Investigation of Non-Stable Processes in Close Binary Ry Scuti

We present results of reanalysis of old electrophotometric data of early type close binary system RY Scuti obtained at the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, Georgia, during 1972-1990 years and at the Maidanak Observatory, Uzbekistan, during 1979-1991 years. It is revealed non-stable processes in RY Sct from period to period, from month to month and from year to year. This variation consists from the hundredths up to the tenths of a magnitude. Furthermore, periodical changes in the system's light are displayed near the first maximum on timescales of a few years. That is of great interest with regard to some similar variations seen in luminous blue variable (LBV) stars. This also could be closely related to the question of why RY Sct ejected its nebula.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

A Selberg integral for the Lie algebra A_n

A new q-binomial theorem for Macdonald polynomials is employed to prove an A_n analogue of the celebrated Selberg integral. This confirms the g=A_n case of a conjecture by Mukhin and Varchenko concerning the existence of a Selberg integral for every simple Lie algebra g.Comment: 32 page

The Kolumbo submarine volcano of Santorini island is a large pool of bacterial strains with antimicrobial activity

Microbes in hydrothermal vents with their unique secondary metabolism may represent an untapped potential source of new natural products. In this study, samples were collected from the hydrothermal field of Kolumbo submarine volcano in the Aegean Sea, in order to isolate bacteria with antimicrobial activity. Eight hundred and thirty-two aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were isolated and then differentiated through BOX-PCR analysis at the strain level into 230 genomic fingerprints, which were screened against 13 different type strains (pathogenic and nonpathogenic) of Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Forty-two out of 176 bioactive-producing genotypes (76 %) exhibited antimicrobial activity against at least four different type strains and were selected for 16S rDNA sequencing and screening for nonribosomal peptide (NRPS) and polyketide (PKS) synthases genes. The isolates were assigned to genus Bacillus and Proteobacteria, and 20 strains harbored either NRPS, PKS type I or both genes. This is the first report on the diversity of culturable mesophilic bacteria associated with antimicrobial activity from Kolumbo area; the extremely high proportion of antimicrobial-producing strains suggested that this unique environment may represent a potential reservoir of novel bioactive compounds

Coherent master equation for laser modelocking

Modelocked lasers constitute the fundamental source of optically-coherent ultrashort-pulsed radiation, with huge impact in science and technology. Their modeling largely rests on the master equation (ME) approach introduced in 1975 by Hermann A. Haus. However, that description fails when the medium dynamics is fast and, ultimately, when light-matter quantum coherence is relevant. Here we set a rigorous and general ME framework, the coherent ME (CME), that overcomes both limitations. The CME predicts strong deviations from Haus ME, which we substantiate through an amplitude-modulated semiconductor laser experiment. Accounting for coherent effects, like the Risken-Nummedal-Graham-Haken multimode instability, we envisage the usefulness of the CME for describing self-modelocking and spontaneous frequency comb formation in quantum-cascade and quantum-dot lasers. Furthermore, the CME paves the way for exploiting the rich phenomenology of coherent effects in laser design, which has been hampered so far by the lack of a coherent ME formalism

Heat evolution due to cement hydration in foamed concrete

Foamed concrete is nowadays considered an attractive building material as a result of flexible production technology and excellent target properties, along with economic benefits. Heat generated in foamed concrete during cement hydration is found to differ significantly from normal-weight concrete. Foamed concrete that is placed in a regular-shaped well-insulated mould experiences significant core temperature rises and, although several documents discussing the thermal effect in foamed concrete have been published, there is still a lack of information revealing the interrelations of foamed concrete parameters and their effect on temperature rise. Laboratory tests were carried out with foamed concrete of variable densities and volumes under semi-adiabatic curing conditions. The observed trends were used as the initial input for a mathematical model of temperature prediction in foamed concrete. The heat evolution process under real production conditions can be controlled by optimising the mix composition. If the thermal energy in foamed concrete is properly employed it can result in considerable improvement of the final product characteristics while production costs decrease.The authors would like to express appreciation for the research grants made by Duraset branch of the Aveng Group and the THRIP-program of the South African National Research Foundation to carry out the work reported in this paper

The cytochrome P450 isoenzyme and some new opportunities for the prediction of negative drug interaction in vivo

Dmitrij A Sychev,1 Ghulam Md Ashraf,2 Andrey A Svistunov,3 Maksim L Maksimov,4 Vadim V Tarasov,3 Vladimir N Chubarev,3 Vitalij A Otdelenov,1 Natal’ja P Denisenko,1 George E Barreto,5,6 Gjumrakch Aliev7–9 1Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education Studies, Moscow, Russia; 2King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; 4Branch Campus of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Professional Education «Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education» of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Kazan State Medical Academy, Volga Region, Kazan, Russia; 5Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C., Colombia; 6Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile; 7GALLY International Biomedical Research Consulting LLC, San Antonio, TX, USA; 8School of Health Science and Healthcare Administration, University of Atlanta, Johns Creek, GA, USA; 9Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, Russia Abstract: Cytochrome (CYP) 450 isoenzymes are the basic enzymes involved in Phase I biotransformation. The most important role in biotransformation belongs to CYP3A4, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19 and CYP1A2. Inhibition and induction of CYP isoenzymes caused by drugs are important and clinically relevant pharmacokinetic mechanisms of drug interaction. Investigation of the activity of CYP isoenzymes by using phenotyping methods (such as the determination of the concentration of specific substrates and metabolites in biological fluids) during drug administration provides the prediction of negative side effects caused by drug interaction. In clinical practice, the process of phenotyping of CYP isoenzymes and some endogenous substrates in the ratio of cortisol to 6β-hydroxycortisol in urine for the evaluation of CYP3A4 activity has been deemed to be a quite promising, safe and minimally invasive method for patients nowadays. Keywords: cytochrome CYP450, drug interaction, drug metabolism, phenotypin