Influence of ultraviolet radiation on sowing qualities of the cucumber family of the “Murashka” varieties

Increasing the productivity of crops, preliminary stimulation of seeds. One of the effective physical methods of pre-sowing stimulation is the treatment of seeds with solar ultraviolet radiation A and B. The article examines the results of research studies measuring the density of germination energy and the similarity of the “Murashka” variety cucumber seeds. The analysis of dependences, and incomes according to the research results, allows the maximum values of germination energy and germination of cucumber seeds are 190 – 210 J/m2

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Influence of ultraviolet radiation on sowing qualities of the cucumber family of the “Murashka” varieties

Increasing the productivity of crops, preliminary stimulation of seeds. One of the effective physical methods of pre-sowing stimulation is the treatment of seeds with solar ultraviolet radiation A and B. The article examines the results of research studies measuring the density of germination energy and the similarity of the “Murashka” variety cucumber seeds. The analysis of dependences, and incomes according to the research results, allows the maximum values of germination energy and germination of cucumber seeds are 190 – 210 J/m2

Investigation of the Scale Factor Impact on the Results of Acoustic Emission Monitoring of the Steel Specimens Tension Process

The research is devoted to steel structure diagnostics by the acoustic emission (AE) method. The existing regulatory documents for AE diagnostics of metals and alloys do not take into account some critical factors, among which one is the scale factor should be highlighted. As a result, this can lead to an unreliable assessment of the danger degree of defects in structures when using standard AE diagnostic criteria. This paper presents a quantitative assessment of the scale factor impact on the AE data during the static tension test of steel specimens to failure. Experimental studies were carried out on flat specimens of various thicknesses with a side notch made of high-quality alloyed steel 30 KhGSA. It was established that AE data changed (rise in the AE signals amplitudes and AE activity) within the increase of specimen thickness. Growth in the recorded AE signals cumulative energy was registered with a greater specimen thickness. Partial correlation dependences of the mean count frequency and cumulative energy of AE signals on the specimen thickness were obtained. It was shown that such an effect occurred due to both a general increase in the deformed metal volume and greater strain intensity during the tension of thick specimens. The obtained dependences may contribute to the development of AE diagnostics of metallic materials which is invariant to the scale factor impact

Optimization of Ultrasound-mediated Anti-angiogenic Cancer Gene Therapy

Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) can be used to deliver silencing gene therapy to tumors. We hypothesized that UTMD would be effective in suppressing angiogenesis within tumors, and that modulation of the ultrasound pulsing intervals (PI) during UTMD would affect the magnitude of target knockdown. We performed UTMD of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) short hairpin (sh)RNA plasmid in an heterotopic mammary adenocarcinoma model in rats, evaluating PIs of 2, 5, 10, and 20 seconds. We demonstrated that UTMD with a PI of 10 seconds resulted in the greatest knockdown of VEGFR2 by PCR, immunostaining, western blotting, smaller tumor volumes and perfused areas, and lower tumor microvascular blood volume (MBV) and flow by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) compared with UTMD-treated tumors at 2, 5, and 20 seconds, control tumors, tumors treated with intravenous shRNA plasmid and scrambled plasmid. CEU perfusion assessment using the therapeutic probe demonstrated that tumors were fully replenished with microbubbles within 10 seconds, but incompletely replenished at PI-2 and PI-5 seconds. In conclusion, for anti-VEGFR2 cancer gene therapy by UTMD, PI of 10 seconds results in higher target knockdown and a greater anti-angiogenic effect. Complete replenishment of tumor vasculature with silencing gene-bearing microbubbles in between destructive pulses of UTMD is required to maximize the efficacy of anti-angiogenic cancer gene therapy

Early Outgrowth Pro-Angiogenic Cell Number and Function Do Not Correlate with Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Conventional Hemodialysis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is commonly found in chronic dialysis (CD) recipients, and is associated with impaired microvascular cardiac perfusion and heart failure. In response to LVH and cardiac ischemia, early outgrowth pro-angiogenic cellS(EPCs) mobilize from the bone marrow to facilitate angiogenesis and endothelial repair. In the general population, EPC number and function correlate inversely with cardiovascular risk. In end-stage renal disease (ESRD), EPC number and function are generally reduced. Objectives: To test whether left ventricular abnormalities retain their potent ability to promote EPC reparative responses in the setting of ESRD. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Patients: 47 prevalent chronic dialysis recipients. Measurements: (1) circulating CD34 + and CD133 + EPC number, (2) cultured EPC migratory ability, in vitro differentiation potential, and apoptosis rate, and (3) cardiac magnetic resonance-measured LV mass, volume and ejection fraction. Methods: Bivariate correlation analysis was performed with Spearman's rho test. Results: Of the 47 patients (mean age: 54 ± 13 years), the mean delivered urea reduction was 74 ± 10 %. Mean LV mass was 123 ± 38 g. Circulating CD34 + and CD133 + EPCs represented 0.14 % (IQR: 0.05 – 0.29 %) and 0.05 % (IQR: 0.01 – 0.10 %) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. There were no significant correlations between any EPC parameter and measures of LV mass or ejection fraction. Limitations: Lack of a non-ESRD control population, and the inability to measure all parameters of EPC function due to limitations in blood sampling. Our inability to measure cardiac VEGF expression prevented an assessment of changes in cardiac EPC mobilization signals. Conclusions: These data suggest that in ESRD, the reparative EPC response to cardiac hypertrophy may be blunted. Further investigation of the effects of uremia on EPC physiology and its relationship to cardiac injury are required

Genes associated with testicular germ cell tumors and testicular dysgenesis in patients with testicular microlithiasis

Testicular microlithiasis (TM) is one of the symptoms of testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS). TM is particularly interesting as an informative marker of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs). KIT ligand gene (KITLG), BCL2 antagonist/killer 1 (BAK1), and sprouty RTK signaling antagonist 4 (SPRY4) genes are associated with a high risk of TGCTs, whereas bone morphogenetic protein 7 gene (BMP7), transforming growth factor beta receptor 3 gene (TGFBR3), and homeobox D cluster genes (HOXD) are related to TDS. Using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis, we investigated allele and genotype frequencies for KITLG (rs995030, rs1508595), SPRY4 (rs4624820, rs6897876), BAK1 (rs210138), BMP7 (rs388286), TGFBR3 (rs12082710), and HOXD (rs17198432) in 142 TGCT patients, 137 TM patients, and 153 fertile men (control group). We found significant differences in the KITLG GG_rs995030 genotype in TM (P = 0.01) and TGCT patients (P = 0.0005) compared with the control. We also revealed strong associations between KITLG_rs1508595 and TM (G allele, P = 0.003; GG genotype, P = 0.01) and between KITLG_rs1508595 and TGCTs (G allele, P = 0.0001; GG genotype, P = 0.0007). Moreover, there was a significant difference in BMP7_rs388286 between the TGCT group and the control (T allele, P = 0.00004; TT genotype, P = 0.00006) and between the TM group and the control (T allele, P = 0.04). HOXD also demonstrated a strong association with TGCTs (rs17198432 A allele, P = 0.0001; AA genotype, P = 0.001). Furthermore, significant differences were found between the TGCT group and the control in the BAK1_rs210138 G allele (P = 0.03) and the GG genotype (P = 0.01). KITLG and BMP7 genes, associated with the development of TGCTs, may also be related to TM. In summary, the KITLG GG_rs995030, GG_rs1508595, BMP7 TT_rs388286, HOXD AA_rs17198432, and BAK1 GG_rs210138 genotypes were associated with a high risk of TGCT development