Long Term Observation of the Grassland Vegetation Used Intensively or Extensively and Ecologically

The aim of the present paper was to study alterations of the grassland flora from 55 plots following a more extensive management under long term observation within 6 years. Extensification of grassland use leads to an increase of the numbers of plant species by 32%, “Red-list-species” included. The moisture number of the soils slightly increased and the reaction and nitrogen numbers decreased. Results are presented for different vegetation units

Peculiarities of Linguistic Expression of Conceptual Opposition «East–West» in Contemporary English Discourse

У статті проаналізовано особливості функціонування концептуальної опозиції «Схід–Захід» у сучасному англомовному дискурсі. Зокрема, визначено поняття опозиції, а також розглянуто особливості відтворення концептуальної опозиції «Схід–Захід» сучасного англомовного дискурсу засобами української мови. The article analyzes the peculiarities of the conceptual opposition «East–West» in modern English discourse. In particular, the article defines the notion of opposition. The peculiarities of opposition translation in modern English discourse by means of the Ukrainian language are also under consideration

The Role of Grass Feeding in Improving Oxidative Stability and Increasing Vitamin B\u3csub\u3e12\u3c/sub\u3e Content of Beef and Veal

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of grass feeding of cattle on the decontamination capacity against free radical (DCAFR) and vitamin B12 content of beef and veal. The meat samples from intensively (26 cattle, final weight 485±9 kg, concentrate feeding) and ecologically (25 heifers, final weight 472±32 kg, and 28 calves, final weight 260±24 kg, pasture grazing) managed cattle groups were investigated. The DCAFR was colorimetric assessed by examining damage to 1.4 benzoquinone. Vitamin B12 was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Data indicate that the oxidative stability of meat samples from ecological management were significant (p \u3c 0.05) higher (1.39 mg/ ml sec) compared to samples from intensive management (1.09 mg/ ml sec). Meat from pasture grazed animals proves to be an especially good source of vitamin B12, which was present in the high amount in beef (3.24 mg/100g) and veal (3.32 mg/100g). This paper establishes the importance of grass feeding at the levels of the relevant essential nutrients supplied by meat

Applicability of QKD: TerraQuantum view on the NSA's scepticism

Quantum communication offers unique features that have no classical analog, in particular, it enables provably secure quantum key distribution (QKD). Despite the benefits of quantum communication are well understood within the scientific community, the practical implementations sometimes meet with scepticism or even resistance. In a recent publication [1], NSA claims that QKD is inferior to "quantum-resistant" cryptography and does not recommend it for use. Here we show that such a sceptical approach to evaluation of quantum security is not well justified. We hope that our arguments will be helpful to clarify the issue

Experimental demonstration of scalable quantum key distribution over a thousand kilometers

Secure communication over long distances is one of the major problems of modern informatics. Classical transmissions are recognized to be vulnerable to quantum computer attacks. Remarkably, the same quantum mechanics that engenders quantum computers offers guaranteed protection against such attacks via quantum key distribution (QKD). Yet, long-distance transmission is problematic since the essential signal decay in optical channels occurs at a distance of about a hundred kilometers. We propose to resolve this problem by a QKD protocol, further referred to as the Terra Quantum QKD protocol (TQ-QKD protocol). In our protocol, we use semiclassical pulses containing enough photons for random bit encoding and exploiting erbium amplifiers to retranslate photon pulses and, at the same time, ensuring that at the chosen pulse intensity only a few photons could go outside the channel even at distances of about a hundred meters. As a result, an eavesdropper will not be able to efficiently utilize the lost part of the signal. The central component of the TQ-QKD protocol is the end-to-end loss control of the fiber-optic communication line since optical losses can in principle be used by the eavesdropper to obtain the transmitted information. However, our control precision is such that if the degree of the leak is below the detectable level, then the leaking states are quantum since they contain only a few photons. Therefore, available to the eavesdropper parts of the bit encoding states representing `0' and `1' are nearly indistinguishable. Our work presents the experimental demonstration of the TQ-QKD protocol allowing quantum key distribution over 1079 kilometers. Further refining the quality of the scheme's components will expand the attainable transmission distances. This paves the way for creating a secure global QKD network in the upcoming years.Comment: 23 pages (main text: 15 pages, supplement: 8 pages), 21 figures (main text: 7 figures, supplement: 14 figures

Experience in the Design and Production of Recombinant Oral Vaccine «Revax VZT»

Objective of the work was the production of recombinant vaccine «RevaxVZT» in tablet dosage form against hepatitis B and pathogenic for humans orthopoxviruses for further clinical trials. Materials and methods. Recombinant strain b7.5S2-S of vaccinia virus carrying a DNA fragment of hepatitis B virus inserted into thymidinekinase gene was used as an active component of the vaccine. Microbiological, virological, physical, physical and chemical, and biotechnological methods were used for studying the quality of the drug and technological processes. Results and discussion. Results of technological control for semi-finished products and final products of the vaccine “Revax VZT” showed the possibility of using certified hardware-processing line of “TEOVac” for its manufacturing. Same technology can be potentially used with other live tableted embryo smallpox vaccines too. For the development of the vaccine “Revax VZT” with the specific activity of not less than 1.0·107 PFu/tablet, it is necessary to use a dry virus-containing material with activity not less than 2.0·108 PFU/g which is produced by freeze-drying of liquid virus-containing preparation with the activity of not less than 1.0·108 PFU/g, preferentially propagated from chorionic allantoic membranes of chicken embryos as a substrate for viral biomass accumulation

Fat1 deletion promotes hybrid EMT state, tumour stemness and metastasis

FAT1, which encodes a protocadherin, is one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancers1–5. However, the role and the molecular mechanisms by which FAT1 mutations control tumour initiation and progression are poorly understood. Here, using mouse models of skin squamous cell carcinoma and lung tumours, we found that deletion of Fat1 accelerates tumour initiation and malignant progression and promotes a hybrid epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. We also found this hybrid EMT state in FAT1-mutated human squamous cell carcinomas. Skin squamous cell carcinomas in which Fat1 was deleted presented increased tumour stemness and spontaneous metastasis. We performed transcriptional and chromatin profiling combined with proteomic analyses and mechanistic studies, which revealed that loss of function of FAT1 activates a CAMK2–CD44–SRC axis that promotes YAP1 nuclear translocation and ZEB1 expression that stimulates the mesenchymal state. This loss of function also inactivates EZH2, promoting SOX2 expression, which sustains the epithelial state. Our comprehensive analysis identified drug resistance and vulnerabilities in FAT1-deficient tumours, which have important implications for cancer therapy. Our studies reveal that, in mouse and human squamous cell carcinoma, loss of function of FAT1 promotes tumour initiation, progression, invasiveness, stemness and metastasis through the induction of a hybrid EMT state

Dynamic force microscopy for imaging of viruses under physiological conditions

Dynamic force microscopy (DFM) allows imaging of the structure and the assessment of the function of biological specimens in their physiological environment. In DFM, the cantilever is oscillated at a given frequency and touches the sample only at the end of its downward movement. Accordingly, the problem of lateral forces displacing or even destroying bio-molecules is virtually inexistent as the contact time and friction forces are reduced. Here, we describe the use of DFM in studies of human rhinovirus serotype 2 (HRV2) weakly adhering to mica surfaces. The capsid of HRV2 was reproducibly imaged without any displacement of the virus. Release of the genomic RNA from the virions was initiated by exposure to low pH buffer and snapshots of the extrusion process were obtained. In the following, the technical details of previous DFM investigations of HRV2 are summarized