Tectonic sources of caucasus strong earthquakes

International audienceThe method called "phase cone" is developed in order to define the location, time of arising and velocity of the earthquakes initiating the low-speed interference stress waves. From the data of the strong earthquakes with M?6.0 in Caucasus region during 1900-1992, the immigrators or tectonic sources of low-speed waves were revealed, interference nodes of which had initiated 19 earthquakes out of total 33. The time of arising of low-speed stress waves or periods of awaking of tectonic sources is defined. The velocities of constant initiative waves for all events were calculated. Its average value is equal to 2.97km per year

Relatively small earthquakes of Javakheti Highland as the precursors of large earthquakes occuring in the Caucasus

International audienceJavakheti Highland is one of the most seismic active regions of the Caucasus. The majority of earthquakes observed throughout the region occur within this small area (f = 40.8° ? 41.8° ; l = 43.3° ? 44.3°). One can expect that exclusive seismic activity of Javakheti Highland testifies to global geophysical processes which take place throughout the Caucasus region. Based on the above-mentioned, of interest was to study variation with time of the number of earthquakes occurring in Javakheti region. We analysed some 695 relatively small earthquakes (2.5 M > 6.0 of the region which occurred in the same period. It was found that each large earthquake of the Caucasus is anticipated by clear precursor in a form of an anomalous change in the number of relatively small earthquakes in Javakheti Highland

Connection of large earthquakes occurring moment with the movement of the Sun and the Moon and with the Earth crust tectonic stress character

It is acceptable that earthquakes certain exogenous (cosmic) triggering factors may exist in every seismoactive (s/a) region and in Caucasus among them. They have to correct earthquake occurring moment or play the triggering role in case when the region is at the limit of the critical value of the geological medium of course. <br><br> Our aim is to reveal some exogenous factors possible to initiate earthquakes, on example of Caucasus s/a region, taking into account that the region is very complex by the point of view of the tectonic stress distribution. <br><br> The compression stress directed from North to South (and vice versa) and the spread stress directed from East to West (and vice versa) are the main stresses acted in Caucasus region. No doubt that action of the smallest external stress may "work" as earthquakes triggering factor. <br><br> In the presented work the Moon and the Sun perturbations are revealed as initiative agents of earthquakes when the directions of corresponding exogenous forces coincide with the directions of the compression stress or the spreading tectonic stress in the region

Analysis of LongTerm Results of 1500 Laparoscopic AntiReflux Procedures

Операцией выбора в лечении грыж пищеводного отверстия диафрагмы (ГПОД) является пластика пищеводного отверстия диафрагмы (ПОД) и фундопликация (ФП). Общий процент отличных и хороших отдаленных результатов по данным мировой литературы составляет 80–90%. В структуре неудовлетворительных результатов антирефлюксных операций ведущее место занимает рецидив грыжи с миграцией манжетки в полость средостения, нарушение целостности фундопликациолнной манжетки и стойкая дисфагия, связанная с пластикой ПОД и ФП. На основании двух мета-анализов, завершенных и опубликованных в 2010 году, многолетний спор сторонников ФП по Ниссену и по Тупе завершился выводом: контроль рефлюкса обе методики обеспечивают в одинаковой степени, явления дисфагии несколько чаще встречаются после фундопликации по Ниссену у пациентов с нарушениями перистальтики пищевода. Поэтому поиск наиболее актуальными задачами является разработка оптимальных методик пластики пищеводного отверстия диафрагмы для профилактики рецидивов и стойкой дисфагии. Целью данной работы был критический анализ отдаленных результатов различных методик лапароскопических антирефлюксных операций, основанный на большом клиническим материале.The choice of method of hiatal hernia repair is still controversial. The aim of the study was to compare different methods of repair and fundoplications based on the results of 1500 laparoscopic anti-reflux procedures. Recurrences in cruroraphy group (I) were in 10.2% of cases, with dysphagia rate of 5.3%. Recurrences in mesh repair group (II) were in 5% of cases, with dysphagia rate of 7.1%. The rates of dysphagia and reoperations were lower in composite mesh subgroup (original technique) than in polypropylene mesh subgroup. Modified Nissen fundoplication is better in terms of postoperative quality of life than conventioanl Nissen technique

The role of proximal vagotomy at laparoscopic fundoplication according to Toupet

Залишається актуальним питання про спосіб фундоплікації при лапароскопічних антирефлюксних операціях. Метою даного дослідження є порівняння віддалених результатів фундоплікації за Тупе в чистому вигляді і доповненої селективною проксимальною ваготомією (СПВ). Із 1994 до 2010 року 203 пацієнтам були виконані лапароскопічні фундоплікації за Тупе. Хворих поділили на 3 зіставних групи залежно від клінічних характеристик пацієнтів. У пацієнтів, які мали явища шлункової гіперсекреції та індекс DeMeester >80, фундоплікація за Тупе доповнювалася СПВ (основна група). Віддалені результати, вивчені в середньому через 6 років після операції, показали, що частота симптомів гастроезофагеальної рефлюксної хвороби (ГЕРХ) була достовірно меншою в основній групі, якість життя за шкалою GERD-HRQL достовірно поліпшилась в основній групі більшою мірою, ніж у групах порівняння. Індекс DeMeester після операції також був достовірно меншим в основній групі, ніж у групах порівняння. При тяжкому перебігу ГЕРХ і поєднанні її зі шлунковою гіперсекрецією, якщо виконується фундоплікація за Тупе (при ризику розвитку дисфагії на тлі дискінезій стравоходу і при анатомічних особливостях дна шлунка та шлунково-селезінкової зв’язки, коли неможлива широка мобілізація дна шлунка для накладення циркулярної манжети), її доцільно доповнювати СПВ.The choice of method of fundoplication in laparoscopic antireflux surgery is still controversial. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to compare long-term results of laparoscopical classical Toupet fundoplication and Toupet fundoplication with highly selective vagotomy. From 1994 till 2010, 203 patients were operated using Toupet technique of fundoplication; 3 groups were compared. Basic group contained 71 patients which were operated using Toupet technique with HSV. Long-term results were studied with a mean follow-up period of 6 years. The Touped fundoplication with HSV were superior in terms of incidence of symptoms of GERD, quality of life by GERD-HRQL score, degree of esophagitis and DeMeested score. Combination of Toupet fundoplication with HSV is recommended for GERD patients with hypersecretion of stomach and heavy gastroesophageal reflux

Early Pleistocene enamel proteome from Dmanisi resolves Stephanorhinus phylogeny

The sequencing of ancient DNA has enabled the reconstruction of speciation, migration and admixture events for extinct taxa. However, the irreversible post-mortem degradation2 of ancient DNA has so far limited its recovery—outside permafrost areas—to specimens that are not older than approximately 0.5 million years (Myr). By contrast, tandem mass spectrometry has enabled the sequencing of approximately 1.5-Myr-old collagen type I, and suggested the presence of protein residues in fossils of the Cretaceous period—although with limited phylogenetic use. In the absence of molecular evidence, the speciation of several extinct species of the Early and Middle Pleistocene epoch remains contentious. Here we address the phylogenetic relationships of the Eurasian Rhinocerotidae of the Pleistocene epoch, using the proteome of dental enamel from a Stephanorhinus tooth that is approximately 1.77-Myr old, recovered from the archaeological site of Dmanisi (South Caucasus, Georgia). Molecular phylogenetic analyses place this Stephanorhinus as a sister group to the clade formed by the woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) and Merck’s rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis). We show that Coelodonta evolved from an early Stephanorhinus lineage, and that this latter genus includes at least two distinct evolutionary lines. The genus Stephanorhinus is therefore currently paraphyletic, and its systematic revision is needed. We demonstrate that sequencing the proteome of Early Pleistocene dental enamel overcomes the limitations of phylogenetic inference based on ancient collagen or DNA. Our approach also provides additional information about the sex and taxonomic assignment of other specimens from Dmanisi. Our findings reveal that proteomic investigation of ancient dental enamel—which is the hardest tissue in vertebrates, and is highly abundant in the fossil record—can push the reconstruction of molecular evolution further back into the Early Pleistocene epoch, beyond the currently known limits of ancient DNA preservation

Can environment or allergy explain international variation in prevalence of wheeze in childhood?

Asthma prevalence in children varies substantially around the world, but the contribution of known risk factors to this international variation is uncertain. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Two studied 8–12 year old children in 30 centres worldwide with parent-completed symptom and risk factor questionnaires and aeroallergen skin prick testing. We used multilevel logistic regression modelling to investigate the effect of adjustment for individual and ecological risk factors on the between-centre variation in prevalence of recent wheeze. Adjustment for single individual-level risk factors changed the centre-level variation from a reduction of up to 8.4% (and 8.5% for atopy) to an increase of up to 6.8%. Modelling the 11 most influential environmental factors among all children simultaneously, the centre-level variation changed little overall (2.4% increase). Modelling only factors that decreased the variance, the 6 most influential factors (synthetic and feather quilt, mother’s smoking, heating stoves, dampness and foam pillows) in combination resulted in a 21% reduction in variance. Ecological (centre-level) risk factors generally explained higher proportions of the variation than did individual risk factors. Single environmental factors and aeroallergen sensitisation measured at the individual (child) level did not explain much of the between-centre variation in wheeze prevalence

Histological Changes of Linear Scleroderma “en Coup de Sabre”

Introduction. Scleroderma is a chronic disease of unknown aetiology characterized by skin fibrosis and is divided into two clinical entities: localized scleroderma and systemic sclerosis. But the localized scleroderma is not accompanied by Raynaud’s phenomenon, acrosclerosis and internal organ involvement and the life prognosis of patients with localized scleroderma is good. Scleroderma “en coup de sabre” (ECDS) is considered a linear localized form of scleroderma or morphoea. It usually involves, unilaterally, the frontoparietal area, but may extend downwards to the face. Most cases begin before 10 years of age. The aim of our study was to investigate the histological characteristics and their clinical association in ECDS. Materials and methods. The present study was carried out at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology in Tbilisi State Medical University. 11 patients (2 men and 9 women) with lesions clinically and histologically diagnosed as ECDS were retrospectively included. Patients who were treated with immunomodulating agents, including systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressants before presentation, or patients complicated with Parry – Romberg syndrome were excluded from the study. All patients were subjected to: history taking including: age, sex, duration of the disease, family history; clinical examination; skin biopsy – evaluated for epidermal atrophy, spongiosis, vacuolar degeneration of basal cell layer, satellite cell necrosis, basal pigmentation, melanin incontinence, perivascular infiltrate, perineural infiltrate, periappendageal infiltrate, vacuolar changes of follicular epithelium and dermal fibrosis. Results. All ECDS patients demonstrated epidermal lymphocytic infiltrate, tagging of lymphocytes along the dermo-epidermal junction and vacuolar changes, regardless of disease duration, clinical presentation and the intensity of perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. Furthermore, when we defined patients with disease duration of < 3 years and of ≥ 6 years, respectively, the degrees of perivascular and/or peri-appendageal infiltrate and vacuolar changes of follicular epithelium were much greater, whereas epidermal atrophy was less frequently seen, in early ECDS patients than in late ECDS patients. The intensity of interface dermatitis in epidermis was comparable between early and late ECDS lesions. Also it’s important to mention, that in our study in early stage localized scleroderma the characteristic histological finding is not only perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. Vacuolar changes in epidermis is also a common histological feature in the sites of damaged skin of ECDS patients and vacuolar changes in follicular epithelium and peri-appendageal infiltrate serve as a histological marker of early and active ECDS lesions in addition to perivascular infiltrate. Conclusions. Although the pathogenesis of localized scleroderma still remains unknown, the present observation and received results are useful to determine the activity of skin lesions in ECDS and provide us a new clue to further understand the pathogenesis of this disorder