Correlations, Risk and Crisis: From Physiology to Finance

We study the dynamics of correlation and variance in systems under the load of environmental factors. A universal effect in ensembles of similar systems under the load of similar factors is described: in crisis, typically, even before obvious symptoms of crisis appear, correlation increases, and, at the same time, variance (and volatility) increases too. This effect is supported by many experiments and observations of groups of humans, mice, trees, grassy plants, and on financial time series. A general approach to the explanation of the effect through dynamics of individual adaptation of similar non-interactive individuals to a similar system of external factors is developed. Qualitatively, this approach follows Selye's idea about adaptation energy.Comment: 42 pages, 15 figures, misprints corrections, a proof is added, improved journal versio

Evolution of adaptation mechanisms: adaptation energy, stress, and oscillating death

In 1938, H. Selye proposed the notion of adaptation energy and published "Experimental evidence supporting the conception of adaptation energy". Adaptation of an animal to different factors appears as the spending of one resource. Adaptation energy is a hypothetical extensive quantity spent for adaptation. This term causes much debate when one takes it literally, as a physical quantity, i.e. a sort of energy. The controversial points of view impede the systematic use of the notion of adaptation energy despite experimental evidence. Nevertheless, the response to many harmful factors often has general non-specific form and we suggest that the mechanisms of physiological adaptation admit a very general and nonspecific description. We aim to demonstrate that Selye's adaptation energy is the cornerstone of the top-down approach to modelling of non-specific adaptation processes. We analyse Selye's axioms of adaptation energy together with Goldstone's modifications and propose a series of models for interpretation of these axioms. {\em Adaptation energy is considered as an internal coordinate on the `dominant path' in the model of adaptation}. The phenomena of `oscillating death' and `oscillating remission' are predicted on the base of the dynamical models of adaptation. Natural selection plays a key role in the evolution of mechanisms of physiological adaptation. We use the fitness optimization approach to study of the distribution of resources for neutralization of harmful factors, during adaptation to a multifactor environment, and analyse the optimal strategies for different systems of factors

Some results of investigations in electronic information and educational environment of the university within the international research network

This article presents a number of results of the research conducted within the European IRNet Project: ‘International Research Network for study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences’ (www.irnet.us.edu.pl ). In the research described a tool was used to retrieve data on information and educational environment of the university, students’ beliefs and expectations about ICT-enhanced learning, and their emerging needs for intercultural development. The expected result was an analysis of the students’ views and attitudes towards various educational processes within the scope of their academic study, entailing ICT, intercultural and professional competences. The study targets students from Poland and from other partner countries. The retrieved data in the research have allowed to explore the state of the art in ICT-, learning- and intercultural competences. On top of that, cross-cultural analyses will be conducted and will be compared with results, received by partners from other countries. At a later stage of project research (Work Package 7) recommendations for Higher Education in the included countries will be formulatedДанная статья представляет некоторые результаты исследований, проведенных в рамках международного научного европейского проекта IRNet (IRSES, 7FP): Международная научно-исследовательская сеть для изучения и разработки новых инструментов и методов для передовых педагогических наук в области ИКТ, электронного обучения и развития межкультурных компетенций (www.irnet.us.edu.pl). В статье представлены концепции некоторых используемых исследовательских инструментов, в частности для получения данных о мнении студентов и их ожиданий в отношении информационно-образовательной среды университета, их обучения и получения образования с использованием ИКТ, а также возникающих потребностей в развитии межкультурных компетентностей. Был проведён предварительный анализ исследуемых взглядов и позиции студентов по отношению к различным образовательным процессам, входящим в сферу их обучения, включая ИКТ, электронное обучение, межкультурные и профессиональные компетенции. Более масштабное исследование помимо польских студентовпроводилось также среди студентов и из других стран-партнеров проекта IRNet. В настоящее время проводится сравнительная характеристика результатов, полученных в различных странах и университетах, выводы публикуются в совместных статьях. На более позднем этапе исследовательского проекта (Рабочий пакет 7) стран будут сформулированы рекомендации, касающиеся усовершенствования высшего образования в отдельных страна

Dynamic and Thermodynamic Models of Adaptation

The concept of biological adaptation was closely connected to some mathematical, engineering and physical ideas from the very beginning. Cannon in his "The wisdom of the body" (1932) used the engineering vision of regulation. In 1938, Selye enriched this approach by the notion of adaptation energy. This term causes much debate when one takes it literally, i.e. as a sort of energy. Selye did not use the language of mathematics, but the formalization of his phenomenological theory in the spirit of thermodynamics was simple and led to verifiable predictions. In 1980s, the dynamics of correlation and variance in systems under adaptation to a load of environmental factors were studied and the universal effect in ensembles of systems under a load of similar factors was discovered: in a crisis, as a rule, even before the onset of obvious symptoms of stress, the correlation increases together with variance (and volatility). During 30 years, this effect has been supported by many observations of groups of humans, mice, trees, grassy plants, and on financial time series. In the last ten years, these results were supplemented by many new experiments, from gene networks in cardiology and oncology to dynamics of depression and clinical psychotherapy. Several systems of models were developed: the thermodynamic-like theory of adaptation of ensembles and several families of models of individual adaptation. Historically, the first group of models was based on Selye's concept of adaptation energy and used fitness estimates. Two other groups of models are based on the idea of hidden attractor bifurcation and on the advection--diffusion model for distribution of population in the space of physiological attributes. We explore this world of models and experiments, starting with classic works, with particular attention to the results of the last ten years and open questions.Comment: Review paper, 48 pages, 29 figures, 183 bibliography, the final version accepted in Phys Life Re

Development of the cell-ELISA test for the subtype identification of circulating influenza A(H1) and A(H3) viruses

The sensitive version of cell-ELISA was developed for the subtype-specific differentiation of current influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses that are circulating in the human population. This method is based on the estimation of virus reproduction in infected MDCK cells. The detection step of this method is an interaction of the subtype-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the viral hemagglutinin (НА) molecule. The influenza A virus strains, isolated in the 2014 epidemic season, were used to validate this method.It was shown that when using mAbs # 1/ # 2 or # 4 at a concentration of 10-15 µg/ml, the developed variant of cell-ELISA was able to detect НА protein synthesized in the infected cells of influenza A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, respectively.The developed method can be used for the identification of modern influenza A viruses with low hemagglutination activity, which is not possible by the conventional hemagglutination inhibition test.The sensitive version of cell-ELISA was developed for the subtype-specific differentiation of current influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses that are circulating in the human population. This method is based on the estimation of virus reproduction in infected MDCK cells. The detection step of this method is an interaction of the subtype-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the viral hemagglutinin (НА) molecule. The influenza A virus strains, isolated in the 2014 epidemic season, were used to validate this method. It was shown that when using mAbs # 1/ # 2 or # 4 at a concentration of 10-15 µg/ml, the developed variant of cell-ELISA was able to detect НА protein synthesized in the infected cells of influenza A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, respectively. The developed method can be used for the identification of modern influenza A viruses with low hemagglutination activity, which is not possible by the conventional hemagglutination inhibition test

INDIVIDUAL FEATURES OF METABOLISM OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE IN PATIENTS WITH VIBRATION DISEASE IN POST-CONTACT PERIOD

The article presents individual features of metabolism of connective tissue in patients with, different terms of formation of vibration disease. The assessment of metabolic disorders in connective tissue of patients with vibration disease for prediction of its course in post-contact period was carried out