Analysis of the impact of sex and age on the variation in the prevalence of antinuclear autoantibodies in Polish population: a nationwide observational, cross-sectional study

The detection of antinuclear autoantibody (ANA) is dependent on many factors and varies between the populations. The aim of the study was first to assess the prevalence of ANA in the Polish adult population depending on age, sex and the cutoff threshold used for the results obtained. Second, we estimated the occurrence of individual types of ANA-staining patterns. We tested 1731 patient samples using commercially available IIFA using two cutoff thresholds of 1:100 and 1:160. We found ANA in 260 participants (15.0%), but the percentage of positive results strongly depended on the cutoff level. For a cutoff threshold 1:100, the positive population was 19.5% and for the 1:160 cutoff threshold, it was 11.7%. The most prevalent ANA-staining pattern was AC-2 Dense Fine speckled (50%), followed by AC-21 Reticular/AMA (14.38%) ANA more common in women (72%); 64% of ANA-positive patients were over 50 years of age. ANA prevalence in the Polish population is at a level observed in other highly developed countries and is more prevalent in women and elderly individuals. To reduce the number of positive results released, we suggest that Polish laboratories should set 1:160 as the cutoff threshold

Assessment of SCARDEC source parameters of global large (Mw ≥ 7.5) subduction earthquakes

International audienceRapid and accurate source characterizations of large, shallow subduction earthquakes are key for improved tsunami warning efforts. We assess the quality of source parameters of large magnitude (Mw ≥ 7.5) shallow subduction earthquakes of the past 20 yr determined using SCARDEC, a recent fully automated broad-band body-wave source inversion technique for the fast estimation of the moment magnitude, depth, focal mechanism and source time functions of global events. We find that SCARDEC source parameters agree well with those reported in the global centroid moment tensor (GCMT) catalogue, with only the fault dip angle showing a tendency for steeper SCARDEC dip values than GCMT. We investigate this discrepancy through independent validation tests of the source models by: (i) testing how well they explain data not used in their construction, notably low-frequency normal mode data; and, (ii) assessing the data fit using 3-D forward modelling tools more sophisticated than those used to build the source models; specifically, we use a spectral element method for a 3-D earth model. We find that SCARDEC source parameters explain normal mode data reasonably well compared to GCMT solutions. In addition, for the 3-D earth model used in our experiments, SCARDEC dip angles explain body-wave data similarly or slightly better than GCMT. Moreover, SCARDEC dip angles agree well with results from individual earthquake studies in the literature and with geophysical constraints for different subduction zones. Our results show that SCARDEC is a reliable technique for rapid determinations of source parameters of large (Mw ≥ 7.5) subduction earthquakes. Since the SCARDEC method provides realistic source time functions allowing the fast identification of long-duration tsunami earthquakes, it is complementary to existing methods routinely used for earthquake monitoring and suitable for ocean-wide tsunami warning purpose

Effect of blanching parameters and methods of drying on mechanical properties of dried mushrooms

Celem pracy było zbadanie wpływu parametrów blanszowania oraz metod suszenia na właściwości mechaniczne suszonych pieczarek. Materiałem badawczym były pieczarki odmiany Agarcius bisporus, krojone w plastry grubości 5 mm, które poddawano blanszowaniu w wodzie przez 15, 30, 45 i 60 minut w temperaturze 60oC oraz przez 3 minuty w 95oC. Następnie materiał suszono trzema metodami: sublimacyjną (zamrażanie w –18 i –40oC), konwekcyjną oraz mikrofalowo-konwekcyjną. Właściwości mechaniczne określono przeprowadzając test zginania suszy sublimacyjnych i konwekcyjnych i test cięcia suszu mikrofalowego. Zdjęcia mikroskopowe wykazały znaczne zniszczenie struktury wewnętrznej pod wpływem wstępnej obróbki termicznej. Susze sublimacyjne, zamrażane w –40oC charakteryzowały się największymi wartościami pracy łamania podczas testu zginania. Jednocześnie, w wyniku zamrażania w wyższej temperaturze otrzymywano liofilizaty mniej odporne na odkształcenia. Najwyższymi siłami cięcia charakteryzowały się susze mikrofalowo-konwekcyjne wstępnie blanszowane w temperaturze 60oC przez krótszy czas. Analizując różne metody suszenia, nie stwierdzono jednoznacznego wpływu parametrów wstępnego blanszowania na właściwości mechaniczne pieczarek. Był on zależny od zastosowanego sposobu usuwania wody.The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of blanching parameters on mechanical properties of dried mushrooms. Mushrooms cv. Agarcius bisporus were cut into slices of thickness of 5 mm and blanched in water for 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes at 60oC and for 3 minutes at 95oC. Then the material was dried using three methods: freeze-drying (freezing at –18 and –40oC), convective drying and microwave-convective drying. Mechanical proprieties were deter-mined using the breaking test for freeze-dried and convective dried material and the cutting test for microwave-convective dried mushrooms. Microscope photos showed considerable destruction of internal structure under the influence of thermal pretreatment. Freeze-dried material frozen at –40oC was characterised by the greatest cutting work during the bending test. Simultaneously, less resistant to deformation freeze-dried materials were obtained as result of freezing at higher temperature. The microwave-convective dried material initially blanched at 60oC for shorter time was characterised by the highest cutting force. No unique influence of blanching parameters on mushrooms mechani-cal properties was found during the analysis of different drying methods. This was dependent on the way of water removing

Source models of great earthquakes from ultra low-frequency normal mode data

International audienceWe present a new earthquake source inversion technique based on normal mode data for the simultaneous determination of the rupture duration, length and moment tensor of large earthquakes with unilateral rupture. We use ultra low-frequency (f w⩾8.5): (i) Sumatra-Andaman (26th December 2004); (ii) Nias, Sumatra (28th March 2005); (iii) Bengkulu (12th September 2007); (iv) Tohoku, Japan (11th March 2011); (v) Maule, Chile (27th February 2010); and, (vi) the 24 May 2013 Mw 8.3 Okhotsk Sea, Russia, deep (607 km) event. While finite source inversions for rupture length, duration, magnitude and fault mechanism are possible for the Sumatra-Andaman and Tohoku events, for all the other events their lower magnitudes only allow stable point source inversions of mode multiplets. We obtain the first normal mode finite source model for the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, which yields a fault length of 461 km, a rupture duration of 151 s, and hence an average rupture velocity of 3.05 km/s, giving an independent confirmation of the compact nature of this event. For all the other earthquakes studied, our new source models agree well with previous studies. We do not find any unexplained systematic differences between our results and those in the literature, suggesting that for the wave frequencies considered, the moment magnitude and the fault mechanism of the earthquakes studied do not show a strong frequency dependence

Linking Distributed and Integrated Fiber-Optic Sensing

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has become a popular method of observing seismic wavefields: backscattered pulses of light reveal strains or strain rates at any location along a fiber-optic cable. In contrast, a few newer systems transmit light through a cable and collect integrated phase delays over the entire cable, such as the Microwave Frequency Fiber Interferometer (MFFI). These integrated systems can be deployed over significantly longer distances, may be used in conjunction with live telecommunications, and can be significantly cheaper. However, they provide only a single time series representing strain over the entire length of the fiber. This work discusses theoretically how a distributed and integrated system can be quantitatively compared, and we note that the sensitivity depends strongly on points of curvature. Importantly, this work presents the first results of a quantitative, head-to-head comparison of a DAS and the integrated MFFI system using pre-existing telecommunications fibers in Athens, Greece. © 2022 The Authors

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

Metabolic syndrome is associated with similar long-term prognosis in non-obese and obese patients. An analysis of 45 615 patients from the nationwide LIPIDOGRAM 2004-2015 cohort studies

Aims We aimed to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and long-term all-cause mortality. Methods The LIPIDOGRAM studies were carried out in the primary care in Poland in 2004, 2006 and 2015. MetS was diagnosed based on the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III) and Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria. The cohort was divided into four groups: non-obese patients without MetS, obese patients without MetS, non-obese patients with MetS and obese patients with MetS. Differences in all-cause mortality was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Results 45,615 participants were enrolled (mean age 56.3, standard deviation: 11.8 years; 61.7% female). MetS was diagnosed in 14,202 (31%) by NCEP/ATP III criteria, and 17,216 (37.7%) by JIS criteria. Follow-up was available for 44,620 (97.8%, median duration 15.3 years) patients. MetS was associated with increased mortality risk among the obese (hazard ratio, HR: 1.88 [95% CI, 1.79-1.99] and HR: 1.93 [95% CI 1.82-2.04], according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria, respectively) and non-obese individuals (HR: 2.11 [95% CI 1.85-2.40] and 1.7 [95% CI, 1.56-1.85] according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria respectively). Obese patients without MetS had a higher mortality risk than non-obese patients without MetS (HR: 1.16 [95% CI 1.10-1.23] and HR: 1.22 [95%CI 1.15-1.30], respectively in subgroups with NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria applied). Conclusions MetS is associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in non-obese and obese patients. In patients without MetS obesity remains significantly associated with mortality. The concept of metabolically healthy obesity should be revised