Polyelectrolyte substrate coating for controlling biofilm growth at solid–air interface

Because bacteria–surface interactions play a decisive role in bacteria adhesion and biofilm spreading, it is essential to understand how biofilms respond to surface properties to develop effective strategies to combat them. Polyelectrolyte coating is a simple and efficient way of controlling surface charge and energy. Using polyelectrolytes of various types, with different molecular weights and polyelectrolyte solutions of various pH provides a unique approach to investigate the interactions between biofilms and their substrate. Here, the formation of Escherichia coli biofilms at a solid–air interface is explored, whereby charge and interfacial energy are tuned using polyelectrolyte coatings on the surface. Cationic coatings are observed to limit biofilm spreading, which remain more confined when using high molecular weight polycations. Interestingly, biofilm surface densities are higher on polycationic surfaces despite their well-studied bactericidal properties. Furthermore, the degree of polyelectrolyte protonation also appears to have an influence on biofilm spreading on polycation-coated substrates. Finally, altering the interplay between biomass production and surface forces with polyelectrolyte coatings is shown to affect biofilm 3D architecture. Thereby, it is demonstrated that biofilm growth and spreading on a hydrogel substrate can be tuned from confined to expanded, simply by coating the surface using available polyelectrolytes

Development of the energy efficient residential low-rise house concept for the Ural region

In the article the problem of energy-efficient construction in Russia is considered. The energy-saving technologies and renewable energy sources acceptable in construction in the Ural region analysis is carried out. Main reasons of the irrational consumption of thermal energy are highlighted and the strategy of the energy-efficient construction development in the Urals is described. As a result of the research, a conceptual project of an individual residential house was developed. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

LEGAL ORGANIZATION OF SALES PORTS SAFETY MEASURES IN THE BLACK SEA REGION OF RUSSIA IN THE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

Purpose: Based on the analysis of legal acts and work of other researchers, a historical and legal analysis of the security measures organization was done for trading ports of the Black Sea region of Russia in the 19th and early 20th centuries in this paper. Methodology: This study was based on a dialectical approach to studying the legal phenomena and processes by using general scientific (system, logical, analysis and synthesis) and private scientific methods. Result: The following main components of the legal organization of security measures that are complex in nature: quarantine service; customs; pilot organizations; and port controls. The quarantine and customs authorities included quarantine and, accordingly, border guards. The tasks faced by these bodies were of anti-epidemiological measures nature, i.e. the prevention and detection of offenses with an economic, social and political persuasion. Applications: This research can be used for businessmen and students in economy. Novelty/Originality: In this research, the model of sales ports safety measures in the black sea region of Russia in the 19th and early 20th centuries is presented in a comprehensive and complete manner

Methyl 4,5-diacet­oxy-1-oxo-2-phenyl­perhydro-4,6-epoxy­cyclo­penta­[c]pyridine-7-carboxyl­ate ethanol solvate

The title compound, the product of an acid-catalysed Wagner–Meerwein skeletal rearrangement, crystallizes as an ethanol monosolvate, C20H21NO8·C2H6O. The title mol­ecule comprises a fused tricyclic system containing two five-membered rings (cyclo­pentane and tetra­hydro­furan) in the usual envelope conformations and one six-membered ring (piperidinone) adopting a flattened twist–boat conformation

The daily arterial stiffness profile in rheumatoid arthritis patients with and without hypertension

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. To determine their daily arterial stiffness (AS) as an indicator of cardiovascular risk is of unquestionable interest.Objective: to evaluate the features of daily AS in RA patients with or without hypertension.Patients and methods. Twenty-four hour AS monitoring (24-h ASM) was done in 75 women with a valid diagnosis of RA. The patients were randomized into 3 groups: 1) 39 RA patients with hypertension; 2) 24 RA patients without hypertension; 3) 12 RA patients with masked hypertension. A comparison group consisted of 30 hypertensive patients without RA and a control group included 22 apparently healthy women who were age-matched with the patients with RA and those from the comparison group. 24-h ASM readings were studied using a BPlab device with Vasotens software (Russia).Results. All the patients with RA were found to have higher 24-h ASM readings than the controls; and, in the presence of hypertension, these changes were even more pronounced. Group 1 was noted to have higher ambulatory AS index than the comparison group; more than 70% of the patients in Group 2 were observed tohave increased aortic pulse wave velocity when reducing to a blood pressure (BP) of 100 mm Hg. The patients in Groups 1 and 2 had increases in augmentation index, in the latter normalized for a heart rate of 75 beats/min, in the propagation time of a reflected wave when reducing to a BP of 100 mm Hg, and in AS index at night. The patients with RA showed an association between daily AS and major cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, age, body mass index, menopause duration), RA-specific risk factors (RA duration, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein), and psychoemotional status. Conclusion. 24-h ASM revealed that the patients with RA had higher vascular wall stiffness than the individuals in the comparison and control groups. Taking into consideration the pronounced changes in AS not only during the daytime, but also during the night, it is appropriate to perform daily monitoring in patients with RA in order to obtain more objective data

Results of sleeve gastrectomy in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance: Retrospective cohort registry-based study

Background. In the available literature, the data on the positive effects of sleeve gastrectomy in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) become more common, however, they are heterogeneous and not always unambiguous.The aim. To analyze our own results of treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance, who underwent sleeve gastrectomy.Materials and methods. Retrospective cohort registry-based study was carried out. From 2016 to April 2021, 29 (19 %) and 7 (4.6 %) patients with diagnosed T2DM and IGT respectively underwent surgery. Of these, sleeve gastrectomy was performed in 13  (44.8  %)  patients with type  2 diabetes mellitus and in 5  (71.4  %)  patients with IGT. The mean duration of follow-up for T2DM and IGT patients was 14.2 ± 12.3 and 11.2 ± 9.0 months respectively.Results. The mean %EWL (% excess weight loss) in patients with T2DM and IGT was 44.1 ± 17.3 and 51.5 ± 16.9 respectively, and the mean %TWL (% total weight loss) was 25.0 ± 8.0 and 27.8 ± 6.0 respectively. At the moment of observation, all patients had normal level of fasting blood glucose. The level of HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes before the surgery was 8.2 ± 1.6, after surgery, at the time of observation – 5.8 ± 0.5 (U = 4; p ≤ 0.01). Targeted HbA1c values was recorded in all 13 patients with type 2 diabetes.Conclusion. Our study shows the efficiency of sleeve gastrectomy both in terms of weight loss and of the remission for patients with T2DM and IGT

Traditional Method in Training Architect (on the Example of a Technical University)

Construction and architectural education focuses on the formation of a socially and professionally active person with high competence, flexibility and creativity. It is important to maintain those teaching methods that contribute to obtaining the desired result in the educational process of vocational training, especially in a technical university. The importance of traditional teaching methods in the training of professional architects remains relevant from the time of the opening of the VHUTEMAS and BAUHAUS schools to the present day. The sequence of implementation of coursework projects by students of UrFU architects confirms this.Строительно-архитектурное образование ориентируется на становление социально и профессионально активной личности, обладающей высокой компетентностью, гибкостью и креативностью. Необходимо сохранить в учебном процессе, особенно в техническом вузе, те методы обучения, которые способствуют подготовке востребованных на рынке труда выпускников. Важность традиционных методов обучения в подготовке архитекторов-профессионалов остается актуальной со времени открытия школ ВХУТЕМАС и БАУХАУС до нынешних дней. Последовательность выполнения курсовых проектов студентами-архитекторами УрФУ подтверждает это

Соотношение теории и реальности в базовых экономических курсах

The article presents the analysis of methodological issues and problems of the correlation between theory and reality in basic courses taught at the Faculty of Economics of Lomonosov Moscow State University. The paper provides the methodological approaches that can be used in conducting lectures and seminars, based on many years of experience; analyzes basic methods and forms that help convince students of the practical usefulness of the disciplines studied. The authors also offer methodological solutions that allow to explain to the students the ultimate goal of studying theoretical courses and encourage their involvement and interest in the learning process.Статья посвящена анализу методических вопросов и проблем соотношения теории и реальности в базовых учебных курсах, преподаваемых на экономическом факультете МГУ имени М. В. Ломоносова. В работе представлены методические подходы, которые могут быть использованы в процессе ведения лекций и семинаров, и на основе многолетнего опыта проанализированы базовые способы и формы, которые помогают убедить студентов в практической полезности изучаемых дисциплин. Авторами также предложены методологические решения, позволяющие объяснить студентам конечную цель изучения теоретических курсов и повысить степень их вовлеченности и заинтересованности в процессе обучения

Strategies for energy saving in the sphere of construction and operation of buildings and structures

The operational energy consumption of existing residential and public buildings in Russia is about 3 times higher than in industrialized countries with similar climatic characteristics. Active controversy, energy-saving programs, theoretical developments, experimental facilities implemented in the last 10–15 years, have not yet had a practical effect on the energy intensity of cities and settlements, but have created realistic prerequisites for reducing the energy consumption of buildings and structures.Эксплуатационное энергопотребление существующих жилых и общественных зданий в России примерно в 3 раза превышает аналогичные показатели в технически развитых странах со сходными природно-климатическими характеристиками. Активная полемика, энергосберегающие программы, теоретические разработки, экспериментальные объекты, осуществляемые в последние 10–15 лет, пока не оказали практического влияния на энергоемкость городов и поселений, но создали реалистичные предпосылки для снижения энергопотребления зданий и сооружений