Bulk Nanocrystalline Thermoelectrics Based on Bi-Sb-Te Solid Solution

A nanopowder from p-Bi-Sb-Te with particles ~ 10 nm were fabricated by the ball milling using different technological modes. Cold and hot pressing at different conditions and also SPS process were used for consolidation of the powder into a bulk nanostructure and nanocomposites. The main factors allowing slowing-down of the growth of nanograins as a result of recrystallization are the reduction of the temperature and of the duration of the pressing, the increase of the pressure, as well as addition of small value additives (like MoS2, thermally expanded graphite or fullerenes). It was reached the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT=1.22 (at 360 K) in the bulk nanostructure Bi0,4Sb1,6Te3 fabricated by SPS method. Some mechanisms of the improvement of the thermoelectric efficiency in bulk nanocrystalline semiconductors based on BixSb2-xTe3 are studied theoretically. The reduction of nanograin size can lead to improvement of the thermoelectric figure of merit. The theoretical dependence of the electric and heat conductivities and the thermoelectric power as the function of nanograins size in BixSb2-xTe3 bulk nanostructure are quite accurately correlates with the experimental data.Comment: 35 pages, 24 figures, 4 tables, 52 reference

Forms and Practices of Interbudgetary Relations in USSR in 1950s — First Half of 1960s

The forms and practices of interbudgetary relations in the USSR in the 1950s and early 1960s are considered. It is noted that the term interbudgetary relations in its broad interpretation can be used to describe the processes that took place in the budgetary system of the USSR. But, with one amendment: interbudgetary relations in the period under review should be understood as relations between the levels of the unified budgetary system of the Soviet Union, and not relations between equal subjects, as is interpreted in modern scientific literature. Record keeping materials of organizations, institutions and departments involved at different levels in the regulation of interbudgetary relations were used as sources. It is shown that interbudgetary relations took place in several forms: 1) the formation of th regulatory part of the revenues of lower budgets from tax deductions and revenues received by higher budgets; 2) implementation of interbudgetary transfers in the form of grants, subsidies and subventions; 3) implementation of the mechanism for settling budget disagreements. The authors come to the conclusion that each of these forms contributed to the achievement of a balance between the incomes of individual levels of the budget system and the expenditure obligations assigned to them

Changes in the immunological reactivity in patients with coxarthrosis and the factors that determine them

Background. The participation of immune responses in the pathogenesis of degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the synovial joints determines the feasibility of using more rational approaches to assessing the immune status of patients with this pathology. Despite the ongoing immunological studies in patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the hip joint, there are questions related to the functioning of the immune system as a whole, which require additional research.The aim of the study was to establish the features of the relationship between the indicators of the immune status and to identify the factors that determine the nature and severity of immunological disorders in patients with coxarthrosis.Material and methods. The study is based on the results of immunological parameters in 73 patients (mean age – 45.3 ± 2.56 years) with stage III dysplastic coxarthrosis. The data obtained using cluster analysis made it possible to distribute patients into two groups. The first clinical group included 46 patients, the second one – 27 patients. The control group consisted of 28 clinically healthy individuals. Mathematical processing of the results was carried out using the Statistica 6.0 software package (StatSoft Inc., USA) and the mathematical package Mathcad 2001 Pro (MathSoft Inc., USA).Results. The levels of CD4+ and CD8+ cells and IgA were determined as the classification features that make the greatest contribution to the division of the studied groups. Model experiments have shown that a specific combination of the magnitude of each of the noted factors with a certain degree of probability makes it possible to assess the state of the initial immunological reactivity and verify the nature and severity of immunological disorders.Conclusion. The information obtained is of great importance, since it allows predicting the course of the recovery period after surgery and assessing the risk of developing possible postoperative complications in patients with severe articular pathology

Relationship of Immune Status Indicators and Hormonal Profile in Patients with Coxarthrosis

Background. The dynamic balance between the immune and neuroendocrine systems and their mutual regulation provide the formation of protective reactions of the body in conditions of pathology and various stress-inducing effects. The aim of the research was to establish the nature of the relationship between the indicators of the immune status and hormonal profile in patients with coxarthrosis before and after hip replacement.Material and methods. The study involved 73 patients with stage HI dysplastic coxarthrosis, who, using cluster analysis according to immunological parameters, were divided into two groups. The first clinical group included 46 patients, the second - 27 patients. The control group consisted of 28 clinically healthy individuals.Results. In the preoperative period, correlations between indicators of the immune status and hormonal profile were different in patients of the 1st and 2nd groups and depended on the level of hormones. Moreover, in patients of the 1st group, the hormones of the stress-limiting system made the greatest contribution to this dependence, and in patients of the 2nd group - peripheral thyroid hormones. After endoprosthetics, the correlation dependence in patients of the 1st group differed from the initial one in a number of indicators of the immune status and hormonal profile, which reflects the coordinated work of these body systems under the influence of stress factors. In patients of the 2nd group, the spectrum of these indicators was limited, which indicates the failure ofmechanisms, in particular, limiting the intensity ofinflammatory reactions after surgery.Conclusion. The relationship of the studied parameters in patients of the 1st group indicates the adaptive nature of the immune and endocrine reactions in response to surgery. In patients of the 2nd group, they reflect disadaptive rearrangement, which leads to an increased risk of postoperative complications

THE ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE ENDURANCE AGAINST TISSUE ISCHEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSIVE DISEASE AND ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ENDOGENOUS FACTORS

Aim. To find out the type of erythrocyte membrane endurance to local ischemia in patients with AH and AP including its relationship with endogenous factors. Material and methods. Totally 60 men included with stable form of angina pectoris and 50 men with hypertension of the age 40-55 y.o. To compare the relationships that were found with normal values the parameters studied also were measured in healthy men (n=20) at the age 27±2,5 y.o. The prominence of changes in erythrocyte membrane was evaluated by their comparison before and after local ischemia. In every patient the endurance index (index(m)) was calculated for the erythrocyte membrane. Then we studied endogenous factors that modified the shifts of erythrocyte membrane endurance in the patients studied.Results. During the study it was shown that the erythrocyte membrane endurance to tissue ischemia in AH and AP patients was significantly lower comparing to healthy males. Also in patients there was relation between shifts of membrane endurance and baseline level of various endogenous factors activity. In AP patients the endurance of membrane could be modified by five predictors: blood viscosity in moderate diameter vessels, ACE and less von Willebrand factor. In both groups the increase of baseline ACE and blood viscosity was followed by the decrease of membrane endurance. But if the ischemia developed at the background of weak ACE activity or low blood viscosity, then erythrocyte membrane was more endurable to this pathogen factor.Conclusion. The relationships found for endogenous factors and membrane endurance, it seems, shows differences in genesis of angina pectoris and hypertension. The relations require confirmation in other patients selections with the same pathology and only then can be used for the development of further findings of the main pathogenetic chains in the patients with AH and AP, as for additional treatment strategies development

Changes in the spectrum of protein components and the concentration of phospholipids of the erythrocyte membrane in patients with ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with unclear etiology. An insufficient amount of data on the etiopathogenetic mechanisms of the disease creates opportunities to research them at the cellular level, including the membrane level. Since the functional state of the cytoplasmic membrane largely depends on protein-lipid interactions, we studied the effect of the proportional ratio of three proteins (glucose transporter, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)) on the level of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine in the erythrocyte membrane of patients with ulcerative colitis during an acute attack. The study involved 51 patients with ulcerative colitis during the acute attack and 26 clinically healthy individuals. The groups are comparable by gender and age to study the proteins of the cytoplasmic membrane, Laemmli electrophoresis technique in polyacrylamide gel was used, followed by an assessment of the intensity of protein bands staining on electropherograms. Phospholipid fractions were obtained using thin-layer chromatography and their content was assessed using the Mathcad 2001 Professional system. Statistical processing was carried out by the program Statistica 10.0 for Windows. Changes of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolcholine levels in patients and healthy individuals are not of the same type and are interrelated with changes in the proportion of membrane proteins of the glucose transporter, GAPDH and GST. The proportions of proteins that affect the level of phospholipids have calculated. In patients with ulcerative colitis, a decrease in the level of the studied membrane lipids have revealed in comparison with the clinically healthy group, in addition, an increase in the proportion of the glucose transporter and a decrease in the proportion of GST have noted. In addition, the relationship between an increase in the level of the cytoplasmic membrane phospholipids in ulcerative colitis and a change in the proportion of GAFDH in a smaller direction, which slows down the process of glucose oxidation, was determined. The obtained data confirm the strengthening of the processes of antioxidant protection and the increased need for energy supply of the cell membrane in patients with ulcerative colitis during an acute attack

Effects of Interaction of Protein Components of erythrocyte Membrane in Healthy Individuals and Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Background. It is known that in ulcerative colitis there is a violation of the barrier function of the colon mucosa, which can lead to pathological changes inside cells, including in the membranes of red blood cells. The stability of the erythrocyte membrane and its ability to deform largely depends on the composition and interaction of protein structures inside it. A significant decrease in the content of the main protein components of the erythrocyte membrane in ulcerative colitis was found in comparison with healthy people.Aim of the research. Taking into account the available data, we conducted an additional study to analyze the effects of the relationship between the protein components of the cytoplasmic membrane of erythrocytes in patients with ulcerative colitis and clinically healthy people.Materials and methods. The study involved men and women with ulcerative colitis in the period of exacerbation (n = 51) and clinically healthy individuals matched by sex and age (n = 30). The analysis of the interaction effects of ten main protein components of the erythrocyte membrane was carried out. For each protein under study, its average value was determined, and within the studied groups all proteins were divided into two categories – above and below their average level. Analysis of variance was used to quantify the contribution of each identified factor.Results. It was found that the effect of the relationship is not inherent in all categories of protein components. In ulcerative colitis, the effects of interaction with such important structural proteins as spectrins and ankyrin disappear. In the effect of band 4.1 protein, in contrast to clinically healthy individuals, a new independent factor appears – glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and in the effect on actin – an anion-transport protein.Conclusion. In ulcerative colitis, significant changes occur in the membrane of red blood cells, leading to a violation of the relationships between proteins, a decrease in the total content of the studied proteins and the loss of some of the effects of independent factors on the level of certain protein structures. Based on the findings, adjustments can be made to the treatment of ulcerative colitis in order to strengthen the erythrocyte membrane

Dysfunction of vascular endothelium at arterial hypertension and coronary disease (literature review)

This review presents the observation of the role of endothelial dysfunction in development of atherosclerosis, coronary disease and. hypertension. Among other causes of endothelial dysfunction the most significant are hemodynamic factors (wall transverse strain, transmural pressure), dyslipoproteinemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, hyperglycemia, free radical damage of endothelium. It is supposed that in development and. progressing of coronary disease more significant role may belong to endothelial dysfunction rather than to morphological vascular changes, predetermined by atherosclerosis. However, there is still no clear view of development of endothelial dysfunction and. mechanisms of development and. progressing of both isolated forms of coronary disease and arterial hypertension and their combination