Study of Nano h-BN Impact on Lubricating Properties of Selected Oil Mixtures

Our experiments aimed to study the influence of layered materials with nanometric-scale particles, which are part of lubricant oils, on their tribological properties. The object of this study was a lubricant oil made using base oil PAO4, which contained nanoparticle hexagonal boron nitride (nano h-BN) and a dispersant based on succinic acid imide. Comparative tests for engine oil (CB30) were also performed. The paper presents the method of preparing the test material and the tribological test results, including wear spot diameter (wear mark), limit wear load, and seizure load. The test results obtained demonstrate that nano-hexagonal boron nitride improves the tribological properties of lubricant oils. However, oil preparation and the quantitative selection of components markedly influence the results.

Influence of Manufacturing Technology on the Structure of 80W-20Re Heavy Sinters

Preliminary measurement results of 80W-20Re heavy sinters are presented in this paper. Tested samples were taken from three different technology processes, i.e., resistance sintering (RS), pulse plasma sintering (PPS), and conventional sintering in a vacuum furnace. In the first two cases, the obtained sinters were of similar usable properties (porosity and microhardness), while for vacuum sintering, the material with high porosity was obtained. At the same time, it was found that sintering with the use of electric current (RS, PPS) generates microstructures with highly elongated grains.

Production of High-Purity Anhydrous Nickel(II) Perrhenate for Tungsten-Based Sintered Heavy Alloys

This paper presents a method for the production of high-purity anhydrous nickel(II) perrhenate. The method comprises sorption of nickel(II) ions from aqueous nickel(II) nitrate solutions, using strongly acidic C160 cation exchange resin, and subsequent elution of sorbed nickel(II) ions using concentrated perrhenic acid solutions. After the neutralization of the resulting rhenium-nickel solutions, hydrated nickel(II) perrhenate is then separated and then dried at 160 °C to obtain the anhydrous form. The resulting compound is reduced in an atmosphere of dissociated ammonia in order to produce a Re-Ni alloy powder. This study provides information on the selected properties of the resulting Re-Ni powder. This powder was used as a starting material for the production of 77W-20Re-3Ni heavy alloys. Microstructure examination results and selected properties of the produced sintered heavy alloys were compared to sintered alloys produced using elemental W, Re, and Ni powders. This study showed that the application of anhydrous nickel(II) perrhenate in the production of 77W-20Re-3Ni results in better properties of the sintered alloys compared to those made from elemental powders.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland

In this work new species parasitizing on <i>Coleoptera (Cucujomyces rotundatus</i> sp. n. on <i>Silvanus unidentatus, Hydrophilomyces gracilis</i> sp. n. and <i>H. hamatus</i> sp. n. on <i>Cercyon</i> spp.), <i>Dermaptera (Hesperomyces forficulae</i> sp. n.) and Acarina (Rickia polonica sp. n.) are described. The localities of four species new for Poland are given.

The genus Coreomyces Thaxter (Laboulbeniales) in Poland

Three species of fungi from the genus <i>Ceroemyces: C. macropus</i> Th., <i>C. arcuatus</i> Th. and <i>C. italicus</i> Speg. werefound on aconsiderable number of Corixidae from the collection of the Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences and from the author's collection. The first two species have not yet been encountered in Europe. Their descriptions, drawings and stations in Poland and some other East European countries are given.

New species of parasitic fungi occurring on mites (Acarina)

The authors describe three new fungi, external parasites of mites occurring in galleries of bark beetles: <i>Thaxteriola moseri, Acariniola subbasalipunctata<i> and <i>A. basalipunctata</i>. The last two have been included in a new genus <i>Acariniola</i>, differing from other representatives of the group <i>Thaxteriolae</i> by a smaller number of cells constituting the thallus (only two) and a penetration pore separated from the foot.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. III

The sites are described at which ten species of <i>Laboulbeniales</i> were found. Five species are new to science: <i>Corethromyces niger</i> found on a beetle of the <i>Catopidae</i> family, <i>Dioicomyces myrmecophilus</i> on a representative of <i>Colydiidae, Misgomyces annae</i> and <i>M. flexus</i> on representives of <i>Ptiliidae</i> and <i>Stichomyces europaeus</i> on a representative of <i>Staphylinidae</i>. The remaining species are new for the flora of Poland.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. IV

In the fourth of a series of papers dealing with <i>Laboulbeniales</i> in Poland descriptions of two new species: <i>Autophagomyces falcatus</i> sp.n. on <i>Cryptophagus pilosus</i> and <i>Euphoriomyces octotemni</i> sp.n. on <i>Octotemnus globriculus</i> are given The remaining seven species mentioned in the paper are new for Poland and one of them (Rhachomyces speluncalis) was observed for the first time in Europe.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. II

A new genus <i>Fanniomycea</i> gen. nov., with a typical species <i>Fananiomyces ceratophorus</i> (Whisler) comb. nov., differing from the genus <i>Stigmatomyces</i> by a sympodially branehed antheridial appendage. <i>Stigmatomyces pedunculatus</i> sp. n. on <i>Leptocera</i> sp. and <i>Stigmatomyces trianguliapicalis</i> sp. n. on <i>Parydra fossarum</i> have been described and the first stands of <i>S. hydrelliae</i> Th. and <i>S. scaptomyzae</i> Th. in Europe are given.

Species of Erysiphales, Uredinales and Ustilaginales rare or new in Poland

New localities are reported of rare species of <i>Erysiphaceae, Uredinales</i> and <i>Ustilaginales</i> Eleven species, marked are new in the flora of Poland, plant marked are new hosts of fungi in Poland. The more noteworthy new hosts are: <i>Sphaerotheca delphinii (Delphinium exysepalum), Urocystis poae (Poa angustifolia)</i> and <i>Ustilago lolii (Lolium remotum)</i>. The perithecia of <i>Erysiphe galii</i> on <i>Asperula odorata</i> have been recorder in Poland for the first time.

Geographical analysis of the Uredinales flora of Poland

The analysis of the Polish flora of the order <i>Uredinales</i> is based on a simultaneously published descriptive elaboration (M a j e w s k i 1977, ms). The information on the <i>Uredinales</i> flora of Poland has been compared as far as possible with the data obtained from the analysis of the flora of sever al other countries in Europe with a different type of vegetations. In a chapter devoted to the statistics of the flora of Polish rust fungi the number of genera and species of these fungi in Poland is discussed, as well as their life cycles and host plants. The distribution of <i>Uredinales</i> in Poland is analysed on the basis of the A r w i d s s o n - D u r r i e u classification modified by the author, and particular attention is paid to the depedence of the range of the fungus on its life cycle and the occurrence of the host. Changes in the flora a result of its synantropization are also considered. The Polish <i>Uredinales</i> are divided into several groups on the basis of range, and example of their distribution involving historical factors are discussed.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. XI

Ten species of order <i>Laboulbeniales (Ascomycotina)</i>, collected for the first time in Poland by the author, are reported. Four species are new for science: <i>Cryptandromyces bibloplecti</i> on <i>Bibloplectus ambiguus</i> (Reich.) (<i>Coleoptera, Pselaphidae</i>), <i>Laboulbenia atroseptata</i> on <i>Rugilus erichsoni</i> Fauv. (<i>Col., Staphylimdae</i>), <i>Monoicomyces matthiatis</i> on <i>Platystethus arenarius</i> (Fourcr.) (<i>Col., Staphylinidae</i>) and <i>Stigmatomyces biformis</i> on <i>Leptocera spinipennis</i> Hal. (<i>Diptera, Sphaeroceridae</i>), <i>Monoicomyces infuscatus</i> Speg. and <i>Stigmatomyces platensis</i> Speg. were found for the first time in Europe.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. X

In a consecutive paper in the series concerning Polish <i>Laboulbeniales</i>, several species new for Poland are reported. Similarly as in the earlier papers of this series, all specimens were found by the author (if not otherwise indicated). The specimens are kept in the author's collection at the Mycology Laboratory of the Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw.

Rare and new Labonlbeniales from Poland. VI

The author describes two new genera of fungi from the order <i>Laboulbeniales: Tavaresiella</i> gcn.n., similar to <i>Symplectromyces</i> Thaxter, with the type species <i>T. hebri</i> sp. n., and <i>Triceromyces</i> gen.n., related to <i>Distolomyces</i> Thaxler, with type species <i>T. balazucii</i> sp. n.; both are parasites of <i>Hebrus</i> spp. (<i>Heteroptera</i>). A new species on <i>Sphaerosoma globosum</i> (<i>Coleoptera, Endomychidac</i>), <i>Euphoriomyces rossii</i> sp.n. is also described, and the localities of seven other species new for Poland are presented.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. IX

The author describes two new species (<i>Monoicomyces labiatus</i> sp. n. on <i>Aleocharinae</ div.i> and <i>Rickia stellata</i> sp. n. on <i>Pleuronectocelaeno cuspidata, Acaria</i>), and gives the ocalities in which other species being new for Poland (with the exception of two <i>Trenomyces</i> spp.) were found.

Ryszard Kruszyński (1908-1940)

The biography of the author of several papers on the fungal parasites of plants in former North-Eastern Poland (at present Lithuanla), who worked in the Station for Plant Protection in Vilna.

New and rare Laboulbenialis (Ascomycetes) from the Białowieża Forest (NE Poland)

This paper presents descriptions of some interesting species of the <i>Laboulbeniales</i> collected by the author in the Białowieża Forest and its foreland (NE Poland) in the period 1994-1998. Among them are 18 determined species new for Poland, four new for science (<i>Corethromyces bialowiezensis</i> sp.n. on Tachyporus solutus, Cryptandromyces bryaxidis</i> sp.n. on <i>Bryaxis bulbifer, Euphoriomyces unilateralis</i> sp.n. on <i>Agathidium atrum</i>, and <i>Phaulomyces ptilii</i> sp.n. on <i>Ptilium affine</i>), and two or three species new for Europe (<i>Peyritschiella geminata</i> Thaxter, <i>Zodiomyces subseriatus</i> Thaxter and perhaps <i>Laboulbenia epithricis</i> Thaxter). Four species are probably new for science but the collected material is too scanty to describe them. Additionally, details concerning morphology or systematic position of some species known already from Poland are supplemented. These data essentially complemented a recent description of Polish species of the group (Majewski 1994).

Professor Andrzej Nespiak (1921-1981)

The biography of a professor of the Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Botany of the Medical Academy in Wrocław, who was formerly an investigator of the Agricultural Academy in Wrocław. He worked on mycorhiza, the participation of Macromycetes in forest communities and the use of fungi for synthesis of some organic compounds, he was also the author of the Polish flora of the genus <i>Cortinarius</i> (1975,1981) and <i>Inocybe</i> (manuscript).

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. VII

This publication gives descriptions of four new species: <i>Dipodomyces phloeocharidis</i> sp. n. on <i>Phloeocharis subtilissima, Rickia pachylaelapis</i> sp. n. on <i>Pachylaelaps holothyroides</i>, and <i>Rickia ptiliidaium</i> sp. n. on <i>Nannoptilium</i> sp. There are also the localities of six other species new for Poland.

Professor Tadeusz Dominik (1909-1980)

A biography of prof. dr Tadeusz Dominik (1909-1980), professor of Agriculture Academy in Szczecin, an investigator of mycorrhize soil fungi, particularly keratinophilig and phytopathogenic fungi.

Rare and new Laboulbeniales from Poland. VIII

Stands were reported for 10 species ot <i>Laboulbeniales</i> new for Poland, including those new for science: <i>Euphoriomyces huggertii</i> on <i>Proteinus brachypterus</i> and <i>Acrulia inflata, Hydrophilomyces pusillus</i> on <i>Ochthebius minimus, Rickia georgii</i> on <i>Hypoaspis cuneifer</i> and <i>Rickia protein</i> on <i>Proteinus</i> spp.

Some additional Laboulbeniales (Ascomycetes) new to Poland

Six fungal species belonging to the order Laboulbeniales new to Poland are described and illustrated: <em>Dimeromyces corynetis</em> Thaxter, <em>Euphoriomyces magnicellulatus</em> Santamaria, <em>Laboulbenia cornuta</em> Thaxter, <em>L. manubriolata</em> Thaxter, <em>L. nana</em> Sugiyama and <em>L. olisthopi</em> Spegazzini. The status of the latter species, also reported from Ukraine, is briefly discussed.

[An attempt to identify to cryptogamic plants in Syreniusz's herbal]

The current paper constitutes an attempt to identify the algae, fungi, lichens and liverworts mentioned in the extensive Herbal by Syreniusz, published in Cracow in 1613. All four algae mentioned are maritime species. As for fungi, Syreniusz described the fungus Fomitopsis officinalis, which was then used in medicine, and he listed several Polish names of edible and poisonous macromycetes, and also mentioned rust on wheat. The lichen that has been identified is the species Lobaria pulmonaria, and the liverwort is Marchantia polymorpha, both used in medicine.

[Adenocarcinoma of the lung with metastases to the pituitary and both adrenal glands]

A case of lung adenocarcinoma with metastases in both adrenals and pituitary gland in 52-year old patient is presented. Adrenal glands metastases were diagnosed on a base of CT scans. Pituitary metastases caused gradual loss of vision. MR imaging showed a lesion in the sella and suprasellar areas and suggested meningioma. Right frontal craniotomy with the partial removal of the tumor was performed. Three days later the patient died. Histopathological results of the pituitary masses revealed adenocarcinoma.

Decreased histamine release by luteinizing-hormone-releasing-hormone antagonists obtained upon translocation of the cationic amino acid from position 8 to position 7

We report analogues of N-Ac-D-Nal-D-Cpa-D-Pal-Ser-Lys(Pic)-D-Lys(Pic)-Leu-Ilys-Pro-D-Ala- NH2, the parent antagonist (PA), which is a potent antagonist of LHRH. To simplify future radioactive labeling we prepared N-Ac-D-Nal-D-Cpa-D-Pal-Ser-Lys(Pic)-D-Lys(Pic)-Leu-Arg-Pro-D-Ala-NH2 (4), [Arg8]PA, which had good activity in the antiovulatory assay (AOA). Other analogues were designed at first by substituting with Arg at positions 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10, and Trp or Leu at position 8. Subsequent analogues were prepared in attempts to improve the AOA of the initial ones. Substitutions with Arg9 or Arg10 led to analogues 1-3 with no AOA activity at 5 micrograms/rat. However, substitution with Arg7 gave 9, [Arg7,Leu8]PA, with significant activity in the AOA at 5 micrograms/rat and borderline activity at 2.5 micrograms/rat, and substitution with Ilys7 gave 13, [Ilys7,Leu8]PA, with borderline activity at 2 micrograms/rat, both analogues showing much weaker activity than PA in the histamine release assay (HRA) and therefore being potentially safer. Substitutions with D-Arg6 or Arg5 led to analogues with either good AO activity at 5 micrograms/rat (analogue 7) or with borderline activity at 5 micrograms/rat (analogue 8), although both were more potent than 6 in the HRA. Combinations of Ilys or Arg at positions 7 and 8 led to 10 and 11, both of which were tested at 2 micrograms/rat and found to have either good AO activity (analogue 10) or borderline activity (analogue 11) but unsuitably potent in HR. Substitutions using Ilys7 and neutral amino acids at position 8 led to 14-17 which were inactive in the AOA. Of great significance is the substitution with Arg7 yielding analogue 9, which was much safer in the HRA than analogue 4, [Arg8]PA. Analogues 9 and 13, featuring substitutions with the Arg7-Leu8 or Ilys7-Leu8 sequences were even safer than PA or 6 in the HRA. Analogue 12, [D-Trp3,Tyr5,D-Arg6,Arg7,Leu8]PA, featuring the Arg7-Leu8 sequence, had much lower potency in the HRA than [D-Trp3,Tyr5,D-Arg6,Leu7,Arg8]PA, which has the normal Leu7-Arg8 sequence. Ilys7 together with neutral amino acids at position 8 led to analogues 14-17 which were also very weak (safer) in the HRA, with the smaller amino acids Ala8 and Abu8 being the weakest of all analogues prepared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Selected cytokines and soluble forms of cytokine receptors in coronary artery disease

Background: Cytokines may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: We examined serum concentrations of selected pro- (TNFalpha, IL-2) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines, and soluble forms of TNF receptors (sTNFR 1 and sTNFR 2) by ELISA in 45 patients with stable exertional angina (group 1), 32 patients with unstable angina (group 2), and 20 healthy subjects (group C). Results: Serum concentrations of both TNFalpha (group 1, 18.3; group 2, 17.2 pg/ml; P<0.001) and IL-10 (group 1, 46.1; group 2, 41.5 pg/ml; P<0.05) were significantly higher in patients with CAD than in group C (8.3 and 14.3 pg/ml, respectively). sTNFR 1 serum level was higher in group 1 (1399.6; P<0.05) than in healthy volunteers (1093.9 pg/ml). In turn, the serum level of IL-2 was significantly higher in unstable patients than it was in groups 1 and C (89.4, 59.8 and 52.8 pg/ml, respectively). In group 1, both TNFalpha and IL-2 correlated with serum lipids. Conclusions: Patients with CAD, irrespective of the form of the disease, have higher serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines than control subjects. Increased concentrations of IL-2 in unstable angina may suggest additional immunologic activation. The pro-inflammatory cytokine levels seem to be related to lipid disturbances.

Survey of yeast mastitis in dairy herds of small-type farms in the Lublin region, Poland

The purpose of this study was to isolate fungi from the quarter milk of cow udders in 9 dairy farms. The samples were collected between May 1996 and April 2000 in the Lublin region. Six hundred and four milk samples collected from the quarters of 172 cows with clinical and subclinical mastitis were examined. Milk samples were plated as soon as possible on blood agar (BA), Mac Conkey agar, aesculin-tallium acetate-crystal violet blood agar, and Sabouraud agar with chloramphenicol and gentamicin. Fifty eight (9.6%) of the samples were positive for fungi. All of the fungal isolates were yeasts of the genera Candida, Rhodotorula and Trichosporon. We also isolated Streptococcus agalactiae (4.9%), Str. spp.(6.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (10.4%), coagulase-negative staphylococci-CNS (36.6%), Escherichia coli (3.5%), other microorganisms (2.6%) and no growth (25.8%).

Vascularized bone marrow transplanted in orthotopic hind-limb stimulates hematopoietic recovery in total-body-irradiated rats

Hematopoietic recovery after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is reported to be slow with long-lasting immune deficiency. This may be attributable to lack of a proper microenvironment for hematopoietic cell proliferation and differentiation. We have designed a model in which complete hematopoietic reconstitution of lethally irradiated rats can be achieved by vascularized bone marrow transplantation (VBMT) in an orthotopic hind-limb graft. The aim of the study was to investigate the process of repopulation of bone marrow cavities and peripheral blood of irradiated rats after VBMT and, in particular, to follow the contribution of grafted BM cells and residual recipient BM cells in hematopoietic regeneration. Lewis hind-limbs were transplanted orthotopically to totally irradiated (8 Gy) syngeneic sex-mismatched recipients (VBMT). In the control group 8 x 10(7) BM cells in suspension were injected intravenously (BMCT). After 10 days BM and peripheral blood (PB) cells were collected from the recipient. For cell subset analysis cytomorphological evaluation of BM smears and flow cytometry of PB cells were performed. Additionally, PCR was performed using specific primers for rat Y chromosome (sex-determining region Y-Sry) to detect male (donor or recipient) cells in sex-mismatched BM graft recipients and the products were analyzed by electrophoresis. VBMT brought about much faster replenishment of nucleated cells in BM and PB than did BMCT. Cytometry analysis of PB cells revealed more lymphocytes in VBMT than in BMCT recipients. The amount of donor DNA of bands corresponding to Y-Sry was also higher in PB cells of VBMT than of BMCT recipients. The presence of host DNA was observed in PB cells of VBMT rats but was not detected in PB population of BMCT recipients. VBMT is highly effective in hematopoietic reconstitution of irradiated recipients. The fast cell maturation and repopulation may be due to the presence of stromal cells transplanted in a normal spatial relationship with donor hematopoietic cells in hind-limb graft. Self renewal of radioresistant host cells was seen after VBMT but not after BMCT.

Standardized tests of heart rate variability: normal ranges obtained from 309 healthy humans, and effects of age, gender, and heart rate

The authors undertook this study to determine the effects of age, gender, and heart rate (HR) on the results of cardiac autonomic function tests for measuring heart rate variability (HRV) in a large sample of healthy subjects (n = 309). Conventional tests (deep breathing, maximum/minimum 30:15 ratio), and a standardized 5-minute resting study, including spectral analysis of HR, were used. The main findings included (1) the indices of all tests, except for the ratio of the low- (LF) to high-frequency (HF) spectral power (LF/HF ratio) and HR itself, are inversely related to age in both sexes; (2) the 5-minute spectral bands (except for the LF/HF ratio), the variation coefficient, expiratory-inspiratory ratio during deep breathing, and the maximum/minimum 30:15 ratio are independent of HR; (3) women up to the age of 55 years have a higher resting HR compared with men; (4) young and middle-aged women show a significantly lower LF power and LF/HF ratio compared with age-matched men, whereas no significant gender differences are observed in the absolute HF power. The authors computed age- and gender-dependent normal values for each of the HRV indices studied here and discuss the clinical consequences arising from gender differences in HRV.

Clinical education in two-year colleges: cost-benefit issues

Allied health program directors and administrators need to be aware of the costs and benefits of their clinical training programs to assure continued availability of training facilities for students. In a pilot study, program directors and administrators who are members of the National Network of Health Career Programs in Two-year Colleges (NN2) were surveyed concerning items to include in a cost-benefit-analysis tool, intangible and tangible costs and benefits of clinical education programs, and evaluation of a tool to analyze costs and benefits. Surveys were sent to 138 NN2 members, with 58 responding. Clinical sites were primarily in independent hospitals or health care systems. Most programs had preceptor-to-student ratios of 1:1-1:2, with few students being paid for clinical work. The respondents identified costs as staff time, materials and supplies, equipment, and others. Benefits were orientation and recruitment savings; increased professionalism, job satisfaction, and work quality of staff; ability to maintain and upgrade staff skills and knowledge; and student assistance with clinical coverage. Few programs were required to perform cost analysis. Allied health clinical education programs continue to depend on the willingness of health care facilities to accept students for clinical training.

Autonomic neurocardiac function in patients with major depression and effects of antidepressive treatment with nefazodone

BACKGROUND

Major depression (MD) is associated with an augmented risk of cardiovascular mortality. One possible explanation for this association is that MD influences autonomic neurocardiac regulation (ANR). However, previous studies on this subject revealed conflicting results.

METHODS

Using an autonomic test battery, which consisted of standardised measurements of heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure, we (1) compared ANR between 25 patients with DSM-III-R diagnosed MD and 60 healthy controls, and (2) investigated the autonomic effects of antidepressive treatment with nefazodone.

RESULTS

Following multivariate analysis of all tests a significant reduction in HRV could only be shown for the Valsalva ratio amongst the depressives compared to controls. There was a significant inverse correlation between the HRV during deep respiration and both the severity of depression and the duration of the depressive episode. Serial HRV recordings revealed that both the mean resting heart rate and systolic blood pressure significantly decreased after 21 days of nefazodone treatment (average dosage 413 mg/day), whereas after 10 days (average dosage 270.8 mg/day) there were no striking changes compared to the pre-treatment values. During nefazodone treatment no significant changes in parasympathetic tone occurred.

LIMITATIONS

ANR was not assessed in a randomised, placebo-controlled fashion.

CONCLUSIONS

(1) Patients with MD may suffer from functional disturbances in the interaction between the sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic tree. (2) The pattern of autonomic changes during treatment suggests that nefazodone induced a dose dependent, serotonergically-mediated down-regulation of the sympathetic tone. This mechanism might be responsible for nefazodone's properties of reducing anxiety.