ADAPTATION OF ENGINEERING FEA-BASED ALGORITHMS TO LCF FAILURE AND MATERIAL DATA PREDICTION IN OFFSHORE DESIGN

There is an ever growing industrial demand for quantitative assessment of fatigue endurance of critical structural details. Although FEA-based calculations have become a standard in engineering design, problems involving the Low-To-Medium cycle range (101-104) remain challenging. This paper presents an attempt to optimally choose material data, meshing density and other algorithm settings in the context of recent design of he large offshore windfarm installation vessel, VIDAR. In this study, an attempt is made to assess default FEA-based procedures in RADIOSS software by comparing an experimental test against numerical analyses. Standard slender cylindrical ("I") samples as well as originally designed "Z"-shaped samples made of A90 (S690)-grade steel have been loaded at various nominal stress ranges with or without local yielding. A good correlation has been found between FEA results and experimental cycles-to-failure in I-shaped samples, provided the softwarematerial data generator is avoided and Smith-Watson-Topper mean stress correction is used. In the case of Z-shaped samples, the calculated cycles-to-initiation of macro-crack is significantly lower (factor of 3) from the experiment. The observed discrepancy is argued to be due to stress gradient influence

Flower nectar trichome structure of carnivorous plants from the genus butterworts Pinguicula L. (Lentibulariaceae)

Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) is a genus comprising around 96 species of herbaceous, carnivorous plants, which are extremely diverse in flower size, colour and spur length and structure as well as pollination strategy. In Pinguicula, nectar is formed in the flower spur; however, there is a gap in the knowledge about the nectary trichome structure in this genus. Our aim was to compare the nectary trichome structure of various Pinguicula species in order to determine whether there are any differences among the species in this genus. The taxa that were sampled were Pinguicula moctezumae, P. moranensis, P. rectifolia, P. emarginata and P. esseriana. We used light microscopy, histochemistry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy to address those aims. We show a conservative nectary trichome structure and spur anatomy in various Mexican Pinguicula species. The gross structural similarities between the examined species were the spur anatomy, the occurrence of papillae, the architecture of the nectary trichomes and the ultrastructure characters of the trichome cells. However, there were some differences in the spur length, the size of spur trichomes, the occurrence of starch grains in the spur parenchyma and the occurrence of cellwall ingrowths in the terminal cells of the nectary trichomes. Similar nectary capitate trichomes, as are described here, were recorded in the spurs of species from other Lentibulariaceae genera. There are many ultrastructural similarities between the cells of nectary trichomes in Pinguicula and Utricularia

Do food trichomes occur in Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) flowers?

• Background and Aims Floral food bodies (including edible trichomes) are a form of floral reward for pollinators. This type of nutritive reward has been recorded in several angiosperm families: Annonaceae, Araceae, Calycanthaceae, Eupomatiaceae, Himantandraceae, Nymphaeaceae, Orchidaceae, Pandanaceae and Winteraceae. Although these bodies are very diverse in their structure, their cells contain food material: starch grains, protein bodies or lipid droplets. In Pinguicula flowers, there are numerous multicellular clavate trichomes. Previous authors have proposed that these trichomes in the Pinguicula flower play the role of ‘futterhaare’ (‘feeding hairs’) and are eaten by pollinators. The main aim of this study was to investigate whether the floral non-glandular trichomes of Pinguicula contain food reserves and thus are a reward for pollinators. The trichomes from the Pinguicula groups, which differ in their taxonomy (species from the subgenera: Temnoceras, Pinguicula and Isoloba) as well as the types of their pollinators (butterflies/flies and bees/hummingbirds), were examined. Thus, it was determined whether there are any connections between the occurrence of food trichomes and phylogeny position or pollination biology. Additionally, we determined the phylogenetic history of edible trichomes and pollinator evolution in the Pinguicula species. • Methods The species that were sampled were: Pinguicula moctezumae, P. esseriana, P. moranensis, P. emarginata, P. rectifolia, P. mesophytica, P. hemiepiphytica, P. agnata, P. albida, P. ibarrae, P. martinezii, P. filifolia, P. gigantea, P. lusitanica, P. alpina and P. vulgaris. Light microscopy, histochemistry, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to address our aims with a phylogenetic perspective based on matK/trnK DNA sequences. • Key Results No accumulation of protein bodies or lipid droplets was recorded in the floral non-glandular trichomes of any of the analysed species. Starch grains occurred in the cells of the trichomes of the bee-/fly-pollinated species: P. agnata, P. albida, P. ibarrae, P. martinezii, P. filifolia and P. gigantea, but not in P. alpina or P. vulgaris. Moreover, starch grains were not recorded in the cells of the trichomes of the Pinguicula species that have long spurs, which are pollinated by Lepidoptera (P. moctezumae, P. esseriana, P. moranensis, P. emarginata and P. rectifolia) or birds (P. mesophytica and P. hemiepihytica), or in species with a small and whitish corolla that selfpollinate (P. lusitanica). The results on the occurrence of edible trichomes and pollinator syndromes were mapped onto a phylogenetic reconstruction of the genus. • Conclusion Floral non-glandular trichomes play the role of edible trichomes in some Pinguicula species (P. agnata, P. albida, P. ibarrae, P. martinezii, P. filifolia and P. gigantea), which are mainly classified as bee-pollinated species that had originated from Central and South America. It seems that in the Pinguicula that are pollinated by other pollinator groups (Lepidoptera and hummingbirds), the non-glandular trichomes in the flowers play a role other than that of a floral reward for their pollinators. Edible trichomes are symplesiomorphic for the Pinguicula species, and thus do not support a monophyletic group such as a synapomorphy. Nevertheless, edible trichomes are derived and are possibly a specialization for fly and bee pollinators by acting as a food reward for these visitors

Procjena razine alergen specifičnog IgE u krvi u konja iz Siedlce okruga, Poljska

The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of different allergies in horses from central Poland. Allergic diseases are common in horses all over the world. Common conditions that have been associated with immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy in horses include insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), urticaria and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). A variety of serological assays are available to measure serum levels of allergen-specific IgE antibodies. They can provide supportive evidence for a diagnosis of equine allergic dermatitis associated with environmental allergens. This study was performed on clinically healthy, Polish noble half-breed horses. In this study, four groups of allergens were identified as commonly inducing allergic reactions: American house dust mites (D. farinae), cultivated plants (rape), English plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and biting midges (Culicoides nubeculosus). More than 50% of horses showed positive reactions to these groups of allergens. The factor that contributed most to allergy occurrence among horses was American house dust mites (D. farinae). In recent years, efforts have been made to identify new allergens and to better understand the specific pathogenesis of allergic diseases in animals. The development of allergic disease diagnostics has been facilitated by the availability of diagnostic methods along with enhanced awareness of allergic diseases in veterinary practice. Allergic disorders in horses are ultimately gaining the attention they deserve thanks to the fact that veterinary allergology has become a dedicated veterinary discipline.Cilj ove studije bio je ustvrditi učestalost različitih vrsta alergija u konja iz središnje Poljske. Alergijske bolesti su učestale u konja diljem svijeta. Uobičajena stanja koja su povezana s alergijskom reakcijom posredovanom imunoglobulinom E (IgE) u konja uključuju preosjetljivost na ubode insekata (IBH), urtikariju i povratnu opstrukciju dišnih putova (RAO). Dostupni su različiti serološki testovi za mjerenje razina specifičnog IgE antitijela na alergene u krvi. Oni mogu osigurati potkrepljujuće dokaze za dijagnozu alergijskog dermatitisa konja s alergenima iz okoliša. Ova studija provedena je na poljskim plemenitim, klinički zdravim, križanim pasmina konja. U ovoj studiji identificirane su četiri skupine alergena koje obično prouzroče alergijske reakcije: američke grinje iz kućne prašine (D. farinae), kultivirane biljke (repica), uskolisni trputac (Plantago lanceolata) i mušice (Culicoides nubeculosus). Više od 50 % konja pokazalo je pozitivne reakcije na ove skupine alergena. Čimbenik koji je najviše pridonio pojavnosti alergijskih reakcija među konjima bile su američke grinje iz kućne prašine (D. farinae). U posljednjih nekoliko godina, pojačanje napora u suzbijanju alergijskih bolesti dovelo je do identifikacije nekih novih alergena, kao i dubljeg razumijevanja patogeneze životinja specifične za alergijske bolesti. Razvoj u dijagnozi alergijskih bolesti olakšan je dostupnošću dijagnostičkih metoda uz povećanu svijest o alergijskim bolestima u veterinarskoj praksi. Alergijski poremećaji u konja konačno dobivaju pozornost koju zaslužuju zahvaljujući činjenici da je alergologija postala značajna specijalizirana veterinarska disciplina

Spatio-temporal distribution of cell wall components in the placentas, ovules and female gametophytes of Utricularia during pollination

In most angiosperms, the female gametophyte is hidden in the mother tissues and the pollen tube enters the ovule via a micropylar canal. The mother tissues play an essential role in the pollen tube guidance. However, in Utricularia, the female gametophyte surpasses the entire micropylar canal and extends beyond the limit of the integument. The female gametophyte then invades the placenta and a part of the central cell has direct contact with the ovary chamber. To date, information about the role of the placenta and integument in pollen tube guidance in Utricularia, which have extra-ovular female gametophytes, has been lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the placenta, central cell and integument in pollen tube pollen tube guidance in Utricularia nelumbifolia Gardner and Utricularia humboldtii R.H. Schomb. by studying the production of arabinogalactan proteins. It was also determined whether the production of the arabinogalactan proteins is dependent on pollination in Utricularia. In both of the examined species, arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) were observed in the placenta (epidermis and nutritive tissue), ovule (integument, chalaza), and female gametophyte of both pollinated and unpollinated flowers, which means that the production of AGPs is independent of pollination; however, the production of some AGPs was lower after fertilization. There were some differences in the production of AGPs between the examined species. The occurrence of AGPs in the placental epidermis and nutritive tissue suggests that they function as an obturator. The production of some AGPs in the ovular tissues (nucellus, integument) was independent of the presence of a mature embryo sac

A case of a patient with biochemical recurrence and inadequate results of suspected bone metastases in imaging methods — will [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT give us an answer?

We present a case of a 79-year-old asymptomatic patient with prostate adenocarcinoma, Gleason score 9 (4 + 5), with the initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 17 ng/mL, treated with radiotherapy and hormonotherapy, who was diagnosed with the rapid growth of PSA levels up to 78.8 ng/mL. Due to suspected bone metastases, first, bone scintigraphy was performed. However, it showed only one intense “hot” lesion in the Th7 projection. This image was not consistent with a high level of PSA, for which reason a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed. It revealed lytic metastasis in Th7 and one more suspicious change in L2, which still was inconsistent with the patient’s clinical picture. The patient was referred for [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. It showed an uncountable number of foci of increased marker accumulation in bones, mostly without visible change in CT examination. This case showed that the clinical results and suspicions of the advancement of a patient’s disease are still the most important data in care and therapy planning

The relationship between left ventricular diastolic function and arterial stiffness in normotensive males

Wstęp Choroby układu sercowo-naczyniowego należą do głównych zagrożeń zdrowia w Polsce. W ostatnich latach duże zainteresowanie badaczy wzbudza rola zmian podatności naczyń i funkcji rozkurczowej w rozwoju chorób układu sercowo-naczyniowego. Celem badania była ocena, czy w grupie osób zdrowych istnieje związek pomiędzy parametrami funkcji rozkurczowej a podatnością naczyń tętniczych. Materiał i metody Badaniami objęto 24 zdrowych mężczyzn w wieku 43 lat (± 8) o wskaźniku masy ciała (BMI) 26,9 ± 4,2 kg/m2, o następujących parametrach ciśnienia tętniczego uzyskanych podczas 24-godzinnego pomiaru metodą Halbera: skurczowe 127 ± 8 mm Hg, rozkurczowe 80 ± 5 mm Hg oraz o częstości akcji serca 76 ± 8 uderzeń na minutę. Sztywność tętnic oceniano na podstawie prędkości propagacji fali tętna (PWV). U każdego mężczyzny wykonano badania echokardiograficzne sonografem ALOKA 5000 wyposażonym w głowicę o częstotliwości 2,5-3,5 MHz ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem parametrów napływu mitralnego opisującego funkcję rozkurczową. Mierzono następujące parametry napływu mitralnego: maksymalną prędkość fali wczesnego napływu - fala E (m/s), maksymalną prędkość napływu przedsionkowego - fala A (m/s), decelerację fali E określającą stopień nachylenia ramienia zstępującego fali E - DecE (cm/s2), czas deceleracji fali E, czyli czas od szczytu fali E do czasu jej zaniku - DT E (ms). Wyniki Stwierdzono, że istnieje istotna korelacja pomiędzy PWV a parametrami funkcji rozkurczowej (PWV vs. E r = -0,531, p = 0,006; PWV vs. E/A r = -0,478, p = 0,016). W analizie związku między PWV a deceleracją fali E stwierdzono r = -0,353, p = 0,083. Nie wykazano także korelacji pomiędzy PWV a frakcją wyrzutową i indeksem masy lewej komory. Wnioski Wykazaną w obecnej pracy zależność pomiędzy funkcją rozkurczową lewej komory a własnościami naczyń można traktować jako wyraz równoległości procesów toczących się w ścianie naczyń oraz mięśniu sercowym. Wzrost sztywności ściany naczynia może być wczesnym wskaźnikiem uszkodzenia funkcji rozkurczowej lewej komory.Background Cardiovascular diseases are the main health problem in Poland. As described in numerous studies diastolic heart failure is common and causes significant alterations in prognosis. The mechanisms that cause abnormalities in diastolic function and arterial stiffness are similar and can both lead to the development of heart failure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between left ventricular diastolic function and arterial stiffness in normotensive males. Material and methods We examined 26 healthy male subjects aged 43 ± 8 years (BMI 26.9 ± 4.2 kg/m2, 24h-SBP 127 ± 8 mm Hg, 24h-DBP 80 ± 5 mm Hg, 24h-HR 76 ± 8 bpm). The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was used as a measure of arterial stiffness. Doppler echocardiography was performed using ALOKA 5000 machine equipped with 2.5–3.5 MHz transducer. LV diastolic function was described by the peak of early (E) and late (A) transmitral flow velocity, deceleration time (DT) of E and slope of E peak deceleration (Dec E). Results Significant correlation coefficients were found between PWV and parameters of left ventricular diastolic function (PWV vs. E r = –0.531, p = 0.006; PWV vs. E/A r = –0.478, p = 0.016). The analysis of relationship between PWV and DecE revealed r = –0.353, p = 0.083. We did not observe any significant correlation between PWV and parameters of left ventricular structure (EF %, LVMI /m2), as well. Conclusion Our study revealed significant relationship between arterial stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function in normotensive males. Therefore, increased arterial stiffness may serve as an early evidence of impaired left ventricular diastolic function. This relationship revealed in healthy subjects may indicate that alterations in heart and arterial function may be parallel

THE INTELLIGENT SCENARIO SELECTION IN DYNAMIC HOIST SCHEDULING PROBLEM: THE REAL-LIFE ELECTROPLATING LINE CASE

The paper presents a scheduling system which was designed for a electroplating production line. The system allows flexible production, in the real time environment. The number of transport hoists is routed as well as chemical and material treatment processing stations are scheduled in order to create a functional production line. The expert knowledge is used for preparation of production scenarios. The system manages to create schedules in the real time because of using machine-learning methods to identify production system state and support the decisive process of scenario selection. The Intelligent Scenario Selection Method is used on the real-life production line located in Wrocław, Poland. The paper presents issues that occur on analyzed line and the results achieved by using The Intelligent Scenario Selection Method

TWO-STAGE MOTION OF PARTICLES IN THE DISCHARGE SPOUT OF FORAGE HARVESTER

Abstract. The purpose of the work was to characterise chaff movement and to determine particles velocity in any location in the discharge spout, depending on the knife disc rotational speed and quantity of maize plant material stream fed into a forage harvester with flywheel cutting unit. Conducted experiments allow to prove that the particle movement in the discharge spout proceeds in two stages. In the first stage the particles move in a dispersed way and in the second stage, after colliding with upper spout wall, the chaff stream acts as a dense stream. An abrupt change of chaff velocity occurs at the boundary of these stages, which then decreases degressively in farther spout sections