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Cold atmospheric plasma has become a widespread tool in bacterial decontamination, harnessing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species to neutralize bacteria on surfaces and in the air. This technology is often employed in healthcare, food processing, water treatment, etc. One of the most energy-efficient and universal methods for creating cold atmospheric plasma is the initiation of a piezoelectric direct discharge. The article presents a study of the bactericidal effect of piezoelectric direct discharge plasma generated using the multifunctional source “CAPKO”. This device allows for the modification of the method of plasma generation “on the fly” by replacing a unit (cap) on the working device. The results of the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in a buffer solution in the modes of direct discharge in air and a plasma jet with an argon flow are presented. The bactericidal effect of these types of plasma against the bacteria E. coli BL21 (DE3) was studied. The issues of scaling the treatment technique are considered.

Abstract Aeolid nudibranchs are well-known for their ability to incorporate cnidarian nematocysts and use them for defense; this process is tightly linked with the feeding preferences of molluscs. As many nudibranch groups show signs of ecology-based adaptive radiation, studies of prey-based defensive mechanisms can provide valuable insight into details of nudibranch evolutionary history. The main goal of this study is to test the correlation of ecological traits, feeding mechanisms, and prey preferences with cnidosac fine morphology and to pinpoint the phylogenetic value of these traits. We study the cnidosac morphology in thirteen species—representatives of the main lineages within the family Fionidae s.l. The morphological analysis includes histological sections, transmission electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. For phylogenetic study, available molecular data from public repositories were used, and phylogenetic trees were produced based on Bayesian Inference and Maximum likelihood analysis for a concatenated dataset of three molecular markers (COI, 16S, H3). In general, fionid cnidosacs fit the common aeolid pattern, but among different species we detected a high variation in type of obtained nematocysts, their arrangement within cnidophages, and in number of cell types within cnidosacs. We report on presence of cellules speciale in the haemocoel of all studied species, and for the first time, we report on cells with chitinous spindles in the haemocoel of all fionids except Eubranchus. The function of both these cell types remains unknown. The loss of functional cnidosacs occurred at least three times within Fionidae, and in case of the genera Phestilla, Calma, and Fiona, this loss is linked to their non-cnidarian diet. The diversity of cnidosac fine structure within Fionidae s.l. correlates with that of the radular morphology and feeding preferences of each species. Prey shifts between cnidarian and non-cnidarian prey (both through evolutionary shifts and individual variation) rarely occur within Fionidae s.l.; however, microevolutionary shifts between different hydrozoan species within a single genus are more common. Cnidosac morphology demonstrates considerable resulting changes even when switching between similar hydrozoan species, or changing the feeding site on same prey species. These data indicate that cnidosac morphology likely follows microevolutionary prey shifts—in other words, it is affected by switches in prey species and changes in feeding sites with a single prey species. Thus, the cnidosac morphology may be a useful indicator when studying ecological features of particular species.

The location of a significant part of the agricultural territories of Kazakhstan in the risk agriculture zone implies the development and further application of an objective monitoring system for irrigated territories. The purpose of the study was to develop methods for on-the-spot and long-term recognition of irrigated massifs and verification of methods in the conditions of the territories of southern Kazakhstan. The paper describes the methods of on-the-spot recognition of irrigated fields, the general assessment of irrigated areas for the growing season, as well as the method of recognizing promising areas for irrigation. The on-the-spot recognition of the fields is based on the use of such spectral indices as the Global Vegetation Moisture Index, Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, and the xanthophyll index, combined into a single system by the Decision Tree algorithm. The assessment of irrigated areas is based on differences in the physiological state of plants in conditions of normal water supply and plants experiencing a lack of moisture. The evaluation system includes the calculation of the temperature difference according to the corresponding satellite data and the calculation of the difference in vegetation indices for the same period. The difference in vegetation indices in irrigated fields has positive values due to a steady increase in green biomass, and the temperature difference, on the contrary, is negative or zero, since healthy plants, with normal water supply, actively evaporate moisture to maintain optimal temperatures of biochemical processes. To develop these methods, ground data from 2017-2021 were used. Verification of the methods with ground data demonstrated acceptable accuracy (87% in the on-the-spot assessment of irrigated fields; 60-90% in the general assessment of irrigated areas), while the methods have significant potential for further improvement.

The article discusses the modern methodology for performing the synthesis of a suboptimal train controller for the purpose of energy saving. The existing methods of optimal traction control have a number of disadvantages, the main one of which is the lack of direct use in the control program of the data obtained during train operation. Mathematical models used to solve the op- timal problem can be used correctly only in the case of sufficient adequacy. Adequacy check is not part of the known methods of optimal control theory. To eliminate this drawback, it is proposed to use the method of optimal (suboptimal) traction calculations based on artificial neural networks. It improves the accuracy of traction calculations, which is especially important in the aspect of considering energy savings, while reducing the need for computing power. When using this method, it is possible not only to achieve results close to the classical Bellman method, but also to train or verify the network using the recorded data. The article discusses the process of creating and training an artificial neural network based on model data to solve the problem of suboptimal control. The train motion modes obtained by Bellman's method were used as reference data for training the neural network. The presented comparative results of the two methods show the applicability of artificial neural networks for solving applied problems of train traction with the possibility of continuous learning, including the use of trip data, which can be directly included in the training or testing set.

Context. The problem of determining the object-oriented design (OOD) complexity of the open-source software, including Web apps created using the PHP frameworks, is important because nowadays open-source software is growing in popularity and using the PHP frameworks making app development faster. The object of the study is the process of determining the OOD complexity of the open-source Web apps created using the PHP frameworks. The subject of the study is the mathematical models to determine the OOD complexity due to the identification of classes of the open-source Web apps created using the PHP frameworks. Objective. The goal of the work is the build a mathematical model for determining the OOD complexity due to the identification of classes of the open-source Web apps created using the PHP frameworks based on the three-variate Box-Cox normalizing transformation to increase confidence in determining the OOD complexity of these apps. Method. The mathematical model for determining the OOD complexity due to the identification of classes of the open-source Web apps created using the PHP frameworks is constructed in the form of the prediction ellipsoid equation for normalized metrics WMC, DIT, and NOC at the app level. We apply the three-variate Box-Cox transformation for normalizing the above metrics. The maximum likelihood method is used to compute the parameter estimates of the three-variate Box-Cox transformation. Results. A comparison of the constructed model based on the F distribution quantile with the prediction ellipsoid equation based on the Chi-Square distribution quantile has been performed. Conclusions. The mathematical model in the form of the prediction ellipsoid equation for the normalized WMC, DIT, and NOC metrics at the app level to determine the OOD complexity due to the identification of classes of the open-source Web apps created using the PHP frameworks is firstly built based on the three-variate Box-Cox transformation. This model takes into account the correlation between the WMC, DIT, and NOC metrics at the app level. The prospects for further research may include the use of other data sets to confirm or change the prediction ellipsoid equation for determining the OOD complexity due to the identification of classes of the open-source Web apps created using the PHP frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Russian Arctic seas and adjacent areas of the Arctic basin, 120 sites of siboglinid records are currently known. Individuals belonging to 15 species have been collected. The largest number (49.2%) of records were made in the Barents Sea, followed by the Laptev Sea (37.5%) and the Arctic basin (10 records; 8.3%). No siboglinids have been reported from the Chukchi Sea. The largest number of species has been identified in both the Laptev Sea and Arctic basin (seven species each). Seventy-eight percent of the records were discovered at water depths down to 400 m. Many of the siboglinid records in the Arctic seas of Russia are associated with areas of high hydrocarbon concentrations. In the Barents Sea, Nereilinum murmanicum has been collected near the largest gas fields. The records of Oligobrachia haakonmosbiensis, N. murmanicum, Siboglinum ekmani, Siboglinum hyperboreum, Siboglinum norvegicum, as well as two undetermined species of siboglinids are associated with the marginal areas of bottom gas hydrates where methane emissions can occur. The Arctic seas of Russia feature vast areas of permafrost rocks containing gas hydrates flooded by the sea. Under the influence of river runoff, gas hydrates dissociate, and methane emissions occur. Crispabrachia yenisey and Galathealinum karaense were found in the Yenisei estuary, and O. haakonmosbiensis was found in the Lena estuary.

Aim. Russian multicenter register of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) was transformed into Register of patients with FH and very high cardiovascular risk with insufficient effect of hypolipidemic therapy (RENESSANS Registry) in 2017 The aim of RENESSANS was maximal inclusion of patients not only with FH, but also those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVD), who did not achieve targeted level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) using hypolipidemic drug therapy.Material and methods. The RENESSANS Registry is an open, national, observing study that includes patients with definite and probable (according to Dutch lipid clinic network and Simon Broome Registry criteria) heterozygous and homozygous FH, as well as patients of very high cardiovascular risk. There were designed two register forms: for patients with FH and for very high cardiovascular risk patients. Doctors filled out forms in paper and electronic variants. They took into consideration the risk factors of atherosclerosis and anamnesis of CVD, adherence to diet and hypolipidemic therapy. Concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured in blood serum in all centers. LDL-C level was defined according to Friedewald formula: LDL-C=TC-HDL-C-TG/2,2 (mmol/l).Results. The Registry consisted of 1208 FH patients and 497 patients with very high risk (average age 54±13 and 61±8, respectively, 37% men). Baseline levels of lipids were 9,4±2,3 and 6,9±1,5 mmol/l for TC, 6,6±2,1 and 4,5±1,3 mmol/l for LDL-C, respectively. The frequency of hypolipidemic therapy in both groups is 70%, while targeted level of LDL-C was achieved extremely rarely.Conclusion. The results show insufficient adherence and low effectiveness of standard hypolipidemic therapy both in patients with FH and very high cardiovascular risk. PCSK9 inhibitors are recommended for resistant hypercholesterolemia treatment. The RENESSANS Registry allows to improve FH diagnostics, to assess treatment effectiveness and choose patients who need treatment with PCSK9 inhibitors.

Abstract Background Entoprocta affinities within Lophotrochozoa remain unclear. In different studies, entoprocts are considered to be related to different groups, including Cycliophora, Bryozoa, Annelida, and Mollusca. The use of modern methods to study the neuroanatomy of Entoprocta should provide new information that may be useful for phylogenetic analysis. Results The anatomy of the nervous system in the colonial Barentsia discreta was studied using immunocytochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. The ganglion gives rise to several main nerves: paired lateral, aboral, and arcuate nerves, and three pairs of tentacular cords that branch out into tentacular nerves. The serotonergic nervous system includes paired esophageal perikarya and two large peripheral perikarya, each with a complex net of neurites. Each tentacle is innervated by one abfrontal and two laterofrontal neurite bundles. Sensory cells occur regularly along the abfrontal side of each tentacle. Star-like nerve cells are scattered in the epidermis of the calyx. The stalk is innervated by paired stalk nerves. Conclusions The neuroanatomy of the colonial Barentsia discreta is generally similar to that of solitary entoprocts but differs in the anatomy and ultrastructure of the ganglion, the number of neurite bundles in the calyx, and the distribution of serotonin in the nerve elements. A comparison of the organization of the nervous system in the Entoprocta and Bryozoa reveals many differences in tentacle innervations, which may indicate that these groups may not be closely related. Our results can not support with any certainty the homology of nervous system elements in adult entoprocts and adult “basal mollusks”.

Photooxidized psoralen solutions possess a variety of biological effects, which implementation mechanism may presumably involve hydroperoxides. Here, the hydroperoxide content in photooxidized psoralen solutions was assessed using photometric FOX assay (from Ferrous Oxidation + Xylenol Orange). FOX reagent with 10× content of Xylenol Orange, modified for quantitative analysis of up to 50 μM of hydroperoxides in aqueous phase was used in experiments. During photooxidation of 0.1 mM psoralen in phosphate buffer solution, hydroperoxide production increases with dose of UVA irradiation (~2.5 μM eq. of H2O2 for dose of 252 kJ/m2 and ~11 μM eq. of H2O2 for dose of 1512 kJ/m2) and reaches ~16.5 μM eq. of H2O2 at the highest dose investigated (3024 kJ/m2). A comparison of kinetics of psoralen photolysis and hydroperoxide generation allows us to suggest that generation of hydroperoxide results from the secondary photochemical processes involving psoralen photoproducts, presumably from photoinduced autooxidation of aldehydic photoproducts of psoralen.

More efficient and preferably more convenient and greener synthetic solutions in coumarin scaffold functionalization are in steady demand. The Duff ortho-formylation of unsubstituted umbelliferone was revised in this study. The reaction conditions were optimized based upon data from the literature analysis and resulted in unexpectedly rapid ortho-formylation of umbelliferone, yielding a mixture of ortho-formyl position isomers. Thorough studies on the separation of ortho-formylated umbelliferones using chromatographic and recrystallization methods as well as the evaluation of their solubility in common organic solvents led to complete resolution of 8-formyl- and 6-formylumbelliferones. The precise protocol for simultaneous preparation, extraction, and purification of 8-formyl- and 6-formylumbelliferones is provided, and the prospective studies of biological and pharmacological activities of these compounds are synopsized.

In this article, results are presented of experiments on depositing charged particles, which imitate the levitating dust on the Moon, on stainless steel. Ensembles of particles are created above the surface of laboratory regolith whose composition and particle size distribution imitate the dust that covers the Moon’s surface. Under the action of the gyrotron radiation on regolith, non-linear physical-chemical processes develop (breakdown, chain plasmachemical reactions, and particle scattering by the Coulomb mechanism), which lead to the appearance of a levitating cloud of particles. The simulation experiment is based on the similarity between the processes that develop in the laboratory experiments with regolith and the processes that occur on the Moon during its bombardment by micrometeorites. The effect of the levitating cloud on stainless steel plates is studied and it is shown that regolith particles in the shape of spheroids of different sizes are deposited on the surface of the plates. The dimensions of the deposited particles and the density of their placement depend on the quality of treatment of the plate surface. It is shown that the laboratory-produced dusty plasma can be used in simulation experiments to study the modification of surfaces of different materials for space technology.

Photo-controlled or photo-regulated molecules, especially biologically active and operating in physiological conditions, are in steady demand. Herein, furocoumaric and furocoumarinic acids being (Z/E)-isomers relative to each other were obtained in two stages starting from psoralen: the alkaline solvolysis of psoralen led to furocoumaric acid, which was further Z → E photoisomerized (365 nm) to furocoumarinic acid. The kinetics of Z → E photoisomerization was monitored by HPLC and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Photophysical characteristics in the aqueous phase for both acids, as well as the reversibility of (Z/E) photoisomerization process, were also assessed. Furocoumarinic acid was found to be visibly fluorescent at pH 2.0–12.0, with the maxima of fluorescence emission spectra being pH-dependent. The reverse E → Z photoisomerization predicted by quantum chemistry calculations as energetically favorable for the monoanionic form of furocoumarinic acid was proved in the experiment while being complicated by pyrone ring closure back to psoralen in acidic and neutral conditions. The preparative synthesis of furocoumarinic acid outlined in this work is particularly valuable in view of a wide range of pharmacological effects previously predicted for this compound.

The article presents the experience in development of the professional%public accreditation concept (PPA) of the higher education programs in the social and humanitarian sphere. The principles underlying the basis of this development are revealed.The paper dwells on the most important characteristics of process of education which have to be considered at an assessment of educational programs. Traditional and latest means of representation which are applied in modern educational process are considered.The concept and the main documents are developed taking into account the internationalexperience of accreditation. We discuss why the main qualities of the developed technology of accreditation will make it an important element of system of development of Russian education and increase its competitiveness in the international division of labor.

This article examines sociological and economic approaches to the study of career. Connection between career and social mobility is explored. According to the economic approach, job promotion of an employee is analyzed in the context of the processes of production, distribution and consumption of limited resources. Stages of professional career are analyzed in the article The summarized results of sociological studies show that the term «career» is associated in the minds of Russians with social mobility and job promotion. One aspect of the study of career, namely graduates' employment, is analyzed. Various types and typical models of career development are examined. Special attention is given to the analysis of the careers of the graduates of sociological faculties of Russian universities. In the study it has been identified three types of career of a sociology graduate: a teacher (usually at university), a scientist and researcher, and a practicing sociologist. Using the developed theory the authors give their own definition of a career as a process of successive changes in official or professional (intra- and interinstitutional) status of an individual based on the development of professional competencies, taking into account his personal interests and needs of organization.