Experiment K-6-22. Growth hormone regulation, synthesis and secretion in microgravity. Part 1: Somatotroph physiology. Part 2: Immunohistochemical analysis of hypothalamic hormones. Part 3: Plasma analysis

The objectives of the 1887 mission were: (1) to determine if the results of the SL-3 pituitary gland experiment (1) were repeatable; and (2) to determine what effect a longer mission would have on the rat pituitary gland growth hormone (GH) system. In the 1887 experiment two issues were considered especially important. First, it was recognized that cells prepared from individual rat pituitary glands should be considered separately so that the data from the 5 glands could be analyzed in a statistically meaningful way. Second, results of the SL-3 flight involving the hollow fiber implant and HPLC GH-variant experiments suggested that the biological activity of the hormone had been negatively affected by flight. The results of the 1887 experiment documented the wisdom of addressing both issues in the protocol. Thus, the reduction in secretory capacity of flight cells during subsequent extended cell culture on Earth was documented statistically, and thereby established the validity of the SL-3 result. The results of both flight experiments thus support the contention that there is a secretory lesion in pituitary GH cells of flight animals. The primary objective of both missions was a clear definition of the effect of spaceflight on the GH cell system. There can no longer be any reasonable doubt that this system is affected in microgravity. One explanation for the reason(s) underlying the better known effects of spaceflight on organisms, viz. changes in bone, muscle and immune systems may very well rest with such changes in bGH. In spite of the fact that rats in the Cosmos 1887 flight were on Earth for two days after flight, the data show that the GH system had still not recovered from the effects of flight. Many questions remain. One of the more important concerns the GRF responsiveness of somatotrophs after flight. This will be tested in an upcoming experiment

Those wonderful elastic waves

We consider in a simple and general way elastic waves in isotropic and anisotropic media, their polarization, speeds, reflection from interfaces with mode conversion, and surface waves. Reflection of quasi transverse waves in anisotropic media from a free surface is shown to be characterized by three critical angles.Comment: 11 Figures 26 page

A proposal of a UCN experiment to check an earthquake waves model

Elastic waves with transverse polarization inside incidence plane can create longitudinal surface wave (LSW) after reflection from a free surface. At a critical incidence angle this LSW accumulates energy density, which can be orders of magnitude higher than energy density of the incident transverse wave. A specially arranged vessel for storage of ultracold neutrons (UCN) can be used to verify this effect.Comment: 8 pages 3 figures added a paragraph on vibrations along surface at critical angl

Социальное неравенство: философская и социологическая рефлексия

Social inequality is the phenomena that is hypothetically the base for first human communities genesis. Modern model for capitalist society as market relations form fails to satisfy the needs of society’s social development, and strongly requires to create new social knowledge structure and new approach for inequality sociology theory development. Our study conceptual logic comprises routine, philosophic and ideological reflexions analysis to create new social inequality definition in the context of new sociologic knowledge structure. Social inequality is the one of key problems in global sociology; the need is obvious to extract social inequality into separate discipline. Inequality sociology target is the decision of theoretical and practical problems in the formation of comprehensive knowledge about inequality phenomena in modern community, and in the development of common and specialized theoretical-methodological base for inequality study.Социальное неравенство - это феномен, который гипотетически лежит в основе появления первых человеческих сообществ. Нынешняя модель капиталистического общества в форме глобально-рыночных отношений не отвечает потребностям социального развития общества и с необходимостью требует создания новой структуры социологического знания и нового подхода в разработке теории социологии неравенства. Концептуальная логика нашего исследования складывается из анализа повседневной, философской, идеологической рефлексий, на основе чего конструируется новое определение социального неравенства в контексте новой структуры социологического знания. Социальное неравенство выступает одной из важнейших проблем глобальной социологии, поэтому возникает необходимость выделения социологии неравенства в отдельную дисциплинарную область. Целевая задача социологии неравенства - это решение теоретических и практических задач, связанных с формированием целостного знания о феномене неравенства в современном обществе, разработкой общей и специальной теоретико-методологической основы изучения неравенства

Wide band-gap tuning Cu2ZnSn1-xGexS4 single crystals: Optical and vibrational properties

The linear optical properties of Cu2ZnSn1-xGe x S4 high quality single crystals with a wide range of Ge contents (x=0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 1) have been investigated in the ultraviolet and near infrared range using spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. From the analysis of the complex dielectric function spectra it has been found that the bandgap E 0 increases continuously from 1.49eV to 2.25eV with the Ge content. Furthermore, the evolution of the interband transitions E 1A and E 1B has been also determined. Raman scattering using three different excitation wavelengths and its analysis have been performed to confirm the absence of secondary phases in the samples, and to distinguish between stannite, wurtzite, wurzstannite and kesterite structures. Additionally, the analysis of the high resolution Raman spectra obtained in samples with different [Ge]/([Ge]+[Sn]) ratios allows describing a bimodal behavior of the dominant A modes. The understanding of the incorporation of Ge into the Cu2ZnSnS4 lattice is fundamental in order to develop efficient bandgap engineering of these compounds towards the fabrication of kesterite based solar cells with enhanced performanceThis work was supported by the Marie Curie-ITN project (KESTCELL, GA: 316488), Marie Curie-IRSES project (PVICOKEST, GA: 269167), AMALIE (TEC2012-38901-C02-01) and SUNBEAM (ENE2013-49136-C4-3-R) project funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. RC acknowledges financial support from Spanish MINECO within the Ramón y Cajal program (RYC-2011-08521

Molecular Diagnostics of Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal disease that occurs worldwide. The highest incidence of the disease is reported on the American continent. It also occurs in China, India, South-Eastern Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe. Clinical syndromes of histoplasmosis are not specific and in most cases immunocompetent individuals are asymptomatic or present mild influenza-like disease. Immunocompromised patients especially individuals with AIDS, can develop a severe and fatal disease due to fungal dissemination to many organs. Etiological agent of histoplasmosis is the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, which inhabits the soils contaminated with bird or bat droppings. Three biological varieties are considered for this fungus: H. capsulatum var. capsulatum, H. capsulatum var. duboissii and H. capsulatum var. farciminosum. Genetic differences are observed among H. capsulatum strains from diverse regions of the world. The main molecular methodologies for genetic typing of fungi are based on DNA fingerprinting. They have been an important instrument to identify possible sources of infection in outbreaks of histoplasmosis. Genetic profiles of H. capsulatum, isolated from bats and humans, helped to understand the distribution of the disease in certain endemic regions. The con-ventional diagnosis of histoplasmosis is performed by means of cultural and microscopic examination of samples from the respiratory tract and biologic fluids. However, these techniques yield positive results in only 50 % of cases. In the last two decades, approaches for the detecting of H. capsulatum in clinical samples, using different molecular targets, based on PCR assay have been developed. Their use can shorten the time span of analysis for diagnosis confirmation. Molecular methods have high specificity and sensitivity and reduce the risk of infection for the laboratory personnel. In this study we reviewed the recently published data on the use of main molecular methods for diagnosis of histoplasmosis

Andreev reflection at QGP/CFL interface

In this letter we address the question of the phenomena of Andreev reflection between the cold quark-gluon plasma phase and CFL color superconductor. We show that there are two different types of reflections connected to the structure of the CFL phase. We also calculate the probability current at the interface and we show that it vanishes for energy of scattering quarks below the superconducting gap.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. Minor changes in the "Conclusions

Spectroscopic ellipsometry study of Cu2ZnSnS4 bulk poly-crystals

The linear optical properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 bulk poly-crystals have been investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry in the range of 1.2-4.6 eV at room temperature. The characteristic features identified in the optical spectra are explained by using the Adachi analytical model for the interband transitions at the corresponding critical points in the Brillouin zone. The experimental data have been modeled over the entire spectral range taking into account the lowest E0 transition near the fundamental absorption edge and E1A and E1B higher energy interband transitions. In addition, the spectral dependences of the refractive index, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, and normal-incidence reflectivity values have been accurately determined and are provided since they are essential data for the design of Cu2ZnSnS4 based optoelectronic devicesThe research leading to the presented results was partially supported by the European Project INFINITE-CELL (Ref. H2020-MSCA-RISE-2017-777968, 2017–2021, www.infinitecell.eu) and the Spanish MINECO Projects “WINCOST” (ENE2016-80788-C5-2-R) and PHOTOMANA (TEC2015- 69916-C2-1-R). The authors from the Institute of Applied Physics appreciate the financial support from STCU 6224 and from the Institutional Project No. CSSDT 15.817.02.04

Wide band-gap tuning Cu2ZnSn1-xGexS4 single crystals: optical and vibrational properties

The linear optical properties of Cu2ZnSn1-xGexS4 high quality single crystals with a wide range of Ge contents (x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 1) have been investigated in the ultraviolet and near infrared range using spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. From the analysis of the complex dielectric function spectra it has been found that the bandgap E0 increases continuously from 1.49 eV to 2.25 eV with the Ge content. Furthermore, the evolution of the interband transitions E1A and E1B has been also determined. Raman scattering using three different excitation wavelengths and its analysis have been performed to confirm the absence of secondary phases in the samples, and to distinguish between stannite, wurtzite, wurzstannite and kesterite structures. Additionally, the analysis of the high resolution Raman spectra obtained in samples with different [Ge]/([Ge]+[Sn]) ratios allows describing a bimodal behavior of the dominant A modes. The understanding of the incorporation of Ge into the Cu2ZnSnS4 lattice is fundamental in order to develop efficient bandgap engineering of these compounds towards the fabrication of kesterite based solar cells with enhanced performanc