До проблеми міжетнічних контактів сарматських племен Північного Причорномор’я перших століть нашої ери (за матеріалами ліпної кераміки)

(uk) Стаття присвячена дослідженню проблем трансформації сарматського ліпного керамічного комплексу як вияву міжетнічної взаємодії племен Північного Причорномор’я І – ІV ст. н.е.(en) The article investigates the problems of transformation of Sarmatian ceramic plastic complex as a manifestation of interethnic interaction of the tribes of Northern Prychornomorya in the I – IV centuries A.D

Ca2+-induced secretion by electropermeabilized human neutrophils. The roles of Ca2+, nucleotides and protein kinase C

Studies of stimulus-response coupling have benefitted from the availability of permeabilization techniques, whereby putative second messengers and intracellular modulators can be introduced into the cell interior. Electropermeabilization, which uses high-intensity electric fields to breach the plasma membrane, creates small pores, permitting access of solutes with molecular masses below 700 KDa. Neutrophils permeabilized by this technique, but not intact cells, discharged lysosomal constituents when exposed to micromolar levels of Ca2+. Secretion by electroporated neutrophils was significantly enhanced by the presence of Mg-ATP (0.3-1.0 mM). Contrary to expectations, it was determined that ATP was not the only nucleotide which enhanced Ca2+-induced secretion in the presence of Mg2+. Not only could GTP, XTP, ITP, UTP or ADP partially or completely replace ATP, but even non-hydrolyzable nucleotides such as ADP[beta]S ATP[gamma]S, and App[NH]p were effective. GTP[gamma]S and GDP[beta]S were inhibitory, while Gpp[NH]p was inactive. None of these nucleotides induced secretion on its own. In contrast, neutrophils which were permeabilized and then washed, were only slightly activated by Mg-ATP and other nucleotides; even the response to Ca2+ alone was less. This hyporesponsiveness of washed cells proved to be due to a time-dependent deactivation of the permeabilized neutrophils taking place at 4[deg] C. In an effort to assess the role for protein kinase C (PKC) in secretion in this system, we examined the effects of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a PKC agonist. PMA enhanced degranulation induced by Ca2+ by lowering the requirement for this divalent cation; enhancement by PMA was not dependent upon exogenous ATP. Three inhibitors of PKC with varying specificity, namely H-7, K-252a, and staurosporine, all abrogated PMA-enhanced secretion. These agents also inhibited secretion stimulated by Ca2+ plus ATP in parallel with that induced by Ca2+ plus PMA, strongly suggesting a role for PKC in modulation of degranulation by ATP. Our results show that electroper-meabilized neutrophils provide a convenient, useful model for stimulus-secretion coupling. These data also suggest that the `requirement' for Mg-ATP, which has been observed in other permeabilized cell systems, is not simply for metabolic energy or as a substrate for kinases. It is possible that these nucleotides all interact with a recently described neutrophil receptor for adenine nucleotides or with a recently postulated exocytosis-linked G-protein.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28620/1/0000432.pd

Monte Carlo simulation of a mammographic test phantom

A test phantom, including a wide range of mammographic tissue equivalent materials and test details, was imaged on a digital mammographic system. In order to quantify the effect of scatter on the contrast obtained for the test details, calculations of the scatter-to-primary ratio (S/P) have been made using a Monte Carlo simulation of the digital mammographic imaging chain, grid and test phantom. The results show that the S/P values corresponding to the imaging conditions used were in the range 0.084-0.126. Calculated and measured pixel values in different regions of the image were compared as a validation of the model and showed excellent agreement. The results indicate the potential of Monte Carlo methods in the image quality-patient dose process optimisation, especially in the assessment of imaging conditions not available on standard mammographic unit

Розвиток творчої активності студентів-гітаристів через імпровізацію під час роботи над музичним твором

(uk) У статті розглядається питання розвитку творчої активності студентів-гітарістів. Надається обґрунтування того, що одним з ефективних засобів розвитку творчої активності студентів-гітарістів є високий рівень засвоєння прийомів імпровізації на заняттях з основного музичного інструменту. Наголошується, що розвиток творчого потенціалу в процесі музично-творчої діяльності студентів буде ефективним за умов здійснення педагогічного керівництва.(ru) В статье рассматривается вопрос развития творческой активности студентов-гитаристов. Предоставляется обоснование того, что одним из эффективных средств развития творческой активности студентов-гитаристов является высокий уровень усвоения приемов импровизации на занятиях основного музыкального инструмента. Отмечается, что развитие творческого потенциала в процессе музыкально-творческой деятельности студентов будет эффективным в условиях осуществления педагогического руководства.(en) This article deals with the development of the creative activity of students guitarists. The ground of being one of the most effective means of creative activity of students guitarists is a high level of mastering techniques of improvisation in the classroom with the main musical instrument. It is noted that the development of creativity in the process of musical and creative activities students will be effective on condition that educational leadership. ndependent work on a musical composition is a productive form of developing students creative musical thinking. In the work plan of the students must be enabled as works of high complexity and fragments or themes from the works that are very difficult to implement fully. The basic weight school repertoire is designed for self-study students

Monte Carlo simulation of a mammographic test phantom

Monte Carlo simulation of a mammographic test phantom A test phantom, including a wide range of mammographic tissue equivalent materials and test details, was imaged on a digital mammographic system. In order to quantify the effect of scatter on the contrast obtained for the test details, calculations of the scatter-to-primary ratio (S/P) have been made using a Monte Carlo simulation of the digital mammographic imaging chain, grid and test phantom. The results show that the S/P values corresponding to the imaging conditions used were in the range 0.0844.126. Calculated and measured pixel values in different regions (if the image were compared as a validation of the model and showed excellent agreement. The results indicate the potential of Monte Carlo methods in the image quality-patient dose process optimisation, especially in the assessment of imaging conditions not available on standard mammographic units

Influenza vaccine effectiveness in adults 65 years and older, Denmark, 2015/16:a rapid epidemiological and virological assessment

In Denmark, both influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B co-circulated in the 2015/16 season. We estimated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the trivalent influenza vaccine in patients 65 years and older using the test-negative case–control design. The adjusted VE against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was 35.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 11.1–52.4) and against influenza B 4.1% (95% CI: −22.0 to 24.7). The majority of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 circulating in 2015/16 belonged to the new genetic subgroup subclade 6B.1.</jats:p

Impact of Center Experience on Patient Radiation Exposure During Transradial Coronary Angiography and Percutaneous Intervention: A Patient-Level, International, Collaborative, Multi-Center Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The adoption of the transradial (TR) approach over the traditional transfemoral (TF) approach has been hampered by concerns of increased radiation exposure-a subject of considerable debate within the field. We performed a patient-level, multi-center analysis to definitively address the impact of TR access on radiation exposure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Overall, 10 centers were included from 6 countries-Canada (2 centers), United Kingdom (2), Germany (2), Sweden (2), Hungary (1), and The Netherlands (1). We compared the radiation exposure of TR versus TF access using measured dose-area product (DAP). To account for local variations in equipment and exposure, standardized TR:TF DAP ratios were constructed per center with procedures separated by coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Among 57 326 procedures, we demonstrated increased radiation exposure with the TR versus TF approach, particularly in the CA cohort across all centers (weighted-average ratios: CA, 1.15; PCI, 1.05). However, this was mitigated by increasing TR experience in the PCI cohort across all centers (r=-0.8; P=0.005). Over time, as a center transitioned to increasing TR experience (r=0.9; P=0.001), a concomitant decrease in radiation exposure occurred (r=-0.8; P=0.006). Ultimately, when a center's balance of TR to TF procedures approaches 50%, the resultant radiation exposure was equivalent. CONCLUSIONS: The TR approach is associated with a modest increase in patient radiation exposure. However, this increase is eliminated when the TR and TF approaches are used with equal frequency-a guiding principle for centers adopting the TR approach

Pediatric interventional radiography equipment: safety considerations

This paper discusses pediatric image quality and radiation dose considerations in state-of-the-art fluoroscopic imaging equipment. Although most fluoroscopes are capable of automatically providing good image quality on infants, toddlers, and small children, excessive radiation dose levels can result from design deficiencies of the imaging device or inappropriate configuration of the equipment’s capabilities when imaging small body parts. Important design features and setup choices at installation and during the clinical use of the imaging device can improve image quality and reduce radiation exposure levels in pediatric patients. Pediatric radiologists and cardiologists, with the help of medical physicists, need to understand the issues involved in creating good image quality at reasonable pediatric patient doses. The control of radiographic technique factors by the generator of the imaging device must provide a large dynamic range of mAs values per exposure pulse during both fluoroscopy and image recording as a function of patient girth, which is the thickness of the patient in the posterior–anterior projection at the umbilicus (less than 10 cm to greater than 30 cm). The range of pulse widths must be limited to less than 10 ms in children to properly freeze patient motion. Variable rate pulsed fluoroscopy can be leveraged to reduce radiation dose to the patient and improve image quality. Three focal spots with nominal sizes of 0.3 mm to 1 mm are necessary on the pediatric unit. A second, lateral imaging plane might be necessary because of the child’s limited tolerance of contrast medium. Spectral and spatial beam shaping can improve image quality while reducing the radiation dose. Finally, the level of entrance exposure to the image receptor of the fluoroscope as a function of operator choices, of added filter thickness, of selected pulse rate, of the selected field-of-view and of the patient girth all must be addressed at installation