Forms of International Cooperation in Environmental Education: the Experience of Saint Petersburg State University

The authors analyse different forms of environmental education projects and programmes implemented in the Baltic Sea region. The first one is "The Baltic University" programme taught in English. The "Baltic University" is a network of more than 200 universities from 14 counties of the Baltic Sea region. This education programme offers an opportunity for students to enroll on bachelor and master degree programmes related to environmental and social problems of the Baltic Sea region. The Polar and Marine Sciences, POMOR master programme, represents the second form of international environmental education. Russian and German researchers from six universities and four research centres have developed the programme. The target group of the programme are Russian and international students, studying together during the whole duration of the programme. It is the first internationally accredited MA programme taught in English. International accreditation proves the compliance of the programme with international education standards. The same cooperation model is used in a new international master programme - Cold Regions Environmental Landscapes Integrated Science (CORELIS). The programme started in 2016. It is implemented jointly by Hamburg university (the lead partner of the project), and university professors from Helsinki (Finland) and Lisbon (Portugal). Researchers from the Austrian National Institute of Polar Research (Austria, and Lund University (Sweden) will join the programme at a later stage. Such an approach will help achieve the synergy of the European and Russian approaches to environmental education. The Russian-Norwegian master programme "Geoecological monitoring and rational use of natural resources in the Northern oil and gas production regions" is a good example of the third form of international environmental education. The programme similar to POMOR and CORELIS. However, it has one distinctive feature - Russian and foreign students study together from the second term only. The authors describe the ways of achieving the learning objectives of these master programmes depending on the students' language skills and their basic knowledge of ecology and nature management

СТРУКТУРНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ ТАЗА ДО И ПОСЛЕ ПРОЦЕДУРЫ ЗАМЕНЫ ТАЗОБЕДРЕННОГО СУСТАВА

The paper presents the results of a preliminary study on the structural analysis of the pelvic girdle, comparing results for the analysis performed before and after the hip replacement procedure with taking into account changes in the mechanical properties of the articular cartilage of the joint. Basic anatomy and biomechanics of the hip joint is introduced. The mechanical analysis of the hip joint model in each case is conducted. Final results of analysis are presented. The numerical model of the tested objects was made on the basis of CT and CAD modeling. Hip bone models were made using specialist software such as Materialise Mimics. The model is made in the program was then exported to a data exchange file in order to obtain the editable CAD files. Thus obtained models were the starting point for the implementation of the numerical model of personalized hip replacement. Numerical models of bone and implant were performed in Solidworks environment.Mechanical analysis was carried out using finite element analysis. During performing of calculations with the use of finite element analysis other physical quantities are also being discretized: loads, tensions, restraints or other examples represented in the system with the use of continuous function. While performing the process of discretization software aims at maximally approximation of discreet and continuous form using approximation methods.В статье представлены результаты предварительного исследования структурного анализа тазового пояса, сравниваются результаты анализа, проведенного до и после процедуры замены тазобедренного сустава, с учетом изменений механических свойств суставного хряща. Вводится базовая анатомия и биомеханика тазобедренного сустава. В каждом случае проводится механический анализ модели тазобедренного сустава. Приводятся окончательные результаты анализа. Численная модель испытуемых объектов сделана на основе компьютерной томографии и CAD-моделирования, модели костного мозга выполнены с использованием специализированного программного обеспечения Materialise Mimics. Модель, сделанная в программе, затем экспортировалась в файл обмена данными, чтобы получить редактируемые файлы CAD. Таким образом, полученные модели стали отправной точкой для внедрения численной модели персонализированной замены тазобедренного сустава. Численные модели кости и имплантата были выполнены в среде SolidWorks. Механический анализ проводился с использованием метода конечных элементов. Во время выполнения расчетов с использованием МКЭ-анализа также дискретируются другие физические величины – нагрузки, напряжения, ограничения, представленные в системе с использованием непрерывной функции. При выполнении процесса дискретизации программное обеспечение нацелено на максимальное сближение дискретной и континуальной моделей с использованием методов аппроксимаци

Population structure and genetic diversity characterization of a sunflower association mapping population using SSR and SNP markers

BACKGROUND: Argentina has a long tradition of sunflower breeding, and its germplasm is a valuable genetic resource worldwide. However, knowledge of the genetic constitution and variability levels of the Argentinean germplasm is still scarce, rendering the global map of cultivated sunflower diversity incomplete. In this study, 42 microsatellite loci and 384 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used to characterize the first association mapping population used for quantitative trait loci mapping in sunflower, along with a selection of allied open-pollinated and composite populations from the germplasm bank of the National Institute of Agricultural Technology of Argentina. The ability of different kinds of markers to assess genetic diversity and population structure was also evaluated.Fil: Filippi, Carla Valeria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aguirre, Natalia Cristina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rivas, Juan Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zubrzycki, Jeremías Enrique. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Puebla, Andrea. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Cordes, Diego. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi; ArgentinaFil: Moreno, Maria V.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi; ArgentinaFil: Fusari, Corina M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi; ArgentinaFil: Heinz, Ruth Amelia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Hopp, Horacio Esteban. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Paniego, Norma Beatriz. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lia, Verónica Viviana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

#Nationalism: the ethno-nationalist populism of Donald Trump’s Twitter communication

In this article, we explore the ethno-nationalist populism of Donald Trump’s Twitter communication during the 2016 presidential campaign. We draw on insights from ethno-symbolism – a perspective within nationalism studies – to analyse all 5,515 tweets sent by Trump during the campaign. We find that ethno-nationalist and populist themes were by far the most important component of Trump’s tweets, and that these themes built upon long-standing myths and symbols of an ethnic conception of American identity. In sum, Trump’s tweets depicted a virtuous white majority being threatened by several groups of immoral outsiders, who were identified by their foreignness, their religion, and their self-interestedness. The struggle against these groups was framed as a mission to restore America to a mythical golden age – to “Make America Great Again.

A globally relevant stock of soil nitrogen in the Yedoma permafrost domain

Nitrogen regulates multiple aspects of the permafrost climate feedback, including plant growth, organic matter decomposition, and the production of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Despite its importance, current estimates of permafrost nitrogen are highly uncertain. Here, we compiled a dataset of >2000 samples to quantify nitrogen stocks in the Yedoma domain, a region with organic-rich permafrost that contains ~25% of all permafrost carbon. We estimate that the Yedoma domain contains 41.2 gigatons of nitrogen down to ~20 metre for the deepest unit, which increases the previous estimate for the entire permafrost zone by ~46%. Approximately 90% of this nitrogen (37 gigatons) is stored in permafrost and therefore currently immobile and frozen. Here, we show that of this amount, ¾ is stored >3 metre depth, but if partially mobilised by thaw, this large nitrogen pool could have continental-scale consequences for soil and aquatic biogeochemistry and global-scale consequences for the permafrost feedback

Global dataset of soil organic carbon in tidal marshes

Tidal marshes store large amounts of organic carbon in their soils. Field data quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks provide an important resource for researchers, natural resource managers, and policy-makers working towards the protection, restoration, and valuation of these ecosystems. We collated a global dataset of tidal marsh soil organic carbon (MarSOC) from 99 studies that includes location, soil depth, site name, dry bulk density, SOC, and/or soil organic matter (SOM). The MarSOC dataset includes 17,454 data points from 2,329 unique locations, and 29 countries. We generated a general transfer function for the conversion of SOM to SOC. Using this data we estimated a median (± median absolute deviation) value of 79.2 ± 38.1 Mg SOC ha−1 in the top 30 cm and 231 ± 134 Mg SOC ha−1 in the top 1 m of tidal marsh soils globally. This data can serve as a basis for future work, and may contribute to incorporation of tidal marsh ecosystems into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies

Global dataset of soil organic carbon in tidal marshes.

Tidal marshes store large amounts of organic carbon in their soils. Field data quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks provide an important resource for researchers, natural resource managers, and policy-makers working towards the protection, restoration, and valuation of these ecosystems. We collated a global dataset of tidal marsh soil organic carbon (MarSOC) from 99 studies that includes location, soil depth, site name, dry bulk density, SOC, and/or soil organic matter (SOM). The MarSOC dataset includes 17,454 data points from 2,329 unique locations, and 29 countries. We generated a general transfer function for the conversion of SOM to SOC. Using this data we estimated a median (± median absolute deviation) value of 79.2 ± 38.1 Mg SOC ha-1 in the top 30 cm and 231 ± 134 Mg SOC ha-1 in the top 1 m of tidal marsh soils globally. This data can serve as a basis for future work, and may contribute to incorporation of tidal marsh ecosystems into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies