Project description:Antarctica is a unique place to study the health condition under the influence of environmental factors on the organism in pure form. Since the very beginning of the scientific presence of Ukraine in the Antarctic, biomedical research has been developed for the monitoring of individual biomarkers of winterers and medical accompaniment in Antarctic expeditions. The aim of the study was to analyze and discuss the retrospective data of long-term monitoring and observations in Ukrainian Antarctica station "Akademik Vernadsky," providing multi-scale biomedical information with regard to conditions of a perfect isolation from technological and social influences and under extreme environmental factors.Medical and biological studies have been performed with the participation of all 20 Ukrainian wintering expeditions. We surveyed 200 males aged 20-60 years (mean age 37 years). Extensive medical examinations were carried out before the expedition, during the selection of candidates, and after returning, and particular functions were monitored during the entire stay in Antarctica. The medical records were analyzed to study the reaction of the human organism on phenomena like "Antarctic syndrome," dysadaptation, anxiety, desynchronosis, photoperiodism, influence of climatic and meteofactors like "Schumann resonance," infrasound, "ozone hole," and "sterile" environment; important aspects of its role on human health were precisely studied and discussed.The examinations showed the multi-level symptoms of the processes of dysregulation and dysadaptation, as functional tension in the sympathetic-adrenal system rights, especially during urgent adaptation to the Antarctic (1-month stay at the station) and, to a lesser extent, after returning from an expedition to Kyiv. At the initial, adaptation to the conditions of the Antarctic levels of urinary catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, DOPA) increased compared with the start of the expedition (23.2 ± 4.3 and 53.3 ± 5 2 mmol/l, p < 0.001; 67.1 ± 12.3 and 138.3 ± 16.9 mmol/l, p < 0.01; 1749.6 ± 476.5 vs 7094.6 ± 918.3 mmol/l, p < 0.001; 129.6 ± 12.3 and 349.9 ± 40.6 mmol/l, p < 0.001, respectively). In the blood serum of 100 % of the expedition, we found an increase of oxidative stress markers-the level of TBARS increased by 41.2 %, i.e., the activation of free radical peroxidation. Thus, in 80 % of the participants, we observed a reduction in the activity of the SOD antiradical enzyme vs 58 % in the controls. Changes in brain electrical activity after a long stay at the Antarctic stations showed increasing delta rhythms, signs of CNS protective inhibition, likely due to hypoxia. We found changes in the concentrations of microelements (iron, copper, zinc, etc.) in the blood of winterers after the expedition. The polychrome-adaptive method of correcting the changes of the psycho-emotional state in a monochrome Antarctic environment was successfully applied.The preliminary results of the retrospective study and our own observations of the fundamental physiological mechanisms of the negative influence of extreme environmental factors on an organism in the absence of man-made origin factors allow the determination of many mechanisms of "pre-pathology" processes which promise to develop the pathogenetically based pro-active prevention methods for a number of common diseases to set prospective interdisciplinary research in predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine.

Project description:BackgroundQuantification of motor performance has a promising role in personalized medicine by diagnosing and monitoring, e.g. neurodegenerative diseases or health problems related to aging. New motion assessment technologies can evolve into patient-centered eHealth applications on a global scale to support personalized healthcare as well as treatment of disease. However, uncertainty remains on the limits of generalizability of such data, which is relevant specifically for preventive or predictive applications, using normative datasets to screen for incipient disease manifestations or indicators of individual risks.ObjectiveThis study explored differences between healthy German and Japanese adults in the performance of a short set of six motor tests.MethodsSix motor tasks related to gait and balance were recorded with a validated 3D camera system. Twenty-five healthy adults from Chiba, Japan, participated in this study and were matched for age, sex, and BMI to a sample of 25 healthy adults from Berlin, Germany. Recordings used the same technical setup and standard instructions and were supervised by the same experienced operator. Differences in motor performance were analyzed using multiple linear regressions models, adjusted for differences in body stature.ResultsFrom 23 presented parameters, five showed group-related differences after adjustment for height and weight (R 2 between .19 and .46, p<.05). Japanese adults transitioned faster between sitting and standing and used a smaller range of hand motion. In stepping-in-place, cadence was similar in both groups, but Japanese adults showed higher knee movement amplitudes. Body height was identified as relevant confounder (standardized beta >.5) for performance of short comfortable and maximum speed walks. For results of posturography, regression models did not reveal effects of group or body stature.ConclusionsOur results support the existence of a population-specific bias in motor function patterns in young healthy adults. This needs to be considered when motor function is assessed and used for clinical decisions, especially for personalized predictive and preventive medical purposes. The bias affected only the performance of specific items and parameters and is not fully explained by population-specific ethnic differences in body stature. It may be partially explained as cultural bias related to motor habits. Observed effects were small but are expected to be larger in a non-controlled cross-cultural application of motion assessment technologies with relevance for related algorithms that are being developed and used for data processing. In sum, the interpretation of individual data should be related to appropriate population-specific or even better personalized normative values to yield its full potential and avoid misinterpretation.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-021-00236-3.

Project description:AimsSarcopenia is characterized by a gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength with increased adverse outcomes. Recently, large-scale epidemiological studies have demonstrated a relationship between several chronic disorders and ocular pathological conditions using an oculomics approach. We hypothesized that sarcopenia can be predicted through eye examinations, without invasive tests or radiologic evaluations in the context of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM/3PM).MethodsWe analyzed data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The training set (80%, randomly selected from 2008 to 2010) data were used to construct the machine learning models. Internal (20%, randomly selected from 2008 to 2010) and external (from the KNHANES 2011) validation sets were used to assess the ability to predict sarcopenia. We included 8092 participants in the final dataset. Machine learning models (XGBoost) were trained on ophthalmological examinations and demographic factors to detect sarcopenia.ResultsIn the exploratory analysis, decreased levator function (odds ratio [OR], 1.41; P value <0.001), cataracts (OR, 1.31; P value = 0.013), and age-related macular degeneration (OR, 1.38; P value = 0.026) were associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia in men. In women, an increased risk of sarcopenia was associated with blepharoptosis (OR, 1.23; P value = 0.038) and cataracts (OR, 1.29; P value = 0.010). The XGBoost technique showed areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of 0.746 and 0.762 in men and women, respectively. The external validation achieved AUCs of 0.751 and 0.785 for men and women, respectively. For practical and fast hands-on experience with the predictive model for practitioners who may be willing to test the whole idea of sarcopenia prediction based on oculomics data, we developed a simple web-based calculator application (https://knhanesoculomics.github.io/sarcopenia) to predict the risk of sarcopenia and facilitate screening, based on the model established in this study.ConclusionSarcopenia is treatable before the vicious cycle of sarcopenia-related deterioration begins. Therefore, early identification of individuals at a high risk of sarcopenia is essential in the context of PPPM. Our oculomics-based approach provides an effective strategy for sarcopenia prediction. The proposed method shows promise in significantly increasing the number of patients diagnosed with sarcopenia, potentially facilitating earlier intervention. Through patient oculometric monitoring, various pathological factors related to sarcopenia can be simultaneously analyzed, and doctors can provide personalized medical services according to each cause. Further studies are needed to confirm whether such a prediction algorithm can be used in real-world clinical settings to improve the diagnosis of sarcopenia.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-022-00292-3.

Project description:AimsCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is rapidly spreading worldwide. Drug therapy is one of the major treatments, but contradictory results of clinical trials have been reported among different individuals. Furthermore, comprehensive analysis of personalized pharmacotherapy is still lacking. In this study, analyses were performed on 47 well-characterized COVID-19 drugs used in the personalized treatment of COVID-19.MethodsClinical trials with published results of drugs use for COVID-19 treatment were collected to evaluate drug efficacy. Drug-to-Drug Interactions (DDIs) were summarized and classified. Functional variations in actionable pharmacogenes were collected and systematically analysed. "Gene Score" and "Drug Score" were defined and calculated to systematically analyse ethnicity-based genetic differences, which are important for the safer use of COVID-19 drugs.ResultsOur results indicated that four antiviral agents (ritonavir, darunavir, daclatasvir and sofosbuvir) and three immune regulators (budesonide, colchicine and prednisone) as well as heparin and enalapril could generate the highest number of DDIs with common concomitantly utilized drugs. Eight drugs (ritonavir, daclatasvir, sofosbuvir, ribavirin, interferon alpha-2b, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and ceftriaxone had actionable pharmacogenomics (PGx) biomarkers among all ethnic groups. Fourteen drugs (ritonavir, daclatasvir, prednisone, dexamethasone, ribavirin, HCQ, ceftriaxone, zinc, interferon beta-1a, remdesivir, levofloxacin, lopinavir, human immunoglobulin G and losartan) showed significantly different pharmacogenomic characteristics in relation to the ethnic origin of the patient.ConclusionWe recommend that particularly for patients with comorbidities to avoid serious DDIs, the predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM, 3 PM) strategies have to be applied for COVID-19 treatment, and genetic tests should be performed for drugs with actionable pharmacogenes, especially in some ethnic groups with a higher frequency of functional variations, as our analysis showed. We also suggest that drugs associated with higher ethnic genetic differences should be given priority in future pharmacogenetic studies for COVID-19 management. To facilitate translation of our results into clinical practice, an approach conform with PPPM/3 PM principles was suggested. In summary, the proposed PPPM/3 PM attitude should be obligatory considered for the overall COVID-19 management.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-021-00247-0.

Project description:BackgroundSeveral ocular factors have been identified for primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG), such as a small cornea, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), shallow anterior chamber, and short axial length (AL). However, the relationship between the severity of PACG and various ocular parameters [IOP, anterior chamber depth, AL, central corneal thickness] is not fully understood.MethodsA 7-year cross-sectional study. A total of 2254 eyes of 1312 PACG patients (females = 856 [1479 eyes] and males = 456 [775 eyes]) were included. A detailed eye examination was performed. The participants were categorized into gender subgroups followed by subdivision into three different severity groups according to their mean deviation (MD) of the visual fields results as follows: mild (MD ≤ 6 dB), moderate (MD 6-12 dB), and severe (MD > 12 dB) PACG. The associations of ocular biometry with severity of PACG were analyzed using paired Student's t test, multivariate linear regression, and logistic regression analysis.ResultsThere was a significant positive correlation between the MD and AL in the female subgroup (B = 0.663, p = 0.001, 95%CI = 1.070 to 1.255) but not in the male subgroup. Increased AL levels (mild [OR = 1], moderate [OR = 1.047, p = 0.062, 95%CI = 0.947 to 2.462], and severe [OR = 1.274, p < 0.001, 95%CI = 1.114 to 1.457]) were only associated with the severity of PACG in females. Paired Student's t tests showed that the long AL female eyes have a higher MD value than in the short AL female eyes (mean difference = 3.09, t = 6.846, p < 0.001) in the same subjects, but not in the male subgroup (p = 0.648).ConclusionsThe AL was positively and significantly related to the severity of PACG in female but not male subjects. This finding refers to the PACG pathogenesis and suggests the use of AL assessment in glaucoma monitoring, diagnosis, and progression. This may contribute to further development of personalized strategies in preventive medicine.

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Erratum to: Antarctica challenges the new horizons in predictive, preventive, personalized medicine: preliminary results and attractive hypotheses for multi-disciplinary prospective studies in the Ukrainian "Akademik Vernadsky" station.

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