Baba Yaga: An Ecofeminist Analysis of the Witch of the Woods

In this thesis, I will argue that Baba Yaga’s prevalence in Russia’s culture and media provide a unique opportunity to gain insight into the junctures between the climate crisis and gender inequality in Russia. Despite the persistent gender inequities present in current Russian society, ecofeminist frameworks and ideologies are already deeply embedded in Russian culture. Women, as a group, have always been politically active in Russia, from resisting the introduction of Christianity in the 9th century, to the feminist resistance group Pussy Riot founded in 2011. I will examine Baba Yaga’s history, her role in the Russian folktale, and her associated symbols and objects through an ecofeminist lens. To do this, I will examine the unique qualities of the folklore genre, analyze two famous folktales containing Baba Yaga that exemplify her potential as an ecofeminist icon, and briefly discuss the significance of the environment where Baba Yaga lives

The association of A1166C gene polymorphism of angiotensin receptors with the parameters of central pulse wave in normotensive persons and patients with hypertension

Introduction. Available information about the impact of the polymorphic structure of type 1 angiotensin receptor (ATR1) gene on the central pulse wave is scarce and contradictory. The aim of the study was to establish a possible association of A1166C polymorphism of ATR1 gene with the pulse wave parameters obtained by applanation tonometry. Material and metods. We examined male and female persons aged 25 to 76 years. They were divided into two groups: the basic consisting of 150 hypertensive patients and the control group presented by 128 individuals with normal blood pressure. In addition to the general clinical exam three-fold measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (systolic blood pressure [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP], respectively) with the automatic blood pressure monitor Omron M3 were provided mandatory. The structure of the polymorphic receptor gene ATR1 was defined in all participants by polymerase chain reaction on the thermocycler PHC (Techne, UK). Pulse wave analysis was provided with applanation tonometry. For this purpose we used Sphygmocor XCEL equipment (AtCor Medical, Australia). Results. Analysis of mean SBP and DBP in dependence on ATR1 genotype and existence of arterial hypertension showed that there was a tendency to rise with increasing number of C alleles, but statistical significance of the trend had been confirmed by ANOVA only for SBP in patients with hypertension. Also it was shown a significant difference in central diastolic blood pressure (CDBP) and pulse pressure augmentation (PPA) in hypertensive patients compared with normotensive. It was found a tendency to decrease CDBP and PPA with increasing number of C alleles. The subjects of the control group demonstrated the same trend of PPA as in the group of hypertensive patients. Conclusion. Thus, we established the association between decrease of PPA and increase of C alleles number in the ATR1 gene

Implementation of the “Vascular Age Index” for the interpretation of applanation tonometry

Background The application of pulse wave analysis in clinical practice is significantly limited due to the difficulties with evaluation of obtained data. The aim of the study was to propose the new index named “Vascular Age Index” for the improvement and simplification of pulse wave analysis. Material and methods We examined male and female persons aged from 25 to 76. 128 normotensive participants (the control group, CG) and 150 patients with essential hypertension (EH) were subdivided into subgroups of 25–44, 45–64 and 65 or more years. Each of them included 50 patients. The exception was the oldest subgroup of CG consisting of 28 persons. All participants underwent office blood pressure measurement by automatic blood pressure monitor “Omron 3” and pulse wave analysis carried out with «Sphygmocor XCEL» equipment (AtCor Medical, Australia). Besides common parameters of pulse wave such as augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) the new indicator — “Vascular Age Index” was determined in all persons by the formula: VAI (year) = PWV × AIx ÷ 20. Results All studied parameters of pulse wave showed strong relationship with age, but the relationship of VAI with age was superior in its strength and significance. It was especially strong (r = 0.90; p < 0.001) in normotensive patients. The values of VAI obtained in subjects of the control group were approaching to the calendar age, and in patients with hypertension — often exceeded it. Conclusions Our data confirmed the relationship between AIx and PWV on the one hand, and age and blood pressure on the other. It was shown that in patients of 25–44 years pathological changes of central pulse wave parameters could serve as an additional argument for the diagnosis of hypertension. VAI significantly simplifies the interpretation of central pulse wave study and increases the compliance. Moreover, the diagnostic accuracy of VAI application is rather high. Thus, the implementation of VAI in the routine practice may be recommended

The inappropriateness of left ventricular mass and echoreflectivity in males with essential hypertension and different CYP11B2 gene polymorphisms

Background. The CYP11B2 gene as the main controller of aldosterone plasma activity is likely to be responsible as for the BP level as for the expression of different traits of hypertensive cardiac remodeling such as increased left ventricular mass and myocardial fibrosis. The main objective of our study was to define the differences in myocardial remodeling depending on CYP11B2 gene polymorphism. It was shown that some special techniques of echocardiography such as the assessment of inappropriate left ventricular mass and myocardial echoreflectivity proved additional information in patients with hypertensive heart disease. That’s why these techniques were used for a more precise assessment of hypertensive cardiac remodeling. Material and methods. Our study involved 150 males aged 45–60 years. They were divided into three groups: Group 1–50 patients with normal BP without any echocardiographic abnormalities, Group 2–52 patients with essential hypertension without left ventricular hypertrophy, and Group 3–48 patients with essential hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. Results. It was found that in patients with inappropriate LVM the prevalence of CC genotype was almost twice higher than among those with appropriate LVM. On the other hand, hypertensive patients with CC genotype and LVH demonstrated higher echoreflectivity parameters. Conclusions. We assume that CC polymorphism of CYP11B2 may be an indicator of more expressed signs of hypertensive cardiac remodeling, in particular myocardial hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis, in males with essential hypertension

Colite eosinofílica em lactentes

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature for clinical data on infants with allergic or eosinophilic colitis.DATA SOURCE:MEDLINE search of all indexes was performed using the words ''colitis or procto-colitis and eosinophilic'' or ''colitis or proctocolitis and allergic'' between 1966 and February of 2013. All articles that described patients' characteristics were selected.DATA SYNTHESIS:A total of 770 articles were identified, of which 32 met the inclusion criteria. The 32 articles included a total of 314 infants. According to the available information, 61.6% of infants were male and 78.6% were younger than 6 months. Of the 314 patients, 49.0% were fed exclusively breast milk, 44.2% received cow's milk protein, and 6.8% received soy protein. Diarrheal stools were described in 28.3% of patients. Eosinophilia was found in 43.8% (115/263) of infants. Colonic or rectal biopsy showed infiltration by eosinophils (between 5 and 25 perhigh-power field) in 89.3% (236/264) of patients. Most patients showed improvement with theremoval of the protein in cow's milk from their diet or the mother's diet. Allergy challenge tests with cow's milk protein were cited by 12 of the 32 articles (66 patients).CONCLUSIONS:Eosinophilic colitis occurs predominantly in the first six months of life and in males. Allergy to cow's milk was considered the main cause of eosinophilic colitis. Exclusion of cow'smilk from the diet of the lactating mother or from the infant's diet is generally an effective therapeutic measure.OBJETIVO:Revisão da literatura sobre dados clínicos de lactentes com colite eosinofílica oualérgica.FONTE DOS DADOS:Pesquisa no Medline de todas as indexações com as palavras ''colitis or proc-tocolitis and eosinophilic'' ou ''colitis or proctocolitis and allergic'' entre 1966 e fevereiro de 2013. Foram selecionados todos os artigos que descreviam as características dos pacientes.SÍNTESE DOS DADOS:Foram identificados 770 artigos dos quais 32 preenchiam os critérios de inclusão. Os 32 artigos incluíram o total de 314 lactentes. Conforme as informações disponíveis, 61,6% dos lactentes eram do sexo masculino e 78,6% apresentavam idade inferior a 6 meses. Dos 314 pacientes, 49,0% encontrava-se em aleitamento natural exclusivo, 44,2% recebiam proteína do leite de vaca e 6,8% proteína da soja. Fezes diarreicas foram descritas em 28,3% dos pacientes. Eosinofilia foi encontrada em 43,8% (115/263) dos lactentes. Biópsia retal ou colônica mostrou infiltração por eosinófilos (entre 5 e 25 por campo de grande aumento) em 89,3% (236/264) dos pacientes. A maioria dos pacientes apresentou melhora com a retirada da proteína do leite de vaca da sua dieta ou das suas mães. Teste de desencadeamento com proteína do leite de vaca foi citado em 12 dos 32 artigos (66 pacientes).CONCLUSÕES:Colite eosinofílica ocorre predominantemente nos primeiros seis meses de vida e no sexo masculino. Alergia ao leite de vaca foi considerada a principal causa de colite eosinofílica. Dieta de exclusão do leite de vaca da mãe lactante ou da dieta do lactente é uma medidate rapêutica geralmente eficaz.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Department of PediatricsUNIFESP, EPM, Department of PediatricsSciEL

Non-Immunoglobulin-E mediated gastrointestinal food allergy in children: diagnosis, management and clinical impact

Background: Despite all research published in the last decades, the prevalence of food allergy in the paediatric population has continued to increase and is nowadays recognized as a significant public health problem. In the United Kingdom, studies have found that between 2.2% and 5.5% of the infants in the first year of life present with proven food allergies, with the prevalence of cow’s milk protein allergy, the most common form of non-IgE food allergies, ranging between 1.9% and 4.9%. The diagnosis of non-IgE mediated food allergy is a real challenge due to its delayed onset, with symptoms occurring hours to days after ingestion of the culprit and mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Allergy tests have shown limited use in these patients, and the diagnosis relies heavily on the recognition of symptoms and an allergy-focused history. The treatment is based on diet elimination, which can lead to the development of nutritional disorders and negative impact on the child’s quality of life. Objectives: The aims of the publications included in this thesis are, first, to prospectively investigate the required length of elimination diet to achieve symptom improvement during the diagnostic process; second, to evaluate the knowledge of primary health care professionals about diagnosis and management of cow’s milk protein allergy, to compare with parents views and opinions, and to better understand diagnosis tools, treatment and tolerance in infants diagnosed with nonIgE food allergies; third, to evaluate possible impacts of the elimination diet on growth and nutrients deficiencies; and fourth, to analyse the potential impact of nonIgE mediated gastrointestinal allergies on the quality of life of the affected children and their families. Methods: Children with suspected non-IgE mediated gastrointestinal food allergies were recruited and followed prospectively at a large tertiary gastroenterology department in the United Kingdom (UK) from December 2011 to November 2013. This study was designed to investigate the impact of non-IgE mediated food allergies on quality of life, as well as to establish symptoms, children’s growth and the characteristics and impact of dietary elimination. The knowledge and journey of diagnosis of cow’s milk protein allergy among general practitioners were studied via surveys. Eosinophilic colitis in infants was studied through a systematic review. II Results: In non-IgE mediated gastrointestinal food allergies the required time to achieve symptom improvement following the initiation of the elimination diet was four weeks in 98% of our patients. All symptoms individually and collectively have statistically improved after commencing the elimination diet (p <0.001). Regarding cow’s milk protein allergy, parents and general practitioners have very different perceptions about the course of the disease and the families’ journeys. An extensive review of the literature found that eosinophilic colitis occurred more frequently in male infants, younger than six months old. Half were exclusively breastfed at the time of the diagnosis. Patients on a diagnostic four-week elimination diet showed an improvement in the weight-for-age and weight-for-height. It was also noted that 60% of the cohort had low vitamin D intake and a higher number of patients had a low intake of copper, zinc, and selenium. Non-IgE mediated food allergies have a negative impact on the quality of life of the affected children and their families. Conclusions: The “Discovering the effect of non-IgE mediated allergies on children and their families” is a landmark study in the paediatric food allergy field. This welldesigned study investigated and elucidated some important characteristics and clinical features of this group of patients. Its impact is reflected in the number of publications derived from the results of this cohort, a large number of citations and the impact in clinical practice worldwide as much more is now known about this condition. Studies investigating preventative measures for the development of food allergies in childhood are also essential in the future

ICEBEAR-3D: An Advanced Low Elevation Angle Auroral E region Imaging Radar

The Ionospheric Continuous-wave E region Bistatic Experimental Auroral Radar (ICEBEAR) is an auroral E~region radar which has operated from 7 December 2017 until the September 2019. During the first two years of operation, ICEBEAR was only capable of spatially locating E~region scatter and meteor trail targets in range and azimuth. Elevation angles were not determinable due to its East-West uniform linear receiving antenna array. Measuring elevation angles of targets when viewing from low elevation angles with radar interferometers has been a long standing problem. Past high latitude radars have attempted to obtain elevation angles of E~region targets using North-South baselines, but have always resulted in erroneous elevation angles being measured in the low elevation regime (0° to ≈30° above the horizon), leaving interesting scientific questions about scatter altitudes in the auroral E~region unanswered. The work entailed in this thesis encompasses the design of the ICEBEAR-3D system for the acquisition of these important elevation angles. The receiver antenna array was redesigned using a custom phase error minimization and stochastic antenna location perturbation technique, which produces phase tolerant receiver antenna arrays. The resulting 45-baseline sparse non-uniform coplanar T-shaped array was designed for aperture synthesis radar imaging. Conventional aperture synthesis radar imaging techniques assume point-like incoherent targets and image using a Cartesian basis over a narrow field of view. These methods are incompatible with horizon pointing E~region radars such as ICEBEAR. Instead, radar targets were imaged using the Suppressed Spherical Wave Harmonic Transform (Suppressed-SWHT) technique. This imaging method uses precalculated spherical harmonic coefficient matrices to transform the visibilities to brightness maps by direct matrix multiplication. The under sampled image domain artefacts (dirty beam) were suppressed by the products of differing harmonic order brightness maps. From the images, elevation and azimuth angles of arrival were obtained. Due to the excellent phase tolerance of ICEBEAR new light was shed on the long standing low elevation angle problem. This led to the development of the proper phase reference vertical interferometry geometry, which allowed horizon pointing radar interferometers to unambiguously measure elevation angles near the horizon. Ultimately resulting in accurate elevation angles from zenith to horizon

Višestruke mogućnosti primjene novih biokatalizatora pri enzimskoj obradi otpadnih voda prehrambene industrije

The cells of filamentous fungus R. oryzae entrapped in the polyvinyl alcohol cryogelare capable of producing various extracellular hydrolytic enzymes (proteases, amylases, lipases) and are used for the treatment of complex wastewaters of food industry. Five types of media simulating the wastewater of various food enterprises were treated under batch conditions for 600 h. Fats containing mostly residues of unsaturated fatty acids, as well as casein, glucose, sucrose, starch, soybean flour and various salts were the main components of the treated wastewaters. The immobilized cells concurrently possessed lipolytic, amylolytic and proteolytic activities. The level of each enzymatic activity depended on the wastewater content. The physiological state of immobilized cells was monitored by bioluminescent method. The intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration determined in the granules with immobilized cells was high enough and almost constant for all the period of biocatalyst application confirming thereby the active metabolic state of the cells. The study of mechanical strength of biocatalyst granules allowed revealing the differences in the values of modulus of biocatalyst elasticity at the beginning and at the end of its use for the wastewater treatment. The decrease in chemical oxygen demand of the tested media after their processing by immobilized biocatalyst was 68–79 % for one working cycle.Stanice filamentozne gljive Rhizopus oryzae ugrađene u kriogel polivinilnog alkohola mogu proizvesti razne ekstracelularne hidrolitičke enzime (proteaze, amilaze, lipaze), pa se koriste u obradi otpadnih voda prehrambene industrije. Pet vrsta podloga, koje simuliraju otpadne vode raznih prehrambenih poduzeća, obrađeno je u uvjetima šaržnog uzgoja tijekom 600 sati. Glavni su sastojci obrađenih otpadnih voda masti (najviše ostaci nezasićenih masnih kiselina), kazein, glukoza, saharoza, škrob, sojino brašno i razne soli. Utvrđeno je da imobilizirane stanice istodobno imaju lipolitička, amilolitička i proteolitička svojstva. Fiziološko stanje imobiliziranih stanica praćeno je pomoću bioluminiscentne metode. Intracelularna koncentracija adenozin trifosfata (ATP-a) u granulama s imobiliziranim stanicama je velika i skoro konstantna cijelo vrijeme primjene biokatalizatora, što dokazuje aktivni metabolički status stanica. Ispitivanje mehaničke čvrstoće granula biokatalizatora otkrilo je razliku u modulu elastičnosti prije i nakon obrade otpadnih voda. Smanjenje kemijske potrošnje kisika ispitanih podloga u jednom radnom ciklusu, nakon njihove obrade imobiliziranim biokatalizatorom, iznosilo je 68-79 %

pDNA capture using grafted adsorbents

BACKGROUND: ‘Expanded’ composite materials are of interest as an alternative, or as a supplement, to packed-bed chromatography during bioproduct recovery and purification. Functionalized non-woven fabrics and mega-porous bodies are examples of systems that showed promise. However, there is scarce information on their suitability to capture and release plasmid DNA (pDNA), an important type of product employed in gene therapy. RESULTS: Composite adsorbents were prepared using either chemical (CG-DEAE-NW) or gamma-irradiated graft-polymerization (GIR-DEAE-MP), and subsequently modified to have diethylamino ethanol (DEAE) functionality. Capture experiments showed that pDNA can actually reversibly bind to the two mentioned adsorbents, with capacity values of 2.4 and 1.3 mg per mL, respectively. These values are in the range of what can be expected from commercial beaded adsorbents but lower that the values expected from monoliths. CONCLUSIONS: Expanded materials, due to their high voidage, may present limited capacity for pDNA. However, such materials are able to bind proteins and other contaminants from bacterial lysate, opening the way for their utilization in the ‘negative’ mode.Fil: Singh, Naveen Kumar. University of Notre Dame; Estados Unidos. Jacobs University; AlemaniaFil: Dsouza, Roy N.. Jacobs University; AlemaniaFil: Yelemane, Vikas. Jacobs University; AlemaniaFil: Nentwig, Nina. Jacobs University; AlemaniaFil: Grasselli, Mariano. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Fernández Lahore, Marcelo. Jacobs University; Alemani

Characteristics of changes and clinical and instrumental predictors of the severity of structural remodelling of carotid arteries in hypertensive patients

Background. Mechanisms of activation of the process of vascular wall remodelling in patients affected by arterial hypertension have not been studied in depth and require clarification. Materials and methods. The study included 381 patients with hypertension — 212 men and 169 women of the average age 53.0 (47; 60) years. The structural-functional vessel status was determined by the method of duplex scanning and colour duplex mapping of blood flow with the Logiq 500 MO apparatus (GE, USA). Statistical analyses were made using Microsoft Excel software kit, Statistica for Windows 6.0. Results. The patients with hypertension presented some left-right asymmetry of remodelling extracranial carotid arteries. Unlike the impact of remodelling of the right carotid artery, the most essential effect on the left carotid artery was the impact of daytime pulse arterial pressure and variability of the nocturnal systolic arterial pressure (the strength of impact 25.0 and 13.9%, respectively. The processes of remodelling of the right carotid artery are more sensible to the impact of high values of nocturnal diastolic arterial pressure (the strength of impact 16.4%). The beginning of some brain complication is associated with the significant increase in atherosclerotic affection not only of the left, but also of the right carotid artery. Conclusions. Remarkable remodelling of the right carotid artery is often associated with the severity of the disease and to some extent reflects the severity of the flow of the disease and can be regarded as an additional unfavourable feature