Anatomy of Ursa Majoris

A nearby friable cloud in Ursa Majoris contains 270 galaxies with radial velocities 500 < VLG < 1500 km s^-1 inside the area of RA= [11h; 13h] and DEC= [+40deg; +60deg]. At present, 97 galaxies of them have individual distance estimates. We use these data to clarify the structure and kinematics of the UMa complex. According to Makarov & Karachentsev (2011), most of the UMa galaxies belong to seven bound groups, which have the following median parameters: velocity dispersion of 58 km s^-1, harmonic projected radius of 300 kpc, virial mass of 2.10^12 Msol, and virial- mass-to-K-band-luminosity of 27Msol/Lsol. Almost a half of the UMa cloud population are gas-rich dwarfs (Ir, Im, BCD) with active star formation seen in the GALEX UV-survey. The UMa groups reside within 15-19 Mpc from us, being just at the same distance as Virgo cluster. The total virial mass of the UMa groups is 4.10^13 Msol, yielding the average density of dark matter in the UMa cloud to be Omega_m = 0.08, i.e. a factor three lower than the cosmic average. This is despite the fact that the UMa cloud resides in a region of the Universe that is an apparent overdensity. A possible explanation for this is that most mass in the Universe lies in the empty space between clusters. Herewith, the mean distances and velocities of the UMa groups follow nearly undisturbed Hubble flow without a sign of the 'Z-wave" effect caused by infall toward a massive attractor. This constrains the total amount of dark matter between the UMa groups within the cloud volume.Comment: correction of a typo in the abstract, 18 pages, 2 figures. accepted for MNRAS, nov 26, 201

Blueshifted galaxies in the Virgo Cluster

We examine a sample of 65 galaxies in the Virgo cluster with negative radial velocities relative to the Local Group. Some features of this sample are pointed out. All of these objects are positioned compactly within a virial zone of radius 6{\deg} in the cluster, but their centroid is displaced relative to the dynamic center of the cluster, M87, by 1.1{\deg} to the northwest. The dwarf galaxies in this sample are clumped on a scale of ~10' (50 kpc). The observed asymmetry in the distribution of the blueshifted galaxies may be caused by infall of a group of galaxies around M86 onto the main body of the cluster. We offer another attempt to explain this phenomenon, assuming a mutual tangential velocity of ~300 km/s between the Local Group and the Virgo cluster owing to their being repelled from the local cosmological void.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Published in Astrophysics, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 32-41, 201

The observed infall of galaxies towards the Virgo cluster

We examine the velocity field of galaxies around the Virgo cluster induced by its overdensity. A sample of 1792 galaxies with distances from the Tip of the Red Giant Branch, the Cepheid luminosity, the SNIa luminosity, the surface brightness fluctuation method, and the Tully-Fisher relation has been used to study the velocity-distance relation in the Virgocentric coordinates. Attention was paid to some observational biases affected the Hubble flow around Virgo. We estimate the radius of the zero-velocity surface for the Virgo cluster to be within (5.0 - 7.5) Mpc corresponding to (17 - 26)^\circ at the mean cluster distance of 17.0 Mpc. In the case of spherical symmetry with cosmological parameter \Omega_m=0.24 and the age of the Universe T_0= 13.7 Gyr, it yields the total mass of the Virgo cluster to be within M_T=(2.7 - 8.9) * 10^{14} M_\sun in reasonable agreement with the existing virial mass estimates for the cluster.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Dark energy domination in the Virgocentric flow

The standard \LambdaCDM cosmological model implies that all celestial bodies are embedded in a perfectly uniform dark energy background, represented by Einstein's cosmological constant, and experience its repulsive antigravity action. Can dark energy have strong dynamical effects on small cosmic scales as well as globally? Continuing our efforts to clarify this question, we focus now on the Virgo Cluster and the flow of expansion around it. We interpret the Hubble diagram, from a new database of velocities and distances of galaxies in the cluster and its environment, using a nonlinear analytical model which incorporates the antigravity force in terms of Newtonian mechanics. The key parameter is the zero-gravity radius, the distance at which gravity and antigravity are in balance. Our conclusions are: 1. The interplay between the gravity of the cluster and the antigravity of the dark energy background determines the kinematical structure of the system and controls its evolution. 2. The gravity dominates the quasi-stationary bound cluster, while the antigravity controls the Virgocentric flow, bringing order and regularity to the flow, which reaches linearity and the global Hubble rate at distances \ga 15 Mpc. 3. The cluster and the flow form a system similar to the Local Group and its outflow. In the velocity-distance diagram, the cluster-flow structure reproduces the group-flow structure with a scaling factor of about 10; the zero-gravity radius for the cluster system is also 10 times larger. The phase and dynamical similarity of the systems on the scales of 1-30 Mpc suggests that a two-component pattern may be universal for groups and clusters: a quasi-stationary bound central component and an expanding outflow around it, due to the nonlinear gravity-antigravity interplay with the dark energy dominating in the flow component.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Astronomy and Astrophysics (accepted

On the kinematics of the Local cosmic void

We collected the existing data on the distances and radial velocities of galaxies around the Local Void in the Aquila/Hercules to examine the peculiar velocity field induced by its underdensity. A sample of 1056 galaxies with distances measured from the Tip of the Red Giant Branch, the Cepheid luminosity, the SNIa luminosity, the surface brightness fluctuation method, and the Tully-Fisher relation has been used for this purpose. The amplitude of outflow is found to be ~300 km/s. The galaxies located within the void produce the mean intra-void number density about 1/5 of the mean external number density of galaxies. The void's population has a lower luminosity and a later morphological type with the medians: M_B = -15.7^m and T = 8 (Sdm), respectively.Comment: Version 1. 14 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables. Accepted to Astrophysics, Volume 54, Issue

Клеточные реакции в легких при обострении хронических заболеваний органов дыхания

A comparative cytological examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) has been performed in 93 patients with exacerbations of chronic specific and nonspecific lung diseases. We evaluated BALF cell contents, spontaneous and prodigiozan-stimulated NBT reduction due to the alveolar macrophages activity. We also analyzed a correlation between NBT-test results and neutrophil, lymphocyte and eosinophil amounts. It was found that there were twice less cells in BALF from tuberculosis patients compared with those of chronic nonspecific lung diseases patients. In patients with nonspecific lung parenchyma lesion one third of alveolar macrophage population reduced NBT, but additional stimulation with prodigiozan activated almost all the cells. In infiltrative tuberculosis patients the alveolar macrophages were not sensitive to an additional stimulus. A positive correlation was found between the functional activity of the alveolar macrophages and the amount of different types of BALF leucocytes. The alveolar macrophages’ ability to produce oxygen reactive metabolites caused the neutrophiles accumulation in airways of chronic bronchitis and fibrocavernous tuberculosis patients. A positive correlation between NBT-test results and lymphocytes amount was found in nonspecific chronic lung diseases patients but not in tuberculosis ones.Проводили сравнительное исследование бронхоальвеолярной лаважной жидкости (БАЛ) у 93 больных с обострением неспецифических и специфических хронических заболеваний легких. Оценивали клеточный состав БАЛ, функциональную активность альвеолярных макрофагов по восстановлению НОТ до и после стимуляции продигиозаном (липополисахарид S. marcescens), проводили корреляционный анализ с целью выяснения связей между показателями НСТ-теста и численностью нейтрофилов, лимфоцитов и эозинофилов. В БАЛ больных с обострением туберкулеза обнаруживалось почти вдвое меньше клеток, чем при обострении хронического бронхита и хронической пневмонии. При неспецифическом поражении паренхимы легких третья часть популяции аМф восстанавливала нитросиний тетразолий, а после дополнительной стимуляции продигиозаном активизировались почти все клетки. При инфильтративном туберкулезе аМф оказались не чувствительны к продигиозану. Между функциональным состоянием популяции аМф и численностью различных типов лейкоцитов в БАЛ выявлены положительные корреляционные взаимосвязи. От способности аМф продуцировать реактивные метаболиты кислорода напрямую зависело накопление Нф в дыхательных путях больных хроническим бронхитом и фиброзно-кавернозным туберкулезом. У больных с обострением ХНЗЛ между показателями функциональной активности аМф и численностью лимфоцитов имелась положительная взаимосвязь, тогда как у больных туберкулезом её обнаружить не удавалось

Model Parameter Estimation Experiment (MOPEX): Overview and Summary of the Second and Third Workshop Results

Model Parameter Estimation Experiment (MOPEX) is an international project aimed to develop enhanced techniques for the a priori estimation of parameters in hydrologic models and in land surface parameterization schemes of atmospheric models. MOPEX science strategy involves three major steps: data preparation, a priori parameter estimation methodology development, and demonstration of parameter transferability. A comprehensive MOPEX database has been developed that contains historical hydrometeorological data and land surface characteristics data for many hydrologic basins in the United States and in other countries. This database is continuing to be expanded to include more basins in all parts of the world. A number of international MOPEX workshops have been convened to bring together interested hydrologists and land surface modelers from all over world to exchange knowledge and experience in developing a priori parameter estimation techniques. This paper describes the results from the second and third MOPEX workshops. The specific objective of those workshops is to examine the state of a priori parameter estimation techniques and how they can be potentially improved with observations from well-monitored hydrologic basins. Participants of these MOPEX workshops were given data for 12 basins in the Southeastern United States and were asked to carry out a series of numerical experiments using a priori parameters as well as calibrated parameters developed for their respective hydrologic models. Eight different models have carried all out the required numerical experiments and the results from those models have been assembled for analysis in this paper. This paper presents an overview of the MOPEX experiment design. The experimental results are analyzed and the important lessons from the two workshops are discussed. Finally, a discussion of further work and future strategy is given

Диагностическая ценность прокальцитонина и С-реактивного белка при врожденных инфекциях у детей с экстремально низкой и очень низкой массой тела при рождении

The high frequency of infectious complications in the early neonatal period of adaptation in infants with extremely low (ELBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) attracts particular attention. The aim of our study was to evaluate the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in congenital pneumonia and congenital sepsis in newborn infants with extremely low and very low birth weight.Methods. In 160 preterm newborns that were included in our prospective study, 33 had early neonatal sepsis, 42 children had congenital pneumonia, and 85 infants were without neonatal infection. A comprehensive clinical and laboratoryinstrumental examination of the newborn was done, including determining the concentration of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin at the age of 48–72 hours of life. Results. Low sensitivity of CRP at the age of 48–72 hours of life in congenital sepsis and congenital pneumonia was observed. However, under these pathological conditions CRP and PCT are characterized by high specificity. It should also be noted that PCT has a high sensitivity in children with congenital sepsis aged 48–72 hours. Moreover, PCT also has a high specificity (Sp 80,6%), which determines its advantage in the use of sepsis diagnosis in extremely premature infants compared to CRP.Conclusion. Maximum specificity reaches 100%, co-located with the assessment of CRP and PCT, which determines the feasibility of using this combination for verification of congenital infectious conditions such as sepsis and pneumonia in children ELBW and VLBW aged 48–72 hours.Актуальность. Высокая частота инфекционных осложнений в раннем неонатальном периоде у новорожденных с экстремально низкой (ЭНМТ) и очень низкой массой тела (ОНМТ) при рождении обусловливает необходимость ранней диагностики для уменьшения количества осложнений. Цель: оценка чувствительности и специфичности С-реактивного белка (СРБ) и прокальцитонина (ПКТ) при врожденной пневмонии и врожденном сепсисе у новорожденных детей с ЭНМТ и ОНМТ. Пациенты и методы. В проспективное когортное исследование включено 160 новорожденных с ЭНМТ и ОНМТ, из них 33 с врожденным сепсисом, 42 с врожденной пневмонией, 85 с основным диагнозом респираторного дистресс-синдрома. В первые 48–72 ч жизни новорожденным проводилось комплексное клиническое и лабораторно-инструментальное обследование, включающее определение концентрации СРБ и ПКТ.Результаты. Отмечена невысокая чувствительность СРБ в первые 48–72 ч жизни при врожденном сепсисе и врожденной пневмонии. Однако, при данных патологических состояниях и СРБ, и ПКТ характеризуются высокой специфичностью. Следует также отметить, что ПКТ обладает высокой чувствительностью в первые 48–72 ч жизни у детей с врожденным сепсисом. Кроме того, данный показатель имеет также высокую специфичность (80,6%), что определяет преимущество его изолированного использования по сравнению с СРБ при диагностике врожденного сепсиса у глубоконедоношенных детей. Заключение. Максимальная специфичность, достигающая 100%, выявлена при сочетанной оценке СРБ и ПКТ, что определяет целесообразность использования данной комбинации для верификации таких врожденных инфекционных состояний, как сепсис и пневмония, у детей с ЭНМТ и ОНМТ в возрасте 48–72 ч

2020 Clinical practice guidelines for Myocarditis in adults

Russian Society of Cardiology (RSC)With the participation: Eurasian Association of Therapists (EUAT), Society of Specialists in Heart Failure (OSSN), Russian Scientific Medical Society of Therapists (RNMOT), Russian Society of Pathologists, Russian Society of Radiologists and Radiologists (RSR)Endorsed by: Research and Practical Council of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federatio

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНОЕ ТЕСТИРОВАНИЕ IN VITRO БИОДЕГРАДИРУЕМЫХ СОСУДИСТЫХ ИМПЛАНТОВ ДЛЯ ОЦЕНКИ ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ В ТКАНЕВОЙ ИНЖЕНЕРИИ

We prepared polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyhydroxybutyrate/valerate (PHBV)/polycaprolactone (PCL) 2 mm vascular grafts using electrospinning. The structure of the graft surface along with the physico-mechanical and viscoelastic properties were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, universal testing machine (n=20), and arterial pulsatile flow circuit (n=12), respectively. We also assessed hemocompatibility and thromboresistance of the inner graft surface (n=12). Cell adhesion and viability were investigated using EA.hy 926, an endothelial cell line that was cultured on the cultural plate, PCL, and PHBV/PCL scaffolds during 6 days.PCL and PHBV/PCL grafts consisted of ≤ 4 μm diameter fibers which were randomly distributed and formed ≤ 40 μm diameter pores. The durability, elasticity, and stiffness of PCL grafts were 2,7-fold lower, 10,7-fold higher, and 2,9-fold higher, respectively, compared to autologous saphenous veins (р&lt;0,001). However, the durability, elasticity, and stiffness of PHBV/PCL grafts were 1,9-fold higher, 1,8-fold lower, and 6,9-fold higher in comparison with PCL grafts (р&lt;0,001). Viscoelastic properties of both PCL and PHBV/PCL grafts differed from native arteries (p&lt;0,001) but were more similar to them then Dacron and ePTFE grafts. After the contact with blood, inner surface of PHBV/PCL grafts contained minimal amount of proteins and blood cells, and there were no signs of platelet activation. However, PCL grafts contained a high amount of proteins and induced platelet activation. After 6 days of culture, the number of EA.hy 926 cells was lower on PCL scaffolds compared to the PHBV/PCL scaffolds and cultural plate; the viability of the cells was similar.На основе поликапролактона (ПКЛ) и композиции полигидроксибутирата/валерата и поликапролактона (ПГБВ/ПКЛ) методом электроспиннинга изготовлены сосудистые графты диаметром 2 мм. Структура поверхности графтов изучена методом сканирующей электронной микроскопии, физико-механические свойства – на разрывной машине (n=20), вязкоэластические свойства – на установке артериального пульсирующего потока (n=12). Оценена гемосовместимость и тромборезистентность внутренней поверхности графтов (n=12). С использованием культуры эндотелиальных клеток линии Ea.hy 926 изучены адгезивные характеристики и жизнеспособность клеток, культивируемых на полимерных матриксах в течение 6 суток.Разработанные ПКЛ- и ПГБВ/ПКЛ-графты состояли из полимерных нитей диаметром до 4 мкм, которые при своем хаотичном расположении формировали поры размером до 40 мкм. ПКЛ-графты были в 2,7 раза менее прочными, но в 10,7 раза более эластичными, чем аутовены (p&lt;0,001). Жесткость ПКЛ-графтов 2,9 раза превысила жесткость аутовен (р&lt;0,001). Добавление в полимерный состав графтов ПГБВ способствовало повышению прочности материала в 1,9 раза и снижению его относительного удлинения в 1,8 раза (р&lt;0,001). Жесткость материала при этом возросла в 6,9 раза (р&lt;0,001). Вязкоэластические свойства полимерных графтов статистически значимо отличались от вязкоэластических свойств артерий (p&lt;0,001), однако были с ними более схожи, чем с аналогичными свойствами сосудистых имплантов из Dacron и ePTFE. После контакта с кровью на внутренней поверхности ПГБВ/ПКЛ-матриксов обнаружили минимальное количество протеинов и форменных элементов крови, активации тромбоцитов не происходило. На поверхности ПКЛ-матриксов отмечена активация тромбоцитов и большее количество белка. После культивиро- вания клеток линии Ea.hy 926 на поверхности ПКЛ-матриксов абсолютное количество клеток оказалось в 1,5 раза меньше, чем на культуральном пластике. Введение в состав полимерной композиции ПГБВ привело к увеличению количества адгезированных клеток, которые располагались как на поверхности, так и внутри матриксов. Достоверного снижения клеточной жизнеспособности при культивировании на полимерных матриксах не отмечено