Relationship Between Anti-DFS70 Autoantibodies and Oxidative Stress

Background: The anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are one of the most commonly and widely described agent of unknown clinical significance, frequently detected in healthy individuals. It is not known whether the DFS70 autoantibodies are protective or pathogenic. One of the factors suspected of inducing the formation of anti-DFS70 antibodies is increased oxidative stress. We evaluated the coexistence of anti-DFS70 antibodies with selected markers of oxidative stress and investigated whether these antibodies could be considered as indirect markers of oxidative stress. Methods: The intensity of oxidative stress was measured in all samples via indices of free-radical damage to lipids and proteins such as total oxidant status (TOS), concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (LPH), lipofuscin (LPS), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The parameters of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid concentration (UA), were also measured, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Based on TOS and TAS values, the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. All samples were also tested with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and 357 samples were selected for direct monospecific anti DFS70 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. Results: The anti-DFS70 antibodies were confirmed by ELISA test in 21.29% of samples. Compared with anti-DFS70 negative samples we observed 23% lower concentration of LPH (P =.038) and 11% lower concentration of UA (P =.005). TOS was 20% lower (P =.014). The activity of SOD was up to 5% higher (P =.037). The Pearson correlation showed weak negative correlation for LPH, UA, and TOS and a weak positive correlation for SOD activity. Conclusion: In samples positive for the anti-DFS70 antibody a decreased level of oxidative stress was observed, especially in the case of samples with a high antibody titer. Anti-DFS70 antibodies can be considered as an indirect marker of reduced oxidative stress or a marker indicating the recent intensification of antioxidant processes

The renaissance of pressed glass based on the history of Ząbkowice Glassworks

Artykuł przedstawia historię zakładu Huty Szkła Gospodarczego w Ząbkowicach i w szczególny sposób podkreśla nowatorskie podejście do technologii szkła małżeństwa projektantów: Eryki i Jana Drostów. Cechy szkła prasowanego, uznawane dotąd za mankamenty, uczynili jego walorami, tworząc na masową skalę niespotykane dotąd w Polsce wyroby ze szkła prasowanego. W latach siedemdziesiątych XX wieku przedmioty wykonywane tą techniką – uważane wcześniej za szkło niższej kategorii – zaczęły konkurować ze wszechobecnymi ręcznie szlifowanymi kryształami. To właśnie dzięki temu nowemu spojrzeniu Drostowie podnieśli pozycję szkła prasowanego na wyższy poziom. Do dziś, wielokrotnie nagradzane i cenione w kraju i za granicą szkła, są uważane za ikony polskiego wzornictwa.The article presents the history of Ząbkowice Glassworks and the innovatory approach to glass technology presented by Eryka and Jan Drost. What had been concidered vices of pressed glass, they made it's virtues. They created pressed glass products on a massive scale never seen before in Poland. In the 70s pressed glass products – which had been considered glass of lower category – started to compete with hand cut cristals. Thanks to that innovatory approach they took pressed glass to higher level. Pressed glass product recognized both in the country and abroad are belived to have become the icons of Polish design

Linear adaptive structure for control of a nonlinear MIMO dynamic plant

In the paper an adaptive linear control system structure with modal controllers for a MIMO nonlinear dynamic process is presented and various methods for synthesis of those controllers are analyzed. The problems under study are exemplified by the synthesis of a position and yaw angle control system for a drillship described by a 3DOF nonlinear mathematical model of low-frequency motions made by the drillship over the drilling point. In the proposed control system, use is made of a set of (stable) linear modal controllers that create a linear adaptive controller with variable parameters tuned appropriately to operation conditions chosen on the basis of two measured auxiliary signals. These are the ship’s current forward speed measured in reference to the water and the systematically calculated difference between the course angle and the sea current (yaw angle). The system synthesis is carried out by means of four different methods for system pole placement after having linearized the model of low-frequency motions made by the vessel at its nominal “operating points” in steady states that are dependent on the specified yaw angle and the sea current velocity. The final part of the paper includes simulation results of system operation with an adaptive controller of (stepwise) varying parameters along with conclusions and final remarks

Design of a multivariable neural controller for control of a nonlinear MIMO plant

The paper presents the training problem of a set of neural nets to obtain a (gain-scheduling, adaptive) multivariable neural controller for control of a nonlinear MIMO dynamic process represented by a mathematical model of Low-Frequency (LF) motions of a drillship over the drilling point at the sea bottom. The designed neural controller contains a set of neural nets that determine values of its parameters chosen on the basis of two measured auxiliary signals. These are the ship’s current forward speed measured with respect to water and the systematically calculated difference between the course angle and the sea current (yaw angle). Four different methods for synthesis of multivariable modal controllers are used to obtain source data for training the neural controller with parameters reproduced by neural networks. Neural networks are designed on the basis of 3650 modal controllers obtained with the use of the pole placement technique after having linearized the model of LF motions made by the vessel at its nominal operating points in steady states that are dependent on the specified yaw angle and the sea current velocity. The final part of the paper includes simulation results of system operation with a neural controller along with conclusions and final remarks

A comparative and experimental study on gradient and genetic optimization algorithms for parameter identification of linear MIMO models of a drilling vessel

The paper presents algorithms for parameter identification of linear vessel models being in force for the current operating point of a ship. Advantages and disadvantages of gradient and genetic algorithms in identifying the model parameters are discussed. The study is supported by presentation of identification results for a nonlinear model of a drilling vessel