The homogeneous stirred reactor designed for kinetic studies of the combustion of hydrocarbons with intensive internal recirculation in high temperature combustion chamber is described. The originality of our reactor lies in its construction which allows to intensively mix fuel and flue gases, measure gas temperature as well as obtain samples which can be used to investigate diffusion flames. The cylindrical construction enables to use the reactor in laboratory cylindrical electrically heated ovens. The CFD analysis of the reactors, the mixing parameters (turbulent Peclet number and mixing level) and the volume average temperature in the reactors were elaborated on the basis of the typical dimensions of classical reactors to kinetics research as well as the own reactor design. The results of the analysis allow to reveal advantages of our construction.

I n t r o d u c t i o n: Hydronephrosis is an actual pediatric problem, affecting children in the anteand neonatal periods. Intrinsic stenosis is due to external obstruction and creates a pathophysiological basis of this urological pathology. Co-localization of ureter with a renal vasculature also could not be omitted from this point of view. Mesenchymal cells, partially telocytes, are important for local fibrosis development and hydronephrosis formation as well. In the current study, we focused on identification of telocytes in the human ureters to hypothesize their role in hydronephrosis pathophysiology.

M a t e r i a l a n d Me t h o d s: The samples were taken from 18 surgically treated patients with hydronephrosis (due to ureteral obstruction and crossing renal vessel). The control group consisted of 10 patients suffered from a non-obstructive disease of the urinary tract — predominantly renal tumors. Tissue samples from a ureter were stained for c-kit, tryptase, CD34 and PDGFRα to identify telocytes. Routine histology was performed to analyze tissue morphology, collagen deposits and mast cell’s profile.

R e s u l t s: Telocytes were detected in the ureteral wall. In patients with hydronephrosis we revealed decreasing density of telocytes, the prevalence of collagen, rise in mast cells amount and the ureteral wall thickening. In ureters with crossing renal vessels as a primary etiologic factor more telocytes have been observed in comparison with the obstructive hydronephrosis.

C o n c l u s i o n s: A declined density of telocytes accompanied hydronephrosis development. Increased number of mast cells in the ureteral wall reflects a local inflammation, while detailed observation of collagen/muscle deposits and density of telocytes reveal a difference depended on etiologic factor (obstruction or crossing vessel) in patients with hydronephrosis.

Controlling mechanical systems with position and velocity cascade loops is one of the most effective methods to operate this type of systems. However, when using low-rate sampling electronics, the implementation is not trivial and the resulting performance can be poor. This paper proposes effective tuning rules that only require establishing the bandwidth of the inner velocity loop and an estimation of the inertia of the mechanism. Since discrete-time mechatronic systems can also exhibit unstable behavior, several stability conditions are also derived. By using the proposed methodology, a P-PI control algorithm is developed for a desktop haptic device, obtaining good experimental performance with low sampling-rate electronics.

Higher active power of a submerged arc furnace is commonly believed to increase its capacity in the process of ferrosilicon smelting. This is a true statement but only to a limited extent. For a given electrode diameter d, there is a certain limit value of the submerged arc furnace active power. When this value is exceeded, the furnace capacity in the process of ferrosilicon smelting does not increase but the energy loss is higher and the technical and economic indicators become worse. Maximum output regarding the reaction zone volumes is one of parameters that characterize similarities of furnaces with various geometrical parameters. It is proportional to d3 and does not depend on the furnace size. The results of statistical analysis of the ferrosilicon smelting process in the 20 MVA furnace have been presented. In addition to basic electrical parameters, such as active power and electrical load of the electrodes, factors contributing to higher resistance of the furnace bath and resulting lower reactive power Px demonstrate the most significant effect on the electrothermal process of ferrosilicon smelting. These parameters reflect metallurgical conditions of ferrosilicon smelting, such as the reducer fraction, position of the electrodes and temperature conditions of the reaction zones.

Polish energy security is currently one of the key elements affecting the national security system. Maintaining operational efficiency and the permanent modernization of both, power plants, as well as transformer stations and transmission networks is a starting point of ensuring energy security in our country. This is a significant challenge, taking into account the age of the energy critical infrastructure elements in Poland, as well as the permanent increase of the demand for electricity. This implies a systematic growth of the importance of the issue the country’s energy security. The numerous events and anomalies that accompany our everyday life, such as the storms that passed over Poland on the night of August 11–12, 2017, indicate the considerable sensitivity of the critical energy infrastructure on the impact of various negative factors. The security of Polish critical infrastructure connected with the distribution of electricity is particularly at risk. Therefore, it is desirable not only for current repairs and the modernization of the power system elements, but also for the work related to adapting the infrastructure to current and even forecasted needs, challenges and threats. In the face of the presented research results, the reconstruction of the Polish power system, as well as the implementation of innovative solutions in the production, transmission and distribution of energy seems to be unavoidable. Therefore interdisciplinary research and analyses are recommended, allowing the level security of the critical infrastructure to be increased through the best possible diagnosis of factors that may even slightly threaten this security.

Hass avocado cultivation in Colombia has grown rapidly in area in recent years. It is being planted in marginal areas, which leads to low yields, and in many cases is related to diseases. Ecological niche modeling (ENM) can offer a view of the potential geographic and environmental distribution of diseases, and thus identify areas with suitable or unsuitable conditions for their development. The aim of the study was to assess current and potential distribution of the major diseases on Hass avocado in Colombia. Areas planted with Hass avocado in Antioquia, Colombia were sampled for diseases including the following pathogens: Phytophthora cinnamomi, Verticillium sp., Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Phytophthora palmivora, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu lato, Pestalotia sp., and Capnodium sp., and one disorder hypoxia-anoxia. These pathogens were selected based on their relevance (incidence-severity) and capacity to cause damage in different tissues of avocado plants. Severity and incidence of each disease were related to environmental information from vegetation indices and topographic variables using maximum entropy modeling approaches (MaxEnt). Models were calibrated only across areas sampled, and then transferred more broadly to areas currently planted, and to potential zones for planting. Combinations of best performance and low omission rates were the basis for model selection. Results show that Hass avocado has been planted in areas highly conducive for many pathogens, particularly for Phytophthora cinnamomi and hypoxia-anoxia disorder. Ecological niche modeling approaches offer an alternative toolset for planning and making assessments that can be incorporated into disease management plans.

Background: Uterine leiomyoma is the most widespread benign tumor affecting women of childbearing age. There are still gaps in the understanding of its pathogenesis. Telocytes are unique cells found in more than 50 different locations inside the human body. The functional relationship between cells could clarify the pathogenesis of leiomyomata. Examination of membrane receptors on telocytes could explain their role in fibrosis, oxidative stress, and myometrial contractility.

Aim: This research was conducted to assess the density of telocytes in terms of their putative role in leiomyoma formation by focusing on their correlation with the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors.

Methods: For gross evaluation of uterine tissue samples from leiomyoma, routine histology of adjacent and unaffected myometrium was performed. Immunohistochemical analysis of c-kit, tryptase, CD34, PDGFRα (telocyte-specific), and ER and PRs (estrogen and progesterone receptors) was performed to examine uterine telocytes and the expression of sex steroid receptors.

Results: The decline in telocyte density in leiomyoma foci was correlated with high progesterone expression and low estrogen receptor expression. The unchanged myometrium showed the opposite correlation and balance between both steroid hormone receptors. The difference in sex steroid receptor expression is correlated with the density of uterine telocytes, which emphasizes their conductor function.

Conclusions: A reduction in telocyte density and the changes in examined marker expression demon-strate the involvement of telocytes in local homeostasis. The expression of membrane receptors explicitly indicates their functional potential in the human myometrium, focusing attention on contractility and local homeostasis.

Knowledge of uterine fibroids has existed since the time of Hippocrates. However, there are still wide gaps in the understanding of its pathogenesis. No single theory explains the background of uterine fibroid pathology, which affects more than 50% of women worldwide. By contrast, a newly depicted cell type called telocytes was only recently identified in the past twenty years. Th ese cells have evoked ambivalent opinions in the scientific community. The unique features of telocytes coupled with experimental evidence by numerous researchers and our hypotheses and conceptions are discussed in this review. We emphasize the main telocyte interactions in the context of the uterine fibroid architecture. This review reveals the pivotal role of telocytes, describing their contacts with smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, vessels and nerves, inflammatory cells and stem cells. Our data are based on the latest publications and our own results.

In the paper, on the basis of our studies and the available literature data, a model of changes in the number of active centers corresponding to the structure of the reactive coal particle has been developed. A new distribution function that links the specific surface area of a particle with its porosity and reaction degree has been proposed. An equation for estimation of changes in this parameter during the reaction, on the basis of the initial value, has been presented. In the range of our data and the analysis of the literature data, the model, with satisfactory accuracy, describes internal structural changes of coal and coal char particles. The present results may constitute a basis for complex modelling of coal conversion processes.

Based on the results it was found that the total active centres are related to the internal surface area and porosity of the particle. For a specific coal type, this value depends on the porosity, true density and size of the particle. Changes in total active centres, when these structural properties during thermal conversion of coal are considered, are described in equations.

The paper presents methods of on-line and off-line estimation of UAV position on the basis of measurements from its integrated navigation system. The navigation system installed on board UAV contains an INS and a GNSS receiver. The UAV position, as well as its velocity and orientation are estimated with the use of smoothing algorithms. For off-line estimation, a fixed-interval smoothing algorithm has been applied. On-line estimation has been accomplished with the use of a fixed-lag smoothing algorithm. The paper includes chosen results of simulations demonstrating improvements of accuracy of UAV position estimation with the use of smoothing algorithms in comparison with the use of a Kalman filter.