[The analysis of concomitant pathology in ophthalmologic practice based on electronic medical records data].

The study substantiates possibility of using data retrieved from electronic medical records (EMR) for analyzing comorbidity under diseases of the eye and its adnexa. The purpose of the study is to analyze prevalence and evaluate risk of development of comorbidity in patients with ophthalmologic pathology, based on the data presented in EMR. The total number of patients included into comprised 12 120 individuals. The 653 diagnoses were established and 122 703 requests for medical care were registered. The calculation was applied concerning prevalence, comorbidity index, relative risk of comorbidity. The study established prevalence and level of relative risk of development of opportunistic diseases characteristic for senile cataract and glaucoma. The obtained data on comorbidity may testify in-depth mechanisms of interaction of diseases at cellular, protein or genetic levels. The understanding of mechanisms of interaction of main and concomitant diseases can result in development of new methods of diagnostic, treatment and prevention of diseases. Thus, establishment of glaucoma diagnosis can induce physician to look for possible presence or high probability of development of prostate neoplasm that implies periodic control of prostate-specific antigen. The presented results demonstrate how EMR data can be used to identify, estimate prevalence and risk of comorbidity and also reveals pathogenic mechanisms of interaction between primary and recurrent diseases that can be applied in clinical practice.

Phase resetting control based on direct phase response curve.

The problem of controlled phase adjustment (resetting) for models of biological oscillators is considered. The proposed approach is based on oscillators excitation by a pulse, that results in the phase advancement or delay. Design procedure is presented for a series of pulses generation ensuring the required phase resetting. The solution is based on the direct phase response curve (PRC) approach. The notion of direct PRC is developed and non-local PRC model is proposed for oscillators. This model is more suitable for phase dynamics description under inputs excitation with sufficiently high amplitudes. The proposed model is used for controls design. Two control strategies are tested, the open-loop control (that generates a predefined table of instants of the pulses activation ensuring the resetting) and the feedback control (that utilizes information about the current phase value measured once per pulse application). The open-loop control is easier for implementation, the feedback control needs the estimation of the actual phase in the oscillating system. The algorithm of phase estimation is also presented. The conditions of the model and the controls validity and accuracy are determined. Performance of the obtained solution is demonstrated via computer simulation for two models of circadian oscillations and a model of heart muscle contraction. It is shown that in the absence of disturbances the open-loop and the feedback controls have similar performance. Additionally, the feedback control is insensitive to external disturbances influence. In these examples the presented scheme for phase values estimation demonstrates better accuracy than the conventional one.

Plutonium production and particles incorporation into the human body.

Plutonium is one of the most toxic radioactive substances known. The isotope 239Pu gained attention when it had become known as a potential explosive material for atomic bombs. This paper describes the main problems encountered during the early years of operation of the first plutonium production plant in the former Soviet Union, the Mayak Production Association (Mayak PA). Mayak PA caused severe radioactive contamination of the environment and exposure personnel and population living in the vicinity areas to high radiation doses. The authors focus on key findings of large-scale studies on the internal dosimetry of workers for use in assessment of radiological risks from exposure to plutonium. This work presents an overview of the important issues for inhalation dose assessments such as generation of plutonium particles, plutonium intake, dissolution of plutonium particles, distribution of plutonium in humans, related exposures and health effects. Understanding the relationship between health effects, radiation dose and route of exposure helps quantify the health risks associated with occupational exposure in the nuclear industry and validate the radiation protection standards used in the Russian Federation and worldwide.