X-ray diffraction study and luminescence of agates of Southern Siberia

Central part of Kuznetsk Basin is known in the narrow circle of researchers as one of the regions of Siberia where agate mineralization is widespread. In spite of rather wide distribution of these quartz-chalcedony aggregates, still there are some unresolved issues about their origin. In this context it may be informative to use such methods as luminescence analysis and estimation of crystallinity indexes of minerals which constitute agates. Layer-by-layer X-ray diffraction study of minerals which make up distinct layers of agates and onyxes allowed identifying three minerals alternating: chalcedony, quartz and (less frequently) cristobalite. Calculation of crystallinity indexes of all of the layers with use of X-ray diffraction analysis helped to find changes of proportion between two states of silica – high-molecular (polymerized) and monomeric. X-ray luminescence analysis results confirmed this finding. Authors suppose that monomeric state is particularly related to high value of crystallinity index and presence of defects which are responsible for short-wavelength luminescence (280 nm)

Novel Insights into the Diversity of Catabolic Metabolism from Ten Haloarchaeal Genomes

BACKGROUND: The extremely halophilic archaea are present worldwide in saline environments and have important biotechnological applications. Ten complete genomes of haloarchaea are now available, providing an opportunity for comparative analysis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report here the comparative analysis of five newly sequenced haloarchaeal genomes with five previously published ones. Whole genome trees based on protein sequences provide strong support for deep relationships between the ten organisms. Using a soft clustering approach, we identified 887 protein clusters present in all halophiles. Of these core clusters, 112 are not found in any other archaea and therefore constitute the haloarchaeal signature. Four of the halophiles were isolated from water, and four were isolated from soil or sediment. Although there are few habitat-specific clusters, the soil/sediment halophiles tend to have greater capacity for polysaccharide degradation, siderophore synthesis, and cell wall modification. Halorhabdus utahensis and Haloterrigena turkmenica encode over forty glycosyl hydrolases each, and may be capable of breaking down naturally occurring complex carbohydrates. H. utahensis is specialized for growth on carbohydrates and has few amino acid degradation pathways. It uses the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway instead of the oxidative pathway, giving it more flexibility in the metabolism of pentoses. CONCLUSIONS: These new genomes expand our understanding of haloarchaeal catabolic pathways, providing a basis for further experimental analysis, especially with regard to carbohydrate metabolism. Halophilic glycosyl hydrolases for use in biofuel production are more likely to be found in halophiles isolated from soil or sediment

УЧЕБНЫЕ ДЕЛОВЫЕ ИГРЫ НА УРОКЕ АНГЛИЙСКОГО ЯЗЫКА В ВУЗЕ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ НАПРАВЛЕННОСТИ КАК СРЕДСТВО АКТИВИЗАЦИИ ТВОРЧЕСКОЙ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ СТУДЕНТОВ В КВАЗИПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ СРЕДЕ

The article fulfils theoretical information about training business games that may be used in the process of teaching English. The data based on scientific research of methodologists and experts are analysed and structured. The authors offer practical help in preparing for training games on lessons at universities of economics and several sample games in order to play them with students and create quasi-professional environment.В статье рассматриваются теоретические аспекты проведения учебных деловых игр, которые могут быть использованы в процессе иноязычной подготовки студентов. В ней также проанализирована и структурирована информация, основанная на научных исследованиях методистов и педагогов-практиков. Авторы предлагают советы в подготовке подобных игр на уроках английского языка в вузе экономической направленности, а также некоторые образцы учебных игр для использования на занятиях с целью создания квазипрофессиональной среды

The dependence of aluminum nitride yield on weight mass and air pressure at aluminum nanopowder combustion

The authors have proved by the experiment the methods for increasing aluminum nitride yield in air combustion products of aluminum nanopowder: the increase of mass of aluminum nanopowder weight and air pressure rise. It was ascertained that increasing the mass of combusted aluminum nanopowder weight to 15 g or rising air pressure to 120 kPa it is possible to increase aluminum nitride yield approximately by 30 %. The earlier proposed mechanism of forming whiskers from gas phase was proved by the experiments

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF LYMPHOMAS OF THE MEDIASTINUM: A VIEW OF THE ONCOLOGIST AND PATHOLOGIST

The clinic-rentgenological differential diagnosis is difficult especially in case of localized mediastinal disease. Just detailed histological diagnosis allows making a right tactic decision and choosing effective therapy. Furthermore, some indolent B-cell lymphomas and T-cell lymphomas can arise in mediastinum. Mediastinal tumors are frequent in young adults, and most of these neoplasms are lymphoproliferative disorders. The spectrum of mediastinal lymphoma is broad. The most often of them are large B-cell lymphomas: classical Hodgkin lymphoma, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mediastinal grey zone lymphoma