Lymphocyte count in peripheral blood is a sensitive tool in pretreatment assessment of patients with urological cancer

Cancer, inflammation and immune surveillance recruit lymphocytes as common key cellular players. The aim of the study was to assess a utility of the absolute and relative lymphocyte counts (ALC and RLC) in peripheral blood of patients with urological cancer as sensitive tool in pretreatment assessment of patient, which correlates with postoperative outcome of the disease, and outlines the overall reactivity of the patient. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied correlation between lymphocyte count in peripheral blood of the patients with urological cancer (n = 789) and number of clinical parameters: cancer localization, stage of the disease, treatment outcome, complications. Mann — Whitney two-tailed test and logistic regression models were used. Results: Lymphocyte counts (both absolute and relative) correlate with the cancer stage, and status of the disease, allowing differentiate patients with urological cancer, from healthy individuals, and from the cancer patients after radical surgery. In patients with kidney and bladder cancer, lymphocyte count allowed differentiate the stages of the disease. Lower rate of the reactivity of the patient to the cancer treatment is accurately predicted by the ALC and RLC: those in highest quartile for lymphocytes count have shorter postoperative recovery. Patients in lowest quartile demonstrated worst postoperative performance, including cases of early postoperative mortality due to weak somatic status. Conclusion: The study presents evidence that pretreatment lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood of patients with urological cancer is a sensitive marker of cancer stage, and the reactivity of the patient to the cancer treatment, which can be used in the pretreatment assessment of the patient. Key Words: urological cancer, lymphocytes, postoperative morbidity, reactivity, immune status assessment, treatment outcome

Investigation of Electrocatalysts Produced by a Novel Thermal Spray Deposition Method

Common methods to produce supported catalysts include impregnation, precipitation, and thermal spray techniques. Supported electrocatalysts produced by a novel method for thermal spray deposition were investigated with respect to their structural properties, elemental composition, and electrochemical performance. This was done using electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Various shapes and sizes of catalyst particles were found. The materials exhibit different activity towards oxidation and reduction of Fe. The results show that this preparation method enables the selection of particle coverage as well as size and shape of the catalyst material. Due to the great variability of support and catalyst materials accessible with this technique, this approach is a useful extension to other preparation methods for electrocatalysts

Ein aktiver und stabiler Cobaltkatalysator für die Sauerstoffentwicklungsreaktion: Polymerisation einer ionischen Flüssigkeit

Inspiriert durch die katalytischen Eigenschaften von Single-site-Katalysatoren und der erhöhten Leistungsfähigkeit von Metallkatalysatoren durch ionische Flüssigkeiten wurde eine Methode zur gezielten und skalierbaren Platzierung von einzelnen Cobaltatomen auf Kohlenstoffnanoröhrenoberflächen mithilfe einer polymerisierten ionischen Flüssigkeit entwickelt. Durch eine ionische Flüssigkeit wurden einzelne, fein verteilte Cobaltionen koordiniert und als heterogener Katalysator für die Sauerstoffententwicklungsreaktion (OER) genutzt. Die erhaltenen Daten zeigen eine hohe Aktivität bei gleichzeitig vorhandener Stabilität

Effect of Synthetic Auxin Analogs (2.4-D and α-NAA) on Growth and Biosynthetic Characteristics of Suspension Cell Culture of Tribulus terrestris L.

Abstract: Effect of synthetic analogs of auxins—2.4-dichlorophenoxyacetic (2.4-D) and α-naphthylacetic (α-NAA) acids—on growth characteristics and accumulation of steroidal glycosides was investigated in suspension cell culture of Tribulus terrestris L. It was found that the substitution of α-NAA for 2.4-D in the nutrient medium brought about a rise in the content of steroidal glycosides in the cultured cells (up to six times) and broadened their structural diversity (nine identified oligofurostanosides when growing culture on the medium with α-NAA vs. five compounds on the medium with 2.4-D). Positive influence of α-NAA exerted on biosynthetic characteristics of T. terrestris suspension cell culture was accompanied by changes in cell morphology (cytodifferentiation), the extent of their aggregation, and gradual decrease (during 3–4 cycles of growing) in culture viability up to its extinction. Simultaneous presence of both synthetic analogs of auxins (α-NAA and 2.4-D) in the growing medium also caused a rise in the content of steroidal glycosides in the cells of T. terrestris, although it was less pronounced (up to three times); however, the culture showed a relatively steady growth and great viability in this case. It was concluded that these two auxin analogs differently influenced the growth of plants’ cells in vitro and biosynthesis of substances of specialized metabolism, 2.4-D promoted cell proliferation, whereas α-NAA induced cytodifferentiation and activated the production of secondary compounds. This conclusion is corroborated by the data concerning plant cell cultures of other species of medicinal plants accumulating secondary metabolites from other groups. For instance, in the experiments with suspension cell culture of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey., substitution in the growth medium of α-NAA for 2.4-D brought about a rise in the content and diversity of triterpene glycosides (ginsenosides) associated with an elevated cell aggregation and deterioration of culture’s viability. Comparison of production of steroidal glycosides in plant cell cultures of T. terrestris and Dioscorea deltoidea Wall. that is grown for more than 40 years has shown that both cultures accumulated only furostanol (rather than spirostanol) glycosides that promoted cell proliferation. In suspension cell culture of Dioscorea, a high level of oligofurostanosides (up to 12% of dry biomass) was accumulated when growing culture on the medium with 2.4-D. Thus, investigation into the production of furostanol glycosides in plant cultured cells points to a multifactor system of regulation of secondary metabolism in vitro. Different synthetic auxin analogs may exert alternative influences on growth and biosynthetic processes. At the same time, prolonged culturing leads to an autoselection of cells with the properties promoting proliferation, specifically, with a high content of furostanol glycosides. © 2020, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 19-14-00387

LYMPHOCYTE COUNT IN PERIPHERAL BLOOD IS A SENSITIVE TOOL IN PRETREATMENT ASSESSMENT OF PATIENTS WITH UROLOGICAL

Cancer, inflammation and immune surveillance recruit lymphocytes as common key cellular players. The aim of the study was to assess a utility of the absolute and relative lymphocyte counts (ALC and RLC) in peripheral blood of patients with urological cancer as sensitive tool in pretreatment assessment of patient, which correlates with postoperative outcome of the disease, and outlines the overall reactivity of the patient. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied correlation between lymphocyte count in peripheral blood of the patients with urological cancer (n = 789) and number of clinical parameters: cancer localization, stage of the disease, treatment outcome, complications. Mann — Whitney two-tailed test and logistic regression models were used. Results: Lymphocyte counts (both absolute and relative) correlate with the cancer stage, and status of the disease, allowing differentiate patients with urological cancer, from healthy individuals, and from the cancer patients after radical surgery. In patients with kidney and bladder cancer, lymphocyte count allowed differentiate the stages of the disease. Lower rate of the reactivity of the patient to the cancer treatment is accurately predicted by the ALC and RLC: those in highest quartile for lymphocytes count have shorter postoperative recovery. Patients in lowest quartile demonstrated worst postoperative performance, including cases of early postoperative mortality due to weak somatic status. Conclusion: The study presents evidence that pretreatment lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood of patients with urological cancer is a sensitive marker of cancer stage, and the reactivity of the patient to the cancer treatment, which can be used in the pretreatment assessment of the patient. Key Words: urological cancer, lymphocytes, postoperative morbidity, reactivity, immune status assessment, treatment outcome

ECOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL LAND USE THE NORTH CAUCASIAN FEDERAL DISTRICT

Aim. The aim is to make an evaluation of the processes taking place on agricultural lands when intensively used on the territory of the North Caucasus Federal District of the Russian Federation.Methods. Analysis of literary sources and conventional techniques with the use of geo-informational systems.Results. Stavropol Territory and Dagestan Republic occupy 68,29% of the territory of the Federal District and determine the basic agricultural policy. Analysis of anthropogenic degradation of agricultural land in the territorial entities of the district reveals that in the Republic of Dagestan 84% of the territory suffers from degradation (water erosion), and in Kabardino-Balkaria only 0,04% (alkalinization of the land). In case we consider the degradation factor on an integrated basis, then the highest rate in Dagestan reached 2,04.Conclusion. It was established that in the North Caucasus Federal District the anthropogenic pressure on agricultural lands is very high along with low arable lands supply, thus causing many problems for the region, including social. We suggest a set of measures to improve land productivity; to strengthen control by the public authorities over the use, protection and improvement of land and the efficient use of capital investments

Investigation of electrocatalysts produced by a novel thermal spray deposition method

Common methods to produce supported catalysts include impregnation, precipitation, and thermal spray techniques. Supported electrocatalysts produced by a novel method for thermal spray deposition were investigated with respect to their structural properties, elemental composition, and electrochemical performance. This was done using electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Various shapes and sizes of catalyst particles were found. The materials exhibit different activity towards oxidation and reduction of Fe. The results show that this preparation method enables the selection of particle coverage as well as size and shape of the catalyst material. Due to the great variability of support and catalyst materials accessible with this technique, this approach is a useful extension to other preparation methods for electrocatalysts

CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNITY IN PATIENTS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC LONG BONE OSTEOMYELITIS IN THE COURSE OF MANAGEMENT WITH THE ILIZAROV METHOD

Cell-mediated immunity parameters were studied in 26 patients (13 males, 13 females) aged 46 years (range: 39-51 years) with fistular type of chronic posttraumatic osteomyelitis of the humerus during the course of surgical treatment with the Ilizarov monofocal transosseous osteosynthesis. The study time-points were pre-surgery period and the following treatment stages: days 3, 7, 21 after osteosynthesis and day 1 after removal of the device. An obligatory criterion of inclusion was absence of postoperative complications and infection recurrence at least a year after removal of the apparatus. Control group were 30 healthy volunteers in the similar age (15 males, 15 females). Carriers of HCV, HIV, HBsAg and persons with concomitant somatic pathology that could affect the results of immunological study were not included. The study of subpopulation composition of the peripheral blood lymphocytes was carried out using laser flow cytometry. The parameters of cell-mediated immunity in patients with a fistular type of chronic posttraumatic osteomyelitis of the humerus were characterized by mild lymphopenia, increase in the number of cells of early and late activation of T lymphocytes (CD3+CD25+, CD3+HLA-DR+). Physiological response of the immune system to debridement of the purulent foci and transosseous osteosynthesis was normalization of the number of activated T-lymphocytes at the final stage of surgical treatment. In general, the dynamic changes of immunological indices were in favor of persistent arrest of the infection process and were confirmed by clinical observations