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The remains of birds from the CLXXIX excavation site in the central part of the Bolgar fortified settlement of the pre-Mongol, early and late Golden Horde periods were studied. The total number of identified species is 32. At least 70% are identified as remains of poultry. In the sediments of the Golden Horde period, the number of bones of laying hens increases, and the remains of chickens of different size types appear. In the layer of the late Golden Horde period, the number of mallard bones increases more than three times. Among the wild species in all layers, remains of grouse, ducks, hawks and corvids predominate. The rich complex of bones of diurnal birds of prey, its taxonomic, sex and age composition, as well as the features of the archaeological context of the finds suggest that birds of prey were kept and trained on the territory of the homesteads of the central part of the Bolgar trade and craft district of the Golden Horde period. The discovery of a young female golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) partial skeleton and its archaeological context suggest the possibility that the Mongolian tradition of hunting with eagles penetrated into the Volga region. The beginning of hunting with large birds of prey coincides with the inclusion of Bolgar into the Ulus of Jochi, when bearers of this tradition were present on the territory of the city.

Abstract Background Innovation competence has been found to constitute distinct innovative abilities that must be analyzed together to get a more comprehensive picture of their effectiveness in various targeted groups. Drawn from the componential theory of creativity, such personal traits as individual resilience and self-monitoring play a critical role in developing innovation competence across students. This research aims to investigate the innovation competence profiles of students from various educational levels and study the role of individual resilience and self-monitoring in predicting the memberships of these profiles. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among university and college students, studying in a metropolitan area of the North-West region. The sampling scheme was stratified by the level of education and age. The questionnaire included items on the participants’ demographics, including gender, age, and level of education, measures of innovative abilities, individual resilience, and self-monitoring. This study sought to create innovation competence profiles in the student population using latent profile analysis. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to identify the impact of individual resilience and self-monitoring on innovation competence profile membership. Results A sample of 638 university and college students was analyzed. The latent profile analysis classified students into three different innovation competence profiles - strong, moderate, and weak - with college and female students being identified as the typical members of the weak profile. Individual resilience increases the odds of membership into the strong profile than to moderate and weak profiles. High self-monitors have higher chances of being profiled into the strong profile than the weak and moderate profiles compared to the low self-monitors. Conclusions Training investment aimed at boosting the innovative abilities of employees should consider the innovation competence profile of the beneficiaries to inform decisions about the appropriate level of intervention required. Likewise, educators could enrich their courses devoted to improving the innovative abilities of students with content that aims to improve their level of resilience accompanied by social support. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Background. The aim of the study is to determine a frequency integrating unfolding converter parameters based on a bridge circuit with semiconductor strain gages to compensate for the of the output signal error resulting from the strain gages parameter's technological spread and the effects of elevated temperature. Materials and methods. The work employs methods of semiconductor strain gauge analysis, electrical circuit calculations, mathematical modeling using specially developed programs to determine the temperature and process-induced error dependence of the output signal of a frequency integrating unfolding converter based on a bridge circuit with semiconductor strain gauges. Results. It is demonstrated that to reduce the multiplicative component of the temperature error in the output signal of the frequency integrating unfolding converter, it is proposed to use a temperature-dependent resistor for the integrator, made from the same semiconductor material as the strain gauges in the bridge circuit. The nominal resistance value and the temperature coefficient of resistance for the integrator resistor are determined iteratively based on the converter modeling results under the influence of elevated temperatures. Conclusions. Based on the calculations and modeling result’s analysis, it is concluded that the proposed technical solution is effective, since it allows to significantly reduce the additive and multiplicative components of the output signal error for frequency integrating unfolding converter.

Despite the rapid development and approval of several COVID vaccines based on the full-length spike protein, there is a need for safe, potent, and high-volume vaccines. Considering the predominance of the production of neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S-protein after natural infection or vaccination, it makes sense to choose RBD as a vaccine immunogen. However, due to its small size, RBD exhibits relatively poor immunogenicity. Searching for novel adjuvants for RBD-based vaccine formulations is considered a good strategy for enhancing its immunogenicity. Herein, we assess the immunogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RBD conjugated to a polyglucin:spermidine complex (PGS) and dsRNA (RBD-PGS + dsRNA) in a mouse model. BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly twice, with a 2-week interval, with 50 µg of RBD, RBD with Al(OH)3, or conjugated RBD. A comparative analysis of serum RBD-specific IgG and neutralizing antibody titers showed that PGS, PGS + dsRNA, and Al(OH)3 enhanced the specific humoral response in animals. There was no significant difference between the groups immunized with RBD-PGS + dsRNA and RBD with Al(OH)3. Additionally, the study of the T-cell response in animals showed that, unlike adjuvants, the RBD-PGS + dsRNA conjugate stimulates the production of specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in animals.

The rapid and unplanned change to teaching and learning in the online format brought by COVID-19 has likely impacted many, if not all, aspects of university students' lives worldwide. To contribute to the investigation of this change, this study focuses on the impact of the pandemic on student well-being, which has been found to be as important to student lifelong success as their academic achievement. Student well-being has been linked to their engagement and performance in curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities, intrinsic motivation, satisfaction, meaning making, and mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine how student perceptions of their degree completion and future job prospects during the pandemic impact their well-being and what role university support plays in this relationship. We used the conservation of resources theory to frame our study and to develop five hypotheses that were later tested via structural equation modeling. Data were collected from 2,707 university students in France, Germany, Russia, and UK via an online survey. The results showed that university support provided by instructors and administration plays a mediating role in the relationship between the perceived impact of COVID-19 on degree completion and future job prospects and levels of student well-being. Student well-being is decreased by their concerns for their degree completion but not by their concerns for future job prospects. In turn, concerns for future job prospects affect student well-being over time. These results suggest that in a “new normal,” universities could increase student well-being by making support to student studies a priority, especially for undergraduates. Also, universities should be aware of the students' changing emotional responses to crisis and ensure visibility and accessibility of student support.

Currently, SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding-domain (RBD)-based vaccines are considered one of the most effective weapons against COVID-19. During the first step of assessing vaccine immunogenicity, a mouse model is often used. In this paper, we tested the use of five experimental animals (mice, hamsters, rabbits, ferrets, and chickens) for RBD immunogenicity assessments. The humoral immune response was evaluated by ELISA and virus-neutralization assays. The data obtained show hamsters to be the least suitable candidates for RBD immunogenicity testing and, hence, assessing the protective efficacy of RBD-based vaccines.

This study examined challenges of employing university culture as a mechanism to increase commitment to the internationalization strategy among university internal stakeholders. Data were collected from a sample of 235 students, faculty, and staff from a top-ranked university in Russia. The study showed a misalignment between internal marketing and university internationalization strategy. The results suggest internal stakeholders do not accept the new business-like market culture driven by competition and measured by global indicators, which impacts their commitment to the university and hinders internationalization. The study found that internationalization leads to the dominance of this market culture in the university. To mitigate negative effects of organizational changes, university marketing should seek to increase stakeholder identification with the university. The study concludes with implications for university leaders about how to adjust internal stakeholder marketing to improve relationships with these stakeholders and gain their support.