Thermal treatment of charcoal for synthesis of high-purity carbon materials

The use of pure carbon materials in energy storage systems has the enormous potential for improvement of their performance. Among various carbon materials, natural and synthetic graphite is known to be the most widely used for batteries. Nonetheless, biomass as a good auxiliary carbon-containing material can also become a sustainable source of high-purity carbon material for this purpose. To examine these opportunities, a multistage technology comprised by pyrolysis of walnut shells and subsequent thermal purification of carbon residue at 3000 °C has been studied. As a result, high-purity carbon material has been synthesized, it can find the application in energy storage systems, for instance, lithium-ion batteries

Neuropsychological Bases of Self-Improvement of Own Physical Health of Future Teachers in the Course of University Education

The article says that despite the decline in health as a professional value and self-realization, future teachers have neurobiological inclinations for self-improvement and reflection. In this regard, new pedagogical conditions and stages of the formation of students 'readiness for physical self-improvement are proposed, namely: students' awareness of the importance of health as a necessary prerequisite for personal and professional self-realization; their mastery of diagnostic techniques, reflective analysis and practical skills to improve their own physical condition; providing pedagogical support for students in physical self-improvement. The experimental stage used a set of methods and techniques: step ergometry, Rufier's and Cooper's tests, watching movies, photos, test tasks, observations, interviews, questionnaires, expert assessments and etc. The number of students being at the local reflexive level increased from 12.2% to 22.2% and at the adaptive algorithmic level – from 28.1% to 41.3%. The percentage of students at the directive empirical level of competency in physical self-improvement decreased from 52.4% to 21.4%. The effectiveness of the designed methodology for developing students’ competency in physical self-improvement was verified by the formative experiment. The hypothesis of the study, which was the subjective neurobiological basis of motivation to improve and reflect on future teachers, was also confirmed, which contributed to the choice of the appropriate profession in order to implement and transmit these personal values.</p

Psycho-Pedagogical Prevention of Aggressive Behaviours in Athletes

Life activities of students from higher education institutions are largely influenced by certain adverse factors (social, psychological, environmental ones), which in turn negatively affect their physical and mental health and cause particular behavioural deviations such as aggression. The research aims to theoretically justify, develop and experimentally verify the programme on prevention of aggressive behaviours in athletes due to cultivating their humanistic values and capacity for self-actualization. The research sample of the formative experiment comprised 177 athletes (92 respondents in the experimental group and 85 respondents in the control group). The research assumes that, if well-developed, humanistic values of individual self-actualization (developing one’s positive attitude towards the surrounding people, ability to understand them, accept oneself and others and reality, striving for new knowledge, identifying oneself in this world, setting goals) can be considered as a means of prevention of aggressive behaviours in students; the process of developing athletes’ capacity for self-actualization as a means of psychological prevention of aggressive behaviours is determined by an appropriate organization of activities performed by students, their parents, psychologists, teachers based on personality-oriented and humanistic approaches. The level of self-actualization was based on E. Shostrom’s test and the self-actualization scale by A. Jones and R. Crandall; the level of aggression was identified based on the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. The accuracy of changes in the groups was verified using the Mann-Whitney U Test. Results. A quantitative interpretation of the results obtained from the formative experiment proves that the arithmetic mean of self-actualization parameters in respondents in the experimental group has increased significantly (by 22%), whereas they have remained almost unchanged in the control group. Concerning the arithmetic mean of parameters of aggressive behaviours in athletes, they have decreased significantly (by 18%) in the experimental group. This is because athletes' capacity for self-actualization has been developed without direct influence on their aggressive behaviours. Conclusions. In comparison with their peers in the control group, athletes in the experimental group have significantly improved their conflict management skills as a result of developing a more positive attitude towards others, as well as behavioural flexibility, communication skills and capacity for self-development.</p

Обгрунтування доцільності застосування водневих паливних комірок при виробництві електроенергії

The object of research is the process of using a hydrogen fuel cell to generate and accumulate electricity. The study highlights the feasibility of using a hydrogen fuel cell to provide electrical load. The potential of using hydrogen as an alternative energy source was evaluated. SWOT analysis was used as a research method, based on the results of which recommendations were developed. The proposed measures could be taken to increase the use of hydrogen energy as an alternative to traditional energy sources. The use of hydrogen technologies in an administrative building connected to an existing electrical network was analyzed. The economic and environmental aspects of the use of hydrogen fuel cells to meet the demand for electrical load were investigated. Six schemes of energy supply of the building and comparing them to select the optimal solution have been developed. In the study, the assessment tool was the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software. The considered schemes were evaluated in accordance with a single generalized indicator. As a result, it was determined that the use of a hydrogen fuel cell could increase the efficiency of the traditional system by 85 %. For renewable energy systems, there was an increase in efficiency of 7 % (for the wind generator) and 10 % (for the photocell). The practical use of the results will contribute to the efficiency of the process of electricity production by equalizing the stability of energy supply in hybrid systems. The economic and environmental assessment conducted demonstrates the prospects of using a hydrogen fuel cell. This assessment is designed to strengthen consumer confidence in the use of hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen in generalОб’єктом дослідження є процес використання водневої паливної комірки для генерування та акумуляції електроенергії. Дослідження висвітлює питання доцільності використання водневої паливної комірки для забезпечення електричного навантаження. Оцінено потенціал використання водню як альтернативного джерела енергії. В якості методу дослідження застосовано SWOT-аналіз, за результатами якого було розроблено рекомендації. Запропоновані заходи можуть бути прийняті з метою підвищення ступеня використання водневої енергії як альтернативи традиційним джерелам енергії. Проаналізовано використання водневих технологій у адміністративній будівлі, підключеної до існуючої електричної мережі. Досліджено економіко-екологічні аспекти застосування водневих паливних комірок для задоволення попиту на електричне навантаження. Розроблено шість схем енергозабезпечення будівлі та порівняно їх для вибору оптимального рішення. У дослідженні інструментом оцінки стало програмне забезпечення Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER). Розглянуті схеми оцінено у відповідності до єдиного узагальненого показника. У результаті було визначено, що використання водневої паливної комірки дає змогу підвищити ефективність традиційної системи на 85&nbsp;%. Для систем відновлювальної енергії відзначено підвищення ефективності на 7&nbsp;% (для вітрового генератора) та на 10&nbsp;% (для фотоелемента). Практичне використання результатів сприятиме ефективності процесу виробництва електроенергії за рахунок вирівняння стабільності енергозабезпечення у гібридних системах. Проведена економічно-екологічна оцінка демонструє перспективність використання водневої паливної комірки. Проведення зазначеної оцінки покликане зміцнити довіру споживачів до використання водневих паливних комірок та водню загало

Table2_Deeper insights into transcriptional features of cancer-associated fibroblasts: An integrated meta-analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data.XLSX

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have long been known as one of the most important players in tumor initiation and progression. Even so, there is an incomplete understanding of the identification of CAFs among tumor microenvironment cells as the list of CAF marker genes varies greatly in the literature, therefore it is imperative to find a better way to identify reliable markers of CAFs. To this end, we summarized a large number of single-cell RNA-sequencing data of multiple tumor types and corresponding normal tissues. As a result, for 9 different types of cancer, we identified CAF-specific gene expression signatures and found 10 protein markers that showed strongly positive staining of tumor stroma according to the analysis of IHC images from the Human Protein Atlas database. Our results give an insight into selecting the most appropriate combination of cancer-associated fibroblast markers. Furthermore, comparison of different approaches for studying differences between cancer-associated and normal fibroblasts (NFs) illustrates the superiority of transcriptome analysis of fibroblasts obtained from fresh tissue samples. Using single-cell RNA sequencing data, we identified common differences in gene expression patterns between normal and cancer-associated fibroblasts, which do not depend on the type of tumor.</p

Table4_Deeper insights into transcriptional features of cancer-associated fibroblasts: An integrated meta-analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data.xlsx

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have long been known as one of the most important players in tumor initiation and progression. Even so, there is an incomplete understanding of the identification of CAFs among tumor microenvironment cells as the list of CAF marker genes varies greatly in the literature, therefore it is imperative to find a better way to identify reliable markers of CAFs. To this end, we summarized a large number of single-cell RNA-sequencing data of multiple tumor types and corresponding normal tissues. As a result, for 9 different types of cancer, we identified CAF-specific gene expression signatures and found 10 protein markers that showed strongly positive staining of tumor stroma according to the analysis of IHC images from the Human Protein Atlas database. Our results give an insight into selecting the most appropriate combination of cancer-associated fibroblast markers. Furthermore, comparison of different approaches for studying differences between cancer-associated and normal fibroblasts (NFs) illustrates the superiority of transcriptome analysis of fibroblasts obtained from fresh tissue samples. Using single-cell RNA sequencing data, we identified common differences in gene expression patterns between normal and cancer-associated fibroblasts, which do not depend on the type of tumor.</p

Table1_Deeper insights into transcriptional features of cancer-associated fibroblasts: An integrated meta-analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data.XLSX

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have long been known as one of the most important players in tumor initiation and progression. Even so, there is an incomplete understanding of the identification of CAFs among tumor microenvironment cells as the list of CAF marker genes varies greatly in the literature, therefore it is imperative to find a better way to identify reliable markers of CAFs. To this end, we summarized a large number of single-cell RNA-sequencing data of multiple tumor types and corresponding normal tissues. As a result, for 9 different types of cancer, we identified CAF-specific gene expression signatures and found 10 protein markers that showed strongly positive staining of tumor stroma according to the analysis of IHC images from the Human Protein Atlas database. Our results give an insight into selecting the most appropriate combination of cancer-associated fibroblast markers. Furthermore, comparison of different approaches for studying differences between cancer-associated and normal fibroblasts (NFs) illustrates the superiority of transcriptome analysis of fibroblasts obtained from fresh tissue samples. Using single-cell RNA sequencing data, we identified common differences in gene expression patterns between normal and cancer-associated fibroblasts, which do not depend on the type of tumor.</p