Electronic structure and optical properties of lightweight metal hydrides

We study the electronic structures and dielectric functions of the simple hydrides LiH, NaH, MgH2 and AlH3, and the complex hydrides Li3AlH6, Na3AlH6, LiAlH4, NaAlH4 and Mg(AlH4)2, using first principles density functional theory and GW calculations. All these compounds are large gap insulators with GW single particle band gaps varying from 3.5 eV in AlH3 to 6.5 eV in the MAlH4 compounds. The valence bands are dominated by the hydrogen atoms, whereas the conduction bands have mixed contributions from the hydrogens and the metal cations. The electronic structure of the aluminium compounds is determined mainly by aluminium hydride complexes and their mutual interactions. Despite considerable differences between the band structures and the band gaps of the various compounds, their optical responses are qualitatively similar. In most of the spectra the optical absorption rises sharply above 6 eV and has a strong peak around 8 eV. The quantitative differences in the optical spectra are interpreted in terms of the structure and the electronic structure of the compounds.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figure

Social networks as a means OF English language teachingof students of radiotechnic educational programms

The article is devoted to the study of the social network Vkontakte as a new element of information and communication technologies in the classroom of the English language teaching in higher education. Particular attention is paid to the integration of popular social networks in the educational process in order to further development of the educational material given in the classroom with students of radioelectronic educational programms of the Ural Federal University. Active and widespread use of mobile devices and social networks in everyday life ensures the relevance of their application for students. The purpose of this study is to determine the approaches and principles of teaching using social networks, to develop stages of work with social networks, to determine the actual methods of using social networks in the process of learning English.Статья посвящена исследованию социальной сети ВКонтакте в качестве нового элемента информационно-коммуникационных технологий на занятиях английского языка в высшем учебном заведении

Effect of Intraoperative Propofol-Induced Sedation on the Neurotransmitter Levels (Pilot Study)

The aim of the study was to determine the changes in the levels of various neurotransmitters depending on the depth of propofol-induced sedation.Material and methods. Twenty-four patients were included in a prospective, simple blinded study. All patients underwent elective orthopedic intervention with subarachnoid anesthesia and moderate (group 1, n=12) or deep (group 2, n=12) propofol-induced sedation. Peripheral blood sampling for measurement of neurotransmitter levels was performed before regional blockade (Stage 1), 35–40 min after the start of sedation (Stage 2), and 10–15 min after sedation was terminated and consciousness was recovered (Stage 3).Results. Deep propofol-induced sedation resulted in a decrease in norepinephrine level at stages 2 and 3. Under moderate sedation, its level decreased at Stage 2 and returned to baseline after restoration of consciousness. The initial concentration of norepinephrine (Stage 1) was higher in Group 2.Conclusion. Propofol-induced sedation resulted in reduced level of the main stress hormone, which suggests its stabilizing effect on autonomic nervous system

Tuberculosis outcomes related to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genotype

Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains of different phylogenetic lineages and genetic families differ in biological properties that determine, to some extent, epidemiological features and clinical manifestation in tuberculosis (TB) patients.The aim of the study was to assess the risk of an adverse outcome of the disease in TB patients caused by various M. tuberculosis genotypes.Materials and methods. A total of 425 patients with respiratory TB were enrolled in this study. They were registered at phthisiatric facilities in the Omsk region from March 2015 to June 2017 period and included: males — 73.1%, mean age 39.9 years, females — 26.9%, mean age 42.0 years. M. tuberculosis culture and drug susceptibility testing and DNA extraction were performed in accordance with standard methods. Strains were assigned to the M. tuberculosis Beijing genotype and its epidemiologically relevant clusters B0/W148 and 94-32 by PCR based detection of specific markers. Non-Beijing strains were subjected to spoligotyping.Results. We found that 66.5% isolates belonged to the Beijing genotype, 12.8% — to LAM, 10.1% — to T, and 4.7% — to the Ural genotype. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) to anti-TB drugs was observed in 195 M. tuberculosis strains (45.9%). Moreover, Beijing genotype was more often isolated from patients with MDR-TB infection (PR = 2.09 (95% CI 1.6–2.74) and TB infection associated with HIV infection (PR = 1.14 (95% CI 1.01–1.31). Lethal outcome was double higher in patients infected with Beijing vs. non-Beijing strains, 28.6% vs. 14.0% (PR = 2.03; 95% CI 1.3–3.17). The risk factors were identified as follows: young age 18–44 years (RR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.18–2.7), co-morbidity with HIV (RR = 5.0; 95% CI 3.39–7.45), multiple (RR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.14–2.55) and extensive drug resistance (RR = 2.57; 95% CI 1.35–4.92), and association with the Beijing genotype (RR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.3–3.17).Conclusion. M. tuberculosis spread in the Omsk region is characterised by significant prevalence of the Beijing genotype, associated with multiple and extensive drug resistance. A significant association of adverse clinical outcomes and various factors, including association with the Beijing genotype, requires development of new approaches in the fight against tuberculosis

The PRC Police Image: The Trust Index in the Context of Metaphorical Representation on Media Video Hosting Platforms

В статье рассматриваются основные средства метафорической репрезентации полиции Китая в интернет-дискурсе.The article presents an attempt to analyze the main means of metaphorical representation of the Chinese police in the Internet discourse and to reveal the correlation between the generated vector of perception of the police and the data provided in the reports on the China Police Trust Index (or the “transparency index”)

Cytotoxic effect of the VVGMCSF-Lact oncolytic virus against 3D cultures of human glioblastoma cells U-87 MG

Background. One of the promising methods of treating tumors is virotherapy, which is based on direct lysis of cancer cells by a virus and a virus-mediated antitumor immune response of the body. For the recombinant vaccinia virus strain VVGMCSF-Lact, producing human GMCSF and the oncotoxic protein lactaptin, cytotoxic and antitumor effects were shown in experiments in vitro and in vivo, respectively, when using adhesive cultures of U-87 MG human glioblastoma cells. 3D cultures are a more relevant tumor model than adhesive models, as they more fully reflect the realistic scenario of cancer development, as well as the response of the tumor to anticancer therapy.The aim. To evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the oncolytic virus VV-GMCSF-Lact against 3D cultures of human glioblastoma U-87 MG.Materials and methods. The following methods were used in the work: cultivation of 3D cell cultures, cytofluorometry, microscopic analysis, virus titration, statistical analysis.Results. U-87 MG cells were transduced with a lentiviral vector carrying the GFP reporter gene. The cytotoxicity of the VV-GMCSF-Lact virus (IC50) against the studied cells was 0.024 PFU/cell. U-87 MG cells were cultured under conditions for the formation of 3D structures. Microscopic analysis showed the oncolytic effect of the virus on the cells of 3D cultures as early as 24 hours after the start of incubation. Flow cytometry showed an increase in the granularity of glioblastoma cells under the action of the virus, which indicates active replication of the virus in the cells. The virus titer was 0.44 PFU/cell.Conclusions. The recombinant VV-GMCSF-Lact virus has a cytotoxic effect on 3D human glioblastoma U-87 MG cell cultures and actively replicates in them. In the future, to test the oncolytic effect of VV-GMCSF-Lact, it is planned to use not only 3D human glioblastoma cultures, but also cerebral organelles obtained in the process of cocultivation of glioblastoma cells and induced human pluripotent cells

ВЛИЯНИЕ ИНТРАОПЕРАЦИОННОЙ НОРМОВОЛЕМИЧЕСКОЙ ГЕМОДИЛЮЦИИ НА ГЕМОСТАЗ, КРОВОПОТЕРЮ И ПОКАЗАНИЯ К ТРАНСФУЗИИ ДОНОРСКИХ ЭРИТРОЦИТОВ ПРИ ОПЕРАЦИЯХ НА СЕРДЦЕ В УСЛОВИЯХ ИСКУССТВЕННОГО КРОВООБРАЩЕНИЯ

Intra-operative acute normovolemic hemodilution or autologous blood transfusion, is one of the factors of the patient's blood conservation and reduction of the donor blood use.The objective: to assess the value of acute normovolemic hemodilution for the normalization of intra-operative homeostasis, reduction of blood loss and transfusion of donor erythrocytes during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.Methods. 270 patients undergoing surgery on heart valves and coronary vessels at the age from 18 to 79 patients were examined. 600−1,200 ml of autoblood were collected before cardiopulmonary bypass against the background of the patient's heparinization and installation of aortic cannula. The following parameters were studied: the frequency of normovolemic hemodilution use, volume of autohemoexfusion of blood, hemostasis rates in the early post-perfusion period, the volume of intra- and post-operative blood loss, frequency and volume of hemotransfusion.Results. Intra-operative autologous blood transfusion from right atrial appendage against full heparinization of the patient in the volume of 600–1,200 ml before cardiopulmonary bypass allowed reducing intra-operative blood loss by 1.3 times, the volume of transfused erythrocytes by 1.3–1.7 times and the frequency of the demand for it by 4–6 times in the patients having surgery with myocardial revascularization and cardiac defect management. The analysis of coagulation parameters in the post-perfusion period after modified acute normovolemic hemodilution proved the reduction of hemostasis dysfunction mostly due to the platelet factor.Conclusion. Intra-operative acute normovolemic hemodilution is an effective and safe way to reduce intra-operative blood loss, use of donor blood and restoration of hemostasis in the patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.Интраоперационная острая нормоволемическая гемодилюция (ОНГ), или аутогемотрансфузия, является одним из факторов сохранения крови больного и снижения частоты использования донорской крови.Цель: оценить значение острой нормоволемической гемодилюции в нормализации интраоперационного гемостаза, уменьшении кровопотери и трансфузии донорской эритромассы при кардиохирургических вмешательствах в условиях искусственного кровообращения (ИК).Методика. Обследовано 270 кардиохирургических больных в возрасте 18−79 лет, оперированных на клапанах сердца и коронарных сосудах. Забор аутокрови в количестве 600−1 200 мл осуществляли перед ИК на фоне гепаринизации больного и постановки аортальной канюли. Изучали частоту использования нормоволемической гемодилюции, объем аутогемоэксфузии крови, показатели гемостаза в раннем постперфузионном периоде, величину интра- и послеоперационной кровопотери, частоту и объем гемотрансфузии.Результаты. Интраоперационная аутогемотрансфузия из ушка правого предсердия на фоне полной гепаринизации больного в количестве 600−1 200 мл перед ИК позволила уменьшить интраоперационную кровопотерю в 1,3 раза, объем перелитой эритроцитарной массы в 1,3−1,7 раза и частоту потребности в ней в 4−6 раз у больных при операции реваскуляризации миокарда и коррекции пороков сердца. Анализ параметров коагуляции в постперфузионном периоде после модифицированной острой нормоволемической гемодилюции показал уменьшение дисфункции гемостаза преимущественно за счет тромбоцитарного фактора.Заключение. Интраоперационная острая нормоволемическая гемодилюция является эффективным и безопасным методом уменьшения интраоперационной кровопотери, использования донорской крови и восстановления гемостаза у кардиохирургических больных, оперированных с ИК

Клинический случай эффективного лечения пневмонии, вызванной полирезистентными штаммами, с использованием ингаляционного колистиметата натрия

Patients with nosocomial infections stay in the hospital 2–3 times longer than patients without signs of infection.It results in 3–4-fold increase of costs and 5–7-fold elevated risk of death. The choice of rational regimes of antimicrobial therapy in such cases is very difficult.The objective: to demonstrate the efficacy of a combination of prolonged intravenous infusion of meropenem and inhaled sodium colistimethate in the treatment of the patient with the pulmonary infection caused by Kl. pneumoniae and Ac. baumanii, which were resistant to a wide range of antibiotics.Пациенты с внутрибольничными инфекциями находятся в стационаре в 2‒3 раза дольше, чем пациенты без признаков инфекции. Это является причиной повышения стоимости лечения в 3‒4 раза, а риска летального исхода – в 5‒7 раз. Подбор рациональных схем антимикробной терапии в таких случаях весьма затруднен.Цель демонстрации: показать эффективность комбинации пролонгированной внутривенной инфузии меропенема и ингаляционного введения колистиметата натрия при лечении пациента с легочной инфекцией, вызванной Kl. pneumoniae и Ac. baumanii, резистентных к широкому спектру антибиотиков