Gender differences in serum markers of inflammation and platelet activation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation

The prevalence of atrial fibrillation is high and comparable in both sexes. Such factors as differently expressed blood biomarkers in women and men may play a role in the occurrence of atrial fibrillation and the development of thrombotic complications. To study markers of inflammation and platelet activation in patients with atrial fibrillation of non-valvular origin, receiving anticoagulant therapy and having a history of thrombotic complications and patients with atrial fibrillation without thrombotic complications, depending on the gender of the patients. The study included 22 healthy volunteers and 60 patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation receiving anticoagulant therapy, of which 21 patients developed thrombotic complications. Serum levels of α2- macroglobulin, hsC-reactive protein, fetuin A, α-1-acid glycoprotein, L-selectin, serum amyloid P, adipsin, and platelet factor 4 were studied on FLEXMAP 3D using Acute Phase diagnostic test systems Panel 3. A comparative study of the content of biomarkers demonstrated an increased concentration of C-reactive protein in men and women in both groups of patients with atrial fibrillation; decrease in fetuin A and L-selectin in the group of women with thrombosis compared with women without thrombotic complications and compared with healthy women. There were no gender differences in the concentration of fetuin A and L-selectin in the group of patients with atrial fibrillation without thrombotic complications and in healthy volunteers. The level of adipsin had no gender differences in the group of patients with atrial fibrillation with thrombosis and in healthy volunteers, however, it was significantly increased in women without thrombosis. The content of platelet factor 4 in women in both groups of patients exceeded the value of this indicator in healthy women; no gender differences were found in the groups of patients with atrial fibrillation. Low levels of fetuin A and L-selectin, with a simultaneous increase in C-reactive protein and platelet factor 4, lead to an increase of prothrombogenic potential and to a change in the balance of pro- and antiinflammatory mediators towards increased inflammation in female patients with atrial fibrillation

Monolithic and hybrid integration of InAs/GaAs quantum dot microdisk lasers on silicon

A method of hybrid integration of quantum dot microdisk lasers with silicon wafer is proposed and realized. In addition to the possibility of combining microlasers with various silicon-based electronic and photonic devices, this makes it possible to significantly improve heat removal from the active region of the microlaser. The thermal resistance normalized to the mesa area reaches the level of about 0.002 (K/W)*cm2, which is significantly lower than the corresponding values of QD microlasers on GaAs substrate and monolithically grown on Si. As a result, the threshold current as well as current-induced shift of emission wavelength are reduced in continuous-wave regime

Diagnostics of Fabry disease in arrhythmology practice: a case report

Heart failure in Fabry disease (FD) is unfavorable prognostic manifestation and cause of death. Given that the disease is rare in clinical practice, the low awareness of physicians about this pathology leads to its late diagnosis and the lack of pathogenetic therapy.Aim. To present a clinical picture of the cardiovascular phenotype in FD in order to increase the awareness of doctors about this disease.Material and methods. In this clinical case, an asymptomatic FD course up to 46 years of age and mani festation in the form of arrhythmia were observed. According to echo car dio graphy, severe left ventricular hypertrophy (myocardial mass index, 214 g/m2) without signs of left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction and left atrial (LA) dilatation were revealed (LA volume index — 47 ml/m2). Right ventricular (RV) and LV systolic function was assessed using two-dimensional speckletracking strain echocardiography. Latent subclinical RV and LV systolic dysfunction was established.Results.  Tandem mass spectrometry revealed a sharp decrease in alphagalactosidase activity of 0,03 umol/L/h (norm range, 0,80-15,00 umol/L/h), as well as an in creased Lyso-GB3 concentration of 95,18 ng/ml (normal range, 0,05-3,0 ng/ ml). A molecular genetic study of blood samples was carried out. By direct automatic sequencing of the GLA gene, a variant of the c.1229 C>T nucleotide sequence was identified, leading to the replacement of p.Thr4101le in the hemizygous state.Conclusion. This case shows the possibility and expediency of diagnosing FD in cardiology practice in patients with LV myocardial hypertrophy of unclear etiology, while atypical variants can be diagnosed only by molecular genetic testing

Evaluation of the CD40 receptor-ligand system in the patients with atrial fibrillation of non-valvular genesis

Thromboembolic syndrome is the most dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation which develops in about 8-15% of cases, thus presuming the role of persisting left-heart thrombosis in presence of anticoagulant therapy in some patients. When activated, the blood platelets express multiple copies of CD40L on their membrane. Hence, the soluble form of CD40 ligand is considered a marker of platelet activation and pathogenic processes associated with increased activity of the thrombotic system. Our aim was to study the content of CD40, soluble CD40 ligand and thrombomodulin in the patients with atrial fibrillation of non-valvular genesis receiving anticoagulant therapy, discerning those with a history of thrombotic complications, and the cases with atrial fibrillation, however, free of thrombotic complications. The study group included 22 healthy volunteers and 60 patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation who received anticoagulant therapy, of whom 21 patients have developed thrombotic complications in the course of adequate anticoagulant therapy. Quantitative assays of CD40, soluble CD40 ligand and soluble thrombomodulin were performed by enzyme immunoassay using Core Facility “Medical Genomics”, Tomsk National Research Medical Center. Concentration of soluble CD40 ligand in both groups of the patients with atrial fibrillation significantly exceeded appropriate values in the group of healthy volunteers. CD40L content was increased in the group of patients with thrombotic complications against the group of patients without thrombotic complications. Thrombomodulin content in blood serum was decreased in the patients with thrombotic complications, as compared to both thrombosis-free patients, and to practically healthy volunteers. The study of CD40/CD40L system and thrombomodulin showed that the patients with thrombotic complications exhibited higher serum level of soluble CD40L, with a simultaneous decrease of thrombomodulin, a physiological anticoagulant. A comparative analysis of the CD40/sCD40L system showed increased concentrations of the biomarkers in females, when compared to males

Опыт успешного применения плазменных потоков при лечении обширной постинъекционной флегмоны у больной наркоманией

The usage of home-made narcotic in RF, the main variant of which is intravenous administration, has increased greatly for the last ten years. According to such poor statistics a number of patients with pyoinflammatory complications after injections is increasing as well. The results of group of patients with complex treatment are significantly improving while using additional physical methods in management of wound, and here plasma technology has a special place. The described case shows a successful usage of plasma flows from different sources in dissection and stimulation in difficult clinical situations.Употребление кустарно приготовленных наркотиков в РФ, основным способом введения которых является внутривенный, за последнее десятилетие увеличилось в несколько раз. В соответствии с этими неутешительными данными растет и число больных с постинъекционными гнойно-воспалительными осложнениями. Результаты комплексного лечения приведенной группы пациентов значительно улучшаются при использовании дополнительных физических методов обработки ран, среди которых особое место занимает плазменная технология. Представленный случай демонстрирует успешное использование плазменных потоков из различных источников в режимах диссекции и стимуляции в сложной клинической ситуации

INTERSTELLAR ABSORPTION IN SOME DIRECTIONS

Interstellar absorption has been investigated towards Captain Areas KA-64, KA-65, KA-86, KA-87, KA- 88, KA-98 by the method of a colour excess. The star magnitudes V and colour indexes (B-V) of stars were received by Yasinskaya et al. (Odessa Astron. Publ., 2000, v.13, p.4). The stars of all spectral classes had been used for determination of quantity of interstellar absorption. The received curves of absorption have allowed to estimate the density of an absorption substance in explored directions. The results are presented in a graphical view. The random error of determination of complete visual absorption for KA-64, KA-86, KA-88 is ±0m.10, for KA-65 is equal to ±0m.09, for KA-87, KA-98 - ±0m.11. The random error of determination of distance for all areas is 110 pc on the first kiloparsec. At the distance of 2 kpc the random error increases up to 220 pc

IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 75th BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY OF NIKOLAY S. KOMAROV

Scientific biography of N.S.KomarovScientific biography of N.S.Komaro

ABOUT THE SPACE DISTRIBUTION OF STARS IN THE SELECTED SKY FIELDS

By the results of a photometry of stars in six Captain Areas, located near to a galactic plane, the densities of absorbing matter and space distribution of stars in these sky fields are determined. The comparison of maximal concentration of stars of various spectral classes to an arrangement of the interstellar dust clouds is carried out