Order and Frustration in Chiral Liquid Crystals

This paper reviews the complex ordered structures induced by chirality in liquid crystals. In general, chirality favors a twist in the orientation of liquid-crystal molecules. In some cases, as in the cholesteric phase, this favored twist can be achieved without any defects. More often, the favored twist competes with applied electric or magnetic fields or with geometric constraints, leading to frustration. In response to this frustration, the system develops ordered structures with periodic arrays of defects. The simplest example of such a structure is the lattice of domains and domain walls in a cholesteric phase under a magnetic field. More complex examples include defect structures formed in two-dimensional films of chiral liquid crystals. The same considerations of chirality and defects apply to three-dimensional structures, such as the twist-grain-boundary and moire phases.Comment: 39 pages, RevTeX, 14 included eps figure

Определение фенотипов обострения хронической обструктивной болезни легких при использовании компьютерной томографии

The objective of this study was to investigate structural changes of the lower respiratory tract using clinical and functional characteristics and biomarkers of inflammation in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods. This observational cohort study involved 101 symptomatic patients with acute exacerbation of COPD who met 2 or 3 Anthonisen's criteria. According to high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings patients were divided into two groups: 57 patients with COPD and bronchiolitis and 44 people with COPD and no signs of bronchiole lesion. Clinical manifestation, lung function, respiratory failure, structural changes in the lung parenchyma and biomarkers of adaptive immune response were analyzed.Results. Inflammatory changes in small bronchi and bronchioles in patients with acute COPD exacer bation was associated with more severe exacerbation, occurrence of the respiratory failure, need in respiratory support, lung parenchyma consolidation, increased sputum purulence, lower total serum immunoglobulin E as a marker of humoral immune response.Conclusion. Inflammation in bronchioles in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD is associated with more severe respiratory failure and need in respiratory support. Consolidation of the lung parenchyma is noted more often in patients with COPD and co existing bronchiolitis. Exacerbation of COPD accompanied by bronchiolitis is characterized by less prominent humoral immune hypersensitivity response that could be diagnosed by the total serumimmunoglobulin E level.У больных с обострением хронической обструктивной болезни легких (ХОБЛ) изучались типы структурных изменений нижних дыхательных путей при использовании компьютерной томографии (КТ) во взаимосвязи с клинико-функциональными характеристиками и биологическими маркерами воспаления. В обсервационное когортное исследование были включены больные (n = 101) с клиническими признаками инфекционного обострения ХОБЛ, включая 2 или 3 положительных критерия по N.R.Anthonisen et al. (1987). По результатам КТ высокого разрешения пациенты были разделены на 2 подгруппы: в 1ю вошли больные ХОБЛ (n = 57) с бронхиолитом, во 2ю (n = 44) – пациенты с ХОБЛ без признаков патологии бронхиол. Проанализированы клинические симптомы, показатели легочных функциональных тестов и дыхательной недостаточности (ДН), структурные изменения паренхимы легких и маркеров адаптивного иммунного ответа. У больных с инфекционным обострением ХОБЛ вовлечение в воспалительный процесс мелких бронхов и бронхиол ассоциировалось с более тяжелым течением обострения, ДН, необходимостью респираторной поддержки, симптомами консолидации легочной паренхимы, увеличением гнойности мокроты, более низким уровнем маркера гуморального иммунного ответа общего сывороточного иммуноглобулина Е

OSOBENNOSTI POKAZATELEY UL'TRASONOMETRII ZhENSKOGO NASELENIYa GORODA ChELYaBINSKA

Characteristic feature of ultrasonic densitometry have been investigated in women,s population of Chelyabinsk (n=200) from 25 to 65 years old. We used domestically produced Echoosteometr-02. A basis of a body of the lower jaw became a new area for ultrasonic densitometry. We can recommend a lower jaw as a new area for ultrasonic densitometry taking into account high pithiness of data in a combination with simplicity of research. Traditional localizations have been also applied: proximal phalanges of the hand, patella, tibia diaphysis and calcaneus bones of the right and left sides. We have established a "peak" values of a speed of the ultrasound wave for the given bones. Also we have found that a tubular bones and a large spongy bone - a lower jaw - possess the highest speed of an ultrasound wave, and the speed was mach less in a small spongy bones, that is caused by their anatomic structure. Ultrasound densitometry parameters of the peripheral skeleton start to reduce from 40-50 years behind exception patella - from 55 years. The lowest values were in group of women of 60-65 years. The rates of ultrasonic densitometry received by us are possible to use for women population of Chelyabinsk

Mesomorphic Properties and Computer Simulation of Guanazole Derivatives and Their Mixtures

An investigation of the mesomorphic properties of 3,5-diamino-1-dodecyl-1,2,4-triazole and 3-amino-1,5-dodecyl-1,2,4-triazole binary mixture in the ratio of 1:0.75 (four molecules of the first compound and three of the second) was performed. By means of polarizing optical microscopy, it was discovered that the experimentally obtained binary mixture possesses enantiotropic mesomorphic properties (SmA phase). With the help of the molecular dynamics simulation of both individual triazole derivatives and their binary mixture, it was shown that the SmA-mesophase is caused by the presence of the di-dodecyl substituted triazole derivative