Morphometric Measurements of Scots Pine Needles from Radioactively Contaminated Area

The morphometric indices of needles were investigated in chronically irradiated Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) populations from territories that were heavily contaminated by radionuclides as a result of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. The variability in needle weight and length, as well as the fluctuating asymmetry indices were studied in seven contaminated and two reference populations of Scots pine in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016. The weight of needles in the contaminated populations was significantly higher than in the reference population; however, the dependence of this index on the level of radiation exposure was not revealed in the studied range of doses. The length of needles differed significantly from the references populations. The effect changed from decreasing to increasing in various years of observation; however, in 2016 this index decreased with the dose rate of β-radiation. The index of fluctuating asymmetry in needle length was significantly higher than at the reference sites during three years and correlated to the estimated annual absorbed dose in 2011 and 2013. No relationship was revealed between the asymmetry in weight of paired needles and radiation exposure

Measurement of prompt D0^{0} and D‾\overline{D}0^{0} meson azimuthal anisotropy and search for strong electric fields in PbPb collisions at root SNN\sqrt{S_{NN}} = 5.02 TeV

The strong Coulomb field created in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions is expected to produce a rapiditydependent difference (Av2) in the second Fourier coefficient of the azimuthal distribution (elliptic flow, v2) between D0 (uc) and D0 (uc) mesons. Motivated by the search for evidence of this field, the CMS detector at the LHC is used to perform the first measurement of Av2. The rapidity-averaged value is found to be (Av2) = 0.001 ? 0.001 (stat)? 0.003 (syst) in PbPb collisions at ?sNN = 5.02 TeV. In addition, the influence of the collision geometry is explored by measuring the D0 and D0mesons v2 and triangular flow coefficient (v3) as functions of rapidity, transverse momentum (pT), and event centrality (a measure of the overlap of the two Pb nuclei). A clear centrality dependence of prompt D0 meson v2 values is observed, while the v3 is largely independent of centrality. These trends are consistent with expectations of flow driven by the initial-state geometry. ? 2021 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY licens

Observation of electroweak production of Wγ with two jets in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

A first observation is presented for the electroweak production of a W boson, a photon, and two jets in proton-proton collisions. The W boson decays are selected by requiring one identified electron or muon and an imbalance in transverse momentum. The two jets are required to have a high dijet mass and a large separation in pseudorapidity. The measurement is based on data collected with the CMS detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The observed (expected) significance for this process is 4.9 (4.6) standard deviations. After combining with previously reported CMS results at 8 TeV, the observed (expected) significance is 5.3 (4.8) standard deviations. The cross section for the electroweak W$_{γjj}$ production in a restricted fiducial region is measured as 20.4 +/- 4.5 fb and the total cross section for W$_{γ}$ production in association with 2 jets in the same fiducial region is 108 +/- 16 fb. All results are in good agreement with recent theoretical predictions. Constraints are placed on anomalous quartic gauge couplings in terms of dimension-8 effective field theory operators

Measurements of production cross sections of polarized same-sign W boson pairs in association with two jets in proton-proton collisions at s=13 TeV

The first measurements of production cross sections of polarized same-sign W±W±boson pairs in proton-proton collisions are reported. The measurements are based on a data sample collected with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137fb−1. Events are selected by requiring exactly two same-sign leptons, electrons or muons, moderate missing transverse momentum, and two jets with a large rapidity separation and a large dijet mass to enhance the contribution of same-sign W±W±scattering events. An observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limit of 1.17 (0.88)fbis set on the production cross section for longitudinally polarized same-sign W±W±boson pairs. The electroweak production of same-sign W±W±boson pairs with at least one of the Wbosons longitudinally polarized is measured with an observed (expected) significance of 2.3 (3.1) standard deviations.SCOAP

Study of needle morphometric indices in Scots pine in the remote period after the Chernobyl accident

Biological effects in Scots pine populations experiencing chronic radiation exposure at doses up to 130 mGy per year as a result of the Chernobyl accident were studied in 2011 and 2013, using needle indices as endpoints. No relationships between the length, the mass of needles and the asymmetry in weight of paired needles and radiation exposure were revealed. The frequency of necrotic needles increases with the level of radiation exposure; however, the significance of these effects in different years was different. The index of fluctuating asymmetry in needle length significantly increases at annual doses of 90 and 130 mGy and correlates with the absorbed dose as well as 137Cs and 90Sr radionuclide activities in soils and cones at the study sites. The findings obtained are consistent with an international recommendation to consider radiation exposure of 100 mGy.y-1 as a margin for biota safety in chronic irradiation

Modern approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

In the literature review on the basis of relevant international and domestic consensus documents, recommendations developed by Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Network (PPHNet) in the USA and Canada in 2017, the European Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease Network (EPPVDN) in 2016, and the Russian clinical guidelines in 2018, as well as authors own experience, present information on diagnostic criteria, patients at risk, clinical, echocardiographic diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The review provides information on the diagnostic significance of determining the brain natriuretic peptide levels, the N-terminal part of the prohormone of the brain natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of PH in BPD, indications for cardiac catheterization and vasoreactivity testing, and other imaging methods. Information is presented on the management, immunization, and therapy of patients with BPD complicated by PH, indications for oxygen therapy, the appointment of pulmonary vasodilators (sildenafil, bosentan), treatment regimens for these drugs. © 2020, Pediatria Ltd.. All rights reserved

Результаты oткрытого, рандомизированного, активно контролируемого, сравнительного мультицентрового исследования эффективности, безопасности и переносимости нового комбинированного препарата (тербинафина гидрохлорид + эконазола нитрат), лак для ногтей лекарственный для локальной монотерапии онихомикоза

Background. Currently, onychomycosis is an urgent and widespread problem in dermatology. The defeat of the nail plates is the cause of a cosmetic defect and a decrease in the quality of life of patients. Systemic antimycotics are effective, but have a number of side effects when used. Thus, a modern and effective approach to the treatment of patients with this pathology is needed. The aim of the study. To prove the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Ekzilak as local monotherapy of onychomycosis compared with cyclopyrox monotherapy. Materials and methods. А randomized open-label study with active control included 172 outpatient subjects: men and women aged 18 to 75 years, with microscopically confirmed onychomycosis of the big toe (one or both feet), a superficial or distal form of onychomycosis with a lesion of no more than 1/3 of the nail length (KIOTOS from 1 to 6). Patients were randomized into two groups: the 1st group of patients applied Ekzilak locally daily for 6 months, the 2nd group of patients applied Ciclopirox nail lacquer topical solution 8% as follows: 1 time a day for the first month, 2 times a week for the second one and 1 time a week for the months third-sixth. The preparations were applied in a thin layer to the affected nail. The primary efficacy endpoint in the study was the proportion of patients who achieved complete recovery of the target toenail at the end of therapy (clinical + mycological recovery). Secondary endpoints included the proportion of patients who achieved clinical recovery after 6 months of treatment (clinical recovery is a complete restoration of the normal morphology of the affected nail), the proportion of patients who achieved mycological recovery (microscopy with KOH solution) after 3 months of treatment, the proportion of patients who achieved complete recovery of the target toenail in 4 weeks after the end of treatment; IGA (Investigator's Global Assessment), Integrated Medicine Patient Satisfaction Scale (IMPSS); the safety Analysis was carried out throughout the study and included an assessment of adverse events, laboratory data, vital signs. Results. The results of the study showed that Ekzilak is superior in terms of efficacy to the registered drug Ciclopirox nail lacquer topical solution 8% as a local monotherapy of onychomycosis. The difference in the proportion of patients who achieved complete recovery between the study drug and the reference drug was 22.09%, 95% CI for the difference in the proportion was [8.21%; 35.97%], the differences between the groups are statistically significant (p=0.002). At the same time, the analysis of safety data, including the assessment of adverse events, laboratory studies and impact on vital signs, did not reveal statistically and clinically significant differences between the treatment groups. Conclusions. New combination drug Ekzilak is an effective and safe treatment option for patients with onychomycosis.Обоснование. В настоящее время онихомикоз является актуальной и распространенной проблемой в дерматологии. Поражение ногтевых пластинок является причиной косметического дефекта и снижения качества жизни больных. Системные антимикотики обладают эффективностью, но имеют ряд побочных действий при применении. Так, необходим современный и эффективный подход к лечению пациентов с данной патологией. Цель исследования. Оценка эффективности, безопасности и переносимости препарата Экзилак в качестве средства для локальной монотерапии онихомикоза в сравнении с монотерапией циклопироксом 8% лаком для наружного применения. Материалы и методы. В рандомизированное открытое исследование с активным контролем были включены 172 амбулаторных пациента мужчины и женщины в возрасте от 18 до 75 лет с микроскопически подтвержденным онихомикозом с локализацией на большом пальце стопы (одной и/или обеих стоп), поверхностной или дистальной формой онихомикоза, при поражении не более 1/3 площади ногтя (клинический индекс оценки тяжести онихомикозов Сергеева (КИОТОС) от 1 до 6). Пациенты были рандомизированы в две группы: 1-я группа пациентов получала наружно ежедневно препарат Экзилак на протяжении 6 месяцев, 2-я группа пациентов использовала лак для ногтей циклопирокс 8% в следующем режиме: 1 раз через сутки в течение первого месяца, в течение второго 2 раза в неделю, в течение третьего-шестого месяцев 1 раз в неделю на все ногтевые пластины стоп. Первичной конечной точкой эффективности в исследовании была доля пациентов, достигших полного излечения целевого ногтя большого пальца ноги в конце терапии (клиническое + микологическое выздоровление). Вторичные конечные точки включали долю пациентов, достигших клинического выздоровления через 6 месяцев терапии (клиническое выздоровление полное восстановление нормальной морфологии пораженного ногтя), долю пациентов, достигших микологического выздоровления (микроскопия с раствором КОН) через 3 месяца терапии, долю пациентов, достигших полного излечения целевого ногтя пальца ноги через 4 недели после окончания терапии, шкалу общей оценки исследователем IGA (Investigators Global Assessment), интегральную шкалу оценки удовлетворенности пациента лечением (IMPSS) Анализ безопасности осуществлялся на протяжении всего исследования и включал оценку нежелательных явлений, лабораторных данных; показателей жизненно важных функций. Результаты. Экзилак превосходит по показателям эффективности зарегистрированный препарат циклопирокс 8% лак для ногтей в качестве средства для локальной монотерапии онихомикоза. Разница долей пациентов, достигших полного излечения, между исследуемым препаратом и препаратом сравнения составила 22,09%, 95% доверительный интервал (ДИ) для разницы долей составил [8,21%; 35,97%], различия между группами статистически значимы (p = 0,002). Анализ данных безопасности, включая оценку нежелательных явлений, лабораторные исследования и влияние на жизненные показатели, не выявил статистически и клинически значимых различий между группами лечения. Заключение. Новый комбинированный препарат Экзилак для топического применения является эффективным и безопасным средством лечения пациентов с онихомикозом