Program-targeted regulation of the regional consumer market

The primary strategic tasks for development of the Russian Federation and its regions are the increase of the level and quality of life and increase of the share of the middle class on the basis of modernization and restructuring the economy, the growth of entrepreneurial and innovative activities and competitiveness. For the solution of these problems the development of the consumer market should play an important role, performing important economic and social functions. In the article the results of the study of scientific views of foreign and national scientists on the category "consumer market" are shown from the perspective of the principle of historical and logical unity, theoretical and conceptual approaches to its formation and development are systematized, positive trends in its development are revealed; negative social consequences associated with excessive consumption growth and the formation of a consumer society are proved (violation of the ecological balance, people health aggravation, change of people’s attitudes). The necessity of government regulation of the consumer market on all the levels is proved (federal, regional and municipal) based on the prospective vision and its development strategy in the context of globalization, Russia's accession to WTO and the implementation of the sanctions against Russia by the United States, several European and Asian countries. As a methodological approach to solve identified problems on the regional level it is proposed to use the program-targeted regulation of the consumer market, which allows connecting the objectives with the resources and deadlines for their implementation by particular executives. Its use also allows authorities to develop alternative solutions for the tasks on the basis of the justification of priorities in the development of the consumer market and assessment of the risks associated with the implementation of program activities.peer-reviewe

Vocal group signatures in the goitred gazelle Gazella subgutturosa

Abstract The potential for vocal modification in mammals has recently been of great interest. This study focuses on the potential for vocal matching in juvenile and adolescent goitred gazelles Gazella subgutturosa that were group housed as part of an animal management programme. Two groups of animals (16 and 19 unrelated individuals, respectively) were recorded at two different ages, juvenile and adolescent, regarding 20-25 calls per individual per age; each group was evaluated in a separate year. Vocal similarity of group members compared to nonmembers was prominent in both ages, but higher in juveniles. Individual identity was prominent in both ages and higher in adolescents. The more prominent vocal indicators of group membership in juveniles could be related to their higher social dependence compared to adolescents. The more individualized calls of adolescents could be a mechanistic consequence of more stable growth at older age. Our results suggest vocal plasticity of goitred gazelles under social influences. These data add to recent evidence about domestic goat kids Capra hircus, suggesting that vocalizations of species that are not capable of imitation are more flexible than previously thought

A Comparative Analysis of Hardiness Among Different Generations in Contemporary Russia

Introduction. Studying the characteristics of hardiness among different generations merits special attention. The comparative analysis of the levels of hardiness and its individual components among representatives of Soviet, post-Soviet, and transitional generations has not been reported before. Methods. The study of hardiness among different generations employed the Hardiness Test by D. A. Leontiev and E. I. Rasskazova and involved 540 individual participants (234 men and 306 women) aged from 16 to 84 years. Results. The variance analysis was applied to reveal differences in hardiness and its structural components among the three generational groups. The levels of hardiness and its components differed significantly in the groups of respondents of the Soviet and transitional generations. Compared to the transitional generation group, the levels of control (p ≤ 0.0001), risk taking (p ≤ 0.0001), and hardiness (p ≤ 0.0001) were higher among representatives of the post-Soviet generation; the lowest levels of these variables were observed in the group of representatives of the Soviet generation. Compared to female respondents of the transitional and Soviet generations, males had higher levels of control (p ≤ 0.0001), risk taking (p ≤ 0.05) and hardiness (p ≤ 0.05). Discussion. The level of hardiness differs among generational and gender groups. The findings of the study suggest that the characteristics of hardiness should be investigated in late adulthood. This study has great potential for practical application for developing psychological programs for improving personal potential of vulnerable generations

Stem Gender Gap and Intra-Individual Strengths in Maths and Russian Language

The study investigates STEM gender gap by means of intra-individual strengths (IIS) analysis,defined as the difference between Maths and Russian exam grades. The sample of Russian students (n =788) was split into 3 groups, according to their degrees: Technical (n=282); Natural Sciences (n=128); and Humanities (n=378). Students completed an online battery of cognitive tests and a demographic questionnaire. Their grades for the Unified State Exam (USE) in Maths and Russian Language, taken at the end of compulsory school education, were also collected. IIS were negative for all degrees, indicating that individuals’ maths exam grades were on average lower than Russian exam grades. The size of IIS differed across the three groups (d=.42-.93). Absolute mean values of IIS were smallest for Technical degrees (-9.52±12.88); largest for Humanities (-25.09±21.6); with Natural sciences in between the two (-16.71±21.61). Technical and Natural Sciences groups showed on average significantly higher Maths USE grades than Humanities group (d=.78 and .52, respectively). Technical group showed lower Russian Language USE grade than Humanities group (d=.2); whereas, Natural Sciences and Humanities groups did not differ. Females on average outperformed males in the Russian language exam, with small effect sizes (η2=.01-.05, estimated for the three groups separately). No sex differences were observed for maths exam performance. For intra-individual strengths, negligible sex differences were found for all groups (η2=0.006-0.009). The results suggest that IIS may play a role in the choice of area of study, but is unlikely to explain the STEM Gender Gap in the Russian sample

The Factorial Structure of Spatial Abilities in Russian and Chinese Students

Background: Recent research suggested a unifactorial structure of spatial ability (SA). Research is needed to replicate this finding in different populations. Objective: This study aims to explore the factorial structure of SA in samples of 921 Russian and 229 Chinese university students. Design: A gamified spatial abilities battery was administered to all participants. The battery consists of 10 different domains of SA, including 2D and 3D visualization, mental rotation, spatial pattern assembly, spatial relations, spatial planning, mechanical reasoning, spatial orientation and spatial decision making speed and flexibility. Results: The results of the factor analysis showed a somewhat different pattern for different samples. In the Russian sample, the unifactorial structure, shown previously in a large UK sample (Rimfeld et al., 2017), was replicated. A single factor explained 40% of the variance. In the Chinese sample two factors emerged: first factor explained 26% of the variance and the second factor, including only Mechanical reasoning and Cross-Sections tests, explained 14%. The results also showed that the Chinese sample significantly outperformed the Russian sample in 5 out of the 10 tests. Russian students showed better performance only in two of the tests. The effects of all group comparisons were small. Conclusion: Overall, a similar amount of variance in the 10 tests was explained in the two samples, replicating results from the UK sample. Future research is needed to explain the observed differences in the structure of SA

Modeling Organisational Management Structure of the United University

Introduction: higher education institutions are currently going through intensive reorganization processes that also have effect on university organisational management structures. This is caused by the mismatch between traditional linear-functional structures of management and current situation in the market of educa¬tional services and by the inability to respond flexibly to changes in the external environment. The purpose of the article is to develop a conceptual model of the university management organisational structure as well as alternative scenarios for transition to the above model based on the analysis of domestic and foreign approaches pertaining to the development of university management structures formed due to the merging of separate universities, scientific organisations, institutions and colleges. Materials and Methods: the conceptual article is based on the analysis of works by domestic and foreign authors in the field of development of organisational design and management structure of a modern university. To achieve this goal, the authors made a comparative analysis between organizational management structures of domestic federal universities and international universities, reorganized in the process of merging. The scenario approach allowed to determine various versions of the organisational management structure model that ensures positive results following the integration of vari ous scientific and educational organisations. Results: the analysis of approaches to designing organisational management structures of an educational institution was made, including: organisational management structures of federal universities, implemented approaches to development of management structures of leading foreign universities. The goals and tasks of the transition to the new organisational design of the university, the principles and requirements for the formation of an effective organisational structure of management are substantiated. Based on profilisation criteria, the provisional structure of the scientific and educational institutions of the merged university is proposed. The analysis of domestic and international approaches to the development of university management structures allowed to put forward alternative scenarios for the formation of the organisational management structure model of a united university for the implementation of priority directions of its development. Discussion and Conclusions: the proposals and recommendations following the results of the research seek to create conditions for effective interaction between the subdivisions of the united university, optimisation of the managerial and organisational functions of the leadership of educational and research institutions. For universities originated after the merging of separate universities, scientific organisations, institutes, colleges, variants of the contour model of the organisational management structure are proposed. Those proposals are universal during organisational merging of universities

Preclinical study of innovative peptides mimicking the tertiary structure of the α-helix B of erythropoietin

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of innovative peptides obtained by addition of polypeptide motifs with antiaggregation activity (Arg-Gly-Asp, Lys-Gly-Asp and Pro-Gly-Pro) to a peptide mimicking the tertiary structure of the α-helix B of erythropoietin pHBSP (Pyr-Glu-Gln-Leu-Glu-Arg-Ala-Leu-Asn-Ser-Ser). Materials and methods: The cytoprotective activity of innovative peptides mimicking the tertiary structure of the α-helix B of erythropoietin at the doses of 5 μg/ml, 30 μg/ml and 50 μg/ml was studied on human endothelial cell culture in a simulated oxidative stress. An ADMA-like model of preeclampsia was simulated in the experiment. The study was conducted in 260 female Wistar rats, weighing 250–300 g. Results and discussion: Innovative peptides mimicking the tertiary structure of the α-helix B of erythropoietin retain their cytoprotective activity in a simulated oxidative stress in HUVEC cell culture at the doses of 5 μg/ml, 30 μg/ml, and 50 μg/ml. The compounds with laboratory codes P-αB1 and P-αB3 had the most pronounced cytoprotective activity. Administration of N-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ether to pregnant females for 7 days causes the morphofunctional changes similar to clinical changes in preeclampsia. The innovative peptide under laboratory code P-αB4 at the dose of 50 μg/kg mimicking the tertiary structure of the α-helix B of erythropoietin shows the most pronounced protective properties. Conclusion: Innovative peptides mimicking the tertiary structure of the α-helix B of erythropoietin have a pronounced positive influence on the morphofunctional disorders in animals with ADMA-like preeclampsia

The Influence of Cationic Nitrosyl Iron Complex with Penicillamine Ligands on Model Membranes, Membrane-Bound Enzymes and Lipid Peroxidation

This paper shows the biological effects of cationic binuclear tetranitrosyl iron complex with penicillamine ligands (TNIC–PA). Interaction with a model membrane was assessed using a fluorescent probes technique. Antioxidant activity was studied using a thiobarbituric acid reactive species assay (TBARS) and a chemiluminescence assay. The catalytic activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) was determined by measuring liberation of ammonia. Antiglycation activity was determined fluometrically by thermal glycation of albumine by D-glucose. The higher values of Stern–Volmer constants (KSV) obtained for the pyrene located in hydrophobic regions (3.9 × 104 M−1) compared to KSV obtained for eosin Y located in the polar headgroup region (0.9 × 104 M−1) confirms that TNIC–PA molecules prefer to be located in the hydrophobic acyl chain region, close to the glycerol group of lipid molecules. TNIC–PA effectively inhibited the process of spontaneous lipid peroxidation, due to additive contributions from releasing NO and penicillamine ligand (IC50 = 21.4 µM) and quenched luminol chemiluminescence (IC50 = 3.6 μM). High activity of TNIC–PA in both tests allows us to assume a significant role of its radical-scavenging activity in the realization of antioxidant activity. It was shown that TNIC–PA (50–1000 μM) selectively inhibits the membrane-bound enzyme MAO-A, a major source of ROS in the heart. In addition, TNIC–PA is an effective inhibitor of non-enzymatic protein glycation. Thus, the evaluated biological effects of TNIC–PA open up the possibility of its practical application in chemotherapy for socially significant diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases

Comparing spatial ability of male and female students completing Humanities vs. technical degrees

Background. Spatial ability (SA) has long been the focus of research in psychology, because it is associated with performance in science, technologies, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research has shown that males consistently outperform females in most aspects of SA, which may partially explain the observed overrepresentation of male students seeking STEM degrees

Comparing spatial ability of male and female students completing humanities vs. technical degrees

Background. Spatial ability (SA) has long been the focus of research in psychology, because it is associated with performance in science, technologies, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research has shown that males consistently outperform females in most aspects of SA, which may partially explain the observed overrepresentation of male students seeking STEM degrees