PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE BEFORE AND AFTER HEMODIALYSIS

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Isolation and primary identification of shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli O157 in dairy cattle

During the last years, the significance of diseases associated etiologically to Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is continuously increasing at a global scale, while the O157 serotype is con-sidered as one of the most important pathogens of animal origin. Large ruminants play a key role in the epidemiology of E. coli diseases among men. Bovine faeces are a primary source of contamina-tion of the environment and foods with this agent. The purpose of this study was to test a specific, microbiological algorithm for primary identification of STEC isolates from bovine faeces using sorbi-tol McConkey agar supplemented with cefixime and tellurite. The attempts were focused not only on increasing the sensitivity and specificity of serotype identification, but also on optimisation of labour and analysis costs. From May 2013 to October 2014, a total number of 1104 faecal swab samples from calves 3 to 6 months of age were collected from 19 farms in different administrative and geo-graphical regions of Bulgaria. Thirty six sorbitol-negative E. coli isolates (3.26%) were detected as belonging to the O157 serotype after slide agglutination test

An Efficient Large-Area Grating Coupler for Surface Plasmon Polaritons

We report the design, fabrication and characterization of a periodic grating of shallow rectangular grooves in a metallic film with the goal of maximizing the coupling efficiency of an extended plane wave (PW) of visible or near-infrared light into a single surface plasmon polariton (SPP) mode on a flat metal surface. A PW-to-SPP power conversion factor > 45 % is demonstrated at a wavelength of 780 nm, which exceeds by an order of magnitude the experimental performance of SPP grating couplers reported to date at any wavelength. Conversion efficiency is maximized by matching the dissipative SPP losses along the grating surface to the local coupling strength. This critical coupling condition is experimentally achieved by tailoring the groove depth and width using a focused ion beam.Comment: The final publication is available at http://www.springerlink.com. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11468-011-9303-

Asymptotics for products of characteristic polynomials in classical β\beta-Ensembles

We study the local properties of eigenvalues for the Hermite (Gaussian), Laguerre (Chiral) and Jacobi $\beta$-ensembles of $N\times N$ random matrices. More specifically, we calculate scaling limits of the expectation value of products of characteristic polynomials as $N\to\infty$. In the bulk of the spectrum of each $\beta$-ensemble, the same scaling limit is found to be $e^{p_{1}}{}_1F_{1}$ whose exact expansion in terms of Jack polynomials is well known. The scaling limit at the soft edge of the spectrum for the Hermite and Laguerre $\beta$-ensembles is shown to be a multivariate Airy function, which is defined as a generalized Kontsevich integral. As corollaries, when $\beta$ is even, scaling limits of the $k$-point correlation functions for the three ensembles are obtained. The asymptotics of the multivariate Airy function for large and small arguments is also given. All the asymptotic results rely on a generalization of Watson's lemma and the steepest descent method for integrals of Selberg type.Comment: [v3] 35 pages; this is a revised and enlarged version of the article with new references, simplified demonstations, and improved presentation. To be published in Constructive Approximation 37 (2013

Rodenticidal effectiveness of indomethacin baits in warfarin-resistant roof rats (Rattus Rattus) and house mice (Mus Musculus)

Deratisation is one of the basic anti-epidemic measures, directed to protect the health of humans and animals. Nowadays, anticoagulants are still the most commonly used rodenticides. In recent years, the problem of development of resistant synanthropic rodents to these agents is becoming more serious. This is the reason for increasing interest in discovering alternative methods for controlling the resistant populations. It is known that some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) act as synergists and significantly increase the toxicity of anticoagulant rodenticides, but convincing information on their effectiveness in anticoagulant-resistant rodents is still missing. The aim of the present research is to contribute to solve this problem, by studying the effectiveness of 0.025% indomethacin baits, administered alone and combined with warfarin, in warfarin-resistant wild synanthropic rodents. In the conducted laboratory food tests 36 roof rats (Rattus rattus) and 60 house mice (Mus musculus) were included. A very high toxicity of indomethacin baits in resistant rodents, leading up to 100% mortality, occurring between 24 to 48 hours post acceptance were found. NSAIDs mechanism of action, clinical signs and pathological findings in the intoxicated rodents are discussed. Based on the laboratory conducted tests and scientific data analysis, we conclude that 0.025% indomethacin baits have high effectiveness in anticoagulant-resistant synanthropic rodents and could be used as an alternative method for control of resistant populations

A Comparative Study Of Lamps And Ykl-40 Tissue Expression In Glial Tumors

ВВЕДЕНИЕ: YKL-40 представляет собой гликопротеин, который считается потенциальным маркером при патологических процессах. Высокие уровни YKL-40 установлены при ряде опухолевых и хронических заболеваний. Несмотря на то, что конкретные функции гликопротеина все еще неизвестны, предполагается его участие в ангиогенезисе и в опухолевой агрессивности. Лизосомно-ассоциированные мембранные протеины (LAMPs) 1 и 2 представляют высоко консервативные белки с дискутабильными функциями. Имеются доказательства об их участии в процессах как аутофагия, ангиогенезис и тканевое ремоделирование. ЦЕЛЬ: Исследовать потенциальную связь между тканевой эспрессией YKL-40, LAMP-1 и LAMP-2 при глиальных опухолях. МАТЕРИАЛ И МЕТОДЫ: Экспрессия LAMPs и YKL-40 детектирована через иммуногистохимический анализ в 36 глиальных опухолях. Проведены морфометрическое исследование и анализ тканевой экспрессии YKL-40 с помощью компьютерной системы Quick-patho Micro 2.3. Вычислены площадь (μm2), периметр (μm) и экспрессия (%) трех гликопротеинов. РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ: Лизосомные белки позитивируются на клеточную мембрану глиальных и эндотелиальных клеток, в то время как YKL- 40 локализован в их цитоплазме. Интенсивная иммуногистохимическая реактивность наблюдается в опухолевых клетках. При LAMP-2 отчитывается более демонстративная экспрессия по сравнению с LAMP-1. ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИЕ: Впервые представлены данные о сравнительном иммуногистохимическом исследовании YKL-40, LAMP-1 и LAMP-2 при глиальных опухолях. Сходство между экспрессией трех белков предполагает их участие в процессах ангиогенезиса и в процессах тканевого ремоделирования во время опухолевого развития

Intraoperative Neuromonitoring of the External Branch of the Superior Laryngeal Nerve During Thyroid Surgery

Thyroid gland surgeries are among the most common surgical interventions worldwide and are considered by many surgeons as a relatively easy and safe procedure. But the number of complications still remains significant with unacceptable and unpleasant consequences for the patients. Among them, the most significant are postoperative hypoparathyroidism and the injuries of the laryngeal nerves - the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN). Nowadays, the surgical anatomy of the recurrent laryngeal nerves and the surgical approach to them are described in detail in the medical literature and their damages are perhaps the most known and discussed complications. EBSLN injury leads to paralysis of the cricothyroid muscle (CTM) and often remains unseen due to a lack of clear laryngoscopic markers. The main postoperative symptoms are accompanied mostly by qualitative voice disturbances of the patients. A relatively new method for timely assessment of the risk of iatrogenic lesions of the laryngeal nerves in thyroid surgery is the intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). The method emerged as the gold standard of care for prevention of RLN, and lately its application on EBSLN is subject of detailed analysis. This creates a need to assess the method and develop a friendly practice system for its clinical application

Glioblastoma Multiforme Classified As Mesenchymal Subtype

ВВЕДЕНИЕ: В качестве неблагоприятных прогностических факторов при первичных глиобластомах в последнее время обсуждаются не только клинические показатели, но и различные клеточные, генетические и иммунологические маркеры. ЦЕЛЬ: Работа ставит себе целью анализировать случай с первичной мультиформенной глиобластомой и краткой выживаемостью после оперативной интер- венции, а также и определить неблагоприятные прогностические маркеры. ПРЕДСТАВЛЕНИЕ СЛУЧАЯ: Авторы представляют случай 71-оголетнего мужчины с доказанной мультиформенной глиобластомой и постоперативной выживаемостью в 48 дней. Из-за непродолжительной выживаемости пациент не подвергнут телегамматерапии и адювантной терапии Темозоломид- ом. С помощью молекулярно- биологических и иммунологических анализов определены транскрипционные и сывороточные уровни TNF-α, IL-6, YKL-40 и CD44. Устанавливаются экстремно высокие транскрипционные уровни генов CD44, IL-6 и YKL-40, увеличенная экспрессия TNF-α, сопровожденные повышенной сывороточной концентрацией IL-6, TNF-α и YKL-40 и пониженной сывороточной концентрацией CD44. ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИЕ: Молекулярно-биологически

The Beta-Wishart Ensemble

We introduce a “Broken-Arrow” matrix model for the β-Wishart ensemble, which improves on the traditional bidiagonal model by generalizing to non-identity covariance parameters. We prove that its joint eigenvalue density involves the correct hypergeometric function of two matrix arguments, and a continuous parameter β> 0. If we choose β = 1, 2, 4, we recover the classical Wishart ensembles of general covariance over the reals, complexes, and quaternions. The derivation of the joint density requires an interesting new identity about Jack polynomials in n variables. Jack polynomials are often defined as the eigenfunctions of the Laplace-Beltrami Operator. We prove that Jack polynomials are in addition eigenfunctions of an integral operator defined as an average over a β-dependent measure on the sphere. When combined with an identity due to Stanley, 32 we derive a new definition of Jack polynomials. An efficient numerical algorithm is also presented for simulations. The algorithm makes use of secular equation software for broken arrow matrices currently unavailable in the popular technical computing languages. The simulations are matched against the cdf’s for the extreme eigenvalues. The techniques here suggest that arrow and broken arrow matrices can play an important role in theoretical and computational random matrix theory including the study of corners processes