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With passing time, carbon emission reduction has been a paramount job for human kind. Achieving a delicate balance between carbon emission reduction and the combustion of fossil fuels is essential. This balance is vital as carbon emissions are inevitable during the burning of fossil fuels, which is necessary for industrialization. This study presents an inventory model with green technology where production of new items and remanufacturing of returned items are allowed. Remembering the present global situation, the ordering cost is assumed as variable cost which contains order cancellation and reorder cost. Online order policy is considered with quality of product and a return rate. Keeping in mind the social, economic and environmental aspects, the demand function is considered as sustainability sensitive demand. Remanufacturing is performed for non-serviceable items i.e., defective items which are produced from imperfect production and used items that are purchased from the market. But the products for which remanufacturing cost is more than manufacturing cost are scraped off. In the production process carbon releases from setting up, manufacturing and holding of the perfect items. A nonlinear model is designed based on the above concepts. The model is solved both theoretically and analytically. The main motives of the work are to find the effects of ordering cost, carbon emission cost and green technology investment on the inventory model for suggesting the best policy to the inventory manager. Sensitivity analysis is performed to validate the model. The numerical results prove that ignoring ordering cost, carbon emission cost and green technology investment can lead to a false optimal solution, and this can be a huge economical loss for the inventory manager. The results also prove that a sustainable model with carbon emission and green technology investment is more realistic and profitable in compare with the other existing models. The results show that manufacturer wishes to engage in remanufacturing as remanufacturing cost continuously increases with respect time. Another important finding is that the manufacturer can choose remanufacturing as the cost is lower than manufacturing for saving environment.

Im Aufsatz wird die Kriminologie in Litauen vorgestellt und die geschichtliche Entwicklung, die wichtigsten Durchbrüche, die Forschung, die Autoren und die Publikationen werden präsentiert. Die Schwerpunkte liegen bei den Themen, die für die kriminologische Forschung am relevantesten sind – Korruption, Jugendkriminalität, Kriminalpolitik und Strafvollzug. Litauen ist der einzige Baltische Staat, in dem Bachelor- und Masterstudiengänge in Kriminologie etabliert sind, in dem ein nationaler berufsorientierter Verein der Kriminologen gegründet wurde. Die Entwicklung der letzten Jahrzehnte der Kriminologie in Litauen zeigt eine gute Perspektive für die Zukunft und eröffnet breite Möglichkeiten für die internationale Zusammenarbeit.

In this study, we use surface-sensitive vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy to investigate the interaction between model lipid monolayers and Aβ(1–42) in its monomeric and aggregated states. Combining VSFG with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence measurements, we found that only small aggregates with probably a β-hairpin-like structure adsorbed to the zwitterionic lipid monolayer (DOPC). In contrast, larger aggregates with an extended β-sheet structure adsorbed to a negatively charged lipid monolayer (DOPG). The adsorption of small, initially formed aggregates strongly destabilized both monolayers, but only the DOPC monolayer was completely disrupted. We showed that the intensity of the amide-II′ band in achiral (SSP) and chiral (SPP) polarization combinations increased in time when Aβ(1–42) aggregates accumulated at the DOPG monolayer. Nevertheless, almost no adsorption of preformed mature fibrils to DOPG monolayers was detected. By performing spectral VSFG calculations, we revealed a clear correlation between the amide-II′ signal and the degree of amyloid aggregates (e.g., oligomers or (proto)fibrils) of various Aβ(1–42) structures. The calculations showed that only structures with a significant amyloid β-sheet content have a strong amide-II′ intensity, in line with previous Raman studies. The combination of the presented results substantiates the amide-II(′) band as a legitimate amyloid marker.

The purpose of this research in the field of the open queueing network is to prove the Law of the Iterated Logarithm (LIL) for the extreme value of the queue length of customers in an open queueing network. LIL is proved for the extreme values of the queue length of customers the important probability characteristic of the queueing system under conditions of heavy traffic. Also, we present for extreme queue length of jobs Probability Laws ((theorems on the LIL, Fluid Limits Theorem and Diffusion Limit Theorem) in various conditions of traffic and simulating an open queueing network in Appendices 1 and 2.

Despite the enormous potential of big data, it is a relatively new issue for many companies, particularly for those of smaller size that looks at this as a challenge, is unattainable and only possible for companies with high financial capacity. However, open source software presents itself as an excellent alternative for these companies, which will allow them to exploit the high volume of data they have at their disposal. In this sense, this study presents a proposal for an architecture based exclusively on open source software that includes the entire value chain of big data, from data collection to data analysis. This architecture was tested considering three emerging scenarios in which big data become very relevant and challenging, namely for mobile analytics, network analytics, and mobile analytics.

Amyloidogenic protein aggregation into highly structured fibrils is linked to more than 30 amyloidoses, including several neurodegenerative disorders. Despite significant progress in trying to understand the process of amyloid formation, there is still no cure or effective treatment available. A number of studies involving potential anti-amyloid compounds rely on the use of a fluorescent probe—thioflavin-T—to track the appearance, growth, or disassembly of these cytotoxic aggregates. Despite the wide application of this dye molecule, its interaction with amyloid fibrils is still poorly understood. Recent reports have shown it may possess distinct binding modes and fluorescence intensities based on the conformation of the examined fibrils. In this work, we generate insulin fibrils under four different conditions and attempt to identify distinct conformations using both classic methods, such as atomic force microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, as well as their ThT binding ability and fluorescence quantum yield. We show that there is a significant variance of ThT fluorescence quantum yields, excitation/emission maxima positions, and binding modes between distinct insulin fibril conformations.

As the urbanisation level increases, due to intensification of car traffic and increased areas of impermeable surfaces, pollution of surface wastewater and a negative impact on water bodies are increasing. Due to the increasing pollution of surface water bodies, the eutrophication process is taking place intensively. One of the technologies of surface wastewater treatment allowing reduction in the amounts of suspended solids (SS), heavy metals and other pollutants is surface wastewater filters. Filters with different fillers have been designed for the treatment of principal surface wastewater pollutants: suspended solids, heavy metals (zinc, cadmium, copper, lead), BOD5, total carbon and nitrogen. The Kriging method was adapted to test the efficiency of filters filled with construction waste and wood waste-derived biochar using distance matrices. The method developed makes it possible to model the characteristics of filters in relation to different fillers, using experimental results. The mathematical model is suitable for other filtrate characteristics, not only the ratio of fillers, but also the length of the filter life, its durability calculations, which allows optimizing filter cleaning efficiency up to 96.93 %.

The paper presents the results of an initial clinical study, which were obtained using the strain elastography imaging method based on radio frequency ultrasound signal analysis. The technique employs endogenous motion of the liver induced by beating heart and vascular pulsatility as an excitation source of tissue microdisplacement. The potential for fibrotic tissue characterization was demonstrated using a clinical data set of radio frequency ultrasound signals (23 healthy controls, 21 subjects with hepatitis, and 16 subjects with liver cirrhosis). Parametric maps, which represent the tissue strain, were derived from the gradient of the integrated spectral coefficient parameter, and correlations with the stage of liver disease were evaluated. Average endogenous strain derived from the gradient of the integrated spectral coefficient parameter and variability (standard deviation) of the strain were evaluated in the rectangular regions of interest (sizes, 1 × 1 and 2 × 2 cm) defined by the observer. The assessment of strain was performed in different frequency subbands of endogenous motion (0–10 Hz and 10–20 Hz). The best distinction between the groups was observed for the average strain derived from the gradient of the integrated spectral coefficient parameter: the controls, 13.30 ± 6.62; hepatitis, 7.12 ± 7.45; cirrhosis, 3.95 ± 2.44 μm/cm (region of interest, 1 × 1 cm; frequency subband 0–10 Hz), and 10.48 ± 6.02, 8.27 ± 5.41, 3.89 ± 2.07 μm/cm, respectively (2 × 2 cm, 0–10 Hz). The investigated strain parameters showed statistically significant differences (P< .001) for the different stages of liver fibrosis in most of the cases and proved this method to be feasible.

Transcranial ultrasonography (US) is a relatively new neuroimaging modality proposed for early diagnostics of Parkinson disease (PD). The main limitation of transcranial US image‐based diagnostics is a high degree of subjectivity caused by low quality of the transcranial images. The article presents a developed image analysis system and evaluates the potential of automated image analysis on transcranial US. The system consists of algorithms for the segmentation and assessment of informative brain regions (midbrain and substantia nigra) and a decision support subsystem, which is equipped with 64 classification algorithms. Transcranial US images of 191 participants (118 patients with a clinical PD diagnosis and 73 healthy control participants) were analyzed. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity achieved by the proposed system were 85% and 75%, respectively. Digital transcranial US image analysis is challenging, and the application of a such system as the sole instrument for decisions in clinical practice remains inconclusive. However, the proposed system could be used as a supplementary tool for automated assessment of US parameters for decision support in PD diagnostics and to reduce observer variability.

Babesia vesperuginisis an intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite that circulates among bats and ticks in many countries worldwide. However, the distribution of B. vesperuginisin the Baltic region has not been studied. A total of 86 dead bats from eight different species were collected and screened for Babesiaspp. using real-time PCR. Overall, 52.3% (45/86) of the bats were found positive for Babesiaspp. The prevalence of Babesiaspp. in different organs varied, with the highest prevalence observed in heart tissues (37.0%) and the lowest in liver tissues (22.2%). However, the observed differences in prevalence among organs were not statistically significant. Blood samples from 125 bats of nine different species were also analyzed for Babesiaspp. prevalence using real-time PCR and nested PCR. The results showed a prevalence of 35.2% and 22.4%, respectively. Moreover, 28.3% (17/60) of the examined blood samples were confirmed positive for Babesiaspp. through blood smear analysis. The total of 32 partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene derived in this study were 100% identical to B. vesperuginissequences from GenBank. In eight species of bats, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Vespertilio murinus, Eptesicus nilssonii, Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis daubentoniiand Nyctalus noctula, Babesiaparasites were identified. In E. nilssonii, Babesiaspp. was identified for the first time.

AbstractThe activity-based costing (ABC) in service companies is considered for minimization companies expenses modeling the uncertainty of service demand in the statistical probabilistic way. The two-stage stochastic programming model is formulated and implemented obtaining the deterministic model as a particular case of the stochastic one. The model takes into account the relation among activities better as compared with other known ones, namely, coherently with the ABC system. The model involves a stochastic demand and a relative minimum level to be satisfied. A modified L-shaped algorithm is developed in order to solve this stochastic optimization model. The applications of the model developed to the hospital service and the Crown prosecution service are considered, too.

Despite the recent advances in the diagnosis of tuberculosis, treatment of the disease, for the most part, remains the same as it was half a century ago. In recent years only two new anti-tuberculosis drugs have been approved by the European Medicines Agency and Food and Drug Administration. Though the prevalence of this disease is slowly decreasing all over Europe, new challenges appear. One of them is multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). This problem is especially prominent in Lithuania, which is one of the 27 high MDR-TB burden countries in the world and falls behind neighboring countries in terms of the prevalence of the disease. The objective of this paper was to review the situation of tuberculosis and MDR-TB in Lithuania, and current available methods of treatment, control and diagnosis of this disease.

The immune system plays an important role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the infiltration patterns of CD4+and CD8+T cells in NSCLC and to analyze their relation to COPD, smoking status and other clinicopathologic variables.

Some researches show that low vitamin D may play a role in asthma pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum vitamin D level in asthmatics with different phenotypes and to determine its associations with lung function, IgE, eosinophil count and body mass index (BMI).

Th9 cells producing interleukin (IL) 9 are novel subset of CD4+ T helper cells, which might contribute to airway inflammation in asthma. Moreover, the effect of IL-9 on eosinophils is still not fully understood. Study aim was to evaluate peripheral blood Th9 cells and eosinophil apoptosis in allergic asthma patients.

The optical properties of a‐plane Al1−xInxN grown by metal‐organic vapor phase epitaxy on an a‐plane GaN/r‐plane sapphire template are reported. X‐ray diffraction yielded an In content of ∼20%. The ordinary and extraordinary dielectric functions (DFs) were obtained by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the spectral range from 1 eV up to 6 eV at room temperature. By fitting the experimentally obtained complex DF, the inter‐band transitions EAand EB, which are allowed for configurations ${\bf E}\bot {\bf c}$and ${\bf E}||{\bf c}$, respectively, were determined. A redshift of ∼200 meV is found for the transition EBwith respect to transition EAattributed to the optical selection rules. Furthermore, the ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices in the transparent region (below the band gap) are represented in the analytical form. The AlInN alloy shows the positive birefringence and the difference between the extraordinary and ordinary refractive index ne− nois defined to be 0.068 at photon energy of 3 eV. Finally, the ordinary and extraordinary high‐energy dielectric constants were estimated.

Smoking is the main risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that has been recently defined as a systemic pulmonary inflammatory disease. However, the impact of smoking itself on systemic inflammation in COPD patients has not yet been well established. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between inflammatory markers and smoking status. We compared 202 current smokers, 61 ex-smokers and 57 never-smokers, all COPD patients. Assessments included medical history, spirometry, alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) genotyping, serum AAT, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR)-1 and sTNFR-2 concentrations. AAT and CRP concentrations in smokers (1.75 ± 0.51 g/L and 14.4 [9.5-20.5] mg/L) and ex-smokers (1.69 ± 0.43 g/L and 12.3 [8.7-16.3] mg/L) were higher than in never-smokers (1.49 ± 0.38 g/L and 5.1 [2.5-8.7] mg/L; p < 0.05). sTNFR-1 level was higher in smokers than ex-smokers or never-smokers (241.2 pg/mL [145.3-349.4] vs. 213.7 pg/mL [147.1-280.3] and 205.2 pg/mL [125-275]; p < 0.05). Our data confirm that smoking is associated with increased levels of AAT, CRP, and sTNFR-1 in COPD patients, an array of systemic inflammation markers that continue to be active even after smoking cessation. Il fumo è la principale causa della broncopneumopatia cronica ostruttiva (BPCO), patologia che è stata recentemente definita come una malattia infiammatoria sistemica. Tuttavia, i dati relativi all'influenza del fumo sull’infiammazione sistemica per i malati di BPCO non sono sufficienti. Scopo della ricerca è quello di stabilire i collegamenti tra i marcatori dell'infiammazione e l'abitudine al fumo. Sono stati presi in esame 320 malati di BPCO: 202 fumatori, 61 ex fumatori, 57 non fumatori. Sono stati valutati: anamnesi, spirometria, genotipo di alfa-1 antitripsina (AAT), concentrazioni seriche di AAT, proteina C reattiva (CRP), fattore di necrosi tumorale alfa (TNF-α) e delle frazioni solubili dei recettori per il fattore di necrosi tumorale (sTNFR-1, sTNFR-2). I livelli di AAT e di CRP dei fumatori (1,75 ± 0,51 g/l e 14,4 mg/l [9,5–20,5]) e negli ex-fumatori (1,69 ± 0,43 g/l e 12,3 mg/l [8,7–16,3]) sono risultati più alti dei non fumatori (1,49 ± 0,38 g/l e 5,1 mg/l [2,5–8,7]; p < 0,05). I livelli di TNFR-1 sono risultati più alti nei fumatori rispetto agli ex-fumatori e ai non fumatori (241,2 pg/ml [145,3–349,4] versus 213,7 pg/ml [147,1–280,3] e 205,2 pg/ml [125–275]; p < 0,05). L’aumento delle concentrazioni di AAT e CRP nel siero dei pazienti fumatori ed ex-fumatori con BPCO, rispetto ai non fumatori, indica che l’infiammazione sistemica si prolunga anche dopo la cessazione del fumo, anche se le concentrazioni di sTNFR risultano inferiori dopo la cessazione.

Wie mit dem Baukasten: Bei dem hier vorgestellten alternativen Zugang zu imidazolhaltigen π‐konjugierten Materialien wird der Imidazolkern gleichzeitig mit dem Oligomer durch die palladiumkatalysierte Mehrkomponentenkupplung von Iminen, Diiminen und Diacyldichloriden gebildet. Dies eröffnet den Zugang zu Familien neuer konjugierter Materialien, jeweils in einer einstufigen katalytischen Reaktion (siehe Schema; Ts=4‐Toluolsulfonyl).

Just like tinkertoys: An alternative approach to access imidazole‐containing π‐conjugated materials is presented. The imidazole core was assembled at the same time as the oligomer by the palladium‐catalyzed multicomponent coupling of imines, diimines, and di(acyl chloride)s, thus providing access to families of new conjugated materials, each formed in a one‐step, catalytic reaction (see scheme; Ts=4‐toluenesulfonyl).

A comprehensive characterization of the optical properties of wurtzite InN films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si111 substrates is presented. Two types of films are investigated in this work: InN on AlNSi111 and InN on GaNAlNSi111. Their properties are compared to a layer deposited on GaNsapphire substrate. The dielectric function DF is obtained from spectroscopic ellipsometry SE. The infrared studies yield the plasma frequency and thus the electron density, while the interband absorption is probed between 0.56 and 9.8 eV. For InN grown on Si111 substrate, the absorption onset is slightly shifted to higher energies with respect to the InN film grown on GaNsapphire which can be attributed to higher electron concentrations. Despite this, strongly pronounced optical transitions due to critical points of the band structure are found in the highenergy part of the DF. It emphasizes the already promising quality of the InN films on silicon. Bandgap renormalization BGR, band filling, and strain are taken into account in order to estimate the intrinsic band gap of wurtzite InN. For the InN layers on silicon, we get a band gap between 0.66 and 0.685 eV.

Wurtzite A and Mplane InN films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy MBE on freestanding GaN substrates. Spectroscopic ellipsometry SE in the photon energy range from 0.56 up to 15 eV was applied in order to determine the ordinary and extraordinary complex dielectric function DF of InN. A distinct optical anisotropy was found over the whole energy range. The extraordinary absorption edge in comparison to the ordinary one is shifted to higher energies confirming previous studies. The investigations in the upper vacuumultraviolet VUV spectral range 9.5–15 eV yielded transition energies for four critical points CPs of the band structure BS which have not been observed so far.

Although the problem of rational power generation has been extensively studied, traditional approaches for power optimization do not offer good solutions to this purpose, especially in a competitive electricity market environment where many factors are uncertain. In this paper, within the framework of two-stage linear stochastic programming, the method for power planning has been developed, with uncertain factors taken into account, through a continuously distributed set of scenarios. The objective is to find the structure of the power plants capacity in the region which minimizes the sum of the investment and the expected operating costs over the long-term planning horizon, taking into account the environmental impact. The structure of the considered task corresponds to a power investment planning problem that often arises in the developing regions. The method is developed for solving the stochastic optimization problem by the sequence of Monte-Carlo sampling estimators. The procedures developed make it possible to solve stochastic problems with an admissible accuracy by means of an acceptable amount of computations. As follows from numerical experiments the approach presented enables us to decrease the total expected costs of power planning versus deterministic planning solution.

AbstractThis article deals with application of data mining methods’ to analysis of learners’ behaviour using the distance learning platform BlackBoard Vista (BlackBoard 2008). Before planning a distance learning course, instructors have to pay attention to the fact that there exist different study methods: some students start reading learning materials from the very beginning to the end, some students look at unclear topics only, some start with the discussions, etc. Therefore after analyzing the learning factors and identifying learner's style, it is possible to prepare individualized learning materials and to choose a proper way of course presentation. Such a way of study organization would improve the quality of studies and make it possible to reach better results. The research was performed by observing the behaviour and results achieved by 528 students in 15 distance learning courses and, using the clustering method, 3 learner's styles using virtual learning environments (VLE) have been identified and work methods proposed for students with regard to those learners’ styles. Besides, the research aims to find out the factors that influence final evaluations of students’.

Achieving goals of sustainable development requires new models and indicators of gathering, sharing, and analyzing information, coordinating work, educating and training professionals, policymakers, and the public. Because of the complexity and the enormous amount of relevant data, the decision makers need effective support for their decisions. The use of a knowledge-based approach is a solution for reducing this complexity. Nowadays the strategic and operational decisions are facing challenges of economic competition on a global perspective and realization of sustainable development that are the result of a new thinking and recognition of a competitive positioning, ecological and social consequences. Sustainable development is increasingly being seen as a major challenge in global terms. New information and communication systems build the bridge to on-line and just-in-time decision-making within supply chains and production and logistics networks. Operational Research has yet to be fully utilised in this area. To date, where it has been mostly used, it tends to deal with the relationships between environmental management and product supply chain and also focuses on the social dimension. This article surveys the recent work on sustainability models and indicators to be implemented in sustainability policies and decisions.

Abstract: Neutrophils are a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The role of airway mucous on ROS production is unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate the direct influence of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and induced sputum (IS) alone or in combination with chemical/biological stimulus on ROS production in peripheral blood neutrophils during chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Neutrophils were isolated from peripheral blood of 47 patients with moderate COPD and 14 healthy individuals (HI). BALF/RPMI (1:1) or IS/RPMI (1:1) from COPD patients were used to stimulate neutrophils alone or in combination with phorbolmyristate- acetate (PMA) (0.1–30 nM) or Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (0.7–500 bact/neutrophil). Relative generation of ROS was measured flow cytometrically. BALF/RPMI and in combination with relatively low PMA or all bacteria concentrations stimulated ROS; while, combination with relatively high PMA concentrations suppressed ROS in of COPD patients and HI. IS/RPMI and its combination with PMA inhibited ROS generation in both groups; whereas, IS stimulated or had a tendency to stimulate ROS production with relatively high bacteria concentrations. In conclusion, BALF and IS directly or in combination with chemical/biological factors modulated ROS production. This effect was stronger in neutrophils from COPD patients and depended on chemical/biological stimulus intensity.

AbstractExtension of optimization to decision‐making systems is challenging topic of research. This paper surveys the special journal issue on the subject “Optimization and intelligent decisions.” Papers on intelligent decision theory as well as on decision in economic systems are presented and discussed. Information technologies for web‐based intelligent systems environment, which offers generic, modular, flexible and scalable system solutions for information retrieval, extraction, fusion, knowledge discovery and intelligent decision support, might be a subject of future research extending optimization in decision‐making.

The aim of this paper is to analyze algorithms for the automated real-time gross inter-bank settlement (RTGS). One can change the efficiency of settlement systems by perfecting the processing of settlements and/or implementing rules for solving the gridlocks, or by applying the tools of refinancing and reservation. We focus on the settlement simulation of the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer system (TARGET2). The system of modelling, simulation, and optimization of settlements (Baksys and Sakalauskas 2007b) is applied in the simulation of TARGET2, estimating the parameters of simulation according to the real data.

The aim of this paper is a study of the system for simulating interbank settlements. Interbank payment and settlement systems establish conditions for the circulation of financial funds on the market and guarantee the distribution of assets. Practical experiments in an active system are very risky. They demand to simulate their operation through a system by creating its mathematical model. By perfecting the processing of settlements and/or developing algorithms for solving the gridlocks or by applying the tools of refinancing and using reserves of requirements, one can change the efficiency of settlement systems. The results of the study by Monte-Carlo simulation are given, based on data of the payment and settlement system of the Bank of Lithuania.

In the pathogenesis of asthma, chronic inflammation within the airways plays a major role. Corticosteroids (or glucocorticosteroids) have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects and are recommended in all international guidelines for treating asthmatic inflammation. However, control remains difficult for almost 5 of asthmatics despite high doses of inhaled corticosteroids. Several classes of difficult asthma have been described: "brittle asthma", "steroid-resistant asthma", "steroid-dependent asthma", and "refractory asthma", and used interchangeably. Some hypotheses have been posed regarding the pathogenesis of difficult/therapy resistant asthma. Recent studies indicate that steroid-resistant asthma is associated with a failure of corticosteroids to inhibit T-lymphocyte proliferation and secretion or their cytokines. In cases of severe asthma, sputum and tissue eosinophilia vary from "normal" to "elevated" levels, and increased numbers of neutrophils are common. It also appears that conditional to a poor response to the treatment with corticosteroids are the abnormalities in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) number, GR binding, or corticosteroid-GR complex binding to DNA. The causes and predictors of difficult asthma are still uncertain. One predicting possibility is tobacco smoke. Smoking induces the release of interleukin-8, which is the potent neutrophil chemoattractant. Further research is required to clarify the exact mechanisms in difficult/therapy-resistant asthma, and to develop an optimal treatment approaches.

AbstractApplications of information technologies are often related to making some schedules, timetables of tasks or jobs with constrained resources. In this paper we consider job scheduling and optimization algorithms related to resources, time and other constraints. Schedule optimization procedures, based on schedule coding by priority list of jobs, are created and investigated. Optimal priority list of jobs is found by approaching algorithms of local and global search, namely, random search and simulated annealing methods with the variable neighborhood, defined by the decoding procedure applied. Computational results with testing data from project scheduling Library are given.

AbstractNon‐cash payments are intensively growing in the payment market. Therefore modern electronic systems of interbank payments are introduced to satisfy this need. The substantial renewal of the payment system was prompted for the implementation of the new banking technologies and aimed at increasing fund turnover as well as complying with the requirements applied in regard of payment systems. Such a system change is a topical theme of discussion on the simulation and analysis of systems of such kind. The article analyses the opportunities for simulating the interbank payment system and presents a model of interbank payments flow. The model is constructed on the analysis of real flow of payments in the payment system.

AbstractIn this paper the stochastic adaptive method has been developed to solve stochastic linear problems by a finite sequence of Monte‐Carlo sampling estimators. The method is grounded on adaptive regulation of the size of Monte‐Carlo samples and the statistical termination procedure, taking into consideration the statistical modeling error. Our approach distinguishes itself by treatment of the accuracy of the solution in a statistical manner, testing the hypothesis of optimality according to statistical criteria, and estimating confidence intervals of the objective and constraint functions. The adjustment of sample size, when it is taken inversely proportional to the square of the norm of the Monte‐Carlo estimate of the gradient, guarantees the convergence a. s. at a linear rate.We examine four estimators for stochastic gradient: by the differentiation of the integral with respect to x, the finite difference approach, the Simulated Perturbation Stochastic Approximation approach, the Likelihood Ratio approach. The numerical study and examples in practice corroborate the theoretical conclusions and show that the procedures developed make it possible to solve stochastic problems with a sufficient agreeable accuracy by means of the acceptable amount of computations.

In this paper we consider the application of order statistics to establish the optimality in stochastic and heuristic optimization algorithms. We suggest a method for the estimation of confidence intervals of minimum using order statistics which is implemented for optimality testing and stopping in stochastic approximation and Simulated Annealing algorithms. The efficiency of this approach is discussed using the results of application to continuous optimization and Bin-packing problem.

Essential role of β2-adrenoreceptor (β2AR) in airway relaxation is well established. Nevertheless, β2AR seems playing an actual role in allergy and inflammation. Interaction between β2AR and proinflamatory cytokines in airway smooth muscle has been revealed. Being located on proinflamatory cells, β2ARs may influence function of these cells in vivo. It was clear established, that stimulation of β2AR inhibits release of proinflamatory mediators from mast cells, influences T-cell growth and function, eosinophil survival and function, including GM-CSF- or PAF-induced degranulation. Stimulation of β2ARs, located on alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells, has ambiguity influence on their regulation and function, including phagocytosis and mediator secretion, in vivo. Vascular responses, resulting in inhibition of plasma exudation were confirmed, but modulation of sensory nerves via β2AR is not certain yet. β2AR-agonists are effective in treatment of immediate allergic reactions, but desensitisation of β2ARs on inflammatory cells may result in paradoxical effects, especially in asthma. In summary, it is clear that ?2ARs may play an anti-inflammatory role in vitro. Unfortunately, in vitro data have shown limited applicability in vivo; therefore further research in this field is required.

The heat conductivity of an Si3N4-based ceramic is studied. A sintered silicon carbide, prepared from ultrafine (0.5 μm) powder Si3N4with aluminum and yttrium oxides added to form a liquid phase and thus to activate the sintering process, is used for the study. The Si3N4-based ceramic has a heat conductivity higher than that of an oxide-based ceramic. The approximation function for heat conductivity at temperatures below 1400 K has a negative slope, that is, the effective heat conductivity tends to decrease with temperature. Above 1400 K, the effective heat conductivity tends to increase.

The heat conductivity of an Al2O3-based ceramic (KPF-5-grade refractory material) is studied. Two sets of specimens are tested: intact specimens, prepared from as-received material, and in-service specimens, subjected to high-temperature aging (at 1700°C for 1680 h). Temperature profiles and heat flows measured in the two sets of specimens are compared. Results for effective heat conductivity calculated by an explicit identification method show a standard deviation of about 10°C from experimental values. The use of a descriptive regularization method for data processing makes it possible to decrease the spread of curves by narrowing the domain of possible solutions, which was done by placing constraints (inequalities) on the X and Y-coordinate axes. The effective heat conductivity of the intact Al2O3material at low temperatures (below 1000 K) is higher than that of the in-service (thermally aged) Al2O3material, whereas the exact opposite is true at higher temperatures (more than 1200 K). For both materials, the effective heat conductivity is the same at a temperature of about 1100 K at which the curves intersect

The results of an experimental study are presented and the effectiveness of the earlier described methods is analyzed. The thermal conductivity of one and the same specimen is studied in a gas-dynamic bench and in an optical furnace in order to estimate the accuracy of the determination of systematic errors of the methods. The effect of various heat loads is determined. A comparison of the data shows that the algorithm of descriptive regularization makes it possible to reduce the effect of systematic errors on the thermal conductivity of a MgO material from 40 to 7% at the cold end and from 7 to 3% at the hot end. The residual scattering of individual curves does not exceed the range of the instrumental error of measurement, and the standard deviations reflect its value. The random nature of the residual scattering proves the earlier drawn conclusion that the effective thermal conductivity is independent of the density of the heat flow measured within 482 – 691 kW/m2accurate to 15%.

Methods of descriptive identification of heat conduction in structural ceramic materials are described. The method of descriptive regularization is applied in an algorithm of implicit identification. The optimization problem is predominantly solved for thermal conductivity as a function of the temperature in the convex part of the space of possible solutions. The main regularization criteria of the solution of the inverse optimization problem are the geometrical characteristics of the dependence of the thermal conductivity on the temperature, which is represented by a parabolic function. The position of the minimum of the dependence of the thermal conductivity on the temperature is determined by progressive displacement of the temperature range to the region of high temperatures. The results of the determination of the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity were chosen under the assumption that the difference between the curves describing individual measurements is minimum. The results of the numerical solutions of the model problem show that the experimental data modeled in the computational process at a specified value of comparatively high intensity of normally distributed noise do not bear information about systematic errors. The computation is performed for various positions of temperature constraints and provides curves that are close to the exact solution of the problem.

The process of heat propagation in a specimen is considered in an approximation of a one-dimensional heat flow with side leakages of heat. They are modelled as a function of the heat sources (sinks). The chosen stationary heating and the temperature field in the specimen are described by a nonlinear one-dimensional differential equation. The boundary conditions and the source function are determined from experimental data. The nonlinear one-dimensional differential equation is used in an implicit identification method and solved numerically; a minimum of the quality criterion is determined at each iteration step in the search procedure. The identification procedure is performed by explicit and implicit methods of solution of inverse problems of heat conduction. A numerical simulation has shown that the method of component-wise minimization is the most efficient.

The process of energy transfer in refractory materials is studied under conditions of intense high-temperature heating. The coefficients of inverse problems of heat conduction (IPHC) are analyzed. The extremum coefficients of IPHC are determined and classified as explicit and implicit in accordance with the methods used for their estimation. Coefficient-type IPHC make it possible to bring the processing of results as close as possible to the measuring cell and to diminish the effect of errors of measurement on the solution of the problems and to increase simultaneously the efficiency of the experiments. A method for performing physical experiments, high-temperature heating sources, and measuring cells are described. The boundaries of the confidence interval of the instrumental error are shown. Results of single measurements of the thermal conductivity of MgO-base ceramics in an optical furnace are presented. Computation of the errors shows that the total relative instrumental error of measurement of the thermal conductivity is quite acceptable for high-temperature studies.

Methods for solving stochastic optimization problems by Monte-Carlo simulation are considered. The stoping and accuracy of the solutions is treated in a statistical manner, testing the hypothesis of optimality according to statistical criteria. A rule for adjusting the Monte-Carlo sample size is introduced to ensure the convergence and to find the solution of the stochastic optimization problem from acceptable volume of Monte-Carlo trials. The examples of application of the developed method to importance sampling and the Weber location problem are also considered.

Abstract: At the present time, experiment is a reliable method for studying the thermal conductivity of new ceramic materials and especially refractories. However, the range and possibilities of existing devices do not meet the requirements for measuring thermal conductivity, especially at a high temperature. At very high thermal loads under the conditions of formation of surface columnar crystal structures, thermoelastic stresses, disturbances in vibration of the elementary lattice, and other phenomena, the thermal conductivity can be a function of the temperature drop. The present paper concerns the physical fundamentals of heat conduction in current ceramic materials and refractories based on MgO, A12O3, and Si3N4. The classical stationary and nonstationary methods for determining thermal conductivity are considered. Special attention is devoted high-temperature processes and the difficulties arising in this case. It is recommended to solve high-temperature problems by using methods based on solving inverse problems of heat conduction

The article explains the methods and presents the results of the experimental investigation of local heat transfer in bundles of spiral tubes with heat supply to the heat carrier that is nonuniform over the cross section.

High interference-immunity and resolution are obtained for an explicit projection identification algorithm that is realized easily on an electronic computer.

A stable numerical differentiation tecnique was used to build an identification algorithm for distributed-parameter systems (DPS), which belongs to the explicit class and is easily implemented on a com puter. Parameter estimates are found on a pre-chosen sub-optimal projec tion space by projecting input residuals on zero-order B-splines space. The results of a numerical simulation are presented.