The authors analyzed the problem of diuretic resistance (DR) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Most of the symptoms and signs of CHF are associated with hypervolemia and vascular ...congestion in the systemic and pulmonary circulation. The severity of the latter is the main factor which negatively affects the overall assessment of life satisfaction in patients with CHF. Since the patient, even at the incurable stage of CHF, primarily expects a rapid decrease in the severity of manifestations of decompensation from the prescribed therapy, achieving euvolemia is the essence of its short-term objective. Without diuretics, these immediate effects, according to which most CHF patients judge the qualifications of the doctor, are almost impossible to achieve. Unfortunately, apparently, not a single clinician was able to avoid disappointment in the effectiveness of CHF therapy associated with DR in their practice. As a rule, DR reflects the progressive course of CHF and is often associated with a poor prognosis. The review consistently covers the issues of terminology, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and prevention of DR, which aggravates CHF, and discusses measures aimed at restoring sensitivity to diuretics.
The Se–Cl interactions in five selenite chlorides (α,β-Zn2(SeO3)Cl2 (sofiite and its polymorph), α,β-Cu5O2(SeO3)2Cl2 (georgbokiite and parageorgbokiite), and KCdCu7O2(SeO3)2Cl9 (burnsite)) have been ...investigated by means of the analysis of their theoretical electron density distributions. The analysis reveals the existence in the structures of two basic types of interactions: intermediate interactions with essential covalent contribution and closed-shell interactions. In Zn2(SeO3)Cl2 polymorphs and burnsite, all metal-oxide and metal-chloride interactions are of the first type, whereas in georgbokiite and parageorgbokiite, the Jahn–Teller distortion results in the elongation of some of the Cu–X bonds and their transition to the closed-shell type. All anion–anion interactions are of the closed-shell type. The energy of the closed-shell Se–Cl interactions can be estimated as 1.4–2.6 kcal.mol−1, which is comparable to weak hydrogen bonds. Despite their weakness, these interactions provide additional stabilization of structural architectures. The Se4+–Cl− configurations are localized inside framework channels or cavities, which can be therefore be viewed as regions of weak and soft interactions in the structure.
A novel chlorophyte algae strain with outstanding resilience to high inorganic phosphate (P
i
) concentrations in the medium was isolated from a phosphorus-polluted site near a rock phosphate mine. ...According to the morphological, ultrastructural and genetic criteria the strain was assigned to the species
Micractinium simplicissimum
H.Chae, H.-G. Choi & J.H.Kim. This strain retained cell viability and growth capacity in the presence of P
i
concentrations up to 14 g L
–1
. The uptake of P
i
by the cells was moderate (equal to ca. 0.7% increase in cell dry weight P percentage) regardless of the amount of the exogenic P
i
added to the culture. At the same time, approximately a half of the P
i
removed by the
M. simplicissimum
from the culture was reversely adsorbed by the cell surface and/or the intercellular matrix and cell debris. The ultrastructural studies indicated the metabolically active status of the cells together with the presence of phosphorus-rich (likely, polyphosphate) inclusions outside and inside the cells (mainly in vacuoles). We hypothesized that the P
i
resilience of the studied strain stems from its high P
i
adsorption capacity together with its ability to throttle the P
i
influx into the cell preventing the rapid buildup of intracellular P
i
and potentially toxic short-chain polyphosphate.
Important changes regarding the understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure (CHF) marked the beginning of the millennium, and its first decade was called the decade of diastology. Even ...though numerous studies convincingly proved that deterioration of the left ventricular (LV) filling pressure often precedes impairment of its systolic function and a number of factors affect (especially at the onset) mainly the diastolic function without changing the conditions of blood ejection, modern classifications and approaches to CHF treatment are primarily based on the results of LV ejection fraction (EF) assessment.
In recent years, diastolic heart failure (DHF) has been often overlooked and replaced by the ambiguous term “CHF with preserved EF”. However, sometimes authors use the term DHF extensively, since CHF based on myocardial insufficiency develops only via two mechanisms (systolic and / or diastolic dysfunction), and excluding one of the mechanisms allows to identify the underlying one. The term DHF can be used in clinical practice and cannot be replaced by the diagnosis of CHF with preserved EF. CHF with preserved EF is a broader concept which includes a full spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, complicated by the development of CHF without depression of the global LV contractility and requiring differentiated approaches to therapy. In addition, the results of repeated studies on LVEF in many patients may require reclassification of this CHF phenotype, which is established following the analysis of the baseline value of global LV contractility. We join M.R. Zile in the appeal to stop discriminating against the term “DHF” and present the boundaries of its correct application.
In a laboratory pot experiment, two mutant cultivars of sunflower (
Helianthus annuus
cv. r2p2 and
Helianthus annuus
cv. r5n1) were grown on soils with anthropogenic polyelemental anomalies and on a ...background control soil, and a comparative analysis of their rhizospheric microflora was carried out. The number of soil bacteria, actinomycetes, and micromycetes, as well as the number of rhizospheric microorganisms resistant to Zn
2+
, Pb
2+
, and Cu
2+
ions, were estimated in the rhizosphere of sunflower cultivars. Quantitative changes in the sunflower rhizospheric microbocenoses formed under the influence of both the plant genotype and anthropogenic soil pollution, were revealed. A pronounced stimulation of the number of rhizospheric microorganisms of all groups studied in the plants that were cultivated on the anthropogenically contaminated soil from PJSC Kosogorsk Metallurgical Plant was found. In this case, cultivar differences were observed; namely, the maximal number of bacteria and actinomycetes was revealed in the rhizosphere of
H. annuus
cv. r2p2, while the maximal number of micromycetes was revealed in the rhizosphere of
H. annuus
cv. r5n1. An increased number of microorganisms resistant to lead ions was revealed in the rhizosphere of
H. annuus
cv. r2p2. The observed changes in the structure of rhizospheric microbial communities of the sunflower cultivars associated with the stimulation of the growth and activity of soil microflora, may be in demand for phytoremediation of anthropogenically contaminated soils.
The in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were performed for a sapozhnikovite Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2, a rare mineral with sodalite-type crystal structure. The crystal chemical ...analysis and calculation of thermal expansion coefficients based on the refinement of Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2 crystal structures in the temperature range of 300–1273 K show that this sodalite-type compound undergoes: (1) reversible phase transition P4‾ 3n ↔ Pm3‾n at 1223 K, (2) drastic increase of linear expansion coefficient at 1173 K, (3) non-elastic behavior of sapozhnikovite framework after cooling. The temperature dependencies of the unit-cell parameters were divided into two parts and described by quadratic a = 8.911(12) – 0.000018(33)T + 0.000000138(22)T2 (from 300 to 1173 K) and linear a = 7.765(13) + 0.001130(11)T (from 1173 to 1273 K) polynomial functions. Raman spectroscopy data reveal the partial transformations of the extra-framework HS− anion by follows reactions: 6HS–→ S3•– + 3H2S (gas) and 2HS– – 2e → S22− + 2H+. These transformations may cause the observed discontinuity in the thermal expansion curve for sapozhnikovite at 1173 K with drastic increase of linear expansion coefficient and not fully elastic behavior of framework after removal of temperature exposure. After the heat treatment experiments (300–1273 K) the HS− anion restores in the β-cage of sapozhnikovite crystal structure. In the synthetic analogue of sapozhnikovite the heat treatment leads to the irreversible transformation according to the reactions: 2HS– + 2.5O2 (gas) → SO42− + 0.25S4 + H2O (gas) and 2HS– + 3.5O2 (gas) → SO42− + SO2 (gas) + H2O (gas). The orange luminescence of Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2 is stable up to the 1073 K.
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•Reversible phase transition P4‾ 3n ↔ Pm3‾n was determined in the range 300–1273 K for Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2.•The thermal expansion curve of Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2 is characterized by the drastic increase of linear expansion coefficient at 1173 K.•HSˉ anion as a constituent of β-cage undergoes transformation in the temperature range 300–1273 K.•The transformations of S-bearing anions in β-cage in Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2 affect its luminescence during heating.•The luminescence of Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2 is stable up to the 1073 K.
A special problem in the surgery of rectal cancer is connected with a need for appropriate removal of intestine parts, along with the tumor, including the fragment close to the sphincter. To ...determine the length of fragments to remove, it is necessary to reveal areas without changes in molecule functioning, specific for tumor. The purpose of the present study was to investigate functioning the proteasomes, the main actors in protein hydrolysis, in patient rectal adenocarcinoma and different intestine locations. Chymotrypsin-like and caspase-like activities, open to complex influence of different factors, were analyzed in 43-54 samples by Suc-LLVY-AMC- and Z-LLE-AMC-hydrolysis correspondingly. Both activities may be arranged by the decrease in the location row: cancer→adjacent tissue→proximal (8-20 cm from tumor) and distal (2 and 4 cm from tumor) sides. These activities did not differ noticeably in proximal and distal locations. Similar patterns were detected for the activities and expression of immune subunits LMP2 and LMP7 and expression of 19S and PA28αβ activators. The largest changes in tumor were related to proteasome subtype containing LMP2 and PA28αβ that was demonstrated by native electrophoresis. Thus, the results indicate a significance of subtype LMP2-PA28αβ for tumor and absence of changes in proteasome pool in distal fragments of 2-4 cm from tumor.
Coelastrella rubescens
Kaufnerová & Eliás (Chlorophyceae) is a green, single-celled algae that lives in the terrestrial-air environment. Under stress conditions, its cells go into a state ...characterized by low photosynthetic activity and high content of reserve lipids and secondary carotenoids. For the first time, a comparative morphological, ultrastructural, and elemental analysis of vacuolar inclusions in the
C. rubescens
NAMSU R1 strain when cultivated on a mineral medium under conditions of low and high (causing stress) light intensity. Microalgae cells stained with the fluorescent dye DAPI showed signs of the presence of polyphosphates. Polarization microscopy in cells of
C. rubescens
has identified structures capable of refracting polarized light, which is typical of crystals. Cell analysis of
C. rubescens
with the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) method revealed the presence of various vacuoles with heterogeneous contents (autophagic bodies, crystalloids, and rounded globules of inhomogeneous electron density). With the exception of autophagic bodies noted in cells only in bright light, these inclusions were characteristic of microalgae cells, regardless of the intensity of illumination. The elemental composition of vacuolar inclusions was characterized by TEM in combination with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy: the predominant content of nitrogen, phosphorus, or both elements simultaneously was established in them. The potential physiological role of
C. rubescens
vacuolar inclusions is discussed.
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