Influence of surgical correction of inguinal hernia and hydrocele on testicular blood flow in children

Inguinal hernia and hydrocele affect the blood circulation of the testicle. Surgical trauma may change testicular blood flow. Objective. To study changes in blood flow parameters in children with pathology of the processus vaginalis, requiring surgical correction, using the analysis of ultrasound data. Materials and methods. We observed 87 boys from 3 to 17 years old, operated for congenital inguinal hernia and hydrocele. As a control group we examined 34 boys without pathology of the reproductive system. Patients held Doppler ultrasound the day before surgery, at 1 and 7 days after. Peak systolic flow velocity, end-diastolic flow velocity and resistance index were studied. Results. The resistance index on the affected side was higher compared with the control group before operation (p<0,05). The values of peak systolic and end diastolic blood flow velocities were lower than in the comparison group (p<0,05). Resistance index increased compared with preoperative period 1 day after surgery (p<0,05). Values of flow velocity parameters decreased to 4-9 % compared to values before the operation. The resistance index decreased (p<0,05) to near baseline figures a week after the operation. Peak systolic and end-diastolic flow velocity raised to 15-21 % compared to the preoperative period. However, the intensity of the blood flow in the affected testicle remained lower than in the control group (p<0,05). Conclusions. The blood flow of affected testicle in children with inguinal hernia and hydrocele is initially decreased. Early postoperative period is characterized by intensification of testicular parenchyma’s ischemia. Postoperative blood flow in the affected testicle is improved a week after surgery, but the lack of blood supply to the testicle is retained

Ferromagnetic Resonance of FeNi/Cu/FeNi Thin Film on Coplanar Waveguide with Operating Frequency of 1 to 20 GHz

The paper presents the calculation results of the coplanar waveguide geometry using the method of conformal mapping and computerized simulation with COMSOL Multiphysics software. Ferromagnetic FeNi/Cu/FeNi magneto-sensitive elements are fabricated in one cycle with the coplanar waveguide which conveys drive signals. Magnetodynamics of the obtained film structures is studied within the frequency range of 1–20 GHz. It is shown that the main parameters of ferromagnetic resonance can be found for the thin film structures on the coplanar waveguide

Safety and efficacy of an rAd26 and rAd5 vector-based heterologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccine: an interim analysis of a randomised controlled phase 3 trial in Russia

Background: A heterologous recombinant adenovirus (rAd)-based vaccine, Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V), showed a good safety profile and induced strong humoral and cellular immune responses in participants in phase 1/2 clinical trials. Here, we report preliminary results on the efficacy and safety of Gam-COVID-Vac from the interim analysis of this phase 3 trial. Methods: We did a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial at 25 hospitals and polyclinics in Moscow, Russia. We included participants aged at least 18 years, with negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR and IgG and IgM tests, no infectious diseases in the 14 days before enrolment, and no other vaccinations in the 30 days before enrolment. Participants were randomly assigned (3:1) to receive vaccine or placebo, with stratification by age group. Investigators, participants, and all study staff were masked to group assignment. The vaccine was administered (0·5 mL/dose) intramuscularly in a prime-boost regimen: a 21-day interval between the first dose (rAd26) and the second dose (rAd5), both vectors carrying the gene for the full-length SARS-CoV-2 glycoprotein S. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 from day 21 after receiving the first dose. All analyses excluded participants with protocol violations: the primary outcome was assessed in participants who had received two doses of vaccine or placebo, serious adverse events were assessed in all participants who had received at least one dose at the time of database lock, and rare adverse events were assessed in all participants who had received two doses and for whom all available data were verified in the case report form at the time of database lock. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04530396). Findings: Between Sept 7 and Nov 24, 2020, 21 977 adults were randomly assigned to the vaccine group (n=16 501) or the placebo group (n=5476). 19 866 received two doses of vaccine or placebo and were included in the primary outcome analysis. From 21 days after the first dose of vaccine (the day of dose 2), 16 (0·1%) of 14 964 participants in the vaccine group and 62 (1·3%) of 4902 in the placebo group were confirmed to have COVID-19; vaccine efficacy was 91·6% (95% CI 85·6–95·2). Most reported adverse events were grade 1 (7485 [94·0%] of 7966 total events). 45 (0·3%) of 16 427 participants in the vaccine group and 23 (0·4%) of 5435 participants in the placebo group had serious adverse events; none were considered associated with vaccination, with confirmation from the independent data monitoring committee. Four deaths were reported during the study (three [<0·1%] of 16 427 participants in the vaccine group and one [<0·1%] of 5435 participants in the placebo group), none of which were considered related to the vaccine. Interpretation: This interim analysis of the phase 3 trial of Gam-COVID-Vac showed 91·6% efficacy against COVID-19 and was well tolerated in a large cohort. Funding: Moscow City Health Department, Russian Direct Investment Fund, and Sberbank. © 2021 Elsevier Lt