Psychosomatic disorders associated with pruritus in patients with lichen planus (review)

This review examines the psychosomatic aspects of pruritus in dermatological practice, as well as chronic dermatoses associated with pruritus of psychosomatic disorders in a lichen planus model. As the leading nosogenic factor, skin itching is involved in the development of psychogenic, neurotic, and depressive disorders. Notably, psychosomatic disorders associated with itching form various comorbidities with phenotypic manifestations of lichen planus. The introduction of an integrated multidisciplinary approach into the clinical practice, with the inclusion of psychocorrectional techniques in basic dermatological treatment, can help to optimize the course of skin disease. The modern domestic and foreign sources of literature were reviewed.

Row Orientation and Defoliation Effects on Grape Composition of Vitis vinifera L. Agiorgitiko in Nemea (Greece)

Vineyard row orientation and canopy side exert a significant role in determining grape microclimate. The latter can be further manipulated by selective defoliation in the bunch zone. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of row orientation and basal leaf removal on grape ripening of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Agiorgitiko in Nemea, Southern Greece. The experiment was conducted in 2017, on two adjacent vineyard blocks planted in 1990 on a flat site with two row orientations, North-South and East-West. Both blocks were grafted onto 41B rootstock and trained on a double cordon vertical trellis with uniform vineyard operations. Defoliation treatments included full leaf removal in the bunch zone performed at berry set and a non defoliated control, replicated three times in both blocks. Grapes were sampled at three time points from veraison to harvest from all canopy sides (i.e. E and W on North-South oriented rows and N and S on East-West oriented rows) and defoliation treatments and were analyzed for yield components and berry chemical composition. In addition, approximately 5 kg of grapes were collected from all plots and processed according to a standard winemaking protocol. Total yield and berry mass were lowest in the W-exposed and in the defoliated grapes. Must sugar and acid content, as well as wine alcohol and acidity did not depend on either factor. Skin anthocyanins and phenolics generally increased with defoliation. Skin anthocyanins and total berry phenolics were highest for north-south oriented rows, in the grapes of the cooler canopy side (E). Wines made from grapes of the E and W canopy sides showed the highest wine color, phenolic richness and the lowest pH. No interaction between row orientation and defoliation was detected for any of the measured parameters. According to the results, the E-facing grapes on the north-south oriented rows showed generally a superior grape and wine composition for Agiorgitiko variety, under the semiarid conditions of the Nemea area.

The Simulation of Axial Compressor Performance Using an Annulus Wall Boundary Layer Theory

This paper summarizes the development of a computer program to simulate axial compressor performance. The program incorporates a well-established technique for cascade performance prediction and a modified radial equilibrium method of calculating the mainstream axial velocity distribution. The program’s most important feature is a new theory of annulus wall boundary layers which predicts annulus boundary layer development and losses. The empirical input to the present annulus wall boundary layer model is very restricted and involves well defined quantities: shape factor, skin friction, and leakage coefficients. Special provision is made for cases where the annulus wall boundary layers are merged; this aspect needs improvement however. Theoretically derivable losses due to the annulus wall, in combination with cascade losses, yield overall compressor efficiency. In the interest of being abstemious with empiricism, no attempt has been made to introduce high Mach number cascade loss corrections at this time and the values of the empirical parameters in the boundary layer theory are held fixed. Considering the very restricted empirical content of the model and the absence of adjustable parameters, the current predictions of compressor performance are quite good.