[Determination of cytokines and adhesion molecules in elderly and senile patients with aortic valve calcification.]

A laboratory study of the cytokine profile and the content of the intercellular adhesion molecules was performed in 38 patients with initial signs of aortic hemilunus calcification. It has been determined that the content of IL-6 and IL-8 had significantly higher values compared with the control group, which indicates the direct role of nonspecific chronic inflammation in the development of calcifying aortic valve damage. A significantly lower content of sE-selectin was also identified, which may indicate the absence of activation of adhesion molecules at the initial stage of aortic valve calcification. Further study of the dynamics of sE- and sP-selectins content in the process of development of acceleration of blood flow in the aortic valve and the formation of stenosis is needed.

The Study of the Solid Polymer Electrolyte Oxygen Concentrator with Nanostructural Catalysts Based on Hydrophobized Support.

The efficient production of gaseous oxygen used in many branches of industry to provide human life in anaerobic environments and in medicine (e.g., in the case of acute respiratory failure as one of COVID-19 complications) is challenging nowadays. The electrochemical oxygen pump (concentrator) with a solid polymer electrolyte representing an electrolyzer with air cathode depolarization is a very promising device, which provides the portable, safe, and efficient in situ production of highly pure oxygen at a twice lower energy consumption as compared to the water electrolyzer with a solid polymer electrolyte. The effect produced by the hydrophobization of a nanostructured oxygen reduction catalyst on the oxygen pump characteristics and the endurance of a cathode catalytic layer to flooding has been considered. The modification of a carbon support with polytetrafluoroethylene particles improves the removal of excessive water from the catalytic layer and increases the limiting current characterizing the appearance of transport limitations. The operational parameters (air temperature, flow rate, and pressure) also have an essential effect on the oxygen pump performance and must be optimized to improve water transport in catalytic layers, increase the operating current densities, and reduce the energy consumption in oxygen production.

[Indicators of lipid exchange as early markers of development calcific aortic valve disease.]

A comprehensive study of lipidograms of 36 patients with initial signs of calcification of aortic semilunium was performed. It was determined that the content of apolipoprotein A-1 was significantly lower in comparison with the control groups, which requires further studies of the evaluation of the effect on the process of early development of calcification of drugs capable to increasing its content. If the concentration of apolipoprotein A-1 is less than 1,1 mg/dl and/or the apoB/apoA ratio is increased by more than 1, it is advisable to recommend dispensary follow-up with regular (no less than 1 time in 5 years) echocardiographic study with a detailed study of the functional state of the aortic valve.

[Actuality of pathomorphogenesis investment in calcific aortic valve stenosis.]

The increasing of lifetime industrial countries population leads to widespreading diseases of age. Dramatic growth of sclerodegenerative heart valve diseases in last decades is one of the best examples. We observed 814 patients of different gender and age with acquired heart valve diseases using echocardiography. We found out that the most common heart valve disease is degenerative aortic stenosis. Unfortunately, nowadays in Russia no more than 20% of the necessary operations on aortic valve are performed, the main reason of it is, more likely, insufficient and untimely diagnosis of the defect. However, the surgery of vice serves only as a mechanical elimination of the problem, without affecting the causes which led to its development. So we need modern data about sclerodegenerative heart valve diseases epidemiology and discloses actuality of the problem.