Physical activity and health of USMU students

The purpose of the study is to assess the state of health of students of the Ural state medical university of the Ministry of Health of Russia (USMU) depending on the level of physical activity.Цель исследования –оценить состояние здоровья студентов Уральского государственного медицинского университета (УГМУ) Министерства здравоохранения РФ в зависимости от уровня физической активности

СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЕ ГЕНОТИПИРОВАНИЯ ШТАММОВ B. PERTUSSIS

The new rapid molecular genotyping method was developed for studying the structure of ptxP promoter of pertussis toxin. Method is based on PCR-RFLP analysis, which allows studying the specific restriction profiles of the B. pertussis strains and allows differentiation of the strains with the ptxP structural particularities. The developed method for genotyping of strains of B. pertussis can be hhelpful when monitoring strains of the causative agent of whooping cough in system of an epidemiological surveillance over pertussis infections, allowing observation over circulating population of B.pertussis, revealing strains of the causative agent of whooping cough with high production of pertussis toxin and to watch their distribution.Разработан новый ускоренный молекулярно-генетический способ типирования штаммов B. pertussis по структуре ptxP промотора коклюшного токсина. Метод основан на ПЦР-ПДРФ анализе, который позволяет получить характерный рестрикционный профиль и дает возможность дифференцировать штаммы с особенностями структуры промотора ptxP. Разработанный метод типирования штаммов B. pertussis может являться инструментом при мониторинге штаммов возбудителя коклюша в системе эпидемиологического надзора за коклюшной инфекций, позволяющим проводить наблюдение за циркулирующей популяцией B. pertussis, выявлять высоковирулентные штаммы возбудителя коклюша и следить за их распространением

Terrestrial biosphere changes over the last 120 kyr

A new global synthesis and biomization of long (> 40 kyr) pollen-data records is presented and used with simulations from the HadCM3 and FAMOUS climate models and the BIOME4 vegetation model to analyse the dynamics of the global terrestrial biosphere and carbon storage over the last glacial–interglacial cycle. Simulated biome distributions using BIOME4 driven by HadCM3 and FAMOUS at the global scale over time generally agree well with those inferred from pollen data. Global average areas of grassland and dry shrubland, desert, and tundra biomes show large-scale increases during the Last Glacial Maximum, between ca. 64 and 74 ka BP and cool substages of Marine Isotope Stage 5, at the expense of the tropical forest, warm-temperate forest, and temperate forest biomes. These changes are reflected in BIOME4 simulations of global net primary productivity, showing good agreement between the two models. Such changes are likely to affect terrestrial carbon storage, which in turn influences the stable carbon isotopic composition of seawater as terrestrial carbon is depleted in 13C

Immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a propensity-weighted cohort study

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a hyperinflammatory condition associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, has emerged as a serious illness in children worldwide. Immunoglobulin or glucocorticoids, or both, are currently recommended treatments. Methods: The Best Available Treatment Study evaluated immunomodulatory treatments for MIS-C in an international observational cohort. Analysis of the first 614 patients was previously reported. In this propensity-weighted cohort study, clinical and outcome data from children with suspected or proven MIS-C were collected onto a web-based Research Electronic Data Capture database. After excluding neonates and incomplete or duplicate records, inverse probability weighting was used to compare primary treatments with intravenous immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, or glucocorticoids alone, using intravenous immunoglobulin as the reference treatment. Primary outcomes were a composite of inotropic or ventilator support from the second day after treatment initiation, or death, and time to improvement on an ordinal clinical severity scale. Secondary outcomes included treatment escalation, clinical deterioration, fever, and coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN69546370. Findings: We enrolled 2101 children (aged 0 months to 19 years) with clinically diagnosed MIS-C from 39 countries between June 14, 2020, and April 25, 2022, and, following exclusions, 2009 patients were included for analysis (median age 8·0 years [IQR 4·2–11·4], 1191 [59·3%] male and 818 [40·7%] female, and 825 [41·1%] White). 680 (33·8%) patients received primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, 698 (34·7%) with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, 487 (24·2%) with glucocorticoids alone; 59 (2·9%) patients received other combinations, including biologicals, and 85 (4·2%) patients received no immunomodulators. There were no significant differences between treatments for primary outcomes for the 1586 patients with complete baseline and outcome data that were considered for primary analysis. Adjusted odds ratios for ventilation, inotropic support, or death were 1·09 (95% CI 0·75–1·58; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids and 0·93 (0·58–1·47; corrected p value=1·00) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Adjusted average hazard ratios for time to improvement were 1·04 (95% CI 0·91–1·20; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, and 0·84 (0·70–1·00; corrected p value=0·22) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Treatment escalation was less frequent for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids (OR 0·15 [95% CI 0·11–0·20]; p<0·0001) and glucocorticoids alone (0·68 [0·50–0·93]; p=0·014) versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Persistent fever (from day 2 onward) was less common with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids compared with either intravenous immunoglobulin alone (OR 0·50 [95% CI 0·38–0·67]; p<0·0001) or glucocorticoids alone (0·63 [0·45–0·88]; p=0·0058). Coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Interpretation: Recovery rates, including occurrence and resolution of coronary artery aneurysms, were similar for primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin when compared to glucocorticoids or intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids appears to be a safe alternative to immunoglobulin or combined therapy, and might be advantageous in view of the cost and limited availability of intravenous immunoglobulin in many countries. Funding: Imperial College London, the European Union's Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Foundation, UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and National Institutes of Health

Менингококковая инфекция у детей в период 2012–2021 гг. Основные итоги ретроспективного многоцентрового исследования, проблемы сегодняшнего дня

The heavy burden of meningococcal infection is associated not only with life-threatening complications in the acute period and high mortality in invasive forms of the disease, but also with severe consequences in survivors, who are not recorded in our country.The aim of study: to analyze clinical manifestations, complications of the acute period and outcomes of invasive forms of meningococcal disease in children in various regions of the Russian Federation.Materials and methods: an analysis of data from 1327 inpatient medical records of children with an invasive meningococcal infection from 14 regional centers of the Russian Federation for 2012-2021 was carried out (28.3% of cases of the disease in children in the represented federal districts).Results: it was found that young children predominated among the patients – the median was 27.4 (10.7-70.4) months. Complications of the acute period, often combined, were observed in 47.6% of cases. The development of septic shock was noted in 30.4%, Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome in 6.6%, carditis in 2.9%, cerebral edema in 15.7%, arthritis in 1.4% of cases; the formation of hydrocephalus, subdural effusion, sensorineural hearing loss in 1.8%, 0.6%, 1% of children, respectively. The presence of soft tissue necrosis requiring surgical intervention was noted in 3.5% of cases. Mortality rate was 10.1%. At the time of discharge from the hospital, 30% of children had complications associated with meningococcal infection: organ dysfunction/ failure in 13.2% of patients (severe in 1.3%), cerebral insufficiency in 19.6%; severe psycho-neurological deficits, sensorineural hearing loss, problems associated with the need for orthopedic/surgical interventions accounted for 0.7%, 0.6% and 0.8%, respectively.Conclusion. Considering the epidemiological features of meningococcal infection – the risk of a sharp increase in morbidity in short periods of time, the life-threatening nature of the disease itself, it is necessary to remain alert to these risks and take all possible measures to prevent the disease using all available means, the most effective of which is vaccine prevention.Тяжелое бремя менингококковой инфекции связано не только с жизнеугрожающими осложнениями острого периода и высокой летальностью при генерализованных формах заболевания, но и с тяжелыми последствиями у выживших, учет которых в нашей стране не ведется.Цель: проведение анализа клинических проявлений, осложнений острого периода и исходов генерализованных форм менингококковой инфекции у детей в различных регионах Российской Федерации.Материалы и методы: проведен анализ данных 1327 медицинских карт (форма 003/у) детей с генерализованной формой менингококковой инфекции из 14 региональных центров Российской Федерации за 2012– 2021 гг. (28,3% случаев заболевания у детей в представляемых федеральных округах).Результаты: установлено, что среди больных преобладали дети раннего возраста – медиана составила 27,4 (10,7–70,4) месяцев. Осложнения, часто сочетанные, в остром периоде заболевания наблюдались в 47,6% случаев: септический шок в 30,4%, синдром Уотерхауза – Фридериксена в 6,6%, кардит в 2,9%, отек головного мозга в 15,7%, артриты в 1,4%, гидроцефалия в 1,8%, сенсоневральная тугоухость в 1%, субдуральный выпот в 0,6% случаев. Наличие некрозов мягких тканей, требовавших хирургического вмешательства, отмечено в 3,5% случаев. Летальность составила 10,1%. На момент выписки из стационара у 30% детей выявлялись осложнения, в том числе выраженная органная дисфункция в 1,3%, грубый психоневрологический дефицит, сенсоневральная тугоухость; осложнения, требующие проведения ортопедических/хирургических вмешательств, составили 0,7%, 0,6% и 0,8% соответственно.Анализ полученных данных позволил вскрыть существующие проблемы, касающиеся клинической и этиологической диагностики заболевания, возможностей выявления осложнений острого периода и учета последствий генерализованных форм менингококковой инфекции.Заключение. Учитывая эпидемиологические особенности менингококковой инфекции (риск резкого подъема заболеваемости в короткие временные промежутки, жизнеугрожающий характер самого заболевания), необходимо сохранять настороженность в отношении данных рисков и предпринимать все возможные меры для профилактики заболевания с использованием всех доступных средств, наиболее эффективным из которых является вакцинопрофилактика

Immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a propensity-weighted cohort study

Background Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a hyperinflammatory condition associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, has emerged as a serious illness in children worldwide. Immunoglobulin or glucocorticoids, or both, are currently recommended treatments. Methods The Best Available Treatment Study evaluated immunomodulatory treatments for MIS-C in an international observational cohort. Analysis of the first 614 patients was previously reported. In this propensity-weighted cohort study, clinical and outcome data from children with suspected or proven MIS-C were collected onto a web-based Research Electronic Data Capture database. After excluding neonates and incomplete or duplicate records, inverse probability weighting was used to compare primary treatments with intravenous immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, or glucocorticoids alone, using intravenous immunoglobulin as the reference treatment. Primary outcomes were a composite of inotropic or ventilator support from the second day after treatment initiation, or death, and time to improvement on an ordinal clinical severity scale. Secondary outcomes included treatment escalation, clinical deterioration, fever, and coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN69546370. Findings We enrolled 2101 children (aged 0 months to 19 years) with clinically diagnosed MIS-C from 39 countries between June 14, 2020, and April 25, 2022, and, following exclusions, 2009 patients were included for analysis (median age 8·0 years [IQR 4·2–11·4], 1191 [59·3%] male and 818 [40·7%] female, and 825 [41·1%] White). 680 (33·8%) patients received primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, 698 (34·7%) with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, 487 (24·2%) with glucocorticoids alone; 59 (2·9%) patients received other combinations, including biologicals, and 85 (4·2%) patients received no immunomodulators. There were no significant differences between treatments for primary outcomes for the 1586 patients with complete baseline and outcome data that were considered for primary analysis. Adjusted odds ratios for ventilation, inotropic support, or death were 1·09 (95% CI 0·75–1·58; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids and 0·93 (0·58–1·47; corrected p value=1·00) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Adjusted average hazard ratios for time to improvement were 1·04 (95% CI 0·91–1·20; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, and 0·84 (0·70–1·00; corrected p value=0·22) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Treatment escalation was less frequent for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids (OR 0·15 [95% CI 0·11–0·20]; p<0·0001) and glucocorticoids alone (0·68 [0·50–0·93]; p=0·014) versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Persistent fever (from day 2 onward) was less common with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids compared with either intravenous immunoglobulin alone (OR 0·50 [95% CI 0·38–0·67]; p<0·0001) or glucocorticoids alone (0·63 [0·45–0·88]; p=0·0058). Coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Interpretation Recovery rates, including occurrence and resolution of coronary artery aneurysms, were similar for primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin when compared to glucocorticoids or intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids appears to be a safe alternative to immunoglobulin or combined therapy, and might be advantageous in view of the cost and limited availability of intravenous immunoglobulin in many countries. Funding Imperial College London, the European Union's Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Foundation, UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and National Institutes of Health

SiPM-matrix readout of two-phase argon detectors using electroluminescence in the visible and near infrared range

Proportional electroluminescence (EL) in noble gases is used in two-phase detectors for dark matter searches to record (in the gas phase) the ionization signal induced by particle scattering in the liquid phase. The “standard” EL mechanism is considered to be due to noble gas excimer emission in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV). In addition, there are two alternative mechanisms, producing light in the visible and near infrared (NIR) ranges. The first is due to bremsstrahlung of electrons scattered on neutral atoms (“neutral bremsstrahlung”, NBrS). The second, responsible for electron avalanche scintillation in the NIR at higher electric fields, is due to transitions between excited atomic states. In this work, we have for the first time demonstrated two alternative techniques of the optical readout of two-phase argon detectors, in the visible and NIR range, using a silicon photomultiplier matrix and electroluminescence due to either neutral bremsstrahlung or avalanche scintillation. The amplitude yield and position resolution were measured for these readout techniques, which allowed to assess the detection threshold for electron and nuclear recoils in two-phase argon detectors for dark matter searches. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first practical application of the NBrS effect in detection science

Design and construction of a new detector to measure ultra-low radioactive-isotope contamination of argon

Large liquid argon detectors offer one of the best avenues for the detection of galactic weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) via their scattering on atomic nuclei. The liquid argon target allows exquisite discrimination between nuclear and electron recoil signals via pulse-shape discrimination of the scintillation signals. Atmospheric argon (AAr), however, has a naturally occurring radioactive isotope, 39Ar, a β emitter of cosmogenic origin. For large detectors, the atmospheric 39Ar activity poses pile-up concerns. The use of argon extracted from underground wells, deprived of 39Ar, is key to the physics potential of these experiments. The DarkSide-20k dark matter search experiment will operate a dual-phase time projection chamber with 50 tonnes of radio-pure underground argon (UAr), that was shown to be depleted of 39Ar with respect to AAr by a factor larger than 1400. Assessing the 39Ar content of the UAr during extraction is crucial for the success of DarkSide-20k, as well as for future experiments of the Global Argon Dark Matter Collaboration (GADMC). This will be carried out by the DArT in ArDM experiment, a small chamber made with extremely radio-pure materials that will be placed at the centre of the ArDM detector, in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC) in Spain. The ArDM LAr volume acts as an active veto for background radioactivity, mostly γ-rays from the ArDM detector materials and the surrounding rock. This article describes the DArT in ArDM project, including the chamber design and construction, and reviews the background required to achieve the expected performance of the detector

MODERNIZATION OF GENEOTIPING OF STRAINS B. PERTUSSIS

The new rapid molecular genotyping method was developed for studying the structure of ptxP promoter of pertussis toxin. Method is based on PCR-RFLP analysis, which allows studying the specific restriction profiles of the B. pertussis strains and allows differentiation of the strains with the ptxP structural particularities. The developed method for genotyping of strains of B. pertussis can be hhelpful when monitoring strains of the causative agent of whooping cough in system of an epidemiological surveillance over pertussis infections, allowing observation over circulating population of B.pertussis, revealing strains of the causative agent of whooping cough with high production of pertussis toxin and to watch their distribution