Melting transitions in biomembranes

We investigated melting transitions in biological membranes in their native state that include their membrane proteins. These membranes originated from \textit{E. coli}, \textit{B. subtilis}, lung surfactant and nerve tissue from the spinal cord of several mammals. For some preparations, we studied the pressure, pH and ionic strength dependence of the transition. For porcine spine, we compared the transition of the native membrane to that of the extracted lipids. All preparations displayed melting transitions of 10-20 degrees below physiological or growth temperature, independent of the organism of origin and the respective cell type. The position of transitions in \textit{E. coli} membranes depends on the growth temperature. We discuss these findings in the context of the thermodynamic theory of membrane fluctuations that leads to largely altered elastic constants, an increase in fluctuation lifetime and in membrane permeability associated with the transitions. We also discuss how to distinguish lipid transitions from protein unfolding transitions. Since the feature of a transition slightly below physiological temperature is conserved even when growth conditions change, we conclude that the transitions are likely to be of major biological importance for the survival and the function of the cell.Comment: 12 pages, 6 Figures, 1 supplement with 1 figur

Theoretical and Experimental Aspects of Current and Future Research on NbO2 Thin Film Devices

The present research front of NbO2 based memory, energy generation, and storage thin film devices is reviewed. Sputtering plasmas contain NbO, NbO2, and NbO3 clusters, affecting nucleation and growth of NbO2, often leading to a formation of nanorods and nanoslices. NbO2 (I41/a) undergoes the Mott topological transition at 1081 K to rutile (P42/mnm), yielding changes in the electronic structure, which is primarily utilized in memristors. The Seebeck coefficient is a key physical parameter governing the performance of thermoelectric devices, but its temperature behavior is still controversial. Nonetheless, they perform efficiently above 900 K. There is a great potential to improve NbO2 batteries since the theoretical capacity has not been reached, which may be addressed by future diffusion studies. Thermal management of functional materials, comprising thermal stress, thermal fatigue, and thermal shock, is often overlooked even though it can lead to failure. NbO2 exhibits relatively low thermal expansion and high elastic modulus. The future for NbO2 thin film devices looks promising, but there are issues that need to be tackled, such as dependence of properties on strain and grain size, multiple interfaces with point and extended defects, and interaction with various natural and artificial environments, enabling multifunctional applications and durable performance

Interstitial hydrogen diffusion in M7C3 (M = Cr, Mn, Fe),

To increase the understanding of the role of carbide precipitates on the hydrogen embrittlement of martensiticsteels, we have performed a density functional theory study on the solution energies and energy barriers forhydrogen diffusion in orthorhombic M7C3 (M = Cr, Mn, Fe). Hydrogen can easily diffuse into the lattice andcause internal stresses or bond weakening, which may promote reduced ductility. Solution energies of hydrogenat different lattice positions have systematically been explored, and the lowest values are -0.28, 0.00, and 0.03eV/H-atom for Cr7C3, Mn7C3, and Fe7C3, respectively. Energy barriers for the diffusion of hydrogen atoms havebeen probed with the nudged elastic band method, which shows comparably low barriers for transport viainterstitial octahedral sites for all three systems. Analysis of the atomic volume reveals a correlation betweenlow solution energies and energy barriers and atoms with large atomic volumes. Furthermore, it shows that thepresence of carbon tends to increase the energy barrier. Our results can explain previous experimental findingsof hydrogen located in the bulk of Cr7C3 precipitates and provide a solid basis for future design efforts of steelswith high strength and commensurable ductilit

Information Subsystem of Shadow Economy Deactivation

The article presents information subsystem of shadow economy deactivation aimed at minimizing negative effects caused by its reproduction. In Russia, as well as in other countries, efficient implementation of the suggested system of shadow economy deactivation can be ensured by the developed information subsystem

Features relaxation grain and defect structure of nanostructured alloy V-Cr-ZrO2 alloy

The study of parameters of the defect structure near the recrystallization temperature of the dispersion-strengthened alloy V-Cr-ZrO2 after deformation by torsion under pressure is presented

Sustainable development of education: mutual links of technology and pedagogy

Целью работы является сопоставление трендов развития информационно-коммуникационной среды, глобального образовательного пространства и педагогических идей, явно или опосредованно влияющих на применение ИКТ в образовании. Материалом послужили результаты форсайтов и содержание публикаций в интернете, посвященных перспективам устойчивого развития образования в контексте Инчхонской Декларации ЮНЕСКО «Образование 2030». На основе контент-анализа педагогических публикаций установлено, что современное понимание знания апеллирует к его обобществлению и распространению в глобальной сетевой информационной среде, технологический базис которой стремительно развивается. Учебный процесс в обществе обучения рассматривается как распределенный среди отдельных формальных учебных заведений («университетов мира для одного») и сообществом контента кураторов, в функции которого входит поставлять комментарии, обобщать и содействовать новой информации, которая поддерживает неоформальные образовательные потребности различных пользователей глобальной сети. Описана модель связей субъектов информационного образовательного пространства, включающая кроме преподавателей и студентов также кураторов контента. Аргументирована необходимость развития гуманитарного потенциала человека в информационно-коммуникационной среде и формирования в ней креативного класса людей, делящихся своим экзистенциональным опытом, знаниями и мудростью. Сделан вывод, что без межличностного взаимодействия, без присутствия учащихся в сетевом сообществе, развитие потенциала каждого члена общества в роботизированной среде искусственного интеллекта будет ущербным. Поэтому, в развитии аппаратной и программной базы технологий образования необходимо учитывать психолого-педагогические теории коннективизма, социального обучения, множественного интеллекта и других. The purpose of the paper is to compare the development trends of information and communication environment, the global educational space and pedagogical ideas, which directly or indirectly affect the application of ICT in education. The study has been based on the foresight results and the content of the Internet publications on the prospects for sustainable development of education in the context of UNESCO Incheon Declaration for Education 2030. The content analysis of pedagogical publications has demonstrated that the current understanding of knowledge appeals to its socialization and dissemination in the global network environment, whose technological basis is rapidly growing. The educational process in the Learning Society is regarded as a distributed one among some formal education establishments (“universities of the world for one”) and the community of content curators. The function of content curators is to deliver comments, generalize and promote new information that supports learning needs of different global network users. The relation model of the subjects of the informational and educational space has been described. The model includes lecturers and learners as well as the content curators. The necessity of humanitarian potential development in the informational and communicational environment has been argued as well as the development of a creative class of people who share their existential experience, knowledge and wisdom. The development of every society member in the robot-based artificial intelligence environment has been considered to be defective without any interpersonal interaction and learners’ activity in the online community. Thus, the psychological and pedagogical theories of connectionism, social learning, multiple intelligences, and some others are to be recognized in the development of hardware and software base for education technologies