Zyklophin, a short-acting kappa opioid antagonist, induces scratching in mice

It has been shown previously that norbinaltorphimine (norBNI) and 5΄-guanidinonaltrindole (5΄-GNTI), long-acting kappa opioid receptor (KOPR) antagonists, cause frenzied scratching in mice [1;2]. In the current study, we examined if zyklophin, a short-acting cyclic peptide KOPR antagonist, also elicited scratching behavior. When injected s.c. in the nape of the neck of male Swiss-Webster mice, zyklophin at doses of 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg induced dose-related hindleg scratching of the neck between 3 and 15 min after injection. Pretreating mice with norBNI (20 mg/kg, i.p.) at 18–20 hr before challenge with zyklophin (0.3 mg/kg) did not markedly affect scratching. Additionally, KOPR −/− mice given 0.3 mg/kg of zyklophin displayed similar levels of scratching as wild-type animals. The absence of KOPR in KOPR −/− mice was confirmed with ex vivo radioligand binding using [3H]U69,593. Taken together, our data suggest that the presence of kappa receptors is not required for the excessive scratching caused by zyklophin. Thus, zyklophin, similar to the structurally different KOPR antagonist 5΄-GNTI, appears to act at other targets to elicit scratching and potentially the sensation of itch

The Strength of Masonry Based on the Deformation Characteristics of Its Components

The chapter presents a new approach to determining the strength of masonry reinforced with transverse meshes in mortar joints. The method consists of using the values of the modulus of elasticity and limiting deformations of the stone material, mortar for joints, and both steel and composite reinforcements. An analytical notation is proposed that integrally takes into account the characteristics of the initial materials. The results of physical tests of centrally loaded masonry pillars reinforced with steel and composite meshes are given. To test the masonry, widely used materials were used: solid brick and cement-sand mortar. The values of the bearing capacity, deformations, and internal stresses of the masonry are obtained. It is determined that the stresses in the reinforcing bars of the meshes are unevenly distributed in the horizontal plane of the mortar joint and amount to 20–37% of the design resistance of the mesh material. The strength of masonry reinforced with composite meshes is 65–75% of steel of the same cross section. It is shown that there is a good convergence of test results with the presented analytical dependence

Riistaeläinten populaatioiden dynamiikka Pohjois-Euroopassa: tiivistelmä : 7. kansainvälinen symposium. 24. – 28. Syyskuuta

We have studied Black Grouse population abundance and its dynamics in large regions of North-Europe and Urals’ taiga (Finland, Russian Karelia, Murmansk, Arhangel, Kirov and Komi regions and). The data is based on Winter Track Counts (WTC, Priklonski, 1973), where all grouse sightings are recorded. We also studied the longterm Black Grouse abundance changes in Russian and Belarus Natural Reserves (by “Chronical of Natural” Programme, including summer counts of forest grouses): Pinezhsky, Pechoro-Ilychskiy, National Park "Mechera", Nature Reserve "Kivach", "Bryansk Forest", Kostomuksha Nature Reserve Volzhsko-Kamsky National Nature Biosphere Reserve and Visimskiy State Nature Reserves. The highest and most stable abundances of Black Grouse were recorded from East Fennoscandia (Karelia – 3.6 birds per 10 km; Finland – 4.4, coefficient of variation – 12% and 27%, respectively), whereas in the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Regions and Komi republic, e.g. the species abundance indices were 0.5, 2.5 and 1.1 birds per 10 km, respectively. The “Peak” and minimal abundance years do not concur in different regions of north-European taiga. In Komi in the period from 2001 to 2013, the number of the black grouse declined twice, in Arhangel in the period 30 years – decreased fivefold. In Tatarstan Republic (Volzhsko-Kamsky National Nature Biosphere Reserve) after 1980 abundance decreased rapidly and at last 10 tears – disappeared. In Central Siberia BG are small in numbers and rare. The data suggest Black Grouse abundance varies significantly across Northern Eurasia and among years. One may presume there are some factors acting in different directions: towards convergence and towards divergence of the trends.Peer reviewe

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase

Regional language corpus as a learning material in elementary schools

The work contains theoretical and practical corpus needed for the organization and delivery of the extracurricular classes of Russian in primary schools as well as the instruction for its use. The paper argues for the importance of extracurricular activities and the need for this type of research. The object of the research is extracurricular activity, while the subject is the use of regional linguistic corpus. The paper provides the description of the activities during which children are introduced to the dialectal and regional linguistic characteristics of the Russian language. The authors also analyze the methodological aspects of the linguistics geography. Moreover, the program of the extracurricular activities is presented along with the examples from students' work with special attention paid to methodological organization of the activities. Finally, this study has practical implications for teachers and lecturers as well for students.

Trends in the development of didactic principles’ content in the theory and practice of the Russian school in the late XIX – early XX centuries

Текст статьи не публикуется в открытом доступе в соответствии с политикой журнала.The article examines the phenomenon of didactic principles in the theory and practice of the Russian school in the late XIX and early ХХ centuries on the basis of an analysis of historical and pedagogical sources. The urgency of this work lies in the historical and pedagogical analysis of the development, elaboration and ways of implementing the principles of education, which in turn will help to determine the prospects for implementing the system of strategic goals and tactical tasks of the modern concept of education. The identification of trends in the development of didactic principles in the historical period under study allows us to trace the current trends in the development of the theory and practice of Russian education

Theoretical and Literary Studies of Goncharov's Works by Russian Emigrants: Biographism versus Antibiographism

The article analyzes the main methodological approaches to the study of I.A. Goncharov's personality in literary criticism and in the criticism of Russian emigrants (1920s - the early 1930s). It was revealed that along with existing authoritative, methodologically cultural, historical and immanent concepts of I.A. Goncharov's personality a morphological and psychoanalytic trends emerged describing the writer's life and work. The biographical method used by the critics in the process of the writer's work analysis was significantly transformed without the loss of its meaning

Effect of the Texture of the Ultrafine-Grained Ti-6Al-4V Titanium Alloy on Impact Toughness

In this work, the strength properties and impact toughness of the ultrafine-grained (UFG) Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy produced by severe plastic deformation (SPD) in combination with upsetting were studied, depending on the direction of crack propagation. In the billets processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), the presence of anisotropy of ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and ductility was observed, conditioned by the formation of a metallographic and crystallographic texture. At the same time, the ECAP-processed UFG alloy exhibited satisfactory values of impact toughness, ~0.42 MJ/m2. An additional upsetting of the ECAP-processed billet simulated the processes of shape forming/die forging and was accompanied by the development of recovery and recrystallization. This provided the “blurring” of texture and a reduction in the anisotropy of UTS and ductility, but a difference in impact toughness in several directions of fracture was still observed. It is shown that texture evolution during upsetting provided a significant increase in the crack propagation energy. The relationship between microstructure, texture and mechanical properties in different sections of the material under study is discussed

Representing school discourse stimuli

Discourse study in contemporary science is characterized by various approaches, whose integrative feature is the fact that this theoretical phenomenon is considered as a communicative activity and is caused by anthropocentric factors of speech generation. The representation of school discourse stimuli allows simulating the speech portrait of participants in educational activities. School discourse is a complex communicative phenomenon created by the subjects of the school educational process. It reflects the totality of accepted values and behavioral stereotypes in a particular socio-cultural space. The work aims to investigate the stimuli of school discourse. This work was conducted employing methods, such as 1) the free associative experiment; 2) quantitative analysis, which allowed identifying the actualization of the incentive perception based on quantitative data; and 3) discursive and conceptual analysis, which involved the identification of concepts, simulating them based on the conceptual totality of the means of their lexical representation in the usage. In the course of conducted study, about 600 native speakers of the Russian language were interviewed, and 9,440 associations were obtained for the school discourse stimuli. In the language consciousness of schoolchildren and teachers, associations for the “Family” stimulus were dominant, and the associative field of this stimulus was represented most broadly. The smallest number of associations was noted with regard to the “Evil” stimulus. The frequency of associations in the stimuli “Good”, “Happiness”, “Love”, “Friendship”, “Joy”, and “Labor” was approximately the same. The representation of school discourse stimuli reflects the value system, worldviews, moods, and assessments of recipients. Such a study was conducted for the first time

Effect of the Texture of the Ultrafine-Grained Ti-6Al-4V Titanium Alloy on Impact Toughness

In this work, the strength properties and impact toughness of the ultrafine-grained (UFG) Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy produced by severe plastic deformation (SPD) in combination with upsetting were studied, depending on the direction of crack propagation. In the billets processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), the presence of anisotropy of ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and ductility was observed, conditioned by the formation of a metallographic and crystallographic texture. At the same time, the ECAP-processed UFG alloy exhibited satisfactory values of impact toughness, ~0.42 MJ/m2. An additional upsetting of the ECAP-processed billet simulated the processes of shape forming/die forging and was accompanied by the development of recovery and recrystallization. This provided the “blurring” of texture and a reduction in the anisotropy of UTS and ductility, but a difference in impact toughness in several directions of fracture was still observed. It is shown that texture evolution during upsetting provided a significant increase in the crack propagation energy. The relationship between microstructure, texture and mechanical properties in different sections of the material under study is discussed