Different Effects of Phototherapy for Rat Glioma during Sleep and Wakefulness

There is an association between sleep quality and glioma-specific outcomes, including survival. The critical role of sleep in survival among subjects with glioma may be due to sleep-induced activation of brain drainage (BD), that is dramatically suppressed in subjects with glioma. Emerging evidence demonstrates that photobiomodulation (PBM) is an effective technology for both the stimulation of BD and as an add-on therapy for glioma. Emerging evidence suggests that PBM during sleep stimulates BD more strongly than when awake. In this study on male Wistar rats, we clearly demonstrate that the PBM course during sleep vs. when awake more effectively suppresses glioma growth and increases survival compared with the control. The study of the mechanisms of this phenomenon revealed stronger effects of the PBM course in sleeping vs. awake rats on the stimulation of BD and an immune response against glioma, including an increase in the number of CD8+ in glioma cells, activation of apoptosis, and blockage of the proliferation of glioma cells. Our new technology for sleep-phototherapy opens a new strategy to improve the quality of medical care for patients with brain cancer, using promising smart-sleep and non-invasive approaches of glioma treatment.Russian Science FoundationPeer Reviewe

Targeting Housing Allowances in Russia

This analysis addresses the coverage and targeting performance of Russia's housing allowance programme, a programme characterized by very substantial decentralization in programme administration. Coverage in the five sample cities is generally low. Targeting of benefits in these cities -- measured either by the distribution of participants or benefits by income quintile -- is very strong, comparing favorably with the record of social assistance programmes in many countries. Importantly, targeting is found to depend significantly on local programme administration. Moreover, local economic conditions are found to be highly correlated with programme generosity and administrative practices: comparatively prosperous cities fund allowance more generously and have administrative practices that encourage participation of low income households in particular. This is occurring even though most funding for allowances now comes from regional governments. A general conclusion is the importance of including local administrative practices in participation and targeting analyses in cases where local or regional agencies have some degree of discretion in setting these rules.Housing allowance, programme participation, targeting, Russia,

Targeting Housing Allowances in Russia

This analysis addresses the coverage and targeting performance of Russia's housing allowance programme, a programme characterized by very substantial decentralization in programme administration. Coverage in the five sample cities is generally low. Targeting of benefits in these cities - measured either by the distribution of participants or benefits by income quintile - is very strong, comparing favorably with the record of social assistance programmes in many countries. Importantly, targeting is found to depend significantly on local programme administration. Moreover, local economic conditions are found to be highly correlated with programme generosity and administrative practices: comparatively prosperous cities fund allowance more generously and have administrative practices that encourage participation of low income households in particular. This is occurring even though most funding for allowances now comes from regional governments. A general conclusion is the importance of including local administrative practices in participation and targeting analyses in cases where local or regional agencies have some degree of discretion in setting these rules.Housing allowance, programme participation, targeting, Russia,

GEANT4 Simulation of Photoneutron Spectrum from Medical Linear Accelerator

Photons with energy totaling more than 10 MeV provide efficient treatment for deeply seated tumors but interact with the nuclei of high-Z materials constituting a head of the linac. These interactions result in photoneutrons that deliver an additional out-of-field dose to the patient, which increases the risk of radiation-induced cancer. Monte Carlo simulation is an accurate strategy for estimating the effective photoneutron dose for a patient. In the current study, the possibility of using GEANT4 to calculate the photoneutron spectrum from the medical linac was investigated. The free-in-air photoneutron spectrum from a head of the linac was simulated using the NeutronHP experimental package. Validation of the simulated model was carried out based on a comparison of simulated and measured percentage depth–dose curves from photons in the water phantom. The obtained photoneutron spectrum was compared with the previously measured spectrum at the Varian Thilogy linac. GEANT4 may improve the accuracy of calculations of the effective dose based on photoneutrons. However, the simulated model should be improved and optimized. In the future, this model may constitute a physical basis for the prediction of the risk of radiation-induced cancer at our clinical center

Strategy for the development of agricultural enterprises

The article is a development of a variation of the methodology for developing a strategy for the development of an enterprise in the field of agribusiness. The strategic development line for an agribusiness enterprise is based on a detailed analysis of the external environment and a comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of the potential of the internal environment, but the emphasis in the development strategy, unified for all agribusiness enterprises in Russia, should be uniform, as the results of this work show. Many agribusiness enterprises are not able to use a development strategy, due to the fact that they have a weak internal potential that does not allow them to realize the opportunities provided to them by a favorable external environment. An agribusiness that is in a different position, in order to use all the benefits available to enterprises that use the traditional approach in forming a development strategy, must first use a comprehensive analysis. Agromarketing is singled out as the main direction aimed at strengthening and developing the internal environment of the agribusiness organization. Agromarketing, based on the principles of customer orientation, realizing all the needs and requirements of a potential consumer of agricultural products

Different Effects of Phototherapy for Rat Glioma during Sleep and Wakefulness

There is an association between sleep quality and glioma-specific outcomes, including survival. The critical role of sleep in survival among subjects with glioma may be due to sleep-induced activation of brain drainage (BD), that is dramatically suppressed in subjects with glioma. Emerging evidence demonstrates that photobiomodulation (PBM) is an effective technology for both the stimulation of BD and as an add-on therapy for glioma. Emerging evidence suggests that PBM during sleep stimulates BD more strongly than when awake. In this study on male Wistar rats, we clearly demonstrate that the PBM course during sleep vs. when awake more effectively suppresses glioma growth and increases survival compared with the control. The study of the mechanisms of this phenomenon revealed stronger effects of the PBM course in sleeping vs. awake rats on the stimulation of BD and an immune response against glioma, including an increase in the number of CD8+ in glioma cells, activation of apoptosis, and blockage of the proliferation of glioma cells. Our new technology for sleep-phototherapy opens a new strategy to improve the quality of medical care for patients with brain cancer, using promising smart-sleep and non-invasive approaches of glioma treatment