Crowdfunding non-commercial initiatives in a Belarus platform

Organizations and individuals dealing with non-commercial initiatives are in permanent search for funding. Crowdfunding is gaining popularity all over the world as an alternative way of collecting funds from general public through Internet-based platforms. The non-profit nature of the project is among the key factors of positive outcome. In this context, the purpose of this work is to check whether the tendencies referred by scholars are valid for non-commercial initiatives, especially those having socially aware objectives, available on the Belarusian crowdfunding platform Ulej. The method used for validation of the research hypotheses is binary logistic regression and statistical test. Inferential analysis shows that there is no difference in the level of success between commercial and non-commercial projects and that social orientation does not increase the likelihood of meeting financial goals. The findings are opposite to those provided in literature. However, this could be explained by the short period of functioning of platform and the small number of projects.This work is funded by National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/GES/04752/2016.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Improving the process of growing crops through the use of smart greenhouses

The article analyzes the use of smart greenhouses as an automated mechanism for growing crops. The article describes devices and digital solutions of the Internet of things used in agriculture, and their role in growing crops. The article specifies the methods that can be used to improve the process of growing crops through the use of smart greenhouses: automation, precision farming, management, protection against drops and temperatures in extreme conditions, and inventory control. The article identifies advantages of smart greenhouses which can improve the process of growing in agriculture: data collection with smart meters, alerting, analysis and prediction of the volume of crops, control of deviations. The methods and recommendations suggested by the authors can help automate the production cycle in agriculture

Fucans, but Not Fucomannoglucuronans, Determine the Biological Activities of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina Brown Seaweed

Sulfated polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina (new name: Saccharina latissima) brown seaweed show promising activity for the treatment of inflammation, thrombosis, and cancer; yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these properties remain poorly understood. The aim of this work was to characterize, using in vitro and in vivo strategies, the anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumor activities of two main sulfated polysaccharide fractions obtained from L. saccharina: a) L.s.-1.0 fraction mainly consisting of O-sulfated mannoglucuronofucans and b) L.s.-1.25 fraction mainly composed of sulfated fucans. Both fractions inhibited leukocyte recruitment in a model of inflammation in rats, although L.s.-1.25 appeared to be more active than L.s.-1.0. Also, these fractions inhibited neutrophil adhesion to platelets under flow. Only fraction L.s.-1.25, but not L.s.-1.0, displayed anticoagulant activity as measured by the activated partial thromboplastin time. Investigation of these fractions in angiogenesis settings revealed that only L.s.-1.25 strongly inhibited fetal bovine serum (FBS) induced in vitro tubulogenesis. This effect correlated with a reduction in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels in L.s.-1.25-treated endothelial cells. Furthermore, only parent sulfated polysaccharides from L. saccharina (L.s.-P) and its fraction L.s.-1.25 were powerful inhibitors of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) induced pathways. Consistently, the L.s.-1.25 fraction as well as L.s.-P successfully interfered with fibroblast binding to human bFGF. The incorporation of L.s.-P or L.s.-1.25, but not L.s.-1.0 into Matrigel plugs containing melanoma cells induced a significant reduction in hemoglobin content as well in the frequency of tumor-associated blood vessels. Moreover, i.p. administrations of L.s.-1.25, as well as L.s.-P, but not L.s.-1.0, resulted in a significant reduction of tumor growth when inoculated into syngeneic mice. Finally, L.s.-1.25 markedly inhibited breast cancer cell adhesion to human platelet-coated surfaces. Thus, sulfated fucans are mainly responsible for the anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiangiogenic, and antitumor activities of sulfated polysaccharides from L. saccharina brown seaweed

Improving the process of growing crops through the use of smart greenhouses

The article analyzes the use of smart greenhouses as an automated mechanism for growing crops. The article describes devices and digital solutions of the Internet of things used in agriculture, and their role in growing crops. The article specifies the methods that can be used to improve the process of growing crops through the use of smart greenhouses: automation, precision farming, management, protection against drops and temperatures in extreme conditions, and inventory control. The article identifies advantages of smart greenhouses which can improve the process of growing in agriculture: data collection with smart meters, alerting, analysis and prediction of the volume of crops, control of deviations. The methods and recommendations suggested by the authors can help automate the production cycle in agriculture

Проникновение в опухолевые клетки фото-сенсибилизатора хлорина е6 в составе фосфолипидных наночастиц при конъюгации с гексапептидом, содержащим последовательность NGR

The possibility of increased internalization of the photosensitizer chlorin e6 in tumor cells was investigatedusing soy phosphatidylcholine nanoparticles 20-30 nm with or without attached peptide containing Asn-Gly-Arg (NGR) motif was studied. This amino acid sequence exhibits affinity to aminopeptidase N (CD13), wich is overexpressed in a number of tumor cells and vessels. Nanoparticles with chlorin e6 were prepared with added of distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPE) conjugated through PEG with a hexapeptide containing the NGR sequence, and then were incubated with tumor cells НерG2 and MCF-7. Chlorin e6 accumulation in СD13-negative cells (MCF-7) did not depend on the presence of peptide NGR in nanoparticles. However, for НерG2 cells a twofold increase of chlorine e6 internalization was observed as compared with the same particles without NGR. Differences in the response of these two cell lines, differed in expression of aminopeptidase N (APN), suggest the possibility of this protein using for targeted delivery. The prospectivity of usage of phospholipids nanoparticles conjugated with targeting peptide for photodynamic therapy is discussed, taking into account possible variation of APN expression, inherent for many solid tumors.Исследована возможность повышения проникновения в опухолевые клетки фотосенсибилизатора хлорина е6 путём включения его в наночастицы с размером 20-40 нм из соевого фосфатидилхолина с добавлением пептида, содержащего мотив Asn-Gly-Arg (NGR), аффинный к повышенно экспрессирующемуся на клетках ряда опухолей и опухолевых сосудов белку аминопептидазе N (APN, CD13). Хлорин е6 встраивали в наночастицы, приготовленные с добавлением дистеароилфосфатидилэтаноламина (DSPE), конъюгированного через ПЭГ с гексапептидом, включающим последовательность NGR. Полученную композицию инкубировали с опухолевыми клетками НерG2 и MCF-7. Для СD13-отрицательных клеток MCF-7 накопление хлорина е6 не зависело от присутствия пептида в наночастицах, в то время как для клеток НерG2 наблюдалось двукратное повышение интернализации хлорина е6 по сравнению с инкубацией с такими же наночастицами без NGR. Различия ответа этих двух клеточных линий, отличающихся по экспрессии APN, подтверждают возможность использования этого белка в качестве мишени для направленной доставки. Обсуждается перспективность использования в фотодинамической терапии фосфолипидных наночастиц с присоединённым содержащим NGR адресным пептидом с учётом возможных вариаций экспрессии APN, свойственной многим сóлидным опухолям