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Rationale: The high prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection in the Republic of Dagestan, significantly exceeding that in the European part of the Russian Federation, as well as the limited choice of therapeutic options, have led to the need to analyze the accumulated experience of interferon therapy in the real clinical practice to further select possible treatment regimens. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of pegylated interferon alpha (Peg-IFN-) in patients with chronic hepatitis D (CHD) in real world clinical practice. Materials and methods: In a retrospective study, the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Peg-IFN- were analyzed in 34 patients with CHD living in the Republic of Dagestan. Main virological parameters (anti-HDV antibodies (anti-HDV), HDV RNA and HBV DNA), alanine aminotransferase levels, changes over time in liver density by elastometry, and clinical parameters (hematology and urine tests, clinical chemistry, thyroid function tests) were assessed at 24 and 48 weeks of therapy, as well as at 48 weeks after its completion. Results: The treatment with Peg-IFN- for 48 weeks resulted in a virological response, defined as a HDV RNA decrease by more than 2 lg copies/mL, in 32% (11/34) of the patients. A sustained virological response, defined as undetectable HDV RNA at 48 weeks after the end of therapy, was not observed in any case. Treatment with interferon was associated with a decrease in liver density by average 4.1 kPa by week 48 on therapy. Normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels after 48 weeks of treatment was observed in 59% (20/34) of the patients; however, sustained biochemical response was achieved in none of them. Serious adverse events of high or moderate severity that resulted in the discontinuation of therapy were observed in 12% (4/34) of the cases. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate low efficacy of Peg-IFN- in the treatment of CHD in the Dagestan patients. Further research is needed to refine optimal interferon therapy regimens, to search for predictors of treatment response, and to evaluate the impact of interferon treatment regimens on the risk of hepatic complications, clinical outcomes, and patient survival. However, the most obvious solution to the problem of CHD therapy is the development and implementation of interferon-free treatment regimens.

Introduction: Cardiac pacing is indicated for sick sinus syndrome. It is performed with a pacemaker via electrodes implanted in the heart. This technique has several disadvantages. The search for alternative methods of cardiac pacing is underway. One of them is control of heart rhythm through stimulation of the tragus. Objective: To perform the reflex stimulation of the sinoatrial node and to study the influence of the SS-68 substance on it. Materials and methods: Two electrodes were fixed in the reflexogenic zone of rabbits’ auricles, volleys of electrical impulses from an electrical stimulator were applied to the electrodes, and the synchronization range of volley frequency and cardiac contractions was recorded. This range was re-recorded again after injecting the SS-68 substance (2-phenyl-1-(3-pyrrolidine-1-cyclopropyl)-1H-indole hydrochloride) intravenously at a dose of 50 µg/kg. In other experiments on frogs in a high-frequency electromagnetic field, the process of excitation of the area of the medulla oblongata associated with the heart rhythm was visualized. After the application of SS-68 (50 μM) to the surface of this zone, the process of its excitation was recorded. Results and discussion: Stimulation of the auricular reflexogenic zone of rabbits produced a synchronization of volley frequency and heart rate in the range from 173.5 ± 2.0 to 214.0 ± 1.8 per minute. SS-68 extended this range from 168.2 ± 1.9 to 219.4 ± 1.5 per minute. In the frog’s medulla oblongata, an area synchronous to the heart rhythm glowed in the high-frequency electromagnetic field. SS-68 increased the area of glow by 131.0%. Conclusion: The substance SS-68 increases the frequency range of heart rhythm control by activating reflex stimulation of the sinoatrial node. The main point of application of SS-68 is the medulla oblongata. Glow in the high-frequency electromagnetic field reflects the process of neuron excitation. The increase in the glow zone under the influence of SS-68 indicates synchronously excited neurons, which leads to the assimilation of the central heart rhythm generation by the sinoatrial node.

Aim. To present a clinical case of pregnancy and childbirth in a woman with a kidney transplant with a favourable outcome for the mother and the fetus. Materials and methods. We studied all medical documents — the pregnancy record, observations and delivery record — of a woman with a transplanted kidney. Clinical case. The article describes the clinical observation of a pregnant woman, who is intended for continuous immunosuppressive therapy after the operation on cadaveric kidney allotransplantation. Conclusion. Pregnancy management in patients with a transplanted kidney should be carried out under the supervision of an obstetrician-gynecologist, nephrologist and urologist, as well as under the permanent clinical and laboratory monitoring of all indicators of the mother’s body (blood and urine tests, blood pressure control) and the fetus (ultrasound, Doppler). This category of patients belongs to a high-risk group in terms of complications for the mother and fetus.

The aim of this work was to identify the characteristics of the cytokine status and state of the pro- and antioxidant systems in patients of late reproductive age with endometrioid cysts and determine their role in changing the ovarian reserve.Materials and methods. A total of 89 patients with endometrioid ovarian cysts (EOC) were examined. The control group consisted of 35 healthy patients admitted for surgical sterilisation. Peripheral blood was collected before surgery, while the peritoneal fluid collection was performed intraoperatively. In peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid, the level of cytokines was determined. The calculation of the anti-inflammatory index was performed, along with the evaluation of the content of lipid peroxidation products and the antioxidant activity. The analysis of the ovarian reserve parameters was conducted.Results. In patients of late reproductive age suffering from EOC, a decrease in the ovarian reserve is observed under the preserved hormonal background. The presence of EOC is accompanied by the activation of lipid peroxidation, both at the systemic and local levels, under a pronounced inhibition of the antioxidant defence link. At the systemic and local levels, patients with EOC experience an imbalance in the cytokine system with a significant activation of the pro-inflammatory component.Conclusion. The disruption of oxidative homeostasis and activation of immune inflammation, detected in patients of late reproductive age with EOC, may lead to the damage of the structural cell components of the functional ovarian tissue, thereby reducing the ovarian reserve.Conflict of interest: the authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction. The problem of heart rhythm disturbances is one of the most urgent topics of modern cardiology. According to the currently available concepts, 1,2- and 1,3-disubstituted aminoindole derivatives, which compound 2-phenyl-1-(3-pyrrolidin-1-il-propyl)-1H-indole hydrochloride (SS-68) belongs to, are a promising chemical group in terms of their cardio-pharmacological activity. Materials and methods. To study the anti-arrhythmic activity of SS-68 compound, the following models were used: 1) Models of cardiogenic arrhythmia: aconitine-inducedic, calcium chloride-induced, barium chloride-induced, cesium chloride-induced, adrenaline model of arrhythmia, strophanthine-induced arrhythmias, as well as arrhythmias caused by electrostimulation and acute myocardial ischemia; 2) neurogenic arrhythmias: arrhythmias caused by administration of aconitine, strophanthine K, cesium chloride into the IV ventricle of the brain and also by applying carbachol on the somatosensory cortex. To assess the antianginal activity of SS-68 in various models, the effect of this drug and comparators on the intact and ischemic myocardium was studied. Results. It was found that with cardiogenic arrhythmias, SS-68 compound exhibits a pronounced antiarrhythmic effect and brings to normal the electrophysiological pattern of the heart, in most cases exceeding the analogous effect of reference drugs (amiodarone, lidocaine, aymaline, ethacizine, etmozine, quinidine anaprilin). In neurogenic arrhythmias, SS-68 also had a stopping effect, and, in addition, reduced the epileptiform activity of the brain in the model with the application of carbachol on the somatosensory cortex. In the study of antianginal and coronary vasolidating activities, SS-68 demonstrated pronounced thrombolytic and anti-ischemic activities, manifested in an increase in the coronary blood flow, a positive effect on ST-segment depression, and a decrease in the area of necrosis in experimental myocardial infarction. Discussion. The antiarrhythmic and antianginal activities of SS-68 compound create the prerequisites for further study of the pharmacological properties of this molecule. In addition, it seems appropriate to continue studying the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and molecular mechanisms of SS-68 action. Conclusions. SS-68 compound is a promising pharmacological agent with a high activity towards various electrophysiological disorders in the heart, and, in addition, it has significant antiischemic and coronary vasolidating properties.

The compound SS-68 has been selected among numerous new derivatives of indole and demonstrated antiarrhythmic effects in animal models. The present study concerns several aspects of SS-68 safety and efficacy as a potential antiarrhythmic drug. The first estimation of atrioventricular conduction in mammalian heart under SS-68 has been carried out; effects of SS-68 in Purkinje fibers and myocardium of pulmonary veins have been investigated. The drug weakly affects cardiac atrioventricular conduction: only high concentrations of SS-68 (≥10 μmol/L) significantly decrease this parameter. Also, the drug weakly affects Purkinje fibers automaticity, but effectively alters action potential waveform in Purkinje fibers in a concentration-dependent manner. SS-68 (0.1–100 μmol/L) failed to induce any early or delayed afterdepolarizations in Purkinje fibers both in basal conditions and under provocation of proarrhythmic activity by norepinephrine (NE). Moreover, 10 μmol/L SS-68 suppressed NE-induced extra-beats and rapid firing in Purkinje fibers. In pulmonary veins only high concentrations of SS-68 significantly increased action potential duration, while lower concentrations (0.1–1 μmol/L) were ineffective. Also, 0.1–100 μmol/L SS-68 was unable to elicit arrhythmogenic alternations of action potential waveform in pulmonary veins. In conclusion, SS-68 has no proarrhythmic effects, such as afterdepolarizations or abnormal automaticity in used experimental models.

The purpose of the present research is to find areas of organizational and economic mechanisms that enhance the efficiency of regional utilities. A systematic approach to the analysis of the organizational and economic mechanism of Housing in the region, provides a systematic, comprehensive and effective investigation. Strategic Imperatives in the management of regional utilities are defined taking into account the crisis tendencies in the process of its development. Case utilities management is seen as the realization of the objectives of its development in different scenario conditions. With the help of mathematical modeling methods and parameters are determined by the structure of the control actions. The article proposes a methodology for calculating the article options strategy utilities management in the region, the results of modeling the trajectory of housing and communal services of the Republic of Adygea.

SS-68 is a derivative of indole, which demonstrated strong antiarrhythmic effects not associated with significant QT prolongation in dog models of atrial fibrillation. Therefore, SS-68 was proposed as a new antiarrhythmic drug and the present study is the first describing its effects on action potentials (APs) configuration and elucidating the ionic mechanisms of these effects. Sharp microelectrodes were used to record APs in isolated preparations of mouse atrial and ventricular myocardium. In both types of myocardium 10−6 M SS-68 produced reduction of AP duration, 3 × 10−6 M failed to alter AP waveform and 10−5 – 3 × 10−5 M prolonged APs. Sensitivity of main ionic currents to SS-68 was determined using whole-cell patch clamp. Transient potassium current Ito was slightly inhibited by SS-68 with IC50 = 1.43 × 10−4 M. IKur was more sensitive with IC50 = 1.84 × 10−5 M. Background inward rectifier showed very low sensitivity to SS-68 – only 10−4 M SS-68 caused significant reduction of IK1. ICaL was significantly inhibited by 10−6M – 3 × 10−5 M SS-68. The IC50 value for the ICaL was 1.84 × 10−6 M. Thus, main ionic currents of mouse cardiomyocytes are inhibited by SS-68 in the following order of potency: ICaL > IKur > Ito > IK1. While lower concentration of SS-68 shorten APs via suppression of ICaL, higher concentrations inhibit K+-currents leading to APs prolongation.

The reference to pedagogical image as an innovative educational gives the chance to create a stimulus for a faculty self-development, to strengthen its self-esteem (if it is restrained) both in own opinion, and in that of colleagues and students.

Labour potential is the most important driving force of the currently implemented process of transformation of the agrarian structure and an objective factor of sustainable development of agricultural production. Stabilisation of the economic system should be carried out by increasing the employment rate, increasing the population's income, reducing poverty, and improving demographic indicators, which are the most important elements of the productive potential of the village. The social and labour environment of the village, the formation and development of the labour market, and the effective use of labour potential play an important role in the economic system of the agro-industrial complex. The article's authors study rural areas' labour potential in agricultural enterprise development conditions. The authors also analyse rural territories' labour potential features from different scientific interpretations. They discussed agricultural enterprises' influence on improving labour potential efficiency. The paper presents analytical material characterising the level of development of agricultural enterprises in Kazakhstan and directions of denationalisation of property. The gross agricultural output of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been assessed. In addition, the factors that negatively impact the development of private subsidiary farms in Kazakhstan and the effective development of labour potential in rural areas have been identified. The authors present their model of chain interrelation of agricultural formations and labour potential based on the research. The authors have developed a mechanism for improving the efficiency of labour potential in rural areas.

The effect of chemical cleaning and regular backwashing on the efficiency of an ultrafiltration membrane fouled during stormwater treatment was studied. Increasing backwash time from 30 to 60 s resulted in an increase in productivity by 20%. However, the productivity was highest when a backwash time of 45 s was used (3% higher than using 60 s). Chemical cleaning was carried out using an alkaline solution (NaOH with or without NaOCl) followed by acid washing with HCl. The addition of NaOCl to the cleaning chemical did not significantly increase the efficiency of chemical cleaning, and the average pure water permeability increase was 97 ± 13 LMH bar−1 after chemical cleaning with NaOH followed by HCl and 117 ± 15 LMH bar−1 after chemical cleaning with NaOH + NaOCl followed by HCl, on average. In addition, reversibility after chemical cleaning was 96 ± 67%, on average. The result from scanning electron microscopy showed that at the end of the experiments, inorganic foulants existed in both the inner layer (feed side) and the outer layer (permeate side) of the membrane. HIGHLIGHTS Longer backwash time resulted in higher permeability and backwash efficiency.; Chemical cleaning using NaOH with/without NaOCl followed by acidic cleaning by HCl could recover pure water permeability and reversibility of the ultrafiltration membrane.; A significant amount of inorganic material was found on the fouling layer.;