[Tumor necrosis factor in the ejaculate as an indicator of reduced fertility].

INTRODUCTION: Pro-inflammatory cytokine - tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is one of the components of the seminal plasma proteome; its meaning has not been definitively revealed. A comparative analysis of the concentration of this protein in the blood serum and in the ejaculate and changes in its level in the semen of men with infertility is f scientific interest. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: determination of TNF- level in the blood serum and seminal plasma of healthy men and patients with reduced fertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 70 men of reproductive age with azoospermia (main group, n=18), with oligoastenozoospermia (comparison group, n=18) and with normal spermogram parameters (control group, n=34) were examined. The ejaculate was examined using an SQA-V semen analyzer (MES, Israel). In seminal plasma samples, the concentration of TNF was determined using the alpha-TNF-ELISA-BEST test system (A-8756, Vector-Best LL, Russia). RESULTS: The concentration of TNF- in blood serum had a significant variation (CV=85.31%) and amounted to 2.75+/-2.18 pg/ml, which is 2.55 times lower than the same indicator in seminal plasma (7.01+/-5.98 pg/ml, CV=126.15%, p<0.00001). When comparing the content of TNF- in seminal plasma, significant differences were found in the examined patients (Kruskal-Wallis test H=24.75991; p<0.00001). Pairwise comparison revealed a statistically significant difference in the level of TNF- in seminal plasma between the comparison and control groups (p2-3=0.000023), as well as between the main group and the comparison group (p1-2=0.000043); there were no significant differences between the main and control groups (p>0.05). When determining the content of TNF- in the blood serum, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). There were no correlations between the concentration of TNF- in blood serum and in seminal plasma (R=0.295374), and the total number of spermatozoa in the ejaculate (R=-0.027945); and the concentration of spermatozoa in the ejaculate (R=-0.042902). DISCUSSION: It is unlikely that TNF crosses into seminal plasma from serum against a concentration gradient. It is most likely that TNF is produced locally in the organs of the reproductive system by resident immune cells or cells involved in spermatogenesis. An increased content of TNF- in seminal plasma in patients of the comparison group may indicate the presence of an inflammatory process in the reproductive system and a reduced fertility of the ejaculate. CONCLUSION: The physiological role of TNF in sperm, its sources in the organs of the male reproductive system, and the pathogenetic mechanisms of the participation of the TNF in pathological processes in male reproductive system still remain unclear. All this justifies the need for further study of the TNF level in seminal plasma in normal conditions and in diseases of the urogenital tract in men.

Comparative Content of Neuron-Specific Enolase in Human Blood Serum and Seminal Plasma.

We studied the content of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in 69 paired samples of blood serum and seminal plasma from men with azoospermia (n=11) and oligoastenozoospermia (n=10) and from men with fertile ejaculate (n=48). NSE concentration was determined by ELISA (Vector-Best kit). The median concentration and the interquartile range of the NSE content in seminal plasma were 65.7 (47.9; 83.4) ng/ml and 24.33 times (р<0.000001) exceeded those for blood serum 2.7 (1.45; 4.0) ng/ml. There were no differences in the content of NSE between the groups for both seminal plasma and blood serum. The content of NSE in seminal plasma did not correlate with the content of NSE in blood serum, and also did not depend on the content of spermatozoa. A weak negative correlation (r=-0.341; p=0.0057) was found between the age of the examinees and the level of NSE in seminal plasma, but not in blood serum.

Lactoferrin of oral fluid is normal and in Alzheimer's disease: laboratory and diagnostic aspects (review of literature).

The article discusses the clinical value of determining the lactoferrin protein in oral fluid - one of the representatives of the saliva proteome. The review is based on the analysis of modern literature, including systematic reviews, the results of multicenter prospective studies, review and original articles by leading experts in this field, presented in the databases PubMed, Scopus, CyberLeninka. The problems of the preanalytical stage, methods for determining lactoferrin are highlighted and information about its content in mixed saliva according to various authors is provided. Special attention is paid to the clinical and diagnostic value of the level of salivary lactoferrin in Alzheimer's disease. According to most authors, the diagnostic sensitivity of this parameter ranges from 87 to 100%. Some mechanisms of the relationship between this protein and the central nervous system (CNS) are shown. In conclusion, it is concluded that salivary lactoferrin can be an "indicator" of the formation of amyloid plaques and can be considered as one of the reliable biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. This opinion is based both on fundamental ideas about the global relationship between innate immunity and the central nervous system, and on clinical data. The special advantage of this laboratory test is its non-invasiveness, which makes it more preferable in comparison with the determination of amyloid and tau proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood.

[Fatty acid-binding protein in the serum and sperm].

INTRODUCTION: a composition of seminal plasma reflects a state of reproductive organs that are involved in sperm production. AIM: to study a concentration of fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) in blood serum and sperm samples with normal and altered characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: a total of 82 men with mean age of 33.1+/-4.7 years old who were examined to clarify the cause of infertility were included in the study. The main group (n=21) consisted of men with oligozoospermia, while control group (n=33) consisted of healthy men with normal sperm analysis. In addition, patients with high viscosity of sperm were included in the comparison group (n=28). There were no changes in complete blood count and biochemical blood panel in all participants. The content of FABP in blood serum and seminal plasma was determined. RESULTS: the average content of FABP in seminal plasma was 1.347+/-0.26 ng/ml and exceeded the serum concentration of this compound (p<0.000001), which was 0.305+/-0.193 ng/ml. The concentration in seminal plasma did not depend on its serum concentration (R=0,068194), as well as the sperm volume and viscosity, but it was correlated with sperm concentration (R=0,66387). The concentration of FABP in seminal plasma was highest in the control group (1.47+/-0.33 ng / ml) and it was higher compared to the main group (1.22+/-0.09 ng/ml; p=0.000057) and the comparison group (1.29+/-0.19 ng/ml; p=0.010822). There was no difference between groups in serum concentration of FABP (p=0.9814). CONCLUSION: the obtained data suggest that a reduced level of FABP in seminal plasma can be considered as unfavorable criterion indicating a reduced fertility.

[Salivary level of lipid peroxidation products as a predictor of dental implantation complications]. / Uroven' perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov sliuny kak prediktor oslozhnenii dental'noi implantatsii.

The aim of the study was to elucidate of changes in the level of lipid peroxidation products in saliva for the development of a method for the early diagnosis of complications in dental implantation. The study included 53 patients with complications of implant treatment, 31 patients with a safe outcome of dental implantation, and 13 clinically healthy individuals. In the saliva obtained at the stage of preparation for dental implantation, the content of products of lipid peroxidation was determined. Re-saliva was taken four months after dental implantation or in the case of peri-implantitis verification. It is established that the development of inflammatory complications of dental implantation is accompanied by the development of oxidative stress, which leads to local accumulation of lipoperoxidation products. An increase in the salivary level of products of lipid peroxidation during dental implantation is observed before the formation of clinically significant changes in the tissues of the implantation canal and is associated with a high risk of development of inflammatory complications of dental implantation. The most informative and prognostically unfavorable is the increase in the salivar level of the Schiff bases.

The Level of Neuregulin-1 after Traumatic Brain Injury and Formation of Post-Traumatic Epilepsy.

We evaluated the serum level of neuregulin-1 in humans with traumatic brain injury. The highest levels of neuregulin-1 were revealed in patients with developing post-traumatic epilepsy and the lowest concentrations of this peptide were found in healthy controls. The patients with traumatic brain injury not aggravated by the development of post-traumatic epilepsy had intermediate levels of neuregulin-1.

[A rare case of neurological manifestations of acute intermittent porphyria]. / Redkii sluchai nevrologicheskikh proiavlenii ostroi peremezhaiushcheisia porfirii.

The authors describe a rare and diagnostically difficult variant of neurological symptoms of acute intermittent porphyria complicated by rhabdomyolysis. Diagnostic criteria of the disease are highlighted. A differential diagnosis with diseases with similar clinical manifestation was made.

[Eritropoetin as laboratory index of the degree of respiratory insufficiency in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.]

he concentration of erythropoietin (EPO) in serum was studied. The study included 122 people divided into two groups. The main group (group 1) consisted of 102 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The control group (group 2), comparable in age and sex, was 20 surveyed, with no signs of respiratory failure. The concentration of EPO was determined by the method of solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using the test system "Erythropoietin-EIA-BEST" (ZAO Vector-Best, Russia). The concentration of EPO in the serum of the patients of the main group significantly exceeded its content in the control group, the median and interquartile range were respectively 12.0 (7.4 - 16.1) mIU / ml in the main group and 7.5 (5.65-8 , 1) mIU / ml in the control group (p = 0.000454). The degree of increase in EPO correlated with the severity of COPD on the GOLD scale. In a pair comparison of the results obtained, significant differences were established between the control group and the G grade subgroup (p (control and C) = 0.021578), and the control group and subgroup D according to the GOLD classification (p (control and D) = 0,000721). An increase in the content of EPO in the blood is probably due to the reaction of the juxtaglomerular nephron apparatus to the formation of hypoxia due to a violation of the function of external respiration. Thus, the study of the concentration of EPO can be used to assess the severity of COPD, and in interpreting the results of this laboratory test, the possibility of increasing its concentration due to impairment of the function of external respiration should be considered.

[The NT-proBNP in saliva and blood serum in norm and under periodontitis.]

The concentration of NT-proBNP in saliva and blood serum was studied. The study included 58 individuals divided in two groups. The main group (group I) included 34 patients with chronic generalized periodontitis. The control group (group II), comparable in age and gender, included 24 examined individuals without signs of inflammatory diseases of oral cavity. The concentration of NT-proBNP in saliva and blood serum was detected by technique of solid-phase enzyme immunoassay using the test-system "NT-proBNP-ELISABEST" (Vector-Best, Russia). The concentration of NT-proBNP in saliva of patients of main group reliably exceeded its concentration in saliva of the examined from control group. The median and interquartile range made up to correspondingly 178.5 (128-253) pg / ml in main group and 105 (72.5 - 144.5) pg, respectively / ml in control group (p = 0.02). The comparison of concentration of NT-proBNP in blood serum samples established no reliable differences (p = 0,27). The evaluation of the relationship between content of NT-proBNP in saliva and blood serum demonstrated absence of close linear correlation dependence between the concentration of this compound in blood serum and saliva both in the main group (R = 0.143, p = 0.419) and the control group (R = 0.178; p = 0.405), and for all the examined as well (R = 0.252, p = 0.056). The higher concentration of NT-proBNP in saliva in comparison with blood serum can be explained by formation of proteolysis products cross-reacting in the used system.

[Total antioxidant status of blood in various types of ischemic stroke]. / Antioksidantnyi status krovi u bol'nykh s patogeneticheskimi podtipami ishemicheskogo insul'ta.

AIM: To study the antioxidant status (AOS) of blood serum of patients in the acute period in patients with a variety of pathogenic forms of ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 99 patients (study group) with different types of ischemic stroke (IS): with atherothrombotic variant (n=74) IS, with cardioembolic (n=15) with lacunar type (n=10). The control group consisted of 15 persons. Total antioxidant status (TAS) in the blood serum was examined by the test system 'General antioxidatic status - Novo' ('Vector-Best', Russia) for 1-2 days from the onset of the disease. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Patients in the control group AOS was 1.69±0.17 mmol/L (median 1.72, interquartile range 1.53-1.83 mmol/L). With the development of IS AOS was 1.15±0,41 mmol/L (median 1.12; interquartile range 0.84-1.45 mmol/L) (p=0.000001). In groups with different pathogenetic mechanism of the IS value of the AOS was lower than in the control group and accounted for atherothrombotic variant (1.24; 0.98-1.67 mmol/L) (p=0.000001), for cardioembolic (p=0.000031), and for lacunar (1.24; 0.98-1.67 mmol/L) (p=0.035044). The value of the AOS was not significantly differ between men and women and was independent on the age and location of the ischemic lesion. Reduced AOS serum indicates an imbalance between prooksidatnoy and antioksidatnoy system in the formation of any pathogenic forms of IS. The decrease of AOS in blood serum indicates the balance between prooxidative and antioxidative system in the formation of any pathogenic forms of AI.

[Ejaculate and serum procalcitonin levels in healthy men and men with oligoasthenozoospermia].

INTRODUCTION: Seminal plasma composition reflects the activity of reproductive organs involved in the semen production. AIM: To study procalcitonin concentrations in serum and semen samples of healthy men and men with oligoasthenozoospermia. METHOD: s .The study included 88 men, who were scheduled for diagnostic evaluation to establish the cause of infertile marriages. The study group comprised 40 men with oligoasthenozoospermia, the comparison group included 48 men with normal sperm concentration. Laboratory testing of all participants revealed no abnormal findings in blood count, blood chemistry studies and urinalysis. RESULTS: Mean seminal plasma procalcitonin level in the study subjects (n=87) was 0,349+/-0,370 ng/ml being about 10 times higher than its serum level, which was 0.037+/-0.027 ng/ml (p<0.000001). In the study group, seminal plasma PCT concentration was significantly greater than in the control group (p=0.0095), while the serum procalcitonin levels in all participants were almost identical (p=0.605). There were no statistically significant correlations between the procalcitonin levels and spermatozoa concentration, total count and ejaculate volume. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that elevated levels of procalcitonin in seminal plasma can be regarded as an unfavorable prognostic factor, indicating the reduced ejaculate fertility. Further studies seem warranted, specifically considering the role and source of procalcitonin production in sperm.

[The concentration of cerebral natriuretic peptide in tear and blood serum.]

The natriuretic peptides regulate pressure and water metabolism in human organism. The concentration of N-thermal cerebral natriuretic propeptide (NT-proBNP) in tear and blood serum was analyzed. The sampling included 49 patients divided on three groups. The group I (main) included 14 patients with primary open-angle sub-compensated glaucoma degree I-III. The group II (comparative group) included 15 patients with age-related immature cataract. The group III (control) included volunteers without any visual organ diseases. The concentration of NT-proBNP in tear and blood serum was detected by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique using test system NT-proBNP - IFA - BEST¼ («Vektor-Best¼, Russia). The median of content of NT-proBNP in tear turned out to be less than in blood serum in all groups (р1 = 0,00763; р2 = 0,00452; р3 = 0,00029) and made up to in patients with glaucoma 41,3 pg/ml, with cataract - 37.5 pg/ml, in healthy people 0 25.0 pg/ml (inter-quartile range made up to 20-60 pg/ml, 20-65 pg/ml, 10-49,5 pg/ml correspondingly). No differences in concentration of NT-proBNP were established in all groups both for blood serum (p = 0,494) and tear (p = 0,388). The concentration of NT-proBNP in tear correlated with its concentration in blood serum (r = 0,694). However, no dependencies were established from value of intra-ocular pressure (r = 0,168). Therefore, the concentration of NTproBNP in tear is not a perspective laboratory arker for diagnostic of increased intra-ocular pressure and stratification of development of glaucoma.

[VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN A THREE-YEAR-OLD CHILD].

The paper describes a clinical case of visceral leishmaniasis in a three-year-old child who Was born and is a permanent resident in Penm. Its clinical symptomatology; laboratory and instrumental findings; stages of a diagnostic search for fever of unknown origin concurrent with hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia; differential diagnosis with hemoblastosis; and an epidemiological history are detailed. Visceral leishmaniasis was diagnosed at examination of bone marrow specimens. The paper presents the positive results of combination etiopathogenetic treatment, which are confirmed by the time course of clinical changes and laboratory findings.

[THE ANALYSTS OF PROCALCITONIN IN LACRIMAL FLUID AND BLOOD SERUM UNDER UVEITIS].

The analysis was applied to concentration of procalcitonin in lacrimal fluid and blood serum in 15 healthy persons (control group), 16 patients with uveitis (main group) and 14 patients with non-inflammatory pathology of organ of vision (comparison group). The concentration of procalcitonin was detected by immunoenzyme method using commercial test-system "Procalcitonin-IFA-BEST" ("Vector-Best", Russia). The content of procalcitonin in blood serum was low (75% quartile--0.031 ng/ml) and had no significant difference between groups (H-criterion of Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.0872). The level of procalcitonin in lacrimal fluid 8-11 times exceeded its concentration in blood serum of all groups (Wilcoxon criterion, p < 0.005). The least content of procalcitonin is detected in lacrimal fluid of patients of comparison group (0.072 ± 0.064 ng/ml). In main and control groups its level was reliably higher (H-criterion of Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.0002) and amounted to 0.257 ± 0.146 and 0.198 ± 0.151 ng/ml correspondingly. The correlation analysis established no dependencies between concentration of procalcitonin in tear and blood serum (Spearman correlation coefficient had no exceeding |0.1| in all groups). The development of uveitis is not accompanied by alteration of concentration of procalcitonin in both blood serum and lacrimal fluid. The absence of correlation and higher concentration of procalcitonin in tear as compared with blood serum testify availability of additional source of this protein in lacrimal fluid.