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The problem of skin melanoma diagnostics from digital images of the tumor is considered. Clinical algorithms for detecting skin melanoma are briefly described. An overview of the works devoted to the automated assessment of the asymmetry of the distribution of shape, color, area of globules – important signs of melanoma – is given. A model for estimating the heterogeneity of the distribution of the characteristics of globules on digital images in the skin neoplasms diagnosis is developed and models of signs of heterogeneity of this distribution are proposed. The comparative evaluation of the proposed models was carried out experimentally using a software system developed in C++. The most informative features are identified. The greatest accuracy 93 % in estimating the heterogeneity of the distribution of the characteristics of globules was shown by the sign “the reduced inverse of the greatest frequency of occurrence of the measured areas of globules”. The results obtained can be applied in the development of systems to support medical decision-making in the diagnosis of melanoma.

Статья посвящена цифровой обработке изображений новообразований кожи для обнаружения значимых при диагностике меланомы структурных элементов - глобул (глыбок, комков). Предложена новая модель обработки, позволяющая в разноконтрастных изображениях устойчиво выделять глобулы без необходимости выполнения ручной подстройки параметров. Представлены результаты эксперимента, подтверждающие адекватность модели. Точность распознавания глобул составила от 81 до 89% в зависимости от контрастности исходных изображений. Экспериментальная выборка изображений содержала 2868 глобул.

The challenges of using computer diagnostics to seek structural elements of melanocytic neoplasms, including cutaneous melanomas at early stages of their development, are discussed. The characteristic features of the structural elements — dermatoscopic points — are also considered. A computer vision technique for recognizing these characteristic features is presented. The developed interdisciplinary approach can be used in the diagnosis of oncological diseases of the skin as a means of supporting decision making for the primary prevention of malignant neoplasms.

We present a new development stage of a generalized empirical model of optical characteristics of tropospheric aerosol in Western Siberia. An algorithm is suggested for taking into account the distribution function of absorbing matter and the condensation activity of aerosols as functions of aerosol particle sizes. Optical characteristics have been calculated with the complex refractive index of particles of different sizes variable with the relative air humidity. With aerosol weather types, referred to as “atmospheric haze” type (background and suburban haze), used as an example, the results of retrieving the angular scattering coefficients at small angles and the spectral behavior of the extinction coefficients are compared with experimental data.

Nowadays due to the growth of the antibiotic resistance of the bacteria, the issue of the perioperative prophylaxis in surgery of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses has become especially relevant. Although the use of antibiotics more than 24 hours after surgery for prophylactic purposes does not increase the effectiveness of perioperative prevention of infectious complications, systemic antibiotics are often continued in the otorhinolaryngology departments for 5-7 days after surgery. Objective: Evaluation of the possibility of using of alternative antimicrobial agents in the framework of perioperative prevention of infectious complications during operations of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. 178 patients undergoing surgical treatment for deviated nasal septum, chronic hypertrophic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis without polyps, were divided into 2 groups. In the first group, 2 weeks before the operation and within 7 days of the postoperative period, applications were applied to the nasal cavity with a gel with Otofag bacteriophages, 2 doses 3 times a day for 60 minutes. In the second group, systemic antibiotic therapy (ceftriaxone 1.0 intramuscularly once) was prescribed 40-60 minutes before the operation. Results: There wasn’t a significant difference in the regression of reactive phenomena of the nasal mucosa and intoxication syndrome, except for the intensity of crust formation in the nasal cavity, the severity of which was 1.9 ± 0.1 points in the first and 4.19 ± 0.54 points in the second group on the 7’th day after surgery. Conclusion: The use of the gel with Otofag bacteriophages can be recommended in the perioperative period during planned operations on the nasal septum, inferior turbinates, and paranasal sinuses, which will allow avoiding the use of standard antibacterial drugs in these patients.

The problem of early diagnosis of one of the most dangerous malignant neoplasms of the skin – melanoma is considered. A model for identifying the structural elements of lines in digital images of skin neoplasms in oncodermatology has been developed. The model is based on adaptive binarization of the original digital dermatoscopic image of skin neoplasms and subsequent operations of dilation, erosion, skeletonization and filtering of false fragments of lines. Test dermatoscopic images of skin neoplasms are visually divided into four groups to conduct the experiment. The optimal parameters of image processing of four groups for the model of selection of structural elements – lines – are experimentally established. The experimentally determined accuracy of the selection of lines was 95 %. The work is the result of interdisciplinary cooperation between dermatologists of the Central Medical Academy of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, the Medical Institute of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia and specialists in the field of information and measurement systems of the Engineering and Physical Institute of Biomedicine of the National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI”. The proposed model can be used in the development of computer systems to support medical decision – making in the diagnosis of skin melanoma – a dangerous malignant neoplasm.

The content and evolution of brown carbon (BrC) in smokes from Siberian forest fires were analyzed using measurements of the aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) at three Russian AERONET stations located in Tomsk, Zvenigorod, and Yekaterinburg. Estimates are obtained of the relative contribution of BrC in fine aerosol particles to the absorption of solar radiation at a wavelength of 440 nm (ηBrC) and, in particular, for an anomalous episode of long-range transport of smokes from Siberia to the European part of Russia in summer 2016. A considerable BrC content is found in smokes in Tomsk and Zvenigorod (where ηBrC is estimated to be 15 and 18% on average). It is noteworthy that no significant ηBrC values were revealed during passage of smokes from Siberian fires over Yekaterinburg. The ηBrC values were found to decrease with aerosol aging under sunlit conditions on the characteristic timescale of about 30 h. At the same time, the measurements in Zvenigorod indicate that the absorption properties of the organic component of smoke aerosol increase during a much longer evolution.

In the work dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (IAO SB RAS), experimental studies are reviewed in a certain chronology that have been milestones in the development of an integrated study of aerosol life in the atmosphere. We discuss briefly the main results from the series of expedition studies of the optical and microphysical properties of aerosol of marine coastal hazes, arid zones, and different geographic regions of the World Ocean. The modern set of methods and instrumentation that we use to measure the aerosol characteristics in the monitoring mode at the network of IAO SB RAS stations is described. The results of multiyear studies of tropospheric aerosol using aircraft laboratories are presented.

Atrophic rhinitis at the same time significantly reduces the quality of life of patients suffering from it and is a refractory pathology. The current therapy for the disease includes conservative and sometimes surgical treatment. Nevertheless, the problem of effective therapeutic method remains to be relevant and requires the search for new medicines. Also, there is no tool for assessing the severity of symptoms and quality of life in patients with atrophic rhinitis. The internationally accepted SNOT-25 (Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-25) questionnaire with Houser’s modifications is used to assess the severity of symptoms of patients with empty nose syndrome and could be successfully applied for examination of patients with atrophic rhinitis. Research objectives. This research is aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Russian nasal spray Olyfrin in the treatment of atrophic rhinitis. And also, to assess the possibility of using the SNOT 25 questionnaire with Houser’s modifications to determine symptom severity of atrophic rhinitis. Materials and Methods. At the first stage - validation of the SNOT-25 questionnaire modified by Houser - 64 patients were included in the study: 29 patients with atrophic rhinitis, 35 with other forms of chronic rhinitis. All patients filled in a prepared and adapted Russian-language version of the questionnaire. At the second stage - determination of the effectiveness of the spray Olyfrin in the treatment of atrophic rhinitis - the study included 29 patients with atrophic rhinitis. Olyfrin was used in 1 dose 3 times a day for 14 days. The dynamics of the severity of symptoms was assessed on the 7th and 14th days using the SNOT-25 questionnaire with Houser’s modifications. Analysis of the total number of points according to SNOT 25 with Houser’s modifications, along with the number of points scored for each of the questions, revealed a significant difference between the group of patients with atrophic rhinitis and the group of patients with other forms of chronic rhinitis (p

Based on the integrated monitoring of aerosol characteristics in the suburban region of Tomsk (2000–2017), a version of the classification of states of the surface atmospheric layer with respect to “aerosol weather” types is suggested. The principle of separate study of the processes of variation in the “dry matter” of aerosol particles and their condensation activity is utilized as a basis of the measurement method used. The corresponding aerosol weather types were identified in the coordinates (σd; Р), where σd is the scattering coefficient of the dry matter of aerosol (λ = 0.51 μm); P is the ratio of the mass concentration of the absorbing substance to the mass concentration of submicron particles, which reflects the “blackening” degree of the particles. With respect to the value of the scattering coefficient σd = 100 Mm−1, the dataset is divided into two classes: “atmospheric hazes” (σd 100 Mm−1). Then, the observation dataset is divided according to the value P = 0.05. In each calendar season, in accordance with the parameters specified, four types of aerosol weather are identified, which are conventionally designated as background (P 0.05, σd 0.05, σd > 100 Mm−1), and smoke haze (P 100 Mm−1). It is shown that the main aerosol weather types are reliably different in the ratio of the contents of submicron and coarse particles in all seasons.

We discuss the results of measurements in the region of Cape Baranov (the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago) of the set of physicochemical characteristics of atmospheric aerosol: aerosol optical depth, aerosol and black carbon concentrations, elemental and ion compositions of aerosol, organic and elemental carbon contents in aerosol, as well as the isotopic composition of carbon in the aerosol and snow samples. It is shown that the average values of most aerosol characteristics, measured in April–June 2018, are a little lower than in the Arctic settlement Barentsburg (Spitsbergen archipelago) and several-fold smaller than in the south of Western Siberia in the same period.

Results of laboratory experiments on studying the influence of scattering and absorbing media on the quality of object imaging with active pulsed television optoelectronic systems (OESs) are discussed. It is shown that the quality of object images in active pulsed vision systems or their frequency-contrast characteristics can be studied both by direct measurements or indirectly using Fourier transforms of test object images or derivatives of functions determined in experiments. A previously formulated theoretical statement that the image quality for objects screened by turbid media when using active pulsed OESs with backscattered noise signal selection can be higher almost by an order of magnitude than when using an OES operating with laser side illumination and constantly opened receiver has been confirmed experimentally.

We discuss the results of comparison of the average physicochemical aerosol characteristics in neighboring regions: in the Arctic settlement Barentsburg (Spitsbergen Archipelago) and over the Barents Sea. A small (less than 0.02) excess of the atmospheric aerosol optical depth in the island area over the maritime region is noted. The aerosol microphysical characteristics in the near-ground layer differ strongly: the black carbon concentrations are (a factor of 4) larger in Barentsburg, and particle concentrations are (a factor of 2.4) larger over the sea. The absolute concentrations of ions in the atmosphere of Barentsburg are several-fold smaller than over the sea. However, with respect to the relative content, Na+, Cl− and $${\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + }$$ , $${\text{SO}}_{4}^{{2 - }}$$ ions predominate in both regions, indicating equivalent contributions of continental and maritime sources.

Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) is one of the most common diseases in outpatient practice with a steady tendency to increase of complicated forms in recent years. The risk of antibiotic resistance makes it necessary to search for effective pathogenetic methods of ABRS treatment.To evaluate the efficacy of inhalation therapy with compressor nebulizer using Fluimucil Antibiotic IT in the treatment of ABRS and acute laryngotracheitis in outpatient practice.Patients with ABRS were divided into two sex- and age-matched groups of 26 people each. The first group was treated with 250 mg of Fluimucil Antibiotic IT inhalations by the use of Norditalia HI-NEB compressor nebulizer once a day. The second group was treated with amoxicillin/clavulanate 875 mg + 125 mg orally two times a day.In the first group, the cough disappeared significantly earlier (on day 5-6) than in the second group (on day 7-8). In the first group, nasal congestion also disappeared significantly earlier (on day 3-5) than in the second group (on day 4-6). There was no significant difference in the reduction of intoxication syndrome and nasal secretions in both groups.Local antibacterial and mucolytic therapy in the initial stages of ABRS and acute laryngotracheitis reduces rhinological symptoms and coughing, similar to systemic antibacterial therapy. The use of Fluimucil Antibiotic IT in the early stages of the treatment provides an opportunity to avoid systemic antibiotics, which reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance as well as side effects in patients.Острый бактериальный риносинусит (ОБРС) является одним из самых распространенных заболеваний в амбулаторной практике с тенденцией в последние годы к стойкому увеличению числа больных с осложненными формами его течения. Нарастающий риск развития антибиотикорезистентности требует поиска эффективных методов патогенетической терапии ОБРС. Цель исследования - провести оценку эффективности ингаляционной терапии с помощью компрессорного небулайзера с применением препарата Флуимуцил-антибиотик ИТ в лечении ОБРС в сочетании с острым ларинготрахеитом в амбулаторных условиях. Материал и методы. Пациенты с ОБРС были разделены на две равные по полу и возрасту группы по 26 человек в каждой. В 1-й группе проводилось лечение Флуимуцилом-антибиотиком ИТ в виде ингаляций на компрессорном небулайзере Norditalia HI-NEB по 250 мг 1 раз в сутки ежедневно, во 2-й группе была назначена системная антибитикотерапия амоксициллином/клавуланатом 875 мг + 125 мг 2 раза в сутки. Результаты. В 1-й группе достоверно раньше купировались кашель (5-6-й день в 1-й группе, 7-8-й день во 2-й группе) и заложенность носа (3-5-йдень в 1-й группе, 4-6-й день во 2-й группе) при отсутствии достоверной разницы регресса интоксикационного синдрома и выделений из носа в обеих группах. Заключение. Местная антибактериальная и муколитическая терапия, назначаемая на начальных этапах лечения ОБРС в сочетании с острым ларинготрахеитом, в отношении ринологических симптомов и кашля дает эффект, аналогичный системной антибактериальной терапии. Своевременное использование Флуимуцила-антибиотика ИТ обеспечивает возможность избежать приема системных антибиотиков, что снижает риск развития антибиотикорезистентности и вероятность возникновения побочных эффектов.

Features of the aggregation of С70 fullerene in an o-xylol have been revealed by observing the Doppler shift as a nondiffusive component in the dynamic light scattering spectra. The Doppler shift is proportional to the intensity of the incident light flux. This indicates the entrainment of formed aggregates by a laser beam and is consistent with the concept of the pressure of electromagnetic radiation, in particular, light.

Measurement results of a complex of aerosol microphysical, chemical, and optical parameters in two cruises of the Akademik Mstislav Keldysh research vessel in 2016 are analyzed. The work was carried out in the Kara Sea from July 10 till August 20 and in the Barents Sea from August 25 till October 10. The mean values of the following aerosol characteristics are given: AOD of the atmosphere, fine and coarse components of AOD, number concentration of particles in the near-water air layer, mass concentrations of the absorbing matter (soot), water-soluble ions (Na+, Mg2+, Cl–, K+, Ca2+, $$\rm{NH}_4^+, \rm{NO}_3^-, \rm{SO}_4^{2-}$$ ), and gaseous admixtures (SO2, HCl, HNO3, and NH3). The characteristic particle size distribution functions are presented for different regions of the Kara and Barents Seas. It is shown that the levels of both aerosol turbidity of the atmospheric column (AOD) and the aerosol and soot concentrations in the near-water air layer were close to the long-term mean values in Arctic latitudes. The atmospheric turbidity during the period of measurements was noticeably affected by emissions of continental forest fire smokes. The contribution of smoke aerosol to, e.g., the mean shipborne-measured AOD at λ = 0.5 μm is about 44%.

Vegetation open fires constitute a significant source of particulate pollutants on a global scale and play an important role in both atmospheric chemistry and climate change. To better understand the emission and aging characteristics of smoke aerosols, we performed small-scale fire experiments using the Large Aerosol Chamber (LAC, 1800 m3) with a focus on biomass burning from Siberian boreal coniferous forests. A series of burn experiments were conducted with typical Siberian biomass (pine and debris), simulating separately different combustion conditions, namely, flaming, smoldering and mixed phase. Following smoke emission and dispersion in the combustion chamber, we investigated aging of aerosols under dark conditions. Here, we present experimental data on emission factors of total, elemental and organic carbon, as well as individual organic compounds, such as anhydrosugars, phenolic and dicarboxylic acids. We found that total carbon accounts for up to 80% of the fine mode (PM2.5) smoke aerosol. Higher PM2.5 emission factors were observed in the smoldering compared to flaming phase and in pine compared to debris smoldering phase. For low-temperature combustion, organic carbon (OC) contributed to more than 90% of total carbon, whereas elemental carbon (EC) dominated the aerosol composition in flaming burns with a 60–70% contribution to the total carbon mass. For all smoldering burns, levoglucosan (LG), a cellulose decomposition product, was the most abundant organic species (average LG/OC = 0.26 for pine smoldering), followed by its isomer mannosan or dehydroabietic acid (DA), an important constituent of conifer resin (DA/OC = 0.033). A levoglucosan-to-mannosan ratio of about 3 was observed, which is consistent with ratios reported for coniferous biomass and more generally softwood. The rates of aerosol removal for OC and individual organic compounds were investigated during aging in the chamber in terms of mass concentration loss rates over time under dark conditions and compared to the loss rate of EC. The latter is used as an inert tracer for estimating aerosol mechanical deposition and wall losses of the otherwise chemically conserved aerosol species. The OC/EC ratio increased with smoke aging for the flaming phase, suggesting a production/partitioning of organic compounds after emission. On the other hand, for smoldering burns OC/EC ratios decreased further with aging due to additional sinks of OC, other than those related to deposition and wall losses alone, such as evaporation of semi-volatile compounds. The chemical fingerprints of the major PM components of fresh and aged smoke found in this study are proposed to be used for the assessment of contributions from Siberian biomass burning to atmospheric pollution in source apportionment studies like those using molecular marker approaches.

A pyrolyzate of iron phthalocyanine is studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The phase composition and magnetic state were found for pyrolysis products (α-Fe, γ-Fe, Fe3C, and magnetite). Morphological features of carbon and iron-containing phases (metal particles of various shapes and sizes, as well as carbon nanotubes, carbon hollow nanopolihedra, and nongraphitized carbon) are determined. The morphology and structure of iron phthalocyanine pyrolyzates and diphthalocyanines of rare-earth elements are analyzed.

The variations in the optical-microphysical properties of the mixed wood smoke are studied in the Large Aerosol Chamber, Institute of Atmospheric Optics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (volume of 1800 m3) during long-term (6-day) smoke aging under the conditions of periodic impacts of relative air humidity varying in the range 45–95%. Spectral nephelometric measurements of angular scattering and solution of the inverse problem were used to analyze the dynamics of the size distributions and complex refractive indices for ultrafine, medium-sized, and coarse fractions of particles, as well as effective particle radius, lidar scattering parameter, and single scattering albedo in the visible spectral range. It is found that both quantitative and qualitative features of the variations in the aerosol optical-microphysical parameters substantially change at different smoke aging stages as functions of air humidity. It is shown that, during aging of the mixed smoke, the key factors of the variations in smoke properties are the physical-chemical heterogeneity of three fractions of smoke particles, as well as the physical processes of coagulation migration of ultrafine black carbon particles (

We present the quantitative estimates of the vertical distribution of absorbed solar radiation and temperature effects in the background and extremely smoke-laden troposphere of Siberia, obtained using empirical data and numerical simulation. Vertical profiles of the aerosol characteristics are created based on an empirical model, relying on aircraft sensing of angular scattering coefficients and the content of absorbing particles at different altitudes. It is shown that, under the smoke-haze conditions, the radiation effect of aerosol particles with high black carbon content on the diurnal influx of solar radiation in the central part of the smoke layer exceeds 50%. The change in air temperature due to the absorption of solar radiation during the daylight hours is approximately 2.5–5.5 K when the optical depth of the smoke aerosol varies in the range 2 ≤ τsmoke(0.55 μm) ≤ 4.

This paper presents the results of research into the phase and magnetic state of products of the arc synthesis of Fe-carbon nanoclusters by Mossbauer spectroscopy. These nanoclusters are prepared by the burning of iron-graphite electrodes and carbon-condensate extraction in organic solvents of varying polarity. The local inhomogeneity of the distribution of iron atoms is revealed in the studied samples. It is found that iron atoms are distributed between four iron-containing phases: α-Fe, γ-Fe, FeC n and iron carbide FeC2 at different ratios with an accuracy to the resonant absorption factor f. It is shown that the singlet line with a negative chemical shift observed in the Mossbauer spectra of the samples corresponds to the γ-Fe phase and not to iron metallofullerene.

Results of the experimental study of the influence of turbid media (fog and smoke) on the quality of images of objects observed through the media using active pulsed optoelectronic systems (OES) operating with a permanently open receiver and with its control (in the mode of backscattered noise signal selection) are considered. It is experimentally confirmed that the quality of images of objects screened by a turbid medium in active pulsed OES with backscattered noise signal selection can be almost 10 times higher than in the case of operation with a permanently open receiver. The image quality of vision systems with controllable reception is affected not only by the optical length of the observation path but also by such parameters as the mean particle size and their scattering and absorption properties.

Round-the-clock measurements of the black carbon size distribution in the submicron near-ground aerosol of Western Siberia performed in 2014 by the diffusion method developed by the authors are analyzed. It is revealed that the tendency for decreasing the volume median diameter and the amplitude of distribution of the black carbon is traced in the seasonal dynamics of the average monthly black carbon particle size distribution (approximated by a single-mode lognormal function) during winter-to-summer season transition. The shape of the black carbon size distributions is in agreement with measurements by other well-known methods in different geographic regions.

The paper presents the results of monitoring the aerosol characteristics in the near-ground layer of the atmosphere at the Aerosol Station of the Institute of Atmospheric Optics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IOA SB RAS) located at the southeastern outskirts of city of Tomsk and in the background forest area (the Fonovaya Observatory, ∼ 70 km to southwest from Tomsk) in 2014 – 2018. The data were considered on the concentration of aerosol and absorbing substance (soot, black carbon) at two measurement points, as well as the hygroscopic properties of aerosol particles. The features of the annual behavior and interannual variability of the anthropogenic contribution of the city to the average values of aerosol characteristics are analyzed. A significant trend by 7% per year was revealed for an increase in the soot fraction of aerosol under urban conditions. The typical diurnal behavior of the aerosol and soot concentrations at the Aerosol station is characterized by an increase in these parameters at 21-23 hours local time compared to daytime hours. Also a significant decrease in the aerosol hygroscopicity is observed in evening under urban conditions.

Fullerenes C2 n, endometallofullerenes Gd@C2 n, Gd@C82 and water-soluble Gd@C2 n(OH)38-40 derivatives were synthesized. These substances’ survival dependences on the accumulated flux (1016 1019 neutron/cm2) of neutron irradiation over a wide spectrum of energies (from thermal to fast) in the WWR-M reactor zone (Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute) have been examined.

The results of numerical simulation of downward solar radiation fluxes for background and smoke-contaminated atmospheric conditions are discussed. Vertical profiles of aerosol characteristics are obtained from the empirical model based on the data of aircraft sounding of profiles of angular scattering coefficients and content of absorbing particles in the lower troposphere. The background model was created using the results of measurements obtained under cloudless and mostly cloudless atmospheric conditions in 1999–2011. Optical parameters of smoke aerosol are determined from the data of aircraft measurements in the period of long-term wildfires in Siberia in the summer 2012. It is demonstrated that deficiency in diurnal values of total solar radiation at the surface level caused by the formation of the optically dense smoke layer as compared to background conditions, is more than 13 MJ/m2.