Ключевые принципы менеджмента качества в зерновом производстве

Целью исследования является построение усовершенствованной системы ключевых принципов менеджмента качества зерна, как базиса управления конкурентоспособностью продукции национальных производителей. Достижению указанной цели способствует решение следующих задач: систематизировать принципы, используемые для приведения качества продукции в соответствие динамично изменяющимся требованиям заинтересованных сторон; исследовать современные требования к менеджменту качества пищевых продуктов и тенденции их изменения

Current and future role of echocardiography in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is an inherited progressive cardiomyopathy, clinically characterized by ventricular arrhythmias and increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Echocardiography has a role in the diagnosis and prognosis of ARVD/C. However, in the current era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the role of echocardiography in ARVD/C patients and family member screening is subject to debate. Relatively novel echocardiographic techniques, such as three-dimensional right ventricular (3D-RV) imaging and tissue deformation imaging, may improve the diagnostic and prognostic performance of echocardiography in these patients. 3D-RV imaging provides more insights on RV anatomy and global function compared to conventional echocardiography. Subtle RV regional wall motion abnormalities, and mechanical dyssynchrony, are accurately measured by tissue deformation imaging. Several studies suggest an incremental value of novel echocardiographic parameters in addition to conventional measurements. Moreover, new parameters indicating subtle RV dysfunction, and mechanical dyssynchrony, are of predictive value and could help in risk stratification of ARVD/C patients. New robust parameters, derived from 3D-RV echocardiography and RV tissue deformation imaging, in combination with established conventional parameters, suggest that there is a current and future role for echocardiography in ARVD/C supplementing MRI

Расчет электромагнитного поля в электронных модулях с использованием интеграла Зоммерфельда

Излагается подход с использованием интеграла Зоммерфельда. Метод позволяет избежать интегрирования в комплексной области и снизить объем вычислений по сравнению с известными методами

Некоторые проблемы добычи полезных ископаемых на глубоких горизонтах недр

Cardiovascular screening may benefit middle-aged sportsmen, as coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of exercise-related sudden cardiac death. Arterial stiffness, as measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), may help identify sportsmen with subclinical CAD. We examined the additional value of PWV measurements to traditional CAD risk factors for identifying CAD.From the Measuring Athlete's Risk of Cardiovascular events (MARC) cohort of asymptomatic, middle-aged sportsmen who underwent low-dose Cardiac CT (CCT) after routine sports medical examination (SME), 193 consecutive sportsmen (aged 55 ± 6.6 years) were included with additional PWV measurements before CCT. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of PWV values (>8.3 and >7.5 m/s) assessed by Arteriograph were used to identify CAD (coronary artery calcium scoring ≥ 100 Agatston Units or coronary CT angiography luminal stenosis ≥ 50%) and to assess the additional diagnostic value of PWV to established cardiovascular risk factors.Forty-seven sportsmen (24%) had CAD on CCT. They were older (58.9 vs. 53.8 years, p<0.001), had more hypertension (17 vs. 4%, p=0.003), higher cholesterol levels (5.7 vs. 5.4 mmol/l) p=0.048), and more often were (ever) smokers (55 vs. 34%, p=0.008). Mean PWV was higher in those with CAD (8.9 vs. 8.0 m/s, p=0.017). For PWV >8.3m/s respectively >7.5 m/s sensitivity to detect CAD on CT was 43% and 74%, specificity 69% and 45%, positive predictive value 31% and 30%, and negative predictive value 79% and 84%. Adding PWV to traditional risk factor models did not change the area under the curve (from 0.78 (95% CI = 0.709-0.848)) to AUC 0.78 (95% CI 0.710-0.848, p = 0.99)) for prediction of CAD on CCT.Limited additional value was found for PWV on top of established risk factors to identify CAD. PWV might still have a role to identify CAD in middle-aged sportsmen if risk factors such as cholesterol are unknown

Anti-fibrotic Effects of Cardiac Progenitor Cells in a 3D-Model of Human Cardiac Fibrosis

Cardiac fibroblasts play a key role in chronic heart failure. The conversion from cardiac fibroblast to myofibroblast as a result of cardiac injury, will lead to excessive matrix deposition and a perpetuation of pro-fibrotic signaling. Cardiac cell therapy for chronic heart failure may be able to target fibroblast behavior in a paracrine fashion. However, no reliable human fibrotic tissue model exists to evaluate this potential effect of cardiac cell therapy. Using a gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel and human fetal cardiac fibroblasts (hfCF), we created a 3D in vitro model of human cardiac fibrosis. This model was used to study the possibility to modulate cellular fibrotic responses. Our approach demonstrated paracrine inhibitory effects of cardiac progenitor cells (CPC) on both cardiac fibroblast activation and collagen synthesis in vitro and revealed that continuous cross-talk between hfCF and CPC seems to be indispensable for the observed anti-fibrotic effect

Diagnostic value of a heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) bedside test in suspected acute coronary syndrome in primary care

AbstractBackgroundTo determine the diagnostic accuracy of a rapid heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) test in patients suspected of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in primary care.MethodsGeneral practitioners included 298 patients suspected of ACS. In all patients, whether referred to hospital or not, ECG and cardiac biomarker testing was performed. ACS was determined in accordance with international guidelines. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the value of H-FABP in addition to clinical findings.ResultsMean patient age was 66years (SD 14), 52% was female and 66 patients (22%) were diagnosed with ACS. The H-FABP bedside test was performed within 24h (median 3.1, IQR 1.5 to 7.1) after symptom onset. The positive predictive value (PPV) of H-FABP was 65% (95% confidence interval (CI) 50–78). The negative predictive value (NPV) was 85% (95% CI 80–88). Sensitivity was 39% (29–51%) and specificity 94% (90–96%). Within 6h after symptom onset, the PPV was 72% (55–84) and the NPV was 83% (77–88), sensitivity 43% (31–57%) and specificity 94% (89–97%). Adding the H-FABP test to a diagnostic model for ACS led to an increase in the area under the receiver operating curve from 0.66 (95% CI 0.58–0.73) to 0.75 (95% CI 0.68–0.82).ConclusionThe H-FABP rapid test provides modest additional diagnostic certainty in primary care. It cannot be used to safely exclude rule out ACS. The test can only be used safely in patients otherwise NOT referred to hospital by the GP, as an extra precaution not to miss ACS (‘rule in’)

Potential of mesenchymal- and cardiac progenitor cells for therapeutic targeting of B-cells and antibody responses in end-stage heart failure

Upon myocardial damage, the release of cardiac proteins induces a strong antibody-mediated immune response, which can lead to adverse cardiac remodeling and eventually heart failure (HF). Stem cell therapy using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) or cardiomyocyte progenitor cells (CPCs) previously showed beneficial effects on cardiac function despite low engraftment in the heart. Paracrine mediators are likely of great importance, where, for example, MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) also show immunosuppressive properties in vitro. However, the limited capacity of MSCs to differentiate into cardiac cells and the sufficient scaling of MSC-derived EVs remain a challenge to clinical translation. Therefore, we investigated the immunosuppressive actions of endogenous CPCs and CPC-derived EVs on antibody production in vitro, using both healthy controls and end-stage HF patients. Both MSCs and CPCs strongly inhibit lymphocyte proliferation and antibody production in vitro. Furthermore, CPC-derived EVs significantly lowered the levels of IgG1, IgG4, and IgM, especially when administered for longer duration. In line with previous findings, plasma cells of end-stage HF patients showed high production of IgG3, which can be inhibited by MSCs in vitro. MSCs and CPCs inhibit in vitro antibody production of both healthy and end stage HF-derived immune cells. CPC-derived paracrine factors, such as EVs, show similar effects, but do not provide the complete immunosuppressive capacity of CPCs. The strongest immunosuppressive effects were observed using MSCs, suggesting that MSCs might be the best candidates for therapeutic targeting of B-cell responses in HF

Nasopharyngeal Myoepithelial Carcinoma Mimicking Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

AbstractMyoepithelial carcinoma (malignant myoepithelioma) (MC) is a rare tumor, defined as a malignant salivary neoplasm composed almost exclusively of tumor cells with myoepithelial differentiation. It can arise in unusual location sites, such as the nasopharynx, and may be difficult to approach. Nasopharyngeal MC can sometimes present as a nasopharyngeal mass which may be mistaken for primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The treatment strategy for nasopharyngeal MC is different from NPC, and maximal surgical resection of the main lesion is still considered as the mainstay of therapy. Herein we present a 32-year-old man with a nasopharyngeal mass which was initially mistaken as NPC, and which was later confirmed as MC after a comprehensive review of the pathology