No abstract

The work is aimed at creating polymer composite materials with desired properties. One of the ways to create such materials is to create gradient layers characterized by a smooth spatial change (gradient) of properties in the direction of one or two coordinate axes. The results of studies on the rotation of the polymer composition at the time of polymerization are shown. A device for producing polymer composite materials with a gradient layer has been created. The values of the distribution of additives and hardness along the height of the samples are given. Mathematical processing of the experimental results was carried out.

The paper presents the results of studies on the recycling of waste polymer materials foundry, in particular the analysis of the solubility of polymer plates RAKU-TOOL, used for the manufacture of foundry pattern equipment. It has been found that RAKU-TOOL WB-1404 undergoes dissolution in toluene and acetic acid and swells noticeably in nitric acid. RAKU-TOOL MB-0720 reacts with acids and xylene, but does not react with toluene. RAKU-TOOL WB-1000 reacts noticeably only with nitric acid and does not react with toluene or xylene. The results obtained can be used for further processing and return to the production of model equipment, or to other industrial products for machine-building or household purposes.

The article presents a clinical case of a 27-year-old woman with infectious endocarditis in vasculitis associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Difficulties in the management of the patient are described, consisting in verifying the nature of changes in the heart (vegetation), as well as in determining the treatment tactics. Changes in the heart were regarded as infectious endocarditis. Adequate antibacterial therapy was carried out with a positive clinical and laboratory effect, with a significant decrease in vegetations on the valves, a decrease in the size of the formation in the aorta sinus, and a decrease in aortic regurgitation. The therapy of infectious endocarditis in granulomatosis with polyangiitis is difficult due to the need for a correct combination of adequate antibacterial therapy of infectious endocarditis and high doses of glucocorticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune disease.

Objective: to assess the relationship of the clinical characteristics and laboratory inflammatory markers to the ultrasound signs of synovitis and enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).Patients and methods. Examinations were made in 63 patients diagnosed with PsA according to the 2006 Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR) criteria. Among the patients, the majority were females (54.2%); the mean age was 42.9±10.3 years; the median (Me) PsA duration was 7 [3; 10] years; Me Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) was 16.5 [11.6; 25] years.All the patients underwent estimation of tender joint count, swollen joint count, tender entheseal count, inter alia using the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI), Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesis Score (MASES), and Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC). The investigators determined PsA activity by DAPSA and the prevalence and severity of psoriasis by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and also estimated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels. Ultrasonography was used to assess bilateral upper and lower limb joints, by calculating joint counts (JC) with synovitis signs (SJC), as well as tendon and ligament entheses (a total number of 54 in one patient), by determining the presence of vascularized enthesis count (VEC) and structurally changed enthesis count (SCEC) and using the ultrasound indices (Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System (GUESS), Belgrade Ultrasound Enthesitis Score (BUSES), Madrid Sonography Enthesitis Index (MASEI), Sonographic Enthesitis Index (SEI)).Results and discussion. There were no significant differences in the frequency of damage to the upper (15.7%) and lower (19.3%) limb joints (p>0.05), whereas inflammation in the entheses of the lower limbs (23.2%) was significantly more common than that in the upper limbs (15.3%) (p<0.01). A weak relationship was established between SPARCC and SEI (r=0.276; p<0.05). A positive correlation was found between VEC and hs-CRP levels (r=0.323, p=0.01), ESR (r=0.332, p<0.01). Ultrasound imaging showed that SJC (p<0.01), enthesitis count (p<0.01), and SCEC (p<0.05) increased with age. The relationship between SCEC and GUESS (r=0.724; p<0.01) and that between the VEC and BUSES (r=0.562, p<0.01) proved to be more pronounced.Conclusion. Ultrasound imaging indicates that the entheses of the lower limbs are more frequently affected in patients with PsA. There is no relationship between DAPSA and ultrasound inflammatory changes in the joints and extra-articular structures. A strong relationship is established between enthesiseal structural and inflammatory changes and GUESS and BUSES, respectively, which allows one to recommend the use of these indices for assessing enthesitis in PsA. Entheseal vascularization associated with inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, ESR) (p<0.05) is a manifestation of PsA activity regardless of age and DAPSA.