The use of nitinol rods in stabilization of the lumbar spine for patients under 21 years

The outcomes of surgical treatment of 25 young patients with degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine in two groups were compared in patients with nitinol rods (dynamic stabilization) without spondylodesis and with rigid lumbar fixation of titanium rods. Men - 12, women - 13, the average age is 17.6 years (from 16 to 21 years). These patients are divided into 2 groups depending on the stabilization method. Clinical and radiological results were monitored at least 1 year after the operation. In our study we used nitinol rods of 2 standard sizes - 60 and 80 mm. The size and curvature of the bending of the rods is calculated from the average anatomical parameters characteristic of the lumbar spine and lumbosacral junction. In all groups, there were no statistically significant differences in preoperative values and in the control periods of observation of the VAS (for both the back and the lower limb), Oswestry and SF-36 between patients with nitinol and titanium rods (p> 0.05). In both cases (rigid and dynamic stabilization), statistically significant changes were noted in the postoperative period (p <0.01). In both groups, in comparison with preoperative values, improvement was observed in all control periods, which were highly statistically significant (p <0.01). When studying the mobility in stabilized segment with dynamic nitinol rods, it is determined that the mobility, which persists in 1 segment, averages 4.8°. This index is within the limits of measurement error (up to 5°), however, when measuring mobility in two segments, the mobility is 9.6°. Transpedicular fixation of the lumbosacral spine with the use of nitinol rods is an effective technology that allows to keep movements in the lumbosacral spine in combination with a stable fixation. Further study of this technology should continue, including with reference to deformations of the spine

Extraribosomal functions associated with the C terminus of the 37/67 kDa laminin receptor are required for maintaining cell viability

The 37/67 kDa laminin receptor (LAMR) is a multifunctional protein, acting as an extracellular receptor, localizing to the nucleus, and playing roles in rRNA processing and ribosome assembly. LAMR is important for cell viability; however, it is unclear which of its functions are essential. We developed a silent mutant LAMR construct, resistant to siRNA, to rescue the phenotypic effects of knocking down endogenous LAMR, which include inhibition of protein synthesis, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. In addition, we generated a C-terminal-truncated silent mutant LAMR construct structurally homologous to the Archaeoglobus fulgidus S2 ribosomal protein and missing the C-terminal 75 residues of LAMR, which displays more sequence divergence. We found that HT1080 cells stably expressing either silent mutant LAMR construct still undergo arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle when treated with siRNA. However, the expression of full-length silent mutant LAMR rescues cell viability, whereas the expression of the C-terminal-truncated LAMR does not. Interestingly, we also found that both silent mutant constructs restore protein translation and localize to the nucleus. Our findings indicate that the ability of LAMR to regulate viability is associated with its C-terminal 75 residues. Furthermore, this function is distinct from its role in cell proliferation, independent of its ribosomal functions, and may be regulated by a nonnuclear localization

Cage Subsidence after Surgery on the Anterior Part of the Subaxial Cervical Spine: a Monocentric Prospective Clinical Study with a 3-Year Follow-Up

The choice of an implant for vertebra body defect replacement in corpectomy for traumatic lesions remains a point of discussion among spinal surgeons. Nanostructured carbon cages are promising for use in spinal surgery.The purpose of this study was to determine the rate and degree of cage subsidence in the patients with traumatic lesions of the cervical spine undergone a single-level anterior corpectomy in the subaxial part of the cervical spine with reconstruction using a carbon or titanium cage. Materials and Methods. A prospective study included 47 patients undergone a single-level corpectomy of the cervical spine due to traumatic injury. Two groups were formed by adaptive randomization: group I with the patients with carbon cages (n = 23), and group II with the patients with titanium cages (n = 24). The evaluation of cages subsidence and stability was carried by X-rays and CT before and after surgery. The quality of life before and after the surgery was evaluated using NDI and VAS questionnaires.Results. According to the questionnaires, the absolute majority of the patients in both groups showed a statistically significant improvement of quality of life in the postoperative period (p&lt;0.01). The first signs of implant subsidence were noted 3 months after surgery in group II. There were none of such cases in group I. The final result of the subsidence at the end of the follow-up comprised: for group I 0.6±0.4 mm, for group II 3.1±1.4 mm (p = 0.023). In group II, the bone block between bone tissue and the cage was recorded in 30% of patients (p = 0.037), in group I, the bone block was not formed. At the same time, according to the functional X-ray data, there were no signs of carbon cages instability in group I. None of the patients in groups I and II required revision surgery due to complications associated with cages placement.Conclusion. The outcomes of carbon nanostructure cages placement as bodyreplacing implants in the cervical spine were not inferior to the outcomes of titanium mesh cages using. In group I, the carbon cages subsidence was significantly lower than in group II with titanium cages. The bone block was not formed in the case of carbon cages. It is worth noting that the carbon structure of the cages allowed the radiological diagnostics of the operated segment without artifacts formation

Raman scattering of phonon-plasmon coupled modes in self-assemled GaN nanowires

We report the determination of free-electron concentration and mobility of free-standing GaN nanowires (NWs) by line shape analysis of the coupled longitudinal optical phonon-plasmon Raman modes (L+). The E-2(high) phonon mode at 566.9 cm(-1) with a sharp linewidth of 2.8 cm(-1) indicates strain free NWs with high crystalline perfection. The lattice temperature of the NWs was varied between 313 and 472 K by varying the excitation laser beam power. For unintentionally doped samples at room temperature, an average electron concentration and mobility of strain free NWs were found to be similar to 2 x 10(17) cm(-3) and 460 cm(2)/V s, respectively. We have shown that the electron concentration does not change significantly over a temperature range between 313 and 472 K. The electron mobility decreases at high temperatures, in agreement with literature data for compact layers. For Si-doped NWs, the L+ phonon peak is strongly upshifted indicating a higher free-carrier concentration of about 1 x 10(18) cm(-3). Asymmetric broadening observed at the lower frequency side of the L+ phonon peak might be ascribed to the enhancement in surface optical modes due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of NWs. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3148862

Агромелиоративная обработка осушаемых почв

   Показана эффективность объемного щелевания, приемов основной обработки и их совместного действия на продуктивность полевых культур и агрофизические свойства осушаемых почв. Опыты проводились на экспериментальном агрополигоне Губино Всероссийского научно-исследовательского института мелиорированных земель, расположенном на объекте мелиорации в Тверской области. Почвы дерново-подзолистые окультуренные легкосуглинистые глееватые, сформированные на маломощном двучлене, осушаемые закрытым гончарным дренажем. Объемное щелевание проводили на глубину 45–50 см с заполнением подпахотной части (30–50 см) измельченной соломой, растительными остатками в смеси с гумусовым слоем. Щелевание осуществлялось специально разработанным орудием. Ширина щели – 16 см, шаг щелевания – 140 см. Установлена эффективность гребнистой вспашки, объемного щелевания почвы и их совместного действия. Урожайность овса при гребнистой вспашке в среднем за 5 лет повысилась на 0,36 т/га (12,0 %), под влиянием щелевания – на 0,60 (20,0 %), при совместном их действии – на 0,82 т/га (27,0 %). Долевое участие щелевания в суммарной прибавке урожая в среднем за 5 лет составило 73,2 %, гребнистой вспашки – 26,8 %. Положительное влияние щелевания на урожайность полевых культур в опыте наблюдалось в течение 6 лет. Суммарная прибавка урожая от объемного щелевания почвы на овсе за 5 лет составила 3,0 т зерна на 1 га, при совместном действии с гребнистой вспашкой – 4,1 т зерна на 1 га, или на 36,7 % больше. Повышение урожайности овса как при щелевании почвы, так и при гребнистой вспашке произошло за счет увеличения количества продуктивных стеблей и массы зерна в метелке. При щелевании эти показатели увеличились на 8,4 и 11,3 %, при гребнистой вспашке – на 6,1 и 12,0 %. Результаты исследований могут быть использованы при разработке агромелиоративных систем обработки почвы и в адаптивных агротехнологиях возделывания яровых зерновых культур.   The paper shows efficiency of volumetric slotting, methods of basic treatment and their combined effect on the performance of field crops and agrophysical properties of drained soils. The experiments were carried out at the Gubino experimental agro-polygon of the All-Russian Research Institute of Reclaimed Lands (VNIIMZ), located at the reclamation facility in the Tver region. The soils under experiment are cultivated soddy-podzolic, light loamy gleyic, formed on a thin binomial, drained by closed pottery drainage method. Volumetric slotting was carried out to a depth of 45–50 cm with filling the subarable part (30–50 cm) with crushed straw, plant residues mixed with a humus layer. The slotting was carried out with a specially designed tool. Slot width – 16 cm, slotting pitch – 140 cm. Efficiency of ridge plowing, volumetric slotting of the soil and their joint action has been determined. The yield of oats during ridge plowing increased by an average of 0.36 t/ha (12.0 %) over 5 years, in case of slotting – by 0.60 (20.0 %), in case of combined action – by 0.82 t/ha, or 27.0 %. The share of slotting in the total increase in yield on average over 5 years was 73.2 %, ridge plowing – 26.8 %. The positive effect of slotting on the yield of field crops during the experiment was observed for 6 years. The total increase in yield from volumetric soil slotting on oats for 5 years was 3.0 tons of grain per 1 ha, with combined action with ridge plowing – 4.1 tons of grain per 1 ha, or 36.7 % higher. The increase in the yield of oats, both with soil slotting and with ridge plowing, occurred due to an increase in the number of productive stems and the mass of grain in the panicle. With slotting, these indicators increased by 8.4 and 11.3 %, with ridge plowing – by 6.1 and 12.0 %. The results of the research can be used in the development of agro-reclamation tillage systems and in adaptive agricultural technologies for the cultivation of spring grain crops.   Показана эффективность объемного щелевания, приемов основной обработки и их совместного действия на продуктивность полевых культур и агрофизические свойства осушаемых почв. Опыты проводились на экспериментальном агрополигоне Губино Всероссийского научно-исследовательского института мелиорированных земель, расположенном на объекте мелиорации в Тверской области. Почвы дерново-подзолистые окультуренные легкосуглинистые глееватые, сформированные на маломощном двучлене, осушаемые закрытым гончарным дренажем. Объемное щелевание проводили на глубину 45–50 см с заполнением подпахотной части (30–50 см) измельченной соломой, растительными остатками в смеси с гумусовым слоем. Щелевание осуществлялось специально разработанным орудием. Ширина щели – 16 см, шаг щелевания – 140 см. Установлена эффективность гребнистой вспашки, объемного щелевания почвы и их совместного действия. Урожайность овса при гребнистой вспашке в среднем за 5 лет повысилась на 0,36 т/га (12,0 %), под влиянием щелевания – на 0,60 (20,0 %), при совместном их действии – на 0,82 т/га (27,0 %). Долевое участие щелевания в суммарной прибавке урожая в среднем за 5 лет составило 73,2 %, гребнистой вспашки – 26,8 %. Положительное влияние щелевания на урожайность полевых культур в опыте наблюдалось в течение 6 лет. Суммарная прибавка урожая от объемного щелевания почвы на овсе за 5 лет составила 3,0 т зерна на 1 га, при совместном действии с гребнистой вспашкой – 4,1 т зерна на 1 га, или на 36,7 % больше. Повышение урожайности овса как при щелевании почвы, так и при гребнистой вспашке произошло за счет увеличения количества продуктивных стеблей и массы зерна в метелке. При щелевании эти показатели увеличились на 8,4 и 11,3 %, при гребнистой вспашке – на 6,1 и 12,0 %. Результаты исследований могут быть использованы при разработке агромелиоративных систем обработки почвы и в адаптивных агротехнологиях возделывания яровых зерновых культур