Methodological Approach to Measure the Quality of Life of the Region’s Population

The article is devoted to the urgent problem of the regional development, i.e. to the development of methodological tools to evaluate the quality of life of the population in the region. The article considers the concept of “quality of life”, and the terms related thereto; and substantiate the author’s position with respect to the concept. The existing domestic and foreign approaches to evaluate the quality of life of the population were analyzed, and the application of the comprehensive approach was reasoned within this study. The criteria for evaluation of the quality of life of the population were distinguished. The authors proposed the methodological approach that considers not only objective indicators of the quality of life presented in the statistical reports of the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, but also employs subjective evaluations of the local population enabling more appropriate evaluation of the quality of life in the region. The methodological tools of the research include mathematical methods of statistical data processing and online survey of the population about the level of satisfaction with various aspects of their life. The methodological tools were tested using the example of the Sverdlovsk Region that is characterized both by the steady improvement of statistical indicators of the quality of life and by low satisfaction of population with certain aspects of the quality of life, which generally decreases the integrated indicator of the quality of life despite positive dynamics of social and economic development of the region and vigorous social policy of the regional authorities. The proposed methodology was used in the evaluation of the quality of life of the Sverdlovsk Region population as part of the development of the Concept of comprehensive regional program “New quality of life of Ural residents” (Decree of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region No. 45-UG dated January 29, 2014 “On the Concept of the life quality improvement for the Sverdlovsk Region population before 2030 year — “New quality of life of Ural residents”).The article has been prepared with the support of the grant of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) No. 15-06-09169 “Development of methodical measurement tools and evaluation of the impact of social, economic, medical and demographic factors on mortality rates of working-age population”

A Role for Integrin avß3 in Invasion Activity of Highly Metastatic Syrian Hamster Fibroblasts

The expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) specific receptors, integrins, was investigated in two closely related strains of oncogenically transformed fibroblasts drastically differing in spontaneous metastasizing. The highly metastatic cells (HM) were shown to express in their surface membranes much higher levels of collagen/vitronectin-specific integrin avß3, as compared to their lowly metastatic counterparts (LM). Inhibition of the avß3-mediated signal transduction strongly reduced the in vitro invasiveness of HM, whereas stimulation of avß3 signaling markedly augmented their invasive activity. The data obtained provide a direct evidence for implication of avß3 integrin in invasive phenotype of the oncotransformed fibroblasts

The assortment of flower-ornamental plants for school landscape gardening

The article is devoted to the questions of prospect ornamental plants selection for school territories landscape gardening in conditionsof Belarus are offered at the article. Assortment consists of annual, biennial and wintering perennial flower-ornamental plants, culture, no wintering in the open ground. The principles and criteria for the selection of a range of specific activities of this type of educational institution, the study of ornamental and economic and biological attributes of plants are provided

Expression of Integrins, Anchorage Dependent Apoptosis and Invasiveness of Multidrug Resistant Human Breast Carcinoma Cells

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of integrins in anchorage dependent apoptosis (anoikis) and in vitro invasion of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and its multidrug resistant subline MCF-7Dox. Acquisition of MDR was associated with markedly decreased expression of collagen specific a2ß1 and avß3 integrins, laminin specific a3ß1 and a6ß1 receptors and dramatic up-regulation of fibronectin specific a5ß1 integrin. The MDR subline was substantially more resistant to anoikis than their wild type counterparts. Furthermore, MCF-7Dox cells secreted MMP-9 collagenase and invaded Matrigel. We demonstrate for the first time that stimulation of ß1 integrin signaling strongly sensitizes MCF-7 cells to anoikis

Risk Assessment of Land Degradation Using Satellite Imagery and Geospatial Modelling in Ukraine

In this publication, the authors considered the effect of unprecedented human activity into land degradation and desertification processes in Ukraine. The land degradation mapping technique based on processing of a two-level model for multispectral satellite imagery of low and medium spatial resolution was described. This technique was used to investigate land degradation and desertification within relatively pristine and human-inspired mining and industrial landscapes located in the central, southern, and eastern parts of Ukraine. In each particular case, the authors offered thematic land degradation maps obtained as a result of multispectral images processing, allowed assessing the state and tendencies in land degradation processes within the study areas. Data obtained visually emphasize the level of anthropogenic stress, impact of long-term change of vegetation cover, and correlation of intensive development of mining, construction, agricultural and other human activities with high level of land degradation within investigated areas. The transition to adaptive farming systems implies the achievement of maximum compatibility between soil and plant, development of crop rotation, soil conservation tillage system. Conducted research on the creation of adaptive systems of crop production takes into account the environmental, landscape and geochemical peculiarities of the steppe zone of Ukraine, to get the production of environmentally safe agricultural products. They can be used in further studies of a differentiated approach to achieving a balanced potential of agricultural landscapes. Remote detecting of degradation and desertification processes intensification at early stages will be able to promote further measures for improving the territories conditions. The further research has to be directed on development of geoinformation technologies for landscape changes remote mapping

Linear magnetoresistance due to multiple-electron scattering by low-mobility islands in an inhomogeneous conductor

Linear transverse magnetoresistance is commonly observed in many material systems including semimetals, narrow band-gap semiconductors, multi-layer graphene and topological insulators. It can originate in an inhomogeneous conductor from distortions in the current paths induced by macroscopic spatial fluctuations in the carrier mobility and it has been explained using a phenomenological semiclassical random resistor network model. However, the link between the linear magnetoresistance and the microscopic nature of the electron dynamics remains unknown. Here we demonstrate how the linear magnetoresistance arises from the stochastic behaviour of the electronic cycloidal trajectories around low-mobility islands in high-mobility inhomogeneous conductors and that this process is only weakly affected by the applied electric field strength. Also, we establish a quantitative link between the island morphology and the strength of linear magnetoresistance of relevance for future applications

The role of a2ß1 integrin in anchorage dependent apoptosis of breast carcinoma and hepatoma cells

The role of collagen specific a2ß1 integrin in anchorage dependent apoptosis (anoikis) was investigated. Stimulation of a2ß1 signaling with immobilized anti-a2 antibody markedly sensitized human MCF-7 breast carcinoma and HepG2 hepatoma cells to anoikis. Accordingly, down-regulation of a2ß1 by a2-specific siRNA decreased the percentage of cells undergoing anoikis. These results for the first time provide direct evidence that a2ß1 receptor can transduce the signal to promote death in matrix deprived cells

Effect of the Sc/Zr ratio on the corrosion resistance of Al-Mg cast alloys

The results of investigations of the corrosion resistance of Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloys with varying Mg content and different Sc/Zr ratios are presented. The objects of investigations were the Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloys with total Sc + Zr content of 0.32 wt%. The concentration of Sc and Zr in the alloys varied with the increments of 0.02 wt%. The alloys were produced by induction casting. The effect of annealing temperature on the microhardness and electrical resistivity of the Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloys was investigated. Corrosion tests were carried out in a medium simulating intergranular corrosion in aluminum alloys. Electrochemical studies and mass loss tests were performed. An increase in the Sc concentration and a decrease in the Zr one were shown to result in an increase in the corrosion rate. The primary Al3(ScxZr1-x) particles were found to have the main effect on the corrosion resistance of Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloys. The dependence of the corrosion current on the annealing temperature of the Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloy was found to have a non-monotonous character (with a maximum).Comment: 29 pages, 2 tables, 11 figures, 58 reference

Assessment of DDAH1 and DDAH2 Contributions to Psychiatric Disorders via In Silico Methods

The contribution of nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) to the pathophysiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders is recognized, but the role of their regulators, dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolases (DDAHs), is less understood. This study’s objective was to estimate DDAH1 and DDAH2 associations with biological processes implicated in major psychiatric disorders using publicly accessible expression databases. Since co-expressed genes are more likely to be involved in the same biologic processes, we investigated co-expression patterns with DDAH1 and DDAH2 in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in psychiatric patients and control subjects. There were no significant differences in DDAH1 and DDAH2 expression levels in schizophrenia or bipolar disorder patients compared to controls. Meanwhile, the data suggest that in patients, DDAH1 and DDHA2 undergo a functional shift mirrored in changes in co-expressed gene patterns. This disarrangement appears in the loss of expression level correlations between DDAH1 or DDAH2 and genes associated with psychiatric disorders and reduced functional similarity of DDAH1 or DDAH2 co-expressed genes in the patient groups. Our findings evidence the possible involvement of DDAH1 and DDAH2 in neuropsychiatric disorder development, but the underlying mechanisms need experimental validation