Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Restaurant: Recommendations Based on an Expert Interview

This study examines how the impact of the coronavirus spread on business operations in the restaurant business varies depending on the level of restaurants adaptability to the challenges encountered during the pandemic, using three dimensions (analysis of consumer demand problems, optimization of corporate strategy and use of the company’s innovative potential). Through in-depth interviews with eight key food service industry experts in St. Petersburg, Russia, this study describes and fleshes out the rapidly transforming challenge of identifying major market changes in the restaurant business during the pandemic. The analysis showed that chain restaurants with sufficient resources to deal with employee turnover, technology development, brand building and customer loyalty are more resilient to the challenges resulting from the impact of the coronavirus spread than similar food service companies. While the presence of serious problems associated with consumer demand, the optimization of the offered dishes format and service had a significant impact on the relationship between the impact of the coronavirus spread and the inability to adapt to the new reality of doing business. The results of the research can be useful for entrepreneurs and managers of chain restaurants who develop marketing strategies to establish or adjust management decisions to adapt catering companies during a pandemic

Клиническое наблюдение успешной фотодинамической терапии пациентки с тяжелой дисплазией вульвы

A case of successful photodynamic therapy (PDT) of the patient with grade 3 vulvar dysplasia. One course of treatment with photolon was performed. The photosensitizer was administered intravenously as 30 min infusion in dose of 1.0 mg/kg body weight. The PDT session was performed 3h after infusion of photolon, the light dose was 350 J/cm2. The treatment was well tolerated. Due to PDT a complete tumor regression was achieved. The patient received a strict follow-up schedule, for 8 months after PDT no recurrence was observed. Описан клинический случай успешного применения фотодинамической терапии (ФДТ) для лечения больной с дисплазией III ст. вульвы. Проведен 1 курс лечения с препаратом фотолон. Фотосенсибилизатор вводили внутривенно посредством 30-минутной инфузии в дозе 1,0 мг/кг массы тела. Сеанс ФДТ проводили через 3 ч после введения фотолона, плотность энергии лазерного облучения – 350 Дж/см2. Лечение пациентка перенесла удовлетворительно. В результате ФДТ получена полная регрессия опухоли. После лечения больная находилась под строгим динамическим наблюдением, в течение 8 месяцев с момента проведения ФДТ – без рецидива заболевания.

Фотодинамическая терапия в клинической практике

The review is on opportunities and possibilities of application of photodynamic therapy in clinical practice. The advantages of this method are the targeting of effect on tumor foci and high efficiency along with low systemic toxicity. The results of the set of recent Russian and foreign clinical trials are represented in the review. The method is successfully used in clinical practice with both radical (for early vulvar, cervical cancer and pre-cancer, central early lung cancer, esophageal and gastric cancer, bladder cancer and other types of malignant tumors), and palliative care (including tumor pleuritis, gastrointestinal tumors and others). Photodynamic therapy delivers results which are not available for other methods of cancer therapy. Thus, photodynamic therapy allows to avoid gross scars (that is very important, for example, in gynecology for treatment of patients of reproductive age with cervical and vulvar cancer), delivers good cosmetic effect for skin tumors, allows minimal trauma for intact tissue surrounding tumor. Photodynamic therapy is also used in other fields of medicine, such as otorhinolaryngology, dermatology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, for treatment of papilloma virus infection and purulent wounds as antibacterial therapy.Обзор посвящен перспективам и возможности применения фотодинамической терапии в клинической практике. Преимуществами данного метода являются направленность воздействия на опухолевые очаги и высокая эффективность при низкой системной токсичности. В обзоре приведены результаты ряда отечественных и зарубежных клинических исследований последних лет. Показано, что метод успешно применяется в клинической онкологии как с радикальной целью (при ранних стадиях рака и предраке вульвы, шейки матки, раннем центральном раке легких, раке пищевода и желудка, раке мочевого пузыря и других), так и с паллиативной целью (в том числе, при опухолевых плевритах, опухолях желудочно-кишечного тракта и других). Фотодинамическая терапия позволяет достичь результатов, недоступных при использовании других методов противоопухолевой терапии. Так, проведение фотодинамической терапии позволяет избежать появления грубых рубцов (что очень важно, например, в гинекологии при лечении пациенток раком шейки матки и вульвы репродуктивного возраста), достичь хорошего косметического эффекта при локализации опухоли на коже, минимально травмировать окружающие опухоль здоровые ткани. Фотодинамическая терапия также применяется и в других отраслях медицины, таких как оториноларингология, дерматология, офтальмология, ортопедия, в лечении папилломавирусной инфекции, а также в лечении гнойных ран в качестве антибактериальной терапии

The development of triploid apple cultivars is a priority in breeding

Great attention is paid to preliminary breeding (prebreeding) when developing triploid apple cultivars. Brief characteristics of diploid gamete donors are given. It should be noted that sometimes donors of diploid gametes with necessary important traits not only have to be selected from among existing tetraploid cultivars, but also developed by a breeding way, especially in the case when in nature there are no cultivars and genotypes (donors of diploid gametes) with given traits. The authors of the paper developed form 30-47-88 (Liberty×13-6-106) by a breeding way. 30-47-88 is a complex donor of diploid gametes and scab immunity (Vf ) at once. During 1970–2015, the following work was done in apple breeding using polyploidy: 455 crossing combinations were performed; 660000 flowers were artificially pollinated; 124700 hybrid seeds were obtained and 47900 one-year-old seedlings were grown, from which after multiple rejections 13200 seedlings were planted in breeding orchards. For the first time in Russia ten apple cultivars (Avgusta, Aleksandr Boiko, Bezhin Lug, Vavilovskoye, Dariona, Maslovskoye, Orlovsky Partizan, Osipovskoye, Patriot and Yablochny Spas) have been developed from intervalence crossings and regionalized. It has been stated that apple cultivars developed at the VNIISPK are characterized, as a rule, by high productivity, better fruit marketability, greater resistance to scab and higher autogamy. Apple cultivars combining triploidy and scab immunity have been developed. Promising breeding is being performed for apple cultivars combining triploidy, scab immunity and columnar habit (Co). Brief characteristics of triploid and scab immune cultivars Vavilovskoye and Yablochny Spas developed from the intervalence crossings as well as three triploid cultivars obtained from crossings of diploid cultivars are given. It is noted that triploid apple cultivars developed at the VNIISPK are inferior to none of foreign cultivars in a complex of commercial traits and they significantly excel foreign cultivars in adaptability. Our apple cultivars may contribute to import substitution of fruit production in the country

Antiproliferative activity of PEP005, a novel ingenol angelate that modulates PKC functions, alone and in combination with cytotoxic agents in human colon cancer cells

PEP005 is a novel ingenol angelate that modulates protein kinases C (PKC) functions by activating PKCδ and inhibiting PKCα. This study assessed the antiproliferative effects of PEP005 alone and in combination with several other anticancer agents in a panel of 10 human cancer cell lines characterised for expression of several PKC isoforms. PEP005 displayed antiproliferative effects at clinically relevant concentrations with a unique cytotoxicity profile that differs from that of most other investigated cytotoxic agents, including staurosporine. In a subset of colon cancer cells, the IC50 of PEP005 ranged from 0.01–140 μM. The antiproliferative effects of PEP005 were shown to be concentration- and time-dependent. In Colo205 cells, apoptosis induction was observed at concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 3 μM. Exposure to PEP005 also induced accumulation of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. In addition, PEP005 increased the phosphorylation of PKCδ and p38. In Colo205 cells, combinations of PEP005 with several cytotoxic agents including oxaliplatin, SN38, 5FU, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, vinorelbine, and docetaxel yielded sequence-dependent antiproliferative effects. Cell cycle blockage induced by PEP005 in late G1 lasted for up to 24 h and therefore a 24 h lag-time between PEP005 and subsequent exposure to cytotoxics was required to optimise PEP005 combinations with several anticancer agents. These data support further evaluation of PEP005 as an anticancer agent and may help to optimise clinical trials with PEP005-based combinations in patients with solid tumours

Фотодинамическая терапия больных с внутрикожными метастазами меланомы

Results of treating 114 skin metastases of melanoma in 21 patients are represented. Melanoma progression with cutaneous metastases after previous treatment was diagnosed in all patients. The method of prolonged photodynamic therapy developed by authors with fotosens administrated intravenously at dose of 0.4 mg/kg of body weight was used in the study. First session of tumor irradiation was performed 2 h after injection of photosensitizer. Patients underwent superfi cial or contact irradiation depending on topography and type of growth of metastatic foci. Course of treatment accounted for 7–10 sessions of photodynamic therapy with 24 h interval, light dose delivered to tumor for one session – 350 J/cm2. Signifi cant clinical effect (complete and partial tumor regression) was obtained in 89% of cases for developed method. Представлены результаты лечения 114 метастатических очагов меланомы в кожу у 21 пациента. У всех больных было диагностировано прогрессирование меланомы с метастазированием в кожу после предшествующего противоопухолевого лечения. В исследовании использована разработанная авторами методика пролонгированной фотодинамической терапии с препаратом фотосенс, который вводили внутривенно в дозе 0,4 мг/кг массы тела больного. Первый сеанс облучения опухолевых очагов проводили через 2 ч после введения фотосенсибилизатора. Пациентам выполняли поверхностное или контактное облучение в зависимости от топографии и характера роста метастатического узла. Курс лечения – 7–10 сеансов фотодинамической терапии с интервалом в 24 ч, плотность энергии лазерного излучения, подводимой к опухоли за один сеанс – 350 Дж/см2. При применении разработанной методики получен объективный клинический эффект (полная и частичная регрессия опухоли) в 89% наблюдений.

Флюоресцентная диагностика предопухолевой и опухолевой патологии эндометрия

The technique of fluorescence hysteroscopy with Alasens includes visual assessment of fluorescence of Alasens-induced protoporphyrin IX and local fluorescence spectroscopy. The technique allows to improve the efficacy of early diagnosis for endometrial pathology including early endometrial cancer, to assess definitely an extent of pre-tumor and tumor process. The sensitivity of fluorescence hysteroscopy accounts for 100%, the specificity – 98%. Технология флюоресцентной гистероскопии с препаратом аласенс включает визуальную оценку флюоресценции аласенс-индуцированного протопорфирина IX и локальную флюоресцентную спектроскопию. Технология позволяет повысить эффективность ранней диагностики патологии эндометрия, в том числе ранних форм рака эндометрия, достоверно оценить распространенность предопухолевого и опухолевого процесса. Чувствительность флюоресцентной гистероскопии составляет 100%, специфичность 98%.

Результаты III фазы клинических исследований препарата радахлорин для фотодинамической терапии предрака и начального рака шейки матки

The results of clinical study for efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with radachlorine in patients with pre-cancer and cancer of cervix are represented. The study enrolled 30 patients including 4 patients with cervical erosion, 5 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II, 13 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III, 4 patients with carcinoma in situ and 4 patients with cervical cancer stage Ia. Radachlorine was administrated as single 30 minute intravenous injection at dose of 1,0 mg/kg of body weight 3 h before irradiation (wavelength of 662 nm, light dose of 300–350 J/cm2). The results of treatment in 26 (86,7%) patients was assessed as complete tumor regression and in 4 (13,3%) patients — as partial regression. In cervical erosion, intraepithelial neoplasia II and carcinoma in situ groups total regression was in all cases. In the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III group total regression after first course of PDT was achieved in 77% of patients, in cervical cancer stage Ia group – in 75% of patients. From 3 to 6 months after first course of treatment all patients with partial tumor regression underwent the second course of PDT with complete regression. There were no side-effects due to radachorine or PDT in the course of treatment and during follow-up. Thus, PDT with Russian photosensitizer radachlorine showed high efficiency for treatment of pre-cancer and cancer of cervix. Приведены результаты клинического исследования эффективности фотодинамической терапии (ФДТ) с препаратом радахлорин у пациенток с предопухолевой и опухолевой патологией шейки матки. В исследование включено 30 пациенток, в том числе с эрозией шейки матки – 4 пациентки, с дисплазией II ст. – 5 пациенток, с дисплазией III ст. – 13 пациенток, с carcinoma in situ – 4 пациентки и с диагнозом рак шейки матки Ia ст. – 4 пациентки. Радахлорин вводили однократно внутривенно посредством 30-минутной инфузии в дозе 1,0 мг/кг массы тела за 3 ч до проведения облучения (длина волны 662 нм, плотность энергии 300–350 Дж/см2). Результат лечения у 26 (86,7%) пациенток оценен, как полная регрессия опухоли, у 4 (13,3%) – как частичная регрессия. В группах с клиническим диагнозом эрозия шейки матки, дисплазия II ст. и carcinoma in situ полная регрессия отмечена во всех наблюдениях. В группах с дисплазией III ст. полная регрессия после первого курса ФДТ достигнута у 77% пациенток, с диагнозом рак шейки матки Ia ст. – у 75% больных. У всех больных с частичной регрессией был проведен второй курс ФДТ в срок от 3 до 6 мес после первого курса, после чего была зарегистрирована полная регрессия. В процессе лечения и при последующем наблюдении не было зарегистрировано каких-либо нежелательных реакций, связанных с применением радахлорина или проведением ФДТ. Таким образом, ФДТ с отечественным фотосенсибилизатором радахлорин показала высокую эффективность в лечении предопухолевой и опухолевой патологии шейки матки.

Our first experience of transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement

The treatment of pulmonary valve disease is one of the urgent problems of modern cardiology and cardiac surgery. In most cases, pulmonary valve abnormalities are congenital. Synthetic conduits (homografts) and bioprosphetic valves are currently used in the surgical treatment of patients with the diseases mentioned above. Pulmonary valve surgical prosthetics allows one to normalize the circulatory dynamics and condition of the patient, however, time-dependent degradation results in conduit and valve dysfunction. The abnormal circulatory dynamics caused by valve and conduit dysfunction is linked to exercise intolerance, arrhythmia, right ventricular failure, and sudden death. Starting in childhood, affected patients undergo repeated openheart surgeries to restore valve function and potentially reduce morbidity and mortality. Percutaneous transcatheter treatment of the pulmonary valve stenosis with the Melody® valve (Medtronic Inc.) has been performed in a large number of patients worldwide. Despite minimal invasiveness, this procedure restores pulmonary valve function and reduces repeated open-heart interventions. Recent clinical trials have shown excellent and durable results in terms of both restoring valve function and decreasing right ventricular outflow tract obstruction. In this study, we want to reflect the relevance of the Melody transcatheter valve and present our first experience of its usage