Direct Visualization of Laser-Driven Focusing Shock Waves

Cylindrically or spherically focusing shock waves have been of keen interest for the past several decades. In addition to fundamental study of materials under extreme conditions, cavitation, and sonoluminescence, focusing shock waves enable myriad applications including hypervelocity launchers, synthesis of new materials, production of high-temperature and high-density plasma fields, and a variety of medical therapies. Applications in controlled thermonuclear fusion and in the study of the conditions reached in laser fusion are also of current interest. Here we report on a method for direct real-time visualization and measurement of laser-driven shock generation, propagation, and 2D focusing in a sample. The 2D focusing of the shock front is the consequence of spatial shaping of the laser shock generation pulse into a ring pattern. A substantial increase of the pressure at the convergence of the acoustic shock front is observed experimentally and simulated numerically. Single-shot acquisitions using a streak camera reveal that at the convergence of the shock wave in liquid water the supersonic speed reaches Mach 6, corresponding to the multiple gigapascal pressure range 30 GPa

Филиал НИИ общей реаниматологии им. В. А. Неговского в городе Новокузнецке: история, научные исследования, достижения

The review presents the history of establishing the Institute, studies and achievements of employees of the V. A. Negovsky Research Institute of General Reanimatology' former regional campus in the city Novokuznetsk.В обзоре представлены история создания, проведенные научные исследования и достижения сотрудников Филиала НИИ общей реаниматологии им. В. А. Неговского в городе Новокузнецке

Crystal structure, magnetism and magnetocaloric properties of Mn\u3csub\u3e2−x\u3c/sub\u3eSn\u3csub\u3e0.5\u3c/sub\u3eGa\u3csub\u3e0.5\u3c/sub\u3e (x=0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8) alloys

Magnetic refrigeration based on the magnetocaloric effect has attracted recent attention due to advantages such as high efficiency and environmental friendliness. We have investigated the structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Mn2−xSn0.5Ga0.5 (x=0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8) alloys prepared using arc-melting and meltspinning techniques with prospects for magnetic refrigeration. The Mn2−xSn0.5Ga0.5 alloys, except for Mn1.2Sn0.5Ga0.5, have a single-phase hexagonal crystal structure. The Mn1.2Sn0.5Ga0.5 alloy also contains a small amount of MnSn2 impurity phase. The Curie temperature and high-field (30 kOe) magnetization at 55 K decrease with increasing Mn concentration from 306 K and 64.1 emu/g (1.07 μB/Mn) for Mn1.2Sn0.5Ga0.5 to 262 K and 46.7 emu/g (0.85 μB/Mn) for Mn2Sn0.5Ga0.5, respectively. The peak values of magnetic entropy change are relatively small with ΔSM,max=1.7 Jkg−1K−1for Mn1.5Sn0.5Ga0.5 at 30 kOe. Despite this, these materials show considerable relative cooling power (RCP) along with a wide working temperature range near room temperature and negligible magnetic and thermal hysteresis, where Mn1.2Sn0.5Ga0.5 shows a highest RCP of 102.3 Jkg−1 at 30 kOe

Динамика содержания внесосудистой воды легких, внутричерепного и церебрального перфузионного давлений при острых нарушениях мозгового кровообращения

Objective: to study the time course of changes in extravascular lung water index (ELWI) and intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressures (ICP and CPP) and to determine their possible relationships in acute cerebral circulatory disorders (ACCD). Subject and methods. ELWI, pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI), ICP, CPP, and central hemodynamics were studied by transpulmonary thermodilution and current X-ray studies were conducted in 18 patients on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of ACCD. Results. Examinations revealed a supratentorial dislocation of the brain in 6 persons; its subtento-rial dislocation was found in 1 case; supra- and subtentorial dislocations were seen in 6. In patients, ELWI and PVPI increased from days 1 and 5, respectively. The high baseline ICP increased over time. CPP remained unchanged. Preserved left ventricular contractility, enhanced myocardial one, a significant direct correlation between ELWI and PVPI, as well as their increase confirmed that the noncardiogenic genesis was responsible for increased ELWI. A direct significant correlation was found between ICP and ELWI, ICP and PVPI. Against this background, acute respiratory distress syndrome developed in 14 patients with pneumonia evolving in its presence in 7 patients. Conclusion. In ACCD, ELWI increases in the first 24 hours of the acute period. One of its causes is, along with others, primary and/or secondary damage to the brainstem structures with elevated ICP and progressive brain dislocation. The determination of ICP, unlike CPP, is crucial in the diagnosis and treatment of primary/secondary brain injuries and in prognosis. Key words: acute cerebral circulatory disorder, extravascular lung fluid, pulmonary vascular permeability, intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, acute respiratory distress syndrome.Цель исследования — изучение динамики содержания внесосудистой жидкости легких (ELWI), внутричерепного и церебрального перфузионного давлений (ICP и CPP) и определение возможных взаимосвязей между ними при острых нарушениях мозгового кровообращения (ОНМК). Материал и методы. Исследование ELWI, индекса проницаемости сосудов легких (PVPI), ICP и CPP, состояния центральной гемодинамики методом транспульмональной термоди-люции и современные рентгенологические исследования проведены у 18 больных в 1, 3, 5 и 7-е сутки острого периода ОНМК. Результаты. При обследовании были выявлены супратенториальная дислокация головного мозга у 6 человек, субтенториальная — у 1, супра- и субтенториальная — у 6. У больных с 1-х суток повышался ELWI, а c 5-х — PVPI. Исходно высокое ICP в динамике возрастало, а CPP не изменялось. Сохранение сократительной способности левого желудочка, повышение сократительной способности миокарда, значимая прямая корреляционная связь между ELWI и PVPI, а также их увеличение подтверждали некардиогенный генез увеличения ELWI. Была выявлена прямая значимая корреляционная связь между ICP и ELWI, ICP и PVPI. Острый респираторный дистресс-синдром (ОРДС) развивался на этом фоне у 14 больных с развитием пневмонии на его фоне у 7-и. Заключение. При ОНМК содержание внесо-судистой жидкости легких увеличивается с первых суток острого периода. Одной из причин этого, наряду с другими, является первичное и/или вторичное повреждение стволовых структур на фоне повышения ICP и прогрессирования дислокации головного мозга. Определение ICP является ведущим в диагностике и лечении первичных/вторичных повреждений головного мозга, а также в прогностическом плане, в отличие от CPP. Ключевые слова: острое нарушение мозгового кровообращения, внесосудистая жидкость легких, проницаемость сосудов легких, внутричерепное давление, церебральное перфузионное давление, ОРДС

From ‘Hellstrom Paradox–to anti-adenosinergic cancer immunotherapy

Cancer therapy by endogenous or adoptively transferred anti-tumor T cells is considered complementary to conventional cancer treatment by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. However, the scope of promising immunotherapeutic protocols is currently limited because tumors can create a ‘hostile–immunosuppressive microenvironment that prevents their destruction by anti-tumor T cells. There is a possibility to develop better and more effective immunotherapies by inactivating mechanisms that inhibit anti-tumor T cells in the tumor microenvironment and thereby protect cancerous tissues from immune damage. This may be now possible because of the recent demonstration that genetic deletion of immunosuppressive A2A and A2B adenosine receptors (A2AR and A2BR) or their pharmacological inactivation can prevent the inhibition of anti-tumor T cells by the hypoxic tumor microenvironment and as a result facilitate full tumor rejection [Ohta A, Gorelik E, Prasad SJ et al (2006) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103(35):13132–3137]. This approach is based on in vivo genetic evidence that A2AR play a critical role in the protection of normal tissues from overactive immune cells in acutely inflamed and hypoxic areas. The observations of much improved T-cell-mediated rejection of tumors in mice with inactivated A2AR strongly suggest that A2AR also protects hypoxic cancerous tissues and that A2AR should be inactivated in order to improve tumor rejection by anti-tumor T cells

Genetic Relationship between Cocirculating Human Enteroviruses Species C

Recombination events between human enteroviruses (HEV) are known to occur frequently and to participate in the evolution of these viruses. In a previous study, we reported the isolation of a panel of viruses belonging to the Human enterovirus species C (HEV-C) that had been cocirculating in a small geographic area of Madagascar in 2002. This panel included type 2 vaccine-derived polioviruses (PV) that had caused several cases of acute flaccid paralysis in humans. Previous partial sequencing of the genome of these HEV-C isolates revealed considerable genetic diversity, mostly due to recombination. In the work presented herein, we carried out a more detailed characterization of the genomes of viruses from this collection. First, we determined the full VP1 sequence of 41 of these isolates of different types. These sequences were compared with those of HEV-C isolates obtained from other countries or in other contexts. The sequences of the Madagascan isolates of a given type formed specific clusters clearly differentiated from those formed by other strains of the same type isolated elsewhere. Second, we sequenced the entire genome of 10 viruses representing most of the lineages present in this panel. All but one of the genomes appeared to be mosaic assemblies of different genomic fragments generated by intra- and intertypic recombination. The location of the breakpoints suggested potential preferred genomic regions for recombination. Our results also suggest that recombination between type HEV-99 and other HEV-C may be quite rare. This first exhaustive genomic analysis of a panel of non-PV HEV-C cocirculating in a small human population highlights the high frequency of inter and intra-typic genetic recombination, constituting a widespread mechanism of genetic plasticity and continually shifting the HEV-C biodiversity

Нарушения транспорта кислорода при комах, обусловленных ишемическим инсультом у шахтеров

Objective: to study oxygen transport impairments in ischemic stroke-induced coma in miners who have been doing underground work for more than 10 years. Subjects and methods. A prospective clinical study was conducted in 48 patients with coma caused by ischemic stroke. Group 1 included 12 miners. Group 2 comprised 36 men not working in coal miners. The groups did not differ in age, disease severity, and admission time. However, the group of miners had a higher incidence of pulmonary complications and therefore higher mortality rates. Comprehensive examination was performed and oxygen delivery index (DO2I), oxygen consumption index (VO2I), oxygen extraction ratio, and arteriovenous oxygen difference were calculated in all those admitted to hospital. Results. In ischemic stroke-induced comas, vasoconstriction resulted in the development of circulatory hypoxia with low DO2I. Then on day 3 respiratory and tissue hypoxia developed in the group of those who had a length of underground service. The relationship between DO2I and VO2I found in the miners suggests that impaired lung oxygenizing function was concurrent with oxygen transport system tension. The fact that there was no significant relationship of the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in venous blood to VO2I in the miners had a high probability of indicating the development of tissue hypoxia. Such relationships were absent in the patients without underground length of service. Conclusion. The miners with an underground service length of 10 years or more and ischemic stroke-induced comas were found to have rapidly developing, more marked and long-term impairments of central hemodynamics, pulmonary oxygenizing function and hence the oxygen transport system as compared to those with no length of underground service. All the above characteristics are due to the lowered reserve capacities of the cardiovascular irnd respiratory systems upon long-term exposure to poor working conditions. Key words: ischemic stroke, oxygen transport, length of underground service, miner.Цель исследования — изучить нарушения транспорта кислорода у шахтеров с подземным стажем работы более 10 лет, находящихся в коме, обусловленной ишемическим инсультом. Материал и методы. Проспективное клиническое исследование проведено у 48 человек, находящихся в коме, обусловленной ишемическим инсультом. В I группу исследования вошли 12 шахтеров. Группу исследования II составили 36 мужчин, не связанных с угольной отраслью. Группы не различались по возрасту, тяжести исходного состояния, срокам поступления. Однако в группе шахтеров было больше легочных осложнений и, как следствие этого, более высокая летальность. Всем поступившим проводилось комплексное обследование, рассчитывались индекс доставки кислорода (ИДО2), индекс потребления кислорода (ИПО2), коэффициент экстракции кислорода, артерио-венозная разница по кислороду. Результаты. При комах, обусловленных ишемическим инсультом, вазоконстрикция приводит к развитию циркуляторной гипоксии со снижением индекса доставки кислорода. В дальнейшем, на 3-и сутки, в группе с подземным стажем развивается дыхательная и тканевая гипоксия. Выявленная у шахтеров взаимосвязь между ИДО2 и ИПО2 дает основания полагать, что нарушение оксигени-рующей функции легких сочеталось с напряжением системы транспорта кислорода. Отсутствие достоверной взаимосвязи насыщения гемоглобина венозной крови кислородом от ИПО2 у шахтеров с большой долей вероятности говорит о развитии тканевой гипоксии. У больных без подземного стажа таких зависимостей не было. Заключение. У шахтеров со стажем подземной работы 10 и более лет при комах, обусловленных ишемическим инсультом, выявляются быстроразвивающиеся, более выраженные и продолжительные нарушения центральной гемодинамики, оксигениру-ющей функции легких и, как следствие этого, системы транспорта кислорода в сравнении с пациентами, не имеющими подземного стажа работы. Все вышеуказанные особенности являются результатом снижения резервных возможностей сердечно-сосудистой и дыхательной систем из-за длительного воздействия неблагоприятных условий производства. Ключевые слова: ишемический инсульт, транспорт кислорода, подземный стаж, шахтер