The View of Russian Students on Whether Psychology is a Science

The Psychology as Science Scale (Friedrich, 1996) was administered to 525 psychology students from nine Russian universities to assess their beliefs about the nature of the discipline. About half of students (49.6%) generally agreed that psychology may be called a scientific discipline. Specifically, 71. 5% of the students agreed that psychology is a natural science, similar to biology, chemistry, and physics, 39. 9% of students agreed that psychological research is important and training in psychological methodology is necessary, and 43.1% of students agreed that human behavior is highly predictable. Students who took three methodology courses shared significantly stronger beliefs in the need for psychological research and the importance of training in methodology compared to students who did not take any methodology courses. Furthermore, students with a specialist degree had significantly stronger beliefs that psychology is a science compared to students who have just finished school. In terms of the effect of students’ career aspirations, students who wanted to be academic psychologists and clinicians had significantly stronger beliefs that psychology is a science compared to students who did not have clarity about their future careers. Regardless of the study limitations, these findings have potential implications for Russian psychology instructors

Синтез та діуретична дія 8-амінозаміщених 7-(2-гідрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропіл-1)-3-метилксантину

It has been found that natural xanthines, as well as their synthetic analogs, possess the diuretic effect. Analysis of the literature proves that there is a great opportunity of applying synthetic derivatives of N-methylated xanthines as potential diuretics.Aim. To develop preparative methods of the synthesis of 8-aminosubstituted of 7-(2-hydroxy-3-p-metoxyphenoxypropyl-1)-3-methylxanthine and study their physical, chemical and biological properties. Results. The synthesis of a series of 8-aminosubstituted of 7-(2-hydroxy-3-p-metoxyphenoxypropyl-1)-3-methylxanthine was carried out. According to the results of the biological testing the compounds synthesized belong to the toxicity of class IV. 7-(2-Hydroxy-3-p-methoxyphenoxypropyl-1)-8-(furyl-2-methylamino)-3-methylxanthine xanthine shows the highest diuretic activity, and hence, requires a more in-depth study since it is twice more active than hydrochlorothiazide. It should be emphasized that all compounds synthesized exhibit a marked diuretic effect. Experimental part. 8-Bromo-7-(2-hydroxy-3-p-methoxyphenoxypropyl-1)-3-methylxanthine was obtained by heating 8-bromo-3-methylxanthine with p-methoxyphenoxymethyloxirane in butanol-1 and in the presence of N,N-dimethylbenzylamine. 8-Aminosubstitutied of 7-(2-hydroxy-3-p-metoxyphenoxypropyl-1)-3-methylxanthine was obtained by boiling of bromoalcohol with the primary and secondary amines. The structure of the compounds synthesized was unambiguously confirmed by NMR-spectroscopy. The acute toxicity of the compounds obtained was studied by Kerber method. The study of the diuretic activity of the compounds was carried out using Ye. Berkhin method. Hydrochlorothiazide was used as a reference substance. Conclusions. Simple methods for the synthesis of 8-amino-7- (2-hydroxy-3-p-methoxyphenoxypropyl-1)-3-methylxanthines have been developed. The structure of the compounds synthesized has been confirmed by the method of NMR 1H-spectroscopy. The acute toxicity and the diuretic activity of the compounds obtained have been studied.Известно, что как природные ксантины, так и их синтетические аналоги обладают диуретическим действием. Анализ данных литературы свидетельствует о значительной перспективе использования синтетических производных N-метилированных ксантинов в качестве потенциальных диуретических средств. Цель данной работы – разработка препаративных методов синтеза 8-аминозамещенных 7-(2-гидрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропил-1)-3-метилксантина и изучение их физико-химических и биологических свойств. Результаты и их обсуждение. Синтезирован ряд 8-аминозамещенных 7-(2-гидрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропил-1)-3-метилксантина. По результатам биологических испытаний синтезированные соединения относятся к IV классу токсичности. 7-(2-Гидрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропил-1)-8-(фурил-2-метиламино)-3-метилксантин имеет наибольшую диуретическую активность, а следовательно необходимо доскональное изучение, поскольку он более чем в 2 раза активнее  гидрохлортиазида. Необходимо подчеркнуть, что все синтезированные соединения оказывают выраженное диуретическое действие. Экспериментальная часть. 8-Бром-7-(2-гидрокси-3-п-метоксифенокси­пропил-1)-3-метилксантин получен нагреванием 8-бром-3-метилксантина с п-метоксифеноксиметилоксираном в бутаноле-1 в присутствии N,N-диметилбензиламина. 8-Аминозамещенные 7-(2-гидрокси-3-п-метокси­феноксипропил-1)-3-метилксантина синтезированы путем кипячения бромоспирта с первичными и вторичными аминами. Структура синтезированных соединений однозначно доказана методом ПМР-спектроскопии. Острая токсичность синтезированных соединений изучалась по методу Кербера. Изучение диуретической активности полученных соединений проводили по методу Берхина Е. Б. В качестве эталона сравнения использовали гидрохлортиазид. Выводы. Разработаны простые в выполнении методики синтеза 8-аминозамещенных 7-(2-гидрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропил-1)-3-метилксантина. Структура синтезированных соединений доказана методом ПМР-спектроскопии. Изучена острая токсичность и диуретическая активность полученных веществ.Відомо, що як природні ксантини, так і їх синтетичні аналоги виявляють діуретичну дію. Аналіз даних літератури свідчить про значну перспективу використання синтетичних похідних N-метильованих ксантинів в якості потенційних діуретичних засобів. Метою даної роботи є розробка препаративних методів синтезу 8-амінозаміщених 7-(2-гідрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропіл-1)-3-метилксантину та вивчення їх фізико-хімічних та біологічних властивостей. Результати та їх обговорення. Був синтезований ряд 8-амінозаміщених 7-(2-гідрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропіл-1)-3-метилксантину. За результатами біологічних випробувань синтезовані сполуки відносяться до IV класу токсичності. 7-(2-Гідрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропіл-1)-8-(фурил-2-метиламіно)-3-метилксантин виявляє найвищу діуретичну активність, а отже потребує більш досконалого вивчення, оскільки він більш ніж у 2 рази активніший за гідрохлортіазид. Необхідно підкреслити, що всі синтезовані сполуки виявляють виразну діуретичну дію.Експериментальна частина. 8-Бромо-7-(2-гідрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропіл-1)-3-метилксантин отримали нагріванням 8-бромо-3-метилксантину з п-метоксифеноксиметилоксираном у бутанолі-1 в присутності N,N-диметилбензиламіну. 8-Амінозаміщені 7-(2-гідрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропіл-1)-3-метилксантину синтезовані шляхом кип’ятіння бромоспирту з первинними та вторинними амінами. Структура синтезованих сполук була однозначно доведена методом ПМР-спектроскопії. Гостра токсичність синтезованих сполук була вивчена за методом Кербера. Вивчення діуретичної дії отриманих сполук проводили за методом Берхіна Є. Б. В якості еталону порівняння використовували гідрохлортіазид. Висновки. Були розроблені прості у виконанні методики синтезу 8-амінозаміщених 7-(2-гідрокси-3-п-метоксифеноксипропіл-1)-3-метилксантину. Структура синтезованих сполук була доведена методом ПМР-спектроскопії. Вивчена гостра токсичність та діуретична активність отриманих речовин

PREVENTION OF ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES AS THE BASIS OF INTERACTION OF ONCOLOGICAL SERVICE WITH PRIMARY LINK OF HEALTH CARE

Malignant neoplasms (MN) are the second cause of death for the population of Russia, resulted in 15.5% of all deaths in 2015. Their share in the structure of the male population mortality rate was 16.4%, female — 14.4%. Among both sexes, deaths of working age, the proportion of deaths from MN was 16.0%, among women of reproductive age — 16.3%. More than half of the working age population of deaths in Russia falls on the disease from the group of preventable death, and a third — to preventable causes, depending on the primary and secondary prevention, quality of care, along with a high prevalence of behavioral risk factors (RF), demographic characteristics, marked medical and social reasons for the high mortality rate of the MN: late uptake of the population for health care, lack of alertness in oncology healthcare professionals, patients defects in routing.The leading factor in increasing life expectancy is prevention. Today, prevention is regarded as active method of strengthening and preservation of health, and the currently existing approaches in promoting healthy life mostly only directed at the prevention of behavioral risk factors: tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol. Experts estimate the impact on them will prevent, at least 40% of the cases of MN.In Russia we have a 3-step system of health care. In general preventive health orientation is implemented on the 1st level: in the provision of primary health care. In this regard, particular attention should be paid to the implementation of measures for specific clinical examination of the adult population, which plays an important role in the early detection of both the disease and the risk factors for their development. Properly organized conduct of the clinical examination can provide a substantial, up to 30%, the contribution to the reduction of total mortality, including mortality from MN. The necessity of increasing the role of the oncology service in the organizational and methodological support of the preventive measures implemented by primary health care is performed

Coupled phase transformations and plastic flows under torsion at high pressure in rotational diamond anvil cell: Effect of contact sliding

A three-dimensional large-sliding contact model coupled with strain-induced phase transformations (PTs) and plastic flow in a disk-like sample under torsion at high pressure in rotational diamond anvil cell (RDAC) is formulated and studied. Coulomb and plastic friction are combined and take into account variable parameters due to PT. Results are obtained for weaker, equal-strength, and stronger high pressure phases, and for three values of the kinetic coefficient in a strain-controlled kinetic equation and friction coefficient. All drawbacks typical of problem with cohesion are overcome, including eliminating mesh-dependent shear band and artificial plastic zones. Contact sliding intensifies radial plastic flow, which leads to larger reduction in sample thickness. Larger plastic strain and increased pressure in the central region lead to intensification of PT. However, the effect of the reduction in the friction coefficient on PT kinetics is nonmonotonous. Sliding increases away from the center and with growing rotation and is weakly dependent on the kinetic coefficient. Also, cyclic back and forth torsion is studied and compared to unidirectional torsion. Multiple experimental phenomena, e.g., pressure self-multiplication effect, steps (plateaus) at pressure distribution, flow to the center of a sample, and oscillatory pressure distribution for weaker high-pressure phase, are reproduced and interpreted. Reverse PT in high pressure phase that flowed to the low pressure region is revealed. Possible misinterpretation of experimental PT pressure is found. Obtained results represent essential progress toward understanding of strain-induced PTs under compression and shear in RDAC and may be used for designing experiments for synthesis of new high pressure phases and reduction in PT pressure for known phases, as well as for determination of PT kinetics from experiments

Stability of the Industrial Reference Standard of Tuberculosis Vaccine (BCG)

The industrial reference standard of tuberculosis (BCG) vaccine (IRS), certified and registered by the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Scientific Centre for Expert Evaluation of Medicinal Products” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (OSO 42-28-420), is used as a reference product in quality control of tuberculosis vaccines BCG and BCG-M. The IRS is a useful means of quality control of these products, as the stability of its proper ties helps to minimise errors during quality evaluation. The shelf life of the BCG vaccine IRS is not more than 2 years if stored at 2–8 °C. It is likely that a vaccine batch could be used as the IRS for a longer period of time. The literature data suggest that the shelf life of a BCG vaccine can be prolonged if it is stored at low temperatures. However, due to significant phenotypic and genotypic differences between BCG sub-strains, the extrapolation of these data to the vaccine produced from the Russian Mycobacterium bovis BCG-I sub-strain requires appropriate testing. The aim of the study was to analyse the possibility of increasing the shelf life of the tuberculosis vaccine IRS by changing the storage temperature. Materials and methods: the effect of low temperatures on the stability of OSO 42-28-420 was studied in commercial batches of tuberculosis vaccine which met all the quality requirements for candidate IRSs. Samples from 6 IRS batches produced from 2014 through 2019 were stored at –(20 ± 1) °С. The stability of their quality characteristics, namely “Specific activity (viability)”, “Total bacterial count”, and “Dispersibility”, was monitored according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The obtained data were evaluated relative to the baseline data obtained during certification of each batch. Results: it was demonstrated that there was more than 95 percent probability that the tested parameters would not differ from the initial data if OSO 42-28-420 samples were stored at a low temperature for 5 years. Conclusions: the results obtained support the prolongation of the OSO 42-28-420 shelf life up to 4 years under the recommended storage conditions at –(20 ± 1) °С

Preoperative management of ophthalmic patients taking oral anticoagulants

Surgical treatment is often accompanied by such complication as bleeding, and ophthalmic surgery is not an exception. The bleeding risk depends on many factors, the most significant are age, arterial hypertension, hepatic and renal impairment, prior stroke or treatment with oral anticoagulants.The aim. To evaluate the structure of patients taking novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) with an assessment of activated partial thromboplastin time before ophthalmosurgical treatment.Materials and methods. 54 patients taking oral anticoagulants were included in the study. A retrospective analysis of medical histories of patients who had surgery for ocular pathology was carried out. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 – 28 patients whose activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) did not exceed 45 seconds; group 2 – 26 patients with APTT more than 45 seconds. The criterion for the numerical expression of APTT is the safety of performing regional anesthesia against the background of taking anticoagulant drugs. Statistical processing was performed using the Mann – Whitney test (p < 0.05).Results. A comparative analysis of the results showed that the patients of the group 2 had higher rates of APTT. At the same time, they were less likely to have acute cerebrovascular accident (11.5 % compared to 21 % of patients in the group 2) and prior acute myocardial infarction (19 % and 28 %, respectively). Among all the patients, women and slightly older patients prevailed.Conclusion. Patients with atrial fibrillation make up the majority of patients undergoing ophthalmosurgical treatment and taking NOACs. Surgical treatment method was phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Studying APTT before the surgery allowed us to identify a category of patients with high APTT, to prescribe the withdrawal of the drug before the surgery in order to create optimal conditions for surgical treatment

Specific Aspects of Tuberculin Products Standardisation

According to the existing international practice, reference materials, which are used to assess specific activity of purified tuberculin products, are meant to be used for several decades and are therefore characterised by high stability. For instance, PPD-S tuberculin produced in the USA in 1944 has been used ever since as the international reference standard of purified tuberculin and is stored as lyophilisate in ampoules (PPDT) containing 5000 IU each. The Russian PPD-L-2 industry reference standard is made from material produced by the Leningrad Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera in 1973. It has been used for many years to control production batches of PPD-L purified tuberculin because of its high stability that is regularly confirmed in large-scale studies using various experimental models in accordance with the requirements of the World Health Organisation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term stability of the substance of industry reference standard of purified tuberculin (PPD-L-2 IRS) by determining its specific activity relative to the international standard of purified tuberculin, and determine the feasibility of using this substance for the preparation of lyophilised reference product samples. Materials and methods: PPD-L-2 IRS specific activity was determined relative to the PPDT international standard in accordance with the procedure specified in the monograph FS.3.3.1.0023.15 of the State Pharmacopoeia of Russian Federation (14 edition) using guinea pigs vaccinated with various BCG substrains or sensitized by virulent mycobacteria («live» or «inactivated») in accordance with the recommendations of the WHO (WHO TRS 45, 1987). Results: the analysis of the obtained data showed that there were 3–4-fold differences in PPD-L-2 IRS relative potency depending on the BCG substrain used for guinea pigs vaccination (animal sensitization model). This effect of the titration model manifested itself when comparing specific activity of tuberculins obtained by various methods of tuberculoprotein precipitation (PPD-L-2 and PPDT), i.e. different in antigen composition. The specific activity of the previously established dose of PPD-L-2 IRS was shown to be equivalent to the international reference standard in animals sensitized with mycobacteria tuberculosis. Conclusions: the results of PPD-L-2 IRS specific activity assessment obtained in this study are consistent with the data obtained during development and certification of this reference material in the 1980s and confirm the long-term stability of the intermediate powder product of the Russian reference standard of purified tuberculin. At the same time, the production of a freeze-dried form of the IRS, in addition to being economically feasible, would rule out some potential errors that are inevitable during annual preparation and control of the reference standard dilutions, and would make it possible to spare the substance which would improve prospects for the future long-term use of PPD-L as an industry reference standard

Вакцинопрофилактика туберкулеза

BCG vaccine for tuberculosis was developed nearly 100 years ago and still remains the only medicine for specific immunological prevention of tuberculosis. Despite the fact it has been actively used for a long time in more than 100 countries, the results of vaccination are very contradictory. The protective effect of BCG vaccination is assessed from 0 to 80%, while the efficacy of BCG vaccination in children, especially in infants, is generally recognized. BCG helps to reduce tenfold the number of tuberculous meningitis and disseminated tuberculosis in children. However BCG neither protects the population from mycobacteria infections nor the adults from pulmonary tuberculosis, although it prevents extrapulmonary tuberculosis. For the last 20 years new tuberculosis vaccines have been intensive developed, their efficacy is believed to exceed the efficacy of BCG vaccine, with the minimized adverse reactions. Nevertheless out of more than 200 tuberculosis vaccine candidates only few were allowed for clinical trials. In the upcoming years the humanity can not count upon a medicine that could replace BCG. Therefore the research efforts should be focused on improving BCG vaccine in order to enhance its protective effect and to reduce adverse effects.Созданная почти 100 лет назад вакцина туберкулезная БЦЖ остается до настоящего времени единственным препаратом для специфической иммунологической профилактики туберкулеза. Несмотря на массовое использование в течение длительного времени в более чем в 100 странах мира, данные о результатах вакцинации остаются очень противоречивыми. Защитный эффект вакцин БЦЖ оценивают от 0 до 80%, при этом эффективность вакцинации БЦЖ детей, особенно раннего возраста, общепризнанна. Применение этого препарата способствует снижению в десятки раз числа туберкулезных менингитов и диссеминированных форм туберкулеза у детей. Однако БЦЖ не защищает население от инфицирования микобактериями, а взрослых от туберкулеза легких, хотя предотвращает внелегочные формы туберкулеза. В последние 20 лет ведутся интенсивные разработки новых туберкулезных вакцин, эффективность которых, как полагают, превысят вакцину БЦЖ, при минимальных побочных реакциях на их введение. Однако из 200 с лишним кандидатов туберкулезных вакцин до клинических исследований дошли единицы. В ближайшие годы человечество не может рассчитывать на препарат, который мог бы заменить вакцину БЦЖ. Поэтому усилия исследователей должны быть направлены на усовершенствование вакцины БЦЖ с целью повышения ее защитного эффекта и снижения побочного действия

New advances in Raman study of polyvinylchloride structure

In this work we investigated Raman spectra of a number of industrial grades of polyvinylchloride powder and films, prepared from solutions in tetrahydrofuran and acetophenone. The number and spectral characteristics of the Raman lines in the spectral regions of the C-Cl stretching vibrations and in the region of the C-H and CH2 stretching vibrations were evaluated

Сонографические показатели диафрагмы и их корреляции со спирометрическими данными у здоровых лиц: проспективное клиническое исследование

ЦЕЛЬ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ: Выявить корреляционные взаимосвязи сонографических показателей функционирования диафрагмы со спирометрическими данными у здоровых лиц. МАТЕРИАЛЫ И МЕТОДЫ: На базе ФГБУ «НМИЦ им. В.А. Алмазова» у 50 здоровых добровольцев (женщин — 30) оценили структурное (толщину) и функциональное (индекс утолщения и экскурсию) состояние диафрагмы с помощью ультразвукового исследования, а также спирометрические характеристики аппарата внешнего дыхания с помощью аппарата искусственной вентиляции легких. После чего провели статистическую обработку и корреляционный анализ. РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ: Толщину диафрагмы (слева и справа) и ее экскурсию (справа) удалось оценить у всех испытуемых; экскурсию диафрагмы слева — только у 20 % испытуемых. Спирометрию выполнили у всех испытуемых. Полученные данные согласуются с литературными. В частности, ультразвуковые и спирометрические показатели для здоровых лиц находились в рамках референтных значений. Сила инспираторных мышц также оказалась сопоставимой с литературными данными. Корреляционный анализ не выявил статистически значимых взаимосвязей между изученными ультразвуковыми и спирометрическими параметрами. Также не было выявлено взаимосвязи между возрастом и ультразвуковыми показателями диафрагмы. Найдены слабые статистически значимые связи между структурно-функциональным состоянием диафрагмы и антропометрическими характеристиками обследованных: массой тела и индексом массы тела. ВЫВОДЫ: Ультразвуковые показатели работы диафрагмы не коррелируют или плохо коррелируют со спирометрическими. У здоровых лиц нет оснований использовать ультразвуковое исследование диафрагмы, так как оно практически не дает дополнительной информации о состоянии аппарата внешнего дыхания