Eliminating volumevolume fluctuations in fixed-target heavy-ion experiments

Experimental and theoretical studies of fluctuations in nucleus-nucleus interactions at high energies have started to play a major role in understanding of the concept of strong interactions. The elaborated procedures have been developed to disentangle different processes happening during nucleus-nucleus collisions. The fluctuations caused by a variation of the number of nucleons which participated in a collision are frequently considered the unwanted one. The methods to eliminate these fluctuations in fixed-target experiments are reviewed and tested. They can be of key importance in the following ongoing fixed-target heavy-ion experiments: NA61/SHINE at the CERN SPS, STAR-FT at the BNL RHIC, BM\@N at JINR Nuclotron, HADES at the GSI SIS18 and in future experiments such as NA60+ at the CERN SPS, CBM at the FAIR SIS100, JHITS at J-PARC-HI MR.Comment: Updated list of grant

Quali-quantitative analysis of flavonoides of Cornus mas L. (Cornaceae) fruts.

The methanol extract obtained from the ripe fruits of Cornus mas L. (Cornaceae) have been phytochemically studied. On the basis of HPLC–PDA–MS/MSn analysis eight compounds have been identified as quercetin, kaempferol, and aromadendrin glycosilated derivatives. Three major compounds have been also isolated by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography followed by HPLC and characterised by NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, LC–PDA–MS analysis of the red pigment revealed the presence of three anthocyanins. The quantitative analysis of all compounds was reported

Examination of the aerosol indirect effect under contrasting environments during the ACE-2 experiment

International audienceThe Active Tracer High-resolution Atmospheric Model (ATHAM) has been adopted to examine the aerosol indirect effect in contrasting clean and polluted cloudy boundary layers during the Second Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-2). Model results are in good agreement with available in-situ observations, which provides confidence in the results of ATHAM. Sensitivity tests have been conducted to examine the response of the cloud fraction (CF), cloud liquid water path (LWP), and cloud optical depth (COD) to changes in aerosols in the clean and polluted cases. It is shown for two cases that CF and LWP would decrease or remain nearly constant with an increase in aerosols, a result which shows that the second aerosol indirect effect is positive or negligibly small in these cases. Further investigation indicates that the background meteorological conditions play a critical role in the response of CF and LWP to aerosols. When large-scale subsidence is weak as in the clean case, the dry overlying air above the cloud is more efficiently entrained into the cloud, and in so doing, removes cloud water more efficiently, and results in lower CF and LWP when aerosol burden increases. However, when the large-scale subsidence is strong as in the polluted case, the growth of the cloud top is suppressed and the entrainment drying makes no significant difference when aerosol burden increases. Therefore, the CF and LWP remain nearly constant. In both the clean and polluted cases, the COD tends to increase with aerosols, and the total aerosol indirect effect (AIE) is negative even when the CF and LWP decrease with an increase in aerosols. Therefore, the first AIE dominates the response of the cloud to aerosols

Multifunctional platform based on electrospun nanofibers and plasmonic hydrogel. A smart nanostructured pillow for near-infrared light-driven biomedical applications

Multifunctional nanomaterials with the ability to respond to near-infrared (NIR) light stimulation are vital for the development of highly efficient biomedical nanoplatforms with a polytherapeutic approach. Inspired by the mesoglea structure of jellyfish bells, a biomimetic multifunctional nanostructured pillow with fast photothermal responsiveness for NIR light-controlled on-demand drug delivery is developed. We fabricate a nanoplatform with several hierarchical levels designed to generate a series of controlled, rapid, and reversible cascade-like structural changes upon NIR light irradiation. The mechanical contraction of the nanostructured platform, resulting from the increase of temperature to 42 °C due to plasmonic hydrogel-light interaction, causes a rapid expulsion of water from the inner structure, passing through an electrospun membrane anchored onto the hydrogel core. The mutual effects of the rise in temperature and water flow stimulate the release of molecules from the nanofibers. To expand the potential applications of the biomimetic platform, the photothermal responsiveness to reach the typical temperature level for performing photothermal therapy (PTT) is designed. The on-demand drug model penetration into pig tissue demonstrates the efficiency of the nanostructured platform in the rapid and controlled release of molecules, while the high biocompatibility confirms the pillow potential for biomedical applications based on the NIR light-driven multitherapy strategy

KOMBINIRANO DJELOVANJE BITURATA I EKSTRAKTA YUCCA SCHIDIGERI NA GASTROINTESTINALNI SUSTAV SVINJA OKO ODBIJANJA

After the banning of antibiotics as growth promoters, animal production in the EU faced the problem of increased post-weaning disorders, and several solutions were proposed (acidifiers, probiotics, herb extracts, enzyme cocktails, etc.). Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) are the main end product of bacterial fermentation in the hind gut in monogastric animals and can be used as energy supply for the epithelial cells of gut mucosa. Thus the aim of the study was to test the usefulness of novel microencapsulated sodium butyrate and Yucca Schidigera extract (encourages friendly bacteria growth, reduces ammonia) preparation on pig performance and small intestine development in the critical weaning period. Microencapsulation helps to avoid stomach degradation and provides better distribution of the compounds along the small intestine. Suckling piglets, 14-day old, were divided into 2 groups, control and with butyrate addition. Control pigs received a standard feed supplemented with a microencapsulated acidifier (0.3%). Butyrate pigs received the same feed and acidifier, as controls, supplemented with butyrate/yucca preparation (0.3%). At days 28 (weaning), 35 and 56 of life, 6 pigs from each group were killed and the gastrointestinal tract was harvested and measured. The initial body weight (14 d) of pigs from the control group was higher than that of the experimental, but at day 56 it did not differ significantly (P=0.48). The relative stomach and pancreas weights in the experimental group showed a tendency toward higher values in all time points, and the small intestine relative weight in day 35 was higher as compared to the controls. The growth rate of the pigs at day 35 decreased significantly in the control (P=0.007), but did not in the experimental (P=0.058) group compared to day 31. Measurements of the small intestine sections revealed increased mucosa thickness in butyrate treated pigs. This was due to both villi and crypt enlargement. In conclusion, our results demonstrated the effectiveness sodium butyrate and Yucca Shidigera extract in the prevention of weaning problems in pigs, however further research on the novel preparation is needed.Nakon zabrane antibiotika kao promotora rasta, proizvodnja životinja u EU suočila se sa sve više poremećaja nakon odbijanja pa je predloženo nekoliko rješenja (acidifikatori, probiotici, biljni ekstrakti, kokteli enzima, itd.). Kratkolančane masne kiseline glavni su krajnji proizvod bakterijske fermentacije u stražnjem crijevu u monogastričnih životinja pa se mogu upotrijebiti za snabdijevanje energijom epitelnih stanica crijevne sluznice /mukoze. Stoga je cilj ovog rada bio testirati korisnost novog natrijevog biturata u mikrokapsuli i pripravka ekstrakta Yucca Schidigera (potiče rast dobročudnih bakterija, smanjuje amonijak) na performansu svinja i razvoj tankog crijeva u kritičnom razdoblju odbijanja. Mikrokapsule pomažu da se izbjegne oštećenje želuca i pruža bolju razdiobu spojeva duž tankog crijeva. Praščići na sisi, u dobi od 14 dana, bili su podijeljeni u dvije skupine, kontrolnu i skupinu s dodavanjem biturata. Kontrolni praščići dobivali su standardnu hranu s dodatkom acidifikatora/zakiseljivača u mikrokapsuli (0.03%). Praščići na bituratima dobivali su istu hranu i acidifikator/zakiseljivač s dodatkom biturata/yucca pripravka (0.03%). U dobi od 28 (odbijanje), 35 i 56 dana žrtvovano je 6 svinja iz svake skupine te je pregledan i izmjeren gastrointestinalni sustav. Početna tjelesna masa (14. dan) svinja iz kontrolne skupine bila je veća od mase svinja pokusne skupine ali 56. dan nije se značajno razlikovala (P=0.48). Relativne mase želuca i gušterače u pokusnoj skupini pokazale su tendenciju viših vrijednosti u svim razdobljima, a relativna masa tankog crijeva 35. dana bila je viša u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom. Stopa rasta svinja 35. dana znatno se smanjila u kontrolnoj skupini (P=0.007) ali ne u kontrolnoj skupini (P=0.058) u usporedbi s 31. danom. Mjere tankog crijeva pokazale su povećanu debljinu sluznice u svinja tretiranih bituratom. To se pripisuje povećanju dlačica i udubina (villi i crypt). U zaključku, naši su rezultati pokazali djelotvornost natrijevog biturata i ekstrakta Yucca Schidigeri u prevenciji problema odbijanja u svinja, međutim, potrebna su dalja istraživanja novih pripravaka

Antideuteron and deuteron production in mid-central Pb+Pb collisions at 158AA GeV

Production of deuterons and antideuterons was studied by the NA49 experiment in the 23.5% most central Pb+Pb collisions at the top SPS energy of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=17.3 GeV. Invariant yields for $\bar{d}$ and $d$ were measured as a function of centrality in the center-of-mass rapidity range $-1.2<y<-0.6$. Results for $\bar{d}(d)$ together with previously published $\bar{p}(p)$ measurements are discussed in the context of the coalescence model. The coalescence parameters $B_2$ were deduced as a function of transverse momentum $p_t$ and collision centrality.Comment: 9 figure

Comparison of the effects of TENS stimulation and water immersion on relieving labour pain suffered byprimiparas

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare pain suffered by primiparas when delivering a child in a traditional way with deliveries where either TENS stimulation or water immersion was used.Material and methods: Primiparas were divided into 3 groups. In group 1 there were 45 women for whom TENS stimulation was applied during delivery. Group 2 consisted of 38 women who remained in the water during the actual birth of the baby. Group 3 served as the control group and was composed of 32 women. The intensity of pain during delivery was assessed by means of a numerical scale. During the first delivery period, pain was assessed three times at cervical dilation of 2, 3 and 4 fingers.Results: The analysis of pain suffered by primiparas at 2-finger widening showed no statistically significant differences between the groups. However, the analysis of pain experienced at 3-finger opening showed significant differences between the group of women using TENS stimulation in comparison with the control group. When comparing pain at 4-finger opening, statistically significant differences were found between the group of women who delivered in water in comparison to both the control group and the group using TENS stimulation.Conclusions: TENS stimulation and water immersion are good methods to relieve labour pain; particularly helpful in the first period of labour. They are also safe, alternative, non-pharmacological methods of reducing labour pain