The efficiency of regional higher education systems and competition in Russia

This paper explores the correlation between the degree of competition between higher education institutions (HEIs) and the efficiency of regional higher education systems using evidence from the Russian Federation. The choice of the regional system of higher education as a unit of analysis is explained by the features of the Russian system of higher education, especially by "closeness" in the borders of regions. We propose a special approach for the evaluation of the regional higher education system efficiency from the public administration perspective. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA), we investigate the efficiency of higher education systems in the regions and compare the results with the extent of higher education competition within them. The results indicate that higher efficiency scores and higher competition between HEIs in Russian regions are positively correlated. Moreover, by introducing socio-economic context status as a grouping parameter, we are able to specify the conditions of this relationship. The study explores that correlation between efficiency and competition is stronger in developing and low-performing regions. At the same time, higher education systems in developed regions consist of different HEIs, which create a competitive environment, although their efficiency level varies considerably. Taking into account all limitations of the study, these results contain several important issues for policy-making and higher education research discussions. They challenge the universalistic assumptions for the direction of higher education development.Support from the Basic Research Program of the National Research University Higher School of Economics is gratefully acknowledged

Nonlinear waves in counter-current gas–liquid film flow

We investigate the dynamics of a thin laminar liquid film flowing under gravity down the lower wall of an inclined channel when turbulent gas flows above the film. The solution of the full system of equations describing the gas–liquid flow faces serious technical difficulties. However, a number of assumptions allow isolating the gas problem and solving it independently by treating the interface as a solid wall. This permits finding the perturbations to pressure and tangential stresses at the interface imposed by the turbulent gas in closed form. We then analyse the liquid film flow under the influence of these perturbations and derive a hierarchy of model equations describing the dynamics of the interface, i.e. boundary-layer equations, a long-wave model and a weakly nonlinear model, which turns out to be the Kuramoto– Sivashinsky equation with an additional term due to the presence of the turbulent gas. This additional term is dispersive and destabilising (for the counter-current case; stabilizing in the co-current case). We also combine the long-wave approximation with a weighted-residual technique to obtain an integral-boundary-layer approximation that is valid for moderately large values of the Reynolds number. This model is then used for a systematic investigation of the flooding phenomenon observed in various experiments: as the gas flow rate is increased, the initially downward-falling film starts to travel upwards while just before the wave reversal the amplitude of the waves grows rapidly. We confirm the existence of large-amplitude stationary waves by computing periodic travelling waves for the integral-boundary-layer approximation and we corroborate our travelling-wave results by time-dependent computations

БИОХИМИЧЕСКИЕ ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ В ОРГАНИЗМЕ КРУПНОГО РОГАТОГО СКОТА ПРИ ФАСЦИОЛЁЗЕ

Functioning of a number of transamination enzymes and alkaline phosphatase as well as some values of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism on background of protein in cattle blood at fasciolosis are studied. Total blood protein was determined by Loury method, alkaline phosphatase activity – by colorimetric method based on the hydrolysis of n-nitrophenol phosphate. The glutamate transferase activity was estimated by L.J. Olsen method, transaminase activity – by Reitman-Frankel method. Cholesterol levels were measured according to Liebermann–Burchard reaction, the pyruvate content was determined using the diphenylhydrazine method, and lactate – according to reaction withparaoxydiphenyl. The functional status of blood at fasciolosis is marked by the decrease in total protein and pyruvate with the increase of activity of glutamate transferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate and cholesterol.Изучено функционирование ряда ферментов трансаминирования, щелочной фосфатазы, а также некоторые показатели углеводного и липидного обменов на фоне содержания белка в крови крупного рогатого скота при фасциолезе. В сыворотке крови определяли количество общего белка по Лоури и активность щелочной фосфатазы колориметрическим методом на основе гидролиза n-нитрофенолфосфата. Активность глутаматтрансаминазы определяли по методу Олсона, трансаминаз – по методу Рейтмана и Френкеля, содержание холестерола – по реакции Либермана–Бурхарда, пирувата дифенилгидразиновым и лактата – по реакции с параоксидифенилом. Функциональное состояние крови при фасциолезе характеризуется понижением уровня общего белка и пирувата с одновременным увеличением активности глутаматтрансаминазы, щелочной фосфатазы, лактата и холестерола

Molecular Plasmonic Silver Forests for the Photocatalytic-Driven Sensing Platforms

Structural electronics, as well as flexible and wearable devices are applications that are possible by merging polymers with metal nanoparticles. However, using conventional technologies, it is challenging to fabricate plasmonic structures that remain flexible. We developed three-dimensional (3D) plasmonic nanostructures/polymer sensors via single-step laser processing and further functionalization with 4-nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT) as a molecular probe. These sensors allow ultrasensitive detection with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). We tracked the 4-NBT plasmonic enhancement and changes in its vibrational spectrum under the chemical environment perturbations. As a model system, we investigated the sensor’s performance when exposed to prostate cancer cells’ media over 7 days showing the possibility of identifying the cell death reflected in the environment through the effects on the 4-NBT probe. Thus, the fabricated sensor could have an impact on the monitoring of the cancer treatment process. Moreover, the laser-driven nanoparticles/polymer intermixing resulted in a free-form electrically conductive composite that withstands over 1000 bending cycles without losing electrical properties. Our results bridge the gap between plasmonic sensing with SERS and flexible electronics in a scalable, energy-efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly way.</p

Stability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in prebiotic edible films

The concept of prebiotic edible films as effective vehicles for encapsulating probiotic living cells is presented. Four soluble fibres (inulin, polydextrose, glucose-oligosaccharides and wheat dextrin) were selected as prebiotic co-components of gelatine based matrices plasticised with glycerol and used for the immobilisation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. The addition of prebiotics was associated with a more compact and uniform film structure, with no detectable interspaces or micropores; probiotic inclusion did not significantly change the structure of the films. Glucose-oligosaccharides and polydextrose significantly enhanced L. rhamnosus GG viability during air drying (by 300% and 75%, respectively), whilst a 33% and 80% reduction in viable counts was observed for inulin and wheat dextrin. Contrarily, inulin was the most effective at controlling the sub-lethal effects on L. rhamnosus GG during storage. However, in all cases the supplementation of edible films with prebiotics ameliorated the storage stability of L. rhamnosus GG

Liquid Sensor Based on a Piezoelectric Resonator with a Lateral Electric Field Made of Piezo-Ceramics PZT

Поступила: 30.09.2019. Принята в печать: 10.10.2019.Статья является расширенной версией доклада, представленного на 29-й Международной Крымской конференции «СВЧ-техника и телекоммуникационные технологии» — КрыМиКо’2019 (Севастополь, РФ, 8–14 сентября 2019 г.).Received: 30.09.2019. Accepted: 10.10.2019.Экспериментально и теоретически исследовано влияние проводимости жидкости, контактирующей с пьезоэлектрическим резонатором с поперечным электрическим полем на основе пластины пьезокерамики ЦТС-19. В данном резонаторе поперечная компонента механического смещения, не приводящая к радиационным потерям при контакте с жидкостью, является превалирующей. Частотные зависимости реальной и мнимой частей электрического импеданса резонатора показали наличие трех резонансов на частотах 68,7, 97,8 и 264 кГц со значениями коэффициента электромеханической связи 12,2, 14,7 и 6,5 % соответственно. Добротность каждого резонанса при контакте с жидкостью оказалась существенно выше добротности резонатора c продольной акустической волной на основе ниобата лития. Были получены зависимости максимального значения действительной части электрического импеданса такого резонатора от проводимости жидкости. Проведен теоретический анализ влияния проводимости жидкости на характеристики резонатора.This paper demonstrates the results of the study of the sensor based on the resonator with the lateral electric field made of the ceramic PZT for measuring the conductivity of the contacting liquid. This sensor is made of the PZT ceramic plate of 3.54 mm thickness with shear dimension of 20×18 mm2.Two electrodes with the gap width of 4 mm are deposited on one side of the plate. The sensor features the 4 ml plexiglass container, the bottom of which is a resonator. The measured frequency dependences of the real and imaginary parts of the electrical impedance shows three resonances at frequencies of 68.7, 97.8, and 264 kHz. Aqueous solutions of sodium chloride are prepared with different conductivities in the range 3.2 – 9000 μS/cm. We have measured the frequency dependences of the real and imaginary parts of the sensor electric impedance with the liquid of different conductivity. The maximum value of the real part of the electric impedance monotonically decreases and reaches saturation for each resonance peak with increasing liquid conductivity. Theoretical analysis of influence of liquid conductivity on resonator impedance was also performed using equivalent circuit with two parallel branches. First branch included active and reactive resistors that corresponded to excitation of acoustic wave. The second branch includes the static capacitance of the resonator. We describe the presence of the conductive liquid by means of the leakage resistance connected with the capacitance in parallel. We underline that theoretical and experimental dependences are in a good agreement. Therefore the resonator with the lateral electric field based on the ceramic PZT shows high sensitivity to the changes in the conductivity of the liquid due to the high value of the coefficient of the electromechanical coupling. The sensor with liquid presence compared to the sensor made of lithium niobate with a longitudinal acoustic wave has a higher quality factor. We conclude that in the resonator made of piezoceramics, the shear component of the mechanical displacement is prevailing and does not lead to radiation losses.Работа выполнена при частичной финансовой поддержке грантов РФФИ № 19-07-00300, № 19-07-00304.This research is supported by grant No. 19-07-00300, No. 19-07-00304 from the Russian Foundation for basic research

Highly Sensitive Immunochromatographic Identification of Tetracycline Antibiotics in Milk

A rapid immunochromatographic assay was developed for the control of tetracycline (TC). The assay is based on the competition between immobilized TC-protein conjugate and TC in a tested sample for binding with polyclonal anti-TC antibodies conjugated to colloidal gold during the flow of the sample along a membrane strip with immobilized reactants. Conjugation of colloidal gold and the total immunoglobulin (IgG) fraction of polyclonal antibodies was used to increase the assay sensitivity to ensure low content of specific antibodies in the conjugate. This allowed effective inhibition of free TC and conjugate binding in the strip test zone. Photometric marker registration allows control of the reduction of binding, thereby enhancing detection sensitivity. The proposed assay allows TC to be detected at concentrations up to 20 ng/mL, exceeding the limit of detection of the known analogues, in a wide working range (more than two orders) of 60 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL, ensured through the use of polyclonal antibodies. The assay time is 10 min. The efficiency of the designed assay is shown to identify TC in milk; the degree of recovery of TC ranges from 90 to 112%. The precision of the concentrations measurements was no more than 10%

Антимикробная и антимикотическая фотодинамическая терапия (обзор литературы)

This review highlights the possibilities of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using drugs based on chlorin e6, aluminum phthalocyanine, methylene blue as photosensitizers for bacterial and fungal pathologies. This method was developed initially to treat tumor diseases, where it had shown its high efficiency and safety. Now photodynamic therapy is actively used in the treatment of cancers of the skin, bronchi, stomach, cervix, larynx, or other regions. However, numerous studies have been carried out for the entire existence of the method, demonstrating new possibilities of its application. This review highlights a number of studies in which the efficacy and safety of antimicrobial and antimycotic PDT were studied in vivo and in vitro. It has been proven to have a positive effect on the reparative processes in the wound. An experimental study was carried out to study the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of peritonitis in mice. Demonstrated anti-inflammatory potential in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.В обзоре литературы освещены возможности фотодинамической терапии (ФДТ) с использованием в качестве фотосенсибилизатора (ФС) ряда препаратов, в том числе на основе хлорина е6, фталоцианина алюминия, метиленового синего, при бактериальных и грибковых патологиях. Метод ФДТ изначально был разработан для лечения опухолевых заболеваний, в борьбе с которыми показал свою высокую эффективность и безопасность. В настоящее время ФДТ активно применяется при лечении пациентов с раком кожи, бронхов, желудка, шейки матки, гортани и других локализаций. Однако за все время существования метода были проведены многочисленные исследования, демонстрирующие новые возможности его применения. В настоящем обзоре освещен ряд научно-исследовательских работ, в которых была изучена эффективность и безопасность антимикробной и антимикотической ФДТ в экспериментах in vivo и in vitro. Выполнен обзор публикаций, посвященных изучению механизмов антимикробного действия ФДТ, а также изучающих влияние ФДТ на репаративные процессы в ране. В исследованиях, включенных в настоящий обзор, доказана высокая эффективность антимикробной и антимикотической ФДТ. Продемонстрирован противовоспалительный потенциал метода при лечении аутоиммунных заболеваний у людей