Quality of life as the basis for achieving social welfare of the population

The paper discusses the concept and features of life quality as a socio-economic category. The main signs of quality of life of the population are shown. The analysis of different methodologies to measure indicators of life quality is given. It is shown that the most authoritative measure of the quality of life in the world is the “Human Development Index” (HDI). The main task of authorities at different levels to improve the quality of life of the population is described

Discrimination problems of retirement age employees

It is shown that there is an increasing number of people of retirement age; however, they fac

Triboelectric Backgrounds to radio-based UHE Neutrino Exeperiments

The triboelectric effect broadly includes any process in which force applied at a boundary layer results in displacement of surface charge, leading to the generation of an electrostatic potential. Wind blowing over granular surfaces, such as snow, can induce a potential difference, with subsequent coronal discharge. Nanosecond timescale discharges can lead to radio-frequency emissions with characteristics similar to piezoelectric-induced discharges. For Antarctic-sited experiments seeking detection of radio-frequency signals generated by collisions of cosmic rays or neutrinos with atmospheric or englacial molecular targets, triboelectric emissions from the surface pose a potential background. This is particularly true for experiments in which radio antennas are buried ~(1--100) m below the snow surface, and seeking to validate neutrino detection strategies by measurement of down-coming radio-frequency emissions from extensive air showers. Herein, after summarizing extant evidence for wind-induced triboelectric effects previously reported elsewhere, we detail additional analysis using archival data collected with the RICE and AURA experiments at the South Pole. We broadly characterize those radio-frequency emissions based on source location, and time-domain and also frequency-domain characteristics. We find that: a) For wind velocities in excess of 10-12 m/s, triboelectric background triggers can dominate data-taking, b) frequency spectra for triboelectric events are generally shifted to the low-end of the regime to which current radio experiments are typically sensitive (100-200 MHz), c) there is an apparent preference for tribo-electric discharges from metal surface structures, consistent with a model in which localized, above-surface structures provide a repository for transported charge

“CVCACS” MODEL FOR PREDICTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

Sixty-eight patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were studied for correlations between the levels of interleukin IL-6 and IL-10 in blood and saliva, highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and brain natriuretic peptide (NtproBNP) in the blood serum with the development of cardiovascular complications (CVC) during hospital period of the disease. It has been revealed that the patients with CVC had higher concentration of IL-6 in blood, IL-6, IL-10 in saliva, hs-CRP and NtproBNP in blood samples. Meanwhile, excess of IL-6 levels in saliva over those in blood was a significant predictor of CVC development. In order to facilitate the prediction values of CVC during ACS hospital period we have proposed a “CVCACS” model that employed the parameters of patient’s age, IL-10 level in the saliva, IL-6, and hs-CRP amounts in blood. It should be mentioned that the variable value of > -0,657 obtained with “CVCACS” model was predictive for development of CVC during ACS hospital period, while ≤ -0,657 was associated with favorable course of ACS hospital period

THE EFFECT OF NATURAL XANTHONES AND THEIR MODIFIED DERIVATIVES ON THE CHOLERETIC REACTION IN WHITE RATS

In experiments on white rats choleretic activity of l-hydroxy-2,3,5-trimethoxyxanthone and 1-hydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxyxanthone was determined. Their alliloxy- and. acetoxy-derivatives are more effective that native substances

BLOOD LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 AND INTERLEUKIN-10 IN SERUM AND BIOMARKERS OF ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY IN ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

Certain correlations between changes of cytokine levels and kidney dysfunction, as well as their prognostic significance for development of acute kidney injury (АКI) in different clinical forms of ischemic heart disease (IHD) seem to be worth of further studies. The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 and their correlation with serum creatinine (sCr) and lipocalin levels in urine (u-NGAL) were studied in 98 IHD patients, of them 93 presented with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 5, with stable angina pectoris. ACS patients were found to have increased levels of IL-6, IL-10, sCr, u-NGAL. IL-6 and IL-10 contents proved to be increased in cases of non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS), and during AKI development. According to serum creatinin levels, AKI was more frequently revealed in patients with NSTE-ACS. Urinary NGAL levels were found to be higher in ACS with ST segment elevation

Redox-Active Metaphosphate-Like Terminals Enable High-Capacity MXene Anodes for Ultrafast Na-Ion Storage

D transition metal carbides and/or nitrides, so-called MXenes, are noted as ideal fast-charging cation-intercalation electrode materials, which nevertheless suffer from limited specific capacities. Herein, it is reported that constructing redox-active phosphorus−oxygen terminals can be an attractive strategy for Nb$_4$C$_3$ MXenes to remarkably boost their specific capacities for ultrafast Na$^+$ storage. As revealed, redox-active terminals with a stoichiometric formula of PO$_2$- display a metaphosphate-like configuration with each P atom sustaining three P-O bonds and one P=O dangling bond. Compared with conventional O-terminals, metaphosphate-like terminals empower Nb$_4$C$_3$ (denoted PO$_2$-Nb$_4$C$_3$) with considerably enriched carrier density (fourfold), improved conductivity (12.3-fold at 300 K), additional redox-active sites, boosted Nb redox depth, nondeclined Na$^+$-diffusion capability, and buffered internal stress during Na$^+$ intercalation/de-intercalation. Consequently, compared with O-terminated Nb$_4$C$_3$, PO$_2$-Nb$_4$C$_3$ exhibits a doubled Na$^+$-storage capacity (221.0 mAh g$^{-1}$), well-retained fast-charging capability (4.9 min at 80% capacity retention), significantly promoted cycle life (nondegraded capacity over 2000 cycles), and justified feasibility for assembling energy−power-balanced Na-ion capacitors. This study unveils that the molecular-level design of MXene terminals provides opportunities for developing simultaneously high-capacity and fast-charging electrodes, alleviating the energy−power tradeoff typical for energy-storage devices

Screening of West Siberian patients with primary congenital glaucoma for CYP1B1 gene mutations

Primary congenital glaucoma (PСG) is a visual organ pathology that leads to progressive blindness and poor vision in children. Its main cause is an anomaly of the anterior chamber angle. Most cases of PСG are sporadic, but familial cases with an autosomal recessive (predominantly) and autosomal dominant (rare) type of inheritance have been described. Congenital glaucoma is a rare condition (1 case per 10,000–20,000 newborns), but its prevalence is substantially higher (up to 1 case per 250 newborns) in countries where consanguineous marriages are common. Mutations in the CYP1B1 gene, which encodes cytochrome P450 1B1, are the most common cause of autosomal recessive primary congenital glaucoma. This enzyme is known to be involved in retinoic acid metabolism and is necessary for normal eye development. The aim of this work was to assess the polymorphism of the CYP1B1 gene among West Siberian patients with primary congenital glaucoma. Direct automatic Sanger sequencing of exons and adjacent splicing sites of the CYP1B1 gene was carried out in 28 people with the PCG phenotype from a West Siberian region. As a result, in the sample of the white population we examined, pathogenic variants previously described in other ethnic groups were revealed: E387K (rs55989760), R444* (rs377049098), R444Q (rs72549376), and P437L (rs56175199), as well as novel single-nucleotide deletion p.F114Lfs*38 in the CYP1B1 gene. The latter can cause a frame shift, changed amino acid composition, and a formation of truncated in the protein. None of the detected mutations were found in the control sample of ophthalmologically examined individuals without PCG (100 people). Variants R444* (rs377049098) and R444Q (rs72549376) were not found in the general population sample either (576 randomly selected West Siberia residents). All the detected mutations caused the development of the autosomal recessive form of primary congenital glaucoma. The most severe clinical phenotype was observed in carriers of mutations in codon 444 of the gene. Consequently, in children with signs of increased intraocular pressure, molecular genetic analysis of the CYP1B1 gene is advisable for early diagnosis and timely initiation of PCG therapy

Relation between the Co-O bond lengths and the spin state of Co in layered Cobaltates: A high-pressure study

The pressure-response of the Co-O bond lengths and the spin state of Co ions in a hybrid 3d-5d solid-state oxide Sr2Co$_{0.5}$Ir$_{0.5}$O₄ with a layered K₂NiF₄-type structure was studied by using hard X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopies. The Co-K and the Ir-L₃ X-ray absorption spectra demonstrate that the Ir$^{5+}$ and the Co$^{3+}$ valence states at ambient conditions are not affected by pressure. The Co Kβ emission spectra, on the other hand, revealed a gradual spin state transition of Co$^{3+}$ ions from a highspin (S = 2) state at ambient pressure to a complete low-spin state (S = 0) at 40 GPa without crossing the intermediate spin state (S = 1). This can be well understood from our calculated phase diagram in which we consider the energies of the low spin, intermediate spin and high spin states of Co$^{3+}$ ions as a function of the anisotropic distortion of the octahedral local coordination in the layered oxide. We infer that a short in-plane Co-O bond length (<1.90 Å) as well as a very large ratio of Co-O$_{apex}$/Co-O$_{in-plane}$ is needed to stabilize the IS Co$^{3+}$, a situation which is rarely met in reality

The crystal growth and properties of novel magnetic double molybdate RbFe5_{5}(MoO4_{4})7_{7} with mixed Fe3+^{3+}/Fe2+^{2+}states and 1D negative thermal expansion

Single crystals of new compound RbFe$_5$(MoO$_4$)$_7$ were successfully grown by the flux method, and their crystal structure was determined using the X-ray single-crystal diffraction technique. The XRD analysis showed that the compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/m, with unit cell parameters a = 6.8987(4), b = 21.2912(12) and c = 8.6833(5) Å, β = 102.1896(18)°, V = 1246.66(12) Å$^3$, Z (molecule number in the unit cell) = 2, R-factor (reliability factor) = 0.0166, and T = 293(2) K. Raman spectra were collected on the single crystal to show the local symmetry of MoO$_4$ tetrahedra, after the confirmation of crystal composition using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The polycrystalline samples were synthesized by a solid-state reaction in the Ar atmosphere; the particle size and thermal stability were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses. The compound decomposes above 1073 K in an Ar atmosphere with the formation of Fe(III) molybdate. The thermal expansion coefficient along the c direction has the value α = −1.3 ppm K$^{−1}$ over the temperature range of 298–473 K. Magnetic measurements revealed two maxima in the magnetization below 20 K, and paramagnetic behavior above 50 K with the calculated paramagnetic moment of 12.7 μB per formula unit is in good agreement with the presence of $_3$Fe$^{3+}$ and $_2$Fe$^{3+}$ in the high-spin (HS) state. The electronic structure of RbFe5(MoO4)7 is comparatively evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations