The concept of special escrow accounts to improve mortgage housing loans in Russia

Purpose: The article aims to identify and evaluate the key determinants of improving mortgage lending in Russia. Increasing the participation of financial institutions in the application of escrow accounts is of paramount importance in terms of fine-tuning the process of improving mortgage lending in Russia. Design/Methodology/Approach: In order to further improve housing mortgage lending, it seems necessary: firstly, to identify new opportunities that contribute to the development of a system of interaction between credit and financial organizations and borrowers in terms of using the innovative functions of escrow accounts; secondly, to highlight the functions, during the application of which the increase in the efficiency of the escrow account mechanism will be optimal; thirdly, to formulate recommendations on the implementation of the necessary changes in the process of applying escrow accounts, taking into account the peculiarities of mortgage lending in Russia. Findings: To fully take into account the potential impact of special escrow accounts on the process of interaction between the lender and the borrower, an additional escrow account functionality was developed, aimed at improving mortgage lending. Practical Implications: The results of the study can be put into practice in order to expand the range of escrow account functions used in the process of mortgage lending in Russia. Originality/Value: The main contribution of this study is the emphasis on the need to introduce innovative approaches to increase the functionality of escrow accounts used in the process of mortgage lending in Russia.peer-reviewe

Foreign bodies of ent organs, in children's practice

The article provides statistics on the incidence of foreign bodies of ENT organs in Yekaterinburg, a clinical example is considered. The key points that are worth paying attention to when making a diagnosis and diagnostic search when working in primary care are highlightedВ статье приведена статистика по встречаемости инородных тел ЛОР-органов в г. Екатеринбурге, рассмотрен клинический пример. Выделены ключевые моменты, на которые стоит обратить внимание при постановке диагноза и диагностическом поиске при работе в первичном звен

Bacteria-inducing legume nodules involved in the improvement of plant growth, health and nutrition

Bacteria-inducing legume nodules are known as rhizobia and belong to the class Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. They promote the growth and nutrition of their respective legume hosts through atmospheric nitrogen fixation which takes place in the nodules induced in their roots or stems. In addition, rhizobia have other plant growth-promoting mechanisms, mainly solubilization of phosphate and production of indoleacetic acid, ACC deaminase and siderophores. Some of these mechanisms have been reported for strains of rhizobia which are also able to promote the growth of several nonlegumes, such as cereals, oilseeds and vegetables. Less studied are the mechanisms that have the rhizobia to promote the plant health; however, these bacteria are able to exert biocontrol of some phytopathogens and to induce the plant resistance. In this chapter, we revised the available data about the ability of the legume nodule-inducing bacteria for improving the plant growth, health and nutrition of both legumes and nonlegumes. These data showed that rhizobia meet all the requirements of sustainable agriculture to be used as bio-inoculants allowing the total or partial replacement of chemicals used for fertilization or protection of crops

Contribution of Gaba to Integrative Activity of the Nervous «Centres» Participating in the Control of Sleep-Wake Behavior

Proceedings of the 9th International Multidisciplinary Conference «Stress and Behavior» Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 16–19 May 2005.A balance between inhibitory and excitatory systems of neurotransmission in the CNS is the basis of the regulation of sleep-wake behavior, visceral functions and homeostasis. GABA is the most ubiquitous CNS inhibitory neurotransmitter in vertebrates. In the latest decade, the basic attention is paid to analysis of the participation of GABA-ergic cell populations of the ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPA) of anterior hypothalamus and the Nucleus reticularis pontis oralis (NRPO); these areas are considered as «critical» in the control of nonrapid-eye-movement (NREM) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep (VLPA and NRPO, respectively) [Sherin et al., 1996; Xi et al., 1999; Siegel, 2004]. Such a concept is based on the study of effects of the structure damages or injections of isolated receptor agonists and antagonists; the investigations were carried out only in cats or rats. The goal of the present study is to find out the participation of GABA-ergic system of the VLPA and the NRPO in the control of wakefulness, NREM and REM sleep in pigeons Columba livia. Such investigations in birds have not been carried out earlier. For an analysis of sleep-wake state and their somatovisceral characteristics all electrophysiological parameters (electroencephalogram, electrooculogram, electromyogram, electrocardiogram, brain and foot skin temperature) were continuously recorded, using a computer system SASH-8800 (USA) and program package. The details of the methods were described earlier [Rashotte et al., 1998]. The stereotaxic coordinates of the preoptic area structures of hypothalamus and the caudal midbrain that take part in the control of wakefulness, NREM and REM sleep in pigeons have been determined for the first time. It has been found that executive GABAA-ergic mechanisms of NREM maintenance are primarily localized in caudal region of the VLPA of hypothalamus. The activation of the VLPA GABA-A receptors by muscimol(30 ng/0.2 mkl) induced an increase in episode durations and total time (TT) of NREM sleep. In contrast, the microinjections of GABA-A receptor antagonist bicuculline (1.0 mkg/0.2 mkl) resulted in an increase in wakefulness and suppression in both phases of sleep. It was found that the VLPA GABA-B receptors do not markedly take part in mechanisms of generation and maintenance of sleep and wakefulness. It is known that neurons of the preoptic area of hypothalamus in pigeons, as well as in cats and rats form efferent connections with the posterior hypothalamus and the brainstem [Berk et al., 1981]. We hypothesize that NREM sleep maintenance in pigeons depends on an increase in activity of VLPA inhibitory GABAA-ergic mechanisms resulted in inactivation of aminergic wake-related arousal networks outside the area. Our investigations indicated that these networks may be localized in the dorso and ventrolateral regions of the caudal substantia grisea centralis (SGC) and in the locus coeruleus (LC): the inactivation by muscimol (0.5 mkg/0.2 mkl) of neuron groups in these areas was accompanied by a considerable increase in the episode duration and TT NREM sleep. This effect may be conditioned by inhibition of aminergic wake-related arousal networks and reciprocal enhancement of GABAA-ergic mechanisms implicated in the control of NREM sleep in the VLPA and other brain structures. The differences elicited in experiments related to effects of muscimol in the SGC in pigeons (increase in NREM) and cats (increase in REM) [Sastre et al., 1996] indicate specificity of structure functional organization of GABAergic system in these animals. Microinjections of bicuculline (0.5 mkg/0.2 mkl) into the NRPO were found to reduce wakefulness and increase the number of episodes and TT of REM and NREM sleep in pigeons. REM occurred after NREM sleep and its somatic-visceral characteristics correspond to naturally-occurring REM. Hence, depression of GABAA-ergic transmission in the NRPO is one of the activation mechanisms of mesopontine REM-generation networks. Alternatively, the inactivation of neuron groups in the NRPO by muscimol (0.5 mkg/0.2 mkl) was accompanied by a generation of long-lasting wakefulness and a decline in NREM and REM sleep. These effects are appeared to be conditioned by disinhibition of wake-related arousal networks outside the NRPO. Our data indicate marked contribution of GABAA-ergic mechanisms of the hypothalamus and the midbrain to integrative function of the nervous «centres» involved in the control of wakefulness as well as sleep in pigeons. The study was carried out by the Program of DBS of RAS «Integrative mechanisms of wakefulness-sleep cycle regulation»

Contribution of Gaba to Integrative Activity of the Nervous «Centres» Participating in the Control of Sleep-Wake Behavior

Proceedings of the 9th International Multidisciplinary Conference «Stress and Behavior» Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 16–19 May 2005.A balance between inhibitory and excitatory systems of neurotransmission in the CNS is the basis of the regulation of sleep-wake behavior, visceral functions and homeostasis. GABA is the most ubiquitous CNS inhibitory neurotransmitter in vertebrates. In the latest decade, the basic attention is paid to analysis of the participation of GABA-ergic cell populations of the ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPA) of anterior hypothalamus and the Nucleus reticularis pontis oralis (NRPO); these areas are considered as «critical» in the control of nonrapid-eye-movement (NREM) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep (VLPA and NRPO, respectively) [Sherin et al., 1996; Xi et al., 1999; Siegel, 2004]. Such a concept is based on the study of effects of the structure damages or injections of isolated receptor agonists and antagonists; the investigations were carried out only in cats or rats. The goal of the present study is to find out the participation of GABA-ergic system of the VLPA and the NRPO in the control of wakefulness, NREM and REM sleep in pigeons Columba livia. Such investigations in birds have not been carried out earlier. For an analysis of sleep-wake state and their somatovisceral characteristics all electrophysiological parameters (electroencephalogram, electrooculogram, electromyogram, electrocardiogram, brain and foot skin temperature) were continuously recorded, using a computer system SASH-8800 (USA) and program package. The details of the methods were described earlier [Rashotte et al., 1998]. The stereotaxic coordinates of the preoptic area structures of hypothalamus and the caudal midbrain that take part in the control of wakefulness, NREM and REM sleep in pigeons have been determined for the first time. It has been found that executive GABAA-ergic mechanisms of NREM maintenance are primarily localized in caudal region of the VLPA of hypothalamus. The activation of the VLPA GABA-A receptors by muscimol(30 ng/0.2 mkl) induced an increase in episode durations and total time (TT) of NREM sleep. In contrast, the microinjections of GABA-A receptor antagonist bicuculline (1.0 mkg/0.2 mkl) resulted in an increase in wakefulness and suppression in both phases of sleep. It was found that the VLPA GABA-B receptors do not markedly take part in mechanisms of generation and maintenance of sleep and wakefulness. It is known that neurons of the preoptic area of hypothalamus in pigeons, as well as in cats and rats form efferent connections with the posterior hypothalamus and the brainstem [Berk et al., 1981]. We hypothesize that NREM sleep maintenance in pigeons depends on an increase in activity of VLPA inhibitory GABAA-ergic mechanisms resulted in inactivation of aminergic wake-related arousal networks outside the area. Our investigations indicated that these networks may be localized in the dorso and ventrolateral regions of the caudal substantia grisea centralis (SGC) and in the locus coeruleus (LC): the inactivation by muscimol (0.5 mkg/0.2 mkl) of neuron groups in these areas was accompanied by a considerable increase in the episode duration and TT NREM sleep. This effect may be conditioned by inhibition of aminergic wake-related arousal networks and reciprocal enhancement of GABAA-ergic mechanisms implicated in the control of NREM sleep in the VLPA and other brain structures. The differences elicited in experiments related to effects of muscimol in the SGC in pigeons (increase in NREM) and cats (increase in REM) [Sastre et al., 1996] indicate specificity of structure functional organization of GABAergic system in these animals. Microinjections of bicuculline (0.5 mkg/0.2 mkl) into the NRPO were found to reduce wakefulness and increase the number of episodes and TT of REM and NREM sleep in pigeons. REM occurred after NREM sleep and its somatic-visceral characteristics correspond to naturally-occurring REM. Hence, depression of GABAA-ergic transmission in the NRPO is one of the activation mechanisms of mesopontine REM-generation networks. Alternatively, the inactivation of neuron groups in the NRPO by muscimol (0.5 mkg/0.2 mkl) was accompanied by a generation of long-lasting wakefulness and a decline in NREM and REM sleep. These effects are appeared to be conditioned by disinhibition of wake-related arousal networks outside the NRPO. Our data indicate marked contribution of GABAA-ergic mechanisms of the hypothalamus and the midbrain to integrative function of the nervous «centres» involved in the control of wakefulness as well as sleep in pigeons. The study was carried out by the Program of DBS of RAS «Integrative mechanisms of wakefulness-sleep cycle regulation»

CHARACTERISTICS OF IMMUNE HOMEOSTASIS IN PATIENTS WITH BASAL CELL SKIN CANCER FROM KOPEYSK URBAN DISTRICT

Patterns of immune response, cytokine- and NO-ergic mechanisms and their role in the development of basal-cell skin cancer were evaluated in population of an industrialized region. Multiple forms of basal-cell skin cancer and primary multiple cancer were characterized by the evidence of Th2-dependent imbalance of immune response, decreased cytolytic potential, increase of EGF, TGF-β, IL-1β, IL-4, IFNγ, lactoferrin levels, thus suggesting a particular immune defense strategy in malignant growth

Effects of HSP70 on NMDA-Induced Seizure in Rats

Proceedings of the 9th International Multidisciplinary Conference «Stress and Behavior» Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 16–19 May 2005.Increased expression of the heat shock protein-70 (HSP70) in the brain is observed during seizures induced by systemic administration of NMDA-receptor agonists and other chemoconvulsants [Ferrer, 2002]. HSP70 was able to bind to hydrophobic sites of signal peptide and participate in cell signaling [Beere et al., 2000; Margulis, Gushova, (2000)]. Hyperthermia-induced HSP70 is associated with pre- and postsynaptic elements, including the postsynaptic density, in the mammalian brain tissue [Bechtold et al., 2000]. Using a medullary slice preparation from neonatal mouse, J.D. Kelty et al. [2002] demonstrated that thermal preconditioning and exogenous HSP70 exerts a protective effect on the heat stress-induced release of such neurotransmitters as GABA, glutamate, and glycine. In addition, exogenous HSP70 is reported to possess a hypnosedative activity. Microinjections of HSP70 into 3-d ventricle led to an increase in sleep and a decrease in muscle tone and brain temperature [Pastukhov et al., 2004]. The aim of this study is to examine our hypothesis whether HSP70 may act on neurotoxic effect of NMDA receptor activity, and alter the severity of NMDA-induced seizures in rat. Several days prior to experiments, adult males Wistar rats showing prolonged seizure in response to acoustic stimulation (8–10 kHz) were selected. Animals (200–220 g) were housed individually and given access to food and water ad libitum. During the experiment, seizures were induced by microinjection of NMDA. HSP70 (Institute of Cytology RAS) and an inhibitor of HSP70 expression bioflavanoid quercetin (ICN) were used here. The microinjections of HSP70 were made into the 3-d ventricle. After i.c.v. administration of HSP70 or i.p. injections of quercetin, the animals received injections of NMDA and were placed in a box for visual observation of their seizure profile. Seizure and behavior were tested for 50-min in the open field. The following parameters were recorded: the latency and duration of wild running, the number and the duration of the oro-facial, tonic and clonic seizures. The duration of ataxia (the impairment of antigravity reflexes) and stereotypy (rotation), locomotor excitation was assessed. In addition, the number and duration of grooming, vertical and horizontal activities were registered. Here we show that i.c.v. microinjections of NMDA produced the wild running transformed to tonic and clonic components of seizures. Tonic seizures consisted of sustained muscle contraction, whereas clonic seizures consisted of muscle contraction alternating with periods of muscle relaxation. The ataxia, stereotype and locomotor excitation were also observed following the seizures. Quercetin (i.p.) produced a dramatic increase in seizure activity in NMDA-treated rats. The duration of tonic component, oro-facial seizure, stereotype and the latency of locomotor excitation were markedly longer. In contrast, exogenous HSP70 i.c.v. reduced these components of seizures. Moreover, exogenous HSP70 (vs. saline-treated controls) reduced the duration of wild running and the latency of grooming. These results indicate a pro-convulsing effect of selective inhibitor of HSP70 expression. In contrast, exogenous HSP70 considerably reduced NMDA-induced seizure activity. Exogenous HSP70 has been shown to penetrate into the cells and preserve them from the toxic factors as well as endogenous HSP70 [Guzhova, 2005]. HSP capacity to attenuate seizures is due to its interaction with hydrophobic sites of signal peptide of NMDA-glutamate receptors when changing the conformation [Beere et al., 2000]. This may not lead to receptor inhibition, but act on both the ionic channel and the whole NMDA receptor complex. The HSP70 -induced decrease in neurotoxic effect may be associated with Na++ penetration into the cell and an activation of Na++-dependent K+ transport, thus reducung intracellular Na++ [Negulyaev et al., 1996]. Quercetin suppresses transcription factor HSF1 and inhibits endogenous HSP70 expression [Nagata, 1996, et al.], influencing neurotoxic effects of NMDA and the intensity of NMDA-induced seizures. The study was supported by RFRF grant 03–03-33034