Circulating markers of vascular damage as predictors of cardiovascular events in atherosclerosis and metabolic disorders

The article presents the results of cluster analysis of the contribution of immune inflammation and endothelial dysfunction (ED) markers to the frequency and severity of cardiovascular events (CVE) in cohorts of patients with asymptomatic atherosclerosis (AAS), coronary artery disease (CAD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MS) during a 3-year prospective observation. Results Circulating markers of ED and immune inflammation, such as ET-1, IL-1β, TNF-α, antibodies to collagen type I and III, and antibodies to chondroitine sulfate (CS) contribute to cardiovascular (CV) manifestation in AAS. In CAD patients ET-1, eNOs, antibodies to collagen, as well as IL-6 and vWf  are the main contributors. In T2DM without clinical manifestation of CAD, the set of markers associated with the adverse events includes ET-1, eNOs, IL-6, anti-C, and anti-HA. In CAD combined with T2DM, the cluster of markers associated with the adverse events includes vWf, TNF-α, eNOs, IL-6, anti-C, anti-HA and CRP. In AAS without MS, the key contributors are ET-1 and vWf, and the presence of anti-C and anti-ChS; in AAS/MS patients, the key markers are IL-1β, TNF-α, anti-C, anti-ChS, anti-HA, and CRP. In CAD without MS, the cluster of markers associated with adverse events includes ET-1, eNOs and anti-HA; in CAD/MS it includes anti-C, ET-1, and IL-6. Conclusion. The obtained results confirm the role of systemic inflammation in the development of atherosclerosis-associated angiopathy in coronary pathology and disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, and also suggest a set of circulating markers as predictors of adverse CVE

Electrical Network-Based Time-Dependent Model of Electrical Breakdown in Water

A time-dependent, two-dimensional, percolative approach to model dielectric breakdown based on a network of parallel resistor–capacitor elements having random values, has been developed. The breakdown criteria rely on a threshold electric field and on energy dissipation exceeding the heat of vaporization. By carrying out this time-dependent analysis, the development and propagation of streamers and prebreakdown dynamical evolution have been obtained directly. These model simulations also provide the streamer shape, characteristics such as streamer velocity, the prebreakdown delay time, time-dependent current, and relationship between breakdown times, and applied electric fields for a given geometry. The results agree well with experimental data and reports in literature. The time to breakdown (tbr) for a 100 μm water gap has been shown to be strong function of the applied bias, with a 15–185 ns range. It is also shown that the current is fashioned not only by dynamic changes in local resistance, but that capacitive modifications arising from vaporization and streamer development also affect the transient behavior

ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ АСПЕКТЫ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНОСТИ РОССИЙСКИХ ТНК НА РЫНКЕ СЖ ИЖЕННОГО ПРИРОДНОГО ГАЗА

Owing to tough state environmental management requirements and ecological regulations, oil and gas multinational corporations (MNC) make more and more attempts to mitigate negative environmental impacts resulting from their industrial activities, their competitiveness beingstrengthened therewith. The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is associated with less environmental impact in comparison with oil and coal, particularly so far as the hotbed effect is concerned. In the field of innovative technological development, Russian MNC drag so far well behind most advanced western corporations who provide for less negative impact of their production activities upon environment.В условиях ужесточения государственного экологического регулирования нефтегазовые ТНК все больше заинтересованы в проведении политики минимизации негативного влияния своей производственной деятельности на окружающую среду. Это повышает их конкурентоспособность. Использование сжиженного газа сопровождается меньшим отрицательным воздействием на окружающую среду, по сравнению с нефтью и углем, в частности, в отношении парникового эффекта. Российские ТНК пока существенно отстают в развитии инновационных технологий, способствующих снижению негативного влияния их деятельности на окружающую среду

A comparison of 3D particle, fluid and hybrid simulations for negative streamers

In the high field region at the head of a discharge streamer, the electron energy distribution develops a long tail. In negative streamers, these electrons can run away and contribute to energetic processes such as terrestrial gamma-ray and electron flashes. Moreover, electron density fluctuations can accelerate streamer branching. To track energies and locations of single electrons in relevant regions, we have developed a 3D hybrid model that couples a particle model in the region of high fields and low electron densities with a fluid model in the rest of the domain. Here we validate our 3D hybrid model on a 3D (super-)particle model for negative streamers in overvolted gaps, and we show that it almost reaches the computational efficiency of a 3D fluid model. We also show that the extended fluid model approximates the particle and the hybrid model well until stochastic fluctuations become important, while the classical fluid model underestimates velocities and ionization densities. We compare density fluctuations and the onset of branching between the models, and we compare the front velocities with an analytical approximation

Frequency and structure of endocrine diseases in young elite athletes

There is no data on the prevalence of endocrine disorders in young elite athletes in Russia.Objective: to assess the prevalence of endocrine pathologies and their structure in children and adolescents involved in elite sport.Materials and methods: the study included data from outpatient records of members of national sports teams, who underwent special medical examination. The data of a random sample of 1081 outpatient cards of young athletes, for 26 sports, were analyzed.Results: we found a high prevalence of endocrine pathology (18.6 %) in children and adolescents involved in high-performance sports. Thyroid diseases are most the most frequent in young athletes (in 57.3 % of cases). On second place is obesity (12.3 %). The frequency of weight deficiency and short stature is 8.4 % each. Autoimmune thyroiditis occupies a leading place in the structure of thyroid pathology in young elite athletes. Subclinical hypothyroidism takes the second place, and nodular goiter — the third place.Conclusion: young elite athletes are characterized by a high frequency of endocrine pathology, the leading place in which is occupied by thyroid diseases. It is necessary to further studies aimed at assessing the mechanisms of hormonal adaptation in elite young athletes to assess their impact on the development of the child and the correct interpretation of the hormonal profile obtained during a special medical examination

Thyroid hormones imbalance in patients with functional dyspepsia

© 2018, Pharmainfo Publications. All rights reserved. The article presents the results of our research into the analysis of the thyroid dysfunction role in the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of functional dyspepsia (FD). It was revealed that 31% of patients with FD had a T3 and/or FT4 level drop at normal or moderately reduced levels of TSH in the blood, which corresponds to the notion of euthyroid pathology syndrome. These changes in the thyroid hormones level were more often found in the postprandial FD case than in the one with epigastric pain syndrome. Besides this, FD patients had a rise in the average level of antithyroid antibodies compared to the healthy controls. A direct relationship was discovered between the degree of FD clinical signs and thyroid system functional disorders. The results obtained allow us to make a conclusion concerning the significance of thyroid hormones imbalance in FD pathogenesis and clinical picture

Effect of testosterone in young ice-hockey players on hematological, biochemical parameters and the level of physical performance

Ice-hockey combines intense physical activity at high speed with elements of power struggle. Testosterone is the main anabolic hormone, an increase in which during adolescence is associated with faster growth, increased muscle mass, physical strength, and increased overall and aerobic performance. Thus, it is interesting to study the effect of different testosterone levels on metabolic parameters and physical performance of young ice-hockey players.Objective: to compare hematological and biochemical parameters, as well as exercise performance in young ice-hockey players, depending on the testosterone level.Materials and methods: the study included 100 young ice-hockey players aged 15–17 years (average age 15.3 ± 1.1 years). The study group included 25 young ice-hockey players with an increased level of total blood testosterone (> 27.5 nmol/l). The control group included 75 young athletes with normal testosterone levels. All athletes included in the study underwent the PWC 170 test to assess physical performance. Assessment of hematological parameters included hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit, red blood cell, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean concentration hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). β-crosslaps, myoglobin and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity were measured to assess the functional state of muscle and bone tissue.Results: A comparative assessment of the CBC in young ice-hockey players did not reveal significant differences depending on the level of serum testosterone level. Tolerance to physical activity in the study groups also did not differ. Young ice-hockey players with increased testosterone levels showed lower β-crosslaps values compared to the control group. The values of other biomarkers of the functional activity of muscle tissue did not depend on the level of testosterone levels.Conclusion: Increased serum testosterone level in the range from 27.5 to 40 nmol/l, detected in young ice-hockey players aged 15–17 years, is not associated with a change in hematological and biochemical parameters. High total testosterone levels do not improve physical performance. It is necessary to continue studies to assess the dynamics of the serum testosterone in young ice-hockey players to clarify the long-term effects of androgens on the metabolic and functional indicators of young athletes. Increasing serum testosterone levels in athletes is subject to wide discussion in the community of sports physicians and endocrinologists

The influence of physical exercises on the quality of life in ankylosing spondilitis

The article presents a literary review of the effect of exercises on quality of life, and the level of anxiety/depression in ankylosing spondylitis. A clinical case of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis, who has been doing physical exercises every day for forty years at refusal of drug therapy.В статье представлен литературный обзор влияния физических упражнений на качество жизни и уровень тревоги/депрессии при анкилозирующем спондилите. Приведен клинический случай пациента с анкилозирующим спондилитом, который на протяжении сорока лет ежедневно занимается физическими упражнениями при отказе от медикаментозной терапии