Reconstructing and reforming Ukraine

Helping Ukraine to reconstruct and reform its economy is arguably the most important project for Europe this century. It will require extraordinary collaboration from within and outside of the country. We establish a set of principles that should guide these efforts, based on international and Ukraine’s own experience. This experience also suggests key building blocks of a reform and reconstruction architecture that can help ensure that these principles are successfully applied. We assess the current institutional arrangements in this light and suggest adjustments that will increase the likelihood of success. The core of the argument is that the unfathomable choices involved in reconstruction and reform, including the use of donor resources, must be made by the Ukrainian people and its elected representatives, and the outcome must be owned by them

Analytical treatment of the chaotic behaviour of the deterministic pseudolinear map: decay of correlations and stability of periodical systems

It was received the rate of chaotization for pseudolinear mapping. It was shown that the rate of chaotization is proportional to the dimension of the phase space and maximal Lyapunov exponent. It was shown also that the problem of the rate of chaotization is not correct and must be regularized. It was investigated also the two-dimensional dynamical system stability in the case of two and three step periodical standard maps. The stability conditions were obtained. The analytical expressions of the bounders of stability regions were written. It had been shown that the summary region of stability is expanded, when compared to the case of the one-step map, but the number of stable points decreases

Accountability and pediatric physician-researchers: are theoretical models compatible with Canadian lived experience?

Physician-researchers are bound by professional obligations stemming from both the role of the physician and the role of the researcher. Currently, the dominant models for understanding the relationship between physician-researchers' clinical duties and research duties fit into three categories: the similarity position, the difference position and the middle ground. The law may be said to offer a fourth "model" that is independent from these three categories

Platelet count, spleen length, and platelet count-to-spleen length ratio for the diagnosis of oesophageal varices in people with chronic liver disease or portal vein thrombosis

Background: Current guidelines recommend screening of people with oesophageal varices via oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy at the time of diagnosis of hepatic cirrhosis. This requires that people repeatedly undergo unpleasant invasive procedures with their attendant risks, although half of these people have no identifiable oesophageal varices 10 years after the initial diagnosis of cirrhosis. Platelet count, spleen length, and platelet count-to-spleen length ratio are non-invasive tests proposed as triage tests for the diagnosis of oesophageal varices. Objectives: Primary objectives To determine the diagnostic accuracy of platelet count, spleen length, and platelet count-to-spleen length ratio for the diagnosis of oesophageal varices of any size in paediatric or adult patients with chronic liver disease or portal vein thrombosis, irrespective of aetiology. To investigate the accuracy of these non-invasive tests as triage or replacement of oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy. Secondary objectives To compare the diagnostic accuracy of these same tests for the diagnosis of high-risk oesophageal varices in paediatric or adult patients with chronic liver disease or portal vein thrombosis, irrespective of aetiology. We aimed to perform pair-wise comparisons between the three index tests, while considering predefined cut-off values. We investigated sources of heterogeneity. Search methods: The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies Register, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (OvidSP), Embase (OvidSP), and Science Citation Index - Expanded (Web of Science) (14 June 2016). We applied no language or document-type restrictions. Selection criteria: Studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of platelet count, spleen length, and platelet count-to-spleen length ratio for the diagnosis of oesophageal varices via oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy as the reference standard in children or adults of any age with chronic liver disease or portal vein thrombosis, who did not have variceal bleeding. Data collection and analysis: Standard Cochrane methods as outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Diagnostic Test of Accuracy Reviews. Main results: We included 71 studies, 67 of which enrolled only adults and four only children. All included studies were cross-sectional and were undertaken at a tertiary care centre. Eight studies reported study results in abstracts or letters. We considered all but one of the included studies to be at high risk of bias. We had major concerns about defining the cut-off value for the three index tests; most included studies derived the best cut-off values a posteriori, thus overestimating accuracy; 16 studies were designed to validate the 909 (n/mm3)/mm cut-off value for platelet count-to-spleen length ratio. Enrolment of participants was not consecutive in six studies and was unclear in 31 studies. Thirty-four studies assessed enrolment consecutively. Eleven studies excluded some included participants from the analyses, and in only one study, the time interval between index tests and the reference standard was longer than three months. Diagnosis of varices of any size. Platelet count showed sensitivity of 0.71 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63 to 0.77) and specificity of 0.80 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.88) (cut-off value of around 150,000/mm3 from 140,000 to 150,000/mm3; 10 studies, 2054 participants). When examining potential sources of heterogeneity, we found that of all predefined factors, only aetiology had a role: studies including participants with chronic hepatitis C reported different results when compared with studies including participants with mixed aetiologies (P = 0.036). Spleen length showed sensitivity of 0.85 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.91) and specificity of 0.54 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.62) (cut-off values of around 110 mm, from 110 to 112.5 mm; 13 studies, 1489 participants). Summary estimates for detection of varices of any size showed sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.97) and specificity of 0.84 (95% CI 0.75 0.91) in 17 studies, and 2637 participants had a cut-off value for platelet count-to-spleen length ratio of 909 (n/mm3)/mm. We found no effect of predefined sources of heterogeneity. An overall indirect comparison of the HSROCs of the three index tests showed that platelet count-to-spleen length ratio was the most accurate index test when compared with platelet count (P 909 (n/mm3)/mm, the presence of oesophageal varices of any size can be excluded and only 7% of adults with varices of any size would be missed, allowing investigators to spare the number of oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy examinations. This test is not accurate enough for identification of oesophageal varices at high risk of bleeding that require primary prophylaxis. Future studies should assess the diagnostic accuracy of this test in specific subgroups of patients, as well as its ability to predict variceal bleeding. New non-invasive tests should be examined

Artifact‐Free Quantification and Sequencing of Rare Recombinant Viruses by Using Drop‐Based Microfluidics

Recombination is an important driver in the evolution of viruses and thus is key to understanding viral epidemics and improving strategies to prevent future outbreaks. Characterization of rare recombinant subpopulations remains technically challenging because of artifacts such as artificial recombinants, known as chimeras, and amplification bias. To overcome this, we have developed a high‐throughput microfluidic technique with a second verification step in order to amplify and sequence single recombinant viruses with high fidelity in picoliter drops. We obtained the first artifact‐free estimate of in vitro recombination rate between murine norovirus strains MNV‐1 and WU20 co‐infecting a cell (Prec=3.3×10−4±2×10−5) for a 1205 nt region. Our approach represents a time‐ and cost‐effective improvement over current methods, and can be adapted for genomic studies requiring artifact‐ and bias‐free selective amplification, such as microbial pathogens, or rare cancer cells.Artifact‐free RNA amplification: single viral RNA templates produced from a co‐infected culture are encapsulated into picoliter drops with a one‐step RT‐PCR cocktail. A fluorescent dye in the cocktail identifies drops containing potential recombinant amplicons, which are sorted based on fluorescence, followed by Sanger sequencing.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116006/1/cbic201500384.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116006/2/cbic201500384-sup-0001-misc_information.pd

RF installation for the grain disinfestation

The ecologically pure method of grain product disinfestations through the grain treatment with the RF electric field is described. The experimental data obtained showed that with strengths of the electrical RF field of E=5 kV/cm and frequency of 80 MHz the relative death rate is 100%. The time of the grain treatment in this case is 1 sec. The pulses with a duration of 600 μs and repetition rate of 2 Hz were used, the duration of the front was 10 μs. The schematic layout of installation with a productivity of 50 tones/h and power of 10 kW is given

Investigation of parameters of the working substance - low temperature plasma in the ionization resonator chamber of the RF reactive engine

This paper is the extension of investigations of the RF engine designed for orientation and stabilization of the spacecrafts orbit, and it is undertaken for measuring of plasma parameters of RF discharge in the ionization resonator chamber. The experiments were performed at the frequency of 80 MHz on the model engine, in which a length of coaxial line with shortening capacities at the ends was used as the ionization resonator chamber. As the result of the experiments, conditions of the RF discharge ignition in the resonator chamber are studied; dependencies of plasma density and temperature versus applied power and working body pressure are obtained for various gases. The measurements of the thrust were performed at the special-purpose test bench. The data obtained allow making a conclusion that further investigations in this direction hold much promise.Представлена робота продовжує дослідження НВЧ – двигуна, призначеного для орієнтації та стабілізації орбіти космічних апаратів, й виконана з метою виміряти параметри плазми НВЧ – розряду в іонізаційній камері – резонаторі двигуна. Експерименти проводились з частотою 80 МГц на макеті двигуна, в якому в якості іонізаційної камери використовувався відрізок коаксиальної лінії зі скорочуваючими ємностями на кінцях. В експериментах вивчені умови запалювання НВЧ – розряду в камері–резонаторі, отримані залежності густини та температури плазми від прикладеної потужності та тиску робочого тіла для різних газів. На спеціалізованому випробному стенді були проведені вимірювання тяги. Отримані результати дозволяють зробити висновок про перспективність подальших досліджень у цьому напрямку.Настоящая работа является продолжением исследований СВЧ – двигателя предназначенного для ориентации и стабилизации орбиты космических аппаратов и предпринята с целью измерения параметров плазмы СВЧ – разряда в ионизационной камере – резонаторе двигателя. Эксперименты проводились на частоте 80 МГц на макете двигателя, в котором в качестве ионизационной камеры – резонатора использовался отрезок коаксиальной линии с укорачивающими емкостями на концах. В экспериментах изучены условия зажигания СВЧ разряда в камере - резонаторе, получены зависимости плотности и температуры плазмы от приложенной мощности и давления рабочего тела для различных газов. На специализированном испытательном стенде были проведены измерения тяги. Полученные данные позволяют сделать вывод о перспективности дальнейших исследований в этом направлении