Blood group AB increases risk for surgical necrotizing enterocolitis and focal intestinal perforation in preterm infants with very low birth weight.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and focal intestinal perforation (FIP) are two of the most common emergencies of the gastrointestinal tract in preterm infants with very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight < 1500 g). Identification of risk factors among these children is crucial for earlier diagnosis and prompt intervention. In this study, we investigated a relationship between ABO blood groups and the risk for surgical NEC/FIP. We genotyped the ABO locus (rs8176746 and rs8176719) in VLBW infants enrolled in a prospective, population-based cohort study of the German Neonatal Network (GNN). Of the 10,257 VLBW infants, 441 (4.3%) had surgical NEC/FIP. In univariate analyses, the blood group AB was more prevalent in VLBW infants with surgical NEC/FIP compared to non-AB blood groups (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.07-2.13, p = 0.017; absolute risk difference 2.01%, 95% CI 0.06-3.96%). The association between blood group AB and surgical NEC/FIP was observed in a multivariable logistic regression model (OR of 1.58, 95% CI 1.10-2.26, p = 0.013) as well. In summary, our study suggests that the risk of surgical NEC and FIP is higher in patients with blood group AB and lower in those having non-AB blood groups.

[Chronic course of latent urogenital tuberculosis].

This is a case report of an elderly patient with urogenital tuberculosis and concurrent tuberculosis of peripheral inguinal lymph nodes. The disease manifested by a fistulous form of inguinal lymphadenitis for 10 years and spread to the kidneys and genitals, but the patient did not seek medical attention. Changes on the glans penis prompted him to consult dermatovenereologist. Due to ineffective treatment and uncovering the scar in the inguinal area the patient was send to an anti-tuberculosis institution, where he was diagnosed with tuberculosis involving the kidneys, prostate, epididymis, penis, inguinal lymph nodes. The patient had a history of a contact with the patient with respiratory tuberculosis. Treatment with antituberculosis drugs produced a positive effect.

Laser ion mobility spectrometry in the detection of ultra-low quantities of explosives.

The paper presents the results of research and development of ion mobility spectrometer with laser ion sources for detecting ultra-low quantities of explosives in air. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms of the formation of negative ions. It is shown that laser ionization with respect to ion mobility spectrometry provides an increase of sensitivity and selectivity of detection. The ion mobility spectra of the most common nitro explosives are investigated. The detection threshold for laser ion mobility spectrometer was reached at the level of 10-14 g/cm3 (for trinitrotoluene).

Optoelectronic Properties of Semiconductor Quantum Dot Solids for Photovoltaic Applications.

Quantum dot (QD) solids represent a new type of condensed matter drawing high fundamental and applied interest. Quantum confinement in individual QDs, combined with macroscopic scale whole materials, leads to novel exciton and charge transfer features that are particularly relevant to optoelectronic applications. This Perspective discusses the structure of semiconductor QD solids, optical and spectral properties, charge carrier transport, and photovoltaic applications. The distance between adjacent nanoparticles and surface ligands influences greatly electrostatic interactions between QDs and, hence, charge and energy transfer. It is almost inevitable that QD solids exhibit energetic disorder that bears many similarities to disordered organic semiconductors, with charge and exciton transport described by the multiple trapping model. QD solids are synthesized at low cost from colloidal solutions by casting, spraying, and printing. A judicious selection of a layer sequence involving QDs with different size, composition, and ligands can be used to harvest sunlight over a wide spectral range, leading to inexpensive and efficient photovoltaic devices.

[On possibility of partial restore integrative brain activity in patients with vegetative state].

A combined approach to neuroreconstructive effects on pathogenesis mechanisms of vegetative state that develops as a result of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is shown that under the influence of chemical transtimpanal vestibular dereception and transcranial micropolarization (TDCS) accelerated and more pronounced therapeutic effect than conventional therapy. Neurophysiological in-depth examination of the dynamics shows that over time in patients in a vegetative state, picking up the intensity, "tension" and "rigidity" of inter-regional cortical interactions in the organization that are beginning to dominate the area TPO cortex of both hemispheres. It is suggested that in the dislocation of the brain stem in severe TBI is vestibulotalamic tract, thanks to its anatomical location, is the least vulnerable. As a result, the prevailing afferentation forming inter-regional cortical interactions is vestibular afferent impulses. On its basis the pathological functional system, blocking the work of other functional systems of the damaged brain. Suggested treatments significantly reduce the amount of vestibular afferent flow and open up the possibility of recovery of more effective interafferential interactions. This greatly facilitates the work of the brain as a multimodal analyzer.

[The importance of molecular parameters of quaternary ammonium salts in their antigibberellin (retardant) activity]. / Rol' molekuliarnykh parametrov solei chetvertichnogo ammoniia v formirovanii ikh antigibberellinovoi (retardantnoi) aktivnosti.

The importance of six theoretically calculated molecular parameters in the antigibberellin (retardant) activity of quaternary ammonium salts is studied using regression analysis. A bioassay system based on cell culture of fungus Gibberella fujikuroi is used to determine the activity. In the case of N,N,N-trimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium chloride (choline) and N,N,N-triethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium chloride (N,N,N-triethylcholine) derivatives with linear structure, the polarizability, proton acceptor activity, and lipophilicity of these compounds exert the largest effect on the antigibberellin activity. The antigibberellin activity of more sterically hindered N,N-dialkylpiperidinium salts was mainly defined by the steric parameter, while the polarizability, proton acceptor activity, and (through them) lipophilicity exert a lesser effect. Other parameters are of minor importance for the three groups of compounds studied. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2004, vol. 30, no. 6; see also http://www.maik.ru.

[Assessment of vasomotor endothelial function in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 at different stages of diabetic nephropathy]. / Otsenka vazomotornoi funktsii éndoteliia u bol'nykh sakharnym diabetom tipa 1 na raznykh stadiiakh diabeticheskoi nefropatii.

AIM: To study a vasomotor endothelial function in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1 at different stages of diabetic nephropathy (DN). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty six patients with DM type 1 (11 males and 15 females, mean age 25.9 +/- 4.3 years, mean history of DM 12.9 +/- 3.4 years) entered the study. They were divided into 4 groups: group 1--without renal affection, group 2--with microalbuminuria (MAU), group 3--with proteinuria (PU), group 4--with chronic renal failure (CRF). The control group consisted of 7 healthy volunteers. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDVD) was studied in the test with reactive hyperemia provoked by 4-5 min occlusion of the brachial artery by pneumocollar and subsequent assessment of arterial diameter changes after decompression using high-resolution ultrasound dopplerography. RESULTS: Reactive hyperemia resulted in dilation of the artery in all the examinees. This dilation was maximal on second 30 after removal of the collar in the controls, group 2, 3 and 4 and reached 9.2 +/- 2.9, 9.63 +/- 3.62, 7.25 +/- 5.23 and 4.42 +/- 4.05%, respectively. Resting blood flow velocity was similar in all the groups and rose maximally by 95-150%. To estimate EDVD of the brachial artery more precisely, the coefficient of endothelial sensitivity to shift tension was calculated. It made up 0.084 +/- 0.04 (control group), 0.0825 +/- 0.08 (group 1), 0.138 +/- 0.07 (group 2), 0.067 +/- 0.05 (group 3) and 0.052 +/- 0.04 (group 4). CONCLUSION: At the earliest stage of DN (stage MAU), EDVD is not affected as maximal vasodilation of the brachial artery and endothelial sensitivity to shift tension do not differ from the control values. This means that the stage of MAU is reversible in early treatment, but PU and CRF are not reversible stages associated with depletion of endothelial cells and loss of sensitivity to changing hemodynamic conditions.

[Lethal outcome in a patient with pulmonary hypertension and liver cirrhosis on the 12-th week of pregnancy]. / Letal'nyi iskhod u bol'noi s legochnoi gipertenziei i ochagovym tsirrozom pecheni v 12 ned beremennosti.

A patient with pulmonary hypertension and focal liver cirrhosis was hospitalized on the 12-th week of pregnancy because of threatened abortion and died after 2 days of hospital stay during which symptoms of portal and pulmonary hypertension progressed, decompensation of pulmonary heart and hepatic cellular insufficiency ensued and syndrome of disseminated intravascular coagulation developed.