Isotropy of unitary involutions

We prove the so-called Unitary Isotropy Theorem, a result on isotropy of a unitary involution. The analogous previously known results on isotropy of orthogonal and symplectic involutions as well as on hyperbolicity of orthogonal, symplectic, and unitary involutions are formal consequences of this theorem. A component of the proof is a detailed study of the quasi-split unitary grassmannians.Comment: final version, to appear in Acta Mat

Conjugacy theorems for loop reductive group schemes and Lie algebras

The conjugacy of split Cartan subalgebras in the finite dimensional simple case (Chevalley) and in the symmetrizable Kac-Moody case (Peterson-Kac) are fundamental results of the theory of Lie algebras. Among the Kac-Moody Lie algebras the affine algebras stand out. This paper deals with the problem of conjugacy for a class of algebras --extended affine Lie algebras-- that are in a precise sense higher nullity analogues of the affine algebras. Unlike the methods used by Peterson-Kac, our approach is entirely cohomological and geometric. It is deeply rooted on the theory of reductive group schemes developed by Demazure and Grothendieck, and on the work of J. Tits on buildingsComment: Publi\'e dans Bulletin of Mathematical Sciences 4 (2014), 281-32

монографія

Свєженцева, Ю. О. Антикорупційний моніторинг діяльності Державної автомобільної інспекції: методика та результати: монографія / Ю. О. Свєженцева, О. О. Сердюк, А. М. Черноусов; За заг. ред. О.О. Сердюка. — Харків : ХІСД, 2008. — 128 с.Видання знайомить читачів з результатами регіональних та загальнонаціональних соціологічних досліджень корупції в діяльності Державної автомобільної інспекції, проведених авторами у 2007-2008 рр. Подано результати аналізу: офіційних матеріалів та нормативної бази, що регламентує діяльність ДАІ МВС України; даних моніторингових опитувань водіїв Харківського регіону у 2007 та 2008 роках; даних соціологічного опитування населення України щодо поширеності корупції; поглиблених інтерв’ю з власниками автотранспорту.The public ation introduces readersto the results of regional and national sociological studies of corruption in the activities of the State Automobile Inspection conducted by the authorsin 2007-2008. Are presented the results of the following analysis: official materials and regulatory framework governing the traffic police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine; data of monitoring surveys of Kharkov region drivers in 2007 and 2008; data of the sociological survey of the population of Ukraine on the prevalence of corruption; in-depth interviews with the owners of vehicles.Издание знакомит читателей с результатами региональных и общенациональных социологических исследований коррупции в деятельности Государственной автомобильной инспекции, проведенных авторами в 2007-2008 гг. Представлены результаты анализа: официальных материалов и нормативной базы, регламентирующей деятельность ГАИ МВД Украины; данных мониторинговых опросов водителей Харьковского региона в 2007 и 2008 годах; данных социологического опроса населения Украины относительно распространенности коррупции; углубленных интервью с владельцами автотранспорта

Counting and effective rigidity in algebra and geometry

The purpose of this article is to produce effective versions of some rigidity results in algebra and geometry. On the geometric side, we focus on the spectrum of primitive geodesic lengths (resp., complex lengths) for arithmetic hyperbolic 2-manifolds (resp., 3-manifolds). By work of Reid, this spectrum determines the commensurability class of the 2-manifold (resp., 3-manifold). We establish effective versions of these rigidity results by ensuring that, for two incommensurable arithmetic manifolds of bounded volume, the length sets (resp., the complex length sets) must disagree for a length that can be explicitly bounded as a function of volume. We also prove an effective version of a similar rigidity result established by the second author with Reid on a surface analog of the length spectrum for hyperbolic 3-manifolds. These effective results have corresponding algebraic analogs involving maximal subfields and quaternion subalgebras of quaternion algebras. To prove these effective rigidity results, we establish results on the asymptotic behavior of certain algebraic and geometric counting functions which are of independent interest.Comment: v.2, 39 pages. To appear in Invent. Mat

Preparation and thermal properties of mineral-supported polyethylene glycol as form-stable composite phase change materials (CPCMs) used in asphalt pavements

Tis work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51704040, 51778071, 51608058), the Scientifc Research Project of Hunan Provincial Department of Education for Excellent Young Scholars (16B007), Open Fund of Key Laboratory of Special Environment Road Engineering of Hunan Province (Changsha University of Science & Technology, kf160501), and Open Fund of Key Laboratory of Biohydrometallurgy, Ministry of Education (Central South University, MOEKLB1708)

ПЭТ-КТ в диагностике и дифференциальной диагностике адренокортикального рака.

The objective of the study was to develop criteria for the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of adrenocortical cancer (ACC) during positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET / CT) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG).Materials and methods. Diagnostic tests were performed on a General Electric the Discovery PET / CT 610. After scanning 60–90 minutes after the administration of the radiopharmaceutical, PET-grams were formed showing the distribution of the radiopharmaceutical throughout the body in both physiological and pathological areas. Using software, automatic "fusion" of images obtained on PET and CT scanners was carried out. Initially, a radiologist performed an analysis of structural pathological changes in organs, followed by an assessment of the level of accumulation and determination of CT densitometry of pathological adrenal formations. Subsequently, metabolic activity was determined by the level of SUV (standart uptake value).Results. A retrospective analysis of PET / CT data with 18F-FDG was performed in 50 patients with adrenal tumor formations. Based on the data studied, all patients were divided into 2 groups: 1st group (n = 21) with a subsequent diagnosis of ACC, 2nd group (n = 29) with benign adrenal neoplasms. The age of the patients was 68 (32–76) years and did not statistically differ in both groups (p ˃0.05). After check up tumor parameters the following results were obtained: the average tumor size in patients of the 1st group was 4.5 Ѓ} 0.75 cm, of the 2nd group – 4.9 Ѓ} 1.1 cm, no significant difference was found (p ˃0.05). The diagnostic model obtained by constructing and subsequent analysis of the ROC curve of the SUV level in patients with malignant and benign neoplasms of the adrenal glands showed a high quality model with a sesitivity of 90 %, specificity of 95 % (area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.93 at p <0.0001 (z = 27.37)) and a cut-off point of 3. When studying CT densitometric parameters of a tumor in patients of the 1st and 2nd groups, a direct correlation relationship between these parameters and the diagnosis of malignant lesions was also obtained (Rs = 0.67; coefficient τ Kendall 0.64; p = 0.001). Interpretation of the results of the ROC analysis of the tumor density level (CT density in Hounsfield units (HU)) in patients of the 1st and 2nd groups showed 80 % sensitivity and 90 % specificity (AUC 0.89; p <0.0001) with clipping point equal to 10 HU.Conclusion. Obtaining integral information on the SUV level together with the measurement of CT density during PET / CT with 18F-FDG is one of the most modern diagnostic methods that allow both diagnostics and differential diagnosis of ACC in the early stages of the pathological process. The above factors currently indicate the high diagnostic value of PET / CT with 18F-FDG and the priority nature of this study in cases of suspected ACC in patients with adrenal neoplasms of 1–5 cm in size.Цель исследования – разработка критериев ранней и дифференциальной диагностики адренокортикального рака (АКР) при проведении позитронной эмиссионной томографии, совмещенной с компьютерной томографией (ПЭТ / КТ), с 18F-фтордезоксиглюкозой (18F-ФДГ).Материалы и методы. Диагностические исследования выполнены на аппарате General Electric the Discovery PET / CT 610. После проведения сканирования и введения радиофармацевтического препарата (РФП) через 60–90 мин сформированы изображения ПЭТ, показывающие распределение РФП во всем теле как в физиологических, так и в патологических зонах. С помощью программного обеспечения проводилось автоматическое «слияние» снимков, полученных на ПЭТи КТ-сканерах. Первоначально врачом-рентгенологом выполнялся анализ структурных патологических изменений в органах с последующей оценкой уровня накопления РФП и определением КТ-денситометрии образований надпочечников. Метаболическую активность опухолей надпочечников определяли по уровню SUV (стандартизированный показатель накопления РФП).Результаты. Проведен ретроспективный анализ данных ПЭТ / КТ с 18F-ФДГ у 50 пациентов с опухолевыми образованиями надпочечников. На основании изученных данных пациенты были разделены на 2 группы: 1‑я группа (n = 21) с диагностированным в последующем АКР, 2‑я группа (n = 29) с доброкачественными новообразованиями надпочечников. Возраст пациентов составил 68 (32–76) лет и статистически не различался в обеих группах (р >0,05). При изучении параметров образования получены следующие результаты: средний размер опухоли у пациентов 1‑й группы составил 4,5 Ѓ} 0,75 см, 2‑й группы – 4,9 Ѓ} 1,1 см, при этом достоверной разницы между группами не выявлено (р >0,05). Диагностическая модель, полученная при построении и последующем анализе ROC-кривой уровня SUV у пациентов со злокачественными и доброкачественными новообразованиями надпочечников, показала высокое качество с чувствительностью метода 90 %, специфичностью 95 % (площадь под ROC-кривой (AUC) 0,93 при p <0,0001 (z = 27,37)) и точкой отсечения, равной 3. При изучении КТ-денситометрических показателей опухоли надпочечников у пациентов 1‑й и 2‑й групп получена прямая корреляционная связь данных параметров с диагностикой злокачественного поражения (Rs = 0,67; коэффициент τ Кендалла 0,64; р = 0,001). Интерпретация результатов ROC-анализа уровня плотности опухоли (КТ-плотность в единицах Хаунсфилда (HU)) у пациентов 1‑й и 2‑й групп показала 80 % чувствительность и 90 % специфичность (AUC 0,89; p <0,0001) с точкой отсечения, равной 10 HU.Заключение. Получение интегральной информации по уровню SUV вместе с измерением КТ-плотности опухоли при проведении ПЭТ / КТ с 18F-ФДГ является одним из наиболее современных диагностических методов, позволяющих проводить дифференциальную диагностику патологического процесса в надпочечниках и на ранних этапах обследования выявлять АКР. Перечисленные выше факторы в настоящее время указывают на высокую диагностическую ценность ПЭТ / КТ с 18F-ФДГ и приоритетный характер выполнения данного исследования при подозрении на АКР у пациентов с новообразованиями надпочечников размером 1–5 см

A novel role for syndecan-3 in angiogenesis.

Syndecan-3 is one of the four members of the syndecan family of heparan sulphate proteoglycans and has been shown to interact with numerous growth factors via its heparan sulphate chains. The extracellular core proteins of syndecan-1,-2 and -4 all possess adhesion regulatory motifs and we hypothesized that syndecan-3 may also possess such characteristics. Here we show that a bacterially expressed GST fusion protein consisting of the entire mature syndecan-3 ectodomain has anti-angiogenic properties and acts via modulating endothelial cell migration. This work identifies syndecan-3 as a possible therapeutic target for anti-angiogenic therapy.This work was funded by Arthritis Research-UK (Grant No. 19207) and funds from the William Harvey Research Foundation both to JRW

Urokinase Plasminogen Receptor and the Fibrinolytic Complex Play a Role in Nerve Repair after Nerve Crush in Mice, and in Human Neuropathies

Remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) is a critical step in peripheral nerve regeneration. In fact, in human neuropathies, endoneurial ECM enriched in fibrin and vitronectin associates with poor regeneration and worse clinical prognosis. Accordingly in animal models, modification of the fibrinolytic complex activity has profound effects on nerve regeneration: high fibrinolytic activity and low levels of fibrin correlate with better nerve regeneration. The urokinase plasminogen receptor (uPAR) is a major component of the fibrinolytic complex, and binding to urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) promotes fibrinolysis and cell movement. uPAR is expressed in peripheral nerves, however, little is known on its potential function on nerve development and regeneration. Thus, we investigated uPAR null mice and observed that uPAR is dispensable for nerve development, whereas, loss of uPAR affects nerve regeneration. uPAR null mice showed reduced nerve repair after sciatic nerve crush. This was a consequence of reduced fibrinolytic activity and increased deposition of endoneurial fibrin and vitronectin. Exogenous fibrinolysis in uPAR null mice rescued nerve repair after sciatic nerve crush. Finally, we measured the fibrinolytic activity in sural nerve biopsies from patients with peripheral neuropathies. We showed that neuropathies with defective regeneration had reduced fibrinolytic activity. On the contrary, neuropathies with signs of active regeneration displayed higher fibrinolytic activity. Overall, our results suggest that enforced fibrinolysis may facilitate regeneration and outcome of peripheral neuropathies

An overview of tissue engineering approaches for management of spinal cord injuries

Severe spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to devastating neurological deficits and disabilities, which necessitates spending a great deal of health budget for psychological and healthcare problems of these patients and their relatives. This justifies the cost of research into the new modalities for treatment of spinal cord injuries, even in developing countries. Apart from surgical management and nerve grafting, several other approaches have been adopted for management of this condition including pharmacologic and gene therapy, cell therapy, and use of different cell-free or cell-seeded bioscaffolds. In current paper, the recent developments for therapeutic delivery of stem and non-stem cells to the site of injury, and application of cell-free and cell-seeded natural and synthetic scaffolds have been reviewed

Display of Cell Surface Sites for Fibronectin Assembly Is Modulated by Cell Adherence to 1F3 and C-Terminal Modules of Fibronectin

BACKGROUND: Fibronectin-null cells assemble soluble fibronectin shortly after adherence to a substrate coated with intact fibronectin but not when adherent to the cell-binding domain of fibronectin (modules (7)F3-(10)F3). Interactions of adherent cells with regions of adsorbed fibronectin other than modules (7)F3-(10)F3, therefore, are required for early display of the cell surface sites that initiate and direct fibronectin assembly. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To identify these regions, coatings of proteolytically derived or recombinant pieces of fibronectin containing modules in addition to (7)F3-(10)F3 were tested for effects on fibronectin assembly by adherent fibronectin-null fibroblasts. Pieces as large as one comprising modules (2)F3-(14)F3, which include the heparin-binding and cell adhesion domains, were not effective in supporting fibronectin assembly. Addition of module (1)F3 or the C-terminal modules to modules (2)F3-(14)F3 resulted in some activity, and addition of both (1)F3 and the C-terminal modules resulted in a construct, (1)F3-C, that best mimicked the activity of a coating of intact fibronectin. Constructs (1)F3-C V0, (1)F3-C V64, and (1)F3-C Delta(V(15)F3(10)F1) were all able to support fibronectin assembly, suggesting that (1)F3 through (11)F1 and/or (12)F1 were important for activity. Coatings in which the active parts of (1)F3-C were present in different proteins were much less active than intact (1)F3-C. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that (1)F3 acts together with C-terminal modules to induce display of fibronectin assembly sites on adherent cells