Transcription Factor Nrf2 as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Prevention of Cytokine Storm in COVID-19 Patients.

Nrf2 is a key transcription factor responsible for antioxidant defense in many tissues and cells, including alveolar epithelium, endothelium, and macrophages. Furthermore, Nrf2 functions as a transcriptional repressor that inhibits expression of the inflammatory cytokines in macrophages. Critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection often present signs of high oxidative stress and systemic inflammation - the leading causes of mortality.

Metabolic profiling of aromatic compounds in cerebrospinal fluid of neurosurgical patients using microextraction by packed sorbent and liquid-liquid extraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis.

A new approach to the quantitative analysis of aromatic metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid samples of neurosurgical patients based on microextraction by packed sorbent coupled with derivatization and GC-MS was developed. Analytical characteristics such as recoveries (40-90%), limit of detection (0.1-0.

Assessment of carboxyhemoglobin content in the blood with high accuracy: wavelength range optimization for nonlinear curve fitting of optical spectra.

The impact of carbon monoxide (CO) gas on the human organism is very dangerous. The affinity of CO to hemoglobin is considerably higher than that of oxygen. Thus, the interaction of CO with the blood results in a higher content of carboxyhemoglobin () in red blood cells (RBCs) and correspondingly in tissue hypoxia.

Determination of Tryptophan Metabolites in Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples Using Microextraction by Packed Sorbent, Silylation and GC-MS Detection.

Indole-containing acids-tryptophan metabolites-found in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of patients with diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) were determined with the use of microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) followed by silylation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. MEPS with the following silylation led to the reproducible formation of derivatives with an unsubstituted hydrogen ion in the indole ring, the chromatographic peaks of which are symmetric and can be used for GC-MS analysis without additional derivatization. The recoveries of analytes at the limit of quantitation (LOQ) levels were 40-80% for pooled CSF and 40-60% for serum.

Oxidized cell-free DNA as a stress-signaling factor activating the chronic inflammatory process in patients with autism spectrum disorders.

Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are known to be associated with an inflammatory process related to immune system dysfunction. This study's aim was to investigate the role of cell-free DNA in chronic inflammatory process in ASD patients.

Methods: The study included 133 ASD patients and 27 healthy controls.

[Perspectives of cell therapy for myocardial infarction and heart failure based on cardiosphere cells].

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, researchers are attracted to the use of cell therapy based on stem cell and progenitor cells, which has been a promising strategy for cardiac repair after injury. However, conducted research using intracoronary or intramyocardial transplantation of various types of stem/progenitor cells as a cell suspension showed modest efficiency.

Perioperative Dexmedetomidine Supplement Decreases Delirium Incidence After Adult Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study.

Objective: Conflicting data exist on the effect of dexmedetomidine on delirium. For the present study, a randomized trial was performed to investigate the effect of perioperative dexmedetomidine on the rate of postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery.

Design: A randomized controlled trial.

Microextraction of aromatic microbial metabolites by packed hypercrosslinked polystyrene from blood serum.

The article is devoted to the application of modern sample preparation technique - microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) - in conjunction with non-conventional type of sorbent - hypercrosslinked polystyrene, that was investigated for the first time in this work. Their combination was used to extract phenylcarboxylic acid-type aromatic microbial metabolites from serum samples of a healthy volunteer with following derivatization and GC-MS detection. As barrel insert and needle for MEPS with hypercrosslinked polystyrene is not produced, we designed a device to imitate the commercial MEPS system with packed granular biporous hypercrosslinked polystyrene.

Conformational Distortions of the Red Blood Cell Spectrin Matrix Nanostructure in Response to Temperature Changes .

The spectrin matrix is a structural element of red blood cells (RBCs). As such, it affects RBC morphology, membrane deformability, nanostructure, stiffness, and, ultimately, the rheological properties of blood. However, little is known about how temperature affects the spectrin matrix.

Analysis of phenylcarboxylic acid-type microbial metabolites by microextraction by packed sorbent from blood serum followed by GC-MS detection.

A method for analysis of 8 phenylcarboxylic acids in blood serum was developed based on the coupling of microextraction by packed sorbent, derivatization and GC-MS detection. These compounds are low molecular weight aromatic microbial metabolites that are proven and prospective indicators of sepsis in critically ill patients. Recoveries of the phenylcarboxylic acids from serum samples using microextraction by packed sorbent were 30-70%.

Nonlinear Biomechanical Characteristics of Deep Deformation of Native RBC Membranes in Normal State and under Modifier Action.

The ability of membranes of native human red blood cells (RBCs) to bend into the cell to a depth comparable in size with physiological deformations was evaluated. For this, the methods of atomic force microscopy and atomic force spectroscopy were used. Nonlinear patterns of deep deformation (up to 600 nm) of RBC membranes were studied in normal state and under the action of modifiers: fixator (glutaraldehyde), natural oxidant (hemin), and exogenous intoxicator (zinc ions), .

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.

Atomic force microscopy study of red blood cell membrane nanostructure during oxidation-reduction processes.

The morphology and functional state of red blood cells (RBCs) mainly depends on the configuration of the spectrin network, which can be broken under the influence of intoxication because of oxidation processes in the cells. Measurement of these processes is a complex problem. The most suitable and prospective method that resolves this problem is atomic force microscopy (AFM).

ROS-Induced DNA Damage Associates with Abundance of Mitochondrial DNA in White Blood Cells of the Untreated Schizophrenic Patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was (1) to examine the leukocyte mtDNA copy number () in unmedicated (SZ (m-)) and medicated (SZ (m+)) male patients with paranoid schizophrenia (SZ) in comparison with the healthy male controls (HC) and (2) to compare the leukocyte mtDNA with the content of an oxidation marker 8-oxodG in lymphocytes of the SZ (m-) patients.

Methods: We evaluated leukocyte mtDNA of 110 subjects with SZ in comparison with 60 male HC by the method qPCR (ratio mtDNA/nDNA (gene B2M) was detected). SZ patients were divided into two subgroups.

Involvement of Aromatic Metabolites in the Pathogenesis of Septic Shock.

Introduction: We hypothesized that aromatic microbial metabolites (AMM), such as phenyllactic (PhLA), p-hydroxyphenylacetic (p-HPhAA), and p-hydroxyphenyllactic (p-HPhLA) acids, contribute to the pathogenesis of septic shock.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data of patients with community-acquired pneumonia were obtained on intensive care unit admission and the next day. Patients were divided into two groups based on septic shock presence or absence.

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.

Metabolomic findings in sepsis as a damage of host-microbial metabolism integration.

Metabolomics globally evaluates the totality of the endogenous metabolites in patient's body, at the same time reflecting gene function, enzyme activity and degree of organ dysfunction in sepsis. The authors performed the analysis of the main chemical classes of low molecular weight compounds (amino acids, polyols, fatty acids, hydroxy acids, amines, nucleotides and their derivatives) that quantitatively distinguish patients with sepsis from healthy ones. The following keywords were used to find papers published in the Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2008 to 2015: (marker OR biomarker) AND (sepsis OR critical ill OR pneumonia OR hypoxia).

Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation Affects Mesenchymal Stem Cells via Extracellular Oxidized Cell-Free DNA: A Possible Mediator of Bystander Effect and Adaptive Response.

We have hypothesized that the adaptive response to low doses of ionizing radiation (IR) is mediated by oxidized cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragments. Here, we summarize our experimental evidence for this model. Studies involving measurements of ROS, expression of the NOX (superoxide radical production), induction of apoptosis and DNA double-strand breaks, antiapoptotic gene expression and cell cycle inhibition confirm this hypothesis.

Morphology, membrane nanostructure and stiffness for quality assessment of packed red blood cells.

Transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBC) to patients in critical states is often accompanied by post-transfusion complications. This may be related with disturbance of properties of PRBC and their membranes during long-term storage in the hemopreservative solution. The purpose of our work is the study of transformation of morphology, membranes stiffness and nanostructure for assessment of PRBC quality, in vitro.

Significance of dormant forms of in ulcerogenesis.

Nearly half of the global population are carriers of (), a Gram-negative bacterium that persists in the healthy human stomach. can be a pathogen and causes development of peptic ulcer disease in a certain state of the macroorganism. It is well established that infection is the main cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease (PUD).

Quantification of cell-free DNA in blood plasma and DNA damage degree in lymphocytes to evaluate dysregulation of apoptosis in schizophrenia patients.

Oxidative DNA damage has been proposed as one of the causes of schizophrenia (SZ), and post mortem data indicate a dysregulation of apoptosis in SZ patients. To evaluate apoptosis in vivo we quantified the concentration of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA index, determined using fluorescence), the levels of 8-oxodG in cfDNA (immunoassay) and lymphocytes (FL1-8-oxodG index, flow cytometry) of male patients with acute psychotic disorders: paranoid SZ (total N = 58), schizophreniform (N = 11) and alcohol-induced (N = 14) psychotic disorder, and 30 healthy males. CfDNA in SZ (N = 58) does not change compared with controls.

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine: Brussels, Belgium. 15-18 March 2016.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.].

Genetic dissection of host immune response in pneumonia development and progression.

The role of host genetic variation in pneumonia development and outcome is poorly understood. We studied common polymorphisms in the genes of proinflammatory cytokines (IL6 rs1800795, IL8 rs4073, IL1B rs16944), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL10 rs1800896, IL4 rs2243250, IL13 rs20541) and toll-like receptors (TLR2 rs5743708 and rs4696480, TLR4 rs4986791, TLR9 rs352139, rs5743836 and rs187084) in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) (390 cases, 203 controls) and nosocomial pneumonia (355 cases, 216 controls). Experimental data were included in a series of 11 meta-analyses and eight subset analyses related to pneumonia susceptibility and outcome.

Human circulating ribosomal DNA content significantly increases while circulating satellite III (1q12) content decreases under chronic occupational exposure to low-dose gamma- neutron and tritium beta-radiation.

A single exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) results in an elevated cell-free DNA (cfDNA) content in the blood plasma. In this case, the cfDNA concentration can be a marker of the cell death in the organism. However, a chronic exposure to a low-dose IR enhances both the endonuclease activity and titer of antibodies to DNA in blood plasma, resulting in a decrease of the total concentration of circulating cfDNA in exposed people.