Characteristics of silent countingin synchronized swimmers

This article describes the temporal characteristics of silent counting as used duringa competition by the Russian youth team of synchronized swimmers. Theathletes listened to the music that accompanied their performance at the competition.Diff erent indices of silent counting were defi ned, such as the beginningand cessation of diff erent periods of counting, counting frequency, the stabilityof the temporal structure of silent counting, the degree of synchronization of silentcounting at diff erent moments during the sports program. We studied therelationship of these characteristics of counting with expert estimates of the athletes’sense of tempo, coordination of movements, and choreographic abilities

Comparative Characteristics of Time Perspective of Professional Athletes and Drug Addicted People

AbstractThe present article analyses the comparative characteristics of time perspective of professional athletes and drug addicted people. Participants who are addicted to drugs and professional athletes pose significant difference in time perspective: in their perception of “Future”, “Negative Past” and Positive Past”. Characteristics of time perspective are dynamic and change in the context of meaning-life orientations and stressful events. Excessive concentration of participants on the past or on the future could be a predictor that contributes to dependent behavior. The necessity of individual profile consideration in psychological work with athletes and drug-addicted people was shown

Синхронный электродвигатель для привода механизмов в химически агрессивной среде

В данной статье рассматриваются вопросы исследования синхронных машин дискового типа герметичного исполнения для использования в составе оборудования химической отрасли. Приведены результаты моделирования машины дискового типа с магнитосвязанными дисками и данные, полученные при экспериментальном исследовании электромагнитных потерь в герметизирующей перегородке макетного образца

Развитие взглядов на взаимосвязь произвольного движения и его мысленного образа

Introduction. Mental rehearsal of motor skill performance improves its coordination and effectiveness. However, mental image has been considered to be a hypothetical basis for voluntary movements even before its practical use begins. The present paper provides an original view on the current motor imagery understanding as a resolution of conflicts inherent to earlier concepts. The compatibility between historical and modern motor imagery theories is discussed. Thereby, revision of some of existing recommendations  concerning mental imagery use in sports is underpinned.  Theoretical Basis. Ideomotor theory was the first concept considering mental imagery as a basis for voluntary movements. T. Laycock and W. B. Carpenter described motor consequences of uncontrolled expression of a dominant idea. In the context of H. Herbart’s, R. H. Lotze’s, and E. Harless’ work, this phenomenon can be viewed more broadly in the light of systemic role of mental imagery in controlling movements. A number of instrumental studies of involuntary motor activity during movement imagination provided experimental confirmation of such phenomena and supported scientific interest in the  ideomotor theory when it was criticized by the behaviorism. In the modern period, to  resolve existing contradictions, M. Jeannerod has suggested considering the motor image as a conscious representation of neurophysiological processes underlying the corresponding movement, which is formed in the absence of inactivating afferent  response of effector organs. Results and Discussion. The modern understanding of the motor imagery focuses on its  equivalence to the actual movement in terms of the underlying central neurophysiologica processes and their functions, including formation of skills with the repetition of a corresponding movement. Following P. F. Lesgaft’s idea, an individual’s cognitive analysis of movements and understanding of its logical structure by means of mental  imagery play an important role in motor learning, especially in its initial stages. Herewith, research shows that cognitive and motor processes are closely intertwined.Введение. Широко известно, что проработка двигательного навыка посредством мысленного представления способствует повышению его скоординированности и результативности. Однако образ рассматривался как гипотетическая основа произвольного движения еще до начала своего практического применения. Статья впервые представляет текущее понимание образа движения как разрешения противоречий, присущих более ранним взглядам, и рассматривает совместимость последних с современной точкой зрения, чем обосновывает необходимость пересмотра некоторых существующих рекомендаций по применению мысленного образа в спорте. Теоретическое обоснование. Отправной точкой в рассмотрении мысленного образа как основы произвольного движения явилась идеомоторная теория. Моторным эффектам, описанным как неконтролируемое выражение доминирующей идеи, посвящены работы Т. Лэйкока и У. Б. Карпентера. Однако их видение как проявления системной роли образа в контроле движения пришло благодаря трудам И. Ф. Гербарта, Г. Р. Лотце и Э. Харлесса. Экспериментальное подтверждение подобных явлений было получено в ряде инструментальных исследований непроизвольной двигательной активности при ее мысленном представлении, которые поддержали научный интерес к идеомоторной теории в условиях ее критики со стороны бихевиоризма. Разрешение противоречий было предложено на современном этапе М. Джиннеродом, рассматривающим двигательный образ как осознанную репрезентацию лежащих в основе соответствующего движения нейрофизиологических процессов, которая формируется при отсутствии инактивирующей обратной связи от исполнительных органов. Результаты и их обсуждение. Современное понимание двигательного образа фокусируется на его эквивалентности фактическому движению с точки зрения реализующих его центральных нейрофизиологических процессов и присущих ему свойств, в т. ч. формирования навыка при повторении соответствующего движения. Важную роль в двигательном обучении, особенно на начальных этапах, которую подчеркивал еще П. Ф. Лесгафт, играют когнитивный анализ движения и познание его смысловой структуры с помощью образа. При этом, как показывают исследования, когнитивные и моторные процессы тесно переплетены между собой

Novel Driver Strength Index highlights important cancer genes in TCGA PanCanAtlas patients

Background Cancer driver genes are usually ranked by mutation frequency, which does not necessarily reflect their driver strength. We hypothesize that driver strength is higher for genes preferentially mutated in patients with few driver mutations overall, because these few mutations should be strong enough to initiate cancer. Methods We propose formulas for the Driver Strength Index (DSI) and the Normalized Driver Strength Index (NDSI), the latter independent of gene mutation frequency. We validate them using TCGA PanCanAtlas datasets, established driver prediction algorithms and custom computational pipelines integrating SNA, CNA and aneuploidy driver contributions at the patient-level resolution. Results DSI and especially NDSI provide substantially different gene rankings compared to the frequency approach. E.g., NDSI prioritized members of specific protein families, including G proteins GNAQ, GNA11 and GNAS, isocitrate dehydrogenases IDH1 and IDH2, and fibroblast growth factor receptors FGFR2 and FGFR3. KEGG analysis shows that top NDSI-ranked genes comprise EGFR/FGFR2/GNAQ/GNA11–NRAS/HRAS/KRAS–BRAF pathway, AKT1–MTOR pathway, and TCEB1–VHL–HIF1A pathway. Conclusion Our indices are able to select for driver gene attributes not selected by frequency sorting, potentially for driver strength. Genes and pathways prioritized are likely the strongest contributors to cancer initiation and progression and should become future therapeutic targets

Psychological features of attention in archery

The issue of attention is one of the leading in sports psychology. Quite often, athletes’ failures in competitions are ultimately connected with the attention processes, i.e. distraction, switching or loss of concentration. Simultaneously, each particular kind of sport is distinguished by a specific competitive situation and accordingly presents a number of requirements to athletes, including attention features. Archery is no exception. Thus, in shooting sports, concentration and stability of attention are often deemed as the most significant features of attention. The paper is devoted to the study of the attention dynamic properties in archers. Attention features of athletes were assessed depending on the sports major, gender, age, experience and level of competence. 65 archers from different regions of Russia took part in the study, including 34 males and 31 females, the average age being 16.29 ± 1.74. Experience ranges from 1 year to 8 years, average experience is 4.46 ± 1.93. The research results showed that archers are characterized by high indicators of stability of attention, and also high efficiency of solving attention problems. The professional success of archery was associated with the ability to distribute attention when necessary. At the same time, there were no significant differences in the features of attention for recurved and compound archers, which indicates the uniformity of tasks related to attention in the sporting practice of archers. Summing up, it is necessary to include skills in the distribution of attention in the program of psychological training of archers

Applications of Nanostructural NiTi Alloys for Medical Devices

New nanostructural shape memory alloy (55.91 wt% of Ni and 44.03 wt% of Ti) for the production of minimally invasive implantation medical devices (stents) was tested for corrosion resistance under static conditions by dipping it into solutions with various acidities (pH from 1.68 to 9.18) for 2 years, for static mechanical properties and for biocompatibility. The material for investigations was 280‐μm wires before and after thermal treatment at 450°C for 15 min in air and surface mechanical treatment. The characteristic image and size of grains were determined using the transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the phase composition; surface morphology; and the layer‐by‐layer composition were investigated using an X‐ray diffractometer; a scanning electron microscope (SEM); and an Auger spectrometer. The nickel release from the investigated nanostructural nitinol is less in comparison with data for microstructural nitinol in a solution of any acidity. Dissolution in the alkali medium is absent. A significant retardation of the nickel ion release (and insignificant concentration as a whole) and the absence of titanium ion release in the weakly acidic and neutral solutions with polished samples are observed. A simultaneous 7–11% increase in strength and plasticity in comparison with microstructural nitinol was attained. Toxicity of samples has not been revealed

Function of the ribosomal E-site: a mutagenesis study

Ribosomes synthesize proteins according to the information encoded in mRNA. During this process, both the incoming amino acid and the nascent peptide are bound to tRNA molecules. Three binding sites for tRNA in the ribosome are known: the A-site for aminoacyl-tRNA, the P-site for peptidyl-tRNA and the E-site for the deacylated tRNA leaving the ribosome. Here, we present a study of Escherichia coli ribosomes with the E-site binding destabilized by mutation C2394G of the 23S rRNA. Expression of the mutant 23S rRNA in vivo caused increased frameshifting and stop codon readthrough. The progression of these ribosomes through the ribosomal elongation cycle in vitro reveals ejection of deacylated tRNA during the translocation step or shortly after. E-site compromised ribosomes can undergo translocation, although in some cases it is less efficient and results in a frameshift. The mutation affects formation of the P/E hybrid site and leads to a loss of stimulation of the multiple turnover GTPase activity of EF-G by deacylated tRNA bound to the ribosome

Using of Magnetron Sputtering for Biocompatible Composites Creating

Biocompatible composites obtained using the magnetron sputtering for the production of minimally invasive implantation medical devices (stents) were investigated. Nano- and microdimensional surface layers of Ta, Ti, Ag, and Cu on flat and wire NiTi, Cu, Ti, and SiO2 substrates were created. The phase composition, surface morphology, and the layer-by-layer composition were investigated on an X-ray diffractometer, SEM, and Auger spectrometer. It was shown that the thickness and the structure of surface layers were affected by the sputtering distance, time, power, and the bias voltage at the substrate. The presence of the transition layer that contains both substrate and target elements and provides high adhesion of the surface layer to the substrate has been demonstrated. The material was tested for corrosion resistance under static conditions by dipping into solutions with various acidities (pH from 1.68 to 9.18) for 2 years, static mechanical properties, and biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. A slight corrosive dissolution was observed only in a medium with a pH of 1.56. Dissolution in the other media is absent. An increase in strength and plasticity in comparison with substrate was attained depending on the nature of the sputtered substance and substrate. Toxicity of samples has not been revealed