Classification of double flag varieties of complexity 0 and 1

A classification of double flag varieties of complexity 0 and 1 is obtained. An application of this problem to decomposing tensor products of irreducible representations of semisimple Lie groups is considered

Domain evolution of BaTiO3 ultrathin films under electric field: a first-principles study

A first-principles-derived method is used to study the morphology and electric-field-induced evolution of stripe nanodomains in (001) BaTiO3 (BTO) ultrathin films, and to compare them with those in (001) Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) ultrathin films. The BaTiO3 systems exhibit 180o periodic stripe domains at null electric field, as in PZT ultrathin films. However, the stripes alternate along [1-10] in BTO systems versus [010] in PZT systems, and no in-plane surface dipoles occur in BTO ultrathin films (unlike in PZT materials). Moreover, the evolution of the 180o stripe domains in the BaTiO3 systems, when applying and increasing an electric field along [001], involves four regions: Region I for which the magnitude of the down dipoles (i.e., those that are antiparallel to the electric field) is reduced, while the domain walls do not move; Region II in which some local down dipoles adjacent to domain walls switch their direction, resulting in zigzagged domain walls - with the overall stripe periodicity being unchanged; Region III in which nanobubbles are created, then contract along [110] and finally collapse; and Region IV which is associated with a single monodomain. Such evolution differs from that of PZT ultrathin films for which neither Region I nor zigzagged domain walls exist, and for which the bubbles contract along [100]. Discussion about such differences is provided.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, 27 references, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Instruments of investment attraction in order to fulfill the structural priorities of sustainable regional development (study based on the Rostov Region)

The aim of the study is devoted to defining most effective tools of investment funds attraction. These funds can be used in implementation of strategic priorities for socio-economic regional development requiring, in areas that are in need of economic restructuring. The authors have selected the Rostov region as the research target, the economy of which is in need of structural change in the direction of increasing innovational, high-tech and scientific production, in order to reduce import dependency and move closer towards the post-industrial model of economic development. The study considers currently available instruments of attraction of private sector closer to solving the stated problems of Rostov region, analyzing their regulatory, financial and organizational consulting security on both state and federal level. Main directions of economic restructuring of Rostov region are also defined. Authors also outline the main problems that private enterprises come across while doing business in the investigated area. On the basis of the research, investigating federal and regional instruments of private sector involvement authors form a number of proposals and recommendations focusing on regional improvement. As a result of the conducted study, the authors reached the conclusion, that there is a number of strategic measures that should be performed in the Rostov region. These don't only include the improvement of financial instruments, but also best available technologies, national technology initiative, and clustering.peer-reviewe

Olympiad as a Tool for Career Guidance

В статье рассматривается роль, значение и опыт применения олимпиадного движения в профориентационной работе обучающихся.The article considers the role and significance of the Olympiad movement in the career guidance work of students

Cluster analysis of blood serum inflammation markers of conditionally healthy people

Determination of inflammatory markers in blood of conventionally healthy people is of interest due to opportunity of detecting diseases at early (preclinical) stages, as well as latent forms of pathological processes. The level of inflammation may serve as an additional criterion to forming control groups in clinical and biological studies. The aim of the study is to identify some inflammatory and autoimmune markers in a group of conventionally healthy people and to conduct a cluster analysis of the data obtained. The study involved 100 apparently healthy people (without clinical signs of infections, somatic, neurological or mental diseases) aged 19 to 88 years. The levels of IL-10, TNFα, IL-6 and autoantibodies to S100b and MBP were determined in blood serum using ELISA. Enzymatic activity of leukocyte elastase (LE) and functional activity of the α1-proteinase inhibitor (α1-PI) were determined spectrophotometrically. Protease inhibitory index (PII) was calculated as the ratio of LE to α1-PI. Cluster analysis, as well as the Shapiro–Wilk, Kruskal–Wallis, and ANOVA methods were used as the main approach to statistical data processing. All the subjects were divided into three clusters, according to their immunological parameters. The selected clusters were statistically significantly different from each other, in terms of LE activity, protease-inhibitory index (PII), as well as IL-10 and TNFα levels. The indices of a distinct cluster (43% of total cohort) are most close to average indices assessed for the general sample, which gives ground to consider the values of immune indicators from this cluster as physiological norm, corresponding to the background immunity state in healthy people. Combination of immunological parameters in two other clusters (30 and 27% of the subjects, respectively) may reflect different variants of inflammatory reactions. These clusters are characterized by multidirectional changes in LE activity and protease-inhibitory index, compared to the standard values, thus suggestive for different variants of latent inflammatory reactivity, which are realized in the patients presented in these clusters. The obtained clusters did not differ by age of the subjects (p = 0.3476), which makes it possible to exclude a significant influence of age on the determined immune parameters, and by gender characteristics (p = 0.7233). The selected clusters did not differ statistically in the functional activity of α1-PI and in the level of autoantibodies to S100b and MBP. Thus, the group of conditionally healthy people is heterogeneous in terms of inflammation markers. Inflammatory reactions of varying severity were detected in about half of the cases. Probably, this may indicate the presence of a latent pathological process and requires a detailed clinical examination

Studying the expression of productivity and immunity genes of chickens under the influence of feed glyphosate using the RNA-seq method

The aim of the study was to study the effect of different concentrations of glyphosate on meat productivity and differential expression of genes for immunity and broiler productivity. Broilers were divided into groups: Control I, who received a diet without the introduction of glyphosate, Experimental II, who received a diet with the addition of glyphosate at a dose of 10 mg/kg of feed (0.5 MPC for food); Experimental III, who received a diet with the addition of glyphosate at a dose of 20 mg/kg of feed (1 MPC); Experimental IV, who received a diet with the addition of glyphosate at a dose of 100 mg/kg of feed (5 MPC). Transcriptome analysis was performed by RNA-seq on the Illumina Miseq platform, using the TruSeq Stranded mRNA kit (Illumina, USA). In the 22-28-day period of broiler rearing, a decrease in live weight gain (83 g less) was observed in Experimental group III compared to Control I (P≤0.05). It has been shown that glyphosate at the level of 1 and 5 MPC for food causes activation (P≤0.05) of the proinflammatory response genes (IL15, IL1B, IL34, IL22) and apoptosis (Casp1, Casp2, Casp6, Casp7, Casp8, Casp9) up to 31.1 times, which probably leads to the redistribution of nutrients in in the body towards the immune system, reducing the functions of absorption in the intestine. In parallel, there is an inhibition (P≤0.05) of the expression of genes that have a direct effect on growth and development, which ultimately leads to a decrease in poultry meat productivity. Exposure to glyphosate is an important but unaccounted-for risk factor for reducing meat productivity in birds, acting through a change in gene expression

Intracellular origin and ultrastructure of platelet-derived microparticles

© 2017 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Essentials Platelet microparticles play a major role in pathologies, including hemostasis and thrombosis. Platelet microparticles have been analyzed and classified based on their ultrastructure. The structure and intracellular origin of microparticles depend on the cell-activating stimulus. Thrombin-treated platelets fall apart and form microparticles that contain cellular organelles. Summary: Background Platelet-derived microparticles comprise the major population of circulating blood microparticles that play an important role in hemostasis and thrombosis. Despite numerous studies on the (patho)physiological roles of platelet-derived microparticles, mechanisms of their formation and structural details remain largely unknown. Objectives Here we studied the formation, ultrastructure and composition of platelet-derived microparticles from isolated human platelets, either quiescent or stimulated with one of the following activators: arachidonic acid, ADP, collagen, thrombin or calcium ionophore A23187. Methods Using flow cytometry, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, we analyzed the intracellular origin, structural diversity and size distributions of the subcellular particles released from platelets. Results The structure, dimensions and intracellular origin of microparticles depend on the cell-activating stimulus. The main structural groups include a vesicle surrounded by one thin membrane or multivesicular structures. Thrombin, unlike other stimuli, induced formation of microparticles not only from the platelet plasma membrane and cytoplasm but also from intracellular structures. A fraction of these vesicular particles having an intracellular origin contained organelles, such as mitochondria, glycogen granules and vacuoles. The size of platelet-derived microparticles depended on the nature of the cell-activating stimulus. Conclusion The results obtained provide a structural basis for the qualitative differences of various platelet activators, for specific physiological and pathological effects of microparticles, and for development of advanced assays

Psychological features and social adaptation of internet-addicted adolescents and adolescents with cannabinoid addiction

The Objective of the research is to study the characteristics of character properties, emotional intelligence, social psychological adaptation of Internet addicted adolescents and adolescents addicted with drugs. Design. A comparative study of the psychological properties of cannabinoid addicted adolescents (n = 20) and Internet addicted adolescents (n = 20), and also healthy adolescents without symptoms of addiction (n = 20) is conducted. The following methods are used in the study: Barratt’s impulsiveness scale (BIS-11), 1987, adapted by T.I. Medvedeva and S.N. Enikolopov, 2015, Cloninger temperament and character questionnaire (TCI-125), 1991, adapted by N.A. Almaev and L.D. Ostrovskaya, 2005, the methodology for diagnosing emotional intelligence MSCEITV 2.0 2002, adapted by E.A. Sergienko, N.I. Vetrova, 2009, the methodology for diagnosing the social psychological adapted by K. Rogers and R. Diamond, 1954, adapted by A.K. Osnitsky, 2002, Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), 2003 adapted by V.L. Malygin and K.A. Feklisov, 2010 Results. Adolescents with Internet addiction and adolescents with cannabinoid addiction have a certain similarity in a number of characteristic features. They are characterized by a more pronounced motor impulsiveness, low self-control, low self-esteem, dependence on other individulas and circumstances, lack of clear life goals. In general, if compared to healthy adolescents they appear to be infantile individuals, socially maladjusted, more often experiencing emotional discomfort, which can result in pathologies, i.e. particularly various types of addictive behaviour. Simultaneously, Internet-dependent adolescents are significantly different from those with cannabinoid addiction. They are characterized by a lower level of transcendence and a lesser inclination to spiritual practices and transpersonal experience accordingly. They have a low level of search for novelty, which characterizes them as conservative, rigid and passive individuals. Conclusion. The data obtained reveal certain differences in the psychological mechanisms of Internet addiction and dependence on drugs. Psychological mechanisms of adolescent Internet addiction and dependence on cannabinoids have significant differences