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The article examines the nature of the effect of the digital economy and artificial intelligence on the participants of the school educational process. The study deploys a Likert scale questionnaire, focused interview, and IBM SPSS Statistics 22 as the main instruments. The authors determine the status of a teacher in the AI-teacher system and identify the nature of AI's influence on the students and communication within the teacher-student-teacher system. Support is provided for the hypothesis suggesting that the effect of the digital economy and AI on the participants of the school educational process (teachers and students) is complex and controversial and causes the differences in the teachers' positions depending on their age, working experience, and the subject of specialization. The primary advantage of the article is the identification of stable relationships in the teacher-student-teacher system developing with the help of AI. The study indicates the teacher's advantage over AI in teaching technique and social influence, as well as the negative effect of AI on students' health. For the first time, the authors examine the nature of role changes in the AI-teacher system in the context of a global pandemic. The danger of AI replacing teachers with the help of teachers themselves is identified. The acquired results may be used by theorists and practitioners for further development of the foundations of the system of education and human interaction with AI in the digital economy.

The article reveals the potential of the youth tourism, addressing a number of problems of higher education: formation of a general cultural competence, preservation and strengthening of students' health, enhancing educational progress, motivating the physical self-improvement, contributing to the formation of healthy lifestyle values and developing social adaptation skills. The need to integrate these tasks with educational, sports, medical and biological technologies is scientifically grounded. The application of sports and wellness tourism in the educational potential of curricular and extracurricular activities of the University was developed as a theoretical model. This work describes the progress and results of its experimental testing. The results show that the sports and wellness tourism practices in higher educational establishments (on the basis of integration of educational, sports, medical and biological technologies) contribute to the formation of a general cultural competence, improve students' health, increase their fitness and motivate the physical self-improvement, as well as contribute to the development of physical qualities, in both men and women.

In this paper, we examine the purity level and impurity composition of the titanium, zirconium, and hafnium samples at the Exhibition–Collection of Extrapure Substances and present estimates of the average and total concentrations of elemental impurities in the purest samples. We examine the impurity composition of the array of the group 4 elements and contributions of particular groups of impurities and discuss the purity level of the group 4 elements and their compounds manufactured in Russia and abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social and economic development of the country was subjected to serious trials in 2009. The world financial and economic crisis had a negative effect on the main basic indicators of the economy. This had an immediate impact on the social labor sphere. Many social indicators went downhill. In particular, that led to a decline in real wages and salaries in the leading sectors of the economy, increased arrears in the payment of wages and salaries, and rising unemployment and part-time employment. Data from statistical surveys of levels of employment in Russia show that the global economic crisis has had a strong negative effect on the labor force, and also that young people have been more affected than other age groups. If youth unemployment in Russia is to be significantly reduced, those entering the labor force must be better prepared to provide the skills needed by employers. (Contains 5 figures and 1 table.) [This article was translated by Kim Braithwaite.]

The paper presents a brief overview of the ITER Divertor Test Facility (IDTF) located at the Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, St. Petersburg, Russia; it describes the high heat flux tests of the plasma-facing ITER divertor components performed on the IDTF and explains the role of the divertor and the choice of tungsten as the divertor armor material. The IDTF is a unique test facility in Russia: all plasma-facing ITER divertor components pass the high heat flux tests there. The high heat flux tests consist in the thermal cycling load produced by the electron flow accelerated by the electron-beam system of the test facility and applied to the test objects placed in the IDTF vacuum chamber. The alternating cycles of heating and cooling of particular parts of the test object armor material result in its gradual wear. Further investigation of the defects occurring under the tests makes it possible to define the validity of the technology chosen for production of the plasma-facing components. In the ten years of operation (by the beginning of 2020), about 20 main test campaigns have been performed of small-scale mock-ups and full-scale prototypes of the plasma-facing ITER divertor components. Serial tests of the divertor elements to be performed within the framework of the ITER project should be the next important step of the test facility operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss the purity level of the alkali metals and their compounds manufactured in Russia and abroad. We consider the impurity composition of the array of and individual alkali metals in the Exhibition–Collection of Extrapure Substances and contributions of particular impurity classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss the purity level of the alkaline-earth metals (AEMs) and their compounds manufactured in Russia and abroad. We consider the impurity composition of the array of AEM samples in the Exhibition–Collection of Extrapure Substances and contributions of particular groups of impurities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Invasive species are one of the key elements of human-mediated ecosystem degradation and ecosystem services impairment worldwide. Dispersal of propagules is the first stage of plant species spread and strongly influences the dynamics of biological invasion. Therefore, distance prediction for invasive species spread is critical for invasion management. Heracleum sosnowskyi is one of the most dangerous invasive species with wind-dispersed propagules (seeds) across Eastern Europe. This study developed a simple mechanistic model for H. sosnowskyi propagule dispersal and their distances with an accuracy comparable to that of empirical measurements. Methods. We measured and compared the propagule traits (terminal velocity, mass, area, and wing loading) and release height for H. sosnowskyi populations from two geographically distant regions of European Russia. We tested two simple mechanistic models: a ballistic model and a wind gradient model using identical artificial propagules. The artificial propagules were made of colored paper with a mass, area, wing loading, and terminal velocity close to those of natural H. sosnowskyi mericarps. Results. The wind gradient model produced the best results. The first calculations of maximum possible propagule transfer distance by wind using the model and data from weather stations showed that the role of wind as a vector of long-distance dispersal for invasive Heracleum species was strongly underestimated. The published dataset with H. sosnowskyi propagule traits and release heights allows for modeling of the propagules’ dispersal distances by wind at any geographical point within their entire invasion range using data from the closest weather stations. The proposed simple model for the prediction of H. sosnowskyi propagule dispersal by wind may be included in planning processes for managing invasion of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers the formation of native sulfur and sulfides in the bottom sediments of volcanic lakes in the Golovnin Caldera. Our observations and microstructure studies indicate the presence of sulfur melt at the bottom of Kipyaschee Lake. Drops of this melt are carried to the surface of the lake as part of a light gray foam. The significant differences of sulfur spherules in the concentration of sulfide mineralization, in its composition, as well as in the presence or absence of numerous opal inclusions are most simply explained by the capture of droplets in various parts of the sulfur melt and their subsequent movement by a gas stream passing through the melt. The effusions of sulfur melt in 1979 are direct evidence of its existence. Molecular chemical modeling shows that the stability of sulfur condensate in the bottom sediments is controlled by two thermobaric surfaces. The upper is controlled by the beginning of water condensation and a wave of acidity, the lower by the beginning of sulfur condensation. Both surfaces are a consequence of the cooling effect of lake water, and when bottom sediments accumulate, they move following changes in the surface of the lake bottom. Elemental sulfur condensate is formed between these surfaces as a result of forced cooling of endogenous gas flows. This process is most active in crater depressions at the bottom of Golovnin Caldera lakes, where sulfidization of the sulfur melt occurs simultaneously with the condensation of sulfur itself. Gravitational deposition of sulfides in the sulfur melt leads to their enrichment of the root parts of crater depressions, where pyrite ore bodies are formed in real time. [Display omitted] • Our research indicates the presence of sulfur melt at the bottom of Kipyaschee Lake. • The stability of sulfur condensate is controlled by two thermobaric surfaces. • Both surfaces are a consequence of the cooling effect of lake water. • We found no colloidal sulfur in the Golovnin caldera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results from estimating the predictability of the seismicity of Shiveluch Volcano based on the earthquake catalog for the Northern Group of Kamchatka Volcanoes for 1971-1996 and 1999-2013. The mathematical model that we employed is a nonlinear second-order differential equation, while the algorithms of optimization and predictability are ours. The calculations show that seismicity can be successfully predicted for time intervals of a few weeks to a few months during phases of higher activity and for times of between a few months and a few years during phases of lower seismicity. The prediction distances are in excess of the error by factors of 20 to 50 on average. The nonlinearities in both times of higher and lower rates are close to the law of an equilateral hyperbola. We concluded that the predictability of seismicity can possibly be used in an integrated complex to predict extrusive and effusive activity and accompanying explosive activity. The prediction of major bursts of explosive activity related to failure in the existing volcanic edifice requires additional monitoring of the dome structure and the stability of the rocks that make up the dome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data on the ages of detrital zircons from folded basement rocks and cover sediments of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago and Izvestiy TSIK islands have been obtained. The basement age is defined as Cambrian (pre-Ordovician). The Ordovician and Silurian sandstones were mainly formed by erosion of the basement rocks. The Devonian sandstones were formed by debris sourced from the Caledonian orogen. The Carboniferous-Early Permian molasse was formed simultaneously with the erosion of the Carboniferous granitoids and weathering of the Ordovician volcanic arc rocks and the Cambrian basement. The North Kara basin was formed in the Ordovician as a back-arc basin. It experienced its main compression deformations at the boundary of the Devonian and Carboniferous and in the Carboniferous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data are presented on the purity of the samples of elemental substances, including isotopically enriched samples, received by the Exhibition-Collection of Extrapure Substances in 2007-2015. During this time period, the permanent exhibition received 26 samples of elemental substances from 11 institutes and research and production centers of Russia. The first samples of high-purity isotopically enriched silicon, germanium, sulfur, and selenium were provided. The total impurity concentration in the best samples is 3 × 10 to n × 10 at %. More than half of the new samples compare well to the current world level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In soils of the temperate zone, there is an increase in the magnetic susceptibility χ of an upper layer compared to χ C of parent rocks. The difference between χ and χ C characterizes the magnetic "enhancement" Δχ, which is usually considered as associated with mean annual precipitation (MAP), allowing the reconstruction of MAP of the past from Δχ values of paleosols. which is widely enough used. However, in regions with a wide MAP range, non-monotonic dependence of Δχ on MAP is observed, making this reconstruction ambiguous. To construct climatic functions for reconstructing the past climate, we subdivided the south of European Russia into three regions, where climatic functions such as MAP(Δχ) of modern soils are monotonic and close to linear. These regions are relatively dry, humid, and semi-humid cold. We considered an extended set of climatic features including potential evapotranspiration (PET), actual evapotranspiration (AET), water deficit (WD = PET–AET), moisture index (MI = MAP/PET), an index of De Martonne (IDM = MAP/(MAT+10), where MAT is the mean annual temperature). The links of Δχ with MAP were positive in dry and negative in humid and semi-humid cold where they are weaker, but there were closer links with temperature-dependent WD and PET. Reliable (with R 2 > 0.7) climatic functions were constructed for dry and semi-humid cold, but such reliable functions were absent in humid part. Since the differences in soil - forming material, it is necessary to identify some parameter to characterize lithological factors. For this reason, we include in consideration median grain sizes (lgSz) in soil profiles and total iron (Fet) to obtain some explanations for the results. Although the use of Δχ, lgSz and Fe t together made the climatic functions more reliable (R 2 ∼ 0.8), but Δχ played the main role, while lgSz and Fe t were not always significant. Based on the obtained data, it appears possible to provide a more detailed subdivision of paleoecological periods in the Late Holocene for the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the Eastern Europe. Taking into account the diversity of soil conditions in different regions, equations using soil profile MS enhancement to reconstruct rainfall should be used locally and regionally, taking into account the identified limitations and eliminating the possible ambiguity of reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Siberian Islands terrane, represented on the Arctic shelf by the archipelagos of the New Siberian Islands and De Long Islands, is one of the key structures of the Arctic. However many questions of its structure, borders and formation history are under intense discussion. During the international expedition in 2011 we solved many problems concerning structural geology, paleontology, petrology and geochronology. A particular attention was given to obtaining paleomagnetic data for the sedimentary and igneous rocks of the archipelago. The primary objects of paleomagnetic studies were the Early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Kotelny (Anzhu) and Bennett (De Long) islands. In this paper we present new paleontological data, including the first one for conodonts of the New Siberian Islands, which help us to specify the age of the Early Paleozoic deposits of the studied sections. In these sections we took a series of paleomagnetic samples. The match of the paleomagnetic directions we determined for Bennett Isl. and Kotelny Isl. indicates the tectonic unity between the territories of the Anzhu and De Long archipelagos. These first paleomagnetic data allow us to affirm that at least from the Early Ordovician the rocks of the Anzhu and De Long archipelagos formed within the same New Siberian Islands terrane, that is to say, on the same basement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines an Ordovician evaporite trough that contains salt diapirs in the northern part of the Kara Sea. It provides a concept about the Early Paleozoic Paleogeography of the North Kara region and substantiates the age of salts. It discusses the determination of evaporite age which can be estimated based on correlation to the analogs from Severnaya Zemlya. The article also offers additional information on Ordovician evaporites in the Arctic region, which are also developed within the Arctic sector of Canada.

This article discusses key issues regarding the prospects for the development of high-strength wearresistant steels. It is noted that Russian steelmakers have long been producing a large number of steels that have very similar strength characteristics. A generalized criterion which the authors developed and which makes it possible to rank steels by wear resistance without having to conduct wear tests might serve a reliable guide in selecting high-strength steels for different service conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the new seismic data, the geological structure and evolution of the North Kara Basin are presented. The North Kara Basin formed as an Early Ordovician rift system. Approximately at the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary, the North Kara Basin suffered intraplate compressional deformations, which caused formation of inversion swells, and then it was covered by a thin Carboniferous-Permian or Permian cover. The Urvantsev Trough probably comprising Late Ordovician evaporites was distinguished in the north-eastern part of the basin. Paleozoic folded deformations took place within the limits of the Vize-Ushakov and Central Kara rises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geophysical survey data were summarized, the magnetotelluric sounding along the Zeya water reservoir-the Algama River profile was conducted, and the Bomnak mantle plume structure was distinguished for the first time. The areas prospective for ores were defined and substantiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed spectroscopic information of excited nuclear states in deformed transfermium nuclei is scarce. Most of the information available today has been obtained from investigations of fine-structure α-decay. Although α decay gives access to hindrance factors and lifetimes which are strongly correlated to shell/subshell closures and the presence of isomers, only the combined use of γ and conversion electron spectroscopy allows the precise determination of excitation energy, spin and parity of nuclear levels. In the years 2004–2009 using the GABRIELA set-up [Hauschild et al, Nucl. Instrum. Methods A560, 388 (2006)] at the focal plane of VASSILISSA separator [Malyshev et al, Nucl. Instrum. Methods A440, 86 (2000); A516, 529 (2004)] experiments with the aim of γ and electron spectroscopy of the isotopes from Fm to Lr, formed by complete fusion reactions with accelerated heavy ions were performed. In the following, the preliminary results of decay studies using α-γ and α-β coincidences at the focal plane of the VASSILISSA recoil separator are presented. Accumulated experience allowed us to perform ion optical calculations and to design the new experimental set-up, which will collect the base and best parameters of the existing separators and complex detector systems used at the focal planes of these installations. In the near future it is planned to study neutron-rich isotopes of the Rf-Sg in the ‘hot’ fusion reactions with Ne incident projectiles and Pu, Am and Cm targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The overall jump in global demand for gas, and especially oil, gives rise to particular concern regarding mankind’s energy future. In the middle and late 21st century, the crucial role in securing oil and gas supply of mankind will be played by sedimentary basins in the Arctic Ocean deep-water area, including those of the continental shelf in Russia’s Arctic seas. There is a 0.90 probability that the initial in-place resources of hydrocarbons in the Arctic Ocean will be greater than 90 Btoe. The estimates predict the rise of oil and gas industries on the Arctic shelves in the near future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the Russian Federation's military strategy in the early 21st century. It states that identifying the character of modern war, defining objectives for the armed-forces, and strategic planning of armed forces are among the element that are high-priority issues at the current stage in the development of both Russia and its military organization.

Integrated study of the genetic structure of the Udmurt population with respect to different genetic systems has been performed. Data on the genes of genetic diseases, abiotic parameters analyzed by population statistic methods, and DNA polymorphism are summarized. The populations of six raions (districts) of Udmurt Republic (the Mozhga, Malaya Purga, Sharkan, Debesy, Igra, and Glazov raions) have been studied. The total population studied was 267 655 people (an urban population of 150 119 people and a rural population of 117 536 people), including 155 346 Udmurts. The population structure has been studied in six districts on the basis of the vital statistics, Crow’s indices, Malecot’s isolation by distance parameters, ethnically assortative marriage parameters, endogamy indices, inbreeding-endogamy ( ie) indices, and frequencies of the genotype and allele frequencies of four DNA markers (17 alleles). The prevalences of hereditary diseases have been calculated for different population groups: urban and rural populations, Udmurts and other ethnic groups. These groups, especially the urban and rural populations, substantially differed from one another in the prevalences of autosomal dominant (AD) and autosomal recessive (AR) diseases. The correlation between the prevalence of AD and AR diseases and the ie index is positive and significant. The spectrum of hereditary diseases detected in six districts of Udmurtia comprises 149 diseases (80, 57, and 12 AD, AR, and X-linked diseases, respectively). Accumulation of individual diseases in districts of Udmurtia and accumulation of diseases in Udmurtia as compared to regions studied earlier has been found. Cluster analysis of the frequencies of genes of AD and AR diseases and DNA markers has determined the gene geographic position of Udmurts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marriage records of six raions (districts) of Udmurtia and the city of Glazov (a total of 10518 records) have been used to calculate marriage-migration parameters. The endogamy indices of the rural and urban Udmurt populations are 0.59 (from 0.48 to 0.76 in individual districts) and 0.29, respectively, and those of the rural and urban Russian populations are 0.33 and 0.47, respectively. The mean ethnic assortativeness values are 1.05 and 0.89 for the rural and urban Udmurt populations, respectively, and 2.13 and 1.44 for the rural and urban Russian populations, respectively. The parameters of isolation by distance for the rural Udmurt population are the following: σ = 52.4, a = 0.00035, and b = 0.012; those for the urban Udmurt population are 54.1, 0.00020, and 0.010, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the archaeological excavation near Tsemdolina, Novorossiiysk in present-day Caucasus region. Tomb of an equestrian warrior from the first century A.D.; Dating of tomb; Wealth, status and ethnic affiliation of the deceased. INSET: Bibliography..

C. sativa is a valuable oilseed; it has a wide nutritional and technical use. The purpose of this study is a comprehensive study of C. sativa collection accessions in various ecological and geographical conditions to determine the environmental stability parameters. C. sativa All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) collection accessions served as a material source for the study. The study was conducted in four different ecological and geographical regions of the Russian Federation. In the factor structure of the environmental parameters variability two factors are identified covering 94.8% of the variability. The first factor is associated with the precipitation sum (PS) and the temperatures sum (TS) for the vegetation period (68.7%), the second factor is associated with the average daily temperature (TM) for the same period (26.1%). Analysis of the system of correlations between the parameters of stability and plasticity and the value of regression coefficients for meteorological indicators showed that for all the studied features, indicator b closely correlates with regression coefficients for the temperatures sum (TS) and average daily temperature (TM) for the vegetation period. Indicator Sd—with coefficients for the precipitation sum (PS) and average daily precipitation (PM). The result of the study made it possible to identify collection accessions of C. sativa with a high stable adaptability to the contrasting climatic conditions of the studied regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common autosomal codominant disorder, characterized by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels causing premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. About 2900 variants of LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes potentially associated with FH have been described earlier. Nevertheless, the genetics of FH in a Russian population is poorly understood. The aim of this study is to present data on the spectrum of LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 gene variants in a cohort of 595 index Russian patients with FH, as well as an additional systematic analysis of the literature for the period of 1995–2020 on LDLR, APOB and PCSK9 gene variants described in Russian patients with FH. We used targeted and whole genome sequencing to search for variants. Accordingly, when combining our novel data and the data of a systematic literature review, we described 224 variants: 187 variants in LDLR, 14 variants in APOB, and 23 variants in PCSK9. A significant proportion of variants, 81 of 224 (36.1%), were not described earlier in FH patients in other populations and may be specific for Russia. Thus, this study significantly supplements knowledge about the spectrum of variants causing FH in Russia and may contribute to a wider implementation of genetic diagnostics in FH patients in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurbita crops are among the most valuable and widely cultivated vegetable crops in global agriculture. Cucurbit seed oil meets the requirements of functional nutrition; it is material for the food industry and medicines based on natural ingredients. The present research was aimed at studying features of the biochemical composition of oil in seeds of the main cultivated Cucurbita L. species from the collection of the N.I. Vavilov Institute (VIR) grown in the conditions of the Astrakhan Experiment Station (AES) of VIR. The oil content in seeds of Cucurbita L. species varied from 40 to 49.7%. Over 80% of the fatty acids (FA) composition (FAC) was represented by oleic (13.6–49.6) and linoleic (33.5–69.3%) acids. The accessions of Cucurbita mixta Pang. were noted for high values of saturated FAs (palmitic and stearic), those of Cucurbita pepo var. melopepo (L.) Harz. of linoleic and linolenic, and those of Cucurbita pepo L. of oleic acid. The multiple factor analysis showed significant differences in FAC in accessions of C. pepo var. melopepo, Cucurbita maxima Duch. and C. pepo. The performed study allowed us to reveal FAC features in seeds of each Cucurbita species from the VIR collection and to identify the accessions with the best economically important indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's view on the study of probability theory in Russia and Russian scientist B.V. Gnedenko. The author states that there are four main probability centers in Russia during in 1950-1980. The author notes that despite the conflicts, the atmosphere of good prevails in the Department of Probability Theory. The author mentions that Gnedenko was a wise leader and helped in eliminating the quarrels and contradictions.