The Henstock-Kurzweil-Pettis integrals and existence theorems for the Cauchy problem

summary:In this paper we prove an existence theorem for the Cauchy problem $$x^{\prime }(t) = f(t, x(t)), \quad x(0) = x_0, \quad t \in I_{\alpha } = [0, \alpha ]$$ using the Henstock-Kurzweil-Pettis integral and its properties. The requirements on the function $f$ are not too restrictive: scalar measurability and weak sequential continuity with respect to the second variable. Moreover, we suppose that the function $f$ satisfies some conditions expressed in terms of measures of weak noncompactness

Developmental parallelism in primates

The authors examined a large random sample of skulls from two species of macaques: rhesus monkeys and cynomolgus monkeys. The skulls were measured, divided into age and sex groups and thoroughly analysed using statistical methods. The analysis shows that skulls of young rhesuses are considerably more domed, i.e. have better-developed neurocrania, than their adult counterparts. Male and female skulls, on the other hand, were found to be very similar, which means that sexual dimorphism of the rhesus macaque was suppressed. Both of these patterns are known from the human evolutionary pattern. No such parallelism to the development of Homo sapiens was found in the cynomolgus monkeys. The authors conclude that mosaic hominisation trends may have featured in the evolution of all primates. This would mean that apes were not a necessary step on the evolutionary way leading to the development of Homo sapiens, who may have started to evolve at an earlier stage of monkeys

Intra-firm technology transfer as a factor of sustainable development of industrial enterprises

Technological processes of machine-building enterprises are quite specific, characteristic only for this sector and are virtually absent from all the others. In recent times, scientists and developers of technology products in the engineering industry increasingly focused on development of unconventional technologies, the possibility of the development of which is based on significant achievements in fundamental and applied research

Front-face fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics for quality control of cold-pressed rapeseed oil during storage

The aim of this study was to test the usability of fluorescence spectroscopy to evaluate the stability of cold-pressed rapeseed oil during storage. Freshly-pressed rapeseed oil was stored in colorless and green glass bottles exposed to light, and in darkness for a period of 6 months. The quality deterioration of oils was evaluated on the basis of several chemical parameters (peroxide value, acid value, K232 and K270, polar compounds, tocopherols, carotenoids, pheophytins, oxygen concentration) and fluorescence. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of oil excitation-emission matrices revealed the presence of four fluorophores that showed different evolution throughout the storage period. The fluorescence study provided direct information about tocopherol and pheophytin degradation and revealed formation of a new fluorescent product. Principal component analysis (PCA) performed on analytical and fluorescence data showed that oxidation was more advanced in samples exposed to light due to the photo-induced processes; only a very minor effect of the bottle color was observed. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) on the PARAFAC scores revealed a quantitative relationship between fluorescence and some of the chemical parameters.Funding Agency Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland NN312428239 Poznan University of Economics and Businessinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fluorescence spectroscopy for characterization and differentiation of beers

Total luminescence and synchronous scanning fluorescence spectroscopic techniques were applied for characterization of the intrinsic fluorescence of eight different beers. Spectra were measured using different geometries to reveal the presence of similar fluorescent components. The total luminescence and synchronous fluorescence spectra exhibit a relatively intense short-wavelength emission ascribed to aromatic amino acids and less intense emission in the long-wavelength region, which may originate from B vitamins. Classification of beers based on their synchronous fluorescence spectra was performed using non-parametrical k nearest neighbours method and linear discriminant analysis. Very good discrimination was obtained in both methods with a low classification error. The results demonstrate the potential of fluorescence techniques to characterize and differentiate beers

Influence of hereditary haemochromatosis on left ventricular wall thickness: does iron overload exacerbate cardiac hypertrophy?

Background: The left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy increases the risk of heart failure. Hypertension and infiltrative cardiomyopathies are the well-known reasons of LV hypertrophy. The growing interest of scientists in this issue affects hereditary haemochromatosis (HH), which is characterised by the excess deposition of iron mostly due to HFE gene mutation. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible influence of HH on LV parameters in patients with early-diagnosed (early HH) and long-lasting and long-treated (old HH) disease. Materials and methods: Thirty nine early HH and 19 old HH patients were prospectively enrolled in the study; age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers constituted the appropriate control groups. All participants had echocardiography performed (including three-dimension volume and mass analysis); the iron turnover parameters were measured at the time of enrolment in every HH patients. Results: Echocardiographic parameters regarding to left atrium (LA), LV thickness, mass and long axis length were significantly higher, whereas LV ejection fraction was lower in early HH in comparison to healthy persons. In old HH patients the differences were similar to those mentioned before, except LV ejection fraction. The presence of hypertension in both HH groups did not influence echo parameters, as well as diabetes in old HH. The strongest correlation in all HH group was found between the time from HH diagnosis and LA, LV thickness and volumes parameters, but the correlations between iron turnover and echo parameters were non-existent. Conclusions: Hereditary haemochromatosis, not only long-lasting, but also early-diagnosed, could lead to exacerbation of LV wall thickness and cardiac hypertrophy. This effect is not simply connected with hypertension and diabetes that are frequent additional diseases in these patients, but with the time from HH diagnosis

Pain as a mediator in the temperament-alexithymia relationship in individuals suffering from rheumatoid arthritis

[Abstract] OBJECTIVE: The study aims to establish a relationship between temperament traits, symptoms of alexithymia, and pain intensity in rheumatoid arthritis. Despite the significant progress seen in the area of RA treatment, pain, often life-long, remains the predominant symptom. This constant pain and progressing disability, as well as dependence upon other people cause RA patients to experience psychological stress that can be modified by individual patient traits. Recently, several authors have underlined the need to relate personality and temperament constructs to neurobiological processes that may underlie individual differences. It seems then that patient characteristics may play a significant role in the course of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was performed on a group of patients (N=317) with rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed according to the current criteria of the American-European Consensus of 2010. All patients expressed voluntary consent to participate, and the study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee. This was a survey-based study. It involved the application of the adult version of the Buss and Plomin EAS Temperament Questionnaire (EAS-D), which tests 3 main temperament domains: sociability, activity, and emotionality. The pain was measured on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). VAS is used to measure pain intensity. The level of alexithymia was tested using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. The scale consists of 20 statements and includes 3 subscales that measure difficulty in describing feelings/emotions, difficulty in identifying feelings/emotions, and operational externally oriented thinking. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that alexithymia is positively correlated only with one dimension of temperament, i.e., emotionality, and with pain intensity. Moreover, high emotionality was positively correlated with pain. A simple mediation analysis revealed that pain intensity functioned as a mediator in the emotionality-alexithymia relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The observed correlations indicate that RA patients with a high level of emotionality exhibit high alexithymia as they perceive pain related to the disease symptoms more intensely. The observed mediation is partial, meaning that there are also other mediating factors in this relationship

Tuberculosis course in a patient with Fahr’s disease (a clinical case report)

Abstract In the present context, pulmonary tuberculosis, especially its resistant forms, is an urgent problem of society, not only inUkraine, but also throughout the world. As is known, comorbidities make difficult not only tuberculosis diagnostics, but also its treatment. Tuberculosis can either develop on the background of any diseases or cause their development and exacerbations. On account of this there are rare diseases of various organs and systems which are characterized by a long absence of clinical symptoms. Work objective is to draw the attention of doctors to the combined course of tuberculosis and rare neurological diseases such as Fahr’s disease. Materials and methods. The article deals with the clinical case based on own observations of the pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MRTB) development in a patient with Fahr’s disease diagnosed in the process of tuberculosis treatment. The patient received inpatient treatment in the Department of Pulmonary Tuberculosis No. 3 of the clinical base of the Phthisiology and Pulmonology Department of the ZSMU in the Communal Institution “Zaporizhzhia Regional Tuberculosis Clinical Dispensary”. Results of own observations. It has been defined that the patient had experienced slow asymptomatic course of Fahr’s disease prior to the onset of pulmonary MRTB. Probably, the toxic effect of antimycobacterial drugs provoked clinical manifestations of Fahr’s disease in the form of neurological symptoms. If Fahr’s disease had been timely diagnosed, antimicrobial therapy would have been prescribed with appropriate initial treatment correction through the exclusion of antimycobacterial drugs with neurotoxic effects from the chemotherapy regimen. Such an approach might not have exacerbated the underlying disease. Conclusions. In a patient with Fahr’s disease the pulmonary MRTB can be treated provided constant monitoring by a neuropathologist with the prescription of adequate symptomatic and pathogenetic therapy that could prevent severe neurological disorders development