New approaches to the treatment of inflammatory periodontal diseases

The results of clinical and microbiological investigation testify the efficacy of using combined medication of bacteriophages - “Sextafag” (pyobacteriophage polyvalent liquid, FGUP “NPO Microgen’' MZ RF “Biomed”) in the complex treatment of inflammatory periodontal diseases. Some original methods of bacteriophage topical preparation appliance well adapted to specific clinical situation are describe. The addition of pyobacteriophage preparation to complex periodontal treatment provides the reliable reduction of the quantity of pathogenic microorganism in periodontal tissues in short terms, significantly improves the main oral hygienic and periodontal indexes. The most pronounced curative effect of phagetherapy was registered in patients with catarrhal and ulcerative gingivitis. No side effects or complications of phagetherapy were in the study.На основании клинических и микробиологических исследований продемонстрирована эффективность применения комбинированного препарата бактериофагов «Секстафаг» (пиобактериофаг поливалентный жидкий производства ФГУП «НПО «Микроген» М3 РФ «Пермское НПО Биомед») в комплексном лечении воспалительных заболеваний пародонта. Фаготерапия проведена по оригинальным авторским методикам, адаптированным к конкретным клиническим ситуациям. Включение фаговых препаратов в комплекс пародонтологического лечения обеспечивает достоверное и быстрое снижение обсемененности пародонтальных тканей патогенной микрофлорой, сопровождается улучшением показателей гигиенического и пародонтологического статуса. Наиболее выраженный лечебный эффект отмечен у больных с катаральным и язвенным гингивитом. Осложнений и побочных эффектов при применении фаговых препаратов не выявлено

Radioassay of the materials for AMoRE-II experiment

The AMoRE-II experiment will search for the 0νββ decay of 100Mo nuclei using molybdate crystal scintillators, operating at milli-Kelvin (mK) temperatures, with a total of 80 kg of 100Mo. The background goal for the experiment is 10–4 counts/keV/kg/year in the region of interest around the 0νββ decay Q-value of 3,034 keV. To achieve this level, the rate of background signals arising from emissions produced by decays of radioactive impurities in the detector and shielding materials must be strictly controlled. To do this, concentrations of such impurities are measured and are controlled through materials selection and purification. In this paper, we describe the design and the construction materials used to build the AMoRE-II detector and shielding system, including active and passive shielding, the cryostat, and the detector holders and instrumentation, and we report on measurements of radioactive impurities within candidate and selected materials

Benefits and risks of blast furnaces with high intensity

Increase in the intensity of blast furnace smelting at NLMK JSC is achieved by improving quality of coke and iron ore materials, by increasing pressure under the blast furnace mouth and by oxygen enrichment. It is accompanied by an increase in the rate of wustite indirect reduction and decrease in specific heat losses with cooling water. However, the risks of burden yield problems are significantly lower with high intensity. It has been established that with the change in quality of charge materials, reason for burden yield problems can be also the variation in ore load ratio along the furnace radius. A new method for diagnosing causes of burden yield problems was developed. Using method of mathematical modeling, effect of change in ore load and size of iron-ore materials on peripheral gases temperature change and the degree of CO use were analyzed. The method is based on analysis of joint change in gas temperature and degree of CO use in peripheral area. Analysis of peripheral gases temperature variation and degree of CO use makes it possible to identify reasons of pressure drops along the furnace height. As a result of analysis of pressure drops dynamics changes along the furnace height, there have been found signs that can be used to judge the probability of burden yield problems. The possibility of reducing pressure drops due to redistribution of ore load along the furnace radius and the amount of gases is considered. It is shown that various methods of reducing the amount of gases are accompanied by different changes in coke consumption and furnace productivity. Mathematical model has been developed to select the best combination of parameters changing of the fuel-enriched blast in specific conditions. © 2018, National University of Science and Technology MISIS. All rights reserved

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF TNF-BINDING VARIOLAVIRUS RECOMBINANT PROTEIN

Abstract. This review presents a summary of our data concerning in vivo and in vitro effects of recombinant TNF-binding protein from variola virus (VARVCrmB) upon TNF-induced functional changes of human and murine cells. VARV-CrmB protein blocks TNF-induced production of IL-1β and IL-6 by human mononuclear cells, and their in vitro oxidation-related metabolic (OM) activity. VARV-CrmB protein restores TNF-induced reduction of BFU-E+CFU-E colony-forming activity and normalizes TNF-induced effects upon CFU-GM formation in a colony-forming model of human and murine bone morrow cells (BMC). VARV-CrmB protein displays a pronounced in vivo alleviation of LPS-induced endotoxic shock symptoms in SPF BALB/C mice thus significantly increasing survival of experimental animals. Moreover, VARV-CrmBprotein decreases intensity of collagen-induced arthritis at early terms. Application of VARV-CrmB protein results in normalization of TNF-induced increase of migratory and OM activity of murine leukocytes, and exerts corrective effects upon colony-forming ability of murine hematopoietic precursors. Skin application of VARV-CrmB protein decreases leukocyte migration from a skin scrap in afferent phase of DNCB-induced contact reaction, as well as “ear oedema” index. Our results demonstrate TNF-blocking properties of VARVCrmB protein. In summary, our data allow to consider a recombinant variola virus VARV-CrmB as a new potential TNF-antagonist. Its effects can be explained by its ability of neutralizing TNF-induced activation of oxidation-related metabolic, cytokine-producing and migratory functions of effector cells in therapy of pathological inflammatory processes

Analysis of energy efficiency increase of cast iron smelting in NLMK blast furnaces

The analysis of effects and risks of the main measures aimed at reducing energy costs has shown that the change in any one parameter is ineffective. The greatest effect can be achieved by the joint change of several variables. Theoretical analysis made it possible to identify the main combinations of changes in the regime parameters, which provide the greatest effect on the particular activity factor. The influence of the granulometric composition of the agglomerate on the efficiency of blast furnace smelting was examined through the influence of average diameter of the pieces, both on the rate of recovery and on the gas dynamics of furnace upper zone. It is shown that the variations in heat costs are largely determined by the fluctuations in recovery work of gas flow, which, in turn, depends on granulometric composition of the agglomerate. It was established that when the FeO + CO = Fe + CO2 reaction is approached to balance, the heat loss reduction for cast iron smelting is achieved by increasing the melting intensity. The specific ways of reducing the heat costs for cast iron smelting in blast furnaces were analyzed on the example of PAO NLMK. It is shown that the main activities providing the reduction of heat losses in the plant conditions are: quality optimization of the iron ore materials due to the fraction decrease of +45 mm; increasing the intensity of the blast-furnace operation to relative production of 75 – 90 tons per day from square meter of the blast-furnace hearth; blast-furnace operation at the alarm pressure (according to the design of charging equipment); increasing the coke strength reactivity up to 60 – 62 %; pulverized coal injection up to 140 kg per ton of cast iron and optimization of the ore load distribution on the furnace’s radius. As a result of these measures implementation in 2013 – 2016, the coke rate reduction by more than 10 kg per ton of cast iron was achieved. In this case, not only the specific consumption of coke, but also the consumption of total carbon of fuel is reduced. © 2017, National University of Science and Technology MISIS. All rights reserved

Second gadolinium loading to Super-Kamiokande

International audienceThe first loading of gadolinium (Gd) into Super-Kamiokande in 2020 was successful, and the neutron capture efficiency on Gd reached 50%. To further increase the Gd neutron capture efficiency to 75%, 26.1 tons of $\rm Gd_2(\rm SO_4)_3\cdot \rm 8H_2O$ was additionally loaded into Super-Kamiokande (SK) from May 31 to July 4, 2022. As the amount of loaded $\rm Gd_2(\rm SO_4)_3\cdot \rm 8H_2O$ was doubled compared to the first loading, the capacity of the powder dissolving system was doubled. We also developed new batches of gadolinium sulfate with even further reduced radioactive impurities. In addition, a more efficient screening method was devised and implemented to evaluate these new batches of $\rm Gd_2(\rm SO_4)_3\cdot \rm 8H_2O$. Following the second loading, the Gd concentration in SK was measured to be $333.5\pm2.5$ ppm via an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). From the mean neutron capture time constant of neutrons from an Am/Be calibration source, the Gd concentration was independently measured to be 332.7 $\pm$ 6.8(sys.) $\pm$ 1.1(stat.) ppm, consistent with the AAS result. Furthermore, during the loading the Gd concentration was monitored continually using the capture time constant of each spallation neutron produced by cosmic-ray muons,and the final neutron capture efficiency was shown to become 1.5 times higher than that of the first loaded phase, as expected