To evaluate the effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on rat articular chondrocyte (AC) with respect to DNA synthesis, collagen type II and proteoglycan (PG) synthesis ...and expression, and cAMP production; to examine these cells for the presence of GM-CSF-specific binding sites; and to study their regulation by growth factors and cytokines.
First passage monolayers of rat AC were incubated with various concentrations of recombinant human GM-CSF, and then 3H-thymidine, 3H-proline, and 35SSO4 incorporation and cAMP production were measured. The density of GM-CSF-specific binding sites, the effects of growth factors and cytokines on receptor density, and the activation of certain post-receptor signaling pathways were also examined by labeling the cell monolayers with 125I-GM-CSF.
GM-CSF (6-100 U/ml) inhibited (30%) 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA, and, in contrast, stimulated up to 3.6- and 2-fold 35SSO4 and 3H-proline incorporation into glycosaminoglycan side chains and collagen molecules, respectively. GM-CSF also increased aggrecan and type II collagen (Coll II) transcripts by 2- to 3-fold, respectively. These effects were associated with a concentration-dependent increase in cAMP production. A single class of high affinity (Kd = 98 pM; Bmax = 7.08 pM/microg DNA) binding sites of about 220 kDa were found. The 125I-GM-CSF binding to the cells was slightly increased with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), insulin-like growth factor-I, platelet derived growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and decreased with pertussis toxin, cholera toxin, and interleukin-1beta.
These results suggest that GM-CSF may play a role in the regulation of chondrocyte metabolism as an anabolic agent and may stimulate cartilage healing under pathological conditions.
The comparison of structural and substructural characteristics of pure zinc sulfide and biopolymer based on ZnS composite with alginate was held by scanning electron microscopy, diffraction and X-ray ...fluorescence spectrometry. Films and nanostructures of zinc sulfide were obtained by chemical bath deposition from an aqueous solution of zinc nitrate, sodium alginate and tiaourea at 90 °C and synthesis time of 30-120 min. It is established that growth occurs through the formation of condensate nanodots of zinc sulfide followed by merging the gaps between nanograins by alginate particles. As a result of the calculation of pole density and factor orientation it is confirmed the existence of axial texture 111 both in pure ZnS films and nanocomposites. It is shown that the lattice constants of condensates of pure ZnS vary in the range of a = 0.53266-0.54419 nm, while the lattice parameters of alginate consisting ZnS polymer nanocomposites are in the range of a = 0.53490-0.56261 nm and the inextricably dependent on time of synthesis layers. It is established that the average size of coherent scattering domains (CSD) of films of pure ZnS in the crystallographic direction 111 is weekly changed during the deposition time (L(111) = 14-29 nm). For ZnS composed of polymer nanocomposite CSD sizes vary in the range of L(111) = 21-38 nm that is larger than for pure ZnS.
To evaluate the impact of tocilizumab (TCZ) therapy on the level of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) 4, 24, and 48 weeks after treatment initiation in relation to the clinical efficiency of TCZ ...therapy by the Disease Activity Score (DAS28), the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI).
Forty-two rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who had received 6 intravenous infusions of TCZ 8 mg/kg at a 4-week interval during permanent therapy with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) and glucocorticosteroids (GCS) were examined. Then TCZ was discontinued and the patients continued to receive the previous therapy with DMARD and GCS. The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria, as well as SDAI and CDAI were used to evaluate the efficiency of TCZ therapy. The serum concentration of MMP-3 was measured by enzyme immunoassay using the test systems (Invitrogen, USA).
After 24 weeks of TCZ therapy (at 48 weeks following trial initiation), DAS28 was 4.69 (3.86; 5.44); the SDAI of 17.8 (10.7; 29.5) and the CDAI of 17.1 (7.2; 26.2) corresponded to moderate disease activity. At 48 weeks, DAS28 remission (< 2.6 scores) remained in 5 (11.90%) patients; SDAI (< or = 3.3 scores) and CDAI (< or = 2.8 scores) remissions did in 3 (7.1%) and 4 (9.5%) patients, respectively. There was a significant reduction in MMP-3 concentrations at 4, 24, and 48 weeks of the therapy, which was 61, 73, and 49.40% of the baseline level. ROC analysis indicated that the normalization of MMP-3 levels in RA patients at 24 weeks of TCZ therapy (a cut-off < or =16.5 ng/ml) was associated with the maintenance of remission/low disease activity from SDAI and CDAI 24 weeks after the drug use (the area under the receiver operating curve was 0.762; 95% confidence interval: 0.548-0.976).
Analysis of the results of 48-week TCZ therapy suggests its ability to reduce the levels of markers of bone and cartilage destruction in patients with RA. Serum MMP-3 determination at 24 weeks of therapy may be useful in predicting the maintenance of remission/low activity from SDAI and CDAI after discontinuation of the drug.
Simulation of electron beam dynamics in a high-energy electron cooler Ivanov, A.V.; Panasyuk, V.M.; Parkhomchuk, V.V. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
03/2006, Letnik:
558, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Electron cooling is now a standard tool for improvement of ion beam parameters in storage rings. In BINP, after successful development of several low-energy electron cooling devices, a project ...involving a high-energy electron cooler for GSI has been proposed. This cooler has a classical electrostatic scheme with electron energy of up to 8
MeV. Here we present results of numerical simulations of electron beam formation, acceleration and collection for this project. Special attention is paid to a description of the new codes developed in BINP. The electron gun and collector are simulated by the 2D USAM code. This code is modified to calculate collector performance with consideration of secondary emission. The BEAM code is used for simulation of dynamics in the accelerating section. A new 3D electrostatic code, ELEC3D, developed for the simulation of beam dynamics in bends with electrostatic compensation of the centrifugal drift, is described. This code is combined with the existing MAG3D magnetostatic code to provide a universal tool for 3D static calculations.
We present the current status of high-energy cosmic-ray physics and gamma-ray astronomy at the Tunka Astrophysical Center (AC). This complex is located in the Tunka Valley, about 50 km from Lake ...Baikal. Present efforts are focused on the construction of the first stage of the gamma-ray observatory TAIGA - the TAIGA prototype. TAIGA (Tunka Advanced Instrument for cosmic ray physics and Gamma Astronomy) is designed for the study of gamma rays and charged cosmic rays in the energy range 1013 eV–1018 eV. The array includes a network of wide angle timing Cherenkov stations (TAIGA-HiSCORE), each with a FOV = 0.6 sr, plus up to 16 IACTs (FOV - 10∘× 10∘). This part covers an area of 5 km2. Additional muon detectors (TAIGA-Muon), with a total coverage of 2000 m2, are distributed over an area of 1 km2.
The HiSCORE Project Tluczykont, M.; Brückner, M.; Budnev, N. ...
Acta Polytechnica CTU proceedings,
12/2014, Letnik:
1, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
A central question of Astroparticle Physics, the origin of cosmic rays, still remains unsolved. HiSCORE (Hundred*i Square-km Cosmic ORigin Explorer) is a concept for a large-area wide-angle ...non-imaging air shower detector, addressing this question by searching for cosmic ray pevatrons in the energy range from 10TeV to few PeV and cosmic rays in the energy range above 100TeV. In the framework of the Tunka-HiSCORE project, first prototypes have been deployed on the site of the Tunka-133 experiment, where we plan to install an engineering array covering an area of the order of 1km2. On the same site, also imaging and particle detectors are planned, potentially allowing a future hybrid detector system. Here we present the HiSCORE detector principle, its potential for cosmic ray origin search and the status of ongoing activities in the framework of the Tunka-HiSCORE experiment.
The article covers the improvement of organizational and technological solutions of construction production through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and special software for remote control of ...construction of scattered facilities (for example, the construction of cottages in Kyiv region), the experience of using UAVs.
Innovative approaches to the control of the life cycle of construction projects at the stages of engineering surveys and design works, zero cycle, construction of the above-ground part and further operation using drones and special software give the Ukraine construction sector companies a unique chance to realize their potential during the digital revolution and take their rightful place among world leaders.
Due to the lack of operational, accurate data and indicators that describe the state of the construction site, companies face such problems as management’s lack of up-to-date information on the project implementation progress, late detection of actual of the progress of work performed from design documentation, uncontrolled human factor in the process of checking volumes and quality of works performed by contractors, insufficient communication between project participants. Subsequently, these factors lead to budget overruns and non-compliance with the estimated project deadlines.
The experience of using UAVs in addressing such issues as the management’s lack of relevant information on state of affairs at construction site, late identification of actual deviations from the project documentation, uncontrolled influence of human factor in the process of checking the volume and quality of work performed by contractors, and insufficient communication between project participants.
Based on the practical experience gained in the use of drones, it was concluded that drones are an effective tool with a wide range of applications for monitoring zero-cycle work and erection of the above-ground part of buildings.
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