Ilizarov bone transport combined with the Masquelet technique for bone defects of various etiologies (preliminary results)

BACKGROUND: The Ilizarov bone transport (IBT) and the Masquelet induced membrane technique (IMT) have specific merits and shortcomings, but numerous studies have shown their efficacy in the management of extensive long-bone defects of various etiologies, including congenital deficiencies. Combining their strong benefits seems a promising strategy to enhance bone regeneration and reduce the risk of refractures in the management of post-traumatic and congenital defects and nonunion that failed to respond to other treatments. AIM: To combine IBT and IMT for the management of severe tibial defects and pseudarthrosis, and present preliminary results of this technological solution. METHODS: Seven adults with post-traumatic tibial defects (subgroup A) and nine children (subgroup B) with congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) were treated with the combination of IMT and IBT after the failure of previous treatments. The mean number of previous surgeries was 2.0 ± 0.2 in subgroup A and 3.3 ± 0.7 in subgroup B. Step 1 included Ilizarov frame placement and spacer introduction into the defect to generate the induced membrane which remained in the interfragmental gap after spacer removal. Step 2 was an osteotomy and bone transport of the fragment through the tunnel in the induced membrane, its compression and docking for consolidation without grafting. The outcomes were retrospectively studied after a mean follow-up of 20.8 ± 2.7 mo in subgroup A and 25.3 ± 2.3 mo in subgroup B. RESULTS: The “true defect” after resection was 13.3 ± 1.7% in subgroup A and 31.0 ± 3.0% in subgroup B relative to the contralateral limb. Upon completion of treatment, defects were filled by 75.4 ± 10.6% and 34.6 ± 4.2%, respectively. Total duration of external fixation was 397 ± 9.2 and 270.1 ± 16.3 d, including spacer retention time of 42.4 ± 4.5 and 55.8 ± 6.6 d, in subgroups A and B, respectively. Bone infection was not observed. Postoperative complications were several cases of pin-tract infection and regenerate deformity in both subgroups. Ischemic regeneration was observed in two cases of subgroup B. Complications were corrected during the course of treatment. Bone union was achieved in all patients of subgroup A and in seven patients of subgroup B. One non-united CPT case was further treated with the Ilizarov compression method only and achieved union. After a follow-up period of two to three years, refractures occurred in four cases of united CPT. CONCLUSION: The combination of IMT and IBT provides good outcomes in post-traumatic tibial defects after previous treatment failure but external fixation is longer due to spacer retention. Refractures may occur in severe CPT

Effect of Bacteriophages and Gentamycine on Morphology and Vesicle Formation of Bacteria Yersinia pestis EV

Objective was to assess the effect of specific bacteriophages and gentamycine on the morphological-functional properties of bacteria in the vaccine strain Yersinia pestis EV.Materials and methods. The vaccine strain Y. pestis EV, Pokrovskaya bacteriophage and the pseudotuberculous diagnostic bacteriophage were used for the study. The microbial culture was grown on solid and in liquid growth media at 27 °C for 20–24 h. The co-incubation of bacteria and bacteriophage or gentamycine was carried out at 27 °C for 20 minutes or at 37 °C for 2 hours, respectively. Culture preparations were examined by transmission electron microscopy.Results and discussion. The influence of cultivation conditions and various stress factors on the vesicle production by the vaccine strain Y. pestis EV cells was evaluated. The nature and intensity of morphological-functional changes in Y. pestis EV cells in response to the effect of bacteriophages (plague Pokrovskaya and pseudotuberculous bacteriophages) or an antibiotic (gentamycine) were determined. It was established that co-incubation of Y. pestis EV with Pokrovskaya bacteriophage or gentamycine for 20 min leads to the increase in the production of extracellular vesicles and is accompanied by the development of degenerative changes in bacterial cells

Формальная модель семантики художественного текста (на материале русских пословиц)

In the article the formal model of proverb semantics is suggested. The proverb statement is considered as a construction of two semantic oppositions and a so called mythological equation. The opposition lexicon forms a sort of semantic network. This model is to be used as the intellectual module kernel in the information system METAPHORA developed to process proverbs at the semantic aspect.Предпринята попытка построения формальной модели, отражающей суть моральных предписаний, заключенных в текстах русских пословиц. Модель включает четыре компонента: две оппозиции, связывающее их т.н. "мифологическое" тождество и конфигурацию связи. Модель позволяет применять процедуры интеллектуальной обработки текстов: проводить статистический анализ устойчивых (часто воспроизводящихся) связок оппозиции + тождество; осуществлять информационный поиск по семантике текста с возможностью формулирования сложных запросов, например выдать посло¬вицы о "негативных последствиях глупости". На основе модели была реализована информационно-аналитическая система МЕТАФОРА, находящаяся в открытом доступе в сети Интернет по адресу http://www.metaphora2.ru/

Common Patterns of Prediction of Literacy Development in Different Alphabetic Orthographies

We are grateful to Brett Kessler for computing the consistency estimates in each of the four languages of this studyPrevious studies have shown that phoneme awareness, letter-sound knowledge, rapid automatized naming (RAN), and verbal memory span are reliable correlates of learning to read in English. However, the extent to which these different predictors have the same relative importance in different languages remains uncertain. In this article, we present the results from a 10-month longitudinal study that began just before or soon after the start of formal literacy instruction in four languages (English, Spanish, Slovak, and Czech). Longitudinal path analyses showed that phoneme awareness, letter-sound knowledge, and RAN (but not verbal memory span) measured at the onset of literacy instruction were reliable predictors, with similar relative importance, of later reading and spelling skills across the four languages. These data support the suggestion that in all alphabetic orthographies, phoneme awareness, letter-sound knowledge, and RAN may tap cognitive processes that are important for learning to read.Grant PITN-215961 – ELDEL from the Marie Curie, Seventh Framework Programm

CHARACTERISTICS OF AUTOIMMUNE INFLAMMATION IN THE PATIENTS WITH LUNG TUBERCULOSIS

Tuberculosis is a granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, being characterized by the development of caseous granulomas in various organs, mainly in lungs. M. tuberculosis is known to be a trigger for autoimmune inflammation, due to the possible mimicry of bacterial proteins as autoantigens. Recently, a significance of mesenchymal vimentin as an autoantigen in mycobacterial infections has been actively discussed. The aim of the present study was to determine autoantibodies for various vimentin modifications in the patients with tuberculosis.The study was performed in 2014-2017 and included 28 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (group I), 30 patients with nonspecific lung diseases (group II): 15 with granulomatous polyangiitis, and 15 with different alveolites. Control group consisted of healthy subjects (n = 40). Concentration of antibodies to mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) was measured using ELISA (ORGENTEC, Germany). The patients with elevated anti-MCV levels were tested for antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) using ELISA technique (EUROIMMUN, Germany). Statistical analysis was carried out using GraphPad Prism 6 (GraphPad Software, USA), Statistica 10 (Statsoft, USA) using nonparametric analysis of samples with Mann-Whitney and Chi-square criteria, and Spearman method for correlation analysis. The differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.The anti-MCV concentrations were significantly higher in patients with tuberculosis (group I, 60.7% of cases, 17/28) than in group II, and control group (23.6 and 25.0% of cases, respectively). No statistically significant differences were revealed between the results of anti-MVC and anti-CCP levels in comparison group with the control group (p = 0.18).High levels of anti-MCV antibodies in the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis reflect an opportunity of developing autoimmune process in the disease pathogenesis. Measurement of plasma anti-MCV antibody concentrations may be important for correction of the therapy, especially upon administration of immunosuppressive and hormonal corticosteroid drugs. It has been shown that anti-CCP are not characteristic to the lung diseases

Клинический случай генерализованного врожденного токсоплазмоза

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Topological Photonics

Topology is revolutionizing photonics, bringing with it new theoretical discoveries and a wealth of potential applications. This field was inspired by the discovery of topological insulators, in which interfacial electrons transport without dissipation even in the presence of impurities. Similarly, new optical mirrors of different wave-vector space topologies have been constructed to support new states of light propagating at their interfaces. These novel waveguides allow light to flow around large imperfections without back-reflection. The present review explains the underlying principles and highlights the major findings in photonic crystals, coupled resonators, metamaterials and quasicrystals.Comment: progress and review of an emerging field, 12 pages, 6 figures and 1 tabl