Value Of Factor Research Articles

M2 microglia-derived exosome-loaded electroconductive hydrogel for enhancing neurological recovery after spinal cord injury

Electroconductive hydrogels offer a promising avenue for enhancing the repair efficacy of spinal cord injuries (SCI) by restoring disrupted electrical signals along the spinal cord’s conduction pathway. Nonetheless, the application of hydrogels composed of diverse electroconductive materials has demonstrated limited capacity to mitigate the post-SCI inflammatory response. Recent research has indicated that the transplantation of M2 microglia effectively fosters SCI recovery by attenuating the excessive inflammatory response. Exosomes (Exos), small vesicles discharged by cells carrying similar biological functions to their originating cells, present a compelling alternative to cellular transplantation. This investigation endeavors to exploit M2 microglia-derived exosomes (M2-Exos) successfully isolated and reversibly bonded to electroconductive hydrogels through hydrogen bonding for synergistic promotion of SCI repair to synergistically enhance SCI repair. In vitro experiments substantiated the significant capacity of M2-Exos-laden electroconductive hydrogels to stimulate the growth of neural stem cells and axons in the dorsal root ganglion and modulate microglial M2 polarization. Furthermore, M2-Exos demonstrated a remarkable ability to mitigate the initial inflammatory reaction within the injury site. When combined with the electroconductive hydrogel, M2-Exos worked synergistically to expedite neuronal and axonal regeneration, substantially enhancing the functional recovery of rats afflicted with SCI. These findings underscore the potential of M2-Exos as a valuable reparative factor, amplifying the efficacy of electroconductive hydrogels in their capacity to foster SCI rehabilitation.

Interpretable machine learning for in-hospital mortality risk prediction in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary interventions

Background and objectiveDespite the constant improvement of coronary heart disease (CHD) diagnostics and treatment methods it remains one of the main causes of death in most countries around the world. And myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation on the electrocardiogram (STEMI) still is one of the most dangerous clinical variants of CHD. This study aims to develop an explainable machine learning model for in-hospital mortality (IHM) risk prediction in STEMI patients after myocardial revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). MethodsA single-center observational retrospective study was conducted, enrolling 4677 electronic medical records of patients with STEMI after PCI, which were analyzed using statistical analysis and machine learning methods. A pool of potential IHM predictors was identified, and prognostic models were developed and validated based on multivariate logistic regression, random forest, and stochastic gradient boosting methods at two stages of hospital treatment: during the initial physicians examination in the emergency department and immediately after PCI surgery. To explain the IHM prognosis, threshold values of IHM risk factors were determined using 3 grid search methods for optimal cut-off points, calculating centroids and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). ResultsIHM prognostic models were developed using clinical and functional status data of STEMI patients during two stages of hospital treatment. The IHM prediction accuracy according to the first scenario was AUC = 0.85, and according to the second - AUC = 0.9. Predictors identified and validated in the models were converted into risk factors. Models whose parameters were risk factors demonstrated high forecast accuracy (AUC = 0.87), with the best model formed using the SHAP method. ConclusionsFor the forecast result interpretation risk factors obtained by categorizing continuous variables can be used by assessing the impact of the latter on the end point using the SHAP method.

Exploring the effects and interactions of meteorological factors on the incidence of scrub typhus in Ganzhou City, 2008-2021.

Scrub typhus poses a substantial risk to human life and wellbeing as it is transmitted by vectors. Although the correlation between climate and vector-borne diseases has been investigated, the impact of climate on scrub typhus remains inadequately comprehended. The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of meteorological conditions on the occurrence of scrub typhus in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. METHODS: From January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2021, we gathered weekly records of scrub typhus prevalence alongside meteorological data in Ganzhou city. In order to investigate the correlation between meteorological factors and scrub typhus incidence, we utilized distributional lag nonlinear models and generalized additive models for our analysis. Between 2008 and 2021, a total of 5942 cases of scrub typhus were recorded in Ganzhou City. The number of females affected exceeded that of males, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.86. Based on the median values of these meteorological factors, the highest relative risk for scrub typhus occurrence was observed when the weekly average temperature reached 26°C, the weekly average relative humidity was 75%, the weekly average sunshine duration lasted for 2h, and the weekly mean wind speed measured 2m/s. The respective relative risks for these factors were calculated as 3.816 (95% CI: 1.395-10.438), 1.107 (95% CI: 1.008-1.217), 2.063 (95% CI: 1.022-4.165), and 1.284 (95% CI: 1.01-1.632). Interaction analyses showed that the risk of scrub typhus infection in Ganzhou city escalates with higher weekly average temperature and sunshine duration. The findings of our investigation provide evidence of a correlation between environmental factors and the occurrence of scrub typhus. As a suggestion, utilizing environmental factors as early indicators could be recommended for initiating control measures and response strategies.

Variability of unilateral and bilateral isometric muscle strength of lower extremities extensors in young females and males.

The muscle strength of the lower extremity extensors can be evaluated in the closed kinetic chain (CKC) during unilateral or bilateral conditions. Factors such as the mass and length of the muscle, joint angle, type of contraction, and gender influence the magnitude of the muscle strength. The aim of this study was to compare the isometric strength of lower extremity extensors between the different knee extension angles (KEs) as well as between bilateral and unilateral conditions. Nineteen female students (age: 20.2 ± 0.6 years) and nineteen male students (age: 20.3 ± 0.7 years) participated in the study. The muscle strength was evaluated in CKC using the strain gauge dynamometer. The analysis included values of the maximum muscle strength normalized to body mass (MS/BM) for the six KEs of 80°, 70°, 60°, 50°, 40° and 30°. A significant main effect in the MS/BM values for the angle factor (p < 0.001) and condition factor (p < 0.001) was found. Moreover, there was a non-significant interaction effect between the angle factor and gender factor (p = 0.476) as well as between the condition factor and gender factor (p = 0.770). Comparisons showed significant differences in the MS/BM values between the six KEs (p < 0.001). Furthermore, significantly lower MS/BM values for bilateral conditions than unilateral conditions at the 30° KE were observed (p < 0.001). The decrease in KE by 10° significantly increased the muscle strength of the lower extremity extensors. Gender did not affect the change in MS/BM values with the change in KE and conditions. Findings also revealed significant bilateral deficit, i.e., significantly a lower summed muscle strength during bilateral conditions than unilateral conditions. The study emphasized the importance of selecting the 30° KE as the optimal angle to assess the maximum strength developed in CKC.

Predictive value of von Willebrand factor for venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients based on propensity score matching

To analyze the predictive value of von Willebrand factor (vWF) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) of patients in intensive care unit (ICU) by using propensity score matching (PSM). Patients admitted to ICU of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from December 2020 to June 2022 who stayed in ICU for ≥72 hours and underwent daily bedside vascular ultrasound screening were included. Baseline data such as age, gender, primary disease, and chronic comorbidities were collected. Coagulation indexes before admission to ICU and 24 hours and 48 hours after ICU admission were collected, including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen (Fib), fibrin monomer (FM), vWF, D-dimer, antithrombin III (ATIII), etc. Patients were divided into VTE group and non-VTE group according to whether they had VTE or not [diagnosis of VTE: patients underwent daily ultrasound screening of bedside blood vessels (both upper and lower limbs, visceral veins), and those suspected of having thrombosis were confirmed by ultrasonographer or pulmonary angiography]. Using PSM analysis method, the VTE group was used as the benchmark to conduct 1 : 1 matching of age, whether there was malignant tumor, whether there was infection, whether there was diabetes, and coagulation indicators before admission to ICU. Finally, the cases with balanced covariates between the two groups were obtained. The risk factors of VTE were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to evaluate the predictive value of vWF in the occurrence of VTE in critically ill patients. A total of 120 patients were enrolled, of which 18 (15.0%) were diagnosed with VTE within 72 hours after admission to ICU, and 102 (85.0%) were not found to have thrombus in ICU. Before PSM, there were significant differences in age, gender, proportion of malignant tumor and infection, and coagulation indexes between VTE group and non-VTE group. After PSM, 14 pairs were successfully matched, and the unbalanced covariables between the two groups reached equilibrium. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that vWF was an independent risk factor for VTE at 48 hours after ICU admission in critically ill patients [odds ratio (OR) = 1.165, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.000-1.025, P = 0.004]. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of vWF at 48 hours after ICU admission for predicting VTE was 0.782, 95%CI was 0.618-0.945, P = 0.007. When the optimal cut-off value was 312.12%, the sensitivity was 67.7% and the specificity was 93.0. Dynamic monitoring of vWF is helpful to predict the occurrence of VTE in ICU patients, and vWF at 48 hours after ICU admission has certain value in predicting the occurrence of VTE.

Investigation of fluid added mass matrix during hydroelastic slamming of wedges

The investigation of the fluid added mass (FAM) matrix during the water entry of an elastic structure is crucial for understanding the mechanism of hydroelastic slamming, as it characterizes the fluid–structural interaction process. In this paper, we excavate a model for directly estimating the FAM matrix during hydroelastic slamming and employ this model to study the limitations and optimized values of the relaxation factor for a partitioned coupling solver. Our simulation of hydroelastic slamming couples the Wagner theory with the modal superposition method (MSM), and the FAM matrix is computed using a monolithic coupling scheme. We conduct a series of parametric studies to analyze how the modal number, hydroelasticity, deadrise angle, and structural boundary condition influence the eigenvalues of the FAM matrix. Based on these studies, we then propose an analytical model to directly express the eigenvalues of the FAM matrix, demonstrating their linear relationship with the wetted ratio. Furthermore, we apply this analytical model to analyze the relaxation factor in the partitioned coupling scheme, theoretically explaining its strong connection to the FAM effect. The limitations and optimized values of the relaxation factor are theoretically presented, and these results are verified through our numerical tests.

Enhanced average power factor and ZT value in PbSe thermoelectric material with dual interstitial doping

High PFave of 24.18 μW cm−1 K−2 and ZTave of 1.01 at 300–773 K have been achieved in n-type Pb1.02Se–0.2%Cu thermoelectric through dual Pb and Cu interstitial doping, and it exceeds other Se/S-based (Te free) n-type thermoelectric materials.

Added Value of Mean Blood Pressure and Placental Growth Factor in the Early Detection of Pre-eclampsia among Gabonese Women.

To evaluate the use of the Foetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) algorithm in routine practice for early pre-eclampsia (PE) screening in Libreville. We conducted a cohort study on pregnant women within their 11-13 + 6 weeks of gestation (WG). We had measured mean blood pressure (MBP), placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, Uterine Artery Pulsatility Index (UtA-PI) and resistance index (UtA-RI). Statistical analyses were considered significant for P < 0.05. There were 30 participants. At the first quarter (T1), 36.7% of them were at high risk of PE according to the FMF algorithm and were consequently prescribed aspirin (100 mg/d). By the end of the observation period, we have found a 13% incidence of PE. MBP was higher in the higher risk PE group than in the lower risk group as early as the T1 (90 ± 6 vs. 81 ± 6 mmHg; P = 0.0007, threshold is >86 mmHg/area under the curve (AUC) = 0.86; P = 0.0012). It was the same for PlGF (58 ± 24 vs. 88 ± 38 pg/ml; P = 0.03; threshold is <71.98 pg/ml/AUC = 0.73; P = 0.03). At the second quarter (20-27 WG), biochemical markers did not change between the two groups. UtA-RI, UtA-PI and notch were unconclusive individually, but they are still very important for FMF algorithm application. Early detection of PE using the FMF algorithm is possible in routine practice in Gabon. MBP and PlGF levels at T1 seem to be very significant. However, the present study must continue to obtain the larger cohorts that would achieve more conclusive statistical analyses.

INVERSE ANALYSIS OF THE AMPLITUDE-DEPENDENT DAMPING PROPERTIES OF EPOXY/GLASS FIBER LAMINATES

In this paper, we present the experimental results obtained and corresponding inverse analysis employed to determine the amplitude-dependent damping properties of laminates made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP). Free damped vibration tests of cantilever beams with different symmetric stacking sequences were performed. Logarithmic decrement analysis was used to evaluate the effective amplitude-dependent loss factor of the samples. Inverse analysis was used to find the single-ply dynamic properties based on the laminated beam theory and the complex moduli approach. It was found that the loss factors of GFRP laminates almost linearly depend on the maximum strain amplitude. The maximum value of the loss factor of unidirectional ply was realized in the transverse direction to the fibers and reached &amp;#126; 0.023 for strain amplitudes up to 0.1&amp;#37; in the frequency range of 20-60 Hz.

Bandgap reduction and efficiency enhancement in Cs2AgBiBr6 double perovskite solar cells through gallium substitution.

Lead-free halide double perovskite (LFHDP) Cs2AgBiBr6 has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional lead-based perovskites (LBPs), offering notable advantages in terms of chemical stability and non-toxicity. However, the efficiency of Cs2AgBiBr6 solar cells faces challenges due to their wide bandgap (Eg). As a viable strategy to settle this problem, we consider optimization of the optical and photovoltaic properties of Cs2AgBiBr6 by Gallium (Ga) substitution. The synthesized Cs2Ag0.95Ga0.05BiBr6 is rigorously characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectroscopy, and solar simulator measurements. XRD analysis reveals shifts in peak positions, indicating changes in the crystal lattice due to Ga substitution. The optical analysis demonstrates a reduction in the Eg, leading to improvement of the light absorption within the visible spectrum. Importantly, the Cs2Ag0.95Ga0.05BiBr6 solar cell exhibits enhanced performance, as evidenced by higher values of open circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Jsc), and fill factor (FF), which are 0.94 V, 6.01 mA cm-2, and 0.80, respectively: this results in an increased power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 3.51% to 4.52%. This research not only helps to overcome film formation challenges, but also enables stable Cs2Ag0.95Ga0.05BiBr6 to be established as a high-performance material for photovoltaic applications. Overall, our development contributes to the advancement of environmentally friendly solar technologies.

Study of controlling the content heavy metals Pb, Cu, Cd, and Cr in land using hyperaccumulator plants

This study aimed to determine the types of hyperaccumulator plants that can absorb the heavy metal content of Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr based on the values of bioaccumulation factors (BAF) and translocation factors (TF). Results of the analysis showed that BAF value of the hanjuang plant (Cordyline fruicosa), for heavy metal Pb was 0.369; Cu 0.442; Cd 0.055; Cr 0.078 and TF value for heavy metal Pb 1.572; Cu 0.964; Cd 0.108; Cr 1.358. Croton plant (Codiaeum variegatum), had a BAF value of Pb 0.021; Cu 0.060; Cd 0.000; Cr 0.003 and TF value of Pb 3.638; Cu 0.000; Cd 0.000; Cr 1.399. Sansevieria plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) had a BAF value of Pb 0.090; Cu 0.036; Cd 0.015; Cr 0.002 and TF value of Pb 0.410; Cu 0.334; Cd 0.222; Cr 0.726. Sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus) had a BAF value of Pb 0.022; Cu 0.094; Cd 0.308; Cr 0.001 and TF value of Pb 1.930; Cu 0.399; Cd 1.383; Cr 1.361. Based on a comparison of BAF values, hanjuang plant was the best hyperaccumulator plant capable of accumulating Pb, Cu, Cr with a phytoextraction mechanism and accumulating Cd with a phytostabilization mechanism. At the same time, sunflower a hyperaccumulator plant with the best translocation factor where the roots of sunflower plants absorbed Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, which were then translocated to the stems and leaves optimally through a phytoextraction mechanism.

Linear and nonlinear investigations of the impact of chemical reaction on the thermohaline convection in a permeable layer saturated with Casson fluid

In this effort, the consequence of chemical reaction on the thermohaline convection in a permeable layer containing Casson fluid is inspected utilizing both linear and nonlinear stability procedures. To model the momentum equation, the Casson fluid version of Darcy's law is utilized. Applying the linear stability concept, the situation for the start of stationary and oscillatory pattern of convective motion is obtained, whereas the convective heat and mass transferences are determined using nonlinear stability theory. It is found that the oscillatory type of convective flow is probable only if the evaluation of the solutal Rayleigh–Darcy number is less than zero. The effect of the chemical reacting factor, the Casson factor, the Lewis number, and the solutal Rayleigh–Darcy number is to hurry the start of convection toward both stationary and oscillatory styles of convection and also surge the size of the convective cells. The convective heat and mass transfers enhance with increasing the Casson factor, the solutal and thermal Rayleigh–Darcy numbers while both decrease with enhancing the heat capacity quotient. The effect of chemical reacting factor is to increase the mass transmission in the system, while it has no effect on the heat transmission. It is also noted that the convective heat and mass transfers in the system enhance nearly 5.4% and 3.8%, respectively, with a 50% increase in the value of Casson factor.

Traditional utilization of bamboo in the Central Siwalik region, Nepal.

Bamboo are the fastest growing perennial woody grasses that have versatile applications. Most of the local people inhabiting the riverine area of the Siwalik region of Nepal rely on bamboo products for economic benefits and medicinal uses. Our objective was to identify the diversity of bamboo species, their ethnomedicinal practices, and economic and ecological importance. Data were collected by direct observation, key informant interviews, participatory rural appraisal, inventory technique, focus group discussions, and a household survey using semi-structured and structured questionnaires. We recorded four genera and nine species of bamboo, of which eight species have been used for agriculture, five for medicine, four for construction, food, fodder, artifacts and religious purpose, three for river embankment, and two for ornamental purpose. As the local people in the study area were deprived of medical facilities, using traditional herbal medicine to cure various diseases was a common practice. The inhabitants responded that they use bamboo-based primary ethnomedicinal care even against snake and scorpion bites. Similarly, they use bamboo young culm for reducing body weight and control diabetes. The value of the informant consensus factor was found to be maximum for the bamboo against snake and scorpion bites (1.0) and minimum for weight loss (0.81). This study concludes that the traditional utilization of all kinds of bamboo in the region is vast despite their less diversity. The recorded bamboo species are used not only for food and fodder but also in preparing artifacts, soil nutrients restoration in the fallow land, construction materials for the rural people, river embankments, and religious and spiritual purposes. Therefore, if grown on a large scale, bamboo can provide sustainable benefits for the local users and ecological aspects. Bambusa tulda and Dendrocalamus strictus have a broad spectrum of pharmacological agents. Considering the multifaceted application of bamboo in the Siwalik area, it is worthwhile to encourage the local people to bamboo plantation, which would contribute to supplement their household requirements and be one of the alternative livelihood options.

Are TrkB receptor agonists the right tool to fulfill the promises for a therapeutic value of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor?

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling via its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B regulates several crucial physiological processes. It has been shown to act in the brain, promoting neuronal survival, growth, and plasticity as well as in the rest of the body where it is involved in regulating for instance aspects of the metabolism. Due to its crucial and very pleiotropic activity, reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and alterations in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling have been found to be associated with a wide spectrum of neurological diseases. However, because of its poor bioavailability and pharmacological properties, brain-derived neurotrophic factor itself has a very low therapeutic value. Moreover, the concomitant binding of exogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor to the p75 neurotrophin receptor has the potential to elicit several unwanted and deleterious side effects. Therefore, developing tools and approaches to specifically promote tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling has become an important goal of translational research. Among the newly developed tools are different categories of tropomyosin receptor kinase B receptor agonist molecules. In this review, we give a comprehensive description of the different tropomyosin receptor kinase B receptor agonist drugs developed so far and of the results of their application in animal models of several neurological diseases. Moreover, we discuss the main benefits of tropomyosin receptor kinase B receptor agonists, concentrating especially on the new tropomyosin receptor kinase B agonist antibodies. The benefits observed both in vitro and in vivo upon application of tropomyosin receptor kinase B receptor agonist drugs seem to predominantly depend on their general neuroprotective activity and their ability to promote neuronal plasticity. Moreover, tropomyosin receptor kinase B agonist antibodies have been shown to specifically bind the tropomyosin receptor kinase B receptor and not p75 neurotrophin receptor. Therefore, while, based on the current knowledge, the tropomyosin receptor kinase B receptor agonists do not seem to have the potential to reverse the disease pathology per se, promoting brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling still has a very high therapeutic relevance.

An application of hybrid Taguchi-ANN to predict tool wear for turning EN24 material

This work is an attempt to predict tool wear for turning EN24 material by the hybrid Taguchi-ANN (Taguchi-Artificial Neural Network) method. The objective is to minimize the tool wear. The independent factors are cutting environment, feed rate, depth of cut, nose radius, and tool type. A Spinner numerical control lathe is used to assess performance. As per the Taguchi orthogonal array, 27 experiments are conducted for each value of the uncontrollable factor (spindle vibration). Optimal setting is structured by Taguchi analysis and the response table. The additive model is used to predict the response. Conformity test is carried out to check whether the predicted and experimental values of response are within the range given by the confidence interval. Furthermore, the ANN is used to predict and analyze the tool wear. The result showed that the supremely important parameter is depth of cut and the least important parameter is tool type. The ideal set found is A3, B3, C3, D1, and E3. Through ANN analysis, it is observed that the experimental values are very close to the predicted values of tool wear. The predicted value at optimal setting is 0.0401 mm. The experimental values at optimal setting is 0.0422 mm. In addition, the study showed that when the feed rate and nose radius are both set to high levels and the depth of cut is medium, using an uncoated tungsten carbide tool with minimal lubrication results in the least amount of tool wear.

Nutritional Value and Chemical Composition of Corn Silage Depending on Cutting Height and Forage Losses

The study presents the effect of cutting height (10, 15 and 30 cm) on yield, nutritional value and chemical composition of silage corn. The experiment was carried out under dryland conditions and the silage corn was harvested with three types of self-propelled silage harvesters. Cutting height increased linearly with increasing operating speed of silage harvesters. For all types of silage harvesters, the cutting height of 30 cm had a statistically significant (p≤0.05) effect on losses of yields. The numerical value of the R2 factor (from R2 = 0.8978 to 0.9896) shows a strong dependence in all harvesters for all three cutting heights. The regression coefficients (b) show a significant deviation from the theoretical cutting height at 10 and 15 cm (b = 0.6676 and b = 0.6715), and very significant (b = 2.0249) at the theoretical cutting height of 30 cm. With an increase in cutting height, the nutritional value of silage increased. At a cutting height of 30 cm, during the test period in all types of harvesters, the crude protein (CP) content was significantly (p≤0.05) higher than at a cutting height of 10 cm (harvester C = 6.94% at 10 cm, harvester B = 8.15% at 30 cm). The cutting height of 30 cm influenced a significantly (p≤0.05) lower crude fiber (CF) content of harvester Claas Jaguar 850 (21.19%), compared to John Deere 6810 (24.33%) at a height of 10 cm. The crude ash content (CAsh) did not vary significantly under the influence of cutting height. Starch content was statistically higher (p≤0.05) in all types of silage harvesters during the test at a cutting height of 30 cm (28.2% harvester New Holland FX 28, 33.8% harvester Claas Jaguar 850). The content of calcium (Ca) was significantly higher at a height of 30 cm for harvesters John Deere 6810 and Claas Jaguar 850 in the third year, while no significant difference was found for harvester New Holland FX 28. For phosphorus (P), there was no significant difference depending on the cutting height, but it did exist depending on the year.

Маркеры эндотелиальной дисфункции у реконвалесцентов коронавирусной инфекции COVID-19

Vessel endothelial dysfunction is one of the key reasons for the development of thrombosis and unfavorable outcome in patients with COVID-19 coronavirus infection. The risk of thrombosis in patients with COVID-19 may persist during the convalescence period, after discharge from hospital. The purpose — to assess hemostatis in convalescents with moderate COVID-19. Material and methods. The study of hemostasis was conducted in 32 patients aged 40 to 79 years with coronavirus infection COVID-19 during the period of convalescence, after discharge from hospital. The control group consisted of 20 healthy people of the same age. The study included determining biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in venous blood: P-selectin, von Willebrand factor (VWF), D-dimer and thrombomodulin. Results. It was found that in 24 of 32 patients (75%) after COVID-19 the level of D-dimer was significantly higher than in the control group. Median D-dimer was elevated even 3-4 months after discharge from hospital. P-selectin levels were elevated in 12 (37%) patients who recovered from COVID-19. The median P-selectin was higher than that of the control group 3-4 months after discharge from hospital. A decrease in thrombomodulin levels was recorded in 10 patients (31%). The parameter median was lower than that in the control group only during the first 2 months after discharge from hospital. The values of the FFB factor in patients after COVID-19 did not differ from those in the control group. Conclusion. A significant proportion of convalescents with moderate COVID-19, even 3-4 months after discharge from hospital, retain endothelial dysfunction and procoagulant potential, which causes the risk of thrombotic complications.

Evaluation of Dynamic and Energy parameters of a Tower Crane with a Frequency-Controlled Drive

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the energy parameters of tower cranes when using a frequency-controlled drive mechanism. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that existing tower cranes quickly become obsolete. However, there is an alternative to buying new cranes – the modernization of existing ones with the improvement of their parameters and the scientific justification for increasing the efficiency of work. The following methods are used for research: method of equivalent power and the methods of metal fatigue theory. The main scientific novelty is the approach to assessing the possible increase in the service life of crane elements when using a frequency drive based on the theory of fatigue. Also presented are examples of equivalent power calculations for the working cycles of the turning mechanism with various forms of speed change in acceleration and deceleration modes. Numerical estimates are given for increasing the service life of the main types of welded joints with different values of stress concentration factors. Showing ways to further improve the efficiency of tower cranes and their mechanisms due to more optimal transients. The proposed approaches can be used when choosing the type of drive for the designed crane or to evaluate the economic efficiency of replacing the drive.

The influence of the fractional composition of plant raw materials on the process of bioconversion of basidiomycetes

The paper presents the results of the influence of the fractional composition of plant waste - fallen poplar leaves (Populus balzamifera L.) on the growth and development of basidiomycetes (Fp5-15 Fomitopsis pinicola and PP-3.2 Pleurotus pulmonarius), as well as on the yield of the final product. The use of renewable resources and leaf litter as a substrate in biotechnological processes has broad economic and environmental implications. Cultivation was carried out using solid-phase fermentation for 12 days. The values of bioconversion process factors were obtained using the STATGRAPHICS® Centurion software package. It has been established that the fractional composition of plant raw materials can have a significant impact on the bioconversion process; the most favorable fraction size is 5-6 mm (PP-3.2 P. pulmonarius) and 7-8 mm (Fp5-15 F. pinicola).

Urinary tissue factor (uTF), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and plasmin as novel biomarkers in early diagnosis of lupus nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, with multi systematic affection. Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most frequent cause of renal damage in SLE patients with variable presentations that may progress to end stage renal failure. Coagulation disorders are frequently reported in SLE and LN with higher mortality rates. Renal biopsy is an invasive process, and the existing indicators for LN diagnosis and activity are unreliable. New urinary biomarkers with significant validity, safety, and accuracy are the current focus of most studies. Our study sought to assess the value of urinary tissue factor (uTF), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), and plasmin as biomarkers for the early identification and detection of LN and its activity. This was a cross-sectional study, included 100 subjects (80 SLE patients, and 20 healthy controls), they were recruited from the Internal Medicine department, Rheumatology and Nephrology units and outpatient’s clinics at Assiut University hospital between the period of 2020 and 2022. All patients underwent full history taking, clinical evaluation, and activity scoring calculation and laboratory investigations. The results showed that the best diagnostic accuracy of LN was observed with TFPI (90% accuracy, sensitivity 80% and specificity 95% with p&lt;0.001 at cutoff point of &gt;193.2 ng/ml), followed by uTF (75.4% overall accuracy at cut off point of &gt;12.6 ng/ml, sensitivity 90% and specificity 68% with p&lt; 0.001) and plasmin (70.3% accuracy at cut off point of &gt;30.5 ng/ml, sensitivity 55% and specificity 78% with p&lt; 0.001). Urinary TFPI was the best predictor of LN occurrence with odd ratio of 4.34, (p&lt; 0.001). In conclusion urinary TFPI could be used as a diagnostic marker for LN with high accuracy and an early predictor of LN.