Protivoklopni vođeni projektili zapadne Evrope, Izraela i Indije / Anti-tank guided missiles of western Europe, Israel and India

Protivoklopni vođeni projektili namenjeni su za uništavanje teško-oklopljenih tenkova, kao i drugih oklopnih vozila. Ovaj rad nudi istorijsko-tehnički pregled (razvoj projektila kroz generacije i osnovni podaci vezani za borbeno-operativno dejstvo ovih projektila) ovog tipa naoružanja koje poseduju zemlje zapadne Evrope, Izraela i Indije. Pored osnovnih podataka navode se i cene nekih projektila ponaosob, kao i tendencije razvoja u ovoj grani naoružanja. / Anti-tank guided missiles are designed to hit and destroy heavily armored tanks and other armored fighting vehicles. This review offers a historical and technical overview (development of missiles throughout generations and basic data about combat and operational actions) of this type of weapons in Western Europe, Israel and India. The review also offers prices of some missiles and tendencies of development in this branch. Anti-tank guided missiles are primarily designed to destroy armoured tanks as well as other armoured vehicles. Anti-tank guided systems differ in size, from small ones (shoulder-launched missile weapons carried by a single person) to complex weapon systems (crewserved, vehicle-mounted and airborne systems). The first generation of anti-tank guided missiles is a manually guided MCLOS (Manual Command to Line of Sight) projectile requiring an operator to guide and steer it to a target by a joystick. Vickers vigilant is a British anti-tank wire-guided missile, produced in 1956. The Bantam (Bofors Anti-Tank Missile) or Robot 53 (RB 53) is a Swedish anti-tank wire-guided missile, produced in 1963. Cobra is a German - Swiss product which entered the operational use in 1956. It was replaced by Cobra 2000 and Mamaba systems, which are anti-tank guided missiles of the first generation, but with improved guidance and electronics. ENTAC (Engin téléguidé anti-char) or MGM Petronor-32A is a French anti-tank wire-guided missile, widely spread and still in the operational use in many countries, France included. It is one of the best missiles of its generation. SS.10 preceded the ENTAC system. Its country of origin is the same (France), and it has been in the operational use since 1950. The SS.11 is a modification of the SS.10 system, used for launching from helicopters. The second generation of anti-tank guided missiles is designated by the abbreviation SACLOS (Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight) and represents a semiautomatic guidance of missiles in line. Generally, there are two SACLOS operating principles: - Wire and Radio guided SACLOS - Beam -Riding SACLOS ERYX is a short-range portable SACLOS produced by France and Canada. HOT, existing in three variations (HOT1, HOT 2, HOT 3), is one of the best projectiles of this generation, created as a product of cooperation of Germany and France. Milan (Missile d'Infanterie Léger Antichar) is a European leader escadrille SACLOS missile system. PBS 56 BILL 1 (Bofors, Infantry, Light and Lethal) is an anti-tank guided missile of the Swedish Army. BILL 2 is the heir of the BILL 1 system. LAHAT (Laser Homing Attack or Laser Homing Anti-Tank) is an anti-tank guided missile of low gravity, developed in 1992. Its country of origin is Israel. MAPTS (Man Portable Anti-Tank System) is an anti-tank guided missile with Beam-Riding SACLOS guidance. The country of origin is also Israel. NIMROD is a long-range anti-tank guided missile, created as a project of the Israel Aerospace Industries. Most technologically advanced and the last generation of antitank guided missiles is the third generation. These are the best technological and operational missiles currently available on the world market. This generations fully relies on lasers, electro-optical imagers or W-band radar seekers in the nose of the missile. MTBLAW is the third generation of anti-tank guided missiles developed by Sweden and Great Britain. The warhead and a part of the missile guidance system are based on BILL 2. PARS 3 LR, known also as TRIGAT-LR, is along-range anti-tank guided missile from Germany, still under development. British BRIMESTONE is designed according to a RAF request for a long-range anti-tank guided missile which allows strike aircraft to attack armoured vehicles. Spike, a 'fire and forget' missile, is intended for infantry use and is vehicle-mountable. Its country of origin is Israel. Nag is considered to be a cutting-edge antitank guided missile. It is the third generation of fire and forget systems. The system can operate in all weather conditions with a range from 4 to 7 km. The country of origin is India

Hedgehog signaling pathway and vitamin D receptor gene variants as potential risk factors in odontogenic cystic lesions

ObjectivesGenetic variants in the hedgehog signaling pathway and VDR gene are involved in inflammatory responses and neoplastic transformation. Current study investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the hedgehog pathway genes PTCH1, GLI1, SMO, and VDR contribute to susceptibility to odontogenic cystic lesions, odontogenic keratocysts, or inflammatory radicular cysts.Material and methodsCurrent study examined polymorphisms of PTCH1 (rs357564) and PTCH1 insertion (IVS1-83), GLI1 (rs2228224, rs2228226), SMO (rs2228617), and VDR (rs2228570, rs731236, rs7975232). A case-control study was conducted on 41 keratocyst cases, 43 radicular cyst cases, and control group of 93 healthy individuals without cystic lesions, radiographically confirmed. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms were assessed by real-time and TaqMan SNP genotyping assays, while PTCH1 insertion 18bp IVS1-83 polymorphism was determined by PCR.ResultsThe difference in genotype distribution between keratocyst cases and control group was observed for PTCH1 IVS1-83 and GLI1 rs2228224 polymorphism (p=0.022, p=0.030, respectively). Homozygous mutant GG genotype within GLI1 rs2228224 is associated with increased susceptibility for odontogenous keratocysts, with adjusted odds ratio of 4.098 (confidence interval of 1.482-11.328, p=0.007).ConclusionGLI1 rs2228224 and PTCH1 polymorphisms could predispose to odontogenic keratocysts.Clinical relevanceVariants in hedgehog signaling pathway genes, such as GLI1 and PTCH1, and vitamin D receptor gene, might be considered as molecular risk factors in odontogenic cystic lesions and potential targets for novel therapeutic approaches

Successful treatment with cladribine of Erdheim-Chester disease with orbital and central nervous system involvement developing after treatment of langerhans cell histiocytosis

Introduction. Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare, systemic form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the juvenile xantho-granuloma family with characteristic bilateral symmetrical long bone osteosclerosis, associated with xanthogranulomatous extras-keletal organ involvement. In ECD, central nervous system (CNS) and orbital lesions are frequent, and more than half of ECD patients carry the V600E mutation of the proto-oncogene BRAF. The synchronous or metachronous development of ECD and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in the same patients is rare, and the possible connection between them is still obscure. Cladribine is a purine substrate analogue that is toxic to lymphocytes and monocytes with good hematoencephalic penetration. Case report. We presented a 23-year-old man successfully treated with cladribine due to BRAF V600E-mutation-negative ECD with bilateral orbital and CNS involvement. ECD developed metachronously, 6 years after chemotherapy for multisystem LCH with complete disease remission and remaining central diabetes insipidus. During ECD treatment, the patient received 5 single-agent chemotherapy courses of cladribine (5 mg/m2 for 5 consecutive days every 4 weeks), with a reduction in dose to 4 mg/m2 in a fifth course, delayed due to severe neutropenia and thoracic dermatomal herpes zoster infection following the fourth course. Radiologic signs of systemic and CNS disease started to resolve 3 months after the end of chemotherapy, and CNS lesions completely resolved within 2 years after the treatment. After 12-year follow-up, there was no recurrence or appearance of new systemic or CNS xanthogranu-lomatous lesions or second malignancies. Conclusion. In accordance with our findings and recommendations provided by other authors, cladribine can be considered an effective alternative treatment for ECD, especially with CNS involvement and BRAF V600E-mutation-negative status, when interferon-α as the first-line therapy fails