Reduction of the content of harmful impurities during technical silicon melting using the filtering method

The article discusses the filtration method of cleaning silicon, the possibility of mechanical separation of inclusions, the effect of capillary phenomena, the wettability of the filter material on the efficiency of cleaning silicon from impurities. There are also considered the advantages of bulk granular filters which consist of the lumpy or granulated elements. There are described the methods of obtaining filtering elements, the functions executed by the filters depending on their type. There are presented the analysis results obtained in filter refinement of silicon which show the impact of different filters materials on the content of impurities

Overexpression of MRPS18-2 in cancer cell lines results in appearance of multinucleated cells

Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Human mitochondrial ribosomal protein MRPS18-2 (S18-2) is encoded by a cellular gene that is located on the human chromosome 6p21.3. We discovered that overexpression of the S18-2 protein led to immortalization and de-differentiation of primary rat embryonic fibroblasts. Cells showed anchorage-independent growth pattern. Moreover, pathways characteristic for rapidly proliferating cells were upregulated then. It is possible that the S18-2 overexpression induced disturbance in cell cycle regulation. We found that overexpression of S18-2 protein in human cancer cell lines led to an appearance of multinucleated cells in the selected clones.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Properties of the Single Crystals Grown from the Solution-Melts of the Reciprocal System Cu,In,Cd||Те,Se.

Досліджені фізичні властивості монокристалів g-фази, вирощених горизонтальним методом Бріджмена по перерізу CuInSe2–2CdTe системи Cu,In,Cd||Те,Se. Визначена ширина забороненої зони цих кристалів за спектрами поглинання. Виміряно фотопровідність кристалів. Визначено тип провідності зразків із результатів вимірювання термо-ерс. Оптичні властивості кристалів досліджували вимірюваннями ефекту Холла i температурної залежності провідності кристалів. Physical properties of the single crystals of g-phase grown by the horizontal Bridgman method along the CuInSe 2–2CdTe section of the Cu,In,Cd||Те,Se system were investigated. The bandgap energy of these crystals was determined from the absorption spectra. The photoconductivity of the crystals was measured. The conductivity type of the samples was determined from the thermo-EMF measurements. Optical properties of the crystals were investigated by Hall measurements and by the temperature dependence of the conductivity

The Phisycal Properties of the γ-Phase Single Crystals of the Reciprocal System CuInSe2 + 2CdTe ÛCuInTe2 + 2CdSe

Исследованы физические свойства монокристаллов g-фазы, выращенных модифицированным методом Бриджмена по сечению CuInSe2− 2CdTe системы CuInSe2 + 2CdTe Û CuInTe2 +2 CdSe. Определена ширина запрещенной зоны этих кристаллов по спектрам поглощения. Электрические свойства кристаллов определяли измерениями эффекта Холла и температурной зависимости проводимости кристаллов. The physical properties of the single crystals of the g-phase grown by modified Bridgman method of the CuInSe2 + 2CdTe ÛCuInTe2 + 2CdSe system have been investigated. The band gap of these crystals from the absorption spectra was defined. The electrical properties of the crystals were determined by measuring the Hall effect and temperature dependence of the crystal conductivity

ОПТИМІЗАЦІЯ ПРОТИЕПІДЕМІЧНОГО ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ У ДИНАМІЦІ ПАНДЕМІЇ COVID-19

The new coronavirus SARS-Cov-2, which was discovered in Wuhan in December 2019, caused the COVID-19 pandemic. Anti-epidemic protection in different affected countries differs in the scope of regime-restrictive measures and response regulations. The most effective was a set of quarantine measures in combination with early detection of epidemic outbreaks and their blocking. The massive impact of the population in most countries of the world has led to the inefficiency of all three major medical units of the biological threats response system: clinical, epidemiological and laboratory – which are crucial in eliminating of pandemic. The lack of specific means of treatment and prevention requires constant monitoring of the epidemic situation and timely correction of measures to curb the negative trends in the epidemic situation. Medical facilities are at high risk of infecting both medical staff and all those seeking medical care, which requires the total introduction of specific infection control measures for COVID-19 at all levels of medical care, including the evacuation and sorting of patients. The rapid progression of the COVID-19 epidemic process on the planet at the background of data on low reproductive numbers indicates a lack of knowledge about the main manifestations and patterns of the epidemic process of this extremely dangerous infectious disease. It may be the main reason for ineffective countermeasures. The evolution of SARS-Cov-2 with the formation of three subtypes and five genotypes of the pathogen, especially the emergence of a variant of the D614G virus with increased contagiousness and virulence, requires effective virological monitoring to create of valid diagnostic test systems and assess the prospects for specific active immunoprevention against COVID-19. Lack of data on the infectious dose of SARS-Cov-2, taking into account the mechanisms of transmission of the pathogen, the presence of a high proportion of asymptomatic forms of the disease, limited data on “super source of infection” of the pathogen, large losses among medical personnel, differences in response systems to biological hazards and other circumstances complicate the possibility of an effective anti-epidemic response to COVID-19. Lack of control over compliance with the recommended number of countermeasures intensifies the development of the epidemic process during the introduction of adaptive quarantine.Новий коронавірус SARS-Cov-2, який виявили в м. Ухань у грудні 2019 р., спричинив пандемію COVID-19. Протиепідемічний захист у різних уражених країнах відрізняється за обсягами режимно-обмежувальних заходів і регламентами реагування. Найефективнішим виявився комплекс карантинних заходів у поєднанні з раннім виявленням епідемічних осередків та їх блокуванням. Масовість ураження населення в більшості країнах світу зумовила неефективність діяльності усіх трьох основних медичних ланок системи реагування на біологічні загрози: клінічної, епідеміологічної та лабораторної, – які є визначальними у ліквідації пандемії. Відсутність засобів лікування і профілактики вимагає постійного моніторингу епідемічної ситуації та своєчасної корекції заходів стримання її негативних тенденцій розвитку. Медичні заклади стали об’єктами високого ризику зараження як медичного персоналу, так і усіх, хто звертається за медичною допомогою, що вимагає тотального запровадження специфічних заходів інфекційного контролю щодо COVID-19 на всіх рівнях надання медичної допомоги, включно на етапах евакуації та сортування хворих. Швидке прогресування розвитку епідемічного процесу COVID-19 на планеті на фоні даних про низьке репродуктивне число свідчить про недостатність знань з основних проявів і закономірностей епідемічного процесу цього особливо небезпечного інфекційного захворювання, що може бути основною причиною неефективності протиепідемічних заходів. Еволюція SARS-Cov-2 з формуванням трьох підтипів і п’яти генотипів збудника, особливо поява варіанту вірусу D614G з підвищеною контагіозністю і вірулентністю, вимагає ефективного вірусологічного моніторингу для створення валідних діагностичних тест-систем і оцінювання перспективності застосування специфічної активної імунопрофілактики на момент появи вакцин проти COVID-19. Відсутність даних про інфікувальну дозу SARS-Cov-2 із врахуванням механізмів передачі збудника інфекції, наявність високої частки асимптомних форм хвороби, обмежені дані щодо «суперрозповсюджувачів» патогена, великі втрати серед медичного персоналу, відмінності в системах реагування на біологічні небезпеки на уражених територіях та низка інших обставин ускладнюють можливості ефективного протиепідемічного реагування на COVID-19. Відсутність контролю дотримання рекомендованого обсягу протиепідемічних заходів інтенсифікує розвиток епідемічного процесу в період запровадження адаптивного карантину

Developing operation algorithms for vision subsystems in autonomous mobile robots

The paper analyzes algorithms for selecting keypoints on the image for the subsequent automatic detection of people and obstacles. The algorithm is based on the histogram of oriented gradients and the support vector method. The combination of these methods allows successful selection of dynamic and static objects. The algorithm can be applied in various autonomous mobile robots

Scans for signatures of selection in Russian cattle breed genomes reveal new candidate genes for environmental adaptation and acclimation

Domestication and selective breeding has resulted in over 1000 extant cattle breeds. Many of these breeds do not excel in important traits but are adapted to local environments. These adaptations are a valuable source of genetic material for efforts to improve commercial breeds. As a step toward this goal we identified candidate regions to be under selection in genomes of nine Russian native cattle breeds adapted to survive in harsh climates. After comparing our data to other breeds of European and Asian origins we found known and novel candidate genes that could potentially be related to domestication, economically important traits and environmental adaptations in cattle. The Russian cattle breed genomes contained regions under putative selection with genes that may be related to adaptations to harsh environments (e.g., AQP5, RAD50, and RETREG1). We found genomic signatures of selective sweeps near key genes related to economically important traits, such as the milk production (e.g., DGAT1, ABCG2), growth (e.g., XKR4), and reproduction (e.g., CSF2). Our data point to candidate genes which should be included in future studies attempting to identify genes to improve the extant breeds and facilitate generation of commercial breeds that fit better into the environments of Russia and other countries with similar climates

A chemical survey of exoplanets with ARIEL

Thousands of exoplanets have now been discovered with a huge range of masses, sizes and orbits: from rocky Earth-like planets to large gas giants grazing the surface of their host star. However, the essential nature of these exoplanets remains largely mysterious: there is no known, discernible pattern linking the presence, size, or orbital parameters of a planet to the nature of its parent star. We have little idea whether the chemistry of a planet is linked to its formation environment, or whether the type of host star drives the physics and chemistry of the planet’s birth, and evolution. ARIEL was conceived to observe a large number (~1000) of transiting planets for statistical understanding, including gas giants, Neptunes, super-Earths and Earth-size planets around a range of host star types using transit spectroscopy in the 1.25–7.8 μm spectral range and multiple narrow-band photometry in the optical. ARIEL will focus on warm and hot planets to take advantage of their well-mixed atmospheres which should show minimal condensation and sequestration of high-Z materials compared to their colder Solar System siblings. Said warm and hot atmospheres are expected to be more representative of the planetary bulk composition. Observations of these warm/hot exoplanets, and in particular of their elemental composition (especially C, O, N, S, Si), will allow the understanding of the early stages of planetary and atmospheric formation during the nebular phase and the following few million years. ARIEL will thus provide a representative picture of the chemical nature of the exoplanets and relate this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. ARIEL is designed as a dedicated survey mission for combined-light spectroscopy, capable of observing a large and well-defined planet sample within its 4-year mission lifetime. Transit, eclipse and phase-curve spectroscopy methods, whereby the signal from the star and planet are differentiated using knowledge of the planetary ephemerides, allow us to measure atmospheric signals from the planet at levels of 10–100 part per million (ppm) relative to the star and, given the bright nature of targets, also allows more sophisticated techniques, such as eclipse mapping, to give a deeper insight into the nature of the atmosphere. These types of observations require a stable payload and satellite platform with broad, instantaneous wavelength coverage to detect many molecular species, probe the thermal structure, identify clouds and monitor the stellar activity. The wavelength range proposed covers all the expected major atmospheric gases from e.g. H2O, CO2, CH4 NH3, HCN, H2S through to the more exotic metallic compounds, such as TiO, VO, and condensed species. Simulations of ARIEL performance in conducting exoplanet surveys have been performed – using conservative estimates of mission performance and a full model of all significant noise sources in the measurement – using a list of potential ARIEL targets that incorporates the latest available exoplanet statistics. The conclusion at the end of the Phase A study, is that ARIEL – in line with the stated mission objectives – will be able to observe about 1000 exoplanets depending on the details of the adopted survey strategy, thus confirming the feasibility of the main science objectives.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Chromosomal-level assembly of the Asian Seabass genome using long sequence reads and multi-layered scaffolding

We report here the ~670 Mb genome assembly of the Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), a tropical marine teleost. We used long-read sequencing augmented by transcriptomics, optical and genetic mapping along with shared synteny from closely related fish species to derive a chromosome-level assembly with a contig N50 size over 1 Mb and scaffold N50 size over 25 Mb that span ~90% of the genome. The population structure of L. calcarifer species complex was analyzed by re-sequencing 61 individuals representing various regions across the species' native range. SNP analyses identified high levels of genetic diversity and confirmed earlier indications of a population stratification comprising three clades with signs of admixture apparent in the South-East Asian population. The quality of the Asian seabass genome assembly far exceeds that of any other fish species, and will serve as a new standard for fish genomics