On Theory and Practice of the Volunteer’s Participation in Mitigation of Critical Situations: A View from Russia

The article analyses an essence character and forms of the volunteer s organizations participation in the struggle with the accidents i e with critical situations hereafter the CS generated by the outside and inside forces and contradictions paying special attention to the socially-constructed CS The authors set forth the foundations of the theory of an emergence and development of the CS defines their main archetypes and offers a differentiation of their three phases of development initial the CS as such and the mitigation of their immediate and far-reaching natural social and technological consequences A necessity of the volunteers and individual civil rescuers participation in the various phases of the CS and in coping with their social and other consequences is substantiated A brief history of this type of civic organizations in Russia of the XX and at the beginning of the XXI is set forth a necessity of differentiation of functions of a state i e its rescue forces and civil society volunteers organization is explained The article gives a preliminary estimation of an efficiency of the use of various methods of the CS studies and their consequences The authors offer a preliminary typology of the volunteers organizations with a focus on their universal and international character The article concluded with the statement that the volunteers movement is not only a mean to help to the nature and people in a calamity but it s an indispensable mean for giving to its participants a feeling of an intellectual and socially active person

Medindo cidades sustentáveis na Rússia: análise crítica de metodologias-chave

The paper provides insights on the critical analysis of the current methodologies of the sustainability cities measurement for the present-day Russia. Based on meta-analysis of more than 90 peer-reviewed papers published in Russian and English, we examined both authoring and corporate methodologies such as the SGM methodology for Russian sustainable cities, the environmental rating of Russian cities, and the rating of the environmental governance of the Russian cities, the environmental efficacy index and several authoring methodologies. The analysis showed that most of the calculation methods are based on quantitative (statistical) data, what is their advantage, on the one hand, making their results as objective as possible, but on the other hand, it is a disadvantage, because in connection with the delay in publication of statistics or even its absence, it does not allow the annual dynamics to observe. In addition, the difficulty in choosing the most suitable methodology lies in the significant differences in the development of large, medium and small cities in Russia, and many rating methods are developed exclusively for one of the types of cities. Authors concluded that in spite of the high level of the existing methodologies development, there was a shortage of comprehensive studies carried out in the qualitative-quantitative paradigm that would, in addition to index assessment and mathematical models generation, explain complex causal relationships and processes within a city.El documento proporciona información sobre el análisis crítico de las metodologías actuales de la medición de ciudades de sostenibilidad para la Rusia actual. Con base en el metanálisis de más de 90 artículos revisados por pares publicados en ruso e inglés, examinamos tanto las metodologías de autoría y corporativas como la metodología SGM para ciudades sostenibles rusas, la calificación ambiental de las ciudades rusas y la calificación de la gobernanza ambiental de las ciudades rusas, el índice de eficacia ambiental y varias metodologías de autoría. El análisis mostró que la mayoría de los métodos de cálculo se basan en datos cuantitativos (estadísticos), lo que es su ventaja, por un lado, hacer que sus resultados sean lo más objetivos posible, pero por otro lado, es una desventaja, porque en conexión con el retraso en la publicación de las estadísticas o incluso su ausencia, no permite observar la dinámica anual. Además, la dificultad de elegir la metodología más adecuada radica en las diferencias significativas en el desarrollo de ciudades grandes, medianas y pequeñas en Rusia, y muchos métodos de calificación se desarrollan exclusivamente para uno de los tipos de ciudades. Los autores concluyeron que, a pesar del alto nivel de desarrollo de las metodologías existentes, había una escasez de estudios exhaustivos llevados a cabo en el paradigma cualitativo-cuantitativo que, además de la evaluación del índice y la generación de modelos matemáticos, explicaran relaciones y procesos causales complejos dentro de una ciudad.O artigo fornece insights sobre a análise crítica das metodologias atuais da medição das cidades de sustentabilidade para a Rússia atual. Com base na meta-análise de mais de 90 artigos revisados por pares publicados em russo e inglês, examinamos metodologias de autoria e corporativas, como a metodologia SGM para cidades russas sustentáveis, a classificação ambiental de cidades russas e a classificação da governança ambiental. das cidades russas, o índice de eficácia ambiental e várias metodologias de autoria. A análise mostrou que a maioria dos métodos de cálculo são baseados em dados quantitativos (estatísticos), o que é sua vantagem, por um lado, tornando seus resultados tão objetivos quanto possível, mas, por outro lado, é uma desvantagem, porque em com o atraso na publicação das estatísticas ou mesmo sua ausência, não permite que a dinâmica anual observe. Além disso, a dificuldade em escolher a metodologia mais adequada reside nas diferenças significativas no desenvolvimento de grandes, médias e pequenas cidades na Rússia, e muitos métodos de classificação são desenvolvidos exclusivamente para um dos tipos de cidades. Os autores concluíram que, apesar do alto nível de desenvolvimento das metodologias existentes, houve escassez de estudos abrangentes realizados no paradigma qualitativo-quantitativo que, além da avaliação de índices e da geração de modelos matemáticos, explicariam relações e processos causais complexos Uma cidade

Genesis of the structure and the phase and elemental compositions of an aluminum oxide catalyst in the isomerization process of n-butylenes

An investigation of the changes in the characteristics of the porous structure, phase, and elemental compositions of catalyst samples for the isomerization of n-butylenes using a set of physicochemical methods has been conducted. In has been established that under hydrothermal conditions of the isomerization process, aluminum oxide recrystallization takes place, resulting in a decrease of its specific surface value and a displacement of the maximum of the distribution of pore diameters to the region of greater values. A porous structure transformation scheme has been suggested while operating the isomerization catalyst for n-butylenes. It has been supposed that the partial phase change of γ-Al2O3 into δ-Al 2O3 occurring under industrial conditions of the isomerization of n-butylenes is caused by an accumulation of metal compound admixtures supplied with the feed flow. © 2009 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Nanoemulsion stability: experimental evaluation of the flocculation rate from turbidity measurements

The coalescence of liquid drops induces a higher level of complexity compared to the classical studies about the aggregation of solid spheres. Yet, it is commonly believed that most findings on solid dispersions are directly applicable to liquid mixtures. Here, the state of the art in the evaluation of the flocculation rate of these two systems is reviewed. Special emphasis is made on the differences between suspensions and emulsions. In the case of suspensions, the stability ratio is commonly evaluated from the initial slope of the absorbance as a function of time under diffusive and reactive conditions. Puertas and de las Nieves (1997) developed a theoretical approach that allows the determination of the flocculation rate from the variation of the turbidity of a sample as a function of time. Here, suitable modifications of the experimental procedure and the referred theoretical approach are implemented in order to calculate the values of the stability ratio and the flocculation rate corresponding to a dodecane-in-water nanoemulsion stabilized with sodium dodecyl sulfate. Four analytical expressions of the turbidity are tested, basically differing in the optical cross section of the aggregates formed. The first two models consider the processes of: a) aggregation (as described by Smoluchowski) and b) the instantaneous coalescence upon flocculation. The other two models account for the simultaneous occurrence of flocculation and coalescence. The latter reproduce the temporal variation of the turbidity in all cases studied (380 \leq [NaCl] \leq 600 mM), providing a method of appraisal of the flocculation rate in nanoemulsions

Synapsis and Meiotic Recombination in Male Chinese Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi)

The muntjacs (Muntiacus, Cervidae) have been extensively studied in terms of chromosomal and karyotypic evolution. However, little is known about their meiotic chromosomes particularly the recombination patterns of homologous chromosomes. We used immunostained surface spreads to visualise synaptonemal complexes (SCs), recombination foci and kinetochores with antibodies against marker proteins. As in other mammals pachytene was the longest stage of meiotic prophase. 39.4% of XY bivalents lacked MLH1 foci compared to less than 0.5% of autosomes. The average number of MLH1 foci per pachytene cell in M. reevesi was 29.8. The distribution of MLH1 foci differed from other mammals. On SCs with one focus, the distribution was more even in M. reevesi than in other mammals; for SCs that have two or more MLH1 foci, usually there was a larger peak in the sub-centromere region than other regions on SC in M. reevesi. Additionally, there was a lower level of interference between foci in M. reevesi than in mouse or human. These observations may suggest that the regulation of homologous recombination in M. reevesi is slightly different from other mammals and will improve our understanding of the regulation of meiotic recombination, with respect to recombination frequency and position

The diverse structures and functions of surfactant proteins

Surface tension at liquid–air interfaces is a major barrier that needs to be surmounted by a wide range of organisms; surfactant and interfacially active proteins have evolved for this purpose. Although these proteins are essential for a variety of biological processes, our understanding of how they elicit their function has been limited. However, with the recent determination of high-resolution 3D structures of several examples, we have gained insight into the distinct shapes and mechanisms that have evolved to confer interfacial activity. It is now a matter of harnessing this information, and these systems, for biotechnological purposes

Excitable Oil Droplets ‐ FRET Across a Liquid‐Liquid Phase Boundary

YesFRET forms the basis for energy transfer in biological systems and organisms and it has become an investigative tool in the analysis of protein‐protein interactions and in the study of semiconductors (SC). Until now, FRET has been restricted to the simultaneous presence of both components in the same phase. Here, we report on the first successful prototype demonstrating interfacial FRET. This innovative FRET between inorganic SC‐nanoparticles and illuminating protein chimeras takes place across an oil/water interface. As a ′proof of concept′ oil droplets were stabilized by hydrophobin‐derivatives in aqueous solution. These proteins possess the ability to attach fused functional domains close to an interface. Moreover, an optically active nanostructure directly docks to the hydrophobin at the oil/water interface. Due to its modular design, this signal amplification array has the potential to be exploited in numerous fields ranging from biosensors, biotechnology to medical applications

Genome-Wide Crossover Distribution in Arabidopsis thaliana Meiosis Reveals Sex-Specific Patterns along Chromosomes

In most species, crossovers (COs) are essential for the accurate segregation of homologous chromosomes at the first meiotic division. Their number and location are tightly regulated. Here, we report a detailed, genome-wide characterization of the rate and localization of COs in Arabidopsis thaliana, in male and female meiosis. We observed dramatic differences between male and female meiosis which included: (i) genetic map length; 575 cM versus 332 cM respectively; (ii) CO distribution patterns: male CO rates were very high at both ends of each chromosome, whereas female CO rates were very low; (iii) correlations between CO rates and various chromosome features: female CO rates correlated strongly and negatively with GC content and gene density but positively with transposable elements (TEs) density, whereas male CO rates correlated positively with the CpG ratio. However, except for CpG, the correlations could be explained by the unequal repartition of these sequences along the Arabidopsis chromosome. For both male and female meiosis, the number of COs per chromosome correlates with chromosome size expressed either in base pairs or as synaptonemal complex length. Finally, we show that interference modulates the CO distribution both in male and female meiosis