On generalizations of Ostrowski inequality via Euler harmonic identities

Copyright © 2002 L. J. Dedić et al. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.Some generalizations of Ostrowski inequality are given, by using some Euler identities involving harmonic sequences of polynomials.L. J. Dedić, M. Matić, J. Pečarić, and A. Vukeli

Sorption-spectrophotometric method for the determination of Pd(II) in aqueous solutions

The reaction of Pd(II) with 1,8-dihydroxy-2-(prazol-5-ylazo)-naphthalene- 3-6-disulphonic acid (PACA) sorbed onto Dowex 1-X8 ion-exchange resin was investigated with the aim of developing an absorption-spectrophotometric analytical method for the determination of low Pd(II) concentrations in water. The immobilized reagent formed a 1:1 complex with Pd(II) having an absorption maximum at 650 nm. Parameters, such as pH, wavelength and contact time were optimised for a liven amount of the sorbed reagent. The linearity range of absorbance vs. Pd(II) concentration extended from 5x10(-6)- 5x 10(-5) M, 5x 10(-7) - 5x10(-6) and 2.5x 10(-8)-2.5x10(-7) M when using 10, 100 and 200 ml of sample solution. respectively. With a 200 ml sample, the detection limit was 2.5x10(-7) M Pd(II). Most metals, except Cu(II). did not interfere when present in tip to 100 times the concentration of Pd(II)

Comparative model analysis of two types of clamping elements in dynamic conditions

U radu se razmatra popustljivost sustava naprava-izradak. Razmatra se slučaj stezanja izratka s dva tipa elemenata za stezanje. Prvi tip elementa za stezanje je sa standardnim ravnim čelom. Drugi tip elementa za stezanje je specijalne izvedbe s čelom u obliku kružnog klina. Analiziran je slučaj stezanja malim vrijednostima sila stezanja pri čemu se deformacije u zonama kontakta između elemenata za stezanje i izratka pretežno odvijaju u zonama visine neravnina. Također je prikazana komparativna analiza, predhodno spomenuta, dva načina stezanja izradaka u uvjetima dinamičkih opterećenja. Specijalno dizajnirani element za stezanje s čelom oblika kružnog klina u odnosu na standardni element za stezanje s ravnim čelom ima izrazito veću steznu učinkovitost po pitanju tangencijalne nosivosti i popustljivosti.This paper studies the compliance of the fixture-workpiece system. Workpiece clamping case with two types of clamping elements is considered. The first type of clamping element is standard, with flat top, while the second one is specially designed, with round cutting insert. Analyzed was the case of workpiece clamping using small forces, whereby the deformations in the workpiece/clamping element interface are predominantly on the order of magnitude of roughness height. A comparative analysis of dynamic behaviour of both types of clamping elements is also presented. In comparison with its standard counterpart, the specially designed clamping element with round cutting insert has superior clamping performance regarding both tangential load capacity and compliance

Comparative model analysis of two types of clamping elements in dynamic conditions

U radu se razmatra popustljivost sustava naprava-izradak. Razmatra se slučaj stezanja izratka s dva tipa elemenata za stezanje. Prvi tip elementa za stezanje je sa standardnim ravnim čelom. Drugi tip elementa za stezanje je specijalne izvedbe s čelom u obliku kružnog klina. Analiziran je slučaj stezanja malim vrijednostima sila stezanja pri čemu se deformacije u zonama kontakta između elemenata za stezanje i izratka pretežno odvijaju u zonama visine neravnina. Također je prikazana komparativna analiza, predhodno spomenuta, dva načina stezanja izradaka u uvjetima dinamičkih opterećenja. Specijalno dizajnirani element za stezanje s čelom oblika kružnog klina u odnosu na standardni element za stezanje s ravnim čelom ima izrazito veću steznu učinkovitost po pitanju tangencijalne nosivosti i popustljivosti.This paper studies the compliance of the fixture-workpiece system. Workpiece clamping case with two types of clamping elements is considered. The first type of clamping element is standard, with flat top, while the second one is specially designed, with round cutting insert. Analyzed was the case of workpiece clamping using small forces, whereby the deformations in the workpiece/clamping element interface are predominantly on the order of magnitude of roughness height. A comparative analysis of dynamic behaviour of both types of clamping elements is also presented. In comparison with its standard counterpart, the specially designed clamping element with round cutting insert has superior clamping performance regarding both tangential load capacity and compliance

A history of heart failure is an independent risk factor for death in patients admitted with coronavirus 19 disease

Aims: The association between cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease and hypertension, and worse outcomes in COVID-19 patients has been previously demonstrated. However, the effect of a prior diagnosis of heart failure (HF) with reduced or preserved left ventricular ejection fraction on COVID-19 outcomes has not yet been established. Methods and Results: We retrospectively studied all adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to our institution from March 1st to 2nd May 2020. Patients were grouped based on the presence or absence of HF. We used competing events survival models to examine the association between HF and death, need for intubation, or need for dialysis during hospitalization. Of 4043 patients admitted with COVID-19, 335 patients (8.3%) had a prior diagnosis of HF. Patients with HF were older, had lower body mass index, and a significantly higher burden of co-morbidities compared to patients without HF, yet the two groups presented to the hospital with similar clinical severity and similar markers of systemic inflammation. Patients with HF had a higher cumulative in-hospital mortality compared to patients without HF (49.0% vs. 27.2%, p < 0.001) that remained statistically significant (HR = 1.383, p = 0.001) after adjustment for age, body mass index, and comorbidities, as well as after propensity score matching (HR = 1.528, p = 0.001). Notably, no differences in mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, or renal replacement therapy were observed among HF patients with preserved or reduced ejection fraction. Conclusions: The presence of HF is a risk factor of death, substantially increasing in-hospital mortality in patients admitted with COVID-19

Offspring of parents with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy have higher C-reactive protein levels suggestive of inflammatory processes: a longitudinal study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the characteristic extensive tubulointerstitial fibrosis, Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN) is usually considered a non-inflammatory disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined a marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP), in the offspring of patients with BEN, a population at risk for BEN, prior to development of established disease to determine if an inflammatory process could be identified in the early stages of the disease. In 2003/04, 102 adult offspring whose parents had BEN and a control group of 99 adult offspring of non-BEN patients were enrolled in this prospective study. This cohort was re-examined yearly for four consecutive years. Levels of serum CRP were measured in years 3 and 4 and compared between groups. The data were analyzed with mixed models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared to controls, offspring of BEN parents had statistically higher CRP levels in two consecutive years, suggestive of early inflammatory reactivity. Whenever the mother was affected by BEN (both parents, or mother only), serum CRP was significantly increased, but not if only the father had BEN. CRP was inversely related to kidney cortex width but not to markers or renal function.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Early stages of BEN may involve inflammatory processes. The observation of a maternal involvement supports the concept of fetal programming, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of other chronic kidney diseases.</p

Increased blood pressure in adult offspring of families with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have linked smaller kidney dimensions to increased blood pressure. However, patients with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN), whose kidneys shrink during the course of the disease, do not manifest increased blood pressure. The authors evaluated the relationship between kidney cortex width, kidney length, and blood pressure in the offspring of BEN patients and controls. METHODS: 102 offspring of BEN patients and 99 control offspring of non-BEN hospital patients in the Vratza District, Bulgaria, were enrolled in a prospective study and examined twice (2003/04 and 2004/05). Kidney dimensions were determined using ultrasound, blood pressure was measured, and medical information was collected. The parental disease of BEN was categorized into three groups: mother, father, or both parents. Repeated measurements were analyzed with mixed regression models. RESULTS: In all participants, a decrease in minimal kidney cortex width of 1 mm was related to an increase in systolic blood pressure of 1.4 mm Hg (p = 0.005). There was no association between kidney length and blood pressure. A maternal history of BEN was associated with an increase in systolic blood pressure of 6.7 mm Hg (p = 0.03); paternal BEN, +3.2 mm Hg (p = 0.35); or both parents affected, +9.9 mm Hg (p = 0.002). There was a similar relation of kidney cortex width and parental history of BEN with pulse pressure; however, no association with diastolic blood pressure was found. CONCLUSION: In BEN and control offspring, a smaller kidney cortex width predisposed to higher blood pressure. Unexpectedly, a maternal history of BEN was associated with average increased systolic blood pressure in offspring

Keratinocyte-Targeted Overexpression of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Delays Cutaneous Wound Healing

Delayed wound healing is one of the most common secondary adverse effects associated to the therapeutic use of glucocorticoid (GC) analogs, which act through the ligand-dependent transcription factor GC-receptor (GR). GR function is exerted through DNA-binding-dependent and –independent mechanisms, classically referred to as transactivation (TA) and transrepression (TR). Currently both TA and TR are thought to contribute to the therapeutical effects mediated by GR; however their relative contribution to unwanted side effects such as delayed wound healing is unknown. We evaluated skin wound healing in transgenic mice with keratinocyte-restricted expression of either wild type GR or a mutant GR that is TA-defective but efficient in TR (K5-GR and K5-GR-TR mice, respectively). Our data show that at days (d) 4 and 8 following wounding, healing in K5-GR mice was delayed relative to WT, with reduced recruitment of granulocytes and macrophages and diminished TNF-α and IL-1β expression. TGF-β1 and Kgf expression was repressed in K5-GR skin whereas TGF-β3 was up-regulated. The re-epithelialization rate was reduced in K5-GR relative to WT, as was formation of granulation tissue. In contrast, K5-GR-TR mice showed delays in healing at d4 but re-established the skin breach at d8 concomitant with decreased repression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors relative to K5-GR mice. Keratinocytes from both transgenic mice closed in vitro wounds slower relative to WT, consistent with the in vivo defects in cell migration. Overall, the delay in the early stages of wound healing in both transgenic models is similar to that elicited by systemic treatment with dexamethasone. Wound responses in the transgenic keratinocytes correlated with reduced ERK activity both in vivo and in vitro. We conclude that the TR function of GR is sufficient for negatively regulating early stages of wound closure, while TA by GR is required for delaying later stages of healing