated structures appears. The latter determines the strength of the extreme external forces. Our experimental data were analyzed on the basis of this hypothesis.

The work is a review presenting the results of a study on the problem of ixodic tick-borne borrelioses (Lyme-borreliosis). The study has been carried out at the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Russian Military Medical Academy for many years. The medical and social significance of tick-borne infections for the population and the Public Health Service of Russia has increased in recent years with the emergence of new pathogens that are carried over by ixodic ticks. In this connection, the role of practicing physicians in the early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tick-borne infections on the basis of new ideas about this group of infections becomes more important. The article may be used as a lecture for doctors.