Social and psychological features of inter-cultural adaptation of Russian students in different universities

Modern globalisation processes, the rapid entry of Russia into the world community, have given more opportunities to interact with various ethnic groups ranging from short-term tourist and business contacts to complex processes of migration and emigration. Migrants and visitors have different goals for staying in a new country, meanwhile the researchers note a lot in common within the adaptation processes of both groups. In particular, tension, stresses and experience of cultural shock during adaptation are observed. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct psychological studies not only of migrants who come for a long time to a new country, but also of visitors, i.e., interns, students who come to study in foreign universitie

Metabolic cardioprotection: new concepts in implementation of cardioprotective effects of meldonium

Recent studies confirm the need to find means to correct ischemic / reperfusion injury due to the hemodynamic medicine, which are already known do not have the proper cardioprotective effects. Key issue is the possibility of drug effects on the mitochondria of cardiomyocytes that controls the aerobic metabolism and maintenance of ATP admission into cardiomyocyte

Evaluation of grain yield and quality in maize hybrids of various origin under the conditions of Primorsky Territory

Background. This study was dedicated to the evaluation and selection of maize hybrids of different origin for important agronomic traits and for protein and oil accumulation in grain under the conditions of Primorsky Territory, as well as for their possible use as source material for breeding.Materials and methods. Twenty-two grain maize hybrids of various geographic origin were studied at the Federal Scientific Center of Agricultural Biotechnology of the Far East named after A.K. Chaika” in 2017–2020. Useful agronomic characters and biochemical indications were assessed, correlations between parameters were established, and an integrated evaluation of maize hybrids was made. The hybrids were ranked relative to a predetermined ideal model.Results. Based on the results of the integrated assessment, maize hybrids Р 7709, Р 8688 and Р 8523 (Pioneer Corporation) and Si Rotango (Syngenta) had the highest scores for a set of important agronomic traits under the conditions of Primorsky Territory. Higher protein content levels were detected in maize grain when the combination of temperature and moisture was optimal (Selyaninov’s hydrothermal coefficient = 1.1). The highest oil content was observed at an enhanced level of soil moisture (HTC = 3.1). The Si Rotango hybrid had the maximum protein content. The NUR, Ladozhsky 181 MV and P 7054 hybrids showed the maximum in oil content. Strong direct correlations were discovered between the yield and the weight of 1000 kernels and one ear, and between grain yield and the height of the lower ear position. Weak reverse correlations were observed between biochemical parameters and yield, and between a FAO maturity group and grain yield

Experimental approaches to the assessment of potential cardioprotective means with doxorubicin-associated cardiomyopathy

Development of methodological approaches for evaluation of cardioprotective activity of drugs in doxorubicin cardiomyopath

Spectral multiplicity for powers of weakly mixing automorphisms

We study the behavior of maximal multiplicities $mm (R^n)$ for the powers of a weakly mixing automorphism $R$. For some special infinite set $A$ we show the existence of a weakly mixing rank-one automorphism $R$ such that $mm (R^n)=n$ and $mm(R^{n+1}) =1$ for all $n\in A$. Moreover, the cardinality $cardm(R^n)$ of the set of spectral multiplicities for $R^n$ is not bounded. We have $cardm(R^{n+1})=1$ and $cardm(R^n)=2^{m(n)}$, $m(n)\to\infty$, $n\in A$. We also construct another weakly mixing automorphism $R$ with the following properties: $mm(R^{n}) =n$ for $n=1,2,3,..., 2009, 2010$ but $mm(T^{2011}) =1$, all powers $(R^{n})$ have homogeneous spectrum, and the set of limit points of the sequence $\{\frac{mm (R^n)}{n} : n\in \N \}$ is infinite

Study of the adjuvant properties of preparations containing recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor

The relevance of the search for new vaccine adjuvants is growing along with the increase in the number of current vaccine preparations, especially those developed on the basis of proteins. Some cytokines are known to exert adjuvant properties. The present work is devoted to the study of adjuvant activity of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) and constructs based on it. Earlier, we developed a technology for isolation and purification of GM-CSF from the E. coli SG20050/p280_2GM producer strain, as well as a technology for conjugating polyglucin:spermidine complexes with rhGM-CSF. Double-stranded RNA was used to obtain molecular constructs on the basis of rhGM-CSF conjugate. To assemble constructs, the ratio of the components was calculated for one dose of the preparation to contain 5-40 mg of rhGM-CSF and 100 mg of double-stranded RNA. The effectiveness of the formation of molecular constructs was evaluated by dsRNA electrophoretic mobility shift in a 1% agarose gel. The effectiveness of the resulting adjuvants was determined in ELISA assays by measuring the titers of specific antibodies in mouse sera against ovalbumin or recombinant receptor-binding domain of the surface S protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (Delta variant (B.1.617.2). The experiments were carried out in 100 male BALB/c mice weighing 16-18 g. Mice were immunized twice, with a 14-day interval, by intramuscular injection of 200 mL per animal. Recombinant receptor-binding domain of the surface protein of SARS-CoV-2 was administered at a dose of 50 mg/animal, ovalbumin – at two doses – 1 mg or 5 mg/animal. Corresponding antigen was used as a positive control, a saline solution – as a negative control. It was shown that the maximum effect was achieved by immunization with a construct based on double-stranded RNA and rhGM-CSF conjugated to polyglucin-spermidine. The use of a conjugate without double-stranded RNA as an adjuvant also improved humoral response. The use of native rhGM-CSF did not increase the titers of specific antibodies. Thus, it was found that rhGM-CSF being a part of a polysaccharide conjugate or a molecular construct exerted an ability to enhance the humoral immune response to protein antigens

Physical properties of thermoelectric zinc antimonide using first-principles calculations

We report first principles calculations of the structural, electronic, elastic and vibrational properties of the semiconducting orthorhombic ZnSb compound. We study also the intrinsic point defects in order to eventually improve the thermoelectric properties of this already very promising thermoelectric material. Concerning the electronic properties, in addition to the band structure, we show that the Zn (Sb) crystallographically equivalent atoms are not exactly equivalent from the electronic point of view. Lattice dynamics, elastic and thermodynamic properties are found to be in good agreement with experiments and they confirm the non equivalency of the zinc and antimony atoms from the vibrational point of view. The calculated elastic properties show a relatively weak anisotropy and the hardest direction is the y direction. We observe the presence of low energy modes involving both Zn and Sb atoms at about 5-6 meV, similarly to what has been found in Zn4Sb3 and we suggest that the interactions of these modes with acoustic phonons could explain the relatively low thermal conductivity of ZnSb. Zinc vacancies are the most stable defects and this explains the intrinsic p-type conductivity of ZnSb.Comment: 33 pages, 8 figure

Initial and severe cases of influenza in 2020-2022 and population immunity prior to epidemic season

The purpose of the present work was to evaluate population immunity to influenza and molecular genetic analysis of influenza viruses detected in the Russian Federation over 2020-2022. In this study, 1344 samples of blood serum collected prior to the 2021-2022 flu season in Siberian, Southern, Far Eastern, Volga and Ural Federal Districts were studied. Seropositivity to the A/Victoria/2570/2019 vaccine strain (H1N1) pdm09 was detected in 25% to 31% of samples from the four federal districts, and in 8% of samples from the Far Eastern Federal District. Seropositivity to the A/Cambodia/e0826360/2020 strain (H3N2) was detected in 24% to 37% of the samples. The lowest population immunity was revealed to the influenza B/Washington/02/2019 vaccine strain (Victoria lineage), with < 10% of serum samples reactive to the studied strain. Since March 2020, the worldwide turnover of all seasonal respiratory viruses has sharply decreased, except of rhinoviruses. From March 2020 to June 2021, we have identified six B/Victoria influenza viruses from sporadic cases of influenza. From June 2021 to the end February 2022, the State Research Center “Vector” received 901 samples positive for influenza A(H3N2) virus RNA, two specimens positive for A(H1N1) pdm09 virus RNA, and 17 samples positive for influenza B. All studied A(H3N2) viruses belonged to the 3C.2a1b.2a2 subclade (Bangladesh group). The two verified A(H1N1) pdm09 influenza viruses belonged to the 6B.1A.5a clade. All studied influenza B viruses were assigned to the B/Victoria genetic lineage, and to 1A.3a2 subclade. The genomes of all identified viruses did not contain mutations of the NA gene responsible for drug resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors, or mutations in РA gene responsible for baloxavir resistance. All viruses tested by fluorescence assay were sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir. The worldwide frequency of influenza isolates resistant to antineuraminidase drugs does not exceed 1-2% of cases. Hence, oseltamivir and zanamivir provide effective treatment for seasonal influenza