Contribution of microlensing to X-ray variability of distant QSOs

We consider a contribution of microlensing to the X-ray variability of high-redshifted QSOs. Cosmologically distributed gravitational microlenses could be localized in galaxies (or even in bulge or halo of gravitational macrolenses) or could be distributed in a uniform way. We have analyzed both cases of such distributions. We found that the optical depth for gravitational microlensing caused by cosmologically distributed deflectors could be significant and could reach $10^{-2} - 0.1$ at $z\sim 2$. This means that cosmologically distributed deflectors may contribute significantlly to the X-ray variability of high-redshifted QSOs ($z>2$). Considering that the upper limit of the optical depth ($\tau\sim 0.1$) corresponds to the case where dark matter forms cosmologically distributed deflectors, observations of the X-ray variations of unlensed QSOs can be used for the estimation of the dark matter fraction of microlenses.Comment: 6 pages, to appear in "Impact of Gravitational Lensing on Cosmology", IAU Symposium 225, eds. Y. Mellier & G. Meyla

Maprotiline treatment differentially influences cardiac β-adrenoreceptors expression under normal and stress conditions

Alterations in cardiac function were observed in antidepressants treated patients and published in several clinical reports. These detected changes could be either a consequence of the treatment or of depression itself, which has already been proved to be a risk factor in heart diseases. In order to determine a possible influence of chronic treatment with norepinephrinergic reuptake inhibitor, maprotiline, on the heart, we investigated gene expression of cardiac β-adrenoceptors both in controls and in animals with signs of depression. The rats were divided into two groups, unstressed controls and those exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). The groups were further divided into two subgroups, one receiving daily intraperitoneal injections of vehicle (sterile water) and another one maprotiline (10 mg/kg) for four weeks. Tissue samples were collected after the last application. Gene expression of cardiac β1- and β2-adrenoceptor was determined using Real-time RT-PCR analysis. Our results show that in control animals expression of both adrenoreceptors was decreased in the right atria after 4 weeks of maprotiline application. Contrary, the same treatment led to a significant increase in expression of cardiac β1-adrenoceptor in the stressed rats, with no change in the characteristics of β2-adrenoceptor. Our findings might reflect the that molecular mechanisms are underlying factors involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases linked with antidepressant treatment.Vários relatórios clínicos observaram alterações de funcionamento cardíaco de pacientes depressivos que foram tratados com os antidepressivos. As alterações detectadas podem ser consequência do tratamento ou, por outro lado, da depressão que, como se tem provado, é um fator de risco no caso de doenças cardíacas. De modo a determinar a possível influência de tratamento crônico com o inibidor da recaptação de norepinefrina, maprotilina, no coração, foi investigada a expressão do gene aos receptores β-adrenérgicos cardíacos dos animais em grupos de controle e em grupos com sinais de depressão. Os ratos foram divididos em grupos de controle não estressados e os grupos de ratos submetidos ao estresse crônico moderado imprevisível (CUMS). Os grupos foram, ainda, divididos em dois subgrupos, que, durante quatro semanas, diariamente receberam injeções intraperitoneais de placebo (água estéril) ou de maprotilina (10 mg/kg). As amostras de tecido foram coletadas após a última aplicação. A expressão do gene aos receptores adrenérgicos β1 e β2 foi determinada utilizando a análise PCR quantitativa em tempo real (RT-PCR). Os nossos resultados demonstram a diminuição de expressão dos ambos os receptores adrenérgicos no átrio direito dos animais do grupo de controle depois de quatro semanas de aplicação de maprotilina. Em contraste, o mesmo tratamento conduziu ao aumento significativo na expressão do receptor β1-adrenérgico no coração dos ratos estressados, sem qualquer alteração nas características do receptor β2-adrenérgico. Estes resultados podem refletir os mecanismos moleculares envolvidos no desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares associadas ao tratamento com os antidepressivos

Antiapoptotic proteins mcl-1 and bcl-2 as well as growth factors fgf and vegf influence survival of peripheral blood and bone marrow chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

© 2020, University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science. All rights reserved. Apoptosis inhibition in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is one of the most important mechanism in the disease onset, progression and therapy response and is dependent of interaction with different microenvironments. Aim of our paper is to determine expression of antiapop-toic proteins mcl-1 and bcl-2 in CLL cells isolated from two different compartments (peripheral blood and bone marrow) and its relation to percent of apoptotic cells and concentration of growth factors (FGF and VEGF). Our results showed that peripheral blood CLL lymphocytes have lower apoptotic rate then those isolated from bone marrow, though bone marrow CLL lymphocytes express higher levels of antipoptotic proteins bcl-2 and mcl-1. In bone marrow FGF concentration is 10-fold higher then in patients plasma but has an limited impact on mcl-1 expression. In contrary, VEGF concentration is higher in peripheral blood and corelate with percent of apoptotic cells and mcl-1 expression in this compartment. CLL cells derived from two different microenvironmets acts differently when tested for apoptosis „ex vivo“. In peripheral blood apoptosis is strongly connected with expression of antiapoptoic proteins (mcl-1 and bcl-2) and growth factors, but not in bone marrow

Influence of Microlensing on Spectral Anomaly of Lensed Objects

Here we consider the influence of the microlensing on the spectrum of a lensed object taking into account that composite emission is coming from different regions arranged subsequently around the central source. We assumed that the lensed object has three regions with the black body emission; first the innermost with the highest temperature of $10^4K$, second and third (located around the central) with slightly lower temperatures $7.5\cdot10^3$ and $5\cdot10^3$K, respectively. Than we explore the flux anomaly in lensed object due to microlensing. We compare U,V and B spectra of a such source. This results show that, due to microlensing, in a spectroscopically stratified object a flux anomaly is present.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

Exploring the Myth of Parity in State Taxation: State Court Decisions Interpreting Public Law 86-272

The general rule of federal question jurisdiction does not extend to cases in which plaintiffs challenge the lawfulness of a state or local tax. In recent years, the Supreme Court has expressed its belief that this lack of a federal forum should not concern taxpayers, as the federal and state judiciaries are equally competent in deciding questions of federal law. Many observers have disputed this parity thesis, labeling it a convenient but dangerous myth. In the field of state and local taxation specifically, lawyers have expressed their distrust of state courts\u27 willingness to protect the federal rights of taxpayers, especially when those taxpayers are domiciled outside the taxing state. While several scholars have explored the question of parity in other contexts, the empirical question whether state courts are systematically biased against taxpayers seeking the protection of federal law has gone largely unexamined. This article offers a preliminary exploration. It presents a study of all reported state court decisions interpreting Public Law 86-272, a federal statute that provides businesses with immunity from state income taxes when they keep the extent of their contacts in the taxing state beneath a specific threshold. The study suggests that, at least as a prima facie matter, these decisions provide little support for the belief that state courts systematically disfavor taxpayers making federal claims. Instead, state courts appear to have interpreted Public Law 86-272 with a fair degree of consistency

Association between risk factors, basal viral load, virus genotype and the degree of liver fibrosis with the response to the therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

© 2015, Institut za Vojnomedicinske Naucne Informacije/Documentaciju. All rights reserved. Background/Aim. Hepatitis C is an important sociomedical problem worldwide due to frequent progression to chronic dis-ease, occurrence of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Standard pegylated interferon alfa 2a plus ribavirin therapy results in resolution of infection only in 50% of patients. The aim of this study was to determine the association of various factors with re-sponse to the therapy in patients with chronic heptitis C virus (HCV) infection. Age and sex of patients, inoculation risk factors, histopathological changes in the liver, viral load and HCV geno-type were analyzed. Methods. The study included a group of 121 patients with chronic HCV infection. The treatment was carried out 24 weeks for virus genotype 2 and 3, and 48 weeks for geno-type 1 and 4. The degree of histopathological changes in the liver was determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, whereas polimerase chain reaction was used for HCV genotyping. Results. In the group of non-responding patients genotype 1 was repre-sented with 100%, while in the other groups, although predomi-nantly present, its percentage was lower. Unresponsiveness to therapy and relapse of disease were associated with higher viral load and advanced fibrosis. Intravenous use of psychoactive sub-stances, as a risk factor, was present in a high percentage in the group of patients with sustained response, while blood transfusion and dialysis were leading risk factors in the group of relapse re-sponders and non-responders. Conclusion. The results of our study showed that the treatment outcome of chronic HCV infec-tion was associated with baseline HCV ribonucleic acid, HCV genotype, route of infection and the degree of histopathological changes in the liver

The influence of brake pads thermal conductivity on passanger car brake system efficiency

In phase of vehicle braking system designing, besides of mechanical characteristics, it is also necessary to take under consideration the system's thermal fatures. This is because it is not enough just to achieve proper braking power, for the brake system to be effective but equally important thing is the dissipation of heat to the environment. Heat developed in the friction surfaces dissipate into the environment over the disk in one hand and through the brake linings and caliper, in the other. The striving is to make that greatest amount of heat to dissipate not threw the brake pads butthrew disc. The experimental researching of heat transfer process taking place at vehicle brakes was made in the R&D Center of Zastava automobili car factory in order to increase the efficiency of brake system. The standard laboratory and road test procedures were used, according to factory quality regulations. The modern equipment such as thermo camera, thermo couples, torque transducers, signal amplifiers, optical speed measuring system and laptop computer were used. In this paper will be shown the part of the experimental researching, whichrefers to the thermal conductivity ofbrake pad friction linings