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Background: In humans, figurate erythema (FE) represents a heterogenous group of dermatoses with circular or serpiginous erythematous skin lesions; FE has not been reported in cats. Objectives: To report clinical and histological characteristics and outcomes of FE in sphynx cats from Baltic sea‐bordering countries. Animals: Eleven client‐owned sphynx cats with FE. Materials and Methods: We recruited cases meeting the following criteria: (i) a sphynx breed, (ii) FE with or without scaling, (iii) a chronic, waxing‐and‐waning course lasting longer than a month and (iv) an absence of other skin diseases. Results: Of 11 cats, there were seven Donskoys, one Peterbald, one Ukrainian Levkoy and two presumed Canadian sphynxes; all except one were males, and the age of onset was <12 months in eight cats. Skin lesions lasted between 1.2 and 56 months, and they consisted of erythematous plaques with a linear‐to‐serpiginous, annular, gyrate or iris configuration predominating on the trunk and extremities. Scaling was often seen trailing the edge of the centrifugally expanding erythema. All cats were otherwise asymptomatic or mildly pruritic. Dermatophytosis was ruled out by special stains and/or fungal cultures in eight cats. Microscopic lesions revealed focal, mild‐to‐moderate epidermal hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis, minimal‐to‐mild dysplasia and subepidermal collagen smudging. Special stains were negative for dermatophytes. The clinical remission of FE was not achieved with diet changes or medical interventions; yet, a spontaneous, transient, partial or complete improvement occurred in most cats. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance: This is the first report of FE in sphynx cats from Eastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers the issue of functioning of the mechanism of formation and translation of values of labor in family. Fundamental labor values and main channels of their distribution are revealed based on empiric material. Family influence on motivation of today's Russian youth's labor behavior was determined. An intergenerational comparative analysis of labor mindset and values of parent's generation and their children was carried out. Random sampling was used for designing "parent" sampling: parents of students of two state universities of Nizhny Novgorod, Minin University and Dobrolyubov University, were interviewed. Survey type--hands-on: students were supposed to interview parents with respect to their labor mindset. Respondent parents were asked a question on values they consider important for their children. It was proposed to choose at most three from 7 options: prestigious work, high income, self-fulfillment opportunities, interesting work, socially useful labor, family well-being, health. Family well-being turned out to be the most significant for respondents. 79,5% of respondents chose this answer. Health ranks second--76,2%. 36,9% of respondents distinguished the role of interesting work. High income ranks fourth (36,1%), 32,0% and 25,4% of parents wish their children self-fulfillment opportunities and prestigious work, correspondingly. Socially useful labor appeared least important among suggested options, only 3,3% of respondents checked it. The percentage of parents, who highlighted their own influence on children's occupational choice and support of that choice, is high. The research also demonstrated that today's students are much less involved in household work than parents at their age.

The article presents the results of modelling approaches to the implementation of effective innovation. Within the framework of a collinear system of regression-correlation equations, a block diagram of the implementation of innovative activities of timber enterprises is presented, reflecting the possibility of increasing the level of innovativeness of timber enterprises. The study determined the necessary data array for building the proposed model. The presented model is based on financial and statistical indicators that characterize the level of innovative development of the timber industry enterprises of the Russian Federation, as well as taking into account their financial turnover throughout the industry for 2017-2022, and in the context of the development of small and medium-sized businesses. An important indicator was the level of funding for business projects on the use and implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT). The model also takes into account the influence of a group of various factors on the indicators of innovative development. As part of the regression and correlation analysis, each indicator was assigned its own value xi and xj. The results of the regression analysis data correlation are interpreted in two main blocks, general for the industry, and reflecting the dependence of the influence of small and medium-sized businesses on the innovative development of timber enterprises.

The article proposes a criterion for the existence of sliding processes according to the frequency characteristics of the control device and the control object. It is shown that the conditions for the existence of slip are equivalent to the conditions for the absolute stability of equivalent circuits of the original systems with a variable structure. This approach is proposed by the authors as an alternative to the method of phase trajectories and state space equations used by other researchers. Frequency criteria make it possible to formulate several practical engineering provisions that are very important for the implementation of this control method in real electric drives. The main conclusions are confirmed by simulation of both processes in systems with a variable structure and in equivalent circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northeast Asian endemic species of lichen-forming fungus Umbilicaria krascheninnikovii is herein discussed in the global context of biogeography and phylogeny of the U. aprina group. The name U. krascheninnikovii has been erroneously used by lichenologists for Umbilicaria spp. from high latitudes or altitudes worldwide, as there are omphalodisc apothecia and rough "crystals" of a necral layer on the upper surface. To test the monophyly and phylogenetic relationships within the U. aprina group, four independent DNA regions (nrITS/5.8S, RPB2, mtLSU, and mtSSU) were used for six rare species, including a dozen specimens of U. krascheninnikovii from its locus classicus in Kamchatka. The study is based on the phylograms obtained using maximum likelihood and a Bayesian phylogenetic inference framework. As a result of phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses, it was shown that U. krascheninnikovii is a neo-endemic of the areas of modern volcanism in Kamchatka, Japan, as well as in the Kurile Islands, where this species was recorded for the first time. The morphology of U. krascheninnikovii is herein described and illustrated. Increasing the role of the sexual process and reducing asexual thalloconidiogenesis are shown to be apomorphic traits in the U. aprina group. The combination of sexual and asexual reproduction provides adaptive advantages in changing environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within this study, aluminum oxide granules with 0.25%vol. of graphene oxide were prepared by a spray-drying method to make an adsorbent for the 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide removal from aqueous solutions. The obtained adsorbent was studied using infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The presence of graphene in the spray-dried powder was confirmed. The adsorption removal of 2,4-D using the obtained material was performed at an ambient temperature by varying the process parameters such as pH and adsorption time. The adsorption of 2,4-D was a monolayer chemisorption according to the Langmuir isotherm pattern and a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of the monolayer was 35.181 mg/g. The results show that the Al2O3-0.25%vol. GO powder obtained by spray drying is suitable for the production of adsorbents for toxic herbicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HEX-P is a probe-class mission concept that will combine high spatial resolution X-ray imaging (<10" FWHM) and broad spectral coverage (0.2-80 keV) with an effective area far superior to current facilities' (including XMM-Newton and NuSTAR). These capabilities will enable revolutionary new insights into a variety of important astrophysical problems. We present scientific objectives and simulations of HEX-P observations of the Galactic Center (GC) and Bulge. We demonstrate the unique and powerful capabilities of the HEX-P observatory for studying both X-ray point sources and diffuse X-ray emission. HEX-P will be uniquely equipped to explore a variety of major topics in Galactic astrophysics, allowing us to 1) investigate broad-band properties of X-ray flares emitted from the supermassive black hole (BH) at Sgr A* and probe the associated particle acceleration and emission mechanisms; 2) identify hard X-ray sources detected by NuSTAR and determine X-ray point source populations in different regions and luminosity ranges; 3) determine the distribution of compact object binaries in the nuclear star cluster and the composition of the Galactic Ridge X-ray emission; 4) identify X-ray transients and measure fundamental parameters such as black hole spin; 5) find hidden pulsars in the Galactic Center; 6) search for BH-OB binaries and hard X-ray flares from young stellar objects in young massive clusters; 7) measure white dwarf (WD) masses of magnetic CVs to deepen our understanding of CV evolution and the origin of white dwarf magnetic fields; 8) explore primary particle accelerators in the GC in synergy with future TeV and neutrino observatories; 9) map out cosmic-ray distributions by observing nonthermal X-ray filaments; 10) explore past X-ray outbursts from Sgr A* through X-ray reflection components from giant molecular clouds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive molecular subtype, with a poor survival rate compared to others subtypes. For a long time, chemotherapy was the only systemic treatment for TNBC, and the identification of actionable molecular targets might ultimately improve the prognosis for TNBC patients. We performed a genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation at CpG islands on a collection of one hundred ten breast carcinoma samples and six normal breast tissue samples using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing with the XmaI restriction enzyme (XmaI-RRBS) and identified a subset of TNBC samples with significant hypomethylation at the LTB4R/LTB4R2 genes' CpG islands, including CpG dinucleotides covered with cg12853742 and cg21886367 HumanMethylation 450K microarray probes. Abnormal DNA hypomethylation of this region in TNBC compared to normal samples was confirmed by bisulfite Sanger sequencing. Gene expression generally anticorrelates with promoter methylation, and thus, the promoter hypomethylation detected and confirmed in our study might be revealed as an indirect marker of high LTB4R/LTB4R2 expression using a simple methylation-sensitive PCR test. Analysis of RNA-seq expression and DNA methylation data from the TCGA dataset demonstrates that the expression of the LTB4R and LTB4R2 genes significantly negatively correlates with DNA methylation at both CpG sites cg12853742 (R = −0.4, p = 2.6 × 10−6; R = −0.21, p = 0.015) and cg21886367 (R = −0.45, p = 7.3 × 10−8; R = −0.24, p = 0.005), suggesting the upregulation of these genes in tumors with abnormal hypomethylation of their CpG island. Kaplan–Meier analysis using the TCGA-BRCA gene expression and clinical data revealed poorer overall survival for TNBC patients with an upregulated LTB4R. To this day, only the leukotriene inhibitor LY255283 has been tested on an MCF-7/DOX cell line, which is a luminal A breast cancer molecular subtype. Other studies compare the effects of Montelukast and Zafirlukast (inhibitors of the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor, which is different from LTB4R/LTB4R2) on the MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) cell line, with high methylation and low expression levels of LTB4R. In our study, we assess the therapeutic effects of various drugs (including leukotriene receptor inhibitors) with the DepMap gene effect and drug sensitivity data for TNBC cell lines with hypomethylated and upregulated LTB4R/LTB4R2 genes. LY255283, Minocycline, Silibinin, Piceatannol, Mitiglinide, 1-Azakenpaullone, Carbetocin, and Pim-1-inhibitor-2 can be considered as candidates for the additional treatment of TNBC patients with tumors demonstrating LTB4R/LTB4R2 hypomethylation/upregulation. Finally, our results suggest that the epigenetic status of leukotriene B4 receptors is a novel, potential, predictive, and prognostic biomarker for TNBC. These findings might improve individualized therapy for TNBC patients by introducing new therapeutic adjuncts as anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), gastric cancers are classified into four molecular subtypes: Epstein–Barr virus-positive (EBV+), tumors with microsatellite instability (MSI), tumors with chromosomal instability (CIN), and genomically stable (GS) tumors. However, the gastric cancer (GC) with chromosomal instability remains insufficiently described and does not have effective markers for molecular and histological verification and diagnosis. The CIN subtype of GC is characterized by chromosomal instability, which is manifested by an increased frequency of aneuploidies and/or structural chromosomal rearrangements in tumor cells. Structural rearrangements in the CIN subtype of GC are not accidental and are commonly detected in chromosomal loci, being abnormal because of specific structural organization. The causes of CIN are still being discussed; however, according to recent data, aberrations in the TP53 gene may cause CIN development or worsen its phenotype. Clinically, patients with the CIN subtype of GC demonstrate poor survival, but receive the maximum benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. In the review, we consider the molecular mechanisms and possible causes of chromosomal instability in GC, the common rearrangements of chromosomal loci and their impact on the development and clinical course of the disease, as well as the driver genes, their functions, and perspectives on their targeting in the CIN subtype of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physicochemical modification of the filler allows changing the hydrophilic–hydrophobic properties and effectively influencing the processes occurring at the filler–binder interface, on which the physicomechanical characteristics of composites largely depend. The paper presents studies related to the modification of limestone-based filler effect on the degree of its hydrophobicity and wetting with liquids of different polarity, establishing the relationship between the characteristics of hydrophobized mineral powders and the adsorption capacity in relation to water. Using mechanochemical processing with hydrophobic components GF-1 and GF-2, it was possible to obtain fillers with a sufficiently high content of hydrophobic particles (58.2% and 85.9%, respectively). It was found that the results of the contact angle (123.6° and 114.5°, respectively) and the degree of hydrophobicity do not quite correlate with each other. It was noticed that the contact angle on the powder modified with GF-1 decreases with time. Studies of the powders' thermal effects wetting of different polarity liquids via microcalorimetry allows us to establish that with an increase in the filler hydrophobicity degree, the integral heat of immersion decreases due to a significant decrease in the probability of chemical interactions between water and powder due to the adsorption of applied surfactants molecules on the limestone active centers. The revealed endothermic effects indicate the occurrence of physical interactions due to non-polar dispersion forces. Differences in the nature of heat release and heat absorption in modified fillers indicate significant differences in the composition and mechanism of action of the used surfactants, which affected the efficiency of hydrophobization. At the same time, a linear dependence of the moisture absorption and moisture indicators, determined by independent experiments, on the degree of hydrophobicity was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides results on the tribological behavior of experimental Al–Sn–Pb–Si–Cu–Mg–Zn aluminum alloys and describes the adaptation phenomena that reduce wear intensity during friction with steel. The main focus is on tribofilm formation, which plays an important role in friction energy dissipation. The alloys were tested in a rig imitating a journal-bearing shaft couple, and the friction surfaces were studied by the scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopytechniques. Based on the analysis, a conclusion on processes and tribochemical reactions was made. Compared to the initial state, eight new compounds were found on the friction surface. In the most wear-resistant alloy, magnesium precipitated from a solid solution with the subsequent oxidation. The same process was detected for zinc in the least wear-resistant alloy due to its low magnesium content. Furthermore, CuSn3 and PbS compounds, which require >600 °C temperature to compose, were found in tribofilms, indicating that the rubbing body lost thermodynamic equilibrium during friction. The revealed processes are non-spontaneous and decrease the wear intensity of the alloys, as they are accompanied by negative entropy production and dissipation of friction energy. Stepwise depth XPS analysis also showed the functional levels of the tribofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper deals with the application of statistical analysis in the study of the dependence of the flexural strength of sintered alumina (Al2O3) disks on the parameters (nozzle diameter of the printer print head, layer height, and filling pattern) of the fused deposition method (FDM) printing of ceramic–polymer filament containing 60 vol.% alumina and 40 vol.% polylactide. By means of a correlation analysis applied to the results of flexural tests, a linear relationship was found between the thickness of the printed layer and the strength of the sintered specimens. A statistically significant linear relationship was found between the geometric parameters and the weight of both printed ceramic–polymer and sintered ceramic samples, as well as the diameter of the nozzle used in the printing of the workpiece. It was found that the highest strength is achieved with a layer thickness equal to 0.4 mm, and the smallest scatter of mass values and geometric dimensions of ceramic samples is achieved using a nozzle diameter of 0.6 mm. As a result of the conducted research, linear equations allowing the prediction of changes in the geometry and mass of samples after sintering, as well as the strength properties of sintered samples, taking into account the geometry and mass of FDMed samples, were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within this work, new aerogels based on graphene oxide are proposed to adsorb salicylic acid (SA) and herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from aqueous media. Graphene oxide aerogel (GOA) and reduced graphene oxide aerogel (rGOA) were obtained by freeze-drying processes and then studied by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. The influence of contact time and the concentration of the adsorbates were also assessed. It was found that equilibrium for high adsorption is reached in 150 min. In a single system, the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order kinetic models, Intraparticle diffusion, and Elovich models were used to discuss the detail of the aerogel adsorbing pollutant. Moreover, the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin adsorption models were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms and calculate the isotherm constants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stability and narrow size distribution are among the main requirements that apply to drug formulations based on polymeric nanoparticles. In this study, we obtained a series of particles based on biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (P(D,L)LAn-b-PEG113) copolymers with varied hydrophobic P(D,L)LA block length n from 50 to 1230 monomer units stabilized by poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) by a simple "oil-in-water" emulsion method. We found that nanoparticles of P(D,L)LAn-b-PEG113 copolymers with relatively short P(D,L)LA block (n ≤ 180) are prone to aggregate in water. P(D,L)LAn-b-PEG113 copolymers with n ≥ 680 can form spherical unimodal particles with values of hydrodynamic diameter less than 250 nm and polydispersity less than 0.2. The aggregation behavior of P(D,L)LAn-b-PEG113 particles was elucidated in terms of tethering density and conformation of PEG chains at the P(D,L)LA core. Docetaxel (DTX) loaded nanoparticles based on P(D,L)LA680-b-PEG113 and P(D,L)LA1230-b-PEG113 copolymers were formulated and studied. It was observed that DTX-loaded P(D,L)LAn-b-PEG113 (n = 680, 1230) particles are characterized by high thermodynamic and kinetic stability in aqueous medium. The cumulative release of DTX from the P(D,L)LAn-b-PEG113 (n = 680, 1230) particles is sustained. An increase in P(D,L)LA block length results in a decrease in DTX release rate. The in vitro antiproliferative activity and selectivity studies revealed that DTX-loaded P(D,L)LA1230-b-PEG113 nanoparticles demonstrate better anticancer performance than free DTX. Favorable freeze-drying conditions for DTX nanoformulation based on P(D,L)LA1230-b-PEG113 particles were also established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Breast cancer (BC) is a group of diseases heterogeneous in morphology, progression, survival, and response to therapy. Although BC is among the most exhaustively studied cancers, there is still a lack of molecular markers to predict its response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Tumor development is determined by alterations not only of its genome, but of its epigenome as well. In order to identify epigenomic markers of BC NACT effectiveness, we have applied genome-wide DNA methylation screening of tumors in cohorts of NACT responders and nonresponders. Combining several of the most informative DNA methylation markers, we suggest tiny diagnostic panels that may be readily implemented in diagnostic laboratories. We also demonstrate that clinical characteristics predictive of NACT response, such as the clinical stage and lymph node status, are independently additive to the epigenetic classifiers and in combination improve prediction. Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (BC), the main cause of deaths is resistance to existing therapies. An approach to improve the effectiveness of therapy in patients with aggressive BC subtypes is neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Yet, the response to NACT for aggressive subtypes is less than 65% according to large clinical trials. An obvious fact is the lack of biomarkers predicting the therapeutic effect of NACT. In a search for epigenetic markers, we performed genome-wide differential methylation screening by XmaI-RRBS in cohorts of NACT responders and nonresponders, for triple-negative (TN) and luminal B tumors. The predictive potential of the most discriminative loci was further assessed in independent cohorts by methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme quantitative PCR (MSRE-qPCR), a promising method for the implementation of DNA methylation markers in diagnostic laboratories. The selected most informative individual markers were combined into panels demonstrating cvAUC = 0.83 (TMEM132D and MYO15B markers panel) for TN tumors and cvAUC = 0.76 (TTC34, LTBR and CLEC14A) for luminal B tumors. The combination of methylation markers with clinical features that correlate with NACT effect (clinical stage for TN and lymph node status for luminal B tumors) produces better classifiers, with cvAUC = 0.87 for TN tumors and cvAUC = 0.83 for luminal B tumors. Thus, clinical characteristics predictive of NACT response are independently additive to the epigenetic classifier and in combination improve prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that all real automatic control systems (ACS) are significantly nonlinear systems. Along with this, in engineering analysis the simplifications of their mathematic description, that is, linearization, are inevitable. These simplifications naturally introduce errors into engineering calculations. For the most complicated calculation of stability conditions, these errors can be very significant, since they lead to not only incorrect forecast of the ACS condition but also to the operating inability of the designed ACS. Most often, engineers simplify nonlinear structures in their calculations. In other words, they linearize these structures according to one of the numerous approaches which have been developed over 100 years. Calculation methods for linear ACS, in particular the Nyquist criterion, can be applied to the already linearized structure for the calculation of ACS stability condition. In this article, the authors suppose that for electromechanical and power ACS it would be more effective to widely use the absolute stability criterions or hyperstability which were developed when solving the "Aizerman problem" by V.M. Popov in the 1960s of the 20th century. This solution is not used as widely as the Nyquist criterion despite its outstanding qualities. In this article, the assumption was made that it is effective to apply the stability criterion of nonlinear ACS for the linearized models of nonlinear systems. Otherwise speaking, it is effective to use the criterion of V.M. Popov and its interpretation according to the logarithmic frequency characteristics of the ACS proposed earlier by the authors of the article. The authors provide simple and illustrative examples and give the results of the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the study of the rheological properties and the printability of produced ceramic-polymer filaments using fused deposition method (FDM) 3D printing technology. Powder mixtures with an alumina content of 50 to 70 vol.% were fabricated by a wet processing route. A series of rheological experiments of the obtained mixtures were conducted in the temperature range from 200 to 220 °C for the commercial polylactide (PLA) powder and from 200 to 240 °C for ceramic-polymer, which corresponds to the recommended temperatures for 3D printing of commercial PLA filaments. The composition with the maximum content of alumina leads to a powdery material in which the molten polymer is insufficient to measure the rheological properties. In spite of this, the filaments were prepared from all the obtained mixtures with a tabletop single-screw extruder, the diameter and surface profile of which were analyzed. As the ceramic content increased, the diameter and surface roughness of the filaments increased. Therefore, it was only possible to print an object from a filament with the lowest ceramic content. However, the print quality of the 3D printed objects from the fabricated ceramic-polymer filament is worse (imperfect form, defects between layers) compared to the commercial PLA filament. To eliminate such defects in the future, it is necessary to conduct additional research on the development of printing modes and possibly modify the software and components of the 3D printer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the present work was to synthesize a composite consisting of h-BN particles coated with a γ-Al2O3 nanolayer. A method was proposed for applying nanocrystalline γ-Al2O3 to h-BN particles using a sol–gel technique, which ensures the chemical homogeneity of the composite at the nano level. It has been determined that during crystallization on the h-BN surface, the proportion of spinel in alumina decreases from 40 wt.% in pure γ-Al2O3 to 30 wt.% as a result of the involvement of the B3+ ions from the surface nitride monolayers into the transition complex. For comparison, nano-alumina was synthesized from the same sol under the same conditions as the composite. The characterization of the obtained nanostructured powders was carried out using TEM and XRD. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of a nanostructured γ-Al2O3@h-BN composite during the interaction of Al-containing sol and h-BN suspension in aqueous organic media. The resulting composite is a promising model of powdered raw materials for the development of fine-grained ceramic materials for a wide range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machining is an indispensable manufacturing process for a wide range of engineering materials, such as metals, ceramics, and composite materials, in which the tool wear is a serious problem, which affects not only the costs and productivity but also the quality of the machined components. Thus, the modification of the cutting tool surface by application of textures on their surfaces is proposed as a very promising method for improving tool life. Surface texturing is a relatively new surface engineering technology, where microscale or nanoscale surface textures are generated on the cutting tool through a variety of techniques in order to improve tribological properties of cutting tool surfaces by reducing the coefficient of friction and increasing wear resistance. In this paper, the studies carried out to date on the texturing of ceramic and superhard cutting tools have been reviewed. Furthermore, the most common methods for creating textures on the surfaces of different materials have been summarized. Moreover, the parameters that are generally used in surface texturing, which should be indicated in all future studies of textured cutting tools in order to have a better understanding of its effects in the cutting process, are described. In addition, this paper proposes a way in which to classify the texture surfaces used in the cutting tools according to their geometric parameters. This paper highlights the effect of ceramic and superhard textured cutting tools in improving the machining performance of difficult-to-cut materials, such as coefficient of friction, tool wear, cutting forces, cutting temperature, and machined workpiece roughness. Finally, a conclusion of the analyzed papers is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spray drying is a widely used method of converting liquid material (aqueous or organic solutions, emulsions and suspensions) into a dry powder. Good flowability, narrow size distribution, and controllable morphology are inherent in powders produced by spray drying. This review considers the granulation factors that influence the final properties of the silicon nitride dried powders. The first group includes the types of atomizers, manifolds, and drying chamber configurations. The process parameters fall into the second group and include the following: inlet temperature, atomizing air flow, feed flow rate, drying gas flow rate, outlet temperature, and drying time. Finally, the last group, feedstock parameters, includes many factors such as feed surface tension, feed viscosity, solvent type, solid particle concentration, and additives. Given the large number of factors affecting morphology, particle size and moisture, optimizing the spray drying process is usually achieved by the "trial and error" approach. Nevertheless, some factors such as the effect of a solvent, dispersant, binder, and sintering additives considered in the literature that affect the Si3N4 granulation process were reviewed in the work. By summarizing the data available on silicon nitride powder production, the authors attempt to tackle the problem of its emerging demand in science and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: In clinical trial NCT03873259, a 2.6-mm lower pole stone was treated transcutaneously and ex vivo with 390-kHz burst wave lithotripsy (BWL) for 40 minutes and failed to break. The stone was subsequently fragmented with 650-kHz BWL after a 4-minute exposure. This study investigated how to fragment small stones and why varying the BWL frequency may more effectively fragment stones to dust. Methods: A linear elastic theoretical model was used to calculate the stress created inside stones from shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) and different BWL frequencies mimicking the stone's size, shape, lamellar structure, and composition. To test model predictions about the impact of BWL frequency, matched pairs of stones (1–5 mm) were treated at (1) 390 kHz, (2) 830 kHz, and (3) 390 kHz followed by 830 kHz. The mass of fragments >1 and 2 mm was measured over 10 minutes of exposure. Results: The linear elastic model predicts that the maximum principal stress inside a stone increases to more than 5.5 times the pressure applied by the ultrasound wave as frequency is increased, regardless of the composition tested. The threshold frequency for stress amplification is proportionate to the wave speed divided by the stone diameter. Thus, smaller stones may be likely to fragment at a higher frequency, but not at a lower frequency below a limit. Unlike with SWL, this amplification in BWL occurs consistently with spherical and irregularly shaped stones. In water tank experiments, stones smaller than the threshold size broke fastest at high frequency (p = 0.0003), whereas larger stones broke equally well to submillimeter dust at high, low, or mixed frequencies. Conclusions: For small stones and fragments, increasing frequency of BWL may produce amplified stress in the stone causing the stone to break. Using the strategies outlined here, stones of all sizes may be turned to dust efficiently with BWL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few years, more and more scientists have suggested and confirmed that epigenetic regulators are tightly connected and form a comprehensive network of regulatory pathways and feedback loops. This is particularly interesting for a better understanding of processes that occur in the development and progression of various diseases. Appearing on the preclinical stages of diseases, epigenetic aberrations may be prominent biomarkers. Being dynamic and reversible, epigenetic modifications could become targets for a novel option for therapy. Therefore, in this review, we are focusing on histone modifications and ncRNAs, their mutual regulation, role in cellular processes and potential clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease and its treatment is an urgent problem of rheumatology. Olokizumab (OKZ) is a new humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-6 and is one of the few promising drugs for RA therapy. One-hundred-and-twenty-five DNA samples from Russian patients with RA, treated with olokizumab, were genotyped with an NGS panel containing 60 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the whole coding sequences of IL6, IL6R, TNFRSF1A, CTLA4, IL10, IL23R, and PADI4; and by RT-PCR for HLA-DRB1 and HLA-B. Associations of polymorphic variants with olokizumab efficacy according to the scores ACR20, ACR50, and DAS28-CRP were determined. We analyzed the obtained data by using logistic regression, ROC curves, and multivariate ANOVA. A high predictive value of the response to olokizumab therapy at 24 weeks was found for the combination of HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-B*27 alleles with SNPs located in non-HLA genes (IL1B, IL17A, PADI4, DHODH, GLCCI1, IL23R, and TNFAIP3), and clinical characteristics (age, RA duration, and intensity) according to ACR20. Thus, the comprehensive assessment of polymorphic variants of HLA and non-HLA genes considering population characteristics in combination with clinical parameters allows for the elaboration of an RA prognostic panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL), launched in 2002, continues its successful work in observing the sky at energies E > 20 keV. The legacy of the mission already includes a large number of discovered or previously poorly studied hard X-ray sources. The growing INTEGRAL archive allows one to conduct an all-sky survey including a number of deep extragalactic fields and the deepest ever hard X-ray survey of the Galaxy. Taking advantage of the data gathered over 17 yr with the IBIS coded-mask telescope of INTEGRAL , we conducted survey of hard X-ray sources, providing flux information from 17 to 290 keV. The catalogue includes 929 objects, 890 of which exceed a detection threshold of 4.5σ and the rest are detected at 4.0σ–4.5σ and belong to known catalogued hard X-ray sources. Among the identified sources of known or suspected nature, 376 are associated with the Galaxy and Magellanic clouds, including 145 low-mass and 115 high-mass X-ray binaries, 79 cataclysmic variables, and 37 of other types; and 440 are extragalactic, including 429 active galactic nuclei (AGNs), 2 ultra-luminous sources, 1 supernova (AT2018cow), and 8 galaxy clusters. 113 sources remain unclassified. 46 objects are detected in the hard X-ray band for the first time. The Log N -Log S distribution of 356 non-blazar AGNs is measured down to a flux of 2 × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2 and can be described by a power law with a slope of 1.44 ± 0.09 and normalization 8 × 10−3 deg−2 at 10−11 erg s−1 cm−2. The Log N -Log S distribution of unclassified sources indicates that the majority of them are of extragalactic origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular cloud Sgr B2 is a natural Compton mirror in the Central Molecular Zone. It is believed that the observed fading of the Sgr B2 X-ray emission in continuum and the Fe Kα 6.4 keV line indicates past X-ray flare activity of the supermassive black hole Sgr A⋆. Sgr B2 was investigated by the INTEGRAL observatory in the hard X-ray in 2003–2009, showing clear decay of its hard X-ray emission. In this work, we present a long-term time evolution of the Sgr B2 hard X-ray continuum after 2009, associated with the hard X-ray source IGR J17475−2822 as observed by INTEGRAL. The 30–80 keV sky maps, obtained in 2009–2019, demonstrate a significant excess spatially consistent with IGR J17475−2822. The observed 2003–2019 light curve of IGR J17475−2822 is characterized by a linear decrease by a factor of ∼2 until 2011, after which it reaches a constant level of ∼1 mCrab. The source spectrum above 17 keV is consistent with a power-law model with Γ = 1.4 and a high-energy cut-off at ∼43 keV. The Sgr B2 residual emission after ∼2011 shows a good correspondence with models of X-ray emission due to the irradiation of the molecular gas by hard X-rays and low-energy cosmic ray ions. We discuss the possible origin of the residual Sgr B2 emission after 2011 within these models, including theoretically predicted multiply scattered emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]