ScienceRise: Biological Science

Research of biological, population, biotechnological, toxicological and pharmacological aspects related to the risks of the impact of common exogenic substances on the human organism

2026-03-20T15:38:24+02:00

The aim of the study was a comprehensive analysis of biomedical aspects related to such an exogenous effect on the human body as tattoos, as well as our own research on the attitudes and awareness of the impact of tattoos on the human body in the Ukrainian population and among people who were temporarily in this territory.

Materials and methods. The work used statistical analysis and the questionnaire method. A questionnaire was developed, containing questions related to attitudes towards tattoos, and questions that determine the relationship between somatic and mental health and the desire to undergo a tattoo procedure. The statistical criterion χ2 was used to analyze qualitative characteristics.

Results and discussion. It was found that most of the respondents did not have tattoos (perhaps this was due to the young age of the respondents). The analysis of the results processed during the study revealed the following indicators: women are better informed than men, by approximately 11%. More female respondents than male respondents had a tattoo at the time of the study and a desire to get one in the future, respectively, the indicators are 12% and 15%. Also, women give recommendations to get a tattoo 12% more often. Significantly different indicators were found in the questions that were studied among representatives of different religious denominations, for example, respondents from Christian countries are 27% more informed about adverse reactions to tattoos. At the same time, the number of respondents from different religious denominations who had a tattoo at the time of the study is almost the same.

Conclusions. A study of a similar scale involving representatives of several countries with different socio-cultural conditions was conducted for the first time in Ukraine. Since the work was international in nature, and representatives of different countries participated in it, it was found that representatives of different religious and confessional views differed in their attitude to tattoos, which was, in principle, predictable. At the same time, the actual proportion of tattooed people among Muslims and Christians did not differ statistically. When studying the effects of sexual dimorphism, it was shown that women are more aware of the side effects of tattoos, but also more often than men get tattoos and give advice to others to get tattoos

A comparative analysis of biochemical markers of systemic inflammation in experimental models of acute and chronic organ damage in laboratory animals

2026-03-31T13:27:11+03:00

Aim. The aim of the study was to determine and comparatively analyse the specified markers in models of acute and chronic inflammation of various localisation and genesis in laboratory animals.

Materials and Methods. The study was conducted using models, such as adrenal myocarditis, tetrachloromethane hepatitis, UV erythema, folacin-induced nephropathy, and doxorubicin nephropathy.

Results. The content of total protein, C-reactive protein, creatinine, urea, TBA-AP, as well as the activity of cytolysis enzymes ALT and AST in nephropathy models were determined. The results of experimental studies showed the heterogeneity of marker changes depending on the selected model. In the UV erythema model, the diameter of erythema, CRP, and ALT significantly increased, while the content of TBA-AP decreased against the background of experimental pathology. In tetrachloromethane hepatitis, there was an increase in the liver mass coefficient, CRP content, TBA-AP, ALT and AST activity, and a decrease in total protein. Adrenaline myocarditis was accompanied by an increase in cardiac mass index, CRP, TBA-AP and AST activity. In both models of nephropathy (folic acid and doxorubicin), the kidney mass index increased; creatinine and urea levels rose, while total protein levels decreased; CRP levels increased in the model of nephropathy caused by folic acid and doxorubicin, while TBA-AP levels and ALT and AST activity increased significantly.

Conclusions. The experimental data obtained indicate a pronounced activation of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in all model pathologies, but the degree and spectrum of changes in markers differ depending on the aetiological factor and organotropism of the pathologic process

Effect of gelatin on the properties of mesenchymal stromal cells during cultivation and hypothermic storage within core–shell alginate capsules

2026-03-30T17:49:30+03:00

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are widely used in regenerative medicine and cell engineering; however, conventional two-dimensional culture systems fail to reproduce the physiological microenvironment of cells and limit the preservation of their functional state.

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gelatin concentration in the core of alginate core–shell capsules on the viability, metabolic activity and spatial organisation of human bone marrow-derived MSCs.

Materials and Methods. Alginate core–shell capsules were fabricated using coaxial electrospraying with an alginate shell and hydrogel core containing different gelatin concentrations (0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5% w/v). Rheological properties of the core and shell materials were analysed by rotational rheometry. Cell viability was assessed using Live/Dead fluorescence staining, metabolic activity by Alamar Blue assay, and spatial organisation by light and fluorescence microscopy. Capsules were cultured under physiological conditions for 17 days and subsequently transferred to ambient temperature storage.

Results. All capsule formulations supported high MSC viability during long-term culture. However, the functional state of the cells strongly depended on the core composition. Capsules containing 2.5% gelatin demonstrated the most pronounced increase in metabolic activity and the formation of interconnected, network-like cellular structures. Increasing gelatin concentration to 5–7.5% resulted in reduced metabolic activity and the formation of compact cell aggregates. Following storage at ambient temperature (22 °C), metabolic activity decreased in all groups, whereas cell viability remained stable.

Conclusions. Gelatin concentration within the capsule core is a key parameter regulating MSC functional behaviour in three-dimensional culture systems. Alginate core–shell capsules represent a promising platform for short-term storage and transportation of cells while maintaining their viability and structural organisation

Determining the impact of macrophages on carcinogenesis and inflammation

2026-03-31T18:36:44+03:00

Aim. The aim of the study is to determine the influence of macrophages on carcinogenesis and inflammation. Violation of the functioning of this control system leads to pathology and the development of chronic inflammation. The correlation of chronic inflammation and malignant tumors, which is observed in the case of intestinal diseases, such as nonspecific ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, was analyzed.

Materials and Methods. The materials of the work were selected publications with data from clinical and experimental studies that show that macrophages are able to support the progression and metastasis of solid tumors. The methods of this work are the systematization of the analysis of modern studies to determine the influence of macrophages on carcinogenesis and inflammation with an emphasis on theoretical foundations, experimental data and technological innovations.

Result. The results of the study demonstrate that during chronic inflammation, two processes are simultaneously activated in tissues:

1) tissue damage by a pathogen (or bactericidal activity of macrophages); 2) stimulation of regeneration. A substantial body of literature indicates that the spectrum of cytokines in the tumor microenvironment plays a crucial role in shaping the macrophage phenotype. This statement allows us to explain the association of the observed number of tumor macrophages with a good prognosis. It is possible that in these cases macrophages acquire an immunologically neutral phenotype or even retain some cytotoxic properties, so that they either do not interfere with the antitumor immune response, or even take an active part. It has been determined that activated macrophages are the main source of growth factors and cytokines TGF-β1, PDGF, βEGF, TGF-α IGF-I-II, TNF and IL-1, which play a key role in regulating the activity of cells that repair damaged tissue.

Conclusions. The conclusions are based on the analysis of scientific literature and indicate that type II macrophages play an important role in tumor progression. The ability of macrophages to produce a wide range of proteinases, including uPA and MMP-9, has been demonstrated. Data from experimental studies using murine models demonstrate that, during tumor invasion, macrophages are localized at sites of basement membrane disruption and tumor cell dissemination. It is substantiated that macrophages are involved in the processes of tumor invasion and metastasis