Magnetic Coupling Between Non-Magnetic Ions: Eu3+ in EuN and EuP

We consider the electronic structure of, and magnetic exchange (spin) interactions between, nominally nonmagnetic Eu^3+ ions (4f^6, S=3, L=3, J=0) within the context of the rocksalt structure compounds EuN and EuP. Both compounds are ionic [Eu^3+; N^3- and P^3-] semimetals similar to isovalent GdN. Treating the spin polarization within the 4f shell, and then averaging consistent with the J=0 configuration, we estimate semimetallic band overlaps (Eu 5d with pnictide 2p or 3p) of ~0.1 eV (EuN) and ~1.0 eV (EuP) that increase (become more metallic) with pressure. The calculated bulk modulus is 130 (86) GPa for EuN (EuP). Exchange (spin-spin) coupling calculated from correlated band theory is small and ferromagnetic in sign for EuN, increasing in magnitude with pressure. Conversely, the exchange coupling is antiferromagnetic in sign for EuP and is larger in magnitude, but decreases with compression. Study of a two-site model with S_1*S_2 coupling within the J=0,1 spaces of each ion illustrates the dependence of the magnetic correlation functions on the model parameters, and indicates that the spin coupling is sufficient to alter the Van Vleck susceptibility. We outline a scenario of a spin-correlation transition in a lattice of S=3, L=3, J=0 nonmagnetic ions

КОРРЕКЦИЯ ИММУНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ НАРУШЕНИЙ У БЕРЕМЕННЫХ С ХРОНИЧЕСКИМ ПИЕЛОНЕФРИТОМ

Дослідження проведено з метою оцінки ефективності пребіотика лактулози як імунокорегуючого засобу при загостренні хронічного пієлонефриту у вагітних із функціональними запорами. Матеріал та методи дослідження. Проведено обстеження та лікування 37 вагітних жінок із загостренням хронічного пієлонефриту, які страждають функціональними закрепами. Тривалість спостереження склала 28 діб. У всіх вагітних вивчали показники антиендотоксинового імунітету, фагоцитарну активність клітин крові та рівень цитокінів. Результати дослідження. Виявлено, що у пацієнток, які отримували лактулозу в комплексному лікуванні пієлонефриту, нормалізуються такі показники антиендотоксінових імунітету як Ig класів А, M і G до ліпополісахариду кишкової палички та рівень експресії ліпополісахаридзв’язуючих рецепторів гранулоцитами і моноцитами периферичної крові, а також підвищується фагоцитарна активність гранулоцитів периферичної крові, як фактор неспецифічного захисту, при достовірно якнайшвидшому зниженні активності запальних реакцій. Висновки. Використання пребіотика лактулози у комплексному лікуванні загострення хронічного пієлонефриту у вагітних з функціональними закрепами веде до нормалізації вказаних показників антиендотоксинового імунітету, а також до підвищення фагоцитарної активності гранулоцитів периферичної крові

The Bubble regime of laser-plasma acceleration: monoenergetic electrons and the scalability

The Bubble regime of electron acceleration in ultra-relativistic laser plasma is considered. It has been shown that the bubble can produce ultra-short dense bunches of electrons with quasi-monoenergetic energy spectra. The first experiment in this regime done at LOA has confirmed the peaked electron spectrum (J. Faure, et al., {\it submitted}, 2004). The generated electron bunch may have density an order of magnitude higher than that of the background plasma. The bubble is able to guide the laser pulse over many Rayleigh lengths, thus no preformed plasma channel is needed for high-energy particle acceleration in the bubble regime. In the present work we discuss a simple analytical model for the bubble fields as well as the scaling laws.Comment: accepted for publication in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 200

Strong laser fields as a probe for fundamental physics

Upcoming high-intensity laser systems will be able to probe the quantum-induced nonlinear regime of electrodynamics. So far unobserved QED phenomena such as the discovery of a nonlinear response of the quantum vacuum to macroscopic electromagnetic fields can become accessible. In addition, such laser systems provide for a flexible tool for investigating fundamental physics. Primary goals consist in verifying so far unobserved QED phenomena. Moreover, strong-field experiments can search for new light but weakly interacting degrees of freedom and are thus complementary to accelerator-driven experiments. I review recent developments in this field, focusing on photon experiments in strong electromagnetic fields. The interaction of particle-physics candidates with photons and external fields can be parameterized by low-energy effective actions and typically predict characteristic optical signatures. I perform first estimates of the accessible new-physics parameter space of high-intensity laser facilities such as POLARIS and ELI.Comment: 7 pages, Key Lecture at the ELI Workshop and School on "Fundamental Physics with Ultra-High Fields", 9 September - 2 October 2008 at Frauenworth Monastery, German

Эволюция системы экологических налогов, сборов и платежей в Российской Федерации

The article presents an analysis of the development of the system of taxes and fees on natural resources in the Russian Federation from 1991 to 2017. The authors note that within the period under review, the system of natural resource taxation has undergone significant changes related to the political and economic transformational processes in the Russian Federation. The last few years of modernization of the domestic economy have required a review of the attitude towards rental income, nature management and the environment as a whole. The last fact is confirmed by the fact that the current year is declared the year of ecology in our country. The aim of the study is to summarize information on the structural elements of the system of environmental taxes, fees and payments in the Russian Federation. The main focus of the authors’ attention is directed to mechanisms for regulating the consumption of natural resources by both natural and legal persons, as well as the need to restore natural potential after consumption within the framework of financial and production activities of economic entities in the Russian Federation. The main analytical materials of the study were the Russian legal framework and accompanying regulatory by-laws in the field of taxation, official explanations of the relevant authorities, accompanying analytical and statistical materials, publications of scientific and periodicals. In order to increase the objectivity of the conclusions, the following methods were used: the method of scientific abstraction, analysis, synthesis, comparison, modeling, grouping of data. In addition, an analysis of the scientific literature, the legal framework was applied. The result of the study was the identification of two basic categories of payments. Environmental taxes (mineral extraction tax, water tax, land tax, transport tax) and environmental charges (collection for use of wildlife and aquatic biological resources. One-time and regular payments for use and collection for participation in a tender (auction) for the use of subsoil, payment for the use of a water body, payment for the negative impact on the environment, recycling environmental charges, payments of the Citizens-legal nature: the rent for the use of forests, for the use of land). The mechanisms of their collection are presented in details. Based on the results of the study, the authors recommend clarifying and simplifying the mechanisms of legislative regulation of the whole set of natural resources payments and proposing the creation of a transparent and understandable management and control system for the careful exploitation of the ecological potential of the territories of the Russian Federation. An analysis of the current system of taxes and the corresponding system of payments made it possible to conclude that at the legislative level there is no single line on the regulation of nature-resource payments. Such randomness, according to the authors, is difficult to explain, since there is no reason why this or that form of tax, collection, civil-legal payment is not argued anywhere. It is noted that the exact concept of environmental tax is absent in the legislation of the Russian Federation, but this terminological phrase is used unofficially to designate some payment obligations. В статье представлен анализ развития системы налогов и сборов на природные ресурсы в Российской Федерации с 1991 по 2017 гг. Авторы отмечают, что в рамках рассматриваемого периода времени система природоресурсного налогообложения претерпела значительные изменения, связанные с политическими и экономическими трансформационными процессами в Российской Федерации. Последние несколько лет модернизационных преобразований отечественной экономики потребовали пересмотра отношения к рентным доходам, природопользованию и окружающей среде в целом. Последний факт подтверждается и тем, что текущий год объявлен годом экологии в нашей стране. Целью исследования является обобщение информации о структурных элементах системы экологических налогов, сборов и платежей в Российской Федерации. Основной фокус внимания авторов направлен на механизмы регулирования потребления природных ресурсов как физическими, так и юридическими лицами, а также на необходимость восстановления природного потенциала после его потребления в рамках финансово-производственной деятельности хозяйствующих субъектов в РФ. Основными аналитическими материалами исследования стали российская правовая база и сопутствующие нормативные подзаконные акты в области налогообложения, официальные разъяснения профильных органов власти, сопутствующие аналитические и статистические материалы, публикации научной и периодической печати. В целях повышения объективности выводов применялись следующие методы: метод научной абстракции, анализа, синтеза, сравнения, моделирования, группировки данных. Помимо этого, применялся анализ научной литературы, нормативно-правовой базы. Результатом исследования стало выявление двух базовых категорий платежей: экологические налоги (налог на добычу полезных ископаемых; водный налог; земельный налог; транспортный налог) и экологические сборы (сбор за пользование объектами животного мира и водными биологическими ресурсами; разовые и регулярные платежи за пользование и сбор за участие в конкурсе (аукционе) на пользование недрами; плата за пользование водным объектом; плата за негативное воздействие на окружающую природную среду; утилизационный экологический сбор; платежи гражданско-правового характера: арендная плата за пользование лесами; за пользование земельными участками). Отдельно детально представлены механизмы их взимания. По итогам исследования авторами рекомендуется проведение уточнения и упрощения механизмов законодательного регулирования всей совокупности природоресурсных платежей, а также предлагается создание прозрачной и понятной системы управления и контроля в целях бережной эксплуатации экологического потенциала территорий Российской Федерации. Анализ действующей системы налогов и соответствующей системы платежей позволил сделать вывод о том, что на законодательном уровне отсутствует единая линия по регулированию природоресурсных платежей. Подобная хаотичность, по мнению авторов, сложно объяснима, так как законодательно нигде не аргументирована та или иная форма налога, сбора, гражданско-правового платежа. Отмечается, что точное понятие экологического налога отсутствует в законодательстве РФ, но это терминологическое словосочетание используют неофициально для обозначения некоторых платёжных обязательств.

Construction of nutrient media for L-form brucella

Dry nutrient media on the basis of hepatic infusion and Siberian roach hydrolyzate are constructed. Experimental data demonstrate that these media possess high sensitivity, completely inhibit growth of S-form Brucella, do not require рН adjustment, filtration and autoclaving. They can be used for isolation, cultivation and accumulation of L-form Brucella for bacteriological diagnostics of brucellosis. As these media are accessible for transportation, they are applicable for stationary and field conditions

Comparison of proton channel, phagocyte oxidase, and respiratory burst levels between human eosinophil and neutrophil granulocytes.

Robust production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by phagocyte NADPH oxidase (phox) during the respiratory burst (RB) is a characteristic feature of eosinophil and neutrophil granulocytes. In these cells the voltage-gated proton channel (Hv1) is now considered as an ancillary subunit of the phox needed for intense ROS production. Multiple sources reported that the expression of phox subunits and RB is more intensive in eosinophils than in neutrophils. In most of these studies the eosinophils were not isolated from healthy individuals, and a comparative analysis of Hv1 expression had never been carried out. We performed a systematic comparison of the levels of essential phox subunits, Hv1 expression and ROS producing capacity between eosinophils and neutrophils of healthy individuals. The expression of phox components was similar, whereas the amount of Hv1 was approximately 10-fold greater in eosinophils. Furthermore, Hv1 expression correlated with Nox2 expression only in eosinophils. Additionally, in confocal microscopy experiments co-accumulation of Hv1 and Nox2 at the cell periphery was observed in resting eosinophils but not in neutrophils. While phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced peak extracellular ROS release was approximately 1.7-fold greater in eosinophils, oxygen consumption studies indicated that the maximal intensity of the RB is only approximately 1.4-fold greater in eosinophils. Our data reinforce that eosinophils, unlike neutrophils, generate ROS predominantly extracellularly. In contrast to previous works we have found that the two granulocyte types display very similar phox subunit expression and RB capacity. The large difference in Hv1 expression suggests that its support to intense ROS production is more important at the cell surface

TRPV6 Determines the Effect of Vitamin D3 on Prostate Cancer Cell Growth

Despite remarkable advances in the therapy and prevention of prostate cancer it is still the second cause of death from cancer in industrialized countries. Many therapies initially shown to be beneficial for the patients were abandoned due to the high drug resistance and the evolution rate of the tumors. One of the prospective therapeutical agents even used in the first stage clinical trials, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, was shown to be either unpredictable or inefficient in many cases. We have already shown that TRPV6 calcium channel, which is the direct target of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor, positively controls prostate cancer proliferation and apoptosis resistance (Lehen'kyi et al., Oncogene, 2007). However, how the known 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 antiproliferative effects may be compatible with the upregulation of pro-oncogenic TRPV6 channel remains a mystery. Here we demonstrate that in low steroid conditions 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 upregulates the expression of TRPV6, enchances the proliferation by increasing the number of cells entering into S-phase. We show that these pro-proliferative effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 are directly mediated via the overexpression of TRPV6 channel which increases calcium uptake into LNCaP cells. The apoptosis resistance of androgen-dependent LNCaP cells conferred by TRPV6 channel is drastically inversed when 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 effects were combined with the successful TRPV6 knockdown. In addition, the use of androgen-deficient DU-145 and androgen-insensitive LNCaP C4-2 cell lines allowed to suggest that the ability of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to induce the expression of TRPV6 channel is a crucial determinant of the success or failure of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-based therapies