Studying Supply Chain and Tourism Cluster Development

Supply chain and tourism cluster are the two important ways to enhance the competitiveness of regions or industries. By discussing the differences and links between the two, this paper concludes that tourism cluster and supply chain carry features of compatibility and symbiosis. The importance of this research paper is determined by the fact that a significant number of tourism clusters established in the territory of the Russian Federation are not always successful as catalysts for the tourism sector development. This study aims to determine methods for conducting research on specialization as a factor in tourism cluster development, taking into consideration the existing research approaches and findings in this area. The systemic, structural, functional and analysis methods were used, along with a general theoretic approach to researching tourism cluster development. The selected methods made it possible to identify approaches to forming the relevant research methodologies. Based on the presented approaches, it is possible to choose research methods and the coherence of research activities in this area, with a view to identify key development indicators for tourism development and various tourism-related processes taking place within the territory of a tourism cluster. The research findings will provide necessary tools and mechanisms for developing tourism clusters based on the diversification of their specialization. The findings of the study are directed at increasing the effectiveness of decisions taken to assess and forecast tourism cluster development and can also be of use to all those interested in this field. The materials of the present study can be used by regional administrations to monitor and make effective management decisions aimed at improving regional tourism development programs. Experts and scholars could also benefit from the findings of this study to analyze and develop projections and to promote topic-related methodological approaches. The article will be of practical value for the specialists in tourism planning, tourism administration and tourism enterprise managers

Targeted training of the function of walking according to the stance and single support phase in patients in the early recovery period of cerebral stroke

Background: The phases of support and single support on a limb are significant basic parameters of walking (phase of support means the whole limb support time, while the phase of single support is when only one limb is on the ground). Both can be used as targets for biofeedback training. Aim: to investigate the effectiveness of both target parameters for training the function of walking with biofeedback in patients in the early recovery period of cerebral stroke. Methods: The study involved 40 patients, 20 in each group, who underwent a training course to harmonize walking: the first group for the period of support, and the second group for the period of single support. The control group of healthy people also consisted of 20 people. We studied the spatiotemporal parameters of walking at an arbitrary pace at the beginning and after the end of the training course, as well as classical clinical scales. The treadmill training consisted of 10 sessions. Results: The clinical and biomechanical parameters of walking changed their values in the direction of a significant improvement in the performance. At the same time, the biomechanical parameters of the second group indicated a more severe functional state before the start of the treatment, with the same clinical parameters according to the Barthel scale, Rivermead Mobility Index, modified Rankin scale, rehabilitation routing scale, and manual muscle testing. In the first group, indirect data were obtained on the possible effect of the target indicator on the training and direct data on its effect on the function of a healthy limb, which also allows increasing the load on the paretic one. In the second group, there were no reliable data on the effect of biofeedback training on the functional outcome. Conclusion: The conducted study showed that the classical clinical assessment of the patient's condition may not correspond to the instrumental functional study of walking. When using the support period as the training target parameter, indirect evidence was obtained that such a training is effective

Association between antiarrhythmic, electrophysiological and antioxidative effects of melatonin in ischemia/reperfusion

Melatonin is assumed to confer cardioprotective action via antioxidative properties. We evaluated the association between ventricular tachycardia and/or ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) incidence, oxidative stress, and myocardial electrophysiological parameters in experimental ischemia/reperfusion under melatonin treatment. Melatonin was given to 28 rats (10 mg/kg/day, orally, for 7 days) and 13 animals received placebo. In the anesthetized animals, coronary occlusion was induced for 5 min followed by reperfusion with recording of unipolar electrograms from ventricular epicardium with a 64-lead array. Effects of melatonin on transmembrane potentials were studied in ventricular preparations of 7 rats in normal and ?ischemic? conditions. Melatonin treatment was associated with lower VT/VF incidence at reperfusion, shorter baseline activation times (ATs), and activation-repolarization intervals and more complete recovery of repolarization times (RTs) at reperfusion (less baseline-reperfusion difference, ΔRT) (p < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was higher in the treated animals and associated with ΔRT (p = 0.001), whereas VT/VF incidence was associated with baseline ATs (p = 0.020). In vitro, melatonin led to a more complete restoration of action potential durations and resting membrane potentials at reoxygenation (p < 0.05). Thus, the antioxidative properties of melatonin were associated with its influence on repolarization duration, whereas the melatonin-related antiarrhythmic effect was associated with its oxidative stress-independent action on ventricular activation.Fil: Sedova, Ksenia A.. Czech Technical University In Prague; República ChecaFil: Bernikova, Olesya G.. Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Cuprova, Julia I.. Czech Technical University In Prague; República ChecaFil: Ivanova, Alexandra D.. Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Kutaeva, Galina A.. Pitirim Sorokin Syktyvkar State University; RusiaFil: Pliss, Michael G.. Almazov National Medical Research Centre; RusiaFil: Lopatina, Ekaterina V.. University of Saint Petersburg; RusiaFil: Vaykshnorayte, Marina A.. Ural Branch Of Russian Academy Of Sciences; RusiaFil: Diez, Emiliano Raúl. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Medicas. Instituto de Fisiologia; ArgentinaFil: Azarov, Jan E.. Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences; Rusia. Pitirim Sorokin Syktyvkar State University; Rusi

Up-regulation of expression and lack of 5' CpG island hypermethylation of p16 INK4a in HPV-positive cervical carcinomas

BACKGROUND: High risk type human papilloma viruses (HR-HPV) induce carcinomas of the uterine cervix by expressing viral oncogenes E6 and E7. Oncogene E7 of HR-HPV disrupts the pRb/E2F interaction, which negatively regulates the S phase entry. Expression of tumor suppressor p16(ink4a )drastically increases in majority of HR-HPV associated carcinomas due to removal of pRb repression. The p16(ink4a )overexpression is an indicator of an aberrant expression of viral oncogenes and may serve as a marker for early diagnostic of cervical cancer. On the other hand, in 25–57% of cervical carcinomas hypermethylation of the p16 INK4a promoter has been demonstrated using a methylation-specific PCR, MSP. To evaluate a potential usage of the p16 INK4a 5' CpG island hypermethylation as an indicator of tumor cell along with p16(ink4a )overexpression, we analyzed the methylation status of p16 INK4a in cervical carcinomas METHODS: Methylation status of p16 INK4a was analyzed by MSP and by bisulfite-modified DNA sequencing. The expression of p16(ink4a )was analyzed by RT-PCR and by immunohistochemical technique. RESULTS: The extensive methylation within p16 INK4a 5' CpG island was not detected either in 13 primary cervical carcinomas or in 5 cancer cell lines by bisulfite-modified DNA sequencing (including those that were positive by MSP in our hands). The number and distribution of rare partially methylated CpG sites did not differ considerably in tumors and adjacent normal tissues. The levels of the p16 INK4a mRNA were increased in carcinomas compared to the normal tissues independently of the number of partially methylated CpGs within 5'CpG island. The transcriptional activation of p16 INK4a was accompanied by p16(ink4a )cytoplasmic immunoreactivity in the majority of tumor cells and presence of a varied number of the p16 positive nuclei in different tumors. CONCLUSION: Hypermethylaion of the p16INK4a 5' CpG island is not a frequent event in HR-HPV-positive cervical carcinomas and cannot be an effective marker of cancer cells with up-regulated expression of p16(ink4a). Our data confirm other previous studies claiming specific p16INK4a up-regulation in the majority of cervical carcinomas at both the protein and mRNA levels. Cytoplasmic accumulation of p16(ink4a )is a feature of cervical carcinomas

A Study of Biofeedback Gait Training in Cerebral Stroke Patients in the Early Recovery Phase with Stance Phase as Target Parameter

Walking function disorders are typical for patients after cerebral stroke. Biofeedback technology (BFB) is currently considered effective and promising for training walking function, including in patients after cerebral stroke. Most studies recognize that BFB training is a promising tool for improving walking function; however, the data on the use of highly selective walking parameters for BFB training are very limited. The aim of our study was to investigate the feasibility of using BFB training targeting one of the basic parameters of gait symmetry—stance phase duration—in cerebral stroke patients in the early recovery period. The study included 20 hemiparetic patients in the early recovery period after the first hemispheric ischemic stroke. The control group included 20 healthy subjects. The BFB training and biomechanical analysis of walking (before and after all BFB sessions) were done using an inertial system. The mean number of BFB sessions was nine (from 8 to 11) during the three weeks in clinic. There was not a single negative response to BFB training among the study patients, either during the sessions or later. The spatiotemporal parameters of walking showed the whole syndrome complex of slow walking and typical asymmetry of temporal walking parameters, and did not change significantly as a result of the study therapy. The changes were more significant for the functioning of hip and knee joints. The contralateral hip amplitude returned to the normal range. For the knee joint, the amplitude of the first flexion increased and the value of the amplitude of hyperextension decreased in the middle of the stance phase. Concerning muscle function, the observed significant decrease in the function of m. Gastrocnemius and the hamstring muscles on the paretic side remained without change at the end of the treatment course. We obtained positive dynamics of the biomechanical parameters of walking in patients after the BFB training course. The feasibility and efficacy of their use for targeted correction need further research

Recombination in Circulating Enteroviruses

Recombination is a well-known phenomenon for enteroviruses. However, the actual extent of recombination in circulating nonpoliovirus enteroviruses is not known. We have analyzed the phylogenetic relationships in four genome regions, VP1, 2A, 3D, and the 5′ nontranslated region (NTR), of 40 enterovirus B strains (coxsackie B viruses and echoviruses) representing 11 serotypes and isolated in 1981 to 2002 in the former Soviet Union states. In the VP1 region, strains of the same serotype expectedly grouped with their prototype strain. However, as early as the 2A region, phylogenetic grouping differed significantly from that in the VP1 region and indicated recombination within the 2A region. Moreover, in the 5′ NTR and 3D region, only 1 strain of 40 grouped with its prototype strain. Instead, we observed a major group in both the 5′ NTR and the 3D region that united most (in the 5′ NTR) or all (in the 3D region) of the strains studied, regardless of the serotype. Subdivision within that major group in the 3D region correlated with the time of virus isolation but not with the serotype. Therefore, we conclude that a majority, if not all, circulating enterovirus B strains are recombinants relative to the prototype strains, isolated mostly in the 1950s. Moreover, the ubiquitous recombination has allowed different regions of the enterovirus genome to evolve independently. Thus, a novel model of enterovirus genetics is proposed: the enterovirus genome is a stable symbiosis of genes, and enterovirus species consist of a finite set of capsid genes responsible for different serotypes and a continuum of nonstructural protein genes that seem to evolve in a relatively independent manner

Paper for the 2005 PAA Annual meeting

Mortality crisis in Russia was discussed many times in the scientific literature. However little attention was paid to the problems of the quality of mortality statistics in Russia, which is rapidly deteriorating. During the first half of 1990s mortality from such cause as &quot;injuries undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted&quot; grew with particularly rapid pace. In this study we tested a hypothesis that mortality from violent causes of death (particularly in middle-aged men from marginal social groups) is concealed using death codes from the class &quot;Symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions&quot; (ICD-9). Reported mortality from this group of causes increased 6-fold for males and 9-fold for females in 1989-2002. This hypothesis of concealing criminal cases of violent deaths under the mask of ill-defined conditions was confirmed using case study of death certificates from the Kirov region of Russia. It is likely that mortality from violent causes in Russia is significantly underestimated by the official statistics

Reclassification of Alteromonas distincta Romanenko at al. 1995 as Pseudoalteromonas distincta comb. nov.

The 16S rRNA gene of Alteromonas distincta KMM 638(T) was amplified, cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence was aligned with sequences of representative strains of Alteromonas, Moritella, Pseudoalteromonas and and Shewanella. Results of phylogenetic analysts, using neighbour-joining and Fitch-Margoliash methods, clearly indicated that this species should be assigned to the genus Pseudoalteromonas. On the basis of polyphasic data obtained from previous work and this study, it is proposed that the species Alteromonas distincta be reclassified as Pseudoalteromonas distincta comb. nov. with type strain KMM 638(T) (= ATCC 700518(T)).

Environmental Surveillance for Poliovirus and Other Enteroviruses: Long-Term Experience in Moscow, Russian Federation, 2004–2017

Polio and enterovirus surveillance may include a number of approaches, including incidence-based observation, a sentinel physician system, environmental monitoring and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance. The relative value of these methods is widely debated. Here we summarized the results of 14 years of environmental surveillance at four sewage treatment plants of various capacities in Moscow, Russia. A total of 5450 samples were screened, yielding 1089 (20.0%) positive samples. There were 1168 viruses isolated including types 1&#8722;3 polioviruses (43%) and 29 different types of non-polio enteroviruses (51%). Despite using the same methodology, a significant variation in detection rates was observed between the treatment plants and within the same facility over time. The number of poliovirus isolates obtained from sewage was roughly 60 times higher than from AFP surveillance over the same time frame. All except one poliovirus isolate were Sabin-like polioviruses. The one isolate was vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 with 17.6% difference from the corresponding Sabin strain, suggesting long-term circulation outside the scope of the surveillance. For some non-polio enterovirus types (e.g., Echovirus 6) there was a good correlation between detection in sewage and incidence of clinical cases in a given year, while other types (e.g., Echovirus 30) could cause large outbreaks and be almost absent in sewage samples. Therefore, sewage monitoring can be an important part of enterovirus surveillance, but cannot substitute other approaches