Concept for long-term geo-monitoring of the post-mining environment using the example of the Prosper-Haniel mine

The operation of a mining facility provides a wealth of data, starting from mining licenses, documentation of extracted deposits, tunnel reinforcement methods, to documentation regarding the termination of mining operations, which impacts the natural environment at the local, regional, and supra-regional levels. The results of projects conducted by the Research Center of Post-Mining at the Technical University of Georg Agricola in Bochum present the possibilities of integrating environmental geo-monitoring methods to understand the processes occurring both during and after mining operations. Among the research methods used, spatiotemporal multispectral analyses of satellite imagery and images from drone flights stand out, and these will be presented in this paper. Additionally, in-situ measurements using soil sensors, weather stations, the application of mobile GIS, and three-dimensional modelling of geological structures should be noted. A key aspect of mining process research is the implementation and integration of all available geospatial data, allowing the consideration of post-mining processes as a cycle of interconnected, independent values that, through data analysis and validation, enable a comprehensive understanding

3D PET image reconstruction based on Maximum Likelihood Estimation Method (MLEM) algorithm

Positron emission tomographs (PET) do not measure an image directly. Instead, they measure at the boundary of the field-of-view (FOV) of PET tomograph a sinogram that consists of measurements of the sums of all the counts along the lines connecting two detectors. As there is a multitude of detectors build-in typical PET tomograph structure, there are many possible detector pairs that pertain to the measurement. The problem is how to turn this measurement into an image (this is called imaging). Decisive improvement in PET image quality was reached with the introduction of iterative reconstruction techniques. This stage was reached already twenty years ago (with the advent of new powerful computing processors). However, three dimensional (3D) imaging remains still a challenge. The purpose of the image reconstruction algorithm is to process this imperfect count data for a large number (many millions) of lines-of-responce (LOR) and millions of detected photons to produce an image showing the distribution of the labeled molecules in space.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Ischemic preconditioning inhibits development of edematous cerulein-induced pancreatitis : involvement of cyclooxygenases and heat shock protein 70

AIM: To determine whether ischemic preconditioning (IP) affects the development of edematous cerulein-induced pancreatitis and to assess the role of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), COX-2, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) in this process. METHODS: In male Wistar rats, IP was performed by clamping of celiac artery (twice for 5 min at 5-min intervals). Thirty minutes after IP or sham operation, acute pancreatitis was induced by cerulein. Activity of COX-1 or COX-2 was inhibited by resveratrol or rofecoxib, respectively (10 mg/kg). RESULTS: IP significantly reduced pancreatic damage in cerulein-induced pancreatitis as demonstrated by the improvement of pancreas histology, reduction in serum lipase and poly-C ribonuclease activity, and serum concentration of pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-1β. Also, IP attenuated the pancreatitis-evoked fall in pancreatic blood flow and pancreatic DNA synthesis. Serum level of anti-inflammatory IL-10 was not affected by IP. Cerulein-induced pancreatitis and IP increased the content of HSP 70 in the pancreas. Maximal increase in HSP 70 was observed when IP was combined with cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Inhibition of COXs, especially COX-2, reduced the protective effect of IP in edematous pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that IP reduces pancreatic damage in cerulein-induced pancreatitis and this effect, at least in part, depends on the activity of COXs and pancreatic production of HSP 70

"Heterobasidion annosum" induces apoptosis in DLD-1 cells and decreases colon cancer growth in In vivo model

Application of substances from medicinal mushrooms is one of the interesting approaches to improve cancer therapy. In this study, we commenced a new attempt in the field of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. sensu lato to further extend our knowledge on this basidiomycete fungus. For this purpose, analysis of the active substances of Heterobasidion annosum methanolic extract and also its influence on colorectal cancer in terms of in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed. In vivo studies on mice were conducted to verify its acute toxicity and to further affirm its anticancer potential. Results indicated that all the most common substances of best known medicinal mushrooms that are also responsible for their biological activity are present in tested extracts. In vitro tests showed a high hemocompatibility and a significant decrease in viability and proliferation of DLD-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner of Heterobasidion annosum extract. The studies performed on xenograft model of mice showed lower tendency of tumor growth in the group of mice receiving Heterobasidion annosum extract as well as mild or moderate toxicity. Obtained results suggest beneficial potential of Heterobasidion annosum against colon cancer as cytotoxic agent or as adjuvant anticancer therapy

Studies of discrete symmetries in decays of positronium atoms

A positronium - a bound state of electron and positron - is an eigenstate of parity and charge conjugation operators which decays into photons. It is a unique laboratory to study discrete symmetries whose precision is limited, in principle, by the effects due to the weak interactions expected at the level of 10−14 and photon-photon interactions expected at the level of 10−9. The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is a detector for medical imaging as well as for physics studies involving detection of electronpositron annihilation into photons. The physics case covers the areas of discrete symmetries studies and genuine multipartite entanglement. The J-PET detector has high angular and time resolution and allows for determination of spin of the positronium and the momenta and polarization vectors of annihilation quanta. In this article, we present the potential of the J-PET system for studies of discrete symmetries in decays of positronium atoms

Concerted evolution of body mass and cell size : similar patterns among species of birds (Galliformes) and mammals (Rodentia)

Cell size plays a role in body size evolution and environmental adaptations. Addressing these roles, we studied body mass and cell size in Galliformes birds and Rodentia mammals, and collected published data on their genome sizes. In birds, we measured erythrocyte nuclei and basal metabolic rates (BMRs). In birds and mammals, larger species consistently evolved larger cells for five cell types (erythrocytes, enterocytes, chondrocytes, skin epithelial cells, and kidney proximal tubule cells) and evolved smaller hepatocytes. We found no evidence that cell size differences originated through genome size changes. We conclude that the organism-wide coordination of cell size changes might be an evolutionarily conservative characteristic, and the convergent evolutionary body size and cell size changes in Galliformes and Rodentia suggest the adaptive significance of cell size. Recent theory predicts that species evolving larger cells waste less energy on tissue maintenance but have reduced capacities to deliver oxygen to mitochondria and metabolize resources. Indeed, birds with larger size of the above mentioned cell types and smaller hepatocytes have evolved lower mass-specific BMRs. We propose that the inconsistent pattern in hepatocytes derives from the efficient delivery system to hepatocytes, combined with their intense involvement in supracellular function and anabolic activity

Analysis procedure of the positronium lifetime spectra for the J-PET detector

Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) has shown to be a powerful tool to study the nanostructures of porous materials. Positron Emissions Tomography (PET) are devices allowing imaging of metabolic processes e.g. in human bodies. A newly developed device, the J-PET (Jagiellonian PET), will allow PALS in addition to imaging, thus combining both analyses providing new methods for physics and medicine. In this contribution we present a computer program that is compatible with the J-PET software. We compare its performance with the standard program LT 9.0 by using PALS data from hexane measurements at different temperatures. Our program is based on an iterative procedure, and our fits prove that it performs as good as LT 9.0.Comment: 4 figures, 8 page

Plastic scintillators for positron emission tomography obtained by the bulk polymerization method

This paper describes three methods regarding the production of plastic scintillators. One method appears to be suitable for the manufacturing of plastic scintillator, revealing properties which fulfill the requirements of novel positron emission tomography scanners based on plastic scintillators. The key parameters of the manufacturing process are determined and discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure