Titanium Carbide: Nanotechnology, Properties, Application

The paper develops scientific and technological bases for fabrication of titanium carbide which is a nanocomponent of composite materials. The authors determine optimum technology specifications and the main titanium carbide properties: fineness of titaniferous raw materials, carbide-forming agent quantity, set temperature of plasma flow, tempering temperature, titanium carbide yield, productivity, specific surface, size and shape of particles. The paper includes equations to describe how the major specifications of the fabrication technique influence the content of titanium carbide and free carbon in the end product

Titanium Carbide: Nanotechnology, Properties, Application

The paper develops scientific and technological bases for fabrication of titanium carbide which is a nanocomponent of composite materials. The authors determine optimum technology specifications and the main titanium carbide properties: fineness of titaniferous raw materials, carbide-forming agent quantity, set temperature of plasma flow, tempering temperature, titanium carbide yield, productivity, specific surface, size and shape of particles. The paper includes equations to describe how the major specifications of the fabrication technique influence the content of titanium carbide and free carbon in the end product

Sex specificity in innate immunity of insect larvae

The innate immunity of insects has been widely studied. Although the effect of sex on insect immunity has been extensively discussed, differences in immunity between the sexes of larvae insects remain largely unstudied. Studying larval sex differences in immunity may provide valuable information about the mechanisms underlying the insect immune system, which, in turn, can be valuable for the development and improvement of pest management. Here we compared the antibacterial activity in both the midgut tissue and cell-free hemolymph of Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) females and males at the larval stage without and after a challenge by entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner. We also evaluated the sex-specific mortality of L. dispar induced by B. thuringiensis infection. We find that antibacterial activity in the midgut is activated by infection, but only in females. Thus, sex differences in immunity can have important effects even before sexual differentiation at adulthood

Use of Technogenic Silica Fume and Brown Coal Semi-Coke in the Technology of Silicon Carbide

The paper describes thermodynamic experiments to determine the optimal temperature and time modes for the carbide production process from the briquette charge comprising silica fume and brown coal semi-coke, conditions for chemical enriching of silicon carbide, its phase, chemical and granulometric compositions and particle morphology

Features of microbiological diagnosis and choice of selective antibiotic therapy in patients with acute cholecystitis

The objective: to improve the results of destructive forms of acute cholecystitis (AC) surgery by the development of antibiotic therapy algorithm and taking into account the severity of the disease according to Tokyo guidelines (2013). Materials and methods: 266 patients having been operated on for AC made up a treatment group and 203 patients - the control one. In 234 treatment group patients microflora’s bacteriological study was carried out and its selective sensitivity to antibiotics was determined. Results and discussion. The AC treatment group patients (n=266) were arranged according to Tokyo guidelines (2013) into 3 grades. Mild course (grade I) consisted of 29 patients (11%), microbiological studies were not conducted. Antibiotic prophylaxis with beta-lactam antibiotics was used. At moderately severe AC (grade II, n = 200, 75%) escalation antibiotic therapy was carried out. At severe disease (grade III, n = 37, 14%) de-escalation antibiotic therapy was performed. Bacteriological studies were conducted in 237 patients with destructive forms of AC, at that 531 microflora isolates were cultured. Intestinal group microorganisms were the most frequently cultured. Beta-lactam antibiotics’ sensitivity was prevailing and constituted 83.3%. The number of suppurations in the treatment group decreased from 9.8% to 4.3%, and mortality rate decreased from 1.48% to 0.75% (

E-learning as a modern resource of education

E-learning is becoming increasingly popular today. It is being widely implemented not only in educational institutions but in business and industrial enterprises demanding the fastest and the cheapest means of information exchange and communication. This article is dedicated to eliciting of the background factors of successful implementation and favourable environment to develop e-learning programs. It analyses the e-learning teaching process and methods practiced in several countries, including Russia, and empathizes the major issues and problems the national systems of education have had to face recentl

Late Antiquity: The Regional Specific Nature of Intellectual Tradition

The primary purpose of the study is to investigate the specifics of the intellectual tradition prevailing in some regions of the Late Antique world. For the purpose of a comprehensive review of the problem, the authors focus on well-known intellectuals of the 5th–6th centuries, representing Gaul (Ausonius, Sidonius, Ennodius et al.), Alexandria (John Philoponus, Hypatia, Sinesius of Cyrene et al.), Africa (Fulgentius, Priscian, Corippus), Isauria (Candidus Isaurus). Despite the fact that, under the influence of objective factors (Christianization, barbarians), the intellectual tradition changed from its ancient model to the medieval one, it fulfilled its most important task - to preserve the best from the treasury of ancient thought and adapt the ancient heritage to a changing world. In conclusion, the outcomes of the study demonstrate various examples of intellectual tradition and the fortunes of “people of written culture” (literati)

EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF GENERAL EDUCATION AS A FACTOR OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Introduction. Nowadays, foreign and Russian researchers state the lack of reliable tools for diagnostics of professional gaps among teachers. It is unjustified to draw conclusions about skill level of teachers, relying only on results which are shown by pupils when holding unified state examinations and monitoring tests. However, information on results of an external assessment of quality of the general education (the USE, OGE, All-Russian test works and national researches of quality of education) corresponds to professional development of teachers and more rational organization of this process. The aim of the article is to consider and discuss the relationship between professional development of teachers and external assessment of the quality of general education; the search of opportunities and terms of the results use of external evaluation procedures in teacher training.Methodology and research methods. The authors analyzed the publications (available on the Internet and in periodicals) to determine the relevance of the problem and compare approaches to its solution by Russian and foreign researchers. The methods involve content analysis, problem-based and comparative analysis for the diagnosis of the current practices of teachers’ professional development. The purpose of the analysis is the inclusion of education quality assessment and evaluation results in the contents of programs of professional development of teachers.Results. The created request for the profitability analysis results of an external assessment of general education quality of professional development of pedagogical staff is observed. However, the analysis of modern practice of additional professional pedagogical education showed that the preparation to prevails; certification procedure results for improvement of pedagogical activity are rarely used. The main reasons for this situation are found out: lack of the target information products for system of professional development prepared by results of certification and monitoring procedures; lack of unified methodological and methodical approaches to development of programs of professional development of teachers; insufficient development of expert and analytical activity at regional institutes of professional development. Change of the situation is possible based on the following complex measures: development of practice of direct diagnostics of teachers’ competences; adoptions of administrative decisions following the results of estimated procedures; interactions of institutes of professional development, higher education institutions, schools, methodical services and governing bodies of education for creation of flexible and mobile organizational and methodical resources for professional development; combinations of formal and informal teachers’ education experience.Scientific novelty. The practicability of results implementation for external education quality evaluation organization promoting professional growth of teachers is proved. The generalized characteristic of current practice in professional development of teachers based on an assessment of the quality of education is given.  Practical significance. Organizational and pedagogical conditions for the improvement of the system of educators’ professional development are proposed. Введение. Зарубежные и российские исследователи констатируют отсутствие в настоящее время надежных инструментов диагностики профессиональных дефицитов у педагогов. Выводы об уровне квалификации учителей неправомерно делать, опираясь только на результаты, которые демонстрируют учащиеся при проведении национальных экзаменов и мониторинговых измерений. Однако информация об итогах внешней оценки качества общего образования (ЕГЭ, ОГЭ, Всероссийских проверочных работ и национальных исследований качества образования) при определенных условиях позволяет стимулировать профессиональное развитие педагогов и более рационально организовать данный процесс. Цель. В статье рассматривается проблема взаимосвязи процессов профессионального развития учителей и процедур внешней оценки качества общего образования. Обсуждаются возможности и условия использования результатов внешних оценочных мероприятий в повышении квалификации педагогических кадров. Методология и методика исследования. Проанализировано и обобщено с глубиной поиска не более 5 лет содержание публикаций в российских и зарубежных периодических изданиях и размещенных в сети Интернет материалов, касающихся изучаемой темы. На основе контент-анализа, проблемного и сравнительного анализа проведена экспресс-диагностика современной практики повышения квалификации педагогов с точки зрения присутствия в дополнительных образовательных программах аспектов оценки качества образования и их практического применения для выявления проблемных зон в деятельности педагогов и развития их профессиональной компетентности. Результаты. Зафиксирован сформировавшийся запрос на учет результатов внешней оценки качества общего образования при повышении квалификации педагогических кадров. Однако анализ современной практики дополнительного профессионального педагогического образования показал, что в ней преобладает подготовка к самим аттестационным процедурам и крайне мало используются их результаты для совершенствования педагогической деятельности. Обозначены основные причины данной ситуации: отсутствие целевых информационных продуктов для системы повышения квалификации, подготовленных по результатам аттестационных и мониторинговых процедур; отсутствие единых методологических и методических подходов к разработке программ повышения квалификации педагогов; недостаточное развитие экспертно-аналитической деятельности в региональных институтах повышения квалификации. Изменение сложившегося положения возможно за счет комплексных мер: развития практики непосредственной диагностики компетентности учителей; принятия управленческих решений по итогам оценочных процедур; взаимодействия институтов повышения квалификации, вузов, школ, методических служб и органов управления образованием для создания гибких и мобильных организационно-методических ресурсов профессионального развития; сочетания практик формального и неформального образования педагогов. Научная новизна. Обоснована целесообразность использования результатов внешних экспертиз качества образования для организации профессионального роста педагогов. Представлена обобщенная характеристика актуальной практики учета итогов различных оценочных процедур в программах дополнительного образования для учителей и руководителей школ. Практическая значимость. Сформулированы организационно-педагогические условия совершенствования системы повышения квалификации работников образования.

Use of Technogenic Silica Fume and Brown Coal Semi-Coke in the Technology of Silicon Carbide

The paper describes thermodynamic experiments to determine the optimal temperature and time modes for the carbide production process from the briquette charge comprising silica fume and brown coal semi-coke, conditions for chemical enriching of silicon carbide, its phase, chemical and granulometric compositions and particle morphology

A Plasma Reactor for the Synthesis of High-Temperature Materials: Electro Thermal, Processing and Service Life Characteristics

The three-jet direct-flow plasma reactor with a channel diameter of 0.054 m was studied in terms of service life, thermal, technical, and functional capabilities. It was established that the near-optimal combination of thermal efficiency, required specific enthalpy of the plasma-forming gas and its mass flow rate is achieved at a reactor power of 150 kW. The bulk temperature of plasma flow over the rector of 12 gauges long varies within 5500±3200 K and the wall temperature within 1900±850 K, when a cylinder from zirconium dioxide of 0.005 m thick is used to thermally insulate the reactor. The specific electric power reaches a high of 1214 MW/m{3}. The rated service life of electrodes is 4700 hours for a copper anode and 111 hours for a tungsten cathode. The projected contamination of carbides and borides with elec-trode-erosion products doesn't exceed 0.0001% of copper and 0.00002% of tungsten