New results on source and diffusion spectral features of Galactic cosmic rays: I- B/C ratio

In a previous study (Maurin et al., 2001), we explored the set of parameters describing diffusive propagation of cosmic rays (galactic convection, reacceleration, halo thickness, spectral index and normalization of the diffusion coefficient), and we identified those giving a good fit to the measured B/C ratio. This study is now extended to take into account a sixth free parameter, namely the spectral index of sources. We use an updated version of our code where the reacceleration term comes from standard minimal reacceleration models. The goal of this paper is to present a general view of the evolution of the goodness of fit to B/C data with the propagation parameters. In particular, we find that, unlike the well accepted picture, and in accordance with our previous study, a Kolmogorov-like power spectrum for diffusion is strongly disfavored. Rather, the $\chi^2$ analysis points towards $\delta\gtrsim 0.7$ along with source spectra index $\lesssim 2.0$. Two distinct energy dependences are used for the source spectra: the usual power-law in rigidity and a law modified at low energy, the second choice being only slightly preferred. We also show that the results are not much affected by a different choice for the diffusion scheme. Finally, we compare our findings to recent works, using other propagation models. This study will be further refined in a companion paper, focusing on the fluxes of cosmic ray nuclei.Comment: 32 pages, 13 figures, accepted in A&

Galactic Cosmic Rays from Supernova Remnants: II Shock Acceleration of Gas and Dust

This is the second paper (the first was astro-ph/9704267) of a series analysing the Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) composition and origin. In this we present a quantitative model of GCR origin and acceleration based on the acceleration of a mixture of interstellar and/or circumstellar gas and dust by supernova remnant blast waves. We present results from a nonlinear shock model which includes (i) the direct acceleration of interstellar gas-phase ions, (ii) a simplified model for the direct acceleration of weakly charged dust grains to energies of order 100keV/amu simultaneously with the gas ions, (iii) frictional energy losses of the grains colliding with the gas, (iv) sputtering of ions of refractory elements from the accelerated grains and (v) the further shock acceleration of the sputtered ions to cosmic ray energies. The calculated GCR composition and spectra are in good agreement with observations.Comment: to appear in ApJ, 51 pages, LaTeX with AAS macros, 9 postscript figures, also available from ftp://wonka.physics.ncsu.edu/pub/elliso

The content of sEMMPRIN/CD147 in the blood serum of patients with bone tumors and its relationship with the clinical and morphological characteristics of the disease

Introduction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of biochemical markers is one of the most important methods for diagnosing tumors. One of these markers is an inducer of expression of matrix metalloproteases EMMPRIN/CD147. Changes in its expression are associated with the progression of some tumors. This study is the first work devoted to the study of the content of the soluble form of the transmembrane glycoprotein EMMPRIN (sEMMPRIN)  in the blood serum of patients with various bone tumors.Aim. To study the content of sEMMPRIN in the blood serum of patients with malignant bone tumors, its relationship with the clinical and morphological characteristics of neoplasms and prognosis.Materials and methods. The study included 88 patients with malignant tumors (osteosarcoma – 37 cases, chondrosarcoma – 39, chordoma – 5, Ewing’s sarcoma – 7) and borderline (11 cases) bone neoplasms, of which 14 patients were under the age of 18 years. The control group consisted of 29 healthy donors, 8 of which were under the age of 18 years. The concentration  of EMMPRIN was determined in the serum of patients and donors with reagents for direct enzyme immunoassay “Human EMMPRIN” (R&D, USA) in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and expressed in nanograms (ng) per 1 ml of blood serum. The obtained data were processed using the GraphPad Prizm 9.4 program. When comparing indicators and analyzing their relationships, we used the nonparametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Overall survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method.Results. Our analysis of the sEMMPRIN content in the blood serum of patients with bone tumors did not reveal statistically significant differences between the control group and patients with borderline and malignant tumors, both in adults and in children. At the same time, a trend towards a decrease in the level of sEMMPRIN in the blood serum was noted in the presence of a malignant neoplasm of the bone compared with the corresponding control group. Additionally, we found that the content of sEMMPRIN is associated with age and higher in the group of patients under 18 years of age, both among healthy donors and oncological patients. An analysis of the association of sEMMPRIN content with clinical and morphological characteristics did not reveal statistically significant patterns, however, a trend towards an increase in the level of the marker with disease progression in both studied age groups was observed, which is consistent with other studies conducted on other solid tumors.Conclusion. ELISA revealed the marker sEMMPRIN in the blood serum of all examined children and adults with borderline malignant bone tumors and healthy donors. At the same time, the levels of sEMMPRIN did not differ between the above groups, however, there was a tendency for a decrease in the concentration of the marker in patients with bone sarcomas compared with the control group, regardless of age

Содержание sEMMPRIN/CD147 в сыворотке крови больных с опухолями костей и его связь с клинико-морфологическими характеристиками заболевания

Introduction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of biochemical markers is one of the most important methods for diagnosing tumors. One of these markers is an inducer of expression of matrix metalloproteases EMMPRIN/CD147. Changes in its expression are associated with the progression of some tumors. This study is the first work devoted to the study of the content of the soluble form of the transmembrane glycoprotein EMMPRIN (sEMMPRIN)  in the blood serum of patients with various bone tumors.Aim. To study the content of sEMMPRIN in the blood serum of patients with malignant bone tumors, its relationship with the clinical and morphological characteristics of neoplasms and prognosis.Materials and methods. The study included 88 patients with malignant tumors (osteosarcoma – 37 cases, chondrosarcoma – 39, chordoma – 5, Ewing’s sarcoma – 7) and borderline (11 cases) bone neoplasms, of which 14 patients were under the age of 18 years. The control group consisted of 29 healthy donors, 8 of which were under the age of 18 years. The concentration  of EMMPRIN was determined in the serum of patients and donors with reagents for direct enzyme immunoassay “Human EMMPRIN” (R&D, USA) in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and expressed in nanograms (ng) per 1 ml of blood serum. The obtained data were processed using the GraphPad Prizm 9.4 program. When comparing indicators and analyzing their relationships, we used the nonparametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Overall survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method.Results. Our analysis of the sEMMPRIN content in the blood serum of patients with bone tumors did not reveal statistically significant differences between the control group and patients with borderline and malignant tumors, both in adults and in children. At the same time, a trend towards a decrease in the level of sEMMPRIN in the blood serum was noted in the presence of a malignant neoplasm of the bone compared with the corresponding control group. Additionally, we found that the content of sEMMPRIN is associated with age and higher in the group of patients under 18 years of age, both among healthy donors and oncological patients. An analysis of the association of sEMMPRIN content with clinical and morphological characteristics did not reveal statistically significant patterns, however, a trend towards an increase in the level of the marker with disease progression in both studied age groups was observed, which is consistent with other studies conducted on other solid tumors.Conclusion. ELISA revealed the marker sEMMPRIN in the blood serum of all examined children and adults with borderline malignant bone tumors and healthy donors. At the same time, the levels of sEMMPRIN did not differ between the above groups, however, there was a tendency for a decrease in the concentration of the marker in patients with bone sarcomas compared with the control group, regardless of age.Введение. Иммуноферментный  анализ биохимических маркеров является одним из важнейших методов диагностики опухолей. в число таких маркеров входит индуктор экспрессии матриксных металлопротеаз EMMPRIN/CD147. изменение его экспрессии связано с прогрессией некоторых опухолей. Настоящее исследование является первой работой, посвященной изучению содержания растворимой формы трансмембранного гликопротеина EMMPRIN (sEMMPRIN) в сыворотке крови пациентов с различными опухолями костей.Цель исследования – изучить содержание sEMMPRIN в сыворотке крови больных со злокачественными опухолями костей, его связь с клинико-морфологическими характеристиками новообразований и прогнозом.Материалы и методы. В исследование включены 88 пациентов со злокачественными опухолями (остеосаркома – 37 случаев, хондросаркома – 39, хордома – 5, саркома Юинга – 7) и пограничными новообразованиями костей (11 случаев), из которых 14 больных – в возрасте до 18 лет. Группу контроля составили 29 здоровых доноров, 8 из которых были в возрасте до 18 лет. концентрацию sEMMPRIN определяли в сыворотке больных и доноров с помощью реактивов для прямого иммуноферментного анализа “Human EммPRIN”  (R&D, СШа) в соответствии с инструкциями производителя и выражали в нанограммах (нг) на 1 мл сыворотки крови. полученные данные обрабатывали с помощью программы GraphPad Prizm 9.4. для сравнения показателей и оценки их взаимосвязей использовали непараметрические критерии манна–Уитни и краскела–Уоллиса. анализ общей выживаемости выполняли по методу каплана–майера.Результаты. Проведенный нами анализ содержания sEMMPRIN в сыворотке крови пациентов с опухолями костей не выявил статистически значимых различий между контрольной группой и пациентами с пограничными и злокачественными опухолями как у взрослых, так и у детей. вместе с тем обнаружена тенденция к снижению уровня sEMMPRIN в сыворотке крови при наличии злокачественного новообразования кости по сравнению с соответствующей контрольной группой. дополнительно нами выявлено, что содержание sEMMPRIN ассоциировано с возрастом и выше в группе обследуемых в возрасте до 18 лет (как здоровых доноров, так и онкологических пациентов). анализ ассоциации содержания sEMMPRIN с клинико-морфологическими характеристиками не выявил статистически значимых закономерностей, однако наблюдалась тенденция к повышению уровня маркера при прогрессировании заболевания в обеих исследованных возрастных группах, что согласуется с другими исследованиями, в которых анализировались иные солидные опухоли.Заключение. С помощью иммуноферментного анализа sEMMPRIN выявлен в сыворотке крови у всех обследованных детей и взрослых пациентов с пограничными, злокачественными опухолями костей и у здоровых доноров. Уровни этого маркера в вышеуказанных группах не различались, однако отмечена тенденция к снижению его концентрации у больных саркомами костей по сравнению с контрольной группой независимо от возраста

The current state of the breeding base in the Smolensk region

Dairy cattle breeding in the Smolensk region is the most promising direction of development of agriculture. In this regard the purpose of the work has been to study and analyze the state of the breeding base in dairy cattle breeding in the region. Breeding base in the Smolensk region at present time is represented by three breeding farms (nucleuses) and 12 breeding farms fof breeding Brown Swiss, Sychevskaya, Vazuzskiy type of Sychevskaya breed, Holstein and Black-and-White breeds. In the breeding farms of the region in 2018 the number of cattle was 21 484 heads, which is by 19,4 % less than in 2017. The reduction of livestock has been occurred due to the reduction of cows by 15,4 % and reduction of offspring, but the sale of breeding young animals has been increased by 38 %. The term of economic use of cows according the breed has been varied from 3,2 (Holstein breed) to 4,7 calving (Brown Swiss). At intensive rearing of breeding heifers with their first fertilization at the age of 16– 18 months the average productivity of cows in the future may reach the level of 5500–6000 thousand kg of milk per lactation. Payback all costs under this is happening for 1,5–2,0 lactations. According to the valuation for 2018 highest yield of milk has been obtained in the herd in breeding farm OOO “Zolotaya Niva” (Holstein breed) – 9700 kg of milk and yield of fat 311 and protein 351 kg. Eff ective use of highly productive animals contributes to the improvement of the genealogical structure of the herd and the breed increases the chances of getting even more highly productive and valuable descendants.</jats:p

Dynamics of productive qualities of Sychevskaya cows with the use of entropy-information analysis

The genesis of the herd of the Sychevskaya breed in the conditions of the leading breeding farms of the Smolensk region was evaluated using one-factor dispersion and entropy-information analysis. The study involved 2362 cows. The study period was divided into six time phases according to the date of birth of the animals. An increase in the level of productivity and reproductive properties of cows during the first lactation was established. By the sixth time phase, the milk production increased by 747 kg per standard lactation. There was also an increase in the content and amount of milk fat. According to the time stages of the study, the level of the Holstein blood fraction changed in cows. The applied method of "infusion" of blood of red-mottled Holsteins had an unstable effect on milk productivity and reproductive properties. The open-days of cows with the level of Holstein "blood" above 41% has increased. The method of one-factor analysis of variance established a reliable probability of the influence of the time stage of birth of cows on the amount of milk, milk fat, age of first insemination, open-days. Entropy-information analysis revealed the consolidation of the "milk yield" trait and the organization of the control system of the fat-milk content of animals.</jats:p

THE ROLE OF INTRAVASCULAR METHODS OF RESEARCH TO VERIFY THE DIAGNOSIS OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE IN WORKERS OF JSC “RUSSIAN RAILWAYS” RELATED TO THE SAFETY OF TRAIN TRAFFIC

The purpose of the study was to determine the role of the complex use of FFR and IVUS to verify the diagnosis of coronary heart disease in the examination of the professional suitability of Russian Railways employees, related to safety of train traffic. The study showed that survival rates free of major adverse cardiac events, transient rhythm disturbances, syncopal conditions and repeated hospitalizations for the angina pectoris, in groups with “unchanged” coronary arteries and intermediate stenoses of the coro-nary arteries with FFR negative result were not significantly different in the long-term period and amounted to 100 and 95.2%, respectively (p > 0.05), which makes to consider them as professionally suitable workers and return to work. When comparing this indicator in the subgroups of patients with FFR positive result undergoing stenting under the control of IVUS and patients with FFR negative result receiving optimal medical therapy, there were also no significant differences (97.3 and 95.2%, respectively, p > 0.05), which makes it possible to swich workers who have undergone stenting to "light" work, not related to the safety of train traffic

Analysis of reproduction indicators of brown Swiss cattle of the Smolensk region

In dairy cattle breeding, the breeding work is carried out mainly to increase the milk productivity of cows, which often leads to a decrease in the reproductive qualities of the breeding stock. Therefore, practicing breeders are faced with the task of studying and improving the qualities of animals associated with the reproduction of the herd. At the same time, in the conditions of a decrease in the number of livestock, the issue of preserving and improving the reproductive properties of animals is also put forward in the first position. For design breeding problems, it is necessary to have information about the genesis of reproduction. The conducted studies covering the period 2011-2020 reveal the dynamics of significant reproductive indicators – the age of the first fruitful insemination, the number of inseminations per fruitful one, as well as the open days in the first lactation of the breeding stock of the Swiss breed. In the process of its improvement, the age of the first fruitful insemination of animals decreased. The multiplicity of insemination and the associated open days in the first lactation do not have a stable nature of changes. To obtain more informative data on the level of organization of the biological system under study, the entropy – information analysis was used in the study. The age of the first fruitful insemination at the initial stages was poorly controlled, with an absolute organization (O) having values from 0.168 bits (H=3.292 bits) it was found however, during the selection process, the controllability of this system increases (O=0.873 bits; H=2.586 bits). The most controlled feature throughout all stages is the multiplicity of insemination (O = 0.401...1.147 bits; H=1.921 ...1.175 bits). The least controlled is the open days (O=0.136...0.604 bits; H=3.449...2.981 bits). The obtained results of the study contribute to the conduct of purposeful breeding of Brown Swiss cattle, taking into account the reproductive ability.</jats:p

Dependence of productive qualities of cows of brown Swiss breed on their physiological devel-opment

The brown Swiss breed of cattle, which is currently being bred in the Smolensk region for dairy and meat productivity, is of interest from the point of view of its production feasibility and competitiveness, and the biological properties of livestock. The research was carried out in a breeding reproducer for the breeding of brown Swiss cattle of the Smolensk region, in the conditions of the farm, the age of fruitful insemination, physiological development, linear affiliation and productive qualities were analyzed (n=384). According to the terms of fertilization, the animals were conditionally divided into three groups: - early-maturing 46 heads (12%) live weight of the first insemination 329 kg, medium-maturing 191 heads (49.7%) live weight 388 kg and late-maturing 147 heads (38.3%) live weight 429 kg. The genealogical structure of the analyzed livestock includes descendants of the related groups Meridian 90827 (46.3%), Concentrate 106157 (25.4%), Master 106902 (25.4%) and line Laird  71151 (2.9%). The highest milk yield and fat for the first (4520 kg) and highest lactation (5022 kg, 3.97 %) in late-maturing animals. The group of first-calf cows of medium precocity in terms of milk yield occupies an intermediate position (4334 kg). The difference in live weight between the third and first groups is significant (P&lt;0.05). There were no significant differences in milk fat and protein between the groups of cows. From these studies, it follows that the larger the live weight at the first insemination, the more productive they are.</jats:p