Structure, optical, electrical and thermoelectric properties of solution-processed Li-doped NiO films grown by SILAR

The article presents a new facial synthesis of Li-doped NiO films (NiO:Li) via an easy and cost-effective method Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) with the processing of the obtained NiO films in a lithium-containing aqueous solution for their transformation after annealing into NiO:Li layers. Comparative analysis of crystal structure, optical, electrical and thermoelectric properties of the obtained NiO and NiO:Li 420-1050 nm thick films have reveiled a cubic rock-salt NiO structure, at that, NiO:Li samples are nanocrystalline single phased Li-NiO solid solutions. The fabricated NiO and NiO:Li films are p-type semiconductors with activation energy Ea = 0.1 eV and Ea = 0.25‒0.31 eV, respectively. The obtained in-plane Seebeck coefficients Z are in the range 0.20–0.33 mV/К. Notwithstanding the fact that the maximum values of the thermoelectric power factors P=2.2 μW/K2·m, are rather small, they were achieved if the hot end of the NiO:Li film was heated only to 115 °C. Thus, the produced in this work new low cost thermoelectric thin film material is suitable for a production of electrical energy for low-power devices due to absorption of low-potential heat

Biological stimulation of diabetic ulcers healing

Department of Endoscopic and Cardiovascular Surgery, National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Vinnytsya, Ukraine, Al XIII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” și al III-lea Congres al Societății de Endoscopie, Chirurgie miniminvazivă și Ultrasonografie ”V.M.Guțu” din Republica MoldovaIntroduction: Despite many studies, diabetes does not respond to radical treatment, and footulcers do not heal for a long time. Aim: The aim of our study was toevaluatethe reparatory effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot in stage 2. Materials and methods: The study included 32 patients with diagnosis of diabetic foot in stage 2. At the time of inclusion in the study, all patients had a defect of the skin and subcutaneous fat on the foot, measuring 3-6 cm2 , which was not corrected by traditional methods for 3-4 months. All patients were divided in 2 groups: comparison group (n=18 (56.25%) – standard therapy; study group (n=14;43.75%) – standard therapy and local serial administration of PRP. The area of the ulcers was measured before manipulation, as well as at 1 week intervals until the ulcer was completely healed. Results: Our experience with PRP in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot in stage 2 demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique. A progressive, significant (p<0.01) decrease in the area of the ulcerative defect starting from the 14th day was noted. When using PRP, we managed to achieve complete healing of diabetic ulcers in 64.2% of patients on day 35 and in 100% of patients on day 42. Conclusion: Local administration of an PRP allows the complete healing of diabetic ulcers in stage 2 with an area of 3-6 cm2 for 6 weeks

Diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis in neonates and nurselings

The authors share herein their experience in diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis in neonates and nurselings. We examined a total of 132 infants undergoing treatment in an intensive care unit. Of these, 15 infants were diagnosed with various-localization thromboses. Ultrasonographic study was the main method of diagnosis. Management consisted in anticoagulant therapy. Timely administration of anticoagulant therapy made it possible to achieve complete recanalization of venous lumens in 80% of cases. Only 20% of infants were found to have vein occlusion preserved, thus requiring further follow up and treatment. Neither complications nor relapsing thromboses were observed. A conclusion was drawn that characteristic of neonates and infants under 12 months of life is a specific profile of etiopathogenesis of deep vein thrombosis. In the majority of cases thrombosis appears to be catheter-related, and only in sporadic cases it forms spontaneously. Treatment of thromboses is typically associated with high successfulness of medicamentous therapy

Prevention of rebleeding in patients with portal hypertension and esophageal variceal bleeding

Department of Endoscopic and Cardiovascular Surgery, National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Vinnytsya, Ukraine, Al XIII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” și al III-lea Congres al Societății de Endoscopie, Chirurgie miniminvazivă și Ultrasonografie ”V.M.Guțu” din Republica MoldovaBackground: Despite the development of medicine esophageal variceal bleeding remain an urgent problem. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of embolization of the splenic artery in order to prevent portal bleeding. Methods and materials: The study included 96 patients, who had cirrhosis classes B and C (Child-Pugh) and esophageal variceal bleeding. Patients were divided into 2 groups: main group (n=71, 73.95%) – endoscopic ligating of bleeding and embolization of the splenic artery; comparison group (n=25, 26.05%) – only drug therapy. Results: In comparison group we stopped bleeding in 54 (76.1%) patients. 17 (23.9%) patients died. The duration of treatment was 10.1±2.4 days. In main group we stopped bleeding in 23 (92.0%) patients. 2 (8.0%) patients died. The duration of treatment was 6.5±2.7 days. A statistical analysis of mortality and duration of treatment revealed a significant difference (p<0.01) between the groups in both indicators. After splenic artery embolizationin all cases managed to achieve a reduction in blood flow of 60–80%. After 6 months among 54 patients in the comparison group, bleeding relapse occurred in 12 (22.2%) cases; in the main group – 2 (8.7%). Conclusion: Splenic artery embolization in patients after endoscopic hemostasis of variceal bleeding allows to reduce the pressure in the portal system, which in turn leads to a decrease in the frequency of bleeding recurrences

Reinitiated viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase resumes replication at a reduced rate

RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRP) form an important class of enzymes that is responsible for genome replication and transcription in RNA viruses and involved in the regulation of RNA interference in plants and fungi. The RdRP kinetics have been extensively studied, but pausing, an important regulatory mechanism for RNA polymerases that has also been implicated in RNA recombination, has not been considered. Here, we report that RdRP experience a dramatic, long-lived decrease in its elongation rate when it is reinitiated following stalling. The rate decrease has an intriguingly weak temperature dependence, is independent of both the nucleotide concentration during stalling and the length of the RNA transcribed prior to stalling; however it is sensitive to RNA structure. This allows us to delineate the potential factors underlying this irreversible conversion of the elongation complex to a less active mode

The fractal globule as a model of chromatin architecture in the cell

The fractal globule is a compact polymer state that emerges during polymer condensation as a result of topological constraints which prevent one region of the chain from passing across another one. This long-lived intermediate state was introduced in 1988 (Grosberg et al. 1988) and has not been observed in experiments or simulations until recently (Lieberman-Aiden et al. 2009). Recent characterization of human chromatin using a novel chromosome conformational capture technique brought the fractal globule into the spotlight as a structural model of human chromosome on the scale of up to 10 Mb (Lieberman-Aiden et al. 2009). Here, we present the concept of the fractal globule, comparing it to other states of a polymer and focusing on its properties relevant for the biophysics of chromatin. We then discuss properties of the fractal globule that make it an attractive model for chromatin organization inside a cell. Next, we connect the fractal globule to recent studies that emphasize topological constraints as a primary factor driving formation of chromosomal territories. We discuss how theoretical predictions, made on the basis of the fractal globule model, can be tested experimentally. Finally, we discuss whether fractal globule architecture can be relevant for chromatin packing in other organisms such as yeast and bacteria

ОЦІНКА ЯКОСТІ ЖИТТЯ ПАЦІЄНТІВ З ВАРИКОЗНОЮ ХВОРОБОЮ НИЖНІХ КІНЦІВОК ПІСЛЯ ВИКОРИСТАННЯ РАДІОЧАСТОТНОЇ АБЛЯЦІЇ ТА ЕНДОВЕНОЗНОЇ ЛАЗЕРНОЇ ОБЛІТЕРАЦІЇ

The article deals with the results of clinical research on the quality of life of patients with varicose disease of the lower extremities in CEAP C2-4 stage after application of radio-frequency ablation (RFA) and endovenous laser obliteration. It has been demonstrated a higher quality of life in patients treated with RFA due to the absence of pain syndrome and good aesthetic effect.В статье приведены результаты клинического исследования по изучению качества жизни у пациентов с варикозной болезнью нижних конечностей в стадии C2-4 за CEAP после использования радиочастотной абляции и эндовенозной лазерной коагуляции. Было продемонстрировано более высокий уровень качества жизни у лиц, лечившихся РЧА за счет отсутствия болевого синдрома и хорошего эстетического эффекта.У статті наведено результати клінічного дослідження по вивченню якості життя у пацієнтів із варикозною хворобою нижніх кінцівок в стадії C2-4 за CEAP після використання радіочастотної абляції та ендовенозної лазерної коагуляції. Було продемонстровано більш високий рівень якості життя у осіб, що лікувалися РЧА за рахунок відсутності больового синдрому та гарного естетичного ефекту

Diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis in neonates and nurselings

The authors share herein their experience in diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis in neonates and nurselings. We examined a total of 132 infants undergoing treatment in an intensive care unit. Of these, 15 infants were diagnosed with various-localization thromboses. Ultrasonographic study was the main method of diagnosis. Management consisted in anticoagulant therapy. Timely administration of anticoagulant therapy made it possible to achieve complete recanalization of venous lumens in 80% of cases. Only 20% of infants were found to have vein occlusion preserved, thus requiring further follow up and treatment. Neither complications nor relapsing thromboses were observed. A conclusion was drawn that characteristic of neonates and infants under 12 months of life is a specific profile of etiopathogenesis of deep vein thrombosis. In the majority of cases thrombosis appears to be catheter-related, and only in sporadic cases it forms spontaneously. Treatment of thromboses is typically associated with high successfulness of medicamentous therapy

ЕФЕКТИВНІСТЬ ЕНДОСКОПІЧНОГО ГЕМОСТАЗУ У ПАЦІЄНТІВ ІЗ ВИСОКИМ РИЗИКОМ РЕЦИДИВУ ГАСТРО-ДУОДЕНАЛЬНИХ КРОВОТЕЧ ВИРАЗКОВОГО ҐЕНЕЗУ

The aim of the study was to evaluate of endoscopic hemostasis efficiency in patients with high risk of rebleeding after gastroduodenal peptic ulcer hemorrhage. The analysis of medical cards of 139 patients who were admitted to the center for gastrointestinal bleeding with hemorrhagic shock was conducted. All patients had high risk of rebleedingwhich was estimated using Rockall scale. All patients were divided into groups: the first group consisted of 40 patients who underwent endoscopic hemostasis; the second group included 99 patients who received drug therapy; the third group consisted of 30 patients who were operated. The compare criterion was the frequency of rebleeding, treatment outcome, and its duration.Цель исследования – оценка эффективности разных методов эндоскопического гемостаза у пациентов с высоким риском рецидива гастродуоденальных кровотечений язвенного генеза. Проведен анализ карт стационарных больных 139 пациентов, госпитализированных в центр желудочно–кишечных кровотечений в состоянии геморрагического шока. У всех пациентов был высокий риск рецидива кровотечения, который оценивался при помощи прогностической шкалы Rockall. Все больные были разделены на группы (статистический анализ проводился в два этапа): первую группу составили 40 пациентов, которым проведен эндоскопический гемостаз; во вторую группу вошли 99 пациентов, которые получали консервативное противоязвенное лечение; третью группу составили 30 пациентов, прооперированных по поводу профузного язвенного кровотечения или его рецидива. Критериями сравнения были частота рецидива кровотечения, результат лечения, а также его длительность.Метою дослідження було оцінити ефективність різних методів ендоскопічного гемостазу у пацієнтів з високим ризиком рецидиву гастродуоденальних кровотеч виразкового ґенезу. Проаналізовано карти стаціонарних хворих 139 пацієнтів, які госпіталізовані в центр шлунково–кишкових кровотеч у стані геморагічного шоку. Усі пацієнти мали високий ризик рецидиву кровотечі, який оцінювався за допомогою прогностичної шкали Rockall. Пацієнтів розподілено на групи (статистичний аналіз проводився у два етапи: першу групу становили 40 пацієнтів, яким проведено ендоскопічний гемостаз; до другої групи було включено 99 пацієнтів, які отримували консервативну противиразкову терапію; група 3 містила 30 пацієнтів, яким з приводу профузної кровотечі або її рецидиву було проведено оперативне лікування. Критеріями порівняння були частота рецидиву кровотечі, результат лікування, а також його тривалість