ROC-Analysis of the Results as regards <I>B. pseudomallei</I> and <I>B. mallei</I> Agents Detection Using Solid-Phase ELISA

Analyzed are operational characteristic curves (ROC-curves) of solid-phase ELISA variants with immune sera to cellular and extracellular Burkholderia antigens with the aim to determine the most effective ones for B. pseudomallei and B. mallei antigen detection. It is shown that among solid-phase ELISA variants with immune sera to cellular and extracellular antigens, those with sera to homologous antigens are the most effective. Demonstrated is the possibility of application of solid-phase ELISA variants with immune sera to antigens of B. thailandensis and B. cepacia strains for identification and typing of glanders and melioidosis agents. Assessed are prospects of extracellular antigen application for differentiation between closely related species of “ pseudomallei ” group

Proven and less studied hematopoietic and vasoactive growth factors in retinal capillary hemangioma

Pathogenesis of retinal capillary hemangioma has not been sufficiently studied at the present time. Therefore, the study of cytokine levels in biological fluids seems to be very relevant in order to increase knowledge about the mechanisms of the disease development and searching for targeted therapies. The content of hematopoietic and vasoactive growth factors in blood serum, lacrimal fluid, and vitreous body was studied in patients with retinal capillary hemangioma. A total of 26 patients with retinal angiomatosis were examined. The samples of blood serum (n = 23) and lacrimal fluid (n = 10) from practically healthy people aged 22 to 46 (27.4±1.4 years) were used as a control. To perform comparative assessment of cytokine concentrations in the vitreous body of patients with retinal capillary hemangioma, were used samples of the vitreous body from 6 patients (average age 33±4.7 years; from 21 to 49 years) with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. To measure the cytokine concentrations, we applied multiplex analysis technique using the xMAP platform with LuminexxPONENT 3.1 program and ProcartaPlex sets (eBioscience, Austria). A detailed characteristic of vasoactive factors in capillary retinal hemangioma was obtained as a result of this work. Some disorders in chemokine regulation were identified. There was a significant increase in serum concentrations of three vasoactive factors, i.e., PDGF-BB, HGF, and PIGF-1, with a decrease in chemokines (MCP-1, MIP-1α, and MIP-1β). The frequencies of PIGF-1 and MIP-1α detection also significantly differed from the control group. SCF was significantly more often determined in patients with retinal angiomatosis only at the systemic level. Correlations between PDGF-BB and PIGF-1, as well as PIGF-1 and MIP-1β were shown. A significant increase in VEGF-A, HGF, VEGF-D, as well as MCP-1 concentrations was shown in the lacrimal fluid. The inversion of PDGF-BB concentrations in serum and lacrimal fluid was noted. Analysis of intraocular cytokine levels revealed a significant increase in VEGF-A and HGF concentrations, with marked decrease in MIP-1α and MIP-1β. PDGF-BB in 100% of cases was determined only in vitreous body of patients with retinal angiomatosis. With respect to the revealed characteristic shifts of HGF/SF intraocular production in retinal capillary hemangioma, it seems relevant to search ways for its inhibition, thus providing potential basis for a new therapeutic strategy in treatment of retinal angiomatosis

THE FLOW REACTOR CALCULATION FOR THE HOT SYN-GAS DESULPHURIZATION

A flow reactor was calculated at steady state and hydrogen sulfide concentration drop along installation height depending on the total depletion of the sorbent (global conversion) is determined. Sorbent attrition was evaluated in a single pass through the reactor (local conversion). A comparison of the results with the experimental data of different authors is shown.Поточный реактор рассчитывался в стационарном режиме, определялось падение концентрации сероводорода по высоте установки в зависимости от общей истощенности сорбента (глобальная конверсия). Оценивалась истощение сорбента за один проход через реактор (локальная конверсия). Приведено сравнение расчетных данных с экспериментальными данными разных авторов

EXAMINING LOCALLY EXPRESSED mRNA OF INFLAMMATORY MEDIATOR GENES IN A MODEL OF RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM ATROPHY AND RETINAL DEGENERATION INDUCED BY SUBRETINAL SALINE INJECTION IN RABBITS

Degenerative-dystrophic retinal diseases, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are now considered to be the lead cause of blindness and low vision in developed countries, with a steadily increasing trend. Recent publications provide evidence for the involvement of inflammatory mechanisms in TMD development and progression unveiled due to advances in innate and adaptive immunity research. However, the immunopathogenesis of atrophic AMD form, “geographic atrophy” (GA) remains largely unstudied. Objective: to investigate local mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-18, CCL2/MCP-1 in a model of RPE atrophy induced after subretinal injection of 0.9% sodium chloride solution in experimental rabbits. The investigation was carried out in tissue complex retina-RPE-choroid (TC) samples isolated from eyes of 23 albino New Zealand rabbits after modeling RPE atrophy by subretinal injection of 0.9% sodium chloride solution and 5 healthy rabbits lacking eye lesions. Animals in the experimental group (one week before surgical intervention, in the early period, and in the period of sustained RPE atrophy formation) and controls were subjected to optical coherence tomography (OCT) and ocular fundus autofluorescence (FAF). Evaluation of proinflammatory cytokine gene expression levels in TC was performed by RT-PCR. Results. Subretinal injection of 0.01 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution induced experimental RPE atrophy development in rabbits vs. control that was associated with multidirectional changes of IL-1β, IL-18, MCP-1/CCL2 gene mRNA expression. Three types of response in the TC, formed during development of atrophic changes and determined by the value of local cytokine gene expression were characterized: 1) hypo/ no response – decreased/no expression; 2) normal response – moderate increase; 3) hyper response – overexpression. 69.6% of animals with persistent atrophy had a moderate to hypertrophic increase in locally expressed mRNA MCP-1/CCL2, whereas 30% cases had significantly increased IL-1β mRNA expression – factors damaging the blood-retinal barrier and contributing to posterior segment immune privilege. It should be taken into account while developing new strategies for treatment of ophthalmic pathology, in particular the currently actively studied and tested options for RPE stem cell transplantation into subretinal space. The data obtained may be useful to investigate various types of RPE atrophy and develop new strategies of ophthalmopathology treatment in preclinical studies

Modern Approaches for Detection of Glanders and Melioidosis. Identification and Typing of <i>Burkholderia mallei</i> and <i>Burkholderia pseudomallei</i>

Analysed are the methodological approaches used for identification and typing of B. mallei and B. pseudomallei. Suggested are recommendations for improvements of algorithms of laboratory diagnosis of glanders and melioidosis including wide range of biochemical, immunodiagnostic and molecular genetic methods

Results of surgical treatment of acute retinal necrosis

Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment of acute retinal necrosis. Material and methods. The study involves 34 patients aged 18 to 74 with acute retinal necrosis. Surgeries were performed on 41 eyes. All patients received microinvasive (23 Ga) vitrectomy with membrane peeling, endolaser coagulation of the retina and endotamponade of the vitreal cavity with silicone oil. Operated eyes were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 included 25 eyes which had retinal detachment and vitreous fibrosis at the time of surgical treatment. Group 2 consisted of 9 eyes with retinal detachment but no vitreous fibrosis, and group 3 of 7 eyes with vitreous fibrosis and no retinal detachment. Prior to surgery, visual acuity varied from wrong light perception up to 0.15 with correction. Results. A stable anatomical and optical result was achieved in all cases, complete attachment of the detached retina amounted to 94.1 %, and partial attachment to 5.9 % of the eyes. In group 1, improved visual acuity was observed in 56 % of cases, whereby visual acuity of 0.1 or higher was obtained only in 24 % of the eyes. In groups 2 and 3, visual acuity improved in all cases and proved to be 0.1 or higher, which was due to the predominance of the peripheral necrotic lesion zone, as well as to lower frequency of macular edema and optical neuropathy. In retinal detachment with vitreous fibrosis, a high frequency (72 %) of necrosis spread to the posterior pole of the eye with irreversible damage to the macula and optic nerve was detected. Conclusion. Modern technologies of surgical treatment allow achieving good anatomical results in all patients with acute retinal necrosis. The highest functional results are achieved with peripheral or paracentral lesions, absence of macular edema and optical neuropathy, and macula affected by retinal detachment prior to surgery, which was observed in groups with isolated vitreous fibrosis or retinal detachment. For citation: Neroev V.V., Ilyukhin P.A., Fedotov R.A., Tankovsky V.E. Results of surgical treatment of acute retinal necrosis. Russian ophthalmological journal. 2018; 11 (1): 5-11. doi: 10.21516/2072-0076-2018-11-1-5-11 (In Russian)

Surgical treatment of von Hippel-Lindau disease complicated by retinal detachment: a clinical case

A clinical case of surgical treatment of a patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease complicated by retinal detachment is presented. Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab was performed 7 days before vitrectomy. Laser photodestruction of retinal capillary hemangiomas was performed intraoperatively with an increased exposure and reduced inter-pulse interval. A 1 year follow-up showed a stable functional and anatomic result, and lack of relapse. Details of surgical treatment and advantages of the method proposed are discussed. For citation: Neroev V.V., Ilyukhin P.A., Ryabina M.V., Novikova A.Yu. Surgical treatment of von Hippel-Lindau disease complicated by retinal detachment: a clinical case. Russian ophthalmological journal. 2018; 11 (1):85-92. doi: 10.21516/2072-0076-2018-11-1-85-92 (In Russian)

An algorithm for managing surgical patients with acute retinal necrosis

Purpose. To increase the efficiency of surgical treatment and develop an algorithm for managing patients with the consequences of acute retinal necrosis (ARN).Material and methods. The study included 35 patients (42 eyes) aged 18 to 74 with acute retinal necrosis. All patients underwent a microinvasive (23 Ga) vitrectomy with membrane peel, endolaser coagulation of the retina and endotamponade of the vitreal cavity with silicone oil. The operated eyes were divided into 2 groups. The main group consisted of 17 eyes with a clinical picture of fibrosis of the vitreous without retinal detachment (10 eyes) and retinal detachment without pronounced fibrosis of the vitreous (7 eyes). The comparison group included 25 eyes which had retinal detachment and fibrosis of the vitreous at the time of surgery. The visual acuity varied between incorrect light projection and 0.15 with correction.Results. A stable anatomical and optical result was achieved in all cases. Complete adhesion of the detached retina was achieved in 94.1 %, which is explained by the fact that surgical treatment was in most cases performed in the absence of pronounced stages of proliferative vitreoretinopaty. In all cases of the main group, an increase in visual acuity was noted. In 53 % of cases, visual acuity achieved 0.1 to 0.3 and in the remaining 47 % it was 0.3 % or above. This can be accounted for by the prevalence of peripheral necrotic lesions, as well as a lower incidence of macular edema and optic neuropathy. However, in the comparison group, an increase in visual acuity was only observed in 56 % cases, with visual acuity reaching 0.1 or higher only in 24 % of the eyes. A high frequency (72 %) of necrosis expansion to the posterior eye pole with an irreversible damage to the optic nerve and the macular region was revealed.Conclusion. Active dynamic observation of patients with ARN helps detect changes requiring surgical treatment, which leads to higher functional and anatomical outcomes, as well helps avoid the disability of the patients. Surgical treatment prior to the formation of retinal detachment in severe traction syndrome with or without retinal tears is advisable. An algorithm was proposed for managing surgical patients, depending on the clinical manifestations of ARN effects