Search

This article is focused on the analysis of major approaches to plant invasion research used by Russian researchers. They fall within three main groups: 1. Conventional approaches to floristic analysis based on the Russian scientific tradition of floristic research, 2. Approaches focused on the study of the fraction of invasive flora, making blacklists and regional Black books, 3. New comprehensive approaches based on a synthesis of methods used in botany, geo-information technology and population genetics. Multivariate statistical methods allow for the visualization of various data, including those on alien species group structures in various regions. They make it possible to identify boundaries of ecological niches occupied by plants in respect to climate-and-environmental or ecological variables. An assessment of current statistical interdependence between alien plant characteristics and scores of factors limiting their dissemination facilitates the making of predictive models of plant invasion. Examples of multivariate statistical methods used in invasion biology were analyzed, along with different approaches to the study of the variability of alien species. Alien and invasive fractions of the flora of the Trans-Siberian Railway were analyzed not by administrative units but by natural biomes. This approach allowed us to assess the correlation between the number of invasive species with different natural-climatic and floristic characteristics of biomes. The publication of "Black Books" of various administrative subjects of Russia according to a unified methodology allowed us to make an inventory of invasive species over the vast territory of the country. The experience gained by Russian researchers may be further used for developing universal approaches to plant invasion research.

Mass-spectrometry-based assays nowadays play an essential role in biomedical research and clinical applications. There are different types of commercial mass spectrometers on the market today, and triple quadrupole (QqQ) is one of the time-honored systems. Here, we overview the main areas of QqQ applications in biomedicine and assess the current level, evolution, and trends in the use of QqQ in these areas. Relevant data were extracted from the Scopus database using the specified terms and Boolean operators defined for each field of the QqQ application. We also discuss the recent advances in QqQ and QqQ-based analytical platforms, which promote the clinical application of these systems, and explain the indicated substantial increase in triple quadrupole use in biomedicine. The number of biomedical studies utilizing QqQ increased 2–3 times this decade. Triple quadrupole is most intensively used in the field of endocrine research and testing. On the contrary, the relative rate of immunoassay utilization—a major competitor of chromatography–mass spectrometry—decreased in this area as well as its use within Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and forensic toxicology. Nowadays, the applications of high-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) mass spectrometers in the investigated areas represent only a small fraction of the total amount of research using mass spectrometry; however, their application substantially increased during the last decade in the untargeted search for new biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two π‐extended derivatives of boron‐dipyrromethene (BODIPY) – unsymmetrical benzo[b]‐fused BODIPY 1 and symmetrical naptho[b]‐fused BODIPY 2 – were synthesized. Spectroscopic and photophysical properties of the synthesized fluorescent dyes were investigated in various organic media. Both BODIPY 1 and BODIPY 2 distinguished by bathochromically shifted absorption and emission bands compared to their non‐fused derivatives, while possessing green (526–543 nm) and red (664–708 nm) absorbance and fluorescence, respectively. Spectral characteristics of the investigated fluorescent dyes were found to be weakly depended on solvent polarizability in case of BODIPY 1 and greatly influenced by both solvent polarizability and dipolarity in case of BODIPY 2. Quantum chemical calculations were used to clarify the relationships between geometry/electronic structure and spectral properties/solvatochromic behavior of BODIPY 1 and BODIPY 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Materials and Methods Results Conclusion Di (2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) plasticizer must be removed from polyvinylchloride (PVC) medical devices due to toxicity. DEHP/PVC blood bags were shown to provide stable quality under blood component production and to create good storage conditions for red blood cells concentrate (RBC). It is important that substitution of the DEHP maintains the RBC quality during storage, which should be achieved with Di (isononyl) cyclohexane‐1,2‐dicarboxylate (DINCH), although substitution of the plasticizer has been challenging.A DEHP‐free Top & Bottom in‐line RBC set was validated in a tertiary hospital blood bank facility. Volunteer blood donors were randomly allocated for blood collection into DINCH/PVC or DEHP/PVC set. The groups were additionally divided according to additive solution/filter combination: PAGGS‐M + DINCH/PVC filter (only with DINCH/PVC set), and SAG‐M + DINCH/PVC filter and SAG‐M + DEHP/PVC filter (only with DEHP/PVC set). Processing and storage effects were assessed in all components.RBC concentrates, platelet concentrates and plasma that was processed and stored in DEHP‐free set fulfilled European requirements for quality. The cells stored in PAGGS‐M after filtration through DEHP‐free PVC filter showed the same low haemolysis compared with conventional set at 49 days of storage. Platelets stored in DINCH/PVC bag provided a sufficient quality of platelets after 7 days of storage. Plasma maintained the coagulation factors during 12 months of storage.A new DINCH/PVC set allows production of blood components of satisfactory quality in DEHP‐free environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research support services at The University of Queensland Library (UQ Library) have evolved in response to the global and national drivers, which have impacted on broader University strategy. UQ Library's success in responding to these drivers has involved leveraging the information within, and capacity of, the institutional repository, the core of our research support services. UQ Library is a critical enabler of the University's research mission, actively partnering with researchers throughout the research lifecycle. The evolution of these services has required a shifting staffing framework, combining a traditional liaison library model with functional teams to deliver agile services, which add strategic value to the University. This article explores how functional teams, collaborating with traditional liaison librarian roles, deliver innovative services, how these services are linked by the institutional repository, and how we address key challenges of this service model.

According to the World Health Organization, ischemic stroke is the second leading cause of death in the world. Frequently, it is caused by brachiocephalic artery (BCA) atherosclerosis. Timely detection of atherosclerosis and its unstable course can allow for a timely response to potentially dangerous changes and reduce the risk of vascular complications. Omics technologies allow us to identify new biomarkers that we can use in diagnosing diseases. This research included 90 blood plasma samples. The study group comprised 52 patients with severe atherosclerotic lesions BCA, and the control group comprised 38 patients with no BCA atherosclerosis. Targeted and panoramic lipidomic profiling of their blood plasma was carried out. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the values of the indices saturated fatty acids (FAs), unsaturated FAs, monounsaturated FAs, omega-3, and omega-6. Based on the results on the blood plasma lipidome, we formed models that have a fairly good ability to determine atherosclerotic lesions of the brachiocephalic arteries, as well as a model for identifying unstable atherosclerotic plaques. According only to the panoramic lipidome data, divided into groups according to stable and unstable atherosclerotic plaques, a significant difference was taken into account: p value < 0.05 and abs (fold change) > 2. Unfortunately, we did not observe significant differences according to the established plasma panoramic lipidome criteria between patients with stable and unstable plaques. Omics technologies allow us to obtain data about any changes in the body. According to our data, statistically significant differences in lipidomic profiling were obtained when comparing groups with or without BCA atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the study of the psychotherapeutic effect provided by the fairytales of G. Kh. Andersen on the development and personalityfoundation, especially on moral, ethical and highly spiritual qualities establishment of a human being. In the masterworks of G. Kh. Andersen'sA has been revealed a profound, psychological, Christian-philosophical aspect, in gratitude being formed a special psychocultural environment, which influences on the development and personalityformation. G. Kh. Andersen fairytales texts are conceptual and have deep Christian-philosophical overtones based on humanistic principles that are awakened in every person. This overtones brings together the thoughts and feelings to the comprehension and rethinking of our spiritual values. The fairytales of G. Kh. Andersen is an indicator of personality spiritual culture.

For fishery assessment of up-to-date state of three water storage reservoirs in the northern part of the Moscow area, classical methods of hydrobiological and ichthyological investigations were used, as well as echolocation and fish-farming plane-tables for calculation of growth possibilities of fish communities representatives. The low depths (average between 2 and 2.5 m) of the Yakhromskoe and Velevskoe water storage reservoirs create favorable conditions for intensive development of aquatic plants, they show greater similarities of ichthyofauna but the low growth rate, of the bream (Abramis brama) as the main object at the amateurish fishing. The Zhestylevskoe water storage reservoir, having the greatest area and depth (average 6 m depth) and the weed filling less than 5%, shows the bream growth rate higher than that one of the 2 other water bodies. The normative-legal rules of the Russian Federation permit to register officially fish cultural and fishing areas at water storage reservoirs of more than 100 hectare what allows to determine ways of their subsequent stable exploitation. On the example of the Yakhromskoe, Zhestylevskoe and Velevskoe water storage reservoirs , algorithms of reservoirs transference from one state into another one have been given with a view to use them intensively.

Schmeichel (2007) reported that performing an initial task before completing a working memory span task can lower span scores and suggested that the effect was due to depleted cognitive resources. We showed that the detrimental effect of prior tasks depends on a match between the stimuli used in the span task and the preceding task. A task requiring participants to ignore words reduced performance on a subsequent word-based verbal span task but not on an arrow-based spatial span task. Ignoring arrows had the opposite pattern of effects: reducing performance on the spatial span task but not on the word-based span task. Finally, we showed that antisaccade, a nonverbal task that taxes domain-general processes implicated in working memory, did not influence subsequent performance of either a verbal or a spatial span task. Together these results suggest that while span is sensitive to prior tasks, that sensitivity does not stem from depleted resources. (Contains 1 figure, 2 tables and 3 footnotes.)

Addressing the problems of philosophical hermeneutics is determined by the need to reconstruct the theme of love in Russian culture in the first half of the XIX century. Russian romantics in their comprehension of love focused their attention on the spiritual component. For European romanticism, sensual love acquired a sacred meaning. Moreover, the understanding and interpretation of love by German romantic authors gradually turned into gender equality issues, women’s emancipation and liberation. F. Schlegel believed there was no difference between a man’s and a woman’s mission. Each epoch leaves its imprint and offers specific meanings for further generations to understand and interpret. Love is always a driving force for human activity and socialization. This is why our contemporaries should be able to analyze Romantic literature and philosophy which gave birth to the philosophy of love reflecting the cultural specifics and national identity.

In the article a comparative analysis of the international branding of armed forces is executed. The examples of effective national branding are given. Marketing technologies of defensive branch branding and formation of military culture are explored. Social media as a key instrument in the strategy of branding of defensive branch are considered. The Russian national branding of innovations in defense industry complex is analyzed. The successful Russian national brands in defense field are shown. The way of international collaboration strengthening in dual technologies in chemical and mechanical engineering, material science, nanotechnologies sphere is offered.

Schizophrenia is one of the most severe chronic mental disorders that is currently diagnosed and categorized through subjective clinical assessment of complex symptoms. At present, there is a recognized need for an objective, unbiased clinical test for schizophrenia diagnosis at an early stage and categorization of the disease. This can be achieved by assaying low-molecular-weight biomarkers of the disease. Here we give an overview of previously conducted research on the discovery of biomarkers of schizophrenia and focus on the studies implemented with the use of GC-MS and the least invasiveness of biological samples acquisition. The presented data demonstrate that GC-MS is a powerful instrumental platform for investigating dysregulated biochemical pathways implicated in schizophrenia pathogenesis. With this platform, different research groups suggested a number of low molecular weight biomarkers of schizophrenia. However, we recognize an inconsistency between the biomarkers or biomarkers patterns revealed by different groups even in the same matrix. Moreover, despite the importance of the problem, the number of relevant studies is limited. The intensification of the research, as well as the harmonization of the analytical procedures to overcome the observed inconsistencies, can be indicated as future directions in the schizophrenia bio-markers quest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]