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Aim. To study the relationship between the level of haptoglobin and the main indicators of microcirculation (MC) in patients with different phenotypes of chronic heart failure (CHF).Materials and methods. Patients with different phenotypes of functional class II-IV chronic heart failure according to NYHA (n=80) underwent a general clinical examination, determination of the serum haptoglobin level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, as well as an assessment of the MC state on the medial surface of the upper third of the leg by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF).Results. Patients with CHF included patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF; n=27, intermediate ejection fraction (HFmrEF; n=25) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; n=28). The median value of haptoglobin in the HFpEF group was 1387.6 [ 747.5; 1946.9] mg/l, in the HFmrEF group was 1583.4 [818.9; 2201.4] mg/l, in the HFrEF group was 968.5 [509.5; 1324.4] mg/l. Correlation analysis revealed statistically significant relationships between haptoglobin and the amplitudes of the endothelial frequency range (Ae) in the groups of HFmrEF (r=-0.628, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.256; -0.825, p=0.003) and HFrEF (r=-0.503, 95% CI -0.089; -0.803, p=0.02). A negative relationship between the haptoglobin level and Kv and σ was revealed, as well as a formula for calculating the value of haptoglobin was obtained, which is predicted on the basis of the amplitude index of the endothelial frequency range: [haptoglobin]=1787-(4053×Ae).Conclusion. The multifactorial effect of haptoglobin is realized in the central and peripheral mechanisms of MC regulation. Low values of haptoglobin in blood plasma should be considered as a potential marker for the development of complications and used in a comprehensive assessment of the state of patients with CHF. Evaluation of the diagnostic and prognostic significance of haptoglobin, especially in patients with HFmrEF, requires further study.

Optical sensors typically provide compact, fast and precise means of performing quantitative measures for almost any kind of measurand that is usually probed electronically. High-contrast grating (HCG) resonators are known to manifest an extremely sharp and sensitive optical resonance and can constitute a highly suitable sensing platform. In this paper we present two advanced high-contrast grating designs improving the sensing performances of conventional implementations. These configurations, namely pedestal and half-buried HCGs, allow to enhance the shift of the photonic resonance while maintaining the spectral features of the standard configuration. First, the spectral feature of the HCGs was numerically optimized to express the sharpest possible resonance when the structure is immersed in serum. Second, the sensing properties of conventional and advanced HCG implementations were studied by modelling the biological entities to be sensed as a thin dielectric coating layer of increasing thickness. Pedestal HCGs were found to provide a ∼12% improvement in sensitivity and a six-fold improvement in resonance quality factor (Q-factor), while buried HCGs resulted in a ∼58% improvement in sensitivity at the expense of a slightly broader resonance. Such structures may serve as an improved sensitive biosensing platform for near-infrared spectroscopy.

Photoluminescence including fluorescence plays a great role in a wide variety of applications from biomedical sensing and imaging to optoelectronics. Therefore, the enhancement and control of photoluminescence has immense impact on both fundamental scientific research and aforementioned applications. Among various nanophotonic schemes and nano-structures to enhance the photoluminescence, we focus on a certain type of nanostructures, hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs). HMMs are highly anisotropic metamaterials, which produce intense localized electric fields. Therefore, HMMs naturally boost photoluminescence from dye molecules, quantum dots, nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamonds, per-ovskites and transition metal dichalcogenides. We provide an overview of various configurations of HMMs, including met-al-dielectric multilayers, trenches, metallic nanowires, and cavity structures fabricated with the use of noble metals, trans-parent conductive oxides, and refractory metals as plasmonic elements. We also discuss lasing action realized with HMMs.

BACKGROUND Socioeconomic deprivation (SED) has been associated with increased 30-day mortality and reduced long-term survival after surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). The study aimed to determine the incidence rate ratio of ATAAD in New Zealand population with higher and lower SED indices and to evaluate any association between SED and outcomes after ATAAD repair. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients who underwent ATAAD repair from March 2003 to May 2020 were identified. Overseas patients, those with chronic aortic dissection, and those who died in hospital before the operation were excluded. The total number of New Zealand residents was estimated based on the national 2018 Census. RESULTS A total of 363 ATAAD patients met the eligibility criteria. The incidence of ATAAD was 70% greater in those who were more socioeconomically deprived (higher SED) compared with less socioeconomically deprived (lower SED) New Zealanders (odds ratio = 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4-2.1; p

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a variant of implantation metastasis of tumors sprouting the serous membrane of an organ. At the moment, the most effective treatment for this disease is regional chemotherapy. Systemic chemotherapy is not effective enough. The standard for the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis was cytoreductive interventions followed by open or closed hypertermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) or pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). Purpose of the study: in an animal experiment to compare the efficacy and safety of regional chemotherapy methods HIPEC and PIPAC Materials and methods: the study was conducted on 44 rats of Wistar females. To simulate carcinomatosis, a strain of ascites ovarian tumor (OA) from the Russian Oncology Cancer Research Center N.N. Petrova. was used. The safety of the technique was evaluated clinically and based on laboratory blood tests. Efficiency - based on mass spectrometry, pathomorphological data and in assessing the life expectancy of animals. Results: the conducted methods HIPEC (open, closed) and PIPAC have shown their safety in experiments on laboratory animals. The closed HIPEC technique is most effective. The analysis of the incidence of postoperative complications demonstrated a greater aggressiveness of open and closed techniques compared to the more “sparing” PIPAC method. Conclusions: the experiment showed comparable safety of all animals tested. Due to the peculiarities of the technique, the PIPAC method can be used as an option for multi-stage treatment in cases where CPC and HIPEC are not possible due to a high index of peritoneal carcinomatosis, and as a neoadjuvant treatment to prevent peritoneal carcinomatosis. In any case, the prospects for using this method require further research.

Recently in the world practice of aerospace monitoring of the Earth there has been an increasingly active using of methods and devices of hyperspectral imaging. Thus creation of systems designed for recording hyperspectral data and methods for their processing is an actual task for remote sensing of the Earth. The aim of the article was to develop and create a small-sized satellite modular hyperspectrometer in visible and near infrared range, designed to receive information on remote sensing of the Earth in order to constantly update data about state of natural environment and infrastructure objects using videospectral methods with the possibility of comprehensive study of both spectral and spatial characteristics of the observed objects.A small-scale satellite modular hyperspectrometer has been developed. The distinctive features of the equipment include high spectral resolution and small dimensions. A hyperspectrometer includes two main modules: an optical module and an electronics one. The design feature of the optical module is the use of a concave holographic diffraction grating in a polychromator. The electronics module is based on a single board computer. Their description and design features, a scheme for the formation of a hypercube and software for its further processing are presented in the paper. The developed hardware (test equipment, a space experiment simulator and a spatial scanning system) for efficiency testing is presented also, as well as test measurements ware conducted. It is worth noting the extremely small dimensions for this class of devices in comparison with analogues as well as the vibration resistance of the equipment.

Background Acute cholangitis (AC) after liver transplantation occurs in 8-12% patients and remains a significant cause of patients' morbidity and mortality. The 2018 Tokyo guidelines use white blood cell count and C-reactive protein (CRP) as diagnostic criteria in AC. However, these and other common inflammatory markers have not been assessed in immunosuppressed liver transplant (LT) recipients with AC. The aims of this study were to compare the discriminative powers of common inflammatory markers, define the best inflammatory marker and determine the diagnostic cut-off values for the inflammatory markers in LT recipients with AC. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. Over 16 years 212 LT recipients who underwent endoscopic biliary decompression were identified from hospital records. Thirty LT recipients with AC and 30 LT recipients without AC were randomly drawn in a 1:1 ratio. Results Among inflammatory markers, CRP had the highest discriminative power for diagnosing AC. The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves for CRP, white blood cell count, lymphocyte count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were 95% (95% confidence interval (CI): 91-98), 59% (95% CI: 50-68), 65% (95% CI: 53-77) and 70% (95% CI: 59-80), respectively. The cut-off value of CRP for diagnosing AC was equal to or above 9.5 mg/L. Conclusion CRP has the best discriminative power compared with other commonly used inflammatory markers for diagnosing AC in LT recipients. The optimal cut-off value for CRP concentration in diagnosing AC is equal to or above 9.5 mg/L.

Aim To study clinical and laboratory associations of hepatic fibrosis indexes in patients with decompensated NYHA functional class II-IV chronic heart failure (CHF).Material and methods The study included 128 patients admitted to the cardiological or therapeutic department of the University Clinical Hospital #4 at the I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University) with symptoms of CHF associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and/or arterial hypertension (AH). All patients had signs of liver disease (liver enlargement on physical examination ± diffuse changes in hepatic tissue according to ultrasound data). Mean age was 70.59±10.71 years. Along with general clinical examination, severity of hepatic fibrosis was evaluated by calculated indexes, FIB-4, APRI, MELD-XI, and BARD. All calculations were based on laboratory data obtained within the first two days of hospitalization for decompensated CHF, at the onset of active therapy with intravenous diuretics. Statistical analyses were performed with the R programming language (3.6.1).Results In patients with NYHA FC II–IV CHF, the FIB-4 index significantly increased with the increase in NYHA FC (рConclusions For all studied indexes, correlations were observed with LV EF, decreases in hemoglobin, and incidence of heart rhythm disorders. For the BARD, FIB-4, and MELD-XI indexes, high results of calculations correlated with the presence of other predictors for unfavorable prognosis and disease severity (LV EF, NYHA FC, presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and lower GFR). Liver fibrosis indexes are a new and promising but understudied instrument for evaluation of prognosis in CHF patients, which requires further study to determine most appropriate prognostic formulas.

To improve early detection of cancer, search for tumor markers in biological fluids is of great importance. A significant portion of exosomes is associated with the surface of blood cells, however, the protein spectrum of such exosomes has not been previously studied. The use of total blood exosomes (plasma exosomes and exosomes associated with the surface of blood cells) can not only significantly increase the specificity and sensitivity of existing methods, but also suggest new tumor markers for liquid biopsy. Objective. Search for candidate protein tumor markers of breast cancer by comparing 2D-proteomic maps of total blood exosomes of healthy females (HFs) and breast cancer patients (BCPs). Methods. Exosomes were isolated from plasma and total blood of HFs and BCPs by ultrafiltration followed by ultracentrifugation and were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunocytochemistry. Protein concentration in exosomes was determined using the NanoOrange Protein Quantitation kit (Invitrogen) commercial kit. Proteomes of exosomes were studied using 2d electrophoresis followed by protein identification by mass spectrometry. Results. Highly purified samples of vesicles from plasma and total blood of no more than 100 nm in size were obtained, on the surface of which markers specific for exosomes were detected by monoclonal antibodies CD9. A comparative analysis of the proteomic maps of exosomal proteins of the HFs and BCPs obtained by 2D-electrophoresis allowed us to establish significant differences in the expression level and protein set in normal and pathological conditions. The 11 proteomic markers of breast cancer were identified by the peptide fingerprint method, of which LRG и у -chain FGB were detected in the composition of exosomes for the first time (according to the Exocarta database). Using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, 99 proteins were identified in the exosome preparations of the blood of HFs and BCPs, of which 35% were detected in the composition of the exosomes for the first time (according to the Exocarta database). 17 (53%) proteins associated with breast cancer were detected in total blood exosomes of cancer patients. Conclusion. The results obtained indicate that total blood exosomes are a promising source of diagnostic material for the search for proteomic markers of breast cancer. The identified proteomic tumor markers require further validation.

Recently, the world literature has been actively discussing the effect of circadian rhythm and sleep disturbances on human metabolic health. One of the most socially significant causes of circadian disorders is the shift work schedule. Shift work schedules began to occur more often due to the high demand for flexibility and labor productivity in modern society. Shift work is characteristic of medical personnel, law enforcement officials, rescue services, transport, the media and others. Shift workers make up about 17% of all workers in Europe. Globally, approximately 2.5 billion people work in shifts. Shift work was identified as an important professional risk. The connection between work with rotation of day and night shifts with overweight and obesity, with circadian rhythms and sleep disorders was proved. The review systematizes information regarding the role of the shift chart in the development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome, and considers mechanisms that mediate its effect on the regulation of energy balance.

The Bentall procedure using a bioprosthesis-containing conduit carries the risk of structural valve deterioration within the patients' lifetime. Failed aortic bioprosthesis replacement requires a redo aortic root replacement that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We describe an original "neo-annulus" technique of aortic valve replacement (AVR) within the Bentall graft. This technique involves an incision of the Bentall valve-containing aortic root conduit, cutting the stainless wireform stent and the inner plastic stent of the bioprosthetic valve at the tips of commissure posts with a wire cutter, removal of semilunar fragments of the remaining stainless wire, division of the fabric of the valve between the valve sewing cuff and the Elgiloy alloy base ring leaving the sewing cuff of the excised aortic valve bioprosthesis attached to the Bentall conduit as a "neo-annulus". Subsequently, this neo-annulus is stitched with interrupted 2/0 Ticrone sutures and another prosthetic aortic valve implanted inside of the old Bentall conduit. The graft incision is closed with a continuous 4/0 polypropylene suture.

BACKGROUND Acute cholangitis (AC) complicated by septic shock is associated with 40% mortality. The best screening method for diagnosing sepsis in patients with AC is unknown. In this study, we aimed to compare the discriminative powers of systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria (SIRS test) and the 2018 Tokyo Guidelines for moderate cholangitis (TG18 test) in screening AC patients for sepsis and to estimate their predictive abilities. METHODS This was a retrospective diagnostic accuracy study in which the TG18 and SIRS tests were applied to two groups of patients; 52 patients with 70 hospital admissions had AC with shock index ≥0.7 and 46 patients with 57 hospital admissions had AC with shock index

Цель. Современные классификации острого холецистита (OX) не учитывают степень выраженности гистологического воспаления желчного пузыря. Нами проведена оценка взаимосвязи между гистологическим воспалением желчного пузыря, риском конверсии лапароскопической холецистэктомии КЛХ) в открытую операцию (и тяжестью периоперационных осложнений, а также разработана гистологическая классификация степени тяжести ОХ. Материалы и методы. Ретроспективное когортное исследование основано на клинических наблюдениях за 1762 пациентами, которым была выполнена лапароскопическая холецистэктомия. Из них у 472 пациентов диагноз ОХ был подтвержден при гистологическом исследовании. Результаты. У пациентов с активным хроническим холециститом и с острым отечным холециститом риск КЛХ был выше более чем в пять раз по сравнению с пациентами с нормальным желчным пузырем и с хроническим холециститом: отношение шансов (ОШ) = 5,1; 95% доверительный интервал (ДИ) 3,5­7,6; р

We consider optimized configurations of high-contrast one-dimensional sub- wavelength gratings as label-free biosensors for proteins detection. Parameters of the sen- sors, in particular sensitivity, are improved in comparison with the basic design. Modeling was done by three numerical methods providing required reproducibility and convergence.

We present a comparative study of optical properties of aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films with different thicknesses. The films with thicknesses ranging from 66 to 303 nm were deposited by reactive sputtering and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). Permittivity was extracted from an ellipsometry and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy reflection measurements. Our particular focus is on the influence of the deposition method and the film thickness on the AlN dielectric function. Here, we show that both PEALD-deposited and sputtered AlN films exhibit a monotonic dependence of negative permittivity on their thickness for vast mid-IR wavelengths including the reststrahlen band around 11.5–15 μm ( ∼ 870 – 667 cm − 1). By structural analysis, it was shown that PEALD-deposited layers contain a lower amount of oxygen and have smoother surfaces than deposited by the sputtering technique. On the other hand, sputtered films have higher densities and crystallinity, which results in the higher background permittivity ( e ∞). In FTIR spectra of the PEALD-deposited layers, two specific features are observed, which can be explained by a higher concentration of nitrogen due to nitrogen-rich plasma in the ALD process. Such peculiarities of the optical properties of AlN films should be taken into account in potential applications of this material for metamaterials and nanostructured systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected many aspects of people's daily lives. While many countries are in a re-opening stage, some effects of the pandemic on people's behaviors are expected to last much longer, including how they choose between different transport options. Experts predict considerably delayed recovery of the public transport options, as people try to avoid crowded places. In turn, significant increases in traffic congestion are expected, since people are likely to prefer using their own vehicles or taxis as opposed to riskier and more crowded options such as the railway. In this paper, we propose to use financial incentives to set the tradeoff between risk of infection and congestion to achieve safe and efficient transportation networks. To this end, we formulate a network optimization problem to optimize taxi fares. For our framework to be useful in various cities and times of the day without much designer effort, we also propose a data-driven approach to learn human preferences about transport options, which is then used in our taxi fare optimization. Our user studies and simulation experiments show our framework is able to minimize congestion and risk of infection., ICCPS 2021. 11 pages, 4 figures

The subject of this article is the developing and implementing a hardware and software complex for monitoring medication intake by outpatient patients. Unlike today’s common hardware platforms, described complex allows not only remind patients of the need to perform regular admission, but also provide the infrastructure to inform the attending physician about the status of patient medication. The article discusses the implemented hardware prototype and the implemented soft-ware, as well as a description of the current problems and planned research.

The current management of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAD) repair does not consider the safe duration of cardiac ischaemia as an operative strategy. We aimed to evaluate whether the duration of cardiac ischaemia during ATAD repair can predict operative mortality and to determine the optimum cardiac ischaemia time that is associated with better outcomes.This was a retrospective observational study. Patients who underwent ATAD repair from 2003 to 2020 were identified from our hospital records.Three hundred and sixty three (363) ATAD patients met eligibility criteria. The median patient age was 61 years, 221 (61%) patients were male. Duration of cardiac ischaemia was associated with operative mortality (Odds ratio [OR] =1.01; p0.0005). Its optimal cut-off point was equal to or above 149.5 minutes (95% CI: 126.2-172.8). In patients with a shorter period (less than 150 mins) of cardiac ischaemia, a valve-sparing root repair was used more often (OR=2.5; 95% CI: 1.6-3.9; p0.001). Procedures that had the longer period of cardiac ischaemia included the Bentall procedure (OR=10.9; 95% CI: 4.9-27.4; p0.001), descending thoracic aorta replacement (OR=4.3; 95% CI: 1.007-18.7; p=0.049) and concomitant cardiac surgery (OR=4.7; 95% CI: 2-11.1; p0.001). Operations associated with shorter cardiac ischaemia were associated with lower in-hospital mortality and better long-term survival.This study determined that the duration of cardiac ischaemia in ATAD repair is linked to operative mortality. Further studies are required to confirm that ATAD patients with surgical repair involving less than 150 minutes of cardiac ischaemic time have lower in-hospital mortality and better long-term survival.

A 74-year old female patient presented with a 3-week history of fever, general weakness, and later developed complete heart block. On admission, the patient was febrile (temperature of 39°C) and tachypnoeic (respiratory rate of 29/min) with oxygen saturation of 95% on 2 L of oxygen. Her heart rate was 60 beats/min (VVI pacing), arterial blood pressure was 135/60 mm Hg and the Glasgow Coma Scale was 15. On chest auscultation, she had a harsh systolic murmur over her left precordium and bilateral rales. Blood tests demonstrated moderate anemia (hemoglobin of 95 g/L), leucocytosis (white blood cell count of 13.13 x 10^9/L), hypoalbuminemia (albumin concentration of 18 g/L), normal liver function tests and creatinine clearance of 45 ml/min. Computed tomography aortography demonstrated an irregular mass arising from the aortic root that extended into the right atrium (RA) and a fistulous tract (the Gerbode defect) between the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) and the right ventricle (RV). Transoesophageal echocardiography showed large vegetation in the RA and left to right cardiac shunt through the Gerbode defect from the LVOT to the RA and the RV. Using cardiopulmonary bypass, the patient underwent resection of the aortic cusps, debridement of the aortic root, septal and anterior leaflets of the tricuspid valve, and the membranous septum. The Gerbode defect was closed with an autologous pericardial patch, then a sliding annuloplasty of the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve was performed. Finally, the aortic root was replaced with a 23 mm Freestyle xenograft.

Global trends have a significant impact on the state housing policy of Russia, which is aimed at solving the housing problems of socially vulnerable groups of the population. Evaluation of the effectiveness of housing programs will determine the most complete and sustainable end result of their implementation. The aim of the article is to analyze the effectiveness of regional housing programs in the context of globalization. As part of this work, an assessment was made of the effectiveness of the implementation of housing programs in the Volgograd region. The application of the selected criteria was carried out on the basis of an analysis of the situation in the field of housing policy and the provision of housing for citizens of the Volgograd region. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the housing programs of the Volgograd region is carried out in order to achieve the optimal ratio of the costs associated with their implementation and the results achieved in the course of implementation. The specificity of of regional investment programs in the field of housing construction was determined, the emerging problems are revealed. Recommendations for improving the efficiency of the use of investment resources in the field of housing construction are given.

Background Important risk factors for long-term survival of lung transplant (LT) recipients are infection, acute graft rejection (AR) and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). Socioeconomic deprivation (SED) is associated with increased graft failure rate after heart and kidney transplantation, but has not been investigated in LT recipients. The aim of this study was to evaluate an association between LT recipients' SED status and development of AR, CLAD, and long-term survival. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. Over a 23 y period, 233 patients were identified from the Auckland City Hospital Lung Transplant Registry, Auckland, New Zealand. All patients were divided into two groups according to the 2013 New Zealand Deprivation Index Score. Results The incidence of AR in the higher SED group was 34.0/100 person-y (95% confidence interval [CI]: 24.7-46.7/100 person-y) and in the lower SED group 40.2/100 person-y (95% CI: 33.5-48.3/100 person-y) (P = 0.373). The incidence of CLAD in the higher SED group was 10.7/100 person-y (95% CI: 6.2-18.4/100 person-y) and 9.3 (6.9-12.5/100 person-y) in the lower SED group (P = 0.645). Mortality in the higher SED group was 12.9/100 person-y (95% CI: 9.2-17.9/100 person-y) and 12.4/100 person-y (95% CI: 10.0-15.3/100 person-y) in the lower SED group (P = 0.834). Conclusions SED status of LT recipients in New Zealand has no negative effect on development of AR, CLAD, and patients’ survival.

Experimental investigation and computational estimation of the interface friction in aramid woven fabrics for different weaving types are performed under the conditions of the transverse compression. The required range for the compressive loads is estimated by the use of FE-modelling of impact loading of the multi-layer woven barriers. For the moderate values of transverse compression the simple sliding test for two fabric layers under the conditions of the transverse pressure was carried out. The parameters of friction are determined for the cases of textile-textile interfaces for different weaving types. It is obtained that the combination of fabrics of different weaving types can have the mutual static friction coefficient differing from the coefficients for each component up to 20%. Moreover, it can also differ from the averaged value of these two coefficients. For the higher values of the transverse compression the experimental equipment is proposed and designed for pulling out a textile layer from a free multilayer structure of fabrics under the conditions of controllable transverse compression loading. The numerical modelling of the load distribution in the tested fabric layer is accomplished which allows us to estimate the irregularity of the transverse pressure in the specimen and to correct the experimental results for friction coefficients. The transverse elastic modules used in these simulations were obtained separately by means of compression tests for the multilayer fabric samples. All the friction tests were carried out using Zwick/Roell 100 experimental device and the results are presented for various pulling rates and transverse loads. It is obtained that the pulling rate has a weak influence on the interface textile friction in the range of rates under consideration.

Aim. To study the relationship of mechanisms of microcirculation regulation and intracardiac hemodynamics in patients with heart failure (HF).Material and methods. In eighty patients with NYHA class II-IV HF, microcirculation was assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry and intracardiac hemodynamics — by echocardiography.Results. The patients were divided into 3 groups depending on HF type: with preserved ejection fraction (CHpEF) (>50%) — 27 patients, mid-range EF (CHmrEF) (40-50%) — 25 patients, reduced EF (CHrEF) (Conclusion. In patients, regardless of left ventricular EF, satisfactory perfusion was obtained, which is achieved due to inhibition of active mechanisms and compensatory activation of passive mechanisms of microcirculation regulation. The relationship between the development of myocardial remodeling and microcirculatory dysfunction is noted.

The diagnosis of acute cholecystitis (AC) is frequently associated with an increase in white cell count (WCC) and C-reactive protein (CRP). However, one or both of these inflammatory biomarkers can be normal in AC. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the discriminative powers of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with WCC and CRP in diagnosing AC.This was a retrospective cohort study. For more than a period of 5 y, 1959 patients were identified from the cholecystectomy Registry. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients with histologic evidence of AC were included if they also had preoperative WCC and CRP measurements. Eligibility criteria were met by 177 patients. These patients were compared with 45 control subjects who had normal gallbladder histology.One unit of increase in the NLR was associated with a 2.5 times increase in the odds of AC (odds ratio = 2.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-4.1; P 0.0005). NLR cutoff values of 4.1 (95% CI, 3.42-4.79), 3.25 (95% CI, 1.95-4.54), and 4.17 (95% CI, 3.76-4.58) were diagnostic for the overall AC, mild, and moderate-severe AC, respectively. The NLR areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve in AC, mild, and moderate-severe AC were 94% (95% CI, 91%-97%), 87% (95% CI, 81%-93%), and 98% (95% CI, 96%-100%), respectively. The discriminative power of an NLR was superior to that of the WCC and similar to CRP for diagnosing AC and different grades of severity.NLR can be considered as a potential inflammatory biomarker for AC.

A new co-cultivation technology is presented that converts greenhouse gasses, CH4 and CO2, into microbial biomass. The methanotrophic bacterium, Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20z, was coupled to a cyanobacterium, Synechococcus PCC 7002 via oxygenic photosynthesis. The system exhibited robust growth on diverse gas mixtures ranging from biogas to those representative of a natural gas feedstock. A continuous processes was developed on a synthetic natural gas feed that achieved steady-state by imposing coupled light and O2 limitations on the cyanobacterium and methanotroph, respectively. Continuous co-cultivation resulted in an O2 depleted reactor and does not require CH4/O2 mixtures to be fed into the system, thereby enhancing process safety considerations over traditional methanotroph mono-culture platforms. This co-culture technology is scalable with respect to its ability to utilize different gas streams and its biological components constructed from model bacteria that can be metabolically customized to produce a range of biofuels and bioproducts.

The article shows that during the production and consumption of fuel wood for bioenergy projects in the organization of the Northwest and other regions of Russia there is the problem of lack of raw materials. It is established that the waste timber, during cutting on average, about 20% of the stock of standing timber. This value varies according to region, type forest resources and the skills, and technical equipment performer. Therefore, the main purpose of the article is a system evaluation of the use of forest residues in Russia. The authors present data on volumes of raw materials for production of wood chips and pellets on example, the Northwest region of Russia. Only about 30% of wood chips are now received from wood waste, bulk wood chips, and pellets produced from the wood of stems. Small volume of use of bark, twigs, branches, tops, stumps, and roots is due imperfection of processing technologies. Another important issue addressed in the article ? the lack of standards and guides taxation inventory valuation and structure of the waste in many regions of Russia. This primarily relates to the hardwood. Research has shown that, depending on tree species, the structure and volume of waste are significantly different. Expert evaluation conducted by the authors shows that the proportion of forest residues from 5 to 20% of the stock of wood. It is found that in different forest types share twigs, branches, stumps, and roots vary considerably according to species of tree. But even within the forest reserves such as twigs, branches, and underground parts of the same species depend strongly on the age of stands and their completeness, and the differences may reach 2 to 5 times the size.

Actuality: Differertial diagnosis between peripheral lung cancer and pulmonary TB is challenging. The usefullness of probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) in this problem is unknown. The aim is to estimate the value of using pCLE in differential diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer and TB. Material and Methods: In retrospective study were included 14 patients with solitary pulmonary infiltrates (6 patients with lung cancer and 8 patients with TB). 8 patients were active smokers, 2 ex-smokers, 3 nonsmokers. pCLE was done by Cellvizio system with 480 nm excitation laser light and miniprobe Alveoflex (Mauna Kea Technologies, France) during bronchoscopy under local anesthesia. Miniprobe was inserted to the pathological zones under fluoroscopic control. Abnormal findings were recorded and analyzed using Cellvizio Viewer software. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Disagnosis was ensured by histopathology or/and microscopy, culture or PCR examination. Analyzing pCLE images in lung cancer and TB groups were revealed compact alveoli pattern (83% vs 0%) (p 0.05), autofluorescent cells pattern (50% vs 100%) (p>0.05) respectively. Excluding active smokers (with tobacco-tar-induced fluorescence), alveolar cells pattern in lung cancer and TB groups was 0% vs 100% (p Conclusion: pCLE is a useful tool in differential diagnosis between peripheral lung cancer and TB. Peripheral lung cancer mostly characterised by compact alveoli pattern (83% vs 0%) (p

Background Socio-economic deprivation (SED) is emerging as a risk factor for acute graft rejection (AR) and reduced survival of heart transplant (HT) recipients. The study aim was to evaluate any association between SED status of HT recipients and the development of early AR and long-term survival in New Zealand. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. Over a 30-year period, 329 HT recipients were identified from the Australian and New Zealand Heart Transplant Registry. All patients were divided into two groups according to the 2013 New Zealand Deprivation Index (NZDep2013) Score. Heart transplant recipients with NZDep2013 scores of 1,030 and above that corresponded to the eighth, ninth and tenth NZDep2013 deciles were allocated to the higher SED group and those with NZDep2013 scores below 1,030 to the lower SED group. Results The incidence of early AR in the higher SED group was 1.158/person-years and in the lower SED group 1.156/person-years. The crude incidence rate ratio was 1.0 (95% CI: 0.71–1.44; p = 0.9997). The prevalence of early AR in the higher SED group was 1.13/person-years and 1.15/person-years in the lower SED group. The crude prevalence rate ratio was 0.98/person-year (95% CI: 0.68–1.41/person-years; p = 0.468). In the higher SED group, mortality was 5.6/100 person-years (95% CI: 4.3–7.4/100 person-years) and 5.2/100 person-years (95% CI: 4.3–6.3/100 person-years) in the lower SED group. The adjusted mortality rate ratio estimate was 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8–1.7; p = 0.426). The higher and lower SED groups had similar survival (p = 0.196). Conclusion Socio-economic disparity in New Zealand HT recipients has no negative impact on the development of AR or survival.

Much research has been invested into engineering microorganisms to perform desired biotransformations; nonetheless, these efforts frequently fall short of expected results due to the unforeseen effects of biofeedback regulation and functional incompatibility. In nature, metabolic function is compartmentalized into diverse organisms assembled into robust consortia, in which the division of labor is thought to lead to increased community efficiency and productivity. Here we consider whether and how consortia can be designed to perform bioprocesses of interest beyond the metabolic flexibility limitations of a single organism. Advances in post-genomic analysis of microbial consortia and application of high-resolution global measurements now offer the promise of systems-level understanding of how microbial consortia adapt to changes in environmental variables and inputs of carbon and energy. We argue that, when combined with appropriate modeling frameworks, systems-level knowledge can markedly improve our ability to predict the fate and functioning of consortia. Here we articulate our collective perspective on the current and future state of microbial community engineering and control while placing specific emphasis on ecological principles that promote control over community function and emergent properties.

Magnetic field in the clearance of submersible asynchronous electric motors of electrical submersible pumps due to little number of stator slots has strongly marked stepped character of distribution. Such magnetic field includes wide range of highest spatial harmonics with significant amplitudes that negatively affect on work and operating parameters of submersible electric motors. The scheme of the two-layer three-phase stator winding is developed. Current in the phase winding of scheme initiate magnetic field in the clearance of motor distribution of which along the inner circle of stator is close to sinusoidal form.The stator winding comprises three single-phase windings formed by an equal number of coils. The coils are connected to each other on the same system, providing a spatial shift of the axes of the windings 120°. Each of the single-phase windings for the double pole pitch of the stator is formed by Z pm  coils that include 2 Z pm   groups with the same amount of coils. Each of the groups has different width of input coils and different amount of soils that make coil in comparison with other coil groups. Besides, coils of one of the groups have minimal width and minimal amount of coils. Width and amount of coils every next group is different from previous group. Coils with higher width and amount of coil are placed concentrically to the coils that have minimal width and amount of coils. The parts of slot volume remain free after laying of the single-phase coil windings are used to accommodate the coils of the other two-phase windings made similarly. Asynchronous motors with mentioned stator winding provide increase of electromagnetic torque, decrease in loss and temperature, increase in efficiency, copper rational usage and decrease in vibration and noise. Results of the research are recommended to use by companies of electrical engineering that do mass production of electric machines of alternating current.

High-resolution three-dimensional imaging is key to our understanding of biological tissue formation and function. Recent developments in synchrotron-based X-Ray tomography techniques provide unprecedented morphological information on relatively large sample volumes with a spatial resolution better than 50 nm. However, the analysis of the generated data, in particular image segmentation – separation into structure and background – still presents a significant challenge, especially when considering complex biomineralized structures that exhibit hierarchical arrangement of their constituents across many length scales – from millimeters down to nanometers. In the present work, synchrotron-based holographic nano-tomography data are combined with state-of-the-art machine learning methods to image and analyze the nacreous architecture in the bivalve Unio pictorum in 3D. Using kinetic and thermodynamic considerations known from physics of materials, the obtained spatial information is then used to provide a quantitative description of the structural and topological evolution of nacre during shell formation. Ultimately, this study establishes a workflow for high-resolution three-dimensional analysis of fine highly-mineralized biological tissues while providing a detailed analytical view on nacre morphogenesis.

The diagnosis of acute cholecystitis (AC) is challenging and may result in a delay in surgery, hospital discharge, and increased mortality. To improve its diagnosis, C-reactive protein (CRP) has been proposed as a benchmark. The aim of this study was to evaluate discriminative power of CRP against white cell count (WCC) in AC.This was a retrospective cohort study. Over a 5-y period, 1959 patients were identified from the audit of cholecystectomies. The exclusion criteria were coexisting acute surgical conditions, absence of blood tests within 3 d before hospital admission for elective surgery, and private patients.The eligibility criteria were met by 1843 patients. Comparison of the area under receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve of CRP and WCC in acute on chronic, edematous, necrotic, suppurative, and gangrenous AC showed a better discriminative power of CRP. Both tests performed equally well in patients with pericholecystic abscess and gallbladder perforation. CRP was superior than WCC in mild AC, AUC = 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9-0.95) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.74-0.84), P0.00005, in moderate and severe AC, AUC = 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-1.0) and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.88-0.97), P = 0.009, and in all forms of AC combined, AUC = 0.94; (95% CI, 0.92-0.97) and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79-0.87), respectively, P0.00005.CRP has a better discriminative power than WCC in most forms of AC and is a useful diagnostic marker of AC.

The problem of verification of different program suites for structural analysis has recently become an important component of the construction science. One of the most extensively used benchmark problem is a classical geometrically nonlinear problem of deflection of the cantilever beam of linear elastic material, under the action of external vertical concentrated load at the free end. In fact, the solution for Kirchhoff’s rod is used as an analytical result. This rod is inextensible and Kirchhoff’s rod theory disregards flexibility of the rod in tension and shear. But in modern program suites Cosserat-Timoshenko rod is often used because Cosserat-Timoshenko rod theory is a geometrically exact theory. It considers not only bending strain but also shear and tensile strain. This means that it is necessary to get a model solution for Cosserat – Timoshenko rod, which can be used for verification of different software suites. This paper presents solutions of the geometrically nonlinear problem obtained by Cosserat – Timoshenko and Kirchhoff’s rod theory with comparison of those results. The findings can be used as a benchmark problem for verification of software suites.