Влияние габаритных параметров цилиндрического экрана на эффективность экранирования

Study of dimensional parametersʼ influence on shielding properties of cylindrical shields will allow to optimise the fusion process, as well as to reduce production costs by reducing the material used. The purpose of this work was to compare results of theoretical calculation of shielding effectiveness of an infinite cylindrical shield with the data obtained in real conditions.A cylindrical Ni-Fe shield was synthesised by electrochemical deposition with length of 32 cm, diameter of 4.5 cm and shielding thickness of ≈ 100 µm. The cylinder length was then reduced from 32 cm to 6 cm in 4 cm increments and for each cylinder length shielding effectiveness was measured using three-coordinate Helmholtz field-forming system.The measurement results show that the calculation of shielding effectiveness of infinite cylindrical shield is valid for cylinder lengths l ≥ 18–20 cm. Shielding effectiveness is markedly reduced at values of l ˂ 15 cm.Analysis of data obtained allowed to conclude that it is necessary to determine the correction factor when calculating a cylindrical screen shielding efficiencyИзучение влияния габаритных параметров на экранирующие свойства цилиндрических экранов позволит оптимизировать процесс синтеза, а также снизить затраты на производство, за счёт уменьшения используемого материала. Целью данной работы было сравнение результатов теоретического расчёта эффективности экранирования бесконечного цилиндрического экрана и данных, полученных в реальных условиях.Методом электрохимического осаждения был синтезирован цилиндрический экран Ni-Fe, длина которого составила 32 см, диаметр 4,5 см, толщина экранирующего покрытия составила≈ 100 мкм. Затем длина цилиндра уменьшалась от 30 до 6 см с шагом в 4 см, для каждой длины цилиндра была измерена эффективность экранирования с помощью полеобразующей системы трёхкоординатных катушек Гельмгольца.Результаты измерений показали, что расчёт эффективности экранирования бесконечного цилиндрического экрана справедлив при длине цилиндра l ≥ 18–20 см. При значениях l ˂ 15 см эффективность экранирования заметно снижается.Анализ полученных данных позволил сделать вывод о необходимости определения поправочного коэффициента при расчётах эффективности экранирования цилиндрического экрана

Evaluation of Suppressed Mite Reproduction (SMR) Reveals Potential for Varroa Resistance in European Honey Bees (Apis melliferaL.)

Simple Summary The miteVarroa destructorrepresents a great threat to honey bees and the beekeeping industry. The opportunity to select and breed honey bees that are naturally able to fight the mite stands a sustainable solution. This can be achieved by evaluation of the failure of mite reproduction (SMR, suppressed mite reproduction). We conducted a large European experiment to assess the SMR trait in different populations of honey bees spread over 13 different countries, and representing different honey bee populations. The first goal was to standardize and validate the SMR evaluation method, and then to compare the SMR trait between the different populations. Our results indicate that it is necessary to examine at least 35 brood cells infested by a single mite to reliably estimate the SMR score of any given colony. Several colonies from our dataset display high SMR scores, indicating that this trait is present within the European honey bee populations. No major differences could be identified between countries for a given population, or between populations in different countries. This study shows the potential to increase selection efforts to breedV. destructorhoney bee resistant populations. In the fight against theVarroa destructormite, selective breeding of honey bee (Apis melliferaL.) populations that are resistant to the parasitic mite stands as a sustainable solution. Selection initiatives indicate that using the suppressed mite reproduction (SMR) trait as a selection criterion is a suitable tool to breed such resistant bee populations. We conducted a large European experiment to evaluate the SMR trait in different populations of honey bees spread over 13 different countries, and representing different honey bee genotypes with their local mite parasites. The first goal was to standardize and validate the SMR evaluation method, and then to compare the SMR trait between the different populations. Simulation results indicate that it is necessary to examine at least 35 single-infested cells to reliably estimate the SMR score of any given colony. Several colonies from our dataset display high SMR scores indicating that this trait is present within the European honey bee populations. The trait is highly variable between colonies and some countries, but no major differences could be identified between countries for a given genotype, or between genotypes in different countries. This study shows the potential to increase selective breeding efforts ofV. destructorresistant populations

Micronutrient malnutrition and wasting in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis with and without HIV co-infection in Malawi

BACKGROUND: Wasting and micronutrient malnutrition have not been well characterized in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis. We hypothesized that micronutrient malnutrition is associated with wasting and higher plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study involving 579 HIV-positive and 222 HIV-negative adults with pulmonary tuberculosis in Zomba, Malawi, anthropometry, plasma HIV load and plasma micronutrient concentrations (retinol, α-tocopherol, carotenoids, zinc, and selenium) were measured. The risk of micronutrient deficiencies was examined at different severity levels of wasting. RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI), plasma retinol, carotenoid and selenium concentrations significantly decreased by increasing tertile of plasma HIV load. There were no significant differences in plasma micronutrient concentrations between HIV-negative individuals and HIV-positive individuals who were in the lowest tertile of plasma HIV load. Plasma vitamin A concentrations <0.70 μmol/L occurred in 61%, and zinc and selenium deficiency occurred in 85% and 87% respectively. Wasting, defined as BMI<18.5 was present in 59% of study participants and was independently associated with a higher risk of low carotenoids, and vitamin A and selenium deficiency. Severe wasting, defined as BMI<16.0 showed the strongest associations with deficiencies in vitamin A, selenium and plasma carotenoids. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that wasting and higher HIV load in pulmonary tuberculosis are associated with micronutrient malnutrition

Antibiotic consumption and antimicrobial resistance in Poland; findings and implications

Background: The problem of inappropriate use of antibiotics and the resulting growth in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has implications for Poland and the world. The objective of this paper was to compare and contrast antibiotic resistance and antibiotic utilisation in Poland in recent years versus other European countries, including agreed quality indicators, alongside current AMR patterns and ongoing policies and initiatives in Poland to influence and improve antibiotic prescribing. Methods: A quantitative ten-year analysis (2007-2016) of the use of antibiotics based on European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) data combined with a literature review on AMR rates and antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. Results: The system of monitoring AMR and appropriate strategies to address AMR rates remain underdeveloped in Poland. The role of microbiological diagnostics and efforts to prevent infections is currently underestimated by physicians. Overall, Poland had one of the highest rates of total consumption of antibiotics in the analysed European countries. Total consumption of antibacterials for systemic use and relative consumption of beta-lactamase sensitive penicillins were characterized by small but statistically significant average annual increases between 2007 and 2016 (from 22.2DIDs to 23.9 DIDs and from 0.8% to 1.3%, respectively). Conclusions: The integrated activities around appropriate antibiotic prescribing in the pre- and post-graduate training of physicians and dentists seem to be particularly important, as well as changes in policies on prescribing antibiotics within ambulatory care. AMR and appropriate prescribing of antibiotics should be the focus of health policy actions in Poland

Bedside Sublingual Video Imaging of Microcirculation in Assessing Bacterial Infection in Cirrhosis

Bacterial infections are common in cirrhosis and can lead to life-threatening complications. Sidestream dark-field (SDF) imaging has recently emerged as a noninvasive tool for capturing real-time video images of sublingual microcirculation in critically ill patients with sepsis. The objective of this study was to assess the utility of SDF in determining underlying infection in patients with cirrhosis. Sublingual microcirculation was compared among patients with compensated cirrhosis (Group A, n = 13), cirrhosis without sepsis (Group B, n = 18), cirrhosis with sepsis (Group C, n = 14), and sepsis only (Group D, n = 10). The blood flow was semi-quantitatively evaluated in four equal quadrants in small (10–25 mm); medium (26–50 mm); and large (51–100 mm) sublingual capillaries. The blood flow was described as no flow (0), intermittent flow (1), sluggish flow (2), and continuous flow (3). The overall flow score or microvascular flow index (MFI) was measured for quantitative assessment of microcirculation and predicting power for concurrent infection in cirrhosis. Marked impairment was observed at all levels of microvasculature in Groups B and C when compared with Group A. This effect was restricted to small vessels only when Group B was compared with Group C. MFI < 1.5 was found to have highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%) for infection in decompensated cirrhosis. SDF imaging of sublingual microcirculation can be a useful bedside diagnostic tool to assess bacterial infection in cirrhosis

Expression of hereditary hemochromatosis C282Y HFE protein in HEK293 cells activates specific endoplasmic reticulum stress responses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is a genetic disease associated with iron overload, in which individuals homozygous for the mutant C282Y <it>HFE </it>associated allele are at risk for the development of a range of disorders particularly liver disease. Conformational diseases are a class of disorders associated with the expression of misfolded protein. HFE C282Y is a mutant protein that does not fold correctly and consequently is retained in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER). In this context, we sought to identify ER stress signals associated with mutant C282Y HFE protein expression, which may have a role in the molecular pathogenesis of HH.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Vector constructs of Wild type HFE and Mutant C282Y HFE were made and transfected into HEK293 cell lines. We have shown that expression of C282Y HFE protein triggers both an unfolded protein response (UPR), as revealed by the increased GRP78, ATF6 and CHOP expression, and an ER overload response (EOR), as indicated by NF-κB activation. Furthermore, C282Y HFE protein induced apoptotic responses associated with activation of ER stress. Inhibition studies demonstrated that tauroursodeoxycholic acid, an endogenous bile acid, downregulates these events. Finally, we found that the co-existence of both C282Y HFE and Z alpha 1-antitrypsin protein (the protein associated with the liver disease of Z alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency) expression on ER stress responses acted as potential disease modifiers with respect to each other.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our novel observations suggest that both the ER overload response (EOR) and the unfolded protein response (UPR) are activated by mutant C282Y HFE protein.</p

RNA delivery by extracellular vesicles in mammalian cells and its applications.

The term 'extracellular vesicles' refers to a heterogeneous population of vesicular bodies of cellular origin that derive either from the endosomal compartment (exosomes) or as a result of shedding from the plasma membrane (microvesicles, oncosomes and apoptotic bodies). Extracellular vesicles carry a variety of cargo, including RNAs, proteins, lipids and DNA, which can be taken up by other cells, both in the direct vicinity of the source cell and at distant sites in the body via biofluids, and elicit a variety of phenotypic responses. Owing to their unique biology and roles in cell-cell communication, extracellular vesicles have attracted strong interest, which is further enhanced by their potential clinical utility. Because extracellular vesicles derive their cargo from the contents of the cells that produce them, they are attractive sources of biomarkers for a variety of diseases. Furthermore, studies demonstrating phenotypic effects of specific extracellular vesicle-associated cargo on target cells have stoked interest in extracellular vesicles as therapeutic vehicles. There is particularly strong evidence that the RNA cargo of extracellular vesicles can alter recipient cell gene expression and function. During the past decade, extracellular vesicles and their RNA cargo have become better defined, but many aspects of extracellular vesicle biology remain to be elucidated. These include selective cargo loading resulting in substantial differences between the composition of extracellular vesicles and source cells; heterogeneity in extracellular vesicle size and composition; and undefined mechanisms for the uptake of extracellular vesicles into recipient cells and the fates of their cargo. Further progress in unravelling the basic mechanisms of extracellular vesicle biogenesis, transport, and cargo delivery and function is needed for successful clinical implementation. This Review focuses on the current state of knowledge pertaining to packaging, transport and function of RNAs in extracellular vesicles and outlines the progress made thus far towards their clinical applications