Two-color gauge theory with novel infrared behavior.

Using lattice simulations, we study the infrared behavior of a particularly interesting SU(2) gauge theory, with six massless Dirac fermions in the fundamental representation. We compute the running gauge coupling derived nonperturbatively from the Schrödinger functional of the theory, finding no evidence for an infrared fixed point up through gauge couplings g(2) of order 20. This implies that the theory either is governed in the infrared by a fixed point of considerable strength, unseen so far in nonsupersymmetric gauge theories, or breaks its global chiral symmetries producing a large number of composite Nambu-Goldstone bosons relative to the number of underlying degrees of freedom. Thus either of these phases exhibits novel behavior.

Pulse carboxyhemoglobin-oximetry and cigarette smoking.

PURPOSE: We used a pulse carbon monoxide (CO)-oximeter to measure the levels of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in smokers and non-smokers. Our goal was to determine if this device could not only define smoking status, but also to increase accuracy of self-reported data at various surveys on smoking. METHODS: Thirty-four healthy volunteers participated in this study. Twenty-two of them were current daily smokers; 12 participants were non-smokers who lived alone or with a nonsmoker, and who worked in non-smoking environment. Nicotine dependency level was determined by the modified Fagerstrom questionnaire. Blood COHb levels were measured with a pulse CO-oximeter (Masimo, Radical 7). RESULTS: The COHb levels in both moderate/heavy smokers and light smokers increased significantly after they smoked a single cigarette. This increase persisted for more than 6 h in the moderate/heavy smokers, while in the light smokers COHb levels returned to the baseline level after one hour. The pulse rate of all smokers increased significantly 20 min after smoking. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the CO-oximeter can detect smoking by moderate/heavy smokers and light smokers if they smoked 6 h or 20 min earlier, respectively. We concluded that it could be used as a validation test for smoking at the time of admission to the surgical facility and to increase smoking abstinence during preoperative and postoperative periods. This noninvasive, simple and inexpensive test may also be used at various surveys to increase accuracy of self-reports on smoking.

A new diagnostic of the plasma density profile near the edge transport barrier from measurements of the radial profile of the H(alpha) line intensity.

An edge transport barrier is now one of the most important subjects of controlled fusion research. The edge transport barrier is located in the plasma region where hydrogen atoms readily penetrate, so the intensity of the H(alpha) (D(alpha)) line is high enough. A new diagnostic method uses the well-known property of hydrogen atoms that the ratio of the ionization rate S(i) to the excitation rate S(v) for the H(alpha) line is nearly constant over a wide range of plasma temperatures and densities. An expression has been derived that relates the radial profiles of the plasma density and H(alpha) intensity. The use of charge coupled device detectors makes it possible to measure the radial profile of H(alpha) line intensity with a resolution approximately 0.1 cm; a high intensity of the H(alpha) line ensures a high time resolution approximately 1 ms. A high resolution is thus achieved for the density profile calculated from the H(alpha) intensity profile. The method was tested when studying the plasma density profile in the region of edge transport barrier in the L-2M stellarator. It has been shown that the density gradient varies during the barrier formation and that a fine structure of the density profile correlates with a character of the plasma transport near resonance magnetic flux surfaces.

[Status of cerebral perfusion pressure and cerebral oxygenation in the acute period after cranio-cerebral injury]. / Sostoianie tserebral'nogo perfuzionnogo davleniia i tserebral'noi oksigenatsii v ostrom periode tiazheloi-mozgovoi travmy.

Sixty-one patients with severe craniocerebral injuries were examined on days 1-3 after the injury. Consciousness was no more than 8 points by the Glasgow Coma Scale. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 1) favorable outcomes and 2) unfavorable outcomes. Gaseous composition of arterial and venous blood was analyzed in all patients, intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) were measured, artificial ventilation of the lungs (AVL) and noninvasive monitoring of cerebral oxygenation (CO) were carried out. The results indicate that continuous monitoring of CPP and CO helps control the time course of cerebral blood flow, thus promoting early detection and effective treatment of cerebral ischemia in critical patients.

[Clinical aspects, diagnosis and surgical treatment in injuries of the iliofemoral venous segment in children]. / Klinika, diagnostika i khirurgicheskoe lechenie povrezhdenii podvzdoshno-bedrennogo venoznogo segmenta u detei.

In 1985-1991 forty patients aged from 12 days to 14 years were treated for sequelae of iatrogenic injury to the iliofemoral venous segment. Twenty-five various operations for autovenous shunting were performed: cross shunt after Palma in 15, autovenous shunt in the anatomical projection in 3, phlebolysis and ligation of the collaterals in 5 cases, extravasal correction with A. N. Vedensky's casing spiral in one case, and direct anastomosis in a newborn infant.

[Effect of vitamin D2 on the monooxygenase activity of the rat liver]. / Vliianie vitamina D2 na aktivnost' monooksigenaz pecheni krys.

Stimulation of lipid peroxidation in the liver microsomal fraction and alteration in the xenobiotic metabolism were found within twelve hrs after a single vitamin D2 administration (960,000 MU/kg) into male rats. The effects observed appear to occur due to the vitamin D2 prooxidative properties.

[Stabilizing action of alpha-tocopherol in postischemic damage to the hydroxylating system of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes of the rat liver]. / Stabiliziruiushchee deistvie al'fa-tokoferola pri postishmicheskom povrezhdenii gidroksiliruiushchei sistemy membran éndoplazmaticheskogo retikuluma pecheni krys.

Administration of alpha-tocopherol (50 mg/kg) as an oily emulsion into male rat stomach every 12 hours 2 days before and 3 days after local disturbance in liver circulation prevents postischemia (72 hours after resumption of circulation) repression of amidopyrine-N-demethylation, aniline-hydroxylation, NADP H-neotetrazolium reductase, NADP H oxidase, a decrease in the cytochrome P-450 level, as well as intensification of ascorbate-dependent lipid peroxidation of hepatocyte endoplasmic reticulum membranes. The protective effect of alpha-tocopherol is suggested to be due to its antioxidative and membrane-stabilizing properties.

[Effect of alpha-tocopherol on the hydroxylating system and lipid peroxidation in membranes of endoplasmic reticulum from ischemic rat liver]. / Vliianie alpha-tokoferola na gidroksiliruiushchuiu sistemu i perekisnoe okislenie lipidov membran éndoplazmaticheskogo retikuluma ishemizirovannoi pecheni krys.

If 60 min long ischemia of a liver tissue lobe occurred after feeding of rats with oil emulsion of alpha-tocopherol at a dose of 50 mg/kg within 12 hrs during 2 days, the "ischemic" decrease in metabolism of amidopyrine and aniline, in content of cytochrome P-450 and activity of initial and middle steps of NADPH-dependent redox chain as well as intensification of ascorbate-dependent peroxidation of membrane lipids were prevented in endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes. The protective effect of alpha-tocopherol on these xenobiotics metabolism is apparently related to an increase in catalytic activity of cytochrome P-450, to the enzyme antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing properties.

[Enzyme activity of microsomal oxidation in ischemic and intact lobes of the rat liver after resumption of the liver blood circulation]. / Aktivnost' fermentov mikrosomal'nogo okisleniia v ishemizirovannykh i intaktnykh doliakh pecheni krys posle vozobnovleniia pechenochnogo krovoobrashcheniia.

Forty-minute lobular ischemia of the rat liver produces no considerable changes in the activity of the enzymes of the hydroxylation system of the hepatocyte endoplasmic reticulum. After resumption of circulation in the microsomes of ischemized and intact lobes of the liver the activity of hydroxylases appreciably decreases, reaching the minimum level by the 72nd hour of the postischemic period. During this time lipid peroxidation increases.

[Changes in the enzyme activity of the hydroxylating system of the rat liver endoplasmic reticulum in ischemia]. / Izmenenie aktivnosti fermentov gidroksiliruiushchei sistemy éndoplazaticheskogo retikuluma pecheni krys pri ishemii.

Local disturbance of liver circulation for 40 minutes did not lead to any substantial changes in the hydroxylation system of microsomes of the ischemized area. 60-, 120- and 180-minute circulation distress causes a progressing decrease in amidopyrine and aniline metabolism, diminution of the content of cytochrome P-450 in the microsomes, and of the activity of NADP.H-ferricytochrome-c-reductase, NADP.H-neotetrazolium-reductase and NADP.H-oxidase. After 120-minute ischemia hydrophobic properties of the microsomal membranes were found to be decreased.

Exobiology and the effect of physical factors on micro-organisms.

A study of the action of different physical factors on micro-organisms is necessary for a further development of exobiology. The action of temperature on crystalline preparations of catalase and peroxidase was studied by means of oscillographic polarography. A determination of the height of polarographic waves at the decrease of temperature from 20 degrees C to 0 degrees C has shown that structural elements of the peroxidase molecule connected with the enzymatic activity are more stable with the decrease of temperature cf. catalase. A relative resistance of the dehydrogenase activity in Az. vinelandii cells to high vacuum was found. Incubation of azotobacter cells under vacuum of 10(-9) mm Hg during 72 hr did not decrease the activity of alcohol and succinic dehydrogenase. Bac. cereus spores can be preserved from bactericidal UV action by thin films of chrome. The thickness of chrome film being 200-670 angstroms, spores are killed by a dose of 7.8 x 10(7) erg/cm2 at 253.7 microns wave length. Spores covered by chrome film thicker than 800 angstroms remain alive after this treatment. Investigations carried out with an 'Artificial Mars' camera led to the following results. The growth of Bac. megaterium on liquid growth media in this camera ceases as a result of UV rays killing all cells after 3 weeks. Untreated bacteria grow in the camera for a long time. Spore-forming bacteria isolated from the sand of the Kara-Kum Desert grow in ground limonite (with the addition of 2% garden soil) having maximum hygroscopic humidity (3.8%). Freezing and thawing (from -60 degrees C to +25 degrees C) corresponding to day temperature deviations on Mars, low pressure (P=10 mm Hg) and the composition of the atmosphere (CO2-50%, N2-40%, Ar-10%) do not influence the growth of xerophylic bacteria under study. Humidity is the main factor limiting the growth of micro-organisms under 'Artificial Mars' conditions. According to the further development of the microbiological meteorite analysis methods, samples of rocks and stone meteorites were sterilized, incubated in the desert or on a snow surface in the Arctic and after different times (from 100 days to 7 months), investigated. In all cases, microbes were found only on the sample surfaces, whereas 1 cm from the surface and in the central parts micro-organism were completely absent. Hence, microbiological analysis of central parts of meteorites fallen in the Arctic or during dry periods of the year in the desert can give reliable results.

The possibility of life in outer space.

Experiments were carried out dealing with the effect of extreme factors on microorganisms. Methods for microbiological analysis of meteorites were developed. The effect of temperature, from -20 degrees C to +15 degrees C, on trypsine activity was studied. It was shown that at about -3 degrees C a definite intramolecular reorganization occurs in the enzyme, leading to decreased activation energy. Previously reported resistance of microorganisms to high vacuum was confirmed. New species were tested at l0(-8)-10(-9) mm Hg. It was shown that very thin metal and metal oxide films, as well as films from other substances, may fully protect microorganisms from the hazardous effect of UV rays. By using an artificial climate, camera forms of microorganisms were selected which have the highest resistance to the whole complex of Martian climatic factors. Pigmented and spore-forming microorganisms resist UV up to a dose of 4.04 x 10(8) erg/cm2. There are microorganisms on Earth which show some activity in soil at a relative humidity of 0.096-0.196%. Preliminary data permit one to assume the possibility of existence of Earth-like forms on Mars. The majority of meteorites are accessible to Earth microorganisms. While choosing a meteorite for microbiological analysis it is necessary to consider the soil and climatic factors of the country where the latter has been found.