Phase formation processes and synthesis of solid solutions in Ca-R-Nb-M-O systems

During the study of the phase formation process in Ca-R-Nb-M-O systems (R=La, Bi, M=Mo, W), an attempt was made to obtain single-phase compounds of CaRNbMO8 composition by the standard ceramic technique. In addition, samples based on LaNbO4, CaWO4, BiNbO4 were also synthesized by the standard ceramic technique. The phase composition of the samples was studied by XRD analysis. The electrical conductivity of the obtained solid solutions and potential composite materials was investigated by impedance spectroscopy

Biodigital publics: personal genomes as digital media artifacts

The recent proliferation of personal genomics and direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomics has attracted much attention and publicity. Concern around these developments has mainly focused on issues of biomedical regulation and hinged on questions of how people understand genomic information as biomedical and what meaning they make of it. However, this publicity amplifies genome sequences which are also made as internet texts and, as such, they generate new reading publics. The practices around the generation, circulation and reading of genome scans do not just raise questions about biomedical regulation, they also provide the focus for an exploration of how contemporary public participation in genomics works. These issues around the public features of DTC genomic testing can be pursued through a close examination of the modes of one of the best known providers—23andMe. In fact, genome sequences circulate as digital artefacts and, hence, people are addressed by them. They are read as texts, annotated and written about in browsers, blogs and wikis. This activity also yields content for media coverage which addresses an indefinite public in line with Michael Warner’s conceptualisation of publics. Digital genomic texts promise empowerment, personalisation and community, but this promise may obscure the compliance and proscription associated with these forms. The kinds of interaction here can be compared to those analysed by Andrew Barry. Direct-to-consumer genetics companies are part of a network providing an infrastructure for genomic reading publics and this network can be mapped and examined to demonstrate the ways in which this formation both exacerbates inequalities and offers possibilities for participation in biodigital culture

Modelling of large-scale structures arising under developed turbulent convection in a horizontal fluid layer (with application to the problem of tropical cyclone origination)

International audienceThe work is concerned with the results of theoretical and laboratory modelling the processes of the large-scale structure generation under turbulent convection in the rotating-plane horizontal layer of an incompressible fluid with unstable stratification. The theoretical model describes three alternative ways of creating unstable stratification: a layer heating from below, a volumetric heating of a fluid with internal heat sources and combination of both factors. The analysis of the model equations show that under conditions of high intensity of the small-scale convection and low level of heat loss through the horizontal layer boundaries a long wave instability may arise. The condition for the existence of an instability and criterion identifying the threshold of its initiation have been determined. The principle of action of the discovered instability mechanism has been described. Theoretical predictions have been verified by a series of experiments on a laboratory model. The horizontal dimensions of the experimentally-obtained long-lived vortices are 4÷6 times larger than the thickness of the fluid layer. This work presents a description of the laboratory setup and experimental procedure. From the geophysical viewpoint the examined mechanism of the long wave instability is supposed to be adequate to allow a description of the initial step in the evolution of such large-scale vortices as tropical cyclones - a transition form the small-scale cumulus clouds to the state of the atmosphere involving cloud clusters (the stage of initial tropical perturbation)

Federal public administration implementation in vocational education

© 2015, Review of European Studies. All right reserved. The transition to federal public administration in the Russian education system is determined by the legislation and presupposes responsible participation and interaction in education management of all educational agents. In the presented article an analysis has been carried out on the status of one of the federal public administration factors—information transparency of vocational and higher educational institutions. The paper defines the information realm of educational institutions from the perspective of educational services customers; there have been set the priorities for action in the field of transition to federal public administration of educational institutions. This article is written for managers and employees of the education authorities, educational institutions, as well as for all professionals and individuals interested in developing the Russian education system

Non-hemagglutinating flaviviruses: molecular mechanisms for the emergence of new strains via adaptation to European ticks

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes human epidemics across Eurasia. Clinical manifestations range from inapparent infections and fevers to fatal encephalitis but the factors that determine disease severity are currently undefined. TBEV is characteristically a hemagglutinating (HA) virus; the ability to agglutinate erythrocytes tentatively reflects virion receptor/fusion activity. However, for the past few years many atypical HA-deficient strains have been isolated from patients and also from the natural European host tick, Ixodes persulcatus. By analysing the sequences of HA-deficient strains we have identified 3 unique amino acid substitutions (D67G, E122G or D277A) in the envelope protein, each of which increases the net charge and hydrophobicity of the virion surface. Therefore, we genetically engineered virus mutants each containing one of these 3 substitutions; they all exhibited HA-deficiency. Unexpectedly, each genetically modified non-HA virus demonstrated increased TBEV reproduction in feeding Ixodes ricinus, not the recognised tick host for these strains. Moreover, virus transmission efficiency between infected and uninfected ticks co-feeding on mice was also intensified by each substitution. Retrospectively, the mutation D67G was identified in viruses isolated from patients with encephalitis. We propose that the emergence of atypical Siberian HA-deficient TBEV strains in Europe is linked to their molecular adaptation to local ticks. This process appears to be driven by the selection of single mutations that change the virion surface thus enhancing receptor/fusion function essential for TBEV entry into the unfamiliar tick species. As the consequence of this adaptive mutagenesis, some of these mutations also appear to enhance the ability of TBEV to cross the human blood-brain barrier, a likely explanation for fatal encephalitis. Future research will reveal if these emerging Siberian TBEV strains continue to disperse westwards across Europe by adaptation to the indigenous tick species and if they are associated with severe forms of TBE

Improving the information system of university management

© 2015, Canadian Center of Science and Education. All rights reserved. University management is currently supported by information system providing storage and data structuring of information required. Managing the development and improvement of the educational process quality requires creation of a monitoring system covering all of its objects and various measurement tools, which monitors the set of all features. The paper presents the components of pedagogical management, considers indicators of pedagogical processes and methods of evaluation, which define the basis for monitoring the educational processes at the University. Also the structure of a software module is shown, that works on the principle of the expert system and identifies problem characteristics of the educational activity. The results of the experimental work show the effectiveness of the presented software, that supports management decision-making of university departments’ leadership and faculty

ПОРАЖЕНИЕ СЕРДЕЧНО-СОСУДИСТОЙ СИСТЕМЫ ПРИ ВИРУСНЫХ ИНФЕКЦИЯХ

Article is devoted to studying of the submitted epidemiological, clinical, tool, laboratory data on pathology of cardiovascular system at various viral infections. The review is based on results of domestic and foreign researches. At viral infections damage of heart and his carrying-out system perhaps as during the sharp period of a disease, and the period of a convalescence or at the chronic course of virus process. The greatest cardiothrogenism is possessed by enteroviruses, which affect the myocardium in 5–15% of cases. Much attention is paid to herpesviruses, widespread, persistently persistent in the body, as one of the reasons for the development of dilated cardiomyopathy, coronary vasculitis, early atherosclerosis, cardiac rhythm disturbance. Other infections that may affect the cardiovascular system include influenza viruses, adenovirus, poliovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis, mumps, rubella, herpes simplex, varicella, arbovirus, respiratory-syntial virus, yellow fever virus et al. Complications from cardiovascular system can come to light at various age.Статья посвящена изучению представленных эпидемиологических, клинических, инструментальных, лабораторных данных о патологии сердечно-сосудистой системы при различных вирусных инфекциях. Обзор основан на результатах отечественных и зарубежных исследований. При вирусных инфекциях поражение сердца и его проводящей системы возможно как в острый период болезни, так и в периоде реконвалесценции или при хроническом течении вирусного процесса. Наибольшей кардиотропностью обладают энтеровирусы, которые поражают миокард в 5–15% случаев. Большое внимание уделяется герпес-вирусам, широко распространенным, длительно персистирующим в организме, как одной из причин развития дилатационной кардиомиопатии, коронарного васкулиста, раннего атеросклероза, нарушения ритма сердца. К другим инфекциям, при которых возможно поражение сердечно-сосудистой системы, следует отнести вирусы гриппа, аденовирус, вирус полиомиелита, вирус Эпштейна – Барр, цитомегаловирус, вирус иммунодефицита человека, вирусы гепатита, паротита, краснухи, простого герпеса, ветряной оспы, арбовирус, респираторно-синтициальный вирус, вирус желтой лихорадки и др. Осложнения и функциональные нарушения со стороны сердечно-сосудистой системы могут выявляться вне зависимости от возраста

STUDY, FORECAST AND CONTROLLED SEISMIC HAZARD REDUCTION IN THE IDENTIFIED SEGMENTS OF THE MAIN FAULTS BY CYCLIC INJECTION OF FLUID THROUGH DEEP MULTI-BRANCH DIRECTIONALLY INCLINED WELLS

The methods developed by the world community to date to withstand strong natural and induced destructive earthquakes do not effectively reduce material losses and the number of victims. The authors propose for discussion an integrated approach to solving the problem of ensuring seismic safety, based on the use of new important information about the geological conditions for earthquake generation. This involved the use of results of numerical and physical modeling, as well as physical full-scale experiments in the natural fault areas. The paper analyzes the petrophysical conditions of deep-seated frictional processes in coseismic faults, revealed through detailed studies of the fragments of paleoearthquake centers that became accessible after their exhumation from seismic-focal depths of the Earth’s crust. The collected information allowed the authors to clarify with a high degree of certainty the origin and occurrence of seismic motions. This paper presents briefly the results of the medium-term forecast of earthquakes with M≥5.0 as applied to the seismodynamic regime of the Baikal rift zone. The forecast emphasizes the detection of places for 1–11-year earthquake generation cycles.A comprehensive analysis of the collected information made it possible to substantiate the conclusion about an opportunity to prevent earthquake damage by using hydrodynamic damping of seismically hazardous fault segments. In the last section, consideration is being given to one of the most promising methods of such man-made impacts, which uses modern technological advances in drilling deep multil-branch and directionally inclined wells with horizontal deviation. The paper discusses the techniques that make it possible to prevent episodes of unexpected reactivation of fault segments in the form of excitation of earthquakes with M≥6.0. Attention is drawn to conducting tests at selected sites in order to improve the technology as part of the approach to earthquake damping

Understanding the role of objects in cross-disciplinary collaboration

In this paper we make a case for the use of multiple theoretical perspectives – theory on boundary objects, epistemic objects, cultural historical activity theory and objects as infrastructure - to understand the role of objects in cross-disciplinary collaboration. A pluralist approach highlights that objects perform at least three types of work in this context: they motivate collaboration; they allow participants to work across different types of boundaries; and they constitute the fundamental infrastructure of the activity. Building on the results of an empirical study we illustrate the insights that each theoretical lens affords into practices of collaboration and develop a novel analytical framework that organizes objects according to the active work they perform. Our framework can help shed new light on the phenomenon, especially with regards the shifting status of objects and sources of conflict (and change) in collaboration. After discussing these novel insights, we outline directions for future research stemming from a pluralist approach. We conclude by noting the managerial implications of our finding

Somatostatin subtype-2 receptor-targeted metal-based anticancer complexes

Conjugates of a dicarba analogue of octreotide, a potent somatostatin agonist whose receptors are overexpressed on tumor cells, with [PtCl 2(dap)] (dap = 1-(carboxylic acid)-1,2-diaminoethane) (3), [(η 6-bip)Os(4-CO 2-pico)Cl] (bip = biphenyl, pico = picolinate) (4), [(η 6-p-cym)RuCl(dap)] + (p-cym = p-cymene) (5), and [(η 6-p-cym)RuCl(imidazole-CO 2H)(PPh 3)] + (6), were synthesized by using a solid-phase approach. Conjugates 3-5 readily underwent hydrolysis and DNA binding, whereas conjugate 6 was inert to ligand substitution. NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics calculations showed that conjugate formation does not perturb the overall peptide structure. Only 6 exhibited antiproliferative activity in human tumor cells (IC 50 = 63 ± 2 μ in MCF-7 cells and IC 50 = 26 ± 3 μ in DU-145 cells) with active participation of somatostatin receptors in cellular uptake. Similar cytotoxic activity was found in a normal cell line (IC 50 = 45 ± 2.6 μ in CHO cells), which can be attributed to a similar level of expression of somatostatin subtype-2 receptor. These studies provide new insights into the effect of receptor-binding peptide conjugation on the activity of metal-based anticancer drugs, and demonstrate the potential of such hybrid compounds to target tumor cells specifically. © 2012 American Chemical Society