Scientific, institutional and personal rivalries among Soviet geographers in the late Stalin era

Scientific, institutional and personal rivalries between three key centres of geographical research and scholarship (the Academy of Sciences Institute of Geography and the Faculties of Geography at Moscow and Leningrad State Universities) are surveyed for the period from 1945 to the early 1950s. It is argued that the debates and rivalries between members of the three institutions appear to have been motivated by a variety of scientific, ideological, institutional and personal factors, but that genuine scientific disagreements were at least as important as political and ideological factors in influencing the course of the debates and in determining their final outcome

Landscape science: a Russian geographical tradition

The Russian geographical tradition of landscape science (landshaftovedenie) is analyzed with particular reference to its initiator, Lev Semenovich Berg (1876-1950). The differences between prevailing Russian and Western concepts of landscape in geography are discussed, and their common origins in German geographical thought in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are delineated. It is argued that the principal differences are accounted for by a number of factors, of which Russia's own distinctive tradition in environmental science deriving from the work of V. V. Dokuchaev (1846-1903), the activities of certain key individuals (such as Berg and C. O. Sauer), and the very different social and political circumstances in different parts of the world appear to be the most significant. At the same time it is noted that neither in Russia nor in the West have geographers succeeded in specifying an agreed and unproblematic understanding of landscape, or more broadly in promoting a common geographical conception of human-environment relationships. In light of such uncertainties, the latter part of the article argues for closer international links between the variant landscape traditions in geography as an important contribution to the quest for sustainability

Contradiction and change in state socialism

No abstract available

Роль антиангиогенных препаратов в лечении больных метастатическим колоректальным раком

This review covers the latest data on antiangiogenic agents used in patients with colorectal cancer. In this article, we describe drugs that have already been included into therapy regimens for colorectal cancer and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors that have been approved for other indications. Targeted drugs with a similar mechanism of action that are currently in clinical trials are discussed separately. VEGF-inhibitors are one of the main groups of targeted drugs for colorectal cancer with an acceptable toxicity profile, which can be used both in combination with chemotherapeutic agents and as maintenance treatment. Moreover, these drugs are not dependent on mutational status, which is a significant advantage.В статье приводится обзор современных данных литературы о применении антиангиогенных препаратов в лечении больных колоректальным раком. Рассматриваются как препараты, уже использующиеся в схемах терапии рака толстой кишки, так и ингибиторы VEGF, зарегистрированные для других показаний. Отдельно обсуждаются таргетные препараты со схожим механизмом действия, находящиеся на стадии клинических испытаний. Ингибиторы VEGF – одна из основных групп таргетных препаратов в лечении больных колоректальным раком, с приемлемым профилем токсичности, доступная к использованию как в сочетании с химиотерапией, так и в качестве поддерживающего лечения. Одним из преимуществ их использования является отсутствие зависимости от мутационного статуса пациента.

Новые препараты в лечении метастатического колоректального рака: обзор литературы

This article provides an overview of drugs for metastatic colorectal cancer that are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. We discuss possible drug combinations and outlooks of their use in different lines of therapy. In addition to VEGF and EGFR inhibitors, we describe the molecules with fundamentally new mechanisms of action that can significantly expand the list of anticancer agents and increase the number of possible lines of therapy.В статье представлен обзор препаратов для лечения метастатического колоректального рака, находящихся в фазе клинических исследований. Представлены данные о возможных комбинациях, перспективах использования в различных линиях терапии. Помимо новых вариантов ингибиторов VEGFи EGFRрассматриваются молекулы с принципиально новыми механизмами действия, которые могут значительно расширить арсенал лекарственного лечения и потенциально увеличить число возможных линий терапии

Эффективность и безопасность комбинированного применения целекоксиба, диацереина и комбинации глюкозамина и хондроитина для контроля скелетно-мышечной боли, связанной с остеоартритом и неспецифической болью в спине

   The combined use of drugs with different mechanisms of action is the main principle of musculoskeletal pain control in rheumatic diseases. However, there are few studies evaluating the efficacy of this approach in real practice.Objective: to determine the efficacy and safety of the combined use of celecoxib, diacerein, and the combination of glucosamine + chondroitin in osteoarthritis (OA) and chronic nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP).   Material and methods. Statistical analysis of data obtained during a 3-month open observational study was performed. We included 1569 patients (63.6 % women and 36.4 % men, mean age 58.7 ± 11.0 years) with knee OA (kOA), hip OA (hOA), generalized OA (gOA), and chronic NSLBP with moderate/severe pain (≥ 4 on a numeric rating scale, NRS 0–10) who required nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Celecoxib 200 mg twice daily was prescribed, with the dose reduced to 200 mg per day or taken “as needed" after significant pain relief; diacerein 50 mg twice daily; and a medication of glucosamine 250 mg and chondroitin 200 mg, 2 capsules 2–3 times daily. Outcomes were assessed after 3 months using the dynamics of pain, fatigue, dysfunction (according to NRS), and the “Patient Acceptable Symptom State” (PASS) indicator.   Results and discussion. 80.2 % of patients completed the 3 month course of treatment, 4.4 % discontinued treatment due to adverse events (AEs), and for 15.4 % of patients there was no follow-up. After 3 months of treatment ≥ 50 % decrease (from baseline) in the severity of symptoms was noted in 83.4 % of patients for pain on movement, in 83.7 % for pain at rest, in 78.6 % for pain at night, in 80.8 % for dysfunction, and in 83.4 % for fatigue. 87.7 % of patients reported PASS. There were no significant differences in treatment outcomes for different localizations of OA and NSLBP: a ≥ 50 % pain reduction in kOA was achieved in 81.6 % of patients, in hOA – in 82.2 %, in gOA – in 85.0 %, in NSLBP – in 88.1 %. AEs were registered in 350 (22.4 %) patients, the most frequent was dyspepsia (n = 280, 17.8 %), diarrhea was recorded in 37 (2.4 %) cases. No serious AEs requiring hospitalization were registered.   Conclusion. Combination therapy with celecoxib, diacerein, and a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin significantly reduces the severity of symptoms of OA and NSLBS.   Комплексное применение препаратов с различным механизмом  действия – основной принцип контроля скелетно-мышечной боли при ревматических заболеваниях. Однако имеется лишь небольшое число работ, в которых оценивается эффективность такого подхода в реальной практике.   Цель исследования – определение эффективности и безопасности сочетанного применения целекоксиба, диацереина и комбинации глюкозамин + хондроитин при остеоартрите (ОА) и хронической неспецифической боли в спине (НБС).   Материал и методы. Выполнен статистический анализ данных, полученных в ходе 3-месячного открытого наблюдательного исследования. Было включено 1569 пациентов (63,6 % женщин и 36,4 % мужчин, средний возраст – 58,7 ± 11,0 года) с ОА коленного (КС), тазобедренного (ТБС) суставов, генерализованным ОА (ГОА) и хронической НБС, испытываваших умеренную/выраженную боль (≥ 4 по числовой рейтинговой шкале, ЧРШ 0–10) и нуждавшихся в приеме нестероидных противовоспалительных препаратов. Назначались целекоксиб 200 мг 2 раза в сутки со снижением дозы до 200 мг/сут и использованием «по требованию» после значительного уменьшения боли; диацереин 50 мг 2 раза в сутки и препарат глюкозамина 250 мг и хондроитина 200 мг по 2 капсулы 2–3 раза в день. Оценка результатов проводилась через 3 мес по динамике боли, усталости, нарушения функции (по ЧРШ), а также показателю «состояние симптомов, приемлемое для пациента» (ССПП).   Результаты и обсуждение. 3-месячный курс лечения закончили 80,2 % больных, 4,4 % прервали лечение из-за нежелательных явлений (НЯ), 15,4 % выпали из-под наблюдения. Через 3 мес уменьшение выраженности ≥ 50 % по сравнению с исходным уровнем для боли при движении отмечено у 83,4 % пациентов, боли в покое – у 83,7 %, боли ночью – у 78,6 %, нарушения функции – у 80,8 %, усталости – у 83,4 %; 87,7 % пациентов указали на ССПП. Не выявлено значимых различий результатов лечения при различной локализации ОА и НБС: ≥ 50 % уменьшение боли при ОА КС достигнуто у 81,6 % больных, при ОА ТБС – у 82,2 %, при ГОА – у 85,0 %, при НБС – у 88,1 %. НЯ зарегистрированы у 350 (22,4 %) пациентов, наиболее часто встречалась диспепсия (n = 280, 17,8 %), диарея отмечалась в 37 (2,4 %) случаях. Серьезные НЯ, потребовавшие госпитализации, не зафиксированы.   Заключение. Комбинированная терапия с использованием целекоксиба, диацереина и комбинации глюкозамина и хондроитина обеспечивает существенное уменьшение выраженности симптомов ОА и НБС

Modern methods of ablation of malignant tumors of the liver

The purpose of this review is to demonstrate the possibility of performing various methods of thermal and non-thermal ablation in patients with primary and metastatic liver tumors on the basis of data available in the world medical literature.As conservative variants of local action in patients with non-resectable primary and secondary liver tumors and inoperable patients, various ablative techniques have been developed and used to achieve local control over the disease and increase the life expectancy of this group of patients. These include: radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, HIFU therapy, laser ablation, cryotherapy, chemical destruction of the tumor, irreversible electroporation, stereotactic radiation therapy.The effectiveness of these ablation methods depends on the size and localization of the tumor focus, and for thermal techniques — also on its location relative to large vessels. Ablative techniques have the maximum efficiency (in some cases, similar to surgical intervention) when exposed to early forms of primary cancer or secondary tumor formation of the liver in the presence of a solitary node with a maximum size up to 5 cm or 3 and less foci size up to 3 cm. The effectiveness of local destruction of tumor formations of the liver of larger diameter is increased by carrying out ablation by the second stage after performing chemoembolization of the hepatic artery or by combining various techniques of local action.The use of various modern methods of ablation of solid primary and secondary liver tumors in medical practice can expand the possibilities of antitumor treatment of this category of patients

Self-collimating photonic crystal polarization beam splitter

We present theoretical and experimental results of a polarization splitter device that consists of a photonic crystal (PhC) slab, which exhibits a large reflection coefficient for TE and a high transmission coefficient for TM polarization. The slab is embedded in a PhC tile operating in the self-collimation mode. Embedding the polarization-discriminating slab in a PhC with identical lattice symmetry suppresses the in.-plane diffraction losses at the PhC-non-PhC interface. The optimization of the PhC-non-PhC interface is thereby decoupled from the optimization of the polarizing function. Transmissions as high as 35% for TM- and 30% for TE-polarized light are reported. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.</p