The Petrophytic Steppes of the Urals: Diversity and Ecological Drivers

The diversity and main compositional patterns of the petrophytic steppes of the Urals were studied. Two questions were considered in detail: (i) How rich is the phytocoenotic diversity of the petrophytic steppes? and (ii) What kind of ecological drivers determine its differentiation? A dataset of 1,025 relevés was compiled,representing communities of different climatic and geological conditions. Using formalized classification (TWINSPAN algorithm), eight vegetation types on the petrophytic steppes were defined. DCA-ordination was used to determine the main ecological drivers (both climatic and edaphic) of plant communities’ diversity. Among them are mean annual temperature and precipitation, aridity, rockiness and local habitat moisture. The interaction of different ecological and geographical factors leads to high levels of floristic and coenotic diversity of vegetation in dry rocky habitats. Keywords: petrophytic steppes, ecological drivers, ordination, Southern Ural

Low-temperature thermal and elastoacoustic properties of butanol glasses: Study of position isomerism effects around the boson peak

We have concurrently measured the specific heat, the thermal conductivity, and the longitudinal and transverse sound velocities at low temperature of glasses from different isomers of butanol (n-butanol, sec-butanol and isobutanol), as well as the low-temperature specific heat for the crystals of n-butanol, isobutanol and tert-butanol. Whereas the elastic constants both for crystals and glasses are found to be almost independent of the position of the hydrogen bonds, the thermal properties at low temperatures of these glasses at a few kelvin (around the boson peak in the reduced specific heat or around the plateau in the thermal conductivity) are found to vary strongly. Our experiments clearly contradict other works or models claiming a Debye scaling of the boson peak, and hence of the excess low-temperature specific heat of glasses. Data analysis based upon the soft-potential model and its extensions allows us to estimate the Ioffe-Regel limit in these and other alcohol glasses, finding a correlation with the boson-peak position in agreement with that previously reported by other groupsWe acknowledge financial support by the Spanish Ministry of Science within program CONSOLIDER Nanociencia Molecular CSD2007-00010 and by the Comunidad de Madrid through the project NANOBIOMAGNET S2009/MAT-1726

Риск развития у детей непредвиденных побочных реакций на аллерген туберкулезный рекомбинантный

This report reviews clinical cases, and their possible causes of unexpected local and systemic adverse effects associated with a novel skin test using recombinant tuberculosis allergen (RTA, Diaskintest) in 2—11 years old children. This preparation consists of a M. tuberculosis ESAT6/CFP10 fusion protein produced in E. coli, and, in Russia, it has been used as a tool for preventive screening for tuberculosis since 2009. The most common side effects developed within 1 to 12 h after injection and were represented as local or non-life threatening systemic symptoms: fever up to 39°C lasting up to 24 h, painful excessive edema with reddening on the forearm, and, sometimes herpes-like blisters on the skin. In 72 h, the papula at the injection site was moderate, but the hyperemia around it was considerable. We argue that the most likely reason for this type of response could be the development of Type III hypersensitivity (associated with immune complexes), and/or antibody-independent anaphylactoid response to the ESAT6/CFP10 protein or contaminating bacterial culture components. To prevent possible side effects, we recommend to observe the patients for not less than 15 min after the injection of RTA, and to be ready to respond in case of anaphylaxis development.В статье рассмотрены клинические симптомы и возможные причины непредвиденных местных и системных реакций у детей в возрасте от 2 до 11 лет после проведения кожной пробы с аллергеном туберкулезным рекомбинантным (АТР, Диаскин-тест®). Этот препарат содержит слитый генно-инженерный белок ESAT6/CFP10 кишечной палочки. Аллерген введен в России в практику превентивной диагностики туберкулеза с 2009 года. Нежелательные эффекты у детей развивались в промежутке от 1 часа до 12 часов после проведения кожной пробы с АТР в виде местных, а также не опасных для жизни системных реакций: повышения температуры тела до 39°С в течение суток, появления обширного болезненного отека в области предплечья, сопровождавшегося гиперемией, а в отдельных случаях и герпетиформными пузырьковыми высыпаниями на коже. Через 72 часа в месте введения аллергена наблюдался умеренного размера инфильтрат (папула), окруженный большой зоной гиперемии. Наиболее вероятными механизмами развития описанных симптомов гиперчувствительности немедленного типа авторы считают анафилактические реакции III типа (иммунокомплексные) и/или антителонезависимые анафилактоидные реакции на генноинженерный белок ESAT6/CFP10, а также другие компоненты бактериального синтеза или среды культивирования E. coli. Для предупреждения возможного развития более серьезных реакций рекомендуется наблюдать пациентов не менее 15 минут после проведения кожной пробы с Диаскинтестом и быть готовыми к принятию таких же мер, как при анафилаксии

Creation of the territory of the advancing socio-economic development as a way to diversify the economy of a single-industry city

In the scientific work the definition of the concept of “single-industry city” is given, its criteria and characteristics are highlighted.The necessity of state support in the development of single-industry towns is substantiated. It is proved that one of the main ways to assist in the diversification of the economy of single-industry towns is the creation of territories of advanced socio-economic development in them, which are characterized by special conditions and have their own characteristic

Low-temperature properties of monoalcohol glasses and crystals

We review and jointly discuss both earlier and recent experiments conducted by us on simple aliphatic glass-forming monoalcohols at low temperatures, including specific heat, thermal conductivity, Brillouin scattering and x-ray diffraction experiments. The family of simple monoalcohols constitutes an interesting model system to explore different relevant issues concerning molecular glass-forming liquids, low-temperature universal proper-ties of glasses, and even the glass transition phenomenon itself. More specifically, we discuss the role played by the molecular aspect ratio in vitrification/crystallization kinetics, the reported appearance of particular cases of polymorphism (in ethanol) and polyamorphism (in butanol), and especially the influence of position isomerism and the location of the hydrogen bond on the lattice dynamics and hence on the low-temperature universal prop-erties of glasses

Послеоперационная наружная трансабдоминальная гиперлимфорея (клиническое наблюдение)

Massive lymphorrhea can cause severe dysfunction of organs and systems and result in death due to loss of vital metabolites from the bodyAim. To demonstrate low efficacy of conservative therapy and late lymph duct ligation in continuous massive postoperative lymphorrhea.Results. We treated a patient with previous subtotal gastric resection with single-plane pancreatic resection, D2 lymph node dissection, peritoneal draining due to poorly differentiated carcinoma in the lower third of stomach and total hysterectomy who developed external lymphorrhea through peritoneal drainage tubes 3 days after surgery. A fat-rich diet, endolymphatic sodium etamsylate administration, and lymphatic duct ligation were not successful in terminating the lymph leakage. Despite the intensive care including extracorporeal detoxification, the multi-organ failure progressed and on day 28 after the surgery the patient was pronounced dead.Conclusion. Damage to lymph ducts and lymph nodes can be complicated by massive lymphorrhea. If the source of lymphorrhea can be identified, an urgent surgical intervention is warranted to stop the lymph leakage, as well as the restoration of homeostasis to replenish the lost metabolites and prevent death of the patient.Массивная лимфорея приводит к тяжелым нарушениям функции органов и систем и, вследствие удаления с лимфой из организма жизненно важных метаболитов, может закончиться летальным исходом.Цель. Показать клиническую неэффективность консервативной терапии и позднего лигирования лимфатического протока при продолжительной и массивной послеоперационной лимфорее.Результаты. Наблюдали больную после дистальной субтотальной резекции желудка с плоскостной резекцией поджелудочной железы, лимфодиссекции D2, дренирования брюшной полости по поводу низкодифференцированного рака нижней трети желудка (T4aNoMo) и тотальной гистерэктомии, у которой через 3 дня после операции развилась наружная лимфорея через дренажи в брюшной полости. Богатая жирами диета, эндолимфатическое введение этамзилата натрия, прошивание лимфатического протока не привели к прекращению истечения лимфы. Несмотря на проводимую интенсиную терапию, включая методы экстракорпоральной детоксикации, прогрессировали проявления полиор-ганной недостаточности и на 28-е сутки после операции констатировали смерть больной.Заключение. Повреждение лимфатических сосудов и лимфоузлов может осложниться массивной лимфореей при выявлении источника которой необходимо как срочное оперативное вмешательство, направленное на остановку лимфорагии так и коррекция гомеостаза с целью восполнения потерянных организмом метаболитов и предупреждения летального исхода

Lifetime distributions in the methods of non-equilibrium statistical operator and superstatistics

A family of non-equilibrium statistical operators is introduced which differ by the system age distribution over which the quasi-equilibrium (relevant) distribution is averaged. To describe the nonequilibrium states of a system we introduce a new thermodynamic parameter - the lifetime of a system. Superstatistics, introduced in works of Beck and Cohen [Physica A \textbf{322}, (2003), 267] as fluctuating quantities of intensive thermodynamical parameters, are obtained from the statistical distribution of lifetime (random time to the system degeneracy) considered as a thermodynamical parameter. It is suggested to set the mixing distribution of the fluctuating parameter in the superstatistics theory in the form of the piecewise continuous functions. The distribution of lifetime in such systems has different form on the different stages of evolution of the system. The account of the past stages of the evolution of a system can have a substantial impact on the non-equilibrium behaviour of the system in a present time moment.Comment: 18 page