Permalloy-Based Thin Film Structures: Magnetic Properties and the Giant Magnetoimpedance Effect in the Temperature Range Important for Biomedical Applications

Permalloy-based thin film structures are excellent materials for sensor applications. Temperature dependencies of the magnetic properties and giant magneto-impedance (GMI) were studied for Fe19Ni81-based multilayered structures obtained by the ion-plasma sputtering technique. Selected temperature interval of 25 degrees C to 50 degrees C corresponds to the temperature range of functionality of many devices, including magnetic biosensors. A (Cu/FeNi)(5)/Cu/(Cu/FeNi)(5) multilayered structure with well-defined traverse magnetic anisotropy showed an increase in the GMI ratio for the total impedance and its real part with temperature increased. The maximum of the GMI of the total impedance ratio Delta Z/Z = 56% was observed at a frequency of 80 MHz, with a sensitivity of 18%/Oe, and the maximum GMI of the real part Delta R/R = 170% at a frequency of 10 MHz, with a sensitivity of 46%/Oe. As the magnetization and direct current electrical resistance vary very little with the temperature, the most probable mechanism of the unexpected increase of the GMI sensitivity is the stress relaxation mechanism associated with magnetoelastic anisotropy.This work was supported in part by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research under grants mol nr no. 16-32-50054 and by the ELKARTEK grant KK-2016/00030 of the Basque Country Government

Biological Peculiarities of Landscape Design in Cottage Gardens of the Right-Bank Part of Zaporizhzhya

The choice of architectural planning, selection of plants, small architectural forms, materials, decor and other elements of landscaping has a certain dependence on the region. Therefore, identifying certain features of the design of gardens in a particular region can be useful for landscape designers who work on that location. The article is devoted to the analysis of design solutions of 5 cottage gardens on the right bank of Zaporozhye. The study was conducted using the method of comparative analysis of master plans for landscaping and landscaping of selected cottages. It is established that all surveyed areas have a flat relief, which eliminates the need for vertical planning. Regularity prevails in the architectural planning of gardens. The planning of the surveyed estates has two directions namely, decorative and decorative-utilitarian. Features of the decorative direction are the variety of ornamental vegetation, the presence of ponds, exquisite flower beds, the use of various garden equipment and decor. For gardens of decorative and utilitarian orientation is characterized by the presence of farm buildings, gardens, fruit and berry plantations, which are formed taking into account the decorative and nutritional qualities. The common features of all surveyed cottage gardens can be considered the emphasized design style, restraint and conciseness in planning and economy due to the successful selection of unpretentious plants and equipment. Landscape designers of the region can be asked at the first stage of planning to do functional zoning of the garden; the range of vegetation to select from local species and well-adapted exotics of small size; from flower beds to choose the easiest to create and care for; reservoirs, vertical and container landscaping are limited

A clinical case of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus

The pancreas belongs to the glands of mixed secretion and simultaneously performs both endo- and exocrine functions. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is the general name for the malabsorption process caused by inadequate production and decreased activation of the enzymes of the pancreas acinar cells, such as amylase, lipase and protease, which are necessary for digestion. The prevalence of EPI in patients with type 1 diabetes, according to many authors, varies from 25 to 59%, which is determine by the data of pancreatic elastase-1. In this work, we present a clinical case of confirmed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in a patient with a 6-year history of type 1 diabetes, which became the main cause of the development of episodes of hypoglycemia after meals. In the course of further studies, antibodies to lactoferrin and a reduced prostate volume, determined by MRI data, high levels of antibodies to glutamate decarboxylase and zinc co-transporter 8, as well as residual insulin secretion based on the level of C-peptide on an empty stomach detected

Stratigraphy of Late Cenozoic sediments of the western Chukchi Sea: New results from shallow drilling and seismic-reflection profiling

The Quaternary history of Beringia and of the Arctic–Pacific marine connection via the Bering Strait is poorly understood because of the fragmentary stratigraphic record from this region. We report new borehole and seismic-reflection data collected in 2006 in the southwestern Chukchi Sea. Sediment samples were analyzed for magnetic properties, grain size, heavy minerals, and biostratigraphic proxies (spores and pollen, foraminifers, ostracodes, diatoms, and aquatic palynomorphs). Two shallow boreholes drilled between the Chukotka Peninsula and the Wrangel Island recovered sediments of two principal stratigraphic units with a distinct unconformity between them. Based on predominantly reverse paleomagnetic polarity of the lower unit and pollen spectra indicative of forested coasts and climate warmer than present, the age of this unit is estimated as Pliocene to early Pleistocene (broadly between ca. 5 and 2 Ma). Attendant sedimentary environments were likely alluvial to nearshore marine. These deposits can be correlated to the seismic unit infilling valleys incised into sedimentary bedrock across much of the study area, and possibly deposited during a transgression following the opening of the Bering Strait. The upper unit from both boreholes contains Holocene 14C ages and is clearly related to the last, postglacial transgression. Holocene sediments in Borehole 2 indicate fast deposition at the early stages of flooding (between ca. 11 and 9 ka) to very low deposition, possibly related to expansive sea ice. Closer to shore, deposition at Borehole 1 resumed much later (ca. 2 ka), likely due to a change in the pattern of coastal erosional processes and/or the demise of a landbridge between the Chukotka Peninsula and the Wrangel Island inferred from studies on mammoth distribution

Long-term β-cells autoimmune destruction markers persistence and residual C-peptide secretion in type 1 diabetes mellitus

Backgraund: It believed that autoimmune process maintained only during the first 5 years of diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1D). Recently scientists discovered the high levels of islet autoantibodies (Ab) in long-standing T1D and some of these patients had residual insulin secretion, determined by the level of C-peptide. According to various sources, the prevalence of such observations ranges from 12 to 48%.Aims: The aim of our study was to assess the duration of autoimmune β-cells destruction markers persistence and residual fasting C-peptide secretion in the long-standing T1D, as well as to determine the possible causes and patterns of these processes.Materials and methods: In the study included 237 patients (91 men, 146 women) with T1D. Patients divided in 4 groups, according to disease duration: а — up to 1 year, n=69 (29%); b — 1–5 years, 52 (22%); c — 5–10 years, 57 (24%); d — more than 10 years, 59 (25%). Ab to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), tyrosine phosphatase-like IA-2 (IA2) and zinc T8 (ZnT8A) were detected by Enzyme Immunoassay. Also detected C-peptide levels and retrospectively HbA1с.Results: Antibodies to antigens of β-cell components were detected in 26 (37%) patients in group A, in 17 patients (33%) in group B, in 15 (29%) in group C and in 14 (23%) — G.In the control group (n = 19), an increased level of antibodies was not revealed. Fasting C-peptide levels were as follows: in group «A» — 0.86 ng / ml [0.53; 1.4], «B» — 0.65 ng / ml [0.27; 0.98], « B «- 0.19 ng / ml [0.17; 0.33],» D «- 0.01 ng / ml [0.01; 0.01]. However, in 13 (22%) patients in group D, fasting C-peptide levels were more than 0.09 ng / ml.Conclusion: The data obtained indicate a long-term persistence of markers of the autoimmune process in patients with T1DM. In groups with a long (more than 5 years) course of T1DM, levels of fasting C-peptide more than 30 pmol/L (0.09 ng / ml or 0.03 nmol / L) were noted in 39 (33.6%) cases

Magnetoimpedance of CoFeCrSiB Ribbon-Based Sensitive Element with FeNi Covering: Experiment and Modeling

Soft magnetic materials are widely requested in electronic and biomedical applications. Co-based amorphous ribbons are materials which combine high value of the magnetoimpedance effect (MI), high sensitivity with respect to the applied magnetic field, good corrosion stability in aggressive environments, and reasonably low price. Functional properties of ribbon-based sensitive elements can be modified by deposition of additional magnetic and non-ferromagnetic layers with required conductivity. Such layers can play different roles. In the case of magnetic biosensors for magnetic label detection, they can provide the best conditions for self-assembling processes in biological experiments. In this work, magnetic properties and MI effect were studied for the cases of rapidly quenched Co67Fe3Cr3Si15B12 amorphous ribbons and magnetic Fe20Ni80/Co67Fe3Cr3Si15B12/Fe20Ni80 composites obtained by deposition of Fe20Ni80 1 μm thick films onto both sides of the ribbons by magnetron sputtering technique. Their comparative analysis was used for finite element computer simulations of MI responses with different types of magnetic and conductive coatings. The obtained results can be useful for the design of MI sensor development, including MI biosensors for magnetic label detection. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Funding: This research was funded by Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, grant number FEUZ-2020-0051, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, grant number АААА-А19-119070890020-3, Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, grant number 02. A03.21.0006

Analysis of the dynamics and structure of morbidity of athletes of the national teams of Moscow based on the results of medical examination

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the structure and dynamics of morbidity of athletes, members of sports teams of the city of Moscow based on the results of an in-depth medical examination in the period 2017–2021.Materials and methods: The data of the medical examination of athletes, which took place at the Moscow scientific and Practical Center for Medical Rehabilitation, restorative and sports medicine, including instrumental, functional and laboratory studies from 2017 to 2021, were analyzed. In 2017, 15176 athletes were examined, in 2018 and 2019, 11200, in 2020, 10080 people and in 2021–11922 athletes.Results: The results of the study showed an increase in the proportion of amenorrhea within the triad of athletes, an increase in general therapeutic morbidity, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, among which the proportion of secondary hyperbilirubinemia in 2021 increased 3 times compared to 2020, which, in our opinion, is also due to the impact of the pandemic and quarantine restrictions.The high prevalence of ophthalmological morbidity of athletes and changes in the cardiovascular system is shown. During 2017–2021, a change in the structure of cardiac morbidity was revealed in the form of an increase in the proportion of cardiac arrhythmias and hypertensive response to stress.An increase in the endocrine morbidity of athletes in 2021 was revealed due to an increase in the proportion of hypothyroidism and more frequent detection of hyperthyroidism, possibly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which requires further research.There was also an increase in diseases of the skin and genitourinary system in athletes. Psychological problems of athletes increased during the observation period from 2017 to 2021. There was no significant dynamics of surgical and traumatological diseases, otolaryngological pathologу.Conclusion: The results of the study indicate the importance of regular full-fledged examination of athletes, identification of various functional disorders and diseases for their timely prevention and treatment in order to preserve the health of athletes and improve athletic performance

Разработка алгоритма поиска опухолевых областей на основе обработки полнослайдовых гистологических изображений рака молочной железы

Analysis of breast cancer whole-slide image is an extremely labor-intensive process. Histological whole slide images have the following features: a high degree of tissue diversity both in one image and between different images, hierarchy, a large amount of graphic information and different artifacts. In this work, pre-processing of breast cancer whole-slide tissue image was carried out, which included normalization of the color distribution and the image area selection. We reduced the operating time of the other algorithms and excluded areas of breast cancer whole-slide tissue with a background to analyze. Also, an algorithm for finding similar neoplastic regions for semi-automatic selection using various image descriptors has been developed and implemented.Анализ полнослайдовых изображений рака молочной железы является крайне трудоемким процессом. Гистологические полнослайдовые изображения обладают рядом особенностей, затрудняющих их разработку: высокая степень разнообразия тканей как на одном изображении, так и между различными изображениями, иерархичность, большой объем графической информации и различные артефакты. В ходе научной работы проведена обработка полнослайдовых изображений ткани рака молочной железы, что включало нормализацию распределения цвета на полнослайдовых гистологических изображениях и выделение области изображения, на которой располагается изучаемый образец ткани, чтобы уменьшить время работы остальных алгоритмов и не анализировать области полнослайдового изображения с фоном. Также разработан и реализован алгоритм поиска похожих для полуавтоматического выделения опухолевых участков с помощью различных дескрипторов изображений

Leukemic stem cells activate lineage inappropriate signalling pathways to promote their growth

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is caused by multiple mutations which dysregulate growth and differentiation of myeloid cells. Cells adopt different gene regulatory networks specific to individual mutations, maintaining a rapidly proliferating blast cell population with fatal consequences for the patient if not treated. The most common treatment option is still chemotherapy which targets such cells. However, patients harbour a population of quiescent leukemic stem cells (LSCs) which can emerge from quiescence to trigger relapse after therapy. The processes that allow such cells to re-grow remain unknown. Here, we examine the well characterised t(8;21) AML sub-type as a model to address this question. Using four primary AML samples and a novel t(8;21) patient-derived xenograft model, we show that t(8;21) LSCs aberrantly activate the VEGF and IL-5 signalling pathways. Both pathways operate within a regulatory circuit consisting of the driver oncoprotein RUNX1::ETO and an AP-1/GATA2 axis allowing LSCs to re-enter the cell cycle while preserving self-renewal capacity