Экспериментальное обоснование эффективности газовых инфракрасных излучателей как элемента системы отопления производственных помещений

В рамках работы экспериментально установлены температурные поля поверхностей и температуры воздуха внутри производственного помещения при работе газового инфракрасного излучателя. В результате экспериментального исследования определено влияние расположения газового инфракрасного излучателя и типа поверхности пола на интенсивность теплопереноса в помещении. Разработана методика проведения эксперимента. Получены температурные поля для двух типов поверхностей пола (бетон + бетон, бетон + керамика) и проведен анализ распределений по пространственным координатам X и Y. Для установления распределения тепловой энергии излучателем, непосредственно затрачиваемой на нагрев воздуха рабочей зоны сформулирована математическая модель с описанием физической и геометрической модели.As part of the work, the temperature fields of surfaces and air temperatures inside the production room were experimentally established during operation of a gas infrared emitter. As a result of an experimental study, the influence of the location of the gas infrared emitter and the type of floor surface on the intensity of heat transfer in the room is determined. An experimental technique has been developed. Temperature fields were obtained for two types of floor surfaces (concrete + concrete, concrete + ceramics), and the distribution of spatial coordinates X and Y was analyzed. To establish the distribution of thermal energy by the emitter, directly spent on heating the air of the working area, a mathematical model is formulated with a description of the physical and geometric model

Personal preferences for treatment and care during and after a First Episode Psychosis:A qualitative study

Aim: A first episode of psychosis (FEP) is a stressful, often life-changing experience. Scarce information is available about personal preferences regarding their care needs during and after a FEP. Whereas a more thorough understanding of these preferences is essential to aid shared decision-making during treatment and improve treatment satisfaction.Methods: Face-to-face interviews with participants in remission of a FEP were set up, addressing personal preferences and needs for care during and after a FEP. The interviews were conducted by a female and a male researcher, the latter being an expert with lived experience.Results: Twenty individuals in remission of a FEP were interviewed, of which 16 had been hospitalized. The distinguished themes based on personal preferences were tranquillity, peace and quietness, information, being understood, support from significant others, and practical guidance in rebuilding one's life. Our findings revealed that the need for information and the need to be heard were often not sufficiently met. For 16/20 participants, the tranquillity of inpatient treatment of the FEP was predominantly perceived as a welcome safe haven. The presence and support of family and close friends were mentioned as an important factor in the process of achieving remission.Conclusions: The current exploratory study showed that patients were able to indicate their personal needs. Important findings are the need for information and the need to be heard. Interestingly, hospitalization was mostly seen as an opportunity to achieve tranquillity. More lived experience expertise is needed to elucidate the needs of individuals in the early phase of a FEP to aid people who are recovering from their first psychosis in rebuilding their lives again.</p

Genetic characterization of an adapted pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus that reveals improved replication rates in human lung epithelial cells

The 2009 influenza pandemic originated from a swine-origin H1N1 virus, which, although less pathogenic than anticipated, may acquire additional virulence-associated mutations in the future. To estimate the potential risk, we sequentially passaged the isolate A/Hamburg/04/2009 in A549 human lung epithelial cells. After passage 6, we observed a 100-fold increased replication rate. High-throughput sequencing of viral gene segments identified five dominant mutations, whose contribution to the enhanced growth was analyzed by reverse genetics. The increased replication rate was pinpointed to two mutations within the hemagglutinin (HA) gene segment (HA1 D130E, HA2 I91L), near the receptor binding site and the stem domain. The adapted virus also replicated more efficiently in mice in vivo. Enhanced replication rate correlated with increased fusion pH of the HA protein and a decrease in receptor affinity. Our data might be relevant for surveillance of pre-pandemic strains and development of high titer cell culture strains for vaccine production

SMER28 attenuates PI3K/mTOR signaling by direct inhibition of PI3K p110 delta

SMER28 (Small molecule enhancer of Rapamycin 28) is an autophagy-inducing compound functioning by a hitherto unknown mechanism. Here, we confirm its autophagy-inducing effect by assessing classical autophagy-related parameters. Interestingly, we also discovered several additional effects of SMER28, including growth retardation and reduced G1 to S phase progression. Most strikingly, SMER28 treatment led to a complete arrest of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, and, consequently, growth factor-induced cell scattering and dorsal ruffle formation. This coincided with a dramatic reduction in phosphorylation patterns of PI3K downstream effectors. Consistently, SMER28 directly inhibited PI3Kδ and to a lesser extent p110γ. The biological relevance of our observations was underscored by SMER28 interfering with InlB-mediated host cell entry of Listeria monocytogenes, which requires signaling through the prominent receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met. This effect was signaling-specific, since entry of unrelated, gram-negative Salmonella Typhimurium was not inhibited. Lastly, in B cell lymphoma cells, which predominantly depend on tonic signaling through PI3Kδ, apoptosis upon SMER28 treatment is profound in comparison to non-hematopoietic cells. This indicates SMER28 as a possible drug candidate for the treatment of diseases that derive from aberrant PI3Kδ activity

Association of decreased mitochondrial DNA content with ovarian cancer progression

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in ovarian carcinomas was assessed by quantitative PCR. Results show that mtDNA content in tumour cell was significantly higher than that in normal ovary. Change in mtDNA content was not related with patients' age or tumour stages. However, the average mtDNA copy number in pathological low-grade tumours was over two-fold higher than that in high-grade carcinomas (P=0.012). Moreover, type I carcinomas also had a significantly higher mtDNA copy number than in type II carcinomas (P=0.019). Change in mtDNA content might be an important genetic event in the progression of ovarian carcinomas

Serratia marcescens internalization and replication in human bladder epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: Serratia marcescens, a frequent agent of catheterization-associated bacteriuria, strongly adheres to human bladder epithelial cells in culture. The epithelium normally provides a barrier between lumal organisms and the interstitium; the tight adhesion of bacteria to the epithelial cells can lead to internalization and subsequent lysis. However, internalisation was not shown yet for S. marcescens strains. METHODS: Elektronmicroscopy and the common gentamycin protection assay was used to assess intracellular bacteria. Via site directed mutagenesis, an hemolytic negative isogenic Serratia strain was generated to point out the importance of hemolysin production. RESULTS: We identified an important bacterial factor mediating the internalization of S. marcescens, and lysis of epithelial cells, as the secreted cytolysin ShlA. Microtubule filaments and actin filaments were shown to be involved in internalization. However, cytolysis of eukaryotic cells by ShlA was an interfering factor, and therefore hemolytic-negative mutants were used in subsequent experiments. Isogenic hemolysin-negative mutant strains were still adhesive, but were no longer cytotoxic, did not disrupt the cell culture monolayer, and were no longer internalized by HEp-2 and RT112 bladder epithelial cells under the conditions used for the wild-type strain. After wild-type S. marcescens became intracellular, the infected epithelial cells were lysed by extended vacuolation induced by ShlA. In late stages of vacuolation, highly motile S. marcescens cells were observed in the vacuoles. S. marcescens was also able to replicate in cultured HEp-2 cells, and replication was not dependent on hemolysin production. CONCLUSION: The results reported here showed that the pore-forming toxin ShlA triggers microtubule-dependent invasion and is the main factor inducing lysis of the epithelial cells to release the bacteria, and therefore plays a major role in the development of S. marcescens infections

A glossary for research on human crowd dynamics

This article presents a glossary of terms that are frequently used in research on human crowds. This topic is inherently multidisciplinary as it includes work in and across computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, psychology and social science, for example. We do not view the glossary presented here as a collection of finalised and formal definitions. Instead, we suggest it is a snapshot of current views and the starting point of an ongoing process that we hope will be useful in providing some guidance on the use of terminology to develop a mutual understanding across disciplines. The glossary was developed collaboratively during a multidisciplinary meeting. We deliberately allow several definitions of terms, to reflect the confluence of disciplines in the field. This also reflects the fact not all contributors necessarily agree with all definitions in this glossary

Expression profiling identifies genes involved in neoplastic transformation of serous ovarian cancer

Background: The malignant potential of serous ovarian tumors, the most common ovarian tumor subtype, varies from benign to low malignant potential (LMP) tumors to frankly invasive cancers. Given the uncertainty about the relationship between these different forms, we compared their patterns of gene expression. Methods: Expression profiling was carried out on samples of 7 benign, 7 LMP and 28 invasive (moderate and poorly differentiated) serous tumors and four whole normal ovaries using oligonucleotide microarrays representing over 21,000 genes. Results: We identified 311 transcripts that distinguished invasive from benign tumors, and 20 transcripts that were significantly differentially expressed between invasive and LMP tumors at p < 0.01 (with multiple testing correction). Five genes that were differentially expressed between invasive and either benign or normal tissues were validated by real time PCR in an independent panel of 46 serous tumors (4 benign, 7 LMP, 35 invasive). Overexpression of SLPI and WNT7A and down-regulation of C6orf31, PDGFRA and GLTSCR2 were measured in invasive and LMP compared with benign and normal tissues. Over-expression of WNT7A in an ovarian cancer cell line led to increased migration and invasive capacity. Conclusion: These results highlight several genes that may play an important role across the spectrum of serous ovarian tumorigenesis