Monitoramento de recursos humanos e uma nova estrutura educacional para a formação de especialistas como fatores-chave para reativar o sistema de cooperação do consumidor na Rússia

Consumer cooperation is an essential attribute of the formation of civil society and acts as a kind of an indicator of its democratic health. Due to the transformational changes in the 1990s, the values of the cooperative movement were lost in Russia. To revive the system of consumer cooperation, it is necessary to return the interest of young people to this form of business, to prepare highly qualified specialists who can develop and replicate the ideas and values of cooperative entrepreneurship. The first priority should be the monitoring of human resources working in the field of consumer cooperation. The availability of complete and reliable monitoring information will help determine the existing potential and vector for the further development of the system of consumer cooperation. In conclusion, a new education design is needed, which provides training for specialists in the field of cooperative entrepreneurship, with the required set of competencies and responsive, and often foreseeing the needs of the modern labor market.La cooperación del consumidor es un atributo esencial de la formación de la sociedad civil y actúa como un tipo de indicador de su salud democrática. Debido a los cambios de transformación en la década de 1990, los valores del movimiento cooperativo se perdieron en Rusia. Para reactivar el sistema de cooperación del consumidor, es necesario devolver el interés de los jóvenes a esta forma de negocio, preparar especialistas altamente calificados que puedan desarrollar y replicar las ideas y los valores del espíritu empresarial cooperativo. La primera prioridad debe ser el monitoreo de los recursos humanos que trabajan en el campo de la cooperación del consumidor. La disponibilidad de información de monitoreo completa y confiable ayudará a determinar el potencial existente y el vector para un mayor desarrollo del sistema de cooperación del consumidor. En conclusión, se necesita un nuevo diseño educativo, que brinde capacitación a especialistas en el campo del espíritu empresarial cooperativo, con el conjunto requerido de competencias y capacidad de respuesta, ya menudo previendo las necesidades del mercado laboral moderno.A cooperação do consumidor é um atributo essencial da formação da sociedade civil e atua como uma espécie de indicador de sua saúde democrática. Devido às mudanças transformacionais na década de 1990, os valores do movimento cooperativo foram perdidos na Rússia. Para reavivar o sistema de cooperação do consumidor, é necessário devolver o interesse dos jovens a esta forma de negócio, para preparar especialistas altamente qualificados que possam desenvolver e replicar as ideias e valores do empreendedorismo cooperativo. A primeira prioridade deve ser o acompanhamento dos recursos humanos que trabalham no domínio da cooperação dos consumidores. A disponibilidade de informações de monitoramento completas e confiáveis ajudará a determinar o potencial e o vetor existentes para o desenvolvimento futuro do sistema de cooperação do consumidor. Em conclusão, é necessário um novo projeto de educação, que fornece treinamento para especialistas no campo do empreendedorismo cooperativo, com o conjunto necessário de competências e resposta, e muitas vezes prevendo as necessidades do mercado de trabalho moderno

Sсandium(III) Beta-diketonate Derivatives as Precursors for Oxide Film Deposition by CVD

AbstractComplexes with acetylacetone Sc(acac)3, dipivaloylmethane Sc(thd)3, 2,2,6,6–tetramethyl-4-fluoro-3,5-heptanedione Sc(tfhd)3, pivaloyltrifluoroacetone Sc(ptac)3, trifluoroacetylacetone Sc(tfac)3, and hexafluoroacetylacetone Sc(hfac)3 were synthesized, purified and identified by elemental analysis, m.p., IR and NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The thermal behaviour of the synthesized compounds in the solid state was investigated by the method of difference-scanning calorimetry in vacuum. As a result the thermodynamic characteristics of the melting processes were determined. The temperature dependences of saturated and unsaturated vapour pressure of complexes under study were measured by static method with membrane-gauge manometers. The average molecular weight of gas calculated from the experimental data on unsaturated vapours using ideal gas law was close to the molecular weight of monomer for all investigated compounds. Decomposition temperatures of compounds under study were defined as the temperature above that pressure changes became irreversible. The information about melting and decomposition processes were taken into account at measuring saturated vapour pressure of complexes. The row of volatility Sc(hfac)3 > Sc(ptac)3 > Sc(tfac)3 > Sc(thd)3 ≥ Sc(tfhd)3 > Sc(acac)3 was determined from the p–T dependences obtained. Above information about thermal behaviour of complexes enabled one to use it as a guide for CVD experiments aimed at achieving oxide films with high optical properties. Precursor chosen for film deposition was Sc(thd)3 The Sc2O3 film deposition conditions were following: the gas-carrier rate 1 l/h, He gas-reagent rate 10 l/h, total pressure 10 Torr, evaporator temperature 105-110̊С, substrate temperature 450- 650̊С, substrate Si(100). Ellipsometry was applied to characterize the film thickness and refractive index. The morphology and the composition of the films were determined with XPS and SEM

Hydrogen permeability of the Pd–Pb system foil of various composition

The purpose of the study was identification of the role of the chemical composition of Pd, Pb-alloys based of palladium in the processes of injection and extraction of atomic hydrogen. The objects of study were Pd-Pb alloy foils with a lead content of 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 at. %, representing the b-phase of the solid solution. Samples with a thickness of 40 to 62 µm were obtained by cold rolling. Hydrogen permeability was studied by cyclic voltammetry and two-stage cathode-anode chronoamperometry in deaerated solutions of 0.1 M H2SO4. The obtained results were processed according to a mathematical model developed for electrodes of semi-infinite thickness. The dependence of the hydrogen permeability coefficient, as well as the rate constants of the processes of injection and extraction of atomic hydrogen, on the chemical composition of the alloy has been revealed. It was found that the Pd–Pb alloy with a lead content of 5 at.% demonstrates the highest values of hydrogen permeability compared with samples of the same crystal structure, since the rate constant of atomic hydrogen injection is very sensitive to the alloy structure. The latter confirms that the phase-limiting transition of atomic hydrogen into the alloy is the rate-determining stage, at least in the initial period of time

Tickborne Pathogen Detection, Western Siberia, Russia

Ixodes and Dermacentor ticks harbor Borrelia, Anaplasma/Ehrlichia, Bartonella, and Babesia species

Antitumor Activity of Auger Electron Emitter 111In Delivered by Modular Nanotransporter for Treatment of Bladder Cancer With EGFR Overexpression

Gamma-ray emitting 111In, which is extensively used for imaging, is also a source of short-range Auger electrons (AE). While exhibiting negligible effect outside cells, these AE become highly toxic near DNA within the cell nucleus. Therefore, these radionuclides can be used as a therapeutic anticancer agent if delivered precisely into the nuclei of tumor target cells. Modular nanotransporters (MNTs) designed to provide receptor-targeted delivery of short-range therapeutic cargoes into the nuclei of target cells are perspective candidates for specific intracellular delivery of AE emitters. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of 111In attached MNTs to kill human bladder cancer cells overexpressing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The cytotoxicity of 111In delivered by the EGFR-targeted MNT (111In-MNT) was greatly enhanced on EJ-, HT-1376-, and 5637-expressing EGFR bladder cancer cell lines compared with 111In non-targeted control. In vivo microSPECT/CT imaging and antitumor efficacy studies revealed prolonged intratumoral retention of 111In-MNT with t½ = 4.1 ± 0.5 days as well as significant dose-dependent tumor growth delay (up to 90% growth inhibition) after local infusion of 111In-MNT in EJ xenograft-bearing mice

The COVID-19 pandemic and its global effects on dental practice : An International survey

Objectives: A multicentre survey was designed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on dental practice worldwide, estimate the COVID-19 related symptoms/signs, work attitudes and behaviour and the routine use of protective measures and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Methods: A global survey using a standardized questionnaire with research groups from 36 countries was designed. The questionnaire was developed and pretested during April 2020 and contained three domains: 1) Personal data; 2) COVID-19 positive rate and symptoms/signs presumably related to the coronavirus; 3) Working conditions and PPE adopted after the outbreak. Countries' data were grouped by the Country Positive Rate (CPR) during the survey period and by Gross-National-Income per capita. An ordinal multinomial logistic regression model was carried out with COVID-19 self-reported rate referred by dental professionals as dependent variable to assess the association with questionnaire items. Results: A total of 52,491 questionnaires were returned with a male/female ratio of 0.63. Out of the total respondents, 7,859 dental professionals (15%) reported symptoms/signs compatible with COVID-19. More than half of the sample (n = 27,818; 53%) stated to use FFP2/N95 masks, while 21,558 (41.07%) used eye protection. In the bivariate analysis, CPR and N95/FFP2 were significantly associated (OR = 1.80 95% =5.20 95% 95% CI = 1.60/2.82 and OR CI = 1.44/18.80, respectively), while Gross-National-Income was not statistically associated with CPR (OR = 1.09 CI = 0.97/1.60). The same significant associations were observed in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Oral health service provision has not been significantly affected by COVID-19, although access to routine dental care was reduced due to country-specific temporary lockdown periods. While the dental profession has been identified at high-risk, the reported rates of COVID-19 for dental professionals were not significantly different to those reported for the general population in each country. These findings may help to better plan oral health care for future pandemic events

Quantitative and Molecular Genetic Analyses of Mutations Increasing Drosophila Life Span

Understanding the genetic and environmental factors that affect variation in life span and senescence is of major interest for human health and evolutionary biology. Multiple mechanisms affect longevity, many of which are conserved across species, but the genetic networks underlying each mechanism and cross-talk between networks are unknown. We report the results of a screen for mutations affecting Drosophila life span. One third of the 1,332 homozygous P–element insertion lines assessed had quantitative effects on life span; mutations reducing life span were twice as common as mutations increasing life span. We confirmed 58 mutations with increased longevity, only one of which is in a gene previously associated with life span. The effects of the mutations increasing life span were highly sex-specific, with a trend towards opposite effects in males and females. Mutations in the same gene were associated with both increased and decreased life span, depending on the location and orientation of the P–element insertion, and genetic background. We observed substantial—and sex-specific—epistasis among a sample of ten mutations with increased life span. All mutations increasing life span had at least one deleterious pleiotropic effect on stress resistance or general health, with different patterns of pleiotropy for males and females. Whole-genome transcript profiles of seven of the mutant lines and the wild type revealed 4,488 differentially expressed transcripts, 553 of which were common to four or more of the mutant lines, which include genes previously associated with life span and novel genes implicated by this study. Therefore longevity has a large mutational target size; genes affecting life span have variable allelic effects; alleles affecting life span exhibit antagonistic pleiotropy and form epistatic networks; and sex-specific mutational effects are ubiquitous. Comparison of transcript profiles of long-lived mutations and the control line reveals a transcriptional signature of increased life span

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Borrelia miyamotoi in ixodid ticks in the Far East of Russia

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) DNA was detected by PCR in Ixodes persulcatus Schulze, 1930, Haemaphysalis concinna Koch, 1844, Haemaphysalis japonica douglasi Nuttall et Warburton, 1915 and Dermacentor silvarum Olenev, 1932 ticks collected in the Amur region, the Jewish Autonomous region, the Sakhalin region and on the Khabarovsk territory. Infection rate of I. persulcatus with B. burgdorferi s.l. 10–69% exceeded the corresponding values of three other tick species in all examined regions during 1999–2014 despite different tick abundance and dominance structure. Bacterial loads estimated on the base of quantitative real time PCR varied from 102 to 109 genome-equivalents per a tick with maximal values for I. persulcatus and H. japonica. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene and 5S23S rRNA intergenic spacer nucleotide sequences revealed two species: 1) Borrelia garinii of Asian type NT29 with several isolates of European type 20047; 2) Borrelia afzelii with identical sequences of the majority of studied isolates and VS461 reference strain in all regions except the Sakhalin Island where B. afzelii was not found. Borrelia miyamotoi of the relapsing fever group was detected as monoinfection or in combination with B. burgdorferi s.l. in 4.0 ± 0.9% and 4.8 ± 0.9% I. persulcatus ticks, respectively. Multiple locus sequence analysis of three fragments of 16S rRNA, glpQ and p66 genes proved that all the Far Eastern B. miyamotoi isolates belonged to the Asian type identical to FR64b strain (GenBank CP004217) from Japan. Wide distribution of Borrelia DNA in ticks, relative genetic homogeneity with similar sequences of the coding regions and the intergenic spacer of Borrelia wild isolates and temporal stability with high homology levels of the Far Eastern isolates of B. garinii, B. afzelii and B. miyamotoi with previously described spirochetes from the surrounding regions of Russia, China and Japan allowed us to suggest multiple ecological niches as the stability factor of the parasitic system. Keywords: Ixodid ticks, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Quantitative real-time PCR, Bacterial loads, Multiple locus sequence analysis (MLSA