Domain Structure, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polycaprolactone-Based Multiblock Polyurethane-Ureas under Control of Hard and Soft Segment Lengths.

A series of multiblock polyurethane-ureas (PUU) based on polycaprolactone diol (PCL) with a molecular mass of 530 or 2000 g/mol, as well as hard segments of different lengths and structures, were synthesized by the step-growth polymerization method. The chemical structure of the synthesized multiblock copolymers was confirmed by IR- and NMR-spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were used to determine the relaxation and phase transition temperatures for the entire series of the obtained PUU.

Intraoperative Radiotherapy with Balloon-Based Electronic Brachytherapy System-A Systematic Review and First Bulgarian Experience in Breast Cancer Patients.

(1) Background: We aimed to analyze currently available studies with intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) as a choice of treatment where the Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy (eBx) system was used as a single-dose irradiation and an exclusive radiotherapy approach at the time of surgery in patients with early breast cancer (EBC). We also compared the results of the systematic review to the Bulgarian experience. (2) Methods and Materials: We performed a systematic review of the studies published before February 2021, which investigate the application of a single-fraction 20 Gy radiation treatment, delivered at the time of lumpectomy in EBC patients with the Xoft Axxent eBx System.

Applications of microstructured silicon wafers as internal reflection elements in attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

A novel internal reflection element (IRE) for attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectral acquisition is introduced and applied for several surface-sensitive measurements. It is based on microstructured double-side-polished (100) silicon wafers with v-shaped grooves of {111} facets on their backside. These facets of the so-called "microstructured single-reflection elements" (mSRE) are formed by a crystal-oriented anisotropic wet etching process within a conventional wafer structuring process.

[Novel BRCA1 gene mutations in breast cancer patients from St. Petersburg].

Screening of patients with familial breast cancer from St. Petersburg for BRCA1 gene mutations resulted in identification of three mutations (414del3, 276delA, and A622V) and two polymorphisms (P871L and S1436S). Mutations 4146del3 and 276delA are novel, never previously described elsewhere.

[Laparoscopic treatment of Morgagni diaphragmatic hernia].

Morgagni-Larey diaphragmatic hernias are very rare. The defect of diaphragm is usually small and the disease passes asymptomatically. If complaints are present and surgical treatment is needed, two types of operative access could be performed--thoracic and abdominal.

[Set for hermetization during transportation and draining of the pleural cavity].

In a situation of continuously growing road-and-traffic traumatism serious chest traumas with the presence of penetrating wounds are not a rare case. The correct transportation of the injured requires hermetization of the open pneumothorax with ensured draining of the pleural cavity in order to eliminate the possibility of the appearance of a valve pneumothorax. With the means, existing up to now, it is difficult to achieve hermetization during transportation and draining of the pleural cavity at the same time.

[Post-gastrectomy reconstruction versus enteral alimentation--a one year follow-up study].

This is a report on various post-gastrectomy reconstructive procedures, proceeding from personal experience had with 14 patients undergoing gastrectomy for carcinoma of the stomach and five patients with operations of esophagus and stomach for various pathological conditions. An assessment is done of the reconstructive methods used on the ground of objective indicators. All patients are subjected to enteral alimentation through nutritive jejunostomy.

[On clinical manifestations of rotavirus-related gastroenteritis and possible links with its viral phoretype].

The results are presented of the study of rotavirus gastroenteritis course in 45 patients (23 children and 22 adults) with different phoretypes. Phoretypical heterogeneity of rotavirus population was discovered among which the "long" phoretype prevailed. Rotavirus infection ran with diverse clinical symptoms: mild, moderate and severe.

[Virus carriers in rotavirus infection].

Discusses the effects of various factors on the expression of asymptomatic virus carriership and validates the need in laboratory screening of risk groups including children aged under 5 years and elderly subjects aged over 60. During outbreaks of rotaviral infection virus carriership among healthy subjects may be as high as 34.6%.

[Molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses circulating among residents of St. Petersburg from 1986 through 1991].

The results of screening of 510 patients with acute gastrointestinal diseases over the period of 1986 to 1991 are presented. Rotaviruses were shown to be the infection agents in 112 (60%) children and 76 (40%) adults. The phoretyping of the isolated strains revealed cocirculation of 17 different phoretypes of rotaviruses: 8 "long" and 9 "short" ones.

[Clinical and laboratory characteristics of rotavirus infection in adults].

The paper provides clinical and laboratory characteristics of 21 patients aged 20-80 years who had rotavirus infection, including 52% of 51-80-year-old inpatients. Recovery was observed in 15 cases, 6 patients died. The paper also characterizes the clinical course of rotavirus infection in the hospital setting and presents autopsy findings of the 6 decreased patients.

[The dynamics of the content of incorporated cesium radionuclides in the population of regions with an elevated background radiation].

The authors represent summarized data on the time course of incorporated Cs in the population of the Krasnogorsk District of Bryansk Province over the period of June 1986-July 1989. A RIKh-5M device used as a counter of human radiations, its technical data and calibration methods were described. A retrospective analysis has shown that the main accumulation of radionuclides occurred before May 15 1986.

[The RNA electrophoretypes of the rotaviruses circulating in Moscow and Leningrad in the winter of 1987-1988].

Analysis of electrophoretypes of RNA of rotavirus which had circulated in Moscow and Leningrad in the winter of 1987-1988, detected by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), was carried out. RNA electrophoresis was performed in 10% polyacrylamide gel (PAG) followed by silver staining, Most of the strains isolated in Moscow and Leningrad had a long phoretype (67% and 77%, respectively. The greatest variations in PAG mobility were found in segments 2, 3, and 7-9, segments 1, 4, 10, and 11 showed most unchangeable mobility.

[The place and extent of thoracotomy in gunshot chest wounds].

Indications are presented for operative intervention, as well as some of the more important debatable problems in the surgical tactics and approach to firearm thoracic injuries. Emphasizing the need of differential approach and thorough preoperative preparation, the authors outline the modern trends in their operative management. On the basis of clinical, functional and X-ray methods of examination, the results of pneumorrhaphy in isolated lung injuries are evaluated.

[A stabilizing plastic repair method for reconstruction in extensive complete defects of the chest wall].

Experience is recorded with the application of a new operative method for combined plastic-stabilizing reconstruction of the thoracic wall in complete defects larger than 8-10/10 cm (greater than 80 cm2). The method consists of covering in layers the defect with Ampoxen, auto-rib and skin-muscle flap. Nine patients were operated: 2 with recurrent tumors of the mammary gland, 2 with metastatic thoracic wall tumors, 2 with osteoradionecrosis.

[Suppurative complications following sternotomy].

For a ten-year period when 366 median sternotomies have been performed, 206 of them in cardiac operations under bypass, there were 15 dehiscences of the sternum (4.09 per cent). The method of early revision with subsequent one-story suture and persistently washing aspiration drainage was applied for treatment of grave complication.