Frequency Of Damage Research Articles

Florivory in twoChamaecristaspecies: Are secretory trichomes effective against florivores?

AbstractFlorivory inChamaecristavaries in occurrence, intensity, and the floral structures affected. As flowers are multifunctional units, the type of damage can impact reproductive success in different ways. Oil‐resin‐secreting trichomes, present in the sepals ofChamaecristaspecies, section Absus, are suggested to inhibit florivory. We recorded florivory inChamaecrista catharticaandChamaecrista catharticoidesin order to determine the frequency of damage, floral whorls most damaged, impact on reproduction, and effectiveness of secretory trichomes in inhibiting florivory. The study was conducted in the Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, Brazil. Twenty individuals of each species were monitored monthly over two bloom periods to record the flowering intensity, rates of florivory, and fruit set and to determine the effectiveness of trichomes in inhibiting florivory. The two species had different flowering patterns, annual forC. catharticaand continuous forC. catharticoides, both more intense during summer. Florivory occurred mainly in the winter and affected floral structures unevenly, resulting in loss of different floral functions. Florivory reduced the fruit set of both species, butC. catharticoideswas considerably more impacted. The diversity of damaged structures inC. catharticoidesresulted in direct (reduced female and male fitness due to loss of ovules and pollen grains) and indirect (loss of floral resources and reduced floral attractiveness) impacts. Damage to the tubular petal could further result in loss of specialized pollination mechanisms mediated by this structure. Secretory trichomes on the abaxial surface of sepals inhibited florivory of buds and herbivory of early‐developing fruits.

Exposure to BDE-47 and BDE-209 impaired antioxidative defense mechanisms in Brachionus plicatilis.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that pose serious challenges to aquatic animals and environments. Compared with BDE-47 which was one of the most toxic congeners known to date, BDE-209 is less toxic with higher abundance in biotic and abiotic samples. In this study, we have explored the effects of BDE-47 and BDE-209 at different concentrations on the radical oxygen species (ROS) levels and the antioxidant defense system of Brachionus plicatilis. Antioxidant indexes were measured, including total protein content (TSP), the activities of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. The results indicated that while low concentrations of PBDEs could activate the antioxidant defense mechanisms, prolonged exposure to higher concentrations of PBDEs could impair the antioxidative capacity of B.plicatilis (P< 0.05). The overwhelming of the B.plicatilis antioxidant defense mechanism led to an accumulation of free radicals, resulting in the overactivation of lipid peroxidation and the increased frequency of DNA damage (P<0.05). By studying the toxicity of PBDEs and the detoxification mechanism of B.plicatilis, our research has revealed useful indexes for detecting and monitoring the level of BDE-47 and BDE-209 in the future. Altogether, this study holds immense value in the field of ecotoxicology and environmental safety and will aid in the proper management of PBDEs pollution.

The Damage Deterioration Mechanism of Tunnel Structure under the Effect of Thermo-Mechanical Coupling and Its Maintenance

The effect of thermo-mechanical coupling is a key factor that needs to be fully considered during the construction, operation, and maintenance of tunnels in high ground temperature areas so that measures could be taken to reduce the frequency of damages and accidents. However, research methods and theoretical results for tunnel support structures under high temperature conditions and layered soft rock environment are insufficient, therefore, to fill in this research blank, this paper aims to study the damage deterioration mechanism of tunnel structure under thermo-mechanical coupling effect and its maintenance. In the second chapter, this paper gave a diagram showing the coupling mechanism of several physical fields, including the stress field, the seepage field, and the temperature field, and proposed control equations for the coupling of these fields during the damage deterioration process of the tunnel structure. In the third chapter, this paper applied two yield failure criterions, namely the Mohr-Coulomb criterion and the maximum tensile stress strength criterion to the analysis of the evolution of compression shear failure and tensile failure, and built scientific evolution equations for the permeability coefficient and the thermal conductivity coefficient. At last, experimental results verified the effectiveness of the constructed model and the analysis method.

Estimating the adverse effects of inter-unit radioactive release on operator actions at a multi-unit site

Radioactive materials released from a nuclear power plant can degrade the performance of plant operators by disturbing their physical actions, complicating the mitigation procedures, or heightening their psychological stress. This study provides an approach to quantitatively estimate the inter-unit radioactive influence at a multi-unit site by using a conventional probabilistic safety analysis (PSA) model. Three steps are suggested as follows: (1) select the risk-significant core damage sequences of the unit(s) that release radioactive materials, (2) select the risk-significant human failure events (HFEs) at the unit(s) that are affected by the radioactive releases, and (3) develop an integrated PSA model with a fault tree linking approach. The effects of release timing and operator action timing are also considered, called timing effects. To demonstrate the applicability of the approach, the risk of five identical units at a multi-unit site was quantitatively evaluated with a loss of offsite power initiating event as case studies. The multi-unit core damage frequency increased by a maximum factor of 5.7 without consideration of timing effects, while it increased up to 19 percent with consideration of timing effects.

Tropical tree species differ in damage and mortality from lightning.

Lightning is an important agent of mortality for large tropical trees with implications for tree demography and forest carbon budgets. We evaluated interspecific differences in susceptibility to lightning damage using a unique dataset of systematically located lightning strikes in central Panama. We measured differences in mortality among trees damaged by lightning and related those to damage frequency and tree functional traits. Eighteen of 30 focal species had lightning mortality rates that deviated from null expectations. Several species showed little damage and three species had no mortality from lightning, whereas palms were especially likely to die from strikes. Species that were most likely to be struck also showed the highest survival. Interspecific differences in tree tolerance to lightning suggest that lightning-caused mortality shapes compositional dynamics over time and space. Shifts in lightning frequency due to climatic change are likely to alter species composition and carbon cycling in tropical forests.

Evaluation of inter-unit dependency effect on site core damage frequency: Internal and seismic event

Since the Fukushima Daiichi accident occurred, the probabilistic safety assessment on multi-unit sites has been studied so far. Several studies addressed to reflect the factor that can affect an adjacent unit, called inter-unit dependency, in the assessment and various research has been made to investigate or evaluate the dependencies. In this study, researches on inter-unit dependency are implemented to internal and seismic level 1 site risk assessment in the purpose of the evaluation on their effect on the probabilistic safety assessment. The assessments are conducted on the hypothetical site in Korea with 4 units of APR-1400. To reflect the redundancy changes in safety system by operation state, the approach is suggested based on the study of dependent accidents. The result showed that the earthquake and loss of offsite power would induce most of the multi-unit core damage. The inter-unit dependency models related to the electric system were sensitive to the result and the synergies between the models were found. The seismic correlation made site core damage frequency decrease. The expectation is proposed as alternative metric for the risk of site and the necessity of site risk assessment is pointed out in this study.

Monitoring DNA Damage in Suez Pufferfish (Lagocephalus suezensis) from the Northeastern Mediterranean

Industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and municipal wastewaters contain unknown substances and complex mixtures that are released into the environment and can lead to contamination of surface and subsurface waters. Such activities have endangered the existence of ecosystems and their inhabitants. Changes in the genome caused by genotoxic agents led to mutations and pose a burden to the populations of fish species. In the present study, we have used the alkaline Comet assay to detect the genotoxicity in Suez pufferfish (Lagocephalus suezensis) sampled from two different gulfs (Iskenderun and Mersin Bay), Northeastern Mediterranean. At the end of the study, the damage frequency (%), arbitrary unit and genetic damage index (%) were evaluated in gill and liver cells of L. suezensis by comet assay. The DNA damage in the gill and liver cells of L. suezensis in the present study were observed with a higher level of DNA damage in gill cells compared to liver cells in both the Iskenderun and Mersin Bays. The highest level of DNA damage (55.01±1.02%), arbitrary unit (143.01±7.21) and genetic damage index (1.43±0.07 %) were found in gill cells of L. suezensis from Mersin Bay. Statistically significant differences were found between DNA damage, Arbitrary unit and genetic damage index values of the two locations (p &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, this study indicates that comet assay gives sensitive results in monitoring the pollution, especially the pollution of the gulf, and thus it might be used as a standard method in regularly monitoring the pollution of the coastal ecosystem.

Bats and pollution: Genetic approaches in ecotoxicology

Environmental pollution drives the decline of species and, as flying mammals, bats can be considered to be excellent indicators of environmental quality, and the analysis of genetic biomarkers in these animals can provide important parameters for the assessment of environmental health. This review verifies the trends in pollution research, in particular, the use of genetic markers in the study of bats, based on a literature search of the Web of Science and Scopus platforms. Sixteen publications were identified during the search, which focused on the timeframe between 1996 and March 2022, including investigations of the effects of heavy metals, agricultural pesticides, and radiation. The studies were based primarily on the application of biomarkers for genotoxic analysis, including the comet assay, micronucleus test, and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Only 55 bat species have been investigated up to now, that is, 4% of the 1447 currently recognized. In general, bats exposed to polluted environments presented a higher frequency of genotoxic and mutagenic damage than those sampled in clean environments. Given the importance of the diverse ecological functions provided by bats, including pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal, it is increasingly necessary to investigate the damage caused to the health of these animals exposed to areas with high concentrations of contaminants. Although genetic biomarkers have been used to investigate physiological parameters in bats for more than two decades, then, many knowledge gaps remain, worldwide, in terms of the number of species and localities investigated.

Miconazole exerts disease-modifying effects during epilepsy by suppressing neuroinflammation via NF-κB pathway and iNOS production

Neuroinflammation contributes to the generation of epilepsy and has been proposed as an effective therapeutic target. Recent studies have uncovered the potential effects of the anti-fungal drug miconazole for treating various brain diseases by suppressing neuroinflammation but have not yet been studied in epilepsy. Here, we investigated the effects of different doses of miconazole (5, 20, 80 mg/kg) on seizure threshold, inflammatory cytokines release, and glial cells activation in the pilocarpine (PILO) pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), and intrahippocampal kainic acid (IHKA) models. We demonstrated that 5 and 20 mg/kg miconazole increased seizure threshold, but only 20 mg/kg miconazole reduced inflammatory cytokines release, glial cells activation, and morphological alteration during the early post-induction period (24 h, 3 days). We further investigated the effects of 20 mg/kg miconazole on epilepsy (4 weeks after KA injection). We found that miconazole significantly attenuated cytokines production, glial cells activation, microglial morphological changes, frequency and duration of recurrent hippocampal paroxysmal discharges (HPDs), and neuronal and synaptic damage in the hippocampus during epilepsy. In addition, miconazole suppressed the KA-induced activation of the NF-κB pathway and iNOS production. Our results indicated miconazole to be an effective drug for disease-modifying effects during epilepsy, which may act by attenuating neuroinflammation through the suppression of NF-κB activation and iNOS production. At appropriate doses, miconazole may be a safe and effective approved drug that can easily be repositioned for clinical practice.

Genotoxic and histopathological effects of the Ili River (Kazakhstan) water pollution on the grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella

ABSTRACT In the present study, genotoxic, histological and hematological effects of water pollution were evaluated in Ctenopharyngodon idella from the Ili river. Water and fish were sampled at three sites. The concentrations of the following heavy metals were measured in the water: Pb, Co, Mg, Cd, Cu, Zn, Fe. Water pollution with metals gradually increased from P1 to P3: in P1, Cu and Fe levels exceeded the maximum permissible concentrations for fish culture, in P2 – Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe, and in P3 – Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Fe. In fish from the Ili river, the highest frequency and severity of DNA damage and liver damage were noted in P3, the lowest in P1. Gill lesions were more pronounced and frequent in fish from P3 compared to grass carp from P2 and P1. Fish from P1 showed a higher frequency of neutrophils and a lower percentage of lymphocytes compared to the control. The results also revealed: genotoxicity measured by comet analysis and liver histology were the most sensitive and showed the magnitude of lesions directly related to the level of water contamination. Gill histology also clearly showed pathological changes caused by pollution, while differential leukocyte count was the least useful indicator, as it showed only minor differences between fish from unpolluted and polluted water.

On the Estimation and Reduction of the Frequency of the Loss of Offsite Power Event

Loss of offsite power (LOOP) contributes significantly to the estimated core damage frequency (CDF) for the majority of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Based on experience from some near-miss events around the world and especially in Japan from Fukushima Daiichi accident and several other NPPs it was proven the how important power supply is for nuclear safety. Therefore comprehensive description of the LOOP initiating event is given in this paper. Specific experience of the NPP Krško (NEK) related operation is also presented with comparison to the U.S. NPPs’ approaches and experience. Statistical data are given to explain main characteristics (frequency and duration) of the LOOP event. Important historical trends are also identified. LOOP event frequency is often calculated using generic data because of statistical data base. Thereat, many important factors that influence LOOP are neglected, such as the specific power network configuration, load profiles, climate conditions, and ageing of the equipment. Several different approaches that take these factors into consideration are therefore presented and discussed. Familiarity with the actual state of the NPP, power network and weather conditions helps in the proper planning process of the test and maintenance (T&amp;M) activities and reducing of the risk. This is significant for better online risk estimate. Due to the Fukushima accident, it is necessary to review the safety of the NPPs from new different angles. This paper also shortly reviews planned modifications in NEK that will increase the electric power supply availability (i.e., reduce LOOP event frequency. Other, worldwide solutions that can help to avoid or mitigate LOOP effects are briefly presented.

ASSESSMENT OF PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DAMAGE IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENT DEGREES OF BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASE

Purpose – to investigate the frequency of peripheral arteries damage by determining theankle- brachial index (ABI) in patients with hypertension of 1-3 degrees of the older agecategory (&gt; 55 years) using automatic devices for measuring blood pressure.Material and methods. The object of the study were patients with hypertension olderthan 55 years, 150 people (50 patients with elevated blood pressure levels 1, 2 and3 degrees), as well as 20 healthy people of the same age. The study included only patientswho did not have obvious clinical symptoms of peripheral vascular disease. The studydid not include patients with persistent cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation, frequentventricular arrhythmias, etc.). Simultaneous measurement of blood pressure on the armwith a higher level of blood pressure and on the leg in a supine position was carriedout. After that, the ankle- brachial index was calculated as the ratio of the mean systolicblood pressure (SBP) separately on the right and left ankle to the mean SAT level on thebrachial of the arm with higher BP. If ABI less than 0.9 damage of peripheral arteries ona proper side was diagnosed. Results. For a detailed analysis, we divided all patients with hypertension dependingon the value of the ankle- shoulder index into two subgroups: subgroup A includedpatients (n = 141) with hypertension with an index value&gt; 0.9, and subgroup B (n = 9) –respectively &lt;0.9. The mean age of patients in subgroup A was 64.5 ± 1.1 years, subgroupB – 66.5 ± 2.1 years (p&gt; 0.05 between subgroups). SAT in subgroup A was 159.4 ± 2.9mm Hg, in subgroup B – 162.1 ± 4.2 mm Hg. (p&gt; 0.05 between subgroups). Patients inboth subgroups did not differ in age, sex, body mass index, smoking frequency. Patients inboth subgroups had significantly elevated serum total cholesterol of 6.5 ± 0.2 mmol / l and6.7 ± 0.5 mmol / l, respectively. The degree of increase in diastolic blood pressure (BP)in subgroup A was significantly higher than 103.2 ± 1.2 mm Hg. compared with subgroupB – 78 ± 4.6 mm Hg (p &lt;0.01). Serum creatinine levels in patients with signs of peripheralarterial lesions were higher than in patients without signs of lesions of 99.4 ± 3.6 μmol /l versus 88.2 ± 3.1 μmol / l (p &lt;0.05). Type 2 diabetes was found in 44 % in subgroup Band in 7 % in subgroup A.Conclusions. The most common signs of peripheral vascular disease were observed inpatients older than 55 years with isolated systolic hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitusand elevated serum creatinine.

The properties of rolled compacted concrete as a preservation material

In Indonesia the frequency of road damage’s repairing (like pothole, unsmooth, uneven, and crack) is increasing every year and takes precedence when the damage is still early in small size. In rainy conditions, practically the activity of patching the hole can not be done while usually many holes occur during the rainy season. The study was conducted to evaluate the optimal composition of Rolled Compacted Concrete (RCC) materials as a road-repaired material on a laboratory scale. RCC is a type of concrete that is compacted with mechanic equipment (like vibrator roller and plate tamper). This compacting method is like the application of cold mix asphalt on road preservations. It was found that using RCC with cement content minimum of 18%, adding 2,0% of viscocrete to the weight of cement, and w/c ratio 0,3 will produce compressive strength 10 MPa in a day. The average value of RCC density is 2270 kg/m3 so its classified as normal concrete. From economical analysis, RCC production cost more efficien 5% compared to ordinary concrete at the sama quality and age. The application of RCC can increase the efficiency of worker and equipment component in range 35-85%.

Unidirectional trichomes in rice and prickles in Andropogon virginicus protect meristems from herbivory

AbstractMany grasses (Poaceae) defend their basal meristems with silicified trichomes, prickles, and spines. These leaf features are often unidirectional, pointing from the leaf base to the tip. They have been hypothesized to direct small herbivores away from vulnerable meristems, making grasses tolerant of the loss of leaf tissue. The aim of this study was to determine whether leaves of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus L.) with silicified non‐glandular trichomes and prickles experience more chewing damage to leaf tips than to leaf bases, and whether the unidirectional leaf features were responsible for this pattern. Rice and A. virginicus leaves received 4× and 3× more chewing damage, respectively, to tips than middle sections, and 3× and 8× more damage to middle sections compared to basal sections. Removing trichomes and prickles from half of each leaf did not increase the overall frequency of damage to those leaves. However, removing silicified structures caused herbivores to increase the frequency of damage to leaf sections without trichomes and prickles, including basal leaf sections. Leaves of A. virginicus were experimentally folded in half such that the middle section was above the tip and basal sections; folded leaves received more damage to tips and bases than to middle sections. This indicates that herbivores do not choose to feed on the tallest leaf tissue but are likely influenced by the orientation of the silicified leaf features. Previous studies have shown variation in silicified structures on the leaves of many crop species. As these structures are involved in directing herbivores away from basal meristems, they should be considered as targets for crop breeding.

Reflection of p53 phenotype in tumor tissue by genotypic variants in glutathione S-transferases: An association with DNA damage in lung adenocarcinoma

BackgroundGenetic deficiency of glutathione S-transferase (GST) results in the accumulation of tobacco carcinogens. Consequently, the elevated risk of lung carcinoma is due to increased DNA damage and p53 caretaker gene mutational frequency. ObjectiveWhether GSTM1, GSTT1 deletion, and GSTP1 Ile105Val variants genotypes are associated with the relative risk of developing p53 mutant expression and DNA damage in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. MethodsGenetic polymorphisms in GSTM1 (+/−), GSTT1 (+/−), and GSTP1 (Ile 105 Val) were identified using restriction fragment length PCR. Subsequently, the p53 phenotype was categorized as the mutant type (>50 % and ++/+++ intensity on immunohistochemistry). Lymphocytic DNA damage was assessed using a comet assay. ResultsSmoking pack-years [median (Q1-Q3); 3.5; 37.3–60.5] were associated with p53 mutant expression. Pack-years in the wild-type p53 expression group (38; 18.5–48.5, p = 0.01). The GSTM1 (−/−) null genotype was significantly associated with the risk of p53 mutant expression (RR: 1.81, p = 0.03). GSTP1 (Val/Val) also showed a significant relative risk for p53 mutant phenotype (RR: 2.23, p = 0.04). In contrast, GSTT1 was not associated with the p53 phenotype. GSTM1 (−/−)/GSTP1 (Val/Val) combined genotype showed a significant additive effect on p53 mutant phenotypic expression (RR: 4.0, p = 0.019). DNA damage was significantly associated with GSTM1 (−/−), GSTT1 (−/−) deletion genotypes, and smoking (p = 0.001, p = 0.002 and p < 0.0001, respectively). However, the p53 phenotype was not associated with DNA damage in lymphocytes. ConclusionGSTM1 (−/−) and GSTP1 (Val/Val) genotypes increased the relative risk of the p53 mutant phenotype by two-fold. GSTM1 (−/−)/GSTP1 (Val/Val) amplified the risk of the p53 mutant phenotype by four-fold. DNA damage was significantly associated with smoking, GSTM1, and GSTT1 deletions.

Updating risk model for SGTR accident based on success criteria analysis

Abstract Success criteria analysis plays a key role in the development of realistic probabilistic safety/risk assessment (PSA/PRA) model because it provides supporting information regarding the response of complex nuclear power plant systems to different accident conditions. The current paper performs plant specific success criteria analysis for steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) accident in a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) and demonstrates implementation of the obtained best estimate results on a risk model which has been initially developed based on expert judgment and general plant design data. The modifications on the risk model include configuration of the safety systems as well as the event tree structure. The updated PSA model shows 50% reduction in the plant core damage frequency (CDF) in comparison to the base case risk model. This highlights the importance of success criteria analysis for the development of a realistic PSA model in risk informed applications.

Evaluation of Impact of NEK Safety Upgrade Program Implementation on the Reduction of Total Core Damage Frequency

The nuclear accident in Japanese plants in 2011 has initiated a quick response from the countries utilizing a nuclear power. Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (NEK) was required by Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) to perform consequential actions to reduce the risk of severe accidents and their consequences as low as feasible. NEK have analyzed the response to the severe accidents, and based on the results of this analysis, proposed the measures to be implemented in the shortest possible time. In response to SNSA request NEK has developed the Safety Upgrade Program (SUP) which contains a comprehensive set of measures for plant safety improvements. SUP Phase 1 has been implemented during the Outage 2013. This paper presents the work done on the evaluation of impact of plant modifications planned for implementation in Phases 2 and 3 of NEK Safety Upgrade Program on the quantitative figure of merit for the plant risk significance – total core damage frequency (CDF). A significance of the most valuable measures in terms of contribution to the CDF reduction was determined and a new fractional contribution of initiators categories was obtained. The quantification of total CDF was made by employment of RiskSpectrum PSA code and running a predefined set of analytical cases for all initiator categories covered by the scope of NEK PSA model. The basis for analysis was NEK’s most recent at-power PSA model which reflects the plant status with plant modernization implemented in SUP Phase 1. The analysis was done in two steps. In the first step plant modifications planned for SUP Phase 2 were addressed and in the second step plant modernization measures and upgrades planned in SUP Phase 3 were modeled in addition to those already modelled in the first step.

Chastota ta kharakter urazhen kistok u khvorykh na revmatoidnyi artryt, vyiavlenykh za dopomohoiu ultrazvukovoi ta renthenosteodensytometrii, yikh diahnostychna tsinnist dlia otsinky mineralnoi shchilnosty kistkovoi tkanyny

Introduction. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an unknown etiology of complex autoimmune pathogenesis, a chronic systemic connective disease that is often complicated by secondary osteoporosis (OS), which worsens the course and prognosis of the underlying disease. The aim of the study. To establish the frequency and nature of bone damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis detected by ultrasound and X-ray densitometry, to determine their diagnostic value in assessing bone mineral density. Materials and methods. A randomized study with a preliminary stratification for RA diagnosed according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatologists and the European League Against Rheumatism in 2010, premenopausal women and adult men, included 74 patients (62 women (84.93 %) and 12 men (15.07 %) aged 38 to 60 years (mean age at the time of the survey women - 48.67 ± 2.34 years, men - 45.42 ± 2.78) treated, receiving methylprednisolone at a dose of 4.0 to 24.0 mg/day and not receiving drugs for the treatment of OP) in the rheumatology department of the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise of the Lviv Regional Council “Lviv Regional Clinical Hospital” from 2013 to 2019 (research group - DG). The control group (CG) was composed of 29 healthy individuals (22 women (75.86 %) and 7 men (24.14 %), the average age of women at the time of the survey was 44.95 ± 2.12 years, men - 40.71 ± 2.75 years) of the same sex and age. All patients underwent assessment of BMD with ultrasound densitometry, X-ray densitometry of the hand. Results. In most patients with rheumatoid arthritis ultrasound densitometry revealed violations of bone mineral density, of which osteopenia was in 34 (45.95 %) patients (of whom first degree in 3 (4.05 %), second degree in 18 (24, 32.00 %), III degree in 13 (17.57 %)), osteoporosis in 22 (29.73 %), and within the reference indicators - in 18 (24.32 %). X-ray densitometry in all patients with rheumatoid arthritis revealed a violation of bone mineral density, of which osteopenia was 46 (62.17 %), of which I degree in 19 (25.68 %), II degree in 14 (18.92 %), III degree in 13 (17.57 %)), osteoporosis - in 28 (37.83 %). Analysis of correlations between the results of BMD assessment by ultrasound of heel bone densitometry and X-ray densitometry of the hand in patients with RA revealed a direct strong correlation between the T-test, obtained by ultrasound of heel densitometry and X-ray densitometry of the hand in patients with RA (r = 0.44; p value less than 0.001); indicating that with a decrease in the T-test according to ultrasound densitometry will decrease the T-test according to X-ray densitometry, which allows to diagnose changes in BMD by both methods in patients with RA. It was found that in patients with RA reduction of BMD by ultrasound densitometry of the heel bone in 100.00 % of cases is confirmed by the results of X-ray densitometry of the hand (sensitivity 0.1). Conclusions. The study demonstrated that determining the mineral density of bone tissue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which requires the use of available, and therefore not expensive, safe, non-invasive, without or with minimal radiation exposure, suitable for screening methods, suggests that these requirements are met methods of ultrasonic densitometry and X-ray densitometry, preferring the latter.

T-Cell Defects Associated to Lack of Spike-Specific Antibodies after BNT162b2 Full Immunization Followed by a Booster Dose in Patients with Common Variable Immune Deficiencies.

Following the third booster dose of the mRNA vaccine, Common Variable Immune Deficiencies (CVID) patients may not produce specific antibodies against the virus spike protein. The T-cell abnormalities associated with the absence of antibodies are still a matter of investigation. Spike-specific IgG and IgA, peripheral T cell subsets, CD40L and cytokine expression, and Spike-specific specific T-cells responses were evaluated in 47 CVID and 26 healthy donors after three doses of BNT162b2 vaccine. Testing was performed two weeks after the third vaccine dose. Thirty-six percent of the patients did not produce anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG or IgA antibodies. Non responder patients had lower peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, circulating naïve and central memory T-cells, low CD40L expression on the CD4+CD45+RO+ and CD8+CD45+RO+ T-cells, high frequencies of TNFα and IFNγ expressing CD8+ T-cells, and defective release of IFNγ and TNFα following stimulation with Spike peptides. Non responders had a more complex disease phenotype, with higher frequencies of structural lung damage and autoimmunity, especially autoimmune cytopenia. Thirty-five percent of them developed a SARS-CoV-2 infection after immunization in comparison to twenty percent of CVID who responded to immunization with antibodies production. CVID-associated T cell abnormalities contributed to the absence of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies after full immunization.

The influence of physical activity level on the length of stay in hospital in older men survivors of COVID-19.

The purpose of this study was to verify the influence of physical activity level on the length of hospital stay in older men recovered from COVID-19. In total, 126 older men diagnosed with COVID-19 were admitted to the hospital between September and December 2020. Among them, 70 survived, of which 39 older men were included in the study. Within 30 days after discharge, patients answered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire to measure their physical activity level through phone contact, with questions corresponding to the week before symptom onset. Clinical and laboratorial data from admission, days between onset of symptoms and admission, length of stay, computed tomography abnormalities, and the need for the intensive care unit were collected. The groups (active × sedentary) were compared using the Student t test or Mann–Whitney test for quantitative data and chi-square test was used for categorical data. There is no difference between the groups in characteristics of admission (p > 0.05), except by potassium level. Active older men had a shorter length of stay (6.50 ± 3.46 vs 11.48 ± 7.63 days; p = 0.03), disease duration (15.71 ± 4.84 vs 21.09 ± 7.69 days; p = 0.02), and lower frequency of lung damage when compared to their sedentary counterparts. In conclusion, being physically active prior to infection can attenuate length of hospital stay in older men with COVID-19.