Alpha Diversity Indices as Indicators of the Variability of Gut Microbiota in Obese Adolescents of Different Ethnicities.

We compared alpha diversity indices of the intestinal microbiota in adolescents with obesity and normal body weight, taking into account their ethnicity. Intestinal biocenosis was studied by metasequencing of amplicon libraries of V3-V4 fragments of the 16S rRNA gene. The alpha diversity of the microbiota was assessed using classical and alternative indices. Statistically significant differences in intestinal microbiota were observed between Russians with obesity and Buryats with normal body weight, as well as between Russians with obesity and Buryats with obesity when assessing the Shannon-Weaver, Chao1 indices, Faith phylogenetic diversity index, ACE, Fisher, Gini coefficient, Margalef, and Menkhinik indices. It was shown that alpha diversity indices can be used to assess significance of differences and variability of the intestinal microbiota in multifactorial diseases such as obesity in adolescents; however, the scope of application of the criteria should be considered.

The Level of Sex Hormones and Corticosterone in Female Rats during Modeling of Visceral Obesity, Subsequent Physical Activity, and Normalization of the Diet.

The effects of diet-induced visceral obesity and non-drug options of its correction on the level of sex hormones and corticosterone were evaluated in 84 female Wistar rats. During stage I, the rats received either a standard diet (STD) or a high-calorie diet (HCD) for 8 weeks. During stage II, the animals were divided into subgroups depending on obesity correction: without correction (STD control and HCD), transition from HCD to STD (HCD/STD) and/or physical activity (treadmill exercise) for the next 8 weeks (HCD/STD+exercise, STD+exercise, and HCD+exercise). Diet-induced visceral obesity resulted in hyperandrogenization and increased blood corticosterone levels in females. Transition from HCD to STD regardless of physical activity led to normalization of testosterone level and, accordingly, to return to the functional norm of estrogen-androgen balance. The positive effect of moderate physical activity on hormonal status is realized only against the background of a balanced diet or during the transition from HCD to STD.

Oxidative Damage of DNA, Proteins and C-Reactive Protein Parameters in Girls and Boys with Exogenous Constitutional Obesity.

The parameters of oxidative damage of DNA, proteins, as well as the parameters of the thiol-disulfide system and C-reactive protein in adolescent girls and boys with exogenous constitutional obesity (ECO) were evaluated. In girls and boys with obesity, the levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (marker of DNA destruction) were higher than in controls. Evaluation of the activity of the thiol-disulfide system revealed increased levels of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and decreased levels of the reduced glutathione (GSH) and GSSG ratio (GSH/GSSG) in adolescents with ECO regardless of the sex in comparison with the control. C-reactive protein was also higher in the ECO groups regardless of the sex. The levels of glutathione peroxidase in obese boys were higher than in girls. In view of the revealed shifts, corrective measures with the prescription of drugs with antioxidant properties are recommended in adolescents with ECO to stabilize the indices.

The State of the LPO-AOD System and the Relative Length of Telomeric Repeats in the Chromosomes of Blood Leukocytes in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

We analyzed the relative length of telomeric repeats in peripheral blood leukocytes and indicators of oxidative stress in 32 men (mean age 51.2±3.1 years) with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The control group consisted of volunteers without OSAS. The relative length of telomeres was determined in a DNA sample isolated from venous whole blood samples. The length of telomeric repeats of chromosomes was determined using quantitative real-time PCR (3 times for each DNA sample); albumin served as an internal control. The intensity of LPO processes and antioxidant protection was assessed by conventional spectrophotometric methods. It was found that in patients with OSAS, the relative length of telomeric repeats was lower by 48%, the levels of substrates and products of LPO were higher (double bonds and diene conjugates by 34 and 19%, respectively), and antioxidant protection indicators were lower (concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins α-tocopherol and retinol by 18 and 19.3%, respectively, total antioxidant activity by 32.9%) than in volunteers of the control group. Thus, we can conclude that the nucleotide sequences are reduced in patients with OSAS under conditions of intensified free radical oxidation.

[Neuroendocrine changes among 45-60 years old women with COVID-19 and 12 months after the disease.]

Climacteric women have the post-COVID period clinical features, which can lead to an acceleration of the aging. The study consists in assessing individual parameters of the neuroendocrine system in climacteric women with a moderate course of COVID-19 and 12 months after the disease. Under observation were women aged 45-69 years, who were divided into groups: women who did not have COVID-19, not vaccinated, with no antibodies to COVID-19 (IgG) - control group (n=16); women in the acute phase of COVID-19 with a moderate course, accompanied by pneumonia - main group (n=63); patients from the main group who agreed to be examined 12 months after COVID-19 (n=15). The prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, cortisol, testosterone, 17-OH-progesterone, dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels were assessed. In women with COVID-19 compared with the control the prolactin level was increased (p=0,0002) and the estradiol (р=0,032), testosterone (p=0,004), cortisol (p=0,009), 17-OH-progesterone (p=0,025) and DHEA-S (p=0,003) levels were reduced. Intragroup comparison of hormones showed a decrease in the prolactin level (р=0,041) and increase in the 17-OH-progesterone (р=0,011) and DHEA-S (р=0,0006) levels 12 months after the disease. With a personalized consideration of this group a decrease in the prolactin level is observed in 73,3% of these patients. In the same period, there was an increase in testosterone levels in 46,7% of women, cortisol - in 73,3% of women, 17-OH-progesterone - in 80% of women, DHEA-S - in 100% of cases. When comparing these hormonal parameters between the group of patients who recovered from COVID-19 12 months ago and the control, no statistically significant differences were found, however, patients were identified in whom prolactin and cortisol exceeded the reference values, although in the acute phase of COVID-19 the values of these indicators corresponded to the reference values.

[Glutathione unit of the antioxidant system activity in pregnant women depending on the sleep quality]. / Aktivnost' glutationovogo zvena antioksidantnoi sistemy u beremennykh v zavisimosti ot kachestva sna.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the enzymatic and non-enzymatic links of the glutathione system in pregnant women depending on the sleep quality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 64 pregnant women aged 18 to 40 years. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The results of the clinical and anamnestic examination made it possible to divide the subjects into the control group (PSQI≤5, n=31, mean age 32±5.2 years, body mass index (BMI) 30.86±8.41 kg/m2) and the main group (PSQI>5, n=33, mean age 33±5.23 years, BMI 30.88±7.47 kg/m2). The distribution of women by trimesters between the groups was statistically comparable: I (48.4%), II (32.3%), III (19.3%) in the control group and 1 (48.5%), 2 (36.4%), 3 (15.1%) in the main group. Glutathione status was determined by the content of reduced, oxidized glutathione and their ratio, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities. The content of lipid peroxidation products was determined by the levels of diene conjugates and TBA-active products. RESULTS: PSQI was 3.81±1.30 points in the control and 8.88±3.12 points in the main group (p<0.001). There was an increase in the glutathione peroxidase activity (1349 [790.3; 2006] U/l, p=0.016) and oxidized glutathione level (2.17 [1.85; 2.33] mmol/l, p=0.048) in the main group compared with the control group (560 [438.1; 1462] U/l and 1.85 [1.53; 2.25] mmol/l, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the content of lipid peroxidation products such as diene conjugates and TBA-active products. CONCLUSION: The decrease of sleep quality in pregnant women is accompanied by changes in the glutathione component of antioxidant protection activation, which indicates the need to take measures to improve the sleep quality and correct the antioxidant status in these women.

Blood Cytokines of the Ovarian Vein Basin in Different Stages of Pelvic Varicose Veins.

We analyzed the blood concentration of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the ovarian vein basin area in women of the reproductive age with primary pelvic varices. Increase in the disease severity was accompanied by a significant increase in proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-8) and the proinflammatory index (IL-6/IL-10), whereas anti-inflammatory cytokine production changed ambiguously (increase of IL-4 at stage I, decrease of IL-10 at stage II, significant decrease of IL-4 and IL-10 at stage III). Control of these changes in female patients should probably be an important component of treatment measures and prevention of morphofunctional disorders occurring at disease progression, in particular at stage III of the disease.

Length of Leukocyte Telomeres in Newborns of HIV-Infected Mothers.

We studied the relative length of telomeres in newborns with unrealized perinatal transmission of HIV (zero viral load according to PCR results). A cross-sectional survey of 62 newborns of HIV-infected mothers (Apgar score 8); the control group consisted of 80 healthy newborns (Apgar score 8). DNA extracted from whole venous blood samples was analyzed. In newborns of HIV-infected mothers, the relative length of telomeres was significantly lower (0.69 (0.66; 0.72)) than in newborns of the control group (1.1 (0.97; 1.22)) (p<0.001). No significant differences in the relative length of telomeres were found between newborns of mothers with a viral load at the time of delivery and with undetectable viral load: 0.69 (0.66; 0.73) and 0.69 (0.63; 0.72). These findings indicate that HIV-infection in mothers or exposure to antiretroviral therapy has an impact on the relative telomere length in leukocytes of newborns.

[Activity of the telomerase complex before and after CPAP therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome]. / Aktivnost' telomeraznogo kompleksa na fone SIPAP-terapii u patsientov s sindromom obstruktivnogo apnoe sna.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in the activity of the telomerase complex in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) before and after continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In accordance with the objectives of the stages of the study of telomers-telomerase relationships, we maintained the unified design of the study described earlier. The main group 1 (MG1), n=35, consisted of men, aged 53.4 [45.5-60.1] years with characteristic complaints indicating of OSA. The main group 2 (MG2) included the same patients before and after 6 months of CPAP therapy. Blood sampling was performed after the first diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) and after 6 months of CPAP in the morning after the second PSG. The control group (CG) consisted of 26 men, comparable in age and the presence of chronic diseases. Questionnaire, PSG and blood sampling were conducted in CG as well. All participants signed an informed consent. RESULTS: As a result of the STOP-BANG questionnaire conducted before PSG, all patients in the MG1 had scores from 5 to 8. The scores on the Epworth scale were more than 5 points. In the MG2 apnea-hypopnea index decreased from 20.1 to 6.4 ev/hour, the desaturation index decreased from 15.6 to 7.1 ev/hour after 6 months of CPAP. Statistically significant differences in changes in the activity of the telomerase complex were revealed, which after treatment significantly exceed the values of these indicators before treatment. So, telomerase reverse transcriptase value was 0.04 (0.009; 0.06) in the MG1, after treatment it was 0.07 (0.06; 0.09) in the MG2 and 0.134 (0.009; 0.18) in the CG. Telomerase RNA subunit TER1 values were 0.06 (0.03; 0.09), 0.07 (0.05; 0.09) and 0.136 (0.04; 0.17), respectively. However, despite the activation of the telomerase complex during CPAP therapy in patients with OSA, in the CG its activity is significantly higher in comparison with the MG1 and MG2. CONCLUSION: In OSA accompanied by intermittent hypoxia, a decrease in the activity of the telomerase complex was shown. Elimination of nocturnal hypoxia and improvement of breathing during sleep is accompanied by an increase in the activity of the components of the telomerase complex.

Online Service with Automated Interpretation of Sequencing Data and Prediction of Pyrazinamide Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Pyrazinamide plays an important role in the treatment of tuberculosis. However, the microbiological test for pyrazinamide resistance is more complex and less reliable than testing of susceptibility to other anti-tuberculosis drugs due to the need to grow the pathogen at pH 5.5. Identification of mutations that cause resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs can replace microbiological methods. Mutations in the pncA gene are responsible for the main mechanism of the resistance to pyrazinamide and are found in more than 90% of resistant strains. However, the genetic method for determining drug susceptibility is very complex, because mutations leading to pyrazinamide resistance are diverse and scattered throughout the gene. We have developed a software package for automatic data interpretation and prediction of the resistance to pyrazinamide based on Sanger sequencing results. The effectiveness of detection of pyrazinamide resistance in 16 clinical samples was compared using the BACTEC MGIT 960 automated system and pncA gene Sanger sequencing with automated analysis of the results. A significant advantage of the developed method over a single microbiological study was shown, due to greater reliability of the results irrespective of the purity of isolates.

Oxidative Stress Reactions in Women of Reproductive Age with Metabolic Syndrome.

We analyzed the levels of LPO products and antioxidant defense components in women with the metabolic syndrome. Women with the metabolic syndrome had higher values of substrates with unsaturated double bonds and final TBA-reactive substances in comparison with the control group and higher levels of unsaturated double bonds, primary and end products of LPO, and retinol in comparison with the reference group (women with less than 3 signs of metabolic syndrome). No statistically significant differences between the groups were revealed while estimating the coefficient of oxidative stress; however, there was a tendency to an increase in the median value of this parameter in the group with metabolic syndrome. Thus, the results of the study indicate the activity of LPO reactions at different stages in women of reproductive age with the metabolic syndrome, which points to the necessity to evaluate and monitor the content of these metabolites in the patients of this cohort for the purpose of prevention and treatment.

Features of the Free Radical Oxidation Process and Antioxidant System in Newborns Born to HIV-Infected of Mothers Who Received Antiretroviral Therapies to Prevent HIV Transmission.

The LPO processes and the state of the antioxidant system in perinatally HIV-exposed newborns were studied. Perinatally HIV-exposed (n=62) and healthy newborns (n=80; control) were examined retrospectively (Apgar score 8 in both groups). Blood plasma and erythrocyte hemolysate were used as the material for biochemical tests. Using spectrophotometric, fluorometric, and statistical methods, we found enhanced LPO processes insufficiently compensated by the antioxidant system with excessive accumulation of damaging metabolites in the blood of perinatally HIV-exposed newborns. These changes can be a consequence of oxidative stress during the perinatal period.

Pro-and Antioxidant Status in Newborn with COVID-19.

There is practically no information on the state of oxidative stress reactions in newborns with coronavirus infections. At the same time, such studies are extremely important and can contribute to better understanding of the process of reactivity in patients of different ages. The content of pro- and antioxidant status indicators was assessed in 44 newborns with confirmed COVID-19. It was found that the content of compounds with unsaturated double bonds, primary, secondary, and final LPO products were elevated in newborns with COVID-19. These changes were accompanied by higher SOD activity and retinol level and reduced activity of glutathione peroxidase. Contrary to popular opinion, newborns can be a COVID-19-susceptible age group and require more close monitoring of metabolic reactions during the period of neonatal adaptation that is an aggravating background during infection.

Oxidative Stress, Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity in Spermatogenesis Disorders (Review of Scientific Activity).

The paper systematizes the available data on the study of oxidative stress, the relative length of telomeres, and telomerase activity in male infertility and disorders of spermatogenesis. The study of telomeres, the structures that protect chromosome ends and genome integrity, is of interest for researchers in various fields, from cell biology and epidemiology to ecology and evolutionary biology. The review includes our own data on the study of the relative length of telomeres, oxidative stress, and telomerase activity and reflects modern ideas about the importance of these structures both in the maintenance of genome stability during cell division and in gametogenesis and reproduction. Many studies indicate the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including male infertility. In turn, studies of telomeres as a biomarker of male infertility are insufficient, and the results obtained are extremely controversial and require deeper knowledge about the mechanisms underlying the dynamics of telomere length.

Glutathione Component of Antioxidant Status in Menopausal Women with Insomnia.

The study involved 138 women aged 45-60 years in perimenopause (n=55) and postmenopause (n=83) with insomnia (main groups) and without it (control). The levels of reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione and glutathione peroxidase activity were determined in erythrocytes; activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase were measured in blood serum. The differences with the control groups were found only in perimenopause: higher glutathione reductase activity and reduced GSSG level and GSH/GSSG ratio in women with insomnia (p<0.05). The results of the comparative analysis between the main groups showed lower glutathione reductase activity, increased GSSG level, and a decrease the GSH/GSSG ratio in the postmenopausal period compared with the perimenopause (p<0.05). These results can be used in choosing the tactics for complex therapy of insomnia in menopausal women to correct free radical homeostasis and prevention of oxidative stress.

Changes in Spermatogenesis, Lipoperoxidation Processes, and Antioxidant Protection in Men with Pathozoospermia after COVID-19. The Effectiveness of Correction with a Promising Antioxidant Complex.

The indicators of spermatogenesis and the state of LPO and antioxidant protection in men with pathozoospermia after COVID-19 were assessed before and after treatment an antioxidant complex. Blood plasma served as the material for biochemical studies. In the examined patients, the parameters of spermatogenesis, as well as blood concentration of LPO components (diene conjugates and TBA-reactive substances) were analyzed. The total antioxidant activity of the blood was determined as an indicator characterizing the total activity of LPO inhibitors and determining its buffer capacity. In patients recovered from COVID-19, an increase in spermatogenesis disorders and shifts towards the predominance of prooxidant factors were observed. After a course (1 month) of antioxidant complex, patients showed increased sperm motility, decreased leukocyte count in the ejaculate, and restored balance in the prooxidant-antioxidant system towards antioxidant components. The effectiveness of correction of post-COVID disorders largely depends on the degree of damage to the structure and function of cell membranes caused by oxidative stress. The use of the antioxidant complex is a promising option, because it reduces the level of LPO, enhances antioxidant protection of the body, and also normalizes some parameters of spermatogenesis.

Features of the EEG Pattern of Sleep Spindles and Its Diagnostic Significance in Ontogeny.

Analysis of the microstructure of sleep using extended EEG monitoring can provide deep understanding of the neuronal activity of the brain. Sleep spindles (SS) are one of the main EEG patterns occurring during the non-rapid eye movement sleep. SS reflect the process of synchronization and provide sleep initiation and maintenance by suppressing sensory information. SS are associated with a wide range of brain functions, such as memory and neuroplasticity, general intelligence and cognitive performance, which undergo various changes throughout the life. In this review we discuss the features of the formation and regression of SS in humans during ontogeny on the basis of published data of the last 5-6 years and fundamental results of previous studies at the Scientific Centre for Family Health and Human Reproduction Problems that formed the basis of the modern study of neurophysiological phenomena of the wakefulness and sleep. The search for diagnostic patterns and prognostic markers of the pathology of higher nervous activity remains a priority in fundamental studies and medical practice. Modern methods for studying sleep and its EEG patterns are the next step in understanding the neurophysiological aspects of the sleep-wake cycle. This will open prospects for predicting postnatal maturation, understanding the mechanisms of brain neuroplasticity in the "sleep-wakefulness" continuum, which is one of the tasks of modern somnology and neurophysiology.

Biochemical Status of Obese Male Adolescents of Different Ethnicity: Discriminant Analysis in the Identification of the Most Informative Indicators.

Parameters of the lipid metabolism and lipid peroxidation-antioxidant defense system in male adolescents with obesity, representatives of European and Mongoloid ethnicity were evaluated. Discriminant analysis revealed the most informative biochemical parameters for obese male adolescents: glutathione-S-transferase, VLDL cholesterol, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, and SOD activity for obese male Caucasian adolescents and glutathione-S-transferase, VLDL cholesterol, α-tocopherol, and glutathione peroxidase for Mongoloids obese male adolescents. The use of discriminant analysis allows implementing a differentiated ethnicity-oriented approach to prescribing antioxidant drugs in the complex therapy of obesity.

Peripheral and regional blood bloodstreams lipid peroxidation comparative analysis in women with pelvic venous disorder.

Pelvic venous disorder (PVD) in women is a polyetiological multifactorial disease characterized by a high prevalence (up to 80%), a high risk of infertility, and a progressive recurrent course. Morphological changes of the venous bed occur in PVD, contributing to retrograde blood flow and pelvic phlebohypertension. It is occur due to dynamic hypervolemia and hypertension long-term exposure on the venous wall. However, PVD pathogenesis analysis only from venous hemodynamic disorders position does not explain all mechanisms of the disease development and does not contribute to the treatment measures effectiveness. Currently oxidative stress reactions are considered as the most important markers of the pathological process. The aim of our work was a comparative analysis of lipid peroxidation-antioxidant defense component changes in the peripheral and regional blood flow in women with primary pelvic venous disorder depending on the disease stage. The study involved 137 women of reproductive age (mean age 37.4±9.1 years old) with diagnosed primary PVD divided into 3 groups according to the pathological process stages (stages I, II, III). Data from 30 practically healthy women (mean age 33.5±6.3 years old) were used as controls. Spectrophotometric, fluorometric, immunoassay and statistical methods were used. In patients with PVD stage I in peripheral bloodstream were higher values of SOD and GPO activity; in the regional bloodstream were higher levels of TBARs, SOD, catalase, GPO and lower GSH. In PVD stage II the peripheral bloodstream showed elevated levels of DC, GSH and SOD reduced levels; the regional bloodstream showed higher levels of DC, TBARs, GPO and GSH reduced levels relative to controls. PVD stage III was characterized by: higher levels of DC and TBARs and lower levels of SOD and GSH in the peripheral bloodstream; higher levels of DC, TBARs and lower levels of GSH and catalase in the regional bloodstream compared with control. Thus, the results of our study showed no significant differences in the LPO-AOD system between peripheral and regional bloodstreams in patients with PVD depending on the disease stage. However, negative changes in the redox balance in the regional bloodstream were earlier and were already registered at the first stage of the disease. It is likely that control of antioxidant insufficiency in patients with PVD should be an important component of preventive measures in the early stages and pathogenetic treatment in the pathological process progression, particularly in stage III of the disease.

[Changes in the telomeres length in patients with obstructive sleep apnea after continuous positive airway pressure therapy: a pilot study]. / Izmenenie otnositel'noi dliny telomer u patsientov s sindromom obstruktivnogo apnoe sna na fone SIPAP-terapii: pilotnoe issledovanie.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a relative telomere length in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) before and after a 6-month course of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-five men participated in the study, including 50 men with OSA (the main group 1) and 25 men without OSA (the control group). The average age in the total group was 53.4±3.6 years. Thirty-five men completed the study (the main group 2). According to the design, night polysomnography (PSG) was performed for all the subjects, blood sampling to assess the length of telomeres was carried out in the morning according to the standard method. The values of the relative telomere length were obtained using the difference between the values of the threshold cycles for telomeric DNA and the reference gene albumin (∆CCt). After clarifying the diagnosis, CPAP was applied for 6 months. RESULTS: Statistically significant indicators of PSG were revealed: a decrease in NREM 3 in patients with OSA compared to controls (89.3±15.8 versus 150±23.4 minutes), an increase in NREM1-2 in OSA (296.2±31.1 and 170.1±24.5, respectively), REM was 84.6±15.4 in the main group and 118.5±19.5 in the control group. CPAP therapy conducted for 6 months (at least 4-5 nights a week, lasting at least 5-6 hours of night sleep) demonstrated a significant improvement in the qualitative and quantitative parameters of sleep. In patients of the main group 1, there is a shortening of the telomere length compared with the control group (p<0.001). With the elimination of hypoxia and improvement of the structure of sleep after CPAP, there was an increase in the telomere lengths in the main group 1 from 0.28 [0.24-0.29] to 0.32 [0.30-0.34] in the main group 2 (p=0.03). The telomers length in the control group was 0.53 [0.50-0.55]. CONCLUSION: Intermittent hypoxia and fragmentation of sleep in OSA leads to shortening of telomeres. CPAP, by eliminating the pathophysiological triggers of OSA, contributes to an increase in telomeres lengths and can slow down the premature aging in OSA.