VOL 4, No. 2 (2024)

The analysis of sperm morphology (n = 100) was performed using Vision Sperm automatic sperm analysis system.
Evaluation of detection accuracy of sperm morphology was carried out using the following operational criteria that system calculated automatically: diagnostic sensitivity (DSe), diagnostic specificity (DSp) and diagnostic efficiency (DE).
The system automatically scanned the slides, identified and performed preliminary sorting (pre-classification) of spermatozoa into four categories of morphological defects: ‘Head’, ‘Neck’, ‘Tail’ and ‘ERC’.
Medical validation and generation of report on results of the analysis were carried out simultaneously with scanning of new sperm samples. The average examination time of one glass slide was 3 min 43 sec. The high efficiency of sperm recognition by the Vision Sperm system has been established. Application of Vision Sperm analysis system ensured automation and standardization of assessment a sperm morphology and improved a performance in clinical laboratory.

Relevance. The risk of developing severe stage of COVID-19 infection in pregnant women is quite high. The study of apoptosis and hypoxia in placenta which have a fundamental impact on functioning of this organ in COVID-19 and lung lesion of varying severity is important for the justification of obstetric tactics. The aim of the study was to determine the expression level of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1?) in placentas of women with COVID-19 and critical lung lesion in a comparative aspect. Material and methods. The expression level of AIF and HIF-1? in placentas of women with COVID-19 was studied. The 1-st group consisted of placentas of 25 women
with COVID-19 and critical lung lesion (CLL) (more than 75 %, CT-4) after preterm labor induced by the severity of the mother's condition, and in every third case in combination with fetal distress; the 2-nd group consisted of placentas of 25 patients with COVID-19 and lung lesion of 25 – 50% (CT-2) after spontaneous preterm labor at the stage of clinical recovery after COVID-19. Results. The median area of immunopositive structures with respect to AIF was statistically significantly higher in placentas of group 2 and amounted to 66.38 (60.79; 74.51) % vs. 56.11 (28.04; 63.18) % (p = 0.000). The median area of immunopositive structures against HIF-1? was 17.80 (13.33; 27.33) % and 33.01 (27.63; 35.99) % respectively groups (p = 0.000). Conclusion. In patients with COVID-19 and CLL, AIF expression level was statistically significantly higher than the same parameter in placentas of women with COVID-19 and 25 – 50% lung lesion (CT-2) (p = 0.000), which may indicate the energy deficit of cyto- and syncytiotrophoblast cells due to the severity of the condition of women with CLL. On the contrary, the level of HIF-1? expression in the placenta structures of group 1 women was statistically significantly lower than in the placentas of group 2 patients (p = 0.000), which may be due to the delivery of COVID-19 and CLL patients before the development of severe hypoxic damage in the placentas.

Abstract
Introduction. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic progressive disease that leads to the development of bronchial obstruction and chronic inflammation in the respiratory tract. COPD is a risk factor for the development of lung cancer (LC) regardless of smoking and has similar pathogenetic mechanisms with lung tumor. It is important to identify the signs specific to patients with COPD, which help to distinguish the non-tumor process from LC.
The purpose of the study. To identify clinical, anamnestic, and laboratory-instrumental signs in patients with COPD and determine their dependence on the GOLD stage.
Materials and methods. A retrospective assessment of the clinical and anamnestic data and the results of laboratory and instrumental studies was carried out in 128 patients with COPD hospitalized at the S.S. Yudin’s Clinical Hospital for 2019 – 2023. For statistical processing, the following were used: the Mann-Whitney U-test, the Kraskel-Wallis criterion, the Dunn criterion with the Hill correction, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, the ROC curve analysis method, the Euden index, the Pearson and Spearman correlation matrix method using a modified Chaddock table.
Results and discussion. In the group of patients with COPD, the most frequently observed clinical signs were established (shortness of breath at rest and with minimal physical exertion, cough with scant sputum), auscultative listened to changes in data (wheezing of various characteristics), radiological manifestations (emphysema; hydrothorax, more characteristic in the progression of the disease and more often established in patients at stages III-IV GOLD, changes in laboratory parameters (decrease in the concentration of LDH, total and indirect bilirubin in blood serum during the progression).
In addition, a whole list of laboratory parameters has been identified, the concentration of which in biological fluids is statistically interdependent in the cohort.
Conclusion. In our study, clinical, anamnestic, and laboratory-instrumental signs characteristic of patients with COPD at various GOLD stages have been established. If signs are found that are not typical for patients with COPD, the clinician will need to conduct a differential diagnostic search, primarily to identify the tumor process.