[Effects of thymus tissue transplantation on the survival of mice exposed to a lethal X-Ray dose.]

During the radiation exposure of the body, processes similar to those characteristic of the natural aging of mammals occur. This phenomenon is most often referred to as accelerated aging. By transplanting the thymus tissue, it is possible to achieve a normalization of food and water consumption, a stabilization of weight gain, and a significant increase in the life expectancy of experimental animals, even after their lethal irradiation.

Skin microcirculation reactivity to local thermal hyperaemia in patients with COVID-19 - A pilot observational study.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction and microvascular disturbances are suggested to play a key role in higher morbidity and worse prognosis in patients with COVID-19 and cardiometabolic diseases. OBJECTIVE: Study was aimed to establish relationships between the skin microcirculation parameters and various clinical and laboratory indicators. METHODS: The study included 18 patients with moderate disease according to WHO criteria. Skin microcirculation measurements were performed by laser Doppler flowmetry using a heating test on the hairy skin of the right forearm. RESULTS: Baseline perfusion only correlated with C-reactive protein (Rs = 0.5, p = 0.034). Microcirculation indices characterising the development of hyperaemia during the first minute of heating (LTH1 and AUC60) showed significant correlations (Rs from 0.48 to 0.67, p < 0.05) with indices of general blood analysis and blood coagulation (fibrinogen, D-dimer, haemoglobin, erythrocyte count and haematocrit). Indexes characterising the dynamics of hyperaemia development over longer time intervals showed correlation with the glomerular filtration rate (Rs = 0.6, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Known COVID-19 risk factors (haemorheological parameters, age) are correlated with the microvascular reactivity to heating in patients with COVID 19. We suggest that, prospectively, the method of laser Doppler flowmetry could be used for non-invasive instrumental assessment of microcirculatory disorders in patients with COVID-19.

[Relationship of carbohydrate metabolism indicators during adjuvant radiotherapy and survival in patients with glioblastoma]. / Vzaimosvyaz' pokazatelei uglevodnogo obmena v period provedeniya ad"yuvantnoi luchevoi terapii i vyzhivaemosti u patsientov s glioblastomoi golovnogo mozga.

Despite the improvement of treatment methods, survival of patients with glioblastoma is still low. Glioblastoma is the most common brain tumor. OBJECTIVE: To study carbohydrate metabolism in patients with glioblastoma during adjuvant external beam radiation therapy and its impact on survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 66 patients with glioblastoma (Karnofsky score ≥80%) who underwent hypofractionated adjuvant external beam radiation therapy (single focal dose 2.5-3Gr). Patients received dexamethasone 4-8 mg daily throughout the entire course of irradiation. RESULTS: High level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was observed in 33.3% of patients with glioblastoma undergoing irradiation. Cumulative survival was 17 months (95% CI 13.7-20.3). Two indicators had a significant negative impact on cumulative survival: age of patients (HR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.08; p=0.02) and level of HbA1c (HR 1.94; 95% CI 1.23-3.06; p=0.005). Cumulative survival was significantly (p=0.022) higher in patients younger 53 years compared to older people (18 months and 14 months, respectively). Cumulative survival was 20 months among patients whose HbA1c did not exceed the upper reference value (<5.8%). Survival was higher (p=0.017) in these ones compared to patients with HbA1c ≥5.8% (13 months). According to multivariate Cox regression model, high HbA1c was the only significant negative predictor of cumulative survival (HR 3.35; 95% CI 1.14-9.81; p=0.027). CONCLUSION: High HbA1c is unfavorable predictor of cumulative survival in patients with glioblastoma and Karnofski score ≥80% undergoing adjuvant hypofractionated irradiation regardless their age.

Reactivity of skin microcirculation as a biomarker of cardiovascular events. Pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The role of microcirculatory disorders is progressively being accepted in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of current study is to assess whether we can consider skin microcirculation disorders as a biomarker of cardiovascular events. METHODS: Group 1 consisted of healthy volunteers (n = 31); group 2 (n = 42) consisted of patients with diseases that increase the risk of cardiovascular events; group 3 (n = 39) included patients with the history of cardiovascular events. Skin microcirculation measurement was performed using laser Doppler flowmetry during the heating test. RESULTS: LDF parameters reflecting the rapid response of microcirculation to heating ("Slope 120 s" and "Slope 180 s") significantly differed in three groups (p <  0.05). A decrease in the "Slope 180 s" parameter less than 0.5 PU/s is associated with cardiovascular events (sensitivity 69.2%, specificity 66.7%; the area under the ROC curve, 0.667; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.545-0.788, p = 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that "Slope 180 s≤0.5 PU/s" was significantly related to cardiovascular events (adjusted odds ratio = 3.9, p = 0.019, CI 95% 1.2-12). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced reactivity of the skin microcirculation may be useful as a biomarker of severe damage to the cardiovascular system and is promising as a risk factor for cardiovascular events.

[Correlation of cutaneous blood microcirculation parameters with biological age in diabetic patients.]

It has been established that the age together with the number of chronic diseases cause the decrease of the reactivity of the microcirculatory bed. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between cutaneous microcirculation parameters and biological and chronological age of patients with diabetes mellitus. 11 diabetic patients (median age 57 (51; 64) years) were examined in course of this study; biological age was figured by Aging.AI3.0 calculator. Cutaneous microcirculation parameters were measured by laser Doppler flowmetry with an occlusion-heating test. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated to analyze the relationships between quantitative parameters. Significant multiple negative correlations of biological age and microvascular reactivity indices on exposure to both heat and occlusion (correlation strength from -0,618, to -0,97, p<0,05) were found. Diabetic patients have decreased microvascular reactivity that is more associated with biological age than with chronological age.

[Possible approaches to increase longevity of experimental animals.]

A statistically significant difference in the cumulative survival of Wistar rats born in different seasons has been shown: animals born in late November - early December had an average lifespan by 24,8% longer, a minimum lifespan by 14,3% longer, and a maximum lifespan by 20,7% longer in comparison with animals born in April. The geroprotective effect of the technique of thymus tissue transplantation into the immune privileged anterior chamber of the eye in animals born both in November and April has been shown.

[Clinical and functional characteristics of giant pituitary adenomas in the population of patients in the Moscow region]. / Klinicheskie i funktsional'nye kharakteristiki gigantskikh adenom gipofiza v populiatsii patsientov Moskovskoi oblasti.

Benign pituitary tumors are the most common sellar neoplasms. Lesions larger than 39 mm in the maximum dimension are called giant. They are rare, and, therefore, there are few data on the clinical and morphological features of giant pituitary tumors with different hormonal activity. AIM: The aim of this study was to identify the clinical and functional features of giant pituitary tumors with different hormonal activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed data of clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examinations of 351 patients diagnosed with pituitary macroadenomas at the Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute in the period between 2008 and 2017: there were 144 hormonally inactive pituitary adenomas and 207 hormonally active pituitary adenomas (65 prolactinomas and 142 somatotropinomas). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Among 351 patients with pituitary macroadenomas, there were 32 (9.1%) giant adenoma cases: 18 (12.5%) 144 patients with hormonally inactive pituitary adenomas and 14 (6.8%) 207 patients with hormonally active pituitary adenomas 6 (3.9%) 65 prolactinomas and 6 (2.9%) 142 somatotropinomas. The volume of giant adenomas was somewhat larger among somatotropinomas 48 926 [35 067; 97 650] mm3 and prolactinomas 36 872 [15 281; 75 102] mm3 compared to that of hormonally inactive pituitary adenomas 26 933 [21 910; 42 895] mm3. Tumors had predominant suprasellar and posterosellar growth (31 (97.8%) and 29 (90.6%) cases, respectively). The most common first patient complaints were visual impairments (59.4%) and headache and/or dizziness (43.8%). Correspondingly, due to these complaints, 16 (50%) patients first consulted an ophthalmologist. Hypopituitarism detected before any treatment was present in 16 (50%) patients. CONCLUSION: In most cases, visual impairments and headaches/dizziness were the first manifestations of giant pituitary adenomas; therefore, ophthalmologists and neurologists should always refer patients with these complaints to MRI. Patients with identified giant pituitary tumors should be referred to an endocrinologist for exclusion of hypopituitarism and, if necessary, timely prescription of hormonal therapy.