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Adsorbents used to analyze air for concentrations of various organic compounds with their subsequent determination by thermal desorption gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) are considered. Tenax-TA is the most commonly used material for such tasks, but it has drawbacks. The characteristics of adsorbents of Tenax, Carbosieve, Carboxen, Carbotrap, Capbopack, Porapak, Chromosorb families, XAD polymer resins, activated carbons, and some monolithic carbon materials are given. Their advantages and disadvantages for the adsorption/thermal desorption of hydrocarbons are discussed. The advantages of monolithic carbon materials and the need in the development of a new domestic material for analytical gas chromatography–thermal desorption mass spectrometry in solving oil-prospecting problems are substantiated.

Background. Despite the recent amendments to the guidelines for the treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (PCa) implying standard use of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists in combination with chemotherapy or androgen inhibitors, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains an essential component of treatment for advanced PCa. Testosterone target castration level of 20 ng/dL implies routine measurement of testosterone levels along with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels during ADT. It is particularly interesting to evaluate the frequency of achieving castration testosterone level in routine clinical practice. Objective: to assess the frequency of achieving castration testosterone level (20 ng/dL) and maintaining it after 6 months of therapy in patients with hormone-sensitive PCa receiving an LHRH agonist for the first time. Materials and methods. In 2019-2020, Russian Society of Cancer Urologists conducted a non-interventional prospective multicenter study (observational program) aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LHRH agonist (including buserelin, goserelin, leuprorelin or triptorelin) in routine clinical practice in Russia. This study involved 39 cancer urologists and 479 patients aged 18 years and older diagnosed with hormone-sensitive PCa, who started their ADT with LHRH agonists for the first time regardless of the disease stage and previous treatment. Patients received hormone therapy with an LHRH agonist for at least 6 months, visiting their doctor every 3 months (visit 1; visit 2: after 3 months; visit 3: after 6 months). Results. Patients received one of the following drugs: leuprorelin (3.75 mg; 7.5 mg; 22.5 mg; 45 mg; n = 225; 47,0 %), goserelin (3.6 mg; 10.8 mg; n = 132; 27.5 %), buserelin (3.75 mg; n = 67; 14.0 %), and triptorelin (3.75 mg; 11.25 mg; n = 55; 11.5 %). Of 479 patients, 186 (38.8 %) received combination treatment with bicalutamide, 12 (2.5 %) with fluta-mide, 54 (11.3 %) with zoledronic acid, and 11 (2.3 %) with denosumab. Among 146 patients with metastatic PCa, a combination of ADT plus docetaxel was administered to 30 participants (20.6 %), ADT plus abiraterone to 8 participants (5.5 %), and ADT plus enzalutamide to 2 participants (1.4 %). After 6 months of therapy, mean PSA level decreased by 94.2 % (from baseline 118.12 ng/mL to 6.87 ng/mL). Mean testosterone level was 19.0 ng/dL (range: 0.029-100 ng/dL). Among 430 patients, the targeted testosterone level 50 ng/dL. The incidence of adverse events was low; most of them were mild. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that not all patients achieve targeted testosterone level of

Several treatment options are currently available for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in routine clinical practice. However, clear standards of sequential use of registered drugs have not yet been developed. Affecting bone metastases, radium-223 is one of therapeutic options for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer and bone metastases, which was included in foreign and Russian guidelines for prostate cancer management. This article analyzes the results of treatment with radium-223 in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in foreign non-interventional clinical trials conducted in routine clinical practice. These trials confirmed high efficacy and safety of radium-223 demonstrated earlier in the ALSYMPCA trial. Some protocols ensured better overall survival rates and lower incidence of symptomatic skeletal events and adverse events than those in the registration study.

Purpose. The article explores the image of the Blue Flower as a symbol of a noble cause basing on the medieval “Meier Helmbrecht” medieval poem, on the novel by “Heinrich von Ofterdingen,” as well as on the reception of the blue flower in the world and national literature. Methodology and Approach. To establish the relationship between the image of the Blue Flower and the semantic component of the noble cause, the authors used the methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as the historical and genetic method to determine the birth and development of the image of the Blue Flower. Results. The relationship of the image of the Blue Flower with the noble deed as one of the components of its symbol is proved. Theoretical and Practical Implications. The study confirms that the image of the Blue Flower is a symbol of the noble cause as well as part of a mythical, holistic consciousness.

The relevance of the topic is justified by the objective need to modernize domestic enterprises in response to the changing conditions and increasing uncertainty of the external competitive environment. The success of implementing various innovations in an organization largely depends on the support for innovative projects from its employees. Organizational trust is considered as one of the conditions for the formation of such support. Organizational trust is defined as the acceptance of vulnerability based on the confidence in one’s expectations towards others. Standardization of these expectations in the form of values and norms is provided by organizational culture. Based on theoretical arguments and results of empirical research conducted by both Russian and foreign authors, the paper reveals the influence that organizational culture elements and management practices have on the development of organizational trust. The analysis focuses on the interpersonal level of the formation and development of organizational trust in situations of horizontal and vertical interaction. The literature review allowed us to identify the main cultural and managerial factors for the formation of organizational culture of trust. The regularities that reflect the conditionality of organizational trust are formulated: it depends on the degree of consistency of organizational goals, values, and norms; the manifestation in organizational rituals and activities; a supportive management style; an open control system and a fair system of sanctions. It is shown that the literature pays insufficient attention to the specifics of trust formation as a factor of industrial enterprises modernization. A list of research hypotheses about the influence of organizational culture elements on organizational trust is formulated, which can become the basis for the study of the process of forming organizational culture of trust at industrial enterprises.

The author gives two interesting observations on the installation of menstruation in young girls.

Most often, neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is found in the gastrointestinal tract, broncho-pulmonary system, but they can also occur in other organs, such as the kidney, bladder, which is of most interest because of the rarity of this pathology. Until recently, there was not even a proper morphological classification for kidney NEC, and among some histological types, such as large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the kidney, only about 7 cases were recorded, and independent bladder carcinoids, about 15 cases. Currently, there are no clinical and morphological features of the NEC of the kidney and bladder, fundamentally distinguishing them from other neuroendocrine tumors and “classic” cancer of the same localization. This article also provides the data of the N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Centre of Oncology on the incidence of all malignant neoplasms of the urinary system.

This review of renal cell carcinoma describes new diagnostics and treatment standards, new guidelines from international professional organizations, key studies, and some articles of interest for oncological urologists published in 2018.

ObjectivesInforming research participants of the results of studies in which they took part is viewed as an ethical imperative. However, there is little guidance in the literature about how to do this. The Fluoxetine Or Control Under Supervision trial randomised 3127 patients with a recent acute stroke to 6 months of fluoxetine or placebo and was published in the Lancet on 5 December 2018. The trial team decided to inform the participants of the results at exactly the same time as the Lancet publication, and also whether they had been allocated fluoxetine or placebo. In this report, we describe how we informed participants of the results.DesignIn the 6-month and 12-month follow-up questionnaires, we invited participants to provide an email address if they wished to be informed of the results of the trial. We re-opened our trial telephone helpline between 5 December 2018 and 31 March 2019.SettingUK stroke services.Participants3127 participants were randomised. 2847 returned 6-month follow-up forms and 2703 returned 12-month follow-up forms; the remaining participants had died (380), withdrawn consent or did not respond.ResultsOf those returning follow-up questionnaires, a total of 1845 email addresses were provided and a further 50 people requested results to be sent by post. Results were sent to all email and postal addresses provided; 309 emails were returned unrecognised. Seventeen people replied, of whom three called the helpline and the rest responded by email.ConclusionIt is feasible to disseminate results of large trials to research participants, though only around 60% of those randomised wanted to receive the results. The system we developed was efficient and required very little resource, and could be replicated by trialists in the future.Trial registration numberISRCTN83290762; Post-results.

Incoherent Cherenkov diffraction radiation was recently produced in the Cornell electron storage ring using counterpropagating beams (electrons and positrons) passing in the close vicinity of a dielectric made of fused silica. We present in this paper a collection of the experimental investigations that were performed on Cherenkov diffraction radiation in both the infrared and the visible range. Measurements were performed using an optical system functioning either in imaging conditions or in far field conditions to retrieve the angular distribution of the radiation. Polarization studies were also performed and showed that, when selecting the appropriate polarization, the beam size can be measured accurately. This study opens the path for new applications in noninvasive beam diagnostic for highly relativistic charged particle beams.

Currently, doctors have at their disposal a number of drugs prolonging life of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The majority is approved for use as the 1st line therapy and, in absence of direct comparison, is considered potentially equally effective. Patients with CRPC need continuous treatment for suppression of disease progression resulting in sequential use of therapeutic agents. Modern standards and recommendations do not provide a clear algorithm for prescription, therefore an individual approach is necessary taking in account various factors of a particular case ranging from previous therapies to patients’ preferences. This article considers the most significant factors affecting CRPC therapy selection and ways of therapy optimization in compliance with the established treatment standards and taking into account the list of drugs approved for use in Russia.

From 16 th to 20 th of March, 2018, the 33 rd Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology took place in Copenhagen. Doctors from 78 countries participated in the event. 4,381 abstracts were submitted, 1,338 of which were selected for poster sessions. Prostate cancer, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer were the most studied topics and constituted about a half of all accepted abstracts. In this article, a review of the most significant and interesting reports on cancer urology from the EAU Congress in 2018 is presented.

Background. Enzalutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor that blocks multiple steps in the androgen receptor signaling pathway, is approved for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Since the phase III (AFFIRM) pivotal trial did not include Russia patients, this phase II study (NCT02124668) was performed to establish the safety of enzalutamide in patients with progressive CRPC previously treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy in the Eastern European patients population, including the Russia. Objective: to study safety of enzalutamide in patients with progressive CRPC previously treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy from Eastern European, including the Russia. Materials and methods . This phase II, multicenter, single-arm, open-label study was conducted at 2 sites in Russia and 2 sites in Georgia. Patients had on going androgen deprivation therapy with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (agonist or antagonist) or had a prior surgical or chiectomy. Patients completed visits on day 1, week 5, week 13 and subsequently every 12 weeks until they were discontinued from the study. The safety of enzalutamide was assessed through evaluations of adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiography and laboratory measurements. Results. Thirty patients were enrolled and received enzalutamide treatment (mean age 67.5 years (59–80 years)). Median treatment duration was 271 days (3–968 days). By the end of the study, a total of 23 (76.7 %) patients experienced 68 treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs). The most frequently reported TEAEs (reported in ≥10 % of patients) were fatigue (n = 7 (23.3 %)), asthenia (n = 6 (20.0 %)), bone pain, metastatic pain, prostatic specific antigen increase from baseline (n = 4 (13.3 %) each) and malignant neoplasm progression (n = 3 (10.0 %)). Most TEAEs were Grade 1 or Grade 2 in severity (35 and 14 events respectively, of a total of 68 AEs). The most frequently reported Grade 3 or higher TEAEs were asthenia (n = 5 (16.7 %)) and bone pain (n = 3 (10.0 %)). Enzalutamide-related TEAEs were experienced by 7 (23.3 %) patients and consisted of the following: fatigue in 3 patients; asthenia in 2 patients; and supraventricular extrasystoles, dizziness, headache, insomnia, pollakiuria and alopecia in 1 patient, each. Six (20.0 %) patients experienced 13 serious TEAEs. The most common serious TEAE was malignant neoplasm progression (n = 3 (1 %)) due to disease progression; all others were single events. Three (10.0 %) patients had died due to serious TEAEs that occurred during the study (2 of prostate cancer progression and 1 of cardiopulmonary and liver failure). No patients experienced an enzalutamide-related Grade 3 or higher TEAEs, an enzalutamide-related serious AEs or an enzalutamide-related TEAEs leading to permanent discontinuation. No notable changes from baseline in clinical laboratory parameters or clinically meaningful abnormalities in vital signs, physical examinations, or electrocardiography were found. No cases of seizures were reported. Conclusion. In this study, enzalutamide in the Eastern European patient population, including the Russia, had a safety profile consistent with that reported in previous enzalutamide studies and no new safety signals were observed.

To date, a wealth of scientific material has been accumulated in the study of the phenomenon of social capital, its constituent elements, its influence on social practices and spheres of people’s activities. However, empirical studies of the social capital of industrial workers in Russian science are rare. This study is based on the materials of a formalized survey of workers at one of the largest industrial enterprises in Perm Krai. The article describes the influence of social capital on industrial behavior, as well as the initiation and promotion of innovations. With the use of cluster analysis, two groups have been distinguished within the staff of the organization, which significantly differ in the indicators of development of the main components (cognitive and structural) of social capital. It is shown that the first cluster consists of workers of high social capital. They are oriented towards mutual assistance, mutually beneficial cooperation, strong initiative at work, and are also included in broad social networks and maintain deep, trusting relationships with a relatively large number of colleagues. The second cluster of workers is characterized by low social capital. They are much less focused on collectivism, mutual assistance, and initiative. Moreover, they establish social interactions and deep social ties with just a small number of colleagues at work. Workers with developed social capital have better conditions for obtaining collective knowledge. They are more inclined to observe labor discipline, have stronger motivation to achieve high product quality and initiative to create innovations. High social capital contributes to the improvement of the professional efficiency of workers in the industrial sector, thereby exerting a positive influence on the modernization development of the organization.

More than 90 % of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have radiologically confirmed skeletal metastases. Traditional treatment methods such as administration of painkillers, external beam therapy, bisphosphonates or denosumab, as well as injections of strontium-89 or samarium-153 radionuclides, have only palliative effect and in some cases can postpone development of skeletal complications. Alpha-emitter radium-223 dichloride (Ra-223; alpharadin previously) is currently one of the known drugs with proven effectiveness in relation to increasing overall survival of patients with CRPC. Ra-223 was developed specifically for patients with CRPC and symptomatic skeletal metastases. The drug targets the areas of skeletal tissue remodeling. Ra-223 is the therapy of choice in patients with CRPC and skeletal metastases and without confirmed visceral metastases before and after docetaxel chemotherapy. Chemotherapy after treatment with Ra-223 is a possible and satisfactory tolerable treatment option. Combination of Ra-223 with abiraterone, enzalutamide, or denosumab is, apparently, effective and safe, but further studies are necessary.

Resistance to high cycle fatigue (HCF) at room temperature and operating temperatures of the VKS-180 high-resistance steel was studied. It was found that at room temperature the test results should be schematized by a fatigue curve with inclined left and horizontal right linear segments; and at 400°C, with one linear segment. A method of determination was proposed for each case and the HCF characteristics were calculated. The related character of the fatigue failure was observed at 20 and 400°C.

Introduction . The 6-month depot formulation of leuproreline acetate 45 mg (Eligard, Astellas Pharma) was shown to reduce the levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and testosterone and to be well tolerated in patients with advanced prostate cancer (PCa) in clinical trials as well as other depot formulations of leuproreline acetate (1- and 3-month). However, clinical trials are limited by strict patient inclusion and exclusion criteria. Objective of this study, sponsored by Astellas Pharma Russia, was to assess whether the efficacy and tolerability of the 6-month leuprorelin depot formulation could be confirmed in a broad and heterogeneous patient population encountered in daily clinical practice in the Russian Federation. Materials and methods . A non-interventional multicenter study (a observational program) was conducted in male patients with advanced PCa (T3–4, N+/M+, or with progression after local treatment) to whom Eligard 45 mg had been prescribed. Patients were followed every 6 months up to 24 months of treatment. Fifty three uro-oncologists from out-patient clinics in the Russia participated in the study. Results. The study enrolled 640 patients, of which 524 met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Mean age of the patients was 69.0 ± 8.6 years old (from 46 to 96 years old). In most cases hormonal therapy with Eligard 45 mg was performed for locally advanced PCa (50 % of patients), distant metastases were detected in 15 % subjects only, nodal involvement was detected in 12 % patients. Patients with initially localized prostate cancer (41.4 %) were prescribed Eligard 45 mg because of progression of their disease after local treatment or inability to receive any other treatment. Eligard 45 mg monotherapy was used in 92.75 % cases. Only 7.25 % patients received combined hormonal therapy with Eligard 45 mg and bicalutamide, flutamide and zoledronic acid. Mean serum PSA level was reduced by 81,7 % from 38,47 ng/ml at baseline to 7.05 ng/ml after 24 months of treatment, while mean testosterone level was reduced by 88 % from 92.12 to 11.03 ng/dl. Testosterone level below 50 and 20 ng/dl was reached by 97 and 88 % of patients. There was a change in mean quality of life based on EQ-5D-5L questionnaire: mean value of health status according to visual scale increased from 76.15 ± 14.10 to 78.22 ± 15.99 mm. The number of adverse drug reactions was low and amounted to 1.41 % of all patient population. Asthenia, headache, arterial hypertension, dizziness and nausea were the most commonly reported adverse drug reactions. Conclusions. These results suggest that the 6-month leuprorelin acetate depot formulations are well tolerated and reliably lower serum PSA and testosterone levels in daily clinical practice in patients with advanced PCa. These data are consistent with efficacy and tolerability results from clinical trials.

The best preventive treatment for eclampsia is an absolute milk diet for at least a week it is not always possible to carry out, as many cannot tolerate it. Arnaud, based on observations from the clinic of prof. Magail, offers treatment with chloral, both in cases where, based on the usual precursors, the onset of eclamptic seizures can be expected after a few hours, and when it is possible to fear this in advance based on the history.

Background. On the pace of growth in Russia, renal carcinoma takes the 1st place. Approximately one third of patients at time of diagnosis have distant metastases, and relapse of the disease occurs in 30–40 %. Renal carcinoma does not manifest until later stage of the disease. More than in 50 % of cases renal carcinoma is revealed occasionally. Therefore, development of methods for quick and efficient diagnosis of the tumor is actual.Materials and methods. The level of messenger RNA expression for several genes was studied in the surgical material of paired samples (normal tissue and a malignant renal carcinoma). Quantification of gene expression was performed by using real-time polymerase chain reaction on Step One Plus instrument (Applied Biosystems, USA) by using TaqMan® Gene Expression Assays kits (Applied Biosystems, USA).Results. As a result of screening analysis of 200 genes expression in paired samples of renal carcinoma/normal renal tissue we selected 5 genes showing the highest frequency of increased expression in stages I–III of the development of clear renal cell carcinoma: CA9, EGLN3, HIG2, NDUFA4L2, STC2.Conclusion. As a result of the expression study we developed a new panel, including CA9, HIG2 and STC2 genes which has high sensitivity (96.8 %) and specificity (92.9 %) for differential diagnosis of the early clear cell renal cell carcinoma on the basis of determining the level of messenger RNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction. This approach allows you to diagnose clear cell renal cell carcinoma quickly (within 1 day), and differentiate it from other types of renal cell cancer. In addition, it opens the possibility of non-invasive diagnosis of renal carcinoma in the future.

Background: High blood pressure is common in acute stroke and is a predictor of poor outcome; however, large trials of lowering blood pressure have given variable results, and the management of high blood pressure in ultra-acute stroke remains unclear. We investigated whether transdermal glyceryl trinitrate (GTN; also known as nitroglycerin), a nitric oxide donor, might improve outcome when administered very early after stroke onset.Methods: We did a multicentre, paramedic-delivered, ambulance-based, prospective, randomised, sham-controlled, blinded-endpoint, phase 3 trial in adults with presumed stroke within 4 h of onset, face-arm-speech-time score of 2 or 3, and systolic blood pressure 120 mm Hg or higher. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive transdermal GTN (5 mg once daily for 4 days; the GTN group) or a similar sham dressing (the sham group) in UK-based ambulances by paramedics, with treatment continued in hospital. Paramedics were unmasked to treatment, whereas participants were masked. The primary outcome was the 7-level modified Rankin Scale (mRS; a measure of functional outcome) at 90 days, assessed by central telephone follow-up with masking to treatment. Analysis was hierarchical, first in participants with a confirmed stroke or transient ischaemic attack (cohort 1), and then in all participants who were randomly assigned (intention to treat, cohort 2) according to the statistical analysis plan. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number ISRCTN26986053.Findings: Between Oct 22, 2015, and May 23, 2018, 516 paramedics from eight UK ambulance services recruited 1149 participants (n=568 in the GTN group, n=581 in the sham group). The median time to randomisation was 71 min (IQR 45–116). 597 (52%) patients had ischaemic stroke, 145 (13%) had intracerebral haemorrhage, 109 (9%) had transient ischaemic attack, and 297 (26%) had a non-stroke mimic at the final diagnosis of the index event. In the GTN group, participants' systolic blood pressure was lowered by 5·8 mm Hg compared with the sham group (pvs 3 [2–5]; n=558, in the sham group; 1·04 [0·84–1·29]; p=0·69). We found no difference in secondary outcomes, death (treatment-related deaths: 36 in the GTN group vs 23 in the sham group [p=0·091]), or serious adverse events (188 in the GTN group vs 170 in the sham group [p=0·16]) between treatment groups.Interpretation: Prehospital treatment with transdermal GTN does not seem to improve functional outcome in patients with presumed stroke. It is feasible for UK paramedics to obtain consent and treat patients with stroke in the ultra-acute prehospital setting.Funding: British Heart Foundation.

On the basis of comparative observations on the use of antiseptics and asepsis in the labor and postnatal periods made in the Tiflis Olginsky Midwifery Institute, the author came to the conclusion that the use of decaying substances is not only not useful, but even partly harmful, as a circumstance that probably has a destructive effect on cells of healthy tissues.

Patient 25 years old, four months pregnant; vomiting appeared from the very beginning of pregnancy, increased during the fourth month, contains a large admixture of blood; the patient is exhausted. All the usual therapy was applied unsuccessfully.

Background: \ud Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a contributor to embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Subgroup analyses from previous studies suggest that anticoagulation could reduce recurrent stroke compared with antiplatelet therapy. We hypothesised that anticoagulant treatment with rivaroxaban, an oral factor Xa inhibitor, would reduce the risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke compared with aspirin among patients with PFO enrolled in the NAVIGATE ESUS trial.\ud \ud Methods: \ud NAVIGATE ESUS was a double-blinded, randomised, phase 3 trial done at 459 centres in 31 countries that assessed the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban versus aspirin for secondary stroke prevention in patients with ESUS. For this prespecified subgroup analysis, cohorts with and without PFO were defined on the basis of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE). The primary efficacy outcome was time to recurrent ischaemic stroke between treatment groups. The primary safety outcome was major bleeding, according to the criteria of the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. The primary analyses were based on the intention-to-treat population. Additionally, we did a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of studies in which patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO were randomly assigned to receive anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy.\ud \ud Findings: \ud Between Dec 23, 2014, and Sept 20, 2017, 7213 participants were enrolled and assigned to receive rivaroxaban (n=3609) or aspirin (n=3604). Patients were followed up for a mean of 11 months because of early trial termination. PFO was reported as present in 534 (7·4%) patients on the basis of either TTE or TOE. Patients with PFO assigned to receive aspirin had a recurrent ischaemic stroke rate of 4·8 events per 100 person-years compared with 2·6 events per 100 person-years in those treated with rivaroxaban. Among patients with known PFO, there was insufficient evidence to support a difference in risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke between rivaroxaban and aspirin (hazard ratio [HR] 0·54; 95% CI 0·22–1·36), and the risk was similar for those without known PFO (1·06; 0·84–1·33; pinteraction=0·18). The risks of major bleeding with rivaroxaban versus aspirin were similar in patients with PFO detected (HR 2·05; 95% CI 0·51–8·18) and in those without PFO detected (HR 2·82; 95% CI 1·69–4·70; pinteraction=0·68). The random-effects meta-analysis combined data from NAVIGATE ESUS with data from two previous trials (PICSS and CLOSE) and yielded a summary odds ratio of 0·48 (95% CI 0·24–0·96; p=0·04) for ischaemic stroke in favour of anticoagulation, without evidence of heterogeneity.\ud \ud Interpretation: \ud Among patients with ESUS who have PFO, anticoagulation might reduce the risk of recurrent stroke by about half, although substantial imprecision remains. Dedicated trials of anticoagulation versus antiplatelet therapy or PFO closure, or both, are warranted.\ud \ud Funding: \ud Bayer and Janssen.

We analyzed association of the levels of VEGFA, RAF1, and mTOR gene expression in the tissue of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) with tumor metastasizing. Significant association with metastases was found only for VEGFA gene: OR=6.641, 95%CI=2.111-20.696. The risk of metastasis associated with reduced expression of VEGFA gene - 2.467, 95%CI=1.238-4.915. An association of VEGFA gene expression with the time to the metastasis appearance was revealed (p=0.0005). Reduced expression of the VEGFA gene is associated with reduction of the time to metastasis appearance; the median of this time is shifted from 46 to 2 months. Analysis of tumor samples with reduced expression of the VEGFA gene revealed association of increased expression of RAF1 (p=0.003) and mTOR genes (p=0.038) with metastasis.

We report on the observation of incoherent Cherenkov radiation emitted by a 5.3 GeV positron beam circulating in the Cornell electron-positron storage ring as the beam passes in the close vicinity of the surface of a fused silica radiator (i.e., at a distance larger than 0.8 mm). The shape of the radiator was designed in order to send the Cherenkov photons towards the detector, consisting of a compact optical system equipped with an intensified camera. The optical system allows both the measurements of 2D images and angular distribution including polarization study. The corresponding light intensity has been measured as a function of the distance between the beam and the surface of the radiator and has shown a good agreement with theoretical predictions. For highly relativistic particles, a large amount of incoherent radiation is produced in a wide spectral range. A light yield of $0.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ photon per particle per turn has been measured at a wavelength of $600\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{nm}$ in a 2 cm long radiator and for an impact parameter of 1 mm. This will find applications in accelerators as noninvasive beam diagnostics for both leptons and hadrons.

Objective: to estimate overall survival (OS) rates in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), who have received currently available drugs and to identify the predictors of OS. Subjects and methods. The case histories of 112 patients with mCRPC treated at the N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center in 2005 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients had received standard regimens based on docetaxel, cabazitaxel, abiraterone acetate in combination with prednisolone. Results. Whatever the treatment option was, three-year OS rate was 32.0 ± 5.44 %; median survival was 24.3 months. The following poor prognostic factors for OS were pain syndrome; an ECOG performance status score of 2; the levels of prostate-specific antigen ≥ 288 ng/ml, lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 450 U/l, alkaline phosphatase ≥ 250 U/l, calcium < 2.28 mmol/l, and hemoglobin < 11.5 g/dl; as well as < 24 months’ duration of a response to hormonal therapy. Conclusion. The use of standard drug treatment regimen for mCRPC may increase survival in this category of patients to achieve 3-years OV; and the identified factors of OV may aid in choosing treatment policy.

Non-linear properties of titania nanoparticles were studied using the closed aperture z-scanning with the simultaneous measurements of the intensity of Rayleigh scattering. Pulsed laser light at 355 nm was applied as the probe radiation. The intensity of probe beam in the waist plane of a focusing lens was varied in the range from 5⋅10 6 W/cm 2 to 1.1⋅10 11 W/cm 2 . Water suspensions of 25 nm titania nanoparticles were used as the studied samples. The obtained values of nonlinear extinction and scattering intensity were used to retrieve the real and imaginary parts of the effective dielectric function of nanoparticles in the dependence on the pumping intensity. It was found that the real part of the effective dielectric function becomes negative at the pumping intensities exceeding ≈ 7⋅10 8 W/cm 2 . However, the effect of resonance excitation of localized surface modes does not occur due to very high values of the imaginary part in this case.

ObjectiveOur goal was to compare direct quantitation of circulating free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)levels to calculated free 25(OH)D levels and their relationships to intact PTH (iPTH), a biomarker of 25(OH)D effect, in humans with a range of clinical conditions.Patients and methodsSerum samples and clinical data were collected from 155 people: 111 without cirrhosis or pregnancy (comparison group), 24 cirrhotic patients with albumin

We studied the effect of mobilization of bone marrow multipotent stem cells induced by intragastric administration of pegylated hyaluronate-endo-β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Peg-HEAHA) on hemopoiesis under conditions of experimental chronic hepatitis. Peg-HEAHA increased the counts of hemopoietic precursors in the hemopoietic tissue against the background of their decelerated maturation. This was paralleled by a short-term decrease in the count of neutrophilic granulocyte in the bone marrow and a slight increase of neutrophil count in the peripheral blood.

Minimization of Rayleigh scattering, α s , and absorption, dabs, losses in glasses for fiber drawing is considered in the study. Glasses were studied with high temperature (to 1500°C) ultrasonic acoustics, Rayleigh and Mandel'shtam-Brillouin scattering, Raman scattering (RS) and absorption spectroscopy. Contributions into α s from frozen-in density and concentration fluctuations were separated. The α s (multi component glass) < α s (silica glass) relationship is realized in glasses built from structural units of a single type found from RS and characterized by low glass transition temperature. Chemical inhomogeneities can be made optically invisible by means of prompt choice of glass composition. Selective entering of multi electron ions into concentration fluctuations of glass melt (doped ion segregation) causes excessive Rayleigh scattering by glass. To shift minimum α abs of low scattering glass to longer wavelengths it is necessary to dope it by randomly distributed heavy metal ions or components decreasing modifier cation-anion bond strength of a glass network.

Thermochromic laminated glazing (TLG) aids in reducing the energy needs of a building and providing indoor comfort. The polymeric interlayer of TLG is doped with transition metal (Fe, Cr, W, etc.) complexes, which change their coordination and the transmission or color of TLG under the influence of light and heat fluxes. At present we have conversions from light gray or brown to dark gray or brown and from rosy or yellow to blue or green at our disposal. TLG is able to sense changes in the light and adjust accordingly. It can block out the sunlight during the brightest parts of the day or capitalize on the available light during overcast days. As evaluated on the basis of tests, TLG has a good UV stability. It offers practical benefits of a low cost and easy fabrication. No electrical or any other driving power is needed to operate TLG. The energy modeling of the heat transfer in ventilated facades showed that TLG can provide a 15-30% decrease of the building energy consumption during the winter heating time in the climatic conditions of some regions in Russia. During the summer season the reduction of the solar energy gain reaches 30-40%; this is enough to give up air- cooling systems altogether.

Immobilized hyaluronidase (nanotechnology method of electron-beam synthesis) exhibited high hepatoprotective activity on the model of Cl4-induced hepatitis. This agent produced anticholestatic, anti-inflammatory, and antisclerotic effects. These effects were shown to accompany stimulation of multipotent bone marrow precursors, mobilization of these cells into the peripheral blood, and cell migration to the target organ increasing the number of parenchymal progenitor cells in the liver. The mechanisms for targeted migration of progenitor cells suggest a decrease in SDF-1 production by bone marrow stromal cells and increase in the synthesis of this factor by microenvironmental cells of the liver tissue.

Granulocytic CSF pegylated using electron-beam synthesis nanotechnology exhibits pronounced granulomonocytopoiesis-stimulating and SC-mobilizing activity. More potent stimulation of committed precursors against the background of less pronounced activation of polypotent hemopoietic cells is a peculiarity of hemostimulating action of pegylated using electron-beam synthesis nanotechnology granulocytic CSF in comparison with its non-modified analog. The mobilizing effect of pegylated using electron-beam synthesis nanotechnology granulocytic CSF on early progenitor elements surpasses that of non-conjugated cytokine.

High hepatoprotective activity of granulocytic CSF and hyaluronidase immobilized using electron-beam immobilization technology was demonstrated on the model of CCl(4)-induced hepatitis: the preparations produced anticholestatic, anti-inflammatory, and antisclerotic effects. These effects developed against the background of stimulation of bone marrow multipotent precursor cells and their mobilization into circulation accompanied by an increase in the content of parenchymatous progenitor cells in the liver. The most pronounced positive effect was observed in combined treatment with the test preparations.