Implementation of Carbon Nanostructures into the Metal Structure During Heat Treatment

Carbon nanostructures (CNS), in particular due to their unique structure and properties, found various potential areas of application in advanced technologies. One of the options in the use of CNS is adding them to the metal structure to improve mechanical strength

Prevalence, Features and Risk Factors for Malaria Co-Infections amongst Visceral Leishmaniasis Patients from Amudat Hospital, Uganda

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and malaria are two major parasitic diseases sharing a similar demographic and geographical distribution. In areas where both diseases are endemic, such as Sudan, Uganda, India and Bangladesh, co-infection cases have been reported, but features and risk factors associated with these co-morbidities remain poorly characterized. In the present study, routinely collected data of VL patients admitted to Amudat Hospital, Uganda, were used to investigate the magnitude of VL-malaria co-infections and identify possible risk factors. Nearly 20% of the patients included in this study were found to be co-infected with VL and malaria, indicating that this is a common condition among VL patients living in malaria endemic areas. Young age (≤9 years) was identified as an important risk factor for contracting the VL-malaria co-infection, while being anemic or carrying a skin infection appeared to negatively correlate with the co-morbidity. Co-infected patients presented with slightly more severe symptoms compared to mono-infected patients, but had a similar prognosis, possibly due to early diagnosis of malaria as a result of systematic testing. In conclusion, these results emphasize the importance of performing malaria screening amongst VL patients living in malaria-endemic areas and suggest that close monitoring of co-infected patients should be implemented

Problems of Modernization of the Economy of the Northern Territories

In the given article we consider the problems of the North economy development under the conditions of structural transformations. Some principals of a new social-economic policy of the North are formulated there. The authors suggest the approaches to creation of a mechanism of protection of the primordial living environment and traditional way of living of the native peoples in the course of commercial exploitation of the North.В статье рассматриваются проблемы развития экономики Севера в условиях структурных преобразований. Формулируются принципы новой социально-экономической политики на Севере, предлагаются подходы к созданию механизма защиты исконной среды обитания и традиционного образа жизни коренных народов при промышленном освоении Севера

Problems of Modernization of the Economy of the Northern Territories

In the given article we consider the problems of the North economy development under the conditions of structural transformations. Some principals of a new social-economic policy of the North are formulated there. The authors suggest the approaches to creation of a mechanism of protection of the primordial living environment and traditional way of living of the native peoples in the course of commercial exploitation of the North.В статье рассматриваются проблемы развития экономики Севера в условиях структурных преобразований. Формулируются принципы новой социально-экономической политики на Севере, предлагаются подходы к созданию механизма защиты исконной среды обитания и традиционного образа жизни коренных народов при промышленном освоении Севера

Pretreatment of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or IL-1β exerts dose-dependent opposite effects on Shiga toxin-2 lethality

Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) has been closely associated with infection with a group of Shiga toxin-producing enterohaemorrhagic Eschericchia coli in young children. Shiga toxins (Stx) have been implicated as pathogenic agents of HUS by binding to the surface receptor of endothelial cells. LPS is a central product of the Gram-negative bacteria and several reports have documented that both LPS and Stx are important for disease development. In this study the reciprocal interactions between LPS and Stx2 are analysed in a mouse model. The results demonstrated that LPS was able to reduce or enhance Stx2 toxicity, depending on the dose and the timing of the injection. The involvement of the main early cytokines induced by LPS, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and IL-1β, in those LPS opposite effects on Stx2 toxicity was evaluated. Stx2 toxicity was enhanced by in vivo injection of murine TNF-α and low doses of murine IL-1β. However, at higher doses of IL-1β which induced corticosteroid increase in serum, Stx2 lethality was decreased. Considering that dexamethasone and IL-1β reproduce the LPS protective effects, it is suggested that endogenous corticosteroids secondary to the inflammatory response induced by LPS, mediate the protection against Stx2. It can be concluded that the fine equilibrium between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory activities strongly influences Stx2 toxicity