CAUSE OF PRONATION IN RACE WALKING

Walking and race walking are gaining acceptance as forms of fitness and recreation. A recent survey conducted by the Gallup Organization for the American Podiatry Association and Scholl, Inc. found that walking was the most popular form of exercise for one-third of the respondents with 63% walking daily. A main reason for race walking's popularity according to Subotnick (1977) and Sheehan (1978) is that race walking is virtually injury free when compared to running. Walking and race walking may serve as an attractive, safe, and adequate form of aerobic fitness

Fine-scale precipitation structure of a cold front and the problem of the representativeness error

The proper knowledge of spatial precipitation structure is important as much as that of microphysics processes for reliable quantitative precipitation forecasts. This study considers some aspects of how precipitation is organized on meso- and fine-scales, within a cold front line and how moisture transport is driven by these structures. Also, a spectral space vision of the representativeness error is proposed, which highlights uncertainties arising on the scales lying between resolutions of different networks. This approach is used to explain an improper simulation of humidity and precipitation fields in models whose resolution is coarser than the scales being considered

Estimation of the systematic error of precipitation and humidity in the MM5 model

To comprehensively diagnose model capabilities in simulating atmospheric flow including the relevant microphysical processes, the main prognostic fields of the MM5 model are compared with ERA40 reanalysis data. This approach allows to identify and compare meaningful features of model parameterization schemes and to quantify model errors. Various combinations of schemes for cumulus convection, planetary boundary layer (PBL), microphysics and radiative transfer are used in order to identify those combinations which produce the closest resemblance between model state and reanalysis. The spatial structure of systematic errors, both horizontal and vertical will be described and geographical regions and synoptic situations will be identified, which are associated with pronounced systematic model deviations. The study focused on precipitation and humidity fields as well as on the main thermodynamic atmospheric variables on a coarse resolution grid (about 80 km) over the North Atlantic - Europe region. Our results identify advantages and shortcomings of the various parameterization schemes. They also indicate that, in general, the combination of best schemes does not result in optimal simulations of a particular variable

DLC Films Deposited by the DC PACVD Method

DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coatings have been suggested as protective surface layers against wear. However hard DLC coatings, especially those of greater thickness, have poor adhesion to substrates. We have used several ways to increase the adhesion of DLC coatings prepared by the PACVD (Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition) method on steel substrates. One of these is the DC PACVD method for preparing DLC films

Using heart rate profiles during sleep as a biomarker of depression

Background: Abnormalities in heart rate during sleep linked to impaired neuro-cardiac modulation may provide new information about physiological sleep signatures of depression. This study assessed the validity of an algorithm using patterns of heart rate changes during sleep to discriminate between individuals with depression and healthy controls. Methods: A heart rate profiling algorithm was modeled using machine-learning based on 1203 polysomnograms from individuals with depression referred to a sleep clinic for the assessment of sleep abnormalities, including insomnia, excessive daytime fatigue, and sleep-related breathing disturbances (n = 664) and mentally healthy controls (n = 529). The final algorithm was tested on a distinct sample (n = 174) to categorize each individual as depressed or not depressed. The resulting categorizations were compared to medical record diagnoses. Results: The algorithm had an overall classification accuracy of 79.9% [sensitivity: 82.8, 95% CI (0.73–0.89), specificity: 77.0, 95% CI (0.67–0.85)]. The algorithm remained highly sensitive across subgroups stratified by age, sex, depression severity, comorbid psychiatric illness, cardiovascular disease, and smoking status. Conclusions: Sleep-derived heart rate patterns could act as an objective biomarker of depression, at least when it cooccurs with sleep disturbances, and may serve as a complimentary objective diagnostic tool. These findings highlight the extent to which some autonomic functions are im

Introduction of Information Technologies in Supply Chain Management

The article addresses the development of mobile applications designed to automate business processes in logistics. It examines the challenges associated with optimizing the workflow, finding the critical path of multiple supply chains, as well as the possibility for sales agent to quickly track the location of goods online.Статья посвящена разработке мобильного приложения, предназначенного для автоматизации бизнес-процессов в логистике. В данной работе рассматриваются задачи, связанные с оптимизацией документооборота, нахождения критического пути из множества сетей поставок, а также возможности торгового агента оперативно отслеживать местоположение товаров в режиме онлайн

Umbilical cord blood as a promising source of NK cells for immunotherapy

Currently, a large number of studies on genetic modification of cord blood NK cells (UCB-NK) are carried out at both clinical and preclinical levels. Immunotherapy based on UCB-NK cells has great potential for antitumor therapy. However, despite having known several advantages over peripheral blood NK cells (PB- NK), including a high concentration in cord blood and low virulence rate, UCB-NK cells are predominantly characterized in the scientific literature as immature and low-functioning NK cells. In this work, we studied the phenotypic characteristics of UCB-NK cells and the possibility of stimulatory compensation of the decreased functional activity of UCB-NK cells. Our studies revealed UCB-NK cells can be characterized as poorly differentiated and weakly activated cells with high level of inhibitory receptor NKG2A and low level of activating receptor NKG2C and HLA-DR, accordingly with the literature data. Two types of stimuli were chosen to stimulate freshly isolated UCB-NK cells: 1) 100 units of IL-2; 2) combinations of 100 units IL-2 and K-562 feeder cells expressing membrane-bound IL-21 (K562-mbIL21). It was shown the degranulation (LAMP-1) and proliferative activity was higher than for parallel cultured ex vivo PB-NK cells under the same conditions for UCB-NK cells stimulated for 7 days with IL-2 + K562-mbIL21. Moreover, stimulation in the way of IL-2 + K562-mbIL21 seemed to be a more perspective way to obtain a large number of proliferatively active UCB-NK cells compared to stimulation with IL-2 only. Since genetic modification of NK cells is a promising way to improve the antitumor properties of NK cells, retroviral transduction procedure was performed to study of the stimulated UCB-NK cells. UCB-NK cells stimulated with IL-2 + K562-mbIL21 were transduced on day 8 of cultivation. In this study, we used targeted overexpression of the adaptor molecule DAP12, which is involved in the signaling of activating NK cell receptors. PB-NK cells and UCB-NK cells were transduced under the equal experimental conditions in same volume of viral particles. As a result, the transduction efficiency was found to be more than 4-fold higher for UCB-NK cells compared to PB-NK cells. Thus, UCB-NK cells appear to be a promising tool for further research in cancer immunotherapy

Designing an automatic pollen monitoring network for direct usage of observations to reconstruct the concentration fields

We consider several approaches to a design of a regional-to-continent-scale automatic pollen monitoring network in Europe. Practical challenges related to the arrangement of such a network limit the range of possible solutions. A hierarchical network is discussed, highlighting the necessity of a few reference sites that follow an extended observations protocol and have corresponding capabilities. Several theoretically rigorous approaches to a network design have been developed so far. However, before starting the process, a network purpose, a criterion of its performance, and a concept of the data usage should be formalized. For atmospheric composition monitoring, developments follow one of the two concepts: a network for direct representation of concentration fields and a network for model-based data assimilation, inverse problem solution, and forecasting. The current paper demonstrates the first approach, whereas the inverse problems are considered in a follow-up paper. We discuss the approaches for the network design from theoretical and practical standpoints, formulate criteria for the network optimality, and consider practical constraints for an automatic pollen network. An application of the methodology is demonstrated for a prominent example of Germany's pollen monitoring network. The multi-step method includes (i) the network representativeness and (ii) redundancy evaluation followed by (iii) fidelity evaluation and improvement using synthetic data

Digitally-enabled, patient-centred care in rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity: The ARIA-MASK-air® approach

MASK-air®, a validated mHealth app (Medical Device regulation Class IIa) has enabled large observational implementation studies in over 58,000 people with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. It can help to address unmet patient needs in rhinitis and asthma care. MASK-air® is a Good Practice of DG Santé on digitally-enabled, patient-centred care. It is also a candidate Good Practice of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). MASK-air® data has enabled novel phenotype discovery and characterisation, as well as novel insights into the management of allergic rhinitis. MASK-air® data show that most rhinitis patients (i) are not adherent and do not follow guidelines, (ii) use as-needed treatment, (iii) do not take medication when they are well, (iv) increase their treatment based on symptoms and (v) do not use the recommended treatment. The data also show that control (symptoms, work productivity, educational performance) is not always improved by medications. A combined symptom-medication score (ARIA-EAACI-CSMS) has been validated for clinical practice and trials. The implications of the novel MASK-air® results should lead to change management in rhinitis and asthma

Digitally‐Enabled, Patient‐Centred Care in Rhinitis and Asthma Multimorbidity: The ARIA‐MASK‐air ® Approach

MASK-air® , a validated mHealth app (Medical Device regulation Class IIa) has enabled large observational implementation studies in over 58,000 people with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. It can help to address unmet patient needs in rhinitis and asthma care. MASK-air® is a Good Practice of DG Santé on digitally-enabled, patient-centred care. It is also a candidate Good Practice of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). MASK-air® data has enabled novel phenotype discovery and characterisation, as well as novel insights into the management of allergic rhinitis. MASK-air® data show that most rhinitis patients (i) are not adherent and do not follow guidelines, (ii) use as-needed treatment, (iii) do not take medication when they are well, (iv) increase their treatment based on symptoms and (v) do not use the recommended treatment. The data also show that control (symptoms, work productivity, educational performance) is not always improved by medications. A combined symptom-medication score (ARIA-EAACI-CSMS) has been validated for clinical practice and trials. The implications of the novel MASK-air® results should lead to change management in rhinitis and asthma.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio