Causal risk and protective factors in rheumatoid arthritis: A genetic update.

The characterization of risk and protective factors in complex diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evolved from epidemiological studies, which test association, to the use of Mendelian randomization approaches, which test direct relationships. Indeed, direct associations with the mucosal origin of RA are retrieved with periodontal disease (Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans predominantly), interstitial lung involvement, tobacco smoking and air pollutants. Next, factors directly associated with an acquired immune response include genetic factors (HLA DRB1, PTPN22), capacity to produce anti-modified protein antibodies (AMPA), and relatives with a history of autoimmune diseases. Finally, factors can be also classified according to their direct capacity to interfere with the IL-6/CRP/sIL-IL6R proinflammatory pathway as risk factor (body fat, cardiometabolic factors, type 2 diabetes, depressive syndrome) or either as protective factors by controlling of sIL-6R levels (higher education level, and intelligence). Although some co-founders have been characterized (e.g. vitamin D, physical activity, cancer) the direct association with sex-discrepancy, pregnancy, and infections among other factors remains to be better explored.

Potential therapeutic application of mesenchymal stem cells in ophthalmology.

At present a wide variety of methods have been proposed to treat eye disorders, drug therapies are most commonly used. It should be noted that effective treatment modalities especially for degeneration of the retina and optic nerve are lacking. In the last few years stem cell transplantation has been proposed as an alternative method. The opportunities that stem cells provide within clinical use are almost unlimited. These cells are presently applied to treat various traumatic and degenerative disorders due to their unique biologic properties. Stem cells have high proliferative capabilities and are a self-maintained population of cells capable of differentiating into different cell types. Thus, they are represent a very primary stage of a cell lineage. Their ability to differentiate into different pathways provides animals with great plasticity in the renewal of somatic cells in postnatal ontogenesis. Pre-clinical and clinical ophthalmology studies where mesenchymal stem cells are applied and various methods of their administration are discussed herein. In addition the safety and efficacy of using bone marrow- and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells have been discussed.

[Prognostic role of p53 gene polymorphism in risk assessment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity].

AIMS: To study the prognostic significance of polymorphism of the p53 gene (polymorphism Arg72Pro exon 4, rs1042522) on the development of cardiotoxic remodeling of the left ventricle and heart failure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 176 women with breast cancer who received anthracycline antibiotics as part of polychemotherapeutic treatment regimens were examined. Based on the results of the survey, 12 months after the end of polychemotherapy, patients in the remission of the underlying disease were divided into 2 groups: patients with cardiotoxic remodeling (52 patients) and women with preserved heart function (124 patients). All patients before the start of the course of chemotherapy, in the dynamics of treatment with anthracyclines and after therapy with such were carried out the study of echocardiographic parameters. All the patients were taken genetic material, followed by typing alleles of the gene for the protein p53 (rs1042522). RESULTS: Analysis of echocardiographic parameters in patients 12 months after the completion of polychemotherapy in comparison with those before treatment showed a significant difference in the final systolic (33 mm [31; 35] and 28 mm [26; 31], p<0.00001) and terminal diastolic dimensions (51 mm [49; 54.5] and 44 mm [42; 48.5], p=0.0003), as well as a significant decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction (54.5% [51.5; 58] and 65.5% [62; 70], p<0.00001) in the group of women with developed anthracycline cardiotoxicity. The presence of the Arg/Arg genotype was associated with the development of cardiotoxic myocardial damage during polychemotherapy (OR=3.86, 95% C.I.=1.45-10.26, p=0.005). The Pro/Pro genotype has proved to be a protective factor (OR=0.26, 95% C.I.=0.09-0.69, p=0.015). The conclusion. Predicting the cardiotoxicity of chemotherapy using the polymorphism of the p53 gene is an effective measure of early pre-symptom diagnosis of an increased risk of anthracyclineinduced cardiotoxicity.

[The effectiveness of target therapy in patients with severe allergic asthma].

The purpose of study was to analyze own clinical experience and assess the effectiveness in treatment of severe very poorly controlled allergic asthma patients with omalizumab. The effectiveness of biologic treatment with omalizumab was analyzed in 10 patients with severe very poorly controlled allergic asthma. It has been shown that indication of anti-IgE therapy in case of severe allergic asthma resulted in decrease of day and night asthma symptoms, symptoms of allergic rhinitis, dose of other anti - inflammatory asthma medications, discontinuation of systemic corticosteroids which led to good and partial control of the disease. Anti-IgE therapy is a highly effective treatment in asthma patients with atopic phenotype.

Nonstoichiometric titanium dioxide nanotubes with enhanced catalytical activity under visible light.

The catalytic activity of nanotubular titanium dioxide films formed during the oxidation of acetone to carbon dioxide under the action of visible light with a wavelength of 450 nm was found to be approximately 2 times higher compared to standard titanium dioxide (Degussa P25). The nanotubular films were grown by the anodization of titanium foil using an original technique. Diffuse reflectance spectra of the films are attributed to enhanced activity in the visible spectrum by the nonstoichiometry of titanium dioxide near the interface between the nanotubular film and the titanium foil substrate.

[Multimodal imaging protocols and their predictive role in acute stroke functional outcome]. / Mul'timodal'nye protokoly vizualizatsii i ikh rol' v prognozirovanii funktsional'nogo iskhoda ostrogo insul'ta.

Brain imaging plays a central role in the assessment of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Within a few minutes, modern multimodal imaging protocols can provide one with comprehensive information about prognosis, management, and outcome of the disease, and may detect changes in the intracranial structures reflecting severity of the ischemic injury depicted by four Ps: parenchyma (of the brain), pipes (i.e., the cerebral blood vessels), penumbra, and permeability (of the blood brain barrier). In this article, we have reviewed neuroradiological predictors of stroke functional outcome in the light of the aforementioned four Ps.

[Early symptoms of exacerbation of schizophrenia: views of patients, relatives and psychiatrists].

The study was carried out using focused interviews in three groups of responders - patients with several exacerbations of schizophrenia, their relatives and their psychiatrists. It has been shown that either patients or their relatives do not recognize the early symptoms of the exacerbation of psychosis. Three opposite approaches of responders to the issues related to awareness of disease and medical intervention were singled out: rational (in psychiatrists), autonomic (in patients) and emotional (in relatives). The authors substantiate the necessity of psychoeducational programs for patients aimed at bringing together interests of patients and psychiatrists with the following impact on the relatives who take the dualistic position with conformal readiness.

[Transformation of individual psychotic forms of alcoholism during the course of the disease (according to the findings of a clinico-epidemiologic study)]. / O transformatsii otdel'nykh psikhoticheskikh form alkogolizma v protsesse zabolevaniia (po dannym kliniko-épidemiologicheskogo issledovaniia).

The results of a clinical-epidemiological study of patients with chronic alcoholic psychoses are presented. The socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with a recurrent and a continuous course of the psychotic forms of alcoholism are reviewed. The paroxysm-like course of the disease was characterized by the shortening of clear intervals between paroxysms and by its transformation into a more consistent and prolonged psychopathological syndrome. Data on disturbances of work-related adaptation in patients with the chronic forms of alcoholism are given. An analysis of the data obtained makes it possible to predict the probability of a change in psychotic states and also the duration of remissions.