Controlled Synthesis of BaCO3 Microstructures Using Various Natural Gums - A Biomimetic Approach

In this study, Barium carbonate microstructures assembled from nanorods are successfully synthesized at room temperature and screw capped method at 100C. The experiments show that the protocol followed for the synthesis of BaCO3 as well as the concentration of various gums used, play an important role in the size and morphology of BaCO3. Here in, we obtained witherite type nanorods aggregates with unusual morphologies via transformation of metal carbonates at different conditions using natural gums as additives. A rational mechanism based on the oriented self-assembly of BaCO3 nuclei is proposed for the formed architectures. The crystals undergo an interesting morphology changes and have been well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. This method is simple, low-cost and environmentally friendly route for the synthesis of BaCO3 microstructures with altogether different morphologies.

PRACTICE-ORIENTED APPROACH TO THE FORMATION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE TRANSITION TO THE SYSTEM OF ADVANCED TRAINING

The possibility of applying a new form of personnel training on the principle of an open system that includes training modules that are embedded in the educational program based on «best practices» has been analysed. When implementing the educational program, the circle of participants has been expanded. The participants are partner universities and enterprises that provide access to new technologies and material and technical base. The proposed practice-oriented model of education allows us to form a rational mechanism for co-financing educational programs by all its participants. An approach to personnel training with a reserve of high professional growth based on a practice-oriented educational environment has been proposed. The conducted analysis of normative legal acts has made it possible to determine the most effective forms of interaction between participants in the educational platform and new principles for organizing advanced training. The role of innovative scientific and technological centers in the formation of a new model of personnel training has been determined.

Mode-of-action profiling reveals glutamine synthetase as a collateral metabolic vulnerability of M. tuberculosis to bedaquiline

Combination chemotherapy can increase treatment efficacy and suppress drug resistance. Knowledge of how to engineer rational, mechanism-based drug combinations, however, remains lacking. Although studies of drug activity have historically focused on the primary drug–target interaction, growing evidence has emphasized the importance of the subsequent consequences of this interaction. Bedaquiline (BDQ) is the first new drug for tuberculosis (TB) approved in more than 40 y, and a species-selective inhibitor of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) ATP synthase. Curiously, BDQ-mediated killing of Mtb lags significantly behind its inhibition of ATP synthase, indicating a mode of action more complex than the isolated reduction of ATP pools. Here, we report that BDQ-mediated inhibition of Mtb’s ATP synthase triggers a complex metabolic response indicative of a specific hierarchy of ATP-dependent reactions. We identify glutamine synthetase (GS) as an enzyme whose activity is most responsive to changes in ATP levels. Chemical supplementation with exogenous glutamine failed to affect BDQ’s antimycobacterial activity. However, further inhibition of Mtb’s GS synergized with and accelerated the onset of BDQ-mediated killing, identifying Mtb’s glutamine synthetase as a collateral, rather than directly antimycobacterial, metabolic vulnerability of BDQ. These findings reveal a previously unappreciated physiologic specificity of ATP and a facet of mode-of-action biology we term collateral vulnerability, knowledge of which has the potential to inform the development of rational, mechanism-based drug combinations.

New orientation of study on economic psychology and behaviour

Economic psychology refers to the impact of psychological factors on economic changes, and its outward manifestation is economic behaviour. Psychology, as a science studying human psychology and behaviour, has no reason to ignore the study of economic activities. This study summarizes the latest research results and conclusions of economic psychology from three aspects of behaviour level, body signal and other people’s movement or displacement. In addition, it expounds the reflection of economic psychology, the reflection of rational human hypothesis of traditional economics and the prospect of future research. From the perspective of economic psychology, it is of great significance to analyse the psychological motivation behind the conflicts and interests in the study of economic psychology and behaviour so as to construct the harmonious behaviour relationship of “psychological contract” on the basis of the rational mechanism of interest distribution.

The Mechanism Of Implementation Of The Constitution Of The Russian Federation

The Constitution, as the main universal and comprehensive legal document, establishes fundamental principles and defines the legal basis for development of public and state life in all politically significant spheres, serves as a guarantor of legitimacy and order, gives a boost to the development of society. The special political and legal nature of the constitution, the issues of its operation and the mechanism of its implementation are of great importance. In accordance to the authors’ approach, the mechanism of implementation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation includes the following components: 1) entry of the constitution into legal force; 2) its functions; 3) constitutional algorithm of unity and differentiation of public authority; 4) forms of implementation; 5) ways of implementation; 6) subjects of implementation; 7) objects of implementation; 8) institutions for modernization; 9) guarantees of implementation. The authors conclude that the modern scientific ideas of a rational mechanism of implementation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation contribute to solving the issues of economic and cultural development of the Russian society, help creating favorable conditions for proper law enforcement, strengthening legitimacy and order.

The Problem of Universal Judgments in Aristotle’s Ethics

The author sets a goal to show the specificity of the formulation of universal prescriptive judgments about a virtuous act (moral norms) in the framework of Aristotelian ethical doctrine. To achieve this goal, Aristotle’s philosophy concept of practical wisdom (phronesis) is analyzed. It shows a necessity to distinguish the use of practical wisdom in a personal experience of the act and for forming the inter-subjective practical knowledge (episteme) about making of a virtuous act. The specificity of ethics as practical knowledge and its difference from individual moral experience are defined by means of the distinction of the use of practical wisdom. It also shows the limitations of practical syllogism as the main rational mechanism for the formation of inter-subjective practical knowledge. Additionally, the universal prescriptive judgments are divided into informative and functional: the former reveals the content of the action, the latter – its structure, that is, the former defines what a person must do, the latter defines what an action should be to comply with the right purpose, consequently, the right content. At the same time, the right content is recognized only in individual experience and can not be expressed universally, without losing its practical value. The author concludes that the formulation of informative universal prescriptive judgments is impossible within the framework of Aristotelian ethical doctrine. It is impeded by the unsolvable problem of the correlation between the general and the particular, the transition from descriptive judgments to prescriptive judgments. However, it is possible to formulate functional universal prescriptive judgments. They also constitute the methodological basis for criticism of the accepted in society moral norms, which are based on the past positive experience of actions.

Chronic pain – the idea of mechanism orientated treatment

Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying chronic pain syndromes is a significant progress in modern pain medicine. Understanding the basic differences between acute and chronic pain processes, learning about the mechanisms of transition from acute to chronic pain, allows us to change the approach to pain management from commonly used empirical approach to more rational mechanism-oriented pain treatment. In many patients with chronic pain, empiric therapy, which does not consider the mechanisms of pain, is not fully effective. Often, when planning pharmacotherapy, current knowledge about the pain etiology and mechanisms of pain chronification is not considered. Management based on already known mechanisms of pain, using rational pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological methods, may improve the quality and effectiveness of pain management.

Constructing A Rational Kinetic Model of the Selective Propane Oxidation Over A Mixed Metal Oxide Catalyst

This research presents a kinetic investigation of the selective oxidation of propane to acrylic acid over a MoVTeNb oxide (M1 phase) catalyst. The paper contains both an overview of the related literature, and original results with a focus on kinetic aspects. Two types of kinetic experiments were performed in a plug flow reactor, observing (i) steady-state conditions (partial pressure variations) and (ii) the catalyst evolution as a function of time-on-stream. For this, the catalyst was treated in reducing atmosphere, before re-oxidising it. These observations in long term behaviour were used to distinguish different catalytic routes, namely for the formation of propene, acetic acid, acrylic acid, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. A partial carbon balance was introduced, which is a ‘kinetic fingerprint’, that distinguishes one type of active site from another. Furthermore, an ‘active site’ was found to consist of one or more ‘active centres’. A rational mechanism was developed based on the theory of graphs and includes two time scales belonging to (i) the catalytic cycle and (ii) the catalyst evolution. Several different types of active sites exist, at least as many, as kinetically independent product molecules are formed over a catalyst surface.