Continuous wave near‐infrared atomic Xe laser excited by a radio frequency discharge in a slab geometry

Near‐infrared atomic Xe laser lines have been generated from an Ar:He:Xe laser gas mixture excited by a radio frequency (rf) discharge in a slab geometry. A maximum continuous wave (cw) output power of 1.5 W (270 W/l) was obtained at an rf frequency of 125 MHz from a gas mixture containing Ar:He:Xe (50:49:1) at a total gas pressure of 90 Torr

Modem look at etiology, pathogenesis, treatment of Peyronie's disease (literature review)

Article reviewed global data on the etiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, staging, complications encountered, as well as available in the arsenal of methods of surgical and conservative treatment of Peyronie's disease. Details covered etiological factors pathophysiological processes of the disease. According to statistics, Peyronie's disease is quite rare in the world. However, in the world's scientific literature there are many works devoted to Peyronie's disease, in particular the methods of its treatment and control of disease complications. But to date, there is no consensus in regard to the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of this disease. That is why further research is needed in this area to improve the detection and awareness of both men and doctors. Consequently, there is a clear need for further research of Peyronie's disease, as well as the creation of new, more effective treatments. These treatments have to be introduced into clinical practice physicians.В статье проведен обзор мировых данных по этиологии, эпидемиологии, клиническим проявлениям, диагностике, стадированию, встречающимся осложнениям, а также имеющихся в арсенале методов хирургического и консервативного лечения болезни Пейрони. Подробно освещены этиологические факторы, патофизиологические процессы данного заболевания. По статистике, болезнь Пейрони достаточно редко встречается в мире. Однако в мировой научной литературе имеется множество работ, посвящённых болезни Пейрони, в особенности методов ее лечения и борьбы с осложнениями заболевания. Но на сегодняшний день, нет единого мнения в том, что касается этиологии, патогенеза, лечения этого недуга. Именно поэтому необходимы дальнейшие исследования в этой области для улучшения выявляемости и информированности как мужчин, так и врачей. Следовательно, имеется четкая потребность в дальнейших исследованиях болезни Пейрони, а также в создании новых, более эффективных методов лечения. Эти методы лечения должны быт

Возможность снижения лучевой нагрузки на пациентов за счет оптимизации протокола компьютерной томографии органов брюшной полости и забрюшинного пространства в зависимости от нозологии злокачественного процесса

Reducing radiation exposure in computed tomography is a relevant medical task due to the growing number of studies and the lack of generally accepted approaches to their conduct in the radiological community. One way to reduce the effective dose in contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen is to optimize the protocol of examination, which can include four scans: in the native, arterial, venous and delayed phases. However while providing repeated studies in patients with oncological diseases, it is possible to confine one or two phases, which will allow the radiologist to visualize observed pathological changes and to evaluate the response to the treatment, as well as detect the recurrence in case of the monitoring of the patients. In the present study, two groups were formed on the basis of a sample of 514 patients. In group 1 (control), CTB was performed according to a three- or four-phase protocol. In group 2, the same patients with an interval from 1 to 5.5 months were performed with computed tomography -OBP according to a single or two-phase protocol depending on the degree of vascularization of the tumor tissue and the clinical situation. At the same time, a decrease in the average effective dose in patients in group 2 compared with group 1 was demonstrated by 63% (p<0.05). In all cases, the various pathological changes that characterize the oncological process and were diagnosed with a three- or four-phase protocol were visualized with a single- or two-phase protocol. Thus, the informative value of computed tomography examination did not decrease.Снижение лучевой нагрузки при компьютерной томографии является актуальной медицинской задачей в связи с ростом количества исследований и отсутствием общепринятых подходов при повторных исследованиях у онкологических пациентов. В работах различных авторов продемонстрирована целесообразность ограничения протокола компьютерной томографии одной или двумя фазами сканирования при повторных исследованиях у пациентов с онкологическими заболеваниями без потери диагностической информации. В настоящей работе на основе выборки из 514 пациентов были сформированы две группы. В 1 группе (контрольная) пациентам проводилась компьютерная томография органов брюшной полости по трех- или четырехфазному протоколу. Во 2 группе этим же пациентам с интервалом от 1 до 5,5 месяцев проводилась компьютерная томография органов брюшной полости по одноили двухфазному протоколу в зависимости от степени васкуляризации опухолевой ткани и клинической ситуации. При этом было продемонстрировано снижение средней эффективной дозы у пациентов в группе 2 по сравнению с группой 1 на 63% (p<0,05). Во всех случаях различные патологические изменения, характеризующие онкологический процесс и диагностированные при трех- или четырехфазном протоколе, были визуализированы и при одно- или двухфазном протоколе. Таким образом, информативность компьютерной томографии не снижалась

Efficacy assessment of levetiracetam monotherapy in newly-diagnosed epilepsy in adults using epileptiform activity index

Abstract. Levetiracetam (LEV) is one of the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs (AED). However, there were no studies on its efficacy and safety in terms of the correlation with epileptiform activity index (EAI) performed among the Russian population.Aim. To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of LEV monotherapy in patients with newly-diagnosed epilepsy using epileptiform activity index (EAI) assessment.Materials and methods. The study included 107 patients (46 (43.0%) male and 61 (57.0%) female) with focal epilepsy (FE) (39.3%; n=42) or idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) (60.7%; n=65). At each visit, video-electroencephalographic (video-EEG) monitoring was performed (baseline and in 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of the therapy). Therapeutic drug monitoring was performed at dose titration in 1 month of the therapy or in case of therapy correction. Treatment efficacy was assessed using the criteria of seizure absence (medically induced remission), seizure rate decrease by >50% (responders), seizure rate decrease by <50% – insufficient efficacy, a composite index of efficacy/tolerability (retention on treatment), and seizure rate increase compared to baseline and/or development of a new type of seizures (aggravation). Adverse events (AE) were assessed using the scale for side effects in AED treatment (SIDAED).Results. Total EAI at baseline was 5.2-fold higher in patients with IGE compared to FE patients (23.4±3.0 and 4.5±0.97, respectively). After 1 month of LEV therapy, EAI decreased to 3.4±1.1 and 1.9±0.4 in patients with IGE and FE, respectively (p<0.01). The decrease continued during the whole follow-up period. Retention on monotherapy was achieved in 82.2% (n=88/107) patients; in 87.6% (n=57/65) patients with IGE and in 73.8% (n=31/42) with FE. The rate of serious AEs during the follow-up period was 8.4% (n=9).Conclusions. LEV is an effective drug of choice for the initial treatment of newly-diagnosed FE and IGE in monotherapy along with a significant decrease in EAI. EAI is an objective measure of LEV treatment efficacy

Transplantation in oncology: the future of a multidisciplinary approach

On February 7, 2019, a one-day Consensus Conference of the International Liver Transplantation Society was held to discuss oncology issues. Representatives of world's leading clinics gathered in Rotterdam (Netherlands). The presentations made on that day covered the following topics: hepatocellular cancer, bile duct cancer, immunotherapy and its place in the treatment of liver tumors, the possibility of liver transplantation in patients with metastatic liver disease, world trends in pediatric oncohepatology. A separate session in the working groups was allocated to discuss the most actual topics. The Conference identified the main global trends and the most crucial issues in the field of liver transplantation in patients with oncological diagnosis. It is likely that these presentations will “set the tone” for the large Transplantationt Congress in Toronto in May 2019

Prospects for the reduction of the patient doses based on the optimization of the CT abdomen protocols for the different types of malignancies

Reducing radiation exposure in computed tomography is a relevant medical task due to the growing number of studies and the lack of generally accepted approaches to their conduct in the radiological community. One way to reduce the effective dose in contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen is to optimize the protocol of examination, which can include four scans: in the native, arterial, venous and delayed phases. However while providing repeated studies in patients with oncological diseases, it is possible to confine one or two phases, which will allow the radiologist to visualize observed pathological changes and to evaluate the response to the treatment, as well as detect the recurrence in case of the monitoring of the patients. In the present study, two groups were formed on the basis of a sample of 514 patients. In group 1 (control), CTB was performed according to a three- or four-phase protocol. In group 2, the same patients with an interval from 1 to 5.5 months were performed with computed tomography -OBP according to a single or two-phase protocol depending on the degree of vascularization of the tumor tissue and the clinical situation. At the same time, a decrease in the average effective dose in patients in group 2 compared with group 1 was demonstrated by 63% (p<0.05). In all cases, the various pathological changes that characterize the oncological process and were diagnosed with a three- or four-phase protocol were visualized with a single- or two-phase protocol. Thus, the informative value of computed tomography examination did not decrease

Hemophagocytic syndrome and Kaposi sarcoma after liver transplantation

Hemophagocytic Syndrome (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, macrophage activation syndrome) is a rare form of systemic inflammatory response. It usually presents with nonspecific symptoms like fever, lymphoadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, cytopenia. Secondary hemophagocytic syndrome is usually associated with severe infection. We describe a clinical case of a patient after liver transplantation who developed hemophagocytic syndrome secondary to Epstein-Barr virus and Human Herpes virus Type 8. There had been 22 cases of hemophagocytic syndrome after liver transplantation described in literature by the moment of our observation. We found just 1 similar case of a patient suffered from hemophagocytic syndrome in combination with Kaposi sarcoma and Epstein Barr virus infection. Differential diagnostics of hemophagocytic syndrome is difficult as there are no specific symptoms. Rapid disease progression makes early diagnosis and treatment an actual problem