High-Q trenched aluminum coplanar resonators with an ultrasonic edge microcutting for superconducting quantum devices.

Dielectric losses are one of the key factors limiting the coherence of superconducting qubits. The impact of materials and fabrication steps on dielectric losses can be evaluated using coplanar waveguide (CPW) microwave resonators. Here, we report on superconducting CPW microwave resonators with internal quality factors systematically exceeding 5 × 106 at high powers and 2 × 106 (with the best value of 4.4 × 106) at low power. Such performance is demonstrated for 100-nm-thick aluminum resonators with 7-10.5 um center trace on high-resistivity silicon substrates commonly used in Josephson-junction based quantum circuit. We investigate internal quality factors of the resonators with both dry and wet aluminum etching, as well as deep and isotropic reactive ion etching of silicon substrate. Josephson junction compatible CPW resonators fabrication process with both airbridges and silicon substrate etching is proposed. Finally, we demonstrate the effect of airbridges' positions and extra process steps on the overall dielectric losses. The best quality factors are obtained for the wet etched aluminum resonators and isotropically removed substrate with the proposed ultrasonic metal edge microcutting.

[Laparoscopic subtotal distal gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer]. / Opyt vypolneniya laparoskopicheskoi subtotal'noi distal'noi rezektsii v lechenii bol'nykh rakom antral'nogo otdela zheludka.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the primary results of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy in patients with distal gastric cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 21 laparoscopic distal gastrectomies in patients with distal gastric cancer. Mean age of patients was 63.7±6.3 years. According to TNM staging system, cancer stage 1 was detected in 90% of patients (n=19), stage 2a - in 10% (n=2) of patients. RESULTS: Time of distal gastrectomy was 190.4±51.6 min, blood loss - 90.3±51.2 ml. The number of excised lymph nodes was 21.2±5.1. We were able to achieve R0 resection edge in all patients. Length of hospital-stay was 7.6±2.3 days, incidence of postoperative complications - 23.8%. Complications Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb-V were observed in 9.5% of patients (n=2). Overall postoperative mortality was 4.7% (n=1). No progression of the underlying disease has been revealed in any patient throughout the follow-up period (since May 2018). To date, the maximum median follow-up is 25 months of overall and disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic subtotal distal resection is an appropriate intervention ensuring R0 resection edge in most cases.

[Laparoscopic subtotal distal resection for distal gastric cancer]. / Opyt vypolneniya laparoskopicheskoi subtotal'noi distal'noi rezektsii v lechenii bol'nykh rakom antral'nogo otdela zheludka.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the primary experience of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy in patients with distal gastric cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 21 laparoscopic distal gastrectomies in patients with antrum malignancies. Mean age of patients was 63.7±6.3 years. According to TNM staging system, cancer stage I was detected in 90% of patients (n=19), stage IIa - in 10% (n=2) of patients. RESULTS: Duration of distal gastrectomy was 190.4±51.6 minutes, blood loss - 90.3±51.2 ml. The number of harvested lymph nodes was 21.2±5.1. We were able to reach R0 resection edge in all patients. Length of hospital-stay was 7.6±2.3 days, incidence of postoperative complications - 23.8%. Complications Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb-V were observed in 9.5% of patients (n=2). Overall postoperative mortality was 4.7% (n=1). No progression of the underlying disease has been revealed in any patient throughout the follow-up period (since May 2018). To date, the maximum median follow-up is 25 months of overall and disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic subtotal distal resection is appropriate intervention ensuring R0 resection edge in most cases.

Electrochemical preparation of standard gas mixtures using solid-state electrolyte membrane.

A novel electrochemical method of preparation of standard gas mixtures for calibration of gas-analytical equipment with O2, H2 and CO was elaborated. Utilization of solid state electrolyte membrane allows to perform a nearly 100%-efficient electrochemical generation or conversion of the analyte and avoid some problems typical for liquid electrolytes, such as solvent evaporation and condensation at the inner walls of the gas tubes or deviations from the Faraday's law. Analysis of uncertainties associated with the calibration procedure showed that the lowest systematic errors are achieved when the calibrant is generated during the electrolysis (i.e. anodic evolution of oxygen or cathodic generation of CO), and the major uncertainties are associated with operation of the flow controllers. For calibration with H2, where the calibrant is partially converted during the electrochemical process, the total uncertainty is essentially determined by molar fractions of the components in H2-Ar mixture, instrumental errors of the equipment, primarily by precision of mass-flow controllers or stability of the gas flow, and the initial flow rate of the calibrant-containing gas mixture. The relative total errors of calibration with oxygen are assessed to be 5-6%; similar uncertainties were calculated for analysis of oxygen content in standard gas mixtures by chromatography using the electrochemical method of calibration.

[ANESTHESIA FOR AIRWAY ENDOSCOPIC RECANALISATION WITH SELFEXPANDED STENTS].

UNLABELLED: Tracheal and bronchial endoscopic stenting can give a quick therapeutic result or delay surgiCal treatment of patients with stenosis. It also can improve quality of life, create conditions for palliative therapy and increase survival of incur- able oncological patients. This paper contains description of our experience in anesthesia for tracheal stenting with re- spiratory support. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 23 patients were investigated retrospectively (15 males, 8females). They had 28 interventions under general anesthesia. 14 patients had malignant and 9 had non-malignant lesions. Complicated somatic status, stenosis extention and localization, type of laryngoscope. unprotected airways determined choice of in- travenous anesthesia with high-frequency ventilation and muscle relaxation. RESULTS: Improvement (dyspnea decreasing) was mentioned in 78,3% (18/23) cases after stenting, in 8,7% (2/23) cases improvement was slight; in 4,3% (1/23) cases - no change; in 8,7% (2/23) cases patients died complications after stenting occurred in 10 cases (43,5%). In 4 cases (17,4%) - stent displacement; in 2 cases (8,7%) - purulent tracheobronchitis; in 1 case (4,35%) - paroxysmal cough with pain. In 1 case loss of stent during paroxysmal cough and vocal cords edema occurred. In 2 cases (8,7%) operation was failed and patients died due to the lesion progression and respiratory insufficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthetic pro- tection is an important component at endoscopic recanalization with selfexpanded stents. Management is difficult due to complicated somatic status, and unprotected airways. Significant health enhancement, dyspnea decreasing even by exercise stress justified high anesthetics risks.

[SOME ASPECTS OF DIAGNOSIS AND COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT OF BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS].

OBJECTIVE: Assess the value of routine endoscopy in the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus (BE) in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to show the feasibility of a comprehensive treatment algorithm that includes antireflux surgery as an essential component. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on a sample of 171 patients with Barrett's esophagus who underwent antireflux surgery. In evaluating the operating characteristics of endoscopy were recruited another 675 patients with GERD without BE. On the diagnostic phase was used endoscopy with double chromoscopy and biopsy followed by histological examination. At the stage of treatment, patients received conservative therapy by PPl after which underwent antireflux surgery and argon-plasma coagulation (in some cases). RESULTS: Endoscopy of the esophagus with a double chromoscopy in identification BE in patients with GERD, has a moderate sensitivity (71.9%, 95% Cl 64.6%-78.5%) and high specificity (100%, 95% Cl 99.5%-100%). A comprehensive treatment approach that includes antireflux surgery as an essential component has allowed to achieve excellent and satisfactory immediate results of treatment in 88.9% of patients (95% Cl 83.2%-93.2%). Excellent and satisfactory long-term results were achieved in 89.5 % of patients (95% Cl 83.9%-93.6 %). CONCLUSION: The results indicate the need for biopsy and histological examination in all patients with GERD, who has no suspicion of BE according to endoscopy, and prove high efficiency of complex treatment algorithm that includes antireflux surgery as an essential component.

[Endoscopic diagnosis and complex treatment of Barrett's esophagus complicated by hernia of esophageal foramen of the diaphragm].

A protocol is suggested of complex diagnosis and treatment of Barrett's esophagus using sparing endoscopic removal of Barrett's epithelium in combination with surgery and medicinal antireflux therapy. Eighty-three patients were diagnosed and treated for hernia of esophageal foramen of the diaphragm and gastro-esophageal reflux complicated by Barrett's esophagus. Ninety-two percent of patients receiving our four-component treatment were cured; no recurrent esophageal adenocarcinoma was reported during the 56.7 +/- 2.4 month follow-up. Conversely, in patients receiving three-component treatment, efficacy was 56%; esophageal adenocarcinoma was reported in 3 (12%).

[Extended D3 lymphadenectomy in surgical treatment of stomach cancer].

Results of 178 operations with extended D3 lymphadenectomy (study group) performed at the patients with stomach cancer are analyzed. Control groups consisted of 175 patients undergone operations with D2 lymphadenectomy, and 266 patients undergone surgery of typical extension. Study and control groups were similar according to prognostic factors. Indications for extended lymphadenectomy are formulated. It was demonstrated that short-term results in both group were equal. Safety of extended D3 lymphadenectomies wasalso confirmed. Extended D3 lymphadenectomies permitted to increase the respectability on 6.7%.

Transport of microparticles in weakly ionized gas-discharge plasmas under microgravity conditions.

Measurements of effective structural (pair correlation function) and transport (diffusion constant) characteristics of the system of microparticles in dc and rf gas-discharge plasmas under microgravity conditions are reported. The comparison between these measurements and numerical simulations is used for complex plasma diagnostics.

Fluorescent probing of the ligand-binding ability of blood plasma in the acute-phase response.

The acute-phase response alters the composition of carrier proteins in plasma, which may affect the blood deposition and transport of biomediators and drugs. The effect of the acute-phase response on the ligand binding ability of plasma was studied in leukemic children with and without systemic inflammation (sepsis and septic shock). To target different transport proteins, differentially charged fluorescent dyes were used: anionic ANS (8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate), uncharged Nile red, and cationic Quinaldine red. Human serum albumin was a principal carrier for ANS and competed for Nile red binding with lipoproteins. The synchro-scan fluorescence spectra of Nile red in plasma distinguished two species of the dye bound to serum albumin and to low-density and/or very low-density lipoproteins. The binding of Quinaldine red did not correlate with albumin and lipoprotein levels, and was probably determined by alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein. Compared with the control group, leukemia increased Quinaldine red binding by 65% and did not significantly affect the binding of other probes. Sepsis and septic shock did not change the binding of Quinaldine red, but progressively decreased ANS binding, finally by about 33%, and shifted Nile red distribution from serum albumin toward lipoproteins. These changes reflected a modified composition of the three principal transport proteins in plasma in the acute-phase response. Simple and rapid fluorescent tests developed in this study can be used to evaluate the acute-phase response and to optimize drug administration protocols in clinical practice.

Does the formation of lipopolysaccharide tolerance require intact vagal innervation of the liver?

The study was designed to test whether intact vagal innervation of the liver is required for the formation of tolerance to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Wistar rats were subjected to either denervation of the liver (transection of the hepatic and both celiac branches of the abdominal vagus) or sham surgery. Two weeks later, each rat had an osmotic pump implanted subcutaneously. The pump was filled with either a suspension of Escherichia coli LPS (18 mg/ml) in saline or saline alone. Via a catheter, the pump delivered its content into the right jugular vein at a rate of approximately 0.72 microl/kg/h (approximately 13 microg/kg/h of LPS) over 28 d. On day 25 of the infusion, each animal had another catheter implanted into the left jugular vein. Three days later, each rat was injected with a lethal bolus dose of LPS (15 mg/kg) and had its colonic temperature recorded. The saline-infused sham-operated rats responded to the bolus injection of LPS with hypothermia followed by a fever (mean response magnitude 1.0+/-0.2 degrees C); 91% of the animals died within 24 h. The LPS-primed shams developed marked tolerance: When challenged with a lethal dose of LPS, they exhibited a significantly smaller thermal response (magnitude 0.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C) and none died. No group of the vagotomized animals, whether LPS- or saline-primed, became tolerant: Both groups exhibited similar hypothermic responses to the bolus LPS injection and a substantial mortality rate (40 and 100%, respectively). The study shows that prolonged infusion of low doses of LPS leads to the formation of tolerance and that vagal denervation of the liver by hepato-celiac vagotomy suppresses this process. The mechanisms of vagal control of the formation of LPS tolerance remain speculative.

Lipopolysaccharide transport from the peritoneal cavity to the blood: is it controlled by the vagus nerve?

Vagotomy suppresses fever and hyperalgesia caused by intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) but has little effect on the febrile response to intravenous or intramuscular LPS. This suggests that some vagus-mediated mechanisms are recruited only when LPS is administered via the intraperitoneal route. We hypothesized that such mechanisms are associated with LPS transport from the peritoneal cavity to the circulation. Adult Wistar rats underwent total subdiaphragmatic, bilateral selective celiac, or sham vagotomy. On day 28-32 after surgery, they were injected IP with Escherichia coli LPS (5, 20, or 100 microg/kg) or saline and decapitated 90 min thereafter. Their plasma levels of LPS and their plasma interleukin-6, adrenocorticotropin, and corticosterone responses to LPS were measured. Success of intraperitoneal administration of LPS was verified by increased interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 concentrations in the peritoneal lavage fluid. Effectiveness of vagotomies was confirmed by increased stomach mass (food retention) and pancreas mass (hypertrophy). In the shams, LPS caused a dose-dependent endotoxemia and increased plasma levels of interleukin-6, adrenocorticotropin, and corticosterone. Neither celiac nor total vagotomy affected any of these responses. LPS escapes from the peritoneal cavity by two primary routes, viz., the hematogenous (via the portal vein) and lymphogenous (via the lymphatic system). The design of the present study did not allow for evaluating the rapid, hematogenous transport. The results obtained suggest that the abdominal vagus does not control the slow. lymphogenous escape of LPS from the peritoneal cavity.

Cisplatin binding sites on human albumin.

Reactions of cisplatin (cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2]) with albumin are thought to play an important role in the metabolism of this anticancer drug. They are investigated here via (i) labeling of cisplatin with 15N and use of two-dimensional 1H,15N NMR spectroscopy, (ii) comparison of natural human serum albumin with recombinant human albumin (higher homogeneity and SH content), (iii) chemical modification of Cys, Met, and His residues, (iv) reactions of bound platinum with thiourea, and (v) gel filtration chromatography. In contrast to previous reports, it is shown that the major sulfur-containing binding site involves Met and not Cys-34, and also a N ligand, in the form of an S,N macrochelate. Additional monofunctional adducts involving other Met residues and Cys-34 are also observed. During the later stages of reactions of cisplatin with albumin, release of NH3 occurs due to the strong trans influence of Met sulfur, which weakens the Pt-NH3 bonds, and protein cross-linking is observed. The consequences of these findings for the biological activity of cisplatin-albumin complexes are discussed.

[Disorders of the ventilation-diffusion correlations and of the gas-transport function of the blood in the acute period of burn trauma in children]. / Narushenie ventiliatsionno-diffuzionnykh vzaimootnoshenii i gazotransportnoi funktsii krovi v ostryi period ozhogovoi travmy u detei.

External respiration and blood gas composition were examined in 187 children aged 1 to 14 years during the acute period of burn disease (burn shock and toxemia). The patients were divided into three groups with different area of thermal injury to the skin. Group 1 were children with burns of up to 10% of body surface area. The ventilation parameters in this group were changed just negligibly, and the diffusion capacity of the lungs and gas composition of arterial blood were within the normal range of values both during shock and toxemia. In patients with burns involving 11 to 20% of body surface the ventilation parameters were changed appreciably and did not compensate for each other, as was observed in group 1. The diffusion capacity of the lungs and blood gas composition values were moderately decreased. During toxemia the minute-consumption of oxygen was decreased and alveolar oxygen tension remained unchanged. As a result of this, the diffusion capacity of the lungs and blood gas parameters continued to decrease. The most dynamic changes were observed in children with burns involving 21 to 45% of body surface. The ventilation-diffusion disorders and blood gas composition were altered, particularly so during toxemia; the changes consisted in a decrease of the minute ventilation volume and oxygen tension in arterial blood and a moderate increase of alveolar oxygen tension, which led to further decrease of the diffusion capacity of the lungs. In parallel with the disorders in the above parameters, x-ray changes in the lungs were observed, which were characterized by a vascular-interstitial pattern in group 2 and infiltrative changes in group 3. In children with burn wounds of 35 to 45% of body surface these changes presented as the developing lung edema.

Role of cAMP in regulation of activity of acid hydrolases of rat heart and liver during ischemia and after recirculation.

The interrelation between intracellular cAMP content and activity of lysosomal hydrolases was studied in rat liver and heart during ischemia of varying genesis and after recirculation. The activity of acid phosphatase (AP) and cathepsin D (CD) was determined in the fraction enriched with lysosomes (FEL) and in the supernatant fraction (SF) at 30,000 x g. Ischemia of isolated perfused heart of 20 to 60 min as described by Langendorff was accompanied by an increase in the SF/FEL ratio. Postischemic reperfusion resulted in a further increase in this ratio. In a terminal state induced by cardiac arrest of 10 min and within the first postresuscitation hours the SF/FEL ratio in the rat liver also increased. Processing of the liver FEL with 0.025% concentration of detergent Triton X-100 was also indicative of lability of lysosomal membranes during recirculation. The intracellular cAMP content changed differently. During ischemia of the myocardium, the cAMP level rose by 40 min and remained increased after 20 and 40 min of reperfusion. The cAMP content in the liver decreased after 10 min of circulatory arrest and increased in the postresuscitation period achieving its peak 4 h after resuscitation. Intra-abdominal injection of lyposomes with incapsulated cAMP to rats in the postresuscitation period and the study of the effect of dibutyryl-cAMP, caffeine and isoproterenol on the activity of acid hydrolases of ischemic heart and after postischemic reperfusion showed that an increase in the cAMP content achieved in various ways was conducive to stabilization of lysosomal membranes.

[The state of bronchial ciliated epithelium and mucociliary transport during chronic bronchitis in long-term smokers]. / Sostoianie mertsatel'nogo epiteliia bronkhov i mukotsiliarnogo transposta pri khronicheskom bronkhite na fone dlitel'nogo kureniia.

Endoscopic examination of the bronchial tree and investigation of pulmonary mucociliary transport by aerosol scintigraphy of the lungs were carried out in 40 patients and 10 controls. All the patients had exacerbation of chronic obstructive bronchitis. 20 of these were smokers and 20 nonsmokers. Healthy controls without lung pathology have never smoked. The findings indicate that in chronic sufferers with bronchitis and long history of smoking the rate of mucociliary clearance is reduced to 44% of the normal value and to 65% of the value for nonsmoking patients. This evidence is confirmed by the data obtained on the involvement of bronchial mucosa epithelium and at histologic examination of biopsy specimens.

[Activity of lysosomal enzymes in isolated perfused rat heart in reversible ischemia and post-ischemic reperfusion with administration of dibutyryl-cAMP and isoproterenol]. / Aktivnost' lizosomnykh fermentov v izolirovannom perfuziruemom serdtse krys v usloviiakh obratimoi ishemii i postishemicheskoi reperfuzii na fone vvedeniia dibutiril-tsAMF i izoproterenola.

Activity of lysosomal enzymes and lipid peroxidation as well as effects of dibutyryl-cAMP and isoproterenol, which increased the intracellular content of cAMP, on the state of lysosomal membranes were studied in isolated perfused rat heart under conditions of reversible ischemia and subsequent reperfusion. The ischemia and especially postischemic reperfusion led to activation of acid hydrolases in sarcoplasmic reticulum and of lipid peroxidation: content of malonic dialdehyde was increased in heart tissue. Addition of dibutyryl-cAMP or isoproterenol into the perfusion solution at concentrations not affecting the heart systole caused a decrease in activity of lysosomal enzymes in sarcoplasm as well as in the rate of lipid peroxidation. A decrease in the lysosomal membranes lability and in the rate of lipid peroxidation appear to prevent the irreversible impairments of cardiomyocytes in ischemia particularly within the first minutes of postischemic reperfusion. Possible mechanisms of lysosomal membranes stabilization under conditions of reversible ischemia and postischemic reperfusion are discussed.

[Mapping of the gene coding for the major protein of the ejaculatory bulb in Drosophila melanogaster]. / Lokalizatsiia gena, kodiruiushchego osnovnoi belkovyi komponent semiavynosiashchei lukovitsy Drosophila melanogaster.

The major protein of ejaculatory bulb of Drosophila melanogaster males (PEB-me) is represented by a group of 4-5 sufbractions. Four PEB variants differing in SDS-PAGE mobility were found. The results of genetic analysis suggest that electrophoretic mobility of the entire complex of protein PEB bands is controlled by a single locus (peb). The locus is therefore supposed to contain the structural gene for the subfractions of PEB. Its genetic and cytological location is 2-107.2-2-108.0 and 60E11-60F5, respectively.

[Radiation-induced lethal mutations appearing in cells of somatic tissue in Drosophila]. / Radiatsionno-indutsirovannye letal'nye mutatsii, proiavliaiushchiesia v kletkakh somaticheskikh tkanii drozofily.

Exposure of 3-hour drosophila male embryos to gamma-radiation during the topographic segregation of the germ anlage nuclei caused recessive sex-linked lethals in somatic cells only. The selectivity of the screening was determined by the ratio of mutation frequencies induced in embryos and adult males. Analysis of lethal mutations shows that a minimal rate of the divergence between germinal and somatic patterns of the cell development is observed in the embryogenesis, the 3d instar larva and prepupa, and maximal in the 1st and 2nd larva and pupa.