Bulletin of RSMU

ISSN Print 2500–1094 ISSN Online 2542–1204

Bulletin of RSMU

BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL OF PIROGOV UNIVERSITY (MOSCOW, RUSSIA)

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Nikishina VB, Petrash EA, Prirodova OF, Akhramenko RS, Danilova AV, Kuznetsova AA

Optimization of the educational process, including distance learning, requires orderly arrangement of the information presented, which translates into the need to factor in oculomotor reactions accompanying the search for solutions to simple cognitive tasks. This need supports the relevance of the present study, which aimed to investigate the age-dependent parameters of the oculomotor reactions occurring in solving a simple cognitive task. The sample included 97 persons, 47 males and 50 females, ages 21 to 36. For the purpose of rating the oculomotor reactions, the sample was divided into age groups: 21–26 years (n = 34); 27–32 years (n = 29); 33–36 years (n = 34). The methodology that governed the rating procedures was developed by the authors of the study and relied on the Tobii EyeX eye tracking hardware and software solution (GazeControl software). The study revealed a significant correlation between orientation of the image (presentation angle) and distribution of the visual fixations: regardless of the image presentation angle and its properties (schematic monochrome or full color image), the fixations tend to fall predominantly into the top and left parts of the image (the first quadrant). Other findings include a) a significant dependence of the capability to solve simple cognitive tasks and recognize the contents of the image on the spatial orientation of the presented stimuli, and b) the number of errors made in image contents recognition increasing with age, this dependence being significant and observed for both the schematic monochrome image (p1 = 0.014; p2 = 0.016; p3 = 0.014) and the full-color image (p1 = 0.015; p2 = 0.015; p3 = 0.017). The researchers have also identified the significant angles of rotation of the presented face images that stably caused recognition errors.

Received: 2022-02-07

Published online: 2022-03-18

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.011

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Shagin DA, Rebrikov DV

Duplex-specific nuclease (DSN) from hepatopancreas of the craboid Paralithodes camtschaticus (red king crab) has a unique combination of properties. Along with thermal stability and a high optimal temperature of catalysis, this enzyme exhibits high substrate selectivity, cleaving only DNA in duplexes (DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA). Accordingly, it digests neither single strands (nor single-stranded regions) of DNA, nor RNA strands with any secondary structure. Such properties make it possible to create unique protocols based on DSN, which is also an important object of fundamental research in the field of nuclease evolution. The review considers diverse applications of the red king crab DSN in modern methods of molecular biology.

Received: 2022-02-22

Published online: 2022-02-28

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.010

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VIEWS 2974

Agafonova LE, Bulko TV, Kuzikov AV, Masamrekh RA, Shumyantseva VV

Development of highly sensitive methods for drug analysis is an ongoing challenge posed by modern bioanalytical and pharmaceutical chemistry. Drug analysis is essential to monitor the quality and purity of pharmaceuticals, study the delivery vehicles for therapeutic agents, to assess the effectiveness of the substance incorporation into the drug delivery system, to estimate the kinetic parameters of reactions, catalyzed by enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, and to study the mechanisms of the drug-DNA interactions from the perspective of pharmacogenomics. The study was aimed to develop an electrochemical technique for detection of a number of drugs. The method is based on electrochemical oxidation of organic molecules at positive potentials between +(0÷1.6) V. The commercially available three-contact electrodes obtained by screen printing with unmodified graphite working electrode were used for analysis. It is shown that electrochemical technique allows for simultaneous detection of several compounds at various working electrode potentials, and for detection of drugs over a wide range of the clinically meaningful drug concentrations (50 µM – 10 mМ), which could be used when working with biological fluids (blood plasma, blood serum, blood, urine), as well as when performing drug monitoring and drug–drug interaction analysis.

Received: 2022-02-07

Published online: 2022-02-28

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.009

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VIEWS 2813

Bikbov MM, Israfilova GZ, Gilmanshin TR, Zainullin RM, Yakupova EM

Adherence to treatment is one of the major challenges posed by modern medicine. Today, cataract is the leading cause of reversible blindness and visual disability. The study was aimed to assess adherence to timely surgical treatment in individuals with cataract. The data of the cross-sectional, population-based Ural Eye and Medical Study were assessed. Among 546 participants, there were 46.3% men and 53.7% women, 59.6% urban resudents, 40.4% rural residents. Their average age was 66.36 ± 9.47 years (40–88 years). Statistical data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS Statistic software package. The findings showed that the lack of awareness of the disorder and low interest in surgery were the main factors, affecting the patients' motivation for cataract treatment. At the same time, the frequency of ophtalmology visits was inversely related to the patients' age (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.04–1.49) and the duration of vision loss (OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.81–1.43), and directly related to the cataract diagnosis age (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.04–1.38), the presence of ophthalmologist in the community clinic (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.29–2.26), trust in the doctor (OR 3.62; 95% CI 3.02–4.35), ophthalmologist's explanation of the cataract complications and advanced treatment methods (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.34–1.97). Understanding the main factors, contributing to low treatment adherence in patients with cataracts, would make it possible to optimize the measures to improve healthcare delivery to such patients, associated with the increased coverage of surgical treatment.

Received: 2022-02-01

Published online: 2022-02-22

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.008

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VIEWS 3081

Mayanskiy NA, Brzhozovskaya EA, Stoyanova SS, Frolkov AV, Lebedin YuS

Generation and maintenance of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is essential for overcoming the pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19. The study was aimed to assess the dynamic changes in the levels of IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) with the use of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, calibrated using the International Standard for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (IS-SARS-CoV-2). The concentrations of anti-RBD-IgG were measured in the cohort of individuals, who had recovered from COVID-19, with an interval of a month for 6 months, and at a time point of 12 months, using the ELISA kits, calibrated with the use of IS-SARS-CoV-2; the results were expressed in binding antibody units (BAU) per 1 mL. A total of 97 blood serum samples, obtained from 20 individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection, confirmed by PCR, were collected. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of anti-RBD-IgG was 433 BAU/mL (range 36-25,900 BAU/mL) within a month after the infection. The concentration of anti-RBD-IgG gradually decreased with time and reached the GMT value of 68 BAU/mL by the 12th month; anti-RBD-IgG persisted in 13 individuals (93%) out of 14, examined 12 months after the infection. The standardized quantitative serological data play a vital part in monitoring the immune response and make in easier to compare the studies, providing the basis for seeking the common serological correlate of the protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2.

Received: 2022-02-01

Published online: 2022-02-20

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.007

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VIEWS 2682

Gumenyuk LN, Golod MV, Silaeva NV, Sorokina LE, Ilyasov SS, Androschyuk NA, Krivoshapko OR, Velilyaev AM, Asanova LN

Gut microbiota is an essential element of maintaining the immune homeostasis, including in individuals with COVID-19. The study was aimed to assess taxonomic changes in the gut microbiota and their relationship with the disease severity and the levels of IL6, IL10, IL17, and TNFα in patients with COVID-19. A total of 110 patients with COVID-19 (index group) and 98 individuals with no COVID-19 (control group) were enrolled to the comparative cross-sectional study. The gut micribiota composition was determined by shotgun sequencing. Blood serum levels of IL6, IL10, IL17, and TNFα were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The following significant changes in the gut microbiota composition were observed in patients with COVID-19 in contrast to controls: decreased abundance of B. adolescentis (p = 0.048), E. rectale (p = 0.036), F. prausnitzi (p = 0.0002), B. dorei (p < 0.001), and increased abundance of R. gnavus (p = 0.012), Сl. hathewayi (p = 0.003), E. faecium (p = 0.0003). Correlations were established between the abundance of B. dorei and the IL6 levels (r = 0.49; p = 0.034), the abundance of F. prausnitzii and the levels of IL10, IL17 (r = 0.44; p = 0.001 and r = –0.52; p < 0.001, respectively). The abundance of R. gnavus correlated with the TNFα levels, and the abundance of E. faecium was related to the levels of IL6 (r = 0.47; p = 0.002) and TNFα (r = 0.56; p = 0.001). The relationship between the abundance of B. dorei, F. prausnitzii, E. faecium and the higher SHOKS-COVID clinical assessment scale scores was also revealed (r = –0.54; p = 0.001, r = –0.60; p < 0.001 and r = 0.67; p = 0.005, respectively). Targeted correction of gut microbiota may improve the COVID-19 treatment efficacy.

Received: 2022-01-18

Published online: 2022-02-19

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.006

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VIEWS 2696

Generalova LV, Grigoriev IV, Vasina DV, Tkachuk AP, Kruzhkova IS, Kolobukhina LV, Burgasova OA, Gushchin VA

SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody response is a generally accepted measure of postinfection and vaccination-induced immunity assessment. The dynamics of avidity maturation and neutralizing activity of virus-specific immunoglobulins G during the SARS-CoV-2–associated coronavirus infection was studied in cohorts of vaccinated volunteers and COVID-19 patients. 4–6 months after vaccination, neutralization activity was low compared to hospitalized patients (medians 57.4% vs 86.4%). On the opposite, the avidity indices in vaccinated volunteers were significantly higher (median 76.7%) than among hospitalized patients (median 61.4%). During the acute phase of the disease (14–16 days PI), post-vaccination patients have also higher avidity indices than primary patients (medians 43.5% vs 20.4%). Our results suggest that in long-term perspective antibody affinity maturation rate is higher after vaccination than after a natural infection. We demonstrated that Sputnik V vaccination leads to formation of high-avidity IgG, which persists for at least 6 months of observation. These results also indicate the presence of protective efficacy markers for at least 4–6 months after the vaccination or a previous illness and gives grounds for the half-year time period chosen for booster immunization with Sputnik V in Russia.

Received: 2022-01-23

Published online: 2022-02-16

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.005

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VIEWS 2970

Meshcheryakova MYu, Kolesnikov EN, Trifanov VS, Timoshkina NN, Snezhko AV, Gvaldin DYu

Microsatellite instability (MSI) characterizes a special molecular genetic subtype of malignancies and is associated with the deficiency of mismatched DNA repair. There are no reliable data on the frequency of MSI in colorectal neuroendocrine neoplasms due to the relative rarity of this cancer type. The prognostic significance of MSI is debatable. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of the MSI phenotype among colorectal neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) with different primary location, grade and stage. Twenty-nine patients (15 men and 14 women, mean age: 62.5 years) included in the study underwent surgery for colorectal neuroendocrine tumors between 2015 and 2018. The mean follow-up period was 3.8 years. Colorectal NENs were grouped by primary location and stage. The majority of the patients (52%) had stage III cancer at diagnosis. The microsatellite stability (MSS) phenotype was confirmed in 24 patients (83%), whereas the MSI phenotype was observed in 5 patients (17%). All MSI-positive tumors were stage I well-differentiated grade G1 or G2 neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the rectum. Overall survival was 50% for patients with stage II MSS-positive NENs of the colon and rectum, 33% for stage III and 0% for stage IV. For patients with stage I MSI-positive NENs of the rectum, overall survival was 100%. Thus, the frequency of MSI-positive colorectal NENs was estimated.

Received: 2022-01-12

Published online: 2022-02-14

DOI: 10.24075/brsmu.2022.004

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VIEWS 2570