GWAS-Identified Loci are Associated with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Patients with Severe COVID-19.

Background: Comorbidities such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have emerged as critical risk factors exacerbating the severity and mortality of COVID-19. Meanwhile, numerous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with increased susceptibility to severe COVID-19.

Aim: This study investigated whether SNPs previously identified by GWAS as risk factors for severe COVID-19 also correlate with common comorbidities-obesity and T2DM-in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19.

GWAS-significant loci and severe COVID-19: analysis of associations, link with thromboinflammation syndrome, gene-gene, and gene-environmental interactions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to replicate associations of GWAS-significant loci with severe COVID-19 in the population of Central Russia, to investigate associations of the SNPs with thromboinflammation parameters, to analyze gene-gene and gene-environmental interactions.

Materials And Methods: DNA samples from 798 unrelated Caucasian subjects from Central Russia (199 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 599 controls with a mild or asymptomatic course of COVID-19) were genotyped using probe-based polymerase chain reaction for 10 GWAS-significant SNPs: rs143334143 , rs111837807 , rs17078346 , rs17713054 , rs7949972 , rs61882275 , rs12585036 , rs67579710 , rs12610495 , rs9636867 .

Results: SNP rs17713054 was associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19 in the entire group (risk allele A, OR = 1.

Difficult intubation in syndromic versus nonsyndromic forms of micrognathia in children.

Background: We investigated how syndromic versus nonsyndromic forms of micrognathia impacted difficult intubation outcomes in children. Primary outcome was the first-attempt success rate of tracheal intubation, secondary outcomes were number of intubation attempts and complications. We hypothesized that syndromic micrognathia would be associated with lower first-attempt success rate.

[Treatment of neurotrophic keratopathy in combined lesions of the trigeminal and facial nerves].

Ocular symptomatology in lesions of the facial nerve is associated with disturbed innervation of the circular muscle of the eye that leads to disruption of the protective function of the eyelids and the development of exposure symptoms, and is accompanied by a breach in corneal tear film integrity. The main clinical manifestation of the trigeminal nerve damage is the loss of sensory innervation of the cornea and disruption of the supply of neurotransmitters to its cells, manifesting as corneal hypo- or anesthesia. This triggers a cascade of pathological processes that lead to the development of neurotrophic keratopathy.

Improving Homology-Directed Repair in Genome Editing Experiments by Influencing the Cell Cycle.

Genome editing is currently widely used in biomedical research; however, the use of this method in the clinic is still limited because of its low efficiency and possible side effects. Moreover, the correction of mutations that cause diseases in humans seems to be extremely important and promising. Numerous attempts to improve the efficiency of homology-directed repair-mediated correction of mutations in mammalian cells have focused on influencing the cell cycle.

In Vitro Analysis of Biological Activity of Circulating Cell-Free DNA Isolated from Blood Plasma of Schizophrenic Patients and Healthy Controls.

Schizophrenia is associated with low-grade systemic inflammation. Circulating cell-free DNA (c-cfDNA) belongs to the DAMP class. The major research question was: can the c-cfDNA of schizophrenic patients (sz-cfDNA) stimulate the DNA sensor genes, which control the innate immunity? We investigated the in vitro response of ten human skin fibroblast (HSF) lines to five DNA probes containing different amounts of a GC-rich marker (the ribosomal repeat) and a DNA oxidation marker (8-oxodG) including sz-cfDNA and healthy control c-cfDNA (hc-cfDNA) probes.

The Phosphonate Derivative of C Fullerene Induces Differentiation towards the Myogenic Lineage in Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Inductors of myogenic stem cell differentiation attract attention, as they can be used to treat myodystrophies and post-traumatic injuries. Functionalization of fullerenes makes it possible to obtain water-soluble derivatives with targeted biochemical activity. This study examined the effects of the phosphonate C fullerene derivatives on the expression of myogenic transcription factors and myogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Differential Diagnosis of Preeclampsia Based on Urine Peptidome Features Revealed by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe pregnancy complication, which may be considered as a systemic response in the second half of pregnancy to physiological failures in the first trimester, and can lead to very serious consequences for the health of the mother and fetus. Since PE is often associated with proteinuria, urine proteomic assays may represent a powerful tool for timely diagnostics and appropriate management. High resolution mass spectrometry was applied for peptidome analysis of 127 urine samples of pregnant women with various hypertensive complications: normotensive controls ( = 17), chronic hypertension ( = 16), gestational hypertension ( = 15), mild PE ( = 25), severe PE ( = 25), and 29 patients with complicated diagnoses.

Mast Cells in the Auditory Periphery of Rodents.

Mast cells (MCs) are densely granulated cells of myeloid origin and are a part of immune and neuroimmune systems. MCs have been detected in the endolymphatic sac of the inner ear and are suggested to regulate allergic hydrops. However, their existence in the cochlea has never been documented.

Extracellular DNA Containing (dG)n Motifs Penetrates into MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells, Induces the Adaptive Response, and Can Be Expressed.

Background: Oxidized human DNA or plasmid DNAs containing human ribosomal genes can easily penetrate into the breast cancer cells MCF7 and stimulate the adaptive response induction. Plasmid DNA containing a CMV promoter, gene , and the insertion of the human ribosomal genes can be expressed. A hypothesis is proposed: these features of the ribosomal DNA are due to the presence of dGn motifs that are prone to oxidize.

Oxidized Cell-Free DNA Is a Factor of Stress Signaling in Radiation-Induced Bystander Effects in Different Types of Human Cells.

In pathology or under damaging conditions, the properties of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) change. An example of such change is GC enrichment, which drastically alters the biological properties of cfDNA. GC-rich cfDNA is a factor of stress signaling, whereas genomic cfDNA is biologically inactive.

The high-resolution mass spectrometry study of the protein composition of amyloid-like urine aggregates associated with preeclampsia.

The study of protein misfolding and post-translational processing abnormalities is a promising diagnostic approach for socially significant pathologies associated with the accumulation of abnormal forms of proteins. Recently, it was shown that amyloid-like aggregates can be observed in the urine of pregnant women with preeclampsia, which is the most severe hypertensive complication that can lead to fateful outcomes. The protein composition of urine aggregates may clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathology and has not yet been studied in detail.

Diversion of the Arbuzov reaction: alkylation of C-Cl instead of phosphonic ester formation on the fullerene cage.

We report an "inversed" Arbuzov reaction of the fullerene derivatives CArCl with trialkyl phosphites P(OR) producing alkylated fullerene derivatives CArR (R = Me, Et, iPr, nBu) with almost quantitative yields. This reaction provides a convenient synthetic route for the preparation of a large variety of functionalized fullerene derivatives with tailored properties, e.g.

Antioxidant Properties of Fullerene Derivatives Depend on Their Chemical Structure: A Study of Two Fullerene Derivatives on HELFs.

Oxidative stress is a major issue in a wide number of pathologies (neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, immune diseases, and cancer). Because of this, the search for new antioxidants is an important issue. One of the potential antioxidants that has been enthusiastically discussed in the past twenty years is fullerene and its derivatives.

Dataset of phytoplankton productive parameters and environmental forces in autumn in the Kara Sea.

This data article contains data on the photosynthetic activity, shares of the main algae groups in the total phytoplankton biomass and the main environmental forces in the Kara Sea. The data were collected from 17 to 29 of September, 2011 in the following different areas: the Kara Sea Shelf with and without river runoff influence, the shelf edge and continental slope. The photosynthetic activity parameters include the relative electron transport rate (rETR) values, the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and the P/rETR ratio as photosynthetic performance.

A Novel Approach to Dream Content Analysis Reveals Links Between Learning-Related Dream Incorporation and Cognitive Abilities.

Can dreams reveal insight into our cognitive abilities and aptitudes (i.e., "human intelligence")? The relationship between dream production and trait-like cognitive abilities is the foundation of several long-standing theories on the neurocognitive and cognitive-psychological basis of dreaming.

Changes of and /NF-B Expression Levels Induced by Cell-Free DNA in Different Cell Types.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a circulating DNA of nuclear and mitochondrial origin mainly derived from dying cells. Recent studies have shown that cfDNA is a stress signaling DAMP (damage-associated molecular pattern) molecule. We report here that the expression profiles of cfDNA-induced factors NRF2 and NF-B are distinct depending on the target cell's type and the GC-content and oxidation rate of the cfDNA.

Methodology for Urine Peptidome Analysis Based on Nano-HPLC Coupled to Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry.

Urine is a sample of choice for noninvasive biomarkers search because it is easily available in large amounts and its molecular composition provides information on processes in the organism. The high potential of urine peptidomics has been demonstrated for clinical purpose. Several mass spectrometry based approaches have been successfully applied for urine peptidome analysis and potential biomarkers search.

Binding and Action of Amino Acid Analogs of Chloramphenicol upon the Bacterial Ribosome.

Antibiotic chloramphenicol (CHL) binds with a moderate affinity at the peptidyl transferase center of the bacterial ribosome and inhibits peptide bond formation. As an approach for modifying and potentially improving properties of this inhibitor, we explored ribosome binding and inhibitory activity of a number of amino acid analogs of CHL. The L-histidyl analog binds to the ribosome with the affinity exceeding that of CHL by 10 fold.

Does sleep facilitate the consolidation of allocentric or egocentric representations of implicitly learned visual-motor sequence learning?

Sleep facilitates the consolidation (i.e., enhancement) of simple, explicit (i.

Sleep-dependent motor sequence memory consolidation in individuals with periodic limb movements.

Periodic limb movements (PLMs) during sleep increase with age and are associated with striatal neurodegeneration and dopamine deficiency. Limb movements are often associated with disruptions to non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Motor skill memory consolidation recruits the striatum, and learning-dependent striatal activation is associated with NREM sleep.

Circulating cell-free DNA concentration and DNase I activity of peripheral blood plasma change in case of pregnancy with intrauterine growth restriction compared to normal pregnancy.

The level of apoptosis is increased during pregnancy. Dying cells emit DNA that remains in blood circulation and is known as cell-free DNA (cfDNA). The concentration of cfDNA can reflect the level of cell death.

[Features of the urine peptidome under the condition of hypertensive pathologies of pregnancy].

In order to find a peptide panel to differentiate close hypertensive conditions a case-control study was designed for 64 women from 4 groups: preeclampsia (PE), chronic hypertension superimposed with PE, chronic hypertension, and healthy individuals. Chromatography coupled with mass-spectrometry and subsequent bioinformatic analysis showed several patterns in the changes of the urine peptidome. There were 36 peptides common for four groups.