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

Objects as culture-specific referents of color terms in Russian

The present study is an extension of our analysis of Russian basic color terms (BCTs) elicited in a web-based psycholinguistic experiment. Color samples (N = 600) were approximately uniformly distributed in the Munsell color solid. An unconstrained color-naming method was employed. Native Russian speakers (N = 713; 333 males) participated in the study. Among 1422 elicited unique color words, 698 terms (49%) were derived from object names. Here we explore object-derived non-BCTs, focusing on broad classes of names referred to objects, categories within these, and the inventory of color terms, as well as their frequency, patterns of derivation, and derivational productivity. Six classes of object referents were identified: flora, fauna, inanimate nature, food and beverages, man-made objects, body and bodily products. In detail, 20 most frequent object-derived terms are reported. These are accompanied by analysis of gender differences and representation of the terms' denotata on the Munsell Mercator projection. In addition, Russian object-derived color terms are related to those in English; discussed are differences between the 2 languages in the color term classes, inventories and incidences. We conclude that Russian object-derived color terms follow the generic metonymy pattern, that is, signifying color of objects in the speakers' natural environment. The inventory is also language-specific, reflecting social practices, preferences and views entrenched in the traditional Russian culture. Furthermore, recent extensive development of the inventory signals 2 novel phenomena: marked globalization influence, surfacing as abundant transliteration of English referent loanwords, and noticeable sociolectal diversification that manifests itself by novel evocative color terms, particularly in marketing and advertisement

Differences in the distribution of colour terms in colour space in the russian, udmurt and komi languages

This article compares data of Russian, Udmurt and Komi on the distribution of colour terms in Ostwald’s colour space. Data of Russian derive from an article by Davies and Corbett (1994). Data from Udmurt and Komi were originally collected by using the field method suggested for establishing basic colour terms by Davies and Corbett (1994, 1995). Sixty-five coloured tiles were used as stimuli. It was found that the distribution of colour terms differed even in closely related languages. In addition, there are differences in the distribution of the pink colour in the Southern and Northern dialects of Udmurt. It can be argued that the distribution of colour terms in colour space is language-specific and dependent on culture. The data on unrelated languages showed that colour perception by Northern Udmurt subjects, compared to that by Southern Udmurts, was more influenced by Russian. Udmurt, like Russian, possesses a term for light blue, which in the Northern dialect was located in the same part of colour space as in Russia

CYTOKINES IN LACRIMAL FLUID AND BLOOD SERUM: EARLY BIOMARKERS OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

The article presents results of multiplex cytokine assays in blood serum and lacrimal fluid at the initial and intermediate stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Some features of local and systemic disturbances in the cytokine profile were detected in these patients. It was revealed that the initial stage of AMD was associated with elevated IL-17 levels in lacrimal fluid, along with imbalance between the local increase and systemic decrease of TGF-β1 amounts. Intermediate-stage AMD was associated with increased levels of the most cytokines assayed (except of TGF-β1) in blood serum and lacrimal fluid, thus suggesting stimulation of both pro-inflammatory and angiogenic responses, like as activation of anti-inflammatory and anti-infective factors

Biomechanics of erect posture maintaining (review of equilibrium control models)

Рябина Кристина Евгеньевна, аспирант кафедры теории и методики физической культуры и спорта, Южно-Уральский государственный университет (г. Челябинск), [email protected]. Исаев Александр Петрович, доктор биологических наук, профессор, директор Научно-исследовательского центра спортивной науки, Южно-Уральский государственный университет (г. Челябинск), [email protected]. K.E. Ryabina, [email protected], A.P. Isaev, [email protected] South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russian FederationЦель – рассмотреть в научной литературе модели поддержания равновесия. Выявлены особенности изучения сагиттальной и фронтальной устойчивости на практике. Поддержание равновесия изучалось на компьютерном комплексе для диагностики нарушений постуральной и опорно-двигательной системы «МБН – Стабило», включающем в себя специализированный стабилометр, предназначенный для регистрации проекции центра давления тела на плоскость платформы и его девиации во времени и в системе координат с учётом положения стоп обследуемого относительно абсолютного положения. Зарегистрированы изменения вертикальной позы возможно при помощи системы высокоскоростной видеосъемки серии Ultra Motion Pro. К первым полученным результатам относятся цифровые значения перемещения активных точек, изменение углов тазобедренного и голеностопного суставов. Полученные данные свидетельствуют о том, что поддержание равновесия в сагиттальной плоскости занимает больше усилий, чем во фронтальной. Дальнейшим этапом в проведении исследования является получение новых данных по вопросу вертикальной устойчивости тела, сопоставление данных стабилометрии с временными и линейными характеристиками Ultra Motion, необходимыми для разработки биомеханической методики контроля. Aim: to review the equilibrium control models described in the literature. To reveal the features of study of sagittal and frontal stability in practice. Equilibrium control is studied with the help of computer complex “MBN – Stabilo” designed for detection of abnormalities of postural and locomotive systems. The complex includes a specialized stabilometer developed for recording the projection of the body pressure center on the platform and its deviation over time and within the coordinate system considering the feet positioning of the examined subject relative to the absolute position. Changes of the erect posture are recorded by means of high-speed video shooting system Ultra Motion Pro. The first obtained results include the digital values of movement of the active points and changes of hip joint and ankle joint angles. The authors have also found that the equilibrium control in sagittal plain requires more efforts than in frontal one. The next stage of the research implies that the new data will be obtained on the vertical stability of the body, and the stabilometric data will be compared with temporal and linear characteristics of Ultra Motion necessary for development of the biomechanical method of control

PERIPHERAL BLOOD SUBPOPULATION OF LYMPHOCYTES OF PATIENTS WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

The article presents results of studies concerning subрopulations of peripheral blood lymphocyte in the patients at early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), being compared with healthy elderly persons (risk group for AMD), and young adults without ophthalmological problems. We have revealed an increase in absolute counts and percentages of the cytotoxic cells (СD3+СD8+), and double-positive T cell subpopulations (СD3+CD4+СD8+), like as of B-lymphocyte contents, higher frequency of their increased content in peripheral blood of the patients with early and intermediate stages of AMD and healthy older people, as compared with young controls, thus allowing to suggest a potential role of these shifts in lymphocyte subpopulations for the AMD pathogenesis

LATE DIAGNOSIS OF UVEITIS IN A GIRL WITH BEHСET'S DISEASE: DEMONSTRATION OF A CLINICAL CASE

Behсet's disease (BD) is systemic vasculitis with multiorgan failure. According to the 1990 International Study Group for Behсet's disease (ISGBD) criteria, the main manifestations of the disease include recurrent mouth and genital ulcers; skin and eye lesions. Inflammatory diseases of the eye are diagnosed in 50–70% of patients with BD. Our described case illustrates the late diagnosis of BD in a 13-year-old girl, which led to severe eye disease (significantly decreased visual acuity of the left eye) 2 years after disease onset. The lesion of ocular posterior segments is the pathognomonic sign of BD. This symptom concurrent with other major manifestations of BD (skin and genital lesions) and the ethnicity of the patient (a resident of Dagestan, the region through which there was the Great Silk Road) should have promoted the earlier diagnosis of the disease