Comparing Two Models of Large-Scale White Sea Hydrodynamics and Thermal Dynamics

To calculate the water temperature of the White Sea we used two models of large-scale hydro-and thermal dynamics, maintained by the authors. Comparing two models, we show that the first one describes summer hydrophysical conditions better, while the second model is better for winter conditions. Now we are trying to improve and combine two models in order to describe the state of the Sea more accurately

Sensitivity of the coupled model of the White Sea dynamics and biochemistry

The JASMINE model based on the prof. N.G. Iakovlev's model of the Arctic Ocean (FEMAO) is the software complex for simulating hydrodynamics and thermal dynamics of a sea; we use the White Sea as an example and also have tried to model other seas. JASMINE allows coupling with special purpose blocks, such as data assimilation or simulation of the sea ecosystem. For that we chose the mature BFM model of pelagic sea biochemistry. An important question is sensitivity of the model with respect to the outer forcing, such as synoptic data (air temperature and pressure, cloud cover, precipitation, wind), boundary values on liquid boundaries, river run-off, initial distributions of the tracers. The White Sea is a convenient model region for such investigation because of dominating tides; thus boundary values become important, while initial distribution is expected not to influence on the results in the long run, at least. The biochemical system also depends on the boundary conditions strongly, and also reacts on the forcing variations. We describe the response of the sea subsystems to different variations of forcing, show what values are crucial and what is not important

MODELLING OF TRACER TRANSPORT IN THE WHITE SEA

We consider advection of floating passive tracer in the White Sea using a hydrodynamical model of sea circulation JASMINE. Simulations show that the Onezhskiy Bay is a hydrodynamical trap for tracers: concentration there decrease more slowly. Typical times needed to remove concentrated tracer completely from bays are estimated. General scheme of tracer advection is described

Very long O-antigen chains enhance fitness during Salmonella-induced colitis by increasing bile resistance.

Intestinal inflammation changes the luminal habitat for microbes through mechanisms that have not been fully resolved. We noticed that the FepE regulator of very long O-antigen chain assembly in the enteric pathogen Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) conferred a luminal fitness advantage in the mouse colitis model. However, a fepE mutant was not defective for survival in tissue, resistance to complement or resistance to polymyxin B. We performed metabolite profiling to identify changes in the luminal habitat that accompany S. Typhimurium-induced colitis. This analysis suggested that S. Typhimurium-induced colitis increased the luminal concentrations of total bile acids. A mutation in fepE significantly reduced the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of S. Typhimurium for bile acids in vitro. Oral administration of the bile acid sequestrant cholestyramine resin lowered the concentrations of total bile acids in colon contents during S. Typhimurium infection and significantly reduced the luminal fitness advantage conferred by the fepE gene in the mouse colitis model. Collectively, these data suggested that very long O-antigen chains function in bile acid resistance of S. Typhimurium, a property conferring a fitness advantage during luminal growth in the inflamed intestine

Application level quality of service and information quality provisioning in sensor networks

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Employing combination procedures to short-time EOP prediction

A well known problem with Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) prediction is that a prediction strategy proved to be the best for some testing time span and prediction length may not remain the same for other time intervals. In this paper, we consider possible strategies to combine EOP predictions computed using different analysis techniques to obtain a final prediction with the best accuracy corresponding to the smallest prediction error of input predictions. It was found that this approach is most efficient for ultra-short-term EOP forecast.Comment: 7 pages, presented at the IERS Workshop on EOP Combination and Prediction, Warsaw, Poland, 19-21 Oct 200

COMPUTER VISUALIZATION IN ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION

The idea to use computer visualization in ecological education is promoted. A fragment of the virtual ecological trip “Lake Pryazhinskoe” is demonstrated. The approach to create virtual trips is based on Web-design technologies. The virtual ecological trips will open new innovative and creative possibilities for ecological education both at the stage of their development and their application

Psychological readiness of the NPP operational shift to work in emergency situations as a condition of its group reliability

Introduction. The article analyzes the phenomenon of psychological readiness of operational shifts of the nuclear power plant (NPP) to work in emergency situations. The study of operational shifts of nuclear power plants in this direction was conducted for the first time. Theoretical analysis. Psychological readiness is a condition for the formation of such a characteristic of an operational shift as group reliability, which, in turn, is the most important prerequisite for a safe and reliable work shift. Theoretical analysis indicates that group reliability of an operational shift is a characteristic that is actualized precisely in the conditions of the development of an emergency situation. Willingness to work effectively in emergency situations is a factor that significantly increases the chances of adequate actions in real conditions. Еmpirical analysis. The empirical study found that the overwhelming majority of the investigated operational shifts characterized by an average and above average level of psychological readiness for action in an emergency situation, while no shifts with a low or high level were revealed. Conclusion. Such results may indicate that this psychological condition of group reliability in operational shifts of the NPP is sufficiently well-formed. Nevertheless, the psychological service should work to strengthen the psychological readiness of units for action in emergency situations