Reducing the thermal inhomogeneity of massive steel slabs in continuous furnaces

A method is proposed for selecting the best displacement parameters for supporting pipes. The influence of lateral displacement of the longitudinal guide pipes in continuous furnaces on the disappearance of the dark spot is studied. © 2013 Allerton Press, Inc

Screening and inplane magnetoresistance of anisotropic two-dimensional gas

In order to split the influence of the orbital and spin effects on the inplane magnetoresistance of a quasi two-dimensional gas we derive its linear response function and dielectric function for the case of anisotropic effective mass. This result is used for the calculation of elastic transport relaxation time of a quasi two dimensional system in a parallel magnetic field. The relaxation time is proved to be isotropic in the low density limit for the case of charged impurity scattering, allowing to separate the two contributions.Comment: as published. 4 pages, 1 figur

~115 GeV and ~143 GeV Higgs mass considerations within the Composite Particles Model

The radiatively generated Higgs mass is obtained by requiring that leading "divergences" are cancelled in both 2D and 4D. This predicts one or more viable modes; the k=1 mode mass is m_H\cong2/3 m_t\cong115GeV whereas the k=2 mode is m_H\cong143GeV. These findings are interpreted within the Composite Particles Model (CPM), [Popovic 2002, 2010], with the massive top quark being a composite structure composed of 3 fundamental O quarks (O\bar{O}O) and the massive Higgs scalar being a color-neutral meson like structure composed of 2 fundamental O quarks (\bar{O}O). The CPM predicts that the Z mass generation is mediated primarily by a top - anti top whereas the Higgs mass is generated primarily by a O - anti O interactions. The relationship [Popovic 2010] between top Yukawa coupling and strong QCD coupling, obtained by requiring that top - anti top channel is neither attractive or repulsive at tree level at \surd s\congM_Z, defines the Z mass. In addition, this relationship indirectly defines the electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) vacuum expectation value (VEV), the CPM Higgs mass and potentially the EWSB scale.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, slightly updated second version: Lagrangian explicitly specified, OOO->O\bar{O}O and a few other typos correcte

IL-6 and IL-8 secretion by human glioma cells proliferating after Gamma-knife irradiation

One of the modern methods of treating patients with primary and recurrent brain tumors is radiosurgical irradiation using Gamma Knife, which allows therapeutic doses to be delivered to tumors not exceeding 2.5 cm in diameter in 1–2 sessions. Tumor cells on the periphery of this tissue volume that receive lower radiation doses can resume proliferation and serve as a source of recurrence. The increase of radiation dose may cause necroses formation and a worsening prognosis. The properties of glioblastoma cells that survive and resume proliferation long after stereotactic irradiation are still poorly known. The aim of the work was to evaluate the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 by glioblastoma A172, R1, T2, and T98G cell lines that resumed proliferation after sublethal Gamma Knife irradiation. Cells were irradiated once at doses ranging from 6 to 16 Gy, and then cultured for 40 days. Cell number was counted weekly; lethal and sublethal irradiation doses for each glioblastoma cell line were determined. In cultures descendant from proliferation of single most resistant cells, the level of IL-6 and IL-8 secretion after 96 hours cultivation (ng/1000 cells) was determined by ELISA. The cells of all four glioblastoma lines secreted IL-6 and IL-8 into culture medium. The highest production of cytokines, never before demonstrated for glioblastomas, was discovered in R1 cells. Glioblastoma T2 also had high interleukin production levels. In contrast to these lines, glioblastoma A172 (highly sensitive to the action of cytostatic drugs and radiation) secreted IL-6 at 30 times lower level than R1 cells. Glioblastoma T98G (highly resistant to the action of cytostatic drugs and radiation) also exhibited low interleukins production level. R1, T2, and T98G glioblastoma cells that resumed proliferation after irradiation had increased secretion of IL-6 and, to a lesser extent, IL-8. The dependence of cytokine production increase on irradiation dose for these cells was not linear. In contrast, A172 cells reduced IL-6 and IL-8 secretion under irradiation. The multidirectional changes in IL-6 and IL-8 production by cells of different glioblastoma lines were long-term and persisted for more than a month. The presented results cast doubt on the possibility to use IL-6 and IL-8 production by glioblastoma cells as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis, therapy monitoring as well as prognostic markers of the disease course

Генерализованная Varicella Zoster-инфекция у пациентки с лимфогранулематозом после трансплантации костного мозга: клинико-лабораторная характеристика и генотипирование вируса

A description of a laboratory confirmed clinical case of generalized Varicella Zoster infection in a patient with lymphogranulomatosis after bone marrow transplantation is presented.Detection of the Varicella Zoster virus in biological material was carried out by real-time PCR using the RealBest DNA VZV test system manufactured by Vector-BEST, Russian Federation. Isolation of viral DNA from biological material was performed using the ArtRNA MiniSpin kit (ArtBioTech, Belarus) or QIAamp DNA mini kit (QIAGEN, Germany).The disease had an atypically severe course with a multiorgan lesion, represented not only by lesions  of  the  skin and mucous membranes, but also by the development of encephalitis, myocarditis, and pneumonia. The disease was characterized by an acute onset, with a pronounced intoxication syndrome, signs of pancreatitis with the appearance  of a widespread vesicular rash on the trunk and extremities, prone to fusion, located, including on the scalp, on the feet and palms. The disease was complicated by a secondary bacterial infection, in connection with which the patient received both antiviral treatment and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy.The virus was assigned to clade 3 (or E2 genotype according to the old classification), the same genotype as the viruses circulating in Minsk. This case is the first described case of generalized VZV infection in the Republic of Belarus, confirmed by laboratory using molecular genetic methods.Представлено описание лабораторного подтвержденного клинического случая генерализованной Varicella Zoster-инфекции у пациентки с лимфогранулематозом после трансплантации костного мозга.Обнаружение вируса Varicella Zoster в биологическом материале проводили методом ПЦР в реальном времени с использованием тест-системы «РеалБест ДНК VZV» производства Вектор-БЕСТ, Российская Федерация. Выделение вирусной ДНК из биологического материала выполняли с помощью набора «АртРНК MiniSpin» (Арт-БиоТех, Беларусь) или QIAamp DNA mini kit (QIAGEN, Германия).Заболевание имело атипично тяжелое течение, представленное не только поражением кожных покровов и слизистых оболочек, но и развитием энцефалита, миокардита, пневмонии. Заболевание характеризовалось острым началом, с наличием выраженного интоксикационного синдрома, признаков панкреатита с появлением распространенной везикулезной сыпи на туловище и конечностях, склонной к слиянию, расположенной  в том числе и на волосистой части головы, на стопах   и ладонях. Заболевание осложнилось присоединением вторичной бактериальной инфекции, в связи с чем пациентка получала как противовирусное лечение, так и терапию антибиотиками широкого спектра.Вирус отнесен к клэйду 3 (или генотипу Е2 по старой классификации), тому же генотипу, что и вирусы, циркулировавшие в г. Минске. Этот случай является первым в Республике Беларусь описанным случаем генерализованной VZV-инфекции, подтвержденной лабораторно с использованием молекулярно-генетических методов

High genetic diversity of measles virus, World Health Organization European region, 2005-2006

During 2005-2006, nine measles virus (MV) genotypes were identified throughout the World Health Organization European Region. All major epidemics were associated with genotypes D4, D6, and B3. Other genotypes (B2, D5, D8, D9, G2, and H1) were only found in limited numbers of cases after importation from other continents. The genetic diversity of endemic D6 strains was low; genotypes C2 and D7, circulating in Europe until recent years, were no longer identified. The transmission chains of several indigenous MV strains may thus have been interrupted by enhanced vaccination. However, multiple importations from Africa and Asia and virus introduction into highly mobile and unvaccinated communities caused a massive spread of D4 and B3 strains throughout much of the region. Thus, despite the reduction of endemic MV circulation, importation of MV from other continents caused prolonged circulation and large outbreaks after their introduction into unvaccinated and highly mobile communities