Management of the Formation of Rating Preferences of Economic Entities upon Collective Choice

The applicability of a set of methods in the case of obtaining mixed results of the final ranking of economic entities in the process of their rating assessment has been substantiated. A new method of the formation of rating preferences upon collective choice has been proposed. The methodology is based on the following: an information base in the form of a summary table of ratings of compared entities; a procedure for the formation of rating preferences based on a rank-sum (or arithmetic means of ranks); a procedure for the formation of rating preferences with the joint application of rating arithmetic means and position indicators; a procedure for the formation of rating preferences using the Kemeny median. The proposals for the calculation of weighting factors of the voting procedures and modification of the procedure for profiling the preferences using the Kemeny median have been made. An algorithm for the use of the proposed method has been developed. Methodology testing has been conducted upon the rating assessment of the financial and economic condition of industrial enterprises. Keywords: system analysis, management of economic systems, economic-mathematical modeling, rating assessment, financial and economic condition JEL Classifications: P40, P4

The Polarised Valence Quark Distribution from semi-inclusive DIS

The semi-inclusive difference asymmetry A^{h^{+}-h^{-}} for hadrons of opposite charge has been measured by the COMPASS experiment at CERN. The data were collected in the years 2002-2004 using a 160 GeV polarised muon beam scattered off a large polarised ^6LiD target and cover the range 0.006 < x < 0.7 and 1 < Q^2 < 100 (GeV/c)^2. In leading order QCD (LO) the asymmetry A_d^{h^{+}-h^{-}} measures the valence quark polarisation and provides an evaluation of the first moment of Delta u_v + Delta d_v which is found to be equal to 0.40 +- 0.07 (stat.) +- 0.05 (syst.) over the measured range of x at Q^2 = 10 (GeV/c)^2. When combined with the first moment of g_1^d previously measured on the same data, this result favours a non-symmetric polarisation of light quarks Delta u-bar = - Delta d-bar at a confidence level of two standard deviations, in contrast to the often assumed symmetric scenario Delta u-bar = Delta d-bar = Delta s-bar = Delta s.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, COMPASS, revised: details added, author list update

SIRT1 Allele Frequencies in Depressed Patients of European Descent in Russia

Depressive disorder (DD) is a widespread mental disorder. Although DD is to some extent inherited, the genes contributing to the risk of this disorder and its genetic mechanisms remain poorly understood. A recent large-scale genome-wide association Chinese study revealed a strong association between the SIRT1 gene variants and DD. The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of heterozygote carriers and search for rare SNP variants of the SIRT1 gene in a cohort of DD patients as compared with a cohort of randomly selected members of the Russian population. The complete coding sequences of the SIRT1 gene from 1024 DNA samples from the general Russian population and from 244 samples from patients with DD were analyzed using targeted sequencing. Four new genetic variants of the SIRT1 were discovered. While no significant differences in the allele frequencies were found between the DD patients and the general population, differences between the frequencies of homozygote carriers of specific alleles and occurrences of heterozygous were found to be significant for rs2236318 (P &lt; 0.0001), and putatively, rs7896005 (P &lt; 0.05), and rs36107781 (P &lt; 0.05). The study found for the first time that two new SNPs (i.e., 10:69665829 and 10:69665971) along with recently reported ones (rs773025707 and rs34701705), are putatively associated with DD. The revealed DD-associated SIRT1 SNPs might confer susceptibility to this disorder in Russian population of European descent

Značajke metaboličkih poremećaja u kokoši nesilica infestiranih crvenom grinjom Dermanyssus gallinae

Dermanyssosis is a common ectoparasitic disease of birds. Some characteristics of metabolic disorders were identified in Hy-Line laying hens with such a disease. The disease caused by Dermanyssus gallinae, a poultry red mite, was detected during a complex parasitological survey in one of two industrial poultry buildings inspected. A high degree of mite infestation was found in the poultry building where the hens of the experimental group were kept. This condition was considered to be a stress factor for the hens, i.e. as a disturbance of their comfortable living conditions. The D. gallinae parasite infestation caused a decrease in erythrocytes and leukocytes, and in hemoglobin concentration in the laying hens. Changes in the content of some stress-associated hormones were analyzed, and they showed an increase in cortisol levels and a decrease in triiodothyronine. Multiple metabolic rate disorders in the organism of the infested hens were revealed. In dermanyssosis stimulation of gluconeogenesis occurred and an increase in the proportion of oxygen-free glycolysis in the hens. These changes were obviously due to the molecular effects of the increase in stress. The hens from the experimental group were found to have high concentrations of lipid peroxidation products as compared to the control. Increased lipid peroxidation was found, together with a decrease in the total antioxidant defense of the experimental laying hens’ organisms. The research results add to our understanding of how a high degree of infestation of a poultry building by D. gallinae impacts the organism of Hy-Line hens.Crvena grinja Dermanyssus gallinae (D. gallinae), poznata još kao tekut, česti je vanjski parazit ptica. U Hy-Line kokoši nesilica infestiranih s navedenim grinjom istražene su neke značajke metaboličkih poremećaja. Infestacija je otkrivena za vrijeme inspekcije dva industrijska objekta za peradarsku proizvodnju. Sveobuhvatnom parazitološkom obradom utvrđen je visok stupanj infestacije grinjama u jednom od dva objekta, u kojemu su držane kokoši iz pokusne skupine. Stanje je uzrokovalo narušavanje povoljnih uvjeta za uzgoj što je rezultiralo stresom za kokoši. Došlo je do smanjenje broja eritrocita i leukocita te koncentracije hemoglobina. Analizirane su promjene hormona povezanih sa stresom, koje su pokazale porast razine kortizola i smanjenje razine trijodtironina. U infestiranih kokoši nesilica otkriveni su višestruki metabolički poremećaji. Uočena je stimulacija glukoneogeneze i porast udjela glikolize bez prisutnosti kisika, a te su promjene očito uzrokovane molekularnim učincima porasta stresa. Kokoši iz pokusne skupine imale su veću koncentraciju produkata lipidne peroksidacije u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom. Porast lipidne peroksidacije uočen je s istodobnim smanjenjem ukupne antioksidacijske obrane organizma. Rezultati istraživanja pružaju bolje razumijevanje učinaka koji visok stupanj infestacije peradarskih objekata ektoparazitom D. gallinae ima na organizam Hy-Line kokoši nesilica

Experimental platform for investigations of high-intensity laser plasma interactions in the magnetic field of a pulsed power generator

An experimental platform for the studying of high-intensity laser plasma interactions in strong magnetic fields has been developed based on the 1 MA Zebra pulsed power generator coupled with the 50-TW Leopard laser. The Zebra generator produces 100-300 T longitudinal and transverse magnetic fields with different types of loads. The Leopard laser creates plasma at an intensity of 1019 W/cm(2) in the magnetic field of coil loads. Focusing and targeting systems are integrated in the vacuum chamber of the pulsed power generator and protected from the plasma debris and strong mechanical shock. The first experiments with plasma at laser intensity >2 x 10(18) W/cm(2) demonstrated collimation of the laser produced plasma in the axial magnetic field strength > 100 T. Published by AIP Publishing

Updated carrier rates for c.35delG (GJB2) associated with hearing loss in Russia and common c.35delG haplotypes in Siberia

Abstract Background Mutations in GJB2 gene are a major causes of deafness and their spectrum and prevalence are specific for various populations. The well-known mutation c.35delG is more frequent in populations of Caucasian origin. Data on the c.35delG prevalence in Russia are mainly restricted to the European part of this country. We aimed to estimate the carrier frequency of c.35delG in Western Siberia and thereby update current data on the c.35delG prevalence in Russia. According to a generally accepted hypothesis, c.35delG originated from a common ancestor in the Middle East or the Mediterranean ~ 10,000–14,000 years ago and spread throughout Europe with Neolithic migrations. To test the c.35delG common origin hypothesis, we have reconstructed haplotypes bearing c.35delG and evaluated the approximate age of c.35delG in Siberia. Methods The carrier frequency of c.35delG was estimated in 122 unrelated hearing individuals living in Western Siberia. For reconstruction of haplotypes bearing c.35delG, polymorphic D13S141, D13S175, D13S1853 flanking the GJB2 gene, and intragenic rs3751385 were genotyped in deaf patients homozygous for c.35delG (n = 24) and in unrelated healthy individuals negative for c.35delG (n = 67) living in Siberia. Results We present updated carrier rates for c.35delG in Russia complemented by new data on c.35delG carrier frequency in Russians living in Western Siberia (4.1%). Two common D13S141-c.35delG-D13S175-D13S1853 haplotypes, 126-c.35delG-105-202 and 124-c.35delG-105-202, were reconstructed in the c.35delG homozygotes from Siberia. Moreover, identical allelic composition of the two most frequent c.35delG haplotypes restricted by D13S141 and D13S175 was established in geographically remote regions: Siberia and Volga-Ural region (Russia) and Belarus (Eastern Europe). Conclusions Distribution of the c.35delG carrier frequency in Russia is characterized by pronounced ethno-geographic specificity with a downward trend from west to east. Comparative analysis of the c.35delG haplotypes supports a common origin of c.35delG in some regions of Russia (Volga-Ural region and Siberia) and in Eastern Europe (Belarus). A rough estimation of the c.35delG age in Siberia (about 4800 to 8100 years ago) probably reflects the early formation stages of the modern European population (including the European part of the contemporary territory of Russia) since the settlement of Siberia by Russians started only at the end of sixteenth century

Light Emitting Devices Based on Quantum Well-Dots

We review epitaxial formation, basic properties, and device applications of a novel type of nanostructures of mixed (0D/2D) dimensionality that we refer to as quantum well-dots (QWDs). QWDs are formed by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxial deposition of 4&ndash;16 monolayers of InxGa1&minus;xAs of moderate indium composition (0.3 &lt; x &lt; 0.5) on GaAs substrates and represent dense arrays of carrier localizing indium-rich regions inside In-depleted residual quantum wells. QWDs are intermediate in properties between 2D quantum wells and 0D quantum dots and show some advantages of both of those. In particular, they offer high optical gain/absorption coefficients as well as reduced carrier diffusion in the plane of the active region. Edge-emitting QWD lasers demonstrate low internal loss of 0.7 cm&minus;1 and high internal quantum efficiency of 87%. as well as a reasonably high level of continuous wave (CW) power at room temperature. Due to the high optical gain and suppressed non-radiative recombination at processed sidewalls, QWDs are especially advantageous for microlasers. Thirty-one &mu;m in diameter microdisk lasers show a high record for this type of devices output power of 18 mW. The CW lasing is observed up to 110 &deg;C. A maximum 3-dB modulation bandwidth of 6.7 GHz is measured in the 23 &mu;m in diameter microdisks operating uncooled without a heatsink. The open eye diagram is observed up to 12.5 Gbit/s, and error-free 10 Gbit/s data transmission at 30 &deg;C without using an external optical amplifier, and temperature stabilization is demonstrated