MAIN PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE FORMATION OF THE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG RUSSIAN FAMILIES: ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF THE ALL-RUSSIAN SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH.

The paper presents the findings of a study conducted using a mass questionnaire survey of members of young families (n = 893). The purpose of the study is to identify what problems affecting well-being are faced by members of young families. In the sample, young families are represented by two groups - families with children and families without children. It was revealed that the assessment of the significance of problems in family life is different in families with children and childless families, including the number of children in the family that affects the situation. Ratings of family problems were built according to the following criteria - self-assessment of men and women and parenting experience. It is concluded that, according to a number of criteria (both material and non-material), well-being is formed.

[Natural healing factors of Nalchik resort in medical rehabilitation of the patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. (Randomized controlled trial)]. / Prirodnye lechebnye faktory kurorta «Nal'chik¼ v meditsinskoi reabilitatsii patsientov s posttravmaticheskim stressovym rasstroistvom. (Randomizirovannoe kontroliruemoe issledovanie).

INTRODUCTION: In order to optimize rehabilitation measures for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) it is advisable to use natural therapeutic factors in the medical rehabilitation programmes of this category of patients, which is due to the pronounced psycho-corrective effects of climatic landscape therapy and nitrogen-thermal waters. AIM: To study psycho-corrective effects of a new rehabilitation technique for the patients suffering from PTSD using natural therapeutic factors of Nalchik resort. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thera has been carried out a randomized controlled trial that included 74 patients with PTSD. Two groups were formed by simple randomization: in the control group (CG/n=38) the patients had standardized pharmacotherapy, physical training and individual psychocorrection in accordance with federal clinical recommendations; in the main group (MG/n=36) terrencourt in the natural park of Nalchik resort and nitrogen-thermal baths were additionally prescribed. The effectiveness of rehabilitation measures was monitored using a questionnaire to assess the therapeutic dynamics of PTSD, the Beck Hopelessness scale, as well as the Neurotech Kolibri wireless BFB complex (Russia). RESULTS: A comparative analysis of monitoring of psycho-emotional status indicators proved the feasibility of the developed medical rehabilitation programme for PTSD patients. A significant improvement in psychoemotional status was observed according to the questionnaire for assessing the therapeutic dynamics of PTSD (on average by 2 times, p<0.01), according to the Beck hopelessness scale, according to which the clinically assessed suicidal risk and hopelessness level were reduced by 1.7 (p<0.01) times with the patients in the MG. According to the analysis of brain biopotentials during the primary training, the patients had insufficient control over the course of mental activity (63%), and at the end of the course the indicator improved to 97% (p<0.01). In the CG positive dynamics on both scales of psychological testing and analysis of brain biopotentials was significantly lower (by 12-15%, p<0.05-p<0.01). CONCLUSION: After including in the standardized rehabilitation programme controlled walking in the mid-mountain Natural Park and nitrogen-thermal baths of Nalchik resort, there was a significant improvement in the psycho-emotional status of the patients suffering from PTSD, which indicates their psychocorrective effects and provides great opportunities to improve the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation.

[Analysis of the effectiveness of various methods of rehabilitation of patients with subacromial impingement syndrome]. / Analiz effektivnosti primeneniya razlichnykh metodov reabilitatsii patsientov s subakromial'nym impindzhment-sindromom.

INTRODUCTION: Subacromial impingement syndrome is a common pathology that leads to a persistent decrease in the functioning of the affected limb and, as a consequence, a decrease in the quality of life and work ability of patients. According to various authors, the study of the effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation of this pathology is quite widely presented in the literature: surgical, including arthroscopic operations, rehabilitation using various factors of physical therapy, manual and other practices. However, the issue of assessing the effectiveness of movement therapy, both alone and in combination with other therapeutic methods, remains relevant. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic gymnastics procedures, both monotherapy and in combination with manual massage according to the therapeutic method and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome of the shoulder, in order to reduce pain and improve the function of the shoulder joint. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 70 patients whose age was 42.18±10.42 years. Patients were divided into two main groups: group 1 (n=34) and group 2 (n=36). All patients received a course of treatment, including 10 procedures of therapeutic exercises, with recommendations at the end of the course for continuation in the form of independent studies using the proven methodology. The duration of the course of therapeutic exercises (in the form of procedures with a physical therapy instructor and subsequent independent studies) was 30 days. Patients in group 2 were divided into three subgroups: subgroup 2A, in which PH procedures were combined with massage of the cervical-collar area and the upper limb area of the affected side; subgroup 2B, where PH gymnastics was carried out in combination with extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) procedures; subgroup 2C - a comprehensive program including LH procedures, manual massage and shock wave therapy. RESULTS: 3 months after the end of the course of rehabilitation measures, patients of all groups showed a significant improvement in scores on the ASES and VAS scales, but there were no reliably significant differences between the results of different groups. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that movement therapy is an effective method of rehabilitation for patients with subacromial impingement syndrome, and conducting complex programs in which PH is combined with other rehabilitation methods (massage, shock wave therapy) doesn't have statistically significant advantages over PH alone within a 3-month observation period.

[Magnetotherapy in patients with malignant tumors receiving immunotherapy]. / Opyt primeneniya reabilitatsionnoi magnitoterapii u patsientov so zlokachestvennymi opukholyami, poluchayushchikh immunoterapiyu.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the quality of life in patients receiving immunotherapy and overall response rate in case of additional magnetotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 3 cohorts of patients (n=48) with various disseminated malignancies (melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer) who received immunotherapy. In the study groups, all patients additionally took courses of rehabilitation based on magnetotherapy. In the control cohorts, patients underwent courses of immunotherapy without additional magnetic therapy. Treatment efficacy was assessed according to iRECIST 1.1 criteria. The Russian version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire was used to study the quality of life. We analyzed adverse events using the CTCAE 5.0 criteria. RESULTS: In patients with melanoma, the most common response to systemic treatment was stabilization (41.7% in the study group and 30.8% in the control group). The objective response rate was higher in the study group (33.3% vs. 23.1%). There was also significant improvement in the quality of life after treatment in the study group (by 23.5%). In the control group, the indicator worsened by 4.8%. Overall health improved by 12.8% in the study group and 10.3% in the control group. In patients with lung cancer, response to systemic treatment with stabilization was achieved in 33.3% of patients in the study group and 20% of patients in the control group. The objective response rate was 33.3% and 20%, respectively. Analysis of the study group revealed improvement of overall health by 9.6% and overall quality of life by 38.6%. In the control group, overall health improved by 4.8% and quality of life remained the same. In patients with kidney cancer, the objective response rate was 40% and 42.9%, respectively. Disease stabilization was achieved in 40% and 28.6% of patients, respectively. Overall health improved by 16.7% and 6.3%, overall quality of life - by 19% and 9.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Magnetic therapy during the course of immunotherapy improved the overall quality of life and reduced severity of adverse events. Further study of magnetotherapy as an accompanying rehabilitation technique is required.

[Comprehensive medical rehabilitation using therapeutic physical factors including hydrokinesiotherapy in a pool with mineral water and its effect on circadian rhythms of arterial pressure and autonomic regulation in patients with arterial hypertension and with chronic psychoemotional stress]. / Kompleksnaya reabilitatsiya lechebnymi fizicheskimi faktorami s vklyucheniem gidrokinezioterapii v basseine s mineral'noi vodoi i ee vliyanie na tsirkadnye ritmy arterial'nogo davleniya i vegetativnuyu regulyatsiyu u bol'nykh arterial'noi gipertoniei i s khronicheskim psikhoemotsional'nym napryazheniem.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the course-based comprehensive rehabilitation using the therapeutic physical factors of the Belokurikha resort, including hydrokinesiotherapy in a pool with mineral water on the circadian rhythms of arterial pressure and its autonomous regulation in patients with arterial hypertension (AH) associated with chronic psychoemotional stress (CPES). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 83 patients with stage I-II grade 1-2 of AH, whose professional activities were associated with CPES. Each participant had 24-hours Holter blood pressure monitored, and cardiointervalography (CIG) was performed before and after the medical rehabilitation course. The rehabilitation complex of the main group (II) included medication therapy for AH, diet, morning hygienic gymnastics, manual massage, total magnet therapy, and hydrokinesiotherapy in a pool with mineral water. Patients in the comparison group (I) were exposed to similar therapeutic physical factors with identical parameters of the procedures, except hydrokinesiotherapy, which was replaced by full baths with mineral water. RESULTS: Medical rehabilitation using the therapeutic physical factors of the Belokurikha resort with hydrokinesiotherapy in a pool promotes a decrease in the activity of a sympathetic nervous system and increase of vagal effects contribute to the regulation of vital functions of the AH patients, associated with CPES, thus minimizing the frequency of abnormal daily profiles night-peaker and over-dipper to 12.5% and 1.78% of cases, respectively, and increasing the percentage of subjects with its normal type (dipper) to 57.1% (p=0.039). CONCLUSION: The study results show the benefits of hydrokinesiotherapy in a pool with mineral water as a part of the course-based comprehensive rehabilitation in patients with hypertension and chronic psychoemotional stress in terms of normalizing circadian rhythms of arterial pressure and optimizing the activity of higher autonomous centers, which largely determine the cardiovascular system performance in this setting.

[Reconstructive esophageal surgery in fast track epoch]. / Rekonstruktivnaya khirurgiya pishchevoda v epokhu fast track.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an efficiency and safety of perioperative fast track management in reconstructive esophageal surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Perioperative fast track management protocol in reconstructive esophageal surgery has been applied since 2014 at the Department of Thoracoabdominal Surgery and Oncology of the Petrovsky Russian Scientific Center of Surgery. These patients (2017-2020) were included in the main group (n=75). Patients who underwent traditional perioperative care (2010-2013) were enrolled in the control group (n=63). The primary outcome was postoperative hospital-stay. We also evaluated ICU stay, incidence of complications according to Clavien-Dindo grading system with particular registration of respiratory complications, mortality, enteral and oral feeding onset. RESULTS: There were no significant between-group differences in sex, age, ASA grade, body mass index. Fast track management reduced hospital-stay from 14 (12; 17) days in the control group to 11 (8; 22) days in the main group (p=0.008). Mean ICU-stay decreased up to 1 (0.8; 2) day in the main group compared to the control group (4.1 (3.5; 5.6) days, p<0.0001). Pneumonia was noted in 5 patients after fast track recovery and 15 patients in the control group (p=0.004). No patients died in the main group, 3 (4.8%) patients - in the control group (p=1). CONCLUSION: Modern perioperative fast track management protocol is safe and effective for extensive reconstructive esophageal interventions. This approach reduces hospital-stay and ICU stay, as well as the incidence of respiratory complications.

[Modern technologies of regenerative rehabilitation in the treatment of patients with abnormal scars]. / Sovremennye tekhnologii regenerativnoi reabilitatsii v lechenii patsientov s patologicheskimi rubtsovymi izmeneniyami.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an efficacy of lipoaspirate-based products in pathologic scarring management. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 118 patients with external scars. Depending on scar type, localization and need for soft tissue augmentation, three different methods were used for lipoaspirate-based product preparation: 15-minute sedimentation, centrifugation at 1200 g for 3 minutes and emulsification with a channel diameter of 1.2 mm. Results were assessed using the Manchester Scar Scale (MSS) and photographing. RESULTS: According to MSS analysis, the following results were obtained: before treatment - 11.6 (9.3-13.3) scores, 3 months after treatment - 6.5 (5.1-7.2) scores, 6 months after treatment - 5.2 (4.5-6.1) scores. Significant differences were obtained for baseline values and both control points. Stable results were obtained in long-term follow-up period (12-24 months). No major adverse effects were observed. Minor complications were registered in 10.1% of patients. CONCLUSION: Injections of lipoaspirate-based products is an effective option for the treatment of patients with pathologic scarring. This approach is intermediate between conservative and conventional surgical treatment.

[Hearing function in children after new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)]. / Sostoyanie slukha u detei, perenesshikh novuyu koronavirusnuyu infektsiyu (COVID-19).

The information about hearing status of patients who have had a COVID-19 is scattered. There are no studies among children population. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate hearing function in children after coronavirus infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 87 children aged from 5 months to 17 years who have had a new coronavirus infection were examined in three cities of Russia (St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Surgut). Audiologic examination depended on the age and included: otoscopy, TEOAE and DPOAE, ABR, impedansometry, pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry in quiet and noise. Fisher, LittlEARS and PEACH questionnaires were used as well. An evaluation of central auditory processing was performed in case of indications. RESULTS: In 80 children (92%) otoscopy didn't revealed any problems. All children had type A tympanogram. Acoustic reflex was registered in 49 children (56%), wasn't registered on 1-2 frequencies in 27 (31%) children, was registered on only 1 frequency or wasn't registered at all in 11 (13%) children. OAE was present in 83 (95%) children. Audiometric thresholds in all children were within a normal range. Speech intelligibility in quiet and noise in most cases was normal. 7 children with poor speech intelligibility or low Fisher questionnaire results got an extended examination. Binaural fusion speech test, dichotic test, RuMatrix test, gap detection test data showed no signs of central auditory processing disorders. CONCLUSION: There are no cases of hearing loss or central auditory processing disorders were found in children after new coronavirus infection. Due to variety of symptoms and long-term consequences of COVID-19 further hearing examination is required in this group of patients.

[Novel coronavirus infection COVID-19: extrapulmonary manifestations].

The novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 in most cases manifests with respiratory symptoms and fever, however, some patients may have cardiovascular and gastroenterological manifestations. A feature of the clinical syndrome of COVID-19 is the development of pronounced immunopathological reactions and disorders of hemostasis, leading to the development of a wide range of cardiovascular complications. The course of COVID-19 may be complicated by the development of acute myocardial infarction, venous and arterial thrombosis and thromboembolism in various vascular pools, the development of acute myocardial damage and myocarditis. Among the gastroenterological manifestations, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, as well as abdominal pain, are most often detected. These symptoms may precede the appearance of respiratory signs of the disease, and in some cases come to the fore in the clinical picture of the disease. In addition, in some patients there are laboratory signs of liver injury (increased serum transaminases). The exact pathogenesis of the above disorders continues to be studied.

[Statistical parallels of mortality indicators and alcohol intoxications according to forensic autopsies in Moscow]. / Statisticheskie paralleli pokazatelei smertnosti i alkogol'nykh op'yanenii po dannym sudebno-meditsinskikh vskrytii v Moskve.

The aim of work is to study dynamics of frequency of alcohol intoxications incidence revealed at forensic examination of corpses in Moscow. Frequency of intoxications incidence was determined as index making a share part of cases where ethyl alcohol was found in blood of corpses, comparing to total number of forensic autopsies. For every calendar year of the five-year period from 2014 till 2018 the comparative analysis of frequency of incidence of alcohol intoxications at concrete types of death was carried out. We defined the trend and the rate of changes of alcohol intoxications frequency. During the period from 2014 to 2017 we discovered the strong tendency to reduction of number of alcohol intoxications at violent death. In 2018 the rate of reduction decreased.

[The comparison of laboratory tests Quantiferon, Tubinferon and Diaskintest in children with tuberculosis infection.]

The study was carried out to compare results of three tests on the basis of antigens CFP-10 and ESAT-6: laboratory tests QuantiFERON (QFT) and Tubinferon (TIF) and intra-cutaneous test with allergen tuberculous recombinant - Diaskintest (DST). Tubinferon is a Russian analog of test QuantiFERON and is based on quantitative analysis of interferon-gamma after incubation of samples of whole blood in the presence of antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) - tuberculin and recombinant antigens ESAT-6 and САЗ-10. The results QFT, TIF and DST are examined on 63 patients aged from 7 months to 15 years at parallel setup. According complex examination 63 children were divided at three groups: group I - 29 children infected with MBT and without disease; group II - 8 children non-infected with MBT; group III - 26 children with active forms of tuberculosis. It is established that at high rate of coincidence of results of all three tests (68.3%) in particular situations they can react differently, providing thereby additional information. The results of tests QFT and TIF coincide in 74.6% of all cases. The tests in vitro (QFT, TFT) occurred more sensitive under immuno-pathologic conditions in comparison with DST test. The TFT test demonstrated higher sensitivity under infection with MBT (58.6%) as compared with DST (34.5%) and QFT (34.5%) but lesser than in children with tuberculosis: TFT - 61.5%, QFT - 92.3%, DST - 80.8%. The conclusion is made that all three tests provide positive result more often under tuberculosis infection than in case of infected with MBT. The Tubinferon test is recommended to application and especially for children infected with MBT prior development of disease.

[Proinflammatory activity of monocytes and activity of glutathione-dependent enzymes in red blood cells in women with depressive conditions]. / Provospalitel'naya aktivnost' monotsitov i aktivnost' glutation-zavisimykh fermentov v eritrotsitakh krovi u zhenshchin s depressivnymi sostoyaniyami.

OBJECTIVE: To search for possible connections between the anti-inflammatory activity of monocytes (PAM) and the activity of glutathione metabolic enzymes: glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-S-transferase (GT) in patients with depressive states (DS) within various mental pathologies, as well as between the studied biological parameters and clinical condition of patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-one women, aged 18-56 years, with DC were examined before and after treatment. Symptom severity was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Hamilton Depressive Symptom Rating Scale (HDRS-21). The control group included 23 women of the corresponding age without mental pathology. Biological parameters were assessed in the peripheral blood of patients and healthy people. RESULTS: Patients with a high level of PAM compared to the control (p<0.001) (subgroup 1, n=31) and with a low (at the control level) level (subgroup 2, n=30) were identified. In the subgroup 1, the values of GR and GT were significantly lower than in patients of subgroup 2 (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Negative correlations between the level of PAM before treatment and GR before and after treatment were revealed in patients who responded to treatment (r=-0.67; p=0.0041; r=-0.76; p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: The results may indicate the inverse relationship between the level of PAM and the activity of GR and GT, which are involved in the pathogenesis of DC, and can also serve as criteria for assessing the response of patients to treatment.

[The regulatory role of gut microbiota in inflammation in depression and anxiety]. / Regulyatornaya rol' kishechnoi mikrobioty v vospalenii pri depressii i trevoge.

Numerous studies have identified the important role of the gut microbiota in maintaining of the CNS normal functioning and in the pathogenesis of mental disorders as one of the systems regulating the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. The microbiota has been found to be involved in the modulation of inflammation as well as in the development and function of the immune and nervous systems. It is assumed that in multicellular organisms, the nervous and immune systems have evolved together with the microbiota, being in interaction with it, in order to optimize the body's ability to adapt to a wide range of environmental stresses in order to maintain the constancy of its homeostasis. Normally, microbes live in stable communities, while under conditions of even mild or chronic social stress, significant shifts in the composition of the microbiota occur, which lead to the development of dysbiosis associated with changes in microbiota metabolites, which can lead to the formation of physiology and behavior characteristic of stress and depression. Microbes influence the activation of peripheral immune cells that regulate the response to neuroinflammation, brain damage, autoimmune responses, and neurogenesis. The review provides a brief overview of the normal gut microbiota, describes the factors influencing the state of the microbiota, and also discusses recent discoveries concerning the regulatory effect of the gut microbiota on CNS functions, the immune system, and inflammation in the pathogenesis of depression and anxiety.

Interconnected Evolution of Epidemic and Public Vaccination Opinion.

A new model of interconnected coevolving SIRS epidemic and public vaccination opinion pattern is presented. The underlying two-layer network contains strata corresponding to physical interactions in real space and social communications. The layer corresponding to physical interactions is constructed based on data on a real network representing communications between high school students. The evolution of people vaccination attitude is described using an Ising-type model. The model describes a non-trivial dependence of resulting epidemic dynamics on (1) noise amplitude, (2) initial opinion pattern and (3) influence of external information.

[Evaluation of the levels of proinflammatory activity of monocytes in depressed patients with schizophrenia]. / Provospalitel'naya aktivnost' monotsitov u bol'nykh s depressivnymi sostoyaniyami v ramkakh shizofrenii.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the proinflammatory activity of monocytes (PAM) in depressed patients with schizophrenia by counting the proinflammatory monocyte number and to identify possible correlations between PAM and clinical indicators. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-eight women with depressive states in schizophrenia and 23 mentally and somatically healthy age- and sex-matched people were examined. The clinical condition of the patients was assessed by the total PANSS (PANSS_tot) and HDRS (HDRS_tot) scores. PAM was determined in the peripheral blood of patients and healthy controls by counting the number of large monocytes with a diameter of 12.5 to 15 microns on a cell counter and analyzer using the positive magnetic separation method to isolate a pure population of CD14 monocytes. RESULTS: Before treatment, the level of PAM significantly exceeded the corresponding value in controls (p<0.001) in half of the patients; after treatment, the level of PAM decreased to control values (p<0.001). Linear regression revealed in a subgroup of patients with an initially low PAM level a positive correlation between its value and HDRS tot (r=0.5, p<0.05) before treatment, that is, a low PAM level before treatment was accompanied by low-severity depressive disorders. The analysis of PAM level in the subgroups of patients responding and not responding to treatment revealed a decrease in the PAM value after treatment in the responding patients assessed by PANSS_tot (p<0.05) and in the responding patients assessed by HDRS_tot (p=0.06). Similar patterns were not detected in the subgroups of nonresponders. CONCLUSION: The correlations between the PAM level and the severity of depressive and other psychopathological disorders in patients with depressive states in schizophrenia may indicate the involvement of immune inflammation in the pathogenesis of this disease. The positive relationship between the initially low PAM level and the mild severity of depressive disorders can be used as a prognostic sign of patients' response to treatment.

Damaging effects of lyticase on Candida albicans and changes in the response of rat alveolar macrophages to the contact with yeast-like fungi.

Changes in the cell wall of yeast-like fungi Candida albicans caused by bacterial enzyme lyticase were studied under an electron microscope. The results were compared with the findings on phagocytosis of lyticase-treated Candida albicans by rat alveolar macrophages. It was shown that destruction of the mannan and fibrous outer layers of the cell wall of yeast-like fungi treated with the enzyme led to the release of intracellular organelles and their content. Lyticase treatment reduced the resistance of Candida albicans to intracellular digestion by macrophages contributing to completion of phagocytosis.

[A comparative analysis of two methods for assessing the proinflammatory activity of monocytes in patients with juvenile depression]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz dvukh sposobov otsenki provospalitel'noi aktivnosti monotsitov pri depressii u bol'nykh yunosheskogo vozrasta.

OBJECTIVE: To show that the results of evaluation of monocyte pro-inflammatory activity (PA) in patients with juvenile depression and healthy donors, obtained using a new method developed by us for counting the relative number of large monocytes on a multifunctional counter and cell analyzer, are similar to the results obtained using a standard assessment of the level of proinflammatory CD14+/CD16+ - monocytes on a flow cytofluorimeter. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The PA of monocytes, isolated from the peripheral venous blood of 18 patients with juvenile depression and 12 mentally and somatically healthy age and gender-matched persons was evaluated in two ways: using the generally accepted method of determining the relative number of monocytes with the proinflammatory phenotype CD14+/CD16+ on a flow cytofluorometer FC-500 and by counting the relative number of large monocytes on a multifunctional counter and cell analyzer Multisizer MS-4. PA of monocytes in patients was studied by using both methods in different variants: in the general group and in the subgroups of patients with low and high levels of active monocytes. RESULTS: The levels of monocyte PA determined in patients using the two methods did not statistically differ from each other in all variants of the analysis (p=0.6). The equivalence of the obtained results was confirmed by the Chi-square test (r=0.77, p=0.05), as well as by the detection of a statistically significant positive correlation between the number of monocytes with the pro-inflammatory CD14+/CD16+ phenotype, on the one hand, and the relative number of large monocytes, on the other hand (Spearman r=0.75; p<0.05). At the same time, a comparative analysis of the level of monocyte PA in the general groups of patients and healthy controls revealed significantly higher values of this indicator in patients compared with healthy persons when evaluated by both methods (p<0.05). Definition of monocytes PA using the new method developed by us for counting the relative number of large monocytes on the analyzer and cell counter is more economical and easier to perform, since it does not require the use of expensive devices and reagents, as well as complex device settings and a high level of operator qualification, as in the common method, and is carried out only by two parameters: by counting the number of large monocytes with a diameter of 12.5 to 15 microns and the total number of monocytes with a diameter of 9 to 15 microns. CONCLUSION: The proposed method for assessing monocyte PA by counting the relative number of large monocytes on the cell counter and analyzer can be used to analyze the activity of monocytes for research purposes.

Multilayer representation of collaboration networks with higher-order interactions.

Collaboration patterns offer important insights into how scientific breakthroughs and innovations emerge in small and large research groups. However, links in traditional networks account only for pairwise interactions, thus making the framework best suited for the description of two-person collaborations, but not for collaborations in larger groups. We therefore study higher-order scientific collaboration networks where a single link can connect more than two individuals, which is a natural description of collaborations entailing three or more people. We also consider different layers of these networks depending on the total number of collaborators, from one upwards. By doing so, we obtain novel microscopic insights into the representativeness of researchers within different teams and their links with others. In particular, we can follow the maturation process of the main topological features of collaboration networks, as we consider the sequence of graphs obtained by progressively merging collaborations from smaller to bigger sizes starting from the single-author ones. We also perform the same analysis by using publications instead of researchers as network nodes, obtaining qualitatively the same insights and thus confirming their robustness. We use data from the arXiv to obtain results specific to the fields of physics, mathematics, and computer science, as well as to the entire coverage of research fields in the database.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Heart Failure with Midrange and Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Focus on Serum Biomarkers of Fibrosis.

As myocardial fibrosis might be an important contributor to the association of diabetes mellitus with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and chronic heart failure (HF), we investigated the profile of some proinflammatory, profibrotic biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at various stages of the cardiovascular disease continuum from absence of clinic since and symptoms to HF with preserved (HFpEF) and midrange ejection fraction (HFmrEF). Material and Methods. Sixty-two patients with T2DM (age 60 [55; 61]), 20 patients without clinical manifestations of HF and 2 groups with clinical manifestations of stable HF, 29 patients with HFpEF, and 13 patients with HFmrEF, were included in the study. The control group consisted of 13 healthy subjects and normal BMI. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography, laboratory assessment of N-terminal fragment of the brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP), highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), soluble suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (sST2), galectin-3, C-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PICP), N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type III (PIIINP), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and tissue inhibitor of matrix proteinase-1 (TIMP-1). Results. Patients with HFmrEF had higher values of LV volumetric parameters, indexed parameters of LV myocardial mass (LVMM), and higher concentrations of Nt-proBNP (all p < 0.05). The concentrations of galectin-3 were greater in patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF compared to patients without HF (p = 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). PICP and PICP/PIIINP ratio were greater in patients with HFmrEF compared to patients with HFpEF (p = 0.043 and p = 0.033, respectively). In patients with T2DM and HF, a relationship was found between galectin-3 and LVMM/body surface area (r = -0.58, p = 0.001), PIIINP, TIMP-1, and LV end-diastolic volume (r = -0.68 and p = 0.042 and r = 0.38 and p = 0.02, respectively). Conclusion. The dynamics at various stages of the cardiovascular disease continuum in the serum fibrosis markers may reflect an increase in fibrotic and decrease in antifibrotic processes already at the preclinical stage of HF. At the same time, the changes found in the circulating procollagen levels may indicate a shift in balance towards type I collagen synthesis in HFmrEF compared with HFpEF.