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Background. The participation of immune responses in the pathogenesis of degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the synovial joints determines the feasibility of using more rational approaches to assessing the immune status of patients with this pathology. Despite the ongoing immunological studies in patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the hip joint, there are questions related to the functioning of the immune system as a whole, which require additional research.The aim of the study was to establish the features of the relationship between the indicators of the immune status and to identify the factors that determine the nature and severity of immunological disorders in patients with coxarthrosis.Material and methods. The study is based on the results of immunological parameters in 73 patients (mean age – 45.3 ± 2.56 years) with stage III dysplastic coxarthrosis. The data obtained using cluster analysis made it possible to distribute patients into two groups. The first clinical group included 46 patients, the second one – 27 patients. The control group consisted of 28 clinically healthy individuals. Mathematical processing of the results was carried out using the Statistica 6.0 software package (StatSoft Inc., USA) and the mathematical package Mathcad 2001 Pro (MathSoft Inc., USA).Results. The levels of CD4+ and CD8+ cells and IgA were determined as the classification features that make the greatest contribution to the division of the studied groups. Model experiments have shown that a specific combination of the magnitude of each of the noted factors with a certain degree of probability makes it possible to assess the state of the initial immunological reactivity and verify the nature and severity of immunological disorders.Conclusion. The information obtained is of great importance, since it allows predicting the course of the recovery period after surgery and assessing the risk of developing possible postoperative complications in patients with severe articular pathology.

The paper is devoted to a detailed study of cathodic processes, their influence on the anode process, and electrolysis performance. The polarization of a steel cathode in a CaCl2–BaCl2–NaCl melt at t = 610 °C was measured. The polarization curve clearly shows the potentials and current densities of the formation of a saturated sodium solution in the electrolyte (Esat = –2.97 V, ic = 0.04 A/cm2, lgic = –1,4), and the occurrence of sodium metal on the cathode (ENa = –3.22 V, iNa = 0.12 A/cm2, lgiNa = –0.92).The value of Esat was used to calculate the concentration of sodium in the electrolyte at t = 610 °С (1.3·10–4 mol. fr.). The values of Esat, ENa, and their difference (E = 0,25 В) were confirmed by long-term electrolysis. These fundamental characteristics are the basis for process control and management. During long-ter 3 regions close to rectilinear ones were revealed: the discharge of sodium ions from supersaturated solutions at E more negative than Esat (from ENa to Esat), from mixtures of supersaturated and saturated solutions (at a constant E equal to Esat), from diluted solutions (with E more positive than Esat). The activity coefficients of sodium in supersaturated solutions are close to 1, which ensures their increased reducing ability. Maximum degrees of supersaturation (>100) are created at formation and decomposition on the cathode of metallic sodium nuclei, which are sufficient to intensify and prolong electrolysis, to lower the lower temperature limit of its realization from 600 to 350 °С. The formation of metallic titanium in the near-anode layer is explained by the disproportionation of Ti2+ ions entering the near-anode electrolyte from the anode surface and from the near-cathode melt.

Introduction. Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities. Children with DS have an increased risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Standard therapy is usually used to treat ALL in children with Down syndrome, but the outcome is worse than in the general population. The high toxicity of therapy is a particular problem.The purpose of the study – in this study we presents a comparative analysis of the results of therapy for children with DS and ALL (DS-ALL) who received therapy according to the ALL-MB 2008 and ALL-MB 2015 protocols.Materials and methods. The analysis included primary ALL patients, aged 1 to 18 years, who received therapy in Russian and Belarusian clinics participating in the Moscow–Berlin study from January 2008 to December 2020. To analyze the treatment results of DS-ALL patients, a “comparison group” was formed from all patients with ALL registered in the database, using the matched-pair method. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method, toxicity analysis and clinical-genetic parameters were investigated using nonparametric statistical methods.Results. The results of therapy both among patients with DS-ALL who received therapy according to ALL-MB 2008 and ALL-MB 2015 in comparison with “sporadic” ALL (non-DS-ALL) are unsatisfactory. The event-free survival rate of patients with DS-ALL in the ALL-MB 2008 group was 61 ± 7 % versus 85 ± 4 % among non-DS-ALL (p = 0.001), in the ALL-MB 2015 group – 67 ± 7 % versus 84 ± 4 % respectively. Overall survival in the ALL-MB 2008 group was 70 ± 7 % in children with DS versus 88 ± 4 % in non-DS (p < 0.001), in the ALL-MB 2015 group – 78 ± 6 % versus 92 ± 3 % respectively (p < 0.001). The risk of therapy-related death was higher in patients with DS: 20.6 ± 6.1 % versus 4.6 ± 2.2 %; p < 0.001 in the ALL-MB 2008 group and 18 ± 4.1 % versus 3.3 ± 1.3 %; p < 0.001 in the ALL-MB 2015 group, without a significant increase in the risk of relapse. The effectiveness of induction therapy among patients with DS treated according to ALL-MB 2008 versus children with DS-ALL treated according to ALL-MB 2015 was 80 % versus 92 % respectively (p = 0.018). The probability of achieving continuous complete remission was also lower in the ALL-MB 2008 group compared to ALL-MB 2015 – 57 % versus 75 %; p < 0.001 respectively. Thus, the results of treatment of DS-ALL according to the ALL-MB 2015 protocol were better than those according to the ALL-MB 2008.Conclusion. The results of therapy for patients with DS-ALL are still unsatisfactory today, this circumstance dictates the need for new approaches to optimize therapy. The main problem for these patients remains the high toxicity of therapy and the associated lethality. Further progress in the treatment of DS-ALL may be associated with the development of new approaches to concomitant therapy, the use of molecular-targeted drugs and immunotherapy, as well as with the study of the molecular genetic characteristics of this subgroup of patients.

Purpose. To carry out marking of existing deposits of brown coal in accordance with domestic and international classifications. To give a comparative assessment of the distribution of balance reserves of brown coal in accordance with different classification systems. Methodology. Reserves and quality indicators data for brown coal in Ukraine were taken from the site of the State Research and Production Enterprise State Information Geological Fund of Ukraine and on the basis of our own research. Some quality indicators were calculated according to the formulas given in the periodical scientific literature. Ukraines brown coal reserves were estimated using Ukrainian and international brown coal classifications. Findings. It is confirmed that the balance reserves of brown coal in Ukraine are located in Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zakarpattia, Kirovohrad, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions and are (thousand tons): categories A + B + C1 2,593,359; category C2 299,181. Among the existing classifications, the most suitable for the brown coal distribution in Ukraine is the International Code System of Brown Coal, which is regulated in ISO 2950:1974 Brown coal and lignites Classification by types on the basis of total moisture content and tar yield. Originality. For the first time, a range of changes in brown coal quality indicators in Ukraine has been established, and its reserves have been marked using Ukrainian (DSTU 3472:2015) and international (ISO 2950:1974; International Classification of Coal in Reservoirs; ISO 11760:2005; ASTM D38812) classifications. Comparative assessment of coal reserves will allow choosing the optimal ways of their processing, depending on the predicted properties of raw materials. Practical value. The reserves of brown coal deposits by regions and the degree of industrial development up to 01.01.2021 have been described, and the production of brown coal from 2011 to 2020 has been shown. Determining the quality of brown coal deposits in Ukraine allows us to develop the most effective methods for using the coal.

The work reports implementation of the “COVID-19.rf: information against the pandemic” project.Since 2020, dozens of projects have been implemented to create collections of national COVID-19 publications and populate national COVID-repository platforms.The Russian project “COVID-19.rf: information against the pandemic” is among them. The following tasks were realized during the development of the COVID-19.rf repository: the program software to create and populate the project platform; automated data exchange with previously created Russian platforms; monitoring global citation indexes: Web of Science, Scopus, Dimensions and the Lens and automatic population of the created platform: possibility for access and downloading the project data via API under the OAI PMH protocol; project advancement and user training; indexing of the project content on the international integrator platforms: CORE, OpenAire: COVID-19 Open Research Gateway and Google Academy.As a result, algorithms and technical implementation of automatically replenishing of repositories within the legal framework of publishers’ license have been developed.By the beginning of 2022, metadata about 7380 Russian COVID publications were uploaded to the project platform, 3923 articles being in full text. These indicators put the Russian project on a par with the largest national projects such as of the Great Britain, Spain and Brazil.

SUMMARY We present new radiometric ages and full-vector palaeomagnetic data from São Vicente Island, Cape Verde. Samples were obtained from a sequence of 11 flows. A K-Ar age determination was performed on the lowermost flow of the sequence, yielding an upper Miocene age of 6.07 ± 0.16 (2σ) Ma. Considering the normal polarity observed in all flows, the age of the sequence could be narrowed down to an interval between 6.03 and 6.23 Ma. The mean palaeomagnetic direction of the studied sequence was compared with the expected direction, calculated from the African Apparent Polar Wander Path (5 Ma). While inclinations approximately agree, the palaeodeclination appears westwardly deviated by 26.5° ± 2.9°. Moreover, nearly no scatter of virtual geomagnetic poles around their mean value is observed and its comparison with the scatter observed in palaeomagnetic directions obtained from geomagnetic field model SHA.DIF.14k suggests that the sequence was very rapidly emplaced in only a few centuries. Thus, the obtained anomalous palaeomagnetic direction seems to reflect the effect of non-averaged secular variation, although a local vertical-axis counter-clockwise rotation of the sequence, cannot be entirely ruled out. Thellier–Coe palaeointensity experiments on 66 specimens yielded 22 successful determinations and multispecimen (MS) palaeointensity experiments on 11 samples yielded 8 successful determinations. In the upper part of the sequence, Thellier–Coe determinations fail due to the presence of multidomain (MD) grains, but the MS method yields successful results in several of these flows, demonstrating that this method can provide reliable palaeointensity determinations on samples with a higher MD grain fraction. A mean palaeointensity BSV = (18.5 ± 1.9) µT is obtained from the joint analysis of the results from both methods. This value lies clearly below the present-day value BP = 33.1 μT. The virtual axial dipole moment (VADM = 4.3 × 1022 Am2), however, cannot be considered anomalous if compared to available upper Miocene–Pliocene data and represents a new high-reliability contribution to the very limited African palaeointensity database.

Abstract In this paper, we consider disturbances in the airglow of the Earth’s upper atmosphere caused by a launch of the Yamal-601 satellite on May 30, 2019. For this purpose, we used the data acquired with an optical system of the Institute of Solar−Terrestrial Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISTP SB RAS). The measurements were carried out at the Geophysical Observatory (GPO) of the ISTP SB RAS (~52° N, ~103° E) with a complex of optical instruments—a whole-sky camera, a spectrograph, and a Fabry–Pérot interferometer. According to the data of the KЕО Sentinel camera, an extensive area of airglow was observed along the flightpath; it appeared approximately 2−4 min after the spacecraft’s passage over the GPO and existed for ~20 min. A transversal scale of the spacecraft’s flightpath is estimated approximately as 95–110 km if the spontaneous-emission altitude is assumed to be at ~150 km (and it is about 190–220 km if the spontaneous-emission altitude is ~300 km). We discuss the mechanisms that may result in forming the observed area of airglow, including the mechanisms connected with the physical and chemical interaction of fuel products with atmospheric components and the influence of propagation of a shock wave or short-period internal gravitational waves. Probable causes of the delay observed in appearing the airglow after the spacecraft’s flyby are analyzed.

The research is intended to develop a technology for the production of finely dispersed (10 to 100 μm) powders of titanium and its alloys suitable for use in additive technologies after classification and spheroidization. A eutectic mixture was used as electrolyte, mole fractions: BaCl2 – 0.16, CaCl2 – 0.47, NaCl – 0.37, melting point of 452 °C. Electrolytes with a similar composition are used in industry for the electrolytic production of sodium with high current efficiency. No titanium salts were added to electrolyte. Sodium losses due to evaporation, corrosion, and ion recharge were replenished by a periodic increase in electrolysis current. A VT1-0 titanium plate was used as an anode. The walls of a steel crucible served as a cathode. Sodium was released on these walls and dissolved in electrolyte. Titanium ions were reduced in the bulk of electrolyte and in the anode layer. It is the first time that the results obtained were interpreted using the data on the electrode potentials of Ti3+/Ti, Ti2+/Ti, Ti3+/Ti2+ systems. It was shown that the concentration of slowly moving complex Ti3+ ions increases in the anode layer, and sodium dissolved in electrolyte reduces mainly Ti2+ ions in the electrolyte volume in the first 12 min of electrolysis. Starting from the 20th min, the concentration of Ti2+ ions in the anode layer begins to increase rapidly according to the reaction: 2Ti3+ + Ti = 3Ti2+ as titanium powder accumulates in the electrolyte volume. At the same time, the proportion of sodium consumed for the reduction of Ti3+ ions to Ti2+ decreases, which contributes to an increase in current efficiency and cathode potential stabilization for 30 minutes at –2.963 V. After the 50th min, the reactivity of the salt melt begins to decrease, the concentration of Ti3+ ions increases steadily until it levels off with the concentration of Ti2+ ions at the 85th min. This sharply increased the current consumption for ion recharge and made it necessary to stop electrolysis after switching on a current of 12 A for a short time (for 40 s). After 10 s, judging by the change in the cathode potential, sodium dissolved in electrolyte was almost completely consumed for titanium ion reduction. After 6 min, the potentials of electrodes returned to the initial anode potential value indicating that the system returned to its original state with the near-zero content of titanium salts and dissolved sodium. 95 % of powder was obtained in the electrolyte volume. Current efficiency was 84.0 % and turned out to be close to the value calculated from the average valence of titanium ions and the loss of anode weight (87.0 %). After ultrasonic dispersion, more than 80 % of powder was in the 10–100 μm range with a maximum at 36 μm. X-ray phase analysis showed that this is practically pure α-titanium (93.06 %) and oxygenated α-titanium (5.45 %). The originality of the research consists in the use of a volumetric, intensive, electrolytic method for producing finely dispersed titanium powders with no dissolved sodium and titanium chlorides in the initial and final electrolytes, in a stepwise increase in the current and potentiometric process control. The uniqueness of the research consists in the titanium powder obtained where the major part is in the melt volume in the form of intergrowths that are easily crushed by ultrasonic dispersion into individual crystals. Over 80 % of these crystals were in the range of 10–100 μm required for additive technologies with an average size of 36 μm.

Purpose. To determine and evaluate technogenic risks within the water purification systems of TSs and TPSs during normal operation in terms of electrocoagulation plant. Methodology. It is proposed to apply a fault tree method for the analysis of various operation failures of water purification facilities in the heat power industry. Additional analysis method, applied at stages one and two of technogenic risk determination, is suggested for its use. The method is based upon the construction of matrix combining states of the system elements. Findings. The aggregation of the combination matrix and fault tree method makes it possible to derive a new grapho-analytical procedure to analyse probabilities of technogenic risk initiation in the context of any water purification system operation both at the stage of its design and at the stage of its work. Originality. Non-routine operation of a water purification system may depend upon certain internal reasons as well the external ones. The reasons pose risks to a situation that at the output of the system, water will turn out being insufficiently purified. It has been identified that in terms of the non-routine operation of water purification system, risk probability is worth analysing with the help of the fault tree serving as graphical representation of causal relationships obtained while considering dangerous situations in reverse order to determine probabilities for their initiation. Practical value. The procedure helps obtain quantitative, qualitative, and causal-consequential indicatorsfacilitating control of technogenic risk initiation in water purification systems. Software has been developed to calculate rapidly the probabilities of running of block elements or water purification system elements in an operation mode or in a failure mode, and see clearly the poorest combinations in terms of an electrocoagulation water purification system.

The paper analyzes legal approaches to solving key problems of human rights implementation in the conditions of mass exploitation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the public space. Within the framework of the study, the emphasis is placed on the features of the legal regulation of the use of artificial intelligence systems for remote biometric identification. The use of these systems is currently only beginning to acquire a regulatory legal framework and law enforcement practice in most countries. The study analyzes several different models of legal regulation that are typical of individual countries and regions, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, China, the EU and Russia.In the UK, the use of real-time facial recognition systems in public spaces is allowed, but the set of scenarios and situations of their use is significantly limited by legislation and law enforcement practice. In the United States, both at the federal and state levels, there are no general rules that form a unified legal approach to regulating the area in question. The EC has developed a draft Regulation on Harmonized AI Rules (Artificial Intelligence Act), which is supposed to prohibit the use of AI systems for remote biometric identification of individuals in real time in public places. There is no special regulatory regulation of this sphere of public relations in the PRC. The development of these systems in China is controlled by the state, which, due to the high centralization of power, leads to the risk of human rights violations and the creation of an atmosphere of total surveillance of citizens without any legally established framework and restrictions. In Russia, the state is actively deploying these systems at the federal and regional levels in the absence of a specialized regulatory framework. Human rights are protected only by the general norms of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and legislation, law enforcement practice is mainly aimed at ensuring the interests of the state.

Abstract We studied the polymorphism of the cytb gene in two forms of the Lesser White-toothed Shrew species complex: Crocidura suaveolens s. stricto and C. sibirica. The haplotypes of C. sibirica are found to be very similar to those of Crocidura suaveolens. They do not belong to a distinct haplogroup. The molecular diversity of the populations in the Asian part of the range is higher than in Eastern Europe. For the combined sample from Asia and Europe together, we revealed a significant signal of population expansion. Analysis of the expansion time showed that the Asian territory was colonized earlier (before the last glacial maximum) than the Eastern Europe (at the very end of the Late Pleistocene and in the early Holocene). The results of the ancestral area reconstruction are consistent with the hypothesis of a Middle Asian origin of the C. suaveolens/C. sibirica group, recent colonization of Inner Asia and later penetration into Eastern Europe.

Objective. To analyze the correlations of the polymorphous variants of the genes the modifiers of immune response (IL1-/+3953, IL1RN*VNTR, TNFA*G-308A) with the development of oncohematological diseases (OHD) and the production of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-1Ra, TNF-, INF-, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18). Materials and methods. The examination included 100 children (57 (57 %) boys и 43 (43 %) girls, with the mean age 7.50 (2.512.60 years) suffering from malignant blood diseases. The cytokine content (IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, IL-1Ra и IL-10) was determined using IFA, the genetic typing of the genetic variants of the genes of cytokines IL1-/+3953, IL1RN*VNTR, TNFA*G-308A PCR and RFLP methods. Results. In case of lethal outcome, 14% of cases, the TNF- IL-6, IL-8, IL-18 INF- and IL-10 levels were reliably higher, compared with the survived patients. Renal function disorder detected among 13% of children was accompanied by an increase in IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, IL-1Ra and INF- compared to the patients without nephropathy and the control group (p0.05). Eighteen OHD children with high concentration of IL-1, IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18 and INF- had fractures (р0,05). Against the background of OHD, the carriage of the genotype А2А2 of the polymorphic variant VNTR IL1RN gene was observed 13 times more often, the carriage of the allele A2 2.16 times more often. The carriers of the genotype A2A2 of the genetic variant VNTR IL1RN gene had an increased risk of nephropathy by 20.89 times, the carriers of the allele A2 3.05 times more often. Children with OHD complicated by bacterial infection by 10.77 times more often had the genotype A2A2 and by 2.45 times more often the allele A2 of the genetic variant VNTR IL1RN gene. Conclusions. The carriers of the minor genotype A2A2 of the gene IL1RN*VNTR had a reliably higher production of the antiinflammatory IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18 и IL-1Ra. The carriers of the genotype GA of the gene TNFA*G-308A had a significantly higher values of IL-1, IL-18, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-.

Since the Dabie bandavirus (DBV; former SFTS virus, SFTSV) was identified, the epidemics of severe fever with thrombocytopenic syndrome (SFTS) caused by this virus have occurred in several countries in East Asia. The rapid increase in incidence indicates that this infectious agent has a pandemic potential and poses an imminent global public health threat.The analysis of molecular evolution of SFTS agent that includes its variants isolated in China, Japan and South Korea was performed in this review. The evolution rate of DBV and the estimated dates of existence of the common ancestor were ascertained, and the possibility of reassortation was demonstrated.The evolutionary rates of DBV genome segments were estimated to be 2.28 × 10-4 nucleotides/site/year for S-segment, 2.42 × 10-4 for M-segment, and 1.19 × 10-4 for L-segment. The positions of positive selection were detected in the viral genome.Phylogenetic analyses showed that virus may be divided into two clades, containing six different genotypes. The structures of phylogenetic trees for S-, M- and L-segments showed that all genotypes originate from the common ancestor.Data of sequence analysis suggest that DBV use several mechanisms to maintain the high level of its genetic diversity. Understanding the phylogenetic factors that determine the virus transmission is important for assessing the epidemiological characteristics of the disease and predicting its possible outbreaks.

The main triggers of new infectious diseases, including those with pandemic potential, are: spontaneous emergence of infectious strains which are more virulent for humans and contribute to transmission of pathogenic microorganisms, environmental changes, social and economic factors, increased contact rates between different regions. A successful pandemic response requires mass immunisation against a specific disease, aimed at the development of herd immunity which is based on the concept of indirect protection of the whole of the population by immunising a part of it. A well-grounded choice of the vaccine platform is central to dealing with this problem. The aim of the study was to compare characteristics of vaccine platforms (attenuated, inactivated, subunit, recombinant vector, DNA, and RNA vaccines) intended for mass immunisation against dangerous and extremely dangerous viral infections with pandemic potential. The study focused on the members of Poxviridae, Orthomyxoviridae and Coronaviridae families as potential pathogens. The vaccine platforms were compared in terms of the following parameters: capability of producing a robust immune response; protective efficacy; time required for vaccine development and testing; ability to produce vaccine in volumes required for mass immunisation; potential obstacles associated with the intended use of the vaccine. It is expected that in the next few decades DNA and RNA vaccine platforms will be most widely used for development of products against dangerous and extremely dangerous viral infections with pandemic potential, regardless of taxonomic groups of pathogens.

Although successes in antiretroviral therapy (ART) turned AIDS from lethal illness into sluggishly progressing disease, its prevention and treatment remain one of the most socially significant concerns. The increase in the number of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), especially in the USA, South America and Europe, determines the need in creating a vaccine against this disease. Existing vaccination practice has demonstrated efficiency of priming/boosting scheme for the development of immune responses. As anti-vector immunity of priming vector can constrain the response to boosting immunization with the same vaccine, heterologous priming/boosting vector constructs are used. An ideal AIDS vaccine would prevent virus dissemination and control viral replication, but it also must be safe for HIV-infected contingent. The vaccination of HIV-infected individuals is used for enhancing immune-mediated elimination of persistently HIV-infected CD4+ Т-cells during long-term ART in order to purge the latently infected viral reservoirs. The paper considers the results of clinical trials of DNA-anti-HIV/AIDS vaccines and recombinant MVA strain of vaccinia virus, expressing different combination of HIV genes, which demonstrated the safety and tolerability both, in HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected volunteers. All implemented schedules of vaccination induced cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in all volunteers. And though there are no data on acquiring AIDS by HIV-uninfected volunteers from groups at low risk of HIV-infection, there are no grounds to conclude the sufficiency of induced protection for the prevention of possible HIV infection.

The pandemic of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) disease that began in December 2019 in China is still having a huge impact on all spheres of human life. The herd immunity, which is the most effective tool for preventing the spread of the disease, is formed in two ways: the passive way (i.e., the formation of a population not susceptible to re-infection due to the natural spread of the disease) and the active way (mass immunisation). High rates of COVID-19 vaccination were achieved thanks to the development and mass production of new vaccines. The selection of the most promising vaccine platforms is one of the key aspects of successful mass immunisation. The aim of the study was to compare the characteristics of COVID-19 vaccines used for mass immunisation. The paper analyses the vaccine technology platforms, efficacy of different types of vaccines based on clinical trial results, safety of vaccines for different population groups, and potential for scaling up vaccine production in order to ensure the necessary vaccination coverage. The vaccines currently used for mass immunisation are: BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech), mRNA1273 (Moderna), Gam-COVID-Vac (N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology), Ad26.COV2.S (Johnson & Johnson), ChAdOx1-S (AZD1222) (AstraZeneca), BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm), CoronaVac (Sinovac Biotech), and NVX-CoV2373 (Novavax). The comparison of the main characteristics of the vaccines demonstrated that the most promising types of vaccines for COVID-19 specific prophylaxis are RNA vaccines and recombinant adenovirus vector-based vaccines.

The prospects of using packing materials based on metalworking machine waste as heat and mass transfer blocks for evaporative cooling of industrial recycled water are considered. A procedure is provided for treating experimental data making it possible during analysis of parameters for various packing materials to evaluate the efficiency of their application in specific mass transfer processes and equipment. A procedure is used for processing experimental data making it possible during analysis of a wide range of different packing materials to evaluate the prospects for their industrial application in specific mass transfer processes and equipment. Results of mathematical modeling and design of evaporative cooling equipment for industrial recycled water with the proposed energy and resource-saving heat and mass transfer packing based on metalworking waste are presented.

Introduction. Each of the pathologies is rare and can lead to compression of the brainstem and spinal cord, with the development of a “mixed” clinical picture. The tactics of treating such patients differs from one author to another.The objective is to present the author’s experience in treating patients with basilar invagination associated with type I Chiari malformation and to analyze the literature on the methods of surgical treatment of this pathology.Materials and methods. From 2014 to 2019, 3 patients with a basilar invagination and type I Chiari malformation were surgically treated at the N. I. Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center. Indications for surgical intervention were long-term progressive neurological disorders, lack of effect from conservative therapy. Patients underwent anterior transnasal and posterior decompression of nerve structures followed by stabilization.Results. All patients were evaluated 12 months after surgery. All patients in neurological status showed positive dynamics. According to magnetic resonance imaging of the craniovertebral junction, 2 patients showed positive dynamics: regression of the myelopathy, a decrease in the diameter of the syringomyelic cyst.Conclusion. The criteria for anterior transnasal decompression are the predominance of bulbar disorders and / or paresis in the extremities in the clinical picture; posterior decompression of nerve structures, indicated in the presence of specific symptoms of type I Chiari malformation and / or syringomyelia. Taking into account the results of the latest published studies it can be assumed that stabilization is a necessary option in the treatment of patients with this pathology.

THE PURPOSE. Examine the problem of reliable functioning of small electric power fiscal metering locations (EPFML) based on unconventional instrument current and voltage converters (Rogowski coil and resistive divider). Identify the most severe environmental conditions in which EPFML can be operated. Conduct research into EPFML thermal condition in different grid operation modes, and also during high voltage testing. Determine the conditions in which heat emission at the resistor divider attains its maximum value. METHODS. To solve the problem, use was made of three-dimensional hybrid field and chain simulation models, calculated by the methods of finite elements and linear electric circuit theory. The developed simulation models enable research to be conducted not only in normal, but also emergency electric grid operation, during lightning and pulse surges, insulation testing, and in the presence of insolation. RESULTS. The article presents the results of research concerning the thermal condition of a 6 (10) kV automated electric power fiscal metering location. CONCLUSION. If a resistive divider is used as a primary voltage converter, maximum heat emission occurs in the event of intermittent single phase arc faults to earth in accordance with Petersen’s theory. The results of the conducted research show that an EPFML based on a resistive voltage divider should be calculated using simulated models, taking into account insolation and the daily pattern of changes in maximum ambient temperature.

Retino-cochleo-cerebral angiopathy or Susac syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease that selectively affects the vessels of the retina, the inner ear and the central nervous system. Differentiation of Susac syndrome and multiple sclerosis presents difficulties due to the similarity of MRI semiotics of these two diseases. This article presents two clinical cases of patients with Susac syndrome who were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the onset of the disease. Based on the analysis of our own clinical observations and literature data, the issues of differential diagnosis of Susac syndrome and multiple sclerosis are highlighted. For the first time a variant of the MRI picture transformation in Susac syndrome is presented.

Objective. Selection of indicators of lymphocyte populations in rhesus macaques determined by flow cytometry to evaluate variations of cellular constituent of their immune status.Materials and methods. Blood of 11 healthy rhesus macaque males, 2,0–2,5 years old, weighing 2,5–3,0 kg, was used. Monkeys were examined simultaneously in each of 7 months of observation (since May till November). Immunophenotyping was conducted by FC500 cytofluorimeter using Affymetrix eBioscience monoclonal antibodies. The following cellular constituent indicators of immune status were differentiated: total T lymphocytes (phenotype CD2+CD20-); total B lymphocytes (phenotype CD2-CD20+); natural killer cells (phenotype CD2+CD56+); T helper cells (phenotype CD2+CD4+); cytotoxic T lymphocytes (phenotype CD2+CD8+); double-positive T lymphocytes (phenotype CD4+CD8+) and T lymphocytes positive by antigens CD2 and CD20 (phenotype CD2+CD20+).Results and discussion. Statistical analysis of the obtained results revealed the absence of the effect of research time factor on the stated indicators. To assess changes in the cellular constituent of immune status of rhesus macaques, it is possible to use indicators that are less variable: total T and B lymphocytes, T helper cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes and T lymphocytes with phenotype (CD2+CD20+). The use of CD56 as a marker of natural killer cells of rhesus macaques is impractical due to its low expression and a small size of the population bearing this marker. The research results may form the basis of the normative indicators of the subpopulation cell composition of immune system in rhesus macaques, which will allow the study of infected animals when assessing the quality of medical products in relation to dangerous and particularly dangerous infections.

The history of the Bolshevik party figured prominently in the reform of postrevolutionary Soviet science. After the Civil War, many revolutionaries who took accelerated special learning courses subsequently became professors and heads of newly organized academic institutions. Their aim was to prepare new ideologically strong specialists for the country. However, despite their considerable contribution to higher education in the prewar USSR, a significant number of “red professors” became victims of repression in the 1930s. Otto Augustovich Lidak — one of the main Leningrad historians of the Bolshevik party in the 1930s — was a bright representative of this generation. As a Bolshevik in the Civil war, he traveled from Lithuania to the Siberian city of Minusinsk and from Petrograd to Persia. Having all the necessary qualities (social background, revolutionary experience, connections, etc.), O. A. Lidak was able to build a successful academic career within a short period. At various times, he was the head of the Institute of History of the CPSU(b) and the Communist Institute of Journalism. He was also a professor in the Leningrad branch of the Communist Academy, Communist University, Leningrad State University. Finally, he was an active member of the Society of Marxist Historians, the Society of Former Political Prisoners and Exiles, etc. Thus, he was involved in the work of all the major party institutions that prepared “pro-Soviet” cadres. This article considers the milestones of Lidak’s biography and also explores his contribution to the historiography of the Russian Revolution.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide amounted to 50 million at the beginning of November 2020. This is clearly not enough for the formation of herd immunity, which will prevent repeated outbreaks of the disease. Quarantine measures can only curb the spread of the disease to some extent, therefore specific preventive measures are needed to create collective immunity to COVID-19.The underlying principle of collective immunity is indirect protection of the whole of the population by immunising a certain part of it. Vaccination is the most effective approach to prevention of epidemic outbreaks. The aim of the study was to analyse promising approaches to the development of vaccines against novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection. The paper summarises data on development studies and clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines conducted in different countries. It analyses the pros and cons of different platforms for vaccine development (attenuated vaccines, inactivated vaccines, subunit vaccines, DNA and RNA vaccines, recombinant vector vaccines). The paper presents a potential design of novel vaccines. It was concluded that COVID-19 vaccines might be developed both for immunising high-risk groups and for mass immunisation. An optimal solution for the second task would be to develop human or monkey adenovirus vector-based vaccines whose mass production has already been unveiled.

Premature infants with extremely low birth weight are at high risk of developing severe disabling forms of retinopathy of prematurity. Nonsurgical therapy methods of treatment of retinopathy in prematurity are ineffective. Taking into consideration the multifactoriality of retinopathy in prematurity, studies aimed at analyzing accessory risk factors aiding the progression of active retinopathy of prematurity and the development in their pharmacological therapy are relevant for practical healthcare. Effective prevention of retinopathy of prematurity and prevention of severe disabling stages in premature infants at risk require timely diagnosis of the form and severity of anemia. This is the neonatologist’s task. The ophthalmologist should inform the neonatologist about the possibility of developing retinopathy of prematurity in a baby’s eye and about the necessity for diagnostic and remedial measure to treat anemia. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of early anemia of prematurity on the frequency and severity of retinopathy of prematurity in infants at risk and the effectiveness of its treatment with erythropoietin. The frequency of anemia in preterm risk group (total 1603 children) and its treatment with the degree of prematurity were analyzed. Anemia was manifested in 99–100 % of children with retinopathy of prematurity. The comparative frequency and severity of retinopathy of prematurity was observed in three groups of infants: with extremely low birth weight and gestational age up to 28 weeks of pregnancy (245 children) group I, with gestational age 29–31 weeks of pregnancy (471 children) group II, and more than 31 weeks (581 children) group III. It was found that without treatment in group I retinopathy of prematurity developed in 100 % of cases and ended with adverse outcomes (IV–V degree of retinopathy of prematurity) in 13.64 %, which is significantly higher ( p < 0.01) than after treatment (1.78 %). Similar index was found in groups II and III. Conclusion. We traced the importance of early premature anemia in the pathogenesis of retinopathy of prematurity. It helped us to conclude that the lower the gestational age of the child at the time of birth stronger linked with the dependence of anemia and retinopathy of prematurity. Both of them are associated with the imperfection of the protective mechanisms of preterm infants. Early prescription of erythropoietin significantly improves the clinical course of retinopathy of prematurity and its prognosis.

Background . The ability to control regeneration processes is a key link in the development of methods for treating patients with post-traumatic disorders of reparative osteogenesis. Aim of the study. To evaluate the effectiveness of the fusion of the tibia by local application of the interferon-beta preparation with autogenous bone marrow punctate in post-traumatic disorders of reparative regeneration. Material and methods. The analysis of the effectiveness of clinical application of autogenous bone marrow with interferon-beta-1b in 64 patients with delayed consolidation and pseudarthrosis of the tibia was carried out. All patients underwent external bone fixation. In order to optimize reparative osteogenesis during the operation, a mixture containing 3–4 ml of bone marrow with 8 million IU/0.5 ml of interferon beta-1b solution was injected locally into the interfragmental space. Results . With puncture local injection of interferon-beta with punctate of autogenous bone marrow with delayed consolidation, fusion of the tibial fracture was achieved in 100 % of cases. In patients with a diagnosis of a pseudarthrosis of the tibia, a positive result was achieved in 90.3 % of cases. Thus, the local application of autogenous bone marrow together with the interferon-beta preparation made it possible to achieve bone fusion in post-traumatic disorders of bone regeneration in 95.2 % of cases. Conclusion . With delayed consolidation and developing hypertrophic pseudoarthrosis in conditions of stable fixation with anatomical reposition of fragments, puncture autotransplantation of a mixture of bone marrow with a solution of interferon-beta is proposed.

The area affected by the disease caused by Madariaga virus has been expanding recently. Given the geographic location of the endemic regions that overlap with tourist destinations, as well as the confirmed possibility of importing the disease, we cannot rule out the risk of appearance of this disease in Russia. The aim of the study was to analyse the properties of Madariaga virus (Alphavirus genus, eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus complex) and some epidemiological and epizootological characteristics of the virus-associated disease which manifests itself in diffuse inflammation of brain and spinal cord. Based on both ecological and molecular genetic characteristics of Madariaga virus, it is classified as an individual virus which is part of the eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus complex. There is evidence that this pathogen can cause epizootic outbreaks in horses, infect other types of mammals (rats, bats), as well as, potentially, birds and reptiles. The reservoir of infection is the short-tailed cane mouse (Zygodontomys brevicauda). Human cases have also been described, and the potential route of infection was identified as transmission via mosquito bites. Vectors of pathogen transmission are mosquitoes of the Culex, Aedes, and Psorophora genera. Serological studies carried out in Panama revealed the presence of antibodies to Madariaga virus in 2–5% of the examined patients, which indicates the existence of asymptomatic infection along with clinically apparent infection. Phylogenetic analysis of strains isolated from infected people showed that the strains belong to lineage III of the eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus subtype common in Central and South America. The paper summarises the results of assessment of potential risk factors of Madariaga virus infection in endemic regions that was performed using the Akaike information criterion. Risk groups in endemic regions are represented by farm workers and fishermen. The results of the studies show that the area affected by the disease is expanding, and the strains that belong to genetic lineage III of the eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus pose the greatest epidemic risk.

The paper examines the European and American legal approaches based on legislation regulating the use of computer algorithms, i.e. systems for automated decision-making of legally significant decisions. It is established that these jurisdictions apply essentially different concepts.The European approach provides for regulating the use of automated decision-making systems through legislation on personal data. The authors conclude that the general data protection regulation does not impose a legal obligation on the controllers to disclose technical information, i.e. to open a "black box", to the subject of personal data, in respect of which the algorithm makes a decision. This may happen in the future, when the legislative authorities specify the provisions of this Regulation, according to which the controller must provide the subject of personal data with meaningful information about the logic of decisions taken in relation to it.In the United States, issues of transparency and accountability of algorithms are regulated by various antidiscrimination acts that regulate certain areas of human activity. At the same time, they are fragmentary and their totality does not represent a complex, interconnected system of regulatory legal acts. In practice, legal regulation is carried out ad hoc with reference to certain legal provisions prohibiting the processing of sensitive types of personal data.The paper states that the legal regulation of algorithmic transparency and accountability is in its infancy in Russia. The existing legislation on personal data suggests that the domestic approach to solving the "black box" problem is close to the European one. When developing and adopting relevant regulatory legal acts, it is necessary to proceed from the fact that the subject of personal data should have the right to receive information explaining the logic of the decision made in relation to itin an accessible form.

The study objectiveis to analyze literature and evaluate based on the obtained data the effectiveness of decompression of neural structures using different methods of facet fixation.Materials and methods.A systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The following inclusion criteria were used: full-text article in English, patient age above 19 years, presence of evaluation of the results of facet fixation, degenerative disease of the lumbar spine in patients.Results.First search in the PubMed database returned 198 results. Among them, 38 articles complied with the inclusion criteria, and 33 articles didn’t contain full data on patient outcomes in the context of the studied stabilization methods. The selected 5 articles contained data on treatment results, rates of fixation and complications. Many authors note good clinical effect and decreased rate of intra- and postoperative complications for facet fixation compared to transpedicular fixation.Study limitations.Absence of systematic reviews and availability of only 1 article for each method of facet fixation. Small patient samples and short follow-up.Conclusion.Decompression and facet fixation in a single spinal motion segment in combination with posterior lumbar, transforaminal and lateral lumbar interbody fixation including use of minimally invasive technologies and other methods in many cases allows to achieve good clinical effect and firm stabilization.

The theoretical studies of light absorption and scattering spectra of the plexcitonic two-layer triangular nanoprisms and three-layer nanospheres are reported. The optical properties of such metal-organic core–shell and core–double-shell nanostructures were previously explained within the framework of pure isotropic models for describing their outer excitonic shell. In this work, we show that the anisotropy of the excitonic shell permittivity can drastically affect the optical spectra of such hybrid nanostructures. This fact is confirmed by directly comparing our theory with some available experimental data, which cannot be treated using conventional isotropic shell models. We have analyzed the influence of the shell anisotropy on the optical spectra and proposed a type of hybrid nanostructure that seems the most convenient for experimental observation of the effects associated with the anisotropy of the excitonic shell. A strong dependence of the anisotropic properties of the J-aggregate shell on the material of the intermediate spacer layer is demonstrated. This allows proposing a new way to effectively control the optical properties of metal-organic nanostructures by selecting the spacer material. Our results extend the understanding of physical effects in optics of plexcitonic nanostructures to more complex systems with the anisotropic and multi-excitonic properties of their molecular aggregate shell.

Structure formation during solidification of a Pd–Ni–Cu–P melt is studied. It is demonstrated that changes in the heat transfer conditions lead to a nonlinear change in the characteristics of the structure. The article presents the regimes of cooling the samples and the results of their structure and composition studies. It is found that a decrease in the cooling rate of the alloy leads to an increase in the size, proportion and composition of nanoinclusions in an amorphous matrix. X-ray diffraction method, electron probe microanalysis, transmission microscopy and scanning calorimetry are used for samples characterization. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Transport phenomena in complex systems (part 2)’.

The creation of highly productive forests should be based on the use of high quality seedlings. Those machines and technologies that have been used for cleaning and subsequent sorting of coniferous seeds with their subsequent sowing in the nursery do not fully provide the forestry complex with good-quality planting material. The reason for this is the use of seeds of unsorted fractions in nurseries, the failure to observe conditions during sowing that ensure the amicable emergence of seedlings and conditions in the sowing rows for the normal development of plants, excluding their large mortality and obtaining non-standard seedlings. It should be noted that modern requirements for silvicultural production largely depend on the quality of planting material. Seedlings obtained by growing them without overshooting give a high silvicultural effect if they meet the intended purpose of the cultivated area, have biometric parameters determined by GOST, which make it possible to grow high-quality planting material without overshooting in two growing seasons. The use of innovations in the restoration of forest landscapes is necessary for the cooperation of engineers and researchers. The integration of scientific and technical research and engineering design contributes to the speedy achievement of stringent environmental requirements for vehicle engines and tools. Obtaining high-quality seed is possible while maintaining the sowing qualities of seeds, reducing the degree of injury and treatment cycles, reducing losses during processing and sowing in the nursery. Based on this, there is a need to develop a device for sorting seeds of coniferous species, which will ensure the quality and efficiency of the technological process, as well as obtaining high-quality seed material in a minimum number of processing cycles.

Introduction. The outbreaks of the Zaire ebolavirus (ZE) disease (ZED) that have arisen in the last decade determine the need to study the infection pathogenesis, the formation of specific immunity forming as well as the development of effective preventive and therapeutic means. All stages of fight against the ZED spread require the experimental infection in sensitive laboratory animals, which are rhesus monkeys in case of this disease . The aim of the study is to evaluate the rhesus monkey cellular immunity following the ZE experimental infection by the means of flow cytometry (cytofluorimetry). Material and methods. Male rhesus monkeys were intramuscularly infected by the dose of 15 LD50 (dose of the pathogen that causes 50% mortality of infected animals) of the ZE, the Zaire strain (ZEBOV). Levels of 18 peripheral blood lymphocyte populations of the animals before the ZE experimental infection and at the terminal stage of the disease were assessed using flow cytometry. Results and discussion. The certain changes in the levels of the lymphocyte populations were observed following infection, indicating simultaneous activation and suppression of the immune system during ZED. The increase in content was observed for T-lymphocytes, T-helper and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes expressing the corresponding markers of early activation. The decrease was recorded for T-lymphocytes and double-positive T-lymphocytes expressing corresponding markers of late activation, as well as natural killer cells expressing CD8 (p < 0.05). Conclusion. For the first time in the Russian Federation, the rhesus monkey cellular immunity before and after the ZE experimental infection was assessed using flow cytometry.

Since their inception, human rights have constantly attracted and attract the attention of researchers of various branches of knowledge: philosophy, sociology, political science, and jurisprudence. Despite the abundance of human rights work in the legal literature, there is no consensus on their understanding. In an effort to highlight the most important, in their opinion, signs, the authors offer their vision of this problem and formulate various definitions. The article discusses the points of view on the concept of “human rights” existing in science, their various classifications are given. Depending on the time of emergence and recognition by states in relation to human rights, the generations of human rights represented in science are considered. The author believes that human rights are the normative basis for the interaction of people, coordination of their actions and activities, which allows overcoming conflicts of interests, contradictions, struggles, providing people with a free status.