Preliminary results of drug monitoring of lasparaginase in children with all treated with the protocol «ALL-mb 2015»

This article discusses the problems of drug monitoring of Lasparaginase in children with ALL. L-asparaginase is an essential component of the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Optimal therapeutic effects are the complete depletion of serum asparagine. However, complications associated with taking the drug, including the development of hypersensitivity and the development of the phenomenon of "quiet and active activity", may limit its use in individual patients. Asparaginases during treatment require a fast, sensitive and high-throughput assay to measure asparaginase activity in patient serum.В данной статье рассмотрены проблемы лекарственного мониторинга L-аспарагиназы у детей с ОЛЛ. L-аспарагиназа является неотъемлемым компонентом терапии острого лимфобластного лейкоза.Оптимальные терапевтические эффекты зависят от полного и устойчивого истощения сывороточного аспарагина. Однако осложнения, связанные с приемом препарата, включая развитие реакций гиперчувствительности и развития феномена «тихой инактивации», могут ограничивать его применение у отдельных пациентов. Для выявления пациентов с низким воздействием аспарагиназы во время лечения требуется быстрый, чувствительный и высокопроизводительный анализ для измерения активности аспарагиназы в сыворотках пациенто

VLBI-derived troposphere parameters during CONT08

Time-series of zenith wet and total troposphere delays as well as north and east gradients are compared, and zenith total delays (ZTD) are combined on the level of parameter estimates. Input data sets are provided by ten Analysis Centers (ACs) of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS) for the CONT08 campaign (12-26 August 2008). The inconsistent usage of meteorological data and models, such as mapping functions, causes systematics among the ACs, and differing parameterizations and constraints add noise to the troposphere parameter estimates. The empirical standard deviation of ZTD among the ACs with regard to an unweighted mean is 4.6 mm. The ratio of the analysis noise to the observation noise assessed by the operator/software impact (OSI) model is about 2.5. These and other effects have to be accounted for to improve the intra-technique combination of VLBI-derived troposphere parameters. While the largest systematics caused by inconsistent usage of meteorological data can be avoided and the application of different mapping functions can be considered by applying empirical corrections, the noise has to be modeled in the stochastic model of intra-technique combination. The application of different stochastic models shows no significant effects on the combined parameters but results in different mean formal errors: the mean formal errors of the combined ZTD are 2.3 mm (unweighted), 4.4 mm (diagonal), 8.6 mm [variance component (VC) estimation], and 8.6 mm (operator/software impact, OSI). On the one hand, the OSI model, i.e. the inclusion of off-diagonal elements in the cofactor-matrix, considers the reapplication of observations yielding a factor of about two for mean formal errors as compared to the diagonal approach. On the other hand, the combination based on VC estimation shows large differences among the VCs and exhibits a comparable scaling of formal errors. Thus, for the combination of troposphere parameters a combination of the two extensions of the stochastic model is recommended

A sustainable reaction process for phase pure LiFeSi2O6 with goethite as an iron source

Lithium-iron methasilicate (LiFeSi$_{2}$O$_{6}$, LFS), a member of clinopyroxene family, is an attractive compound for its multiferroic properties and applicability in energy-related devices. Conventional preparative method requires heating at elevated temperatures for long periods of time, with inevitable severe grain growth. We demonstrate that α-FeO(OH) (goethite) is superior as an iron source toward phase pure LFS over conventional hematite, α-Fe$_{2}$O$_{3}$. The exact phase purity, i.e., no trace of iron containing reactant, is confirmed in the goethite-derived LFS by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The grain growth of LFS during heating is suppressed to keep its crystallite size of 120 nm. Higher reactivity of goethite in comparison with hematite is mainly attributed to the dehydration of goethite, which in our case was accelerated by Li$_{2}$O. Related reaction mechanisms with the possible product pre-nucleation during mechanical activation are also mentioned. The magnetic properties of goethite-derived LFS are equivalent to those prepared via a laborious solid-state route. Thus, the presented preparative method offers a more sustainable route than conventional processing, and thus enables practical application of LFS

Microbiological and Molecular Genetic Aspects of Antibiotic Resistance of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> and <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>

Relevance. The increase in the frequency of infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, which have a high level of resistance to many groups of antibiotics, requires a comprehensive study, including modern research methods.Aims. The study of regional features of the dynamics of the formation and circulation of antibiotic-resistant strains A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa.Materials and methods. During 2009-2018 we analyzed the data of microbiological laboratories of multidisciplinary hospitals and carried out a molecular genetic study of the determinants of antibiotic resistance by PCR of A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa strains isolated from clinical material in order to determine the level of variability of resistance.Results. The study revealed a tendency to increase in the proportion of strains A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa in the etiological structure of healh-care associated infections and purulent-septic infections; high incidence of strains resistant to cephalosporins, carbapenems, beta-lactams and multi-resistant strains. The appearance and distribution of the determinants of antibiotic resistance NDM-1 and MCR-1 in these bacteria were also detected.Conclusions. Over the past decade, a steady increase in the proportion of A. baumannii and P. Aeruginosa resistant to many antibiotics in patients in intensive care unit and surgery departments in hospitals of Vladivostok (Primorsky reg., Russia), and the emergence of new antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in these microorganisms

ACE inhibitors and myocardial remodeling in patients with arterial hypertension and atrial fibrillation

The study is focused on assessing dynamics of left atrium volume and volume index after treatment of paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), during ACE therapy with lipophilic (n=34) or hydrophilic (n=38) «standard» antihypertensive medications. After sinus rhythm restoration, mechanical dysfunction of left atrium was observed in 95, 8 % of the participants. Standard antihypertensive therapy, including lipophilic or hydrophilic ACE inhibitors, resulted in improved left atrium mechanical function and heart remodeling in 82, 1 %. Hydrophilic ACE inhibitor (Dapril) was no less effective than lipophilic medication (enalapril), being even more effective in terms of duration and dynamics of left atrium mechanical function recovery. Dapril demonstrated high effectiveness, no less than for enalapril, together with minimal adverse event rate (0 % vs 14 %&gt;, respectively). This could improve patients' compliance to persistent medication therapy of the principal pathology

Impact of mine waters on chemical composition of soil in the Partizansk Coal Basin, Russia

Partizansk Coal Basin, located in the south of the Russian Far Eastern Region, was intensively mined from 1918 until 1998. Although it was mostly explored by underground excavation, the natural landscapes were transformed into anthropogenic ones. After the mines closed, ground subsidence occurred widely, especially in areas near the waste dumps. This caused water tables to rise to the surface and pollute the soil. Analysis of the hydrochemical composition of the mine waters were conducted in 2011–2013, and showed low alkalinity and average level of mineralization. This can be explained by the fact that while going up through soil mass, the mine waters lost their much of their pollutants due to soil buffering. All mine water samples contain thermo-tolerant coliform bacteria E. coli that indicates a source of fresh fecal pollution. Our research indicates increased hydrocarbon ion concentrations in mine waters, especially in autumn, that resulted in accumulation of chromium and copper compounds, which can cause soil pollution. A strong relationship between the chemical composition of the mine waters and soil extracts was found within areas of unregulated groundwater discharge on the surface. Significant negative correlation between pH and content of metal compounds including chromium and copper was found at the “Avangard” mine (r = − 0.95); and between alkalinity and chromium content at the “Glubokaya” mine (r = − 0.94). Keywords: Mine waters, Soil solution, Chemical composition, Abandoned coal mines, Bacteriological contamination of wate

ICRF-3: An overview of the proposed next generation Multi-wavelength ICRF

The ICRF-3 proposal to the 2018 IAU General assembly improves the precision, spatial coverage, and frequency coverage relative to the current standard, the ICRF-2 (Ma et al, 2009).This paper will discuss all three frequencies (8, 24, 32 GHz) of the proposed ICRF-3 highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Inter-comparisons will be used to estimate true accuracy of the frame. Comparisons of radio-based VLBI frames to the optical Gaia DR2 frame will provide a complementary assessment from an independent wavelength and technique. We will close with prospects for future development of the ICRF

The third realization of the International Celestial Reference Frame by very long baseline interferometry

International audienceA new realization of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) is presented based on the work achieved by a working group of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) mandated for this purpose. This new realization follows the initial realization of the ICRF completed in 1997 and its successor, ICRF2, adopted as a replacement in 2009. The new frame, referred to as ICRF3, is based on nearly 40 years of data acquired by very long baseline interferometry at the standard geodetic and astrometric radio frequencies (8.4 and 2.3 GHz), supplemented with data collected at higher radio frequencies (24 GHz and dual-frequency 32 and 8.4 GHz) over the past 15 years. State-of-the-art astronomical and geophysical modeling has been used to analyze these data and derive source positions. The modeling integrates, for the first time, the effect of the galactocentric acceleration of the solar system (directly estimated from the data) which, if not considered, induces significant deformation of the frame due to the data span. The new frame includes positions at 8.4 GHz for 4536 extragalactic sources. Of these, 303 sources, uniformly distributed on the sky, are identified as "defining sources" and as such serve to define the axes of the frame. Positions at 8.4 GHz are supplemented with positions at 24 GHz for 824 sources and at 32 GHz for 678 sources. In all, ICRF3 comprises 4588 sources, with three-frequency positions available for 600 of these. Source positions have been determined independently at each of the frequencies in order to preserve the underlying astrophysical content behind such positions. They are reported for epoch 2015.0 and must be propagated for observations at other epochs for the most accurate needs, accounting for the acceleration toward the Galactic center, which results in a dipolar proper motion field of amplitude 0.0058 milliarcsecond/yr (mas/yr). The frame is aligned onto the International Celestial Reference System to within the accuracy of ICRF2 and shows a median positional uncertainty of about 0.1 mas in right ascension and 0.2 mas in declination, with a noise floor of 0.03 mas in the individual source coordinates. A subset of 500 sources is found to have extremely accurate positions, in the range of 0.03 to 0.06 mas, at the traditional 8.4 GHz frequency. Comparing ICRF3 with the recently released Gaia Celestial Reference Frame 2 in the optical domain, there is no evidence for deformations larger than 0.03 mas between the two frames, in agreement with the ICRF3 noise level. Significant positional offsets between the three ICRF3 frequencies are detected for about 5% of the sources. Moreover, a notable fraction (22%) of the sources shows optical and radio positions that are significantly offset. There are indications that these positional offsets may be the manifestation of extended source structures. This third realization of the ICRF was adopted by the IAU at its 30th General Assembly in August 2018 and replaced the previous realization, ICRF2, on January 1, 2019

Russian VLBI network “Quasar”: Current status and outlook

This paper presents the past, present and future status of the Russian VLBI network “Quasar”. This network has been developed for at least 20 years by the Institute of Applied Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IAA RAS). The equipment installed currently at each “Quasar” station and the facilities for processing observational data are described briefly. The latest results are presented, including the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) determined from the “Quasar” VLBI data and comparison with those from other processing centers. Our future plans to extend the “Quasar” VLBI network to the east and to the west will be carried out by establishing the Ussurijsk station in the Far East and the Russian-Cuban station in the west. They are considered in the context of the Russian section activity in the GGOS project. The expected improvement of the EOP determination accuracy can be obtained within the future configuration of the “Quasar” network, which is proved by simulation. Keywords: Russian VLBI network “Quasar”, VLBI co-location station, Space geodesy technique, Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS