Observation of Stochastic Resonance in Percolative Josephson Media

Measurements of the electrical response of granular Sn-Ge thin films below the superconducting transition temperature are reported. The addition of an external noise to the magnetic field applied to the sample is found to increase the sample voltage response to a small externally applied ac signal. The gain coefficient for this signal and the signal-to-noise ratio display clear maxima at particular noise levels. We interpret these observations as a stochastic resonance in the percolative Josephson media which occurs close to the percolation threshold.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Osteoarthritis: management strategies depending on the location of lesions

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial disease that can be caused by genetic factors, obesity, joint microtrauma, and excessive physical exercises. The key features of OA include gradual loss of articular cartilage, bone tissue remodeling, development of osteophytes, and subchondral sclerosis. The pathogenesis of OA is based on the loss of glycosaminoglycans, collagen disorganization, and inflammation mediated by a cytokine cascade. OA is a complex disease affecting not only cartilage, but also intraarticular and periarticular tissues. Together, these changes compromise joint function and cause chronic pain. Considerable attention has beer recently paid to OA phenotyping in order to introduce a tailored approach into patient management. Phenotypes are applicable to the three most common peripheral OA locations: gonarthrosis, coxarthrosis, and hand OA. An international group of experts of primary care has developed algorithms for OA patient management, including diagnostic criteria, treatment options, and criteria for referring the patient to a specialist (rheumatologist). Current guidelines recommend non-drug therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgery. There is a growing interest in phytopharmaceuticals, a heterogeneous group of molecules with a high capacity of suppressing inflammation, oxidative stress, and pain, as well as improving joint function. Mucosate® in capsules (DIAMED-pharma, Russia) is one of currently available complex products with phytocompounds. It contains the NEM® complex (natural eggshell membrane), Harpagophytum root extract, glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and manganese sulfate monohydrate

Clinical and radiological characteristics of patients with plantar fasciitis

Aim: to study the clinical and radiological parameters of patients with plantar fasciitis.Materials and methods: the study involved 91 patients with plantar fasciitis, 73 (80.2%) women, 18 (19.8%) men. The mean age of the patients was 53.42 ± 9.16 years, disease duration was 30.32 ± 8.06 days, BMI was 24.75 ± 4.55 kg/m2. Patients underwent history taking, pain level and quality of life were assessed using the visual analogue scale, the SF-36 questionnaire and the AOFAS scale. The functional state of the feet was assessed using plantoscopy, Y-balance test, Friedland index. X-ray parameters were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging.Results: the disease is common among women aged 51 to 60 years. In 100% of cases, there is no traumatic etiological factor, 42.9% of the subjects note an increase in body weight as the cause, 35.2% – the relationship of the onset of pain with wearing flat shoes; men are more likely to associate the onset of symptoms with an increase in physical activity (83.3%). Subjective sensation of pain on the VAS does not depend on gender (p = 0.280), age (p = 0.509), disease duration (p = 0.371), BMI (p = 0.974). X-ray parameters of patients are characterized in 49.5% by the absence of heel exostosis, in other cases, the development of a heel spur is more typical for women (p = 0.019), its length does not depend on the duration of the disease (p = 0.845), age (p = 0.054), BMI (p = 0.196), lifestyle (p = 0.324) and does not correlate with the severity of pain (p = 0.691). The level of pain is directly proportional to the thickness of the plantar fascia (p < 0.001, ρ = 0.459). Calcaneal edema is observed in 14.3 % of patients, soft tissue edema — in 18.7 %; there was no relationship between calcaneal edema (p = 0.604) and soft tissue edema (p = 0.541) with the severity of pain, and calcaneal edema directly correlates with BMI (p = 0.029).Conclusion: These studies suggest that among the predictors of the development of plantar fasciitis, the most significant are female gender, overweight, wearing flat shoes, and the disease itself is not always a consequence of the development of a heel spur

Collective dynamics of two-mode stochastic oscillators

We study a system of two-mode stochastic oscillators coupled through their collective output. As a function of a relevant parameter four qualitatively distinct regimes of collective behavior are observed. In an extended region of the parameter space the periodicity of the collective output is enhanced by the considered coupling. This system can be used as a new model to describe synchronization-like phenomena in systems of units with two or more oscillation modes. The model can also explain how periodic dynamics can be generated by coupling largely stochastic units. Similar systems could be responsible for the emergence of rhythmic behavior in complex biological or sociological systems.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, 5 figure

Clinical Guidelines of the Russian Society of Surgeons, the Russian Gastroenterological Association, the Association of Surgeons-Hepatologists and the Endoscopic Society “REndO” on Diagnostics and Treatment of Chronic Pancreatitis

Aim: to present modern methods of diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis for gastroenterologists, general practitioners and physicians.Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a long-term inflammatory disease of the pancreas, manifested by irreversible morphological changes in the parenchyma and pancreatic ducts, which cause pain and/or persistent impairment of function. Current concept on the etiology of CP is reflected by the TIGAR-O classification. The criteria for establishing the diagnosis of CP include typical attacks of abdominal pain and/or clinical and laboratory signs of exocrine, endocrine insufficiency with the mandatory detection of characteristic morphological changes (calcifications in the parenchyma and pancreatic ductal stones, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct and its branches). CT, MRCP, and pancreatobiliary endosonography are recommended as the methods of choice to verify the diagnosis of CP. Conservative treatment of patients with CP is provided for symptom relief and prevention of complications. Individual cases with severe non-interactable abdominal pain, as well as a complicated course of the disease (development of ductal hypertension due to main pancreatic duct stones or strictures, obstructive jaundice caused by compression of the common bile duct, symptomatic postnecrotic cysts, portal hypertension due to compression of the portal vein or thrombosis of the splenic vein, persistent duodenal obstruction, pseudoaneurysm of the celiac trunk basin and the superior mesenteric artery) serve as an indication for endoscopic or surgical treatment. The Guidelines set out modern approaches to the diagnosis, conservative, endoscopic and surgical treatment of CP, and the prevention of its complications.Conclusion. The implementation of clinical guidelines can contribute to the timely diagnosis and improve the quality of medical care for patients with chronic pancreatitis

Pharmacological activity of composition on the base of dihydroquercertin and lipoic acid

The purpose of this investigation is to the estimate influence of composition dihydroquercertin and lipoic acid on lymphatic flow, capillary filtration and blood viscosity in comparison with effects of individual components. Lymphokinetic activity of dihydroquercertin was detected. Capillary-protective effect, but in less degree lymphokinetic and hemorheologic ones of composition are higher than the effect of its separate components