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The sorption of triterpene saponins is studied on different brands of active carbon under equilibrium conditions. The effect the surface activity of glycosides has on the course of the curves is established. Sorption isotherms are assessed using a formal approach based on selecting the sorption equations (Langmuir, Freundlich, BET, Redlich–Peterson) that describe the obtained dependences as closely as possible. Thermodynamic characteristics of the given process (energy of sorption, enthalpy, and entropy) are calculated using sorption curves in the coordinates of the Langmuir equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was established that the surface functionality of nanoglobular carbon (NGC) can be effectively altered by treatment at temperatures of 573 – 1173 K in an inert atmosphere, without affecting the structure and morphology of the material as a whole. The destruction and loss of surface oxygen groups occurs as a result of this treatment, which is accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of paramagnetic centers. At a temperature of 1173 K, a restructuring and "smoothing" of the carbon surface apparently takes place, which is expressed by annealing of defects (sources of EPR signal). It was found that changes in the surface functionality of NGC affect the reducibility of supported palladium precursor and the formation of palladium nanoparticles, without causing changes in palladium dispersion state. The study of the obtained Pd/NGC catalysts in the practically important hydrogenation of 4-nitrobenzoic acid ethyl ester and furfural showed that thermal pre-treatment of the support affects the catalytic performance in these reactions. It is important that varying temperature of such pre-treatment over a fairly wide range, which has a significant impact on the functionality of the support surface, leads to only relatively small changes in the activity and selectivity of the resulting catalysts. In this regard, thermal pre-treatment of carbon support should be considered as an approach to fine tune the performance of carbon-supported palladium catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Netakimab has shown high efficacy in controlled clinical trials in the treatment of AS patients. This article presents results of an observational study of netakimab using in routine clinical practice. Objective. : To evaluate retention rates and safety of netakimab in patients with AS in real-world clinical practice. Additionally, the efficacy of netakimab was evaluated at 1-year follow-up. Materials and methods. : Patients were recruited for the study from August 2020 to December 2021 at 23 centers in the Russian Federation. The study included patients who were prescribed netakimab therapy before enrollment, so clinical and medical history data for the first visit were entered retrospectively, and following visits at 12, 24, and 52 weeks of therapy were collected within the study. Drug survival rate was calculated according to Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results. : The study included 137 (93 men and 44 women) patients with AS. The average age of patients was 42.3 (11.9) years, 34.3% of patients had previously received therapy with bDMARD, mainly TNF inhibitors. At the end of the analyzed period (52 weeks of therapy), 90.4% (95% CI, 85.4-95.7) of patients continued treatment with netakimab. The BASDAI and ASDAS-CRP showed statistically significant decreases in scores from baseline at all time points. Netakimab was well tolerated by patients; AEs, related to therapy according to the investigator's opinion, were reported in 7 (5.1%) patients. Two patients stopped taking netakimab due to AEs (terminal ileitis and chronic colitis). Conclusions. : In real-world clinical practice, netakimab demonstrated high retention rates, a favorable safety profile, and sustained efficacy throughout the first year of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrenophora tritici-repentis is the causative agent of tan spot in wheat. Among the necrotrophic effectors produced by the fungus, the most studied is the necrosis-inducing protein toxin Ptr ToxA, encoded by the ToxA gene. Previously, we identified ten strains of P. tritici-repentis from Kazakhstan and Russia, the amplified fragment of which with ToxA-specific primers turned out to be larger than expected. Sequencing of these fragments of three P. tritici-repentis strains revealed the presence of a 170 bp insertion element PtrHp2 located in exon 2 of the ToxA gene. The PtrHp2 sequence includes three pairs of mutually complementary regions of 16, 8, and 6 bp in length, forming a hairpin-type secondary structure. The inability of P. tritici-repentis strains possessing PtrHp2 in the ToxA gene to cause necrosis on the leaves of cv. Glenlea, which differentiates the presence of Ptr ToxA in the pathogen, has been established. This fact indicates a violation of the expression of the mutant ToxA gene. However, the mutant ToxA gene with PtrHp2 is retained in 45% of the fungal mitotic progeny. The fragments homologous to the PtrHp2 are found in noncoding parts of the ToxB gene and its homologs in P. tritici-repentis strains, as well as in the genomes of other fungi. This observation indicates the transposon nature of PtrHp2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large-sized upper jaw of an ammonite from the Niortense Zone of the Upper Bajocian of the Kuban basin (Karachay-Cherkessia) is described. In its anterior part a pointed calcified structure (rhyncholite) is located. Judging by its shape and size, the upper jaw belonged to a species of the genus Lytoceras (family Lytoceratidae), the lower jaw of which was already described from the same area immediately below in the section. The presence of a rhyncholite allows us to attribute the new finding to the rhynchaptychus type of ammonoid jaws. This is the earliest known complete jaw of this type and, to date, the only known upper jaw of Lytoceratina. Probably, calcification of the anterior part of the jaw apparatus of ammonoids of the suborders Lytoceratina and Phylloceratina was a normal process occurring as the mollusk matured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of measuring the charge-discharge characteristics of solid-state thin-film lithium-ion batteries with a nanocomposite anode based on a-Si(Al) solid solution are presented. The charging characteristics of batteries have a feature in the form of a step on the smooth branch of the charge curve. It is shown that the appearance of the step is associated with the compensation of a-Si(Al) and the change from hole to electron conductivity due to lithiation of the electrode during charging. As a result of lithiation, the electron over-barrier current becomes the main component of the charging current. To maintain a galvanostatic charge mode, the potentiostat increases the voltage by the height of the potential barrier, which leads to the appearance of a step on the charging curve. The impedance of a solid-state thin-film lithium-ion battery of the LiCoO2–LiPON–Si@O@Al electrochemical system was measured in the temperature range from –20 to 50°C. A structural model of the accumulator is proposed and the parameters of the structural elements of the model are calculated which provide the best fit for experimental Nyquist diagrams. The obtained values of the electrodes' resistivity are orders of magnitude higher than the results of direct measurements and data from literary sources. According to the IV-characteristics obtained by cyclic voltammetry the high resistance of the electrodes is due to the metal-semiconductor contact and the varistor effect of the electrode material. The results obtained make significant adjustments to the interpretation of the impedance spectra and structural models of solid-state lithium-ion batteries based on semiconductor materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the approaches to the evaluation of scientists' performance that prevailed in Russia over the course of the last decade. The article presents criticism of these approaches and describes the change of to the evaluation system with the development of a White List of scientific journals announced by the government. Questions have been raised regarding about the criteria for selecting journals for a White List and the need for a fair assessment of the level of scientific publications. Drawing on an analysis of Russian journals in medicine and public health, problematic aspects of different approaches to the stratification of journals are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of nonuniformity properties of the LiCoO2 cathode film deposited by magnetron sputtering on the capacity of all-solid-state thin-film lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIB) was studied. It was found that the film nonuniformity corresponds to the magnetron plasma density distribution and the angular distribution of sputtered particles. The capacity distribution of the ASSLIB with LiCoO2 cathode depending on the distance to the substrate center was studied. The maximum capacity corresponded to the dense part of the toroidal region of the magnetron plasma. It was determined that the main causes of batteries capacity decline in the central part and on the edge of the substrate are the impurity phase of lithium cobaltate and the smaller thickness of the cathode layer, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors study the effect of the tungsten oxide in the supports of 0.5% Pt/WOx-Al2O3 catalysts on their acidity, deposited platinum dispersity, and catalytic properties in the hydrodeoxygenation of sunflower oil. It is shown that the of Brønsted acid sites on its surface grows, and the dispersity of deposited platinum in the ready catalyst is reduced when the content of the modifier is increased. The studied samples ensure complete sunflower oil conversion in a hydrogen atmosphere at a liquid weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1 h−1, a temperature of 380°C, and a total pressure of 4 MPa the composition of the support. A nearly stoichiometric yield of C5+ products at a level of 82–86 wt % is attained. The acidic properties of the 0.5% Pt/WOx-Al2O3 system determine the possibility for synthesizing the components of diesels with high contents of iso-alkanes as a result of sunflower oil hydrodeoxygenation. Using a catalyst with a nominal tungsten content of 15 wt % WO3 brings the content of iso-paraffins up to 74% with complete conversion of the initial feedstock for no less than 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors study the effect of the content of zeolite ZSM-22 (15–70 wt %) in a support on the physicochemical properties of Pt/ZSM-22–Al2O3 catalysts. The dependence of the yield and composition of sunflower oil hydrodeoxygenation products on these catalysts on the temperature (310–340°C), pressure (3‒5 MPa), and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) (0.8–3 h−1) is determined. The possibility is shown of the full hydrodeoxygenation of sunflower oil with the formation of C5+ hydrocarbons containing up to 72% of iso-paraffins with yields of 75–79 wt %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay on the scientific activities of the Russian organic chemist and chemical engineer Sergei Alekseevich Fokin (1865–1917) is presented. The name of the scientist is not widely known although he has made the main contribution to the development of oleochemistry and creation of the industrial process of fat hydrogenation in Russia, and his merits have been appreciated by domestic and foreign researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors study the effect of the type of zeolite (SAPO-11, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, and ZSM-12) in a support (ratio zeolite : Al2О3 = 30 : 70) on the physicochemical properties of Pt/Al2O3-zeolite catalysts and the composition of products from the hydrodeoxygenation of sunflower oil on them. The possibility of the complete hydrodeoxygenation of sunflower oil at temperatures of 320–350°C, a pressure of 4 MPa, and a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1 h−1 is shown with 75–82% yields of liquid products. The fraction of iso-alkanes and the yield of direct hydrodeoxygenation products grow along with the concentration of Brønsted acid sites in a catalyst in the order 1%Pt/Al2O3-ZSM-22 < 1%Pt/Al2O3-ZSM-12 < 1%Pt/Al2O3-ZSM-23 < 1%Pt/Al2O3-SAPO-11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between the notion of generalized integral and the notions of reflecting function and Poincaré map (period map) for periodic differential systems are traced. The notion of generalized first integral is used to study questions of the existence and stability of periodic solutions of periodic differential systems and analyze the center–focus problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Low success rates during drug development are due, in part, to the difficulty of defining drug mechanism‐of‐action and molecular markers of therapeutic activity. Here, we integrated 199,219 drug sensitivity measurements for 397 unique anti‐cancer drugs with genome‐wide CRISPR loss‐of‐function screens in 484 cell lines to systematically investigate cellular drug mechanism‐of‐action. We observed an enrichment for positive associations between the profile of drug sensitivity and knockout of a drug's nominal target, and by leveraging protein–protein networks, we identified pathways underpinning drug sensitivity. This revealed an unappreciated positive association between mitochondrial E3 ubiquitin–protein ligase MARCH5 dependency and sensitivity to MCL1 inhibitors in breast cancer cell lines. We also estimated drug on‐target and off‐target activity, informing on specificity, potency and toxicity. Linking drug and gene dependency together with genomic data sets uncovered contexts in which molecular networks when perturbed mediate cancer cell loss‐of‐fitness and thereby provide independent and orthogonal evidence of biomarkers for drug development. This study illustrates how integrating cell line drug sensitivity with CRISPR loss‐of‐function screens can elucidate mechanism‐of‐action to advance drug development.

Predicting wildfire spread behavior is an extremely important task for many countries. On a small scale, it is possible to ensure constant monitoring of the natural landscape through ground means. However, on the scale of large countries, this becomes practically impossible due to remote and vast forest territories. The most promising source of data in this case that can provide global monitoring is remote sensing data. Currently, the main challenge is the development of an effective pipeline that combines geospatial data collection and the application of advanced machine learning algorithms. Most approaches focus on short-term fire spreading prediction and utilize data from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for this purpose. In this study, we address the challenge of predicting fire spread on a large scale and consider a forecasting horizon ranging from 1 to 5 days. We train a neural network model based on the MA-Net architecture to predict wildfire spread based on environmental and climate data, taking into account spatial distribution features. Estimating the importance of features is another critical issue in fire behavior prediction, so we analyze their contribution to the model’s results. According to the experimental results, the most significant features are wind direction and land cover parameters. The F1-score for the predicted burned area varies from 0.64 to 0.68 depending on the day of prediction (from 1 to 5 days). The study was conducted in northern Russian regions and shows promise for further transfer and adaptation to other regions. This geospatial data-based artificial intelligence (AI) approach can be beneficial for supporting emergency systems and facilitating rapid decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanipora Miyazaki & Reimer, 2015 is a recently described monotypic octocoral genus belonging to the family Helioporidae (class Octocorallia). Nanipora kamurai Miyazaki & Reimer, 2015 was formally described from shallow coral reefs around Zamami Island, within Kerama-shoto National Park, in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan. To date, Nanipora has been reported from two other locations in Japan: N. aff. kamurai from a shallow inner lagoon at Iriomotejima Island, and Nanipora cf. kamurai from the coral reef surrounding a shallow CO2 vent at Iotorishima Island, both in Okinawa Prefecture. Additionally, Nanipora cf. kamurai has been reported from three locations outside Japan: in shallow seagrass meadows at Dongsha Atoll in the South China Sea, on coral reefs at Koh Tao in Thailand and from a reef in Toboso, central Philippines. Finally, N. kamurai has been detected in environmental DNA samples from the Rowley Shoals off northwestern Australia. As a ‘living fossil’ and also apparently common in the low pH environment of Iotorishima I., a clearer understanding of the distribution of the genus should aid in better understanding of its ecology. Here, we report three new additional records from the Ryukyu Archipelago where Nanipora colonies were found, resulting in ten total records of Nanipora. Molecular phylogenetic analyses utilizing cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), mitochondrial mismatch repair protein (mtMutS), and the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequences of specimens from two of these new locations combined with additional sequences from previously collected specimens from Dongsha, Iotorishima, and Iriomotejima showed evidence of three closely related groups within Nanipora, warranting future investigations into the species diversity of this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying PDEs on the sets of complicated structure and, in particular, stratified sets has been gaining popularity since recently. This article establishes some local Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Krylov type maximum estimates for solutions to linear elliptic and parabolic second-order equations on a book-type stratified set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous-wave diode lasers (DLs) with tunable emission wavelengths have become extensively used in various fields of analytical spectroscopy and diagnostics. Working in the near and mid-IR spectral region, tunable diode lasers are particularly effective in detecting simple molecules, making them invaluable for environmental monitoring, industrial process control, and diagnostics of subsonic and supersonic gas flows. However, the lack of commercial diode lasers operating in the spectral region shorter than 400 nm has restricted their applicability to elemental analysis, as many resonance lines of free atoms of elements lie in the region 250–400 nm. This review aims to highlight various applications of continuous diode lasers, which are lesser-known to analytical chemists. We briefly overview their main characteristics and discuss their advantages, enabling their successful implementation in traditional analytical spectroscopy tasks, as well as for diagnosing parameters of remote gas objects, including combustion processes in mixing gas flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of thin wear-resistant coatings on thermophysical processes in the contact zone during metal cutting is investigated. Longitudinal turning of steel 45, 12Х18Н9Т steel, and VT3-1 titanium alloy workpieces by hard-alloy cutters with TiC, TiN, ZrN, TiN + ZrN, and Cu coatings applied by cathodic bombardment is studied experimentally. The antifrictional properties of the coatings, the cutting forces, the wear resistance of the cutters, the temperature in the cutting zone, and the temperature gradients in cutters with and without coatings are assessed. The results show that the coatings have no antifrictional properties and do not reduce the cutting forces but lower the tool's surface and bulk temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general solution of problems of elasticity theory for anisotropic half-planes and strips with arbitrary holes and cracks is presented, which uses the complex potentials of the plane problem of the theory of elasticity of an anisotropic body, conformal mappings, representations of holomorphic functions by Laurent series, and satisfaction of boundary conditions by the generalized least squares method. The problems are reduced to overdetermined systems of linear algebraic equations solved by the singular value decomposition. The results of numerical studies are described for a strip with a circular hole under its tension or under the action of a uniform pressure along a segment of a rectilinear boundary, as well as for the tension of a strip with a circular hole and a crack in the bridge, including those extending to the border of the strip or to the contour of the hole. An isotropic half-plane and a strip with holes and cracks are considered as special cases of the general problem. The influence of the geometric characteristics of holes and cracks, the physical and mechanical properties of the strip on the values and distribution of stresses material was studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salt hideout phenomenon of boiler water attracted the close attention of specialists as long ago as the 1940s–1950s. By the end of the 1980s, the majority of researches had arrived at the conclusion that the governing role in the hideout phenomenon is played by the deposits of structural material corrosion products (crud) on the steam-generating surfaces of the equipment of nuclear and thermal power plants. The steam-generation process takes place under confined conditions, which causes degraded mass transfer between the flow core and the heat-transfer surface. This results in that water impurities concentrate in the pores of deposits and even precipitate in a solid phase form. As the steam boiler/steam generator power output increases, the concentrations of certain impurities and chemical agents in boiler water decrease; this effect is called hideout, and as the load decreases, their concentrations increase (hideout return). In the last decades, a few physical and mathematical models have been developed in which the hideout phenomenon is considered from the viewpoint of boiler water impurities becoming concentrated not in the layer of permeable deposits but in the viscous sublayer of liquid at the steam-generating surface. Thus, the thermodynamic model rests on the postulates of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and is descriptive in nature. The mass-transfer model based on the laws of mass and energy conservation in the viscous sublayer incorporates an analytical expression for the impurity concentration ratio. However, this model also in fact contains only a qualitative description of the hideout process without performing its detailed comparison with experimental data. The article presents an analysis of these models and their comparison with reliable data obtained by domestic and foreign researchers, and it is shown that the key statements laid down at the essence of models based on impurity concentration in the liquid viscous sublayer are erroneous in nature. Adequate fundamental principles of mass transfer under hideout conditions are of significant theoretical and practical importance for working out operation regulations and securing reliable operation of installations with boiling coolant at nuclear and thermal power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New version of diode laser (DL) absorption spectroscopy (DLAS) for determining the hot zone temperature is developed. The method is based on the combination of slow scanning of the radiation frequency of a probe DL around the absorption line of a test molecule of the medium and fast radiation frequency modulation with an amplitude on the order of the absorption line width. The developed version of the wavelength-modulation (WM-DLAS) is based on the two-beam differential scheme, the logarithmic signal conversion, and the registration of absorption at the first harmonic of the modulation frequency. The two-beam differential registration scheme and the logarithmic conversion of absorption signals have made it possible to reduce substantially the nonselective absorption of probe radiation and registration noise determined by excessive noise of lasers. The application of the first harmonic has ensured a higher sensitivity of the proposed version of WM-DLAS. Using the technique developed in this study, we have measured the temperature of water vapor in atmospheric air in the range 700–1100 K. The results are compared with the data obtained using commercial thermocouples. The difference in temperatures measured by a standard thermocouple and its mean value determined using the technique developed here is 40 K for a temperature of 1000 K and 30 K for 800 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

?Holoconularia rossica sp. nov. is described from interstratified shale and siltstone beds in the Dashkovka Member of the Upper Mississippian (early Serpukhovian) Gurovo Formation in the Moscow Basin, Central Russia. The status of the genus Holoconularia, originally described from the Devonian of Germany, is discussed, and it is argued that at least one species previously assigned to it may belong in Paraconularia instead. Another species, P. mosquensis from the Middle Pennsylvanian of Central Russia, may be more closely related to ?H. rossica than to species in Paraconularia. Comparisons are also made with Conularia, Ctenoconularia, and Tasmanoconularia, three genera that are very similar to certain species in Holoconularia. The well-preserved periderm of ?H. rossica sp. nov. exhibits microscopic circular pores (micropores) and (in one specimen) malformed, cleft or scalloped ornamentation. The micropores in this and other conulariids appear to be primary anatomical features that may have housed an extremely slender, very short pillar of non-mineralized (organic) periderm connecting successive microlamellae composed predominantly of organic material. Cleft and scalloped features may represent healed injuries inflicted by predators, possibly nautiloids and/or gnathostomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In patients with an ascending aorta aneurysm, restructuring of all its layers and, first of all, the intima and media was revealed. The thickness of the intima was 79.3±63.1 μm in patients with aortic diameter <55 mm (group Ao<55) and 162.7±177.4 μm (p<0.05) in patients with aortic diameter ⩾55 mm (Ao⩾55 group), the thickness of the aortic media was 1184.0±198.2 and 1144.3±288.4 μm, respectively. In patients of the Ao<55 group, aortic dilatation was accompanied by compensatory thickening of the inner and middle layers of the aorta. In the Ao⩾55 group, thinning of the aortic media, fragmentation of elastic fibers, and its cystic degeneration were revealed. c-kit+ Stem cells were detected in the subendothelium of the thickened intima of the dilated ascending aorta. The appearance of c-kit+ cells correlated with intimal remodeling and its colonization with CD34+ and CD44+ myofibroblast-like cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is dedicated to assessing the effect of TiN, ZrN, TiN + ZrN, (Ti–Zr)N, ZrN–(Ti–Zr)N–TiN nanostructured coatings, deposited on plates of hard alloy T15K6 by the PVD method, on tool wear and thermoelectric parameters of the process of turning work pieces from steels 45, 38HS, and 12H18N10T. The greatest decrease in temperature in the cutting zone was recorded during the processing of steels 45 and 38HS, characterized by high thermal conductivity coefficients, while the maximum effect was achieved due to TiN + ZrN and ZrN coatings, for low thermal conductivity steel 12H18N10T, the lowest temperature was provided by the ZrN, (Ti–Zr)N and ZrN + (Ti–Zr)N + TiN compositions. Analysis of the variable component of the thermo-EMF signal during cutting shows a decrease in the amplitude of oscillations for coatings that provide the greatest wear resistance of the tool. According to the results of the experiments, such an effect when turning steels 45 and 38HS at optimal speeds was demonstrated by ZrN + (Ti–Zr)N + TiN and TiN + ZrN coatings, and for stainless steel 12H18N10T, ZrN, ZrN + (Ti–Zr)N + TiN and TiN. The established relationship between the wear resistance of carbide inserts and the amplitude of fluctuations of the variable thermos-EMF component makes it possible to use it as an indirect criterion for selecting the optimal composition of the wear-resistant coating from the point of view of thermophysical compatibility with tool and machined materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenation of furfural in the presence of heterogeneous catalysts has recently attracted increased interest as a method for the synthesis of oxygen-containing compounds of various classes based on renewable raw materials. The composition of the catalyst and the conditions of its preparation essentially determine which of the routes of reductive conversions during the hydrogenation of furfural will be predominant. The present review summarizes and examines methods for controlling the physicochemical and functional properties of Pd-, Ni-, Co-, and Cu-containing catalytic compositions, as the most common and practically significant in the hydrogenation of furfural. The influence of the nature of the support, the composition of the active metal precursor, and the conditions for the formation of metal nanoparticles on the activity and selectivity of supported catalysts in the reductive conversions of furfural under aqueous-phase hydrogenation conditions has been demonstrated by numerous examples. Promising directions of research on the development of methods for the synthesis of efficient catalysts with controlled functional properties in the hydrogenation of furfural are considered. The bibliography includes 127 references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora infestans is the oomycete that causes potato blight, an important disease. The potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is a dangerous pathogen of many plants, including potato. We have previously shown that PSTVd can be transmitted from infected potato plants into the Ph. infestans mycelium, replicated within the mycelium, and then transmitted to other potato plants upon their infection with Ph. infestans in laboratory conditions. The objective of this work was to check the hypothesis that PSTVd transmission, preservation, and replication in Ph. infestans are possible to occur in natural conditions during long-term coevolution of the host and pathogen in the Solanum spp.–Ph. infestans system. A screening test for PSTVd was performed in 111 natural Ph. infestans isolates obtained from potato plants, which represented various cultivars, had signs of potato blight, and were collected from industrial potato fields of the Moscow, Vologda, and Bryansk regions and breeding and variety test plots of the St. Petersburg and Moscow regions in 2020 and 2022. Using RT–PCR with PSTVd-specific primers, 42 Ph. infestans isolates collected in 2020 were tested after five passages and 69 Ph. infestans isolates collected in 2022, after a single passage on rye agar. Diagnostic amplicons were detected in 8 and 50 isolates, respectively. Some of the amplicons were visually assessed as minor amplification products, apparently resulting from nonspecific priming on a host Ph. infestans gene, which codes for a hypothetical protein-coding mRNA in Ph. infestans and other oomycetes. Eight amplicons were sequenced to verify the PSTVd presence in Ph. infestans isolates. Three amplicons corresponded to the complete PSTVd genome and five, to its part (~260 bp). The nucleotide sequences of cloned amplification products were identified to species in the BLAST system and deposited in GenBank. The amplicons obtained with the PSTVd-specific primers were identified as PSTVd sequences in all Ph. infestans isolates examined. The majority of the nucleotide sequences were phylogenetically related to BLAST sequences of PSTVd strains originating from Russia; several strains showed similarity to strains from other countries (France, China, and West African countries). The results demonstrate that PSTVd was for the first time detected in natural (field) Ph. infestans isolates and offer new opportunities for studying the intricate multilevel host–parasite interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper discusses perspectives of Activity Theory (AT) in the context of contemporary globalizing world, describing which we refer to the notion "De-structuralized modernity" (Sorokin and Froumin 2020). Radical changes in everyday life challenge social sciences and humanities. Approaches are in demand, which have the potential to comprehend the changing human étant and éntre. We argue that Activity Theory has the potential to face these challenges. Leontiev's AT grounds on the idea of qualitatively new mental features arising to deal with novel environmental challenges, which is much in line with J.M. Baldwin reasoning on evolution. AT also offers a method to prognosis the upcoming neoplasms. In the same time, applying classics of AT to the current reality, "De-structuralized modernity", entails the need for new theoretical elaborations of the latter, stemming from the radical transformation of the relations between individual and socio-cultural environments. A unique societal context emerges on the global level, which, on the one hand, requires individual to adapt constantly to changing socio-cultural reality, and, on the other hand, dramatically expands his/her potential for proactive actorhood transforming surrounding structures. We argue that the major and novel challenge for the individual is that maintaining the integrity and coherence of the a) Self-identity and b) system of links with the socio-cultural environment - in their dynamics and unity, has become a qualitatively different issue, much more complicated and problematic than ever before. The notion of "culture" has particular relevance and importance in this context because it allows grasping simultaneously two dimensions in their dynamic dialectical interrelations. First, the "internal" ("subjective", "in the minds") and "external" ("objective", material and institutional environment) realities. Second, individual ("micro") and societal ("macro") scales of human activities. Discussing the ways to understand these dynamics, we dispute the popular "constitutive view" on personality and refer to the concept of the "ontological shift" (Mironenko and Sorokin 2018). We also highlight how technological advancements change and "expand" human nature making it capable to deal with the outlined new tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two forms of the pathogenic fungus Pyrenophora teres,P. teres f. teres (a net form) and P. teres f. maculata (a spot form), cause different disease signs, net or spot blotch, on barley leaves. The net form of P. teres is widespread wherever barley is cultivated, while the spot form was first identified in Krasnodar krai of Russia in 2011 and Brest oblast of Belarus in 2016. The two forms of the pathogen easily mate each other in laboratory conditions, but their hybrids either do not form or are difficult to detect in nature. The question as to whether hybrids between the net and spot forms are produced and maintained in natural populations is pressing and bears applied significance because different genes determine resistance to the different P. teres forms in barley. Hybrid forms may be virulent to resistance donors used in breeding. The objective of this work was to search Russian and Belarussian natural populations for hybrids between P. teres f. teres and P. teres f. maculata with the use of new form-specific markers, Ptt and Ptm. The study included 138 single-conidium isolates from four P. teres f. maculatа and four P.teres f. teres populations. The isolates were collected from commercial barley plantations of Leningrad oblast, Krasnodar krai (Russia), and Brest oblast (Belarus) from 2013 to 2016. A genotyping with 10 form-specific markers was performed in all isolates. Several isolates were found to combine markers of both of the P. teres forms and were conventionally identified as hybrids between the forms. Hypotheses were advanced to explain the occurrence of hybrids in natural populations. The most plausible hypothesis suggests that sexual or somatic hybridization between the two forms coexisting in barley plantations accounts for the origin of the P. teres isolates that combine markers specific to P. teres f. teres and markers specific to P. teres f. maculata in their genomes. It is also possible that a third, possibly ancestral, intermediate form was preserved during divergence in the species P. teres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The causal agent of late blight, the oomycete Phytophthora infestans Mont de Bary, is characterized by a high degree of variability, as a result of which new races of the pathogen are able to overcome the resistance of long-term cultivated potato cultivars. Primitive cultivated potato species belong to the primary gene pool, the representatives of which easily cross with Solanum tuberosum L., and their use for breeding is promising. The objective of this study was to identify the genotypes of wild and primitive cultivated potato species from the VIR collection carrying the Rpi genes. For the first time, accessions of primitive cultivated and wild potato species (105 genotypes from the VIR collection) were analyzed for resistance to late blight and the presence of SCAR markers of the Rpi genes (RB/blb1, Rpi-blb2, R2-like, Rpi-vnt1.3). In the cultivated species S. stenotomum subsp. stenotomum, high (0.71) frequency of one of the two marker fragments of the RB/blb1 gene (Rpi-sto1), originally characterized in the wild North American species S. bulbocastanum, which belongs to the tertiary gene pool of potato species, was detected. In the species S. phureja and S. stenotomum subsp. goniocalyx, high frequency (0.71–0.88) of the Rpi-vnt1.3 gene marker, originally characterized in the wild South American species S. venturii, was found. For the first time, in primitive potato species, the fragment sequences, presumptive homologs of the Rpi-vnt1 and RB/blb1 genes, were characterized. In S. ajanhuiri, S. stenotomum, and S. phureja, three sequence variants homologous to Rpi-vnt1.3 were identified. The possible role of the detected polymorphism of the Rpi-vnt1.3 marker fragments in ensuring the resistance of primitive cultivated species to late blight is speculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we show practical application of laser-induced periodic surface structures imprinted as regular arrangement of Si nanopillars on amorphous silicon. Surface morphology controlled by laser processing parameters allow to tailor optical properties of the produced textured surfaces to achieve anti-reflection performance or partial transmission in the visible spectral range. By taking advantage of good wettability, enlarged surface area and remarkable light-trapping characteristics of the produced hierarchical morphologies, we demonstrated surface enhanced fluorescent sensor that allowed to identify metal cations providing sub-nM detection limit unachievable by conventional fluorescent measurements in solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical oxidation of (Е)-3-aryl-2-cyanoprop-2-enethioamides in a undivided cell in the presence of KBr in an aqueous or aqueous-organic medium has led to the formation of (2Е,2′E)-2,2′-(1,2,4-thiadiazole-3,5-diyl)bis[3-arylacrylonitriles] in 37–76% yield. A plausible reaction mechanism has been discussed. In laboratory experiments, (2E,2′E)-2,2′-(1,2,4-thiadiazol-3,5-diyl)bis[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylonitrile] has revealed pronounced antidote effect against herbicide 2,4-D on sunflower seedlings and no pronounced growth-regulating properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulas for calculating the Poincaré period map for a two-dimensional linear periodic system of differential equations and for the Riccati differential equation are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents results of modeling the chemical interactions of Quaternary meteoric waters with siltstones of the upper part of the Vendian Padun Formation of the Mezen Syneclise, Arkhangelsk region, Russia. Equilibrium and equilibrium-kinetic approaches were applied. It is shown that under conditions of intensive water exchange and low temperature, due to low rates of interaction of minerals with water, the redox buffer of rock-forming minerals at this stage of the process makes a subordinate contribution to the dissolution of uranium. Therefore, for a sufficiently long time, the main agent of mobilization of uranium in rocks is oxygen dissolved in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a linear periodic system of differential equations, we indicate a method permitting one to find a matrix similar to the matrix of the Poincaré map in closed form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combinations of anti-cancer drugs can overcome resistance and provide new treatments1,2. The number of possible drug combinations vastly exceeds what could be tested clinically. Efforts to systematically identify active combinations and the tissues and molecular contexts in which they are most effective could accelerate the development of combination treatments. Here we evaluate the potency and efficacy of 2,025 clinically relevant two-drug combinations, generating a dataset encompassing 125 molecularly characterized breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer cell lines. We show that synergy between drugs is rare and highly context-dependent, and that combinations of targeted agents are most likely to be synergistic. We incorporate multi-omic molecular features to identify combination biomarkers and specify synergistic drug combinations and their active contexts, including in basal-like breast cancer, and microsatellite-stable or KRAS-mutant colon cancer. Our results show that irinotecan and CHEK1 inhibition have synergistic effects in microsatellite-stable or KRAS–TP53 double-mutant colon cancer cells, leading to apoptosis and suppression of tumour xenograft growth. This study identifies clinically relevant effective drug combinations in distinct molecular subpopulations and is a resource to guide rational efforts to develop combinatorial drug treatments.A survey of potency and efficacy of 2,025 clinically relevant two-drug combinations against 125 molecularly characterized breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer cell lines identifies rare synergistic effects of anticancer drugs, informing rational combination treatments for specific cancer subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay considers historical aspects of the appearance and development of methods for catalytic hydrogenation of organic compounds, starting from the works by P. Sabatier and V.N. Ipatieff. Particular attention is paid to the results of synthesis and investigation of hydrogenation metal catalysts based on Ni, Pd and Pt since they are significant for practical application. Modern trends and promising lines of investigation in the field of hydrogenation processes and catalysts are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate and directions of transformations during the liquid-phase hydrogenation of furfural with molecular hydrogen in the presence of the 5%Pd/C catalyst (at 423 K, 3 MPa) depend substantially on the chemical nature of the solvent. The main products of the catalytic transformations in alcohols are alkyl furyl ethers. Hydrogenation in solvent environment of aromatic hydrocarbons and 1,4-dioxane (nonpolar solvents), as well as in ethyl acetate and DMF (polar aprotic solvents) leads to the predominant formation of furfuryl alcohol, and its highest selectivity (up to 92%) is achieved with the use of DMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GEOCHEQ_Isotope software package, elaborated previously for modeling chemical and carbon isotope equilibria in hydrothermal and hydrogeochemical systems by minimizing the Gibbs energy, is extended to the simultaneous calculation of carbon and oxygen isotopic effects. Similar to what was done for carbon, the β-factor formalism was used to develop algorithms and a database for calculating the isotopic effects of oxygen. According to the developed algorithm, the Gibbs energy of formation of a rare isotopologue, G*(P, T), is calculated through the Gibbs energy of formation of the main isotopologue, the value of the β18O factor of this substance, and the mass ratio of the rare (18O) and main (16O) isotopes. The isotope mixture is assumed to be ideal. The temperature dependence of the β-factor is unified as a polynomial in reciprocal absolute temperature. Necessary information on oxygen isotope equilibria involving important geochemical compounds was critically analyzed, and the available data were reconciled and modified. The temperature dependences of the β18O-factors were correspondingly optimized. The thermodynamic database was updated by adding information on the temperature dependence of β18O-factors specified by polynomial coefficients for each substance. The usage of the GEOCHEQ_Isotope software package and the corresponding database is demonstrated by modeling the dependence of oxygen and carbon isotope fractionation factors on the acidity of the solution (pH) in a carbonate hydrothermal system. The simulation results are in a good agreement with experimental data available from the literature. The enrichment of dissolved carbonates in the 18O heavy oxygen isotope relative to water decreases with increasing pH of the system. At the same time, a pH increase results in a decrease in the negative carbon isotope shift between calcite and dissolved carbonates. At high pH values (~11), the isotope shift inversion and the enrichment of the dissolved carbonate in the heavy carbon isotope relative to calcite are predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the current status of viroid infection in potato fields in Russia, potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) and chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd) were detected in potato (Solanum tuberosum) and S. nigrum plants growing in the Volga (V), North-Western (NW), and Far Eastern (FE) federal districts in Russia. While both PSTVd and CSVd were detected in potato samples from the V and FE regions, only CSVd was detected in potato samples from NW. CSVd was detected in S. nigrum from FE, and this was the first detection of CSVd in S. nigrum. Analysis of the complete genomes of 30 PSTVd and 10 CSVd variants revealed that 5 and 7 PSTVd variants from V and FE, respectively, and 2, 4, and 3 CSVd variants from V, NW, and FE, respectively, were new. Analysis of the infectivity of and symptoms caused by 15 Russian PSTVd isolates in tomato revealed that 14 PSTVd isolates caused intermediate or severe symptoms, and only FP14 caused mild symptoms. Our survey revealed that most of the Russian PSTVd isolates from V and FE caused intermediate symptoms in tomato, and the genome sequences were identical to that of PSTVd isolated from S. demissum. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the Russian PSTVd variants showed their close relationship to previously studied PSTVd isolates, suggesting that most strains in Russia have not substantially changed genetically, but have widely spread in potato fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental samples of solid-state thin-film lithium-ion batteries (STLIBs) of the LiCoO2/LiPON/Si@O@Al electrochemical system are manufactured using traditional mask technology by radio frequency magnetron sputtering of both the electrodes and electrolyte. The obtained samples have a specific capacity corresponding to the modern published data on industrial STLIB samples. The developed STLIB samples are capable of long (about 1000 cycles) cycling with an acceptable loss of capacity, provided that the charging voltage is limited to 3.7 V. Exceeding the charging voltage leads to an increase in the charging capacity, but to a noticeable acceleration of degradation during cycling. At cycling currents over 20 μA/cm2, the inverse proportionality between the current and the discharge capacity is observed, which is determined by the delayed solid-phase diffusion of lithium. With a decrease in the cycling current, the discharge capacity approaches the theoretical capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic properties of the tungstated alumina (WA) supported catalysts with different nature and content of active metal (Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ni) were studied in the continuous flow hydrodeoxygenation of sorbitol at a temperature of 653 K, a pressure of 4.0 MPa, and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1.0 h−1. The catalysts were characterized by N2 physical adsorption, H2-TPR, CO chemisorption, TEM, and NH3-TPD. It was found that all catalysts provide complete conversion of sorbitol with the formation of C5–C7 hydrocarbons as the main products which include n-alkanes, cycloalkanes, and isoalkanes. The yield of С5–С7 hydrocarbons after 1 h of the reaction increases from 42 to about 74 mol% in a series of catalysts: 5% Ni/WA < 0.5% Ru/WA < 0.5% Pd/WA < 0.5% Rh/WA < 0.5% Pt/WA. The calculated value of the research octane number (RON) for the С5–С7 mixture rises from ca. 62 to 80 in a series of catalysts: 0.5% Pt/WA < 0.5% Pd/WA < 0.5% Rh/WA < 5% Ni/WA < 0.5% Ru/WA. The stable yield and RON values (no less than 57 mol% and 70, respectively) of С5–С7 hydrocarbon mixture are achieved during hydrodeoxygenation over the 0.5% Pd/WA catalyst for 8 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equilibrium-kinetic modeling allows investigating metal behavior in the water–rock-organic matter system with time to evaluate anthropogenic effects on the environment. In the article, the interactions of stagnant mine drainage water of the flooded mine "Arsenic" with ore and gangue minerals were simulated using different organic matter incorporation approaches. If the model is closed to humic substances (no additional organic matter input), most fulvic acids are bound in the Fe fulvate complex. While under the removal of Fe fulvate from the model, the Cu fulvate becomes prevalent, the contribution of the fulvate complexes with Zn, Mg, and Ca also increases. This scenario simulates the organo-mineral complexes behavior well and allows identifying the sequence of metal binding to organic ligands as follows Fe > Cu > Zn > Mg > Ca. The second scenario imitates the constant input of organic matter to the model (open system regarding humic substances). The dissolved metal concentrations in the model solution are extremely high in comparison to the mine drainage water. This scenario demonstrates that excessive input of organic matter leads to the accumulation of the metals in a dissolved form and blocks the secondary mineral formation despite the faster dissolution of the primary minerals under a more acidic pH than in the first scenario. However, despite the differences between the model solution and the mine drainage water, this scenario is useful to address specific issues associated with changes in natural and anthropogenic conditions. Both scenarios show the importance of organic matter incorporation to the equilibrium-kinetic models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of metallurgical inheritance on the structure and mechanical properties of semiproducts from alloy 01570 of the Al – Mg – Sc system is studied by x-ray phase analysis, electron microscopy, x-ray energy dispersive analysis, tensile tests and electron fractography. The structure of the ingot and the conditions of the deformation and of the heat treatment are shown to affect the structure and properties of the semiproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrenophora tritici-repentis is a phytopathogenic fungus, which forms specific phytotoxins encoded by the ToxA and ToxB genes. The aim of the study was to identify the genetic nuclear polymorphism on the ToxA and ToxB genes as evidence of the heterokaryotic state of P. tritici-repentis strains. The novelty of the study was evaluation of the proportion of nuclei with the ToxA or ToxB gene relative to the total pool of nuclei with the reference gene Act1 by quantitative PCR for the detection of heterokaryons. Twenty-one P. tritici-repentis strains from three geographical populations, as well as mitotic (conidial) and meiotic generations of individual strains (103 subclones), were analyzed in the study. The proportion of nuclei with the ToxA gene in 70% of P. tritici-repentis ToxA+ strains from the Kazakhstan population was in the range of 0.24–0.65, indicating their heterokaryotic state. In the Greek population, 20% of P. tritici-repentis ToxB+ strains characterized by the proportion of nuclei with the ToxB gene much more than 1 were detected, while at least 40% of the strains were also heterokaryotic. Probably the proportion of nuclei with effector genes is a genetically inherited trait. The low polymorphism of the proportion of nuclei with effector genes among the mitotic generation was revealed. At the same time, a broader variability of the proportion of nuclei with ToxA among the meiotic generation was found. The functional role of nuclear polymorphism for the adaptation of P. tritici-repentis isolates in the population requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elements of the jaw apparatuses of the ammonite genus Kepplerites (Ammonoidea: Stephanoceratoidea, Kosmoceratidae, Keppleritinae) are described from two Upper Bathonian and one Lower Callovian localities of the Russian Platform. The lower jaws (aptychi), based on their size and shape can be assigned to two groups and certainly belonged to the co-occurring macroconchs K. (Kepplerites) and theirs microconchs K. (Toricellites). It is established that the presence or absence of tuberculate ornamentation on the surface calcite layer in the studied kosmoceratid aptychi (and accordingly the assignment of the aptychi of kosmoceratids to Granulaptychus-type or Praestriaptychus-type) is a result of burial and fossilization in different settings. Most likely all Kosmoceratidae had lower jaws of the Granulaptychus-type, apparently like the related subfamily Garantianinae (family Stephanoceratidae). For the first time, upper jaws of cephalopods supposedly also belonging to the ammonites of genus Kepplerites are described from the Bathonian Stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We carried out equilibrium-kinetic modeling the interaction of the integrated technological sample from the Pavlovskoe ore deposit with atmospheric precipitates to estimate the potential environmental contamination during mining. Accumulation of major (Zn, Pb) and trace (Cu, Co, Cd, As, Hg, Se, Hg, Sb) ore elements in aqueous solution during summer period has been calculated. It has been shown that the aqueous solution after the interaction acquires sulfate–calcium composition and accumulates Zn, Sb, and Hg in concentrations exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GEOCHEQ_M and GEOCHEQ_Isotope databases and codes were used to simulate the evolution of chemical interactions with time in the closed systems aqueous solution 0.495 М NaCl + 0.0194 M NaHCO3 + olivine (Fo91) at temperatures of 200 and 320°C and a pressure of 350 bar. The solution to rock mass ratios, selected temperature and pressure, the chemical composition and size of the olivine grains, the chemical composition of the aqueous solution, and the duration of interactions correspond to those in experiments described in (McCollom et al., 2016; McCollom, 2016). The carbon isotope composition of NaHCO3 was the only one to change. Instead of NaH13CO3 used in the experiment, our simulations were carried out assuming the carbon isotope composition of belemnite from the Peedee Formation, South Carolina, United States. The results of these simulations were compared with the experimental results. As in the experiments, the newly formed mineral assemblage consists of Mg-rich serpentine, brucite, and magnetite, with a minor magnesite amount at 200°С. The calculated rate of olivine serpentinization is close to the experimental one. The calculations yield higher dissolved methane contents than in the experiments. This may be explained by ignoring kinetic constraints of the reaction between dissolved CO2,aq and hydrogen generated during serpentinization. Fractionation of carbon isotopes was calculated between dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), newly formed hydrocarbons, and magnesite. The hydrocarbons are significantly enriched in the light isotope with respect to DIC and with respect to magnesite at 200°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of porosity on the charge-discharge characteristics of thin films based on an Si–O–Al nanocomposite with two types of structure, homogeneous and columnar, is studied. An additional increase in the porosity of thin Si–O–Al films is achieved by removing the phase, where when etching in a solution of hydrofluoric acid. The charge-discharge characteristics of the films were investigated in half-cells in the galvanostatic mode. It is shown that processing films with a columnar structure leads to an increase in their specific capacity and stability under extreme charge-discharge modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]