Endothelium protecting properties of taurin in chronic heart failure with type 2 diabetes

High prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) and type 2 diabetes (DM2), poor prognosis and low life quality determine the aim for optimum treatment strategy invention. Cornerstone of the treatment in this category of patients is correction of endothelial dysfunction and metabolism disorders that underlie development and progression of CHF and DM2: lipid- and glucose toxicity, insulin resistance (IR).Aim. To study the effects of taurin treatment as part of combination therapy for CHF with DM2, taking its influence on endothelial dysfunction.Material and methods. Totally, 60 patients included, after myocardial infarction (MI) lasting 6-12 months, with CHF I-III functional class and comorbid DM2. They were selected to 2 groups: 1st (controls) — patients receiving CHF treatment in postinfarction period and oral glucose lowering drugs, and 2nd (experimental) — patients also taking taurin 500 mg b.i.d. together with CHF and DM2 treatment. Assessment included 6-minute walking test, measurement of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in blood, echocardiography, vascular components of endothelium functioning, plasmatic factors of endothelial function (NO metabolites concentration and endotheline-1 in serum), glucose level, insulin with IR-index, glycosilated hemoglobine, total cholesterol, low density and high density lipoproteides, triglycerides.Results. It is found, that taurin shows endothelium protecting properties when used as part of combination therapy for CHF and DM2. These properties were noted on microcirculatory (significant in spastic pattern of disorder) level and in elastic arteries. While taking taurin, there was statistically significant increase of NO level in blood and decrease of endotheline-1.Conclusion. Positive endothelium protecting properties of taurin as part of combination therapy of CHF with DM2 were followed by significant decrease of CHF severity by NT-proBNP levels dynamics, and significant hypolipidemic effect, decrease of IR

Solid-hexatic-liquid transition in a two-dimensional system of charged dust particles

Two-stage melting is observed experimentally in a confined monolayer of dust particles in plasma. The pair correlation and bond-angular correlation functions, the number of topological defects, and the pair potentials are measured and analyzed. The bond-orientational correlation functions show a clear solid-to-hexatic-to-fluid transition, in perfect agreement with the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition theory