Results of hydraulic calculations of the Chernozemelskaya irrigation system channels

Purpose: hydraulic calculations of the current water supply network of the Chernozemelskaya irrigation system channels. Materials and methods. The materials for the calculations were: operational records of the Chernozemelskaya irrigation system, the results of field surveys of channels and data from instrumental measurements of water levels, velocities and water discharges in the surveyed discharge section lines of distributary channels. The field work was carried out according to the generally accepted rules and methods of surveys, hydrometric measurements and assessment of the reclamation facilities state. Channel hydraulic calculations were performed for the conditions of constant water flow in their channels on rectilinear sections. Calculations of the main elements of the water cross-section of the Chernozemelskaya irrigation system channels were carried out using passport data and the results of field surveys of these channels. Results. Calculations of the main elements of the water cross-section of the channels for the control stations on the Yashkul and Gashun distribution canals of the Chernozemelskaya irrigation system were performed, rating curves of discharge and average water flow velocity in channels from the depth of their filling were constructed; permissible (non-eroding and non-silting) velocities of water flow in the channels were determined. Conclusions. It was found for the discharge section line on the Gashun distribution canal, that siltation of the channel will occur at a water flow discharge of Q < 2.75 m³/s and channel filling of h < 1.0 m. When assessing the channel of the Gashun canal for the susceptibility to erosion, it was determined that the channel in the control station section can pass the specified discharge without being eroded. Checking the channel of the Yashkul distribution canal in the control section for siltation and erosion showed that its channel will not be eroded in the considered range of water flow velocities from 0.62–1.14 m/s

Element-specific probe of quantum criticality in CeCoIn5\mathrm{CeCoIn_{5}}

Employing the elemental sensitivity of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), we study the valence and magnetic order in the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn$_5$. We probe spin population of the f-electrons in Ce and d-electrons in Co as a function of temperature (down to 0.1 K) and magnetic field (up to 6 T). From the XAS we find a pronounced contribution of Ce$^{4+}$ component at low temperature and a clear temperature dependence of the Ce valence below 5 K, suggesting enhanced valence fluctuations, an indication for the presence of a nearby quantum critical point (QCP). We observe no significant corresponding change with magnetic field. The XMCD displays a weak signal for Ce becoming clear only at 6 T. This splitting of the Kramers doublet ground state of Ce$^{3+}$ is significantly smaller than expected for independent but screened ions, indicating strong antiferromagnetic pair interactions. The unconventional character of superconductivity in CeCoIn$_5$ is evident in the extremely large specific heat step at the superconducting transition.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Supplementary information (4 pages, 5 figures

The role of released ATP in killing Candida albicans and other extracellular microbial pathogens by cationic peptides

A unifying theme common to the action of many cationic peptides that display lethal activities against microbial pathogens is their specific action at microbial membranes that results in selective loss of ions and small nucleotides chiefly ATP. One model cationic peptide that induces non-lytic release of ATP from the fungal pathogen Candida albicans is salivary histatin 5 (Hst 5). The major characteristic of Hst 5-induced ATP release is that it occurs rapidly while cells are still metabolically active and have polarized membranes, thus precluding cell lysis as the means of release of ATP. Other cationic peptides that induce selective release of ATP from target microbes are lactoferricin, human neutrophil defensins, bactenecin, and cathelicidin peptides. The role of released extracellular ATP induced by cationic peptides is not known, but localized increases in extracellular ATP concentration may serve to potentiate cell killing, facilitate further peptide uptake, or function as an additional signal to activate the host innate immune system at the site of infection

Using synthetic biological parts and microbioreactors to explore the protein expression characteristics of Escherichia coli

Synthetic biology has developed numerous parts for the precise control of protein expression. However, relatively little is known about the burden these place on a host, or their reliability under varying environmental conditions. To address this, we made use of synthetic transcriptional and translational elements to create a combinatorial library of constructs that modulated expression strength of a green fluorescent protein. Combining this library with a microbioreactor platform, we were able to perform a detailed large-scale assessment of transient expression and growth characteristics of two <i>Escherichia coli</i> strains across several temperatures. This revealed significant differences in the robustness of both strains to differing types of protein expression, and a complex response of transcriptional and translational elements to differing temperatures. This study supports the development of reliable synthetic biological systems capable of working across different hosts and environmental contexts. Plasmids developed during this work have been made publicly available to act as a reference set for future research

Doppler Effect in Resonant Photoemission from SF6 : Correlation between Doppler Profile and Auger Emission Anisotropy

Fragmentation of the SF6 molecule upon F 1s excitation has been studied by resonant photoemission. The F atomiclike Auger line exhibits the characteristic Doppler profile that depends on the direction of the photoelectron momentum relative to the polarization vector of the radiation as well as on the photon energy. The measured Doppler profiles are analyzed by the model simulation that takes account of the anisotropy of the Auger emission in the molecular frame. The Auger anisotropy extracted from the data decreases with an increase in the F–SF5 internuclear distance

Relating gene expression data on two-component systems to functional annotations in Escherichia coli

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obtaining physiological insights from microarray experiments requires computational techniques that relate gene expression data to functional information. Traditionally, this has been done in two consecutive steps. The first step identifies important genes through clustering or statistical techniques, while the second step assigns biological functions to the identified groups. Recently, techniques have been developed that identify such relationships in a single step.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed an algorithm that relates patterns of gene expression in a set of microarray experiments to functional groups in one step. Our only assumption is that patterns co-occur frequently. The effectiveness of the algorithm is demonstrated as part of a study of regulation by two-component systems in <it>Escherichia coli</it>. The significance of the relationships between expression data and functional annotations is evaluated based on density histograms that are constructed using product similarity among expression vectors. We present a biological analysis of three of the resulting functional groups of proteins, develop hypotheses for further biological studies, and test one of these hypotheses experimentally. A comparison with other algorithms and a different data set is presented.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our new algorithm is able to find interesting and biologically meaningful relationships, not found by other algorithms, in previously analyzed data sets. Scaling of the algorithm to large data sets can be achieved based on a theoretical model.</p

Horizontal Branch Stars: The Interplay between Observations and Theory, and Insights into the Formation of the Galaxy

We review HB stars in a broad astrophysical context, including both variable and non-variable stars. A reassessment of the Oosterhoff dichotomy is presented, which provides unprecedented detail regarding its origin and systematics. We show that the Oosterhoff dichotomy and the distribution of globular clusters (GCs) in the HB morphology-metallicity plane both exclude, with high statistical significance, the possibility that the Galactic halo may have formed from the accretion of dwarf galaxies resembling present-day Milky Way satellites such as Fornax, Sagittarius, and the LMC. A rediscussion of the second-parameter problem is presented. A technique is proposed to estimate the HB types of extragalactic GCs on the basis of integrated far-UV photometry. The relationship between the absolute V magnitude of the HB at the RR Lyrae level and metallicity, as obtained on the basis of trigonometric parallax measurements for the star RR Lyrae, is also revisited, giving a distance modulus to the LMC of (m-M)_0 = 18.44+/-0.11. RR Lyrae period change rates are studied. Finally, the conductive opacities used in evolutionary calculations of low-mass stars are investigated. [ABRIDGED]Comment: 56 pages, 22 figures. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Выпот в полость плевры и перикарда, случайно выявленный при магнитно-резонансной томографии молочных желез у пациенток, перенесших COVID-19: ретроспективное исследование случай-контроль

INTRODUCTION: In recent years we have observed various consequences of systemic hyperinflammation associated with COVID-19, including pericardium and pleura involvement. From 2020 to 2022 an increase in the incidence of effusion into the pleural and pericardial cavities was noted in the numerous of breast MRI studies, which could potentially be associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.OBJECTIVE: To objectify this impression a comparative study was planned, which aimed to analyze the occurrence of pleural and pericardial effusion in groups of patients in 2022 compared with a matched group in 2019 and to describe the structures of the identified changes.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Тhe database of breast MRI studies during 2019 and 2022 was processed, data from 220 women were selected, indicating as a complaint for breast pain at a mammologist’s appointment and COVID-19 transferred in the group 2022. The telephone questionnaire of the 2022nd year patients were conducted about the presence of common symptoms of inflammation. Statistic: Statistical analysis was carried out using the program Statistica 13.5.0.17 TIBCO Inc. Quantitative parameters are presented as median, 5th-95th percentiles. A 2-tailed t-test was used to compare quantitative parameters. Binary data correlations were carried out using a contingency table. RESULTS: Age included 46 [33–66] years old. MRI was performed 105 [21–198] days after COVID-19. In the 2022 group, at the time of survey, 36% had general inflammatory symptoms in addition to chest pain. In 2022 vs 2019 increase the chance of encountering a pleural effusion (OR 5 [3–8]), the volume of effusion (5 [2–11] mm vs 2 [2–5] mm), incidence of pericardial (OR 31 [11–89]) and combined effusion (OR 11 [4–28]). The detection and the size of effusion of any localization didn’t correlate with age. Patients with breast implants during the pandemic years turned to a mammologist after 29 [8–44] months, before the pandemic — after 40 [19–56] months after surgery and tended to more frequent detection of effusion of all localizations and an increase in the volume of seromas. In the majority of MRI protocols, the effusion was not described.DISCUSSION: Our study will help to increase the doctors literacy about the frequency and manifestations of serositis associated with COVID-19 in a group of young, non-comorbid women who had a mild infection on an outpatient basis. The barriers to describing a small effusion on an MRI are its probability in physiological conditions, the absence of specific symptoms at the patient and none request from the attending physician. Considering the possibility that effusion into serous cavities may be a sign of pathology that led to chest pain will allow diagnosticians to describe it even with a small amount and will give the attending physician a support for a differential diagnosis. Findings in patients with breast implants confirm the connection of changes with an infectious trigger, and that there is some initial tension of the immune system, which, with additional external provocation, results in a brighter response.CONCLUSIONS: Effusion into the pleural cavity or pericardium is a common finding in patients who have undergone COVID19, which may reflect systemic inflammatory syndrome and cause chest pain.ВВЕДЕНИЕ: С 2020 по  2022  г. на  потоке МРТ-исследований молочной железы отмечалось увеличение встречаемости выпота в плевральную и перикардиальную полости, что потенциально может быть связано с пандемией COVID-19. Для объективизации данного впечатления спланировано сравнительное исследование.ЦЕЛЬ: Анализ встречаемости плеврального и  перикардиального выпота в  сопоставимых группах пациентов 2022  г. и 2019 г. и описание структуры выявленных изменений.МАТЕРИАЛЫ И МЕТОДЫ: Обработана база МРТ-исследований молочной железы за 2019 и 2022 гг., отобраны данные 220 женщин с указанием в качестве жалобы на боль в груди или молочной железе и перенесенным COVID-19 в группе 2022 г. Производился телефонный опрос пациенток 2022 г. о наличии общих симптомов воспаления и давности инфекции. Статистика: Статистический анализ проведен с помощью программы Statistica 13.5.0.17 TIBCO Inc. Количественные параметры представлены в виде медианы, 5–95-го процентилей. Для сравнения количественных параметров использовали 2-хвостовой Т-тест. Соотношения бинарных данных определяли с использованием таблицы сопряженности.РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ: Возраст 46 [33–66] лет. МРТ выполняли через 105 [21–198] дней после COVID-19. В  группе 2022  г. на  момент обращения 36% пациенток, кроме боли в  грудной клетке, имели общевоспалительные симптомы. В  группе 2022 г. по сравнению с группой до пандемии увеличивалась встречаемость выпота в плевральную полость (ОШ 5 [3–8]) и его объем (толщина 5 [2–11] мм против 2 [2–5] мм), встречаемость перикардиального (ОШ 31 [11–89]) и сочетанного выпота (ОШ 11 [4–28]), что не было связано с возрастом. Пациентки с грудными имплантами в годы пандемии обращались к маммологу через 29 [8–44] мес, до пандемии — через 40 [19–56] мес после операции и имели тенденцию к более частому выявлению выпота всех локализаций и увеличению объема сером. В большинстве протоколов МРТ выпот не был описан.ОБСУЖДЕНИЕ: Наша работа позволит улучшить информированность врачей о частоте и проявлениях серозитов, ассоциированных с  COVID-19, в  группе молодых, некоморбидных женщин, амбулаторно перенесших инфекцию легкой степени. Преградами для описания малого выпота на МРТ служат вероятность его наличия в физиологических условиях, отсутствие специфических симптомов со стороны пациента и запроса со стороны лечащего врача. Рассмотрение возможности того, что выпот в серозные полости может являться признаком патологии, приведшей к боли в грудной клетке, позволит диагностам описывать его даже при незначительном количестве и даст лечащему врачу опору для дифференциальной диагностики. Находки у пациенток с имплантами груди подтверждают связь изменений с инфекционным триггером, и то, что существует некоторое исходное напряжение иммунной системы, которое при дополнительной внешней провокации отвечает более ярким ответом.ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИЕ: Выпот в полость плевры или перикарда у пациентов, перенесших COVID-19, может быть отражением системного воспалительного синдрома и причиной боли в грудной клетке

The Antimicrobial Peptide Histatin-5 Causes a Spatially Restricted Disruption on the Candida albicans Surface, Allowing Rapid Entry of the Peptide into the Cytoplasm

Antimicrobial peptides play an important role in host defense against microbial pathogens. Their high cationic charge and strong amphipathic structure allow them to bind to the anionic microbial cell membrane and disrupt the membrane bilayer by forming pores or channels. In contrast to the classical pore-forming peptides, studies on histatin-5 (Hst-5) have suggested that the peptide is transported into the cytoplasm of Candida albicans in a non-lytic manner, and cytoplasmic Hst-5 exerts its candicidal activities on various intracellular targets, consistent with its weak amphipathic structure. To understand how Hst-5 is internalized, we investigated the localization of FITC-conjugated Hst-5. We find that Hst-5 is internalized into the vacuole through receptor-mediated endocytosis at low extracellular Hst-5 concentrations, whereas under higher physiological concentrations, Hst-5 is translocated into the cytoplasm through a mechanism that requires a high cationic charge on Hst-5. At intermediate concentrations, two cell populations with distinct Hst-5 localizations were observed. By cell sorting, we show that cells with vacuolar localization of Hst-5 survived, while none of the cells with cytoplasmic Hst-5 formed colonies. Surprisingly, extracellular Hst-5, upon cell surface binding, induces a perturbation on the cell surface, as visualized by an immediate and rapid internalization of Hst-5 and propidium iodide or rhodamine B into the cytoplasm from the site using time-lapse microscopy, and a concurrent rapid expansion of the vacuole. Thus, the formation of a spatially restricted site in the plasma membrane causes the initial injury to C. albicans and offers a mechanism for its internalization into the cytoplasm. Our study suggests that, unlike classical channel-forming antimicrobial peptides, action of Hst-5 requires an energized membrane and causes localized disruptions on the plasma membrane of the yeast. This mechanism of cell membrane disruption may provide species-specific killing with minimal damage to microflora and the host and may be used by many other antimicrobial peptides