Effectiveness of Tocilizumab in the Treatment of a Recent Kidney Transplant Recipient With COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID)-19 pandemic significantly affected transplantation care strategies due to the heightened vulnerability of transplant recipients to severe illness. We present a unique case of a 31-year-old female with COVID-19 pneumonia following a recent kidney transplant managed with immunosuppressant reduction and tocilizumab therapy. The patient underwent live donor kidney transplantation and was considered a low immunologic risk recipient.

Recognizing vaccine wastage in Georgia.

The COVID-19 vaccination program in the country of Georgia began on March 15, 2021, and reached its peak in the summer of 2021. Throughout the process, individuals had access to over 5.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines which were acquired from various sources as reported by the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC).

LOSS OF CAS3 AND INCREASE OF BAX EXPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH PROGRESSION OF CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA.

Apoptosis plays one of the major roles in the progression of human cancers including cervical carcinoma. The aim of our study was to analyse the expression of Cas3, Bax and their correlation with the proliferation index and ER expression status during the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Study included altogether 140 specimens, divided into two major groups, such as: cervical lesions without co-infections and with co-infections.

Regulatory environment for complementary and alternative medicine in Georgia-a health policy analysis.

International bodies such as the WHO call on member states to regulate and, where possible, integrate Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) into health systems, to the benefit and safety of patients. Research on CAM regulations in the Republic of Georgia has been limited. The aim of this study was to identify key actors and analyse the regulatory environment for CAM in Georgia in its local and international contexts.

STEM CELL INDEX IN THE PROGRESSION OF CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA.

Stem cells represent the small subpopulation of healthy and cancerous tissues, which are characterised with increased proliferation and self-renewal properties. From the many different markers of stem cells, we have investigated the stem cell index during the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), based on the immunohistochemical expression of CD44 in total of 140 tissue samples from uterine cervix. In addition, we have performed the profound correlation analysis of CD44 with different epithelial-mesenchymal, proliferation, apoptosis and hormonal markers at both protein and mRNA level.

EVALUATION OF THE RISK OF CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA PROGRESSION BASED ON CELL PROLIFERATION INDEX, EPITHELIAL-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION AND CO-INFECTIONS.

Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, especially with high risk types, represent the major etiological factor for the development of cervical precancerous and cancerous lesions. However, other factors including cell proliferation index, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the presence of co-infections might also influence the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The aim of our study was to analyse, the expression of cell proliferation markers and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers during the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, in cases with and without co-infections.

Georgia's healthcare system and integration of complementary medicine.

Background: An increasing number of people in the Republic of Georgia use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM has long been practiced in the country, but is not currently part of the formal medical system. The aim of this study was to explore patients' CAM use and their perspectives of CAM complementation of existing services in Georgia's health care system.

IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN GEORGIAN POPULATION.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) continue to be the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, representing 30% of all death. In Georgia 36% of all death caused by ischemic heart disease and 23% caused by stroke. There is a limited data on association between socioeconomic status (SES) and CVD risk in Georgia.

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND MEDICAL EDUCATION IN GEORGIA: STATE OF THE ART AND FURTHER PERSPECTIVES.

Aim - complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular in Georgia, but providers' training not well understood or regulated. The aim of this mixed-methods study was to inform the process of implementing quality CAM curricula in Georgia and strategies for the inclusion of effective CAM curricula into medical education in Georgia. We analyzed existing medical curricula.

USE OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN GEORGIA.

In Georgia, like in most countries globally, people commonly resort to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, not much is known about CAM practices there. The aim of the study was to document common practices of CAM in Georgia and related patient attitudes.

HIV/AIDS prevalence in the Southern Caucasus.

According to statistics, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, are the countries with low prevalence of HIV (<0.3%). Yet the dramatic almost nine fold increases in registered HIV cases in the region between 2000 and 2008 (from 574 to 5323) remain a cause for serious concern.

[Comparative characteristics of membrane forms of aldehyde dehydrogenase].

It was demonstrated from the results of kinetic analysis that acetaldehyde oxidation reaction, which is catalyzed by membrane isoenzyme forms of mitochondrial and microsomal aldehyde dehydrogenases, has the ordered Bi-Bi mechanism. An attempt was made to compare the active site structures of these two isozyme forms using cyclopropylethyl-containing benzoic acid amides which are the reversible inhibitors of the studied enzyme activity. The amides competitively inhibited each enzyme activity relative to acetaldehyde.

[Regeneration of the liver by using modified polymer compounds for the purpose of hemostasis].

Results of experimental investigations of using polymer compositions KL-3, including modifications with ionol ("Adgenol") and levamisol in 18 rabbits with injuries of the liver are presented. It has been established that 3 and 6 months after using the mentioned compositions viable healing of liver wounds are obtained. Different degrees of intensity of inflammatory reactions and of development of the connective tissue were noted, most pronounced after using "Adgenol".

[Kinetic characteristics of enzymes of ethanol metabolism in rats].

Experimental animals were separated as for narcotic sleep length into short-sleeping and long-sleeping rat groups and as for alcohol motivation to rats preferring ethanol or water or an intermediate group as well. Alcohol- and aldehyde dehydrogenase reaction maximum speed as well as Michaelis-Menten constants for these enzymes were measured for each of these groups. Alcohol dehydrogenase affinity to cofactor in the reverse reaction was an order of magnitude higher as compared with the affinity to substrate in all the animal groups.

Biocompatibility of a prolonged-action antialcohol preparation.

Acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in liver lysosomes and liver mitochondria, respectively, as well as in connective tissue capsule were studied for an antialcohol preparation (polyurethane carrier and disulfiram at 150, 300 and 625 mg/kg body weight) implanted subcutaneously. Increased acid phosphatase activity was observed in connective tissue capsule on days 14, 30 and 90 after implantation and in liver lysosome fraction on days 14 and 30 with preparation containing disulfiram at 300 and 625 mg/kg body weight. Alkaline phosphatase activity increased both in connective tissue capsule and in liver mitochondria up to day 30 only when sample with maximal disulfiram dose was implanted.

[Immobilization of trypsin on polyurethane carriers].

A method of covalent immobilization of trypsin on polyurethanes containing residues of 2.4-toluene or hexamethylene diisocyanates in a side chain is developed. It is shown that the amount of the immobilized enzyme is independent of isocyanate nature, but its proteolytic activity is higher on carriers containing 2.

[Activity of enzymes of ethanol metabolism as a test in evaluating the effectiveness of sensitizing alcohol deterrents].

A procedure is developed for determination of the efficiency of the antialcoholic drugs' action on the system of ethanol oxidation in vitro: alcohol dehydrogenase by the direct and reverse reactions and aldehyde dehydrogenase of subcellular fractions of the rat liver. This procedure is also used to determine the antialcoholic activity of a number of new compounds and to compare them with disulphiram (antabus, teturam), the known antialcoholic drug.

[Changes in the supramolecular organization of polyurethaneurea-acylsemicarbasides in the process of their biodestruction].

Using the scanning electron microscope changes in supramolecular organization of polyurethane, (polyurethanecarbamideacylsemicarbasides), having in the main polymer chain foci of tripeptide were studied. They were subjected to proteolytic enzyme action and implanted into animal organisms. It was found that erosive processes going on the polymer plate are essentially similar either under action of proteolytic enzymes or inside a living organism.

[Biodegradable co-polymers of amino acids and synthetic polymers].

The methods of synthesis and properties of copolymers of natural amino acids and of oligopeptides with synthetic polymers are considered as well as their liability to biodestruction processes both under the effect of proteolytic enzymes in vitro and under conditions of the implantation to animals. Such copolymers may be successfully used in biology and medicine as a material for manufacturing temporal endoprostheses, carriers of medicinal preparations, immobilization of biologically active compounds as well as in studies of the mechanism of their action.

[Method for the quantitative study of the growth of fibroblastic cells in tissue culture].

The method is elaborated for a quantitative evaluation of hypodermic fibroblast element growth in tissue culture of albino rats. The method is based on determination of the growth activity and intensity for each of the explant growth zones (compact, necwork-like zones and zone of migrating elements). The method permits a rapid and an exact evaluation of the influence of different substances added to the culture medium.

[Enzymic segregation of segmented polyurethanes containing sugar residues in the composition of the main chain].

It is shown that segmented polyurethanes with D-lactose and D-maltose residues in the main polymer chain are subjected to a specific effect of enzymes: beta-galactosidase and alpha-amylase, respectively. This leads to a decrease in values of characteristic viscosity and physicomechanical indices of polyurethanes after their incubation with the mentioned enzymes. The compounds obtained are subjected to acid hydrolysis, which confirms sugar residues in the main polymer chain.

Structural peculiarities of block copolyurethanes with peptide links as rigid block extenders.

X-ray crystal analysis was performed on block copolyurethanes with peptide links as rigid block extenders. The increase in peptide link length was shown to improve the microphase separation of flexible and rigid segments. The influence of the isocyanate nature on phase separation conditions in the block copolyurethanes studied was established.