Conversion of design principles to «green» standards in republic of Belarus. Solar batteries

The term «green building» is examined in the article. The definitions of solar batteries and solar panels are given. Advantages and restrictions on the use of solar energy are specified. Some examples of solar panels usage in constructions on the territory of Belarus are presented. The analysis of potential efficiency of solar batteries usage on the territory of the Republic of Belarus at the expense of favorable conditions of insolation is carried out

Three terminal capacitance technique for magnetostriction and thermal expansion measurements

An instrument has been constructed to measure a large range of magnetostriction and thermal expansion between room temperature and 4 K in a superconductive split-coil magnet, that allows investigation in magnetic fields up to 12 T. The very small bulk samples (up to 1 mm in size) as well as big ones (up to 13 mm) of the irregular form can be measured. The possibility of magnetostriction investigation in thin films is shown. A general account is given of both electrical and the mechanical aspects of the design of capacitance cell and their associated electronic circuitry. A simple lever device is proposed to increase the sensitivity twice. The resulting obtained sensitivity can be 0.5 Angstrom. The performance of the technique is illustrated by some preliminary measurements of the magnetostriction of superconducting MgB2, thermal expansion of (La0.8Ba0.2)0.93MnO3 single crystal and magnetoelastic behavior of the Ni/Si(111) and La0.7Sr0.3CoO3/SAT0.7CAT0.1LA0.2(001) cantilevers.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, journal pape

Issues in the Calendar Chronology of the Seima-Turbino Transcultural Phenomenon

The Seima-Turbino (ST) transcultural phenomenon was unique in the Eurasian Bronze Age. Its very rare but highly specific memorial sanctuaries and randomly found bronze artifacts are scattered across a gently sloping arc spanning territories from northern China to the Baltic and the Lower Dniester––nearly 4 mln km2. However, until recently, no reliable radiocarbon database relating to ST has been available. The situation changed after the discovery of the Shaytanka memorial sanctuary in the Middle Urals, and its detailed excavation. As a result, a considerable series of radiocarbon dates has appeared, enabling us to arrive at a more reliable pattern of absolute chronology for ST in a vast territory from western Siberia (Sopka, Tartas) to the Upper Volga basin (Yurino). The earlier dates in the eastern part of the ST distribution area uphold the theory concerning the ultimate source of a long-range east-to-west migration. Important new features in the overall pattern of dates on the vast territories of the Eurasian forest and forest-steppe zones make it possible to reconstruct the nature of the contacts between the ST people and representatives of other cultures—especially those of the Abashevo-Sintashta-Petrovka community advancing in a west-to-east direction. © 2017 E.N. Chernykh, O.N. Korochkova, L.B. Orlovskaya

Enchanced preoperative rehabilitation as part of the complex perioperative rehabilitation of patients with super-obesity and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (clinical outlook)

Obesity is a global social and economic problem. The bariatric surgery is a most effective treatment for obesity. The presented clinical case demonstrates the usage of principles of enchanced perioperative rehabilitation for the preoperative preparation of a patient with super obesity and with severe obstructive sleep apnea and alveolar hypoventilation syndrome.A 54-year-old patient was hospitalized with complaints of obesity, impossibility of persistent weight loss conservatively, severe daytime sleepiness, frequent nocturnal awakenings (up to 8 times per night). The patient’s weight was 230 kg with a height of 157 cm (BMI 93.5 kg / m2). The examination revealed a syndrome of sleep apnea of mixed genesis of extremely severe degree, chronic night hypoxemia of an extremely severe degree. Preoperative preparation was performed in accordance with the program of enchanced perioperative rehabilitation. The duration of preoperative preparation was 19 days; weight loss — 40 kg (%WL -17,4), compensation of comorbidities was achieved as well. After that the patient underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. There were no complications in the postoperative period. Length of postoperative hospital stay was 6 days. At follow-up examination one year after surgery, body weight dropped from 230 to 153 kg (% WL-33.5), a significant improvement of the quality of life was achieved.The enchanced perioperative rehabilitation program can be successfully used as an effective method for preoperartive preparation of the patients with morbid obesity in combination with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.and obesity hypoventilation. It can be a reasonable alternative to the standard program with preoperative intragastric balloon treatment. The use of this technique allows to increase the effectiveness of treatment of these high-risk patients, as well as to reduce the risk of perioperative complications

On the minima and convexity of Epstein Zeta function

Let $Z_n(s; a_1,..., a_n)$ be the Epstein zeta function defined as the meromorphic continuation of the function \sum_{k\in\Z^n\setminus\{0\}}(\sum_{i=1}^n [a_i k_i]^2)^{-s}, \text{Re} s>\frac{n}{2} to the complex plane. We show that for fixed $s\neq n/2$, the function $Z_n(s; a_1,..., a_n)$, as a function of $(a_1,..., a_n)\in (\R^+)^n$ with fixed $\prod_{i=1}^n a_i$, has a unique minimum at the point $a_1=...=a_n$. When $\sum_{i=1}^n c_i$ is fixed, the function $$(c_1,..., c_n)\mapsto Z_n(s; e^{c_1},..., e^{c_n})$$ can be shown to be a convex function of any $(n-1)$ of the variables $\{c_1,...,c_n\}$. These results are then applied to the study of the sign of $Z_n(s; a_1,..., a_n)$ when $s$ is in the critical range $(0, n/2)$. It is shown that when $1\leq n\leq 9$, $Z_n(s; a_1,..., a_n)$ as a function of $(a_1,..., a_n)\in (\R^+)^n$, can be both positive and negative for every $s\in (0,n/2)$. When $n\geq 10$, there are some open subsets $I_{n,+}$ of $s\in(0,n/2)$, where $Z_{n}(s; a_1,..., a_n)$ is positive for all $(a_1,..., a_n)\in(\R^+)^n$. By regarding $Z_n(s; a_1,..., a_n)$ as a function of $s$, we find that when $n\geq 10$, the generalized Riemann hypothesis is false for all $(a_1,...,a_n)$.Comment: 27 page

Corrective effects of original bioflavonoid complex in the cyclophosphamide-induced immunity disorders

Our aim was to evaluate immunomodulatory properties of an original bioflavonoid complex in experimental immune disturbances induced by cyclophosphamide (Cy). We have studied morphometric indexes of thymus and spleen, as well as blood leukocyte counts, cell proliferative activity in lymphoid organs, delayed hypersensitivity responses to T cell-dependent antigen, along with differentiation activity of bone marrow stem cells in experimental animals during Cy-induced immune suppression after a course of bioflavonoid treatment. Suspension of the bioflafonoid complex was introduced to the male mice (СВАхC57Bl/6)F1 aged 12- 14 weeks at a daily dose of 2 mg/animal (80 mg/kg), per os, using gastric catheter, over 14 days. Cytostatic immunosuppression was produced by a single intraperitoneal Cy injection. Proliferative activity of spleen and thymic cells was determined by standard method with Н3 -thymidine incorporation in the 72-h cell culture. Cellular immune response was assayed by the degree of delayed-type hypersensitivity development in response to sheep erythrocytes. The number of hematopoietic progenitors was evaluated by culturing bone marrow cells in methylcellulose-based medium. The experiments have shown mitigation of immunosuppressive effects induced by Cy, in the course of bioflavonoid complex treatment, with respect to absolute and relative mass of lymphoid organs and leukocyte numbers in peripheral blood. Moreover, we have demonstrated decreased effects of Cy treatment upon the spontaneous activity of spleen cells, mitogen-induced thymocyte and splenocyte proliferation, intensivity of delayed-type hypersensitivity response that reached the values of intact animals. Following the course of bioflavonoids, we have revealed an increase in early hematopoietic progenitors. Alleviation of Cy-induced suppressive effects upon cellular immune response, proliferation rates of immune cells, as well as stimulation of hematopoietic stem cell functions suggest a sufficient capacity of the original bioflavonoid complex for modulation of immunity and hematopoiesis, thus presenting experimental proofs for its potential usage as an adjuvant treatment of the patients with malignant diseases

Visualization of Nd3+-doped Laf3 Nanoparticles For Near Infrared Bioimaging via Upconversion Luminescence at Multiphoton Excitation Microscopyvisualization of Nd3+-doped Laf3 Nanoparticles For Near Infrared Bioimaging via Upconversion Luminescence at Multiphoton Excitation Microscopy

Recent developments in the field of biophotonics facilitate the raise of interest to inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) doped with Nd 3+ ions, because of their near-infrared (NIR) absorption. These NPs are interesting bioimaging probes for deep tissue visualization, while they can also act as local thermometers in biological tissues. Despite the good possibilities for visualization of NPs with Nd 3+ ions in NIR spectral range, difficulties arise when studying the cellular uptake of these NPs using commercially available fluorescence microscopy systems, since the selection of suitable luminescence detectors is limited. However, Nd 3+ ions are able to convert NIR radiation into visible light, showing upconversion properties. In this paper we found optimal parameters to excite upconversion luminescence of Nd 3+ :LaF 3 NPs in living cells and to compare the distribution of the NPs inside the cell culture of human macrophages THP-1 obtained by two methods. Firstly, by detecting the upconversion luminescence of the NPs in VIS under NIR multiphoton excitation using laser scanning confocal microscopy and secondly, using transmission electron microscopy

Molecular-cytogenetic analysis of triticale and wheat lines with introgressions of the tribe Triticeae species genetic material

There are a number of problems in selection of cultivated cereals associated with the requirements to create forms with resistance to diseases, pests and unfavorable environmental conditions. The genetic diversity of genes for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses can be increased by means of the gene pool of wild and cultivated wheat relatives. To improve agronomic traits in cereals, we have developed common wheat hybrid lines T. aestivum/ T. durum, T. aestivum/ T. dicoccoides and triticale lines by crossing hexaploid triticale with common wheat forms with the substitution of genome D for the geno­me of diploid Aegilops species. The aim of the study was to identify the lines of common wheat and hexaploid triticale with alien introgression using cytological and molecular-genetic analyses and evaluation of their cytological stability. Comparative analysis of the structure of chromosomes by GISH and FISH methods, microsatellite- and chromosome-specific markers revealed that hybridization of triticale with genome-substitution forms of wheat leads to the reorganization of the genome, including both the introgression of foreign material and wheat chromosome rearrangements, which lead to new combinations of genetic loci. The efficiency of wheat microsatellite markers to characterize of the T. aestivum/ T. durum, T. aestivum/ T. dicoccum interspecific hybrid lines was shown. From 4 to 12 translocations of different lengths from T. durum and T. dicoccum were identified in the chromosomes of A and В genomes in the hybrid lines. Meiotic stability of wheat and triticale hybrids was found. It creates prerequisites for preservation of alien genetic material in subsequent generations

Influence of soluble factors from the M2 phenotype macrophages on hematopoiesis in depression-like state

Chronic psychosocial stress provokes anxious behavior and depressive disorders. The longitudinal stress-induced neuroendocrine signals may alter functioning of immune (central and peripheral) organs. Increased myelopoiesis is observed in bone marrow, being detrimental to lympho- and erythropoiesis, with increased emigration of monocytic bone marrow cells to the periphery and their acquisition of “inflammatory” phenotype. The subsequent migration of such monocytes to the brain with differentiation into the M1 type macrophages which form inflammatory signals, and their effect upon endothelial cells and microglia leads to increased production of cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules, thus accelerating accumulation of bone marrow-derived monocytes migrating to the brain. The signals from bone marrow monocytes and activated microglia promote neuroinflammatory condition which leads to behavioral changes. Current data on the presence of non-resident bone marrow macrophages in the brain of depressed patients require studies of hematopoiesis in depression-like states. Pronounced plasticity is a characteristic feature of macrophages, i.e., their ability to acquire M1 or M2 phenotype depending on the microenvironment signals. M1 exhibit high pro-inflammatory activity and have neurodestructive properties, whereas M2 cells are characterized by low pro-inflammatory activity and pronounced regenerative potential, due to the production of multiple soluble mediators and cytokines, including neurotrophic and immunoregulatory factors, anti-inflammatory substances that provide neuroprotection, stimulate neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, growth and myelinization of axons, thus theoretically substantiating an opportunity of using the potential of M2 macrophages in the treatment of depression. In this work, we studied the effect of soluble factors of human macrophages, polarized into cells with M2 phenotype under the conditions of serum deprivation, upon bone marrow hematopoiesis and peripheral blood cells in a model of stress-induced depression. We have shown enhanced differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into the granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) lineage, along with increased monocyte population in peripheral blood in the depressive-like murine model. Development of a depressive-like state in the animals was associated with reduced amounts of both erythroid precursors in bone marrow and erythrocytes/hemoglobin in peripheral blood. Intranasal administration of soluble M2 macrophage factors (M2-SFs) for 7 days was accompanied by a corrective effect on the above parameters, being significant for peripheral blood monocytes. The data obtained suggest effectiveness of the M2-SFS anti-inflammatory effects in correcting changes in hematopoiesis caused by social stress in depressive-like animals