Some types of carbon-based nanomaterials as contrast agents for photoacoustic tomography

This paper is devoted to the study of various carbon-based nanomaterials as photoacoustic contrast agents. The research work was performed on agarose-based tissue phantom containing inclusions with and without carbon-based nanomaterials. The inclusion was created with the higher density compared to phantom in order to simulate a tumor. A specially designed photoacoustic probe was introduced for measuring a level of photoacoustic signal and its enhancement caused by the nanoinclusions presence. The probe consists of a buffer for time separation of the signal coming from the excitation source, piezoelectric transducer, and amplifier. A point-by-point measurement of the signal was performed to obtain a two-dimensional map from magnitude of photoacoustic signal and phase delay of the signal registration. From phase delay the 3D photoacoustic images were reconstructed by evaluation of the depth coordinate based on the tissue sound velocity. As an excitation source the light radiation from Nd:YAG laser with a 16 ns pulse duration and a 1064 nm wavelength was used. Firstly, we considered tissue phantom with a tumor covered by graphene oxide as a reference one. It has been shown that the use of graphene oxide leads to significant improvement of the image contrast. Further, the tumors labelled with nanodiamonds (NDs) and carbon fluoroxide (CFO) nanoparticles (NPs) were studied systematically. Amplitude of the photoacoustic signals registered from such tumor phantoms are one order of magnitude lower than the signal ensured by graphene oxide. All three types of the studied carbon-based nanomaterials (GO, NDs, CFO) give stable photoacoustic signal, this allows to consider them as good candidates for further in-vitro experiments in photoacoustic imaging for biological applications. The dependences of the signal level as a function of the NPs concentration were measured for types of NPs. Considering much more efficient penetration of NDs and CFO NPs inside the cells as well as their extremely low cytotoxicity, these both types of carbon nanomaterials could be used for further in-vivo experiments

Semantics of anthroponyms in S. Snegov’s novel “People as Gods”

The article analyzes the central work of fiction by the famous Soviet science fiction writer of the second half of the 20th century, whose work was almost not considered in scientific works, and the problem of anthroponymy was not considered at all. The science fiction novel by S. Snegov “People as gods” served as the material for the study. Using contextual, mythological, structural-semantic and intertextual methods, an analysis was made of the proper names of the key characters in this work in order to better understand the author's intention. The protagonist's name, Eli, has an obvious connection with the biblical name El, which is found as a common and generic designation for God in various languages ​​and dialects of the Middle East. In addition, it is a direct reference to the title of the work, which contains the central question in the artistic system of the novel about man as a god-like being. The name of the protagonist's wife – Mary – is the English form of the Russian name Maria, which contains a high meaning, well understood by the Christian consciousness. In the complete absence of any external or internal similarity between the heroine of Snegov and the Virgin Mary, there is an associative connection between them: as a biologist, Mary is looking for ways to spread life on uninhabited planets. In addition, she is the mother of a boy named Astre, who in the novel is associated with the Person of the Gospel Savior. The semantics of the names of other characters also connects the ideological space of the work with the foundations of the Christian worldview. Thus, consideration of the names of the central characters gives the author the opportunity to show that the onomastic field in terms of anthroponyms is semantically connected with biblical motifs and plots. System analysis leads the author to the conclusion that anthroponyms in the novel create a special semantic space that contributes to a deep understanding of the author's intentions

Пристрій для фільтрації кісткової стружки

Application of grafts for bone grafting is essential for spine surgery, traumatology and orthopedics, oncology, maxillofacial surgery. However, there is no ideal graft that would have all the necessary properties (osteogenic, osteoconductive, osteoinductive) and it would not have significant disadvantages. At spinal surgery, high-speed bone milling machines are used during decompression. In the case of bone tissue resection an equivalent amount of bone chips appears which is routinely aspirated and disposed of together with blood and destroyed tissues. At the same time at bone grafting there is a shortage of local graft material. Objective: to acquaint readers with the possibility of obtaining bone grafts with the help of the developed device as a high-speed bone surgical reamer during spinal fusion. Methods: a device for filtering bone chips is created, consisting of a flask and a filter element inside it, connected in parallel to the aspiration system. The device allows preserving a sufficient amount of bone-grafting material, which consists of bone tissue elements, fibrin clot, bone marrow cells, platelets, mesenchymal stromal cells and others. Results: a clinical example of its application at transforaminal interbody fusion at the level of the lumbar segment LIV–LV is presented. The device differs favorably from the known ease of assembly, reusability (possibility of repeated sterilization) and placement on the operating table. Conclusions: the application of a bone filter is appropriate in the case of spine decompression of a high-speed bone reamer, when the stage of surgery is bone grafting. Do not use the device in case of spine tumors, spondylitis, spondylodiscitis.Использование трансплантатов для костной пластики является ключевым этапом хирургического вмешательства в вертебрологии, травматологии и ортопедии, онкологии, челюстно-лицевой хирургии. Однако не существует идеального трансплантата, который имел бы все необходимые свойства (остеогенные, остеокондуктивные, остеоиндуктивные) и при этом у него не было бы существенных недостатков. В хирургии позвоночника во время декомпрессии используют высокоскоростные костные хирургические фрезы, при резекции костной ткани которыми образуется эквивалентное количество костной стружки, которая вместе с кровью, разрушенными тканями рутинно аспирируется и утилизируется. При этом на этапе костной пластики возникает недостаток в местном пластическом материале.Цель: ознакомить читателей с возможностью получения костных аутотрансплантатов с помощью разработанного устройства при использовании высокоскоростной костной хирургической фрезы во время операции спондилодеза позвоночника.Методы: создано устройство для фильтрации костной стружки, состоящее из колбы и фильтрующего элемента внутри нее, параллельно подсоединенное к системе аспирации. Устройство позволяет сохранить достаточное количество костно-пластического материала, который состоит из элементов костной ткани, фибринового сгустка, клеток костного мозга, тромбоцитов, мезенхимальных стромальных клеток и др.Результаты: приведен клинический пример использования устройства при выполнении трансфораминального межтелового спондилодеза на уровне поясничного двигательного сегмента LIV–LV. Устройство выгодно отличается от известных простотой сборки, возможностью многократного использования (стерилизации) и размещением на операционном столе.Выводы: применение костного фильтра целесообразно в случае использования во время декомпрессии высокоскоростной костной фрезы, когда этапом хирургического вмешательства является костная пластика. Нельзя использовать устройство при опухолевых поражениях позвоночника, спондилите, спондилодисците.Використання трансплантатів для кісткової пластики є ключовим етапом хірургічного втручання у вертебрології, травматології та ортопедії, онкології, щелепно-лицевій хірургії. Проте не існує ідеального трансплантата, який мав би усі необхідні властивості (остеогенні, остеокондуктивні, остеоіндуктивні) і при цьому в нього не було б істотних недоліків. У хірургії хребта під час декомпресії використовують високошвидкісні кісткові хірургічні фрези, у разі резекції кісткової тканини якими утворюється еквівалентна кількість кісткової стружки, яка разом з кров’ю, зруйнованими тканинами рутинно аспірується й утилізується. При цьому на етапі кісткової пластики виникає нестача в місцевому пластичному матеріалі.Мета: ознайомити читачів з можливістю отримання кісткових автотрансплантатів за допомогою розробленого пристрою за умов використання високошвидкісної кісткової хірургічної фрези під час операції спондилодезу хребта.Методи: створено пристрій для фільтрації кісткової стружки, що складається з колби і фільтруючого елемента всередині неї, паралельно приєднаний до системи аспірації. Пристрій дозволяє зберегти достатню кількість кістково-пластичного матеріалу, який складається з елементів кісткової тканини, фібринового згустку, клітин кісткового мозку, тромбоцитів, мезенхімальних стромальних клітин тощо.Результати: наведено клінічний приклад використання пристрою під час виконання трансфорамінального міжтілового спондилодезу на рівні поперекового рухового сегмента LIV–LV. Пристрій вигідно відрізняється від відомих простотою збірки, можливістю багаторазового використання (стерилізації) та розміщенням на операційному столі.Висновки: застосування кісткового фільтра доцільно в разі використання під час декомпресії високошвидкісної кісткової фрези, коли етапом хірургічного втручання є кісткова пластика. Не можна використовувати пристрій у разі пухлинних уражень хребта, спондиліті, спондилодисциті

Do patterns of intra-specific variability and community weighted-means of leaf traits correspond? An example from alpine plants

Intraspecific variability of the traits is usually less than interspecific, but directions of inter-and intraspecific variation along environmental gradients are not well studied. For 17 alpine species we test a hypothesis that the direction of intraspecific variation in leaf traits among different communities along an environmental gradient coincides consistently with community weighted mean (CWM) trait variation at the community level along the same gradient. We obtained two groups of leaf traits according to their response to CWM and topographic (snow depth and snow melt) gradients. For leaf mass and area intraspecific variation corresponded to CWM variation among communities. SLA, water content and leaf thickness patterns within species changed directly among communities according to the toposequence (snowmelt gradient). These results are well expressed for forbs, but mostly they were not significant for graminoids. For leaf area we obtained opposite response of forbs and graminoids to snowmelt gradient. Forbs increased, but graminoids decreased leaf area when snow depth increased. Intraspecific trait variation across natural gradients does not necessarily follow that for interspecific or community-level variation

The art of goalkeeping: memorializing Lev Yashin

Lev Yashin remains, in the eyes of many, the greatest goalkeeper, ever to have played the game of football. Since his death in 1990, coinciding with the dying days of the Soviet Union, his legacy has played an important role in post-Soviet history, a factor that is gaining more importance as Russia prepares to host the 2018 World Cup tournament. Yashin’s memory is notably being maintained in the public perception not least through the material form of two key sculptures erected in Moscow in the late 1990s. Yet these works, part of a wider international trend to memorialize footballers in the form of public monuments, offer more than a unique insight into Yashin’s career, status and reputation. They also address concerns about the relationship between art and sport as it emerged historically in the Soviet Union and how that cultural legacy is being re-explored in a post-Soviet context. Accordingly this essay examines these two key examples of football statuary as significant case studies through which issues relating to Soviet sport, history and art can be more widely analysed

Science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems

We present the science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems, targeting an evolution in technology, that might lead to impacts and benefits reaching into most areas of society. This roadmap was developed within the framework of the European Graphene Flagship and outlines the main targets and research areas as best understood at the start of this ambitious project. We provide an overview of the key aspects of graphene and related materials (GRMs), ranging from fundamental research challenges to a variety of applications in a large number of sectors, highlighting the steps necessary to take GRMs from a state of raw potential to a point where they might revolutionize multiple industries. We also define an extensive list of acronyms in an effort to standardize the nomenclature in this emerging field