Setup of a 3D printed wind tunnel: Application for calibrating bi-directional velocity probes used in fire engineering applications.

The research presented here focuses on the development of a 3D printed wind tunnel and the relevant equipment to be used for calibrating bi-directional velocity probes (BDVP). BDVP are equipment to be used for measuring velocity flow by determining the pressure difference of hot gases generated during fires. The manufactured probes require calibration to determine the calibration factor.

Cellular and humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in patients treated with either Ibrutinib or Rituximab.

Patients treated with B-cell-targeting therapies like Rituximab or Ibrutinib have decreased serological response to various vaccines. In this study, we tested serological and cellular response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in 16 patients treated with Ibrutinib, 16 treated with maintenance Rituximab, 18 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) with watch and wait status and 21 healthy volunteers. In comparison with the healthy volunteers, where serological response was achieved by 100% subjects, patients on B-cell-targeting therapy (Ibrutinib and Rituximab) had their response dramatically impaired.

Noise Pollution and Its Correlations with Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Cement Plants in Vietnam.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is a global issue that is caused by many factors. The purpose of this study was to survey noise level to identify NIHL and its relationship with other factors in cement plants in Vietnam. Noise level was measured at one cement plant and three cement grinding stations located in the South of Vietnam.

Diagnostic Value of Unenhanced CT Attenuation and CT Histogram Analysis in Differential Diagnosis of Adrenal Tumors.

: Our aim was to verify the optimal cut-off value for unenhanced CT attenuation and the percentage of negative voxels in the volume CT histogram analysis of adrenal masses. : We retrospectively analyzed the CT data of patients who underwent an adrenalectomy in the period 2002-2019. In total, 413 adrenalectomies were performed.

Influence of slice thickness on result of CT histogram analysis in indeterminate adrenal masses.

Purpose: The aim was to determine the optimal slice thickness of CT images and the optimal threshold of negative voxels for CT histogram analysis to distinguish adrenal adenomas from non-adenomas with a mean attenuation more than 10 Hounsfield units (HU).

Methods: Volume CT histogram analysis of 83 lipid-poor adenomas and 80 non-adenomas was performed retrospectively. The volume of interest was extracted from each adrenal lesion, and the mean attenuation, standard deviation (SD), and percentage of voxels with a negative CT value were recorded using reconstructions with different slice thicknesses (5 mm, 2.

Autoantibodies against ZnT8 are rare in Central-European LADA patients and absent in MODY patients, including those positive for other autoantibodies.

Background: Testing for autoantibodies against the zinc transporter ZnT8 (ZnTA) is becoming routine in pediatric diabetes. However, available data are inconclusive when focusing on adult-onset diabetes, including autoimmune diabetes, which does not require insulin at diagnosis (LADA).

Basic Procedures: We examined the ZnTA prevalence and titers and matched them with the clinical phenotype and PTPN22 genotypes of Czech LADA patients who were positive for GADA and/or IA2A and had a fasting C-peptide level >200 pmol/L at diagnosis as well as HNF4A-, GCK- or HNF1A-MODY patients and healthy controls.

Updates on the surface antigens of basophils: CD16 on basophils of patients with respiratory or insect venom allergy and the rejection of CD203c and CD63 externalization decoupling by bisindolylmaleimides.

Background: CD16 was previously suggested to be a new marker of basophils that is subject to downregulation by FcεRI crosslinking. Certain compounds, including supraoptimal concentrations of the PKC inhibitors, bisindolylmaleimides, decouple the release of granules containing CD203c, CD63 and histamine, and may thus help to identify the mechanisms related to the CD16 externalization.

Objective: We hypothesized that CD16 is differentially expressed on the surface of basophils in patients with birch pollen or insect venom allergy and is subject to a regulation in response to allergens.

Pimecrolimus Is a Potent Inhibitor of Allergic Reactions to Hymenopteran Venom Extracts and Birch Pollen Allergen In Vitro.

Pimecrolimus (Elidel, SDZ ASM 981) is an anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory 33-epichloro-derivative of macrolactam ascomycin, with low potential for affecting systemic immune responses compared with other calcineurin inhibitors, cyclosporin A and tacrolimus. Despite numerous studies focused on the mechanism of pimecrolimus action on mast cells, only the single report has addressed pimecrolimus effects on other typical FcεRI-expressing cells, the basophils. Patients allergic to birch pollen (n = 20), hymenopteran venoms (n = 23) and 10 non-allergic volunteers were examined.

Should the negativity for islet cell autoantibodies be used in a prescreening for genetic testing in maturity-onset diabetes of the young? The case of autoimmunity-associated destruction of pancreatic β-cells in a family of HNF1A-MODY subjects.

It was recently suggested that routine islet cell autoantibody testing should be performed to discriminate maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) from type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). This is the first report ever to describe the familial manifestation of T1DM autoimmunity in nonobese HNF1A-MODY subjects and the presence of islet antigen-2 (IA-2) antibodies in MODY subjects. Three nonobese subjects in an age range of 14-35 years were diagnosed with HNF1A-MODY (p.

Physiotherapy as an immunoactive therapy? A pilot study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to confirm the immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory changes in the immunologic profile after two months of the facilitation physiotherapy in patients with multiple sclerosis; and to determine whether the changes in the immunologic profile correlate with the changes in dehydroepiandrosterone, the brain microstructure and clinical functions.

Design & Setting: A group of 12 patients with multiple sclerosis was examined twice: at the beginning and 2 months later after the patients had undergone the facilitation therapy. Standardized tests evaluating chosen clinical functions (balance, righting, equilibrium and protective reactions, tremor, dysdiadochokinesis, dysmetry, fine hand function and walking), immune parameters (parameters of the humoral and cellular immunity), dehydroepiandrosterone and diffusion tensor imaging (the fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity) were measured.

Interlaboratory study of free monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain quantification.

Background: Quantification of monoclonal immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs) in serum is used increasingly in clinical practice for the diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and treatment monitoring of monoclonal gammopathies. It is used as an adjunct to standard serum protein electrophoresis and immunofixation. However, methods for FLC quantification need further standardization and validation.

Mouse to human comparative genetics reveals a novel immunoglobulin E-controlling locus on Hsa8q12.

Atopy is a predisposition to hyperproduction of immunoglobulin E (IgE) against common environmental allergens. It is often associated with development of allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis, and dermatitis. Production of IgE is influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

Diabetes mellitus in adults: association of HLA DRB1 and DQB1 diabetes risk alleles with GADab presence and C-peptide secretion.

In our study, we investigated the relationship of HLA class II alleles to antibody production against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADab) and to C-peptide secretion (CP) in diabetic patients. A group of 334 patients (190 women) diagnosed after 35 years of age and 99 control subjects were studied. Patients were divided into four groups according to concentrations of CP and GADab, respectively (CP high/low, GADab positive/negative).