Characterization of high-temperature PbTe p-n junctions prepared by thermal diffusion and by ion-implantation

We describe here the characteristics of two types of high-quality PbTe p-n-junctions, prepared in this work: (1) by thermal diffusion of In4Te3 gas (TDJ), and (2) by ion implantation (implanted junction, IJ) of In (In-IJ) and Zn (Zn-IJ). The results, as presented here, demonstrate the high quality of these PbTe diodes. Capacitance-voltage and current-voltage characteristics have been measured. The measurements were carried out over a temperature range from ~ 10 K to ~ 180 K. The latter was the highest temperature, where the diode still demonstrated rectifying properties. This maximum operating temperature is higher than any of the earlier reported results. The saturation current density, J0, in both diode types, was ~ 10^-5 A/cm2 at 80 K, while at 180 K J0 ~ 10^-1 A/cm2 in TDJ and ~ 1 A/cm2 in both ion-implanted junctions. At 80 K the reverse current started to increase markedly at a bias of ~ 400 mV for TDJ, and at ~550 mV for IJ. The ideality factor n was about 1.5-2 for both diode types at 80 K. The analysis of the C-V plots shows that the junctions in both diode types are linearly graded. The analysis of the C-V plots allows also determining the height of the junction barrier, the concentrations and the concentration gradient of the impurities, and the temperature dependence of the static dielectric constant. The zero-bias-resistance x area products (R0Ae) at 80 K are: 850 OHMcm2 for TDJ, 250 OHMcm2 for In-IJ, and ~ 80 OHMcm2 for Zn-IJ, while at 180 K R0Ae ~ 0.38 OHMcm2 for TDJ, and ~ 0.1 OHMcm2 for IJ. The estimated detectivity is: D* ~ 10^10 cmHz^(1/2)/W up to T=140 K, determined mainly by background radiation, while at T=180 K, D* decreases to 108-107 cmHz^(1/2)/W, and is determined by the Johnson noise

Concept of Vibrnprotection of Buildings and Structures in the Field of Construction Standards of the Russian Federation

In the first part, the technique of measuring the level of vibration during the passage of rail transport is considered. The peculiarity of the considered impact is its short duration and regular repeatability during the day (10 s when the metro composition passes through the measurement range with repetition every 1.5–3 minutes for 21 hours a day). The predicted level of vibration and the level of structural noise depending on it are determined by measurements when inspecting a building construction site or, if there are no rail transport lines at the time of construction, by calculation or measurements on existing analogues. When comparing the results of the forecast with the levels of vibration and structural noise that are acceptable for the HF RF, the specific case solves the question: whether buildings are vibroprotective or not. The choice of a method for evaluating the measurement results from the three recommended in the RF SN is decisive in answering this question. It is shown, that only the use of the spectral method is permissible. The remaining two methods, based on obtaining an average over the measurement period (about 30 minutes) of the level, give underestimated results such as "average profile", which contradicts the principle of avoiding "significant concern" underlying sanitary norms. In the second part, the implemented method of building vibroprotection using rubber-metal multilayer replaceable vibration isolators located in openings arranged in the vibrous grooves between the protected and non-protected parts of the building is considered. The method allows to construct buildings of any number of floors, regardless of the availability of rail transport routes and the season, and ensures compliance with the requirements of the sanitary standards of the Russian Federation and SNiP for durability, reliability and durability of buildings vibroinsulated by this method. The third part shows that the use of rubber in vibration isolators does not contradict the requirements of FZ-384 "On the Safety of Buildings and Structures", since when a few or all vibration insulators burn out in openings, the building collapses by the size of the gap of a vibrating joint in areas between openings. Conclusions on the article: 1) the substantiation of the spectral method of measurement allows to realistically assess the need for the use of vibration protection in accordance with the requirements of the RF SN; 2) The system of vibration isolation of buildings, adopted in practice, with the help of rubber-metal vibration insulators ensures that all requirements of the MV of the Russian Federation and SNiP are fulfilled for durability, reliability and durability; 3) a constructive solution of vibration protection ensures unconditional compliance with the requirements of the Federal Law FZ-378 for fire safety of a vibration-proof building when a vibration isolator burns out

Drug Adverse Event Detection in Health Plan Data Using the Gamma Poisson Shrinker and Comparison to the Tree-based Scan Statistic

Background: Drug adverse event (AE) signal detection using the Gamma Poisson Shrinker (GPS) is commonly applied in spontaneous reporting. AE signal detection using large observational health plan databases can expand medication safety surveillance. Methods: Using data from nine health plans, we conducted a pilot study to evaluate the implementation and findings of the GPS approach for two antifungal drugs, terbinafine and itraconazole, and two diabetes drugs, pioglitazone and rosiglitazone. We evaluated 1676 diagnosis codes grouped into 183 different clinical concepts and four levels of granularity. Several signaling thresholds were assessed. GPS results were compared to findings from a companion study using the identical analytic dataset but an alternative statistical method—the tree-based scan statistic (TreeScan). Results: We identified 71 statistical signals across two signaling thresholds and two methods, including closely-related signals of overlapping diagnosis definitions. Initial review found that most signals represented known adverse drug reactions or confounding. About 31% of signals met the highest signaling threshold. Conclusions: The GPS method was successfully applied to observational health plan data in a distributed data environment as a drug safety data mining method. There was substantial concordance between the GPS and TreeScan approaches. Key method implementation decisions relate to defining exposures and outcomes and informed choice of signaling thresholds

Polimerne mješavine obložene Eudragitom: Potencijalni sustav za kontroliranu peroralnu isporuku teofilina

Sustained release (SR) dosage forms enable prolonged and continuous deposition of the drug in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and improve the bioavailability of medications characterized by a narrow absorption window. In this study, a new strategy is proposed for the development of SR dosage forms for theophylline (TPH). Design of the delivery system was based on a sustained release formulation, with a modified coating technique and swelling features aimed to extend the release time of the drug. Different polymers, such as Carbopol 71G (CP), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC), ethylcellulose (EC) and their combinations were tried. Prepared matrix tablets were coated with a 5 % (m/m) dispersion of Eudragit (EUD) in order to get the desired sustained release profile over a period of 24 h. Various formulations were evaluated for drug concentration and in vitro drug release. It was found that the in vitro drug release rate decreased with increasing the amount of polymer. Coating with EUD resulted in a significant lag phase in the first two hours of dissolution in the acidic pH of simulated gastric fluid (SGF) due to decreased water uptake, and hence decreased driving force for drug release. Release became faster in the alkaline pH of simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) owing to increased solubility of both the coating and matrixing agents. The optimized formulation was subjected to in vivo studies in rabbits and the pharmacokinetic parameters of developed formulations were compared with the commercial (Asmanyl®) formulation. Asmanyl® tablets showed faster absorption (tmax 4.0 h) compared to the TPH formulation, showing a tmax value of 8.0 h. The cmax and AUC values of TPH formulation were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those for Asmanyl®, revealing relative bioavailability of about 136.93 %. Our study demonstrated the potential usefulness of eudraginated polymers for the oral delivery of the sparingly soluble drug theophylline.Pripravci za produljeno oslobađanje (SR) omogućavaju produljeno i kontinuirano oslobađanje lijeka u gastrointestinalnom (GI) traktu i poboljšavaju bioraspoloživost lijekova s uskim apsorpcijskim prozorom. U radu se predlaže nova strategija za razvoj formulacija s produljenim oslobađanjem teofilina (TPH), koja se temelji na sustavu za produljeno oslobađanje, kojem je u svrhu produljenja vremena oslobađanja modificiran način oblaganja i bubrenja. Korišteni su različiti polimeri, kao što su Carbopol 71G (CP), natrijeva karboksimetilceluloza (SCMC), etilceluloza (EC) i njihove kombinacije. Pripravljene matriks tablete obložene su 5-postotnom (m/m) disperzijom Eudragita (EUD) kako bi se postiglo produljeno oslobađanje tijekom 24 h. U pripravljenim formulacijama određena je koncentracija lijeka i in vitro oslobađanje. Rezultati pokazuju da se povećanjem udjela polimera smanjuje brzina oslobađanja in vitro. Oblaganje s EUD značajno je produljilo lag fazu tijekom prva 2 sata otapanja u kiselom pH simuliranog želučanog soka (SGF). Naime, oblaganje usporava ulazak vode i tako smanjuje pogonsku silu za oslobađanje lijeka. Zbog povećane topljivosti obložnog sloja i matriksa u lužnatom mediju, oslobađanje u simuliranoj intestinalnoj tekućini (SIF) je brže. Optimizirana formulacija ispitana je in vivo na zečevima. Farmakokinetički parametri novih formulacija uspoređivani su s komercijalnim pripravkom Asmanyl®. Asmanyl® tablete pokazuju bržu apsorpciju (tmax 4,0 h) u odnosu na TPH formulaciju (tmax 8,0 h). cmax i AUC vrijednosti TPH formulacije bile su značajno (p < 0,05) više od onih za Asmanyl®, što ukazuje na relativnu bioraspoloživost od oko 136,93 %. Stoga smatramo da su polimeri obloženi eudragitom potencijalno korisni za oralnu upotrebu teško topljivog lijeka teofilina

The snake with the scorpion’s sting: Novel three-finger toxin sodium channel activators from the venom of the long-glanded blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus)

FWN – Publicaties zonder aanstelling Universiteit Leide

Течение и исходы острого коронарного синдрома в условиях новой коронавирусной инфекции COVID-19

Abstract We analyzed the clinical condition of patients with COVID-19 of varying severity, changes in instrumental and laboratory parameters, and assessed the impact of the severity of the course of a new coronavirus infection on the outcomes of acute coronary syndrome.AIM OF STUDY To study the mutual influence of acute coronary syndrome and the new coronavirus infection COVID-19 on the nature of the course and outcomes of the disease.Materia l and methods In March 21, 2020 – May 31, 2021, 3 625 patients were treated for COVID-19, including 131 patients with acute coronary syndrome due to COVID-19 disease. All patients underwent a number of studies: computed tomography of the chest, electrocardiography, echocardiography, monitoring of biomarkers of myocardial damage, diagnostic coronary angiography and, if necessary, intracoronary therapeutic intervention.Results Data on the distribution of patients with COVID-19 according to the presence or absence of ST segment elevation on the electrocardiogram and the degree of lung tissue damage, as well as information on mortality in these groups, are presented. The role of troponin I in the assessment of myocardial ischemia was analyzed. The direct dependence of its level on the volume of lung damage was found. The inverse relationship was shown between the degree of damage to the lung tissue and the indices of oxygen saturation in the blood. A poor prognostic value of low left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with COVID-19 disease has been described.Conclusions The development of acute coronary syndrome in the course of COVID-19 significantly worsens the prognosis of the disease, which requires the development of algorithms for providing medical care to patients in this category, as well as maximum vigilance in their treatment.ЦЕЛЬ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ Изучить взаимное влияние ОКС и НКИ COVID-19 на характер течения и исходы заболевания.МАТЕРИАЛ И МЕТОДЫ В ГБУЗ «НИИ СП им. Н.В. Склифосовского ДЗМ» с 21 марта 2020 по 31 мая 2021 года по поводу COVID-19 находились на лечении 3625 пациентов. В том числе по поводу ОКС на фоне заболевания COVID-19 госпитализирован 131 пациент. Всем больным был проведен ряд исследований: компьютерная томография органов грудной клетки, электрокардиография, эхокардиография, контроль биомаркеров повреждения миокарда, диагностическая коронароангиография и, при необходимости, интракоронарное лечебное вмешательство.РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ Представлены данные о распределении больных COVID-19 по признаку наличия или отсутствия элевации сегмента ST на электрокардиограмме и степени поражения легочной ткани, а также сведения о летальности в данных группах. Проанализирована роль биомаркера тропонин I в оценке ишемии миокарда. Обнаружена прямая зависимость его уровня от объема повреждения легких. Показана обратная зависимость между степенью поражения легочной ткани и показателями сатурации кислорода в крови. Описано неблагоприятное прогностическое значение низкой фракции выброса левого желудочка у пациентов с заболеванием COVID-19.ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИЕ Развитие острого коронарного синдрома на фоне COVID-19 значительно ухудшает прогноз заболевания, что требует разработки алгоритмов оказания медицинской помощи больным этой категории, а также максимальной настороженности при их лечении

Differential procoagulant effects of saw-scaled viper (Serpentes: Viperidae: Echis ) snake venoms on human plasma and the narrow taxonomic ranges of antivenom efficacies

Saw-scaled vipers (genus Echis) are one of the leading causes of snakebite morbidity and mortality in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and vast regions of Asia, constituting a public health burden exceeding that of almost any other snake genus globally. Venom-induced consumption coagulopathy, owing to the action of potent procoagulant toxins, is one of the most relevant clinical manifestations of envenomings by Echis spp. Clinical experience and prior studies examining a limited range of venoms and restricted antivenoms have demonstrated for some antivenoms an extreme lack of antivenom cross-reactivity between different species of this genus, sometimes resulting in catastrophic treatment failure. This study undertook the most comprehensive testing of Echis venom effects upon the coagulation of human plasma, and also the broadest examination of antivenom potency and cross-reactivity, to-date. 10 Echis species/populations and four antivenoms (two African, two Asian) were studied. The results indicate that the venoms are, in general, potently procoagulant but that the relative dependence on calcium or phospholipid cofactors is highly variable. Additionally, three out of the four antivenoms tested demonstrated only a very narrow taxonomic range of effectiveness in preventing coagulopathy, with only the SAIMR antivenom displaying significant levels of cross-reactivity. These results were in conflict with previous studies using prolonged preincubation of antivenom with venom to suggest effective cross-reactivity levels for the ICP Echi-Tab antivenom. These findings both inform upon potential clinical effects of envenomation in humans and highlight the extreme limitations of available treatment. It is hoped that this will spur efforts into the development of antivenoms with more comprehensive coverage for bites not only from wild snakes but also from specimens widely kept in zoological collections