Effect Of Local Changes Research Articles

Religion as a factor of systemic social changes: the specifics of current situation

The one of results of secularization was diminishing of religion capacity to affect on social processes, in particular on social changes. At the same time there are enough examples from different countries when religion was significant for social changes, their direction and extent. Religious agents have participated in processes of democratization (but have supported conservative and authoritarian turns also), have promoted some changes of values and norms in the middle of broad masses. Such influence was making by religious organizations and communities mainly. They provided moral support of actions, directed to changing of social conditions, supported and promoted progressive and humanistic ideas, directly participated in social and political activity for the some programs, legitimized changes and de- legitimized existing order, was a means for mobilization of masses, acted as a part of civil society. But in modern societies, there are number of limitations for religious possibility to support the social changes or to direct implement them. Namely it is about the depth of personal religiosity of broad mass, the capacity of religion to give new ideas, related to secular norms of life (ideas which are inside of religious teaching, or promoted and supported by religious organizations), the presence of cooperation between religious organizations and secular institutions and communities). In secular societies, the possibilities of influence of religious actors are quite limited both for self-sufficiency (only combination of activity of secular and religious actors can be successful), and for extent (religious agents makes local effects of changes and changes in some social sphere or segments), and have extended in time efficiency. The turn of state to religious organizations for help in realization some plans of social transformations appears to be justified, but for realization of such politics great caution is required and such cooperation is must be a part of long strategy.

An Economic Study of the Effects of Local Changes on The Prices of Food and Agricultural Commodities in Egypt (Case Study in Qalyoubia Governorate)

An Economic Study of the Effects of Local Changes on The Prices of Food and Agricultural Commodities in Egypt (Case Study in Qalyoubia Governorate)

Improvements in Wintertime Surface Temperature Variability in the Community Earth System Model Version 2 (CESM2) Related to the Representation of Snow Density

AbstractThe Community Earth System Model (CESM) is widely used for the prediction and understanding of climate variability and change. Accurate simulation of the behavior of near surface air temperature (T2m) is critical in such a model for addressing societally relevant problems. However, previous versions of CESM suffered from an overestimation of wintertime T2m variability in Northern Hemisphere (NH) land regions. Here, it is shown that the latest version of CESM (CESM2) exhibits a much improved representation of wintertime T2m variability compared to its predecessor and it now compares well with observations. A series of targeted experiments reveal that an important contributor to this improvement is the local effects of changes to the representation of snow density within the land surface component. Increased snow densities in CESM2 lead to enhanced conductance of the snow layer. As a result, larger heat fluxes across the snow layer are induced in the presence of T2m anomalies, leading to a greater dampening of surface and near surface atmospheric temperature anomalies. The implications for future projections with CESM2 are also considered through comparison of the CESM1 and CESM2 large ensembles. Aligned with the reduction in surface temperature variability, compared to CESM1, CESM2 exhibits reduced ensemble spread in future projections of NH winter mean temperature and a smaller decline in daily wintertime T2m variability under climate change. Overall, this improvement has increased the accuracy of CESM2 as a tool for the study of wintertime T2m variability and change.

Can plants indicate where a corpse is buried? Effects of buried animal tissues on plant chemistry: Preliminary study

The bodies of murder or accident victims may be concealed below ground to cover up the crime by the perpetrator. During decomposition, nutrient-rich substances that may affect the surrounding environment enter the soil. The logical effect of local changes in soil biogeochemistry should be an impact on the vegetation occurring in a cadaver decomposition island (CDI). Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compounds, which are common plant fertilizers, have received most of the attention in studies using animal remains, but many other elements such as trace metals enter the environment during decomposition of carcass. Furthermore, the decomposition of carcasses can locally affect environmental parameters such as humidity, soil pH, and oxygenation. This study examined whether animal tissues buried in soil could affect vegetation. The experiment was conducted in an open space in southern Poland, using limbs from Sus scrofa domestica. Four test plots were set up: I – clean soil (control plot), II – control plot + urine (potential nitrogen source), III – animal tissues buried at 20 cm depth and IV – animal tissues buried at 10 cm depth. Seedlings of Begonia semperflorens were planted in all four plots. After the end of one full growing season, plant measurements were obtained, and soil and plant material samples were taken. The presence of limbs, regardless of depth, had a very positive effect on plant development. Chemical analyses were performed to determine which compounds could have affected the vegetation. In addition to the standard analyses for nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium, levels of copper, iron, manganese, zinc and magnesium were also determined. The elemental content in the soil and plant material from different plots varied. Interestingly, despite the more intense vegetation, lower levels of elements were found in the soil and leaves of plants from the experimental than from the control plots. In many cases, there were clear differences in the contents of elements between the experimental plots. This could indicate, for example, different phases of animal tissue decomposition, which could have been caused by the different depths at which the remains were buried. As concentrations of elements in soil and plants can change significantly over time, material will need to be collected at regular intervals in any future studies. However, it is still unknown what exactly is responsible for the enhanced plant growth within a CDI and whether there are markers that could be helpful in identifying the burial sites of carcasses on the basis of comprehensive vegetation analysis.

Effect of local changes in the composition of the LiNb1−xTaxO3 single crystal on the Raman spectra

AbstractThis paper presents the results of studying the effect of local changes in the composition of the LiNb1−xTaxO3 single crystal on the Raman spectra. Analysis of the crystal composition was carried out using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Using statistical analysis of data on local changes in the chemical composition of a single crystal, it was found that Nb atoms partially replace Li vacancies. Using principal component analysis in combination with correlation analysis, the contribution of a change in the crystal composition to a change in the Raman spectra is determined. Found principal components correctly predict the shift of the Raman lines at transition of the crystal composition from niobate to lithium tantalate. During the formation of a mixed LiNb1−xTaxO3 crystal, at small amounts of Ta atoms replacing Nb, the substitution occurs in the cation sublattice.

Local and sub-basin effects of timber harvests on stream macroinvertebrates in Hinkle Creek watershed

We studied the impacts of clear cut timber harvest over six-years, focusing on aquatic macroinvertebrate response using a BACI design. Data were collected before and after logging throughout a stream network to examine both local and downstream effects of upstream treatments. Sites were located in fishless headwater tributaries, fish-bearing tributaries and main stems in Hinkle Creek’s north fork (reference) and south fork (sequentially harvested) where benthic macroinvertebrates (from 2004 to 2009) and emergent insects (in 2005–2007 and 2009) were sampled. Pre-harvest (2004–2005) benthic macroinvertebrate composition was similar across sub-basins, with distinct longitudinal differences from tributaries to the main stems. At clear cut sites in fishless tributaries, benthic macroinvertebrate densities and percent Chironomidae increased, while taxa richness decreased, and these effects remained consistent for four years after the first harvest; aquatic insect emergence rates were also significantly higher in harvested v. reference fishless tributaries. No downstream macroinvertebrate responses were detected after the first harvest event. Following main stem harvest, confounded by a dam-break flood in December 2008, responses at main stem harvested sites were consistent with the localized responses observed in fishless tributaries, except benthic densities did not increase. While strong differences persisted among macroinvertebrates along the longitudinal gradient in the reference sub-basin, localized decreases in taxa richness and increased proportional contributions of generally disturbance tolerant chironomid midges among harvested sites resulted in altering the structure of invertebrate communities along the stream continuum. We conclude that additive effects of localized changes to instream resources along the stream continuum following successive harvest activities should be considered in plans for basin-wide timber harvests.

Structural changes to forests during regeneration affect water flux partitioning, water ages and hydrological connectivity: Insights from tracer-aided ecohydrological modelling

Abstract. Increasing rates of biodiversity loss are adding momentum to efforts seeking to restore or rewild degraded landscapes. Here, we investigated the effects of natural forest regeneration on water flux partitioning, water ages and hydrological connectivity, using the tracer-aided ecohydrological model EcH2O-iso. The model was calibrated using ∼ 3.5 years of diverse ecohydrological and isotope data available for a catchment in the Scottish Highlands, an area where impetus for native pinewood regeneration is growing. We then simulated two land cover change scenarios that incorporated forests at early (dense thicket) and late (old open forest) stages of regeneration, respectively. Changes to forest structure (proportional vegetation cover, vegetation heights and leaf area index of pine trees) were modelled for each stage. The scenarios were then compared to a present-day baseline simulation. Establishment of thicket forest had substantial ecohydrological consequences for the catchment. Specifically, increased losses to transpiration and, in particular, interception evaporation drove reductions in below-canopy fluxes (soil evaporation, groundwater (GW) recharge and streamflow) and generally slower rates of water turnover. The greatest reductions in streamflow and connectivity were simulated for summer baseflows and small to moderate events during summer and the autumn/winter rewetting period. This resulted from the effect of local changes to flux partitioning in regenerating areas on the hillslopes extending to the wider catchment by reducing downslope GW subsidies that help sustain summer baseflows and saturation in the valley bottom. Meanwhile, higher flows were relatively less affected, especially in winter. Despite the generally drier state of the catchment, simulated water ages suggested that the increased transpiration demands of the thicket forest could be satisfied by moisture carried over from previous seasons. The more open nature of the old forest generally resulted in water fluxes, water ages and connectivity returning towards baseline conditions. Our work implies that the ecohydrological consequences of natural forest regeneration depend on the structural characteristics of the forest at different stages of development. Consequently, future land cover change investigations need to move beyond consideration of simple forest vs. non-forest scenarios to inform sustainable landscape restoration efforts.

Changes in lengths of the four seasons over the drylands in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes

AbstractDue to global warming, the lengths of the four seasons, which are always taken as constant values, have experienced significant variations with rising temperature. Such changes play different roles on regional climate change, with the most significant effect on drylands. To guarantee local crop yields and preserve ecosystems, the identification of the changes of the four seasons in drylands is important. Our results show that, relative to humid lands, changing trends in lengths of spring, summer and autumn were particularly enhanced in drylands of the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes during 1951-2020. In this period, summer length has increased by 0.51 day per year, while spring and autumn lengths have contracted by 0.14 and 0.14 day per year, respectively. However, the enhanced changes in drylands did not appear in winter length. Such changes of spring, summer and autumn in drylands are dominated by internal variability over the entire study period, with a stronger external forcing effect on drylands than on humid lands. In drylands, the external forcing contributed to the changes in lengths of spring, summer and autumn by 30.1%, 42.2% and 29.4%, respectively. The external forcing has become an increasingly important component since 1990, with the ability to dominate all seasons in drylands after 2010. Nevertheless, only one out of the 16 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models used in this study can capture the enhanced changes in the lengths of spring, summer and autumn in drylands. Further investigation on the local effects of changes in seasons on agriculture and ecosystem would be needed, especially for the fragile regions.

Mapping Regional Cortical Bone Responses to Local Changes in Loading and Systemic Stimuli.

Quantification of cortical bone mass and architecture using μCT is commonplace in osteoporosis and osteoarthritis research. Different groups often report substantially divergent mouse cortical bone responses to nominally comparable interventions. In the case of studies assessing bones' responses to externally applied loading, these differences are commonly associated with methodological differences in the loading regime. This chapter describes a widely published, standardized method of in vivo mouse tibia axial loading to produce lamellar bone formation. Despite uniform application of axial loading, changes in bone mass are highly site-specific within individual bones. For example, the mouse proximal tibia rapidly accrues new bone following axial loading, but this osteogenic response tapers to produce undetectable differences distally. Consequently, the bone sites selected for comparisons substantially influence the magnitude of differences observed. Application of the freely available Site Specificity software allows site-specific responses to be identified by rapidly quantifying cortical bone mass at each 1% site along the bone's length. This high-content screening tool has been informatively applied to study the local effects of changes in loading as well as systemic interventions including hormonal treatment and aging. Automated multisite analyses of cortical mass is increasingly identifying site-specific effects of "systemic" interventions such as global gene deletions. Biological mechanisms underlying this apparent regionalization of cortical responses are largely unknown but may start to be elucidated by increasingly widespread application of Site Specificity methods.

Reconstruction of past storminess: Evaluation of an indicator approach using aeolian mineral grains buried in peat deposits, Estonia

This study aims to evaluate a reconstruction method of past storminess using aeolian sand influx (ASI) in peat deposits. We use high-resolution records of ASI from four peat bogs along the Estonian coast and compare those with local instrumentally-recorded storminess data since 1920 AD and with historical climatic records around the Baltic Sea over the last two centuries. Potential effects of local changes in forest cover and anthropogenic disturbances on the ASI signals are also evaluated with historical maps available for the study sites. Diameter of all sand grains >65 μm is measured with an image analysis system to detect temporal changes in the grain-size distribution. Our results demonstrate two major periods of high ASI over the last centuries in the region: during the 19th century and since the 1950s with highest values in 1980–2000 AD. Cross-correlations between the changes in ASI and the instrumentally-recorded storm days during the last century are positive and significant. High ASI values recorded during the 19th century correspond to the positive NAO indices and high cyclonic activity reconstructed in southern Sweden. We find that sand grains <250 μm in diameter add additional information for detecting changes in storminess. Temporal shifts in grain-size distribution and median diameter of mineral grains occur in every core, showing changes in the source materials through time.

Влияние на регенерацию костной ткани локальных изменений ионного и ферментативного гомеостаза скаффолдами из поликапролакона минерализованными ватеритом

Цель исследования - оценка влияния на регенерацию костной ткани локальных изменений ферментативного и ионного гомеостаза минерализованными ватеритом скаффолдами из поликапролакона. Методика. Эксперимент выполнен на 47 нелинейных крысах-самцах. Животные были разделены на 4 экспериментальные группы: контроль (интактные животные), группа сравнения (ложнооперированные крысы), группа отрицательного контроля (крысы с имплантацией матрицы, на которой сорбирован нативный овальбумин) и экспериментальная группа - крысы, которым имплантировали поликапролактоновый скаффолд, минерализованный ватеритом (ПКЛ/СаСО3-скаффолд) с адсорбированной щелочной фосфатазой в дефект бедренной кости. На 7-е и 28-е сут в крови определяли содержание щелочной фосфатазы, а также концентрацию остеокальцина. Количественное определение остеокальцина производили методом иммуноферментного анализа с использованием набора реактивов фирмы «Immunodiagnostic systems» (Франция) и полуавтоматического ИФА-анализатора «Anthos Reader 2020» («Biochrom», Великобритания). Для выявления изменений ферментативной активности в сыворотке крови определяли кинетическим методом активность щелочной фосфатазы на биохимическом анализаторе «Сапфир-400» («Hirose Electronic System», Япония) с использованием набора реактивов фирмы «ДиаС» (Россия). Морфологическую верификацию процессов остеогенеза осуществляли при изучении гистологических препаратов на 28-е сут эксперимента. Поперечные срезы диафиза бедренной кости изучали при помощи микроскопа AxioImager Z2 («Carl Zeiss», Германия) и микровизора проходящего света серии μVizo-103 (ООО «ЛОМО ФОТОНИКА», Россия). Оценивали интеграцию матриц с краями пропила, изменения кости в области имплантации матриц, преобладающий тип клеточных элементов матриц, наличие в них костных балок и сосудов. Результаты. Установлено, что изменение локального ионного гомеостаза (СаСО3) и ферментативного гомеостаза щелочной фосфатазы, вызывает в матрице имплантированной в область дефекта формирование костных балок и биохимические изменения в крови, характеризующиеся повышением активности щелочной фосфатазы и увеличением концентрации остеоакальцина. Заключение. При имплантации ПКЛ/СаСО3-матриц с щелочной фосфатазой локальные изменения ферментативного и ионного гомеостаза, вызванные введением в состав кальцийсодержащих скаффолдов щелочной фосфатазы, в значительной степени стимулируют остеогенез. Биосовместимость и остеоиндуктивные свойства ПКЛ/СаСО3-матриц с щелочной фосфатазой позволяют говорить о перспективности их клинической апробации для стимуляции процессов регенерации костной ткани. Aim. To study the effect of local changes in enzymatic and ionic homeostasis induced by vaterite-mineralized polycaprolactone scaffolds with adsorbed alkaline phosphatase on bone tissue regeneration. The experiment was conducted on 47 mongrel male rats divided into four experimental groups: control (intact animals), comparison group (sham-operated rats), negative control (rats implanted with a matrix with adsorbed native ovabumin), and experimental group (rats implanted with PLC-CaCO3-scaffold with adsorbed alkaline phosphatase into the femoral bone defect). Alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin contents were measured in blood of all animals on days 7 and 28. Osteocalcin was measured using the immune enzyme assay with an Immunodiagnostic Systems (France) kit and semi-automatic immune Anthos Reader 2020 (Biochrom, Great Britain) enzyme analyzer. Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity were detected using the kinetic method with a Sapphire-400 biochemical analyzer (Hirose Electronic Systems, Japan) and a DiaC (Russia) kit. Osteogenesis processes were verified morphologically on day 28 of the experiment by a histological assay. Transversal sections of the femoral diaphysis were examined with an AxioImager Z2 (Carl Zeiss, Germany) microscope and a µVizo-103 transmitted-light microvisor (OOO LOMO FOTONIKA, Russia). The evaluated indexes included matrix integration with saw-cut edges; bone changes in the area of matrix implantation; predominating type of matrix cell elements and the presence there of bone trabecula and blood vessels. Results. Changes in the local ionic homeostasis and homeostatic changes of alkaline phosphatase induced formation of bone trabecula in the matrix implanted into the defect area and biochemical changes in blood evident as upregulation of serum alkaline phosphatase associated with increased osteocalcin. Conclusion. In implantation of PLC-CaCO3 matrices with alkaline phosphatase, local changes in the enzymatic and ionic homeostasis induced by supplementation of calcium-containing scaffolds with alkaline phosphatase considerably stimulate osteogenesis. The biocompatibility and osteoinductive properties of PLC-CaCO3 matrices with alkaline phosphatase suggested that clinical testing of the use of the matrices for stimulation of bone tissue regeneration would be promising.

Monte Carlo simulation of the corrosion of irradiated simplified nuclear waste glasses

Ballistic effects due to recoil nuclei will be the predominant mode of long-term radiation damage of nuclear waste glass in disposal facilities. While these ballistic effects are known to modify the glass structure in ways that have been quantified using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the effect of irradiation-induced structural changes on glass corrosion is not understood. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were therefore performed to quantify the effects of structural changes determined from MD simulations on the corrosion of simplified nuclear waste glasses, namely sodium borosilicate and sodium alumino-borosilicate glasses. MC simulations were first performed to determine separately the effects of irradiation-induced changes in boron coordination, the number and nature of Qn species, and the angular distribution of SiOSi linkages, that is, changes to the short-range order of the glass. Generally, the MC simulations showed the resulting effects on the kinetics (B release rate) and extent (B leached thickness) of corrosion were correlated to the extent of depolymerization of the glass network introduced by these local structural changes. The combined effects of these structural changes, as parameterized using the results of MD simulations, were then determined using a glass composition for which relevant experimental data were available for comparison. Here, the combined effect of local changes was lower than the increase in alteration depth observed upon irradiation. This insight from the MC simulations highlighted the need to consider changes in the medium-range order to completely account for experimental observations.

From Quantum Chemistry to Networks in Biology: A Graph Spectral Approach to Protein Structure Analyses.

In this perspective article, we present a multidisciplinary approach for characterizing protein structure networks. We first place our approach in its historical context and describe the manner in which it synthesizes concepts from quantum chemistry, biology of polymer conformations, matrix mathematics, and percolation theory. We then explicitly provide the method for constructing the protein structure network in terms of noncovalently interacting amino acid side chains and show how a mine of information can be obtained from the graph spectra of these networks. Employing suitable mathematical approaches, such as the use of a weighted, Laplacian matrix to generate the spectra, enables us to develop rigorous methods for network comparison and to identify crucial nodes responsible for the network integrity through a perturbation approach. Our scoring methods have several applications in structural biology that are elusive to conventional methods of analyses. Here, we discuss the instances of (a) protein structure comparison that includes the details of side chain connectivity, (b) contribution to node clustering as a function of bound ligand, explaining the global effect of local changes in phenomena such as allostery, and (c) identification of crucial amino acids for structural integrity, derived purely from the spectra of the graph. We demonstrate how our method enables us to obtain valuable information on key proteins involved in cellular functions and diseases such as GPCR and HIV protease and discuss the biological implications. We then briefly describe how concepts from percolation theory further augment our analyses. In our concluding perspective for future developments, we suggest a further unifying approach to protein structure analyses and a judicious choice of questions to employ our methods for larger, more complex networks, such as metabolic and disease networks.

Direct observation of an electrically degenerate interface layer in a GaN/sapphire heterostructure.

An electrically degenerate layer deteriorates the optoelectric performance of a wide band gap semiconductor grown on an insulator substrate. This detrimental effect can be passively avoided by using a buffer layer to harbor various lattice defects. However, the longstanding scientific questions regarding the microscopic origin of the degenerate interface layer and the effect of local changes in the atomic structure and chemical environment at an interface on the functionality of a desired film have remained unanswered. Moreover, this is key information for the development of ultrathin optoelectronic devices. In this study, we discuss the direct observation of a degenerate interface phase at the GaN/sapphire interface on an atomic scale. By combining high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy, we detect the presence of an ultrathin (∼6.5 Å) α-Ga2O3-x layer near the GaN/sapphire interface, which is subjected to ∼4.5% biaxial compressive strain and contains many oxygen vacancies. Density functional theory calculations show that the presence of a defective α-Ga2O3-x thin layer in the GaN and sapphire heterostructure remarkably reduces the band offset between the α-Ga2O3-x conduction band and the GaN valence band, thereby exerting a significant influence on the conductivity enhancement of the interface. Our results provide an unprecedented integrated picture of the degenerate interface phenomenon on an atomic scale, which would evolve the fundamental understanding about a wide band gap semiconductor heterostructure system.

Making a Small World Smaller: Path Optimization in Networks

Reduction of end-to-end network delay is an optimization task with applications in multiple domains. Low delays enable improved information flow in social networks, quick spread of ideas in collaboration networks, low travel times for vehicles on road networks, and increased rate of packets in the case of communication networks. Delay reduction can be achieved by both improving the propagation capabilities of individual nodes and adding additional edges in the network. One of the main challenges in such network design problems is that the effects of local changes are not independent, and as a consequence, there is a combinatorial search-space of possible improvements. Thus, minimizing the cumulative propagation delay requires novel scalable and data-driven approaches. We consider the problem of network delay minimization via node upgrades. We show that the problem is NP-hard and prove strong inapproximability results about it (i.e., APX-hard) even for equal vertex delays. On the positive side, probabilistic approximations for a restricted version of the problem can be obtained. We propose a greedy heuristic to solve the general problem setting which has good quality in practice, but does not scale to very large instances. To enable scalability to real-world networks, we develop approximations for Greedy with probabilistic guarantees for every iteration, tailored to different models of delay distribution and network structures. Our methods scale almost linearly with the graph size and consistently outperform competitors in quality. We evaluate our approaches on several real-world graphs from different genres. We achieve up to two orders of magnitude speed-up compared to alternatives from the literature on moderate size networks, and obtain high-quality results in minutes on large datasets while competitors from the literature require more than four hours.

Formal modeling and analysis of railway operations with active objects

We present a comprehensive model of railway operations written in the active object language ABS. The model is based on specifications taken from the rulebooks of Deutsche Bahn AG. It is statically analyzable and executable, hence allows to use static and dynamic analysis within one and the same formalism. We are able to combine aspects of micro- and macroscopic modeling and provide a way to inspect changes in the rulebooks. We illustrate the static analysis capability by a safety analysis based on invariant reasoning that only relies on assumptions about the underlying railway infrastructure instead of explicitly exploring the state space. A concrete infrastructure layout and train schedule can be used as input to the model to examine dynamic properties such as delays. We illustrate the capability for dynamic analysis by demonstrating the effect that different ways of dealing with faulty signals have on delays and propagation of delays. • Formal verification of railway on the operational level with active objects. • Safety analysis on arbitrary, unbounded networks with deductive verification. • Analysis of capacity and propagation of delays with simulation. • Uniform approach to modeling: Global effects of local changes can be analyzed.

Modeling and experimental methods to predict oxygen distribution in bone defects following cell transplantation

We have developed a mathematical model that allows simulation of oxygen distribution in a bone defect as a tool to explore the likely effects of local changes in cell concentration, defect size or geometry, local oxygen delivery with oxygen-generating biomaterials (OGBs), and changes in the rate of oxygen consumption by cells within a defect. Experimental data for the oxygen release rate from an OGB and the oxygen consumption rate of a transplanted cell population are incorporated into the model. With these data, model simulations allow prediction of spatiotemporal oxygen concentration within a given defect and the sensitivity of oxygen tension to changes in critical variables. This information may help to minimize the number of experiments in animal models that determine the optimal combinations of cells, scaffolds, and OGBs in the design of current and future bone regeneration strategies. Bone marrow-derived nucleated cell data suggest that oxygen consumption is dependent on oxygen concentration. OGB oxygen release is shown to be a time-dependent function that must be measured for accurate simulation. Simulations quantify the dependency of oxygen gradients in an avascular defect on cell concentration, cell oxygen consumption rate, OGB oxygen generation rate, and OGB geometry.

Fallowing of selected arable fields in a farmland mosaic affects processes on landscape level: a case study of small mammal communities

In 2008 on six 1-ha plots the structure and species diversity of small mammal community inhabiting a narrow belt of coastal zone of the Łuknajno Lake (Masurian Lake District, North-East of Poland) were studied. The results obtained were compared with the results of similar studies carried out in the same area in 1981, when still intensive agricultural activities were present around the lake (abandoned in 1991 by leaving the agricultural fields fallow). In comparison with 1981, a decrease in the number of species inhabiting the fringe of the lake was discovered, as well as some significant changes in the domination structure of the community. Currently, the dominant forest species - the bank vole Myodes glareolus (Schreber 1780) and the yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior 1834) - replaced the most numerous in 1981 - the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius (Pallas 1771). Taking into consideration the fact that environmental conditions at the coastal zone have not changed, it was suggested that the changes in the community of small mammals were caused by setting aside arable lands around the lake. The results obtained lead to the conclusion that the range of the ecological effects of local changes in the landscape mosaic may include an area much larger than the one directly affected by these changes. They constitute the basis for a discussion on the relationship between various elements of environmental mosaic in heterogeneous landscape.

Novel electrocardiographic pre-hospital salvage score outperforms reperfusion delay for prediction of left ventricular function in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

ventricle not only on the QRS complex, but also on the ST segment. In myocardial infarction a localized slowing of impulse propagation—the periinfarction block refers to an electrocardiographic abnormality caused by delayed activation of the myocardium in the affected region. In this study we simulated the effects of localized changes in impulse propagation on the QRS and ST-segment patterns, using computer modeling. Material and methods: The model defines the geometry of cardiac ventricles analytically as parts of ellipsoids and allows to change the velocity of impulse propagation in the myocardium. The following changes were introduced in anteroseptal and posterolateral locations: intramural electrically inactive area (infarct), encircled by a transmural area with slowed impulse propagation velocity (peri-infarction block). The effects of sole infarct and peri-infarction blocks, as well the effects of their combinations on the QRS complex and the ST segment are presented. Results: A sole intramural infarct caused QRS changes typical for corresponding locations which were further considerably modified by slowed impulse propagation velocity in the surrounding area. Additionally, the areas of slowed impulse propagation velocity in both locations caused ST-segment deviations, shifting the ST segment toward the affected areas. Conclusion: Using computer modeling we showed that the localized slowing in impulse propagation (peri-infarction block) not only modified the QRS complex, but produced also changes in the ST segment that are consistent with changes that are usually interpreted as effect of the “injury current.”

Transient myocardial ischemia among non-STEMI and unstable angina patients treated with invasive versus conservative treatment

ventricle not only on the QRS complex, but also on the ST segment. In myocardial infarction a localized slowing of impulse propagation—the periinfarction block refers to an electrocardiographic abnormality caused by delayed activation of the myocardium in the affected region. In this study we simulated the effects of localized changes in impulse propagation on the QRS and ST-segment patterns, using computer modeling. Material and methods: The model defines the geometry of cardiac ventricles analytically as parts of ellipsoids and allows to change the velocity of impulse propagation in the myocardium. The following changes were introduced in anteroseptal and posterolateral locations: intramural electrically inactive area (infarct), encircled by a transmural area with slowed impulse propagation velocity (peri-infarction block). The effects of sole infarct and peri-infarction blocks, as well the effects of their combinations on the QRS complex and the ST segment are presented. Results: A sole intramural infarct caused QRS changes typical for corresponding locations which were further considerably modified by slowed impulse propagation velocity in the surrounding area. Additionally, the areas of slowed impulse propagation velocity in both locations caused ST-segment deviations, shifting the ST segment toward the affected areas. Conclusion: Using computer modeling we showed that the localized slowing in impulse propagation (peri-infarction block) not only modified the QRS complex, but produced also changes in the ST segment that are consistent with changes that are usually interpreted as effect of the “injury current.”