Same product category ads for different target groups: structure, content, language

The article is devoted to identification of structural, content and language features of ads for one product category focused on different target groups. The author mentions that it is very important for copywriter to consider specifics of target audience while creating ads, which follows the same advertising product.Статья посвящена выявлению структурных, содержательных и языковых особенностей рекламного текста одной товарной категории, ориентированной на разные целевые группы. Автор отмечает, что копирайтеру нужно учитывать специфику целевой аудитории при создании рекламного сообщения, сопровождающего одинаковый рекламный продукт

Correlation of Early Outcomes and Intradiscal Interleukin-6 Expression in Lumbar Fusion Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is correlation between intradiscal levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and early outcome measures in patients undergoing lumbar fusion for painful disc degeneration. METHODS: Intervertebral disc tissue was separated into annulus fibrosus/nucleus pulposus and cultured separately in vitro in serum-free medium (Opti-MEM). Conditioned media was collected after 48 hours. The concentration of IL-6 was quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pearson correlation coefficients quantified relationships between IL-6 levels and pre- and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) back pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), as well as change in VAS/ODI. RESULTS: Sixteen discs were harvested from 9 patients undergoing anterior lumbar interbody fusion (mean age, 47.4 years; range, 21-70 years). Mean preoperative and 6-month postoperative VAS were 8.1 and 3.7, respectively. Mean preoperative and postoperative ODI were 56.2 and 25.6, respectively. There were significant positive correlations between IL-6 expression and postoperative VAS (ρ = 0.38, p = 0.048) and ODI (ρ = 0.44, p = 0.02). No significant correlations were found between intradiscal IL-6 expression and preoperative VAS (ρ = -0.12, p = 0.54). Trends were seen associating IL-6 expression and change in VAS/ODI (ρ = -0.35 p = 0.067; ρ = -0.34, p = 0.08, respectively). A trend associated IL-6 and preoperative ODI (ρ = 0.36, p = 0.063). CONCLUSION: The direct association between IL-6 expression and VAS/ODI suggests patients with elevated intradiscal cytokine expression may have worse early outcomes than those with lower expression of IL-6 after surgery for symptomatic disc degeneration

Accurate reconstruction of insertion-deletion histories by statistical phylogenetics

The Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) is a computational abstraction that represents a partial summary either of indel history, or of structural similarity. Taking the former view (indel history), it is possible to use formal automata theory to generalize the phylogenetic likelihood framework for finite substitution models (Dayhoff's probability matrices and Felsenstein's pruning algorithm) to arbitrary-length sequences. In this paper, we report results of a simulation-based benchmark of several methods for reconstruction of indel history. The methods tested include a relatively new algorithm for statistical marginalization of MSAs that sums over a stochastically-sampled ensemble of the most probable evolutionary histories. For mammalian evolutionary parameters on several different trees, the single most likely history sampled by our algorithm appears less biased than histories reconstructed by other MSA methods. The algorithm can also be used for alignment-free inference, where the MSA is explicitly summed out of the analysis. As an illustration of our method, we discuss reconstruction of the evolutionary histories of human protein-coding genes.Comment: 28 pages, 15 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1103.434

An organ culture system to model early degenerative changes of the intervertebral disc

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Back pain, a significant source of morbidity in our society, is related to the degenerative changes of the intervertebral disc. At present, the treatment of disc disease consists of therapies that are aimed at symptomatic relief. This shortcoming stems in large part from our lack of understanding of the biochemical and molecular events that drive the disease process. The goal of this study is to develop a model of early disc degeneration using an organ culture. This approach is based on our previous studies that indicate that organ culture closely models molecular events that occur in vivo in an ex vivo setting. METHODS: To mimic a degenerative insult, discs were cultured under low oxygen tension in the presence of TNF-α, IL-1β and serum limiting conditions. RESULTS: Treatment resulted in compromised cell survival and changes in cellular morphology reminiscent of degeneration. There was strong suppression in the expression of matrix proteins including collagen types 1, 2, 6 and 9, proteoglycans, aggrecan and fibromodulin. Moreover, a strong induction in expression of catabolic matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 3, 9 and 13 with a concomitant increase in aggrecan degradation was seen. An inductive effect on NGF expression was also noticed. Although similar, nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus tissues showed some differences in their response to the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study show that perturbations in microenvironmental factors result in anatomical and gene expression change within the intervertebral disc that may ultimately compromise cell function and induce pathological deficits. This system would be a valuable screening tool to investigate interventional strategies aimed at restoring disc cell function

Picosecond Fluorescence Relaxation Spectroscopy of the Calcium-Discharged Photoproteins Aequorin and Obelin

Addition of calcium ions to the Ca2+-regulated photoproteins, such as aequorin and obelin, produces a blue bioluminescence originating from a fluorescence transition of the protein-bound product, coelenteramide. The kinetics of several transient fluorescent species of the bound coelenteramide is resolved after picosecond-laser excitation and streak camera detection. The initially formed spectral distributions at picosecond-times are broad, evidently comprised of two contributions, one at higher energy (25000 cm-1) assigned as from the Ca2+-discharged photoprotein-bound coelenteramide in its neutral state. This component decays much more rapidly (t1/2 2 ps) in the case of the Ca2+-discharged obelin than aequorin (t1/2 30 ps). The second component at lower energy shows several intermediates in the 150-500 ps times, with a final species having spectral maxima 19400 cm-1, bound to Ca2+-discharged obelin, and 21300 cm-1, bound to Ca2+-discharged aequorin, and both have a fluorescence decay lifetime of 4 ns. It is proposed that the rapid kinetics of these fluorescence transients on the picosecond time scale, correspond to times for relaxation of the protein structural environment of the binding cavit

Oat cultivars developed at Nemchinovka and included into the State Register in recent years (a review)

The main trend in crop breeding is to increase productivity and improve grain quality indicators. The formation of high crop productivity requires cultivars with high potential for productivity and quality as well as with resistance to biotic and abiotic environmental factors. Successful solution of these and emerging breeding problems is possible only if appropriate source material is employed.Source material from the Vavilov Institute’s collection of plant genetic resources was used in crosses aimed at the development of oat cultivars. Its brief description is presented here.The results of the breeding work on oat cultivars at the Nemchinovka Federal Research Center from 2007 through 2017 are discussed. Descriptions are given to all ten developed oat cultivars with a detailed pedigree for each combination of crosses. Pedigree analysis has been performed, and its results show a limited number of parental forms for crosses. The problem of source material utilization in breeding practice and narrowing of the genetic base in the process of cultivar development is discussed

The problem of nonlinear Landau damping in quark-gluon plasma

On the basis of the semiclassical equations for quark-gluon plasma (QGP) and Yang-Mills equation, the generalized kinetic equation for waves with regard to its interaction is obtained. The physical mechanisms defining nonlinear scattering of a plasmon by QGP particles are analysed. The problem on a connection of nonlinear Landau damping rate of longitudinal oscillation with damping rate, obtained on the basis of hard thermal loops approximation, is considered.Comment: 33 page

Inhibition of Neurogenic Inflammatory Pathways Associated with the Reduction in Discogenic Back Pain

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Purpose This study aimed to determine whether the initiation of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP inhibitor) medication therapy for migraines was also associated with improvements in back/neck pain, mobility, and function in a patient population with comorbid degenerative spinal disease and migraine. Overview of Literature CGRP upregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and nerve growth factor in spinal spondylotic disease, which results in disc degeneration and sensitization of nociceptive neurons. Although CGRP inhibitors can quell neurogenic inflammation in migraines, their off-site efficacy as a therapeutic target for discogenic back/neck pain conditions remains unknown. Methods All adult patients diagnosed with spinal spondylosis and migraine treated with CGRP inhibitors at a single academic institution between 2017 and 2020 were retrospectively identified. Patient demographic and medical data, follow-up duration, migraine severity and frequency, spinal pain, functional status, and mobility before and after the administration of CGRP inhibitors were collected. Paired univariate analysis was conducted to determine significant changes in spinal pain, headache severity, and headache frequency before and after the administration of CGRP inhibitors. The correlation between changes in the spinal pain score and functional or mobility improvement was assessed with Spearman’s rho. Results In total, 56 patients were included. The mean follow-up time after the administration of CGRP inhibitors was 123 days for spinal pain visits and 129 days for migraine visits. Back/neck pain decreased significantly (p<0.001) from 6.30 to 4.36 after starting CGRP inhibitor therapy for migraine control. As recorded in the spine follow-up notes, 25% of patients experienced a functional improvement in the activities of daily living, and 17.5% experienced mobility improvement while taking CGRP inhibitors. Change in back/neck pain moderately correlated (ρ=−0.430) with functional improvement but was not correlated with mobility improvement (ρ=−0.052). Conclusions Patients taking CGRP inhibitors for chronic migraines with comorbid degenerative spinal conditions experienced significant off-target reduction of back/neck pain

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey II. R139 revealed as a massive binary system

We report the discovery that R139 in 30 Doradus is a massive spectroscopic binary system. Multi-epoch optical spectroscopy of R139 was obtained as part of the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey, revealing a double-lined system. The two components are of similar spectral types; the primary exhibits strong C III λ4650 emission and is classified as an O6.5 Iafc supergiant, while the secondary is an O6 Iaf supergiant. The radial-velocity variations indicate a highly eccentric orbit with a period of 153.9 days. Photometry obtained with the Faulkes Telescope South shows no evidence for significant variability within an 18 month period. The orbital solution yields lower mass limits for the components of M1sin3i = 78 ± 8 M⊙ and M2sin3i = 66 ± 7 M⊙. As R139 appears to be the most massive binary system known to contain two evolved Of supergiants, it will provide an excellent test for atmospheric and evolutionary models