Expression of human beta-defensins-1, 2 and 4 mRNA in human lung tumor tissue: a pilot study

To analyze the patterns of human beta-defensin-1, 2, 4 (hBDs) expression in human lung tumors. Materials and Methods: Tissue samples of surgically resected human lung tumors (squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), n = 10; adenocarcinoma (AC), n = 10) paired with conditionally normal tissue samples were analized for expression of hBD-1, 2, 4 mRNA by semiquantitive RT-PCR. Results: In a number of studied lung cancer tissue samples, overexpression of defensin mRNA was registered: hBD-1 mRNA (50% of SCC and 60% AC), hBD-2 mRNA (60% of SCC and 50% of AC) or hBD-4 (40% of SCC and 20% AC). No correlation was detected between the levels of hBD-1, hBD-2 and hBD-4 mRNA and histological type, differentiation grade of the tumor, and the stage of the disease, as well as the content of hBD-2 peptide in blood serum of lung cancer patients. Conclusion: Human beta-defensins-1 and -2 are often up-regulated in human lung tumors.Цель: проанализировать особенности экспрессии мРНК бета-дефенсинов-1, 2, 4 (hBDs) в ткани опухоли легкого человека. Материалы и методы: с помощью метода полуколичественного RT-PCR-анализа изучали уровень экспрессии мРНК hBD-1, 2, 4 в образцах ткани хирургически удаленных опухолей легкого человека (плоскоклеточный рак — ПКР, n = 10; аденокарцинома — AК, n = 10) по сравнению с образцами условно-нормальной ткани легкого тех же пациентов. Результаты: в ряде исследованных образцов опухолей легкого выявлена повышенная экспрессия мРНК hBD-1 (50% ПКР и 60% AК), hBD-2 (60% ПКР и 50% АК) или hBD-4 (40% ПКР и 20% AК). Зависимости между уровнем экспрессии бета-дефенсинов и гистологическим типом опухоли, стадией заболевания и содержанием пептида hBD-2 в сыворотке крови больных не установлено. Выводы: в ткани опухоли легкого человека часто активирована экспрессия hBD-1 и hBD-2

Dynamics of Vortex Pair in Radial Flow

The problem of vortex pair motion in two-dimensional plane radial flow is solved. Under certain conditions for flow parameters, the vortex pair can reverse its motion within a bounded region. The vortex-pair translational velocity decreases or increases after passing through the source/sink region, depending on whether the flow is diverging or converging, respectively. The rotational motion of two corotating vortexes in a quiescent environment transforms into motion along a logarithmic spiral in the presence of radial flow. The problem may have applications in astrophysics and geophysics.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure

Evolution of the cosmic ray anisotropy above 10^{14} eV

The amplitude and phase of the cosmic ray anisotropy are well established experimentally between 10^{11} eV and 10^{14} eV. The study of their evolution into the energy region 10^{14}-10^{16} eV can provide a significant tool for the understanding of the steepening ("knee") of the primary spectrum. In this letter we extend the EAS-TOP measurement performed at E_0 around 10^{14} eV, to higher energies by using the full data set (8 years of data taking). Results derived at about 10^{14} and 4x10^{14} eV are compared and discussed. Hints of increasing amplitude and change of phase above 10^{14} eV are reported. The significance of the observation for the understanding of cosmic ray propagation is discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication on ApJ Letter

The Modified Weighted Slab Technique: Models and Results

In an attempt to understand the source and propagation of galactic cosmic rays we have employed the Modified Weighted Slab technique along with recent values of the relevant cross sections to compute primary to secondary ratios including B/C and Sub-Fe/Fe for different galactic propagation models. The models that we have considered are the disk-halo diffusion model, the dynamical halo wind model, the turbulent diffusion model and a model with minimal reacceleration. The modified weighted slab technique will be briefly discussed and a more detailed description of the models will be given. We will also discuss the impact that the various models have on the problem of anisotropy at high energy and discuss what properties of a particular model bear on this issue.Comment: LaTeX - AASTEX format, Submitted to ApJ, 8 figures, 20 page

Stable radiation-controlling boundary conditions for the generalized harmonic Einstein equations

This paper is concerned with the initial-boundary value problem for the Einstein equations in a first-order generalized harmonic formulation. We impose boundary conditions that preserve the constraints and control the incoming gravitational radiation by prescribing data for the incoming fields of the Weyl tensor. High-frequency perturbations about any given spacetime (including a shift vector with subluminal normal component) are analyzed using the Fourier-Laplace technique. We show that the system is boundary-stable. In addition, we develop a criterion that can be used to detect weak instabilities with polynomial time dependence, and we show that our system does not suffer from such instabilities. A numerical robust stability test supports our claim that the initial-boundary value problem is most likely to be well-posed even if nonzero initial and source data are included.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figures; more numerical results and references added, several minor amendments; version accepted for publication in Class. Quantum Gra

The East-West method: an exposure-independent method to search for large scale anisotropies of cosmic rays

The measurement of large scale anisotropies in cosmic ray arrival directions at energies above 10^13 eV is performed through the detection of Extensive Air Showers produced by cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere. The observed anisotropies are small, so accurate measurements require small statistical uncertainties, i.e. large datasets. These can be obtained by employing ground detector arrays with large extensions (from 10^4 to 10^9 m^2) and long operation time (up to 20 years). The control of such arrays is challenging and spurious variations in the counting rate due to instrumental effects (e.g. data taking interruptions or changes in the acceptance) and atmospheric effects (e.g. air temperature and pressure effects on EAS development) are usually present. These modulations must be corrected very precisely before performing standard anisotropy analyses, i.e. harmonic analysis of the counting rate versus local sidereal time. In this paper we discuss an alternative method to measure large scale anisotropies, the "East-West method", originally proposed by Nagashima in 1989. It is a differential method, as it is based on the analysis of the difference of the counting rates in the East and West directions. Besides explaining the principle, we present here its mathematical derivation, showing that the method is largely independent of experimental effects, that is, it does not require corrections for acceptance and/or for atmospheric effects. We explain the use of the method to derive the amplitude and phase of the anisotropy and we demonstrate its power under different conditions of detector operation

A Dipole Vortex Model of Obscuring Tori in Active Galaxy Nuclei

The torus concept as an essential structural component of active galactic nuclei (AGN) is generally accepted. Here, the situation is discussed when the torus "twisting" by the radiation or wind transforms it into a dipole toroidal vortex which in turn can be a source of matter replenishing the accretion disk. Thus emerging instability which can be responsible for quasar radiation flares accompanied by matter outbursts is also discussed. The "Matreshka" scheme for an obscuring vortex torus structure capable of explaining the AGN variability and evolution is proposed. The model parameters estimated numerically for the luminosity close to the Eddington limit agree well with the observations.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, version of this paper is published in Astronomy Report

ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ЕНТЕРОСОРБЕНТУ "СИЛАРД П" У КОМПЛЕКСНОМУ ЛІКУВАННІ ХВОРИХ НА САЛЬМОНЕЛЬОЗ ДІТЕЙ

The work presents the results of clinico-laboratory observations as for peculiarities of salmonellosis in children accompanied by endotoxicosis. The investigation revealed the endogenic intoxication syndrome in the subjects under observation. Some new suggested methods of eliminating endotoxemia by applying complex treatment enabled to shorten the patients’ stay at the inpatients department, to improve the course of disease. Enterosorbent"Syllard P" is reccomended for deep use in treatment of children with salmonellae infection.Представлены результаты клинико-лабораторных исследований особенности течения сальмонеллезной инфекции у детей на фоне эндотоксикоза. Установлено наличие синдрома эндогенной интоксикации у обследуемого контингента. Предложенные методы коррекции эндотоксемии при комплексной терапии с применением энтеросорбента "Силлард П" разрешили уменьшить сроки стационарного лечения, улучшить течение заболевания. Энтеросорбент "Силлард П" рекомендован к широкому применению в лечении больных сальмонеллезом детей.Представлені результати клініко-лабораторнихдослідженьособливості перебігу сальмонельозноїінфекціїу дітей на фоні ендотоксикозу. Встановлено наявність синдрому ендогенної інтоксикації у досліджуваного контингенту хворих. Запропоновані методи ліквідаціїендотоксемії шляхом комплексної терапії' із застосуванням ентеросорбента "Силард П" дозволили зменшити строки стаціонарного лікування, покращити перебіг захворювання. Ентеросорбент "Силард П" рекомендовано широко застосовувати у лікуванні хворих на сальмонельоз дітей

Basic principles of postgrowth annealing of CdTe:Cl ingot to obtain semi-insulating crystals

The process of annealing of a CdTe:Cl ingot during its cooling after growth was studied. The annealing was performed in two stages: a high-temperature stage, with an approximate equality of chlorine and cadmium vacancy concentrations established at the thermodynamic equilibrium between the crystal and vapors of volatile components, and a low-temperature stage, with charged defects interacting to form neutral associations. The chlorine concentrations necessary to obtain semi-insulating crystals were determined for various ingot cooling rates in the high temperature stage. The dependence of the chlorine concentration [Cl+Te] in the ingot on the temperature of annealing in the high-temperature stage was found. The carrier lifetimes and drift mobilities were obtained in relation to the temperature and cadmium vapor pressure in the postgrowth annealing of the ingot.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Patient routing and process approach implementation for regional oncology service

Background. Cancer care involves a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment of patients. A complex interaction of actors in the deployment of oncology services dictates usage of modern management technologies for improving the quality and efficiency of patient care through processes optimisation.Objectives. Provision of recommendations for patient routing based on research into the oncology service inter-level information exchange, integration of the process approach and electronic services. The lack of a unified information space with a regional oncology service has been explained. Measures are proposed for the patient routing optimisation as part of establishing a unified digital oncology service circuit.Methods. The oncology service was effectively remodelled through functional and information engineering of electronic services and the process management integration to establish a horizontal decision flow between facilities and employees on a process level bypassing the supervisor coordination. Statistical approaches were used to analyse the oncological patient population.Results. The following electronic services have been implemented: specialised patient referral routing, telemedicine and teleradiology. A comprehensive information framework has been created comprising medical, laboratory and radiological information subsystems integrated through regional electronic services of the unified state healthcare information platform. The goals, objectives, general principles, architecture and expected social economic impact on healthcare of Krasnodar Krai have been defined.Conclusion. Use of electronic services ensures an improved quality of specialised care and effective routing of patients. We perceive prospects of the integrated information platform in the extension and improvement of its subsystems’ functionality and content, sourcing more data providers and the circuit expansion to the federal and regional levels