Role of Stress-Induced Pathology in the Premature Aging of Combat Veterans

Феномен преждевременного старения ветеранов современных боевых действий связывается с полученными боевыми стрессами (БС), посттравматическим стрессовым расстройством (ПТСР), последствиями боевых черепно-мозговых травм и некоторыми другими факторами. Важную роль в этом процессе играют хроническая боль (ХБ) и стресс-индуцированная патология. В работе показана последовательная роль стресс-индуцированной патологии у ветеранов боевых действий в формировании ХБ и преждевременного старения.The phenomenon of premature aging of veterans of modern combat operations is associated with combat stress (СS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the consequences of combat traumatic brain injuries and some other factors. Chronic pain (CР) and a number of stress-induced pathologies play an important role in this process. We have shown the consistent role of stress-induced pathology in combat veterans in the formation of CР and premature aging

Biomechanical Assessment of Liver Integrity: Prospective Evaluation of Mechanical Versus Acoustic MR Elastography

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) can quantify tissue biomechanics noninvasively, including pathological hepatic states like metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. PURPOSE: To compare the performance of 2D/3D-MRE using the gravitational (GT) transducer concept with the current commercial acoustic (AC) solution utilizing a 2D-MRE approach. Additionally, quality index markers (QIs) were proposed to identify image pixels with sufficient quality for reliably estimating tissue biomechanics. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: One hundred seventy participants with suspected or confirmed liver disease (median age, 57 years [interquartile range (IQR), 46-65]; 66 females), and 11 healthy volunteers (median age, 31 years [IQR, 27-34]; 5 females). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Participants were scanned twice at 1.5 T and 60 Hz vibration frequency: first, using AC-MRE (2D-MRE, spin-echo EPI sequence, 11 seconds breath-hold), and second, using GT-MRE (2D- and 3D-MRE, gradient-echo sequence, 14 seconds breath-hold). ASSESSMENT: Image analysis was performed by four independent radiologists and one biomedical engineer. Additionally, superimposed analytic plane shear waves of known wavelength and attenuation at fixed shear modulus were used to propose pertinent QIs. STATISTICAL TESTS: Spearman's correlation coefficient (r) was applied to assess the correlation between modalities. Interreader reproducibility was evaluated using Bland-Altman bias and reproducibility coefficients. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Liver stiffness quantified via GT-2D/3D correlated well with AC-2D (r ≥ 0.89 [95% CI: 0.85-0.92]) and histopathological grading (r ≥ 0.84 [95% CI: 0.72-0.91]), demonstrating excellent agreement in Bland-Altman plots and between readers (κ ≥ 0.86 [95% CI: 0.81-0.91]). However, GT-2D showed a bias in overestimating stiffness compared to GT-3D. Proposed QIs enabled the identification of pixels deviating beyond 10% from true stiffness based on a combination of total wave amplitude, temporal sinusoidal nonlinearity, and wave signal-to-noise ratio for GT-3D. CONCLUSION: GT-MRE represents an alternative to AC-MRE for noninvasive liver tissue characterization. Both GT-2D and 3D approaches correlated strongly with the established commercial approach, offering advanced capabilities in abdominal imaging compared to AC-MRE. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2

Lipid parameters of blood in veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder

Investigated peculiarities of violations of lipid metabolism and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 161 patients – veterans of the military actions on the territory of Afghanistan and the Northern Caucasus in the age 25–69 years. The dependence of the formation of dyslipidemias and related changes of atherosclerosis in the young age of neuroendocrine effects, accompanying the effects of combat stress and promoting accelerated aging. After 15-25 years of participating in hostilities, the intensity of PTSD and its influence on the development of violations of lipid spectrum may decline, and the leading role in the pathogenesis of dyslipidemias goes to age-related changes that accompany a process of accelerated aging veterans of combat operations, and to pathological disorders of metabolism in the liver associated with alcohol abuse and the consequences suffered infectious diseases

Multifunctionality of nitrogen oxide compounds as a basis for preparation of practically important cellulose materials

The experience of using the multifunctional character of nitrogen oxide compounds (N204, N02, N203, HN03) in cellulose chemistry and technology is summarized. The approach discussed is based on the ability of the nitrogen oxide compounds to act as multi-purpose reagents with respect to cellulose, enabling oxidation, nitrosation, nitration, hydrolytic cleavage or adduct formation to be performed on cellulose, depending on reaction conditions. It is often possible to perform simultaneously several chemical or/and structural cellulose modifications using a sole reagent in a «one-pot» process. High solubility of nitrates formed from mineral components of vegetal tissues, along with high reactivity of HN03 toward lignin that occurs together with cellulose, provide the possibility of selective extraction of radionuclides in the course of nitric acid delignification of contaminated vegetal material. In this review, examples are given of effective use of multiple functionality of nitrogen oxide compounds in the preparation of such practically important materials as totally or partially substituted cellulose acetates soluble in organic solvents, water-soluble polysaccharide sulphates with low degree of substitution, powder forms of cellulose hydrate and of carboxylated cellulose in both structurally disordered and microcrystalline forms, as well as in isolation of radionuclide-free cellulose and nitrolignin from contaminated agricultural residues