Клинико-биохимические аспекты развития обструкции бронхов при бронхиальной астме

The aim of this study was to investigate NO- and lipid peroxidation (LPO)-related airway reactivity and its correlation to ventilation disorders in different clinical variants of asthma. NO, malone dialdehyde, IL-4, TNF-α, and IgE were measured in BAL fluid and blood serum of 39 asthma patients and 15 healthy volunteers matched for age and gender.In patients with stable asthma, airflow parameters in small and medium airways were significantly decreased compared to those of healthy persons. Concentrations of key cytokines of atopic inflammation in BAL fluid and serum were increased in asthma patients. Serum IgE tended to decrease and IL-4 and TNF-α in BAL fluid increased in asthma patients while the disease worsened. Inverse correlations were found between NO and TNF-α, malone dialdehyde concentration and parameters of bronchial obstruction.In conclusion, NO production in airways is caused by strong accumulation of inflammatory cells with high metabolic activity resulting in release of inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines which regulate immunopathological reagine-induced inflammation.Цель исследования состояла в оценке активности оксида азота (NO) и процессов перекисного окисления липидов (ПОЛ) в дыхательных путях при различных клинических формах БА и взаимосвязи этих процессов с нарушениями функции внешнего дыхания (ФВД). Проведена оценка содержания NO, малонового диальдегида (МДА), интерлейкина-4 (IL-4), фактора некроза опухоли α (TNF-α) и иммуноглобулина Е (IgE) в жидкости бронхоальвеолярного лаважа (ЖЖБАЛ) и сыворотке крови 39 пациентов с БА и у 15 добровольцев, сопоставимых по возрасту и полу. У всех обследованных больных БА в период клинической ремиссии, в отличие от здоровых лиц, достоверно снижены показатели, характеризующие проходимость мелких и средних бронхов. Подтверждено повышение содержания ключевых цитокинов атопического воспаления в ЖБАЛ и в сыворотке крови больных БА. Выявлены тенденции к снижению содержания IgE в сыворотке крови и повышению IL-4 и TNF-α в жидкости бронхоальвеолярного лаважа у больных БА по мере нарастания тяжести заболевания. Обнаружены отрицательные корреляции между между NO и TNF-α, уровнем МДА и показателями, характеризующими ФВД и степень бронхиальной обструкции. NO-продуцирующая функция дыхательных путей обусловлена мощной аккумуляций воспалительных клеток в респираторной системе и их высокой метаболической активностью, проявляющейся выработкой воспалительных и провоспалительных цитокинов, регулирующих иммунопатологическое реагиновое воспаление

Coastal greening of grey infrastructure: an update on the state-of-the-art

\ua9 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited: All rights reserved.In the marine environment, greening of grey infrastructure (GGI) is a rapidly growing field that attempts to encourage native marine life to colonize marine artificial structures to enhance biodiversity, thereby promoting ecosystem functioning and hence service provision. By designing multifunctional sea defences, breakwaters, port complexes and off-shore renewable energy installations, these structures can yield myriad environmental benefits, in particular, addressing UN SDG 14: Life below water. Whilst GGI has shown great promise and there is a growing evidence base, there remain many criticisms and knowledge gaps, and some feel that there is scope for GGI to be abused by developers to facilitate harmful development. Given the surge of research in this field in recent years, it is timely to review the literature to provide an update update on the state-of-the-art of the field in relation to the many criticisms and identify remaining knowledge gaps. Despite the rapid and significant advances made in this field, there is currently a lack of science and practice outside of academic sectors in the developed world, and there is a collective need for schemes that encourage intersectoral and transsectoral research, knowledge exchange, and capacity building to optimize GGI in the pursuit of contributing to sustainable development

Comparative analysis of habitat use and ontogenetic habitat-shifts among coral reef damselfishes

Habitat characteristics play an important role in determining the structure of fish communities. The decline in fish diversity and abundance with the decline in coral diversity and cover may be explained by habitat specialisation and partitioning among reef fishes and/or preferences for particular corals that are susceptible to disturbance. These preferences may develop at different life history stages. Here, we investigated patterns of habitat specialisation and ontogenetic shifts in habitat preference among 14 co-existing damselfish species at Lizard Island lagoon on the Great Barrier Reef. Although live coral cover contributed only 26% of the substratum, 28% of adults and 57% of new settlers were mostly found on live coral, indicating a strong preference for live coral habitat by new settlers. Only a few species exhibited a high degree of habitat specialisation and low overlap in habitat use with other species. Specialisation differed among species and life stages. New settlers were more commonly associated with finely branched corymbose corals and using those habitats with higher frequency than expected based on habitat availability alone. Adults were more commonly linked to more open branching morphologies or non-coral substrata. Our results suggest that habitat loss may not uniformly impact on all life stages. While adult individuals may not be as reliant as juveniles on corals, detrimental effects of habitat loss on juvenile survival may have longer-term impacts on adult populations. As juveniles show preferential associations with particular coral species, such as corymbose corals, the loss of these growth forms is likely to have the most significant negative impacts on this critical life history stage

Assessing the performance of artificial reefs as substitute habitat for temperate reef fishes: implications for reef design and placement

Artificial reefs (ARs) have been advocated and implemented as management tools for recreational fisheries, species conservation and habitat replacement. For ARs to function as substitute habitat for degraded natural reefs, they should perform as close as possible to local natural reefs, however this is seldom investigated. Here we evaluated the performance of new custom-designed reef structures (CDARs) as fish habitat. As a benchmark for their success, we compared fish abundance, diversity and community composition on CDARs to another commonly used AR type (Reef Balls (RBs)) and nearby natural reefs. Fish were monitored on all reef types over two recruitment seasons at three locations in Port Phillip Bay, Australia. Overall, there were no consistent differences in fish density among reef types, although densities on both AR designs were markedly lower than natural reefs at some locations. However, fish species richness on the CDARs was, on average, 2× higher than natural or RB reefs. There were large dissimilarities in fish community composition among reef types across all locations and years. These dissimilarities declined over time with the CDARs becoming more similar to natural communities than to RB reefs. Our results suggest that CDARs can play a role in reef fish conservation where natural reefs are under threat, supporting natural community structure and enhancing local biodiversity. Overall, our findings suggest that location of deployment, rather than design, has a more significant influence on fish abundances on ARs, whereas reef design is an important determinant of species diversity and community structure irrespective of location. ARs represent an important management tool for enhancing fisheries productivity and conservation in areas where reef habitat has been degraded or lost. However, failure to incorporate consideration of reef location and design into future AR deployments may lead to poor performance and failure to achieve restoration or conservation goals

The challenge of choosing environmental indicators of anthropogenic impacts in estuaries

Ecological assessments over large spatial scales require that anthropogenic impacts be distinguishable above natural variation, and that monitoring tools are implemented to maximise impact detection and minimise cost. For three heavily modified and four relatively 'pristine' estuaries (disturbance category), chemical indicators (metals and PAHs) of anthropogenic stress were measured in benthic sediments, suspended sediments and deployed oysters, together with other environmental variables. These were compared with infaunal and hard-substrate invertebrate communities. Univariate analyses were useful for comparing contaminant loads between different monitoring tools and identified the strongest relationships between benthic and suspended sediments. However, multivariate analyses were necessary to distinguish ecological response to anthropogenic stressors from environmental "noise" over a large spatial scale and to identify sites that were being impacted by contaminants. These analyses provide evidence that suspended sediments are a useful alternative monitoring tool to detect potential anthropogenic impacts on benthic (infaunal and hard-substrate) communities. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

PHYSICAL REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS WITH SIGNS OF CONNECTIVE DYSPLASIA AND JOINT PAIN SYNDROME

In the article presents the results of physical rehabilitation of patients with signs of connective tissue dysplasia and articular pain. As a result of exercises to strengthen the muscles of the back, marked bending strength increase and extension of the lumbar spine, rotation angles to the right and to the left, and their strength (the side muscles of the back), the power of flexion and extension of the cervical spine and muscle strength of the right and the left half of the neck and the decrease in the intensity of joint pain

Identifying the consequences of ocean sprawl for sedimentary habitats

Extensive development and construction in marine and coastal systems is driving a phenomenon known as “ocean sprawl”. Ocean sprawl removes or transforms marine habitats through the addition of artificial structures and some of the most significant impacts are occurring in sedimentary environments. Marine sediments have substantial social, ecological, and economic value, as they are rich in biodiversity, crucial to fisheries productivity, and major sites of nutrient transformation. Yet the impact of ocean sprawl on sedimentary environments has largely been ignored. Here we review current knowledge of the impacts to sedimentary ecosystems arising from artificial structures. Artificial structures alter the composition and abundance of a wide variety of sediment-dependent taxa, including microbes, invertebrates, and benthic-feeding fishes. The effects vary by structure design and configuration, as well as the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the environment in which structures are placed. The mechanisms driving effects from artificial structures include placement loss, habitat degradation, modification of sound and light conditions, hydrodynamic changes, organic enrichment and material fluxes, contamination, and altered biotic interactions. Most studies have inferred mechanism based on descriptive work, comparing biological and physical processes at various distances from structures. Further experimental studies are needed to identify the relative importance of multiple mechanisms and to demonstrate causal relationships. Additionally, past studies have focused on impacts at a relatively small scale, and independently of other development that is occurring. There is need to quantify large-scale and cumulative effects on sedimentary ecosystems as artificial structures proliferate. We highlight the importance for comprehensive monitoring using robust survey designs and outline research strategies needed to understand, value, and protect marine sedimentary ecosystems in the face of a rapidly changing environment

Identifying the consequences of ocean sprawl for sedimentary habitats

Extensive development and construction in marine and coastal systems is driving a phenomenon known as "ocean sprawl". Ocean sprawl removes or transforms marine habitats through the addition of artificial structures and some of the most significant impacts are occurring in sedimentary environments. Marine sediments have substantial social, ecological, and economic value, as they are rich in biodiversity, crucial to fisheries productivity, and major sites of nutrient transformation. Yet the impact of ocean sprawl on sedimentary environments has largely been ignored. Here we review current knowledge of the impacts to sedimentary ecosystems arising from artificial structures.Artificial structures alter the composition and abundance of a wide variety of sediment-dependent taxa, including microbes, invertebrates, and benthic-feeding fishes. The effects vary by structure design and configuration, as well as the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the environment in which structures are placed. The mechanisms driving effects from artificial structures include placement loss, habitat degradation, modification of sound and light conditions, hydrodynamic changes, organic enrichment and material fluxes, contamination, and altered biotic interactions. Most studies have inferred mechanism based on descriptive work, comparing biological and physical processes at various distances from structures. Further experimental studies are needed to identify the relative importance of multiple mechanisms and to demonstrate causal relationships. Additionally, past studies have focused on impacts at a relatively small scale, and independently of other development that is occurring. There is need to quantify large-scale and cumulative effects on sedimentary ecosystems as artificial structures proliferate. We highlight the importance for comprehensive monitoring using robust survey designs and outline research strategies needed to understand, value, and protect marine sedimentary ecosystems in the face of a rapidly changing environment