Distribution of lipids in non-lamellar phases of their mixtures

We consider a model of lipids in which a head group, characterized by its volume, is attached to two flexible tails of equal length. The phase diagram of the anhydrous lipid is obtained within self-consistent field theory, and displays, as a function of lipid architecture, a progression of phases: body-centered cubic, hexagonal, gyroid, and lamellar. We then examine mixtures of an inverted hexagonal forming lipid and a lamellar forming lipid. As the volume fractions of the two lipids vary, we find that inverted hexagonal, gyroid, or lamellar phases are formed. We demonstrate that the non-lamellar forming lipid is found preferentially at locations which are difficult for the lipid tails to reach. Variations in the volume fraction of each type of lipid tail are on the order of one to ten per cent within regions dominated by the tails. We also show that the variation in volume fraction is correlated qualitatively with the variation in mean curvature of the head-tail interface.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures (better figures are available upon request), to appear in J. Chem. Phy

Sewage treatment

The basic function of the wastewater treatment plant is to speed up the natural processes by which water purifies itself. In earlier years, the natural treatment process in streams and lakes was adequate to perform basic wastewater treatment. As our population and industry grew, increased levels of treatment became necessary before discharging domestic wastewater

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of (MnCo)1-xGe compounds

The crystal structure, magnetic properties, and heat capacity of the (MnCo)1-xGe compounds with x ≤ 0.05 have been studied. It was found that, as the deviation from the MnCoGe stoichiometric composition increases, the temperature of structural transition from the low-temperature phase with the orthorhombic TiNiSi-type structure to the high-temperature phase with the hexagonal Ni2In-type phase decreases rapidly, whereas the magnetic ordering temperature varies slightly. The temperature of structural transition for the composition with x = 0.02 approximately coincides with the Curie temperature of the hexagonal phase, and the transition is accompanied by a significant entropy change, namely, ΔS = 34 J/(kg K). The application of high magnetic field in the transition-temperature range causes an increase in the relative volume of the orthorhombic phase. An analysis of magnetocaloric properties of these compounds, which was performed with the formal application of the Maxwell's relationship near the temperature of first-order structural phase transition, is shown to give overestimated values of the entropy change. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2013

Victor Smirnov: the Poet in the Provincial Landscape

Статья поступила в редакцию 19.01.2024 г.На материале творчества и судьбы В. Г. Смирнова рассматриваются вопросы обретения и утраты поэтом социального статуса в советском и постсоветском обществе. Советская провинция, ограничивая возможности творчества и признания, создавала условия для социализации официально не признанного поэта, а особенности культурной и политической ситуации в провинции делали возможной реализацию принципа l’art pour l’art в изысканной и аполитичной поэзии. Когда в 1990-е гг. идеологические запреты и ограничения были сняты, исчезли и возможности для социализации, а признанию поэта стали препятствовать именно те свойства произведений, которые прежде его обеспечивали.Using the materials of work and life of V. G. Smirnov we study the issues of gain and loss of the poet’s social status in the Soviet and post-Soviet society. On the one hand, the Soviet province by limiting creativity and an opportunity to be known enabled the poet who was not officially recognized to socialize and specific cultural and political situation in the province allowed him to use the principle of l’art pour l’art in his sophisticated and apolitical poetry. On the other hand, in the 1990s the ideological bans and restrictions were eliminated the opportunities of socialization vanished and those features of the verses that earlier helped the poet to become recognized now hindered his recognition

Molecular Diagnostics of Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal disease that occurs worldwide. The highest incidence of the disease is reported on the American continent. It also occurs in China, India, South-Eastern Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe. Clinical syndromes of histoplasmosis are not specific and in most cases immunocompetent individuals are asymptomatic or present mild influenza-like disease. Immunocompromised patients especially individuals with AIDS, can develop a severe and fatal disease due to fungal dissemination to many organs. Etiological agent of histoplasmosis is the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, which inhabits the soils contaminated with bird or bat droppings. Three biological varieties are considered for this fungus: H. capsulatum var. capsulatum, H. capsulatum var. duboissii and H. capsulatum var. farciminosum. Genetic differences are observed among H. capsulatum strains from diverse regions of the world. The main molecular methodologies for genetic typing of fungi are based on DNA fingerprinting. They have been an important instrument to identify possible sources of infection in outbreaks of histoplasmosis. Genetic profiles of H. capsulatum, isolated from bats and humans, helped to understand the distribution of the disease in certain endemic regions. The con-ventional diagnosis of histoplasmosis is performed by means of cultural and microscopic examination of samples from the respiratory tract and biologic fluids. However, these techniques yield positive results in only 50 % of cases. In the last two decades, approaches for the detecting of H. capsulatum in clinical samples, using different molecular targets, based on PCR assay have been developed. Their use can shorten the time span of analysis for diagnosis confirmation. Molecular methods have high specificity and sensitivity and reduce the risk of infection for the laboratory personnel. In this study we reviewed the recently published data on the use of main molecular methods for diagnosis of histoplasmosis

Current epidemiological situation on Particularly Dangerous Mycoses around the World and Forecast of Its Development

The literature review focuses on epidemiological aspects of the spread of particularly dangerous mycoses across the world (coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, paracoccidioidomycosis). Forecast of morbidity rates for the next few years is provided too. Out of all endemic mycoses, coccidioidomycosis, endemic for North America regions, poses the most dangerous threat. In case of the infection, complications are most likely to arise, including the dissemination of the process in immunocompromised persons. Histoplasmosis is also classed as particularly dangerous mycosis. It affects both humans and animals. It is endemic for North, Central and South America, as well as Asia and Australia. The most studied endemic areas of infection with blastomycosis are in the territory of North America, while paracoccidioidomycosis is endemic for Latin America countries. Analysis of academic publications on particularly dangerous mycoses over the last three years testifies to the increase in their morbidity rates around the world. This situation is associated, primarily, with the increment in the number of immunocompromised subjects. An important stage in the improvement of the agent diagnostics is introduction of advanced methods for early diagnostics of mycoses, in particular, molecular-genetic and genome sequencing tools. It could also allow for the detection of patients beyond the limits of endemic foci

КОМПЛЕКСНА ТЕРАПІЯ РЕЦИДИВУЮЧОГО ХРОНІЧНОГО ГЕНІТАЛЬНОГО ХЛАМІДІОЗУ.

The article presents the results of use an immunomodulatory preparation Novirin for the treatment of recurrent chronic genital chlamydian infection. Found that the beneficial effect. Novirin on nonspecific reactivity increases efficiency adjuvant therapy of chlamydial infection.В статье представлены результаты применения иммуномодулирующего препарата Новирин при лечении рецидивирующего хронического генитального хламидиоза. Установлено, что благоприятное влияние Новирина на неспецифическую реактивность организма способствует повышению эффективности комплексной терапии хламидийной инфекции. В статті представлені результати застосування імуномодулюючого препарату Новірин при лікування рецидивуючого хронічного геніального хламідіозу.Встановлено, що сприятливий вплив Новірину на неспецифічну реактивність органісму сприяє підвищенню ефективності комплексної терапії хламідійної інфекції

Field theoretic calculation of the surface tension for a model electrolyte system

We carry out the calculation of the surface tension for a model electrolyte to first order in a cumulant expansion about a free field theory equivalent to the Debye-H\"uckel approximation. In contrast with previous calculations, the surface tension is calculated directly without recourse to integrating thermodynamic relations. The system considered is a monovalent electrolyte with a region at the interface, of width h, from which the ionic species are excluded. In the case where the external dielectric constant epsilon_0 is smaller than the electrolyte solution's dielectric constant epsilon we show that the calculation at this order can be fully regularized. In the case where h is taken to be zero the Onsager-Samaras limiting law for the excess surface tension of dilute electrolyte solutions is recovered, with corrections coming from a non-zero value of epsilon_0/epsilon.Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Continuous selections of multivalued mappings

This survey covers in our opinion the most important results in the theory of continuous selections of multivalued mappings (approximately) from 2002 through 2012. It extends and continues our previous such survey which appeared in Recent Progress in General Topology, II, which was published in 2002. In comparison, our present survey considers more restricted and specific areas of mathematics. Note that we do not consider the theory of selectors (i.e. continuous choices of elements from subsets of topological spaces) since this topics is covered by another survey in this volume