Search

The digital imperialism is a modern dimension of classical economic imperialism and uses tools such as digital platforms to disseminate information and accumulate and call financial capital from countries of the periphery to the center. Digital imperialism as a concept is a continuation of the theories of cultural imperialism and media imperialism and, in turn, became the basis for the development of the concepts of platform and blockchain imperialism. The article analyzes the conceptual aspects of the study of modern dimensions of imperialism and provides a brief overview of research directions in this area. The purpose of this study is to identify the role of platforms as a factor in political discourse in the context of digital imperialism. The authors formed the sample based on 2 criteria: the type of platform (global, national and liminal) and the type of communicator (institutional - i.e. mass media channels or personal, i.e. influencer channels). The study covered the period from February 2022 to November 2023 and included 60 media across 3 platforms. The analysis was carried out using 4 research methods. The results of the analysis demonstrate that YouTube, Telegram and Vk.com are characterized by different discourse and agenda. YouTube displays an aggressive, militarized discourse with more homogeneous communication, which is typical of echo chambers. Telegram channels and Vk.com pages often overlap in the results of cluster analysis. Telegram is also characterized by an intense militaristic discourse, while Vk.com is oriented towards a broader agenda. The study indirectly demonstrates the imperialist nature of YouTube.

TLR2 is an exceptional pattern-recognizing receptor because of its ability to heterodimerise with different types of TLRs, which allows it to recognize a wide range of molecular structures on the surface of pathogens. Polymorphisms in genes involved in the TLRs signaling cascade may be a factor in host susceptibility to the development of inflammation, affecting the outcome of a number of infectious diseases and immune diseases. The variant Arg753Gln (rs5743708) in the TLR2 gene is the most characterized missense mutation of the coding region in the TIR domain, which involves the substitution of arginine for glutamine at position 753 of the protein sequence. This functionally significant substitution leads to altered signaling and is associated with inflammatory responses. In this study, we investigated the association of the Arg753Gln (rs5743708) polymorphism of the TLR2 gene with the level of its expression in nonagenarians. The study included 82 nonagenarians. Frailty was detected in 41 subjects using a short physical performance battery, with registration in the test ≤ 7 points. It was shown that carriage of the Gln allele is statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of developing frailty; patients with the Arg/Gln genotype have a 12.8-fold higher chance of developing this geriatric syndrome. The Arg allele and the Arg/Arg genotype were found to be protective factors in the development of frailty in nonagenarians. Analysis of TLR2 gene expression in nonagenarians revealed a 2.79-fold increase in TLR2 expression relative to donors. Evaluation of TLR2 gene expression level in groups of nonagenarians with the presence and absence of frailty showed a 1.4-fold increase in TLR2 gene expression in nonagenarians with this geriatric syndrome. In patients with the Arg/Gln genotype, TLR2 gene expression was 1.3 times higher than in the group with the Arg/Arg genotype and 1.6 times higher than in the group with the Gln/Gln genotype. The increased frequency of occurrence of the Arg/Gln genotype of the Arg753Gln polymorphism of the TLR2 gene in nonagenarians with frailty may be due to increased gene expression of this receptor. It is necessary to conduct further functional and molecular genetic studies.

The article is devoted to the activities of Vladimir Frantsevich Stanis, the second rector of the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. He was a charismatic leader who enjoyed enormous authority among his colleagues and made a huge contribution to the development of this unique university. The article outlines the main stages of the biography of V.F. Stanis, his difficult life path from the participation in the Great Patriotic War to the work in public offices, as a result of which he gained vast experience in organizational and managerial work. The authors pay special attention to the diverse activities of V.F. Stanis in the position of the rector of the Peoples’ Friendship University which he held for more than 20 years (from 1970 to 1993) and note that it was during this period that his scientific and pedagogical potential and leadership talent were fully revealed. It is emphasized that thanks to his work with the personnel V.F. Stanis managed to ensure the creation of prominent scientific and methodological schools in various fields at the Peoples’ Friendship University. At the same time, both in the USSR and abroad there became especially famous not only scientific schools of natural sciences and humanities, but also original methods of teaching Russian as a foreign language and foreign languages, including oriental ones developed by the university teaching staff. Moreover, the rector actively developed other areas of the university’s activities: international relations, extracurricular work, which required deep knowledge of the history of foreign countries and understanding of the current political situation in them. The authors show that thanks to his enormous dedication and careful attitude towards the staff and students, V.F. Stanis managed to create an international team of the Peoples’ Friendship University of many thousands.

Background. Illness representations determine a patient's successful adaptation in the context of chronic somatic illness. Objective. The study had its purpose to investigate and compare the illness representations in the patients with acute leukemia and lymphoma. Study Participants. The study involved 109 respondents: 51 patients with acute leukemia aged 18 to 64 years (Mage = 35.12; SD = 12.90; 28 women) and 58 patients with lymphoma aged 19 to 64 years (Mage = 42.22; SD = 11.17; 41 women). Methods. The study implemented the following methods: “Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised” (IPQ-R), “Health Anxiety Inventory” (HAI), “Cognitions About Body and Health Questionnaire” (CABAH), and the “Scale of Assessment of Illness Behavior” (SAIB). Descriptive statistics and group comparison methods (Student's t-test) were used to process quantitative data. Results. A comparative analysis of the data obtained showed that patients with acute leukemia have more difficulty in identifying the disease, were more certain about the negative impact of the disease and its unstable course, were more likely to overestimate symptom severity, and paid more attention to implementing treatment- and medication-related behaviors compared to patients with lymphomas. Conclusion. The main targets of psychological work with patients with acute leukemia are their ideas about the disease identity, its unstable course and negative consequences, their tendency to overestimate the symptom severity and underestimate the importance of preventive behavior associated with treatment and medication. Common targets of psychological work with patients with acute leukemia and lymphoma are their ideas about the short-term course of the disease and negative emotional experiences about their disease.

The methods of monitoring the environmental situation as well as the problems of solving related applied environmental and resource problems in hard-to-reach areas of oil and gas production and also in other sectors of the national economy using unmanned aerial vehicles, are investigated. The methods of studying the types and thicknesses of the layers of the underlying surface by probing them with electromagnetic pulses of the radiofrequency range and gamma radiation are considered. Based on the existing theoretical dependencies of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the Earth’s surface, diagrams of the passage of electromagnetic waves in the decimeter and centimeter ranges through various landscape structures (snow-ice-water-frozen soil) are presented. It is shown that the use of gamma radiation makes it possible to solve the problem of determining the effective altitude of an aircraft during environmental monitoring due to the high energy of photon radiation and albedo from various surfaces including snow cover. A method for calculating the pollutant content on the underlying surface with a given probability of its reliable detection is presented. It is noted that the reliability of the readings of measuring instruments is significantly influenced by their geometric location on the transport platform. It is shown that the proposed solution is advisable to implement using two unmanned aerial vehicles or as mall-sized unmanned airship. Based on the review, the composition of the technical means of the complex for recognizing the types and thicknesses of layers of contamination of the underlying surface is proposed. A possible methodology for assessing the environmental situation is presented. The results of the work can be used in conducting environmental exploration of infrastructure used for transporting oil and gas resources in conditions of difficult access to it as well as for solving similar military-applied and engineering-construction tasks. At the same time, for the first time, the joint use of the radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves and gamma radiation was proposed. The radio frequency range makes it possible to study the structure of the landscape, and gamma radiation from backscattered ionizing radiation is a type of pollutant, as well as to ensure high accuracy in measuring the distance from the module to the upper layer of the underlying surface.

The transition to sustainable economic development is the most important goal of the regions and municipalities. At the same time, one of the problems requiring a priority solution is the growing social tension. In the article, an analysis has been carried out that made it possible to determine a direct correlation of the level of social tension and the quality of state and municipal financial resources spending. Research was made using the data of 2014 – 2020 periods. This study is based on the method of coefficient analysis through a specially developed coefficient calculated by multiplying the multiplier coefficients included in it, such as the social coefficient of internal population growth, the dynamic coefficient of external population inflow into the region, safety coefficient, labor activity coefficient and quality of life coefficient. As a result, the main objective – to find and prove mathematically the tight correlation between financial imbalance (ineffectiveness) and social instability, which leads to an increase in the stability of the system and its development was fulfilled. This reinforces the importance of monitoring and auditing the ways of regional and municipal finances using, which were summed up at the conclusion.

The use of algae for carbon dioxide fixation is based on their natural ability to photosynthesize. Dynamic experiments make it possible to calculate the short-term photosynthetic activity of microalgae strains in photobioreactors. In this study, the effect of temperature and culture time on the intensity of reproduction and on CO2 absorption by some microalgae was evaluated. It was found that the maximum increase in biomass occurred during algae cultivation at 29–32 °C and pH = 8.4. A ratio of ~2.0 was observed between CO2 absorption and the increase in biomass for different microalgae. When using the Chlorella genus, the increase in biomass under comparable conditions was greater than when cultivating microalgae of the Scenedesmus genus.

Introduction. The underground structures of the coastal zone in Vietnam are periodically flooded with seawater, which causes corrosion of concrete. Therefore, the aim of the study is to increase the corrosion resistance of coastal underground concrete structures by modifying the structure of concrete with a complex of mineral additives obtained mainly from local raw materials, including micro- and nanosilicon, fly ash from thermal power plants and finely ground white quartz sand. In addition, it requires development of a mathematical model describing the processes of mass transfer in conditions of liquid corrosion of concrete underground structures in coastal zone, to assess their durability. Methods. The development of concrete mixtures, the study of their properties and properties of concrete, were carried out in accordance with the requirements of current Russian and Vietnamese standards. Results and Discussion. The results of experimental studies confirmed the possibility of using local raw materials to create modifying additives and obtain corrosion-resistant concretes with high performance. It was found that with an increase in the content of white quartz sand in the concrete mixture, the compressive strength of concrete increased rapidly at an early age of hardening up to 7 days, after which its growth rate gradually decreased. Replacing 60 % of river sand with white quartz sand provided the highest compressive strength, axial tension and flexural tension of concrete, which can be explained by the fact that white quartz sand is finer than river sand, and this increases the density of the concrete structure. In addition, an increase in the density of concrete can be explained by a decrease in water absorption and an increase in resistance to sulfate corrosion with an increase in the content of white quartz sand in the concrete mixture instead of river sand, as well as with the introduction of 1–1.5 % nanosilicon. Conclusions. For the construction of underground structures in the coastal zone of Vietnam, we developed corrosion-resistant concrete compositions based on local raw materials with high strength characteristics and low water absorption. A mathematical model is proposed to solve the problem of determining the mass transfer of Ca2+ ions in the system "concrete structure – moist soil – coastal area" to control the processes of mass transfer during the corrosive destruction of concrete underground structures in coastal zones periodically flooded with seawater, in order to predict their operational durability.

ABSTRACT: Introduction. This research work investigates the combined influence of nano-sized silicon dioxide (nano-SiO2 ), carbon nanotubes and surfactants on the structural and technological characteristics of cement compositions. Materials and research methods. The paper reveals the findings of a study on the effects of various dispersion techniques of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in surfactants, such as mechanical dispersion, ultrasonic treatment, and a combined method. It considers the uniformity of CNT distribution within the plasticizer and within the cement system, along with their impacts on the physical and mechanical properties of cement stone and concrete. Differential thermal and electron microscopic analysis of aqueous dispersions of carbon nanotubes and hardened activated nanomodified cement stone was carried out. Results and discussion. It has been experimentally proven that mixing nanotubes in dry cement does not allow them to be evenly distributed throughout the volume of the mixture. When using carbon nanotubes, the maximum effect is achieved when they are introduced into aqueous dispersions of plasticizers. The percentage of plasticizer was 1%, CNT 0,1% per 1 liter of water. The most effective method of dispersing carbon nanotubes in a plasticizer is a combined one. The results obtained were used in the preparation of cement stone and concrete compositions. Conclusion. The results show that complex additives consisting of nano-SiO2 and aqueous dispersions of carbon nanotubes have a positive effect on the physical-mechanical and structural-technological properties of cement stone and concrete. Graphic dependencies are shown indicating the effectiveness of using complex additives in the production of cement composites

Aim. To determine the predictors of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and hemodynamicallysignificant stenosis only in the infarct-related coronary artery.Material and methods. The present study involved 151 patients with STEMI. The mean age of patients was 51 (95% confidence interval (CI), 41–61 years) years. One of the inclusion criteria of patients was significant stenosis exclusively in the infarct-related artery. All patients underwent a 24-hour Holter electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring with the analysis of heart rate turbulence (HRT), heart rate variability (HRV), ventricular late potentials and chronotropic load; two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography with the analysis of volumetric parameters and left ventricular ejection fraction; determination of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). The follow-up duration was 144 weeks. Repeated cardiovascular events (acute heart failure, revascularization, repeated myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death) were analyzed as endpoints. Two groups of patients were identified depending on the recurrent event endpoints: “RE” group — 26 patients (17.2%) with registered recurrent cardiac events, and “ST” group — 125 patients (82.8%) without cardiovascular events in stable post-infarction period.Results. Initial BNP values were lower in the “ST” group (p48=0.0035, p96=0.004, p144=0.001). The intergroup differences demonstrate a higher concentration of BNP levels in the “RE” group both initially (p=0,001) and at the 96th week (p=0,04). Left ventricular ejection fraction was higher in the “ST” group (p=0,001) both initially and at the 144th week in contrast to the “RE” group: 48,9% (44,7-53,2) vs 44,2% (38,5-49,9) (p=0,009). Pathological HRT was also significantly higher in the “RE” group both initially (p=0,003) and by the 96th week of the follow-up (p=0,007), while HRV demonstrated low initial values with a slow tendency to restoration. There were following risk factors for recurrent cardiovascular events in patients in the post-infarction period: weight — relative risk (RR), 1.21 (95% CI, 1,01-1,46) (p=0,03); body mass index — RR, 0,56 (95% CI, 0,325-0,96) (p=0,046); chronotropic load — RR, 1,03 (95% CI, 1,02-1,12) (p=0,04); BNP — RR, 1,012 (95% CI, 1,003-1,08) (p=0,01); left ventricular end-systolic dimension (ESD) — RR, 1,04 (95% CI, 1,01-1,13) (p=0,36).Conclusion. There were following independent predictors of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients after STEMI: weight, body mass index, chronotropic load, BNP and ESD.

The use of morphogenetic characteristics and functionally important morphological structures in monitoring natural populations and communities is one of the modern directions in developing approaches to eco-morphology and functional synecology. New approaches make it possible to test the hypothesis of a similar spectrum of morphogenetic modifications of sympatric species during their development in disturbed biotopes. In this study, the coupled variability of the size and shape of the mandible was studied for the first time using geometric morphometrics to assess the resistance of the rodent community to two natural catastrophic phenomena (windfall and wildfire) for three sympatric red-backed vole species in the Visim State Nature Reserve (Middle Urals). Samples of Clethrionomys glareolus, Clethrionomys rutilus and Craseomys rufocanus young-of-the-years were studied in two biotopes modified by windfall and fire impacts under different weather conditions (2003 vs. 2004). It was found that Clethrionomys glareolus preferred the overgrown fire-damaged site, Craseomys rufocanus the windfall zone, and Clethrionomys rutilus did not express a pronounced preference. Interannual and biotopic differences in the variation of the size and shape of the mandible have been revealed for all species. Weather conditions affected the species variability more than biotopic ones. Based on functional mandibular indices, it was found that the shape of the mandible of the species, as a biological tool for foraging and its primary processing, depends more on weather factors than on the biotope characteristics. A similar morphofunctional reaction of sympatric species populations to similar biotopes was expressed. This fact reflects the parallelism of modifications of the morphogenesis of mandibles of the studied species in disturbed biotopes, confirming the hypothesis. In particular, in the fire-damaged site, the tendency to longitudinal grinding of feed was revealed for all species, while in the windfall zone, the tendency to gnawing of forage objects (possibly, seeds of coniferous plants) was revealed. It is assumed that weather factors indirectly affect the morphogenesis of species through the change of plant communities, which, in turn, changes the diet of animals and the mechanics of the load on the musculoskeletal apparatus of mandibles. The within-group morphological disparity (MNND), which reflects the measure of destabilisation of development, was small in Clethrionomys glareolus, indicating the stability of its morphogenesis in both biotopes; the development of Craseomys rufocanus was stable only on the windfall site; in Clethrionomys rutilus, MNND was unstable in both biotopes. The MNND development stability estimates are consistent with the species abundance. They are recommended for monitoring the population status of sympatric species of the red-backed voles and other rodents in Protected Areas.

ABSTRACT: Introduction. This article presents the results of the research works on formation of building gypsum plaster porous structure with the use of recovered anhydrite raw materials and chemical additives, and describes a method for production of wall materials. The relevance of this paper is stipulated by the need to expand the range and increase the manufacture of heat-insulating and structural-heat-insulating products based on gypsum binders and local mineral raw materials, as well as the development of technologies to ensure the production of gypsum materials with improved performance. The authors proposed certain methods for forming the porous structure of building gypsum plaster and improving its performance in terms of porosity and thermal conductivity through the use of modified recovered raw materials and chemical additives of calcium chloride and sodium carbonate. Materials and methods. The study of the effect of modifying additives on the properties of the mixture was carried out using gypsum paste of normal consistency (NC = 55%). The preparation of samples and testing were performed according to the methods specified in the national standards with the use of porous additives of calcium carbonate, fluoroanhydrite and chemical additives for the rheological properties of the mixture, average density and strength of the samples, the patterns and mechanism of the processes of gypsum stone structure formation were established. Results. The application of fluoroanhydrite modified in the disintegrator with an equimolar amount of calcium carbonate leads to a decrease in the average density of the samples to 40% with evenly distributed pores. The analysis of the microstructure of heat-insulating material samples with a density of 550 kg/m3 showed that the average diameter of micropores is 0.45 mm, while the thermal conductivity of samples with complex chemical additives has the thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.25 W/m°C, which is 30% lower than the thermal conductivity of samples without complex additives. Conclusions. The results obtained create the basis for using recovery raw materials and domestic modifying additives as a pore-forming agent, which allow regulating the structure of gypsum stone in order to produce effective wall materials

The Internet has a significant impact on the perception of time and its organization. There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of measuring social time in relation to the virtual communities of social media. The dynamics of communication in virtual communities largely depend on the time strategies that shape the content plan of a particular medium. Based on contemporary theories such as the concept of ‘timeless time’, we analyze the features of the temporal characteristics of the Internet, considering the multiple dimensions of time in virtual communities. This study aims to identify time strategies depending on their types (e.g., belonging to the certain platform, or target audience). The research is based on posts from 99 politicized virtual communities on the Vk.com and Telegram platforms in 2022. We employ heatmaps and combine them with cluster analysis. As a result, certain patterns of temporal strategies within communities became apparent, depending on the hour, day of the week, and month. We also establish a connection between time strategies and the event context of 2022. This article may be of interest to sociologists, political scientists, and researchers in cultural and communication studies who are interested in applied aspects of social time research.

The study aims to develop a scientific and methodological approach to the formation of a model for managing the international competitiveness of rural areas based on an assessment of the existing export and production potential to form priorities for their socio-economic development. Research methods involve a systematic approach, an integrated approach, an algorithmization using methods of integral assessment of competitiveness, etc. The research allowed the development of a conceptual model for managing the international competitiveness of rural regions. The model includes a variable list of determinants and indicators of the formation of competitive advantages of rural territories depending on the export-production potential and strategic goals of their development. The paper presents a model management algorithm and a set of complementary methodological techniques used to assess international and regional competitiveness. The scientific novelty lies in the developed scientific and methodological approaches and practical recommendations for the formation of international and regional competitiveness in rural areas. Moreover, a system of determinants of the competitiveness formation of rural territories and a system of indicators for its assessment have been developed.

Blepharoptosis is an abnormally low position of the upper eyelid in relation to the eyeball due to its omission. The method of surgical treatment of blepharoptosis depends on the function of the levator.The aim. To analyze the results of surgical treatment of partial blepharoptosis of various etiology by the dosed muscle-conjunctival resection of the upper eyelid cartilage.Material and methods. We operated 78 patients (82 eyes) with blepharoptosis, among them with congenital blepharoptosis – 34 people (36 eyes), with acquired – 44 (46 eyes). The patients’ age was from 6 to 82 years.Inclusion criteria: the function of the upper eyelid levator – more than 5 mm, the width of the palpebral fissure – 3 mm or more.The patients underwent a dosed muscle-conjunctival resection of the upper eyelid cartilage in the period from 2018 to 2021. The follow-up period ranged from 2 months to 2 years.Results. Elimination of blepharoptosis was achieved in all patients. With congenital blepharoptosis, a good result was obtained in 33 people (91.7 %), satisfactory – in three patients (8.3 %), which was associated with the asymmetry of the palpebral fissure, for the correction of which these patients underwent additional intervention. In patients with acquired ptosis of the upper eyelid, a good result was achieved in 91.3 % of cases (42 eyes). One patient underwent repeated surgery due to hypocorrection and asymmetry of the palpebral fissure width after the first surgery.In all patients, the result remained stable throughout the observation period.Conclusion. The use of the method of dosed muscle-conjunctival resection of the upper eyelid cartilage in patients with partial ptosis of the upper eyelid and intact levator function made it possible to obtain a good cosmetic and functional result: with congenital blepharoptosis – in 91.7 % of cases, acquired ptosis of the upper eyelid – in 91.3 % patients.