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Introduction. The active development of the Russian nursing service of a medical organization operating in the conditions of modern realities, namely, increased readiness, needs further scientific and methodological support in the field of practical recommendations in emergency situations (ES).Target. Determine the medical and social portrait of the victims of the terrorist attack in the St. Petersburg metro on 04/03/2017, admitted to the St. I. I. Janelidze (hereinafter referred to as the Institute) and analyze the quality of nursing care provided to them. Materials and research methods. A medical and social portrait of the victims of the terrorist attack on April 3, 2017 in St. Petersburg, who were admitted to the Institute for medical care, is presented. When performing the main source of information were specially designed questionnaires (out of 25 received victims, in view of their condition and for ethical reasons, 20 people were questioned). The main research methods are sociological, analytical, descriptive statistics.Results and its discussion. It was revealed that the average social portrait of a victim of a terrorist attack in the St. Petersburg metro on April 3 is as follows. Female or male, 19 to 30 years of age, working, single/single, needs some assistance with self- care after a medical emergency. In most patients, the time to provide emergency medical care ranged from 30 minutes to 1 hour. When providing emergency medical care to patients, every second nurse observed the principles of ethics and deontology. Problems were identified in the implementation of some nursing procedures, which requires further attention when conducting exercises to work out the actions of nursing personnel in emergencies.Conclusion. The identified problems require the development and implementation of algorithms, methodological support, for organizing the actions of nursing staff in order to improve the quality of care in emergencies.

Objectives. To reveal how the subject in sociological and psychological studies of the family and parenthood change depending on sociocultural context. Background. According to social constructivism, all ideas are not determined by the biological foundations of human interaction, but are products of social and cultural construction. That is why the concepts of partnership and family relations in recent decades have been seriously revised. We can see the evolution of approaches in formulation of hypotheses and interpretation of results in studies of partnerships and family relations, attitudes toward parenthood, expected family size, etc. As we show in the article, currently prevailing social ideas about the conditional norm of gender behavior and relationships influence these formulations. Understanding this influence is very important for critical reflection of the relationship between social processes and the focus of research. This reflection acts as a tool to increase the validity of the results and their interpretation, especially in studies carried out in line with the qualitative and mixed methodology. Methodology. The paper includes a substantive (thematic) and quantitative analysis of the subject of sociological and psychological research, as well as a comparative analysis of the dynamics of the subject and sociocultural context in different periods of research. Conclusions. The article shows that objective social processes are reflected in the predominance of certain research topics and theoretical frameworks in interpretation of the obtained data. Reflection of the social context of research is a necessary procedure to increase the validity of the results and allows to create a basis for building prognostic models.

The paper reports the results of the phenomenological study of client experiences in the process of psychotherapy. It describes the stages of categorization, generalization, and interpretation of data. We raised the following questions: what changes happen to client experiences during the same treatment session and between sessions; and how these changes relate to the components of optimal experience. The sample consisted of 6 people aged 32—53, 5 women, and one man. One female client attended four meetings with a psychotherapist; the male and four female clients attended three meetings each. The transcripts were coded by two independent experts, followed by a joint discussion. First, unique semantic units were marked, then the statements were coded and categorized by experts. We give an account of the generalized dynamics of client experiences. The results of applying the categorical grid of the model of optimal experience to the dynamics of client experiences are presented separately. The yielded results can be interpreted as qualitative effectiveness markers of psychotherapeutic work.

A technology of continuous casting of steel has a large effect on its contamination. In particular, proper organization of metal flows in tundish and mold is very important. After completion a series of casting through a tundish and drop of metal level in it, it possible, that the slag flows from the surface layers of the tundish to capture the metal. An analysis of results of ultrasonic control of finished strip showed, that the basic number of the revealed defects was obtained during strip rolling out of the last slabs of the last heat in a series for a tundish. Metallographic studies determined, that the defects were located in the slab axis zone and filled by macro-inclusions of complex composition. To determine the actual distribution of metal flows, a water simulation of them was accomplished for the existing design of the EVRAZ NTMK tundish. It was determined, that at the drop of metal level in a tundish, a capture of slag from the metal reservoir and its transfer into the main bath of the tundish takes place due to whirligig flows. Following the weight metal consumption, the zone of slag inclusions distribution enlarges. Besides, denudation of the metal mirror in the metal reservoir takes place, resulted in metal secondary oxidation. Based on the results of the simulation, it was proposed to modify the design of the “turbostop”, which is installed in the metal reservoir of the tundish. Besides, it was proposed to remove the dividers installation in the tundish. It was noted, that the proposed steps enable to ensure a minimal level of rejections.

In experiments on outbred male beauty 4 months of age, the effect of the new compound ZB-16 (GPR 119 receptor agonist), with hypoglycemic activity [6], on spermatogenesis and fertilizing function was studied. Compound ZB-16 was administered intragastrically to animals of the experimental groups for 2 months (equivalent to one spermatogenesis cycle) in doses: 0,5 mg/kg (experimental therapeutic dose) and 100 mg/kg (higher dose than 200 times the therapeutic dose), the control group of males was intragastrically injected with a solvent of the compound - distilled water. It was found that under the influence of ZB-16, in males in both experimental groups, the spermatogenesis index is moderately increased (by 3,0 %, p > 0,05), the total number of spermatozoa (by 44,4 %, p > 0,05 and 19,2 %, p > 0,05, respectively, the 1st and 2nd experimental groups), the number of tubules with desquamated epithelium decreases, and the number of pathological forms of spermatozoa and the number of tubules with 12th stage of meiosis are not changed. According to the results of mating of the studied groups of males with intact females, a clear tendency towards an increase in the pregnancy index and a decrease in the post-implantation death of the embryos is revealed in the females relative to the control.

The effects of a new derivative of benzimidazole (K-134) in doses of 5 and 50 mg/kg on the spermatogenesis and fertilizing ability of spermatozoa were studied on male rats. It was found that 2-month course treatment with the studied substance enhances the producing ability of the spermatogenic epithelium and improves fertilizing ability of spermatozoa.

It is known that in various cell types bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes mitochondrial disfunction and promotes accumulation of triglycerides in intracellular lipid droplets. The precise mechanisms which mediate LPS-induced neutral lipid deposition remain poorly understood. In the present work performed on primary cultured epithelial cells isolated from the frog urinary bladder we studied the possible role of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) in LPS-in-duced alteration of lipid metabolism. It was shown that LPS stimulated ROS production, decrea- 705 sed fatty acids oxidation, enhanced intracellular triglyceride deposition and promoted the formation of lipid droplets visualized by Nile red staining. Pretreatment of cells with mitochondrial-tar-geted antioxidant MitoQ at dose 25 nM for 2 h almost completely eliminated all the above effects of LPS. In contrast to MitoQ, a-tocopherol was ineffective. The data obtained indicate that increase of mROS level is a critical factor that mediates LPS-induced intracellular deposition of neutral lipids in epithelial cells.

The representatives of Asterozoa (Asteroidea, Echinoidea, and Ophiuroidea) have a similar struc� tural plan of the axial complex with minor differences within each class; this structural scheme substantially differs from that in Crinozoa and Holothurozoa. The axial complex consists of the coelomic organs and the haemocoel (blood) structures, which are morphologically and functionally integral. The coelomic organs are the stone canal, axial coelom, perihaemal coeloms (axocoel perihaemal ring and somatocoel perihaemal ring), water ring, and pericardial and genital coeloms. These organs are closely associated with the epigastric and hypogastric coeloms and with the perioral coelomic ring. The haemocoel structures of the axial complex include the oral haemal ring, heart, axial organ, genital haemal ring, and gastric haemal ring. The epineural canals of echinoids and ophiuroids are of a noncoelomic nature. They are formed by the invagination of the ectoneural cord and closing of the epidermis above it. The possible functions of the axial complex in Astero� zoa are blood circulation and excretion.

The axial complex is one of the most characteristic features of echinoderms. Descriptions of it in classic papers are contradictory. The present paper provides data on the microscopic anatomy of the axial complex in the starfish Asterias rubens restudied using histological techniques. The axial complex is located in the wall of the interradius CD; it is elongated in the oral-aboral direction. The stone canal in its aboral end communicates with the axial coelom; in its oral end, it communicates with the water-vascular ring canal. The axial coelom opens to the madreporic ampulla of the stone canal on its aboral end and to the axocoel perihemal coelom on the oral end. The axial organ is formed by the blood vessel network between the basal laminae of the pericardial, axial, and perihemal coelothelia. In Asterias rubens, the heart is a part of the axial organ, which divides the latter into the true axial and pericardial parts. The extensive axial (oral) part of the axial organ opens to the oral blood ring, which is situated in the mesentery between the perihemal coeloms. The smaller, pericardial (aboral), part of the axial organ opens to the hemocoel of the body wall. The genital coelom represents an integral part of the axial complex since one of the five gonad blood lacunae located in the interradius CD communicates with the heart and axial organ vessels. The mistakes and inaccuracies extant in the scientific literature about the anatomy of the asteroid axial complex are discussed. The blood circulation into the axial organ occurs predominantly from the aboral side to the oral side of starfish.

Earlier we have shown that in epithelial cells of the frog urinary bladder under action of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) there is activated expression of inducible NO-synthase (iNOS) and there is increased the NO production, which can play an important role in providing protective cell reactions form pathogens. The goal of the present work consisted in study of cyclooxygenase (cOG) products and mechanisms of their regulatory effect on expression of iNOS under action of LPS. In experiments on urinary bladder epithelial cells on the frog Rana temporaria it has been shown that incubation of the cells for 21 h with LPS leads to a rise in production of PGE2 and nitrites, stable NO metabolites. Inhibitor of iNOS 1400W decreased sharply production of nitrites, but did not affect the PGE2 level. Both the basal and the LPS-stimulated level of PGE2 and nitrites were inhibited in the presence of selective cOG inhibitors SC-560 (cOG-1) and NS-398 (cOG-2). The IC50 value amounted to 90, 220 and 470 μM for NS-398, SC-560, and diclofenac (unspecific inhibitor of both isoforms), respectively. PGE2 and butaprost, the EP2-receptor agonist, but not agonists of EP1/EP3 or EP1 receptors, partially eliminated the inhibitory action of diclofenac on production of nitrites. Action of PGE2 was accompanied by an increase in the intracellular cAMP. Analysis of expression of iNOS mRNA in the epithelial cells incubated with LPS or LPS + inhibitor of cPG has shown the LPS-stimulated rise in expression of iNOS mRNA to decrease sharply in the presence of SC-560 or NS-398. Thus, the epithelial cells of the frog urinary bladder have the effectively functioning system of the congenital immune protection against bacterial pathogens, the most important component of this system being PGE2 and NO. Analysis of mechanisms of regulatory interactions of cOG and iNOS indicates that in this cell type the main regulators of iNOS expression and of the nitrogen oxide level are products of the cOG catalytic activity.

We have shown previously that endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in frog urinary bladders modulates the influence of arginine-vasotocin on the increase in the osmotic water permeability of the bladder epithelium. The goal of the present work was to obtain a primary culture of epithelial cells from a frog urinary bladder in order to study in vitro the cellular activity of NO-synthase (NOS) and its regulation. The best conditions for cultivating the cells turned out to be with the use of a modified L-15 medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and gentamicin (40 μg/ml) at room temperature. Under these conditions, at least 50% of the cells preserved their viability for 8 days. The NOS activity was estimated from the accumulation of nitrites (NO 2 − ) in the cultivation medium; the amount of NO 2 − in the presence of nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of all types of NOS, was considered unspecific and was subtracted from each value. The NO 2 − accumulation was linear in time for three days of cultivation and was inhibited by 1400W, an inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor, or by 7-nitroindazole, an inhibitor of constitutive NOSs, at concentrations of 5–50 and 10–200 μM, respectively. One-day incubation of the cells in the medium with low doses of gentamicin (1 or 2 μg/ml) led to a marked increase in the amount of bacteria in the cultivation m5 mM edium identified as E. coliand Acinetobacter sp. An addition of 5 mM L-NAME to the cultivation medium increased the amount of the bacteria by 1.5-and 2.5-fold in the presence of 2 and 1 μg/ml gentamicin/ml, respectively. Thus, the epithelial cells of frog urinary bladders have the NO-dependent antibacterial effect, which seems to be the result of enhanced iNOS expression. The obtained data indicate that the primary culture of the epithelial cells from frog urinary bladders is a prospective model for studying the role of NO and the regulation of NOS activity, which is of particular interest for studying protective NO effects in epithelial tissues.

The activity of arginase converting arginine into ornithine and urea is of particular interest among many factors regulating NO production in the cells. It is known that by competing with NO-synthase for common substrate, arginase can affect the NO synthesis. In the present work, the properties of arginase from the frog Rana temporaria L. urinary bladder epithelial cells possessing the NO-synthase activity were characterized, and possible contribution of arginase to regulation of NO production by epithelial cells was studied. It has been shown that the enzyme had the temperature optimum in the range of 55-60 degrees C, K(m) for arginine 23 mM, and V(max) about 10 nmol urea/mg protein/min, and its activity was effictively inhibited by (S)-(2-boronoethyl)-L-cysteine (BEC), an inhibitor of arginase, at concentrations from 10(-6) to 10(-4) M. The comparison of arginase activity in various frog tissues revealed the following pattern: liver > kidney >> brain > urinary bladder (epithelium) > heart > testis. The arginase activity in the isolated urinary bladder epithelial cells was 3 times higher than that in the intact urinary bladder. To evaluate the role of arginase in the regulation of NO production, epithelial cells were cultivated in the media L-15 or 199 containing different amounts of arginine; the concentration of NO2-, the stable NO metabolite, was determined in the culture fluid after 18-20 h of cells incubation. The vast majority of the produced nitrites are associated with the NOS activity, as L-NAME, the NOS-inhibitor, decreased their accumulation by 77.1% in the L-15 medium and by 80% in 199 medium. BEC (10(-4) M) increased the nitrite production by 18.0 % +/- 2.7 in the L-15 medium and by 24.2 +/- 3.5 in the 199 medium (p < 0.05). The obtained data indicate a relatively high arginase activity in the frog urinary bladder epithelium and its involvement in regulation of NO production by epithelial cells.

It was shown previously that colonization of the frog urinary bladder by gram-negative bacteria leads to decreased ability of antidiuretic hormone to reabsorb water from the urinary bladder (Fock et al. J. Exp. Zool., 2013, 319A: 487-494). In the present work performed on epithelial cells isolated from the frog urinary bladder the influence of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on neutral lipid metabolism and cellular energetics was studied. It was shown that incubation of cells with LPS led to decrease of fatty acids oxidation and to retention of triacylglycerols (TAG) followed by an increase of the cytoplasmic lipid droplets content and cellular amount of TAG. Fatty acid composition of TAG was not changed under LPS. LPS did not alter mitochondrial membrane potential, however, LPS decreased oxygen consumption rate both in basal and uncoupling conditions. Cellular ATP production was also reduced in the presence of LPS. The data obtained indicate that a decreased ability of antidiuretic hormone to reabsorb water from the urinary bladder induced by bacterial pathogens could be related to inhibition of fatty acids oxidation and impaired energy metabolism.

Neutral lipids are deposited in intracellular compartments called lipid droplets, which are known to be critically implicated in regulation of cellular lipid metabolism. These organelles consist of a core of neutral lipids, mainly triacylglycerol (TAG) and cholesteryl esters, surrounded by phospholipid monolayer. Using Nile red lipid staining and [3H]-arachidonic and [3H]-oleic acids as precursors for lipid biosynthesis, we have evaluated the mechanisms of lipid body induction elicited by exogenous fatty acids within primary cultured epithelial cells from the frog urinary bladder. It was found that arachidonic and oleic acids at concentrations 10-50 tM stimulated lipid droplets formation accompanied by accumulation of TAG and by the significant increase of incorporation of fatty acids into TAG indicating an enhanced TAG biosynthesis. No changes of cholesteryl esters content were observed under these conditions. In cells, prelabelled with [3H]-oleic acids, etomoxir, an inhibitor of O-carnitine palmitroyltansferase 1, decreased oxidation of oleic acid and increased its incorporation into TAG leading to intracellular TAG accumulation. In cells, prelabelled with [3H]-arachidonic acid, diclofenac, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase 1 and 2, led to significant decrease in cellular PGE2 production and to reesterification of free arachidonic acid to TAG but not to phospholipids. Taking together, these data evidence that in isolated frog urinary bladder epithelial cells, reacylation of unsaturated free fatty acids into TAG is a main route of their metabolic conversion under the conditions of the increased cytosolic level of free fatty acids.

The production of superstrong and durable heat-treated railroad wheels fromT steel is considered. Aspects of heat treatment are described, and the macrostructure, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the wheels are investigated.

The effects of impaza on ovulatory cycles, sexual behavior, and conception processes were studied in female rats. A two-week course of impaza in doses of 3 and 15 ml/kg did not affect alternation of estrous cycle phases, the incidence of estrus reducing. Sexual behavior of these females was characterized by activation of the receptive sexual motivations; conception was characterized by a higher fertility index and a lower fetal mortality.

The effects of kardostin on the ovulatory cycle, conception, and sexual behavior of female rats have been experimentally studied. It is established that a two-week therapy with kardostin at a dose of 5 and 15 mg/kg changed phases of the estrous cycle (with the estrus phase being most prevalent) and led to ambiguous changes in the sexual behavior of female rats (a dose of 5 mg/kg increased sexual behavior, while a dose of 15 mg/kg inhibited it), activated fertility, and improved the quality of conception.

The effect of the twist rate on the physicomechanical properties of complex Oxalon thread was investigated. It was found that in processing samples of complex Oxalon thread on a doubler-twister, the thread is more subject to deformation than thread made on a twist counter and thus has a lower elongation at break. The optimum process parameters for processing Oxalon sewing thread of 29 tex × 2 × 2 structure are determined.

The influence of endogenous gram-negative bacteria colonizing the mucosal epithelium of frog Rana temporaria L. urinary bladders (FUB) on arginine-vasotocin AVT-stimulated osmotic water flow in isolated urinary bladders was investigated. 170 animals were examined and only 40% were contaminated with gram-negative bacteria (about 10(3)-10(6) CFU per hemibladder). Several Enterobacteriaceae species were identified (Hafnia alvei, 36.7%, E. coli, 32.3%, Serratia marcescens, 8.8%, Citrobacter freundii, 4.4% etc.). Basal osmotic water flow level was invariable in "clean" and contaminated FUB, whereas bacterial contamination resulted in considerable decrease in AVT-stimulated water flow ("clean": 2.53 +/- 0.13, n = 59, contaminated: 1.21 +/- 0.17 me/min/cm2, n = 38, p0.001, within first 15 min of incubation with 5 x 10(-10)M AVT). Gentamycin protection assay revealed predominantly adhesive forms of bacteria. Thus our data indicated that the presence of gram-negative bacteria colonizing the mucosal epithelium of the urinary bladder results in decreased adility of ADH to rise osmotic water permeability which in turn could impair body osmoregulation.

Earlier we have shown that in epithelial cells of the frog urinary bladder under action of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) there is activated expression of inducible NO-synthase (iNOS) and there is increased the NO production, which can play an important role in providing protective cell reactions from pathogens. The goal of the present work consisted in study of cyclooxigenase (cOG) products and mechanisms of their regulatory effect on expression of iNOS under action of LPS. In experiments on urinary bladder epithelial cells on the frog Rana temporaria it has been shown that incubation of the cells for 21 h with LPS leads to a rise in production of PGE2 and nitrites, stable NO metabolites. Inhibitor of iNOS 1400W decreased sharply production of nitrites, but did not affect the PGE2 level. Both the basal and the LPS-stimulated level of PGE2 and nitrites were inhibited in the presence of selective cOG inhibitors--SC-560 (cOG-1) and NS-398 (cOG-2). The IC50 value amounted to 90, 220, and 470 microM for NS-398, SC-560, and diclofenac (unspecific inhibitor of both isoforms), respectively. PGE2 and butaprost, the EP2-receptor agonist, but not agonists of EP1/EP3 or EP1 receptors, partially eliminated the inhibitory action of diclofenac on production of nitrites. Action of PGE2 was accompanied by an increase in the intracellular cAMP. Analysis of expression of iNOS mRNA in the epithelial cells incubated with LPS or LPS + inhibitor of cOG has shown the LPS-stimulated rise in expression of iNOS mRNA to decrease sharply in the presence of SC-560 or NS-398. Thus, the epithelial cells of the frog urinary bladder have the effectively functioning system of the congenital immune protection against bacterial pathogens, the most important component of this system being PGE2 and NO. Analysis of mechanisms of regulatory interactions of cOG and iNOS indicates that in this cell type the main regulators of iNOS expression and of the nitrogen oxide level are products of the cOG catalytic activity.

Chronic treatment of rats with kardosten for 6 months had a positive effect on some ECG values and behavior without disordering the hepatorenal functions. All effects of the drug observed during a course of treatment were leveled and the parameters reached the basal values within 2 weeks after drug discontinuation, this confi rming its safety.

It is shown that in technically suitable conditions for shaping blanks by centrifugal casting, the deposition of the particles occurs with a streamline schedule, and the coarse fractions are deposited during acceleration of the rotation of the mold. The main factor influencing the density of the finely dispersed blanks is the duration of rotation, and for systems containing coarse filler, centrifugal acceleration. Regulating the dimensions (wall thickness) of the blank is possible by altering the concentration of solid phase in the slip and the degree of filling of the mold with it.

Since Gram-negative bacteria are known to be present in the cavity of urinary bladders in amphibian species, it was interesting to study the effect of bacterial endotoxins on epithelial signaling network which provides the arginine-vasotocin-induced increase of osmotic water permeability (OWP). The effect of LPS E. coli on AVT-induced OWP was studied in isolated frog Rana temporaria L. urinary bladder incubated during 20-21 hours in modified L-15 culture medium in sterile conditions. The LPS (25 microg/ml) was added into the mucosal solution. It was shown that exposure to LPS caused a strong suppression of the increase of OWP under AVT (0.5 nM), forskolin (35 microM) or IBMX (200 microM). Moreover, LPS induced more than 2-folds decrease both ofbasal and AVT-stimulated content of cAMP in the bladder tissue. The inhibitory effect of LPS on AVT-induced increase of OWP was eliminated in the presence of ODQ, 20 microM, a cytosolic guanylate cyclase inhibitor. With the use of RT-PCR it was shown that the expression of mRNA iNOS was 10-fold increased in 6 hours after LPS administration. These findings demonstrate the ability of frog bladder mucosal epithelial cells to recognize bacterial LPS and initiate antipathogen immune response related to increased production of nitric oxide. The activation of signal transduction cascade mediated by the LPS-induced immune response leads to a decrease of intracellular cAMP and down-regulates AVT-stimulated OWP acting at least in part through NO/cGMP-dependent signaling pathway.

A study has been made of35CI NQR spectra of a series of 3-substituted 1-dichlorophosphocyladamantanes. The mechanism of increased conductivity of the adamantane nucleus is examined within the framework of a quasi-π-electron approach.

We have shown previously that endogenous NO modulates the effect of arginine-vasotocin on the increase in the osmotic water permeability of the frog urinary bladder epithelium. The aim of the present work was to develop a procedure of cultivation of epithelial cells from the frog urinary bladder as a primary culture in order to study in vitro the cellular production of NO and its regulation. Isolated cells were cultivated in modified L-15 medium with 10% FBS and gentamycin (40 microg/ml) at room temperature. Under these conditions, at least 50% cells kept their viability until 8 days of incubation. NO-synthase (NOS) activity was estimated as nitrite (NO2-) accumulation in culture medium; NO2- concentration in the presence of L-NAME, inhibitor of all NOS types, was considered as NOS-independent and was subtracted from each value. The nitrite accumulation was linear in time during 3 days of cultivation and was inhibited by 1400W, inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor, and 7-nitroindazole, constitutive NOS's inhibitor, at doses 5-50 and 10-200 microM, respectively. One-day incubation of he cells in the medium with low concentration of gentamycin (1 or 2 microg/ml) led to the significant increase in amount of bacterial in cultured fluid identified as E. coli and Acinetobacter sp. Addition of L-NAME (5 - 103 M) to the medium potentiated the bacteria growth 1.5- and 2.5-times in the presence of 2 and 1 microg gentamycin/ml, respectively. Thus, epithelial cells form the frog urinary bladder possess NO-dependent antibacterial effect which is probably provided by induction of iNOS expression. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the primary culture of the frog urinary bladder epithelial cells is a perspective experimental model for the study of regulation of NOS activity and NO production being of particular interest in relation to the defense effect of NO in epithelia.

The activity of arginase converting arginine into ornithine and urea is of particular interest among many factors regulating NO production in the cells. It is known that by competing with NO-synthase for common substrate, arginase can affect the NO synthesis. In the present work, the properties of arginase from the frog Rana temporaria L. urinary bladder epithelial cells possessing the NO-synthase activity were characterized, and possible contribution of arginase to regulation of NO production by epithelial cells was studied. It has been shown that the enzyme had the temperature optimum in the range of 55-60 degrees C, K(m) for arginine 23 mM, and V(max) about 10 nmol urea/mg protein/min, and its activity was effictively inhibited by (S)-(2-boronoethyl)-L-cysteine (BEC), an inhibitor of arginase, at concentrations from 10(-6) to 10(-4) M. The comparison of arginase activity in various frog tissues revealed the following pattern: liverkidneybrainurinary bladder (epithelium)hearttestis. The arginase activity in the isolated urinary bladder epithelial cells was 3 times higher than that in the intact urinary bladder. To evaluate the role of arginase in the regulation of NO production, epithelial cells were cultivated in the media L-15 or 199 containing different amounts of arginine; the concentration of NO2-, the stable NO metabolite, was determined in the culture fluid after 18-20 h of cells incubation. The vast majority of the produced nitrites are associated with the NOS activity, as L-NAME, the NOS-inhibitor, decreased their accumulation by 77.1% in the L-15 medium and by 80% in 199 medium. BEC (10(-4) M) increased the nitrite production by 18.0 % +/- 2.7 in the L-15 medium and by 24.2 +/- 3.5 in the 199 medium (p0.05). The obtained data indicate a relatively high arginase activity in the frog urinary bladder epithelium and its involvement in regulation of NO production by epithelial cells.

In experiments on frog Rana temporaria L. urinary bladder, we investigated localization of NO-synthase (NOS) in urinary bladder slices and measured NOS activity in the suspension of mucosal epithelial cells. Intensive NADPH-diaphorase staining which is widely used as an indicator of NOS activity was found in mucosal epithelium. Almost all mucosal epithelial cells isolated in Ca2+ -free conditions demonstrated positive NADPH-diaphorase reactivity. Direct measurement of NOS activity in suspension of mucosal cells determined by the rate of conversion of L-arginine to L-citrullin showed that the enzyme activity was reduced in absence of external Ca2+ and was inhibited by L-NAME: non-specific NOS inhibitor, and 1400 W: a highly selective iNOS inhibitor (control: 754 +/- 184; L-NAME, 1 mM 329 +/- 87; 1400 W, 20 mM: 547 +/- 25; Ca2+ -free/EDTA: 490 +/- 184 cpm [3H]-citrullin/10(6) cells per 45 min, p0.05, n = 7-8). The data obtained demonstrate that frog urinary bladder mucosa epithelial cells provided antidiuretic hormone-induced increase of osmotic water permeability contain nitric oxide synthase. The presence of inducible (iNOS) as well as constitutive isoform(s) revealed in these cells allows to suggest involvement of NOS in intracellular signaling pathways regulated water transport across the epithelium.

The role of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in regulation of osmotic water permeability was studied in isolated frog Rana temporaria L. urinary bladder. It was found that ANF (rANF, 1-28) added to the serosal solution at concentrations 5 x 10(-8) M and higher dosedependently stimulated the arginine-vasotocin (AVT)-induced increase of osmotic water permeability. The effect of ANF was revealed only in presence of 3-isobuthyl-1-methylxantine (180 microM) and was accompanied by significant elevation of cGMP level in urinary bladder homogenate and isolated mucosal epithelial cells. C-ANF (des[Gln18, Ser19, Gly20, Leu21, Gly22]-ANF-(4-23)-NH2), a specific agonist of NPR-C receptor, exerted no effect on osmotic water permeability. ANF induced a significant increase of cAMP in urinary bladder homogenates (AVT, 5 x 10(-11) M: 52.3 +/- 10.6; AVT + ANF, 10(-7) M: 114.2 +/- 26.9 pmol/mg protein, n = 5, p0.05). The activity of adenylate cyclase in crude plasmatic membrane fraction was not changed. Milrinone, a specific inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 3, at concentrations from 25 to 80 microM, enhanced both the hydroosmotic response to AVT and AVT-stimulated cAMP production. Altogether these data demonstrate that, in the frog urinary bladder, ANF stimulates the AVT-induced increase of osmotic water permeability acting probably through NPR-A receptor-coupled mobilization of cGMP and cGMP-dependent inhibition of phosphodiesterase 3.

In frogs' isolated urinary bladders, contribution of cytosolic guanylate cyclase and cGMP-dependent protein kinase to regulation of osmotic permeability was studied. ODQ (25-100 microM), an inhibitor of cytosolic guanylate cyclase induced an increase of vasotocin-activated osmotic permeability but had no effect on the hormone-activated transepithelial urea transport. In isolated mucosal epithelial cells ODQ (50 microM) decreased the concentration of intracellular cGMP. In these cells L-NAME (0.5 nM), an inhibitor of NO synthase, also decreased the level of cGMP whereas cAMP was significantly increased. 8-pCPT-cGMP (25 and 50 microM), a permeable cGMP analogue which selectively activates protein kinase G, inhibited vasotocin-induced increase of water transport along osmotic gradient indicating that protein kinase G is involved in regulation of water reabsorption. The data obtained show that NO/cGMP signalling system in the frog urinary bladder appears to be a negative modulator of vasotocin-activated increase of osmotic permeability.

Principal similarities between molecular pathways providing the enhancement of water and urea reabsorption under the action of argininvasotocin (AVT) in amphibian urinary bladder suggest that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) could be a negative regulator of urea transport. To analyse this hypothesis, the role of PGE2 in regulation of urea transport was studied in isolated frog (Rana temporaria L.) urinary bladder. The urea permeability (Pu) was determined from the rate of efflux of (14) Curea from mucosal to serosal solution in isoosmotic conditions. The water permeability was measured in separate experiments in presence of an osmotic gradient. In contrast to water permeability, we were unable to demonstrate any inhibitory effect of 10-1000 nM PGE2 on AVT-stimulated urea transport using a variety of protocols. It was found that basolateral PGE2 exposure (10 nM-1 microM) caused an increase in Pu with no effect on osmotic water flow. The PGE2 effect was markedly inhibited by phloretin, a specific inhibitor of urea transporter. Sulprostone, an EP1/EP3 prostaglandin E2 receptor agonist, had no effect on Pu suggesting the contribution of EP2/EP4 receptor subtypes. In presence of osmotic water flow, the AVT-induced urea transport was significantly higher. This water flow-dependent urea permeability was inhibited by PGE2 although the inhibitory effect was less pronounced in comparison to the action of PGE2 on osmotic water flow. On the basis of these results we can make a conclusion that PGE2 has different role in regulation of water and urea transport in the frog urinary bladder. PGE2 could be considered as a stimulator of urea transport and an inhibitor of osmotic water flow activated by the AVT. The ability of PGE2 to regulate various types of cAMP-dependent transport by different mechanisms seems to be based on the presence of multiple basolateral PGE2 receptor subtypes in amphibian osmosis-regulatory epithelium.

Na, K, Ca and Mg concentrations have been determined in the otoliths and otoconia of the lamprey, skate, guppy and hen. Lamprey otoliths sharply differ from the otoliths and otoconia of other animals with respect to their K and Ca content. In all the animals investigated excluding lamprey, only traces of K were found. Na concentration in the otilithic apparatus of the investigated animals varies within 0.475-1.04 mM/g. Na presumably is bound to proteins of the organic matrix and plays an important role in the growth of otoliths and otoconia. Concentration of Ca in the otoliths and otoconia of all animals excluding the lamprey was equal to 9.09-9.63 mM/g: organic substances constitute 4-10 per cent of their mass. In the lamprey, Ca concentration in the otoliths was found to be 5.33 mM/g, the content of organic matter amounting to more than 40 per cent. In constantly growing otoliths of fish, concentration of Mg was significantly lower than in otoconia of fish and other animals. This is presumably due to the fact that Mg inhibits crystalline growth of calcium salts.

Contents of water, sodium, calcium and magnesium in different tissues of the rats stayed in space for 2 weeks in healing period of bone fracture following graded trauma of calf-bones as well as in the rats exposed to a head-down suspension (HDS) have been studied. In microgravity-exposed animals there were no significant changes in fluid-electrolyte composition of the liver, kidney, myocardium, skin, bone (calf bone). Specific "functional load" on the system of fluid-electrolyte homeostasis in the form of operation and subsequent healing of bone fracture did not result in additional changes in fluid and electrolyte contents of body tissues. In the HDS animals there was a significant change in fluid-electrolyte composition of skin, kidney and bone tissue.

Frogs acclimated to 4 degrees C were transported to a medium with temperature 20 degrees C, which caused polyuria; recovery of normal diuresis took about 24 h. During this period, hypernatremia was observed together with the increase in natriuresis, the rate of renal excretion of potassium ions with urea remaining constant. Water content of skeletal muscles decreased. Transportation of frogs acclimated to 20 degrees C into a medium with a temperature 4 degrees C decreased their diuresis. Renal excretion of sodium, calcium and magnesium ions remained unchanged, whereas that of potassium ions significantly decreased. The content of potassium and magnesium in the blood serum increased, that of sodium--decreased. Hydratation of muscled and kidneys was accompanied by the decrease of calcium, potassium and magnesium ions calculated per wet weight of the tissues, the level of sodium remaining unaffected. The data obtained indicate significant changes in the pattern of water and salt metabolism in frogs during temperature hysteresis.

The results of a combined roentgenoradionuclide investigation of the lungs were studied in 45 persons at risk of developing chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases, diagnosed in a mass screening of 3000 workers at an industrial enterprise. The results of fluorographic, roentgenoscopic and roentgenographic investigations of the lungs, roentgenopneumopolygraphy and radionuclide investigation of lung perfusion (pulmoscintigraphy with 99mTc-labeled albumin macroaggregates) were compared. During this combined investigation the signs of nonspecific pulmonary diseases were diagnosed in 40% of the patients, changes of the pulmonary blood flow--in 71%, changes of ventilation--in all the examinees. A conclusion was made of the necessity of additional combined investigation of patients belonging to risk groups, identified during mass screenings.

The results of a combined roentgeno-radionuclide investigation of the lungs were studied in 45 persons at risk of developing chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases, diagnosed in a mass screening of 3000 workers at an industrial enterprise. The results of fluorographic, roentgenoscopic and roentgenographic investigations of the lungs, roentgeno-pneumopolygraphy and radionuclide investigation of lung perfusion (pulmoscintigraphy with 99mTc-labeled albumin macroaggregates) were compared. During this combined investigation the signs of nonspecific pulmonary diseases were diagnosed in 40% of the patients, changes of the pulmonary blood flow--in 71%, changes in ventilation--in all the examinees. A conclusion was made of the necessity of additional combined investigation of patients belonging to risk groups, identified during mass screenings.

After irradiation of one eye by low-intensive infrared laser with near spectral region within 5 and 20 min an increase in aerobic oxidation (activation of glutamate- and succinate dehydrogenases, decrease in activity of lactate dehydrogenase and in content of lactate) as well as alterations in the antioxidant activity were observed in structures of both eyes (irradiated and untreated), in visual cortex of both hemispheres and in neurocytes of upper cervical sympathetic ganglions. These results suggest that generalized metabolic reactions are developed in a body in response to laser irradiation. Mechanism of these reactions appears to involve not only the neuro-reflex pathways but it related also to the direct effect of the radiation on structures of eye and brain. The low-intensive laser radiation penetrated into brain through eye retrobulbar tissues and bones.