Structure and optical properties of AlN films obtained using the cathodic arc plasma deposition technique

Aluminum nitride (AlN) film coatings have been obtained by a new technique of hybrid helikon-arc ion-plasma deposition. Possibility to combine the magnetic-filtered arc plasma deposition technique with a treatment in RF plasma of helicon discharge allowed us to deposit AlN coatings on thermolabile substrates, significantly increasing the deposition rate. A study of spectral properties of AlN films (reflection and transmission spectra within the range 2…25 µm) has been carried out by using the infrared Fourier spectrometer Spectrum BX-II. It has been shown that the obtained composite structures (AlN coatings on teflon and mylar substrates) could be used as passive filters in the infrared spectral range

Nucleosomes in gene regulation: theoretical approaches

This work reviews current theoretical approaches of biophysics and bioinformatics for the description of nucleosome arrangements in chromatin and transcription factor binding to nucleosomal organized DNA. The role of nucleosomes in gene regulation is discussed from molecular-mechanistic and biological point of view. In addition to classical problems of this field, actual questions of epigenetic regulation are discussed. The authors selected for discussion what seem to be the most interesting concepts and hypotheses. Mathematical approaches are described in a simplified language to attract attention to the most important directions of this field

What's new in the prevention and therapy of fetal growth restriction? Role of nitric oxide

R.S. Osipov1, P.A. Kuznetsov2, L.S. Dzhokhadze2, I.O. Shuginin1 1Moscow Regional Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Moscow, Russian Federation 2Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is an integral term for a group of conditions in which the fetus does not reach the size potentially embedded in its genome. FGR is the main cause of perinatal mortality. Commonly, FGR develops due to placental insufficiency. At the same time, there are very few levers of control on this pathology by obstetricians and gynecologists. The authors present preclinical and clinical study review concerning drugs for the FGR prevention and its therapy, as well as the role of nitric oxide (NO). Currently, it is possible to determine the risk group based on the history and data fr om the first trimester screening, as well as to use acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for the preventive measures. During the study, there are several drugs that can potentially not only prevent FGR but also improve the condition course with, when the diagnose is already established. Conducting randomized clinical trials, wh ere the primary endpoint would be the FGR, will allow to assess the safety and efficacy of the proposed medicines and advance them into clinical practice. Keywords: fetal growth restriction, prevention, acetylsalicylic acid, nitric oxide, randomized clinical trials, small for gestational age. For citation: Osipov R.S., Kuznetsov P.A., Dzhokhadze L.S., Shuginin I.O. What's new in the prevention and therapy of fetal growth restriction? Role of nitric oxide. Russian Journal of Woman and Child Health. 2023;6(3):258–264 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2618-8430-2023-6-3-7. </p

Prevention of preeclampsia with acetylsalicylic acid: a brief history of use and modern prevention methods

R.S. Osipov1, L.S. Dzhokhadze2, P.A. Kuznetsov2, V.V. Shamugiya3 1Moscow Regional Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Moscow, Russian Federation 2Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation 3Branch of the V.V. Veresaev City Clinical Hospital, Moscow, Russian Federation By preeclampsia (PE) we mean hypertension, which first occurred after 20 weeks pregnant in combination with proteinuria or other signs of target organ damage. PE is accompanied by high maternal and perinatal mortality, and these indicators are the higher the earlier the disease onset is. Despite the presence of seemingly effective methods for the PE prevention, this pathology incidence has practically not changed in recent decades. This may be due to the fact that the PE pathogenesis is complex and has not been fully studied. We are still continuing to look for new prognostic markers that would allow us to select high-risk patients. In the high-risk group, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) intake reduces the PE incidence, but the overall picture does not change significantly. Besides, ASA long-term use may increase the risks of some pregnancy complications. Differential treatment tactics for prevention in different risk groups is likely to be effective. The article summarizes the confirmed data on ASA used for the PE prevention and its complications, as well as promising areas for further research. Keywords: preeclampsia, acetylsalicylic acid, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A, PAPP-A, placental growth factor, PlGF, placental abruption, first trimester screening, calcium. For citation: Osipov R.S., Dzhokhadze L.S., Kuznetsov P.A., Shamugiya V.V. Prevention of preeclampsia with acetylsalicylic acid: a brief history of use and modern prevention methods. Russian Journal of Woman and Child Health. 2023;6(4):368–373 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2618-8430-2023-6-4-7. </p

Experimental strategies for optical pump - Soft x-ray probe experiments at the LCLS

Free electron laser (FEL) based x-ray sources show great promise for use in ultrafast molecular studies due to the short pulse durations and site/element sensitivity in this spectral range. However, the self amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) process mostly used in FELs is intrinsically noisy resulting in highly fluctuating beam parameters. Additionally timing synchronization of optical and FEL sources adds delay jitter in pump-probe experiments. We show how we mitigate the effects of source noise for the case of ultrafast molecular spectroscopy of the nucleobase thymine. Using binning and resorting techniques allows us to increase time and spectral resolution. In addition, choosing observables independent of noisy beam parameters enhances the signal fidelity