Hyperglycemia and possible mechanisms of β-cell damage in patients with COVID-19

Progressive decrease in the weight and functional reserve of β-cells is one of the main pathogenetic mechanisms of development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The rate of progression of these processes is strictly individual, which largely determines the course of DM2 and the effectiveness of the therapy. As a rule, apoptosis and necrosis are the main mechanisms of β-cell damage and death in CD2. At the same time, recent studies allow us to consider the destruction and death of β-cells as the outcome of other types of programmed cell death (PCG), the role of innate immunity in the Genesis of CD2 IS actively discussed. This article provides an overview of the data of domestic and foreign literature of recent years regarding the molecular, intracellular characteristics of different types of β-cell PCG in CD2. The results of studies aimed at studying the possible factors and processes leading to their launch are presented

High level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) in patients with COVID-19 is a marker of the severity of the infection but not an indicator of previous diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: Less than a year has passed since the start of the new coronavirus infection COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. First published research results demonstrate a frequent increase in glycemia in patients without previously diagnosed carbohydrate metabolism disorders. A possible relationship between the carbohydrate metabolism state and the course of COVID-19 is considered.AIM: To identify the incidence of known and newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and evaluate the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), inflammation markers and infectious disease severity.METHODS: A single-center, cross-sectional, retrospective study included 155 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and bi- lateral polysegmental viral pneumonia hospitalized in the Endocrinology Research Centre, Russian Federation. Diagnosis of carbohydrate metabolism disorders was based on the HbA1c level, blood glucose level at admission (BGA) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Patients were divided into 2 groups: without the previously diagnosed DM (n=129, 83.3%) and with known history of DM (n=26, 16,7%). Patients without previously diagnosed DM were divided into subgroups according to HbA1c levels: ≤6,0% (Group A), >6,0% HbA1c, <6.5% (Group B), ≥6,5% (Group C). Additionally, insulin, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and D-dimer levels were measured in all patients. Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) was measured by pulsoximetry, computerized tomography of lungs with calculation of lung parenchyma damage percentage.RESULTS: Type 2 DM was previously established in 16.7% of all included patients. Among patients without DM history, DM was revealed in 8 patients (5.2%), based on HbA1c, FPG and BGA. In 66 patients (42.6%) we observed no changes in carbohydrate metabolism. In 55 patients, the interpretation of carbohydrate metabolism state was difficult due to inconsistency of HbA1c level with FPG and BGA: in particular, the level of HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (which corresponds to the diagnostic threshold of the DM) was detected in 19 patients (12,2%) with normal FPG and BGA. No true stress hyperglycemia on admission and according to FPG was reported. Despite the presence of confirmed DM, HbA1c levels positively correlated with inflammatory markers (erythro- cyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, IL-6) and SpO2. Patients with a HbA1c ≥6.5% without DM history had the most severe course of the disease: longest duration of hospitalization, largest damage of the pulmonary tissue, and high lethality.CONCLUSION: The incidence of DM among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was 21.9% (16.7% had previous diagnosis of DM, 5.2% — newly diagnosed), which is 1.5 times higher than in general population in a comparable age category. It is difficult to assess the carbohydrate metabolism disorders in patients in acute infectious period. An increased level of HbA1c (≥6.5%), first detected in the acute period of infection, in combination with normal FPG and BGA parameters, cannot be a diagnostic criterion and requires dynamic monitoring. HbA1c level can be considered as a predictive factor of COVID-19 severity, independent of DM

Molekular-genetic markers citokines: population prevalence and communication with the multifactorial pathology

Research objective: the analysis of distribution of frequencies alleles and genotypes of molekular-genetic markers citokines at patients with multifactorial pathology. The analysis of DNA-markers was carried out by means of standard molecular and population-genetic methods. It is established that the most widespread genotypes both at patients with multifactorial pathology, and in the control are-308GG TNF α and-471CC RANTES

Relating industrial symbiosis and circular economy to the sustainable development debate

Industrial Symbiosis (IS) is a business-focused collaborative approach oriented towards resource efficiency that has been theorised and studied mainly over the last twenty-five years. Recently, IS seems to have found a renewed impetus in the framework of the Circular Economy (CE), a novel approach to sustainability and Sustainable Development (SD) that has been rapidly gaining momentum world-wide. This opening chapter of the book provides an introduction to the concepts of IS, CE and SD, and summarizes their complex evolutionary paths, recalling the rel-evant developments and implementation challenges. In addition, the authors point out the divergences and interrelations of these concepts, both among themselves and with other related concepts and research fields, such as industrial ecology, eco-logical modernization and the green economy. Furthermore, the potential contribu-tion of IS and the CE to SD is briefly discussed, also highlighting critical issues and trade-offs, as well as gaps in research and application, especially relating to the so-cial component of sustainability. Particular attention is given to the potential role of IS in the achievement of targets connected to the Sustainable Development Goals set in the UN Agenda 2030. The recent advances in the IS and CE discussion in the context of the SD research community are further explored, with particular empha-sis on the contribution of the International Sustainable Development Research So-ciety (ISDRS) and its 24th annual conference organised in Messina, Italy, in 2018. The programme of that conference, indeed, included specific tracks on the above-mentioned themes, the contents of which are briefly commented on here, after an overview on the whole conference and the main cross-cutting concepts emerged. In the last part of the chapter, a brief description of the chapters collected in the book is presented. These contributions describe and discuss theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches and/or experiences and case studies where IS and the principles of CE are applied in different geographical context and at different scales to ultimately improve the sustainability of the current production patterns

Interchromosomal Duplications on the Bactrocera oleae Y Chromosome Imply a Distinct Evolutionary Origin of the Sex Chromosomes Compared to Drosophila

BACKGROUND: Diptera have an extraordinary variety of sex determination mechanisms, and Drosophila melanogaster is the paradigm for this group. However, the Drosophila sex determination pathway is only partially conserved and the family Tephritidae affords an interesting example. The tephritid Y chromosome is postulated to be necessary to determine male development. Characterization of Y sequences, apart from elucidating the nature of the male determining factor, is also important to understand the evolutionary history of sex chromosomes within the Tephritidae. We studied the Y sequences from the olive fly, Bactrocera oleae. Its Y chromosome is minute and highly heterochromatic, and displays high heteromorphism with the X chromosome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A combined Representational Difference Analysis (RDA) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) approach was used to investigate the Y chromosome to derive information on its sequence content. The Y chromosome is strewn with repetitive DNA sequences, the majority of which are also interdispersed in the pericentromeric regions of the autosomes. The Y chromosome appears to have accumulated small and large repetitive interchromosomal duplications. The large interchromosomal duplications harbour an importin-4-like gene fragment. Apart from these importin-4-like sequences, the other Y repetitive sequences are not shared with the X chromosome, suggesting molecular differentiation of these two chromosomes. Moreover, as the identified Y sequences were not detected on the Y chromosomes of closely related tephritids, we can infer divergence in the repetitive nature of their sequence contents. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The identification of Y-linked sequences may tell us much about the repetitive nature, the origin and the evolution of Y chromosomes. We hypothesize how these repetitive sequences accumulated and were maintained on the Y chromosome during its evolutionary history. Our data reinforce the idea that the sex chromosomes of the Tephritidae may have distinct evolutionary origins with respect to those of the Drosophilidae and other Dipteran families

Хірургічне лікування мультирезистентного туберкульозу як фактор підвищення ефективності лікування

Effective treatment of patients takes an important place in the fight against tuberculosis.Objective. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of treatment of patients with firstly diagnosed MDR TB with the use of different approaches to the treatment of such patients.Material and methods. Statistical data of patients with firstly diagnosed pulmonary MDR TB who were registered and treated at the Kharkiv Regional TB Dispensary No. 1 in the period from 2014 and who had completed the main course of chemotherapy to the time of the study.Results and discussion. In group I (n=93; using conservative treatment) 58 patients (61.9%) completed treatment effectively; 12 patients (13,3%) died (9 of them (9,5%) died from TB); treatment failure was diagnosed in 6 patients (6,7%); 17 patients (18,1%) interrupted treatment. In group II (n=12; using surgical methods) 9 patients (77,8%) were effectively treated; 1 patient (8,3%) died, 1 patient (8,3%) had treatment failure and 1 patient (8,3%) have interrupted treatment.Conclusion. The effectiveness of treatment of patients with MDR TB with a complex approach to their treatment (using surgical methods) is significantly increased (by 14,7%), while the rate of patients with ineffective treatment becomes less (less deaths by 4.8%, less treatment failures by 4,5%, less treatment interruptions by 5,5%).Эффективное лечение пациентов занимает важное место в борьбе с туберкулезом.Цель работы — сравнительный анализ эффективности лечения пациентов с впервые диагностированным мультирезистентным туберкулезом с использованием разных подходов к лечению таких пациентов.Материал и методы. Статистические данные пациентов с впервые диагностированным мультирезистентным туберкулезом легких, которые были зарегистрированы и лечились в Харьковском областном противотуберкулезном диспансере № 1 в период с 2014 года и на момент исследования завершили основной курс химиотерапии.Результаты и обсуждение. В группе I (n = 93, с использованием консервативного лечения) 58 пациентов (61,9%) успешно завершили лечение; 12 пациентов (13,3%) умерли (9 из них (9,5%) умерли от ТБ); неудача лечения была у 6 пациентов (6,7%); 17 пациентов (18,1%) прервали лечение. В группе II (n = 12, с использованием хирургических методов) эффективно пролечены 9 пациентов (77,8%); 1 пациент (8,3%) умер, у 1 пациента (8,3%) неудача лечения и 1 пациент (8,3%) прервал лечение. Вывод. Эффективность лечения пациентов с мультирезистентным туберкулезом при комплексном подходе к их лечению (с использованием хирургических методов) значительно повышается (на 14,7%), а количество пациентов с неэффективным лечением — уменьшается (смертей меньше на 4,8%, неудачи лечения — на 4,5%, а прерываний лечения — на 5,5%).Ефективне лікування пацієнтів посідає важливе місце в боротьбі з туберкульозом.Мета роботи — порівняльний аналіз ефективності лікуванняпацієнтів на вперше діагностований мультирезистентний туберкульоз з використанням різних підходів до лікування таких хворих.Матеріал і методи. Статистичні дані пацієнтів на впершедіагностований мультирезистентний туберкульоз легенів, щобули зареєстровані та лікувались у Харківському обласномупротитуберкульозному диспансері № 1 у період з 2014 року і на момент дослідження завершили своє лікування.Результати. У групі І (n=93, з використанням консервативного лікування) 58 пацієнтів (61,9%) успішно завершили лікування; 12 пацієнтів (13,3%) померли (9 з них від туберкульозу); невдача лікування була у 6,7%; 17 пацієнтів (18,1%) перервали лікування. У групі ІІ (n=12, з використанням хірургічних методів) ефективно пролікованих було 9 пацієнтів (77,8%); 1 пацієнт (8,3%) помер; в 1 пацієнта (8,3%) була невдача лікування, та 1 пацієнт (8,3%) перервав лікування.Висновок. Ефективність лікування пацієнтів із мультирезистентним туберкульозом при комплексному підході до їх лікування підвищується (на 14,7%), а з неефективним лікуванням — зменшується (смертей менше на 4,8%, а переривань лікування на 5,5%)