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The rotational dynamics of microparticles in liquids have a wide range of applications, including chemical microreactors, biotechnologies, microfluidic devices, tunable heat and mass transfer, and fundamental understanding of chiral active soft matter which refers to systems composed of particles that exhibit a handedness in their rotation, breaking mirror symmetry at the microscopic level. Here, we report on the study of two effects in colloids in rotating electric fields: (i) the rotation of individual colloidal particles in rotating electric field and related to that (ii) precession of pairs of particles. We show that the mechanism responsible for the rotation of individual particles is related to the time lag between the external field applied to the particle and the particle polarization. Using numerical simulations and experiments with silica particles in a water-based solvent, we prove that the observed rotation of particle pairs and triplets is governed by the tunable rotation of individual particles and can be explained and described by the action of hydrodynamic forces. Our findings demonstrate that colloidal suspensions in rotating electric fields, under some conditions, represent a novel class of chiral soft active matter—tunable colloidal spinners. The experiments and the corresponding theoretical framework we developed open novel prospects for future studies of these systems and for their potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The development of phlebology and mainstreaming of ultrasonic techniques has led to the emergence of microfoam sclerotherapy, which proved itself as a more effective technique. In the world literature, there are isolated publications that say about the effectiveness and safety of the microfoam sclerotherapy combined with mini-phlebectomy, but no specific studies comparing the combination treatment for the elimination of varicose syndrome with separate use of each of the techniques are described.Aim. To increase the effectiveness of invasive treatment and to reduce the rate of complications in patients with varicose veins using a combination of microfoam sclerotherapy and mini-phlebectomy of tributaries after endovenous laser ablation.Material and methods. Simple single- center, non-randomized, retrospective study was conducted at the A.K. Eramishantsev Moscow State Hospital. It included 52 patients with varicose veins (a total of 77 lower limbs, 22 patients had bilateral disease), who had no previous invasive treatment for this disease. They underwent endovenous laser ablation of truncal vein combined with microfoam sclerotherapy and mini-phlebectomy of tributaries. Microfoam sclerotherapy was performed with 0.5–2.0% of polidocanol foam, and mini-phlebectomy per Varady technique. The patients had a postprocedural follow-up clinical examination and duplex ultrasound the day after the intervention, then at 1, 6, and 12 months.Results. Endovenous laser ablation of truncal veins was acutely successful in all cases. No cases of great saphenous vein recanalization were detected in follow-up period. In the early postprocedural period, the combined microfoam sclerotherapy and miniphlebectomy also showed 100% success rate, however redo sclerotherapy was required in 4 (5.2%) cases for new varicose tributaries developed in late postprocedural period.Conclusion. Combined microfoam sclerotherapy and mini-phlebectomy, as a method of treatment for various veins syndrome, can provide additional benefit such as reducing the volume of mini-phlebectomy and the resultant tissue damage, the varicosity recurrence rate, the number of subcutaneous hematomas and ecchymoses, the discomfort of the tumescent anesthesia, the risk of postprocedural varicose veins thrombosis and pigmentation rate.

INTRODUCTION. The management of patients with secondary lymphedema of the lower extremities associated with radical treatment of pelvic cancer (Cancer Related Lymphedema) is extremely problematic due to persistent impairment of the draining function of regional lymph nodes due to intraoperative dissection and subsequent radiation therapy. AIM. To compare the effectiveness of complex medical rehabilitation using the kinesio taping method and innovative non-stretchable compression bandages in patients with secondary lymphedema of the lower extremities associated with radical treatment of pelvic cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study involved 60 patients with stages I-III Cancer Related Lymphedema (according to the classification of Savchenko T.V., Pokrovsky A.V., 2004) who underwent radical treatment for various forms of pelvic cancer (gynecological cancer in women and prostate cancer in men), randomized into 2 groups (30 people each). A comprehensive rehabilitation was carried out in the main group (n=30), including sequential manual lymphatic drainage, skin care, kinesio taping, therapeutic gymnastics in the gym; Adjustable Non-stretchable Compression Bandages (circaid juxtafit, Germany). Meanwhile, a Complex Decongestive Therapy was performed in the comparison group (n=30), which is considered as the gold standard of conservative treatment of lymphedema of the lower extremities, including manual lymphatic drainage, skin care, Multi-layered limb banding using Inelastic compression Bandages. In order to evaluate the anti-edematous effect the dynamics of the circumferences of the lower extremities, waist circumference and hip circumference, the Ankle Range of Motion were examined using goniometry, bio-impedancemetry. Laser Doppler Flowmetry was used to evaluate microcirculatory parameters. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. There was a decrease in swelling and thickening of the skin in the thigh, a decrease the external genitalia edema in patients with Cancer Related Lymphedema in both groups after a course of rehabilitation. There was a regression of swelling of the feet and lower legs in patients of both groups (p

A complete accounting of nearby objects—from the highest-mass white dwarf progenitors down to low-mass brown dwarfs—is now possible, thanks to an almost complete set of trigonometric parallax determinations from Gaia, ground-based surveys, and Spitzer follow-up. We create a census of objects within a Sun-centered sphere of 20 pc radius and check published literature to decompose each binary or higher-order system into its separate components. The result is a volume-limited census of ∼3600 individual star formation products useful in measuring the initial mass function across the stellar (

Currently, the ketogenic diet (KD) is used to treat obesity. A prospective study on the use of KD and nutraceutical correction of the nutritional status of patients with lipedema was carried out.

Abstract Melting is one of the most studied phase transitions important for atomic, molecular, colloidal, and protein systems. However, there is currently no microscopic experimentally accessible criteria that can be used to reliably track a system evolution across the transition, while providing insights into melting nucleation and melting front evolution. To address this, we developed a theoretical mean-field framework with the normalised mean-square displacement between particles in neighbouring Voronoi cells serving as the local order parameter, measurable experimentally. We tested the framework in a number of colloidal and in silico particle-resolved experiments against systems with significantly different (Brownian and Newtonian) dynamic regimes and found that it provides excellent description of system evolution across melting point. This new approach suggests a broad scope for application in diverse areas of science from materials through to biology and beyond. Consequently, the results of this work provide a new guidance for nucleation theory of melting and are of broad interest in condensed matter, chemical physics, physical chemistry, materials science, and soft matter.

Atomic iron embedded in N-doped carbon materials (Fe–N–C) are regarded as the most promising alternative to platinum-based catalysts in anion exchange membrane fuel cells, due to their high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. The molecular catalyst iron phthalocyanine (FePc) is often employed to explore the correlation between a model single Fe structure and ORR activity. Recent advancements have introduced a penta-coordinated Fe–N5 structure achieved by binding FePc onto pyridine-functionalized carbon surfaces, demonstrating outstanding ORR activities. To investigate the effect of the axial pyridine ligand, in this work, four different N-functionalized carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) were prepared, each adorned with a unique N-heterocycle (pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline, or acridine). Subsequent binding of FePc (FePc/N-CNTs) afforded penta-coordinated complexes in all cases. The characterization results demonstrated that the penta-coordination Fe–N5 configuration could be effectively constructed by this method. The ORR activities of these FePc/N-CNTs suggest that the local surface structure around the axial ligand on the functionalized CNTs influences catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The current surgical techniques for the treatment of post-thrombotic disease are at the design phase, are performed in individual cases, not always result in an unambiguous outcome, and cannot completely solve this complex clinical problem. The use of drugs with a pleiotropic mechanism of action that act on various links in the pathogenesis of chronic venous insufficiency show promise.Objective of the study. Assess the clinical efficacy of a drug based on deproteinized hemoderivative obtained from calf blood used to treat the initial manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency affected by post-thrombotic disease.Materials and methods. Results of examination and treatment of 64 patients (30 men, 34 women) with lower extremity post-thrombotic disease and initial manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency (C1-C3). Treatment with a drug based on deproteinized hemoderivative obtained from calf blood at a dosage of 1200 mg per day (intravenous infusion, 30 ml of the drug diluted with 400 ml of Normal Saline) for 10 days. Then, per os at a dose of 1200 mg per day (2 tablets t.i.d.) for 30 days at the outpatient stage. Monotherapy was carried out without the addition of phlebotonics.Results. The therapy resulted in a significant edema syndrome decrease in the ankle area. This indicator decreased from 27.12 ± 0.41 cm to 24.95 ± 0.38 cm (p

Recently collated scientific data on the management of C1 clinical class of chronic venous disorders; wide prevalence of the disease and high variability amongst medical practitioners in relation to managing this category of patients and absence of any regulatory documents has prompted the development of clinical guidelines for the treatment of patients with reticular varicose veins and telangiectasias of the lower extremities and various parts of the body. These guidelines have been developed by a self-regulated organization Association “The National College of Phlebology”. The purpose of the de novo guidelines is to systematize the existing evidence and offer minimal standards of care for chronic venous disorders in C1 patients.

The patterned microchamber arrays based on biocompatible polymers are a versatile cargo delivery system for drug storage and site-/time-specific drug release on demand. However, functional evidence of their action on nerve cells, in particular their potential for enabling patterned neuronal morphogenesis, remains unclear. Recently, we have established that the polylactic acid (PLA)-based microchamber arrays are biocompatible with human cells of neuronal phenotype and provide safe loading for hydrophilic substances of low molecular weight, with successive site-specific cargo release on-demand to trigger local cell responses. Here, we load the nerve growth factor (NGF) inside microchambers and grow N2A cells on the surface of patterned microchamber arrays. We find that the neurite outgrowth in local N2A cells can be preferentially directed towards opened microchambers (upon-specific NGF release). These observations suggest the PLA-microchambers can be an efficient drug delivery system for the site-specific delivery of neuropeptides on-demand, potentially suitable for the migratory or axonal guidance of human nerve cells.

Persistent pain remains a major health issue: common treatments relying on either repeated local injections or systemic drug administration are prone to concomitant side-effects. It is thought that an alternative could be a multifunctional cargo system to deliver medicine to the target site and release it over a prolonged time window. We nano-engineered microcapsules equipped with adjustable cargo release properties and encapsulated the sodium-channel blocker QX-314 using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technology. First, we employed single-cell electrophysiology to establish in vitro that microcapsule application can dampen neuronal excitability in a controlled fashion. Secondly, we used two-photon excitation imaging to monitor and adjust long-lasting release of encapsulated cargo in target tissue in situ. Finally, we explored an established peripheral inflammation model in rodents to find that a single local injection of QX-314-containing microcapsules could provide robust pain relief lasting for over a week. This was accompanied by a recovery of the locomotive deficit and the amelioration of anxiety in animals with persistent inflammation. Post hoc immunohistology confirmed biodegradation of microcapsules over a period of several weeks. The overall remedial effect lasted 10–20 times longer than that of a single focal drug injection. It depended on the QX-314 encapsulation levels, involved TRPV1-channel-dependent cell permeability of QX-314, and showed no detectable side-effects. Our data suggest that nano-engineered encapsulation provides local drug delivery suitable for prolonged pain relief, which could be highly advantageous compared to existing treatments.