On the state and outlooks of cooperation of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine with IIASA

The paper is dedicated to the analysis of the history and perspectives of one of the priorities of international cooperation of the NASU with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). A brief history of the establishment and early development of IIASA is described. Key research directions of the initial period of IIASA and input of scientists of Ukrainian institutes are mentioned. Research methodology, approaches and models developed at IIASA in cooperation with Ukrainian scientists are described. In particular, the role of Academician Glushkov and Academician Mikhalevich is well marked. Specific attention is focused on the period since 1994 leading to the independent National Member Organization of Ukraine. The role played by Academician Paton and Academician Shpak in this process is described. The existing IIASA network of research institutes and universities is also described. Important scientific and applied joint projects are listed. Existing perspectives in both scientific and policy making fields are discussed

Electrical properties and local domain structure of LiNbO3 thin film grown by ion beam sputtering method

The nanocrystalline ferroelectric LiNbO3 films on (001) Si substrates with the random orientation of polycrystalline grains and the predominance of the grains with lateral orientation of the polar axis were grown using the ion beam sputtering method. The remanent polarization and the coercive field are 12 μC/cm2 and 29 kV/cm, respectively. The thermal annealing leads to the coarsening of the grains. The appearance of the "local texture," which gives rise to the unipolarity of the heterostructures caused by the predominance of the one direction in the vertical component of the spontaneous polarization, is investigated. © The Chinese Society for Metals and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Innovative technologies in the treatment of short bowel syndrome

Introdiction. In recent years, many new technologies for the management of patients with short bowel syndrom (SBS), including SBS-IF (short bowel syndrom with intestinal failor), have appeared. The implemented surgical techniques are aimed at slowing down the progress of intestinal contents (antiperistaltic inserts, the creation of artificial valves in the small intestine, loops or pockets from the small intestine, etc.); surgical elongation of the small intestine (the most common STEP, Bianchy technique); intestinal transplantation. At the same time, when the intestine is shortened to 1.5–2,0 m, the adaptive rearrangements are still able to provide (albeit suppressed), but partially preserved absorption processes (in 80% of cases, the surface of the intestine is sufficient for slow transport of nutrients from the intestine to the blood). Therefore, it is important to increase the efficiency of adaptive rearrangements in any conservative way shown.Аim. Тo evaluate the role of hormonal stimulation of adaptive rearrangements in the residual bowel stump.Materials and methods. Рarameters of the well-known alimentary-volemic diagnosis, assessment of adaptive changes in the gastrointestinal tract (performed by determining citruline and GLP-2, as well as by morphological method). To stimulate the regulation of adaptive processes, a hormone preparation GLP-2 (teduglutide) was used in the nutritional support program.Results. It was shown that the length of the intestinal stump up to 1.5–2.0 m allows for digestive and transport processes due to adaptive rearrangements of the intestinal epithelium. With a super-short intestine, it is advisable to choose surgical methods of correction.Conclusion. For conservative correction of adaptive processes in the intestine, it is advisable to use a GLP-2 hormone preparation, in particular, teduglutide

Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for intraocular retinoblastoma: a 5-year experience

External beam radiotherapy (EBR) remained for a long time the only method of treatment in children with recurrent and resistant retinoblastoma (RB). This method often leads to serious complications, including the occurrence of secondary malignant tumors. Currently, EBR is used as second-line (salvage) therapy. There is no data in the literature of using Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKRS) in RB treatment.Purpose. To present 5-year experience of using GKRS in patients with RB.Material and methods. 16 children (17 eyes) were treated using GKRS in the period from 2015 to 2019. Mean patient age was 34.7 months (range, 12–114 months). The eyes were classified as group B (n=4), C (n=1), D (n=12). 3 children had the last eye. All patients received systemic and local chemotherapy, all types of local treatment modalities before using GKRS. Recurrent and resistant RB was the indication for GKRS. Marginal 50% mean dose was 22 Gу (range, 20–24 Gу), depending on tumour type and location. Radiation doses were evaluated accounting critical eye structures and the orbit bones.Results. Complete regression was achieved in 11 patients, partial in 2. Four patients underwent enucleation after GKRS. Indications for enucleation were retinoblastoma recurrence (n=2) and vitreous hemorrhage with total retinal detachment (n=2). 13 eyes were salvaged with no signs of keratopathy, uveitis or damage of orbital and surrounding tissues during mean follow-up 30.6 months (range, 7–60 months). Сomplications of different severity occurred in 13 patients, including vitreous hemorrhage in 6 patients, which was successfully treated both conservative (n=3) and using pars plana vitrectomy with simultaneous melphalan irrigation (n=3).Conclusion. The first experience of GKRS as an alternative to enucleation in patients with RB was proved to be reasonable and successful

Functional properties of the Su(Hw) complex are determined by its regulatory environment and multiple interactions on the Su(Hw) protein platform

The Su(Hw) protein was first identified as a DNA-binding component of an insulator complex in Drosophila. Insulators are regulatory elements that can block the enhancer-promoter communication and exhibit boundary activity. Some insulator complexes contribute to the higher-order organization of chromatin in topologically associated domains that are fundamental elements of the eukaryotic genomic structure. The Su(Hw)-dependent protein complex is a unique model for studying the insulator, since its basic structural components affecting its activity are already known. However, the mechanisms involving this complex in various regulatory processes and the precise interaction between the components of the Su(Hw) insulators remain poorly understood. Our recent studies reveal the fine mechanism of formation and function of the Su(Hw) insulator. Our results provide, for the first time, an example of a high complexity of interactions between the insulator proteins that are required to form the (Su(Hw)/Mod(mdg4)-67.2/CP190) complex. All interactions between the proteins are to a greater or lesser extent redundant, which increases the reliability of the complex formation. We conclude that both association with CP190 and Mod(mdg4)-67.2 partners and the proper organization of the DNA binding site are essential for the efficient recruitment of the Su(Hw) complex to chromatin insulators. In this review, we demonstrate the role of multiple interactions between the major components of the Su(Hw) insulator complex (Su(Hw)/Mod(mdg4)-67.2/CP190) in its activity. It was shown that Su(Hw) may regulate the enhancer–promoter communication via the newly described insulator neutralization mechanism. Moreover, Su(Hw) participates in direct regulation of activity of vicinity promoters. Finally, we demonstrate the mechanism of organization of “insulator bodies” and suggest a model describing their role in proper binding of the Su(Hw) complex to chromatin

Operating System Influence on VLSI Radiation Resistance

The article presents a comparative analysis of radiation resistance levels of complex-functional VLSI when using an operating system (OS) for software development in comparison with the traditional approach based on a superloop. The applied OSs and objects of the research are presented. The features of the program code for functional control tests when using and not using OS are described. Algorithms of conducting experiments in the studies of absorbed dose affects and dose rate effects are presented. Comparisons were made of radiation resistance levels to total ionizing dose (TID) effects and dose rate effects in the presence and in the absence of OS. The obtained results of studies on TID effects demonstrate that the presence of OS can change the radiation resistance level up to ~30% both up and down compared to the traditional case in the absence of OS. Based on the results of dose rate effects studies, it was concluded that the use of OS can reduce the level of fault-tolerant operation by 43% compared to the case in the absence of OS. The results also show that the type of OS also affects the fault-tolerant operation level. Possible explanations of difference in radiation resistance levels are proposed. Directions for futher research are outlined

Ранние изменения слюнных желез при стрессе

Night lighting and microwave exposure have been influence on structures of stress realization. The endocrine, fotoperiodical and adaptive functions of rodent submandibular salivary glands belonging to hormone produced duct cells. To evaluate their morphofunctional state at guinea-pigs and rats using the methods of light and electron microscopy there have been analyzed striated and granular ducts. It has been revealed that instant and twenty-four-hour strengthening of duct cell stress induced secretory activity was similar. It is concluded that salivary glands take part in circadian expectations to stress.Ночное освещение и микроволновое излучение оказывают влияние на структуры, ответственные за реализацию стресса. У грызунов эндокринные, фотопериодические и приспособительные функции поднижнечелюстных слюнных желез связаны с гормонпродуцирующими клетками выводных протоков. Для оценки их морфофункционального состояния у морских свинок и крыс с помощью методов световой и электронной микроскопии проанализированы исчерченные и гранулярные отделы. Установлено, что в первые минуты и через 24 ч после воздействия стрессоров усиление секреторной активности эпителиоцитов выводных протоков имеет сходство. Сделан вывод о суточной готовности слюнных желез к стрессу