Systematics of Trimeresurus popeiorum Smith, 1937 with a revised molecular phylogeny of Asian pitvipers of the genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 sensu lato

The pit viper snake genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 sensu lato, is a diverse group of nocturnal serpents comprising over 61 species. The genus is morphologically heterogeneous and has been divided into several subgenera. We present an updated phylogeny of Asian pitvipers and propose a revised classification. Additionally, we revise the taxonomy of T. popeiorum Smith, 1937 and propose taxonomic changes with support from molecular and morphological data. We restrict T. popeiorum sensu stricto to northeastern India, Bangladesh, southern China, and northern Myanmar; populations beyond these areas require further assessment. We also synonymize T. yingjiangensis Chen et al., 2019 with T. popeiorum based on overlapping morphological characters, molecular data, and distribution. The findings shed new light on the taxonomy of T. popeiorum, warranting the need for assessing the population of T. popeiorum from southeast Asia

Piezo-Optical Transducers in High Sensitive Strain Measurements

New piezo-optical sensors based on the piezo-optical effect for high sensitive mechanical stress measurements have been proposed and developed. The piezo-optical method provides the highest sensitivity to strains compared to sensors based on any other physical principles. Piezo-optical sensors use materials whose parameters practically not change under load or over time, therefore piezo-optical sensors are devoid of the disadvantages inherent in strain-resistive and piezoelectric sensors, such as hysteresis, parameters degradation with time, small dynamic range, low sensitivity to strains, and high sensitivity to overloads. Accurate numerical simulation and experimental investigations of the piezo-optical transducer output signal formation made it possible to optimize its design and show that the its gauge factor is two to three orders of magnitude higher than the gauge factors of sensors of other types. The cruciform shape of the transducer photoelastic element made it possible to significantly increase the stresses in its working area at a given external force. Combining compactness, reliability, resistance to overloads, linearity and high sensitivity, in terms of the all set of these parameters, piezo-optical sensors significantly surpass the currently widely used strain-resistive, piezoelectric and fiber-optic sensors and open up new, previously inaccessible, possibilities in the tasks of measuring power loads

Forming A Pedagogue’s Research Competences in Innovative Educational Environment

Changes that take place in different spheres of life in Russia (economic, political, social, cultural) determine new requirements to the goals, values, functions of education in providing the development and self-realization of students. A graduate of a modern school should master a complex of information and research skills, and have critical and creative thinking. Research methodology. The orientation of education towards the growth of a student as a person, bearer of certain individual peculiarities, and activity subject may be of use only if an effective strategy of pedagogic work is developed. Such a strategy should be scientifically grounded on the basic principles of modern approaches implemented in pedagogy and psychology: humanistic, personality-, activity- and competence-oriented. Research results. Four spheres of a pedagogue’s professional activity in an innovative educational environment have been distinguished: sphere of analysis, synthesis and mastering pioneering pedagogic experience; sphere of popularization and initial practical use of pioneering pedagogic experience and advanced developments; sphere of the improvement of professional skills and realization of creative potential of a teacher; sphere of innovative processes in the system of education. Discussion. The essence of a pedagogue’s research activity is conditioned by the functions, which are based on the following factors: optimization of the teaching and educational process; specifically, structured controlled cognitive process; processes of self-improvement, self-instruction and selfeducation, self-realization; mastering professional pedagogic activity of a new level. Conclusion. Four levels of the development of a teacher’s research competences have been distinguished: basic, empiric (local and initiative), productive (tactical), and constructive (strategic)

Cranial biomechanics in basal urodeles: the Siberian salamander (Salamandrella keyserlingii) and its evolutionary and developmental implications

Developmental changes in salamander skulls, before and after metamorphosis, afect the feeding capabilities of these animals. How changes in cranial morphology and tissue properties afect the function of the skull are key to decipher the early evolutionary history of the crown-group of salamanders. Here, 3D cranial biomechanics of the adult Salamandrella keyserlingii were analyzed under diferent tissue properties and ossifcation sequences of the cranial skeleton. This helped unravel that: (a) Mechanical properties of tissues (as bone, cartilage or connective tissue) imply a consensus between the stifness required to perform a function versus the fxation (and displacement) required with the surrounding skeletal elements. (b) Changes on the ossifcation pattern, producing fontanelles as a result of bone loss or failure to ossify, represent a trend toward simplifcation potentially helping to distribute stress through the skull, but may also imply a major destabilization of the skull. (c) Bone loss may be originated due to biomechanical optimization and potential reduction of developmental costs. (d) Hynobiids are excellent models for biomechanical reconstruction of extinct early urodeles

ISSUE OF SIMULATOR CHOICE FOR MOBILE FACILITIES OF MILITARY VEHICLES MAINTENANCE AND ITS SOLUTION

The article regards the issue of simulator choice for mobile facilities of maintenance. The authors analyze approaches to simulator development by different enterprises and their shortcomings. They classify training equipment based on the principles of the acyclic logic algorithm. It allows them to formulate the solution approach of the given problem. The authors explain the rational choice of fullscale simulators usage as a standard prototype of training equipment creation for training specialists of mobile facilities of maintenance

Larval morphology and complex vocal repertoire of Rhacophorus helenae (Anura: Rhacophoridae), a rare flying frog from Vietnam

Vassilieva, Anna B., Gogoleva, Svetlana S., Poyarkov, Nikolay A. (2016): Larval morphology and complex vocal repertoire of Rhacophorus helenae (Anura: Rhacophoridae), a rare flying frog from Vietnam. Zootaxa 4127 (3): 515-536, DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4127.3.

Two new species of Kalophrynus Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Annamite mountains in southern Vietnam

Vassilieva, Anna B., Galoyan, Eduard A., Gogoleva, Svetlana S., Poyarkov, Nikolay A. (2014): Two new species of Kalophrynus Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Annamite mountains in southern Vietnam. Zootaxa 3796 (3): 401-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3796.3.