The Russian Public Consciousness Metamorphoses in Conditions of Technogenic Sociocultural Reality

A problem of complex philosophic analysis of the Russian public consciousness transformation in conditions of technogenic sociocultural reality (processes of technological development, informatization, and virtualization, axiologisation of the technogenic and deaxiologisation of the humanistic) is the objective of the research. Special attention is paid to determining technogenic metamorphoses and structural and functional trends of public consciousness dynamics in Russia. Content and structural and functional technogenic public consciousness metamorphoses are reflected by conjugating philosophical methodology of research with the categorical apparatus and methods of social psychology, cultural-historical psychology and social cognitive science. The scientific novelty of research consists in revealing main technogenic Russian public consciousness metamorphoses as well as in determining the following structural and functional trends; a) an additional intermediate mechanism between a human and public consciousness has emerged; b) opportunity to obtain a ready-made cognitive product promote reducing cognitive and social human activity as well as rupture of the individual and public consciousness; c) information field grows, as well as its fragmentation, depending on the possibilities of access and individual preferences; d) information values of "novelty" and "speed" have changed not only the type of human existence, but the mechanisms of public consciousness functioning as well; e) for modern man escapism into zones of the virtual and of the irrational becomes more and more important, and this changes the ontological attributes of public consciousness

Biological Activity and Pharmacological Application of Pectic Polysaccharides: A Review

Pectin is a polymer with a core of alternating α-1,4-linked d-galacturonic acid and α-1,2-l-rhamnose units, as well as a variety of neutral sugars such as arabinose, galactose, and lesser amounts of other sugars. Currently, native pectins have been compared to modified ones due to the development of natural medicines and health products. In this review, the results of a study of the bioactivity of pectic polysaccharides, including its various pharmacological applications, such as its immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antibacterial, antioxidant and antitumor activities, have been summarized. The potential of pectins to contribute to the enhancement of drug delivery systems has been observed

Association of СОМТ gene polymorphisms with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most serious and widespread neurodegenerative disorders. Genetic susceptibility plays a significant role in the development of PD.The aim of our study was to investigate associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the COMT gene coding dopamine catabolism enzyme and Parkinson’s disease.Materials and methods. In this study seven SNPs (rs4680, rs6269, rs4633, rs4818, rs769224, rs165774, rs174696) of COMT were genotyped. 232 patients with PD and 127 healthy individuals in the Siberian region of Russia were examined. Venous blood samples were drawn as a marker of PD. Statistical differences in the prevalence of alleles and genotypes between groups of patients were assessed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.1 software.Results. A significant association between the rs165774 polymorphism and PD was observed. Our study demonstrates that polymorphisms in the COMT gene may play an important role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease

Polymorphisms of Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase (COMT) Gene in Vulnerability to Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia

PURPOSE: Parkinson's disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder, is usually treated with Levodopa (L-DOPA). The use of this drug, however, is severely limited by the development of side effects of the motor system: Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). The aim of this study is to investigate the association between seven COMT gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the development of LID in patients with PD. METHODS: 232 Caucasian patients with PD were investigated. 212 patients with PD received Levodopa therapy. Dyskinesia was assessed with the use of the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Genotyping was carried out on seven SNPs of the COMT gene (rs4680, rs6269, rs4633, rs4818, rs769224, rs165774, rs174696) using a real-time PCR method, and blind to the clinical status of the subjects. RESULTS: We found association between four SNPs, rs165774, rs4818, rs4633, rs4680, and LID. When the duration of disease was added as a covariate in regression analysis, however, the results did not reach statistical significance. Only the additive model for rs165774 was found to be close to be statistical significance (OR = 1.627 [0.976-2.741], permutation p = 0.057). CONCLUSIONS: The results failed to clearly support a contribution of the studied polymorphisms; this may be related to a dominant relationship with the disease duration confounding the effect on the prevalence of LID

Progression of obstructive sleep apnoea after renal denervation is not associated with hypertension exaggeration

Abstract Purpose In a cohort, observational prospective trial, we assessed the long-term dynamics of sleep-disordered breathing in patients with resistant hypertension after renal denervation and their association with blood pressure change at remote follow-up. Materials and methods Twenty-eight patients with stable hypertension who were recruited for endovascular radiofrequency renal denervation in 2012–2019 and had valid both baseline and follow-up sleep study, were included in the analysis. All patients underwent physical examination, anthropometry, office and ambulatory blood pressure measurements, blood and urine tests, kidney visualization, and full polysomnography before and within 12–36 months after renal denervation. Results The average follow-up comprised 30.1 ± 8.4 months. At long-term follow-up, no significant changes in creatinine level, estimated glomerular filtration rate, body mass index were registered. There was a significant increase in sleep apnea severity indices: the mean change in apnea-hypopnea index comprised 9.0(-21.1;25.2) episodes/h, in oxygen desaturation index 6.5(-16.8;35.9) episodes/h, in the average SpO2 -1.7(-5.6;1.9)%. Over 12-month follow-up, there were no significant differences in blood pressure response in patients with and without sleep apnea. The baseline apnea-hypopnea and oxygen desaturation indices and the mean SpO2 were associated with the circadian blood pressure profile at follow-up, but did not correlate with the blood pressure response. Conclusions Although the severity of sleep apnea worsens at > 12 months follow-up after renal denervation, this is not associated with hypertension exaggeration

Descriptive characteristics of occupational exposures and medical follow-up in the cohort of workers of the Siberian Group of Chemical Enterprises in Seversk, Russia.

PurposeTo date, only a few studies have examined long-term health risks of exposures in the uranium processing industry and reported contradictory results, necessitating further research in this area. This is the first description of a cohort of ∼65,000 uranium processing workers (20.6% women) of the Siberian Group of Chemical Enterprises (SGCE) in Seversk, Russia, first employed during 1950-2010.MethodsSGCE is one of the largest and oldest uranium processing complexes in the world. SGCE workers at the Radiochemical, Plutonium, Sublimate and Enrichment plants were exposed to a combination of internal and external radiation, while workers at the Support Facility were primarily exposed to non-radiation factors.ResultsMean cumulative gamma-ray dose based on individual external dosimetry was 28.3 millisievert. About 4,000 workers have individual biophysical survey data that could be used for estimation of organ doses from uranium. SGCE workers were followed up for mortality and cancer incidence during 1950-2013 (vital status known for 80.8% of workers). The SGCE computerized database contains information on the results of regular medical examinations, and on smoking, alcohol and other individual characteristics.ConclusionsThe SGCE cohort is uniquely suited to examine long-term health risks of exposures to gamma-radiation and long-lived radionuclides in uranium processing workers

Descriptive characteristics of occupational exposures and medical follow-up in the cohort of workers of the Siberian Group of Chemical Enterprises in Seversk, Russia.

PurposeTo date, only a few studies have examined long-term health risks of exposures in the uranium processing industry and reported contradictory results, necessitating further research in this area. This is the first description of a cohort of ∼65,000 uranium processing workers (20.6% women) of the Siberian Group of Chemical Enterprises (SGCE) in Seversk, Russia, first employed during 1950-2010.MethodsSGCE is one of the largest and oldest uranium processing complexes in the world. SGCE workers at the Radiochemical, Plutonium, Sublimate and Enrichment plants were exposed to a combination of internal and external radiation, while workers at the Support Facility were primarily exposed to non-radiation factors.ResultsMean cumulative gamma-ray dose based on individual external dosimetry was 28.3 millisievert. About 4,000 workers have individual biophysical survey data that could be used for estimation of organ doses from uranium. SGCE workers were followed up for mortality and cancer incidence during 1950-2013 (vital status known for 80.8% of workers). The SGCE computerized database contains information on the results of regular medical examinations, and on smoking, alcohol and other individual characteristics.ConclusionsThe SGCE cohort is uniquely suited to examine long-term health risks of exposures to gamma-radiation and long-lived radionuclides in uranium processing workers