Search

An effective method for the calculations of stress and residual strength of complex spatial pipelines at static and dynamic loading with taking into account the vibration of internal liquid and Puasson coupling is presented. It based on the well-known transfer matrix approach. The method utilizes the exact mechanical equations for the stress-strained state of straight beam with distributed mass, which connect unknown parameters of forces and displacements at the end of beam calculation element with the parameters at the beginning of the element. At a general level, the solution scheme and calculation models are the same for static and dynamic calculations, the only difference – are the equations. Two different methods are used to find natural vibration frequencies of the distributed mass system: straightforward (“brute force”) and quick, based on Williams-Wittrick frequencies counter. Within such counter a special procedure is developed for taking into account fluid vibration with consideration of volumetric balance condition at T-nozzles. The excellent accuracy of the method is demonstrated by the modeling of thin-walled, water filled pipe behavior after the rod impact. Two seismic analysis procedures are implemented on the base of developed method: standard response spectrum procedure and normal-mode summation procedure (“exact” dynamical), which uses accelerograms. These methods and procedures have been already implemented in calculation software for pipeline strength assessment with the possibility of building of arbitrary complexity models by the user-friendly, visual way. Their effectiveness is demonstrated by the seismic calculation for primary circuit pipings of Zaporizhia NPP.

The aim of this research is to develop an original probabilistic method for an underground onshore gas transmission pipelines maintenance risk estimation. The method considers a population of the anomalies detected by an in-line inspection . In the methodology, features are considered as a family with certain defect depth and shape distribution derived from the repeated in-line diagnostics of a steel pipeline under operation. A growth rate in the radial direction is determined based on a defects size change between two or more inspections. The number of non-detected hypothetical anomalies were taken into account due to probability of detection and sizing uncertainties by means of a non-perfect inspection device. Metal losses of the pipe wall are assessed by a fracture mechanics method based on a limit load theory and considered as a leak or rupture. Gas pressure distribution and temperature along the pipeline are calculated in steady state conditions. Particular attention was paid to the evaluation of the probabilistic pipeline failure consequences to the surrounding area with parameters as population density and road traffic taken into consideration. Although the presented risk estimation is universally applicable, the novel methodology was applied to the high pressure gas transmission pipeline situated in the area similar conditions typical for Europe. The failure probability calculations are carried out for different pipeline modes of the fluid transportation. A significant connection of the risk evaluation with pressure distribution along the pipeline was observed based on the differences in risk distributions between Summer, Autumn and Winter operational modes.

The Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 and was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease spread globally, leading to the World Health Organization declaring it a pandemic in March 2020. The condition is often fatal in its severe form. As it is a previously unknown virus, no treatment is identified or any vaccine available. The burden of disease control and containment, therefore, falls upon a robust and geographically appropriate testing strategy. Testing policies are modified, in turn, by the rapidly evolving patterns of the disease in various nations and by the evolving nature of tests in development. It is, therefore, helpful to study different national models to learn from the experience of different countries. This article compares testing strategies in the UK and India as the two countries travel different paths in controlling the pandemic. The UK is one of the most severely affected countries in the world. Initially restricted to hospitalised patients, the UK has broadened the scope of testing to many categories of individuals. In contrast, India appears to have a lower prevalence of the infection. However, the large Indian population and relatively insufficient testing capacities so far have led India to adopt a different testing trajectory, with the testing currently focused on high-risk groups in the community and hospitals. Owing to the rapidly changing nature of the disease, there can be no ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy but should be based on country-specific circumstances.

The purpose of this study is to investigate features of transaction costs (fees and taxes) regarding real estate deals and to analyze transaction costs in the real estate market in emerging and est ...

Background Feeding practices developed during the first 1000 days of life can affect growth, development, and lifetime risk of nutrition related and dental-related diseases. In the UK, barriers to recommended complementary feeding practices among South Asian caregivers include food access, bicultural issues, and inconsistent advice from health professionals and community members. We aimed to improve infant feeding, care, and dental hygiene practices among South Asian communities in East London boroughs by co-developing a culturally sensitive intervention and adapting the WHO-recommended women's group Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) cycles. Methods We developed an intervention package, in collaboration with multilingual community facilitators, community members, and stakeholders from the local health and social care system (ie, health visitors, dieticians, dentists, children's centres, and local authorities), that consisted of: PLA group facilitator manual, picture cards of recommended or non-recommended feeding practices, healthy recipes book, community asset map, and list of local resources and activities. We conducted monthly intervention development meetings with South Asian community facilitators (n=10) and workshops with South Asian community members (n=25). The inclusion criteria were pregnant women, mothers or female carers for infants younger than 2 years, backgrounds from Indian Gujarati or Punjabi, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani backgrounds, and living in the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, or Waltham Forest. The community was involved at three levels: researchers assisting in recruitment and data collection, meeting and workshop facilitators, and intervention developers. The primary outcome was to codevelop the intervention toolkit. This study has obtained ethical approval from the UCL Research Ethics Committee (identifier 17269/001). Community members have agreed to participate and given audio or video consent before their participation in the workshops. Verbal consent was witnessed and formally recorded. Findings Between Feb 1, 2020, and Nov 30, 2020, we held eight intervention development meetings in community centres and online. Between Dec 1, 2020, and Feb 28, 2021, four workshops took place online using Zoom. Participants contributed valuable input for intervention development on content, activities, photographs, cultural recipes, artistic design, objectives, schedule, and location. We were able to develop the intervention toolkit with positive perceptions from the community facilitators and community members. Interpretation We developed a culturally sensitive approach in partnership with health and social care practitioners to address public health issues in a resource-poor ethnically diverse community. Greater use of community assets aligns with the NHS 10-Year Forward Plan. Funding National Institute for Health Research (reference NIHR300020).

The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and lung function, as well as the nutritional status and type of gene mutation in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).This cross-sectional study evaluated 103 Polish adults with CF the following: • The occurrence of PA and the level of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics; • Type of mutation in the CFTR gene; • Nutritional status assessed by body mass index (BMI), and • Lung function measured by forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%).The absence or presence of PA and the level of bacterial resistance were significantly related to the type of gene mutation (P0.001). In patients with a severe mutation, PA more often was extensively drug resistant or pandrug resistant compared with Pseudomonas culture-negative patients or patients with mild or unclassified mutations on both alleles. Associations were found between the presence of PA and lower values of BMI (P0.001), and FEV1% (P0.001). The risk for PA occurrence and the development of bacterial resistance increased twice in the case of severe mutation (odds ratio [OR], 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62-3.89), four times when BMI decreased18.5 (OR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.43-10.08). and six times when FEV1% fell40 (OR, 6.75; 95% CI, 3.11-14.64).The presence of PA is associated with lower FEV1% and BMI values. Deterioration of lung function, undernutrition, and severe type of gene mutation are linked to a higher probability of PA acquisition and resistance to antibiotic treatment.

Alarm antiproteases, i.e. secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor ad elafin, are key mediators in innate immune response and integrate innate and adaptive immunity systems. The aim of the study was to assess clinical significance of serum levels of alarm antiproteases, elafin and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Twenty-eight patients with SSc, 25 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 22 healthy controls were recruited. Serum elafin and SLPI levels were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients with SSc had significantly increased serum levels of SLPI in comparison with the RA patients and the healthy controls (p

General approach for numerical treatment of the integro-differential equation of flat crack problem is considered. It consists in presenting the crack surface loading as a set of polynomial functions of two Cartesian coordinates while the corresponding crack surface displacements are chosen as similar polynomials multiplied by the function of form (FoF) to reflect the required singularity of their behavior. Two methods of getting the relations matrixes between these two sets are examined: the first is classical one (when initially the Laplace operator is analytically applied to the integral part of equation and later the resulting hypersingular equation is considered); and the second one is so called direct method (values of the integral are calculated at chosen points of the crack surface, and then these are fitted by polynomial series with subsequent application of the Laplace operator to them). In both these methods the most efforts are devoted to the choice of the FoFs. Three different types of them are tested as to accuracy of results. The first is a usual one when the conditional center of crack is chosen and the FoF is taken as a square root of 1 minus squared relative polar radius of considered surface point. What is unusual here is investigation of shift of the center even for the circular crack. The second one is presentation of the FoF as a square root of products of equations of straight and circular lines of crack boundary. And the third one is based on new idea to use the Burns–Oore FoF, previously suggested in their famous 3D weight function method. Comprehensive investigation of the accuracy of above methods with different combination of FoFs on examples of circular, elliptic, semicircular and square cracks are performed.

Objective: To assess clinical utility of serum Clara cell 16-kDa protein measurements in relation with staging system for systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease. Materials and methods: Serum levels of Clara cell 16-kDa protein were determined by ELISA in 28 systemic sclerosis patients and 30 healthy controls, and correlated with staging system for systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis patients. Lung involvement was assessed functionally (body plethysmography, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide) and radiologically (an average disease extent on high resolution computed tomography of the lungs) in SSc patients. Results: We observed statistically significant differences in serum Clara cell 16-kDa protein levels between systemic sclerosis patients and healthy controls only in non-smokers. However, serum Clara cell 16-kDa protein concentrations were significantly elevated in patients with high resolution computed tomography extent >20% in comparison to patients with high resolution computed tomography extent

ResumoObjetivoAvaliar a utilidade clínica das medições séricas da proteína de células de Clara de 16‐kDa (CC16) em relação ao sistema de estadiamento para doença pulmonar intersticial associada a esclerose sistêmica (DPI‐ES).Materiais e métodosForam determinados os níveis séricos de CC16 por ELISA em 28 pacientes com ES e 30 controles saudáveis e correlacionados com o sistema de estadiamento para DPI‐ES em pacientes com ES. O envolvimento pulmonar foi avaliado funcionalmente (pletismografia corporal, capacidade de difusão de monóxido de carbono) e radiologicamente (extensão média da doença na tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução dos pulmões, TCAR) em pacientes com ES.ResultadosForam encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas nos níveis séricos de CC16 entre pacientes com ES e controles saudáveis apenas em não tabagistas. No entanto, as concentrações séricas de CC16 eram significativamente elevadas em pacientes com extensão>20% na TCAR em comparação com pacientes com extensão 20% in comparison to patients with HRCT extent

The possibilities of the vibration accelerations signals parameters application for the assessment of thermodynamic processes in the turbojet engine of the F-16 airplane given in its real work conditions have been presented in the paper. The aim is early detection of negative changes in the mixture formation and combustion processes taking place at the aircraft turbojet engine to maintain the high overall efficiency and safety of aviation tasks. Diagnostics of combustion and injection processes have been conducted for stationary engine investigations in the way to obtain quantity measures (dimensional and non-dimensional) and characteristics for these phenomena in the process value domain. The quality of the fuel injection and combustion, expressed in engine operation parameters of the best sensitivity, has been linked to the particular vibration impulse and energy representations, giving the important functional relations for building a diagnostic system for turbojet F-16 airplane engines for real operating conditions. The results show the proposed method assures early and accurate diagnostics for engine dynamic characteristics, making possible diagnostic system application. The diagnostic system design for combustion and injection processes monitoring and malfunctions detections has been proposed.

The issues of monitoring the processes of combustion and fuel injection in a turbojet engine of a multi-purpose aircraft in real conditions of its use with the use of selected characteristics and measures of acoustic signal processes have been described in the paper. The aim is early detection of sources and parametric assessment of the intensity of negative changes in the above-mentioned main processes and in the components of the aircraft propulsion system, taking into account contemporary criteria for improving the safety of the implementation of the aviation task. Appropriate functional relations have been built for acoustic characteristics that are a response to specific sources of changes in the creation of a combustible mixture and its combustion process, which can be used in their continuous diagnostics, in accordance with the criteria of the highest operational efficiency of the thermodynamic and mechatronic system, including ensuring safety improvement. Operational indicators of the highest sensitivity for both processes have been linked to the particular acoustic impulse and energy parameters and frequency spectra, for which specified energy quantum is transferred by means of vibrating particles. The results demonstrate the proposed method assures early and accurate diagnostics for engine dynamic characteristics. The built procedures for combustion and injection projections in the acoustic discrete and continuous representations, both in process value and frequency domains, make the obtained findings valid for on-board fault-diagnosis system building.

Resistance to antimicrobial agents is emerging in wide variety of nosocomial and community acquired pathogens. Widespread and often inappropriate use of broad spectrum antimicrobial agents is recognized as a significant contributing factor to the development and spread of bacterial resistance. This study was conducted to gain insight into the prevalent antimicrobial prescribing practices, and antimicrobial resistance pattern in nosocomial pathogens at a tertiary care hospital in Pune, India.Series of one day cross sectional point prevalence surveys were carried out on four days between March and August 2014. All eligible in patients were included in the study. A structured data entry form was used to collect the data for each patient. Relevant samples were collected for microbiological examination from all the clinically identified hospital acquired infection cases.41.73% of the eligible patients (95% CI: 39.52-43.97) had been prescribed at least one antimicrobial during their stay in the hospital. Beta-lactams (38%) were the most prescribed antimicrobials, followed by Protein synthesis inhibitors (24%). Majority of the organisms isolated from Hospital acquired infection (HAI cases) were found to be resistant to the commonly used antimicrobials viz: Cefotaxime, Ceftriaxone, Amikacin, Gentamicin and Monobactams.There is need to have regular antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance and dissemination of this information to the clinicians. In addition, emphasis on the rational use of antimicrobials, antimicrobial rotation and strict adherence to the standard treatment guidelines is very essential.

Non-communicable diseases, including cancer, are overtaking infectious disease as the leading health-care threat in middle-income and low-income countries. Latin American and Caribbean countries are struggling to respond to increasing morbidity and death from advanced disease. Health ministries and health-care systems in these countries face many challenges caring for patients with advanced cancer: inadequate funding; inequitable distribution of resources and services; inadequate numbers, training, and distribution of health-care personnel and equipment; lack of adequate care for many populations based on socioeconomic, geographic, ethnic, and other factors; and current systems geared toward the needs of wealthy, urban minorities at a cost to the entire population. This burgeoning cancer problem threatens to cause widespread suffering and economic peril to the countries of Latin America. Prompt and deliberate actions must be taken to avoid this scenario. Increasing efforts towards prevention of cancer and avoidance of advanced, stage IV disease will reduce suffering and mortality and will make overall cancer care more affordable. We hope the findings of our Commission and our recommendations will inspire Latin American stakeholders to redouble their efforts to address this increasing cancer burden and to prevent it from worsening and threatening their societies.

s, ELCC 2016 Journal of Thoracic Oncology Vol. 11, Suppl. 4S (2016) S68–S78 Prevention, Early detection, Epidemiology, Tobacco control 30PD Novel plasma circulating microRNA signature for early detection of non-small cell lung cancer in liquid biopsy T. Powrozek1, P. Krawczyk1, D. Kowalski2, B. Kuźnar-Kaminska3, K. Winiarczyk4, M. Olszyna-Serementa2, H. Batura-Gabryel3, J. Milanowski1. 1 Pneumonology, Oncolgy and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland , 2 Lung and Chest Tumors, Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland, 3 Pulmunology, Allergology and Respiratory Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, 4 Lung and Chest Tumors, MSC Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute Maria Sklodowska-Curie, Warsaw, Poland Background: Significant difference in microRNAs (miRNAs) expression is frequently observedbetween cancer patients and healthy individuals. Moreover, possibility of miRNAs detection in blood samples (liquid biopsy) make them valuable biomarkers of early stage tumor development, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: The aim of the study was evaluation of novel circulating miRNAs-448, 506, 944, 3662, 4316 and 4478 as biomarkers of early stage NSCLC development. miRNAs expression was analysed in plasma samples of 80 NSCLC patients (45 patients in stage I-IIIA and 35 patients in stage IIIB-IV) and 80 healthy individuals using qRT-PCR method. The diagnostic accuracy of studied biomarkers was assessed using logistic regression model and receiver operating curves (ROC) with area under curve (AUC) analysis. Results: Significantly higher expression of miRNA-448, 944, 3662 and 4478 was detected in plasma of lung cancer patients compared with healthy individuals (p < 0.0001). Combined analysis of 4-miRNAs signature demonstrated high diagnostic power for detection of operable stages (I-IIIA) of NSCLC with sensitivity of 84.8% and specificity of 96.6% (AUC=0.930). Moreover, miRNA-944 expression demonstrated diagnostic accuracy for detection of operable squamous cell carcinoma (sensitivity: 85.7% and specificity: 90.3%; AUC=0.982), while miRNA-3662 expression – for operable adenocarcinoma (sensitivity: 82.4%; specificity: 93.5%; AUC=0.926). Expression of miRNAs-506 and 4316 showed no diagnostic value in NSCLC patients. Conclusions: Novel signature of 4 circulating miRNAs may be considered as valuable diagnostic tool which could improve noninvasive diagnosis of NSCLC or complements CT lung screening. Moreover, miRNA-944 may be considered as marker of early differentiation of squamous cell carcinoma, whereas miRNA-3662 as early adenocarcinoma marker. The above findings confirms localization of gene encoding miRNA-944 within intron of p63 gene (its expression is marker of squamous differentiation). Whereas, miRNA-3662 sequence is complementary to mRNA of suppressor genes (PTAR1, SEPT10 and NPR3), which disorders are associated with adenocarcinoma differentiation. Legal entity responsible for the study: Approved by the local Ethical Committee of Medical University of Lublin (KE-0254/ 218/2015) Funding: Medical University of Lublin Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest. 31PD DNA methylation of SHOX2 and PTGER4 as a plasma-based tool to differentiate between patients with malignant and benign lung disease G. Weiss, O. Hasinger, S. Esche, M. Martini, T. Konig, A. Schlegel. Product Development, Epigenomics AG, Berlin, Germany Background: Today, low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is a guideline recommended screening method for lung cancer (LC) in high risk patients in the US, but not in Europe. Definition of high risk groups and impact of the substantial rate of LDCT false positive findings has led to significant dispute. Non-invasive diagnostic tools may provide a means to improve this situation. Recently, a DNA methylation panel of the genes SHOX2 and PTGER4 has been evaluated in three independent case-control studies comprising a total of 330 plasma specimens from LC patients and healthy individuals with promising results (AUC = 91 to 95%). Here, we report on evaluation of this marker panel in patients with malignant or benign lung disease (BLD). Methods: For this case-control study 172 plasma specimen were collected from 50 LC patients, 50 BLD patients and 72 healthy subjects. A triplex real-time PCR assay for methylated DNA of SHOX2 and PTGER4 and ACTB as control assay was developed. Total DNA was extracted from 3.5ml plasma samples and bisulfite converted utilizing a commercially available kit. After purification DNA was assayed in PCR triplicates. Cycle threshold values were aggregated utilizing a predefined algorithm. Receiver operating characteristic and the area under the curve (AUC) were analyzed. Results: The marker panel showed significant discriminatory power to distinguish LC cases from the remaining subjects (AUC = 0.88), including BLD patients (AUC = 0.85) and healthy subjects (AUC = 0.89). At specificity fixed at 95% the sensitivity for LC was 60%, at fixed sensitivity of 94% specificity was 56%. BLD and healthy subjects were similar with respect to the methylation markers (AUC = 0.55). The clinically important group of COPD patients (18 cases) was significantly different from the LC group (AUC = 0.79). Conclusions: Combination of DNA methylation markers SHOX2 and PTGER4 can be used to distinguish lung cancer patients from patients with non-malignant diseases with high sensitivity at a reasonable false positive rate. The marker panel will be developed into a plasma-based lung cancer diagnostic tool that may ultimately show clinical utility in combination with current imaging techniques to improve lung cancer risk stratification. Legal entity responsible for the study: Epigenomics AG Funding: Epigenomics AG Disclosure: G. Weiss, O. Hasinger, S. Esche, M. Martini, T. Konig, A. Schlegel: Employee of Epigenomics AG. Copyright © 2016 by the European Lung Cancer Conference organisers, ESMO and IASLC. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.