A sledge-caterpillar caravan delivered to Vostok station in Antarctica a team of specialists and about 190 tons of cargo to complete the construction of a new wintering complex. In January 2024 the experimental operation of the building in the harsh conditions of the Antarctic winter will begin. The polar explorers are planning to celebrate the housewarming in early 2025 as part of the 70th Russian Antarctic Expedition.
By February next year, the builders will have to assemble two of the station's five modules. They are intended for storing fuel reserves and duplicates of equipment. It is also planned to complete finishing of three modules assembled last season.

At the stage of pilot operation during the Antarctic winter six specialists of the Russian Antarctic Expedition and 30 technicians of Zapsibgazprom will work at the station. They will test the performance and reliability of all life support systems. By the end of 2024, the interior finishing of all premises will also be fully completed.
To ensure construction and installation works this season, almost 2.6 thousand tons of cargo - construction materials and fuel - will be delivered to Vostok station. More than 90 people, 40 Polar-300 transporters and five Caterpillar tractors will be involved in the sledge-caterpillar traverses.
The total area of five modules of the new wintering complex is about 3 thousand square meters. meters. The length of the erected station will be 140 meters, maximum height - 17.5 meters. The modules will be installed on 36 four-meter supports, which will allow the station to remain snow-free for many years.

The complex will include scientific laboratories, living and public premises for polar explorers, energy centers and technical blocks for water treatment and storage system, as well as a garage. The station will have a modern medical block with an operating room, a barocamera, a dental and X-ray room, a cabin with billiards and a movie hall, a gym and a sauna. The complex will provide comfortable stay and research activities for 35 seasonal specialists and up to 15 winterers.

Source of text and photo: https://rgo.ru/activity/redaction/news/11-31/

The first Russian anti-tremor neurostimulator that does not require implantation in the patient's body has been developed at the Dalnevostochny Federal University (DVFU). Serial production and sale of the device is planned to begin in two years, the university's press service told TASS.

"DVFU scientists are actively working on a prototype of an antitremor non-invasive neurostimulator and have already conducted several tests on patients with Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. The first results have shown that the domestic device reduces tremor up to 80% in some cases and with further positive dynamics will be able to replace foreign analogs. <...> After a full set of tests, scientists plan to release a pre-production sample, reducing the size to a wristwatch and optimizing the stimulation algorithm. The domestic neurostimulator will enter the market after all procedures of medical registration, tentatively - in two years", - reported in the press service.

The first domestic prototype of the specialized neurostimulator was tested by five patients. Sensors of the device are attached to the arm, and impulses are transmitted through the skin, which allows to suppress tremor without surgical intervention. The device itself is attached to the forearm and feels like a phone when jogging. In parallel, work is underway on a prototype in the form of a bracelet to make it convenient for patients to use the device in everyday life.

According to Alexander Artemenko, a bioengineer at the Laboratory of Experimental and Translational Medicine at DVFU, positive dynamics can be traced, but tremor is reduced differently in each case. Artur Biktimirov, a leading neurosurgeon at the DVFU Medical Complex, specified that there is only one Western analog in the world, produced in the USA. Tremor can also be suppressed with the help of pills, which are not always effective, or surgery.

The development of a domestic anti-tremor non-invasive neurostimulator is supported by the "Priority 2030" program of DVFU.

Source of text and photo: https://nauka.tass.ru/nauka/19346535