OddzOn Products and Derivation of Invention: At Odds with the Purpose of Section 102(f) of the Patent Act of 1952?

Abstract Background Antimicrobial peptides are important components of the host defence with a broad range of functions including direct antimicrobial activity and modulation of inflammation. Lack of cathelin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) was associated with higher mortality and bacterial burden and impaired neutrophil granulocyte infiltration in a model of pneumococcal meningitis. The present study was designed to characterize the effects of CRAMP deficiency on glial response and phagocytosis after exposure to bacterial stimuli. Methods CRAMP-knock out and wildtype glial cells were exposed to bacterial supernatants from Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitides or the bacterial cell wall components lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan. Cell viability, expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators and activation of signal transduction pathways, phagocytosis rate and glial cell phenotype were investigated by means of cell viability assays, immunohistochemistry, real-time RT-PCR and Western blot. Results CRAMP-deficiency was associated with stronger expression of pro-inflammatory and weakened expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines indicating a higher degree of glial cell activation even under resting-state conditions. Furthermore, increased translocation of nuclear factor ‘kappa-light-chain-enhancer’ of activated B-cells was observed and phagocytosis of S. pneumoniae was reduced in CRAMP-deficient microglia indicating impaired antimicrobial activity. Conclusions In conclusion, the present study detected severe alterations of the glial immune response due to lack of CRAMP. The results indicate the importance of CRAMP to maintain and regulate the delicate balance between beneficial and harmful immune response in the brain

The systemic angiogenic response during bone healing

Introduction: Angiogenesis is known to be a critical and closely regulated step during bone formation and fracture healing driven by a complex interaction of various cytokines. Delays in bone healing or even nonunion might therefore be associated with altered concentrations of specific angiogenic factors. These alterations might in turn be reflected by changes in serum concentrations. Method: To determine physiological time courses of angiogenic cytokines during fracture healing as well as possible changes associated with failed consolidation, we prospectively collected serum samples from patients who had sustained surgical treatment for a long bone fracture. Fifteen patients without fracture healing 4months after surgery (nonunion group) were matched to a collective of 15 patients with successful healing (union group). Serum concentrations of angiogenin (ANG), angiopoietin 2 (Ang-2), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet derived growth factor AB (PDGF-AB), pleiotrophin (PTN) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays over a period of 24weeks. Results: Compared to reference values of healthy uninjured controls serum concentrations of VEGF, bFGF and PDGF were increased in both groups. Peak concentrations of these cytokines were reached during early fracture healing. Serum concentrations of bFGF and PDGF-AB were significantly higher in the union group at 2 and 4weeks after the injury when compared to the nonunion group. Serum concentrations of ANG and Ang-2 declined steadily from the first measurement in normal healing fractures, while no significant changes over time could be detected for serum concentrations of these factures in nonunion patients. PTN serum levels increased asymptotically over the entire investigation in timely fracture healing while no such increase could be detected during delayed healing. Conclusion: We conclude that fracture healing in human subjects is accompanied by distinct changes in systemic levels of specific angiogenic factors. Significant alterations of these physiologic changes in patients developing a fracture nonunion over time could be detected as early as 2 (bFGF) and 4weeks (PDGF-AB) after initial trauma surger

Wettability Inversion of Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy Surfaces

The paper presents the experimental results on the use of low-temperature heating to reduce time of wetting inversion (from superhydrophilicity to hydrophobicity) of aluminum-magnesium alloy surfaces textured by laser radiation. Stable growth of the contact angle to 137.3-144.2° after heating surfaces (wettability properties deteriorate) was recorded. Wetting inversion from superhydrophilicity to hydrophobicity occurs in 2-3 hours of low-temperature heating of textured samples. The wettability inversion time depends on the type of texture. A significant increase in carbon content of elemental composition of the near-surface layer of samples after their low-temperature heating was registered

Литология и условия формирования отложений пласта Ю12 Казанского нефтегазоконденсатного месторождения (Томская область)

Магистерская диссертация направлена на выявление литологических особенностей и выяснение условий формирования продуктивного пласта Ю1/2 Казанского нефтегазоконденсатного месторождения (Томская область). На основе комплексной интерпретации кернового материала и микроскопического исследования шлифов уточнены фациальные условия осадкообразования песчаных пород пласта Ю1/2 Казанского месторождения. С учетом данных электронной микроскопии и кристаллооптических характеристик охарактеризовано пустотно-поровое пространство коллекторов. Проведено макроскопическое описание керна, микроскопическое описание шлифов, гранулометрический анализ пород, дана литолого-фациальная характеристика пласта. Установлен и обоснован генезис песчаных отложений изучаемого пласта.The master's thesis is aimed at identifying lithological features and elucidating the conditions for the formation of the productive formation J1/2 of the Kazan oil and gas condensate field (Tomsk region). Based on a comprehensive interpretation of core material and microscopic studies, grinding wells refine the phase conditions of sedimentation of sandstone strata J1/2 of the Kazan field. Based on electron microscopy data and crystal-optical characteristics, the hollow-pore space of the collectors is characterized. A macroscopic description of the core, a microscopic description of sections, a grain-size analysis of the rock, a lithological-facies characterization of the reservoir are given. The genesis of sand deposits of the studied formation is established and justified

Destruction of molecular compounds in gaseous and liquid medium in microwave discharge plasma

The paper presents the results of experimental studies of molecular destruction in gaseous and liquid medium using microwave discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure. As the gas medium hydrocarbon gas is used, the liquid medium were aqueous solutions of methylene blue and more complex organic compound in the form of humic substances. As a result of the destruction of hydrocarbon gas molecules in microwave discharge plasma new products such as hydrogen, ethylene, acetylene and carbon nanostructured material have been formed. In experiments on destruction of molecular compounds in aqueous organic solutions we used air, nitrogen and argon for plasma gases. It is shown that the process of molecular destruction in aqueous organic solutions in the microwave discharge plasma is based on oxidation-reduction reactions. It is found that the maximum efficiency of removal of organic compounds from the solution occurs when using air as the plasma gas

Application of unmanned aerial vehicles for the organization of wireless 5G networks in the system of a smart city

This article illustrates ways to solve problems in the field of urban management with using modern 5G wireless networks. We have provided an overview of UAV-aided wireless communications, highlighting the key design considerations as well as the new opportunities to be exploited. Object of analysis is the communication process of a large number of distributed users. Subject of analysis is data transmission capacity, sufficient for stable communication of users and most services, taking into account the mobility of a huge number of users. We have gave examples on UAV-aided wireless communications with the help of three use cases: UAV-aided ubiquitous coverage, UAV-aided relaying, and UAV-aided information dissemination. Furthermore, the key design considerations for UAV communications, energy consumption by the UAVs have also been discussed. Lastly, we have highlighted two key performance enhancing techniques by utilizing UAV controlled mobility

Reactive oxygen species induce expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in chondrocytes and human articular cartilage explants

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes cartilage-degrading pathways, and there is evidence for the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cartilage degeneration. However, a relationship between ROS and VEGF has not been reported. Here, we investigate whether the expression of VEGF is modulated by ROS. Aspirates of synovial fluid from patients with osteoarthritis (OA) were examined for intra-articular VEGF using ELISA. Immortalized C28/I2 chondrocytes and human knee cartilage explants were exposed to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA; 0–20 μg/ml), which is a ROS inducer, or 3-morpholino-sydnonimine hydrochloride (SIN-1; 0–20 μM), which is a ROS donor. The levels of VEGF protein and nitric oxide (NO) production were determined in the medium supernatant, using ELISA and Griess reagent, respectively. Gene expression of VEGF-121 and VEGF-165 was determined by splice variant RT-PCR. Expression of VEGF and VEGF receptors (VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2) was quantified by real-time RT-PCR. Synovial fluid from OA patients revealed markedly elevated levels of VEGF. Common RT-PCR revealed that the splice variants were present in both immortalized chondrocytes and cartilage discs. In immortalized chondrocytes, stimulation with PMA or SIN-1 caused increases in the levels of VEGF, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 mRNA expression. Cartilage explants produced similar results, but VEGFR-1 was only detectable after stimulation with SIN-1. Stimulation with PMA or SIN-1 resulted in a dose-dependent upregulation of the VEGF protein (as determined using ELISA) and an increase in the level of NO in the medium. Our findings indicate ROS-mediated induction of VEGF and VEGF receptors in chondrocytes and cartilage explants. These results demonstrate a relationship between ROS and VEGF as multiplex mediators in articular cartilage degeneration

Intra-abdominal adipose tissue of laboratory mice adapted to different temperature regimes

For the first time the presence of beige adipocytes, cellularity, basic metabolic parameters of perigonadal abdominal fat have studied in autbred laboratory mice kept at different temperature regimes: 1) 30°С (thermoneutral zone) and 2) regular daily 8-hour cold exposures. Unlike brown fat in the abdominal depot, temperature-dependent changes of these parameters were not detected. The functions of the beige adipocytes of the abdominal depot were discussed