The theory of elasticity is a very important discipline which has a lot of applications in science and engineering. In this paper we are interested in elastic materials with different properties between interfaces implicated the discontinuous coefficients in the governing elasticity equations. The main aim is to develop a practical numerical scheme for modeling the behaviour of a simplified piecewise homogeneous medium subjected to an external action in 2D domains. Therefore, the discontinuous Galerkin method is used for the simulation of elastic waves in such elastic materials. The special attention is also paid to treatment of boundary and interface conditions. For the treatment of the time dependency the implicit Euler method is employed. Moreover, the limiting procedure is incorporated in the resulting numerical scheme in order to overcome nonphysical spurious overshoots and undershoots in the vicinity of discontinuities in discrete solutions. Finally, we present computational results for two-component material, representing a planar elastic body subjected to a mechanical hit or mechanical loading.
The fads2 gene encoding Δ6-desaturase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the LCPUFA biosynthesis is expressed in astrocytes. Dietary fatty acids, which cross the blood-brain barrier, may regulate the transcription of lipogenic enzymes through activation of transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). The PPARs form the transcription complex with retinoid X receptors (RXRs) that are activated by 9-cis retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A (VA). The study examines whether challenge of astrocytes with VA, prior 24-h treatment with palmitic acid (PA), α-linolenic acid (ALA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has the effect on the FADS2 expression. RT-qPCR showed that in astrocytes not challenged with VA, PA increased fads2 gene expression and DHA decreased it. However, in VA-primed astrocytes, PA doubled the FADS2 mRNA levels, while DHA increased fads2 gene expression, oppositely to non-primed cells. Furthermore, similar changes were seen in VA-primed astrocytes with regard to Δ6-desaturase protein levels following PA and DHA treatment. ALA did not have any effect on the FADS2 mRNA and protein levels in either VA-primed or non-primed astrocytes. These findings indicate that in the presence of vitamin A, DHA upregulates fads2 gene expression in astrocytes., B. Dziedzic, D. Bewicz-Binkowska, E. Zgorzynska, D. Stulczewski, L. Wieteska, B. Kaza, A.Walczewska., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The aim of our work was to provide data from women of fertile age with type 1 diabetes mellitus about the endogenous androgens and on their relations to the parameters of diabetes control. Forty-two women were examined, they did not use contraceptives for at least three months prior to the examination. A multivariate regression analysis showed that the daily insulin dose, the fasting glycemia and the HbA1c values and patient´s age correlated negatively with dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone and prolactin levels. The testosterone/ dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate ratio correlated positively with daily insulin dose and patient´s age. In contrast to adrenal androgens the values of other hormones, including total and free testosterone, androstenedione, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, LH, FSH, 17-OH-P, progesterone and cortisol revealed no significant correlation. To conclude, significant relations between the glucose control parameters and the adrenal androgens and prolactin were demonstrated. These relationships should be considered as an important factor influencing diabetes control so the additional cardiovascular risk in women with DM1., H. Kvasnickova, R. Hampl, K. Vondra., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a major factor contributing to visual disabilities in diabetic patients, and the number of patients is increasing. Animal models play a key role in the development of novel therapies. In this study, pathophysiological analyses of ocular lesions in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats were performed. First, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in vitreous humor, retinal vascular permeability and retinal thickness were measured in SDT fatty rats (Experiment 1). Furthermore, the pharmacological effects of two anti-diabetic drugs, phlorizin and pioglitazone, on retinal lesions were evaluated (Experiment 2). As results, the SDT fatty rats exhibited VEGF increase in vitreous humor at 8 and 16 weeks of age, and both retinal vascular hyperpermeability and retinal thickening at 16 weeks of age. In particular, the layers between the retinal internal limiting membrane and the outer nuclear layer were thickened. Phlorizin treatment from 4 to 16 weeks of age improved hyperglycemia and normalized retinal thickness; however, the effect of pioglitazone on retinal thickness was not strong despite the normalization of hyperglycemia. These data demonstrate that the male SDT fatty rat is a useful model for developing new therapeutic approaches in DME., Y. Motohashi, Y. Kemmochi, T. Maekawa, H. Tadaki, T. Sasase, Y. Tanaka, A. Kakehashi, T. Yamada, T. Ohta., and Obsahuje bibliografii
One of the most challenging task for Computer Aided Diagnosis (CADx) systems designed to diagnose breast cancer is to be able to differentiate between benign and malignant masses. In this work we present a study made as part of an ongoing project whose aim is to develop an image-based CADx system for diagnosing mass lesions. Our system is based on image-based and non-image features. Image-based features are obtained using Independent Component Analysis (ICA), and both age and mammogram density are tested as non-image features. Performance results are provided for all the valid masses in a public database, obtaining a statistically significant improvement by adding age to image-based features. However, the addition of the density of the mammogram does not improve the system performance.
In this paper, we propose an algebraic approach to investigate the diagnosis of partially observable labeled Petri nets based on state estimation on a sliding window of a predefined length h. Given an observation, the resulting diagnosis state can be computed while solving integer linear programming problems with a reduced subset of basis markings. \blue{The proposed approach consists in exploiting} a subset of h observations at each estimation step, which provides a partial diagnosis relevant to the current observation window. This technique allows a status update with a "forgetfulness" of past observations and enables distinguishing repetitive and punctual faults. The complete diagnosis state can be defined as a function of the partial diagnosis states interpreted on the sliding window. As \blue{the} analysis shows that some basis markings can present an inconsistency with a future evolution, which possibly implies unnecessary computations of basis markings, a withdrawal procedure of these \blue{irrelevant} basis markings based on linear programming is proposed.
The articles gives a summary of measurement units that are used for diagnostic measurements of fluid boilers combustion channels. During the verification process VŠB-TU Ostrava designed and tested various types of probes for temperature and velocity measurements, off-take of both gaseous samples of waste gases and solid particles samples. Taken results gives more detailed information about fluid lyer behaviour for various fluid bed boiler types. Moreover they can be of use in case of boiler modifications or boiler operation improvements. This article is based on the project GA 617 50 11 solving - "Combine combustion of coal and biomass in fluid bed boilers"., Bohumír Čech, Zdeněk Kadlec and Jan Matoušek., and Obsahuje bibliografii
We have found that the determination of thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA) in urine may help to characterize metabolic imbalance of substances participating in methionine synthesis, which leads to hyperhomocystinuria. From the metabolic scheme, based on a proper combination of known facts, we attempted to theoretically explain and to demonstrate the possibilities of TDGA formation via different ways of homocysteine transformation. This scheme was used in evaluating the results obtained by testing urine of a woman suffering from impaired function of methionine synthase reductase (CblE type of homocystinuria). The amount of TDGA excreted in her morning urine was very sensitive to the changes in her treatment based upon a combination of N5-formyl tetrahydrofolate, betaine and vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 given in the evening either alone or together with betaine increased the TDGA excretion in the morning urine up to ten times. On the other hand, in the absence of vitamin B12, betaine in combination with N5-formyl tetrahydrofolate hindered the appearance of TDGA in the morning urine. Generally, the determination of TDGA in urine of an appropriately pretreated patient may indicate the degree of success of the treatment., T. Navrátil, M. Petr, Z. Šenholdová, K. Přistoupilová, T. I. Přistoupil, M. Heyrovský, D. Pelclová, E. Kohlíková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy