Content of mediators of innate immunity in the tears of patients with vascular and neurodegenerative manifestations of diabetic retinopathy

According to the results of recent studies, diabetic retinopathy can be considered not only as a vascular disease, but also as a neurodegenerative process. Study of the composition of the tear fluid is used to assess the state of local immunity in the development of eye diseases. However, studies examining the effect of tear composition in diabetic retinopathy are few. The aim of the study is to determine the levels of IL-1β, IL-10, TGF-β3, MMP-7, TIMP-2, protein S100b, BDNF and NGF in the tear fluid ofpatients with vascular and neurodegenerative manifestations of diabetic retinopathy. The study included 80 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes which were divided into 2 groups: the 1st group included 40 patients who had no clinical signs of diabetic retinopathy on the fundus; the 2nd group included 40 patients with initial signs of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. All those included in the study were examined on an optical coherent tomograph RTVue-100 (USA); the volume of focal losses of retinal ganglion cells (FLV) was determined. An increase in FLV above the normative base of the device was regarded as an OCT-sign of retinal neurodegeneration. According to the results of OCT, the participants of the first and second groups were additionally divided into 4 subgroups: 1A — patients without vascular changes in the fundus and without OCT signs of retinal neurodegeneration (n = 12); 1B — patients without vascular changes in the fundus and with the presence of OCT signs of retinal neurodegeneration (n = 28); 2A — patients with initial non-proliferative DR and without OCT signs of retinal neurodegeneration (n = 10); and 2B — patients with initial non-proliferative DR and with OCT signs of retinal neurodegeneration (n = 30). The levels of IL-1β, IL-10, TGF-β3, MMP-7, TIMP-2, protein S100 b, BDNF, and NGF in tear fluid were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Levels of IL-1β and IL-10 in tear fluid in all subgroups were comparable to controls throughout the study. TGF-β3 content in the tear fluid of patients in the group with initial signs of non-proliferative DR (group 2) was significantly (p = 0.001) lower compared with control and group 2. However, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between subgroups A and B within groups. The concentration of MMP-7 in the tear fluid in all subgroups was significantly lower than in the control (p < 0.05). However, in the subgroups with OCT signs of retinal neurodegeneration (1B and 2B), the deficiency of this metalloproteinase was more pronounced (p = 0.0001). The levels of the neuropeptides under study NGF, BDNF and S100 B in tear fluid did not differ from controls in all subgroups

Spatial and temporal features of soil erosion in the forest-steppe zone of the East-European plain

Data on the rate of the erosion-accumulation processes within the sloped junctions of soils studied on key plots in Tula, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts were analyzedyesBS

Morphofunctional reorganization of plantar aponeurosis in experimental modeling of fasciopathy by synthetic analogue of prostaglandin E1

Foundation. Chronic plantar fasciopathic pain syndrome is a pathology that significantly affects the quality of life of patients of all age categories. Insufficient knowledge of the etiological and pathogenetic factors in the development of fasciopathies explains the multiplicity, and sometimes inconsistency, of conservative and surgical treatment regimens. The choice of the optimal variant of therapeutic or surgical intervention may be associated with experimental modeling of fasciopathies and the study of the dynamics of the pathological process.The aim. To study the morphological changes in structures identical to the human plantar aponeurosis in experimental modeling of fasciopathy in animals.Research methods. The material for the study was fragments of the tendonaponeurotic complex of the foot of laboratory animals (control group: animals with the introduction of physiological sodium chloride solution (n = 12); main group: animals with the introduction of alprostadil (n = 12)). The methods of light microscopy (staining with alcian and toluidine blue, according to Van Gieson, Weigert – Van Gieson and Picro-Mallory) and morphometry were used.Results and discussion. As a result of the study, it was found that the four-fold administration of alprostadil had a significant effect on the structure of the dense fibrous connective tissue of the plantar foot of laboratory animals. The mechanisms of damage (edema, microhemorrhages, infiltration by lymphocytes, plasmocytes and leukocytes, dystrophy by the type of mucoid and fibrinoid swelling, delamination and rupture of collagen fibers), adaptation and regeneration (the appearance of a large number of activated fibrocytes, fibroblasts, microvessels, neoplasm of collagen fibers) were activated. All this together led to spatial focal histotopographic changes, consisting in an increase in the cellular composition of connective tissue structures against the background of a noticeable violation of their spatial orientation.Conclusion. Modeling of fasciopathy using alprostadil was accompanied by the appearance of mosaic reversible and irreversible heteromorphic and heterochronous changes in all connective tissue aponeurotic structures. Such histotopographic changes should be considered as one of the reasons for the clinical manifestations of plantar fasciopathies, causing functional insufficiency and explaining the clinical recurrent nature of the pathological process

Shotgun metagenomic data on the human stool samples to characterize shifts of the gut microbial profile after the Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy

© 2017 The Authors The shotgun sequencing data presented in this report are related to the research article named “Gut microbiome shotgun sequencing in assessment of microbial community changes associated with H. pylori eradication therapy” (Khusnutdinova et al., 2016) [1]. Typically, the H. pylori eradication protocol includes a prolonged two-week use of the broad-spectrum antibiotics. The presented data on the whole-genome sequencing of the total DNA from stool samples of patients before the start of the eradication, immediately after eradication and several weeks after the end of treatment could help to profile the gut microbiota both taxonomically and functionally. The presented data together with those described in Glushchenko et al. (2017) [2] allow researchers to characterize the metagenomic profiles in which the use of antibiotics could result in dramatic changes in the intestinal microbiota composition. We perform 15 gut metagenomes from 5 patients with H. pylori infection, obtained through the shotgun sequencing on the SOLiD 5500 W platform. Raw reads are deposited in the ENA under project ID PRJEB21338

Cytokine Levels in the Serum of Patients with Chronic Kidney Insufficiency Before and After Hemodialysis

© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.Chronic kidney insufficiency (CKI) is often the end point of a broad range of chronic kidney diseases and characterized with decreasing number of functionally active nephrons. Pathophysiological CKI is characterized by decreased glomerular filtration, which leads to accumulation of life-threatening toxic metabolites. Hemodialysis is the main therapeutic measure aimed to prolong patient’s life until kidney transplant is available. The goal of this study is to analyze serum level of 21 cytokines in CKI. We have found that the serum level of several (IL-2Rα, IL-3, IL-12 (p40), IL-16, IL-18, HGF, MIF, CSF-1, MCP-3, CXCL12, SCF, IFN-α2, LIF, β-NGF, and CXCL1) cytokines and chemokines was upregulated in CKI without hemodialysis as compared to controls (p = 0.005). Interestingly, serum cytokines were also upregulated in serum of CKI patients who received hemodialysis. Upregulated cytokines are associated with inflammation and activation of Th1 lymphocytes. We suggest that hemodialysis has limited effect on serum cytokine levels. It could be concluded that therapeutic effect of hemodialysis is not associated with removal of inflammatory cytokines from circulation. Further studies will help better define the underlying cause of an increased inflammation in CKI and identify the laboratory criteria for anti-inflammatory therapy

Influence of sodium desoxyribonucleate on anti-infectious protection and hematopoiesis in patients with polytrauma (randomized prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study)

The  aim of the study was to evaluate  the effect of sodium  deoxyribonucleate on anti-infectious resistance and hematopoiesis in patients with polytraumas. A single-center study of sodium  deoxyribonucleate effectiveness approved by the local Ethics Committee (protocol No. 4 05/18/2016), was conducted in 54 patients with polytrauma. The  main  group  included 27 people, at the mean  age of 39 (29-51)  years old; ISS severity score,  26 (22-34). The  comparison group  comprised 27 people, mean  age,  40 years old (26-53), mean  ISS severity score was 25 points (20 to 29). The patients with randomly attributed even numbers were injected with 5 ml preparation from vials of even-numbered series, the patients with odd numbers were treated with preparation from the odd-numbered series. They were injected intramuscularly daily from day 1 to day 10 after the injury. Before treatment, as well as on days 8, 15 after injury, peripheral blood was examined for leukocyte, erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin, total  protein, blood  IL-6, CRP; proportion of CD117+  and  CD34+  mononuclear cells, CD14+ monocytes, CD14+ granulocytes, HLA-DR+  mononuclear cells, defensin + granulocytes.On  the  day  +8,   patients from  the  main  group,  against  the  comparison group  showed  an  increase   in lymphocytes, monocytes, CD117+ and CD34+ cell counts. Serum IL-6 and CRP were decreased in both groups of the patients to a similar  degree. Terms  of hospitalization in the main  group were 32.8 days, against  39.6 in comparison group. The number of complications per 1 case was, respectively, 21 versus 39, thus being 1.8 times less than  in comparison group.  When developing complications, anemia (Hb  < 90 g/l),  or hypoproteinaemia (< 60 g/l) in the main group was, respectively, 2.5and 3.5-fold  less than  in the comparison group.Treatment with sodium  deoxyribonucleate in polytrauma may promote migration of blood precursors to the bloodstream, increase anti-infectious properties of leukocytes, reduce duration of anemia and hypoproteinemia, number of complications and decrease the terms of hospitalization

Evaluation of the influence of Inosine pranobex on the matrix protein system in patients with chronic viral cervicitis

The reproductive potential of both women and men is declining every year. Many factors contribute to the violation of the reproductive function – chemical, physical, mechanical, psychogenic, however, biological factors have the most pronounced effect on reproduction. Chronic viral cervicitis can be not only the cause of infertility and reproductive losses, but also the development of intraepithelial dysplasia, as well as cervical cancer. PVI, as a monoinfection, is quite rare along with HPV. Other UGIs (urogenital infections) act as common routes of transmission and entry gates. The most common association with PVI is herpesvirus infection. An increase in MMP, both systemically and at the local level, may indicate a violation of cell modeling processes, which contributes to the development of autoimmune inflammation with further destruction of the tissues of the reproductive tract. Activation of MMP promotes the release of HSV from the nerve ganglia and reactivation of the infection. Therapy for HPV and HVI (herpes virus infections) are debatable. There is no single standard of treatment, but there are a number of drugs that have antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. Currently, there are no studies on the dynamics of the effect of HPV and HSV infection on the state of MMPs and TIMPs during Inosine pranobex therapy. Objective: to evaluate changes in matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and their tissue inhibitors types 1 and 2 in patients with human papillomavirus and herpes infections after Inosine pranobex therapy. 6 patients with papillomavirus and herpetic infections were examined and treated with drugs containing the active ingredient Inosine pranobex. The levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1, TIMP-2 in blood serum were determined using specific reagents from R&D Diagnostics Inc. (USA). The dynamics of indicators in the blood serum of patients with PVI showed a decrease in the level of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 with a simultaneous increase in TIMP-2 relative to the values before therapy. In patients with PVI and HVI, Inosine pranobex therapy showed a decrease in MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels, no changes in the content of TIMP-1, but an increase in the serum content of TIMP-2. Prior to the use of therapy, an increase in the ratio in the main groups in comparison with the control group was found, however, the largest increase was found in the group with the association of infections. After therapy, positive dynamics was established in the main groups. Thus, the ratio in group I decreased and became equal to the control values. In the II group of patients, the ratio, despite the decrease, remained higher than the control values and higher in comparison with the I group of women

Gut Microbiome Shotgun Sequencing in Assessment of Microbial Community Changes Associated with H. pylori Eradication Therapy

© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.Disturbance of intestinal microbiota content and functions often results in different pathological conditions. Pharmacotherapy including antibiotics use is one of the factors leading to dysbiosis. To evaluate the influence of antibiotics use on intestinal microbiota metagenomic profiles of stool, samples of 74 patients before and after Helicobacter pylori—eradication therapy—were analyzed. Evaluation of taxonomic diversity changes based on Shannon index and Bray-Curtis metrics allows to range patients according to mild, moderate, and severe risk of disturbance of intestinal microbiota pathological conditions

The impact of Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea L.) colony on soil biogeochemistry and vegetation: a natural long-term in situ experiment in a planted pine forest

Increased anthropogenic pressure including intensification of agricultural activities leads to long-term decline of natural biotopes, with planted forests often considered as promising compensatory response, although reduced biodiversity and ecosystem stability represent their common drawbacks. Here we present a complex investigation of the impact of a large Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea L.) colony on soil biogeochemistry and vegetation in a planted Scots pine forest representing a natural in situ experiment on an engineered ecosystem. After settling around 2006, the colony expanded for 15 years, leading to the intensive deposition of nutrients with feces, food remains and feather thereby considerably altering the local soil biogeochemistry. Thus, lower pH levels around 4.5, 10- and 2-fold higher concentrations of phosphorous and nitrogen, as well as 1.2-fold discrepancies in K, Li, Mn, Zn and Co., respectively, compared to the surrounding control forest area could be observed. Unaltered total organic carbon (Corg) suggests repressed vegetation, as also reflected in the vegetation indices obtained by remote sensing. Moreover, reduced soil microbial diversity with considerable alternations in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Acidobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, Verrucomicrobiota, Gemmatimonadota, Chujaibacter, Rhodanobacter, and Bacillus has been detected. The above alterations to the ecosystem also affected climate stress resilience of the trees indicated by their limited recovery from the major 2010 drought stress, in marked contrast to the surrounding forest (p = 3∙10−5). The complex interplay between geographical, geochemical, microbiological and dendrological characteristics, as well as their manifestation in the vegetation indices is explicitly reflected in the Bayesian network model. Using the Bayesian inference approach, we have confirmed the predictability of biodiversity patterns and trees growth dynamics given the concentrations of keynote soil biogeochemical alternations with correlations R > 0.8 between observations and predictions, indicating the capability of risk assessment that could be further employed for an informed forest management