Sex and level differences in the diameters of extradural segment of vertebral artery: computed tomography angiographic study

Background: We investigated diameters of prevertebral — V1, and atlantic — V3 parts of extradural segment of vertebral artery (VA). Variable results from the literaturę about VA diameters reflect variety of diagnostic and imaging methods, various sample sizes, different levels of measurements, and lack of possible specific ethnic, regional or genetic data. Additionally, the data are often without distinctions of left-right or of sex. Materials and methods: For this computed tomography (CT) angiographic study 91 adult people (182 VAs) of both sexes (47 males and 44 females) and of age between 33 and 75 years were selected. Diameters were measured at fixed predefined points of VA, marked as inferior (A) point (at V1 part in region of VA origin), as middle (B) point (the end of V1 part), and superior (C) point, at V3 part — 5 mm before VA penetrated the dura. Inferior (A) and middle (B) points actually represent locations at beginning (A) and at terminal (B) regions of V1 part of VA, and superior point C represents terminal part of V3. Results: In total sample ipsilateral (both left [L] and right [R] sided) diameters on investigated levels of VA showed progressive and highly significant decreases. The mean values were on the right side at point A — 3.63 mm, at B point — 3.31 mm, and at C point — 3.08 mm. On the left side, mean values were at point A — 3.76 mm, at B point — 3.50 mm, and at point C — 3.21 mm. Pattern of increasing sex differences in diameters of VA, was ranging from no differences (point A), trough significant (point B), to highly significant differences (point C). For inferior point (A) we did not find significant differences in VA diameters between males (R 3.78 mm; L 3.89 mm) and females (R 3.50 mm; L 3.62 mm), in middle (B) point sex differences were significant (males: R 3.44 mm, L 3.66 mm; females: R 3.18 mm, L 3.33 mm) and in most superior point (C) differences were highly significant (males: R 3.278 mm, L 3.39 mm; females: R 2.88 mm, L 3.01 mm). However, we did not find significant intrasex (in males or in females) left-right differences in mean values of VA diameters for all three investigated levels. Conclusions: Our findings, as the first data about diameters of VA systematically obtained by CT angiography in the population of western Balkans and wider, suggest that in design of future studies of VA diameters is necessary to analyse separately the data for sex, as well as to use defined standard levels

Correlation between isothermal expansion and functional properties change of the Fe81B13Si4C2 amorphous alloy

The structural changes effect on functional properties of ribbon shaped samples of the Fe81B13Si4C2 amorphous alloy during annealing process was investigated in this paper. Differential scanning calorimetry method has shown that this alloy crystallizes in one stage, in temperature range from room temperature up to 700°C. Structural relaxation process was investigated by sensitive dilatation method in nonisothermal and isothermal conditions. It has been shown that structural relaxation process occurs in two stages by measuring thermal expansion at constant temperatures of t1=420°C, t2 = 440°C and t3 = 460°C. The first stage is characterized by linear logarithmic dependence of thermal expansion upon time at constant temperature. The second stage of structural relaxation process is characterized by linear dependence of isothermal expansion upon the square root of process time. These results imply that the first stage of structural relaxation process is a rapid kinetic process, while the second stage of structural relaxation process is a slow diffusion process. The rate constants k11 = 2,27⋅10- 3 s-1, k12 = 2,79⋅10-3 s-1, k13 = 3,6⋅10-3 s-1, k21 = 0,67⋅10-4 s-1, k22 = 3,72⋅10-4 s-1, k23 = 21,53⋅10-4 s-1 and activation energies E1 = 48,64 kJ/mol and E2 = 366, 23 kJ/mol were determined for both stages of structural relaxation process. The distinct correlation between structural relaxation process and magnetic susceptibility relative change was determined by thermomagnetic measurements. It has been shown that magnetic susceptibility can be increased by up to 80%, by convenient annealings after structural relaxation process, at magnetic field intensity of 8 kA/m

The influence of mechanochemical activation and thermal treatment on magnetic properties of the BaTiO3 -FexOy powder mixture

Powder mixture of 50 mass % of barium titanate (BaTiO3) and 50 mass % of iron (Fe) was prepared by solid-state reaction technique, i.e. ball milled in air for 60 min, 80 min, 100 min, 120 min and 150 min. During mechanochemical activation it was observed the iron powder transitsion to iron oxides. Depending on the activation time the content of iron oxides FeO, Fe2 O3 and Fe3O4 varies. Simultaneously, with the content change of the activated system, magnetic properties change as well. The XRD analysis of milled samples shown that as the activation time increase, the iron oxide percentage increases to, whereby the percentage of BaTiO3 in a total sample mass decreases. The percentage of iron oxides and BaTiO3 in annealed samples changes depending on annealing temperature. The thermomagnetic measurements performed by Faraday method shown that the powder mixture milled for 100 minutes exhibit maximum magnetization prior to annealing. The increase of magnetization maximum was observed after annealing at 540 oC with all milled samples, and at room temperature it has enhancement from 10 % to 22 % depending on the activation time. The samples milled for 100 min and 150 min and then sintered at 1200 oC exhibit magnetoelectric properties. © 2015 International Institute for the Science of Sintering (IISS). All rights reserved

Bridge deck runoff control trough drainage, treatment and irrigation system: The case study of the bridge Ostruznica over the Sava river

The paper presents main design project of the bridge Ostruznica deck drainage and runoff treatment. An integral solution of drainage and irrigation and/or discharge water into the Sava river of pre - treated runoff from the portion of highway Dobanovci – Bubanj Potok and the bridge The treated water is taken for irrigation into the groundwater as a recharge, along the series of wells for potable water within sanitary protection zone of the Belgrade Water supply system. The first flush of the criteria rainfall runoff volume is to be pre - treated using a StormwaterR barrels. Such a solution is considered as an additional water source at the aquifer by the rivers’ banks. Also, it is a measure of water cycle improvement. The project is completed by a SwermR preventing system for accidental situation, such as leakage or accidents of vehicles and potential pollution and risks of vulnerability for the potablewater wells

Analysis of interrelations between wheat protein fractions composition and its technological quality by combined multivariate and univariate statistics

Data on protein fractions' proportion, obtained with RP-HPLC and technological quality parameters for 29 wheat cultivars grown in Serbia and Croatia, were used for studying of interrelations among wheat protein fractions with different solubility and molecular weight properties by multivariate (PCA) analysis. Obtained trends were used as the base for investigations related to differentiation of technological quality among wheat cultivars with different combination of protein fractions' compositions using univariate statistics (ANOVA followed by Duncan's test) in order to draw out information about interrelations between protein fractions proportion in wheat cultivars and their technological quality. Analysis based on the first four PCA factors (89.04% of variability) pointed out interdependencies between: 1) high content of albumins and globulins, low gliadins content and gliadins/glutenins ratio, high omega-gliadins, LMW glutenins and low alpha-gliadins share in total protein with low water absorption, high energy and high resistance to extensibility ratio, 2) high albumin and globulin content and high proportion of omega-gliadins in total protein and low extensigraph extensibility, 3) high share of high molecular weight glutenins (HMW-GS) in total proteins, high extensigraph resistance/extensibility ratio and 4) high gamma-gliadins share in total protein and low extensigraph resistance/extensibility ratio

Thermal diffusivity of sintered 12CaO×7AI2O3

Poster presented at the 14th International Conference on Photoacoustic and Photothermal Phenomena, Cairo, Egypt, January 6-9, 2007Paper: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2008-00423-7

Thermal Diffusivity of Sintered 12CaOx7Al2O3

Poster presented at the 14th International Conference on Photoacoustic and Photothermal Phenomena, Cairo, Egypt, January 6-9, 200

Synthesis, characterization, HSA/DNA interactions and antitumor activity of new [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2(L)] complexes

Three new ruthenium(II) complexes were synthesized from different substituted isothiazole ligands 5-(methylamino)-3-pyrrolidine-1-ylisothiazole-4-carbonitrile (1), 5-(methylamino)-3- (4-methylpiperazine-1-yl)isothiazole-4-carbonitrile (2) and 5-(methylamino)-3-morpholine-4- ylisothiazole-4-carbonitrile (3): [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2(L1)]·H2O (4), [Ru(η6 -pcymene)Cl2(L2)] (5) and [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2(L3)] (6). All complexes were characterized by IR, UV-Vis, NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The molecular structures of all ligands and complexes 4 and 6 were determined by an X-ray. The results of the interactions of CT-DNA (calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid) and HSA (human serum albumin) with ruthenium (II) complexes reveal that complex 4 binds well to CT-DNA and HSA. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the reaction between complex and HSA confirmed the associative mode of interaction. The results of Quantum mechanics (QM) modelling and docking experiments toward DNA dodecamer and HSA support the strongest binding of the complex 4 to DNA major groove, as well as its binding to IIa domain of HSA with the lowest ΔG energy, which agrees with the solution studies. The modified GOLD docking results are indicative for Ru(p-cymene)LCl··(HSA··GLU292) binding and GOLD/MOPAC(QM) docking/modelling of DNA/Ligand (Ru(II)-N(7)dG7) covalent binding. The cytotoxic activity of compounds was evaluated by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl2H-tetrazolium bromide) assay. Neither of the tested compounds shows activity against a healthy MRC-5 cell line while the MCF-7 cell line is the most sensitive to all. Compounds 3, 4 and 5 were about two times more active than cisplatin, while the antiproliferative activity of 6 was almost the same as with cisplatin. Flow cytometry analysis showed the apoptotic death of the cells with a cell cycle arrest in the subG1 phase

The Polymorphisms of Genes Encoding Catalytic Antioxidant Proteins Modulate the Susceptibility and Progression of Testicular Germ Cell Tumor

The simultaneous analysis of redox biomarkers and polymorphisms encoding for regulatory and catalytic antioxidant proteins was performed in order to evaluate their potential role in the development of testicular germ cell tumor (GCT), as well as the progression of the disease. NRF2 (rs6721961), GSTM3 (rs1332018), SOD2 (rs4880) and GPX3 (rs8177412) polymorphisms were assessed in 88 patients with testicular GCT (52 with seminoma) and 88 age-matched controls. The plasma levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), thiol groups and the plasma activity of glutathione peroxidase were measured. A significant association between variant GPX3*TC+CC genotype and risk of overall testicular GCT, as well as seminoma development, was found. Moreover, carriers of variant SOD2*TT genotype were at almost 3-fold increased risk of seminoma development. Interestingly, combined SOD2*TT/GPX3*TC+CC genotype conferred a 7-fold higher risk for testicular GCT development. Finally, variant GSTM3*AC+CC genotype was associated with a higher risk for the development of advanced diseased. The presence of assessed genetic variants was not associated with significantly higher levels of redox biomarkers in both testicular GCT patients, as well as in those diagnosed with seminoma. In conclusion, the polymorphic expression of certain antioxidant enzymes might affect susceptibility toward testicular GCT development, as well as the progression of the disease

Effect of Microstructural Changes during Annealing on Thermoelectromotive Force and Resistivity of Electrodeposited Ni 85.8

Ni85.8Fe10.6W1.4Cu2.2 alloy powder containing nanocrystals of an FCC-structured solid solution of iron, tungsten, and copper in nickel embedded in an amorphous matrix was electrodeposited from an ammonia citrate solution. The alloy exhibits thermal stability in the temperature range between 25°C and 150°C. Over the range 150−360°C, the alloy undergoes intense structural relaxation which considerably increases the electron density of states and, hence, its electrical conductivity. Less intense structural relaxation takes place at temperatures between 360°C and 420°C. In the temperature range of 420°C to 460°C, relatively more intense changes in the electron density of states at the Fermi level occur, as induced by the structural relaxation resulting from the stabilization of larger less mobile tungsten atoms and copper atoms. The large decrease in electrical resistivity and the high increase in the electron density of states at the Fermi level in the temperature range 460−520°C are due to amorphous matrix crystallization and FCC-phase crystal grain growth