Sympathetic nervous system and neurotransmitters: Their possible role in neuroimmunomodulation of multiple sclerosis and some other autoimmune diseases

Multiple sclerosis is still a disease without a cure. Although intensive research efforts have led to the development of drugs that modify the activity of the disease, most of them have various side effects and are expensive. At the same time it is becoming apparent that some remedies usually used to treat somatic and psychic disorders also have immunomodulating properties, and may help manage multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. We describe here the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the neuro-immune interaction in multiple sclerosis and other immune diseases with increased cellular immunity as well as neurochemical disturbances that take place in these disorders. © Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006

Statistical prediction of protein structural, localization and functional properties by the analysis of its fragment mass distributions after proteolytic cleavage

Structural, localization and functional properties of unknown proteins are often being predicted from their primary polypeptide chains using sequence alignment with already characterized proteins and consequent molecular modeling. Here we suggest an approach to predict various structural and structure-associated properties of proteins directly from the mass distributions of their proteolytic cleavage fragments. For amino-acid-specific cleavages, the distributions of fragment masses are determined by the distributions of inter-amino-acid intervals in the protein, that in turn apparently reflect its structural and structure-related features. Large-scale computer simulations revealed that for transmembrane proteins, either α-helical or β-barrel secondary structure could be predicted with about 90% accuracy after thermolysin cleavage. Moreover, 3/4 intrinsically disordered proteins could be correctly distinguished from proteins with fixed three-dimensional structure belonging to all four SCOP structural classes by combining 3-4 different cleavages. Additionally, in some cases the protein cellular localization (cytosolic or membrane-associated) and its host organism (Firmicute or Proteobacteria) could be predicted with around 80% accuracy. In contrast to cytosolic proteins, for membrane-associated proteins exhibiting specific structural conformations, their monotopic or transmembrane localization and functional group (ATP-binding, transporters, sensors and so on) could be also predicted with high accuracy and particular robustness against missing cleavages

Superstatistical model of bacterial DNA architecture

© The Author(s) 2017.Understanding the physical principles that govern the complex DNA structural organization as well as its mechanical and thermodynamical properties is essential for the advancement in both life sciences and genetic engineering. Recently we have discovered that the complex DNA organization is explicitly reflected in the arrangement of nucleotides depicted by the universal power law tailed internucleotide interval distribution that is valid for complete genomes of various prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Here we suggest a superstatistical model that represents a long DNA molecule by a series of consecutive ∼150 bp DNA segments with the alternation of the local nucleotide composition between segments exhibiting long-range correlations. We show that the superstatistical model and the corresponding DNA generation algorithm explicitly reproduce the laws governing the empirical nucleotide arrangement properties of the DNA sequences for various global GC contents and optimal living temperatures. Finally, we discuss the relevance of our model in terms of the DNA mechanical properties. As an outlook, we focus on finding the DNA sequences that encode a given protein while simultaneously reproducing the nucleotide arrangement laws observed from empirical genomes, that may be of interest in the optimization of genetic engineering of long DNA molecules

Two-step algorithm for the automated analysis of fluorescent microscopy data in biomedical applications

© 2017 IEEE. Measurement automation is essential in various biomedical and biotechnological applications become increasingly important with their intensification and wide utilization. Estimation of both pro- and eukaryotic cells subpopulations in different cultures, samples and tissues, including differentiation of live and dead bacterial cells, stem cells in eukaryotic cell culture and so on are essential in multiple biomedical and biotechnological applications. Fluorescent microscopy is a widely used methodology to obtain the above estimates. Wide utilization of biotechnologies increases the importance of automatic microscopic image processing tools design aiming at both qualitative and quantitative assessment of cells sub-populations. Existing methods are mostly based either on cell detection and counting or on the statistical analysis of image areas with similar staining. However, these methods exhibit known drawbacks including their inapplicability to the communities of cells adherent to each other and to external surfaces with biofilms being a prominent example. Another limitation of standard image processing tools in their high level of automation limiting the ability of the operator to adjust the algorithm parameters to particular microscopic imaging conditions as well as to specific features of the studied cells subpopulations. Here we present a two-step algorithm including preliminary adjustment of its parameters to the imaging conditions based on several representative images from the studied cohort in the first step and fully automated analysis of a large series of images with fixed algorithm parameters in the second step. Out results indicate that the suggested methodology is barely sensitive to the decision threshold value that allows to reduce the parameterization of the algorithm

Features of optical characteristics of atmospheric aerosol in the Middle Urals

The results of studies into the aerosol optical depth (AOD) for the atmosphere in the Middle Urals in the spectrum range of 0.34-1.02 μm for 2004-2010 is presented. The interannual, annual, seasonal, and daily variations in the AOD are analyzed. The major statistical characteristics of the AOD, the parameters of the probability density function of distributions over different wave lengths, and the parameters of Angstrom's formula for the different seasons are calculated. The monitoring stations in the Russian segment of the AERONET network are ranked with respect to the AOD value. A shift from March to May in the spring maximum of the AOD is revealed in comparison with the results of the actinometric observations for the period of 1960-1986. A qualitative assessment is given to the influence of forest and peat fires in the region on the AOD. A classification of the states of aerosol haze in the atmosphere according to the AOD values is proposed. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Методология проектирования объектов дорожного сервиса автомобилей

In modern methods of technological design, the capacity of service facilities depends on the number of cars entering them per unit of time. At the same time, regardless of the type of service object, the number of visits is somehow associated with intensity of the vehicle traffic on a given road, as well as with one of the characteristics that determine speed of this event. Such a characteristic, for example, for service or maintenance stations is intensity of vehicle failures, for fuelling stations – intensity of fuel consumption, for hotels and parking lots – intensity of the onset of fatigue for drivers and passengers. This gives ground for conclusion that there is a significant similarity between the processes that result in an event that can be called a visit to a service facility. Thus, the purpose of this theoretical study was to develop a common approach applicable to all road service facilities to determine the number of such events, as well as to develop a common methodology for their design.A characteristic feature of operation of service objects is a time-varying flow of demand for the operation of service facilities, as well as variable labour intensity and duration of troubleshooting or the provision of other service services. Systems in which the moments of receipt of requests for service and the duration of the services themselves are variable and random are called a queuing system. Therefore, to justify the number of car arrivals at road service facilities, the authors proposed a probabilistic method, the main tools of which are provisions and mathematical apparatus of the queuing theory.The main condition for functioning of the queuing system is the ratio between the incoming flow of requirements and the absolute throughput of the system. Thus, the mathematical model proposed by the authors considers the performance indicators of service facilities, depending on the size of the incoming flow of requirements and its variation, on the one hand, and on the throughput and performance of service facilities, on the other hand.В современных методиках технологического проектирования мощность объектов сервиса зависит от числа заездов на них автомобилей в единицу времени. При этом независимо от вида объекта сервиса число заездов так или иначе связывают с интенсивностью их движения на данной дороге, а также с одной из характеристик, определяющих скорость наступления данного события. Такой характеристикой, например, для СТО, является интенсивность отказов автомобилей, для АЗС – интенсивность расходования топлива, для гостиниц и стоянок – интенсивность наступления утомления водителей и пассажиров. Это позволяет сделать заключение о существенном сходстве процессов, в результате которых возникает событие, именуемое заездом. Таким образом, целью данного теоретического исследования являлась разработка единого для всех объектов дорожного сервиса подхода к определению числа таких событий, а также общей методологии их проектирования.Характерной особенностью работы объектов сервиса является изменяющийся во времени поток требований на работу средств обслуживания, а также переменные трудоёмкость и продолжительность устранения неисправностей или предоставление других услуг сервиса. Системы, в которых переменными и случайными являются моменты поступления требований на обслуживание и продолжительность самих обслуживаний, называют системой массового обслуживания. Поэтому авторами для обоснования числа заездов автомобилей на объекты дорожного сервиса предложен вероятностный метод, основным инструментом которого являются положения и математический аппарат теории массового обслуживания.Основным условием функционирования системы массового обслуживания является соотношение между входящим потоком требований и абсолютной пропускной способностью системы. Таким образом, математическая модель, предложенная авторами, рассматривает показатели эффективности средств обслуживания в зависимости с одной стороны от величины входящего потока требований и его вариации, а с другой – от пропускной способности и производительности средств обслуживания

Redistribution of sediment and sediment-associated contaminants in the River Chern basin during the last 50 years

A detailed study was undertaken in the upper part of the River Chern basin (126 km2). An integrated approach was used to investigate the redistribution of sediment and sediment-associated contaminants within the upper part of the basin, upstream from the reservoir located in the middle reach of the main valley. It was found that maximum sheet, rill and gully erosion rates were observed during the 1960s. This led to increased erosion rates in all parts of the fluvial system. The intensity of erosion decreased considerably after 1991 for a number of reasons. The commencement of mining activity and the sharp increase in the application of chemical fertilizers caused detectable heavy metal pollution within the basin during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the Mikhailovsky iron ore mining development started. As a result, concentrations of Zn and As in floodplain sediment increased and exceeded the maximum permissible levels, according to Russian human health standards. Copyright © 2012 IAHS Press

Оценка клинико-экономической эффективности и влияния массовых флюорографических осмотров на эпидемиологические показатели по туберкулезу в четырех федеральных округах РФ с различным уровнем охвата флюорографическими осмотрами населения

The objective: to evaluate the clinical and economic efficiency and impact of mass fluorography screening of the population on tuberculosis mortality and rates of timely tuberculosis detection in four federal districts of the Russian Federation with different levels of tuberculosis detection and coverage of the population with fluorography mass screening.Subjects and Methods. Analytical materials of the Federal Center for Monitoring of Tuberculosis Transmission Control in the Russian Federation posted on official websites were used. The rates were analyzed by applied statistics methods. All statistical calculations were performed with 0.95 significance.Results. A correlation analysis was performed between the coverage, effectiveness of tuberculosis detection by mass fluorography screening of the population and main rates reflecting the epidemic situation and timeliness of tuberculosis detection in the Russian Federation and its four federal districts. There was no correlation between the detection effectiveness and main markers of timeliness of tuberculosis detection. It was found out that against the background of increased costs for mass fluorography screening, its implementation did not provide significant positive results in reducing tuberculosis incidence and mortality which indicated their low clinical and economic efficiency.Цель исследования: оценить клинико-экономическую эффективность и влияние массовых флюорографических осмотров (МФО) населения на смертность от туберкулеза (ТБ) и показатели своевременного выявления ТБ в четырех федеральных округах РФ с различным уровнем выявления ТБ и охвата населения флюорографическими осмотрами.Материалы и методы. Использовались размещенные на официальных сайтах аналитические материалы Федерального центра мониторинга противодействия распространению ТБ в Российской Федерации. Для анализа показателей применялись методы прикладной статистики. Все статистические расчеты выполнены с достоверностью 0,95.Результаты. Проведен корреляционный анализ между охватом, эффективностью выявления ТБ при МФО населения и основными показателями, отражающими эпидемическую ситуацию и своевременность выявления ТБ в Российской Федерации и четырех федеральных округах РФ. Выявлено отсутствие корреляции эффективности выявления с основными маркерами своевременности выявления ТБ. Установлено, что на фоне повышения затрат на МФО их проведение не дает существенных положительных результатов по уменьшению заболеваемости и смертности от туберкулеза, что указывает на их низкую клинико-экономическую эффективность

Розроблення комп'ютерної підсистеми автоматизованого аналізу, прогнозування та розрахунку пасажиропотоку для заданого маршруту в місті Львові

Problem of passenger transportation is an urgent problem today in many parts of the world, and solution of this problem mankind has been searching for decades of years, but the feature of this issue is the absolute uniqueness of each of an examples of its manifestation, which is caused by many factors such as specific mentality of the population of a specific region, architecture and landscape features, the human factor, the level of welfare of a particular region, fear of radical changes, social and economic stability, etc. One of the solutions of described problems is the development of specialized computer subsystem of automated analysis, prediction and calculation of passenger traffic for a given route, results of its operation can be subsequently used for: short-term or long-term forecasting of passenger traffic to correct public transport infrastructure; as a "leverage" for transport companies, that constantly declare their almost losses transportation; in those same transport companies for optimal distribution of the vehicles on the route and range of motion between them, and more other practical tasks. The purpose of our research is to develop a specialized computer subsystem, that allows analysing passenger flow (passenger traffic) for a given route, presenting the results in a user-friendly way, and making passenger traffic forecasting and calculation, based on the developed mathematical model. We are also aimed at making passenger traffic modeling, using the developed subsystems, and compare results of this modeling with actual data, obtained by means of public accountant research on the route. Developed specialized computer subsystem consists of such interconnected units as a unit of generation of statistics data, unit of conversion of the generated statistics data, and the basic functional unit that is responsible for communication with user, entrance of input data and presentation of output results. This structure provides maximal flexibility of the developed subsystem, because there is no need to fundamentally rebuild the whole system entirely, and rebuild the only concrete unit. Specially developed mathematical model of passenger traffic (for a given route) calculation, which is extremely simple and straightforward. Later models were laid into the foundation of an appropriate statistics generating algorithm. Also specific file format was developed to save converted data, obtained in result of functioning of conversion unit, in a structured form. Modeling, made by a developed subsystem, was carried out in several stages. Originally obtained real data were imported into the system, then the modelling was carried out and identity of obtained modelling-resulting data and origin data was confirmed. Then again were generated entirely new statistics data by means of the developed statistics generation unit, and no real data were imported into the system. Again modeling and verification of the results of modeling-resulting data with real data were performed.Розроблено спеціалізовану комп'ютерну підсистему, що дає змогу здійснити аналіз пасажиропотоку для заданого маршруту, представлення результатів у зручній для користувача формі, а також здійснити прогнозування та розрахунок пасажиропотоку на основі розробленої математичної моделі. Наведено Результати дослідження пасажиропотоку за конкретним маршрутом громадського транспорту Львова. Розроблено наближену математичну модель пасажиропотоку заданого маршруту, яку надалі використовують у модулі генерації статистичних даних. Математична модель містять такі коефіцієнти впливу на кількісні характеристики досліджуваного пасажиропотоку, як: коефіцієнт впливу дня тижня; коефіцієнт впливу типу дня року; коефіцієнт, що відображає вплив конкуренції в конкретному місці заданого маршруту. Здійснено розрахунок і прогнозування величини пасажиропотоку для заданого маршруту на основі розробленої математичної моделі та відповідного алгоритму генерації статистичних даних, які реалізовані в підсистемі. Здійснено моделювання роботи системи і перевірку отриманих результатів моделювання із реальними даними. Описано структури основних функціональних блоків комп'ютерної підсистеми. Розроблено графічний інтерфейс користувача основного функціонального блоку підсистеми. Наведено результати роботи розробленої підсистеми автоматизованого аналізу, прогнозування та розрахунку пасажиропотоку для конкретного маршруту

Effects of land use and climate changes on small reservoir siltation in the agricultural belt of European Russia

Small reservoirs of agriculture-dominated areas experience severely increased sediment input caused by soil erosion on cultivated slopes, also accompanied at some locations by gully erosion. This causes rapid decrease of the reservoir water storage and shortened periods of functioning. In this paper we discuss several examples of the 137Cs-based short-term siltation chronology of small reservoirs located in different landscape zones within the agricultural belt of European Russia. From two to four time marks could have been established in 137Cs depth distribution curves constructed from detailed depth-incremental sampling of reservoir infill sediment, allowing reconstruction of sediment microstratigraphy and deposition rates. In combination with other independent information sources this provides insight on the relative importance of recent land use changes and climatic variability in controlling sediment delivery within small agriculture-dominated fluvial systems. In combination with sediment redistribution studies, it has become possible to construct closed sediment budgets for catchments of several reservoirs and make a quantitative assessment of sediment delivery variability. Such information is important for appropriate design and management of small agricultural reservoirs in Russia. Copyright © 2013 IAHS Press