Contact lenses wettability in vitro: effect of surface-active ingredients.

PurposeTo investigate the release of surface-active agents (surfactants) from unworn soft contact lenses (SCLs) and their influence on the lens surface wettability in vitro.MethodsSurface tension (ST) of blister pack solutions was measured by pendant-drop technique. STs at the air-aqueous interface and contact angles (CAs) of four conventional and seven silicone hydrogel SCLs were evaluated in a dynamic-cycling regime using a modified captive-bubble tensiometer-goniometer. Measurements were performed immediately after removal from blister packs, and after soaking in a glass vial filled with a surfactant-free solution, which was replaced daily for 1 week. Lens surface wettability was expressed as adhesion energy according to Young equation.ResultsSTs of all blister pack solutions were lower than the reference ST of pure water (72.5 mN/m), indicating the presence of surfactants. When lenses were depleted of surfactants by soaking, the STs for all studied lenses and advancing CAs of selected lenses increased (p < 0.001). Receding CAs of all studied lenses were 12 degrees +/- 5 degrees and were not affected by the presence of surfactants. For most of the conventional lenses, the surface wettability was largely dependent on surfactants, and reduced significantly after surfactant depletion. In contrast, most silicone hydrogel lenses exhibited stable and self-sustained surface wettability in vitro.ConclusionsThe manufacturer-added surfactants affected wetting properties of all studied SCLs, although to different degrees

Multistationary and Oscillatory Modes of Free Radicals Generation by the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Revealed by a Bifurcation Analysis

The mitochondrial electron transport chain transforms energy satisfying cellular demand and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that act as metabolic signals or destructive factors. Therefore, knowledge of the possible modes and bifurcations of electron transport that affect ROS signaling provides insight into the interrelationship of mitochondrial respiration with cellular metabolism. Here, a bifurcation analysis of a sequence of the electron transport chain models of increasing complexity was used to analyze the contribution of individual components to the modes of respiratory chain behavior. Our algorithm constructed models as large systems of ordinary differential equations describing the time evolution of the distribution of redox states of the respiratory complexes. The most complete model of the respiratory chain and linked metabolic reactions predicted that condensed mitochondria produce more ROS at low succinate concentration and less ROS at high succinate levels than swelled mitochondria. This prediction was validated by measuring ROS production under various swelling conditions. A numerical bifurcation analysis revealed qualitatively different types of multistationary behavior and sustained oscillations in the parameter space near a region that was previously found to describe the behavior of isolated mitochondria. The oscillations in transmembrane potential and ROS generation, observed in living cells were reproduced in the model that includes interaction of respiratory complexes with the reactions of TCA cycle. Whereas multistationarity is an internal characteristic of the respiratory chain, the functional link of respiration with central metabolism creates oscillations, which can be understood as a means of auto-regulation of cell metabolism. © 2012 Selivanov et al

Specialty Courts: Time For a Thorough Assessment

Broadly, the purpose of specialty courts is to address the needs of the individuals in the criminal justice system to reduce recidivism. Most specialty courts adopt the philosophy that the criminal justice system can do more than just impose sanctions; it can address underlying social and health problems that contribute to criminal behavior. The purpose of this article is to discuss the general advantages and disadvantages of specialty courts and to highlight the importance of using research evaluations to determine if the benefits of specialty courts outweigh the costs. This will help determine if courts have achieved their goal of benefiting defendants, courts, and society

O conceito de criação de territórios de desenvolvimento socioeconômico avançado

The article is devoted to the development of the concept of creation and functioning of the advanced socio-economic development territories. The relevance of the study is due to the need to develop the theoretical aspects of creating a new development institution in view of the lack of consensus between theorists and practitioners regarding both the need for a special form of a special territory and the mechanisms for achieving the goals. The hypothesis of the study is that the space of basic features, within which the formation of the advanced socio-economic development territories should be considered, can be structured on the basis of the dichotomous method.On the basis of diagnostics of indicators (2011-2016) of the socio-economic development of monocities and Far Eastern territories that have received the status of territories with a special mode of introducing entrepreneurial activity, and analysis of Russian legislation, national and foreign experience of territorial development, the authors constructed a problematic field for the creation of advanced socio-economic development in the form of a system of basic variables. The proposed conceptual model is designed to focus attention on the elaboration of the theoretical foundation for the creation of advanced socio-economic development territories, to limit and rationally optimize the process of their creation and functioning so that the government officials receive an effective mechanism for structuring the main stages of the state project implementation on creating a territory with a special introduction mode of business activities.El artículo está dedicado al desarrollo del concepto de creación y funcionamiento de los territorios de desarrollo socioeconómico avanzado. La relevancia del estudio se debe a la necesidad de desarrollar los aspectos teóricos de la creación de una nueva institución de desarrollo en vista de la falta de consenso entre los teóricos y los profesionales con respecto a la necesidad de una forma especial de territorio especial y los mecanismos para lograr las metas. La hipótesis del estudio es que el espacio de características básicas, dentro del cual debe considerarse la formación de territorios de desarrollo socioeconómico avanzado, puede estructurarse sobre la base del método dicotómico.Sobre la base del diagnóstico de los indicadores (2011-2016) del desarrollo socioeconómico de las ciudades y territorios del Lejano Oriente que han recibido el estatus de territorios con un modo especial de introducción de actividades empresariales, y análisis de la legislación rusa, experiencia nacional y extranjera. De desarrollo territorial, los autores construyeron un campo problemático para la creación de un desarrollo socioeconómico avanzado en forma de un sistema de variables básicas. El modelo conceptual propuesto está diseñado para centrar la atención en la elaboración de los fundamentos teóricos para la creación de territorios de desarrollo socioeconómico avanzado, para limitar y optimizar racionalmente el proceso de su creación y funcionamiento para que los funcionarios del gobierno reciban un mecanismo eficaz para estructurar las etapas principales de la implementación del proyecto estatal para crear un territorio con un modo especial de introducción de actividades comerciales.O artigo é dedicado ao desenvolvimento do conceito de criação e funcionamento dos territórios avançados de desenvolvimento socioeconômico. A relevância do estudo deve-se à necessidade de desenvolver os aspectos teóricos da criação de uma nova instituição de desenvolvimento, tendo em vista a falta de consenso entre teóricos e profissionais sobre a necessidade de uma forma especial de território especial e os mecanismos para alcançar a objetivos. A hipótese do estudo é que o espaço das características básicas, dentro do qual a formação dos territórios avançados de desenvolvimento socioeconômico deve ser considerado, pode ser estruturado com base no método dicotômico.Com base no diagnóstico de indicadores (2011-2016) do desenvolvimento socioeconômico de monocidades e territórios do Extremo Oriente que receberam o status de territórios com um modo especial de introduzir a atividade empreendedora, e análise da legislação russa, experiência nacional e estrangeira do desenvolvimento territorial, os autores construíram um campo problemático para a criação de desenvolvimento socioeconômico avançado na forma de um sistema de variáveis básicas. O modelo conceitual proposto visa chamar a atenção para a elaboração dos fundamentos teóricos para a criação de territórios avançados de desenvolvimento socioeconômico, para limitar e racionalizar o processo de sua criação e funcionamento, para que os funcionários públicos recebam um mecanismo efetivo de estruturação. as principais etapas da implementação do projeto estadual na criação de um território com um modo especial de introdução de atividades empresariais

Viral induction of AID is independent of the interferon and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathways but requires NF-κB

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is expressed in germinal centers of lymphoid organs during immunoglobulin diversification, in bone marrow B cells after infection with Abelson murine leukemia retrovirus (Ab-MLV), and in human B cells after infection by hepatitis C virus. To understand how viruses signal AID induction in the host we asked whether the AID response was abrogated in cells deficient in the interferon pathway or in signaling via the Toll-like receptors. Here we show that AID is not an interferon responsive gene and abrogation of Toll-like receptor signaling does not diminish the AID response. However, we found that NF-κB was required for expression of virally induced AID. Since NF-κB binds and activates the AID promoter, these results mechanistically link viral infection with AID transcription. Thus, induction of AID by viruses could be the result of several signaling pathways that culminate in NF-κB activation, underscoring the versatility of this host defense program

Architect A.N.Beketov. Life and Creative Work

In the article the features of creativity of the Kharkov architect A.N. Beketov were considered, who had graduated from the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg (with a Big Golden Medal, 1888). The very first of his works gave the new development of the central streets and squares of Kharkiv (in enlarged, really capital scale). He came to work in Kharkov at his own request, and in 1889 he won a competition for the project of Commercial School building, which was realised. In the 1890-s and the 1910-s, A.N. Beketov supervised his own design bureau, which dealt not only with the design, but with the organization of construction works. In 1894, for a library project for one and a half million volumes, he received the title of academician of architecture. In accordance with the obtained education, A.N. Beketov freely operated with forms of various historical styles and because this he was a typical for his time architect- eclecticist. In total, A.N. Beketov built more than 40 public and residential buildings in Kharkov and about 60 in other cities of the Russian Empire and in the USSR. The main buildings on Beketov's projects in Kharkov are concentrated in the area between Pushkinskaya and Sumskaya streets. Particularly interesting are the buildings of mansions, built on his projects, including three of his own. He designed public buildings in Neo-Renaissance, «Beaux-Arts» and Neoclassicism styles, and his projects of the mansions had more diverse stylistic solutions, taking into account their perception in the urban environment and the relations with surrounding buildings adjacent areas. On the street of Myrrhbearers was formed an interesting kind of ensemble of Beketov's mansions, which are now usedas the professional clubs and the central city's art museum