Life Sciences International Postgraduate Educational Center

Diffusion preserves the positivity of concentrations, therefore, multicomponent diffusion should be nonlinear if there exist non-diagonal terms. The vast variety of nonlinear multicomponent diffusion equations should be ordered and special tools are needed to provide the systematic construction of the nonlinear diffusion equations for multicomponent mixtures with significant interaction between components. We develop an approach to nonlinear multicomponent diffusion based on the idea of the reaction mechanism borrowed from chemical kinetics.

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Either extracts, cell-free suspensions or bacterial suspensions are used to study bacterial lipid peroxidation processes. Along with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and several other strategies, the thiobarbituric acid test is used for the determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) as the basis for the commercial test kits and the colorimetric detection of lipid peroxidation. The aim of the current study was to evaluate lipid peroxidation processes levels in the suspensions, extracts and culture supernatants of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Derby strains. The dependence of the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances levels in the cell extracts, the suspensions and cell-free supernatants on bacterial species, and their concentration and growth phase were revealed. The effect of bacterial concentrations on MDA formation was also found to be more pronounced in bacterial suspensions than in extracts, probably due to the dynamics of MDA release into the intercellular space. This study highlights the possible importance of MDA determination in both cell-free suspensions and extracts, as well as in bacterial suspensions to elucidate the role of lipid peroxidation processes in bacterial physiology, bacteria–host interactions, as well as in host physiology.

The effect of magnetized physiological solution (MPS) on isolated, perfused snail heart muscle contractility, (45)Ca uptake and intracellular level of cAMP, and cGMP was studied. The existence of the relaxing effect of MPS on heart muscle at room temperature (22 degrees C) and its absence in cold medium (4 degrees C) was shown. The MPS had a depressing effect on (45)Ca uptake by muscles and intracellular cAMP content and an elevating effect on intracellular cGMP level. It is suggested that the relaxing effect of MPS on heart muscle is due to the decrease of intracellular Ca ions as the result of activation of cGMP-dependent Ca efflux. The MPS induced decrease of intracellular cAMP content can be considered as a consequence of intracellular Ca loss, leading to the Na + K-ATPase reactivation, and causing the decrease of the intracellular level of ATP, serving as a substrate and positive modulator of cyclase activity.

In the present work, the frequency-dependent effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) on Escherichia coli K-12 growth have been studied. The frequency-dependent effects of ELF EMF have shown that it can either stimulate or inhibit the growth of microbes. However, the mechanism by which the ELF EMF affects the bacterial cells is not clear yet. It was suggested that the aqua medium can serve as a target through which the biological effect of ELF EMF on microbes may be realized. To check this hypothesis, the frequency-dependent effects (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 Hz, B = 0.4 mT, 30 min) of ELF EMF on the bacterial growth were studied in both cases where the microbes were in the culture media during the exposure and where culture media was preliminarily exposed to the ELF EMF before the addition of bacteria. For investigating the cell proliferation, the radioactive [(3)H]-thymidine assay was carried out. It has been shown that EMF at 4 Hz exposure has pronounced stimulation while at 8 Hz it has inhibited cell proliferation.

The comparative study of the effects of 5.8 mW/cm(2) Millimeter Waves (MMW) and near Infrared (IR) irradiation on thermal properties, specific adsorption rate (SAR), specific electrical conductivity (SEC) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) content of distilled water (DW), and physiological solutions (PS) was performed. The thermal effect of MMW irradiation appeared only after the first minute of irradiation, while the IR heating started from the first minute of irradiation. The heat fusion of frozen MMW-treated DW and PS was significantly less than sham and IR-treated DW and PS. MMW irradiation had time-dependent elevation effect on water SEC and SAR, which was accompanied by the increase of H(2)O(2) formation in it. We suggest that the MMW-induced vibration of water dipole molecules caused the non thermal changes of physicochemical properties of DW and PS, which promote the formation of H(2)O(2) in water.

The effect of 4 Hz EMF treated physiological solution (PS) on acetylcholine (Ach) sensitivity of the snail neuron was studied. The 4 Hz EMF treated normal PS at room temperature (23 degrees C) has a depressing effect on Ach induced current, while in cold medium (12 degrees C) this effect disappeared. EMF treated, ouabain containing, K-free PS elevates the Ach-induced current at room temperature. It is suggested that the metabotropic effect of EMF treated PS is due to the activation of cGMP-dependent Na:Ca exchange, leading to the decrease of the number of functional active receptors in the membrane, through Na-K pump-induced cell shrinkage, and to increase the receptors affinity to Ach, as the result of decrease of intracellular Ca concentration.

The weak knowledge on the nature of cellular and molecular mechanisms of biological effects of NIR such as static magnetic field, infrasound frequency of mechanical vibration, extremely low frequency of electromagnetic fields and microwave serves as a main barrier for adequate dosimetry from the point of Public Health. The difficulty lies in the fact that the biological effects of NIR depend not only on their thermodynamic characteristics but also on their frequency and intensity "windows", chemical and physical composition of the surrounding medium, as well as on the initial metabolic state of the organism. Therefore, only biomarker can be used for adequate estimation of biological effect of NIR on organisms. Because of the absence of such biomarker(s), organizations having the mission to monitor hazardous effects of NIR traditionally base their instruction on thermodynamic characteristics of NIR. Based on the high sensitivity to NIR of both aqua medium structure and cell hydration, it is suggested that cell bathing medium is one of the primary targets and cell hydration is a biomarker for NIR effects on cells and organisms. The purpose of this article is to present a short review of literature and our own experimental data on the effects of NIR on plants' seeds germination, microbe growth and development, snail neurons and heart muscle, rat's brain and heart tissues.

Non thermal (NT) effect of direct radiation 4 Hz-modulated 90-160 GHz of Millimeter Waves (MMW) and preliminary MMW-treated physiological solution (PS) influence were studied on snail isolated neuron, rat's brain tissue hydration and skin penetration. It was shown that the 4 Hz-modulated low intensity 90-160 GHz MMW direct radiation and MMW-treated PS leads to on single neuron shrinkage, skin and brain tissue dehydration. On the basis of obtained data it was suggested that the cell bathing aqua medium serve as a target through which the NT effect of MMW on cell hydration is realized. The MMW-induced brain tissue dehydration can considering as consequence of MMW-induced skin water structural changes leading to unknown messenger formation able to modulate the brain cell hydration. The extrasensitivity of cell hydration to low intensity of MMW radiation allow to recommend cell hydration as a cellular marker for estimation of the NT biological effect of MMW on cells and organisms.

The aim of current paper was to investigate the possibility of increasing the toxicity of calcium hypochlorite (Ca(ClO) 2 ) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) on Escherichia coli K-12 by preliminary enrichment of culture media by carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). For this purpose, the microbes sensitivity to H 2 O 2 or/and Ca(ClO) 2 at normal and CO 2 -enriched medium was studied by spectrophotometric, radioisotopic, and electronmicroscopic methods. Ten-minute preincubation in CO 2 -enriched medium enhanced the toxic effect of both H 2 O 2 or/and Ca(ClO) 2 on bacteria as a result of induced growth inhibition, compared to no-CO 2 enriched group. Additionally, changes in cell morphology and proliferation were observed. It was demonstrated that the preliminary incubation of microbes in CO 2 -enriched culture media in nonsupercritical concentration elevate the toxic effect of H 2 O 2 or/and Ca(ClO) 2 on microbes. This can serve as a novel, effective, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly approach for water purification from bacteria, further improving the protection of the environment and human health.

In modern conditions of the development of globalization processes, any advantages are important for each company in the competitive struggle for the consumer. One of them is the implementation of corporate social and environmental responsibility measures and taking into account its practices in the formation of the company's competitive strategy. The study considers the issue of mechanisms for implementing corporate social and environmental responsibility in companies. The main purpose of the research is to determine corporate social and environmental responsibility role in ensuring the company's competitiveness and to substantiate the methodology of corporate social and environmental responsibility integrated assessment based on the indicators that allow for the needs of stakeholders to be taken into account. It is confirmed that an effective mechanism for corporate social and environmental responsibility implementation by companies is to take into account its practices in the formation of a competitive strategy. The authors analysed the companies' competitiveness indicators that are determined by corporate social and environmental responsibility. It was suggested to use the 4P-complex of corporate social and environmental responsibility for assessing the competitive advantages of the company. It synthesizes such components as follows: People, Planet, Profits and Partnership. These components are characterized by relevant indicators. To assess the effectiveness of implementing the corporate social and environmental responsibility principles into the company's competitive strategy, the authors suggest using the integral corporate social and environmental responsibility index, which synthesizes the assessment of company's corporate social and environmental responsibility by indicators of four components -4P-complex. The relationship between the integral corporate social and environmental responsibility index and indicators of individual components is proposed to be determined using the geometric average.

The changes of wet and dry weights of barley seed in different periods of swelling were studied in seeds treated with Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (ELF EMF), Static Magnetic Fields (SMF) and Mechanical Vibrations (MV) in cold (4 degrees C) and warm (20 degrees C) distilled water as well as in seeds non-treated (control). The metabolic dependent seed hydration, dry weight loss and water binding in seed were modulated by preliminary EMF, SMF and MV-induced treatment of distilled water. The specific electrical conductivity (SEC) of control and treated distilled water was measured before the seed incubation. Frequency and intensity "windows" (i.e. range of frequency or intensity) for the effect of EMF, MV and SMF (correspondingly) on seed hydration, solubility and water binding in seed were studied. These "windows" were different in various phases of seed swelling. It is suggested that water structure modification is the result of valence angle changes (SMF and EMF) and dipole molecules vibration (EMF and MV) has different effects on the process of hydration, solubility and water binding in seed. These results are important from the point of understanding the mechanisms of the biological effect of EMF, as well as from the point of agriculture.

In the present work there have been studied the frequency-dependent effects of mechanical vibration (MV) and extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) on bacterial cell proliferation. It was suggested that the aqua medium can serve as a target through which the biological effect of MV and ELF EMF on microbes could be realized. To check this hypothesis the frequency-dependent effect (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 Hz) of both MV (8 mm displacement) and EMF (0.4 mT intensity) on the bacterial cell proliferation were studied in both cases where the microbes were in the culture media during the exposure and when culture media was preliminarily exposed to the ELF EMF and MV prior to the addition of bacteria. For investigating the cell proliferation a tritiated thymidine ([ 3 H]dT) assay was used. This study demonstrated that 4 and 8 Hz EMF and MV have different biological effects on bacterial cell proliferation.

The reason for hyper magnetosensitivity of young animals compared to older ones remains unclear. It has been suggested that age-induced tissue dehydration (decreased water content) could be a basis for the aging-related decrease in the organism's magnetosensitivity. To test this hypothesis, the effect of a 0.2 T static magnetic field (SMF) exposure on heart muscle hydration in three age groups of rats (young, adult, and older) was studied, with and without ouabain poisoning. The SMF exposure resulted in heart muscle dehydration of young (21%) and adult (6.2%) rats but had no effect on older animals. In young animals without ouabin poisoning, SMF exposure caused dehydration of the heart muscle while in the ouabain-poisoned animals it led to hydration (29.6%). These hydration effects were more pronounced in young animals than in adult and older animals. The increased hydration (5.7%) of heart muscles in older animals was evoked by providing distilled water for seven days, which elevated (by 12%) the SMF-induced heart muscle hydration effect. These results suggest that the hyper magnetosensitivity of the young heart muscle and the lower sensitivity of older animals are due to initial high (83.5%) and low (75.3%) tissue hydration levels, respectively. Therefore, the age-induced decrease in the magnetosensitivity of heart muscle is likely to be a result of Na(+)/K(+) pump dysfunction.

Tissue hydration, dose-dependent 3 H-ouabain binding, 45 Ca 2+ exchange in rat's brain cortex, subcortex and cerebellum were studied in three age groups.Age-dependent tissue dehydration in all three zones of brain was due to inhibition of Na + /K + pump.The age-dependence of cell hydration in cortex was more expressed.The curve of dose-dependent ouabain binding consists of three components corresponding to Na + /K + pump isoforms (α 1, α 2, α 3 ).Age-dependency of these isoforms was more expressed in cortex than in subcortex and cerebellum.High affinity receptors were depressed in old rats' brain tissues.Initial 45 Ca 2+ uptake in three brain zones of old rats was depressed as compared to that of young animals.Ouabain at 10 -9 M has activation effect on 45 Ca 2+ uptake, which was also age dependent.Initial 45 Ca 2+ efflux in cortex and subcortex tissue in old rats was significantly depressed as compared to young ones while in cerebellum the opposite age-dependence was observed.The curves of dosedependent ouabain effect on 45 Ca 2+ efflux and cell hydration consist of 6 components.However, close correlation between kinetics of 45 Ca 2+ efflux and cell hydration was not observed.It is suggested that brain tissue dehydration in aged animals is a consequence of Na + /K + pump dysfunction induced intracellular calcium elevation.It is suggested that α 3 receptors are functionally connected with intracellular Ca 2+ buffering systems through intracellular signaling systems and their dysfunction in aged brain is a consequence of [Ca 2+ ] i increase.Obtained data allow us to conclude that endogen nanomolar ouabain-like species circulating in mammals' blood removing Ca 2+ from cells could have a beneficial effect on brain of old animals.

The changes of wet and dry weights and germination of barley seed in different periods of its swelling in nontreated (control), extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF) )-treated, and extremely low frequency vibrations (ELFV)-treated cold (4 degrees C) and warm (20 degrees C) distilled water (DW) were studied. The metabolic-dependent seed hydration, dry weight dissolving, germination, and water binding in seed were modulated by preliminary EMF- and ELFV-treated DW. Frequency "windows" for the effect of EMF and ELFV on seed hydration, solubility, water binding in seed, and germination were discovered. These "windows" were different for EMF and ELFV, as well as in various phases of seed swelling. It is suggested that EMF-induced water structure modification has a different biological effect on the process of seed hydration, solubility, water binding in seed, and germination compared to ELFV.

Age-dependent effect of Static Magnetic Field (SMF) on rats in a condition of active and inactive Na(+)/K(+) pump was studied for comparison of brain tissues hydration state changes and magnetic sensitivity. Influence of 15 min 0, 2 Tesla (T) SMF on brain tissue hydration of three aged groups of male albino rats was studied. Tyrode's physiological solution and 10(-4) M ouabain was used for intraperitoneal injections. For animal immobilization, the liquid nitrogen was used and the definition of tissue water content was performed by tissue drying method. Initial water content in brain tissues of young animals is significantly higher than in those of adult and aged ones. SMF exposure leads to decrease of water content in brain tissues of young animals and increase in brain tissues of adult and aged ones. In case of ouabain-poisoned animals, SMF gives reversal effects on brain tissue's hydration both in young and aged animals, while no significant effect on adults is observed. It is suggested that initial state of tissue hydration could play a crucial role in animal age-dependent magnetic sensitivity and the main reason for this could be age-dependent dysfunction of Na(+)/K(+) pump.

Abstract. Odontological studies, which constitute a considerable part of anthropological research, have been predominantly based on visual, or odontoscopic, examination of teeth. The most studied parts are coronal parts of teeth in terms of their relief features, and, in reference to the current study, tooth cusp relief eminence, sharpness of cusp tips and degree of tooth outer slope inclination are of interest. Traditional odontological methods, in addition to visual, suggest measurement techniques for coronal parts in mesio-distal and vestibular-oral dimensions, which actually do not possess methodological potential for reasonable angular measurements. However, the suggested automated digital odontometric method, being largely based on photogrammetric techniques applied to 3D images of teeth, has showed its usability for such assessments. Tooth shape analysis is provided through software, being permanently elaborated in terms of automation degree for measurement objectivity and precision increase, as well as in expansions of parameters variety. Odontological samples from Upper Palaeolithic archaeological site of Sungir are picked for measurements in the current study due to their presumably archaic relief of molars, described for this unique finding by prominent odontologist A.A Zubov. This research includes comparisons with odontological material, which historically refers to significantly later periods (Early Bronze and Modern Era). The applied digital method has showed its effectiveness in estimation of parameters of demand in anthropological studies, and evaluations of visual studies and measurements are suggested in the article.

This paper deals with education quality assessment from the perspective of stakeholders on the example of Armenian higher education institutions. It is established that the National Quality Assurance Center of Armenia (ANQA) has separated seven key domains to recognize and assess the quality: institutional capacity, educational programs, knowledge management, student-centered approach, information management, funding, quality culture. For each of them there are certain criteria and standards that are applied by universities as a guide for the development of their own strategy.

"Changes in cell hydration" have been hypothesized as an input signal for intracellular metabolic cascade responsible for biological effects of nonionizing radiation (NIR). To test this hypothesis a comparative study on the impacts of different temperature and NIR (infrasound frequency mechanical vibration (MV), static magnetic field (SMF), extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF), and microwave (MW)) pretreated water on the hydration of barley seeds in its dormant and germination periods was performed. In dormant state temperature sensitivity (Q 10) of seed hydration in distilled water (DW) was less than 2, and it was nonsensitive to NIR treated DW, whereas during the germination period (48-72 hours) seeds hydration exhibited temperature sensitivity Q 10 > 2 and higher sensitivity to NIR treated DW. Obtained data allow us to suggest that the metabolic driving of intracellular water dynamics accompanied by hydrogen bonding and breaking is more sensitive to NIR-induced water structure changes in seed bathing aqua medium than the simple thermodynamic processes such as osmotic gradient driven water absorption by seeds in dormant state. Therefore, cell hydration is suggested to be a universal and extrasensitive biomarker for detection of biological effects of NIR on cells and organisms.