Polymer-chalcogenide glass nanocomposites for amplitude-phase modulated optical relief recording

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Влияние технологических добавок на свойства резин на основе растворного бутадиен-стирольного каучука

Short review devoted to prediction of phase morphologies of heterogeneous polymer blends with the aim of the development of novel composite polymeric materials. The works discussed are performed mainly at the department of chemistry and physics of polymers and polymeric materials.Целью настоящей работы было изучение влияния различных технологических добавок на свойства резиновых смесей на основе растворного бутадиен-стирольного каучука в системах с разными типами наполнителей, выбор наиболее эффективных добавок, обеспечивающих сочетание хороших технологических и физико-механических свойств эластомерных материалов

Impact of inter-ventricular lead distance on cardiac resynchronization therapy outcomes

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown as an essential treatment of patients with heart failure, leading to improvements in symptoms, left ventricular (LV) function, and survival. However, up to 30% of appropriately selected patients remain non-responders to CRT. The aim of our study was to test a hypothesis on the impact of lead positioning in the ventricular walls on CRT response in patients with advanced chronic heart failure with and without pre-operative inter and intra-ventricular myocardial dyssynchrony. We examined 53 guideline-selected CRT candidates. Response to CRT was defined in 6 months after implantation of CRT devices. All patients underwent standard and Doppler echocardiography for assessment of LV function and mechanical dyssynchrony. Individual right ventricular (RV) and LV lead tip position, inter-lead distance, and the horizontal and vertical components were measured on the radiograph images with using an automated custom made software Our results showed that the RLV inter-lead distance is an essential parameter correlated with the CRT outcomes. A logistic model comprising the RLV inter-lead distance with parameters of dyssynchrony demonstrated a high predictive power for odds of CRT success. © 2017 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.Research was supported by Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, agreement № 02.A03.21.0006 and Program of the RAS Presidium #I.33П

Влияние технологических добавок на свойства резин на основе тройного этилен-пропиленового каучука

The work focuses on investigating the influence of the processing additives on the filler dispersion and properties of the rubber compounds based on EPDM with carbon black and silica filler. It was found that these processing additives mainly change technological properties of the rubber mixes with a carbon black filler and essentially change both technological and physical-mechanical properties of the mixes with a silica filler. Besides, a combination of additives appeared to have stronger influence on the properties of the rubber compounds, especially with a carbon black filler.Целью настоящей работы было изучение влияния различных технологических добавок на свойства резиновых смесей на основе тройного этилен-пропиленового каучука в системах с разными типами наполнителей, выбор наиболее эффективных добавок, обеспечивающих сочетание хороших технологических и физико-механических свойств эластомерных материалов

Effects of аntimicrobials on <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> biofilm formation

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most problematic pathogens in medical institutions, which may be due to the ability of this microorganism to exist in a biofilm, which increases its resistance to antimicrobials, as well as its prevalence and survival ability in the external environment. This work aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of P. aeruginosa strains in planktonic and biofilm forms. We studied 20 strains of P. aeruginosa collected during 2018–2021 by specialists from the Laboratory of Microbiome and Microecology of the Scientific Centre for Family Health and Human Reproduction Problems. The identification of strains was carried out using test systems for differentiating gram-negative non-fermenting bacteria (NEFERMtest 24 Erba Lachema s.r.o., Czech Republic), and confirmed by mass spectrometric analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Antimicrobial activity was assessed by the degree of inhibition of cell growth in planktonic and biofilm forms (on a flat-bottomed 96-well plastic immunological plate). All clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were biofilm formers, 47.6 % of the isolates were weak biofilm formers, and 52.4 % of the isolates were moderate biofilm formers. Planktonic cells and the forming biofilm of the tested P. aeruginosa strains were carbapenems-resistant. Biofilm formation was suppressed in more than 90 % of cases by the agents of the cephalosporin and aminoglycoside groups. Antimicrobial susceptibility of P. aeruginosa strains in the formed biofilm was significantly lower (p &lt; 0.05). Carbapenems and cephalosporins did not affect the mature biofilms of the tested P. aeruginosa strains in more than 60 % of cases. Only non-beta-lactam antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and amikacin) suppressed the growth of planktonic cells and destroyed the mature biofilm. The revealed differences in the effect of the tested antimicrobials on the P. aeruginosa strains biofilms correlate with resistance to a number of antibiotics. To prevent biofilm formation in the hospital strains of P. aeruginosa, the use of ceftazidime may be recommended, and antimicrobials such as ciprofloxacin and amikacin may be used to affect mature biofilms of P. aeruginosa

Влияние стеариновой кислоты на поверхностные свойства эластомерных композитов на основе бутадиен-стирольных каучуков

It has been shown that stearic acid has specific effect on the formation of surface properties of butadiene-styrene rubber produced by polymerization in solution, and of rubbers based on it. When stearic acid content is up to 1 wt. parts per 100 wt. parts of rubber, surface tension of samples is reduced, and at higher content the surface tension is increased. These features can be useful in predicting the technological behavior of rubber compositions during their processing.Показано специфическое влияние стеариновой кислоты на формирование поверхностных свойств бутадиен-стирольного каучука растворной полимеризации, и резин на его основе. При содержании стеариновой кислоты до 1 мас. ч. на 100 мас. ч. каучука поверхностное натяжение образцов снижается, а при увеличении ее содержания может повышаться. Выявленные особенности могут быть полезны при прогнозировании технологического поведения резиновых смесей в процессе их переработки

The effectiveness of biofilm formation of daily cultures of clinically significant strains of opportunistic bacteria

Background. The formation of biofilm structures by microorganisms living in the hospital environment is a serious medical problem. To conduct correct experimental studies, it is necessary to know the speed and efficiency of biofilm formation by clinically significant species of opportunistic bacteria.   Aim: to study the kinetics of plankton culture growth and the rate of biofilm formation by clinically significant pathogens of infections associated with medical care to substantiate the methodology of further research.   Materials and methods. The strains from the working collection of the Laboratory for Microbiome and Microecology of the Scientific Сentre for Family Health and Human Reproduction Problems were used. Experiments were carried out with conditionally pathogenic microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family and non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria. The optical density was measured, the total microbial number of the cell suspension was determined, and the morphological structure of the biofilm was evaluated using a light microscope on sterile cover glasses for thespecies Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Serratia marcescens.   Results. The duration of the lag phase of the kinetic curve of cell growth varied in isolates of S. marcescens, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae from 1 to 4 and 6 hours of cultivation, respectively. Despite this, the exponential growth phase was the same for all tested isolates and amounted to 4 hours. Thus, isolates of clinically significant species entered the stationary growth phase after 5–10 hours of cultivation and were characterized as fast-growing. On abiotic surfaces, after 8 hours of incubation of the tested cultures, the initial stages of the formation of biofilm structures were observed, after 20 hours the formed multilayer biofilm was visualized, after 24 hours succession occurred, new single cells were attached to the place of the detached structures.   Conclusion. The data obtained on the duration of the main stages of growth kinetics compared with the visualization of the formation of biofilm structures on abiotic surfaces should be taken into account when studying the effects of disinfectants, antiseptics and antibacterial drugs on planktonic cells and biofilm associations of clinically significant opportunistic microorganisms

Frequency of strains with multiple antibiotic resistance in the structure of opportunitistic pathogens

Background. The problem of antibiotic resistance has remained significant for the medical community for more than half a century, since the first cases of resistance to penicillin were registered.   The aim. Analysis of the long-term dynamics of changes in the antibacterial resistance of microorganisms and the creation of a collection of multi-resistant strains of opportunistic microorganisms.   Materials and methods. The study included data from 3173 bacteriological samples of various loci of the human body for 2010 and 2020–2021. The sensitivity of isolated cultures was determined by the disk diffusion method to antimicrobial drugs of the following groups: penicillins, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, carbapenems, tetracyclines, macrolides, lincosamides, oxazolidinones, glycopeptides and others.   Results. In the general structure of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, a significant increase in the frequency of isolation of multidrug-resistant representatives of the genus Staphylococcus by two or more times was observed in 2021 compared to 2010 and 2020. We also observed a significant increase in the proportion of multidrug-resistant Streptococcus spp. and non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria. These changes marked the beginning of the creation of a collection of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms with multiple antibacterial resistance. In the structure of multiresistant microorganisms included in the “Collection of human microbiota of the Irkutsk region”, the leading positions belong to Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.81 %), Escherichia coli (19.05 %) and Staphylococcus aureus (22.22 %).   Conclusion. Antibiotic resistance monitoring is an important measure to control the resistance of community-acquired and nosocomial (nosocomial) microorganisms both within a particular country and globally

Using Goal- and Grip-Related Information for Understanding the Correctness of Other’s Actions: An ERP Study

Detecting errors in other’s actions is of pivotal importance for joint action, competitive behavior and observational learning. Although many studies have focused on the neural mechanisms involved in detecting low-level errors, relatively little is known about error-detection in everyday situations. The present study aimed to identify the functional and neural mechanisms whereby we understand the correctness of other’s actions involving well-known objects (e.g. pouring coffee in a cup). Participants observed action sequences in which the correctness of the object grasped and the grip applied to a pair of objects were independently manipulated. Observation of object violations (e.g. grasping the empty cup instead of the coffee pot) resulted in a stronger P3-effect than observation of grip errors (e.g. grasping the coffee pot at the upper part instead of the handle), likely reflecting a reorienting response, directing attention to the relevant location. Following the P3-effect, a parietal slow wave positivity was observed that persisted for grip-errors, likely reflecting the detection of an incorrect hand-object interaction. These findings provide new insight in the functional significance of the neurophysiological markers associated with the observation of incorrect actions and suggest that the P3-effect and the subsequent parietal slow wave positivity may reflect the detection of errors at different levels in the action hierarchy. Thereby this study elucidates the cognitive processes that support the detection of action violations in the selection of objects and grips