Inverse turbulent cascades and conformally invariant curves

We offer a new example of conformal invariance far from equilibrium -- the inverse cascade of Surface Quasi-Geostrophic (SQG) turbulence. We show that temperature isolines are statistically equivalent to curves that can be mapped into a one-dimensional Brownian walk (called Schramm-Loewner Evolution or SLE$_\kappa$). The diffusivity is close to $\kappa=4$, that is iso-temperature curves belong to the same universality class as domain walls in the O(2) spin model. Several statistics of temperature clusters and isolines are measured and shown to be consistent with the theoretical expectations for such a spin system at criticality. We also show that the direct cascade in two-dimensional Navier-Stokes turbulence is not conformal invariant. The emerging picture is that conformal invariance may be expected for inverse turbulent cascades of strongly interacting systems.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure

Dipole-Mode Vector Solitons

We find a new type of optical vector soliton that originates from trapping of a dipole mode by a soliton-induced waveguide. These solitons, which appear as a consequence of the vector nature of the two component system, are more stable than the previously found optical vortex-mode solitons and represent a new type of extremely robust nonlinear vector structure.Comment: Four pages with five eps figure

Local communities as а tool for urban conflict resolution

A modern city is a concentration of a whole range of diverse processes and activities, residents with different needs, traditions and beliefs. The city is also an arena of clashing economic, political and social interests. Urban development trends are expressed both in the need for centralized determination of the direction of urban environment, and public demand for greater civic engagement. Accordingly, conflicts cannot be avoided, but it is important not to accept this obvious truth, but to create a tradition of constant thoughtful analysis of ongoing processes, identifying causes and searching for solutions. As awareness of the importance of collective efforts in creating a comfortable urban environment grows, knowledge about the approaches and public technologies used to resolve urban conflicts becomes more in demand. One of the effective tools for resolving urban conflicts are local communities created on sub-municipal territories within the city boundaries. However, the effectiveness of this tool depends on the proper organization of intra-urban communities and provision of legal guarantees for their functioning. This study is carried out using a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach, implying the analysis of urban development and urban environment through the prism of law. The study of Russian and foreign doctrinal sources, along with normative legal acts and materials of judicial and law enforcement practice, allows to form a sufficient picture of the state of urban conflictology and substantiate the role of local communities in their resolution

Quasi-Two-Dimensional Dynamics of Plasmas and Fluids

In the lowest order of approximation quasi-twa-dimensional dynamics of planetary atmospheres and of plasmas in a magnetic field can be described by a common convective vortex equation, the Charney and Hasegawa-Mirna (CHM) equation. In contrast to the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation, the CHM equation admits "shielded vortex solutions" in a homogeneous limit and linear waves ("Rossby waves" in the planetary atmosphere and "drift waves" in plasmas) in the presence of inhomogeneity. Because of these properties, the nonlinear dynamics described by the CHM equation provide rich solutions which involve turbulent, coherent and wave behaviors. Bringing in non ideal effects such as resistivity makes the plasma equation significantly different from the atmospheric equation with such new effects as instability of the drift wave driven by the resistivity and density gradient. The model equation deviates from the CHM equation and becomes coupled with Maxwell equations. This article reviews the linear and nonlinear dynamics of the quasi-two-dimensional aspect of plasmas and planetary atmosphere starting from the introduction of the ideal model equation (CHM equation) and extending into the most recent progress in plasma turbulence.U. S. Department of Energy DE-FG05-80ET-53088Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of JapanFusion Research Cente

Data on granulometric composition of calcium phosphate obtained by dispersion method

The kinetics of calcium phosphate crystallization from model solutions of saliva and liquid phase of dental plaque has been studied by the dispersion method. It was found that the composition of the saliva model system is favorable for the growth of larger crystals. The size of the particles in crystallization varies nonlinearly. As supersaturation grows, the amount of formed particles increases, however, the average rate of crystallite growth decreases

Starch metabolism in potato <i>Solanum tuberosum</i> L.

Starch is a major storage carbohydrate in plants. It is an important source of calories in the human and animal diet. Also, it is widely used in various industries. Native starch consists of water-insoluble semicrystalline granules formed by natural glucose polymers amylose and amylopectin. The physicochemical properties of starch are determined by the amylose:amylopectin ratio in the granule and degrees of their polymerization and phosphorylation. Potato Solanum tuberosum L. is one of the main starch-producing crops. Growing industrial needs necessitate the breeding of plant varieties with increased starch content and specified starch properties. This task demands detailed information on starch metabolism in the producing plant. It is a complex process, requiring the orchestrated work of many enzymes, transporter and targeting proteins, transcription factors, and other regulators. Two types of starch are recognized with regard to their biological functions. Transitory starch is synthesized in chloroplasts of photosynthetic organs and degraded in the absence of light, providing carbohydrates for cell needs. Storage starch is synthesized and stored in amyloplasts of storage organs: grains and tubers. The main enzymatic reactions of starch biosynthesis and degradation, as well as carbohydrate transport and metabolism, are well known in the case of transitory starch of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Less is known about features of starch metabolism in storage organs, in particular, potato tubers. Several issues remain obscure: the roles of enzyme isoforms and different regulatory factors in tissues at various plant developmental stages and under different environmental conditions; alternative enzymatic processes; targeting and transport proteins. In this review, the key enzymatic reactions of plant carbohydrate metabolism, transitory and storage starch biosynthesis, and starch degradation are discussed, and features specific for potato are outlined. Attention is also paid to the known regulatory factors affecting starch metabolism

Observation of narrow baryon resonance decaying into pKs0pK^0_s in pA-interactions at 70GeV/c70 GeV/c with SVD-2 setup

SVD-2 experiment data have been analyzed to search for an exotic baryon state, the $\Theta^+$-baryon, in a $pK^0_s$ decay mode at $70 GeV/c$ on IHEP accelerator. The reaction $pA \to pK^0_s+X$ with a limited multiplicity was used in the analysis. The $pK^0_s$ invariant mass spectrum shows a resonant structure with $M=1526\pm3(stat.)\pm 3(syst.) MeV/c^2$ and $\Gamma < 24 MeV/c^2$. The statistical significance of this peak was estimated to be of $5.6 \sigma$. The mass and width of the resonance is compatible with the recently reported $\Theta^+$- baryon with positive strangeness which was predicted as an exotic pentaquark ($uudd\bar{s}$) baryon state. The total cross section for $\Theta^+$ production in pN-interactions for $X_F\ge 0$ was estimated to be $(30\div120) \mu b$ and no essential deviation from A-dependence for inelastic events $(\sim A^{0.7})$ was found.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, To be submitted to Yadernaya Fizika. v3-v5 - Some references added, minor typos correcte

A Dipole Vortex Model of Obscuring Tori in Active Galaxy Nuclei

The torus concept as an essential structural component of active galactic nuclei (AGN) is generally accepted. Here, the situation is discussed when the torus "twisting" by the radiation or wind transforms it into a dipole toroidal vortex which in turn can be a source of matter replenishing the accretion disk. Thus emerging instability which can be responsible for quasar radiation flares accompanied by matter outbursts is also discussed. The "Matreshka" scheme for an obscuring vortex torus structure capable of explaining the AGN variability and evolution is proposed. The model parameters estimated numerically for the luminosity close to the Eddington limit agree well with the observations.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, version of this paper is published in Astronomy Report

Isolation of two strains of West Nile virus during an outbreak in southern Russia, 1999.

From July to September 1999, a widespread outbreak of meningoencephalitis associated with West Nile virus (Flavivirus, Flaviviridae) occurred in southern Russia, with hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths. Two strains of West Nile virus isolated from patient serum and brain-tissue samples reacted in hemagglutination-inhibition and neutralization tests with patients' convalescent-phase sera and immune ascites fluid from other strains of West Nile virus

Сравнительная оценка заживления раны при использовании локального лоскута и полнослойного кожного трансплантата в реконструктивно-восстановительной хирургии головы и шеи

Objective: to present a comparative analysis of wound healing process and to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of using a local flap and a full-thickness skin graft in reconstructive surgery of head and neck skin tumors.Materials and methods. There were analyzed the results of 524 patients’ treatments in the Yaroslavl Regional Clinical Oncological Hospital over the period from 2000 to 2013. For 478 patients skin tumors excisions were performed by the reconstruction with a local flap, and for 46 patients – with a full-thickness skin graft. While making an assessment of wound healing it was considered the dynamics of clinical symptomatology, clinical laboratory measurements, the results of local thermometry, of bacteriological and morphological studies, as well as the results of wound-tensiometry studies. As a comparison of averages, they used Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney test, χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test with statistically significant results at p &lt; 0,05.Results. Comprehensive assessment of wound healing after skin tumors excisions of the head and neck with the elimination of the formed defect by using a local flap or a full-thickness skin graft showed that there was a vibrant local inflammatory reaction in both groups of patients up to 5–7 days after the operation. It was determined not only clinically, but also by objective criteria which characterized the wound healing process. Moreover, the hallmark of plastic reconstruction by skin graft was moderate intensity of local inflammation with the background of perceivable trophic abnormalities. Ultimately, the defined characteristics of wound healing process were as-sociated with a high incidence of complicated wound healing, up to 52.2 % using the skin graft and 33.1 % – the local flap. There were prevailed graft trophism problems in the complications structure in the form of partial or complete necrosis, which were particularly characterized for wound closing by free graft. From oncology position indicated wound risks were accompanied sufficiently high 5-year survival rate (81.8 and 93.9 %, respectively). Generally, choosing reconstructive surgery tactics to close the skin defect of the head and neck and considering a smaller percentage of complications it is preferred to use a local flap, in comparison with a free skin graft.Цель исследования – представить сравнительную характеристику течения раневого процесса и оценить клиническую эффективность использования локального лоскута и полнослойного кожного трансплантата в реконструктивной хирургии новообразований кожи головы и шеи.Материалы и методы. Проанализированы результаты лечения 524 пациентов в Ярославской областной клинической онкологической больнице в период с 2000 по 2013 г., среди которых 478 больным было выполнено иссечение новообразования кожи с реконструкцией локальным лоскутом, 46 – полнослойным кожным трансплантатом. При оценке заживления раны учитывали динамику клинической симптоматики, клинико-лабораторных показателей, данные локальной термометрии, бактериологического и морфологического исследований, а также ранотензиометрии. Для сравнения средних величин использовали t-критерий Стьюдента, критерий Манна–Уитни, критерий χ2 и точный критерий Фишера со статистической значимостью результатов при p &lt; 0,05.Результаты. Комплексная оценка заживления раны после иссечения новообразования кожи головы и шеи с ликвидацией образовавшегося дефекта с помощью локального лоскута или полнослойного кожного трансплантата показала, что в обеих группах больных до 5–7 сут после операции наблюдалась выраженная местная воспалительная реакция. Она определялась не только клинически, но и посредством объективных критериев, характеризующих течение раневого процесса. При этом отличительной чертой пластики полнослойной кожей была умеренная выраженность локального воспаления на фоне ощутимых трофических нарушений. Выявленные особенности течения раневого процесса были сопряжены с высокой частотой встречаемости осложненного заживления раны, достигающей 52,2 % при закрытии раны кожным трансплантатом и 33,1 % – локальным лоскутом. В структуре осложнений превалировали проблемы, связанные с трофикой лоскута, в виде частичного или полного его некроза, которые были особенно характерны для закрытия раны свободной кожей. С онкологических позиций указанные риски со стороны раны сопровождались достаточно высокой 5-летней выживаемостью (81,8 и 93,9 % соответственно). В целом при выборе тактики выполнения реконструктивной операции для закрытия дефекта кожи головы и шеи с учетом меньшего процента осложнений предпочтительно использование локального лоскута по сравнению с пластикой свободным кожным трансплантатом