Keplerate {Mo}-Stearic Acid Conjugates: Supramolecular Synthons for the Design of Dye-Loaded Nanovesicles, Langmuir-Schaefer Films, and Infochemical Applications.

Self-assembly gives rise to the versatile strategies of smart material design but requires precise control on the supramolecular level. Here, inorganic-organic synthons (conjugates) are produced by covalently grafting stearic acid tails to giant polyoxometalate (POM) Keplerate-type {Mo} through an organosilicon linker (3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, APTMS). Using the liposome production approach, the synthons self-assemble to form hollow nanosized vesicles (100-200 nm in diameter), which can be loaded with organic dyes─eriochrome black T (ErChB) and fluorescein (FL)─where the POM layer serves as a membrane with subnanopores for cell-like communication.

[Features of pathological changes of fibro-cartilaginous tissue knee in patients with Baker cyst.].

Objective: Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the characteristics of pathological changes of fibro-cartilage of the knee in patients with Baker cyst, to assess the compliance of degrees of damage stages of osteoarthritis on a scale of Kellgren–Lawrence (K–L), and compare the results with the data of other researchers.

Material And Methods: This study included patients (38–82 years) with a cyst Baker accidentally detected during ultrasound veins of the lower extremities. The subjects underwent a single knee MRI.

Epidemiology of epidemic diphtheria in three regions, Russia, 1994-1996.

Background: A massive diphtheria epidemic which began in the former Soviet Union in 1990 is the first large-scale diphtheria epidemic in developed countries in more than 30 years and has primarily affected adults. In response, health authorities attempted to maximize vaccination for children and conducted an unprecedented campaign to vaccinate adults.

Methods: We analyzed diphtheria surveillance data (case report forms and diphtheria vaccine coverage data) from three Russian regions from January 1994 to December 1996 and estimated vaccine effectiveness by the screening method.