Changes in Serum Amyloid A Level in Domestic Cats during Pregnancy

Reproduction of endangered species in captivity is an urgent problem for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. For mammals, including felids, assessing and monitoring of pregnancy progression is fundamental for successful breeding. For the first time, changes in the concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), the main protein of the acute phase of inflammation in felines, were assessed during pregnancy in a domestic cat. It was found that changes in SAA concentrations in pregnant females are consistent: an increase to the middle of pregnancy (day 30) and a decrease to day 60. After parturition, the SAA concentrations in the blood of domestic cats increase. The litter size significantly affected the dynamic of SAA concentrations during the experiment, in particular, after parturition, the increase in its level was significantly higher in the females that gave birth to larger litters (from four to seven kittens).

Telehealth consultations in cardio-oncology

Aim. To evaluate the role of a cardiologist in telehealth counseling of cancer patients at the federal oncology center.

Material and methods. This retrospective study was conducted based on the materials of 215 telehealth consultations on cardiooncology, performed in the period from January 2019 to September 2021. Data on referrals to a cardiologist (cardio-oncologist) from various Russian regions and consultants’ answers were analyzed, taking into account the following data: region, sex, age of a patient, cancer type, stage, participation of other consultants, type of cardiovascular disease, the need for additional information and features of treatment  — surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy. Risk was stratified based on a checklist including the main risk factors for cardiotoxicity. The recommendations of consultants for monitoring patients, as well as drug therapy prescriptions, were analyzed.

Results. The most common cancer sites in patients referred for telehealth consultations on cardio-oncology were lungs, larynx and trachea, colon and rectum, kidneys and bladder, ovaries and uterus, and stomach. Cardiologists consulted together with oncologists  — surgeons, medical oncologists, as well as anesthesiologists and radiation oncologists. The most common cardiovascular diseases were hypertension  — 80,9% of patients, heart failure  — 60%, arrhythmias — 41,6% and coronary heart disease — 37,7%. From 71 to 80,3%, 15,6-21% and 3,9-7,8% of patients had preserved, mid-range and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. In 47,6-66,7% of cases, consultants required additional information. Based on risk stratification of cardiotoxicity of anticancer treatment, 118 (81,9%) patients out of 144 were classified as high and very high risk. Most patients were recommended cardioprotective therapy, which most often included angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers  — 43,1-53,1%, beta-blockers  — 44,8-58,6%, and statins  — 22,4-38,3%. An algorithm for creating a request for a cardio-oncology telehealth consultation has been developed.

Conclusion. The important role of cardio-oncology telehealth consultations in the work of the federal oncology center is demonstrated. Consulting cardiologists are part of a single multidisciplinary team of specialists and must act taking into account the characteristics of cancer and antitumor therapy prescribed by oncologists.

[Social play in the development of sibling relations in Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)]

Social play fulfills an important function in creating and maintaining relations between siblings. However, its relationship with the intralitter social processes is poorly understood. It was noticed that, in Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) litters, sex differences in social play are absent in the first 2-3 months of life. Itwas found that the most intense periods of play behavior (at an age of 9 and 1-2 weeks) coincide with periods of aggression. Gradual change in play interactions, which require close physical contact by play elements with increased motor activity, are described. This reflects the changes in the relevance of certain skills of lynx cubs as they grow older.

[Efficacy of surgical and therapeutic methods of repeated carotid ischemic stroke prophylaxis]

Comparative efficacy of surgical and therapeutic methods of repeated ischemic stroke prophylaxis at the patients with clinical symptoms of acute brain ischemia and carotid stenosis less 70% was analyzed. Three-year period of follow-up demonstrated that at the patients who have undergone carotid endarterectomy the repeated ischemic events were seen only at 4 (3.9%), and in the group of therapeutic prophylaxis--at 57 (52.7%). Carotid endarterectomy permits to reduce relative risk of repeated ischemic stroke from 0.77 in therapeutic prophylaxis to 0.07 in surgical treatment. Antiaggregant therapy after surgery is mandatory. Prolonged administration of Clopidogrel permits to reduce restenosis and thrombotic complication rate.

[The efficacy of surgical and conservative methods in secondary prevention of carotid ischemic stroke]

A comparative analysis of the efficacy of surgical and conservative methods in secondary prevention of carotid ischemic stroke has been conducted in patients with clinical symptoms of acute ischemic brain lesions (carotid artery stenosis less than 70%). The results of the 3-year follow-up study revealed that carotid endarterectomua is a method of choice. Comparing to conservative therapy, it allows a reduction of the absolute risk of secondary ischemic episode development to 4% (57% for conservative therapy) and of the relative risk--to 0.07 (0.77 for conservative therapy). The necessity of antiaggregate therapy that enables increased percentage of strokes prevented is proved. Comparing to aspirin, clopidogrel is a drug of choice contributing to the regress of thrombotic layers in the cases of restenosis development in the area of sutures after the interventions using special patches.

[Determination of the molecular weight of microbial polysaccharides using high performance exclusion chromatography]

An automatic method of determining the molecular weight parameters (Mw, Mn) of microbial polysaccharides such as dextran, pullulan was developed based on the use of high performance size-exclusion chromatography on the two types of columns: Zorbax PSM 60 + 300 + 1000 and SynChropack GPC 100 + 500 + 1000. The Mw and Mn values were determined for a number of domestic and foreign dextran preparations. Changes in the molecular weight of pullulan and hydroxyethylstarch resulted from acid and enzymatic hydrolysis were estimated.

[Physico-chemical and biological properties of a new plasma substitute based on hydroxyethylated starch]

Samples of hydroxyethylstarch of M 100-160 kDa, Mn 50-60 kDa and substitution degree 0.6-0.7 were prepared and characterized. Hydroxyethylstarch was shown to be susceptible to cleavage by amylolytic enzymes. All samples of hydroxyethylstarch at 2-4% concentration were compatible with perfluorohydrocarbon emulsion "Perftoran" and exhibited high haemodynamic efficiency. The 6 and 10% solutions of hydroxyethylstarch in 0.9% aqueous sodium chloride normalized haemodynamics in massive blood losses. Hydroxyethylstarch was completely removed from blood-stream. The preparations were shown to be nontoxic.