The effect of multiple paternity on genetic diversity during and after colonisation

In metapopulations, genetic variation of local populations is influenced by the genetic content of the founders, and of migrants following establishment. We analyse the effect of multiple paternity on genetic diversity using a model in which the highly promiscuous marine snail Littorina saxatilis expands from a mainland to colonise initially empty islands of an archipelago. Migrant females carry a large number of eggs fertilised by 1 - 10 mates. We quantify the genetic diversity of the population in terms of its heterozygosity: initially during the transient colonisation process, and at long times when the population has reached an equilibrium state with migration. During colonisation, multiple paternity increases the heterozygosity by 10 - 300 % in comparison with the case of single paternity. The equilibrium state, by contrast, is less strongly affected: multiple paternity gives rise to 10 - 50 % higher heterozygosity compared with single paternity. Further we find that far from the mainland, new mutations spreading from the mainland cause bursts of high genetic diversity separated by long periods of low diversity. This effect is boosted by multiple paternity. We conclude that multiple paternity facilitates colonisation and maintenance of small populations, whether or not this is the main cause for the evolution of extreme promiscuity in Littorina saxatilis.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, electronic supplementary materia

The adaptation of academics to the Covid-19 crisis in terms of work time allocation

Academics have seen their work environment and routines severely affected by the Covid19 pandemic. This topic has been analyzed by the literature, mostly from personal and descriptive perspectives, that highlight the challenging transitions and adaptations that academics have endured concerning their work and life-balance. This research complements those studies, by using a sample of university academics working all around the world in all disciplinary fields and focuses on a longitudinal perspective of workload and task time allocation of academic work. The findings show that academics which in general had long working hours, further increased their time of the week dedicated to work leading possibly to the reported cases in the literature of increasing stress and burnout during the pandemic. These effects were found to be similar to all academics, independently of their gender and disciplinary field. More concerning is that this increased number of hours worked per week appears to have established itself as part of the new normal. The main driver for the increased workload is associated with teaching, and to a lesser extent with administrative duties.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

International staff and diversity in missions

Contemporary universities have many different tasks. Next to the traditional research and teaching mission, universities are also expected to engage in other activities that create social value. A balance between these different tasks varies across higher education systems, institutions, and individuals. This chapter examines the position of international staff on this landscape of different missions. International mobility is usually associated with research excellence. In this chapter we empirically examine the difference between local and international staff to test this image about international staff. The analysis shows that international staff is indeed significantly more oriented towards research and less on teaching, both in their intrinsic interest and time investment. Difference with respect to ‘third mission’ activities is small. International staff is equally or even more active in activities like patenting or creating spin-off companies. On the other hand, they are underrepresented in activities that are embedded in a local context, such as serving on expert committees or undertaking consultancy work. This triggers a question about an optimal engagement of international staff in the diversity of missions.The politics and administration of institutional chang

The Use of Internet Promotion in Social Networks on the Example of Dentistry «Classic Dent»

В статье произведен анализ особенностей продвижения рынка медицинских услуг, в частности стоматологических. Рассмотрены основные маркетинговые методы продвижения рынка стоматологических услуг в социальных сетях. Делается вывод о необходимости использования интернет-продвижения стоматологии (на примере «Классик Дент»), выявляются все достоинства и недостатки данного вида продвижения и предлагаются рекомендации по ее дальнейшему развитию.The article analyzes the features of promoting the market of medical services, in particular, dental services. The main marketing methods of promoting the market of dental services in social networks are considered. It is concluded that it is necessary to use the Internet promotion of dentistry (on the example of «Classic Dent»), identifies all the advantages and disadvantages of this type of promotion and offers recommendations for its further development

Nanoscale mosaicity revealed in peptide microcrystals by scanning electron nanodiffraction.

Changes in lattice structure across sub-regions of protein crystals are challenging to assess when relying on whole crystal measurements. Because of this difficulty, macromolecular structure determination from protein micro and nanocrystals requires assumptions of bulk crystallinity and domain block substructure. Here we map lattice structure across micron size areas of cryogenically preserved three-dimensional peptide crystals using a nano-focused electron beam. This approach produces diffraction from as few as 1500 molecules in a crystal, is sensitive to crystal thickness and three-dimensional lattice orientation. Real-space maps reconstructed from unsupervised classification of diffraction patterns across a crystal reveal regions of crystal order/disorder and three-dimensional lattice tilts on the sub-100nm scale. The nanoscale lattice reorientation observed in the micron-sized peptide crystal lattices studied here provides a direct view of their plasticity. Knowledge of these features facilitates an improved understanding of peptide assemblies that could aid in the determination of structures from nano- and microcrystals by single or serial crystal electron diffraction

Optimization of Hypoxic Brain Injuries Diagnostics in Full-Term Newborns

The problem of early diagnosis of the central nervous system damage in newborn before the onset of clinical symptoms remains relevant at the present time.The aim of the study was to optimize the hypoxic brain damage diagnosis in full-term newborns by analyzing the concentration of cytokines in the umbilical cord blood.Materials and methods. During the first stage of the study, a prospective analysis of concentrations of interleukins (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10), TNF-α and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the umbilical cord blood serum of full-term newborns was performed. The second stage of the study included the retrospective analysis of clinical data and instrumental research methods. The main method for diagnosing in the development of hypoxic brain damage in newborns was neurosonography.Results. The development of hypoxic brain damage is evidenced by the concentration of IL-1β over 30.3 pg/ml, IL-4 – over 1.7 pg/ml, IL-6 – over 79.4 pg/ml, IL-8 – over 107.7 pg/ml, NSE – more than 10.3 ng/ml and TNF-α – more than 1.6 pg/ml in umbilical cord blood.Conclusion. The results of the study confirmed that the comprehensive assessment of the cytokines concentration in the umbilical cord blood improves the hypoxic brain damage diagnosis in newborns. Analysis of the level of these markers immediately after the birth will optimize the management tactics of newborns who have undergone hypoxic exposure in antenatal and intranatal period

Lithologic-facies and paleogeographic features of Mid-Upper Jurassic oil-gas bearing sediments in Nurolsk depression (Western Siberia)

Bathonian-Callovian-Oxfordian sedimentation environment reconstruction in SE Nurolsk depression, Western Siberia has been described. Paleogeographic and litho-geochemical features of sediments, numerous plant remains and ichnofossils indicated the fact that this territory during the Naunaksk suite formation was the transition in-situ sedimentogenesis. Based on the integrated research data, the potential litho-facies were identified in the Mid-Upper sediments within Nurolsk depression, Western Siberia

Transformation of the system for forming qualified personnel in the digital economy

At the moment, there is an active digital transformation of the practice and processes in HR management. The use of electronic means, artificial intelligence and information technology can significantly increase the efficiency of HR management. This study presents the concept and various aspects of the use of artificial intelligence in HR management. The purpose of the study is to identify the key aspects of the highly qualified stuff formation in the digital economy. The research method is a comparative and causal analysis of management decisions and steps to prepare and implement the digital HR transformation. As a result of the study, a model of the recruitment process based on artificial intelligence and a map of possible risks were obtained. The results of the study can be useful in the implementation of HR management based on artificial intelligence and information technology