Evaluating the efficiency of heat and power systems by the data envelopment analysis method

The article describes the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method and the main features of its application. The main problems of heat and power systems are described, which are addressed by the DEA method of efficiency assessment presented in the article. The approbation of this method is presented at the objects of the centralized municipal heat supply system of the fuel and energy complex: boiler houses and heat and power plants. 9 objects were analyzed according to four input indicators: available heat capacity, installed heat capacity, heat consumption for own needs, fuel consumption. Also, the efficiency of the system was evaluated according to two output indicators: the release of thermal energy to the grid and the mass of the emission. As a result of the analysis and calculations made, it was revealed that 5 objects have the maximum possible efficiency indicator equal to 1, that is, they function as efficiently as possible. 4 objects of the centralized municipal heat supply system have an efficiency indicator less than 1. Accordingly, improvements are required for the operation of the above Decision-Making Units (DMU)s. These objects have deviations in terms of the inputs and outputs of the actual data and those obtained using the DEA method. Based on the calculations obtained for these 4 objects, the article provides recommendations for changing the quantitative values of their input and output indicators. For example, for object number 2, it is recommended to reduce the installed heat capacity in the grid by 72.57%, without changing the available heat capacity and fuel consumption. Reduce the heat consumption for your own needs by 69.383%. In addition, it is recommended to increase the supply of thermal energy to the grid by 6,034%, and reduce the mass of emission by 11.5%. Specific measures have also been developed to modernize the studied objects in order to achieve the recommended indicators of inputs and outputs. The research results presented in the article are of scientific and practical interest and can be used to improve the efficiency of heat and power systems facilities. © 2021, World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society. All rights reserve

Efficacy of immune correcting therapy at varicose vein disease of pelvis minor in women

In the article the complex therapy of varicose vein disease of pelvis minor in women is suggested; it includes phlebotropic, metabolic and immunotropic drugs. Indicated scheme of treatment lead to improvement of hemodynamic parameters of venous system of pelvis minor. Positive changes of parameters of cytokine, cellular and humoral units of immune system are evidence for decrease of inflammatory response of venous vascular wall

Immune response and cytokine status at varicose vein disease of pelvis minor in women

The article describes participation of immune system in pathogenesis of varicose vein of pelvis minor. The study revealed elevation of proinflammatory cytokines, discovered disturbances in cellular and humoral units of immunity. Indicated changes are evidence for inflammatory character of changes in venous vascular wall, causing its destruction and varicose dilatation

The Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) of Three Spectrometers for the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter

The Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) package is an element of the Russian contribution to the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission. ACS consists of three separate infrared spectrometers, sharing common mechanical, electrical, and thermal interfaces. This ensemble of spectrometers has been designed and developed in response to the Trace Gas Orbiter mission objectives that specifically address the requirement of high sensitivity instruments to enable the unambiguous detection of trace gases of potential geophysical or biological interest. For this reason, ACS embarks a set of instruments achieving simultaneously very high accuracy (ppt level), very high resolving power (>10,000) and large spectral coverage (0.7 to 17 μm—the visible to thermal infrared range). The near-infrared (NIR) channel is a versatile spectrometer covering the 0.7–1.6 μm spectral range with a resolving power of ∼20,000. NIR employs the combination of an echelle grating with an AOTF (Acousto-Optical Tunable Filter) as diffraction order selector. This channel will be mainly operated in solar occultation and nadir, and can also perform limb observations. The scientific goals of NIR are the measurements of water vapor, aerosols, and dayside or night side airglows. The mid-infrared (MIR) channel is a cross-dispersion echelle instrument dedicated to solar occultation measurements in the 2.2–4.4 μm range. MIR achieves a resolving power of >50,000. It has been designed to accomplish the most sensitive measurements ever of the trace gases present in the Martian atmosphere. The thermal-infrared channel (TIRVIM) is a 2-inch double pendulum Fourier-transform spectrometer encompassing the spectral range of 1.7–17 μm with apodized resolution varying from 0.2 to 1.3 cm−1. TIRVIM is primarily dedicated to profiling temperature from the surface up to ∼60 km and to monitor aerosol abundance in nadir. TIRVIM also has a limb and solar occultation capability. The technical concept of the instrument, its accommodation on the spacecraft, the optical designs as well as some of the calibrations, and the expected performances for its three channels are described

On the Opportunities of Using the Indices of Lipid Peroxidation – Antioxidant Defense System in the Diagnostics of Varicose Veins of Small Pelvis in Women

Background: The prevalence of varicose veins of small pelvic veins in women of reproductive age varies widely – from 5.4 to 80 %, due to the low specificity and low sensitivity of clinical diagnostic techniques, and the absence of biomarkers that can be used to identify the formation and progression of varicose veins of small pelvic veins in women.Aims: To identify changes in the levels of parameters of the system “lipid peroxidation – antioxidant protection” with the development of varicose veins of the pelvis in women, as well as the possibility of their diagnostic use.Materials and methods: We examined 200 women with clinical signs of varicose veins of small pelvis. Control group included 30 women without any pathology of venous system. Treatment group included 137 women with varicose veins of small pelvis: with mild degree of severity – 39 women, with moderate degree of severity – 65 women, with severe degree of severity – 33 women. We performed comparative analysis of lipid peroxidation – antioxidant defense system in women with and without varicose veins of small pelvis taking into account the severity degrees of pathological process.Results: We obtained the most informative indices for lipid peroxidation – antioxidant defense processes in blood of women with varicose veins of small pelvis: concentration of diene conjugate (DC) for the mild degree of severity of pathological process, lipid hydroperoxide (LHP), DC and malonic dialdehyde (MDA) – for the moderate and severe degree of severity, and also changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes with increase of the severity of the disease. Assessment of the level of catalase (Cat) and glutathione peroxidase (GP) showed their highest informative value at the mild degree of severity. Concentrations of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) are more statistically significant markers for severe forms of pathological process.Conclusions: Our research showed the relevance and advisability of the studying the levels of lipid peroxidation – antioxidant defense indices in women with varicose veins of small pelvis. We registered the highest diagnostic value of DC, Cat and GP in the beginning of the disease and of LHP, DC, MDA, GR, GST and GSH – at severe forms of the pathological process. We obtained reference values for DC, MDA, Cat, SOD and GP concentration that can be considered as the predictors of the development of varicose veins of small pelvis

Exploration of Anti-HIV Phytocompounds against SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease: Structure-Based Screening, Molecular Simulation, ADME Analysis and Conceptual DFT Studies

The ever-expanding pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has gained attention as COVID-19 and caused an emergency in public health to an unmatched level to date. However, the treatments used are the only options; currently, no effective and licensed medications are available to combat disease transmission, necessitating further research. In the present study, an in silico-based virtual screening of anti-HIV bioactive compounds from medicinal plants was carried out through molecular docking against the main protease (Mpro) (PDB: 6LU7) of SARS-CoV-2, which is a key enzyme responsible for virus replication. A total of 16 anti-HIV compounds were found to have a binding affinity greater than −8.9 kcal/mol out of 150 compounds screened. Pseudohypericin had a high affinity with the energy of −10.2 kcal/mol, demonstrating amino acid residual interactions with LEU141, GLU166, ARG188, and GLN192, followed by Hypericin (−10.1 kcal/mol). Moreover, the ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion) analysis of Pseudohypericin and Hypericin recorded a low bioavailability (BA) score of 0.17 and violated Lipinski’s rule of drug-likeness. The docking and molecular simulations indicated that the quinone compound, Pseudohypericin, could be tested in vitro and in vivo as potent molecules against COVID-19 disease prior to clinical trials.This was also supported by the theoretical and computational studies conducted. The global and local descriptors, which are the underpinnings of Conceptual Density FunctionalTheory (CDFT) have beenpredicted through successful model chemistry, hoping that they could be of help in the comprehension of the chemical reactivity properties of the molecular systems considered in this study.Fil: Murali, Mahadevamurthy. University Of Mysore; IndiaFil: Gowtham, Hittanahallikoppal Gajendramurthy. Nrupathunga University; IndiaFil: Shilpa, Natarajamurthy. University Of Mysore; IndiaFil: Krishnappa, Hemanth Kumar Naguvanahalli. University Of Mysore; IndiaFil: Ledesma, Ana Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Centro de Investigación en Biofísica Aplicada y Alimentos. - Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Centro de Investigación en Biofísica Aplicada y Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Jain, Anisha S.. University Of Mysore; IndiaFil: Shati, Ali A.. King Khalid University; Arabia SauditaFil: Alfaifi, Mohammad Y.. Vacsera Holding Company; EgiptoFil: Elbehairi, Serag Eldin I.. Jss Academy Of Higher Education And Research; IndiaFil: Achar, Raghu Ram. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University; RusiaFil: Silina, Ekaterina. Universitat de Les Illesbalears; EspañaFil: Stupin, Victor. Centro de Investigaciónen Materiales Avanzados; MéxicoFil: Ortega Castro, Joaquín. Jss Academy Of Higher Education And Research; IndiaFil: Frau, Juan. Universitat de Les Illesbalears; EspañaFil: Flores Holguín, Norma. Centro de Investigaciónen Materiales Avanzados; MéxicoFil: Amruthesh, Kestur Nagaraj. University Of Mysore; IndiaFil: Shivamallu, Chandan. Jss Academy Of Higher Education And Research; IndiaFil: Kollur, Shiva Prasad. University Of Mysore; IndiaFil: Glossman Mitnik, Daniel. Centro de Investigaciónen Materiales Avanzados; Méxic

Zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared through microbial mediated synthesis for therapeutic applications: a possible alternative for plants

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) synthesized through biogenic methods have gained significant attention due to their unique properties and potential applications in various biological fields. Unlike chemical and physical approaches that may lead to environmental pollution, biogenic synthesis offers a greener alternative, minimizing hazardous environmental impacts. During biogenic synthesis, metabolites present in the biotic sources (like plants and microbes) serve as bio-reductants and bio-stabilizers. Among the biotic sources, microbes have emerged as a promising option for ZnO-NPs synthesis due to their numerous advantages, such as being environmentally friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible. Various microbes like bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, and yeast can be employed to synthesize ZnO-NPs. The synthesis can occur either intracellularly, within the microbial cells, or extracellularly, using proteins, enzymes, and other biomolecules secreted by the microbes. The main key advantage of biogenic synthesis is manipulating the reaction conditions to optimize the preferred shape and size of the ZnO-NPs. This control over the synthesis process allows tailoring the NPs for specific applications in various fields, including medicine, agriculture, environmental remediation, and more. Some potential applications include drug delivery systems, antibacterial agents, bioimaging, biosensors, and nano-fertilizers for improved crop growth. While the green synthesis of ZnO-NPs through microbes offers numerous benefits, it is essential to assess their toxicological effects, a critical aspect that requires thorough investigation to ensure their safe use in various applications. Overall, the presented review highlights the mechanism of biogenic synthesis of ZnO-NPs using microbes and their exploration of potential applications while emphasizing the importance of studying their toxicological effects to ensure a viable and environmentally friendly green strategy

Coronary Microcirculatory Dysfunction in Human Cardiomyopathies: A Pathologic and Pathophysiologic Review

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of diseases of the myocardium. The term cardiomyopathy involves a wide range of pathogenic mechanisms that affect the structural and functional states of cardiomyocytes, extravascular tissues, and coronary vasculature, including both epicardial coronary arteries and the microcirculation. In the developed phase, cardiomyopathies present with various clinical symptoms: dyspnea, chest pain, palpitations, swelling of the extremities, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Due to the heterogeneity of cardiomyopathic patterns and symptoms, their diagnosis and therapies are great challenges. Despite extensive research, the relation between the structural and functional abnormalities of the myocardium and the coronary circulation are still not well understood in the various forms of cardiomyopathy. The main pathological characteristics of cardiomyopathies and the coronary microcirculation develop in a progressive manner due to (1) genetic-immunologic-systemic factors; (2) comorbidities with endothelial, myogenic, metabolic, and inflammatory changes; (3) aging-induced arteriosclerosis; and (4) myocardial fibrosis. The aim of this review is to summarize the most important common pathological features and/or adaptations of the coronary microcirculation in various types of cardiomyopathies and to integrate the present understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for the development of various types of cardiomyopathies. Although microvascular dysfunction is present and contributes to cardiac dysfunction and the potential outcome of disease, the current therapeutic approaches are not specific for the given types of cardiomyopathy