Calorigenic effect of adrenaline in rats under conditions of restricted motor activity

In previous studies, it was demonstrated that long term restricted motor activity in rats induces a decrease in body weight, an increase in release of adrenaline, and a decrease in the release of noradrenaline with the urine, as well as a reduction in activity of the thymus gland and level of thyroxin in the blood. At the same time, a decrease was found in the internal body temperature that was accompanied by an increase in the rate of metabolism in the state of rest. An investigation is presented which attempts to clarify whether the calorigenic effect of adrenaline under conditions of increased metabolism in the period of immobility is exposed to changes

Hydrogen adsorption on Pd(133) surface

In this study used is an approach based on measurements of the total energy distribution (TED) of field emitted electrons in order to examine the properties of Pd (133) from the aspect of both hydrogen adsorption and surface hydrides formation. The most favourable sites offered to a hydrogen atom to be adsorbed have been indicated and an attempt to describe the peaks of the enhancement factor R spectrum to the specific adsorption sites has also been made.Comment: to be submitted to the Centr. Eur. J. Phy

The presence of B7-H4+ macrophages and CD25+CD4+ and FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in the microenvironment of nasal polyps - a preliminary report.

The nasal polyp (NP) seems to represent the end-stage of longstanding inflammation in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. The aim of our study has been to evaluate the presence of two regulatory cell populations in the microenvironment of NP: CD4+CD25high Foxp3+ (Treg) cells and B7-H4-expressing macrophages. Treg cells are actively able to inhibit T lymphocytes, while the population of B7-H4-expressing macrophages has recently been described as characterized by a regulatory function similar to that of Treg cells. For our study, we evaluated 14 NP tissue samples. The samples were divided into two main groups, eosinophilic (NP) and lymphocytic (NP), according to the predominant type of immune cell infiltration. The presence of Treg cells and B7-H4 positive macrophages in the samples was analyzed by FACS. Treg cells and B7-H4-expressing macrophages were identified in all the examined nasal polyps. The percentages of both Treg cells and of B7H4 positive cells found in the eosinophilic nasal polyps were higher than those found in the lymphocytic nasal polyps. Treg cells and B7H4+ macrophage subpopulations were present in the NP microenvironment and the alterations in their percentages were related to a distinct pattern of immune cell infiltration

COST 733 - WG4: Applications of weather type classification

The main objective of the COST Action 733 is to achieve a general numerical method for assessing, comparing and classifying typical weather situations in the European regions. To accomplish this goal, different workgroups are established, each with their specific aims: WG1: Existing methods and applications (finished); WG2: Implementation and development of weather types classification methods; WG3: Comparison of selected weather types classifications; WG4: Testing methods for various applications. The main task of Workgroup 4 (WG4) in COST 733 implies the testing of the selected weather type methods for various classifications. In more detail, WG4 focuses on the following topics:• Selection of dedicated applications (using results from WG1), • Performance of the selected applications using available weather types provided by WG2, • Intercomparison of the application results as a results of different methods • Final assessment of the results and uncertainties, • Presentation and release of results to the other WGs and external interested • Recommend specifications for a new (common) method WG2 Introduction In order to address these specific aims, various applications are selected and WG4 is divided in subgroups accordingly: 1.Air quality 2. Hydrology (& Climatological mapping) 3. Forest fires 4. Climate change and variability 5. Risks and hazards Simultaneously, the special attention is paid to the several wide topics concerning some other COST Actions such as: phenology (COST725), biometeorology (COST730), agriculture (COST 734) and mesoscale modelling and air pollution (COST728). Sub-groups are established to find advantages and disadvantages of different classification methods for different applications. Focus is given to data requirements, spatial and temporal scale, domain area, specifi

The problem of series of days without rainfall in a view of efficiency of agricultural output under climate change

Modelling future is key issue in studying CC impacts on agriculture across disciplines and scales. Improving models basing on empirical data coming from diverse micro regions let obtain synergic effects important in shaping food security. Especially, rainfall distribution is most important factor determining agricultural output.The amount of cereal yield depends on an occurrence of long series of days without rain during a growing season. Based on statistical analysis of daily totals it was found that in Central Poland the length of series of days without rainfall during growing season is 40 days. Statistical analysis was done for years 1971-2015. The data allowed finding empirical probability distribution of a length of the series. Average value of the length of series is 4.31 while SD is 4.41. Values of parameters of gamma distribution estimated by the likelihood method are: α=0.9542, β=4.5150. Value of the parameter α (shape parameter) suggests that distribution of the length of series is similar to exponential distribution.Goodness of fit test with gamma distribution was carried out using λ-Kolmogorov and χ2-Pearson tests. Both prove high conformity between empirical and gamma distribution. Based on assumption that gamma distribution can be accepted as distribution of the length of rainless series, further is determined distribution of the length of the longest series in n-element random sample. On the theory of distributions of asymptotic order statistics it is known that the random variable T(n) with appropriate normalization has asymptotic double exponential distribution. Based on that one can conclude that probability to occur 30-day rainless series or longer equals approx. to 0.48. This is useful in forecasting agricultural output depended on rainfall distribution

Intussusception ileo-ileum as a symptom of non-small cell lung cancer metastasis to small bowel - a case report

Przerzuty nowotworów złośliwych do jelita cienkiego zdarzają się bardzo rzadko. Również nietypowym objawem jest wgłobienie jelit spowodowane obecnością przerzutu nowotworu, którego ognisko pierwotne jest zlokalizowane poza jamą brzuszną. W pracy przedstawiono przypadek 55-letniego mężczyzny, u którego wystąpiło wgłobienie krętniczo-krętnicze na skutek przerzutu raka niedrobnokomórkowego płuca do jelita cienkiego. Onkol. Prak. Klin. 2010; 6, 2: 87-89Metastases of malignant neoplasms to small bowel occur very seldom. Intussusception due to neoplasmatic metastasis which primary lesion localized out of abdominal cavity is atypical symptom, too. This paper presents the case of 55-year-old male patient, who had intussusception ileo-ileum because of non-small cell lung cancer metastasis to small bowel. Onkol. Prak. Klin. 2010; 6, 2: 87-8

Investigating the Impact of Crohn's Disease on the Bioaccessibility of a Lipid-Based Formulation with an in Vitro Dynamic Gastrointestinal Model

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of Crohn's disease (CD) on the performance of a lipid-based formulation of ciprofloxacin in a complex gastrointestinal simulator (TIM-1, TNO) and to compare the luminal environment in terms of bile salt and lipid composition in CD and healthy conditions. CD conditions were simulated in the TIM-1 system with a reduced concentration of porcine pancreatin and porcine bile. The bioaccessibility of ciprofloxacin was similar in simulated CD and healthy conditions considering its extent as well as its time course in the jejunum and ileum filtrate. Differences were observed in terms of the luminal concentration of triglycerides, monoglycerides, and fatty acids in the different TIM-1 compartments, indicating a reduction and delay in the lipolysis of formulation excipients in CD. The quantitative analysis of bile salts revealed higher concentrations for healthy conditions (standard TIM-1 fasted-state protocol) in the duodenum and jejunum TIM-1 compartments compared to published data in human intestinal fluids of healthy subjects. The reduced concentrations of bile salts in simulated CD conditions correspond to the levels observed in human intestinal fluids of healthy subjects in the fasted state.A lipidomics approach with ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/mass spectrometry (MS) has proven to be a time-efficient method to semiquantitatively analyze differences in fatty acid and bile salt levels between healthy and CD conditions. The dynamic luminal environment in CD and healthy conditions after administration of a lipid-based formulation can be simulated using the TIM-1 system. For ciprofloxacin, an altered luminal lipid composition had no impact on its performance indicating a low risk of altered performance in CD patients. </p

Lithium-ion battery fast charging: A review

In the recent years, lithium-ion batteries have become the battery technology of choice for portable devices, electric vehicles and grid storage. While increasing numbers of car manufacturers are introducing electrified models into their offering, range anxiety and the length of time required to recharge the batteries are still a common concern. The high currents needed to accelerate the charging process have been known to reduce energy efficiency and cause accelerated capacity and power fade. Fast charging is a multiscale problem, therefore insights from atomic to system level are required to understand and improve fast charging performance. The present paper reviews the literature on the physical phenomena that limit battery charging speeds, the degradation mechanisms that commonly result from charging at high currents, and the approaches that have been proposed to address these issues. Special attention is paid to low temperature charging. Alternative fast charging protocols are presented and critically assessed. Safety implications are explored, including the potential influence of fast charging on thermal runaway characteristics. Finally, knowledge gaps are identified and recommendations are made for the direction of future research. The need to develop reliable in operando methods to detect lithium plating and mechanical degradation is highlighted. Robust model-based charging optimisation strategies are identified as key to enabling fast charging in all conditions. Thermal management strategies to both cool batteries during charging and preheat them in cold weather are acknowledged as critical, with a particular focus on techniques capable of achieving high speeds and good temperature homogeneities

Limits on the effective quark radius from inclusive epep scattering at HERA

The high-precision HERA data allows searches up to TeV scales for Beyond the Standard Model contributions to electron-quark scattering. Combined measurements of the inclusive deep inelastic cross sections in neutral and charged current $ep$ scattering corresponding to a luminosity of around 1 fb$^{-1}$ have been used in this analysis. A new approach to the beyond the Standard Model analysis of the inclusive $ep$ data is presented; simultaneous fits of parton distribution functions together with contributions of "new physics" processes were performed. Results are presented considering a finite radius of quarks within the quark form-factor model. The resulting 95% C.L. upper limit on the effective quark radius is $0.43\cdot 10^{-16}$ cm.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Phys. Lett.