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Lidar measurements provide possibility to determine and localize the sources of aerosol emissions in the air, to determine the presence of airborne transport of dust in the atmosphere, to track in real-time aerosol movement above vast territories [1-4]. Presently, along with building networks of ground lidar stations, such as the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET), it becomes more and more important to develop and refine the lidar methods of processing the data from measurements to retrieve the necessary information [5]. The present study comments on results of aerosols monitoring in the lowest atmospheric layers above Sofia by using lidar remote sensing. More than 20 lidar measurements were carried out in the period January – June 2022. The lidar system emitted laser pulses nearly horizontally within the planetary boundary layer (PBL); the reflected pulses were collected to calculate the range-corrected signals and to produce color-coded time-distance diagrams. These diagrams, superimposed on a map of the city to illustrate the location of the aerosol layers were published on the website of the Laser Radar Laboratory of the Institute of Electronics (IE-BAS) at: http://www.ie-bas.org/Departments/LidarData_Horizont/Quicklooks-Horizont.htm.

The monograph contains the results of research concerning, firstly, the ecosystem as a response to the challenges of the XXI century. Secondly, the problems of labor longevity and success in organizations that form an ecosystem approach to working with personnel, including through the use in practice of biomedical factors, socio-economic conditions, nagging as a "soft power" to push older workers to productive work. Thirdly, the realities and problems of combining work and private life, studied from several positions. Among them: the formation of corporate policy, corporate interest, professional orientation; the actual balance of "work — private life", as well as the optimization of labor behavior through the formation of a sense of self-esteem in the workplace, the management of employees ' experience. Fourth, systematization of the results of the health management study, taking into account the experience gained during the coronavirus pandemic — occupational safety management, health promotion in the organization, including the situation of self-isolation. Fifth, the concept of compliance in the personnel management system. For students, undergraduates, postgraduates, doctoral students, researchers studying or conducting research in the field of personnel management, as well as the teaching staff of universities and employers.

The monograph contains the results of research, systematized in five groups. The first group is presented with information about the current vectors of the development of the personnel management system, the harmonization of its statics and dynamics, the benchmarking of human resources, the impact of personnel management on the growth of labor productivity as the main factor of efficiency. The content of the second group is the specifics of health management in the workplace. The third group presents issues of social well-being and social interaction of employees, najing, and corporate remuneration. The fourth group includes the problems of personnel aging, the biological and socio-economic determinants of the phenomenon, and the idea of maintaining labor success. The content of the fifth group focuses on the representation of parental labor, as well as the readiness of the domestic higher education system to respond to the requirements of the modern economy and perceive it as a new normality. For postgraduates, undergraduates, students, researchers who are engaged in research in the field of personnel management, as well as the teaching staff of universities and employers.

Ferroptosis is a recently described form of regulated cell death characterized by intracellular iron accumulation and severe lipid peroxidation due to an impaired cysteine-glutathione-glutathione peroxidase 4 antioxidant defence axis. One of the hallmarks of ferroptosis is a specific morphological phenotype characterized by extensive ultrastructural changes of mitochondria. Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondria play a significant role in the induction and execution of ferroptosis. The present review summarizes existing knowledge about the mitochondrial impact on ferroptosis in different pathological states, primarily cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, we highlight pathologies in which the ferroptosis/mitochondria relation remains to be investigated, where the process of ferroptosis has been confirmed (such as liver- and kidney-related pathologies) and those in which ferroptosis has not been studied yet, such as diabetes. We will bring attention to avenues that could be followed in future research, based on the use of mitochondria-targeted approaches as anti- and proferroptotic strategies and directed to the improvement of existing and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

The atmospheric aerosol particles, called also atmospheric particulate matter, that include also fine dust particles (FDP), are an important factor conditioning many physical processes in the atmosphere, affecting the climate and the air quality, and posing serious potential risks to the human health. In this regard, the regular observation of the atmospheric aerosol load and its dynamics is a valuable source of scientific information concerning these processes, while also allowing the relevant institutions to undertake preventive measures in cases of a dangerous FDP concentration increase. This work is devoted to estimating experimentally, by passive optical sensing and contact measurements, some important integral microphysical and optical characteristics and their dynamics of the aerosol ensembles over Sofia, Bulgaria. The results obtained outline the springtime values of the aerosol number and mass concentration in the near-ground urban atmosphere, the depth of the atmospheric boundary layer, the aerosol optical depth at different optical wavelengths, the water vapor content, and the Ångström exponent at the wavelengths of 440/870 nm.

Impregnation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) onto porous excipients has numerous benefits for solid dosage formulations. Previous work has successfully demonstrated the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals using fluidized bed (FB) impregnation of APIs onto porous carriers and discussed its advantages (such as easy to implement, improvement of blend uniformity and dissolution kinetics, and stabilization of amorphous APIs). This study aims to develop methods for analysis of the spatial distribution of the impregnated API inside the porous excipient. An understanding of the spatial distribution of the API can be important if one wants to achieve high drug loadings. In addition, the spatial distribution of the API can impact its dissolution rate. The impregnation profile is analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Two formulations are investigated using Fenofibrate and Acetaminophen (model APIs), impregnated onto Neusilin (porous excipient). Several methods are presented for particle embedding and cutting in order to produce cross-sections for analysis. Embedding with carbon-based resins/adhesives produces cross-sections with high quality but the resins contaminate the sample with carbon and reduce the detection of trace elements. Manually cutting particles immobilized on carbon tape or inorganic-based adhesives produces cross-sections with a higher degree of roughness but improves the detection of trace elements and reduces/eliminates carbon contamination in the sample, allowing for API detection by its carbon footprint. EDS analytical results showed that for both Fenofibrate and Acetaminophen formulations examined in this work, the API profile is highly uniform (detected by both carbon and characteristic trace elements).

Workplace Health Promotion at enterprise in the market economy environment is filled with the new content. In Western countries practice it is formed under the motto “healthy people in healthy organization” and often realized through “health circles”. Being developed in Germany, they allow the employer to guarantee employees their safety, occupational health and health promotion at workplace. The article provides the analysis of health circles productivity factors received the names according to the place-name of their primary use cities at enterprises — correspondingly, Berlin and Dusseldorf. The Berlin model feature consists in the fact that in the circles, as a rule, there are workers of similar positions. In Dusseldorf model — besides the non-uniform participants from employed at enterprise in addition external experts are invited.

The monograph contains the results of research concerning: - creation of political and administrative elite, management of educational organizations, religious aspects of formation civil society; - changes in working conditions, the obsolescence of some and the emergence of new professions, remote employment, emotional tension in the workplace. - problems of labor absenteeism management, the use of polygraph to ensure organizational security, legal aspects of debt management, overcoming ageism. - improving the efficiency of employees, effective organization of wages, talent management, experience of extending the working capacity of older workers through rational forms of motivation, training and retention in the organization, health management, formation of personnel reserve for the effective functioning of the business.

Investigational drugs are increasingly becoming less soluble in aqueous media, thus, presenting real challenges during development. Previous work has successfully demonstrated the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals using fluidized bed (FB) impregnation of APIs onto porous carriers. This study demonstrates the usefulness of FB impregnation in formulating poorly soluble drugs. We show that dissolution of Fenofibrate is greatly improved by FB impregnation onto Neusilin® (Fuji Health Science Inc, Burlington, NJ USA), a synthetic amorphous form of magnesium alumino-metasilicate. We impregnate Neusilin® for range of loadings and examine Fenofibrate's physical state. Dissolution of impregnated formulations is drug loading dependent and loadings below 40% show great improvement (decrease) in release time compared to physical blend. Release times are further improved by milling. We also examine feasibility of coimpregnating Fenofibrate with additives and observe stability (1.5 years) of the amorphous form of Fenofibrate inside Neusilin®. This stabilization significantly improves Fenofibrate's dissolution kinetics, making our formulation comparable to one of the current market formulations, TriCor® tablets (AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, IL USA). © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2016

In septic shock, high adrenergic stress is associated with cardiovascular and systemic adverse effects, which can negatively affect the results. Beta-adrenergic receptor block has been shown to be effective in controlling the disproportionate increase in heart rate, maintaining a favorable hemodynamic profile and apparently improving the efficiency of the cardiovascular system in order to maintain tissue perfusion. They have also been shown to modulate favorably catecholamine-induced immunosuppression and to decrease insulin resistance, protein catabolism, and proinflammatory cytokine expression associated with cardiovascular dysfunction. Selective beta-1 blockers appear to provide better results than non-selective blockers, even suggesting a positive impact on mortality. Future clinical trials are still needed to confirm these findings and define the scope of their benefits.

A manufacturing method is presented for solid dosage forms using fluidized-bed impregnation, which could eliminate many of the challenges during solid dosage manufacturing. The main difference between impregnation and dry blending is the placement of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) inside a porous carrier. This makes the final material flow properties independent of the physical properties of the API. The method consists of spraying an API solution in appropriate solvent onto a carefully chosen porous excipient in a fluidized state. The solution penetrates the porous carrier due to capillary forces and the solvent is evaporated soon after that. Impregnation and drying occur simultaneously, which makes this impregnation method suitable for continuous implementation. Carefully choosing the operating conditions allows impregnation to occur without introducing spray drying or spray coating of the API. The method is shown to generate an impregnated excipient with very high degree of homogeneity independent of the API loading. It is also shown that mild milling further improves blend uniformity to RSD levels below 1%, which are challenging to achieve using conventional techniques. On impregnation, the final physical properties of the material are seen to be mainly unchanged from the initial excipient properties. A study of this one-step manufacturing method is described, using acetaminophen as the model drug and anhydrous calcium phosphate dibasic as the porous excipient. The experimental work presented establishes a proof of concept and investigates in detail blend uniformity, physical state of impregnated API, final physical properties of impregnated material, compressibility during tableting, capsule filling, and release profile of the final capsule formulation. It also discusses potential ways for drug release control and improvements using impregnation. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 4538–4552, 2013

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare cardiac abnormality rupture the right sinus and if ruptured open into the right ventricle or atrium. Usually silent, may cause significant hemodynamic changes. Few cases of ruptured Valsalva sinus aneurysm have been reported in the literature, and the course of this condition during pregnancy and anesthetic management have scarcely been mentioned. We report the case of a primipara with a Valsalva sinus aneurysm that ruptured into the right ventricle. Cardiac function worsened as pregnancy progressed. A cesarean section under spinal anesthesia was scheduled.

Turpentine induced acute-phase (AP)response in rats is followed by transcriptional activation of the α2-macroglobulin (MG) gene mediated by cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and glucocorticoids. Based on nucleotide sequence analysis of the α2-MG gene promoter regions responsive to IL-6, we postulated that binding of members of the liver-enriched CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP) family of transcription factors to the type I IL-6 responsive element (IL-6RE) may participate in the transcriptional activation of this gene during AP response. Results of Western immunoblot and Northern-blot assays revealed coordinate changes in the pool levels of C/EBPα, -β, and -δ protein isoforms and their genes expression in liver in response to turpentine. By means of an in vitro phosphorylation assay, South-Western blot, and selective proteolysis we have also found that only abilities of 35-kD C/EBPβ and 27-kD C/EBPδ to bind to the α2- MG gene promoter were affected by phosphorylation. Based on these data we concluded that transcriptional induction of the rat α2- MG gene during AP response correlates with both increased synthesis and phosphorylation induced binding of 35-kD C/EBPβ and 27-kD C/EBPδ.

In septic shock, high adrenergic stress is associated with cardiovascular and systemic adverse effects, which can negatively affect the results. Beta-adrenergic receptor block has been shown to be effective in controlling the disproportionate increase in heart rate, maintaining a favorable hemodynamic profile and apparently improving the efficiency of the cardiovascular system in order to maintain tissue perfusion. They have also been shown to modulate favorably catecholamine-induced immunosuppression and to decrease insulin resistance, protein catabolism, and proinflammatory cytokine expression associated with cardiovascular dysfunction. Selective beta-1 blockers appear to provide better results than non-selective blockers, even suggesting a positive impact on mortality. Future clinical trials are still needed to confirm these findings and define the scope of their benefits.

A series of five consecutive patients with stercoral perforation of the colon is presented. Four of the patients had free perforation and one had an abscess between the splenic flexure, spleen and surrounding organs, a yet unreported entity. All patients underwent emergency surgery including Iaparostomy with repeated explorations and lavages in two of them. The ethiology, pathophysiology and treatment of the condition are updated. A graphic algorithm for decision-making in appropriately dealing with stercoral perforation of the colon is proposed.

Ingested foreign bodies (FBs) present a common clinical problem. As the incidence of FBs requiring operative removal varies from 1% to 14%, it was decided to perform this study and compare the data with those from the world literature, as well as to outline an algorithm for management, including indications for surgery. We reviewed all patients with FB ingestion from 1973 to 1993. There were 542 patients with 1203 ingestions, aged 15 to 82 years. Among them, 69. 9% (n = 379) were jail inmates at the time of ingestion, 22.9% (n = 124) had a history of psychosis, and 7.2% (n = 39) were alcoholics or denture-wearing elderly subjects. Most foreign bodies passed spontaneously (75.6%; n = 410). Endoscopic removal was possible in 19. 5% (n = 106) and was not associated with any morbidity. Only 4.8% (n = 26) required surgery. Of the latter, 30.8% (n = 8) had long gastric FBs with no tendency for distal passage and were removed via gastrotomy; 15.4% (n = 4) had thin, sharp FBs, causing perforation; and 53.8% (n = 14) had FBs impacted in the ileocecal region, which were removed via appendicostomy. Conservative approach to FB ingestion is justified, although early endoscopic removal from the stomach is recommended. In cases of failure, surgical removal for gastric FBs longer than 7.0 cm is wise. Thin, sharp FBs require a high index of suspicion because they carry a higher risk for perforation. The ileocecal region is the most common site of impaction. Removal of the FB via appendicostomy is the safest option and should not be delayed more than 48 hours.

Analytical expressions for estimating the energy dissipation and the film constituent concentration profiles in films grown by Ion-Assisted Physical Vapour Deposition (IA PVD) are given. Two cases of IA PVD are considered: ion-assistance performed by inert-gas ions as well as by ions of a film constituent. As an example of application, concentration and damage depth profiles in h-BN films grown by IA PVD are calculated and a comparison is made with results obtained by computer simulation.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare cardiac abnormality rupture the right sinus and if ruptured open into the right ventricle or atrium. Usually silent, may cause significant hemodynamic changes. Few cases of ruptured Valsalva sinus aneurysm have been reported in the literature, and the course of this condition during pregnancy and anesthetic management have scarcely been mentioned. We report the case of a primipara with a Valsalva sinus aneurysm that ruptured into the right ventricle. Cardiac function worsened as pregnancy progressed. A cesarean section under spinal anesthesia was scheduled.

Haptoglobin is a glycoprotein involved in the acute phase response. Previously we reported that haptoglobin gene expression was up-regulated during dietary restriction in young female rats. The present study aimed at determining whether chronic dietary restriction affects haptoglobin blood levels through changing levels and/or activities of IL-6-related transcription factors STAT and C/EBP in the liver as is the case during the acute phase response. To this end, we compared a female Wistar rat model of 50% 6-week-long dietary restriction with the standard laboratory model for the acute phase response induced by turpentine administration. During the turpentine-induced acute phase response, the transitory 5.4-fold increase of rat haptoglobin expression was accompanied by a prominent rise of serum IL-6 concentration and the increased binding of STAT3 and 35kD C/EBPbeta/LAP transcription factors to the haptoglobin gene hormone-responsive element. Results obtained after immunoblotting and DNA affinity chromatography (using hormone-responsive element) suggest that the stable 1.7-fold increase of serum haptoglobin level during dietary restriction was the result of increased amounts and activities of constitutive transcription factors C/EBPalpha and STAT5b, and to a smaller extent of STAT3. When dietary restriction rats were administered turpentine, a 8.7-fold increase in haptoglobin expression was followed by a considerable increase in the amount and hormone-responsive element binding activity of STAT3 but not 35kD C/EBPbeta/LAP. We concluded that haptoglobin gene up-regulation during chronic dietary restriction was regulated by different mechanisms than during the acute phase response, and that it depended on the amount(s) and activit(ies) of transcription factor(s) that characterize low-grade inflammatory conditions.

РЕЗЮМЕИсследовано влияние температуры на скорость роста и морфологию мутантнаго плесневого штамма Humicola lutea 120–5- продуцента кислой протеиназы. Определены температурные границы роста (15°–50°С), на основе которого штамм отнесен к термостойким плесневым грибам. При его культивиро11ании на р11.зличны питательных средах установлена ярко выраженная зависимость морфологии от температурных условий. В качестве оnтимальной для биосинтеза кислой nротеиназы H.lutea 120–5 определена температура 30- 35°С. При исследовании влияния температуры на протеолитическую активность энзиматического препарата, nолученного из Н. Jutea 120–5, установлено, что при рН 3,0 его гидролитическое действие на казеин лучше nроявляется при 55°С. Кислая протеиназа, продуцируемая Н. lutea 120–5, отличается термостабильностью.

Titanium monoxide films of about 100 μm thickness have been deposited onto Si (100) by reactive ion beam deposition. The established experimental conditions provided reproducibility of synthesised films. With a fcc cubic structure and a lattice parameter of 4.17A, as found by X-ray diffraction ; this lattice value corresponded to an oxygen content of about 52%. The composition was confirmed by Auger electron spectroscopy based on the O-KLL\Ti-LMM integral ratio and on the observation of the fine features of the Ti-LMM peaks. The films were electrically conducting with a resistivity of 170 μΩ cm−1. The low diffusivity of Si in TiO films, as estimated by RBS analysis, offers potential application in microelectronics of the conductive oxide form.

We examined whether the transcriptional activation of the rat haptoglobin (Hp) gene during the acute phase (AP) response reflects the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) status of liver nucleoproteins (NPs) and their binding for the hormone responsive element (HRE). After deglycosylation with N-acetylglucosaminidase of the O-GlcNAc glycoproteins obtained by WGA, affinity chromatography and South-Western analysis, it was observed that only increased HRE binding ability of p64/p70 in control and p51 obtained from turpentine-treated rats can be directly attributed to the presence of O-GlcNAc residues. Therefore, expression of the rat Hp gene could be controlled by this modification of certain trans-acting NPs.

The densification process by ion-assisted physical vapour deposition of films is considered as a consequence of rearrangement of atoms in the near-surface film layer. A model is proposed allowing the quantitative estimate of the optimum ion current density required to produce a film with maximum density.

To analyse retrospectively 10 patients with postpulmonectomy empyema.Ten patients (9 men, 1 woman, aged 48 to 69 years) with postpulmonectomy empyema treated over a 12 year period (1991--2002) were analysed. Nine of the patients had pulmonectomy for lung carcinoma and one--for pulmonary abscess. All postpulmonectomy empyemas were managed in two stages--an open-window thoracostomy for curing the infective process in the empyema cavity and then closure of the bronchopleural fistulas and obliteration of the cavity. Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) was successfully used by the authors for sterilization and debridement of the cavity, and finally to insert two thoracic drains for the cavity lavage. The obliteration of the empyema cavity was achieved by a vascular muscle flap transposition from the thoracic muscles. The latissimus dorsi muscle flap was used in 6 patients. The pectoralis major muscle flap was used in 4 patients. Additionally, a thoracoplasty was performed in the patients with pectoralis major muscle flap transposition.Eight patients (80%) were discharged from hospital without complications, and two patients died (20%).On the basis of the study results and the literature review the authors conclude that the applied therapy yields good results in the treatment of postpulmonectomy empyema.

CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBP) alpha, -beta and -delta play an important role in mediating I interleukin-6 (IL-6) dependent expression of acute-phase protein (APP) genes in liver during acute-phase (AP) response. Based on the presence of type IL-6 responsive element (IL-6 RE) in the rat haptoglobin (Hp) gene promoter we assumed that some C/EBPalpha, -beta and/or -delta isoforms could mediate the expression of this gene during turpentine-induced AP response. By Western immunoblot and Northern blot assays, we found that turpentine treatment of rats led to a coordinate induction of C/EBPbeta and -delta as well as repression of C/EBPalpha isoforms pool levels in rat liver nuclear extracts (NEs) which was preceded by an adequate alteration of their mRNAs expression in liver. Consequently, results of DNA affinity chromatography revealed that affinity of certain C/EBPalpha isoforms to bind the type I IL-6 RE within the rat Hp gene promoter decreased whereas affinities of certain C/EBPbeta isoforms and C/EBPdelta were increased and induced, respectively. Our data suggest that turpentine-induced alterations of C/EBPalpha, -beta and -delta pool levels and DNA-binding activities can be regarded as an integral part of activation of the Hp gene expression in the course of AP response.

The continuous monitoring of the cardiac output during liver transplantation (LT) is an essential part of the intraoperative management of the patient's hemodynamics. To verify the accuracy of a new method based on femoral artery thermodilution-calibrated pulse contour analysis (PCCO) during LT, we compared the technique with the results of an intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution method (ICO).A prospective study included 314 paired cardiac output measurements at 10 sampling times in 35 patients undergoing LT. After initial calibration of the pulse contour analysis, no further recalibrations were performed. Bland and Altman's statistical method, one-way ANOVA, and one sample t tests were used for the analysis of the data. A P.05 was considered significant.There was a small bias 0.18 L x min(-1) (6.29% from the ICO) for the whole sample of paired measurements, associated with 95% limits of agreement of +/-4.72 (68.89%) L x min(-1). The additional analysis showed comparable biases and limits of agreement for any single time in the study period. The difference PCCO-ICO showed a negative sign for ICO10 L x min(-1) (P.001) and a positive sign for ICO5 L x min(-1) (P.001). It was greater during infusion of a vasoactive drug (P.001).The pulse contour analysis was found to be an unsatisfactory substitute for intermittent thermodilution measurement of cardiac output during the LT.

Turpentine-induced acute-phase (AP) response in rats is followed by transcriptional activation of the alpha2-macroglobulin (MG) gene mediated by cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and glucocorticoids. Based on nucleotide sequence analysis of the alpha2-MG gene promoter regions responsive to IL-6, we postulated that binding of members of the liver-enriched CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP) family of transcription factors to the type I IL-6 responsive element (IL-6RE) may participate in the transcriptional activation of this gene during AP response. Results of Western immunoblot and Northern-blot assays revealed coordinate changes in the pool levels of C/EBPalpha, -beta. and -delta protein isoforms and their genes expression in liver in response to turpentine. By means of an in vitro phosphorylation assay, South-Western blot, and selective proteolysis we have also found that only abilities of 35-kD C/EBPbeta and 27-kD C/EBPdelta to bind to the alpha2-MG gene promoter were affected by phosphorylation. Based on these data we concluded that transcriptional induction of the rat alpha2-MG gene during AP response correlates with both increased synthesis and phosphorylation-induced binding of 35-kD C/EBPbeta and 27-kD C/EBPdelta.

Transcription of the rat gene encoding haptoglobin (Hp) is highly induced during acute phase (AP) response which has been previously shown to be mediated by inducible STAT3 member of the Signal Transducer and Activators of Transcription (STATs) family proteins. In this study, we observed that under normal but not in the turpentine induced AP conditions, another member of the STAT family proteins, STAT5b is expressed and binds to the hormone regulatory element (HRE) of the rat Hp gene. We found that the nuclear amounts of constitutively active STAT5b in rat liver decreased significantly with time of turpentine treatment as opposed to that of cytosol STAT5b, suggesting possible export of constitutive STAT5b from the nucleus. Nuclear accumulation and binding of inducible STAT3 proteins to the rat Hp gene HRE following turpentine treatment implicated that STAT5b negatively regulates Hp gene expression during normal conditions.

Expression of the haptoglobin (Hp) gene is liver specific and acute phase (AP) responsive. It was previously shown that transcriptional induction process of the rat Hp gene during turpentine induced AP response has been mediated by the liver nucleoprotein p29 which was shown to be homologous to the HMG-1 chromatin-associated protein. The results presented in this report offered further evidence for the existence of structural and functional similarities between these two proteins implicating an involvement of HMG-1 in the regulation of the rat Hp gene transcription. By DNA binding assays we found the HMG-1 binding sites in the rat Hp gene cis-regulatory subelements A and C and revealed an increase in its DNA-binding after induction of AP response. In view of our previous and here shown data we assume that this increase could be a consequence of AP-induced release of HMG-1 from the chromatin and subsequent increase in its nuclear amount.

Operational safety of vehicle electrical equipment have been analyzed. Recommendations for operators are given.

Turpentine-induced acute-phase (AP) response in rats is followed by transcriptional activation of the haptoglobin (Hp) gene in liver. Analysing the promoter sequence of the rat Hp gene we postulated an involvement of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) in the regulation of this process. Results obtained by using a combination of Western immunoblot and DNA-binding assays revealed AP-induced binding of constitutive 86kD-and inducible 91kD-STAT3 isoforms to the rat Hp gene inducible promoter element. On the basis of these data we assumed that AP-related interactions of these two STAT3 isoforms correlates with an activated transcriptional status of the rat Hp gene.

An increase in the binding affinity of rat liver trans-acting nucleoprotein p70 for the hormone responsive element of the rat haptoglobin gene in acute-phase reactions has implicated a posttranslational modification. This investigation examines the proposed acute-phase related structural alterations of p70 using an in vitro phosphorylation/dephosphorylation assay and selective digestion of p70 with Staphylococcal aureus V8 protease. The results show that p70 requires phosphorylation to express its DNA-binding ability. Selective proteolysis of p70 provided evidence that acute-phase induced phosphorylation of this protein alters its conformation in such a way that its DNA-binding ability is increased.

PURPOSE: We sought to evaluate a new technique for creation of a continent perineal colostomy following abdominoperineal resection (APR) of the rectum for low rectal cancer. METHODS: Nine selected patients with low rectal cancer (two males; median age, 55.6 years; classified as Dukes A, 6 patients and as Dukes B, 3 patients) underwent APR. Following this, the original Lazaro da Silva technique was used as follows: 1) for performance of three circular myotomies in the distal sigmoid with a distance between each couple of no more than 8 cm; 2) repair of the myotomies, thus creating three circular colonic valves, the most distal of which remained extraperitoneally; 3) for construction of a perineal colostomy lying flush with the perineal skin; 4) after the patient starts consuming a regular diet, enemas through the perineal stoma are done, usually twice per week, to achieve defecation. Functional outcome was assessed by evaluation of bowel movements and neoanal continence. RESULTS: There were no deaths. From January 1994 until October 1995, no tumor recurrence has occurred, and fecal continence has been good. Four of the patients were able to defecate without enemas (2–4 times per week), and in five patients the self-administration of enemas (2–4 times a week) were necessary to accomplish defecation. CONCLUSION: Initial results with the Lazaro da Silva technique have been encouraging.

Under the Treaty of 12 October 1990 between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the temporary stay of Soviet troops and the conditions governing their planned withdrawal from the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, and in the Joint Declaration of the German and Russian governments of 16 December 1992, it was agreed that the withdrawal of Russian troops would take place during the period extending from 1991 to the end of August 1994. In terms of scale and the material resources involved, the withdrawal of Russian troops from German territory was undoubtedly one of the most grandiose projects of the 20th century. In the course of this operation, 1,026 officially declared tracts of real estate with a total area of more than 213,000 hectares were transferred to the FRG Federal Property Office.

International Space Station ALPHA (ISSA) will present the assembly of many modules with total heat load a few tens of kilowatts. Collection, transport and rejection of heat from Russian Segment (RS) will be provided by central ammonia two-phase mechanically-pumped loop (MPL). Two-phase MPL should provide stable thermal regime at any number of attached modules, at variations in heat loads and at various orbit environment conditions. The paper presents principal schematic of MPL RS ISSA and specifications for control of parameters of the system. Recommendations on heat-controlled accumulator and flow control valves design are given.

The routine use of mesh for repair of inguinal hernia has been popularized by Lichtenstein and coworkers. We adopted this technique and performed it widely using a mesh unknown in the Western world. Ampoxen [multifilamented polycaproamide, impregnated with 5-Nitro-8-Hydroxyquinolinum (Nitroxolinum, DCI), MEDICA, SA, Sandanski, Bulgaria] was discovered in 1975 and proved to be an excellent prosthetic material for replacement of attenuated or destroyed abdominal wall; furthermore, this mesh is very cheap and became widely applicable in our country. This report describes our experience with the first 846 adult inguinal hernia repairs under local anesthesia using Ampoxen. All 846 patients had excellent results, without recurrence. There were nine wound infections (1.1%), 16 testicular oedemas (1.9%), no seromata and no deaths. In no patient was the prosthetic mesh removed. There were no complications related to the use of Ampoxen; this mesh is permanent, has a great degree of fibrous tissue reaction, and wide spectrum antimicrobic activity. We advocate the Lichtenstein technique using irresorbable mesh (particularly Ampoxen) for all adult groin hernias except Types 1 and 2 (according to Nyhus' classification), and for all adult recurrent groin hernias.