ПЕРФУЗІЙНА ДИСФУНКЦІЯ ПРИ ГОСТРОМУ ПАНКРЕАТИТІ: ПЕРСПЕКТИВНІ НАПРЯМКИ УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ДІАГНОСТИКИ ТА СТРАТИФІКАЦІЇ ЗАХВОРЮВАННЯ

Introduction. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common diseases of the digestive system that require hospitalization. To date, the problem of stratification and differential diagnosis of AP in the early stages remains unresolved, which encourages the search for new methods of diagnosis and prediction of the severity of AP. Aim. To evaluate the possibility of creating a clinically oriented system of stratification and prognosis of AP on the basis of dynamic changes in microcirculation depending on the duration of the disease and severity of AP. Materials and methods. Assessment of the state of microcirculation (MC) of patients by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) was performed with the “LAKK-02” device. Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric analysis of variance and the median test were used to test statistical hypotheses when comparing independent samples. Pairwise comparison of independent samples was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results. The study determined the indicators of MC in patients with different AP severity degrees on the first day of the disease. The microcirculation parameter (MP) in patients with mild, moderate, and severe AP was 3.9; 3.8 and 6.8 perfusion units (p.u.), respectively. The blood flow modulation rate (ơ) was 0.52; 0.54 and 0.69 p.u. in mild, moderate, and severe AP. In our study, the coefficient of variation (Kv) averaged 17.3%; 20.0% and 11.7% in patients with mild, moderate, and severe AP, respectively. Conclusions. LDF in AP is an informative method of diagnosing the state of MC, which is a universal link in all pathophysiological reactions of the organism. Changes of MC in AP depend on the severity of AP and the period of the disease. The pathophysiological microcirculatory phenomena, revealed on the first day of the disease, provide us with the perspectives of early clinical distinguishing the moderate and severe forms of AP from the so-called group of “destructive forms”.

Properties of AlN/GaN Heterostructures Grown at Low Growth Temperatures with Ammonia and Dimethylhydrazine

The integration of different electronic materials systems together has gained increasing interest in recent years, with the III-nitrides being a favorable choice for a variety of electronic applications. To increase flexibility in integration options, growing nitrides material directly on semi-processed wafers would be advantageous, necessitating low temperature (LT) growth schemes. In this work, the growth of AlN and GaN was conducted via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using both NH3 and DMHy as N-precursors. The relationships between growth rate versus temperature were determined within the range of 300 to 550 °C. The growth of AlN/GaN heterostructures was also investigated herein, employing flow modulation epitaxy MOCVD at 550 °C. Subsequent samples were studied via atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, TEM, and Hall measurements. Two-dimensional electron gases were found in samples where the LT AlN layer was grown with NH3, with one sample showing high electron mobility and sheet charge of 540 cm2/V∙s and 3.76 × 1013 cm−2, respectively. Inserting a LT GaN layer under the LT AlN layer caused the mobility and charge to marginally decrease while still maintaining sufficiently high values. This sets the groundwork towards use of LT nitrides MOCVD in future electronic devices integrating III-nitrides with other materials.

Diversion-p64: results from an international, prospective, multicenter, single-arm post-market study to assess the safety and effectiveness of the p64 flow modulation device

BackgroundThe use of flow diversion to treat intracranial aneurysms has increased in recent years.ObjectiveTo assess the safety and angiographic efficacy of the p64 flow modulation device.MethodsDiversion-p64 is an international, prospective, multicenter, single-arm, study conducted at 26 centers. The p64 flow modulation device was used to treat anterior circulation aneurysms between December 2015 and January 2019. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of major stroke or neurologic death at 3–6 months, with the primary efficacy endpoint being complete aneurysm occlusion (Raymond-Roy Occlusion Classification 1) on follow-up angiography.ResultsA total of 420 patients met the eligibility criteria and underwent treatment with the p64 flow modulation device (mean age 55±12.0 years, 86.2% female). Mean aneurysm dome width was 6.99±5.28 mm and neck width 4.47±2.28 mm. Mean number of devices implanted per patient was 1.06±0.47, with adjunctive coiling performed in 14.0% of the cases. At the second angiographic follow-up (mean 375±73 days), available for 343 patients (81.7%), complete aneurysm occlusion was seen in 287 (83.7%) patients. Safety data were available for 413 patients (98.3%) at the first follow-up (mean 145±43 days) with a composite morbidity/mortality rate of 2.42% (n=10).ConclusionsDiversion-p64 is the largest prospective study using the p64 flow modulation device. The results of this study demonstrate that the device has a high efficacy and carries a low rate of mortality and permanent morbidity.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Alleviates Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia in Parkinson's Disease and the Related Mechanisms: A Mini-Review

After long-term use of levodopa, Parkinson's patients almost inevitably develop dyskinesia, a kind of drug side effect manifesting as uncontrollable choreic movements and dystonia, which could be crippling yet have limited therapeutic options. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is the most widely studied non-invasive neuromodulation technology to treat levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Many studies have shown that transcranial magnetic stimulation has beneficial effects on levodopa-induced dyskinesia and is patient-tolerable, barely with reported adverse effects. Changes in brain connectivity, neuroplasticity, neurotransmitter, neurorestoration, and blood flow modulation could play crucial roles in the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation for levodopa-induced dyskinesia. The appearance of new modes and application for emerging targets are possible solutions for transcranial magnetic stimulation to achieve sustained efficacy. Since the sample size in all available studies is small, more randomized double-blind controlled studies are needed to elucidate the specific treatment mechanisms and optimize treatment parameters.

Modulating Drought Stress Response of Maize by a Synthetic Bacterial Community

Plant perception and responses to environmental stresses are known to encompass a complex set of mechanisms in which the microbiome is involved. Knowledge about plant physiological responses is therefore critical for understanding the contribution of the microbiome to plant resilience. However, as plant growth is a dynamic process, a major hurdle is to find appropriate tools to effectively measure temporal variations of different plant physiological parameters. Here, we used a non-invasive real-time phenotyping platform in a one-to-one (plant–sensors) set up to investigate the impact of a synthetic community (SynCom) harboring plant-beneficial bacteria on the physiology and response of three commercial maize hybrids to drought stress (DS). SynCom inoculation significantly reduced yield loss and modulated vital physiological traits. SynCom-inoculated plants displayed lower leaf temperature, reduced turgor loss under severe DS and a faster recovery upon rehydration, likely as a result of sap flow modulation and better water usage. Microbiome profiling revealed that SynCom bacterial members were able to robustly colonize mature plants and recruit soil/seed-borne beneficial microbes. The high-resolution temporal data allowed us to record instant plant responses to daily environmental fluctuations, thus revealing the impact of the microbiome in modulating maize physiology, resilience to drought, and crop productivity.

Laser doppler flowmetry assessment of microcirculation in children of 6–7 years old

Introduction. The state of the blood flow within the capillaries and close blood vessels is highly important in practice for the revealing of pathogenetic mechanisms of both systemic and local circulatory disorders. Aim of the study was to define the parameters of microcirculation and the level of blood flow fluctuations (flux) in the distal segments of upper and lower limbs (in fingers of hands and toes of feet) in children of 6–7 years old; and to describe the possible differences in the mechanisms of blood flow modulation in boys and girls. Materials and methods. Skin microcirculation was assessed in middle fingers of hands and great toes of feet in children of 6-7 years old (14 girls and 7 boys in prone position) by means of laser doppler flowmetry. Results. The ranges for parameters of microcirculation (PM) for distal segments of upper and lower limbs in children of mentioned age group were defined, also it was shown that the PM are significantly lower in the lower limbs comparing to those of the upper limbs (both in groups of girls and boys). Asymmetry of PM in the feet was not found; the features of right hand-left hand asymmetry for PM in girls and boys are described. The analysis of modulation of blood flow fluctuations (fluxmotions) of different frequencies showed the profound role of vasomotor (myogenic) rhythm for regulation of microcirculation. Conclusion. Increased neurogenic influences on the modulation of fluxmotions in girls of 6-7 years old may be an evidence of the ongoing development of the mechanisms of blood flow regulation, particularly the association with the growth rate of girls is possible.