Method of calculation of electrical properties of materials based on the results of quantum-chemical calculations

The work is devoted to a literary analysis of methods for interpreting the results of quantum-chemical calculations of the electronic structure. The concept of calculating the density of electronic states on the basis of the results obtained by the Hartree-Fock method is given. The structural scheme of the software based on the constructed concept is presented

Expression of somatic-stem transition genes and macrophage-associated genes in breast tumor

In a study of breast cancer of 68 patients before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, overexpression in the residual tumor of 14/16 genes of the somato-stem transition was shown in patients with metastases that subsequently developed. This confirms our hypothesis about the important role of activation of the ability to somato-stem transition for tumor metastasis, which occurs under the influence of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A new prognostic factor has been established, which makes it possible to predict the occurrence of hematogenous metastases with a sensitivity of 69%, a specificity of 94%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 82%

Электропривод и электрооборудование механизма подъема экскаватора ЭШ 20/90

Произведен расчёт и выбор силового оборудования для электропривода механизма подъема одноковшового экскаватора ЭШ 20/90. Исследованы статические и динамические характеристики двухконтурной системы автоматического регулирования электропривода экскаватора.The calculation and choice of power equipment for the electric drive of the lifting mechanism of the one-bucket excavator ES 20/90 is made. The static and dynamic characteristics of a two-circuit automatic control system for the electric drive of an excavator are studied

Psychological interventions for distress in adults undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Objectives: To investigate the characteristics, methodology, quality, and efficacy of psychological interventions for distress in adult patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods: A systematic review of relevant studies was conducted using six databases with supplementary hand searching. Included studies employed an experimental or quasiexperimental design, interventions included at least one psychological component, and outcomes involved psychological distress in affective terms. Data were abstracted and study quality was assessed using Cochrane Foundation criteria amended to include confounder and common factors control. Data were examined and synthesised using a narrative approach and meta-analysis. Results: Eleven articles for nine interventions met the inclusion criteria out of 11741 abstracts. The studies varied in quality, general, intervention, and methodological characteristics while findings were mixed. Interventions tended to show better efficacy when incorporating a major psychological component involving cognitive behavioural or emotional processing methods with substantial interventionist input. However, this was also associated with methodological limitations and threats to internal validity such as poor confounder and common factors control. A meta-analysis yielded a small but significant pooled effect size estimate in favour of interventions with inconsequential heterogeneity. Risk of bias remained a concern. Conclusions: Psychological interventions may provide some benefit in alleviating distress in HSCT but conclusions remain tentative in light of methodological limitations and risk of bias. Further research is needed to evidence the individual contribution of intervention components and mechanism of change together with improving intervention efficiency and methodological quality

Toward Accurate Extraction of Respiratory Frequency From the Photoplethysmogram: Effect of Measurement Site

Background: It is known that the respiration-modulated photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals could be used to derive respiratory frequency (RF) and that PPG signals could be measured from different body sites. However, the accuracy of RF derived from PPG signals of different body sites has not been comprehensively investigated. Objective: This study aims to investigate the difference in the accuracy of PPG-derived RFs between measurements from different body sites, respectively, for normal and deep breathing conditions. Methods: Under normal and deep breathing patterns, the PPG signals were recorded sequentially in a randomized order from six body sites [finger, wrist under (anatomically volar), wrist upper (dorsal), earlobe, and forehead] of 36 healthy subjects. Simultaneously, the reference respiratory signal was measured by a respiratory belt on the chest. Using the frequency demodulation approach, respiratory signals were extracted from PPG signals for calculating RF by power spectral density. The bias between PPG-derived and reference RFs was then analyzed statistically using analysis of variance and non-parametric tests, Bland-Altman analysis, and linear regression to investigate the difference in RF bias between different sites. Results: The RF bias was significantly influenced by the breathing pattern and measurement site (both p 0.05) and significant in the other sites (all p 0.05). The linearity between PPG-derived and reference RFs was highest at the forehead (slope of best-fit line: 0.90, R2: 0.64), followed by the earlobe, finger, arm, and wrist under (slope: 0.71, R2: 0.40). Under deep breathing, there was no significant RF bias in all the measurement sites (p > 0.05) except forehead (p = 0.048). The effect of measurement site on RF bias was not significant (p > 0.05). The finger had the smallest RF bias and the narrowest limits of agreement. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that the accuracy of PPG-derived RF depends on the measurement site and breathing pattern. The best sites are the forehead and finger, respectively, for normal and deep breathing patterns

Extrakorporale Membranoxygenierung mit dem DeltaStream-System bei experimentell induziertem akutem Lungenversagen

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and Acute Lung Injury (ALI) belong to the most frequent indications for admission to an intensive care unit. Both ARDS and ALI are mainly characterized by a ventilation-perfusion mismatch resulting in intrapulmonary shunting and hence in hypoxemia and hypercapnia. Improved understanding of the pathogenesis has led to advances in the treatment of ARDS/ALI. However, standard supportive care including a protective ventilatory strategy with low tidal volumes is frequently not successful in improving gas exchange in severe cases of ARDS/ALI. Therefore, veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be a life-saving therapy ensuring a sufficient gas exchange. However, the clinical use of ECMO is limited due to the size of traditionally used centrifugal pumps and associated risks of adverse events. In contrast, the DeltaStream-system represents a miniaturized extracorporal circuit consisting of a diagonal blood pump and characterized by a significantly reduced foreign surface area and a decreased extracorporeal volume. We thus hypothesized that the DeltaStream-system may reduce contact activation of the blood resulting in less blood trauma. In addition, the aim of the present study was to test safety and efficacy of the DeltaStream-system for extracorporeal lung assist in pigs with experimental induced ALI. After the induction of experimental ALI in 6 pigs by repetitive lung lavages, veno-venous ECMO was started and performed for 6 hours. Extracorporeal blood flow was set to equal 30% of cardiac output, and gas flow with a FiO2 of 1,0 was set to equal blood flow. Maintaining an ACT (Activated Clotting Time) of 123±23 s, no circulatory impairment or thrombus formation was revealed during ECMO. Furthermore, neither free plasma Hb nor fibrinogen concentrations increased significantly during ECMO. Pigs showed no cardiocirculatory dysfunction during the observation period. Gas transfer across the extracorporeal oxygenators allowed an efficacious CO2 removal in all animals. However, only in 2 animals a marked increase in PaO2 was notable. In conclusion, the use of the DeltaStream-system in our study was not associated with major blood damage, thrombus formation or hemodynamic impairment. Thus, the DeltaStream-system may be a promising new tool in the treatment of ARDS/ALI by ECMO

Extrakorporale Membranoxygenierung mit dem DeltaStream-System bei experimentell induziertem akutem Lungenversagen

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and Acute Lung Injury (ALI) belong to the most frequent indications for admission to an intensive care unit. Both ARDS and ALI are mainly characterized by a ventilation-perfusion mismatch resulting in intrapulmonary shunting and hence in hypoxemia and hypercapnia. Improved understanding of the pathogenesis has led to advances in the treatment of ARDS/ALI. However, standard supportive care including a protective ventilatory strategy with low tidal volumes is frequently not successful in improving gas exchange in severe cases of ARDS/ALI. Therefore, veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be a life-saving therapy ensuring a sufficient gas exchange. However, the clinical use of ECMO is limited due to the size of traditionally used centrifugal pumps and associated risks of adverse events. In contrast, the DeltaStream-system represents a miniaturized extracorporal circuit consisting of a diagonal blood pump and characterized by a significantly reduced foreign surface area and a decreased extracorporeal volume. We thus hypothesized that the DeltaStream-system may reduce contact activation of the blood resulting in less blood trauma. In addition, the aim of the present study was to test safety and efficacy of the DeltaStream-system for extracorporeal lung assist in pigs with experimental induced ALI. After the induction of experimental ALI in 6 pigs by repetitive lung lavages, veno-venous ECMO was started and performed for 6 hours. Extracorporeal blood flow was set to equal 30% of cardiac output, and gas flow with a FiO2 of 1,0 was set to equal blood flow. Maintaining an ACT (Activated Clotting Time) of 123±23 s, no circulatory impairment or thrombus formation was revealed during ECMO. Furthermore, neither free plasma Hb nor fibrinogen concentrations increased significantly during ECMO. Pigs showed no cardiocirculatory dysfunction during the observation period. Gas transfer across the extracorporeal oxygenators allowed an efficacious CO2 removal in all animals. However, only in 2 animals a marked increase in PaO2 was notable. In conclusion, the use of the DeltaStream-system in our study was not associated with major blood damage, thrombus formation or hemodynamic impairment. Thus, the DeltaStream-system may be a promising new tool in the treatment of ARDS/ALI by ECMO

Wider den Befristungswahn

In Frankreich müssen Arbeitgeber zukünftig für befristete Stellen mehr in die Sozialkassen einzahlen. Eine Neuerung, die auch in Deutschland auf die Tages­ordnung gehört - denn befristete Beschäftigung verursacht gesellschaftliche Kosten und Probleme

Boy running through the snow, England

Cataloguer's title.The Rorke Family Photograph Collection contains 301 black and white and 28 colour photographs of the Rorke Family of Carbonear, Newfoundland, as well as the Forward and Bemister families from that area who are linked to it by marriage. Although spanning from the 1840s-1970s, most photos are from 1900-45, showing family events, homes and Newfoundland and Labrador locations. There is also an album of photos taken while James Rorke attended the Leys School in Cambridge, England