UNIVERSITY INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Purpose of the study: One of the most important terms to solve the problems of the education system is the educational institution’s intellectual capital, which significantly transforms the role and functions of the modern educator. The purpose of the article is to identify the essence of the University's intellectual capital and to justify the trajectory of its development, due to the needs and capabilities of education stakeholders. Methodology: Based on the methodology of education quality management the article justifies the leading role of quality education as an imperative of the University development. Intellectual capital is considered from the standpoint of organizational resources that determine the cost of the final product – the quality of education and the competitive position of the University; its development is carried out based on the project-target approach. Results: Modern requirements for the intellectual capital of the educational organization are revealed, the role and essence of pedagogical activity of teachers of higher education institutions in its formation are shown. The importance of continuous improvement of hard and soft competencies of University teachers as a way of incrementing intellectual capital is shown. The adaptive model’s design of University teachers’ career strategies based on design-target mechanisms is presented that determines the organizational development of the University. Applications of this study: The results determined the possibility to consider organizational and human knowledge and competence as a special type of investment to improve the functioning of the University. The recommendations for the construction of models of the University intellectual capital management are presented. The article is intended for employees of the education system, educators, researchers, and heads of the University departments. Novelty/Originality of this study: The contribution is made to the theory of the University’s social and cognitive management based on expanding the powers of quality management in the field of intellectual capital management

Crystal Structure Defects in Titanium Nickelide after Abc Pressing at Lowered Temperature

The experimental results regarding the effect of warm (573 K) abc pressing with an increase in the specified true strain, e, up to 9.55, on the microstructure and crystal structure defects (dislocations, vacancies) of the Ti49.8Ni50.2 (at %) alloy are presented. It is shown that all samples (regardless of e) have a two-level microstructure. The grains-subgrains of the submicrocrystalline scale level are in the volumes of large grains. The average sizes of both large grains and subgrain grains decrease with increasing e to 9.55 (from 27 to 12 µm and from 0.36 to 0.13 µm, respectively). All samples had a two-phase state (rhombohedral R and monoclinic B19′ martensitic phases) at 295 K. The full-profile analysis of X-ray reflections of the B2 phase obtained at 393 K shows that the dislocation density increases from 1014 m−2 to 1015 m−2 after pressing with e = 1.84 and reaches 2·1015 m−2 when e increases to 9.55. It has been established by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy that dislocations are the main type of defects in initial samples and the only type of defects in samples after abc pressing. The lifetime of positrons trapped by dislocations is 166 ps, and the intensity of this component increases from 83% in the initial samples to 99.4% after pressing with e = 9.55. The initial samples contain a component with a positron lifetime of 192 ps (intensity 16.4%), which corresponds to the presence of monovacancies in the nickel sublattice of the B2 phase (concentration ≈10−5). This component is absent in the positron lifetime spectra in the samples after pressing. The results of the analysis of the Doppler broadening spectroscopy correlate with the data obtained by the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy

Natural Selection Equally Supports the Human Tendencies in Subordination and Domination: A Genome-Wide Study With in silico Confirmation and in vivo Validation in Mice

We proposed the following heuristic decision-making rule: “IF {an excess of a protein relating to the nervous system is an experimentally known physiological marker of low pain sensitivity, fast postinjury recovery, or aggressive, risk/novelty-seeking, anesthetic-like, or similar agonistic-intolerant behavior} AND IF {a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) causes overexpression of the gene encoding this protein} THEN {this SNP can be a SNP marker of the tendency in dominance} WHILE {underexpression corresponds to subordination} AND vice versa.” Using this decision-making rule, we analyzed 231 human genes of neuropeptidergic, non-neuropeptidergic, and neurotrophinergic systems that encode neurotrophic and growth factors, interleukins, neurotransmitters, receptors, transporters, and enzymes. These proteins are known as key factors of human social behavior. We analyzed all the 5,052 SNPs within the 70 bp promoter region upstream of the position where the protein-coding transcript starts, which were retrieved from databases Ensembl and dbSNP using our previously created public Web service SNP_TATA_Comparator (http://beehive.bionet.nsc.ru/cgi-bin/mgs/tatascan/start.pl). This definition of the promoter region includes all TATA-binding protein (TBP)-binding sites. A total of 556 and 552 candidate SNP markers contributing to the dominance and the subordination, respectively, were uncovered. On this basis, we determined that 231 human genes under study are subject to natural selection against underexpression (significance p < 0.0005), which equally supports the human tendencies in domination and subordination such as the norm of a reaction (plasticity) of the human social hierarchy. These findings explain vertical transmission of domination and subordination traits previously observed in rodent models. Thus, the results of this study equally support both sides of the century-old unsettled scientific debate on whether both aggressiveness and the social hierarchy among humans are inherited (as suggested by Freud and Lorenz) or are due to non-genetic social education, when the children are influenced by older individuals across generations (as proposed by Berkowitz and Fromm)

Structure and Phase State of Ti_49.4Ni_50.6 (at%) Hydrogenated in Normal Saline

The paper analyzes the surface structure and phase state of Ti49.4Ni50.6 (at%) hydrogenated at 295 K in normal saline (0.9% NaCl aqueous solution with pH = 5.7) at 20 A/m2 for 0.5–6 h. The analysis shows that the average hydrogen concentration in the alloy increases with the hydrogenation time tH as follows: slowly to 50 ppm at tH = 0.5–1.5 h, steeply to 150 ppm at tH = 1.2–2 h, and linearly to 300 ppm at tH = 2–6 h. According to Bragg–Brentano X-ray diffraction data (θ–2 θ, 2 θ ≤ 50°, CoKα radiation), the alloy in its scanned surface layer of thickness ~5.6 µm reveals a TiNiHx phase with x = 0.64 and x = 0.54 after hydrogenation for 4 and 6 h, respectively. The structure of this phase is identifiable as an orthorhombic hydride similar to β1–TiFeH0.94 (space group Pmcm), rather than as a tetragonal TiNiHx hydride with x = 0.30–1.0 (space group I4/mmm). Time curves are presented to trace the lattice parameters and volume change during the formation of such an orthorhombic phase from the initial cubic B2 phase in Ti49.4Ni50.6 (at%)

Detection of regulatory SNPs in human genome using ChIP-seq ENCODE data.

A vast amount of SNPs derived from genome-wide association studies are represented by non-coding ones, therefore exacerbating the need for effective identification of regulatory SNPs (rSNPs) among them. However, this task remains challenging since the regulatory part of the human genome is annotated much poorly as opposed to coding regions. Here we describe an approach aggregating the whole set of ENCODE ChIP-seq data in order to search for rSNPs, and provide the experimental evidence of its efficiency. Its algorithm is based on the assumption that the enrichment of a genomic region with transcription factor binding loci (ChIP-seq peaks) indicates its regulatory function, and thereby SNPs located in this region are more likely to influence transcription regulation. To ensure that the approach preferably selects functionally meaningful SNPs, we performed enrichment analysis of several human SNP datasets associated with phenotypic manifestations. It was shown that all samples are significantly enriched with SNPs falling into the regions of multiple ChIP-seq peaks as compared with the randomly selected SNPs. For experimental verification, 40 SNPs falling into overlapping regions of at least 7 TF binding loci were selected from OMIM. The effect of SNPs on the binding of the DNA fragments containing them to the nuclear proteins from four human cell lines (HepG2, HeLaS3, HCT-116, and K562) has been tested by EMSA. A radical change in the binding pattern has been observed for 29 SNPs, besides, 6 more SNPs also demonstrated less pronounced changes. Taken together, the results demonstrate the effective way to search for potential rSNPs with the aid of ChIP-seq data provided by ENCODE project

Crystal Structure Defects in Titanium Nickelide after Abc Pressing at Lowered Temperature

The experimental results regarding the effect of warm (573 K) abc pressing with an increase in the specified true strain, e, up to 9.55, on the microstructure and crystal structure defects (dislocations, vacancies) of the Ti49.8Ni50.2 (at %) alloy are presented. It is shown that all samples (regardless of e) have a two-level microstructure. The grains–subgrains of the submicrocrystalline scale level are in the volumes of large grains. The average sizes of both large grains and subgrain grains decrease with increasing e to 9.55 (from 27 to 12 µm and from 0.36 to 0.13 µm, respectively). All samples had a two-phase state (rhombohedral R and monoclinic B19′ martensitic phases) at 295 K. The full-profile analysis of X-ray reflections of the B2 phase obtained at 393 K shows that the dislocation density increases from 1014 m−2 to 1015 m−2 after pressing with e = 1.84 and reaches 2·1015 m−2 when e increases to 9.55. It has been established by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy that dislocations are the main type of defects in initial samples and the only type of defects in samples after abc pressing. The lifetime of positrons trapped by dislocations is 166 ps, and the intensity of this component increases from 83% in the initial samples to 99.4% after pressing with e = 9.55. The initial samples contain a component with a positron lifetime of 192 ps (intensity 16.4%), which corresponds to the presence of monovacancies in the nickel sublattice of the B2 phase (concentration ≈10−5). This component is absent in the positron lifetime spectra in the samples after pressing. The results of the analysis of the Doppler broadening spectroscopy correlate with the data obtained by the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy

FLIM for Evaluation of Difference in Metabolic Status between Native and Differentiated from iPSCs Dermal Papilla Cells

iPSCs and their derivatives are the most promising cell sources for creating skin equivalents. However, their properties are not fully understood. In addition, new approaches and parameters are needed for studying cells in 3D models without destroying their organization. Thus, the aim of our work was to study and compare the metabolic status and pH of dermal spheroids created from dermal papilla cells differentiated from pluripotent stem cells (iDP) and native dermal papilla cells (hDP) using fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). For this purpose, fluorescence intensities of NAD(P)H and FAD, fluorescence lifetimes, and the contributions of NAD(P)H, as well as the fluorescence intensities of SypHer-2 and BCECF were measured. iDP in spheroids were characterized by a more glycolytic phenotype and alkaline intra-cellular pH in comparison with hDP cells. Moreover, the metabolic activity of iDP in spheroids depends on the source of stem cells from which they were obtained. So, less differentiated and condensed spheroids from iDP-iPSDP and iDP-iPSKYOU are characterized by a more glycolytic phenotype compared to dense spheroids from iDP-DYP0730 and iDP-hES. FLIM and fluorescent microscopy in combination with the metabolism and pH are promising tools for minimally invasive and long-term analyses of 3D models based on stem cells

Effect of abc Pressing at 573 K on the Microstructure and Martensite Transformation Temperatures in Ti49.8Ni50.2 (at%)

This paper presents experimental data on the microstructure and martensite transformation temperatures of Ti49.8Ni50.2 (at%) after abc pressing (multi-axial forging) to different true strains e from 1.84 to 9.55 at 573 K. The data show that increasing the true strain results in grain–subgrain refinement on different scales at a time. With e = 9.55 at 573 K, the average grain–subgrain size measured approximately 130 nm. Decreasing the abc pressing temperature from 723 to 573 K caused a decrease in all martensite transformation temperatures, a change in the lattice parameters, R phase formation, and angular shifts of diffraction peaks and their broadening. The largest change in the microstructure of Ti49.8Ni50.2 was provided by abc pressing to e = 1.84. Increasing the true strain to e = 9.55 resulted in a much smaller effect, suggesting that the alloy obtained a high density of structural defects even at e = 1.84. Two possible mechanisms of grain–subgrain refinement are discussed

Contrast-Free FLIM Reveals Metabolic Changes in Pathological Islets of Langerhans

FLIM (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy) is a powerful tool that could be used in the future to diagnose islet cell recovery after therapy. The identification of appropriate FLIM parameters is required to determine islet quality and islet cell metabolism throughout the organ under various conditions of insulin deficiency. The aim of the work was to identify key FLIM parameters, changes of which are characteristic of pancreatic pathologies. The τm, τ1, τ2, α1, α2 and α1/α2 of free and bound forms of NAD(P)H of the islet cells of animals (rats and pigs) and of humans with and without pathologies were measured and analyzed. The data were confirmed by IHC and histological studies. We identified three FLIM parameters in islet cells from animals with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) and from humans with chronic pancreatitis + type 2 diabetes (T2D), which differ in the same way: τm and α2 take lower values compared to the nonpathological islet cells, while α1/α2 takes higher values. In islet cells from patients with adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and chronic pancreatitis, these parameters had reverse tendency relative to the norm or did not differ. Thus, minimally invasive and non-contrast FLIM methods may, in the future, be used to diagnose pathological islet cells