Due to refinements of assisted reproductive technology, the number of multiple pregnancies has increased substantially. Time-lapse microscopy (TLM) is a tool for selecting quality embryos for transfer. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of single-embryo transfer of autologous oocytes performed on day 5 of embryo incubation in a TLM-equipped system in patients with good ovarian reserve. The study was carried out in 208 infertile women with good ovarian reserve (over 8 oocytes retrieved). Single-embryo transfer following incubation in a TLM-equipped incubator was performed in 95 patients, who formed the main group; the control group consisted of 113 patients undergoing single-embryo transfer following a traditional culture and embryo selection procedure. We assessed the quality of transferred embryos, the rates of clinical pregnancy and pregnancy loss. Two subgroups were identified in each group of the participants: the 5SET subgroup (nonelective single-embryo transfer), which included 45 patients from the main group and 67 controls, and the 5еSET subgroup (elective single-embryo transfer), which consisted of 50 main group patients and 46 controls. The groups did not differ in terms of age, infertility factors and infertility duration. The quality of transferred embryos was excellent or good in all main group patients (100%); in the control group, the quality of transferred embryos was excellent or good in 93.8% of cases (р = 0.037). Clinical pregnancies were achieved in 64.2% of women in the main group and in 60.2% of controls (р = 0.65). Delivery rates were 54% and 51.1% in the 5eSET and 5SET subgroups of the main group, respectively (р = 0.940). For the control group, delivery rates were 54.4% and 34.3% in the 5eSET and 5SET subgroups, respectively (р = 0.052, Fisher exact test). Elective single-embryo transfer (5eSET) and the use of TLM increased the chance of pregnancy 2.17-fold (р = 0.01).
VIEWS 4085
The development of brain-computer interfaces based on the use of EEG sensorimotor rhythms reactivity parameters and designed for the rehabilitation of people (including children) with impaired motor functions is currently relevant. The study was aimed to analyse the EEG μ-rhythm in the individual frequency range in children during imitation of biological and non-biological motion. EEG was recorded at frontal, central and parietal cortical regions in 136 normally developing right-handed children aged 4–15, at rest and during the execution and imitation of movements using the computer mouse. When the children moved the computer mouse on their own (F1, 132 = 31.17; p < 0.001) and executed the concentric moving of the coloured circle (F1, 132 = 90.34; p < 0.001), the μ-rhythm desynchronization developed in the frontal, central and parietal neocortical regions. The μ-rhythm synchronization was detected during the non-biologocal motion imitation (F1, 132 = 12.65; p < 0.001), compared to the task on the autonomous movement execution. The μ-rhythm desynchronization was observed during the biologocal motion imitation in relation to autonomous movement execution (F1, 132 = 9.58; p = 0.002). The described effects had their own features in the groups of children aged 4–6, 7–9, 10–12 and 13–15. The study results demonstrate the desirability of taking into account the μ-rhythm reactivity age-related features and the visual stimuli nature when developing software for the brain-computer interfaces.
VIEWS 4278
In recent years, the incidence of tuberculous peritonitis increased. Peritoneal tuberculosis is difficult to diagnose, and often the diagnosis is verified with significant delay. In clinical practice, a quick and affordable diagnostic radiology method, ultrasonography (USG), is proposed for patients with suspected tuberculous peritonitis. The study was aimed to describe the sonographic semiology of tuberculous peritonitis, to create the integrated scale for the individual peritoneal tuberculosis sonographic symptoms significance assessment, and to determine the role of ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis verification. Retrospective study of the invasive and ultrasound investigation results of 37 patients with confirmed tuberculous peritonitis was carried out in 2009–2019. Similar data obtained by investigation of 28 patients with the disorders which often mimic the tuberculous peritonitis (peritoneal carcinomatosis and sarcoidosis, non-specific ascites) were used as a comparison group. Direct and indirect signs of peritoneal lesion in patients with tuberculosis were identified. On the basis of that, an integral scale for the individual sonographic symptoms significance assessment was created. Each sonographic symptom received a 0–3 score. Assessment of those sonographic signs visualization allowed us to evaluate the probability of the disorder’s tuberculous etiology. The following data were obtained: score under 4 corresponded to low probability, score 5–8 corresponded to medium probability, and score over 9 corresponded to high probability of tuberculous peritonitis based on the visualization of all described songraphic symptoms. The proposed integrated scale for the sonographic signs assessment allows the clinician to verify the tuberculous peritonitis diagnosis based on the ultrasound imaging data or to select the further tactics of diagnosis.
VIEWS 4829
Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) exerts multidirectional effects in the setting of essential hypertension (EH). There is a mounting body of evidence refuting the postulate about identical STAT3 signaling in cardiomyocytes and endothelial/smooth muscle cells, which is important in the situation of extended exposure to gp 130 ligands (LIF in particular). At the same time, there are no reports on the circadian dynamics of peripheral blood LIF concentrations and possible secondary changes to the pathophysiological effects of this cytokine. This study aimed to analyze the circadian dynamics of LIF concentrations in the peripheral blood serum measured at 5 different time points in patients with stage II EH in the presence/absence of antihypertensive therapy and their relationship with the frequency of complications developing within a 5-year follow-up. Blood serum LIF was measured in 60 patients with stage II EH using ELISA at 8:00, 14:00, 20:00, 2:00, and 8:00 o’clock before putting the patients on antihypertensive therapy and one year after its onset. The identified patterns of diurnal LIF concentrations (a rise by ≥15% at 20:00, p < 0.001; a further rise by ≥22% peaking at 2:00, p < 0.001 relative to the values at 8:00) can be regarded as pathologic; their persistence after one year of antihypertensive therapy is a sign of EH progression and puts the patients at 6-fold risk for cardiovascular complications, including myocardial infarction and acute cerebrovascular events.
VIEWS 3974
In 2018, a few sequencing studies were published revealing the existence of two monophyletic clusters within the C. diphtheriae species, meaning that this species can be divided into two subspecies: C. diphtheriae subsp. diphtheriae and C. diphtheriae subsp. lausannense. The objective of our study was to describe the genotype and the phenotype of 2 nontoxigenic C. diphtheriae strains isolated in Russia in 2017–2018, which were classified by us as C. diphtheriae subsp. lausannense based on the aggregated data yielded by a variety of techniques, including microbiological and molecular genetic techniques, as well as a bioinformatic search for subspecies-specific genes in the publicly available genomes of C. diphtheriae. The isolated strains had morphological and biochemical characteristics of C. diphtheriae. The strains were assigned to the MLST type ST199 included in the clonal complex associated with subsp. lausannense. PCR revealed that both analyzed strains of C. diphtheriae subsp. lausannense carried the ptsI gene encoding phosphoenolpyruvate-protein phosphotransferase and did not carry the narG gene encoding the synthesis of nitrate reductase subunits, whereas the strains of C. diphtheriae subsp. diphtheriae had the narG gene and did not have ptsI. We experimentally proved the ability of lausannense strains to ferment N-acetylglucosamine. Our findings expand the knowledge of the biological diversity of C. diphtheriae and indicate the need for estimating the spread of these microorganisms in Russia, as well as their pathogenic potential.
VIEWS 4304
Ovarian neoplasms can develop at any age, carry a high risk for malignant transformation, reduce the reproductive potential of a woman and are an indication for surgery. The search for optimal screening algorithms for ovarian tumors is still ongoing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic efficacy of ultrasonography (US) features in differentiating between benign, malignant and borderline tumors in reproductive-age women. We examined 168 reproductive-age women with ovarian masses who underwent surgery in 2012–2015 and compared the results of histopathological examinations with pulsed-Doppler US findings. We did not establish a correlation between the size/volume of the tumor and their morphological structure. We identified the echotexture characteristics associated with malignancy, including the presence of a solid component (р < 0.001); septations (р = 0.029) and projections on the internal surface of the tumor capsule (р < 0.001); moderate or significant buildup of free fluid in the small pelvis (р = 0.007), and the nodular surface of the tumor capsule (р = 0.008). Solid ovarian masses were at increased (31.69-fold) risk of transformation into malignant or borderline tumors, whereas for a mixed (cystic and solid) type the risk of such transformation increased 3.46-fold. We also identified Doppler parameters that can clearly discriminate between benign and malignant growths, including the blood flow rate in the tumor over 1.85 cm/s (р = 0.007) and RMI over 0.16 (р = 0.013). The sensitivity and specificity of our diagnostic model are 87% and 68%, respectively, with a probability threshold of 0.3.
VIEWS 3876
Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in prediabetic patients is a pressing concern due to its increasing prevalence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of preventive pharmacotherapy in delaying progression of incident impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) to T2DM. The participants of the study (1,136 subjects) found healthy by a regular annual checkup underwent repeat screening for T2DM. Blood samples were processed following the guidelines for good preanalytical sample preparation. Patents with incident IGT/IFG were prescribed medication therapy with metformin or/and acarbose. The rate of IGT/IFG conversion to T2DM was evaluated in years 3 and 10 of observation. Carbohydrate metabolism disorders were detected in 18.5% (n = 210) of the re-screened patients: 5.0% had T2DM, 5.5% had IGT, 8.0% had IFG. Patients with incident T2DM were prescribed blood sugar lowering therapy and they were excluded from further analysis. Patients with IGT/IFG (n = 151) were given recommendations on lifestyle modification and prescribed metformin (77%) or a combination of metformin and acarbose (23%). Three years after the start of observation, the rate of conversion to T2DM was 6.8% in patients undergoing monotherapy with metformin and 11.4% in patients undergoing combination therapy with metformin and acarbose. After the active follow-up phase was over, the majority of the patients (n = 85) decided to discontinue preventive therapy without consulting their physicians. Ten years after the active follow-up phase, the rate of NGT/IFG conversion to T2DM was 38.8% in patients who had discontinued their treatment and 0% in patients still taking metformin (р < 0.01). Long-term therapy with metformin prevented progression to T2DM in the long run in 83.3% (р < 0.05).
VIEWS 4199