Vol 9, No 2 (2009)

Endogenous digitalis-like substances (EDLS) and Na/K-ATPase are involved into water-salt homeostasis, regulation of cardiovascular system functions and pathogenesis of arterial hypertension. Na/K-ATPase activity is modified also by ethanol. Experiments conducted by authors showed the ability of EDLS, in particular, marinobufagenin, to suppress motivational-and-reinforcing properties of this psychoactive agent. "Na/K-ATPase- EDLS" system is supposed to contribute to individual vulnerability to alcohol dependence, while centrally acting selective inhibitors of Na/K-ATPase are potential medications for the treatment of alcoholism. Data are presented also demonstrating the involvement of EDLS into the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension in alcohol withdrawal and in neurotoxic properties of this agent.

The review is devoted to the research results of the RNA interference processes in the nervous and immune systems, the small RNAs structures and functions, the possibility in the use of the siRNAs and miRNAs in the human disease therapy, and also - to the several problems connected with analysis of the siRNAs systems particularity functioning in different organisms, nature of the signals for dsRNAs appearance, technologic approaches to the RNAi targets screening.

Mutation 35delG of GJB2 gene is a major genetic factor of hereditary recessive prelingual deafness in Caucasian population. This study investigated heterozygous carrier prevalence of the mutation among healthy native population of Northwest region of Russia. DN A analysis was carried out on blood material from inhabitants (n=1153) of Arkhangelsk, Pskov, Saint Petersburg and Kaliningrad region. The prevalence of heterozygous 35delG/GJB2 mutation in healthy individuals was found to be 5.0%, 4.7%, 5.5%, and 7.5%, respectively, which is considerably higher than the average prevalence in Europe. Possible causes of such high prevalence of the 35delG/GJB2 mutation are discussed.

Based on complex psychophysiological evaluation of clinical severity of existing extremity and selection of adequate reconstructive operation was developed a methodological approach forming new dynamical stereotypes in CNS by retraining motor coordination not inherent in them before with help of biofeedback.

Aim;to study the incidence as well as the course of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Pneumococcus and its resistant strains in the region of the Republic of Karelia. Methods:\Ne have examined 933 patients with CAP, among them 592 males (63.5%) and 341 females (36.5%) with an average age of 44.0±0.7 years. The diagnosis of CAP was established based on traditional clinical and roentgenological criteria. For all the patients general and bacteriological sputum analysis was carried out. The sensitivity of pneumococcal strains to antibiotics was determined by disk diffusion method. The frequency of pneumococcal strains resistant to three antibiotics (penicillin, erythromycin) was analyzed. Accepted clinical criteria were used to assess the severity of pneumonia, and to recognize complications and prolonged course of the disease. Statistical methods were applied to compare the severity of the disease, the relative frequency of complications and of prolonged course of CAP caused by different bacterial agents, including resistant strains of Pneumococcus. ftesu/rs:The incidence of pneumococcal infection among CAP patients in Karelia amounted to 30.2%, whereby Gram-negative enterobacteria were revealed in 6.4% of the patients, Staphylococcus in 2.1%, Haemophilus influenzae in 1.5%, rare flora in 2.5%, and in a significant number of patients, 57.2%, the etiology of pneumonia remained unverified. Penicillin-resistant Pneumococcus strains were revealed in 53.1% and erythromycin-resistant strains in 40.6% of the patients. Pneumonia caused by Pneumococcus was distinguished by a more favorable course than that caused by Gram-negative flora or Staphylococcus aureus, while it did not differ in the basic clinical parameters from pneumonia of undetermined etiology. The resistance of Pneumococcus to antibiotics did not affect the severity of clinical manifestations, but resulted in more frequent complications and prolonged course of pneumonia.

Helicobacter pylori (HP) was verified in human stomach (antrum), mouth and rectum in the same patients by means of immunocytochemistry.This technique allows detect both coccoid and spiral forms of HP. Results of HP detection in oral cavity and rectum corresponded with HP detection in stomach in 80% and 83%, respectively. Immunocytochemical observation of HP in oral, stomach and rectum mucosa let make a suggestion that HP bacterial cells enter human gut as coccoids, colonize stomach mucosa as vegetable spirals forms and leave human gut for out as coccoid forms. Thus our data strongly support hypothesis that HP infection spread and contaminate human gut through coccoid forms.

The phychopharmacological analysis of 9 peptide drugs (cortexin, cerebrolysine, deltaran, cortagen, oleyl-cortagen, semax, selank, noopept, dilept) in comparison with piracetam and mexidol was shown that cerebrolysine (1 mg/kg), oleyl-cortagen (1 mg/kg) and piracetam (200 mg/kg) possessed activating effect on motor and research components of behavior in "open field"test, and piracetam and cerebrolysine increased the emotional status of rats. Deprimating type of action was revealed in dilept (1 mg/kg), which decreased horizontal and vertical motor activity in rats. Only one peptide, selank (0,1 mg/kg), possessed antiaggresion action. A number of peptides (oleyl-cortagen, dilept and cortexin) demonstrated antidepressant effects, while cerebrolysine (1 mg/kg), oleyl-cortagen (1 mg/kg) and selank (0,1 mg/kg), on the other hand, performed depressant action on rat behavior in the Porsolt'test. At last, oleyl-cortagen and cortexin activated self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus. Therefore, the significant psychoactivating properties are typical for cerebrolysine, oleyl-cortagen, cortexin and piracetam, while dilept, selank and in the less degree semax inhibited rat behavior, demonstrating deprimating type of action.