Magnetic field and unstable accretion during AM Herculis low states

A study of AM Her low states in September 1990 and 1991 and June-July 1997 is reported from a coordinated campaign with observations obtained at the Haute-Provence observatory, at the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory and at the 2.6m and 1.25m telescopes of the Crimean observatory. Spectra obtained at different dates when the source was in low states at a comparable V magnitude, show the presence of strong Zeeman absorption features and marked changes in emission lines with a day-to-day reappearance of the HeII (4686\AA) emission lines in 1991. Despite this variability, the magnetic field inferred from the fitting of the absorption spectrum with Zeeman hydrogen splitting, is remarkably constant with a best value of (12.5$\pm$0.5)MG. Detailed analysis of the UBVRI light curves shows the presence of repetitive moderate amplitude ($\sim$ 0.3-0.5 mag) flares predominantly red in colour. These flares are attributed to small accretion events and are compared to the large ($\sim$ 2 mag.) blue flare reported by Shakhovskoy et al. (1993). We suggest that the general flaring activity observed during the low states is generated by accretion events. The different characteristics of the flares (colour and polarization) are the results of different shock geometries depending on the net mass accretion flux.Comment: accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysics (Main Journal), 10 pages, 6 Figures, Late

REACTIVITY OF CELLS INNATE IMMUNITY IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF HANTAVIRAL INFECTION

The paper presents evidence that the susceptibility of monocyte-derived cells to the Hantaviral infection increases when they reach the final stage of differentiation. In view of the phylogenetic homogeneity of these cells, the data obtained in the study of their interaction with Hantavirus can be extrapolated to monocytic cells of origin of mammals. It is indicated that Hantaviruses are resistant to the effects of monocytes/macrophages and are capable of intracellular replication in them breaking thus the biological barrier preventing the spread of the pathogen from the primary site of infection and protects against infected sensitive cells of various organs. With respect of neutrophils revealed that hantavirus showing cytopathogenic properties, as indicated by the appearance of apoptotic cells and modified periods of reduced viability of the cell culture

Молекулярно-генетическая характеристика патогенности вируса клещевого энцефалита дальневосточного субтипа

The aim of the work: Using the data of genome-wide sequencing of tick-borne encephalitis virus strains of the Far Eastern population, reveal the peculiarities of the moleculargenetic characteristics and their relationship with the pathogenicity of the agent. Materials and methods. A full-genomic characteristic of 63 TBEV strains isolated in the Far East and registered in GeneBank wos given. A pathohistological study of the central nervous system of monkeys infected with the highly virulent strains Sofjin and Khabarovsk-17 TBEV was conducted. Results. All strains are assigned to the Far Eastern subtype of TBEV and are located in three clusters, the territorial attachment of individual strains groups is noted. In the cluster of Sofjin-like strains, independent groups were identified, isolated in the territories of Primorsky Krai only, and separate groups – only in northern focal territories (Khabarovsk Krai). The cluster Senzhang-like strains are represented by strains of different clusters, isolated in China and throughout the Far East. The Oshima-like cluster of strains, except for strains from Japan, consists of strains isolated only in the south of the Far East (in Primorsky Krai). The incubation period of the disease in experimental animals was shorter when infected with the Sofjin strain (3–5 days) than when infected with the Khabarovsk-17 strain (7 days or more). The strain-specific differences in the severity of morphological changes in the central nervous system were revealed. For primorsky TBEV strains, a higher degree of neuroinvasiveness was characteristed with a more rapid development of severe manifestations of neuroinfection, compared to khabarovsky strains.Findings: 1) based on full-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 63 TBEV strains, three main clusters were distinguished: Sofjin-, Senzhang- and Oshima-like; 2) in these clusters, territorial attachment of TBEV strains groups with a certain molecular genetic characteristic was established; 3) in primorsky TBEV strains, genetically determined advantages in the degree of neuroinvasiveness have been revealed, which provide them with the ability to more quickly overcome the blood-brain barrier compared to khabarovsky strains.Цель работы: используя данные полногеномного секвенирования штаммов дальневосточной популяции вируса клещевого энцефалита, выявить особенности молекулярно-генетической характеристики и их связь с патогенностью возбудителя. Материалы и методы. Дана полногеномная характеристика 63 штаммов вирусного клещевого энцефалита, выделенных на территории Дальнего Востока и зарегистрированных в GeneBank. Проведено патоморфологическое исследование центральной нервной системы обезьян, зараженных высоковирулентными штаммами Sofjin и Хабаровский-17 вирусного клещевого энцефалита. Результаты. Все штаммы отнесены к дальневосточному субтипу вирусного клещевого энцефалита и расположились в 3 кластерах, отмечена территориальная привязанность отдельных групп штаммов. В кластере Sofjin-подобных штаммов определились самостоятельные группы, изолированные на территориях только Приморского края, и отдельные группы – только на северных очаговых территориях (Хабаровский край). Кластер Senzhang-подобных штаммов представлен штаммами разных кластеров, изолированными в Китае и на всей территории Дальнего Востока. Кластер Oshimaподобных изолятов, кроме штаммов из Японии, состоит из штаммов, изолированных только на юге Дальнего Востока (в Приморском крае). Инкубационный период заболевания у экспериментальных животных был короче при заражении штаммом Sofjin (3–5 дней), чем при заражении штаммом Хабаровский-17 (7 и более дней). Выявлены штаммоспецифические различия по степени выраженности морфологических изменений в центральной нервной системе. Для приморских штаммов вирусного клещевого энцефалита характерна более высокая степень нейроинвазивности с более быстрым развитием тяжелых проявлений нейроинфекции, по сравнению с хабаровскими штаммами. Выводы: 1) на основе полногеномного секвенирования и филогенетического анализа 63 штаммов вирусного клещевого энцефалита выделены три основные кластера: Sofjin-, Senzhang- и Oshima-подобный; 2) в этих кластерах установлена территориальная привязанность групп штаммов вирусного клещевого энцефалита, имеющих определенную молекулярно-генетическую характеристику; 3) у приморских штаммов вирусного клещевого энцефалита выявлены генетически детерминированные преимущества в степени нейроинвазивности, обеспечивающие им способность более быстрого преодоления гематоэнцефалического барьера по сравнению с хабаровскими штаммами

Stent-assisted coiling of acute ruptured cerebral aneurysms

The necessity of quick surgical treatment of acute ruptured cerebral aneurysms was demonstrated in large studies by the ISAT and ISUIA, which also proved the advantage of the endovascular method over the surgical one. Ballonassistence is widely used in treatment of aneurysms with wide neck and unfavorable vascular anatomy, but the radicality of the treatment is insufficient. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of stent-assisted embolization of «acute» cerebral aneurysms. Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of the treatment of 234 patients with «acute» cerebral aneurysms was carried out. Results. Only coils were used in 40.6 % of cases (n = 95), balloon-assistance, in 40.2 % of cases (n = 94), and stent-assistance, in 19.2 % of cases (n = 45). There were 11.5 % (n = 27) clinically significant complications. Total aneurysm occlusion (Raymond-Roy I) was achieved in 187 cases (79.9 %); the radicality at the control examination was 67.1 % (157 patients). Discussion. The radicality of the treatment with stents was slightly higher then with balloons and coils at the end of operation (84.4 %, n = 38 and 78.8 %, n = 149, p > 0.05), but it was significantly higher at the control examination (80.0 %, n = 36 and 60.8 %, n = 115, respectively, p <0.05). Also, we had no statistically significant difference of the complication rate in the «stent» and «no stent» groups; therefore, the clinical outcomes of endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms did not depend on the choice of treatment method. Conclusions. Intracranial stents allow achieving good results of the embolization of complex aneurysms in the acute period of intracranial hemorrhage without increasing the risk of surgical treatment

Эффективность микропроцессорной системы автоматического управления работой светодиодных облучательных установок

oai:oai.vimjour.elpub.ru:article/249Crop productivity is significantly affected by the dose of optical radiation. In particular, southern crops do not have enough time to ripen in a temperate climate because of decreased daylight duration. In conditions of protected soil due to low irradiance and a short daylight duration in autumn­-winter months, the cultivation of fully developed plants is possible only with the use of artificial radiation sources. The use of LED phytoinstallations with the help of microprocessor­based automatic control systems allows obtaining the required dose of optical radiation. (Purpose of research) To substantiate, as exemplified by meristematic grape plants, the effectiveness of LED phytoinstallations and their impact on the increase in the leaf surface area; to develop multi­colored LED phytoinstallations; to offer new technical solutions to improve the efficiency of the microprocessor system of automatic control of LED phytoinstallations. (Materials and methods) the authors have carried out experiments with meristematic grape plants of RF­48 variety (in vitro) at the stages of their rooting and adaptation. The following equipment has been used: LED phytoirradiator with a changing spectrum using a microprocessor control system, “blinking” led phytoirradiator, multi­colored phytoiradiator with the addition of UV LEDs. The authors have developed on the basis of microcontroller Arduino uno a microprocessor dispensing system of the spectral components of the areas of the photosynthetically active radiation to automatically control the operation of LED­based phytoinstallations. (Results and discussion) it has been shown that a LED irradiator with a changing spectral composition, as compared to a luminescent irradiator, at the stage of rooting of grape microsprouts contributes to a significant increase in the leaf surface area of microplants at 100 percent rooting of sprouts. The blinking phytoirradiator and the UV­LED phytoirradiator, as compared to the fluorescent ones, contributed to an insignificant increase in leaf area of plants at the adaptation stage of grape microplants. (Conclusions) The authors have confirmed the need to further improve the efficiency of the microprocessor­based automatic control system of LED irradiation installations.На продуктивность сельскохозяйственных культур существенно влияет доза оптического излучения. Так, южные культуры не успевают вызревать в условиях умеренного климата по причине уменьшения светового дня. Для защищенного грунта из-­за низкой облученности и короткой продолжительности светового дня в осенне-­зимние месяцы выращивание полноценных растений возможно только с применением источников искусственного излучения. Применение светодиодных (LED) фитоустановок позволяет смоделировать спектр любой географической зоны и с помощью микропроцессорных систем автоматического управления установить требуемую дозу оптического излучения. (Цель исследования) Обосновать на примере меристемных растений винограда эффективность применения светодиодной фитоустановки и ее влияние на прирост площади листовой поверхности; разработать разноцветные светодиодные фитоустановки; предложить новые технические решения для повышения эффективности микропроцессорной системы автоматического управления работой LED­-фитоустановок. (Материалы и методы) Провели эксперименты на меристемных растениях винограда сорта РФ-­48 (in vitro) на этапах их укоренения и адаптации. Для получения результатов использовали оборудование: светодиодный фитооблучатель с меняющимся спектром с помощью микропроцессорной системы управления, «мигающий» светодиодный фитооблучатель, разноцветный фитооблучатель с добавлением УФ-­светодиодов. Создали на базе микроконтроллера Arduino uno микропроцессорную систему дозирования спектральных составляющих зоны ФАР для автоматического управления работой LED-­фитоустановки. (Результаты и обсуждение) Показали, что светодиодный облучатель с меняющимся спектральным составом, в сравнении с люминесцентным облучателем, на этапе укоренения микропобегов винограда способствует существенному увеличению площади листовой поверхности микрорастений при 100­процентном укоренении побегов. Мигающий фитооблучатель и фитооблучатель с УФ­светодиодами, в сравнении с люминесцентным, на этапе адаптации микрорастений винограда способствовали увеличению площади листовой поверхности растений, но несущественно. (Выводы) Подтверждена необходимость дальнейшего повышения эффективности микропроцессорной системы автоматического управления работой светодиодных облучательных установок

Analyzing factors that influence the folk use and phytonomy of 18 medicinal plants in Navarra

BACKGROUND: This article analyzes whether the distribution or area of use of 18 medicinal plants is influenced by ecological and cultural factors which might account for their traditional use and/or phytonymy in Navarra. This discussion may be helpful for comparative studies, touching as it does on other ethnopharmacological issues: a) which cultural and ecological factors affect the selection of medicinal plants; b) substitutions of medicinal plants in popular medicine; c) the relation between local nomenclature and uses. To analyze these questions, this paper presents an example of a species used for digestive disorders (tea and camomile: Jasonia glutinosa, J. tuberosa, Sideritis hyssopifolia, Bidens aurea, Chamaemelum nobile, Santolina chamaecyparissus...), high blood pressure (Rhamnus alaternus, Olea europaea...) or skin diseases (Hylotelephium maximum, H. telephium, Anagallis arvensis, A. foemina). METHODS: Fieldwork began on January 2004 and continued until December 2006. During that time we interviewed 505 informants in 218 locations in Navarra. Information was collected using semi-structured ethnobotanical interviews, and we subsequently made maps using Arc-View 8.0 program to determine the area of use of each taxon. Each map was then compared with the bioclimatic and linguistic map of Navarra, using the soil and ethnographic data for the region, and with other ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies carried out in Europe. RESULTS: The results clearly show that ecological and cultural factors influence the selection of medicinal plants in this region. Climate and substrate are the most important ecological factors that influence the distribution and abundance of plants, which are the biological factors that affect medicinal plant selection. CONCLUSION: The study of edaphological and climatological factors, on the one hand, and culture, on the other, can help us to understand why a plant is replaced by another one for the same purposes, either in the same or in a different area. In many cases, the cultural factor means that the use of a species is more widespread than its ecological distribution. This may also explain the presence of synonyms and polysemies which are useful for discussing ethnopharmacological data

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules (THYCOVID): a retrospective, international, multicentre, cross-sectional study

Background Since its outbreak in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has diverted resources from non-urgent and elective procedures, leading to diagnosis and treatment delays, with an increased number of neoplasms at advanced stages worldwide. The aims of this study were to quantify the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic; and to evaluate whether delays in surgery led to an increased occurrence of aggressive tumours.Methods In this retrospective, international, cross-sectional study, centres were invited to participate in June 22, 2022; each centre joining the study was asked to provide data from medical records on all surgical thyroidectomies consecutively performed from Jan 1, 2019, to Dec 31, 2021. Patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules were divided into three groups according to when they underwent surgery: from Jan 1, 2019, to Feb 29, 2020 (global prepandemic phase), from March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021 (pandemic escalation phase), and from June 1 to Dec 31, 2021 (pandemic decrease phase). The main outcomes were, for each phase, the number of surgeries for indeterminate thyroid nodules, and in patients with a postoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancers, the occurrence of tumours larger than 10 mm, extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastases, vascular invasion, distant metastases, and tumours at high risk of structural disease recurrence. Univariate analysis was used to compare the probability of aggressive thyroid features between the first and third study phases. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05178186.Findings Data from 157 centres (n=49 countries) on 87 467 patients who underwent surgery for benign and malignant thyroid disease were collected, of whom 22 974 patients (18 052 [78 center dot 6%] female patients and 4922 [21 center dot 4%] male patients) received surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules. We observed a significant reduction in surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the pandemic escalation phase (median monthly surgeries per centre, 1 center dot 4 [IQR 0 center dot 6-3 center dot 4]) compared with the prepandemic phase (2 center dot 0 [0 center dot 9-3 center dot 7]; p<0 center dot 0001) and pandemic decrease phase (2 center dot 3 [1 center dot 0-5 center dot 0]; p<0 center dot 0001). Compared with the prepandemic phase, in the pandemic decrease phase we observed an increased occurrence of thyroid tumours larger than 10 mm (2554 [69 center dot 0%] of 3704 vs 1515 [71 center dot 5%] of 2119; OR 1 center dot 1 [95% CI 1 center dot 0-1 center dot 3]; p=0 center dot 042), lymph node metastases (343 [9 center dot 3%] vs 264 [12 center dot 5%]; OR 1 center dot 4 [1 center dot 2-1 center dot 7]; p=0 center dot 0001), and tumours at high risk of structural disease recurrence (203 [5 center dot 7%] of 3584 vs 155 [7 center dot 7%] of 2006; OR 1 center dot 4 [1 center dot 1-1 center dot 7]; p=0 center dot 0039).Interpretation Our study suggests that the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic period could have led to an increased occurrence of aggressive thyroid tumours. However, other compelling hypotheses, including increased selection of patients with aggressive malignancies during this period, should be considered. We suggest that surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules should no longer be postponed even in future instances of pandemic escalation.Funding None.Copyright (c) 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved