Epidemiological Diagnostics - Basis of Risk-Oriented Technologies for the Prevention Healthcare-Associated Infections

The article discusses the methodological foundations of epidemiological diagnostics - the basis for risk-oriented approach to the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAI). It outlines goals, objectives, basic terms and sequence of steps in the organization and conduct of epidemiological diagnostics. The importance of epidemiological surveillance of HAI is underlined. The article describes the main principles of descriptive and analytical studies in the structure of epidemiological diagnostics of HAI.

Farce Genre Modifications in Contemporary Dramaturgy

The Role of TAL1 in Hematopoiesis and Leukemogenesis

INDICATIONS FOR INJECTION OF BULKING AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ANAL INCONTINENCE

Despite of lots conservative and surgical methods of treatment, the problem of anal incontinence is relevant today and remains unresolved. Since the beginning of the 1990s attempts ofimplantation of bulking agents in order to increase the basal pressure in the anal canal were begun. Domestic product “ДАМ+” used in the study. OBJECTIVE. To determine the indications for injection of bulking agents for the treatment of anal incontinence. Research the possibility of using the drug “ДАМ+,” with assessment of treatment outcomes. During a period of 2014 to 2016 there were 30 patients with anal incontinence of various etiologies involved in research. The mean age was 47,5 ± 6,5 years. Injection of bulking agent “ДАМ+” were performed by the punction of submucosa of the anal canal in 3 points, andfollowed by a comparative analysis of the survey after treatment. Average follow-up was 12,1 ± 0,97 months. The study we have identified indications for the implementation of bulking agents for correction of anal incontinence, and the estimation results.

Chitin and Cellulose Processing in Low-Temperature Electron Beam Plasma

Polysaccharide processing by means of low-temperature Electron Beam Plasma (EBP) is a promising alternative to the time-consuming and environmentally hazardous chemical hydrolysis in oligosaccharide production. The present paper considers mechanisms of the EBP-stimulated destruction of crab shell chitin, cellulose sulfate, and microcrystalline cellulose, as well as characterization of the produced oligosaccharides. The polysaccharide powders were treated in oxygen EBP for 1-20 min at 40 °C in a mixing reactor placed in the zone of the EBP generation. The chemical structure and molecular mass of the oligosaccharides were analyzed by size exclusion and the reversed phase chromatography, FTIR-spectroscopy, XRD-, and NMR-techniques. The EBP action on original polysaccharides reduces their crystallinity index and polymerization degree. Water-soluble products with lower molecular weight chitooligosaccharides (weight-average molecular mass, M w = 1000-2000 Da and polydispersity index 2.2) and cellulose oligosaccharides with polymerization degrees 3-10 were obtained. The ¹H-NMR analysis revealed 25-40% deacetylation of the EBP-treated chitin and FTIR-spectroscopy detected an increase of carbonyl- and carboxyl-groups in the oligosaccharides produced. Possible reactions of β-1,4-glycosidic bonds' destruction due to active oxygen species and high-energy electrons are given.

MEMS Sensors Based on Very Thin LTCC

The application of thin LTCC is a very interesting and promising approach to the fabrication of ceramic MEMS gas sensors. The attempts to use this material were restricted till now by the thickness of commercial material (>50 μm). In this work, we found a possibility to fabricate thin LTCC membranes (20–30 μm) stretched on a frame made of 100 μm thick LTCC. Aerosol jet printed Pt microheater and laser cutting of the membrane gave a cantilever shaped microhotplate with hot spot of about 300 × 300 μm. Power consumption of the heater is ~150 mW at 450 °C.

Selective Gas Detection by a Single MOX-Sensor

Selective analysis of CO gas, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide was carried out using single metal oxide sensor. Non-stationary sensor heating mode allowed discovering individual peculiarities of each gas in question. Resistance vs. time curves were converted into multidimensional data arrays and processed by chemometrics methods; as a result, qualitative and quantitative analysis of single-component gas systems was successfully carried out.

Plug-and-Play Electronic Unit for MOS and Thermocatalytic Gas Sensors

The electronic plug-and-play electronic unit for controlling the semiconductor and thermocatalytic sensors is described. This is a controller with standard UART interface, which maintain preset working temperature of the sensor, measures resistance of the sensing layer, makes linearization of the sensitivity curve, compensates ambient humidity. In the case of thermocatalytic sensor, it measures power necessary to heat sensing and reference elements of the sensor, and the difference in these two values of power is proportional to the gas concentration. The digital output signal contains information about gas concentration, working parameters of the sensor, sensor type, enabling plug-and-play operation mode.

Aerosol/Ink Jet Printing Technology for High-Temperature MEMS Sensors

In this work we present the results on the application of additive technology that is aerosol and ink jet technique for the fabrication of high-temperature metal oxide gas sensors. The application of thin (12 μm) alumina membrane, aerosol jet printing of Pt microheater (line width 40–60 μm), printed sensing layer made of nanocristalline tin dioxide based material, laser cutting of the membrane enabled the fabrication of full-printed cantilever-shaped high-temperature sensor with optimal power consumption (~80 mW at 450 °C) applicable in wireless instruments for the detection of combustible and toxic gases including methane.

III–V-on-Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuits for Spectroscopic Sensing in the 2–4 μm Wavelength Range

The availability of silicon photonic integrated circuits (ICs) in the 2-4 μm wavelength range enables miniature optical sensors for trace gas and bio-molecule detection. In this paper, we review our recent work on III-V-on-silicon waveguide circuits for spectroscopic sensing in this wavelength range. We first present results on the heterogeneous integration of 2.3 μm wavelength III-V laser sources and photodetectors on silicon photonic ICs for fully integrated optical sensors. Then a compact 2 μm wavelength widely tunable external cavity laser using a silicon photonic IC for the wavelength selective feedback is shown. High-performance silicon arrayed waveguide grating spectrometers are also presented. Further we show an on-chip photothermal transducer using a suspended silicon-on-insulator microring resonator used for mid-infrared photothermal spectroscopy.