Geometric principles for constructing radar panoramas of the surface of Venus: Hypsometric features of the Moon and terrestrial planets

The physographic curves of the moon and terrestrial planets, drawn both for the entire surface as a whole and for individual hemispheres, were compared to discover the common consistencies and individual features in the distribution of hypsometric levels. In 1983 to 1984 the automated interplanetary stations (AMS) Venera 15 and 16 made radar maps of the planet Venus. The synthesized images are the basic initial material for photogrammetric and catrographic processing to create maps of the Venus surface. These principles are discussed

Safe At Any Speed: A Simulation-Based Test Harness for Autonomous Vehicles

The testing of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) requires driving the AV billions of miles under varied scenarios in order to find bugs, accidents and otherwise inappropriate behavior. Because driving a real AV that many miles is too slow and costly, this motivates the use of sophisticated `world simulators\u27, which present the AV\u27s perception pipeline with realistic input scenes, and present the AV\u27s control stack with realistic traffic and physics to which to react. Thus the simulator is a crucial piece of any CAD toolchain for AV testing. In this work, we build a test harness for driving an arbitrary AV\u27s code in a simulated world. We demonstrate this harness by using the game Grand Theft Auto V (GTA) as world simulator for AV testing. Namely, our AV code, for both perception and control, interacts in real-time with the game engine to drive our AV in the GTA world, and we search for weather conditions and AV operating conditions that lead to dangerous situations. This goes beyond the current state-of-the-art where AVs are tested under ideal weather conditions, and lays the ground work for a more comprehensive testing effort. We also propose and demonstrate necessary analyzes to validate the simulation results relative to the real world. The results of such analyses allow the designers and verification engineers to weigh the results of simulation-based testing

Optimization of shareholders’ incomes with investments into production reforming

In recent years a company’s goal is not profit making but capitalization. Companies having the capital value larger than their competitors win in the market. This determines the trends in the capital market, namely merger and acquisition, which have been very popular recently in the international market. This paper considers economic statement, formalization and fulfillment of a problem of optimization of management decisions during formation of funds for company development.peer-reviewe

Characteristics of hemostasis system and activity of trypsin-like blood enzymes in comorbid patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension.

This work was aimed at studying the activity of the hemostasis system and trypsin-like blood enzymes (TLE) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypertension (H), depending on anthropometric, clinical features and smoking. The study included 87 patients. I group included 39 patients with COPD A – D, II-IV by GOLD and conco­mitant with H I-II stage, II group  – 38 patients with H I - II stage, and K group  – 10   apparently healthy persons. The study was conducted on the background of the use of standard basic therapy by patients from the 1st and 2nd groups in a stable period of disease. The degree of thrombocyte (tr) adhesion in I and II groups of patients was higher than in the K group. Both adhesive activity and the amount of tr in the I group was higher than in the II group. With positive status of smoking and increasing nicotine addiction in comorbid patients with COPD and H, the adhesive activity of tr increased. The level of the procoagulantive parameters of the plasma part of hemostasis in the two studied groups was not statistically different, but was higher than in the K group. Increased BMR and dyspnoea by the mMRS scale in group with COPD and H and increased age of patients with H led to the increase in the activity of plasma coagulation factors. In I and II groups, the increase in blood TLE was observed, which increased with the body weight, while in comorbid patients in the subgroup with FEV1≥50%, the incidence of COPD exacerbation additionaly effects the increase of TLE. In I group correlation between reduction of FEV1 with the decrease of TLE was revealed. In patients with COPD and AH activity of thrombocyte and plasma hemostasis, as well as trypsin-like blood enzymes, increases. Smoking, body weight gain and incidence of COPD exacerbation contribute to increased prothrombotic potential

ФАКТОРИ СЕРЦЕВО-СУДИННОГО РИЗИКУ ТА ПРОЯВИ ПЕРСИСТУЮЧОГО СИCТЕМНОГО ЗАПАЛЕННЯ У ХВОРИХ З КОМОРБІДНІСТЮ ХРОНІЧНОГО ОБСТРУКТИВНОГО ЗАХВОРЮВАННЯ ЛЕГЕНЬ ТА АРТЕРІАЛЬНОЇ ГІПЕРТЕНЗІЇ

An increase of the level of persistent systemic inflammation, one of the important biomarkers of which is the C-reactive protein (CRP), is considered as a factor contributing to the occurrence of serious cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular pathology and in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the study – to determine the level of serum ultra-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), its connection with cardiovascular risk factors, activity of platelets (Pl) in patients with comorbidity COPD and arterial hypertension (AH). Material and Methods. The study included 84 patients in a stable condition. The group I – 44 patients with COPD in combination with AH stage І–ІІ, the group II – 40 patients with H stage І – ІІ. The following indicators were determined: office blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), smoking status and assessment of the degree of nicotine dependence (Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence – FTND); it was determined the high sensitivity of serum C-reactive protein concentration (hsCRP) by IFA-test, lipid profile, adhesion, induced aggregation (Agr) of thrombocytes (Pl) and fibrinogen (FG); in the group I, there was an assessment of dyspnea by mMRS, frequency of exacerbations during the year, spirography. Results. Level of hsCRP in the group I was irrespective of age, BMI, smoking status, lipid profile, but was associated with an increase in wheeze and mMRS level (p<0.05). At BMI≤25 kg/m2 in the group I it was higher than in the group II (p=0.007), in the group II hsCRP was higher at BMI>25 kg/m2 than at BMI≤25 kg/m2 (0.008) in smokers (0.016) and was associated with dyslipidemia (p<0.05). Induced by collagen, thrombin Pl Agr in the group I it had a reverse correlation with hsCRP, in the group II, induced by collagen Pl Agr it had a direct correlation with hsCRP (p<0.05), but the total adhesion and aggregation activity of Pl in the group I was higher than in the group II. In the group I the level of FG had a direct correlation with hsCRP and the reverse one with FEV1. Conclusions. Increase the levels of hsSRP and FG in stable COPD patients with combined AH is associated with respiratory disorders. In patients with AH – hsSRB increases with an increase in BMI, dyslipidemia, dependence on smoking. The general prothrombotic potential in patients of the group I higher than in the group II, which is due to an increase in the adhesive-aggregation activity of TP, as well as an increase in fibrinogenemia with an increase in the level of hsSRB. Increased levels of hsSRB, FG and Pl activity in comorbid patients with COPD and AH contribute to the risk of serious cardiovascular events even in the absence of exacerbations.Повышение уровня персистирующего системного воспаления, одним из важных биомаркеров которого является С-реактивный белок (СРБ), рассматривается как фактор, способствующий возникновению серьезных сердечно-сосудистых событий как у больных с сердечно-сосудистой патологией, так и с хронической обструктивной болезнью легких (ХОБЛ). Цель – оценить уровень сывороточного ультрачувствительного С-реактивного белка (hsCPБ) и его связь с факторами сердечно-сосудистого риска, активностью тромбоцитов у больных с коморбидностью ХОБЛ и арте­риальной гипертензии (АГ). Материал и методы. В исследование вошли 84 пациента в стабильном состоянии, І гр. составили 44 больных ХОБЛ в сочетании с АГ I–II ст., II гр. – 40 больных с АГ I–II ст. Проведены оценка клинико-анамнестических данных, определение офисного артериального давления (АД), индекса массы тела (ИМТ), статуса курения и степени никотиновой зависимости (Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence – FTND), ультрачувствительное определение концентрации сывороточного hsСРБ (ИФА), липидного профиля, степени адгезии, индуцированной агрегации тромбоцитов (Тр) и фибриногена (ФГ), в I гр. – оценка одышки по mMRS, частоты обострений в течение года, спирография. Результаты. Уровень hsСРБ в I гр. был независим от возраста, ИМТ, статуса курения, липидного профиля, но имел связь с увеличением бронхообструкции и повышением бала mMRS (р<0,05). При ИМТ≤25 кг/м2 в I гр. был выше, чем во II гр. (Р = 0,007). Во II гр. hsСРБ выше при ИМТ> 25кг/м2, чем при ИМТ ≤ 25 кг/м2 (0,008), у курильщиков (0,016) был связан с дислипидемией (p<0,05). Индуцированная коллагеном, тромбином агрегация (Агр) в I гр. имела обратную связь, во II гр. индуцированная коллагеном Агр – прямую корреляционную связь с hsСРБ (p<0,05), но общая адгезивная и индуцированная Агр активность Тр в I гр. была выше, чем во II гр. В I гр. уровень ФГ имел прямую корреляционную связь с hsСРБ и обратную – с ОФВ1. Выводы. Повышение уровня hsСРБ и ФГ у стабильных больных ХОБЛ, сочетанной с АГ, связано с респира­торными нарушениям. При АГ – hsСРБ увеличивается при увеличении ИМТ, дислипидемии, зависимости от курения. Общий протромботический потенциал у больных I гр. выше, чем во II гр., что обусловлено повышением адгезивно-агрегационной активности ТР, а также ростом фибриногенемии с увеличением уровня hsСРБ. Повышение уровней hsСРБ, ФГ и Тр активности у коморбидных больных с ХОБЛ и АГ способствует риску серьезных кардио­васкулярных событий даже при отсутсвии обострений.Підвищення рівня персистуючого системного запалення, одним з важливих біомаркерів якого є С-реактивний білок (СРБ), є фактором, що сприяє виникненню серйозних серцево-судинних подій як у хворих із серцево-судинною патологією, так і з хронічним обструктивним захворюванням легень (ХОЗЛ). Мета – оцінити рівень сироваткового ультрачутливого С-реактивного білка (hsCPБ) та його зв’язок із факторами серцево-судинного ризику, активністю тромбоцитів у хворих з коморбідністю хронічного обструктивного захворювання легень (ХОЗЛ) та артеріальної гіпертензії (АГ). Матеріал і методи. У дослідження увійшли 84 пацієнти в стабільному стані, І гр. склали 44 хворих на ХОЗЛ у поєднанні з АГ І–ІІ стадії, ІІ гр. – 40 хворих з АГ І–ІІ стадії. Проведені оцінка клініко-анамнестичних даних, визначення офісного артеріального тиску (АТ), індексу маси тіла (ІМТ), статусу куріння та ступеня нікотинової залежності (Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence – FTND); високочутливе визначення концентрації сироваткового hsСРБ (ІФА), ліпідного профілю, ступеня адгезії, індукованої агрегації тромбоцитів (Тр) та фібриногену (ФГ), в І гр. – оцінка задишки за mMRS, частоти загострень протягом року, спірографія. Результати. Рівень hsСРБ в І гр. був незалежний від віку, ІМТ, статусу куріння, ліпідного профілю, але мав зв'язок із збільшенням бронхообструкції та рівнем mMRS (р<0,05). При ІМТ ≤ 25 кг/м2 в І гр. був вище, ніж в ІІ гр. (р=0,007). В ІІ гр. hsСРБ вище при ІМТ>25кг/м2, ніж при ІМТ ≤ 25 кг/м2 (0,008), у курців (0,016) був пов'язаний із дисліпідемією (p <0,05). Індукована колагеном, тромбіном агрегація (Агр) в І гр. мала зворотний зв’язок, в ІІ гр. індукована колагеном Агр – прямий кореляційний зв’язок із hsСРБ (p<0,05), але загальна адгезивна та індукована Агр активність Тр в І гр. була вище, ніж в ІІ гр. У І гр. рівень фібриногену мав прямий кореляційний зв’язок із hsСРБ та зворотний – з ОФВ1. Висновки. Підвищення рівня hsСРБ та ФГ у стабільних пацієнтів із ХОЗЛ, поєднаним з АГ, пов’язано із респіраторними порушеннями, при АГ – із збільшенням ІМТ, дисліпідемією, залежністю від куріння. Загальний протромботичий потенціал у хворих І гр. був вищим, ніж у ІІ гр., особливо при курінні, що обумовлено підвищенням адгезивно-агрегаційної активності Тр, а також зростанням фібриногенемії із збільшенням рівня hsСРБ

Aggravating effect of arterial hypertension on the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with comorbid pathology

The aim: To study the effect of arterial hypertension on the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with comorbid pathology. Materials and methods: The prospective study included 61 patients with COPD: 32 stable male patients with COPD with comorbid arterial hypertension of stage II 1-3 degrees and 29 stable outpatients of men with COPD of clinical groups A-D with impaired respiratory function II-IV according to GOLD. All patients, in accordance with the goals and objectives of the study, were divided into 2 groups: group I consisted of men with isolated COPD, middle age – 56.0 (8.5) years, average duration of the disease – 16.2 (1.3) years, Group II consisted of male patients with COPD and arterial hypertension (AH), middle age – 59.5 (7.5). The patients underwent a general clinical examination, which included an assessment of complaints, anamnestic data, and a physical examination. The severity of COPD was determined on the basis of the frequency of exacerbations during the year, assessment of dyspnea using the mMRS scale, spirographic data. Statistical materials were processed using the STATISTICA 10.0 program. Results: In group I, 20 patients (69%) complained of dyspnea during exercise, in group II – 25 patients (78%) (p = 0.4), 28 patients (96.5%) complained of cough with vague sputum. group and 30 patients in group II (93.8%) (p = 0.09). When assessing the number of exacerbations over the past year, it was determined that patients with isolated COPD had an average of 1.0 (1.0; 2.0) exacerbations, and patients with COPD and AH – 2.0 (1.0; 3.0 ) (p = 0.06). According to the CAT questionnaire, the following data were obtained: in group I – 9.0 (8.0; 11.0) points, and in group II – 17.5 (10.0; 20.0) points (p = 0.02). When conducting spirographic studies, a statistically significant more expressive bronchial obstruction was found in patients with COPD and comorbid hypertension. Conclusions: The presence of comorbid arterial hypertension leads to the intermittent effect of diseases: according to the results of mMRC and SAT test, ailments for COPD were examined, they have a more severe course of underlying seizure in the presence of concomitant arterial hypertension. Clinical manifestations in patients with COPD and H are more severe compared to clinical manifestations in patients without aggravated diseases of the cardiovascular system. Concomitant arterial hypertension enhances the manifestations of bronchial obstruction, in the same way as with patients with isolated COPD

Characteristics of hemostasis system and activity of trypsin-like blood enzymes in comorbid patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension.

This work was aimed at studying the activity of the hemostasis system and trypsin-like blood enzymes (TLE) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypertension (H), depending on anthropometric, clinical features and smoking. The study included 87 patients. I group included 39 patients with COPD A – D, II-IV by GOLD and conco­mitant with H I-II stage, II group  – 38 patients with H I - II stage, and K group  – 10   apparently healthy persons. The study was conducted on the background of the use of standard basic therapy by patients from the 1st and 2nd groups in a stable period of disease. The degree of thrombocyte (tr) adhesion in I and II groups of patients was higher than in the K group. Both adhesive activity and the amount of tr in the I group was higher than in the II group. With positive status of smoking and increasing nicotine addiction in comorbid patients with COPD and H, the adhesive activity of tr increased. The level of the procoagulantive parameters of the plasma part of hemostasis in the two studied groups was not statistically different, but was higher than in the K group. Increased BMR and dyspnoea by the mMRS scale in group with COPD and H and increased age of patients with H led to the increase in the activity of plasma coagulation factors. In I and II groups, the increase in blood TLE was observed, which increased with the body weight, while in comorbid patients in the subgroup with FEV1≥50%, the incidence of COPD exacerbation additionaly effects the increase of TLE. In I group correlation between reduction of FEV1 with the decrease of TLE was revealed. In patients with COPD and AH activity of thrombocyte and plasma hemostasis, as well as trypsin-like blood enzymes, increases. Smoking, body weight gain and incidence of COPD exacerbation contribute to increased prothrombotic potential

Clinical and biochemical assessment of the severity of pneumosclerosis of different origin

Під спостереженням знаходились дві групи пацієнтів: 1 – пацієнти з ідіопатичним фіброзом легень та 2 – з системним склерозом, що мали рентгенологічні ознаки пневмосклерозу. Було показано, що візуальноаналогова шкала не є достатньо валідним інструментом для оцінки тяжкості стану пацієнта. Для оцінки тяжкості стану у пацієнтів обох нозологічних форм рекомендуються шкала задишки mMRC та модифікована шкала Вуда-Даунса. Визначення активності матриксних металопротеїназ 2 і 9 та їхніх комплексів можна розглядати як додатковий прогностичний показник фіброзного процесу в легенях. There were observated two groups of patient: 1 – patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and 2 – with systemic sclerosis, which had radiological signs of pneumosclerosis. It was shown that the visual analogue scale is not a sufficiently valid tool for assessing the severity of the patient's condition. The mMRС dyspnea scale and the modified Wood-Downs scale are recommended to assess the severity of the condition in patients of both nosological forms. Determination of the activity of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and their complex forms can be assessed as additional prognostic indicator of the fibrotic process in the lungs