Cs-induced charge transfer on (2x4)-GaAs(001) studied by photoemission

Cesium adsorption on 2x4 GaAs (001) was studied by photoemission and low energy electron diffraction. The different Cs induced changes of the As 3d and Ga 3d core level spectra show that charge transfer is almost complete for Ga surface sites, but is negligible to surface As at a coverage smaller than 0.3 ML. The situation is opposite for a coverage larger than 0.3ML, at which transfer occurs to As but no longer to Ga. Charge transfer to As atoms leads to disordering and destabilization and induces surface conversion from the As-rich surface to the Ga-rich 4x2 one after annealing at a reduced temperature of 450 C

Comparative analyses between the early postoperative results after major liver resections of colorectal and noncolorectal cancer liver metastases

Background: Liver resections (LR) are an obligatory element in the multimodal treatment scheme of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM). Nowadays still there are debates about the benefit of any aggressive surgical approach in noncolorectal cancer liver metastases (NCRCLM) because many authors report desperately high rates of early specific post-resection complications (SPRC) followed by unsatisfactory long term results.Aim: Comparative analyses between the SPRC after major liver resections (MLR), i.e. ≥ 2 segments of CRCLM and NCRCLM for confirming or denying the hypothesis of higher risk in the group of NCRLM.Material and methods: A total of 331 MLR of benign and malignant tumors were performed between 01.01.2007 - 31.12.2014 in the Clinic of Liver, Biliary, Pancreatic and General Surgery, Tokuda Hospital Sofia. Radical resections received 143 CRCLM patients and 58 NCRCLM patients, both synchronous and metachronous. The design of the study was `a single center` and `retrospective`. The perioperative data of these 201 patients were analyzed and finally 59 cases of CRCLM (Group 1) and 36 cases of NCRCLM (Group 2) were included in the study. All the metastases were metachronous and no significant differences in demography, comorbidity, liver function, ASA group, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery specificity were detected between the two groups. Cases that were indicated for MLR were those under 65 years of age, with preserved liver function, without serious pulmonary and cardiac concomitant diseases, and estimated as ASA group ≤ III. Data about SPRC were collected and analyzed. Results: The entire early postoperative mortality rate was 3.2% (3 fatal outcomes) - 1/59 (1.7%) in group 1 and 2/36 (5.5%) in group 2. The cause of death was liver failure, sepsis and pulmonary embolism. The rate of SPRC was significantly higher in group 2, affecting 16/36 patients (44.4%) while only 18 out of all the 59 patients (30.5%) in group 1 suffered specific complications. However only 5.1% and 8.3% of the SPRC necessitated reoperations in group 1 and group 2 respectfully. The comparative analysis denied any prognostic value for the early SPRC played by the time of metastases detection, adjuvant chemotherapy, the duration of liver resection procedure and the necessity of blood transfusion. Conclusions: Both mortality and specific morbidity after MLR affected patients with ≥3 comorbid conditions which proved to be the only predictive factor for SPRC. SPRC were more frequent in group 2 (NCRCLM) but the great majority of them were solved by conservative measures, less often by interventional procedure and reoperations were indicated very rarely

Clinico-pathological prognostic factors in hematogenously disseminated colorectal cancer

Background: Ekberg`s criteria for liver resections (LR) of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) have been accepted as a `dogma` and the procedure - as a `gold standard` since 1986. There are many wellknown predictive factors for the early and long-term results in this field of surgery. However, some of them are still a matter of debate.Aim: Study on the possible prognostic value of some clinical-pathological factors for the early and late results after major LR (≥ 2 segments) of CRCLM.Material and methods: A total of 143 radical (R0) major LR (≥ 2 segments) of synchronous and metachronous CRCLM were performed between 01.01.20007 - 31.12.2014 in the Clinic of Liver, Biliary, Pancreatic and General Surgery, Tokuda Hospital Sofia. The design of the study was `a single center` and `retrospective`. We analyzed the data with possible predictive value - demography, comorbidity, liver function, ASA group, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, type and characteristics of the surgical procedure, pathological data (T,N,G,H) and time of detection of metastases (synchronous or metachronous). The early postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were compared with these factors looking for correlation. The long-term follow-up period was ≥ 12 months for 86 patients (60.1%).Results: The early postoperative mortality rate was 2.8% (4 cases) for the whole series. The specific morbidity rates were significantly higher in patients above 65 years of age, with ≥ 3 comorbid conditions, multivisceral resections in cases of synchronous metastases and atypical (non-anatomical) LR. The majority of CRCLM cases were ≥ Т2, N (+) positive and G2-3. Unfavorable prognostic factors were the detection of metachronous lesions earlier than 12 months after a curative previous resection especially on the basis of adequate chemotherapy.Conclusions: The knowledge on prognostic factors in patients with CRCLM as well as on indications and contraindications helps the correct preoperative judgment on choosing the right and appropriate type and volume of surgical procedures

A review of the international early recommendations for departments organization and cancer management priorities during the global COVID-19 pandemic: applicability in low- and middle-income countries.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new virus that has never been identified in humans before. COVID-19 caused at the time of writing of this article, 2.5 million cases of infections in 193 countries with 165,000 deaths, including two-third in Europe. In this context, Oncology Departments of the affected countries had to adapt quickly their health system care and establish new organizations and priorities. Thus, numerous recommendations and therapeutic options have been reported to optimize therapy delivery to patients with chronic disease and cancer. Obviously, while these cancer care recommendations are immediately applicable in Europe, they may not be applicable in certain emerging and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this review, we aimed to summarize these international guidelines in accordance with cancer types, making a synthesis for daily practice to protect patients, staff and tailor anti-cancer therapy delivery taking into account patients/tumour criteria and tools availability. Thus, we will discuss their applicability in the LMICs with different organizations, limited means and different constraints

COMBINE COMMUNICATIONS OPTICAL NETWORK OF SCADA OF ELECTRIC POWER STATION AND SUBSTATION

The article discusses an economical way to deploy diagnostic monitoring systems for high-voltage electrical units through a combination of passive fiber-optic systems for collecting and transmitting technological information of SCADA with diagnostic information transmission systems of systems for continuous technical diagnostics in them. The usage of existing communication network of SCADA will increase economy and expand the scope of continuous diagnostic systems

TECHNOLOGIES OF DATA TRANSFER IN MODERN RELAY PROTECTION SYSTEMS AND AUTOMATICS AND THEIR QUALITY INDICATORS

This article explores RS-485, Ethernet interfaces performance, quality of communication channels, currently used for the organization of information collection and transmission substations. It is suggested to use GPON-based passive optical network technology as a solution to the existing problem of electromagnetic effects on copper communication channels and high cost of telecommunications equipment (switches, routers, gateways) for fiber-optic channels. It is also calculated (Ping) and analysis (BER) for GPON technology. It was concluded, that it’s feasible to organize information collection and transmission system with the GPON-technology

DIAGNOSTIKA I LEChENIE OSTEOPOROZA U PATsIENTOV STARShIKh VOZRASTNYKh GRUPP POSLE NIZKOTRAVMATIChNOGO PERELOMA LUChEVOY KOSTI

Цель: оценить влияние рекомендаций травматолога и информированности пациента на выявляемость и лечение остеопороза (ОП) у пациентов старших возрастных групп с переломом дистального отдела предплечья (ПДОП). Материал и методы. В исследование включались пациенты в возрасте 50 лет и старше, перенесшие ПДОП с рентгенологическим подтверждениям диагноза. Критериями исключения были: ранее проведенная денситометрия, ранее установленный диагноз ОП или проводимое ранее лечение ОП, а также нарушение когнитивных функций или наличие тяжелых заболеваний, которые могли бы затруднить дальнейшее дообследование, лечение и наблюдение в течение года. Пациенты основной группы получили образовательную программу в виде брошюры для пациента и беседы врача травматологического пункта с пациентом о том, что перелом лучевой кости может быть проявлением ОП и о необходимости денситометрии для уточнения диагноза. Пациенты контрольной группы не получали образовательной программы и велись так, как заведено в практике травматологического пункта. Пациенты обеих групп наблюдались в травматологическом пункте до консолидации перелома. Опрос всех пациентов проводился через 6-8 мес. после перелома. Результаты. В исследование включено 121 пациент (56 чел. в основной группе, 65 чел. в контрольной группе). Средний возраст пациенток основной группы составил 61,3 ± 8,6 года, контрольной - 63,5 ± 8,1 года (p>0,05). 21 (37,5%) пациент основной и 26 (40%) пациентов контрольной группы до настоящего перелома имели переломы при низком уровне травмы (p>0,05). Через 6-8 месяцев после перелома, денситометрию выполнили 26 (46,4%) пациентов основной группы и 2 (3,1%) пациента контрольной группы, p<0,0001. У 14 чел. основной группы (53,8% из числа всех обследованных) выявлена остеопения, у 12 (46,2%) чел. показатели минеральной плотности костной ткани (МПКТ) соответствовали ОП. Нормальной МПКТ не было ни у кого. В контрольной группе у двух пациенток при денситометрическом исследовании выявлена остеопения. Лечение препаратами кальция и витамина D3 начали 55,4% пациентов основной группы и 35,4% контрольной группы, p<0,05, продолжали лечение данными препаратами более 6 месяцев 35,7% пациентов основной и 3,1% контрольной группы (p<0,05). Лечение препаратами патогенетического действия начали 12,5% пациентов основной группы и 3,1% контрольной группы, p=0,051. Продолжали лечение данными препаратами более 6 месяцев 12,5% пациентов основной и 1,5% контрольной группы, p=0,018. На инициацию и продолжение лечения влияли два фактора: наличие диагноза ОП, установленного врачом и наличие денситометрического заключения с остеопенией или остеопорозом и не влияли факторы риска: ни наличие других малотравматичных переломов в анамнезе, ни возраст старше 65 лет. Выводы. Информирование врачом пациента с переломом о возможной связи его перелома с остеопорозом вкупе с брошюрой об остеопорозе повышают долю пациентов, прошедших денситометрию и начавших лечение. Предикторами инициации лечения и сохранения приверженности ему является наличие диагноза остеопороза и данные денситометрии, подтверждающих его