Degree Of Tolerance Research Articles

Numerical investigation of gold nano-polygonal structures as SERS-active substrates using near and far-sided excitation

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), an offshoot of Raman spectroscopy, has emerged as a popular detection/diagnostic technique that enhances Raman signal significantly when the analyte is placed in the vicinity of plasmonic structures. The design of a resilient SERS-active substrate constituted of gold polygonal nano-patterns with varying number of corners on SiO2 substrate has been proposed in this work. Different polygonal structures (n = 3 to n = 10) have been optimized in this study, yielding high electric field enhancement; ≈ 109in near sidedmode and≈1010 in far sided mode. In terms of design parameters, the proposed SERS substrates are robust with a high degree of tolerance. In addition, it has been established that the proposed SERS-active substrates are reproducible, such that experimental findings can be replicated owing to the precise positioning of hot-spots. The proposed SERS substrate responds to several analytes, such as rhodamine B, nicotine with a high degree of sensitivity. The suggested SERS substrate can be fabricated employing contemporary nano-lithography techniques such as e-beam lithography (EBL), focused ion beam (FIB) lithography, etc. The proposed structures can be used in various applications including detection of explosive, biomolecules, narco-analysis, detection of food and water adulterants etc.

Variability of maize genotypes in the expression of tolerance to European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.)

The backbone of modern technologies is the creation of tolerant genotypes at the ECB with special emphasis on the interaction between the degree of plant damage and metabolic processes as potential responses to stress. During the vegetation period of 2016 and 2018, the variability and response of four maize genotypes to the effectiveness of insecticides and bioinsecticides and the interdependence with the dynamics of the ECB population were examined. Out of a total of 11,023 attacked plants in both years of the survey, in 2016 the largest number of plants (4,841) with a broken stalk above the ear and at the height of the ear and belonged to categories C3 to C8. In 2018, there was no damage to the tassel and ear, while 3,672 plants were dominated by leaf damage and perforation in the H2 type. In addition to the fact that more infested plants were observed in the genotypes, ZP 434 and ZP 666 the categories of damage type C5, C6 and C7 were more pronounced. The foliar treatment of plants with chlorantraniliprole in two-year research proved to be the most effective with the least number of attacked plants with a high degree of damage. In contrast, bioinsecticide treatment of plants, in addition to a large number of infested plants, was dominated by high categories of damage that deviated from all other treatments as well as from control. Within the definition of the degree of tolerance of maize genotypes, the influence of treatment on changes in secondary metabolites (phytins) in seeds was observed. It was noticed that there is a trend of positive correlation between the amount of phytin in the seed (mg g-1) with the attack of moths of the first generation and the number of dissected larvae, as well as a trend of negative correlation with the percentage of attacks of the second generation. Correlation coefficients are expressed: in the genotype ZP-600, while in the genotype ZP-666 correlation is the lowest, ie. irrelev?nt. The obtained results may be of great importance in future work aimed at the selection of maize genotypes tolerant and resistant to corn borer attack, connected to the role of phytin, as an antioxidant and phosphorus deposited in corn grain.

Behavioural and physiological responses to salinization and air exposure during the ontogeny of a freshwater South American snail.

Salinization is of global concern, threatening freshwater biodiversity. Salinity tolerance is highly variable and therefore needs to be evaluated on a species-specific basis. An estuarine population of Chilina dombeiana, a freshwater gastropod endemic to Chile and classified as vulnerable, has been recently found in the Biobío River's mouth, suggesting some degree of tolerance to brackish waters. This study evaluated the survival, behaviour (medium preference) and physiology of C. dombeiana when exposed to salinities higher than freshwater, thus elucidating the potential mechanisms used to survive salinization. Chilina dombeiana belongs to the Pulmonate group;, so we evaluated oxygen uptake in air and water, aiming to evaluate emersion as a potential avoidance response to a progressive salinity increase. Complete embryo development was observed for salinities ≤ 16 PSU (practical salinity units) but hatching rates above 50% were only achieved in freshwater (0 PSU). It was also found that salinity had stage-specific effects during embryonic development. In adults, acute exposure to brackish water (12 PSU) caused a decrease in oxygen consumption (compared to freshwater), in the ammonium excretion rates and in the percentage of muscular water content. Although C. dombeiana was able to take up oxygen in both mediums, survival in air decreased over time (days), which correlates with the behavioural preference to remain submerged, even at elevated salinities. Considering the survival of adults and embryos decreased as salinity increased and the lack of an avoidance behaviour or a physiological ability to maintain homeostasis at salinities higher than freshwater, our results suggest this snail could be adversely affected by salinization in the long term. Furthermore, given the ability of C. dombeiana to uptake oxygen in both mediums, it should be considered as a facultative air breather snail, rather than a strictly aquatic species.

Моделирование распространения, численности и выживаемости видов: новые возможности и методы

Моделирование распространения, численности и выживаемости видов: новые возможности и методы

Variability of maize genotypes in the expression of tolerance to European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.)

The backbone of modern technologies is the creation of tolerant genotypes at the ECB with special emphasis on the interaction between the degree of plant damage and metabolic processes as potential responses to stress. During the vegetation period of 2016 and 2018, the variability and response of four maize genotypes to the effectiveness of insecticides and bioinsecticides and the interdependence with the dynamics of the ECB population were examined. Out of a total of 11,023 attacked plants in both years of the survey, in 2016 the largest number of plants (4,841) with a broken stalk above the ear and at the height of the ear and belonged to categories C3 to C8. In 2018, there was no damage to the tassel and ear, while 3,672 plants were dominated by leaf damage and perforation in the H2 type. In addition to the fact that more infested plants were observed in the genotypes, ZP 434 and ZP 666 the categories of damage type C5, C6 and C7 were more pronounced. The foliar treatment of plants with chlorantraniliprole in two-year research proved to be the most effective with the least number of attacked plants with a high degree of damage. In contrast, bioinsecticide treatment of plants, in addition to a large number of infested plants, was dominated by high categories of damage that deviated from all other treatments as well as from control. Within the definition of the degree of tolerance of maize genotypes, the influence of treatment on changes in secondary metabolites (phytins) in seeds was observed. It was noticed that there is a trend of positive correlation between the amount of phytin in the seed (mg g-1) with the attack of moths of the first generation and the number of dissected larvae, as well as a trend of negative correlation with the percentage of attacks of the second generation. Correlation coefficients are expressed: in the genotype ZP-600, while in the genotype ZP-666 correlation is the lowest, ie. irrelev?nt. The obtained results may be of great importance in future work aimed at the selection of maize genotypes tolerant and resistant to corn borer attack, connected to the role of phytin, as an antioxidant and phosphorus deposited in corn grain.

ИДЕЯ ОБЩЕСТВЕННОГО ДОГОВОРА В ТРУДАХ ТОМАСА ГОББСА

The article considers the theory of the social contract by T. Hobbes, based on the ideas of achieving and maintaining social order through, in fact, the absolute power of the state in the person of the sovereign. Hobbes’ ideas have regained relevance in conditions of extreme uncertainty of the further development of mankind, in conditions of declining popularity of the liberal model of governance, democratic institutions of power, the diminished efficiency of which is clearly demonstrated in emergency situations. Social order arises from the situation of appointing the sovereign as an arbitrator, not only for the balance of private interests, but also because citizens should perceive him as an instance of truth. In addition, Hobbes’ idea of achieving and ensuring security through the state becomes extremely suitable for the implementation of modern concepts of state security related to the possibility of total citizen control, with the degree of tolerance for the interference in the lives of citizens.

,,zů gedechtnisse irer selen“. : Strategien zur Sicherung des Seelenheils in den spätmittelalterlichen Testamenten aus Worms

Abstract Hardly any other genre of sources provides historians with as much information about the medieval contemporaries’ concept of the afterlife as wills. At the intersection of material and spiritual concerns, the testators had to make elementary decisions for their relatives’ financial support, as well as their own pursuit of salvation. The late medieval testamentary tradition in the city of Worms shows that the testators applied quite individual strategies in the distribution of their goods in the area of tension between the need for provision of their own families and the endowment of the clergy. The law of inheritance offered a certain degree of tolerance for the testators’ own decisions. The specific distribution of goods to trustworthy persons and (spiritual) institutions, allowed the creation of an individual and self-determined memoria. Furthermore, legal instruments, such as the revocation of earlier wills, the designation of successor beneficiaries of endowments, or the threat of penalties in the case of incorrect execution of the last will, allowed the drafters to secure their arrangements even for the time after their own death.

Testing the integrated risk and sustainability assessment (RSA) framework for ‘water scarcity – water reuse’ situations: The case of Cerrillos de Tamaya, Chile

The projected increase in ‘water scarcity – water reuse’ situations, the associated risks and sustainability challenges, and trends towards holistic approaches motivate the development of integrated assessment for decision-making. The integrated Risk and Sustainability Assessment (RSA) Framework combines the analysis and evaluation of both risk and sustainability of ‘water scarcity – water reuse’ situations. This work aims to test the RSA Framework in a case study in Chile. The analysis uses a multi-layer approach and lane-based approach to translate the real-world system into an information system and to determine interlinkages between indicators. The evaluation involves thresholds and weights to calculate risk and sustainability sub-indices and an RSA index applying TOPSIS. The results indicate low interlinkage between risk and sustainability indicators, visibilising the importance of which and how indicators are considered and what they measure. They show a higher than tolerable degree of risk but an acceptable degree of sustainability. The relevance of spatial and temporal scales for the assessment becomes evident. Spatial aspects are key in determining the degree of water scarcity and how the impact of water reuse can be included in its calculation. Temporal aspects complicate the integration of risk (scenario-based) and sustainability (snapshot mode) assessments. The TOPSIS method appears to be suitable for the aggregation of risk and sustainability performance indicators. Altogether, the results show the potential of the RSA Framework for organising and processing information required to support decision-makers addressing ‘water scarcity – water reuse’ situations from the perspectives of risk and sustainability.

Enzymatic Macrolactamization of mRNA Display Libraries for Inhibitor Selection.

mRNA display is a powerful, high-throughput technology for discovering novel, peptide ligands for protein targets. A number of methods have been used to expand the chemical diversity of mRNA display libraries beyond the 20 canonical amino acids, including genetic code reprogramming and biorthogonal chemistries. To date, however, there have been few reports using enzymes as biocompatible reagents for diversifying mRNA display libraries. Here, we report the evaluation and implementation of the common industrial enzyme, microbial transglutaminase (mTG), as a versatile biocatalyst for cyclization of mRNA display peptide libraries via lysine-to-glutamine isopeptide bonds. We establish two separate display-based assays to validate the compatibility of mTG with mRNA-linked peptide substrates. These assays indicate that mTG has a high degree of substrate tolerance and low single round bias. To demonstrate the potential benefits of mTG-mediated cyclization in ligand discovery, high diversity mTG-modified libraries were employed in two separate affinity selections: (1) one against the calcium and integrin binding protein, CIB1, and (2) the second against the immune checkpoint protein and emerging therapeutic target, B7-H3. Both selections resulted in the identification of potent, cyclic, low nanomolar binders, and subsequent structure-activity studies demonstrate the importance of the cyclization to the observed activity. Notably, cyclization in the CIB1 binder stabilizes an α-helical conformation, while the B7-H3 inhibitor employs two bridges, one mTG-derived lactam and a second disulfide to achieve its potency. Together, these results demonstrate potential benefits of enzyme-based biocatalysts in mRNA display ligand selections and establish a framework for employing mTG in mRNA display.

Carya Species for Use in the Managed Landscape: Predicted Drought Tolerance

Impressive ornamental features including exfoliating bark and golden fall color are among the reasons why hickories [Carya (Nutt.)] are sought after by horticulturists. Their potential for application in the green industry continues to grow as producers and consumers in the United States become more interested in adopting native plants; however, an absence of knowledge that defines which species are tolerant of abiotic stresses in the landscape limits their use. If production of stress-tolerant hickories increases, they could be used to diversify urban forests and may bolster the resiliency of managed landscapes. We examined the predicted leaf water potential at the turgor loss point to estimate drought tolerance among several species of hickories and pecans adapted to growing in northern climates in the United States. Our hypotheses were that because some bottomland habitats experience seasonal drought in addition to flooding, taxa adapted to these sites may be more drought tolerant than previously assumed, and that the degree of drought tolerance would be variable within species and populations. Predicted mean leaf turgor loss measured in summer across species was −3.38 MPa. Kingnut hickory [Carya laciniosa (F. Michx.) Loud.] exhibited the lowest mean summer leaf turgor loss point −3.64 MPa), whereas pignut hickory [Carya glabra (Mill.) Sweet.] exhibited the highest (−3.20 MPa). Provenance of trees studied influenced estimated drought tolerance of C. laciniosa. Variability between individual trees within each species was observed, suggesting clonal selections of each taxon can be made for drought-prone landscapes. The results of this work imply that all the species studied are at least moderately drought tolerant and should be considered for planting in managed landscapes. Further, species often associated with riparian habitats may exhibit substantial tolerance to drought and should not be excluded from use on drought-prone sites.

Pragmatism as Anti-Authoritarianism by Richard Rorty

Reviewed by: Pragmatism as Anti-Authoritarianism by Richard Rorty J. A. Colen RORTY, Richard. Pragmatism as Anti-Authoritarianism. Edited by Eduardo Mendieta. Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2021. xxxv + 236 pp. Cloth, $27.95 This book reproduces Richard Rorty's manuscript of the Ferrater Mora Lectures held in Spain in 1996, about ten years before his death. The preface is signed "Bellagio, July 22, 1997." Robert Brandom's foreword for the book states that its publication is an "epoch-making event" since it was "long-lost" in the abysses of Catalan and Spanish languages. We could think that this should be taken with a grain of salt, considering that large sections of the book were previously published even in English. Chapter 1, "Pragmatism and Religion," was printed in the Revue Internationale de Philosophie in 1999; chapter 2, "Pragmatism as Romantic Polytheism," was collected in The Revival of Pragmatism (ed. Morris Dickstein) in 1998; and lectures 3 and 4 appear in a 2000 book edited by Robert Brandom. Chapter 7 was printed in Rorty's Philosophy and Social Hope, and 8, 9, and 10 were published in his Philosophical Papers. So truly, only chapters 5 and 6 were entirely ignored by the Anglophone reader. Rhetoric aside, it is nonetheless a very important book, and perhaps even an epoch-making one, although the Rortian scholar will never find himself in unchartered territory. It is indeed epoch-making for at least three different kinds of reasons. Firstly, the complete book with Rorty's own preface and all the lectures set together, carefully edited by Eduardo Mendieta, with notes and an insightful epilogue, presents Rorty's "mature version and vision of his path-breaking pragmatism." The oral nature of the delivery adds some charm to the text, and the recovery of the whole book-length text is epochal since, in spite of being a prolific writer of distinctive and provocative texts, Rorty's books are scarce: He wrote just four important books, in comparison with hundreds of shorter pieces. (It could even be argued that even his four main books are "fragments" that in some instances lack cogency.) Secondly, the political landscape has largely changed. People used to fight for the Truth. It may very well be that the combat of ideas by resorting to words with capital letters, interesting as it often is, doesn't make for the best arguments. When the flag of Truth (uppercase) is raised in politics, reason easily becomes the prey of the passions of the soul. Mendieta aptly titled his interviews with Rorty with the motto "take care of freedom and Truth will take care of itself." The notion that the highest [End Page 363] degree of freedom and tolerance and the lowest degree of dogmatism arise when no truth is believed was not Rorty's own invention, and in fact it has a long ancestry. But Rorty is surely among its most vocal advocates and a remarkable thinker. Right now, the situation looks entirely different. Rorty's indefatigable struggle against the idea of truth in politics was all too successful. Could it happen that the owl of Minerva rises again at dusk, and the book emerges when people are no longer fighting about truth but against fake news? In fact, a new post-truth era was just inaugurated. Thus, the book makes an amazing read for those who are interested in the genealogy of an old idea: the death of Truth—an irony that Rorty would have appreciated. Thirdly, Rorty is an unavoidable figure in contemporary political philosophy, but his pragmatism has always been somewhat mysterious. Despite his praise of the early pragmatists and his dismissive attitude towards "depth," very few doubt that his arguments are deeper and go further than, say, John Dewey's. Nor was he exactly one of the so-called new pragmatists such as Putnam, Huw Price, or Robert Brandom. Nevertheless, his bold and iconoclastic attacks on "representationalism," the naïve idea that language and thought merely mirror the world, really were influential, or even gave birth to a new pragmatism. But he was not one of them. (Etienne Gilson used to quote a saying according to which God...

Sex-differences in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in subjects with impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance

AimsTo assess sex-related differences in whole-body insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in a group of Caucasian subjects with varying degrees of glucose tolerance. MethodsSex-related differences in insulin sensitivity using the hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamp technique and insulin secretion using validated indexes obtained during an oral glucose tolerance test were examined among 570 non-diabetic offspring individuals having only one parent with type 2 diabetes. Participants were classified as having with NGT, isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFG), isolated impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and combined IFG/IGT. ResultsIsolated IFG, isolated IGT, and combined IFG/IGT women exhibited greater relative differences in BMI, waist circumference, and insulin-stimulated glucose disposal than their male counterparts. Formal tests for glucose tolerance status × sex interaction were statistically significant for BMI (P = 0.05) waist circumference (P = 0.04), and insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (P = 0.01) suggesting a sex-specific association. By contrast, tests for glucose tolerance status × sex interaction regarding both insulinogenic and disposition indexes were not significant. ConclusionsThis study suggests that deterioration of glucose homeostasis in women is associated with a greater fat accumulation and worsening in insulin sensitivity as compared with men.

Apoptosis and cellular stress induction in human leukocytes by dental X-rays

In clinical practice, the use of ionizing radiation, such as X-rays, is of importance in diagnostic procedures. The X-ray equipment is operated by the dentist himself before, during, and after an oral cavity procedure in dental offices. The occupationally exposed personnel (POES) receive an exposure dose, causing stochastic damage that is not commonly considered but is cumulative. Due to the above, a relationship between leukopenia and exposure to X-rays has been reported. Analysing the expression of bioindicators that allow determination of the degree of homeostatic tolerance to different exposure doses is one way to diagnose cell damage caused by this. This study aimed to evaluate cell viability, the expression of Hsp70, p53, caspase 8 and 3, and morphological changes related to apoptosis in human leukocytes exposed to X-rays from dental equipment. Whole blood from healthy subjects was used and exposed to different doses of X-rays from dental diagnostic equipment (2.28 ± 0.05, 4.56 ± 0.09, 9.12 ± 0.18, and 13.69 ± 0.27 mGy). Following this, morphology was assessed by Wright's stained blood smear of whole blood leukocytes. Subsequently, leukocytes were isolated by Ficoll Histopaque gradients from whole blood, and cell viability was measured. Finally, the Western blot technique identified the leukocyte proteins Hsp70, p53, and caspases. In the observed results, a decrease in cell viability from 96.6% to 45.4% was noticed; viability decreased as the dose of X-ray exposure increased. The expression of Hsp70, p53, Caspase 8, and 3 gradually increased up to the third dose and decreased in the last dose. Likewise, morphological changes characteristic of apoptotic cell death were observed from the first dose of exposure and became more significant at higher doses. In conclusion, there is cell damage in leukocytes exposed to low doses of X-rays; this information is relevant to implementing protection mechanisms for POES that regularly use this equipment for diagnosis in the field of dentistry.

Effects of hypoxia and reoxygenation on mitochondrial functions and transcriptional profiles of isolated brain and muscle porcine cells

Oxygen fluctuations might occur in mammalian tissues under physiological (e.g. at high altitudes) or pathological (e.g. ischemia–reperfusion) conditions. Mitochondria are the key target and potential amplifiers of hypoxia-reoxygenation (H-R) stress. Understanding the mitochondrial responses to H-R stress is important for identifying adaptive mechanisms and potential therapeutic solutions for pathologies associated with oxygen fluctuations. We explored metabolic response to H-R stress in two tissue types (muscle and brain) with different degrees of hypoxia tolerance in a domestic pig Sus scrofa focusing on the cellular responses independent of the systemic regulatory mechanisms. Isolated cells from the skeletal muscle (masseter) and brain (thalamus) were exposed to acute short-term (15 min) hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. The mitochondrial oxygen consumption, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production rates and transcriptional profiles of hypoxia-responsive mRNA and miRNA were determined. Mitochondria of the porcine brain cells showed a decrease in the resting respiration and ATP synthesis capacity whereas the mitochondria from the muscle cells showed robust respiration and less susceptibility to H-R stress. ROS production was not affected by the short-term H-R stress in the brain or muscle cells. Transcriptionally, prolyl hydroxylase domain protein EGLN3 was upregulated during hypoxia and suppressed during reoxygenation in porcine muscle cells. The decline in EGLN3 mRNA during reoxygenation was accompanied by an upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor subunit α (HIF1A) transcripts in the muscle cells. However, in the brain cells, HIF1A mRNA levels were suppressed during reoxygenation. Other functionally important transcripts and miRNAs involved in antioxidant response, apoptosis, inflammation, and substrate oxidation were also differentially expressed between the muscle and brain cells. Suppression of miRNA levels during acute intermittent hypoxia was stronger in the brain cells affecting ~ 55% of all studied miRNA transcripts than in the muscle cells (~ 25% of miRNA) signifying transcriptional derepression of the respective mRNA targets. Our study provides insights into the potential molecular and physiological mechanisms contributing to different hypoxia sensitivity of the studied tissues and can serve as a starting point to better understand the biological processes associated with hypoxia stress, e.g. during ischemia and reperfusion.

Distributionally Robust Optimization Model for a Minimum Cost Consensus with Asymmetric Adjustment Costs Based on the Wasserstein Metric

When solving the problem of the minimum cost consensus with asymmetric adjustment costs, decision makers need to face various uncertain situations (such as individual opinions and unit adjustment costs for opinion modifications in the up and down directions). However, in the existing methods for dealing with this problem, robust optimization will lead to overly conservative results, and stochastic programming needs to know the exact probability distribution. In order to overcome these shortcomings, it is essential to develop a novelty consensus model. Thus, we propose three new minimum-cost consensus models with a distributionally robust method. Uncertain parameters (individual opinions, unit adjustment costs for opinion modifications in the up and down directions, the degree of tolerance, and the range of thresholds) were investigated by modeling the three new models, respectively. In the distributionally robust method, the construction of an ambiguous set is very important. Based on the historical data information, we chose the Wasserstein ambiguous set with the Wasserstein distance in this study. Then, three new models were transformed into a second-order cone programming problem to simplify the calculations. Further, a case from the EU Trade and Animal Welfare (TAW) program policy consultation was used to verify the practicability of the proposed models. Through comparison and sensitivity analysis, the numerical results showed that the three new models fit the complex decision environment better.

Estimation of exercise tolerance in bike track racing based on analysis of heart rate variability in athletes of various level of training

Assessment of the tolerance of the training load by cyclists who participate in track races is a significant indicator of the adaptive reactivity of the athletes' bodies. The circulatory system of athletes, during cycling races on the track, is subject to colossal functional loads, both during training work and during competitions. The basis of the training process of female cyclists is adaptation to the effects of physical activity, which has a stimulating effect on the course of adaptive reactions of the organism of female athletes in preparation for the competition. A necessary list of heart rate variability indices has been formed, characterizing the degree of tolerance of the training load by cyclists during preparation for competitions on the track. A procedure has been developed for testing the characteristics of the heart rate variability at rest and during the aftereffect of physical activity on the body of cyclists. The results of the influence of the nervous and hormonal regulation of the heart rate on the fitness state of female cyclists are presented. It has been proven that the main indicator of the fitness level of female cyclists is the synchronization of the influence of the nervous and hormonal components of the regulation of the heart rate. The results obtained allow us to recommend the assessment of the degree of synchronization of the nervous and hormonal components of the regulation of the heart rate as the main indicator of the exercise tolerance of cyclists.

Experience in Assessing the Emotional Intelligence of University Graduates in the Specialty “Business Informatics”

The purpose of this study was to describe new approaches to the practical reaction of the educational process of training business informatics specialists to the modern challenges of digitalization of society in the field of formation of emotional intelligence of university graduates. In conditions of uncertainty, instability, high turbulence of the environment, business requirements for graduates of the education system are changing significantly: there is a transformation of the priorities of requirements from the simple formation of knowledge to skills and abilities to demonstrate the capability to work in extreme conditions, having stress resistance, high emotional intelligence. Business practice shows that in the conditions of post-pandemic and turbulence of the environment, the elements of emotional and professional “burnout” of employees significantly increase, which leads to a decrease in productivity and quality of work. These circumstances indicate the urgent relevance of the mobile restructuring of the training process, primarily in the field of digitalization of business and society as a whole.Materials and methods. In this study, an interdisciplinary approach was applied, implemented at the intersection of pedagogy, management, cultural studies, business philosophy, psychology, mathematical statis- tics, and information technology. The method of contextual analysis and synthesis of factual material was used to study the current state of the problem from publicly available information sources. The study was conducted from 2019 to 2022 at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation among students of the 4th year of bachelor’s degree and 1-2 years of master’s degree in the direction of training “Business Informatics”, studying in the profile “IT management in business”. The analysis of the existing system of training specialists shows that it is not able, even after the master’s degree, to provide business with employees who are able to carry out their functional duties with a high degree of stress tolerance, good emotion management, effective practical skills in information and communication processes in conditions of uncertainty and high turbulence.Results. Based on the results of the analysis of the information available in the public domain, the main trends in changing the requirements for practical skills and abilities of university graduates in the specialty business informatics have been identified. Using feedback from graduates of a Financial University working in Russian business, as well as with their employer managers, a list of core competencies has been compiled that are lacking in the modern educational process of universities, or which are only fragmentary in the list of Federal State Educational Standards of the Russian Federation. The authors of this work over the past four years have failed to assess the level of competence of graduates of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field of study “Business Informatics”. This result showed the urgent need to shift the emphasis of the educational process from the formation of a typical set of knowledge among students towards the formation of skills and abilities in the field of work in extreme conditions, the formation of stress resistance and emotional intelligence. Within the framework of possible corrections of working educational programs for bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business informatics, the authors began using methods and technologies for the formation of emotional intelligence, the use of tools for assessing and self-evaluating the level of competence in the elements that determine the emotional formation and development of personality.Conclusion. The analysis of doing business in the conditions of a pandemic and high turbulence of the environment showed the importance of transforming the personnel training system towards shifting priorities to the field of developing skills and abilities to work in extreme conditions, the ability to manage emotions. The higher education system, from the point of view of modern business requirements, is obliged to form, along with the total amount of knowledge (Intelligence Quotient, IQ), emotional intelligence (Emo- tion Quotient, EQ) among university graduates. The experience of evaluating graduates of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Informatics at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation shows a low level of EQ that is unacceptable from the point of view of business requirements. However, even with the fragmentary introduction of the basic elements of EQ formation during the implementation of master’s degree programs in the 1st and 2nd courses, the level of basic competencies in the field of emotional intelligence formation increases significantly.

An online stochastic MPC-based fault-tolerant optimization for microgrids

Due to the current energy dependence of society, the availability and correct functioning of microgrids are strategic issues to be dealt with. Currently, energy management systems are very focused on achieving systems that present a remarkable optimization of demand as well as a high degree of fault tolerance. This paper presents a novel Control Reconfiguration framework to manage faults based on Model Predictive Control (MPC). The proposal comprises fault detection, isolation and reconfiguration. The Fault Detection and Isolation method identifies the faults based on parity equations, structured residuals and stochastic thresholds, while the reconfiguration is focused on adapting the control law to the faulty scenario. Therefore, two different model predictive controllers are involved: MPC-1 drives the microgrid to the correct values and MPC-2 carries out the control reconfiguration, optimizing a multi-criteria objective function where outputs are the values of criteria. The new decision variables of the fault reconfiguration are the selection of mitigation actions to be performed to reduce the effects of faults. A novel formulation of this problem is provided. Experiments have been carried out on a real microgrid located in the laboratory to show the benefits of the method.

Exploring the effects of warming and nitrogen deposition on desert steppe based on soil nematodes

AbstractThe combined effects of warming and increased nitrogen (N) deposition in various ecosystems have become global issues. We used high‐throughput sequencing in an 8‐year field experiment to evaluate the impacts of the interactions between warming and nitrogen addition on soil nematode communities in a desert steppe. The soil nematode community presented with a certain degree of tolerance to warming. Warming mainly altered soil nematode diversity and community stability in deep soils whereas nitrogen addition primarily affected the nematode community in surface soils. Moreover, warming interacted with nitrogen addition exacerbated its negative effects on nematode richness and diversity. A Mantel analysis showed that soil pH was significantly negatively correlated with soil NH4+ and NO3− content. All three soil physicochemical (pH, NH4+ and NO3−) parameters were significantly correlated with desert steppe soil nematode community structure. Based on network and relative abundance analyses, we determined that Paratylenchus, Cervidellus, and Acrobeloides were the major hub soil nematode genera responding to soil warming and nitrogen addition in a desert steppe. The present study comprehensively analyzed the responses of desert steppe soil nematode communities to warming and nitrogen addition and provided an exemplar for studying the impact of environmental factors on soil nematodes communities worldwide.

Hadoop Technology

'Big Data 'describes and technologies to store, distribute, manage and analyze large-sized datasets with high-velocity. Big data can be structured, unstructured or semi-structured, resulting in incapability of conventional data management methods. Data is generated from various different sources and can arrive in the system at various rates. In order to process these large amounts of data in an inexpensive and efficient way, parallelism is used. Hadoop is the core platform for structuring Big Data, and solves the problem of making it useful for analytics purposes. Hadoop is an open-source software project that enables the distributed processing of large data sets with a very high degree of fault tolerance.