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More recently, permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) have been widely applied to power source for different applications, such as high precision tracking systems, standalone electric and unmanned aerial vehicles, industrial robotics, marine propulsions, etc., due to their advantages to conventional competitors for example induction motor with squirrel-cage rotor. In order to reduce the cost of AC drive, the removal of the mechanical sensors is required. Hence, the sensorless motor control is more preferable and is based on electrical measurements, namely, three-phase currents and voltages. The paper is devoted to sensorless field-oriented control design procedure for a non-salient PMSM. The proposed control strategy is employed on full order sliding-mode observer which provides the output insensitivity to parameter changes and disturbances. In order to reduce th e high-frequency chattering and enhance the rotor position estimation quality and accuracy, the band-pass filter with tracking of the central frequency to the speed reference is applied. To obtain actual information about the unmeasurable rotor position and speed, the phase-locked loop with cascade connection of adaptive proportional-integral controller is employed. A simulation of the dynamic starting mode of a PMSM under zero initial conditions has been performed by MATLAB/Simulink environment. As can be concluded from the simulation results, proposed sensorless field-oriented control strategy provides quick response as well as low rotor position estimation error both transient and steady-state behavior. The research significance of proposed PMSM sensorless field-oriented control strategy is to provide the wide range of motor speed operation, strong robustness of estimated rotor position to parameter perturbations as well as quality suppression of high frequency chattering effect owing to the switching attribute and the internal control discontinuity of sliding mode, whereby the practical application of a sensorless variable-frequency synchronous electric drive is expanding.

Abstract Background The previously underestimated effects of commensal gut microbiota on the human body are increasingly being investigated using omics. The discovery of active molecules of interaction between the microbiota and the host may be an important step towards elucidating the mechanisms of symbiosis. Results Here, we show that in the bloodstream of healthy people, there are over 900 peptides that are fragments of proteins from microorganisms which naturally inhabit human biotopes, including the intestinal microbiota. Absolute quantitation by multiple reaction monitoring has confirmed the presence of bacterial peptides in the blood plasma and serum in the range of approximately 0.1 nM to 1 μM. The abundance of microbiota peptides reaches its maximum about 5 h after a meal. Most of the peptides correlate with the bacterial composition of the small intestine and are likely obtained by hydrolysis of membrane proteins with trypsin, chymotrypsin and pepsin – the main proteases of the gastrointestinal tract. The peptides have physicochemical properties that likely allow them to selectively pass the intestinal mucosal barrier and resist fibrinolysis. Conclusions The proposed approach to the identification of microbiota peptides in the blood, after additional validation, may be useful for determining the microbiota composition of hard-to-reach intestinal areas and monitoring the permeability of the intestinal mucosal barrier.

BackgroundTelemonitoring for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not consistently demonstrated superiority over standard care; however, noninferiority may be an acceptable outcome if remote care proves to be more efficient. ObjectiveThis study aims to compare the remission time and quality of life of patients with active IBD managed through standard care versus the TECCU (Telemonitoring of Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis) app. MethodsA 2-arm, randomized, multicenter trial with a noninferiority design was conducted across 24 hospitals in Spain. The study included adult patients with IBD who were starting immunosuppressive or biological therapy. Participants were randomized into 2 groups: the telemonitoring group (G_TECCU) and the standard care group (G_Control). The follow-up schedule for the telemonitoring group (G_TECCU) was based on contacts via the TECCU app, while the control group (G_Control) adhered to standard clinical practice, which included in-person visits and telephone calls. In both groups, treatment adjustments were made based on the progression of disease activity and medication adherence, assessed using specific indices and biological markers at each check-up. The primary outcome was the duration of remission after 12 weeks, while secondary outcomes included quality of life, medication adherence, adverse events, and patient satisfaction. ResultsOf the 169 patients enrolled, 158 were randomized and 150 were analyzed per protocol: telemonitoring (n=71) and control (n=79). After 12 weeks, the time in clinical remission was not inferior in the telemonitoring group (mean 4.20, SD 3.73 weeks) compared with the control group (mean 4.32, SD 3.28 weeks), with a mean difference between arms of –0.12 weeks (95% CI –1.25 to 1.01; noninferiority P=.02). The mean reduction in C-reactive protein values was –15.40 mg/L (SD 90.15 mg/L; P=.19) in the G_TECCU group and –13.16 mg/L (SD 54.61 mg/L; P=.05) in the G_Control group, with no significant differences between the 2 arms (P=.73). Similarly, the mean improvement in fecal calprotectin levels was 832.3 mg/L (SD 1825.0 mg/L; P=.003) in the G_TECCU group and 1073.5 mg/L (SD 3105.7 mg/L; P=.03) in the G_Control group; however, the differences were not statistically significant (P=.96). Quality of life improved in both groups, with a mean increase in the 9-item Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire score of 13.44 points (SD 19.1 points; P

Background: Alemtuzumab is administered intravenously (IV) for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), with limited studies of subcutaneous (SC) treatment. Objectives: We sought to evaluate the pharmacodynamics (PD), pharmacokinetics (PK), and safety profile of SC-administered alemtuzumab in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS). Design: SCALA was a phase I, open-label, randomized, parallel-group study with two 12-month periods and a safety monitoring phase to 60 months. Methods: Of 29 screened participants, 24 were enrolled and randomized 2:1 to two 12 mg/day alemtuzumab treatments (60 and 36 mg total; SC:IV). Key inclusion criteria: ⩾18 years with a PMS diagnosis. Key exclusion criteria included RRMS diagnosis and prior treatment with anti-CD52 antibodies. Primary endpoint: CD3 + lymphocyte count. Secondary endpoints: PD and PK parameters. Results: Demographics were broadly similar for participants in the SC (16) and IV (8) arms; more participants with primary PMS received SC (44%) versus IV (25%) treatment. After the first course, the mean CD3 + cell count/µL was reduced at month 1 in both arms (SC: baseline (BL) 1326 to 48 vs IV: BL 1155 to 84). Lymphocyte counts partially repopulated by month 12, with mean CD3 + cell counts/µL of SC 599 versus IV 528. The mean lymphocyte counts/µL decreased again after the second course at month 13 in both arms (SC: 90 vs IV: 129), with partial repopulation by month 24. Alemtuzumab serum concentrations were lower following SC administration relative to IV, with 32% bioavailability. There were no adverse events leading to permanent treatment discontinuation or death. Conclusion: In SCALA, there were similar patterns of lymphocyte depletion and repopulation for participants receiving SC or IV alemtuzumab. In both arms, alemtuzumab had a manageable safety profile, with no emerging safety concerns. The general stabilization of neurological outcomes observed over 60 months underscores the potential long-term benefits of alemtuzumab treatment. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02583594.

Introdução: A leucemia mieloide aguda (LMA) é uma neoplasia hematológica maligna heterogênea causada pelo acúmulo de mutações e alterações moleculares nas células-tronco hematopoiéticas e é responsável pelo maior número de mortes anuais por leucemias. O tratamento de pacientes com LMA permanece substancialmente inalterado há mais de 30 anos. Recentemente, o paradigma do tratamento da LMA vem sendo superado com o aparecimento de terapias alvo seletivas. Neste contexto, o venetoclax tem ganhado destaque e é um forte candidato a se tornar terapia de primeira linha a médio prazo. O venetoclax (inicialmente denominado ABT-199) é um inibidor seletivo de BCL2 e tem apresentado resultados promissores em grupos de pacientes com LMA desfavoráveis ou idosos. As proteínas da família BCL2 são fundamentais para a apoptose e desempenham um papel importante na patogênese da LMA. Os mecanismos envolvidos na resistência intrínseca ao venetoclax são conhecidos na LMA, mas a aquisição de resistência ainda é um ponto a ser explorado e de interesse clínico. Objetivos: Induzir resistência nas células leucêmicas mais sensíveis ao venetoclax, assim como caracterizar os efeitos moleculares e biomoleculares da resistência farmacológica, com venetoclax. Material e métodos: As linhagens celulares leucêmicas de U-937, NB4, Kasumi-1, MOLM-13, MV4-11 e THP-1, foram utilizadas. A viabilidade e resistência celular foi avaliada por ensaio de MTT, a clonogenicidade pelo ensaio de formação de colônias, a apoptose, dano mitocondrial e ciclo celular por citometria de fluxo, o perfil metabólico foi analisado por Seahorse XF96 e as vias de sinalização por Western blotting. Os testes de Spearman, Mann-Whitney ou ANOVA foram utilizados conforme apropriado. Valores de p < 0.05 foram considerados significativos. Resultados: O tratamento com venetoclax reduziu de forma dependente de tempo e de concentração a viabilidade celular de todos os modelos avaliados. As células MOLM-13-VR e MV4-11-VR expostas a concentrações crescentes de venetoclax apresentaram resistência 200 vezes em comparação com as células parentais (p < 0.05). Foi observado menores taxas de dano mitocondrial e apoptose nas células resistentes após exposição ao fármaco (p < 0.05), como também a formação de colônias e ciclo celular se manteve estável, quando comparadas as células parentais (p < 0.05). No cenário molecular, a expressão de proteínas relacionadas a marcadores de apoptose (clivagem de PARP1), dano em DNA (γH2AX) é menor nas células de LMA resistentes, após exposição ao venetoclax. Discussão e conclusão: O desenvolvimento das células resistentes ao venetoclax, MV4-11-VR e MOLM-13-VR, foi efetivo através da exposição intermitente e escalonada ao fármaco. A resistência farmacológica ao venetoclax apresentou que a expressão de proteínas relacionados ao dano de DNA e apoptose está reduzido nas células resistentes . Apoio: FAPESP, CNPq e CAPES.

This study analyses the role of communication in social activism from models that surpass the mere emotional reaction, prior belief reinforcement or brand identification. This paper tests the hypothesis that a message focused on the cause (and its results) will motivate a previously sensitized audience depending on their interactions with source favorability. The methodology is based on the design of a bifactor experimental action result study 2 (failure versus success) x 2 valences (favorable versus unfavorable source) with the participation of 297 people who are pro-avoidance of evictions. The results allow us to infer that the messages from sources hostile to the cause that report negative results have the potential to emotionally and behaviorally motivate activists to a greater extent than messages with more positive results from favorable sources. The conclusions point to the dialogue between social injustice frames and pro-cause action emotions as a way to increase social mobilization. The theoretical and empirical implications of these findings are discussed in the present-day context of social media prevalence.

Abstract Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a severe genetic neuromuscular disorder that occurs in childhood and is caused by misexpression of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. SMN reduction induces spinal cord motoneuron (MN) degeneration, which leads to progressive muscular atrophy and weakness. The link between SMN deficiency and the molecular mechanisms altered in SMA cells remains unclear. Autophagy, deregulation of intracellular survival pathways and ERK hyperphosphorylation may contribute to SMN-reduced MNs collapse, offering a useful strategy to develop new therapies to prevent neurodegeneration in SMA. Using SMA MN in vitro models, the effect of pharmacological inhibition of PI3K/Akt and ERK MAPK pathways on SMN and autophagy markers modulation was studied by western blot analysis and RT-qPCR. Experiments involved primary cultures of mouse SMA spinal cord MNs and differentiated SMA human MNs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt and the ERK MAPK pathways reduced SMN protein and mRNA levels. Importantly, mTOR phosphorylation, p62, and LC3-II autophagy markers protein level were decreased after ERK MAPK pharmacological inhibition. Furthermore, the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA prevented ERK hyperphosphorylation in SMA cells. Our results propose a link between intracellular calcium, signaling pathways, and autophagy in SMA MNs, suggesting that ERK hyperphosphorylation may contribute to autophagy deregulation in SMN-reduced MNs.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract usually characterized by diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal pain. IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis as the main entities. IBD is a debilitating condition that can lead to life-threatening complications, involving possible malignancy and surgery. The available therapies aim to achieve long-term remission and prevent disease progression. Biologics are bioengineered therapeutic drugs that mainly target proteins. Although they have revolutionized the treatment of IBD, their potential therapeutic benefits are limited due to large interindividual variability in clinical response in terms of efficacy and toxicity, resulting in high rates of long-term therapeutic failure. It is therefore important to find biomarkers that provide tailor-made treatment strategies that allow for patient stratification to maximize treatment benefits and minimize adverse events. Pharmacogenetics has the potential to optimize biologics selection in IBD by identifying genetic variants, specifically single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are the underlying factors associated with an individual’s drug response. This review analyzes the current knowledge of genetic variants associated with biological agent response (infliximab, adalimumab, ustekinumab, and vedolizumab) in IBD. An online literature search in various databases was conducted. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 28 reports from the 1685 results were employed for the review. The most significant SNPs potentially useful as predictive biomarkers of treatment response are linked to immunity, cytokine production, and immunorecognition.

Introdução: A leucemia mieloide crônica é uma neoplasia mieloproliferativa caracterizada pela proliferação excessiva de granulócitos, que pode cursar com hiperleucocitose. O priapismo é uma manifestação rara da LMC, menos de 3% dos pacientes, definido como ereção peniana que persiste por 04 horas ou mais, sem relação com estimulação sexual. A fisiopatologia é explicada pelo excesso de células circulantes e hiperviscosidade que cursam com obstrução venosa e estase dos vasos penianos, considerado emergência urológica. Objetivos: Relatar o caso do paciente com diagnóstico de LMC que apresentou priapismo como sintoma inicial da doença e a importância do reconhecimento e tratamento precoce. Resultados: Paciente do sexo masculino, 34 anos, chegou á emergência com ereção há mais de 48 horas. Realizou-se aspirações de corpos cavernosos com epinefrina, com resolução parcial. Evoluiu para choque hemorrágico necessitando expansão volêmica, droga vasoativa e hemotransfusão. Ao exame físico estava hipocorado, sinais de choque hipovolêmico e esplenomegalia palpável. Nos exames laboratoriais, hb 6,6, ht 18% leuc 545.000, blastos 0%, monocitos 2% eosinófilos 3% e plaq 427.000. Diagnosticado com leucemia mieloide fase crônica, complicação de priapismo e choque hemorrágico. Iniciou tratamento com 3 g de hidroxiureia/dia. No segundo dia voltou a apresentar priapismo e foi referenciado para leucoaferese. No terceiro dia, foi submetido à shunt cavernoso-esponjoso com resolução do priapismo. Apresentou melhora da leucocitose em sangue periférico sem necessidade de leucoaferese. A biópsia de medula óssea revelou predomínio de granulócitos em vários estágios de diferenciação e o cariótipo demonstrou presença do cromossomo de Filadélfia em todas as fases analisadas. Iniciou-se imatinibe, 400 mg/dia. Classificado com Sokal e Hasford de baixo risco e remissão hematológica após 30 dias ao início do tratamento com inibidor de tirosino quinase. Em acompanhamento urológico devido à disfunção erétil secundária ao priapismo, ereção parcial. Discussão: : Doenças hematológicas representam 20% das causas de priapismo. A idade média de apresentação é de 27,4 anos e muitos casos com priapismo ocorrem ao diagnóstico. A contagem média de leucócitos foi de 320.000 e o tempo de duração do início do priapismo ao diagnóstico foi de 78,2 horas. O paciente chegou à emergência com 48 horas de evolução, associado à choque hemorrágico, conferindo maior gravidade. Priapismo com mais de 24 horas tem risco de 90% de disfunção erétil permanente, necessitando tratamento precoce. A manifestação atípica de priapismo associada à LMC, chama a atenção para a diversidade e complexidade de sintomas que podem ocorrer. Hidroxiureia e imatinibe resultaram em remissão hematológica em 30 dias, enfatizando a importância dos inibidores de tirosino quinase. Conclusão: No relato de caso do paciente com LMC, o priapismo, embora raro, pode ser um sintoma inicial desta condição hematológica. O reconhecimento e o tratamento precoce são fundamentais para diminuir as complicações associadas a ambas as doenças. O tratamento combinado com hidroxiureia, drenagem e shunt cavernoso demonstrou eficácia no episódio agudo.

Reseña de: Las Guerras Médicas, Grecia frente a la invasión persa, La Esfera de los Libros, Madrid, 2021, 439 pp., ISBN: 978-84-1384-076-5.

Objective ‒ to analyze the experience of providing care to patients with acute stroke in the conditions of the multidisciplinary neurosurgical department of Poltava Regional Clinical Hospital named after M.V. Sklifosovsky. Materials and methods. In the neurosurgical department in 2020 treated 1,148 patients aged 18 to 83, among whom 49 % were patients with acute stroke. Ischemic stroke was observed in 54.7 % of people, and hemorrhagic stroke in 45.3 %. A total of 173 patients with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke were hospitalized in 2020, of which 54 patients were delivered within 4.5 hours from the onset of the disease and received thrombolytic therapy and 20 patients within 6 hours who underwent mechanical thrombectomy, with of them, bridging was used in 5 patients. To determine the presence of signs of a stroke and pre-notification, the following scales were used: FAST and «МОЗОК-ЧАС». Neuroimaging was performed as an emergency using native SCT and SCT-angiography or MRT and MRT-angiography in 100 % of cases. To evaluate the results of neuroimaging, the ASPECTS scale was used for stroke in the anterior hemisphere and pc-ASPECTS – in the vertebrobasilar basin. The NIHSS scale was used to determine the severity of the patient; the following scales were used to determine the presence of occlusion of a large vessel: RACE, BRAIN2. A modified Rankin scale was used to assess the patient’s functional status. In the treatment of ischemic stroke, we divided all patients into 2 groups: the first – 41 % patients, who are subject to revascularization treatment, the second – 59 % patients, who are shown only optimal drug therapy. Revascularization had 2 treatment options. The first option provided for thrombolytic therapy in case of detection of small vessel occlusion, the second – mechanical thrombectomy in case of detection of large vessel occlusion. In cases where the patient was admitted within the therapeutic window, bridging therapy was performed, i.e. intravenous administration of plasminogen activator and simultaneous endovascular thrombectomy. In case of simultaneous detection of a stroke and a heart attack in a patient, the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations for Acute Stroke Management (2018) were used as a basis, according to which the specifics of the management of patients undergoing revascularization treatment are defined. The following EVT techniques were used in our study: ADAPT – in 5 % of patients, Solumbra – in 10 % of patients and SAVE – in 85 % of patients during endovascular thrombectomy. Results. Thrombolytic therapy was carried out – 31 % of the total number of treated patients with ischemic stroke, mechanical thrombectomy – 10 % of the total number of treated patients. Decompressive craniectomies were performed in 6 % of patients with ischemic stroke. Conclusions. Analysis of the results of treatment of patients with ischemic stroke using the above methods indicates a good result at discharge from the medical institution and later, namely on the 90th day after the treatment.

Abstract The methionine (M)—valine (V) polymorphic codon 129 of the prion protein gene (PRNP) plays a central role in both susceptibility and phenotypic expression of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases (sCJD). Experimental transmissions of sCJD in humanized transgenic mice led to the isolation of five prion strains, named M1, M2C, M2T, V2, and V1, based on two major conformations of the pathological prion protein (PrPSc, type 1 and type 2), and the codon 129 genotype determining susceptibility and propagation efficiency. While the most frequent sCJD strains have been described in codon 129 homozygosis (MM1, MM2C, VV2) and heterozygosis (MV1, MV2K, and MV2C), the V1 strain has only been found in patients carrying VV. We identified six sCJD cases, 4 in Catalonia and 2 in Italy, carrying MV at PRNP codon 129 in combination with PrPSc type 1 and a new clinical and neuropathological profile reminiscent of the VV1 sCJD subtype rather than typical MM1/MV1. All patients had a relatively long duration (mean of 20.5 vs. 3.5 months of MM1/MV1 patients) and lacked electroencephalographic periodic sharp-wave complexes at diagnosis. Distinctive histopathological features included the spongiform change with vacuoles of larger size than those seen in sCJD MM1/MV1, the lesion profile with prominent cortical and striatal involvement, and the pattern of PrPSc deposition characterized by a dissociation between florid spongiform change and mild synaptic deposits associated with coarse, patch-like deposits in the cerebellar molecular layer. Western blot analysis of brain homogenates revealed a PrPSc type 1 profile with physicochemical properties reminiscent of the type 1 protein linked to the VV1 sCJD subtype. In summary, we have identified a new subtype of sCJD with distinctive clinicopathological features significantly overlapping with those of the VV1 subtype, possibly representing the missing evidence of V1 sCJD strain propagation in the 129MV host genotype.

The features of the treatment of a patient with a traumatic brain injury after radiation therapy were highlighted. It was demonstrated the need for choose a phased treatment for a patient with a combined pathology (cancer skin disease, traumatic brain injury, features of wound healing after a course of radiation therapy). A significant skin defect, radiation damage to the tissues of this area, and the presence of infection did not allow to solve the problem at once, so the method of choice was sequential staged treatment. The importance of the patient’s psycho-emotional state in the treatment process was shown. Since the pre-sence of concomitant pathology, the age of the patient, repeated surgical interventions over a relatively short period of time, infectious complications at the previous stages, led to a depressed psycho-emotional state of the patient, which affected the final result and led the patient to refuse plastic surgery of the skull defect. The authors note the need to involve a psychotherapist in the recovery process to improve the psycho-emotional state of patients with combined pathology and the possibility of conducting the final stage of treatment of the underlying pathology.

У статті розглядаються основні питання, які пов’язані з особливостями реалізації повноважень головами територіальних громад в умовах правового режиму воєнного стану. Автори статті виокремлюють ті проблемні питання та виклики, з якими зіштовхнулись органи місцевого самоврядування у зв’язку з повномасштабних вторгненням і яких у мирний час не існувало, а також ті, що залишаються не врегульованими законодавством України. Особливу увагу зосереджено на дослідженні співвідношення діяльності органів місцевого самоврядування та військових адміністрацій, які створюються у зв’язку із введенням воєнного стану. Автори дійшли висновку, що одночасне функціонування органів місцевого самоврядування та військових адміністрацій, у звʼязку із підміною одними повноважень інших, є дещо нелогічним. Аналізується можливість самовільного припинення повноважень головами територіальних громад, зокрема тими, що знаходяться в окупації, та можливість виконання передбачених законодавством обов’язків головою територіальної громади в той момент, коли ворог намагається окупувати населений пункт або коли такий населений пункт вже окупований. Авторами зазначено на важливості закріплення конституційної цінності життя, здоровʼя, честі та гідності кожної людини, у звʼязку із чим зазначено, що можливість виконання передбачених законодавством обов’язків головами органів місцевого самоврядування можлива лише тоді коли немає загрози для життя і здоров’я. Проаналізовано також розширення повноважень голів територіальних громад та наголошено на необхідності подальшого доопрацювання законодавства щодо цього питання. Авторами досліджено питання відновлення місцевого самоврядування на деокупованих територіях, і в контексті цього проаналізовано зарубіжний досвід, зокрема хорватську модель реінтеграції деокупованих територій. А також здійснено аналіз практичного впровадження іноземного досвіду на території України у повоєнний час. У науковій роботі також приділено увагу важливості впровадження плану дій української влади після перемоги та повернення усіх окупованих територій. Зазначено, що важливим аспектом є відбудова міст та залучення кадрів для подальшої можливість відновлення місцевого самоврядування на колишніх окупованих територіях.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are autoimmune disorders characterized by inflammatory episodes affecting the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, respectively. The frequent association between MS and IBD suggests that both conditions may share common pathogenic mechanisms. However, different responses to biological therapies indicate differences in immune mechanisms of inflammation. Anti-CD20 therapies are high efficacy treatments increasingly used to control inflammatory bursts in MS, but they may alter GI homeostasis and promote the development of bowel inflammation in susceptible individuals. This review analyzes the mechanistic association between immunity in MS and IBD, the effect of anti-CD20 therapies on the gut microenvironment, and provides recommendations for early detection and management of GI toxicities in the context of B-cell depletion in MS patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between changes in the autonomic control of cardiorespiratory system induced by walk tests and outcome measures in people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS).Methods: Electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings of 148 people with Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) and 58 with Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) were acquired using a wearable device before, during, and after walk test performance from a total of 386 periodical clinical visits. A subset of 90 participants repeated a walk test at home. Various MS-related symptoms, including fatigue, disability, and walking capacity were evaluated at each clinical visit, while heart rate variability (HRV) and ECG-derived respiration (EDR) were analyzed to assess autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. Statistical tests were conducted to assess differences in ANS control between pwMS grouped based on the phenotype or the severity of MS-related symptoms. Furthermore, correlation coefficients (r) were calculated to assess the association between the most significant ANS parameters and MS-outcome measures.Results: People with SPMS, compared to RRMS, reached higher mean heart rate (HRM) values during walk test, and larger sympathovagal balance after test performance. Furthermore, pwMS who were able to adjust their HRM and ventilatory values, such as respiratory rate and standard deviation of the ECG-derived respiration, were associated with better clinical outcomes. Correlation analyses showed weak associations between ANS parameters and clinical outcomes when the Multiple Sclerosis phenotype is not taken into account. Blunted autonomic response, in particular HRM reactivity, was related with worse walking capacity, yielding r = 0.36 r = 0.29 (RRMS) and r > 0.5 (SPMS). A positive strong correlation r > 0.7 r > 0.65 between cardiorespiratory parameters derived at hospital and at home was also found.Conclusion: Autonomic function, as measured by HRV, differs according to MS phenotype. Autonomic response to walk tests may be useful for assessing clinical outcomes, mainly in the progressive stage of MS. Participants with larger changes in HRM are able to walk longer distance, while reduced ventilatory function during and after walk test performance is associated with higher fatigue and disability severity scores. Monitoring of disorder severity could also be feasible using ECG-derived cardiac and respiratory parameters recorded with a wearable device at home.

Relevance. The present paper is devoted to the practical issues of ensuring uninterrupted and quality power supply for standalone industrial facilities and quick response of power supply systems that become increasingly important in the context of continuously growing portion of renewable generation, such as wind turbines, solar photovoltaic arrays, tidal power units, characterized by inconsistency and randomness of power generation periods. At same time, the load also has an unpredictable nature of consumption, which consists in unbalanced connection, abrupt power drops and surges, and the introduction of non-linear consumers, which affects the quality of the voltage in the power supply system. The main aim. The paper presents a method to develop a quick-response control strategy for a standalone three-phase power supply system for mineral mining and processing facilities to ensure the generated balanced voltages with sinusoidal waveforms. Objects: standalone power supply system; PWM four-leg full-bridge inverter, single-/three-phase load. Methods: quaternion algebra, noncommutative multiplication rules for imaginary units, closed-loop control, cascade systems. Results. The authors have developed basic concept covering the organization and implementation of a standalone AC generation system based on three-phase voltage quaternion decomposition into a balanced sinusoidal component and other components caused by amplitude-phase unbalance and nonlinear loads. The described continuous law provides a high speed of instantaneous compensation of distortions at abruptly variable load. Experimental studies were carried out on various kinds and configurations of loads: single-phase, three-phase symmetric, and also two-phase, one phase of which has a non-linear character of current consumption.

The application of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to MRI data has emerged as a promising approach to achieving unprecedented levels of accuracy when predicting the course of neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, by means of extracting image features not detectable through conventional methods. Additionally, the study of CNN-derived attention maps, which indicate the most relevant anatomical features for CNN-based decisions, has the potential to uncover key disease mechanisms leading to disability accumulation.From a cohort of patients prospectively followed up after a first demyelinating attack, we selected those with T1-weighted and T2-FLAIR brain MRI sequences available for image analysis and a clinical assessment performed within the following six months (N = 319). Patients were divided into two groups according to expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score: ≥3.0 and

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of automatically assessing the 2-Minute Walk Distance (2MWD) for monitoring people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). For 154 pwMS, MS-related clinical outcomes as well as the 2MWDs as evaluated by clinicians and derived from accelerometer data were collected from a total of 323 periodic clinical visits. Accelerometer data from a wearable device during 100 home-based 2MWD assessments were also acquired. The error in estimating the 2MWD was validated for walk tests performed at hospital, and then the correlation (r) between clinical outcomes and home-based 2MWD assessments was evaluated. Robust performance in estimating the 2MWD from the wearable device was obtained, yielding an error of less than 10% in about two-thirds of clinical visits. Correlation analysis showed that there is a strong association between the actual and the estimated 2MWD obtained either at hospital (r = 0.71) or at home (r = 0.58). Furthermore, the estimated 2MWD exhibits moderate-to-strong correlation with various MS-related clinical outcomes, including disability and fatigue severity scores. Automatic assessment of the 2MWD in pwMS is feasible with the usage of a consumer-friendly wearable device in clinical and non-clinical settings. Wearable devices can also enhance the assessment of MS-related clinical outcomes.

Resumen: Introducción: La nefritis focal bacteriana aguda es una infección intersticial bacteriana, localizada en el parénquima renal, que entraña mayor gravedad que la pielonefritis aguda. El objetivo del estudio es el análisis de factores predictivos que permitan su diagnóstico precoz, fundamental para un adecuado abordaje terapéutico. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio multicéntrico de casos y control retrospectivo. Centros participantes: hospitales de Castellón y Valencia. Periodo de estudio: 2010-2018. Casos: nefritis focal bacteriana. Controles: pielonefritis aguda. Resultados: Se incluyó a un total de 158 pacientes (1:1). La mediana de edad de los casos fue 2 años. El 75% de sexo femenino. No existieron diferencias en la presentación clínica. En el análisis univariante la nefritis focal se relacionó con malformaciones del tracto urinario, bacteriemia, recuento de neutrófilos y la procalcitonina, así como las convulsiones febriles en el límite de la significación. Valores de procalcitonina ≥ 2 ng/ml tiene una OR de 4,9 (IC del 95: 1,77-13,85) de presentar nefritis focal. En el análisis multivariante las malformaciones urológicas mantuvieron la significación estadística y la procalcitonina en el límite de la significación. Conclusiones: Las malformaciones del tracto urinario predisponen al desarrollo de nefritis focal bacteriana. Ante pacientes con infección del tracto urinario y factores predictivos de nefritis focal bacteriana aguda, sería recomendable la realización de una ecografía Doppler renal en fase aguda para un diagnóstico y un tratamiento adecuado. Abstract: Introduction: Acute focal bacterial nephritis is an interstitial bacterial infection, localised in the renal parenchyma, which can be more serious than acute pyelonephritis. The aim of this study is the analysis of predictive factors that may lead to its early diagnosis, which is essential for an adequate therapeutic approach. Patients and methods: A retrospective, multicentre case and control study. The participant centres were hospitals in Castellon and Valencia. The study period was 2010-2018, with the cases being patients with focal bacterial nephritis and the patients with pyelonephritis as controls. Results: A total of 158 (1:1) patients were included. The median age of the cases was 2 years and there were 75% females. There were no differences in the clinical presentation. In the univariate analysis, focal nephritis was associated with malformations of the urinary tract, bacteraemia, the neutrophil count, and procalcitonin, as well as febrile convulsions of borderline significance. Procalcitonin values ≥2 ng/ml had an OR of 4.9 (95%CI; 1.77-13.85) of presenting with focal nephritis. In the multivariate analysis, the urological malformations still maintained statistical significance and borderline significance for procalcitonin. Conclusions: The urinary tract malformations predispose the development of focal bacterial nephritis. In patients with a urinary tract infection and predictive factors of acute focal bacterial nephritis it would be worthwhile performing a renal Doppler ultrasound in the acute phase for its appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Introduction: Acute focal bacterial nephritis is an interstitial bacterial infection, localised in the renal parenchyma, which can be more serious than acute pyelonephritis. The aim of this study is the analysis of predictive factors that may lead to its early diagnosis, which is essential for an adequate therapeutic approach. Patients and methods: A retrospective, multicentre case and control study. The participant centres were hospitals in Castellon and Valencia. The study period was 2010–2018, with the cases being patients with focal bacterial nephritis and the patients with pyelonephritis as controls. Results: A total of 158 (1:1) patients were included. The median age of the cases was 2 years and there were 75% females. There were no differences in the clinical presentation. In the univariate analysis, focal nephritis was associated with malformations of the urinary tract, bacteraemia, the neutrophil count, and procalcitonin, as well as febrile convulsions of borderline significance. Procalcitonin values ≥2 ng/mL had an OR of 4.9 (95% CI; 1.77–13.85) of presenting with focal nephritis. In the multivariate analysis, the urological malformations still maintained statistical significance and borderline significance for procalcitonin. Conclusions: The urinary tract malformations predispose the development of focal bacterial nephritis. In patients with a urinary tract infection and predictive factors of acute focal bacterial nephritis it would be worthwhile performing a renal Doppler ultrasound in the acute phase for its appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Resumen: Introducción: La nefritis focal bacteriana aguda es una infección intersticial bacteriana, localizada en el parénquima renal, que entraña mayor gravedad que la pielonefritis aguda. El objetivo del estudio es el análisis de factores predictivos que permitan su diagnóstico precoz, fundamental para un adecuado abordaje terapéutico. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio multicéntrico de casos y control retrospectivo. Centros participantes: hospitales de Castellón y Valencia. Periodo de estudio: 2010-2018. Casos: nefritis focal bacteriana. Controles: pielonefritis aguda. Resultados: Se incluyó a un total de 158 pacientes (1:1). La mediana de edad de los casos fue 2 años. El 75% de sexo femenino. No existieron diferencias en la presentación clínica. En el análisis univariante la nefritis focal se relacionó con malformaciones del tracto urinario, bacteriemia, recuento de neutrófilos y la procalcitonina, así como las convulsiones febriles en el límite de la significación. Valores de procalcitonina ≥ 2 ng/mL tiene una OR de 4,9 (IC del 95: 1,77-13,85) de presentar nefritis focal. En el análisis multivariante las malformaciones urológicas mantuvieron la significación estadística y la procalcitonina en el límite de la significación. Conclusiones: Las malformaciones del tracto urinario predisponen al desarrollo de nefritis focal bacteriana. Ante pacientes con infección del tracto urinario y factores predictivos de nefritis focal bacteriana aguda, sería recomendable la realización de una ecografía Doppler renal en fase aguda para un diagnóstico y un tratamiento adecuado.

Este artículo aborda el concepto de eficacia cultural como paradigma de una Comunicación para la Paz y el Cambio Social, heredero del giro epistemológico desarrollado por la Filosofía para hacer las paces de Vicent Martínez Guzmán. Este trabajo recupera su legado desde las investigaciones para la paz como propuesta de unas ciencias sociales dialógicas, comprometidas, transformadoras e interdisciplinares, que definen el papel de la comunicación en la configuración social desde enfoques conceptuales y metodológicos discursivo-performativos y culturales. Finalmente, aplicamos esta revisión teórica de la responsabilidad comunicativa a un primer estudio exploratorio vinculado con migraciones y refugio.

Relevance. At present time many technological processes in oil and gas industry sector apply the high-performance three-phase equipments with power electronic converters such as variable-frequency AC drives or uninterruptible power supplies which are nonlinear loads and can cause various problems in distribution systems, including voltage and current unbalance, resonances phenomena, resistance current losses in the neutral wire, overheating of motors and transformers etc. In order to improve the electromagnetic compatibility of different power consumers in the industrial power supply systems the passive capacitor compensators for reactive power correction are usually used, that are ineffective in case of nonlinear loads. Furthermore this equipment generates the reactive power even if any loads are absent and do not meet modern requirements in area of power conditioning. To avoid the impact of the above-mentioned drawbacks on normal operation conditions of three-phase systems the development of novel technical approaches to power circuit design, methods for analyzing electrical power processes and control strategies for power filtering are needed that provide the desired power quality in the low voltage and medium voltage distribution grids regardless of the load electrical circuits. The aim of the research is a comprehensive analysis of existing approaches to electromagnetic compatibility improvement of the three-phase loads in the distribution AC system and description of the main restrictions of power compensators under normal operation conditions for industrial applications in mineral resources sector; the control design for enhancing an operational stability of active power filters under time-varying parameter disturbances as well as variations of load behaviors or distribution system configuration. Objects: AC electrical power supply systems with power electronics converters and load units in which there are distortions in the instantaneous sinusoidal waveforms of grid three-phase variables; passive and active power filters for high-frequency harmonic correction. Methods: non-commutative algebra of quaternion; four-dimensional hyper-complex space representation; methods of spectral analysis and Fourier series decomposition. Results: the brief survey of different approaches and techniques to the power quality enhancing in the AC electrical power supply systems of mineral resources industrial sector and control strategy of active power filters that will provide balanced or/and sinusoidal grid currents in the three-phase systems with the zero or leading/lagging phase shift relative to the corresponding voltage.

Chronic gut inflammation in Crohn’s disease (CD) is associated with an increase in oxidative stress and an imbalance of antioxidant enzymes. We have previously shown that catalase (CAT) activity is permanently inhibited by CD. The purpose of the study was to determine whether there is any relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CAT enzyme and the potential risk of CD associated with high levels of oxidative stress. Additionally, we used protein and regulation analyses to determine what causes long-term CAT inhibition in peripheral white mononuclear cells (PWMCs) in both active and inactive CD. We first used a retrospective cohort of 598 patients with CD and 625 age-matched healthy controls (ENEIDA registry) for the genotype analysis. A second human cohort was used to study the functional and regulatory mechanisms of CAT in CD. We isolated PWMCs from CD patients at the onset of the disease (naïve CD patients). In the genotype-association SNP analysis, the CAT SNPs rs1001179, rs475043, and rs525938 showed a significant association with CD (p < 0.001). Smoking CD patients with the CAT SNP rs475043 A/G genotype had significantly more often penetrating disease (p = 0.009). The gene expression and protein levels of CAT were permanently reduced in the active and inactive CD patients. The inhibition of CAT activity in the PWMCs of the CD patients was related to a low concentration of CAT protein caused by the downregulation of CAT-gene transcription. Our study suggests an association between CAT SNPs and the risk of CD that may explain permanent CAT inhibition in CD patients together with low CAT gene and protein expression.