Theory of enhancement of thermoelectric properties of materials with nanoinclusions

Based on the concept of band bending at metal/semiconductor interfaces as an energy filter for electrons, we present a theory for the enhancement of the thermoelectric properties of semiconductor materials with metallic nanoinclusions. We show that the Seebeck coefficient can be significantly increased due to a strongly energy-dependent electronic scattering time. By including phonon scattering, we find that the enhancement of ZT due to electron scattering is important for high doping, while at low doping it is primarily due to a decrease in the phonon thermal conductivity

Fairy tale traditions in amateur and professional young writers’ creativity

The turn of the 21st century has seen Russian writers’ increased interest in the genre of fairy tale. This paper discusses young Russian writers’ approaches to fairy tale traditions in texts of their own. The subjects of the study consisted of the Debut Prize winners and the so-called amateur writers (fans of Tolkien’s and Rowling’s books, and gamers) and their literary works. The study is aimed at establishing main trends in usage of folklore traditions in the first two decades of the 21st century; the paper is also concerned with examining similarities and differences between two generations of modern Russian writers in the matter of their approaches to classical heritage. To compare fairy tale texts, Vladimir Propp’s narrative model has been applied. One of the central claims of the study is that young authors tend to emulate literary samples by prominent contemporary Russian writers (mostly by Lyudmila Petrushevskaya). Thus, an efficient way of creating a contemporary fairy tale by a young author is to immerse its characters into the modern reality that is presented in a variety of its manifestations – from everyday routine to philosophic ideas. The young writers’ texts display such traditional features of literary folklorism as genuine fairy tale plots and motifs, their structural and style models, characters, magical objects, and the artistic device of estrangement

Bioinformatic Analysis of Immunodominant Peptides of Rabies Virus (<i>Rabies lyssavirus, Rhabdoviridae</i>)

There is a need to develop a new generation of anti-rabies vaccines that provide a protective level of antibodies after a single injection. Prospects for solving this problem are opened by the latest developments in the field of “reverse vaccinology”. The main parameter that determines the effectiveness of recombinant vaccines is the design of the antigen-coding sequence. In this regard, the aim of the work was to conduct a bioinformatic analysis of rabies virus (Rabies lyssavirus, Rhabdoviridae) peptides to identify immunogenic epitopes.Materials and methods. Analysis of 5 candidate protein sequences of more than 100 strains and epizootic isolates of the rabies virus was performed using standard in silico prediction methods using Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) (NIH, USA).Results and discussion. As a result of the analysis of primary amino acid sequences, carried out using the most commonly used bioinformatics tools, the number of immunogenic epitopes and the types of immune response detected (T- and B-cell epitopes, class I MHCbinding epitopes) were established for viral proteins: glycoprotein (G), nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L). In the amino acid structure of these proteins, N- and O-glycosylation sites, signal peptides, and transmembrane domains were additionally identified. In order to predict the safety and efficacy of these proteins as components of recombinant vaccines, an in silico assessment of their physicochemical properties was carried out. Despite the fact that the predominant number of epitopes is concentrated in the structure of the glycoprotein, the epitopes of other proteins, ranging according to the level of antigenicity and conservatism, may also be of interest as components of preventive drugs or diagnostics. The presented data can be used in the design of the insert during the construction of a candidate virus-vector vaccine or control positive samples in diagnostic methods based on the indication of viral genome fragments

The Outburst of the Blazar AO 0235+164 in 2006 December: Shock-in-Jet Interpretation

We present the results of polarimetric ($R$ band) and multicolor photometric ($BVRIJHK$) observations of the blazar AO 0235+16 during an outburst in 2006 December. The data reveal a short timescale of variability (several hours), which increases from optical to near-IR wavelengths; even shorter variations are detected in polarization. The flux density correlates with the degree of polarization, and at maximum degree of polarization the electric vector tends to align with the parsec-scale jet direction. We find that a variable component with a steady power-law spectral energy distribution and very high optical polarization (30-50%) is responsible for the variability. We interpret these properties of the blazar withina model of a transverse shock propagating down the jet. In this case a small change in the viewing angle of the jet, by $\lesssim 1^o$, and a decrease in the shocked plasma compression by a factor of $\sim$1.5 are sufficient to account for the variability.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, accepted for Ap

Electronic-microscopic estimation of changes in erythrocytes ultrastructure under influence of low-frequency ultrasound

The paper presents the estimation of changes of erythrocytes ultra-structure under influence of low-frequency ultrasound using various types of waveguides. It was demonstrated that application of ultrasound contributes to change of erythrocyte form and size, which depend on intensity, duration and type of the waveguide

CORRELATION OF THE SKULL PARAMETERS WITH THE WIDTH OF THE DENTAL ARCHES

The study of regularities and variant anatomy in the structure of organs and parts of the human body is one of the fundamental problems of morphology having an applied orientation. The main method of studying a person's aesthetics is a morphometric examination of the head. It includes the study of its size, size and shape of the face and its individual parts, as well as the relationship between the size and shape of the skull and dental arches. The main linear parameters of the skull and their interrelations with the parameters of the width of the dental arches of the upper jaw are studied on the skull of male of mature age with physiological occlusion of teeth. The study was carried out taking into account the type of skull. It was revealed that the index of the width of the dental arch from the vestibular side is lesser then the index of the upper face and the intergnatic part in the frontal part, and in the distal part - to the contrary. Indicators of the width of the dental arch from the palatal side were less in their values to the parameters of the skull at all levels of measurement in all craniotypes. Obtained data on the width of the dental arch of the upper jaw, linear parameters of the skull and their interrelations expand and deepen the information available in the literature on the dimensional characteristics of the craniofacial complex

Gastric Microbiota and Morphological Changes of the Gastroduodenal Tract Associated with Helicobacter Pylori Infection

© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.Investigation of the microbiota at morphological changes of a gastrointestinal tract. One hundred four patients were examined by cytologic, bacteriological methods, and mass-spectrometry techniques. Studying of the microbial association of stomach has demonstrated the mixed microflora presented by Helicobacter pylori, cocci, fungi Candida, rods, and protozoa. Bacteria of the following species were found: Actinomyces, Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Lactobacillus, Neisseria, Pseudomonas, Rothia, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Streptomyces. The microbial flora of esophageal samples was less various (opportunistic bacteria Neisseria, Gemella, and Rothia mucilaginosa were revealed). In group of Helicobacter-positive patients, bacteria were found in fungi Candida, Colletotrichum, and bacterias Thauera and Mycoplasma, while in H.pylori-negative patients, samples have more different species. Intensity of morphological changes (the atrophy, the intestinal metaplasia, and the dysplasia) correlated with a frequency of detection of H. pylori and eukaryotic microbiota (fungi Candida and protozoa)