Simultaneous Interpreting : Characteristic of Autonomic Provision of Extreme Cognitive Loads

Simultaneous interpreting is one of the most comprehensive and energy-consuming types of cognitive activity. To work successfully, a simultaneous interpreter must have a specific functional state. The aim of our study was to find out the basic mechanisms of this functional state, the effect of the simultaneous interpreting on cognitive function changes, and the main factors influencing the degree of the regulatory systems strain. Materials and Methods. 33 individuals participated in the study: 22 linguists specially trained in simultaneous translation composed the experimental group and 11 language-qualified people having no skills of simultaneous translation represented the control group. In compliance with the study design, the measurements were performed under the conditions similar to the real work of simultaneous interpreters: the participants working in succession performed professional tasks: shadowing in the native and foreign languages (German and English), simultaneous interpretation of the reports from the native language to the foreign, and vice versa. The interpreters were psychologically tested using ApWay.ru Web platform before and after the performance on the professional tasks: computer campimetry, test for a simple sensorimotor activity, Stroop test, and test for emotional disadaptation level. Cardiointervalogram was telemetrically recorded during the entire experiment. Results. Some specific aspects of autonomic provision of simultaneous interpreting have been unraveled. A significantly greater tension of the autonomic regulation is manifested by the simultaneous interpreters compared to the control group. It was most prominent when translation was done from the foreign language. The total level of stress during the performance on the linguistic tasks appeared to be higher in the control group. In the simultaneous interpreters, in contrast to the control group, there was registered a high activity level of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems and a marked integration of the cardiac rhythm regulation circuits over the entire period of performing the linguistic tasks. The psychological tests have demonstrated a significantly more confident cognitive control relative to the control group. Thus, a specific functional system has been formed in the simultaneous interpreters providing a successful interaction of various information images (or codes) and consolidation of autonomic and cognitive resources during the performance on professional tasks. Lack of the necessary skills and, consequently, of the task-oriented functional system in the participants of the control group resulted in the enhancement of the non-specific (less effective) stress response.Peer reviewe

Analysis of the application of the optical method to the measurements of the water vapor content in the atmosphere - Part 1: Basic concepts of the measurement technique

We retrieved the total content of the atmospheric water vapor (or Integrated Water Vapor, IWV) from extensive sets of photometric data obtained since 1995 at Lindenberg Meteorological Observatory with star and sun photometers. Different methods of determination of the empirical parameters that are necessary for the retrieval are discussed. The instruments were independently calibrated using laboratory measurements made at Pulkovo Observatory with the VKM-100 multi-pass vacuum cell. The empirical parameters were also calculated by the simulation of the atmospheric absorption by water vapor, using the MODRAN-4 program package for different model atmospheres. The results are compared to those presented in the literature, obtained with different instruments and methods of the retrieval. The reliability of the empirical parameters, used for the power approximation that links the water vapor content with the observed absorption, is analyzed. Currently, the total (from measurements, calibration, and calculations) errors yield the standard uncertainty of about 10% in the total column water vapor. We discuss the possibilities for improving the accuracy of calibration to ~1% as indispensable condition in order to make it possible to use data obtained by optical photometry as an independent reference for other methods (GPS, MW-radiometers, lidar, etc).Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables. In submitting to Atmospheric Measurement Technique

Результаты клинического исследования препаратов Траумель® С и Цель® Т у пациентов с остеоартритом коленного сустава, имеющих сопутствующие сердечно-сосудистые заболевания

   Objective: to evaluate the efficacy and safety of simultaneous intramuscular administration of Traumeel® S and Zeel® T followed by therapy with the tablet medication Zeel® T in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and concomitant cardiovascular diseases.   Material and methods. The analysis included 119 patients aged 45–79 years (78.2 % women and 21.8 % men) with confirmed diagnosis of knee OA according to Altman criteria, stage II–III according to Kellgren–Lawrence and confirmed cardiovascular disease. The main indicator of efficacy was the change in pain intensity in the target knee joint according to the “Pain” subscale of the WOMAC questionnaire (A) at the final examination compared to the baseline. Other criteria were the dynamics of each symptom of knee OA according to the WOMAC questionnaire (pain, stiffness, and functional impairment, total score) on each visit, pain intensity in the target joint on a visual analogue scale (VAS), time it takes to travel 15 m, and the patient's overall disease assessment on the VAS. In addition, duration of use and dose of paracetamol (if used) were assessed, as well as quality of life by EuroQol and adverse events (AEs). Treatment safety was also analyzed in patients who had received at least one dose of the study drug.   Results and discussion. WOMAC pain intensity decreased by on average of 3.8 points: from 7.6 to 3.8 points (95 % confidence interval, CI from -4.3 to -3.3). Data on changes in knee OA symptoms (pain, stiffness, and functional impairment) for each WOMAC subscale and the total score showed significant improvement at each follow-up visit (p < 0.0001). The VAS pain level decreased by 52%. An improvement in joint function was noted: the time it takes to travel 15 m fell from 19.5 to 16.4 s (p < 0.0001). The EuroQol quality of life score also improved from 57.1 ± 16.2 points at baseline to 71.1 ± 14.8 points on the 84<sup>th</sup> day of therapy. Thirty (25.2 %) patients had AEs, mainly neurological: headache (7.6 %) and hypoesthesia (1.7 %). No serious AEs were recorded. An association between AEs and study drug use was noted in 4 patients (headache, hypoesthesia, muscle cramps, and injection site pain).   Conclusion. The results of the study confirm the efficacy and safety of the use of Traumeel® S and Zeel® T in patients with knee OA who have concomitant cardiovascular disease. During therapy, a significant decrease in pain and other clinical signs of OA (stiffness, limitation of physical activity) was observed, which allows us to recommend this treatment regimen for patients with comorbid pathology, as well as with the risk of developing of AEs during non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs therapy.   Цель исследования – оценить эффективность и безопасность совместного внутримышечного введения Траумель® С и Цель® Т с последующей терапией таблетированным препаратом Цель® Т у пациентов с остеоартритом (ОА) коленного сустава (КС), имеющих сопутствующие сердечно-сосудистые заболевания.   Материал и методы. В анализ включено 119 пациентов 45–79 лет (78,2 % женщин и 21,8 % мужчин) с подтвержденным диагнозом ОА КС по критериям Альтмана, II–III стадией по Kellgren–Lawrence и подтвержденным заболеванием сердечно-сосудистой системы. Основным критерием эффективности было изменение интенсивности боли в целевом КС по субшкале «Боль» опросника WOMAC (A) на завершающем визите по сравнению с исходным уровнем, а дополнительными – динамика отдельных симптомов ОА КС по опроснику WOMAC (боль, скованность и функциональная недостаточность, суммарный индекс) при каждом визите, интенсивность боли в целевом КС по визуальной аналоговой шкале (ВАШ), время прохождения 15 м и общая оценка заболевания пациентом по ВАШ. Кроме того, оценивались продолжительность приема и доза парацетамола (если он использовался), а также качество жизни по EuroQol и нежелательные явления (НЯ). Проведен также анализ безопасности терапии у пациентов, получивших хотя бы одну дозу исследуемого препарата.   Результаты и обсуждение. Интенсивность боли по WOMAC снизилась в среднем на 3,8 балла: с 7,6 до 3,8 балла (95 % доверительный интервал, ДИ от -4,3 до -3,3). Данные об изменении симптомов ОА КС (боль, скованность и функциональная недостаточность) по каждой подшкале WOMAC и суммарный индекс свидетельствовали о значимом улучшении (p < 0,0001) при каждом последующем визите. Уровень боли по ВАШ уменьшился на 52 %. Отмечено улучшение функциональной способности суставов: изменение времени прохождения 15 м (p < 0,0001) с 19,5 до 16,4 с. Оценка качества жизни по EuroQol также улучшилась с 57,1 ± 16,2 балла исходно до 71,1 ± 14,8 балла на 84-й день терапии. У 30 (25,2 %) пациентов возникли НЯ, в основном со стороны нервной системы: головная боль (7,6 %) и гипестезия (1,7 %). Серьезных НЯ не зарегистрировано. Связь НЯ с приемом исследуемого препарата выявлена у 4 пациентов (головная боль, гипестезия, мышечные спазмы и боль в месте инъекции).   Заключение. Результаты исследования подтвердили эффективность и безопасность применения препаратов Траумель® С и Цель® Т у пациентов с ОА КС, имеющих сопутствующие сердечно-сосудистые заболевания. На фоне терапии отмечено значимое уменьшение боли и других клинических признаков ОА (скованности, ограничения физической активности), что позволяет рекомендовать данную схему лечения для пациентов с коморбидной патологией, а также с риском развития НЯ при приеме нестероидных противовоспалительных препаратов

High Efficiency of Kanakinumabum for a Patient with a Late Diagnosed Chronic Infantile Neurological Cutaneous Articular Syndrome (CINCA)

The article presents the monitoring of a severe course of CINCA/NOMID syndrome diagnosed at late stages. The use of monoclonal antibodies to IL 1 — kanakinumabum — in a patient with chronic neurological cutaneous and articular syndrome was successful: fever, cutaneous and pain syndromes were completely stopped, joint contractures decreased after one week of therapy. Laboratory parameters of the child’s disease activity (ESR and CRP) became normal after 8 weeks of treatment. Movements in the affected joints recovered completely after 24 weeks; the audiologist noted an improvement in hearing. The above clinical example demonstrates the high efficiency of kanakinumabum for a patient with chronic neurological cutaneous and articular syndrome, and shows the perspective of therapeutic application of IL 1 blocker for patients with CINCA syndrome including advanced stages of the disease. No adverse effects were noted during kanakinumabum therapy

Protecting Mice from H7 Avian Influenza Virus by Immunisation with a Recombinant Adenovirus Encoding Influenza A Virus Conserved Antigens

Influenza is a highly contagious disease that causes annual epidemics and occasional pandemics. Birds are believed to be the source of newly emerging pandemic strains, including highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the subtype H7. The aim of the study: to evaluate the ability of the recombinant human adenovirus, serotype 5, which expresses genes of influenza A highly conserved antigens (ion channel M2 and nucleoprotein NP), to provide protection to laboratory mice against infection with a lethal dose of avian influenza virus, subtype H7. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to adapt influenza A virus, subtype H7 for reproduction in the lungs of mice, to characterise it, and to use it for evaluation of the protective properties of the recombinant adenovirus. Materials and methods: avian influenza virus A/Chicken/NJ/294508-12/2004 (H7N2) was adapted for reproduction in the lungs of mice by repeated passages. The adapted strain was sequenced and assessed using hemagglutination test, EID50 and LD50 for laboratory mice. BALB/c mice were immunised once with Ad5-tet-M2NP adenovirus intranasally, and 21 days after the immunisation they were infected with a lethal dose (5 LD50) of influenza virus A/Chicken/NJ/294508-12/2004 (H7N2) in order to assess the protective properties of the recombinant adenovirus. The level of viral shedding from the lungs of the infected mice was evaluated by titration of the lung homogenates in MDCK cell culture on days 3 and 6 after infection. The level of specific antibodies to H7 avian influenza virus was determined by indirect enzyme immunoassay. Results: the use of Ad5-tet-M2NP adenovirus for immunisation of the mice ensured 100% survival of the animals that had disease symptoms (weight loss) after their infection with the lethal dose (5 LD50) of H7 avian influenza virus. The study demonstrated a high post-vaccination level of humoral immune response to H7 avian influenza virus. The virus titer decreased significantly by day 6 in the lungs of mice that had been immunised with Ad5-tet-M2NP compared to the control group. Conclusion: the Ad5-tetM2NP recombinant adenovirus can be used to create a candidate pandemic influenza vaccine that would protect against avian influenza viruses, subtype H7, in particular

Determination of Probiotics Prescription Indications in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Materials of the Expert Council and Literature Review)

Aim. To review the main indications for probiotics prescription in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and to present the materials of an Expert Council, which was held on 18 March 2022 in Moscow.Key points. Gut microbiota disturbance is an integral part of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) pathogenesis. Changes of colonic microbiota composition are associated with its functional potential modification, which leads to an increasing of the pro-inflammatory immune response, as well as to an exacerbation of the disease symptoms and quality of life decreasing in patients with IBS. The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is an independent risk factor for both exacerbation and onset of IBS, which predispose to increase IBS incidence. Correction of gut microbiota composition with probiotics seems to be a promising therapeutic target for IBS treatment optimizing. The optimal probiotic should be effective, safe, strain-specific, and its dose and duration of administration should be confirmed by the results of clinical studies. Some of the probiotics with proven efficacy in IBS are Alflorex® and Enterol®.Conclusion. Prescription of certain probiotics in IBS is advisable to normalize the frequency and consistency of stools, relieve abdominal pain and bloating, as well as improve patients’ quality of life