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Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an autoimmune disorder caused by antibodies against platelet factor 4 (PF4) and heparin complexes. Rapid immunoassays (IAs) for detection of these antibodies mark a milestone in HIT diagnosis, despite a higher false-positive rate compared with functional platelet-activation assays. However, combining different rapid IAs may help to improve their diagnostic specificity. Here, we compared the individual performance of the latex immunoturbidimetric assay (LIA; HemosIL HIT-Ab [PF4-H]; sensitivity 91.7%, specificity 68.4%) and chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA; HemosIL AcuStarHIT-Ab [PF4-H]; sensitivity 92.4%, specificity 85.8%) with their combined performance using two unique diagnostic algorithms in a single prospective cohort of suspected HIT patients. Using the simultaneous algorithm adapted from Warkentin et al, the combined LIA–CLIA had a sensitivity of 99.0% and specificity of 64.3%. The sequential algorithm adapted from Rittener-Ruff et al was applied in two theoretical scenarios to reflect real-world circumstances in diagnostic laboratories where access to clinical information is limited: (1) assuming all patients had an intermediate 4Ts score and (2) assuming all patients had a high 4Ts score. This algorithm correctly predicted HIT in 94.5% (high 4Ts) and 96.0% (intermediate 4Ts) and excluded HIT in 82.6% (high 4Ts) and 80.1% (intermediate 4Ts) of patients in either scenario, respectively. Although both combined algorithms improved diagnostic performance of individual IAs, the simultaneous algorithm showed fewer false predictions (7.9%) than the sequential algorithm (intermediate 4Ts: 37.6% and high 4Ts: 41.5%) and proved more practical as it does not rely on physician evaluations. Our findings highlight the importance of accounting for clinician and interlaboratory variability when evaluating diagnostic tests for HIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to recent data, there are currently 170 to 200 million people infected with HCV worldwide, and the number of new cases annually is approximately 40,000. Thus, the overall prevalence of the pathogen in the world is about 1.8–3%. The dynamic monitoring of circulating viral variants in specific groups that reflect the situation in the wider population, including potential pathogen spread, is of high importance for predicting the epidemiologic situation. Pregnant women are such a group. The Republic of Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world, in which medicine receives little finance from the state. Among other conditions, HCV infection is not monitored in the country. This work used blood plasma from pregnant women living in the Republic of Guinea and their partners (1810 and 481). ELISA diagnostic kits were used to detect serologic markers, and PCR diagnostic kits were used to detect molecular biologic markers. Sanger sequencing, followed by phylogenetic analysis, was used for genotyping. The present study shows that HCV antibodies were detected in 3.2% of the pregnant women examined and in 3.33% of their male partners. HCV RNA was detected in 0.5% of cases in women and in all anti-HCV-positive male partners (3.33%). HCV RNA was more common in the men than in the pregnant women (χ2 = 25.6, df 1, p < 0.0001, RR = 6.69 with 95% CI: 2.97–15.04). The HCV viral load was determined for all the RNA-HCV-positive samples. The HCV viral load exceeded 1000 IU/mL in all nine women and only in two cases in men. The HCV genes NS5A and NS5B and the NS3 gene fragment were sequenced for 11 samples. Subtype 2q was determined for three isolates and 2j for another three isolates. Another five isolates could not be confidently assigned a subtype because different results were obtained with different methods of analyzing the three viral regions. It can be assumed that these isolates belong to new viral subtypes or to recombinant forms between genotype 2 subtypes. No drug resistance mutations were identified, but a large number of natural polymorphisms in the analyzed genomic regions of the HCV isolates were shown. These results may serve as baseline data for the future planning of a nationwide estimate of the prevalence of bloodborne infections among pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Postpartum uterine disease, such as endometritis, is widespread in highly productive dairy cows, leading to fertility problems and economic losses. Despite existing diagnostic methods, early and effective detection of uterine infections remains problematic due to the subclinical nature of some conditions. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a rapid diagnostic test for endometritis in cows on different days postpartum (PP). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on dairy Holstein–Friesian cows (n = 121) kept on farms in northern Kazakhstan. The study included both clinically normal cows and those diagnosed with endometritis, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the diagnostic methods across different stages of uterine health. The following laboratory tests were performed to diagnose and evaluate the presence and severity of endometritis in the cows: Nagorny-Kalinovsky test, Whiteside test, Katerinov test, Gavrish silver nitrate test, peroxide test, and clinical tests (rectal and vaginal examination). These tests were specifically chosen to identify inflammatory processes in the uterus, particularly focusing on detecting endometritis. Results: From day 21 to 30 PP, rectal and vaginal examinations were 32% and 28% more effective than the Nagorny-Kalinovsky test and the Whiteside test. From day 61 postpartum, the Whiteside test was 37.5% more effective than the Nagorny-Kalinovsky test. Comparatively, among laboratory diagnostic methods from days 10 to 110 PP, the peroxide test showed the greatest effectiveness in identifying 80.9% of sick animals. In sick animals from day 10 to 20 PP, during the interaction of the cervicovaginal mucus with 10%, 20%, and 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), an 8.1 ± 1.9–8.8 ± 1.6 cm foam column was formed within 4–5 min. Conclusion: The experiment showed that a 10% H2 O2 solution yielded better results. Using H2 O2 as a diagnostic agent for endometritis in cows has several advantages, including ease of use, it does not require special laboratory conditions and provides a visual reading of the reaction within 4–5 min. A limitation of this study is the focus on H2 O2 without exploring other potential reagents that may enhance diagnostic accuracy. Future research could explore the long-term stability of cervicovaginal mucus samples and investigate the integration of additional substances that may expedite the detection of subclinical endometritis and improve the clarity of diagnostic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptococcal meningitis is one of the leading causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa among patients with advanced HIV disease. Early diagnosis is crucial in improving treatment outcomes. Despite advances and the availability of modern and point-of-care diagnostics for cryptococcosis, gaps still exist in resource-constrained settings, leading to unfavorable treatment outcomes. Here, we review the current outstanding issues or missing links that need to be filled to optimize the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in resource-constrained settings to improve treatment outcomes. We highlight the evolution of cryptococcosis diagnostics; the roles of early fungicidal activity, cryptococcal antigen titers, antifungal susceptibility testing, and therapeutic drug monitoring; and the missing links to optimize diagnosis and outcomes, including practical recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Рertussis is one of the common diseases in young children around the world. In 2023, the incidence of pertussis was recorded in all constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the incidence rate of pertussis in children in the first year of life increased by 13.8 times compared to last year, and the incidence rate in children aged 1 to 2 years was 159.7 per 100 thousand population of this age. Objective: assessment of the course of whooping cough in children of the first three years of life. Materials and methods: a retrospective analysis of 199 medical records of children hospitalized in St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 5 named after. N. F. Filatova in the period from 2019—2024. Results: Most often, children in the first 6 months of life require hospitalization. Immunization against pertussis was absent in almost all cases. As a rule, the source of infection was the older children in the family and parents. The preconvulsant period was often 4—6 days. The majority of children (89%) were admitted to the hospital at the end of the first — beginning of the second week of the convulsive period. In 81% of cases, the disease was of moderate severity, and severe — 19%. Respiratory rhythm disturbances were observed in 29% of patients. Pertussis was more often complicated by obstructive bronchitis; pneumonia was recorded in 9% of cases, acute bronchiolitis (2.5%) mainly in children in the first 6 months of life. The disease occurred against the background of perinatal damage to the central nervous systemin 13% of cases, atopic dermatitis in 10%, urinary tract infectionin 3.5%, and in 4 patients against the background of acquired CMV infection. Among the concomitant pathologies, ARVI was more often detected. The diagnosis was confirmed by PCR. Conclusion: the persistence of high morbidity rates in the child population and the severity of the disease in young children necessitates the need to achieve a high percentage of coverage of the child population with specific prevention.

Background and Aim: Postpartum uterine disease, such as endometritis, is widespread in highly productive dairy cows, leading to fertility problems and economic losses. Despite existing diagnostic methods, early and effective detection of uterine infections remains problematic due to the subclinical nature of some conditions. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a rapid diagnostic test for endometritis in cows on different days postpartum (PP). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on dairy Holstein–Friesian cows (n = 121) kept on farms in northern Kazakhstan. The study included both clinically normal cows and those diagnosed with endometritis, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the diagnostic methods across different stages of uterine health. The following laboratory tests were performed to diagnose and evaluate the presence and severity of endometritis in the cows: Nagorny-Kalinovsky test, Whiteside test, Katerinov test, Gavrish silver nitrate test, peroxide test, and clinical tests (rectal and vaginal examination). These tests were specifically chosen to identify inflammatory processes in the uterus, particularly focusing on detecting endometritis. Results: From day 21 to 30 PP, rectal and vaginal examinations were 32% and 28% more effective than the Nagorny-Kalinovsky test and the Whiteside test. From day 61 postpartum, the Whiteside test was 37.5% more effective than the Nagorny-Kalinovsky test. Comparatively, among laboratory diagnostic methods from days 10 to 110 PP, the peroxide test showed the greatest effectiveness in identifying 80.9% of sick animals. In sick animals from day 10 to 20 PP, during the interaction of the cervicovaginal mucus with 10%, 20%, and 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an 8.1 ± 1.9–8.8 ± 1.6 cm foam column was formed within 4–5 min. Conclusion: The experiment showed that a 10% H2O2 solution yielded better results. Using H2O2 as a diagnostic agent for endometritis in cows has several advantages, including ease of use, it does not require special laboratory conditions and provides a visual reading of the reaction within 4–5 min. A limitation of this study is the focus on H2O2 without exploring other potential reagents that may enhance diagnostic accuracy. Future research could explore the long-term stability of cervicovaginal mucus samples and investigate the integration of additional substances that may expedite the detection of subclinical endometritis and improve the clarity of diagnostic results.

Objective. Determination of the optimal machine learning model for the creation of software for screening and early diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms in the context of centralization of the laboratory service in the region. Material and Methods. The clinical material was based on 1254 patients who were examined in the centralized laboratory of the Volgograd Consultative and Diagnostic Polyclinic No. 2. Of these, 139 were subsequently operated on at the Volgograd Regional Clinical Oncology Dispensary for pancreatic malignancies. In 65 (46.7 %) cases, distal pancreatic resection was performed, and in 74 (53.3 %) cases, pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. In 28 (20.1 %) cases, at the time of tumor detection, patients did not have clinical symptoms. Statistical processing of the data was carried out using the Python programming language. Five different classifiers were used for machine learning. Results. In the course of factor analysis, 11 parameters were selected from 62 laboratory blood parameters, the dynamics of changes in which should be specifically assessed at the stages of screening and early diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms. A comparative assessment of machine learning techniques showed that the best option for creating the appropriate software was Hist Gradient Boosting (diagnostic accuracy 0.909, sensitivity 0.642, specificity 0.965, negative predictability 0.928, positive predictability 0.794, F1 0.828, logistic regression loss function 0.352, area under the ROC curve 0.89). Conclusion. The creation of software based on the selected algorithm will make it possible to clarify the real effectiveness of machine learning on a larger population of patients with pancreatic neoplasms.

The aim of the study was to test the possibility of identifying isolates of pathogenic Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato by the specificity of linked sequences of their recA and ospA gene loci, i.e. using the optimized multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) method.Materials and methods. 25 Borrelia isolates from adult hungry Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in the forest-steppe part of the Voronezh Region were studied. Isolates were obtained through seeding the mid-gut of ticks on BSK medium. Their primary identification was performed by analyzing the linked sequences of the recA and ospA gene loci with a total length of 360 bp. Selective control of species affiliation of Borrelia isolates was carried out according to the protocol of full MLSA via assessment of the nucleotide sequences of 6 genes (recA, ospA, rrs, hbb, groEL, fla) and the intergenic spacer rrf-rrl (total length of all 7 loci being 1187 bp) using the BLAST platform, Sequence scanner 2 and MEGA11 programs.Results and discussion. The heterogeneity of the nucleotide sequences of recA and ospA genes in 25 Borrelia isolates has been investigated. Construction of dendrograms has revealed at least 5 different sequence variants among the isolates. The similarity of isolates within each of these five groups, as well as their distinction from comparable linked sequences of other pathogenic species of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex is demonstrated. To confirm the results obtained, a set of isolates from each group was sampled using the full MLSA protocol. It has been established that five Borrelia species circulate in the studied ecosystems of the Voronezh Region: B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. bavariensis, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, and B. valasiniana.

Teaching is an occupation with high stress levels and extremely poor health indicators, which tend to decline as working records become longer. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors able to cause health issues in teachers of rural comprehensive schools and to determine the significance of clinical and laboratory indices as early indicators. The work uses the results of hygienic, clinical and laboratory studies aimed at assessing health and working conditions of teachers employed at comprehensive schools in rural areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Sanitary and hygienic conditions in classrooms of rural comprehensive schools were assessed in conformity with the Guide R 2.2.2006-05. Medical check-ups resulted in 255 various somatic diseases diagnosed in 70 teachers, overall, 3.64 diseases per one examined teacher. Laboratory tests revealed elevated hemoglobin levels in 20.00 % of the examined female teachers and low ones in 8.57 %. Erythrocytosis was established in 64.29 % of the examined teachers. We also established some slight changes in hematocrit levels, which were elevated in 4.29 % and low in 8.57 % of the examined teachers. Accordingly, in case hemoglobin levels were low, erythrocyte indices MCV and МСН went down as well in 30.00–32.86 % of the female teachers. The number of workers with elevated glucose and cholesterol levels went up as their work records grew longer (the correlation coefficients were 0.94÷0.98). Examination of microflora found in the upper airway mucosa revealed clinically significant contamination, which was mostly represented by cocci bacteria, the most significant microorganisms being Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus spp and β-hаemolytic streptococci. Our integrated study has shown that working conditions at workplaces of teachers in rural comprehensive schools do not conform to safety standards as per work hardness and work intensity (intellectual, emotional and sensory loads). The study results confirm high importance of diagnostic methods as indicators of health issues in teachers employed at comprehensive schools. Preventive measures aimed at protecting teachers’ health in rural areas should consider peculiarities of pathomorphosis that determines their health status.

Introduction. One of the reasons for the development of many diseases primarily malignant is the increased expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). Bevacizumab is a drug that neutralizes the biological activity of VEGF. The molecular structure of bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized antibody. Its use reduces vascularization in the foci of increased VEGF expression which slows down tumor growth and also helps restore vision in a number of ophthalmic diseases. To determine the concentration of bevacizumab in human biological fluids a test system based on Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is presented.Aim. Aim of this study is the validation of this test system.Materials and methods. Blank sera of volunteers, bevacizumab solution, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, solid-phase sandwich ELISA kit, microplate photometer.Results and discussion. The following characteristics of the test system were determined: the lower limit of quantification is 2.0 mcg/ml, the upper calibration range is up to 200 mcg/ml, the accuracy and precision within one series and between series does not exceed 20 %, and the total error of the method – 30 %, short-term stability for samples at room temperature – 6 hours, long-term stability – 14 days at –20 °C, the ability to freeze/thaw of samples is up to three times, the ability to determine samples with a concentration above the upper calibrator after diluting in 2 times.Conclusion. The results obtained fully comply with international acceptance criteria and allow the use of the ELISA test system manufactured by LLC "Probiotek" for use in the field of clinical laboratory diagnostics.

The preanalytical phase in clinical laboratory diagnostics is currently receiving more and more attention. This term describes one part of actions and aspects of the "brain-to-brain cycle" of the medical laboratory diagnostic procedure that take place before the analytical phase. However, the preanalytical activities, the handling of unsuitable samples and the reporting procedures are neither fully standardized nor harmonized worldwide. The influence of the properties of the blood collection needle must be acknowledged. In this work, we focused on the investigation of the internal structure and size of standardized 21G blood collection needles. All parameters were measured with a scanning electron microscope using a Jeol model JSM-6000PLUS. Our. The obtained data shows that the internal surfaces of the needles vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer (by around 35 %), and this may play an important role in influencing blood flow and even the risk of blood cell injury (especially hemolysis) during blood drawing. The differential actual needle diameters can vary greatly between needle manufactures and this variety may have a significant impact on laboratory values and may also lead to specimen rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the moment the SARS-CoV-2 virus was identified in December 2019, the COVID-19 disease spread around the world, causing an increase in hospitalisations and deaths. From the beginning of the pandemic, scientists tried to determine the major cause that led to patient deaths. In this paper, the background to creating a research model was diagnostic problems related to early assessment of the degree of damage to the lungs in patients with COVID-19. The study group comprised patients hospitalised in one of the temporary COVID hospitals. Patients admitted to the hospital had confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2. At the moment of admittance, arterial blood was taken and the relevant parameters noted. The results of physical examinations, the use of oxygen therapy and later test results were compared with the condition of the patients in later computed tomography images and descriptions. The point of reference for determining the severity of the patient's condition in the computer imagery was set for a mild condition as consisting of a percentage of total lung parenchyma surface area affected no greater than 30%, an average condition of between 30% and 70%, and a severe condition as greater than 70% of the lung parenchyma surface area affected. Patients in a mild clinical condition most frequently had mild lung damage on the CT image, similarly to patients in an average clinical condition. Patients in a serious clinical condition most often had average levels of damage on the CT image. On the basis of the collected data, it can be said that at the moment of admittance, BNP, PE and HCO3− levels, selected due to the form of lung damage, on computed tomography differed from one another in a statistically significant manner (p < 0.05). Patients can qualify for an appropriate group according to the severity of COVID-19 on the basis of a physical examination and applied oxygen therapy. Patients can qualify for an appropriate group according to the severity of COVID-19 on the basis of BNP, HCO3 and BE parameters obtained from arterial blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the WHO, 9 to 16 % of babies are born preterm each year. One of the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality, preterm birth is associated with short- and long-term consequences for physical and neuropsychological development, as well as early onset of chronic diseases. Developmental immaturity affects organ systems and causes damage during the perinatal and neonatal periods. Intestinal inflammation, which represents increased activity of intestinal neutrophils and protein loss, is accompanied by high levels of intestinal inflammatory markers and is an important factor in childhood stunting. The immaturity of the intestine and the associated increased risk of morbidity and food intolerance in premature infants make the choice of appropriate enteral nutrition extremely important. Aim of the study. To analyze the risk factors for disorders of the functional state of the intestine in perinatal pathology, as well as the results of clinical and laboratory studies in premature infants, to determine the sensitivity and specificity of indicators in order to use them in practical medicine. Materials and methods of the study. A comprehensive clinical and paraclinical examination of 91 premature infants with clinical manifestations of moderate and severe perinatal pathology with signs of disturbances of the functional state of the digestive system (group I, gestational age 29 (0/7) – 36 (6/7) weeks) and 57 conditionally healthy newborns (group II, gestational age 35 (0/7) – 36 (6/7) weeks) was performed. The total number of children studied was 148. Inclusion criteria: neonates with gestational age of 25-36 (6/7) weeks, body weight between 500 and 2500 g, informed parental consent to participate in the clinical trial. Exclusion criteria: gestational age < 25 weeks and ≥ 37 weeks, body weight < 500 g and ≥ 2500 g, congenital malformations and septic conditions, lack of informed parental consent to participate in the clinical trial. The study of the coprofiltrate in children of the observation groups, in particular, the determination of the levels of α-1-antitrypsin, PMN-elastase, albumin, fecal calprotectin and fecal elastase-1 was performed by the enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the German- Ukrainian laboratory «BUKINMED» (Chernivtsi, Ukraine) using reagents of Immundiagnostic AG (Germany). The study was conducted in accordance with the basic provisions of GCP (1996), the Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine (April 4, 1997), the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki for the Ethical Principles of Scientific Medical Research Involving Human Subjects (1964-2008), the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 690 of September 23, 2009 (as amended by the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 523 of July 12, 2012). The study was approved by the Biomedical Ethics Committee of the Bukovinian State Medical University (Protocol No. 2 dated February 9, 2015). Statistical processing of the obtained data was performed using the software package «STATISTICA» (StatSoft Inc., USA, version 10), MedCalc software (version 16.1), with calculation of the odds ratio of the coefficient of excess (Chi-squared), odds ratio (OR), 95 % confidence interval (CI), statistically significant differences between the study groups were considered at a value of p<0.005. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under ROC (AUROC), sensitivity (SN), and specificity (SP) were analyzed using MedCalc software (version 16.1). The dissertation was carried out within the framework of researches of the Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology and Perinatal Medicine of the Bukovinian State Medical University on the topic: «Improvement of the areas of prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of perinatal pathology in newborns and infants, optimization of the schemes of catamnestic observation and rehabilitation» (State registration number 0115U002768, term of execution 2015-2019) and «Chronobiological and adaptive aspects and features of vegetative regulation in pathological conditions in children of different age groups» (State registration number 0122U002245, term of execution 2020-2024). Results of the study. The burdened background of extragenital and obstetric and gynecological maternal pathology has a significant impact on the risk of severe perinatal pathology in premature infants. A number of factors affect the functional state of the intestine, which in connection with the development of perinatal pathology leads to food intolerance. Increased permeability of the intestinal mucosa and violation of its integrity due to local inflammation cause the translocation of pathogenic and opportunistic microflora into the bloodstream. The presence of a local inflammatory process and exocrine insufficiency of the pancreas provokes a disruption of parietal absorption processes. The use of specific, sensitive and minimally invasive indicators will allow timely prediction of intestinal dysfunction and development of food intolerance in newborns with perinatal pathology. Conclusions. 1. The causes of digestive system disorders in preterm infants under hypoxia is the combined adverse effect of extragenital and obstetric- gynaecological pathology in the mother, which leads to the development of perinatal pathology. 2. Determination of the criteria for food intolerance in preterm infants with disorders of the functional state of the digestive system will increase the effectiveness of diagnostic measures in the postnatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid disorders are the most common (even 70%) and worst monitored cardiovascular risk factor (only 1/4 of patients in Poland and in CEE countries are on the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal). To improve this, clear and simple diagnostic criteria should be introduced for all components of the lipid profile. These are the updated guidelines of the two main scientific societies in Poland in the area – the Polish Society of Laboratory Diagnostics (PSLD) and the Polish Lipid Association (PoLA), which, in comparison to those from 2020, introduce few important changes in recommendations (two main lipid targets, new recommendations on LDL-C measurements, calculations new goals for triglycerides, new recommendations on remnants and small dense LDL) that should help the practitioners to be early with the diagnosis of lipid disorders and in the effective monitoring (after therapy initiation), and in the consequence to avoid the first and recurrent cardiovascular events.

Demodicosis occupies a leading position among all dermatoses. According to ICD-10, it is not distinguished as a separate disease; it belongs to the class of parasitic diseases. The relevance of studying the problem of ophthalmodemodecosis is caused by its high prevalence and contagiousness, chronic course, an open issue of the role of the Demodex mite in the occurrence of inflammatory eye diseases, as well as the lack of effective methods for treating and preventing this pathology. In addition, Demodex causes discomfort and contributes to the occurrence of cosmetic defects, which in turn worsens the patient’s quality of life.The aim. To present a review of the literature data and our own results of laboratory diagnostics of ophthalmodemodecosis.Materials and methods. The article presents clinical cases of demodectic eyelid lesions with different disease outcomes in case of similar treatment. Laboratory diagnostics included drawing up an acarogram. Epilated eyelashes were used as a material for detecting mites on eyelids. Counting of individuals was carried out using light microscopy; all forms of mite development were taken into account. The work presents the statistics on the frequency of examination of patients with suspected demodicosis at different times of the year, confirming the seasonality of this disease. The literature review included data on the history of studying the Demodex mite, existing hypotheses and theories about its pathogenesis, as well as the information on domestic and foreign methods of treating ophthalmodecosis, including modern hardware techniques.Results. Demodex mites play a significant role in the development of blepharitis and blepharoconjunctivitis. It is important to consider that demodicosis can occur against the background of inflammatory eye diseases of another etiology. Therapy for ophthalmodemodecosis currently remains complex, lengthy and ineffective. When assessing the results of an acarogram, any detected stages of a mite are clinically significant, and there isn’t a direct relationship between the number of detected mites and the severity of clinical manifestations in all cases.

Introduction. The vertical route of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission is a significant problem in African countries, which is characterized by late diagnosis of the disease and high mortality. The high prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Africa may be due to variability in the HBV preCore/Core region, mutations in which contribute to disease progression. Molecular genetic characterization of strains circulating among pregnant women may reflect the overall mutational profile of the pathogen in the population. The objective of this study was to analyze the variability of the HBV preCore/Core region circulating among pregnant women in the Republic of Guinea. Materials and methods. The study material included 480 plasma samples obtained from HBV-positive pregnant women from the Republic of Guinea. For all samples, the nucleotide sequences of the preCore/Core region of the HBV genome were sequenced and analyzed. Results. Amino acid variability in the preCore region was determined in 211 (43.96%), and in the Core region in 473 (98.54%) patients. 12 polymorphic sites of the preCore region were identified in which amino acid substitutions occurred, including 8, 2 and 5 positions identified for genotypes E, A and D, respectively. In the Core region, 67 substitution positions were identified, including 46 in samples of genotype E, 23 in HBV genotype A and 26 in genotype D. It was shown that the distribution of substitutions in the preCore and Core regions in HBV genotypes E, A and D differs significantly with a predominance in mutations among HBV genotype E — p 0.0001. Individual characteristic mutations have been identified for each genotype. The most common clinically significant mutations in the preCore/Core region in the study group were identified, including pc-H5D (27,08%), pc-W28* (35,21%), c-E64D (33,54%), c-L116I/V/G (91,46 %), c-T146N (73,13%). The double mutation A1762T/G1764A in the basal core promoter was shown in 74 samples of HBV genotype E, which accounted for 15.42% of the total group and 16.59% of patients with HBV genotype E. Conclusion. The frequency of clinically significant preCore/Core mutations among pregnant women in the Republic of Guinea was determined. The data obtained reflect their prevalence in the general population and can be used to predict the progression of chronic HBV among the region's population.

Introduction. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are characterized by the ability to survive and reproduce in the urinary tract due to the presence of specific virulence factors. In routine laboratory practice, the detection of diagnostically significant bacteriuria does not provide an idea of the level of infection of the urinary system (renal parenchyma, bladder), the pathogenic potential of the strain in the progression and chronicity of the infectious process, and the occurrence of life-threatening conditions (urosepsis, meningitis). Objective. To characterize the population structure, genetic diversity and pathogenic potential of E. coli strains isolated from urine. Materials and methods. 194 strains of E. coli isolated from urine were studied. Detection of 17 genes encoding the synthesis of: adhesins (pap, fimH, sfa, focG, afa), toxins (hlyA, cvaC, cnf, cdtB), capsular antigens (kpsMTII, kpsMTIII, kpsMT K1), siderophores (fyuA, iutA), invasins (ibeA), genetic markers of the pathogenicity island (PAI) of UPEC CFT073, the gene (traT) encoding serum resistance capacity and phylogenetic groups were performed by PCR (CXT-1000, BioRad, USA) with published primers (Synthol, Sibenzyme, Evrogen, Russia). To assess the statistical significance of differences, Fisher's exact test was used. Differences were considered significant at a confidence interval of 95% (p 0.05). Results. E. coli strains more often (p 0.05) belonged to the phylogenetic group B2 (57.7%). Pathogenetically significant virulence determinants were identified in 97.9% of strains. Based on the combination of 17 genes, 134 individual virulence genotypes were identified. In 93.3% of strains, a genetic predisposition to the occurrence of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) was revealed, in 6.9% there was a potential for the development of pyelonephritis and recurrent cystitis. Markers of life-threatening complications of UTI were identified in 12% of strains, of which 10.7% were the development of urosepsis and 1.3% were meningitis. Conclusion. Detection of a complex of genes in E. coli strains isolated from urine confirms the etiological significance of the isolate and allows one to assess the pathogenic potential for the development of chronic and severe life-threatening complications.

AbstractQ fever is a zooantroponoze distributed worldwide; it is caused by obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Q fever is considered challenging for diagnosis and treatment. Clinical manifestations can vary among patients, which makes differential diagnosis difficult. In addition, in animals, the infection often remains latent, thus, creating a risk of uncontrolled dissemination and transmission to humans. Hence, the need for rapid and accurate identification of the pathogen to take timely and adequate therapeutic and prophylactic measures, including on-site testing. Current strategies for the detection of C. burnetii are molecular assays, e.g. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or next-generation sequencing (NGS), and traditional serological tests. The conventional pathogen detection methods have serious limitations that make them not suitable for on-site analysis, as it requires level three biosafety laboratory conditions for cultivation in eukaryotic cell culture and poses significant health risks. In this review, we highlight the problems related to the application of biosensors in the detection of C. burnetii infection and their place among the standard diagnostic methods, given the potential of biosensors to provide rapid and quantitative diagnosis. We consider the applicability of surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensors for C. burnetii detection. The elaboration of an SPR biochip with an immobilized structural C. burnetii protein as a recognition molecule is described. The SPR assay is based on the binding reaction ‘infectious structural protein – anti-C. burnetii antibodies’. We discuss our preliminary results addressing their application in C. burnetii detection.

The article presents an outline of the concept of a prototype system allowing for the optimization of inventory management in a diagnostic laboratory on the basis of patients results. The effectiveness of laboratory diagnostics depends largely on the appropriate management of resources and the quality of tests. A functional quality management system is an integral element of every diagnostic laboratory, ensuring reliability and appropriate work standards. This system includes maintaining correct and reliable analytical test results as well as the optimal use of the laboratory equipment's processing capacity and the appropriate organization of the supply chain—both analytical material and reagents. It is extremely important to avoid situations in which tests cannot be performed due to a lack of reagents, the overloading of analyzers, or improper calibration. Therefore, the accurate prediction of the number of orders is crucial to optimize the laboratory's operations, both in the short term—for the next few hours and minutes—and in the longer term, even monthly, which will allow for the appropriate planning of reagent stock. As part of the research presented in this article, machine learning methods were used to implement the above functionalities, which allowed for the development of a prototype of a laboratory optimization system using patient test results as a basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid disorders are the most common (even 70%) and worst monitored cardiovascular risk factor (only 1/4 of patients in Poland and in CEE countries are on the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal). To improve this, clear and simple diagnostic criteria should be introduced for all components of the lipid profile. These are the updated guidelines of the two main scientific societies in Poland in the area -- the Polish Society of Laboratory Diagnostics (PSLD) and the Polish Lipid Association (PoLA), which, in comparison to those from 2020, introduce few important changes in recommendations (two main lipid targets, new recommendations on LDL-C measurements, calculations new goals for triglycerides, new recommendations on remnants and small dense LDL) that should help the practitioners to be early with the diagnosis of lipid disorders and in the effective monitoring (after therapy initiation), and in the consequence to avoid the first and recurrent cardiovascular events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Since 2014, Brazil has gradually implemented the Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) test to enhance early tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant (DR-TB) detection and control, yet its nationwide impact remains underexplored. Our study conducts an intervention time-series analysis (ITSA) to evaluate how the Xpert's implementation has improved TB and DR-TB detection nationwide. Methods: 1,061,776 cases from Brazil's National TB Registry (2011–2022) were reviewed and ITSA (2011–2019) was used to gauge the impact of the Xpert's adoption on TB and DR-TB notification. Granger Causality and dynamic regression modelling determined if incorporating Xpert testing as an external regressor enhanced forecasting accuracy for Brazil's future TB trends. Findings: Xpert implementation resulted in a 9.7% increase in TB notification and substantial improvements in DR-TB (63.6%) and drug-susceptible TB (92.1%) detection compared to expected notifications if it had not been implemented. Xpert testing counts also presented a time-dependent relationship with DR-TB detection post-implementation, and improved predictions in forecasting models, which depicted a potential increase in TB and DR-TB detection in the next six years. Interpretation: This study underscores the critical role of Xpert's adoption in boosting TB and DR-TB detection in Brazil, reinforcing the case for its widespread use in disease control. Improvements in prediction accuracy resulting from integrating Xpert data are crucial for allocating resources and reducing the incidence of TB. By acknowledging Xpert's role in both disease control and improving predictions, we advocate for its expanded use and further research into advanced molecular diagnostics for effective TB and DR-TB control. Funding: FIOCRUZ.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a significant concern due to its high prevalence and impact on global health. Ongoing scientific research aims to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development and progression of diabetes and devise effective strategies for its treatment. This involves the development of new pharmacological treatments, including novel antidiabetic drugs, and the exploration of individualized approaches to therapy. The mechanisms underlying type 2 diabetes are intricate, involving various aspects of physiology and biochemistry. Gaining insight into the development and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus through modern laboratory diagnostic methods is crucial for the development of effective treatment and prevention strategies for diabetes. The aim of the study is to identify and analyze a panel of genes, involved in insulin signals transmission in the development of experimental type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods. The analysis of gene expression involved in insulin signal transmission was conducted using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) on the CFX-96 Touch™ system (Bio-Rad, USA). The RT2Profiler™ PCR Array Rat Diabetes kit (QIAGEN, Germany) was employed for this purpose. Results. Based on the study results, the activity of the genes involved in insulin signal transmission can be categorized as follows: genes with low expression compared to the control group of animals, where ∆∆Ct

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of occult hepatitis B infection among blood donors in St. Petersburg, as well as to characterize the identified virus isolates. The study material was represented by 2800 blood plasma samples collected in 2019 from blood donors living in St. Petersburg. The ELISA study for HBV marker rate consisted of HBsAg, anti-HBs IgG, anti-HBcore IgG. HBV DNA was analyzed by nested PCR with real-time hybridization-fluorescence detection on three targets allowing to determine virus DNA at low viral load, including HBsAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis B serological markers were detected in 69.43% of those surveyed, HBsAg was found in 0.43% of individuals, and all of which donated blood first time. A significant excess of the anti-HBcore IgG antibodies occurrence among primary donors (15.1%) compared with repeated/regular donors (7.48%) was shown. The prevalence of virus DNA in the group was 3.14%, including 2.71% of cases in HBsAg-negative CHB. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 88 isolates, HBV subgenotypes were determined in the following order: D1 and D2, 40.91% each, D3 and A2, 9.09% each. While determining the serological subtype in detected isolates, the serotype ayw3 (52.27%) vs ayw2 (46.59%) and adw2 (10.23%) prevailed. Drug resistance mutations, including compensatory ones, were detected in six examined patients (6.82%). In all genotype D isolates, multiple amino acid substitutions were identified in the RT, SHB, MHB, LHB, and Core regions; mutations in the preCore region were detected in 21.59% samples. In the MHR of the HBV genotype D genome, twenty-six positions were identified in which amino acid substitutions occurred, and all isolates showed modifications at positions 113, 114, 131, 134, 159, 161, 168, in 76 — at position 122, in 68 — at position 127, in 36 — at position 118, in 24 — at position 128. In HBV A2 isolates, mutations T113S, S143T, Y161F were identified. Nine isolates in the preCore region showed a polymorphism including a stop codon W28*W; in five isolates the W28S substitution was shown in the same position, and the W28*S variant was found in one more sample. The high incidence of HBsAg-negative CHB cases among blood donors, as well as the predominance of HBV isolates that simultaneously carry mutations resulting in diagnostic failure of HBsAg tests and prophylactic failure of immunoglobulin or vaccines and virus reactivation, mutations that contribute to disease progression obviously pose a threat to health and require to be further examined.

Group A streptococcal infections dominate among invasive streptococcal infections, with the major causative agent, Streptococcus pyogenes, being quite stable in the environment and bearing a large number of chromosome encoded pathogenicity factors or transmitted by horizontal transfer through bacteriophages. Different genetic variants of S. pyogenes can have a different set of pathogenicity factors able to change during pathogen evolution and determine virulence level for specific isolate. With a short incubation period, the disease can proceed with developing invasive infection and toxic shock syndrome with unfavorable outcome within 7 days from disease onset. The purpose of this article is to increase the doctors’ alertness to early recognition and diagnosis, which directly affects adequate treatment in a timely manner and disease outcome. The data on streptococcal morbidity in Russia and worldwide, review of laboratory diagnostic methods and pathogen genetic typing are presented. The maximum number of cases of streptococcal septicemia in Russia was registered in 2022, which accounted for 69% of all cases during the 2014–2022 observation period. The article also describes two clinical cases of fulminant invasive group A streptococcal infection in children with symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections at the onset of the disease. The results of various laboratory diagnostics methods verifying the diagnosis are presented. The genetic characterization of microbial isolates was performed by deep DNA sequencing. In the biological material from patients (including autopsy in one case), S. pyogenes sequence type ST-28, serotypes emm-1.25 and emm-1.0 were identified. The increasing importance of invasive streptococcal infection for health care in Russia and other countries may be associated with a possible change in dominating S. pyogenes genetic variants. In this regard, the study on circulating S. pyogenes genotypes on an ongoing basis as part of surveillance of streptococcal infection and development of vaccine for specific prevention are required.

The purpose of the research was to study the content of ceruloplasmin, copper and copper-coordinating amino acids (in the molecule of the studied protein) in the milk of white-and- black cows at different periods of lactation. The research methods were: modified method for determining ceruloplasmin by Revin; copper was determined using a ZEEnit 650 P atomic adsorption spectrometer (Analytik Jena AG, Germany), amino acid analysis was performed using a highly efficient LC-20 Prominence liquid chromatography system (Shimadzu, Tokyo, Japan) equipped with a reaction module for post-column derivatization with ninhydrin ARM-1000 (Sevko & Co., Moscow, Russia). The study groups were formed depending on the timing of lactation: 1-2 months – group 1; 3-5 months – group 2; 6-7 months – group 3; 8-9 months – group 4. Each group included 8 animals. The Mann-Whitney U criterion and Pearson correlations were used for statistical processing of the obtained results. The average values of ceruloplasmin levels in the groups were 0.44-0.49 mg/ml, copper 71-83 mcg/l, histidine 0.11-013 g/100g, cysteine 0.03 g/100g and methionine 0.09-0.11 g/100g. In these 4 groups, small differences were found in the content of ceruloplasmin, copper and three amino acids, but only for the second and fourth groups of histidine, these differences were significant. Thus, the indicated intervals of ceruloplasmin and copper content can serve as important guidelines for determining the "reference intervals" for cow milk in general, while it is not necessary to take into account different lactation periods.

Background: Onychomycosis, a disease was with a high global prevalence, has been the focal point of this study. The research aims to compare diagnostic efficacy among various methods, including potassium hydroxide (KOH), Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), specific colour staining (Chlorazol, lactophenol cotton blue and Chicago sky blue stain), fluorescent staining (calcofluor white stain, acridine orange fluorescent dye), culture on dermatophyte test medium (DTM), conventional PCR, dermoscopy, histopathological examination using PAS stain (HEP‐PAS), real‐time PCR and multiple PCR. This comparison was achieved through a network meta‐analysis involving patients with onychomycosis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across eight databases. Subsequently, both direct and indirect evidence were amalgamated to assess sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy. This combination analysis helped to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values of the nine different methods, providing an in‐depth perspective on diagnosing onychomycosis. Results: The network meta‐analysis integrated 20 eligible diagnostic trials. The results exhibited that DTM provided higher sensitivity, NPV and accuracy, as indicated by SUCRA values. Meanwhile, DMSO demonstrated higher specificity and positive predictive value in terms of SUCRA values. Among the nine methods, fluorescent staining showcased comparatively superior sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV and accuracy. Furthermore, a cluster analysis indicated that DTM held the highest diagnostic value for sensitivity and accuracy among the nine techniques, with fluorescence staining ranking second. Conclusion: This network meta‐analysis strengthens the evidence suggesting that fluorescence staining exhibits strong diagnostic value in onychomycosis. This finding bears diagnostic implications for onychomycosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a group of inflammatory conditions that can associate with the presence of antibodies directed to neuronal intracellular, or cell surface antigens. These disorders are increasingly recognized as an important differential diagnosis of infectious encephalitis and of other common neuropsychiatric conditions. Autoantibody diagnostics plays a pivotal role for accurate diagnosis of AE, which is of utmost importance for the prompt recognition and early treatment. Several AE subgroups can be identified, either according to the prominent clinical phenotype, presence of a concomitant tumor, or type of neuronal autoantibody, and recent diagnostic criteria have provided important insights into AE classification. Antibodies to neuronal intracellular antigens typically associate with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes and poor prognosis, whereas antibodies to synaptic/neuronal cell surface antigens characterize many AE subtypes that associate with tumors less frequently, and that are often immunotherapy-responsive. In addition to the general features of AE, we review current knowledge on the pathogenic mechanisms underlying these disorders, focusing mainly on the potential role of neuronal antibodies in the most frequent conditions, and highlight current theories and controversies. Then, we dissect the crucial aspects of the laboratory diagnostics of neuronal antibodies, which represents an actual challenge for both pathologists and neurologists. Indeed, this diagnostics entails technical difficulties, along with particularly interesting novel features and pitfalls. The novelties especially apply to the wide range of assays used, including specific tissue-based and cell-based assays. These assays can be developed in-house, usually in specialized laboratories, or are commercially available. They are widely used in clinical immunology and in clinical chemistry laboratories, with relevant differences in analytic performance. Indeed, several data indicate that in-house assays could perform better than commercial kits, notwithstanding that the former are based on non-standardized protocols. Moreover, they need expertise and laboratory facilities usually unavailable in clinical chemistry laboratories. Together with the data of the literature, we critically evaluate the analytical performance of the in-house vs commercial kit-based approach. Finally, we propose an algorithm aimed at integrating the present strategies of the laboratory diagnostics in AE for the best clinical management of patients with these disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main burden of neonatal morbidity in critically ill preterm infants, despite significant achievements and rapid development of care technologies, is most often associated with neonatal sepsis, perinatal asphyxia and the development of multiple organ failure syndrome. As a component of this syndrome, newborns with combined perinatal pathology in the early neonatal period manifest severe renal dysfunction up to acute kidney injury, which is closely correlated with increased mortality. The incidence of acute kidney injury in critically ill preterm infants varies widely, ranging from 25 to 77 % according to different neonatal data. A major problem in the field of neonatal nephrology is the lack of uniform approaches for the diagnosis of moderate and severe renal dysfunction at the subclinical stage, which would allow the timely formation of risk groups and the optimization of interventional strategies. Aim of the study. To analyze the data on clinical characteristics, risk factors, and results of additional paraclinical examinations in preterm infants with gestational age of 34-36/6 weeks who had severe and moderate perinatal pathology during the early neonatal period. Material and methods. A comprehensive study of 91 premature infants with moderate and severe perinatal pathology was conducted, of which group I consisted of 30 children with severe perinatal pathology at 34-36/6 weeks' gestation, group II - 30 children with moderate perinatal pathology at 34-36/6 weeks' gestation; group III (control) consisted of 31 conditionally healthy premature infants at 34-36/6 weeks' gestation. The diagnosis of acute kidney injury in neonates in the comparison groups was made according to the International Criteria for Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes as modified by J. G. Jetton and D. J. Askenazi (2015). The international scale Neonatal Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score was used to assess the severity of multiorgan dysfunction in perinatal pathology. The effectiveness of therapeutic interventions was assessed using the international scale Neonatal Therapeutic Intervention Scoring Scale, and the severity of the patient's condition in dynamics was assessed using the neonatal scale Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology. Methods of laboratory research. The study of the biochemical spectrum of urine in children of the observation groups, in particular, the determination of the level of markers of kidney damage - alpha-1-microglobulin, beta-2-microglobulin, microalbumin, cystatin C was carried out on the basis of the problematic research laboratory of the Bukovinian State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine using the automatic analyzer «ACCENT-200» and «ACCENT-200 II CEN». Urine was collected on the 3rd day of life (between 48-72 hours of life), in sterile disposable containers, in the amount of at least 5 ml. At the same time, a blood sample for cystatin C determination was taken in the amount of 0.5-1.0 ml, in accordance with the rules of asepsis and antisepsis in disposable sterile tubes. A turbodimensional immunoassay was used to determine the concentration of cystatin C and urinary microalbumin. Determination of alpha-1-microglobulin was performed using an ACCENT-200 automated analyzer by measuring agglutination by change in absorbance (572 nm), with actual concentration determined by interpolation from a calibration curve constructed using calibrators of known concentration. The concentration of beta-2-microglobulin in urine was determined by the method of competitive chemiluminescence analysis. The studies were conducted in accordance with the basic provisions of GCP (1996), the Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine (April 4, 1997), the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki on Ethical Principles for Research Involving Human Subjects (1964-2008), Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 690 of September 23, 2009 (as amended by Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 523 of July 12, 2012). Statistical analysis of the results was performed using Statistica 10 software (StatSoft Inc., USA, 2010), MedCalc software (version 16.1) with calculation of chi-squared, odds ratio (OR), 95 % confidence interval (CI), statistically significant differences between the study groups were considered at a value of p<0.005. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under ROC (AUROC), sensitivity (SN), and specificity (SP) were analyzed using MedCalc software (version 16.1). The research work was carried out within the framework of research of the Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology and Perinatal Medicine of the Bukovinian State Medical University: Research project «Improvement of directions of prognostication, diagnosis and treatment of perinatal pathology in newborns and infants, optimization of schemes of catamnestic observation and rehabilitation» (State registration number 0115U002768, term of implementation 2015-2019); Research project «Chronobiological and adaptive aspects and features of vegetative regulation in pathological conditions in children of different age groups» (State registration number 0122U002245, term of implementation 2020-2024). Study Results. The data obtained showed statistically significant associations between the risk of severe renal dysfunction and a number of antenatal and postnatal factors that adversely affect the course of the early neonatal period. These included fetal distress during pregnancy and delivery, emergency cesarean section, risk of spontaneous abortion and preterm birth, and impaired fetal-placental blood flow. Statistically significant associations with the development of moderate and severe renal dysfunction are associated with a burdened history of maternal extragenital pathology, namely cardiovascular, urinary system, and anemia (p<0.005). The structure of perinatal pathology in preterm infants is often combined and difficult to diagnose. A significant proportion of newborns had clinical manifestations of multiple organ failure syndrome, including signs of renal dysfunction. Therefore, it is expedient to study a set of the latest potential biomarkers of renal dysfunction, such as cystatin C, alpha-1-microglobulin, beta-2-microglobulin and microalbumin, in order to create an appropriate prognostic model and timely form risk groups among this category of children. Conclusions. The basis for the development of moderate and severe renal dysfunction in premature infants with perinatal pathology is polyetiology against the background of morphological and functional immaturity of the body, which has a clear relationship with gestational age and birth weight. The compensatory and adaptive properties of the «immature» kidneys at birth are limited, which, in the presence of combined pathology, plays a significant role in shaping the severity of the course of the disease. Early prognosis and diagnosis of renal dysfunction in the early stages of its development makes it possible to improve the quality and effectiveness of medical care and improve treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the scale of the phenomenon, food allergy constitute a significant health problem and significantly impair the quality of life of patients. Differential diagnostics, including skin tests, sIgE detection tests, basophil and mast cell activation tests as well as double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge tests, is the gold standard in the diagnosis of food allergy. Recently, increasing attention has been paid to the potential use of nasal provocation test in the diagnosis of food allergy. Allergen dose, protocol standardization, assessment of subjective complaints and objectivization of test results are important factors determining the applicability of provocation tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelium damage triggers the multimeric protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) release and subsequent binding to platelets, which are recruited at sites of vascular injury. A complex and fragile equilibrium between circulating levels of von Willebrand factor and its metalloprotease, ADAMTS13, is responsible for the hemostatic balance. However, the presence of autoantibodies targeting ADAMTS13 results in an increase in von Willebrand factor, mainly in its ultra-large multimers. The latter lead to platelet aggregation, the formation of thrombi and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. This pathologic condition, known as immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP), occurs with high morbidity and a high rate of relapses. In this work, the long-term follow-up of 40 patients with iTTP is reported. We assessed ADAMTS13 activity, plasmatic VWF levels and the ADAMTS13/VWF ratio, comparing iTTP relapsing patients with remitting ones. A decrease in the ADAMTS13/VWF ratio, along with a reduced ADAMTS13 activity, could serve as predictive and sensitive biomarkers of incoming relapses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Health Sciences is the property of University of Applied Health Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Summa, Animali da Reddito is the property of Point Veterinaire Italie s.r.l. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The main burden of neonatal morbidity in critically ill preterm infants, despite signifi cant achievements and rapid development of care technologies, is most often associated with neonatal sepsis, perinatal asphyxia and the development of multiple organ failure syndrome. As a component of this syndrome, newborns with combined perinatal pathology in the early neonatal period manifest severe renal dysfunction up to acute kidney injury, which is closely correlated with increased mortality. The incidence of acute kidney injury in critically ill preterm infants varies widely, ranging from 25 to 77 % according to diff erent neonatal data. A major problem in the fi eld of neonatal nephrology is the lack of uniform approaches for the diagnosis of moderate and severe renal dysfunction at the subclinical stage, which would allow the timely formation of risk groups and the optimization of interventional strategies. Aim of the study. To analyze the data on clinical characteristics, risk factors, and results of additional paraclinical examinations in preterm infants with gestational age of 34-36/6 weeks who had severe and moderate perinatal pathology during the early neonatal period. Material and methods. A comprehensive study of 91 premature infants with moderate and severe perinatal pathology was conducted, of which group I consisted of 30 children with severe perinatal pathology at 34-36/6 weeks’ gestation, group II – 30 children with moderate perinatal pathology at 34-36/6 weeks’ gestation; group III (control) consisted of 31 conditionally healthy premature infants at 34-36/6 weeks’ gestation. The diagnosis of acute kidney injury in neonates in the comparison groups was made according to the International Criteria for Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes as modifi ed by J. G. Jetton and D. J. Askenazi (2015). The international scale Neonatal Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score was used to assess the severity of multiorgan dysfunction in perinatal pathology. The eff ectiveness of therapeutic interventions was assessed using the international scale Neonatal Therapeutic Intervention Scoring Scale, and the severity of the patient’s condition in dynamics was assessed using the neonatal scale Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology. Methods of laboratory research. The study of the biochemical spectrum of urine in children of the observation groups, in particular, the determination of the level of markers of kidney damage – alpha-1-microglobulin, beta-2-microglobulin, microalbumin, cystatin C was carried out on the basis of the problematic research laboratory of the Bukovinian State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine using the automatic analyzer «ACCENT-200» and «ACCENT-200 II CEN». Urine was collected on the 3rd day of life (between 48-72 hours of life), in sterile disposable containers, in the amount of at least 5 ml. At the same time, a blood sample for cystatin C determination was taken in the amount of 0.5-1.0 ml, in accordance with the rules of asepsis and antisepsis in disposable sterile tubes. A turbodimensional immunoassay was used to determine the concentration of cystatin C and urinary microalbumin. Determination of alpha-1-microglobulin was performed using an ACCENT-200 automated analyzer by measuring agglutination by change in absorbance (572 nm), with actual concentration determined by interpolation from a calibration curve constructed using calibrators of known concentration. The concentration of beta-2-microglobulin in urine was determined by the method of competitive chemiluminescence analysis. The studies were conducted in accordance with the basic provisions of GCP (1996), the Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine (April 4, 1997), the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki on Ethical Principles for Research Involving Human Subjects (1964-2008), Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 690 of September 23, 2009 (as amended by Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 523 of July 12, 2012). Statistical analysis of the results was performed using Statistica 10 software (StatSoft Inc., USA, 2010), MedCalc software (version 16.1) with calculation of chi-squared, odds ratio (OR), 95 % confi dence interval (CI), statistically signifi cant diff erences between the study groups were considered at a value of p

Abstract Background In Europe, feline vector-borne infections are gaining importance because of the changing climate, expanding habitats of potential vectors and expanding pathogen reservoirs. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) in stray cats in Zaragoza, Spain, and to investigate potential risk factors for infection, including feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Methods Blood samples from stray cats presented to the veterinary faculty in Zaragoza between February 2020 and 2022 were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia spp., haemotropic Mycoplasma spp., Hepatozoon spp., Leishmania infantum, piroplasms and microfilariae at the LABOKLIN laboratory. The cats were also tested for FeLV and FIV by PCR. Results Nearly half of the cats (158/332, 47.6%) were positive for at least one VBP. Hepatozoon spp. were detected in 25.6%, haemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in 22.9%, B. henselae in 9.3% and L. infantum in 2.1% of the cats. Male sex had a statistically significant association with test results for haemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (odds ratio 1.38 [1.21;1.57]); regionality with Hepatozoon spp., B. henseale and FIV; and seasonality with Hepatozoon spp., haemotropic Mycoplasma spp., L. infantum and FeLV (P ≤ 0.05 each). A strong positive correlation was reported for the amount of rainfall and the number of cats that tested positive for Hepatozoon spp. (ρ = 753, P = 0.05). None of the cats tested positive for A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, E. canis, Rickettsia spp., piroplasms, or microfilariae. Co-infections with multiple VBPs were detected in 56 out of 332 cats (16.9%). Thirty-one of the 332 cats included in the study (9.3%) tested positive for FeLV (6.9%) and for FIV (3.6%). In 20/31 cats (64.5%) that tested positive for FeLV/FIV, coinfections with VBP were detected (P = 0.048, OR 2.15 [0.99; 4.64]). Conclusions VBPs were frequently detected in stray cats in Zaragoza. In particular, regionality and seasonality had a statistically significant association with PCR results for most VBPs included in the study. Graphical Abstract

Despite adequate therapy, interstitial lung diseases (ILD) can cause progressive scarring of lung tissue. This type of ILD is known as progressive fibrosing ILD (PF­-ILD). The challenge in diagnosing PF-­ILD lies in the lack of uniformly accepted criteria for a progressive fibrosing phenotype. Most authors use criteria based on clinical features and assessment of functional imaging and radiological findings over time. However, forced vital capacity (FVC) measurement is limited by its variability, and the follow­up lasts 1­2 years. The above diagnostic challenges prevent from prescribing early adequate therapy in patients with progressive ILD, indicting the need to search for new biomarkers of the progressive fibrosing phenotype. We review the most studied and informative biomarkers of fibrosis progression in patients with ILD.

The aim of the review: to present up-to-date scientifically based information about the laboratory parameters of patients associated with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and internal organ damage. Materials and methods: full-text publications of clinical, randomized and cohort studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses from scientific databases PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, Google Scholar, E-library for the period from 2019 to 2022 were analyzed. Results. Specific biomarkers were identified, including inflammatory and immunological parameters (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, IL6), hematological (number of lymphocytes and neutrophils, NLR, D-dimer, ferritin, RDW), myocardial (troponin, creatinekinase-MB, myoglobin), hepatic (AST, ALT, total bilirubin, albumin) and characterizing lung injury (KL-6), which can be used for risk stratification, as prognostic biomarkers of adverse clinical consequences, including death in patients with COVID-19. The studies demonstrated new biomarkers of inflammatory and systemic manifestations of COVID19: procalcitonin, calprotectin and presepsin.

The most important and very difficult thing is to establish the cause (etiology) for the occurrence of nosocomial infections in medical facilities in the country and the world. Objective: To study the frequency and structure of nosocomial infections before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Ruse region for 2017-2021. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of the data on the registered nosocomial infections for a period of five years (2017 - 2021), reports, analyses, and laboratory studies of Regional Health Inspectorate Ruse, from national governmental studies, normative documents and literature are applied. Results: The analysis of the data from the etiological diagnosis of nosocomial infections in the Ruse region is from 9 medical facilities included in the national electronic system for the control of nosocomial infections (NIs). The etiological structure of NIs in the Ruse region is represented by 39 microbial species. The relative share of the untested varies from 10.59% in 2017 to 15.75% in 2021. For the etiologically unproven, it is from 2.39% for 2019 to 1.68% for 2021, with a decreasing trend. Conclusions: The analysis of the isolated microbial species by group shows that for the entire period, the proportion of gram-negative flora was 62% of the isolates (2017), followed by 23.02% of gram-positive microorganisms (2017), and the relative proportion of fungi and viruses was ~ 3 %.

The aim of the work was to estimate the prevalence of HIV, HBV and HCV markers among pregnant women and their male partners in the Republic of Guinea.Materials and methods. The material of the study was blood plasma samples from 140 pregnant women living in Kindia prefecture and N’Zerekore prefecture, as well as 60 male partners who reported sexual contact with HIV-infected persons. The samples were examined for the presence of serological (HBsAg, HBeAg, antibodies anti-HBs IgG, anti-HBcore IgG, anti-HBe IgG, anti-HCV IgG, Ag/Ab-HIV) and molecular (HBV DNA, HCV RNA, HIV RNA) markers.Results and discussion. The age of the examined pregnant women ranged from 13 to 55 years and was on average (26.29±9.67) years. The age of men varied from 15 to 60 years, on average – (29.05±11.99) years. When assessing the prevalence of serological markers, antibodies to HCV were detected in 2.14 % cases in women and in 3.33 % cases in men. Antibodies to HIV were found in 6.43 % and 6.67 % women and men, respectively. Serological markers associated with HBV were detected in 80.71 % (HBsAg – 13.57 %) of women and 81.67 % (15 %) of men. In the pregnant women, HCV RNA was not detected, HIV RNA was revealed in 1 case, HBV DNA was identified in 26 cases (18.57 %), including 5 % HBsAg-negative hepatitis B cases. In the men group, HCV RNA and HIV RNA were detected in 3.33 % and 6.67 % cases, respectively. HBV DNA was determined in 16.67 % of men, including latent hepatitis B in one person. A significantly higher incidence of HIV in men compared to women is shown (χ2=3.907 at p

Background. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a facultatively anaerobic microorganism which is extremely demanding to the composition of a nutrient media and cultivation conditions. In a situation of the increasing shortage and cost of foreign components for the preparation of solid nutrient media, it is important to study the possibility of growing hard-to-cultivate microorganisms on domestically produced nutrient media.The aim of the study. To evaluate the growth of gonococcus colonies on two types of solid nutrient media – chocolate agar with growth and selective additives prepared using imported reagents and chocolate agar with growth additives manufactured by “Gem LTD” (Moscow, Russian Federation).Materials and methods. А reference strain of N. gonorrhoeae NCTC 12700/ ATCC 49226 and two types of chocolate agar (the first one – prepared in the State Scientific Center of Dermatovenerology and Cosmetology using imported components and the other one – from the domestic manufacturer “Gem LTD”) were used in the research.Results. The equivalence of the growth properties of both studied types of nutrient media when cultivating pure gonococcus was revealed.Conclusions. Ready-to-use chocolate agar with growth additives produced by “Gem LTD” can be successfully used in the laboratory for the cultivation of N. gonorrhoeae pure culture. Primary isolation of N. gonorrhoeae strains from clinical material is more appropriate to carry out on a medium that suppresses the growth of foreign microflora due to the inclusion of antibiotic additive. The organization of production of domestic bacteriological media for microorganisms with high nutrient requirements reduces the dependence of domestic microbiology on import and ensures their rapid delivery to laboratories.

The aim of the work is to assess the prevalence of hepatitis B virus drug resistance mutations and immune escape mutations in pregnant women in the Republic of Guinea. Materials and methods. Blood plasma samples obtained from 480 pregnant women from different regions of the Republic of Guinea with laboratory-confirmed viral hepatitis B were studied. Nucleotide sequences for genotype identification and mutation detection were obtained using nested-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing, based on overlapping pairs of primers spanning the complete genome of the virus. Results and discussion. In the examined group, the viral genotype E was the most prevalent (92.92%) compared with subgenotypes A1 (1.67%), A3 (1.46%), D1 (0.63%), D2 (1.04%) and D3 (2.29%). Among the examined HBV-infected pregnant women, 188 (39.17%) had undetectable HBsAg. Drug resistance mutations were detected in 33 individuals, which amounted to 6.88%. The following mutations were found: S78T (27.27%), L80I (24.24%), S202I (15.15%), M204I/V (42.42%). The presence of polymorphic variants not described as drug resistant has also been shown in positions associated with the development of drug resistance to tenofovir, lamivudine, telbivudine and entecavir (L80F, S202I, M204R). When analyzing the MHR and the region of a determinant, mutations were detected in 318 (66.25%) of pregnant women. In 172 of them, which amounted to 54.09%, multiple mutations were found. The amino acid substitutions in 13 positions associated with HBsAg-negative hepatitis B and/or potentially affecting HBsAg antigenicity were identified. Conclusion. The high prevalence of immune escape and drug resistance mutations potentially associated with false-negative result of HBsAg screening, prophylaxis failure, and virological failure of therapy that has been identified among treatment naive pregnant women imposes a serious problem.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias. Numerous data indicate a significant contribution of myocardial inflammatory changes in the development and progression of AF. The search for new laboratory biomarkers to assess the activity of myocardial inflammatory processes, and the study of their diagnostic significance for noninvasive diagnosis in patients with AF is relevant. Therefore, the aim was to study the features of the serum level of the biomarker Gal-3 and to identify its relationship with inflammatory changes in the myocardium in patients with AF. Depending on the results of histological studies, the patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 – with morphologically verified active lymphocytic myocarditis (ALM), group 2 – with lymphocytic infiltration (LI). Analysis of the frequency of detection and severity of the inflammatory process in the myocardium showed that activity of 4-5 scores was detected only in group 1. In 2nd group, activity of the inflammatory process in most patients was 1 score. All patients with LI mild interstitial inflammation were showed. In the ALM group moderate and severe interstitial inflammation was detected. A high number of CD3+ and CD45+ cells were found in 1st group compared to group 2 (p < 0.001).There were no significant intergroup differences in the serum level of Gal-3. At the same time, in 1st group showed a significant decrease in Gal-3 in 6 months after treatment (p = 0.028). Positive correlations of Gal-3 with the severity of the inflammatory process and endocardial involvement were revealed in patients with ALM. The association of serum Gal-3 levels with CD68+ levels in 1st group was detected (R = 0.48, p = 0.030). In 2nd group, a correlation between the level of Gal-3 in 6 months after ablation with infiltration of CD45+ cells was found (R = 0.69, p = 0.003). Thus, in patients with AF and active lymphocytic myocarditis, significant associations were established between biomarkers of Gal-3 and inflammatory changes in the myocardium. This confirms the important role of Gal-3 as a participant in the inflammatory process.

Introduction: Industrialization and urbanization led to a significant increase in the environment. Lead inhibits the activity of numerous enzymes, triggers oxidative stress, and causes protein biosynthesis dysregulation. Inhalation of lead particles is the most common route of intoxication associated with occupational exposure. This study aims to evaluate laboratory methods and biomarkers in the assessment of lead exposure. Methods: For non-experimental qualitative research, available scientific articles in English published in the relevant databases (MEDLINE and ScienceDirect) were used. The database search was performed using the keywords “Laboratory diagnostics”, “occupational exposure”, and “lead”. Results: Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) is the gold standard in laboratory monitoring of occupational lead exposure. Inductively coupled plasma with mass spectrometry is a commonly used method described as more sensitive than AAS due to its low detection limit. Lead concentrations can be determined in various samples, but blood and urine are the most commonly used in laboratory practice. The most important exposure biomarker is the enzyme δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) in the blood, which is characterized by progressive inactivation by lead and a negative correlation with its concentration. The concentration of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA-U) reflects the state of impaired enzyme function in heme biosynthesis. In addition, determining blood zinc protoporphyrin and urinary coproporphyrin levels significantly aids in assessing occupational lead exposure disorders. Conclusion: The availability of the laboratory methods used and the biomarker specificity and sensitivity play an important role in the adequacy of lead exposure monitoring. Accurate determination of ALAD and δ-ALA-U concentrations, along with other biomarkers, is critical for assessing individuals exposed to lead.

Background: In Europe, feline vector-borne infections are gaining importance because of the changing climate, expanding habitats of potential vectors and expanding pathogen reservoirs. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) in stray cats in Zaragoza, Spain, and to investigate potential risk factors for infection, including feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Methods: Blood samples from stray cats presented to the veterinary faculty in Zaragoza between February 2020 and 2022 were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia spp., haemotropic Mycoplasma spp., Hepatozoon spp., Leishmania infantum, piroplasms and microfilariae at the LABOKLIN laboratory. The cats were also tested for FeLV and FIV by PCR. Results: Nearly half of the cats (158/332, 47.6%) were positive for at least one VBP. Hepatozoon spp. were detected in 25.6%, haemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in 22.9%, B. henselae in 9.3% and L. infantum in 2.1% of the cats. Male sex had a statistically significant association with test results for haemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (odds ratio 1.38 [1.21;1.57]); regionality with Hepatozoon spp., B. henseale and FIV; and seasonality with Hepatozoon spp., haemotropic Mycoplasma spp., L. infantum and FeLV (P ≤ 0.05 each). A strong positive correlation was reported for the amount of rainfall and the number of cats that tested positive for Hepatozoon spp. (ρ = 753, P = 0.05). None of the cats tested positive for A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, E. canis, Rickettsia spp., piroplasms, or microfilariae. Co-infections with multiple VBPs were detected in 56 out of 332 cats (16.9%). Thirty-one of the 332 cats included in the study (9.3%) tested positive for FeLV (6.9%) and for FIV (3.6%). In 20/31 cats (64.5%) that tested positive for FeLV/FIV, coinfections with VBP were detected (P = 0.048, OR 2.15 [0.99; 4.64]). Conclusions: VBPs were frequently detected in stray cats in Zaragoza. In particular, regionality and seasonality had a statistically significant association with PCR results for most VBPs included in the study. Highlights: Nearly half of the cats tested positive for at least one vector-borne pathogen by PCR Hepatozoon felis, haemotropic Mycoplasma, Bartonella and Leishmania were detected Stray cats should be monitored to prevent and manage potential zoonotic diseases [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the latest data released by UNAIDS, the global number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in 2021 was 38.4 million, with 1.5 million new HIV infections. In different countries, a significant proportion of these cases occur in the adult fertile population aged 15–49 years. According to UNAIDS, Vietnam had a national HIV prevalence of 0.3% of the total population at the end of 2019, with approximately 230,000 PLHIV. The most effective way to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV is ART to reduce maternal viral load. HIV-infected pregnant women should undergo monthly monitoring, especially before the expected date of delivery. The aim of our work was to analyze subtypic structure and drug-resistant variants of HIV in pregnant women in Ho Chi Minh City. The study material was blood plasma samples from HIV-infected pregnant women: 31 women showed virological failure of ART, and 30 women had not previously received therapy. HIV-1 genotyping and mutation detection were performed based on analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the pol gene region. More than 98% of sequences genotyped as HIV-1 sub-subtype CRF01_AE. When assessing the occurrence of drug resistance mutations, genetic resistance to any drug was detected in 74.41% (95% CI: 62.71–85.54%) of patients. These included resistance mutations to protease inhibitors in 60.66% (95% CI: 47.31–72.93%) of patients, to NRTIs in 8.20% (95% CI: 2.72–18.10%), and to NNRTIs in 44.26% (95% CI: 31.55–57.52%). Mutations associated with NRTI (2) and NNRTI (8) resistance as well as PI mutations (12), including minor ones, were identified. The high prevalence of drug resistance mutations found in this study among pregnant women, both in therapeutically naive individuals and in patients with virological failure of ART, indicates that currently used regimens in Vietnam are insufficient to prevent vertical HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Summa, Animali da Reddito is the property of Point Veterinaire Italie s.r.l. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Medizinische Klinik: Intensivmedizin & Notfallmedizin is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Industrialization and urbanization led to a significant increase in the environment. Lead inhibits the activity of numerous enzymes, triggers oxidative stress, and causes protein biosynthesis dysregulation. Inhalation of lead particles is the most common route of intoxication associated with occupational exposure. This study aims to evaluate laboratory methods and biomarkers in the assessment of lead exposure. Methods: For non-experimental qualitative research, available scientific articles in English published in the relevant databases (MEDLINE and ScienceDirect) were used. The database search was performed using the keywords “Laboratory diagnostics”, “occupational exposure”, and “lead”. Results: Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) is the gold standard in laboratory monitoring of occupational lead exposure. Inductively coupled plasma with mass spectrometry is a commonly used method described as more sensitive than AAS due to its low detection limit. Lead concentrations can be determined in various samples, but blood and urine are the most commonly used in laboratory practice. The most important exposure biomarker is the enzyme δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) in the blood, which is characterized by progressive inactivation by lead and a negative correlation with its concentration. The concentration of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA-U) reflects the state of impaired enzyme function in heme biosynthesis. In addition, determining blood zinc protoporphyrin and urinary coproporphyrin levels significantly aids in assessing occupational lead exposure disorders. Conclusion: The availability of the laboratory methods used and the biomarker specificity and sensitivity play an important role in the adequacy of lead exposure monitoring. Accurate determination of ALAD and δ-ALA-U concentrations, along with other biomarkers, is critical for assessing individuals exposed to lead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevance . Despite the large list of biological markers of cardiovascular diseases, not all have evidence-b ased effectiveness and independent prognostic value. Laboratory diagnostics of serum cardiospecific auto-antibodies for the diagnosis of myocyte cell damage has several potential advantages compared to the evaluation of traditional methods. These include the analysis of natural globulins to troponin I (cTnI), to alpha-a ctin 1 (ACTC1), to the heavy chain of beta-myosin 7B (MUN7B), which are based on a self-sustaining immune response to the myocardium’s own auto-antigens, which leads to damage to the cells expressing them. Purpose: To determine the diagnostic and practical value of quantitative indicators for the autoantibody complex to cardiomyocyte proteins to troponin I, to alpha-a ctin 1 and to the heavy chain of beta-myosin 7B in patients with cardiac pathology. Materials and Methods. The study of auto-antibodies to cTnI, ACTC1 and MUN7B in blood serum using laboratory enzyme immunoassay was carried out in patients with cardiac pathology undergoing inpatient treatment at the Regional Clinical Cardiology Dispensary in Stavropol. Additionally, an instrumental and laboratory examination was carried out in accordance with the clinical recommendations developed by the Association of Cardiovascular Surgeons, the Cardiological Society of Russia and approved by the Scientific and Practical Council of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The work was examined and approved by the Ethics Committee of the North Caucasus Federal University. Results and Discussion . Changes in the level of autoantibodies to cTnI, ACTC1 and MUN7B proteins in blood serum were statistically significant (p 0.01 v. s. p 0.01). A persistent increase in the level of auto-antibodies to cTnI by 2.36 ng/ml (694.11 %), to ACTC1 by 3.6 ng/ml (141.73 %) and to MUN7B by 1.74 ng/ml (119.17 %) was found in individuals with confirmed cardiac pathology, when other criteria for laboratory analysis were within acceptable values, which determine their diagnostic and evidentiary effectiveness. Conclusion . The results of the study showed the relationship of changes in the activity of cardiospecific auto-A T to cardiomyocyte proteins (Anti-cTnI, Anti ACTC1, Anti-M YH7B) in patients with cardiac pathologies, indicating not only systemic membrane disorders (membranopathies), but also serve as convincing evidence of direct chemical changes in cardiomyocytes. A correlation has also been established between cardiomarkers of necrosis and ischemia and autoimmune globulins Anti-cTnI, Anti ACTC1, Anti-MYH7B, that confirms diagnostic and practical value of this laboratory analysis.