Characteristics of post-vaccination immunity in students vaccinated against hepatitis B in the first year of life

Most researchers agree that the level of protective anti-HBs decreases with age after 3-fold immunization in the first year of life, which requires the introduction of a booster dose at least 5—7 years after the completed vaccination. It is necessary to continue monitoring those vaccinated against hepatitis B in the first year of life, including those from occupational risk groups.Objective: to assess the frequency and level of anti-HBs 18 or more years after the completed course of vaccination against hepatitis B according to the standard scheme in the first year of life and to identify risk groups that need revaccination.Of 116 donor students in Moscow, 18—22 years after the completed course of vaccination against hepatitis B according to the standard scheme carried out in the first year of life, in 42.3% of cases, the titer of specific antibodies was determined below the protective level (< 10 mME/ml). At the same time, the share of seronegative individuals among medical students was higher (52.8%). Of 116 donor students, in 38.8% of cases, the titer of protective antibodies was determined in low (10—100 mME/ml) and only in 13.8% — in high (100—1000 mME/ml) and in 5.2% — very high (> 1000 mME/ml) values. Markers of DNA HBV, HBsAg, and anti-HBcor were not detected in any cases. Medical students primarily need a revaccination against hepatitis B without a preliminary study of the initial titers of specific antibodies.

Empirically revisiting a social class scheme for mental health in Barcelona, Spain

PurposeSocial inequalities in mental health can be captured by occupational situation and social class stratification. This study analyzes the adequacy of a classification of work and employment conditions and an adaptation of the Goldthorpe social class scheme in relation to mental health in Barcelona, Spain.Design/methodology/approachMultiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (CA) on working and employment conditions were used to empirically construct distinctive working groups. Through 2 logistic regression models, we contrasted the association between mental health and (1) the cluster of employment and working conditions (with 4 categories: insiders, instrumental, precarious and peripheral workers), and (2) a standard Spanish version of the Goldthorpe social class scheme. The performance of the 2 models was assessed with Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. The analyses were carried out using the Barcelona Health Survey (2016) including the labor force population from 22 to 64 years of age.FindingsWide inequalities were found in mental health with both class schemes. The empirical class scheme was more effective than the Goldthorpe social class scheme in explaining mental health inequalities. In particular, precarious and peripheral workers in the MCA-CA analysis, together with unemployed workers, emerged as distinctive social groups apparently masked within the lower social class in the standard scheme. When using the standard scheme, the authors recommend widening the scope at the bottom of the social class categories while shrinking it at the top as well as considering unemployed persons as a separate category to better represent mental health inequalities.Social implicationsThe working poor appear to report at least as much poor mental health as unemployed persons. Policies aimed at more inclusive work should consider job quality improvements to improve the mental well-being of the labor force.Originality/valueOur study examines the utility of social classes to explain mental health inequalities by comparing an empirically based social class to the Spanish adaptation of the Goldthorpe classification.

Variability of Human rDNA

In human cells, ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is arranged in ten clusters of multiple tandem repeats. Each repeat is usually described as consisting of two parts: the 13 kb long ribosomal part, containing three genes coding for 18S, 5.8S and 28S RNAs of the ribosomal particles, and the 30 kb long intergenic spacer (IGS). However, this standard scheme is, amazingly, often altered as a result of the peculiar instability of the locus, so that the sequence of each repeat and the number of the repeats in each cluster are highly variable. In the present review, we discuss the causes and types of human rDNA instability, the methods of its detection, its distribution within the locus, the ways in which it is prevented or reversed, and its biological significance. The data of the literature suggest that the variability of the rDNA is not only a potential cause of pathology, but also an important, though still poorly understood, aspect of the normal cell physiology.

On three-constant potentials in polar continua

В работе рассматривается важная с точки зрения прикладных задач проблема моделирования процессов деформирования материалов со сложным откликом на механические воздействия. Приводятся основные уравнения трехконстантной микроструктурной модели для случая одного полярного директора. Выписана точная форма упругого потенциала, из которой, следуя стандартной схеме, выводятся все необходимые уравнения и граничные условия. The paper deals with the problem of modeling the processes of deformation of materials with a complex response to mechanical stress. The governing equations of the three-constant microstructural model for the case of one polar director are presented. The exact form of the Helmholtz free energy is written out. The governing equations and boundary conditions are derived by the standard scheme.

Review and Critical Analysis of Privacy-Preserving Infection Tracking and Contact Tracing

The outbreak of viruses have necessitated contact tracing and infection tracking methods. Despite various efforts, there is currently no standard scheme for the tracing and tracking. Therefore, many nations of the world have developed their own ways where carriers of disease could be tracked and their contacts traced. These are generalized methods developed either in a distributed manner giving citizens control of their identity or in a centralized manner where a health authority gathers data on those who are carriers. This paper outlines some of the most significant approaches that have been established for contact tracing around the world. A comprehensive review on the key enabling methods used to realize the infrastructure around these infection tracking and contact tracing methods is also presented, and recommendations are made for the most effective way to develop such a practice.

Influence of multimodal low-opioid anesthesia on the dynamics of аnnexin V in blood plasma during cardiac surgery

The aim – to analyze the effect of anesthesia on the dynamics of аnnexin V during coronary artery bypass grafting with сardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and the dependence of direct clinical results on the expression of аnnexin V. Materials and methods. The study included 30 patients with coronary heart disease who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with application of 2–3 aortocoronary anastomoses with CPB. According to the anesthetic management, all patients were divided into two groups: the first group (13 patients) – low opioid anesthetic scheme; control group (17 patients) – a standard scheme of anesthetic management. The determination of the level of аnnexin V in the blood was carried out before CPB and after bringing the sternum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. The low-opioid scheme of anesthetic management was associated with significantly (by 1.5 times) lower level of аnnexin V and by 28.38 % lower level of interleukin-6 at the end of the surgery as compared to the standard scheme. A significant negative correlation (r = –0.117, p = 0.523) was found between the levels of аnnexin V and interleukin-6. One-way analysis of variance showed that patients who had low cardiac output syndrome in the postoperative period had a significantly higher level of аnnexin V after CPB (p = 0.001). Conclusions. The use of multimodal low-opioid anesthesia is characterized by relative safety, a sufficient level of analgesia and lower level of аnnexin V compared to the control group. Key words: coronary artery bypass grafting, low-opioid anesthesia, apoptosis, аnnexin V, interleukin-6.

HYPERBARIC OXYGENATION IN COMPLEX THERAPY OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN PATIENTS WITH CONCOMITANT ANEMIA

Anemia occurs in approximately 30–70 % of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The most common cause of low hemoglobin level is chronic inflammation. Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) reduces the chronic inflammatory process, hypoxia severity and stimulates erythropoiesis. Therefore, HBO can be considered as one of the promising methods for treating anemia of chronic inflammation. The primary objective of the study is to carry out the efficacy analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complex therapy using hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) for comparison results in patients with anemia and with a normal hemoglobin level. Materials and Methods. To assess the advisability of HBO in patients with RA and concomitant anemia, we analyzed indicators of RA activity and local joint inflammation in 120 patients. 30 patients were treated according to the standard scheme, 30 patients underwent one and 60 patients – five additional HBO sessions (1.3 atm during 40 min). Patients who underwent HBO were divided into two subgroups with normal and low hemoglobin levels. Results. On the 14th day of inpatient hospitalization, we fixed decrease in RA activity indices in all groups. The decrease in the activity of RA and local joint inflammation in patients who underwent HBO was faster than in patients who were treated according to the standard scheme, and in patients who underwent only one HBO session. Better results were observed in patients with concomitant anemia compared with patients with normal hemoglobin level. It was confirmed by a significant decrease in acute-phase blood values (ESR and CRP) and RA activity indices (assessment of disease activity (by a doctor and by a patient), CDIA, SDIA and DAS28). Conclusion. Additional HBO in complex RA therapy contributes to the efficacy of inpatient treatment. The most pronounced effect is observed in patients with both RA and anemia. Keywords: hyperbaric oxygenation, rheumatoid arthritis, anemia. Анемия встречается у 30–70 % больных, страдающих ревматоидным артритом (РА). Наиболее частой причиной снижения уровня гемоглобина крови является хроническое воспаление. Гипербарическая оксигенация (ГБО) способствует уменьшению активности хронического воспалительного процесса, выраженности гипоксии и стимулирует эритропоэз, следовательно, применение ГБО можно рассматривать как один из перспективных методов лечения анемии хронического воспаления. Цель работы – провести сравнительный анализ эффективности комплексной терапии пациентов, страдающих ревматоидным артритом, с включением курса гипербарической оксигенации на фоне анемии и при нормальном значении уровня гемоглобина крови. Материалы и методы. Для оценки целесообразности проведения курса ГБО у больных, страдающих РА с сопутствующей анемией, проведен динамический анализ показателей активности РА и локального воспаления в суставе у 120 пациентов (30 пациентов получили лечение по стандартной схеме, 30 больных дополнительно прошли 1 сеанс ГБО и 60 пациентов прошли 5 сеансов ГБО при 1,3 атм в течение 40 мин). Пациенты, прошедшие курс ГБО, были разделены на две подгруппы: с нормальным и сниженным уровнем гемоглобина. Результаты. На 14-й день госпитализации у всех пациентов отмечали регресс клинических проявлений артрита. Снижение показателей активности РА и локального воспаления в суставе у пациентов, прошедших курс ГБО, происходило быстрее, чем у больных, получивших лечение по стандартной схеме, и пациентов, прошедших один сеанс ГБО. Более высокие результаты лечения получены у больных с сопутствующей анемией по сравнению с пациентами с нормальными значениями гемоглобина, что подтверждено значимым снижением острофазовых показателей крови (СОЭ и СРБ) и индексов активности РА (ООАВ, ООАБ, CDIA, SDIA и DAS28). Выводы. Включение курса ГБО в стандартную схему терапии РА повышает эффективность стационарного лечения. Наиболее выраженный эффект наблюдается у больных с РА и анемией. Ключевые слова: гипербарическая оксигенация, ревматоидный артрит, анемия.

Simulation of fine organic aerosols in the western Mediterranean area during the ChArMEx 2013 summer campaign

The simulation of fine organic aerosols with CTMs (chemistry–transport models) in the western Mediterranean basin has not been studied until recently. The ChArMEx (the Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment) SOP 1b (Special Observation Period 1b) intensive field campaign in summer of 2013 gathered a large and comprehensive data set of observations, allowing the study of different aspects of the Mediterranean atmosphere including the formation of organic aerosols (OAs) in 3-D models. In this study, we used the CHIMERE CTM to perform simulations for the duration of the SAFMED (Secondary Aerosol Formation in the MEDiterranean) period (July to August 2013) of this campaign. In particular, we evaluated four schemes for the simulation of OA, including the CHIMERE standard scheme, the VBS (volatility basis set) standard scheme with two parameterizations including aging of biogenic secondary OA, and a modified version of the VBS scheme which includes fragmentation and formation of nonvolatile OA. The results from these four schemes are compared to observations at two stations in the western Mediterranean basin, located on Ersa, Cap Corse (Corsica, France), and at Cap Es Pinar (Mallorca, Spain). These observations include OA mass concentration, PMF (positive matrix factorization) results of different OA fractions, and 14C observations showing the fossil or nonfossil origins of carbonaceous particles. Because of the complex orography of the Ersa site, an original method for calculating an orographic representativeness error (ORE) has been developed. It is concluded that the modified VBS scheme is close to observations in all three aspects mentioned above; the standard VBS scheme without BSOA (biogenic secondary organic aerosol) aging also has a satisfactory performance in simulating the mass concentration of OA, but not for the source origin analysis comparisons. In addition, the OA sources over the western Mediterranean basin are explored. OA shows a major biogenic origin, especially at several hundred meters height from the surface; however over the Gulf of Genoa near the surface, the anthropogenic origin is of similar importance. A general assessment of other species was performed to evaluate the robustness of the simulations for this particular domain before evaluating OA simulation schemes. It is also shown that the Cap Corse site presents important orographic complexity, which makes comparison between model simulations and observations difficult. A method was designed to estimate an orographic representativeness error for species measured at Ersa and yields an uncertainty of between 50 and 85 % for primary pollutants, and around 2–10 % for secondary species.