Assessment of endothelial dysfunction in patients with adrenal tumors during skin thermometry with local heating

ЭНДОТЕЛИАЛЬНАЯ ДИСФУНКЦИЯНАДПОЧЕЧНИКОВ НОВООБРАЗОВАНИЯ /ХИРПРЕДОПЕРАЦИОННОЕ ВЕДЕНИЕ БОЛЬНОГОКОЖНАЯ ТЕРМОМЕТРИЯПОСЛЕОПЕРАЦИОННОЕ ВЕДЕНИЕ БОЛЬНОГОФЕОХРОМОЦИТОМА /ХИРНЕЙРОЭНДОКРИННЫЕ НОВООБРАЗОВАНИЯ /ХИРЦель. Изучить функциональное состояние эндотелия у пациентов с феохромоцитомами и гормононеактивными опухолями надпочечников c помощью кожной термометрии до и после оперативного лечения. Материал и методы. Для выявления эндотелиальной дисфункции и оценки реакции микрососудистого тонуса у 19 пациентов с опухолями надпочечников использовали кожную термометрию с помощью прибора "Микротест" до и после оперативного вмешательства. Определяли индекс тепловой вазодиляции k в эндотелиальном, нейрогенном и миогенном диапазонах. Пациенты были разделены на две группы. В первую вошли пациенты с феохромоцитомой (8), во вторую – с гормононеактивными аденомами и гипертонической болезнью (11). В качестве группы сравнения обследовано 27 практически здоровых людей. Результаты. У пациентов с феохромоцитомами индексы тепловой вазодилятации до операции во всех диапазонах были ниже, чем у практически здоровых лиц, однако разница была значима лишь в миогенном и нейрогенном диапазонах. У пациентов с гормононеактивными опухолями надпочечников в сочетании с артериальной гипертензией имелось достоверное снижение индексов тепловой вазодилятации во всех диапазонах. В раннем послеоперационном периоде у пациентов с феохромоцитомами отмечено значимое повышение показателей индексов тепловой вазодилятации в эндотелиальном и миогенном диапазонах, тенденция к росту – в нейрогенном диапазоне. Установлена сильная положительная взаимосвязь между проведением предоперационной подготовки альфа-2 адреноблокаторами (r=0,74; р=0,04), нормализацией артериального давления в послеоперационном периоде и величиной индекса тепловой вазодилятации в эндотелиальном диапазоне после операции (r=0,75; р=0,03). Заключение. У пациентов с феохромоцитомами, гормононеактивными опухолями надпочечников и артериальной гипертензией имеются признаки нарушения функции эндотелия микрососудистого русла. Предоперационная подготовка и адреналэктомия при феохромоцитомах достоверно улучшают реакцию эндотелия микрососудистого русла в ответ на внешние тепловые раздражители.Objective. To investigate the endothelial dysfunction in patients with adrenal tumors during skin thermometry before and after surgery. Methods. "Microtest", a device for skin thermometry, was used to detect endothelial dysfunction in 19 patients with the adrenal tumors. The index of thermal vasodilation K was calculated for the endothelial, neurogenic and myogenic ranges. The patients were divided into two groups: patients with pheochromocytoma (n=8) and with hormonal inactive adrenal tumors and arterial hypertension (n=11). The comparison group consisted of 27 healthy adults. Results. The patients with pheochromocytoma had lower thermal vasodilatation indices in all ranges in comparison to healthy adults; this difference was significant only in the myogenic and neurogenic ranges. A significant decrease of all indices of thermal vasodilation for patients of the second group was observed. A significant increase in indices of thermal vasodilatation in the endothelial and myogenic ranges was registered in patients with pheochromocytoma as well as the trend to rise in the neurogenic range during the early postoperative period. There was a strong positive association between the normalization of blood pressure in the postoperative period, the preoperative treatment with doxazosin, and the value of the index of thermal vasodilation in the endothelial range after the surgery. Conclusions. All patients with pheochromocytomas, hormone-inactive adrenal tumors and arterial hypertension had the signs of impaired microvascular bed endothelial function. Preoperative treatment and adrenalectomy significantly improve the reaction of the microvascular endothelium in response to external heat stimuli in patients with pheochromocytoma

Evidence of the Generation of Isosaccharinic Acids and Their Subsequent Degradation by Local Microbial Consortia within Hyper-Alkaline Contaminated Soils, with Relevance to Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Disposal

The contamination of surface environments with hydroxide rich wastes leads to the formation of high pH (>11.0) soil profiles. One such site is a legacy lime works at Harpur Hill, Derbyshire where soil profile indicated in-situ pH values up to pH 12. Soil and porewater profiles around the site indicated clear evidence of the presence of the α and β stereoisomers of isosaccharinic acid (ISA) resulting from the anoxic, alkaline degradation of cellulosic material. ISAs are of particular interest with regards to the disposal of cellulosic materials contained within the intermediate level waste (ILW) inventory of the United Kingdom, where they may influence radionuclide mobility via complexation events occurring within a geological disposal facility (GDF) concept. The mixing of uncontaminated soils with the alkaline leachate of the site resulted in ISA generation, where the rate of generation in-situ is likely to be dependent upon the prevailing temperature of the soil. Microbial consortia present in the uncontaminated soil were capable of surviving conditions imposed by the alkaline leachate and demonstrated the ability to utilise ISAs as a carbon source. Leachate-contaminated soil was sub-cultured in a cellulose degradation product driven microcosm operating at pH 11, the consortia present were capable of the degradation of ISAs and the generation of methane from the resultant H2/CO2 produced from fermentation processes. Following microbial community analysis, fermentation processes appear to be predominated by Clostridia from the genus Alkaliphilus sp, with methanogenesis being attributed to Methanobacterium and Methanomassiliicoccus sp. The study is the first to identify the generation of ISA within an anthropogenic environment and advocates the notion that microbial activity within an ILW-GDF is likely to influence the impact of ISAs upon radionuclide migration

Effect of Stocking Rate on Soil-Atmosphere CH4 Flux during Spring Freeze-Thaw Cycles in a Northern Desert Steppe, China

BACKGROUND: Methane (CH(4)) uptake by steppe soils is affected by a range of specific factors and is a complex process. Increased stocking rate promotes steppe degradation, with unclear consequences for gas exchanges. To assess the effects of grazing management on CH(4) uptake in desert steppes, we investigated soil-atmosphere CH(4) exchange during the winter-spring transition period. METHODOLOGY/MAIN FINDING: The experiment was conducted at twelve grazing plots denoting four treatments defined along a grazing gradient with three replications: non-grazing (0 sheep/ha, NG), light grazing (0.75 sheep/ha, LG), moderate grazing (1.50 sheep/ha, MG) and heavy grazing (2.25 sheep/ha, HG). Using an automatic cavity ring-down spectrophotometer, we measured CH(4) fluxes from March 1 to April 29 in 2010 and March 2 to April 27 in 2011. According to the status of soil freeze-thaw cycles (positive and negative soil temperatures occurred in alternation), the experiment was divided into periods I and II. Results indicate that mean CH(4) uptake in period I (7.51 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1)) was significantly lower than uptake in period II (83.07 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1)). Averaged over 2 years, CH(4) fluxes during the freeze-thaw period were -84.76 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (NG), -88.76 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (LG), -64.77 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (MG) and -28.80 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (HG). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CH(4) uptake activity is affected by freeze-thaw cycles and stocking rates. CH(4) uptake is correlated with the moisture content and temperature of soil. MG and HG decreases CH(4) uptake while LG exerts a considerable positive impact on CH(4) uptake during spring freeze-thaw cycles in the northern desert steppe in China

No Banquet Can Do without Liquor: Alcohol counterfeiting in the People’s Republic of China

The illegal trade in alcohol has been an empirical manifestation of organised crime with a very long history; yet, the nature of the illegal trade in alcohol has received relatively limited academic attention in recent years despite the fact that it has been linked with significant tax evasion as well as serious health problems and even deaths. The current article focuses on a specific type associated with the illegal trade in alcohol, the counterfeiting of alcohol in China. The article pays particular attention to the counterfeiting of baijiu, Chinese liquor in mainland China. The aim of the article is to offer an account of the social organisation of alcohol counterfeiting business in China by illustrating the counterfeiting process, the actors in the business as well as its possible embeddedness in legal practices and industries/trades. The alcohol counterfeiting business is highly reflective to the market demand and consumer needs. Alcohol counterfeiting in China is characterised primarily by independent actors many of whom are subcontracted to provide commodities and services about the counterfeiting process. The business relies on personal networks – family and extended family members, friends and acquaintances. Relationships between actors in the business are very often based on a customer-supplier relationship or a ‘business-to-business market’. The alcohol counterfeiting business in China highlights the symbiotic relationship between illegal and legal businesses

ACUTE PAIN SYNDROME AND LEVELS OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD SATURATION AFTER VARIOUS THORACIC SURGICAL APPROACHES

The traumatic effect of surgical approaches was determined by the intensity and duration of pain syndrome and by the degree of lung ventilation disturbances after thoracic surgery. An acute pain syndrome was considered by visual analog pain scale and a blood saturation level for the first 5 days after operation. There were 3 groups, each group consisted of 31 patients. All patients were after thoracotomies, thoracoscopies, rethoracoscopies. Maximal intensity of pain appeared to be after thoracotomies and its degree has been reducing since the first till fifth day (from 8,1±1,7 to 4,2±0,9 points). The pain syndrome was reliably less after thoracoscopy (from 5,9±1,6 to 3,5±1,4 points). Minimal pain was noted after revideothoracoscopies with the dynamics from 4,0±2,4 to 2,7±1,2 points. The rate of blood saturation was more reduced after thoracotomy for the first two days till 92,9±4,6% and the saturation level became equal on the third day in all groups. Obtained data objectively confirmed the considerably less injury in the case of endoscopic thoracic approaches in comparison with open intervention

The role of pubertal development in emerging depression risk in middle childhood

Although parental depression, stressful life events, cognitive vulnerability, and temperament have been strongly implicated in the etiology of adult and adolescent depression, their association with depressive symptoms in childhood is mixed. We hypothesized that pubertal development would moderate associations of known risks for depression such that more advanced pubertal development would strengthen associations between risks and child depressive symptoms. Partial support was found for this hypothesis: greater pubertal features strengthened associations between maternal depression and stressful life events with child depressive symptoms. Results highlight the idea that puberty may confer risk for depression by heightening negative effects of other psychological or social risks

Structure of observed temperament in middle childhood

Although much is known about the structure of adult temperament and personality, significantly less is known about the structure of child temperament. We examined the structure of child temperament in 205 seven-year-olds using observational measures. Exploratory factor analysis identified factors representing positive emotionality/sociability, disinhibition/anger, fear/behavioral inhibition, and sadness. The predictive validity of these dimensions was evaluated by examining their associations with children\u27s internalizing and externalizing symptoms: positive emotionality/sociability showed positive associations with ADHD symptoms, disinhibition/anger showed positive associations with externalizing symptoms, fear/behavioral inhibition showed negative associations with ADHD and CD symptoms, and sadness showed positive associations with both internalizing and externalizing problems. These associations were consistent with extant literature on temperament and psychopathology, supporting the validity of the structure obtained. © 2013 Elsevier Inc

Potential Polyvaccine Based on Microbial IgA1 Protease for Prophylaxis of Bacterial Meningitis

The immunogenic and protective activities of recombinant IgA1 serine protease obtained on the base of the genome DNA of N. meningitidis serogroup B strain H44/76 were studied. A several recombinant proteins of different molecular weights that are based on the full-length primary structure of the enzyme, taking into account the distribution of B- and T-epitopes, also were studied. In experiments on laboratory animals it was shown that a number of tested preparations demonstrate the immunogenic and protective activity to protect mice from lethal challenge with virulent strains of meningococcus serogroups A, B and C, thereby exhibiting polyvaccine properties. The protective role of antibodies against the IgA1 protease was shown when mice were infected by meningococccus serogroup B. The increase in antibodies to the meningococcal IgA1 protease into the blood of rabbits infected with different serotypes of pneumococci has been detected, indicating potential ability of the meningococcal IgA1 protease to generate protection against microbes the virulence of which is caused by IgA1protease