Akt Signaling in Macrophage Polarization, Survival, and Atherosclerosis.

The PI3K/Akt pathway plays a crucial role in the survival, proliferation, and migration of macrophages, which may impact the development of atherosclerosis. Changes in Akt isoforms or modulation of the Akt activity levels in macrophages significantly affect their polarization phenotype and consequently atherosclerosis in mice. Moreover, the activity levels of Akt signaling determine the viability of monocytes/macrophages and their resistance to pro-apoptotic stimuli in atherosclerotic lesions. Therefore, elimination of pro-apoptotic factors as well as factors that antagonize or suppress Akt signaling in macrophages increases cell viability, protecting them from apoptosis, and this markedly accelerates atherosclerosis in mice. In contrast, inhibition of Akt signaling by the ablation of Rictor in myeloid cells, which disrupts mTORC2 assembly, significantly decreases the viability and proliferation of blood monocytes and macrophages with the suppression of atherosclerosis. In addition, monocytes and macrophages exhibit a threshold effect for Akt protein levels in their ability to survive. Ablation of two Akt isoforms, preserving only a single Akt isoform in myeloid cells, markedly compromises monocyte and macrophage viability, inducing monocytopenia and diminishing early atherosclerosis. These recent advances in our understanding of Akt signaling in macrophages in atherosclerosis may have significant relevance in the burgeoning field of cardio-oncology, where PI3K/Akt inhibitors being tested in cancer patients can have significant cardiovascular and metabolic ramifications

Multi-point time-synchronized waveform recording for the analysis of wide-area harmonic propagation

This paper focuses on studying the phenomenon of harmonic distortion propagation through distribution networks. This phenomenon is governed by a combination of factors involving the nature of harmonic loads and their dynamic interaction, the influence of background voltage distortion, and harmonic impedance values. The objective of the proposed research includes evaluation of the network response at different nodes to harmonic current injections via utilizing a time-synchronized distributed measurement system. The study is performed in a fully controlled and flexible test network with three medium voltage/low voltage (MV/LV) distribution substations and several managed LV harmonic sources, namely PV inverter, single-phase EV charger and emulated harmonic load with reference current injections. A selection of the results is analyzed and interpretation of the observed phenomena is given with implications that synchronized harmonic measurements can be considered as potential powerful instruments for analyzing power quality disturbances

Circular regression models of modern harmonic producing sources

This study presents a novel measurement-based method for modelling harmonic current injections of low-voltage power electronics equipment. The aim of the developed methodology is to accurately represent harmonic current phase angle in response to the applied harmonic background voltage at the terminals of modelled device. In this method, the harmonic angles are analysed with the techniques of circular statistics. The performed study proves the adequacy of representing phase angles as sets of directional data rather than linear. After graphical and quantitative analysis, the regression models with underlying von Mises distribution are derived in the form of algebraic equation. This algebraic equation features sine and cosine terms and explains relationship between independent variable – voltage harmonic angle and dependent variable – current harmonic angle. The subsequent analysis of the residuals allows to conclude that models developed by applying this technique can be used in commercial simulation packages and allow to account on any value of background harmonic voltage angle

МОДЕЛЬ ЖИТТЄВОГО ЦИКЛУ БУДІВЕЛЬНО-ЕНЕРГЕТИЧНОГО ПРОЕКТУ

It was established in order to ensure better management of a reference to the relevant current operations performing organizations advisable to divide the project into phases, the totality of which is the project life cycle. Based on the concept of life cycle projects possible timing, resource and organizational synchronization of all processes and stages of implementation. That lifecyclical approach allows us to consider the processes of project management and how to dynamicallysynchronized system. It was established that the construction of high-tech project life cycle (to species which include the building-energy projects) in most cases carried out in two main approaches - predictive and adaptive. It analyzes the main lifecyclical models and methods of these approaches and formed the conceptual and mathematical models of the life cycle of building-energy project, it was given the structure of the functional elements of its phases.Установлено, что построение жизненного цикла высокотехнологичного проекта (к которым относятся строительно-энергетические проекты) в большинстве случаев осуществляется в рамках двух основных подходов -прогнозирующего и адаптивного. Были проанализированы основные життециклични модели и методики этих подходов и сформированы концептуальная и математическая модели жизненного цикла строительно-энергетического проекта, приведена структура функциональных элементов его фаз.Встановлено, що побудова життєвого циклу високотехнологічного проекту (до виду яких відносяться будівельно-енергетичні проекти) у більшості випадків здійснюється в рамках двох основних підходів – прогнозуючого й адаптивного. Було проаналізовано основні життєциклічні моделі і методики цих підходів та сформовано концептуальну й математичну моделі життєвого циклу будівельно-енергетичного проекту, наведено структуру функціональних елементів його фаз

Study of the machinability of an Inconel 625 composite with added NiTi-TiB2 fabricated by direct laser deposition

This work studies the process feasibility of milling a metal-matrix composite based on Inconel 625 with added NiTi-TiB2 fabricated by direct laser deposition. The composite is intended for manufacturing turbine blades and it has strength characteristics on par with those of Inconel 625. However, the addition of TiB2 has improved its heat and wear resistance. This material is new, and its machinability has not been studied. The new composite was milled with end mill cutters, and recommendations were worked out on the cutting speed, feed per tooth, cutter flank angle, as well as depth and width of milling. The wear of cutter teeth flank was more intense. After the flank wear land on the back surface of a tooth had reached 0.11–0.15 mm, there was a sharp increase in the forces applied which was followed by brittle fracture of the tooth. Milling at a speed of 25 m/min ensured 28 min of stable operation. However, afterwards the critical wear value of 0.11 mm was quickly approached at a cutting speed of 50 m/min, and critical wear followed after 14 min.я Dependencies of the cutting forces vs. time for all the selected cutting speeds and throughout the entire testing time period have a tendency to increase, which indicates the influence of cutter wear on the cutting forces. It was found that the durability of the cutters increases with an increase in the milling width and a decrease in the milling depth

Structure and properties of metal-matrix composites based on an inconel 625–Tib2 system fabricated by additive manufacturing

This research work studies the structural phase parameters and physicomechanical properties of metal-matrix composite materials based on a Ni–TiB2 system obtained by additive manufacturing (specifically, direct laser deposition). The properties of the composites obtained were investigated at high temperatures (up to 1000 °C). The feasibility of the fabrication of a composite nanostructure of alloy with advanced physicomechanical properties was shown. The introduction of reinforcing TiB2 particles into an Inconel 625 matrix was confirmed to increase the microhardness and tensile strength of the material obtained. Apparently, the composite structure of the samples facilitates the realisation of several strengthening mechanisms: (1) a grain boundary mechanism that causes strengthening and dislocation movement; (2) a mechanism based on the grain structure breakdown and Hall–Petch relationship realisation

Постмиграционные общества: экономика, политика, культура

To understand the depth of transformations in all spheres of society generated by migration, new terminology is needed. The notion of "postmigrant societies" implies that the distinction between local and migrant population loses its relevance in certain social spheres. According to the familiar epistemological framework, societies are presented as consisting of "local population" on the one hand, and "migrant population" on the other. This understanding, however, is becoming obsolete. First, it does not reflect the fact that the phenomenon of spatial mobility is embedded in the social structure. A significant part of the so-called local population is itself included in migration processes. People who are considered to be part of the "autochthonous population" are in fact migrants themselves due to different circumstances (contract work, long-term stay in another country due to studies, involvement in joint business projects, participation in international scientific teams, availability of real estate abroad, etc.). At the same time, those people who are regarded as "migrants" by common sense can be well integrated into the social institutions of their new homeland. Second, the traditional epistemological framework does not reflect contemporary demographic trends. It is unable to capture two points: (a) population rotation within the framework of circular/pendulum migration; (b) qualitative change in the urban population of industrialized countries

Processes of physical treatment of stainless steels obtained by additive manufacturing

With a vista of available stainless steel grades at our disposal, it is possible to manufacture items for a wide range of industries. These include chemicals production, medicine, and pharmacology, aerospace, power engineering, etc. Stainless steels are widely used mostly due to their unique property set, both mechanical and physicochemical ones, achieved by alloying various components. Stainless steel workpieces are usually obtained by melting, alloying, casting, and subsequent rolling to the desired shape. The experience in the study of the microstructure and processes of physical treatment of steel accumulated to the present day mainly concerns the machinability (blade, abrasive, laser, etc.) of such steels obtained by conventional techniques. Meanwhile, approaches to the production of workpieces from stainless steels by additive manufacturing (AM) methods are actively developing. In their turn, additive manufacturing technologies allow for producing workpieces that are structurally as close as possible to the final product shape. However, the use of AM workpieces in the manufacturing of functional products brings questions related to the study of the treatability of such steels by mechanical and physical processes to achieve a wide range of functional characteristics. This article discusses the issues of treatability and the characteristics and properties of stainless steels obtained by AM

Effect of the mass fraction of NiTi–TiB2 SHS-particles on the phase composition, structure, and mechanical properties of inconel 625–NiTi–TiB2 composites produced by direct laser deposition

This paper studies the impact of the mass fraction of NiTi–TiB2 particles obtained by the method of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) on the phase composition, structure, and mechanical properties of composites made by direct laser deposition from an Inconel 625–NiTiz–TiB2 powder mixture. Composites were obtained from a powder mixture with the mass fraction of particles at 5–10 wt%, and they consisted of an Inconel 625 metal matrix wherein ceramic inclusions of titanium diboride TiB2 were distributed. Increasing the mass fraction of SHS-produced NiTi particles from 30 to 95 wt% led to the emergence of a NiTi intermetallide phase in the matrix material as wellas an increase in the average TiB2 particle size and formation of their agglomerates. In addition, an increase in the microhardness of the materials was observed. The graph of tensile strength of Inconel 625–NiTi–TiB2 samples has a parabolic shape with a maximum at 1000 MPa (when the mass fraction of SHS-produced NiTi–TiB2 particles is at 30 wt%). A further increase in the mass fraction of NiTi–TiB2 led to a decrease in the tensile strength down to 400 MPa. Here the deformation of samples decreases linearly as the ratio of composite particles in the initial mixture increases. From a comparative analysis of the results obtained, the optimal mass fraction of composite NiTi–TiB2 particles in the Inconel 625-NiTi–TiB2 powder mixture was found to be 5 wt%