Exploiting the potential of artificial intelligence techniques in FLT

The relevance of using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in education has increased significantly during the pandemic and the forced transition to distance learning technologies. It was during this period that there was a breakthrough in the development of digital educational resources based on AI, but methodological support for their effective use was not prepared. The mechanisms of leveling the risks associated with possible effects of AI on education have not been identified. The objective: to identify the risks and potential of AI techniques in their impact on the organization and outcome of the educational process. Research methods: theoretical analysis and qualitative description of practical examples of the exploiting AI techniques in foreign language teaching. The research is based on the general literature review related to the key concepts of the study: artificial intelligence, digital educational resources, foreign language teaching. The results: the most widely used AI techniques are mobile applications and platforms with educational courses; the use of highly intelligent products, such as smart classrooms, is not sufficiently developed; the risks of implementing AI methods are associated with the quality of technology, with the methodological proficiency of a teacher, and with individual learning strategies. The conclusions: at the current level of technology development, AI techniques are a supplementary educational component. It is advisable to involve teachers of particular subjects in the further improvement of these technologies. The practical significance of the results obtained is determined by the assessment of the AI technologies impact on the process of FLT and by the proposed methods of effective use of AI in teaching

The potential to encode sex, age, and individual identity in the alarm calls of three species of Marmotinae

In addition to encoding referential information and information about the sender’s motivation, mammalian alarm calls may encode information about other attributes of the sender, providing the potential for recognition among kin, mates, and neighbors. Here, we examined 96 speckled ground squirrels (Spermophilus suslicus), 100 yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus) and 85 yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) to determine whether their alarm calls differed between species in their ability to encode information about the caller’s sex, age, and identity. Alarm calls were elicited by approaching individually identified animals in live-traps. We assume this experimental design modeled a naturally occurring predatory event, when receivers should acquire information about attributes of a caller from a single bout of alarm calls. In each species, variation that allows identification of the caller’s identity was greater than variation allowing identification of age or sex. We discuss these results in relation to each species’ biology and sociality

Unusual addition patterns in trifluoromethylation of [60]fullerene

From pyrolytic trifluoromethylation of [60]fullerene with CF3CO2Ag at 300degreesC we have isolated ca. sixty C-60(CF3)n isomers (numbers in parentheses) as follows: n = 2 (1), 4 (8), 6 (13), 8 (21) 10 (11), 12 (5), 14 (4), twenty-one of which have been characterised by F-19 NMR. Compounds with addition levels up to n = 20 have also been identified. With increasing value of n, yields decrease and the separation of compounds of similar HPLC retention time but different addend levels becomes more difficult. Many of the 19F NMR spectra show combinations of quartets and septets (the latter tending to be more down field) due to 'linear' addend arrays. The spectra are consistent with addition across both 6:6- and 5: 6- ring junctions [ double (1,2) and single (1,6) bonds, respectively], giving corresponding coupling constants for adjacent addends of ca. 14.5 and 12.0 Hz respectively, the differences being attributable to the different 1,2- and 1,6- bond lengths. The C-13 NMR spectrum of C-60(CF3)(2) shows the CF3 groups are in either a 1,4- or 1,6-relationship; the UV-vis band appears at 442 nm. Other unsymmetrical tetra-adducts are comprised of isolated pairs of CF3 groups. The exceptionally large number of derivatives and isomers, (much greater than in any other fullerene reaction), no dominant product, and unusual addition pattern indicates that thermodynamic stability is not of primary importance in governing product formation. EI mass spectrometry of trifluoromethylfullerenes is characterised by loss of CF3 groups, the more highly addended compounds also showing fragmentation by CF2 loss, attributable to steric compression. The CF3 group shows strong IR bands at ca. 1260 and 1190 cm(-1). The compounds are stable to aq. acetone, which contrasts to the behaviour of fluorofullerenes. Trifluoromethylation by the Scherer radical (C9F19.) gave addition of up to eight CF3 groups, together with hydrogen in some products. During EI mass spectrometry of some of these, loss of HF attributable to CF3 and H adjacency can occur, giving CF2-containing derivatives

Synthesis and Luminescent Characteristics of Ce3+-Activated Borosilicate Blue-Emitting Phosphors for LEDs

The phosphors Sr3B2SiO8:Ce3+ have been successfully synthesized via solid-state reaction process. Emission/excitation spectra and photoluminescence decay behaviors were investigated in detail. Under the excitation of 340 nm, the emission spectrum presented an asymmetry emission band extended from 350 to 600 nm, which with the main peak at 425 nm can be fitted in two peaks (23940 cm−1 and 21934 cm−1). The chromaticity coordinates of Sr3-xB2SiO8:xCe3+ are fixed in the blue region; when the intensity of Ce3+ reached the maximum, the chromaticity coordinate is (0.154, 0.088) which is more close to the standard CIE of blue light (0.140, 0.080). The results showed the kind of phosphor may have potential applications in the fields of UV-excited white LEDs

Targeting Cancer Cell Tight Junctions Enhances PLGA-Based Photothermal Sensitizers’ Performance In Vitro and In Vivo

The development of non-invasive photothermal therapy (PTT) methods utilizing nanoparticles as sensitizers is one of the most promising directions in modern oncology. Nanoparticles loaded with photothermal dyes are capable of delivering a sufficient amount of a therapeutic substance and releasing it with the desired kinetics in vivo. However, the effectiveness of oncotherapy methods, including PTT, is often limited due to poor penetration of sensitizers into the tumor, especially into solid tumors of epithelial origin characterized by tight cellular junctions. In this work, we synthesized 200 nm nanoparticles from the biocompatible copolymer of lactic and glycolic acid, PLGA, loaded with magnesium phthalocyanine, PLGA/Pht-Mg. The PLGA/Pht-Mg particles under the irradiation with NIR light (808 nm), heat the surrounding solution by 40 °C. The effectiveness of using such particles for cancer cells elimination was demonstrated in 2D culture in vitro and in our original 3D model with multicellular spheroids possessing tight cell contacts. It was shown that the mean inhibitory concentration of such nanoparticles upon light irradiation for 15 min worsens by more than an order of magnitude: IC50 increases from 3 µg/mL for 2D culture vs. 117 µg/mL for 3D culture. However, when using the JO-4 intercellular junction opener protein, which causes a short epithelial–mesenchymal transition and transiently opens intercellular junctions in epithelial cells, the efficiency of nanoparticles in 3D culture was comparable or even outperforming that for 2D (IC50 = 1.9 µg/mL with JO-4). Synergy in the co-administration of PTT nanosensitizers and JO-4 protein was found to retain in vivo using orthotopic tumors of BALB/c mice: we demonstrated that the efficiency in the delivery of such nanoparticles to the tumor is 2.5 times increased when PLGA/Pht-Mg nanoparticles are administered together with JO-4. Thus the targeting the tumor cell junctions can significantly increase the performance of PTT nanosensitizers

Chemical and pharmacological study of herbal preparations that improve cognitive-mnestic functions

Decoctions of two herbal mixtures including Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim. (meadowsweet), Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry), and shoot and green leaves of Bergenia crassifolia (L.) Fritsch. (badan) were found to improve cognitive-mnestic functions and normalize conditioned reflex activity and explorative behavior of animals after hypoxic exposure. The decoction of mixture II containing mainly meadowsweet was most active at a dose of 5 mL/kg. The quantitative contents of flavonoids calculated as rutin in decoctions of mixtures I and II were (0.22 ± 0.007) and (0.36 ± 0.011) mg/mL, respectively. A total of 22 elements were detected in ash of mixture II and its potent decoction, including 15 essential or conditionally essential ones. Mixture II contained primarily K, Ca, Na, Mg, Si, P, Fe, and Mn; its decoction; Ca, Mg, K, Na, P, Si, Mn, and Zn. The accumulation in the decoction of high concentrations of B, P, Mg, and Mo was noteworthy

Chemical and pharmacological study of herbal preparations that improve cognitive-mnestic functions

Decoctions of two herbal mixtures including Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim. (meadowsweet), Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry), and shoot and green leaves of Bergenia crassifolia (L.) Fritsch. (badan) were found to improve cognitive-mnestic functions and normalize conditioned reflex activity and explorative behavior of animals after hypoxic exposure. The decoction of mixture II containing mainly meadowsweet was most active at a dose of 5 mL/kg. The quantitative contents of flavonoids calculated as rutin in decoctions of mixtures I and II were (0.22 ± 0.007) and (0.36 ± 0.011) mg/mL, respectively. A total of 22 elements were detected in ash of mixture II and its potent decoction, including 15 essential or conditionally essential ones. Mixture II contained primarily K, Ca, Na, Mg, Si, P, Fe, and Mn; its decoction; Ca, Mg, K, Na, P, Si, Mn, and Zn. The accumulation in the decoction of high concentrations of B, P, Mg, and Mo was noteworthy

Influenza virus Matrix Protein M1 preserves its conformation with pH, changing multimerization state at the priming stage due to electrostatics

Influenza A virus matrix protein M1 plays an essential role in the virus lifecycle, but its functional and structural properties are not entirely defined. Here we employed small-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy and zeta-potential measurements to characterize the overall structure and association behavior of the full-length M1 at different pH conditions. We demonstrate that the protein consists of a globular N-terminal domain and a flexible C-terminal extension. The globular N-terminal domain of M1 monomers appears preserved in the range of pH from 4.0 to 6.8, while the C-terminal domain remains flexible and the tendency to form multimers changes dramatically. We found that the protein multimerization process is reversible, whereby the binding between M1 molecules starts to break around pH 6. A predicted electrostatic model of M1 self-assembly at different pH revealed a good agreement with zeta-potential measurements, allowing one to assess the role of M1 domains in M1-M1 and M1-lipid interactions. Together with the protein sequence analysis, these results provide insights into the mechanism of M1 scaffold formation and the major role of the flexible and disordered C-terminal domain in this process