The Aragats Space-Environmental Center provides monitoring of different species of secondary cosmic rays at two altitudes and with different energy thresholds. One-minute data is available on-line ...from
http://crdlx5.yerphi.am/DVIN/index2.php. We present description of the main monitors along with data acquisition electronics. Also we demonstrate the sensitivity of the different species of secondary cosmic ray flux to geophysical conditions, taking as examples the extremely violent events of October–November 2003. We introduce correlation analysis of the different components of registered time-series as a new tool for the classification of the geoeffective (events on earth affected by solar activity) events and for the forecasting of the severity of the upcoming geomagnetic storm.
Adaptogens possess anti-fatigue and anti-stress activities that can increase mental and physical working performance against a background of fatigue or stress. The aim of the present study was to ...ascertain which mediators of stress response are significantly involved in the mechanisms of action of adaptogens, and to determine their relevance as biochemical markers for evaluating anti-stress effects in laboratory animals subjected to immobilisation stress. Basal blood levels of cortisone, testosterone, nitric oxide, prostaglandin E
2
, thromboxane B
2
, leukotriene B
4
, stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK), and phosphorylated-SAPK (p-SAPK/p-JNK) were determined in three groups of rabbits. Group A and B animals were treated orally for 7 days with extracts of
Eleutherococcus senticosus
(Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim.,
Schizandra chinensis
(Turcz.) Baill.
, Panax ginseng
C.A. Meyer
, Bryonia alba
L.
, Rhodiola rosea
L. and active component rhodioloside; group C received only placebo. Ten minutes after the final treatment, group A and C animals were immobilized for 2 hours, and blood levels of markers in rabbits of all groups re-determined. Only p-SAPK, cortisone and nitric oxide increased significantly (200–300% > basal levels) following immobilization stress (group C). However, following repeated administration of adaptogens, basal levels of these markers remained practically unchanged during acute stress (group A).
S. chinensis, R. rosea
and rhodioloside were the most active inhibitors of p-SAPK formation (group B). It is speculated that the positive effects of adaptogens on mental performance in stress may be associated with the inhibition of p-SARK formation, and that such activity might be beneficial in neurodegenerative disorders associated with loss of neurons in brain regions involved in learning and memory.
With the fourth highest breast cancer mortality rate in the world, breast cancer prevention and early detection is a priority for Armenia. The Ministry of Health recently initiated efforts to expand ...access to breast cancer screening. However, little is known about the population's understanding and perception of breast cancer screening programs. This cross-sectional telephone-based study sought to develop and validate an Eastern Armenian language version of the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) for future use. The English-language CHBMS survey was first rigorously translated by two Armenian nationals and evaluated for face validity. Telephone surveys were then administered to randomly-selected women of approximately screening age (35-65 years) with no prior history of breast cancer living in Armenia's capital between 2019-2020 (n = 103). The translated survey's psychometric properties were evaluated, examining (1) content equivalence, (2) test-retest reliability and (3) internal consistency. Content equivalence and test-retest reliability of the Armenian CHBMS were characterized using correlational analysis with Pearson's coefficient ranging from 0.76-0.97 (p<0.001) and 0.72-0.97 (p<0.001), respectively, for all five CHBMS domains. The translated survey's internal consistency was comparable to the original English-language CHBMS with a Cronbach's alpha greater than 0.7 for all five domains (0.75-0.94 (p<0.001). The translated Eastern Armenian version of CHBMS is a valid, internally-consistent, and reliable research tool that is ready for imminent use among screening-age women to investigate breast cancer perceptions and beliefs as the Armenian government seeks to expand screening access.
Adaptogens possess anti-fatigue and anti-stress activities that can increase mental and physical working performance against a background of fatigue or stress. The aim of the present study was to ...ascertain which mediators of stress response are significantly involved in the mechanisms of action of adaptogens, and to determine their relevance as biochemical markers for evaluating anti-stress effects in rabbits subjected to restraint stress. Blood levels of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK/JNK), the phosphorylated kinase p-SAPK/p-JNK, nitric oxide (NO), cortisol, testosterone, prostaglandin E(2), leukotriene B(4) and thromboxane B(2) were determined in groups of animals prior to daily oral administration of placebo, rhodioloside or extracts of Eleutherococcus senticosus, Schizandra chinensis, Rhodiola rosea, Bryonia alba and Panax ginseng over a 7 day period. Ten minutes after the final treatment, animals were immobilized for 2 hours and blood levels of the markers re-determined. In the placebo group, only p-SAPK/p-JNK, NO and cortisol were increased significantly (by 200-300% cf basal levels) following restraint stress, whilst in animals that had received multiple doses of adaptogens/stress-protectors, the levels of NO and cortisol remained practically unchanged after acute stress. Rhodioloside and extracts of S. chinensis and R. rosea were the most active inhibitors of stress-induced p-SAPK/p-JNK. E. senticosus, B. alba and P. ginseng exerted little effect on p-SAPK/p-JNK levels. It is suggested that the inhibitory effects of R. rosea and S. chinensis on p-SAPK/p-JNK activation may be associated with their antidepressant activity as well as their positive effects on mental performance under stress.
Background & Aims:
Celiac disease is a polygenic disorder associated with HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8, which are present in greater than 90% of patients. The disease is considered milder in the United States ...compared with Europe. We assessed whether differences in the frequency of HLA type may account for differences in severity of the disease by using cohorts of patients from New York and Paris.
Methods:
HLA-DQ typing was performed on patients with celiac disease in New York and Paris. Clinical and pathologic data were compared between the New York and Parisian cohorts and also correlated with the different HLA types (HLA-DQ2, HLA-DQ2/-DQ8, HLA-DQ8).
Results:
Among these patients, the disease was milder in the New York cohort compared with the Parisian cohort. There were fewer patients with a classical presentation (45% and 89%, respectively;
P < 0.001) and less severe pathology (total villous atrophy, 64% and 89%, respectively;
P < 0.05), and less marked intraepithelial lymphocytosis (intraepithelial leukocytes IELs/100 enterocytes, 48.1 and 82.5, respectively;
P < 0.0001). HLA-DQ2 homozygotes were less prevalent in the New York cohort compared with the Parisian cohort (59% and 79%, respectively;
P = 0.08). HLA-DQ8 alleles were more prevalent in the New York cohort compared with the Parisian cohort (41% and 21%, respectively;
P = 0.026). There was, however, no difference in the clinical or pathologic parameters of severity when we compared the groups based on HLA type.
Conclusions:
HLA-DQ8 alleles were increased in the New York cohort of patients with celiac disease; however, this did not account for less severe manifestations of the disease.
Adaptogens possess anti-fatigue and anti-stress activities that can increase mental and physical working performance against a background of fatigue or stress. The aim of the present study was to ...ascertain which mediators of stress response are significantly involved in the mechanisms of action of adaptogens, and to determine their relevance as biochemical markers for evaluating anti-stress effects in rabbits subjected to restraint stress. Blood levels of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK/JNK), the phosphorylated kinase p-SAPK/p-JNK, nitric oxide (NO), cortisol, testosterone, prostaglandin E2, leukotriene B4 and thromboxane B2 were determined in groups of animals prior to daily oral administration of placebo, rhodioloside or extracts of Eleutherococcus senticosus, Schizandra chinensis, Rhodiola rosea, Bryonia alba and Panax ginseng over a 7 day period. Ten minutes after the final treatment, animals were immobilized for 2 hours and blood levels of the markers re-determined. In the placebo group, only p-SAPK/p-JNK, NO and cortisol were increased significantly (by 200–300% cf basal levels) following restraint stress, whilst in animals that had received multiple doses of adaptogens/stress-protectors, the levels of NO and cortisol remained practically unchanged after acute stress. Rhodioloside and extracts of S. chinensis and R. rosea were the most active inhibitors of stress-induced p-SAPK/p-JNK. E. senticosus, B. alba and P. ginseng exerted little effect on p-SAPK/p-JNK levels. It is suggested that the inhibitory effects of R. rosea and S. chinensis on p-SAPK/p-JNK activation may be associated with their anti-depressant activity as well as their positive effects on mental performance under stress.
We show a new approach in the analysis of femtosecond soliton pulse propagation with a duration of /spl cong/100 fs in nonlinear dispersive medium. Investigations are carried out by using of the ...method of unidirectional waves (MUW) and solving a nonlinear wave equation that is different from the nonlinear Schrodinger equation. Newly obtained results are presented.
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